Some of the worst conspiracy theorists out there are Holocaust Deniers, the ones who claim the Holocaust never happened, and that the event itself is a conspiracy to win sympathy for Israel.
No, I take that back. The worst conspiracy theorists are Holocaust Deniers who say, "It never happened, but it should have!"
I'm not here to discuss anti-Semitism, but people who deny the Holocaust and those who deny any genocide (and the Holocaust NOT the biggest) follow a few common trends. One is bigotry, of course, but there's a lot of pride involved too. It's hard for anyone in China, for example, to admit that the death toll during Mao's Great Leap Forward was as high as it actually was, or for the government of Russia to admit that Holodomor was as bad as the records claim; they'd have to take responsibility for the deaths of millions.
In general, genocide deniers work like this: Nation A is found to have committed attempted genocide against Ethnic Group B, Religious Group C, and/or Dissident Group D. Supporters of Nation A will claim that these allegations were fabricated or exaggerated by Groups B/C/D and Enemy Nation E in order to smear them, and that any actual killings by Nation A of Groups B/C/D were justified in order to quash a rebellion and keep them from aiding Enemy Nation E.
That's how deniers put it.
The survivors and their children don't like such labels… Or such lies… And statistics alone can't prove anything to those who have seen such widespread loss of human life…
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Chapter Twenty-Five
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Iron Man
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Where did this guy learn to act? thought Vincenzo. Kindergarten?
The movie he was watching – some cheesy cop flick from the 1990's – was pretty lame, but he needed to watch something right now.
"Just lovely, Castle," said an angry character on the screen. "Senator Quennell was just reelected to his fifth term in a bigger landslide than the last four. Everybody important in this city, including the mayor, owes him more than both of us are worth, and every pundit on the west coast is putting odds at him being the next President at even.
"And you wreck his car, send two of his bodyguards to the hospital, and point a gun in his face?"
"Louis and I have seen the storehouse, Phil!" said another character. "And so have you. We both know that the GP Cartel would be called the Quennell Cartel if you'd have the backbone to…"
"I don't wanna hear it, Castle!" shouted the first character. "You're outta here!"
Then there was a loud crash, followed by a thud.
"That makes two of us…" said the second character.
Then there was another crash, but this time, it came from a paperweight being thrown through the TV screen. Vincenzo got up as Drago and Tormento turned towards him from the other side of the room.
"And I'll be the third," he said.
"Ever consider simply changing the channel?" asked Tormento.
Vincenzo didn't answer. He grabbed an old overcoat and fedora off a coat rack near the couch.
"I'm going out…" he said. He shoved the hat on his head. "And I'm not coming back until I've cooled off!"
The other two henchmen watched him storm out of the room, then heard the front door slam. The chandelier rattled again, as it often did when he left.
"You think he's going to the pub or the whorehouse?" asked Tormento.
"You two let him be."
The sound of Fanciullo's voice was somewhat of a shock to them. They didn't even know he had been there. But he had been – he was at a desk, typing.
"He's been working here as long as Tranello has, and he was closer to the guy than even I was," continued Fanciullo, not looking around. "I mean, why do you think Tranello had the guts to insult a guy who could break him in half with his thumb?"
He shook his head sadly. Maybe yelling at him the way he did had only worsened it, but he knew he had to put his foot down. Still, Vince wasn't stupid… Most of the time…
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If you're a visitor to Italy, here's a tip about driving while you're there: DON'T.
Italy doesn't have the worst drivers in Europe, but they come close. One joke about the traffic there goes, "the safest way to cross the street in Italy is to wait until some nuns try to cross, and use them as a shield". Another joke – made by a cabbie in Rome – went, "Only crazy people drive in Rome. Taxi drivers are extra crazy."
Of course, the government doesn't help matters. City streets aren't divided into lanes, so drivers pretty much decide how many lanes a street has on their own. Other laws are treated as guidelines, or ignored. In the north, drivers at least obey the street lights and signs, but as you go south, people tend to regard the signs as optional. Further south, that goes for the street lights too. And if you're on the road in Sicily, God help you. It's doubtful anyone else can.
Still, every driver was wise enough to pull aside when they saw one particular D-Wheel barrel down the street, and it's not like the thing was hard to see coming. It was a beast, which made as much noise as a gang of Harleys, all while spewing exhaust from a set of three mufflers on each side. While it looked like a ramshackle thing that was tinkered together from junk, this was an illusion. Special chrome plating made the thing as durable as a tank.
The huge bike pulled up to a bar where a muscular bouncer at the door, a bald, muscular guy wearing sunglasses, stepped back in surprise at the sight of the thing. He noticed the words Pig Iron burned into the front of it.
Vincenzo removed his helmet and looked at the guy. He hopped to the ground, then looked down at the bouncer, who despite being rather large, was still shorter than the devil swine.
"Just so you know, fellah," said Vince, "I really love my bike…"
"Ah, I'll just watch it for you!" gasped the bouncer. He held his hands up nervously as Vince nodded. He went inside.
The dimly-lit bar stunk of cigar smoke and other unidentifiable things. He looked around. Not very crowded. There was a man in a black suit and tie, a woman wearing a coat and hat… Nobody he knew, but no-one who looked dangerous.
"Stout in a pitcher," he said to the bartender.
He looked around again. A short, disheveled man was alternating between sips of whiskey and drags on a cigarette, while a guy who'd clearly had too much already was close to falling asleep on his table.
The bartender set the pitcher down; Vince picked it up and took it to a table by the wall. (It was always best to sit with your back to the wall in his line of work. That way, no-one could get you from behind. Everyone in Fanciullo's gang did the same.) Not bothering to use a glass, he drank from the pitcher itself as if it were a mug, draining half of it in one drink.
He put it down, wiped his mouth, and then took a deck out of a pouch out of his belt. This was a special deck built with Turbo Duels in mind; many of the cards, not just the Speed Spells, didn't work in a standard duel.
He leafed through it until he found his best card. A Level 10 Earth-Attribute Beast. This card was almost impossible for him to get…
Actually, it was impossible for him to get. Tranello had managed, though. You ask that guy to find someone on the internet selling an aircraft carrier, he would be able to do it.
So many times in the past few hours he had thought of two things. The first was the more pleasant parts of the history he had with Tranello… The second was the dreams he had of what he wanted to do to the bitch who killed him. Most of the latter were horrid thoughts of sadistic torture that were best left undescribed.
"Big guy, HEY!" shouted a voice.
Vincenzo turned around to see the bouncer rush in. "Fellah, hey…" He was out of breath, and looked scared. Vince stood up.
"There're two kids outside spray painting all over your bike…" gasped the bouncer.
"WHA…" shouted Vince. "Well why didn't you try to stop them, stupid?"
He gave the bouncer a shove, and charged outside like, well, like an angry boar. But then he got a surprise.
When the guy had said "two kids spray painting" the bike, Vincenzo had expected two teenage hoodlums. The vandals were actually two ten-year-olds, a boy and a girl. When they saw Vince they shrieked, dropped the cans, and covered their heads.
Still, Vince was going to get some answers here. He grabbed hold of them and lifted them up, one in each hand.
"Okay, start talking," he said, sternly. "What makes you think you can…"
"Because I told them to, fatso," said a female voice.
Vincenzo slowly turned around. She walked out of the shadows. It was her.
And as much as Vince wanted to make a lunge for her right now, he couldn't. She was holding a third ten-year-old, and had a gun to his head. The poor kid was crying softly, but she was covering his mouth with her other hand.
"I hope you didn't hurt the bald guy too badly," said B.B. Hood, the cute smile still on her face. "I threatened him, too… I think that kid you're holding with your left hand is his."
"Listen you two," said Vince, whispering, "I'm going to let you down, and when I let go, I want you to run the other way, fast. Nod to me if you understand." He stopped, and they nodded. "Good…"
He slowly lowered them to the ground, and let go. They took off, clearly trying to start running even before their feet had touched the ground.
"Let the kid go, Hood," he said. He had never taken his eyes off her for a second, naturally.
"You think I won't shoot him?" she asked.
"You probably would if you thought you would get away with it,but you can't," he said. "If you did, I'd crush your pretty little skull five seconds later. And believe me, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it."
He edged forward, and Bonnie held the kid tighter.
"You know, I've killed a lot of men who were pigs," she said. "You'd be the first literal one."
"Don't like pigs, huh?" he said. He cracked his knuckles. "You know, pigs sometimes have a very useful function for guys in my line of work."
"You have time for barbecues that often?" she asked.
"Funny…" he said. "No, that's not the reason…" He stopped. "Know what pigs eat?"
"I didn't know they were picky," she replied.
"Oh, they ain't. They ain't picky at all. Pigs eat anything they can get their jaws on. Anything they can chew. Anything you feed them. They'll even eat pork if you give it to them. And they have powerful teeth too. Rips through flesh and tendons like paper. And they can digest almost anything too…"
"What… what are you…" she stammered.
"…getting at?" asked Vincenzo. "Having a pigpen around can be very useful when you have to dispose of a body. The old deal with the cement shoes works, sure, but if you want to be less dramatic and more practical, you can just feed the body to a bunch of pigs."
He edged closer.
"Of course, most of the time, the guy's already dead when you throw him to them…"
Closer again.
"…most of the time…"
Bonnie's hand started to shiver a little, and that's when the opportunity came. Vincenzo rushed at her, knocked the gun away, grabbed the kid away, and slugged her in the face.
"RUN!" he shouted, letting the kid go. Bonnie took off into the alley she had come from while the child ran for his life in the other direction.
"Works every time…" muttered Vince. He kicked the gun with his foot, and it slid down a sewer grating by the curb. Then he looked down the alley. He didn't think there was anything down there but bags of garbage…
Then he heard the sound of a motorcycle engine, followed by a headlight flashing at him. He dodged aside as Hood came speeding out on a fire engine red D-Wheel with a streamlined flame, having switched to an odd metallic-colored version of her regular outfit, the helmet replacing the hood.
"Really scary, pig-man," she said. "Let's see if you can back that stuff up!"
She hit the gas, and sped down the road. Vince ran towards his much larger bike, and leapt on.
"Wanna see how dangerous an angry pig can be?" he shouted after her. He donned his helmet and hit the ignition, sending plumes of black smoke shooting from his exhaust pipes. "I may be no wolf, but I'm gonna huff and puff and blow you all the way to Hell!"
The Pig Iron started up, and roared down the street, leaving skid marks a hundred meters long from where it took off. After about a minute or so, he had caught up to Hood, who was heading for the highway that connected Florence to the other major cities of Italy, including Pisa and Rome.
"Wanna throw down, huh?" laughed Hood. She clicked in the code on her dashboard, and the message was, as always, sent through to the central grid. After about twenty seconds or so, an approval message showed on both screens.
"WHEE!" she shouted, doing a wheelie as they boarded the entrance ramp onto the highway. As always, flashing alarms activated to warn the other cars as the special lane started to form.
"If you think I'm gonna go down as easy as Tranello, you are crazy," he called. "Activate Speed World 2!"
The Field Spell appeared on his console, and the lane turned into a shimmering vortex as the counters set and the consoles changed appropriately.
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"So just what did you think chrome dome meant by that?" asked Emily.
She was leaning back on the couch in the employee lounge, watching Ferdinand throw darts at a board on the wall.
"No idea," sighed the mul. "The guy's creepy and I don't trust him at all. I'm just glad Dunstan is there… He's one of the few people in this place with common sense."
"Yeah, right," said Oswald's voice.
Emily gave him a dirty look as he walked into the room, carrying a bag from some taco place and a soda.
"Common sense," he grumbled, sitting down. "Just what kind of deck does he use, anyway?"
Ferd gave him an unpleasant look, then walked over to the dart board and plucked the darts out. "Suffice to say that most every important monster in his deck is strong enough to put that monstrosity in your deck over a knee and spank him. Or it. Or whatever."
"You take that back," threatened Oswald.
"No," replied Ferd. He threw another dart as Emily giggled.
"You think you're so smart, do you Ferd?" asked Oswald.
"Smarter than you," came the response. "I can prove it too."
"Yeah, how?"
Ferd held up one finger, then opened up a cabinet next to the dartboard. He took out an odd object, a triangular shaped device with a pendulum in the center.
"See this?" he asked. He set the object on top of the television, which wasn't on, tapped the pendulum, and it started to move back and forth.
"Look at it closely," continued Ferd. "I'm gonna use this doohickey to prove it to you."
As Oswald looked at it closely, Ferd motioned to Emily, and they walked out of the room, down the hall, towards Addams' office.
"Boss?" said Ferd, opening the door halfway. "Emily and I are going out to get sandwiches. Want anything?
"Mmf," replied Addams, shaking his head to indicate the negative reply.
"If Oswald is still looking at that metronome in half an hour," added Ferd, "tell him I proved it."
"Right," said Addams.
"So, want to try that new deli?" he asked putting his arm around Emily's waist as they strode towards the exit.
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"And here's my first move!" shouted Vincenzo, grabbing the top card from his deck.
(Vincenzo: 8,000, SPC: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (B.B. Hood: 8,000, SPC: 0)
"I summon Torto the Terrible," he said, not as loud.
He played the card, and there was a loud rumble as the highway started to shake. A huge, spiked ball rolled between the two bikes, causing Hood to swerve to avoid it… Then it unfolded, revealing itself to be an armored, porcine-headed creature with a helmet and a metal shell on its back, covered with blades. (1,000 ATK)
"Only a thousand points?" asked Hood. "He's a lamb in lion's clothing."
Vincenzo ignored her, and set two of his cards. One appeared to each side of his bike, then faded as he swerved in the other direction.
"Your move," he said, giving her a dark look.
"Here I go!" laughed Hood. She drew a card, and the Speed Counters increased slightly. She tossed a card on her console, and a droning noise proceeded the appearance of what looked like a mechanical cross between a wasp and a gaunt, skeletal human, its head hunched over and its limbs dangling by its sides as its wings vibrated furiously. (1,200 ATK)
"Cyber Esper, blast that thing with Cybernetic Shockwave!"
As the Machine flew higher and glared towards Torto, the Beast-Warrior turned its back to the thing, and the spikes doubled in length…
"I use two Trap Cards!" exclaimed Vince. "Zero Gazer, and Death Accel!"
Cyber Esper shot blasts of burning lightning at the Beast-Warrior, but curiously, as it did, Torto's Attack Score plunged to zero. The shell shattered, and it tumbled on its stomach before the rest of it did.
Then, to Hood's surprise, Vince shifted gears and pulled ahead of her.
"Lamb in lion's clothing?" he laughed. "Exactly! Sacrificial lamb! You see, thanks to Death Accel, I just gained a Speed Counter for every 500 points of damage I took, which is two because I used Zero Gazer to lower his score to nothing."
(V: 6,800, SPC: 3) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 8,000, SPC: 1)
"And because I used that card, I also get to draw once."
"Yeah, well, celebrate while you can," said Bonnie, her voice a little sour now, "because so long as Cyber Esper is in Attack Mode, I get to see the cards you draw."
And indeed, as Vince drew the card, the easily recognizable Call of the Haunted appeared on her console briefly. She took two more of her cards and set them in her Spell Zone.
"I'm done…" she mused. Then she shrieked as sharp shards of metal stabbed into her arms and shoulders.
"Ow, that hurt!" she whined.
"I didn't mention Torto's own effect," said Vince with a toothy smile. "His Attack Score was less than his base Score, so you take half the damage you inflicted when he was destroyed. Be grateful your Esper's Score isn't very high either.
"And now, it's my turn…"
He drew as Hood watched the console, revealing the card to be Speed Spell – The End of Storm.
Well, he won't be able to use that one for a while, she thought.
"Next, I'm calling out Prince Ciacco," said Vince.
There was a loud snort, and a fierce-looking razorback boar leapt onto the street in front of him, running alongside his D-Wheel. (1,200 ATK)
"So what exactly makes that guy a prince?" asked Bonnie.
"You'll see," replied Vince. Two new set cards appeared in his Spell Zone. "Your move again…"
(V: 6,800, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,400, SPC: 2)
The guy is stubborn, I'll give him that… thought his opponent.
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At that moment, Vincenzo's employer was in the den of his manor house, lying down on the couch and dozing. It had been a long day, and he had a headache.
Nitro's yelling was not the most pleasant thing to wake up to…
"Mr. Cattivo!" screamed the henchman, as he charged into the room. The don grunted and lifted his head, turning towards Nitro, who was setting his laptop on the coffee table.
"Nitro, if this house isn't on fire, you are a dead man…" he grumbled.
"I know, I know," said Nitro. "You said not to bother you unless it was an emergency, but I think this qualifies."
As he logged on, Fanciullo held his forehead and started to sit up. "Don't get up!" added Nitro. "Better you be sitting down for this…"
Fanciullo grumbled again. When someone told you that, it always meant bad news. "Just tell me the basics, Nitro!" he demanded.
"I heard a news report about something bad going down at Big Jim's…" said Nitro. "You know, the place Vince and Tranello used to go."
"Damn it, if he got into another bar brawl…"groaned Fanciullo.
Then Nitro turned the laptop towards him, where he had logged onto a duelist blog, showing a duel in progress.
Fanciullo was wide awake now. Either that or he was having a terrible nightmare.
"Belsito…" he said. "If you get out of this alive, I'm going to kill you…"
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"I… draw!" laughed Bonnie, drawing a card, and causing her bike to speed up. Then she played a card, and a cute-looking robot with cannons for arms with tank treads rolled out in front of her with a series of beeps and squeaks. (400 ATK)
"Next, by sending three of my cards from my deck to the Graveyard, Card Trooper here gains 1,500 Attack Points!"
She threw three cards – Stygian Street Patrol, Byroad Sacrifice, and Cybernetic Cyclopean – into the slot under her dashboard, and the small robot shot up to a Score of 1,900 ATK.
"Your little piggy is about to go crying wee-wee-wee all the way home!" she laughed. "Attack!"
As Card Trooper fired two missiles from its arms, Prince Ciacco snorted angrily, and leapt at the small droid… An explosion made both the D-Wheels shake.
"WHAT?" shouted Bonnie. "My monster was destroyed too?"
"That's right, because I used the Mirror Mail Trap Card," replied Vince. "It made Ciacco's Attack Score equal to Card Trooper's. And another thing, because you just iced him, I get to take another monster from my deck with the word 'Ciacco' in its name."
A new card appeared with his others, a Beast that was Level 4, one higher than Prince Ciacco.
"Except another Prince, that is."
"Yeah, well I get to draw a card too," said Bonnie. She made a draw, but as she did, Vince's other Trap activated.
"And now," he announced, "Call of the Haunted!"
The card flashed with light as Prince Ciacco returned, angrier now. (1,200 ATK)
"Doesn't scare me…" said Bonnie. Her own Trap Card lifted up. "I'm using Nitwit Outwit! I'll just discard this guy…" She took her Absorbing Jar from her hand of cards, and then discarded it. "And that takes a chunk out your pigs Attack Points!"
(600 ATK)
"So once again…"
Cyber Esper flashed its Cybernetic Shockwave, vaporizing Prince Ciacco again.
"I can use that effect more than once, sister…" said Vince.
Still, as yet another Monster Card appeared with the others, this one Level 5, he wondered why she'd discard a card as powerful as Absorbing Jar.
She's either very confident, very careless, or both, he thought. Whatever the case, I have all I need now…
"My draw," he said, pulling the top card from his deck.
(V: 6,200, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,400, SPC: 4)
"Because my Speed Counters are at least 4 and I have no monsters, I can Special Summon Ciacco the Elder!"
There was a loud roar, and a much larger razorback boar, one about the size of a bear and as mean-looking as an angry bull, charged onto the road. (2,000 ATK)
"That's what I was waiting for!" laughed Bonnie. "You just Special Summoned a monster from your hand! That means I can summon Cyber Dinosaur!"
The highway shook like an earthquake, and dark clouds started to form in the sky. With a bellowing roar, an armored, robotic tyrannosaur thundered from behind Hood, looking hungrily at the large swine.
"I don't think dinosaurs were around long enough to ever prey on pigs," she chuckled, "but there's a first time for everything…"
"I'm not even close to done," replied Vince. "Next, I'll summon Ciacco the Younger!"
Yet another razorback, this one about the size of a horse, and just as mean as the elder one, rushed from the other side of his D-Wheel. (1,600 ATK)
"Now then, because I have Ciacco the Elder on the field, I can sacrifice Ciacco the Younger…" The smaller Beast vanished into twinkling motes. "And summon a second Prince Ciacco!"
As he said, the smallest of the boars appeared again, running at a brisk charge. (1,200 ATK)
"Lovely, now we're running around in circles," laughed Bonnie. "Unless…"
"You got it!" replied Vince. "Prince Ciacco is about to give his bigger relative a Tune up!"
The two hogs launched themselves into the air, as shimmering stars started to surround them, forming into Synchro Rings.
"From the dark depths of space, I call on the fastest thing on two hooves! A beast whose only purpose is to race, and runs his foes down!"
(* 3 + * 5 = *8)
"I Synchro Summon the Whizpig!"
With a loud crash, a giant fell from the sky in front of them, and hit the ground running. It was bizarre. This… creature looked like a giant pig standing upright, about twenty feet tall, with tusks and horns, and a ring in his snout, wearing a purple jumpsuit, a belt with a golden mosaic buckle, and a darker purple cape with a very high collar. (2,400 ATK)
He looked at Hood briefly, and made a throaty, evil laugh as he continued to run.
"Whizpig here is fast enough on his own," continued Vince, "but the faster I go, the faster he goes. What that means is, if my Speed Counters are higher than yours, he gains 300 Attack Points times the difference."
(3,000 ATK)
Whizpig did a one-eighty, charged back towards Cyber Dinosaur, and with a mighty karate chop, smashed it in half with a shower of metal shards.
Then he got in Bonnie's face – literally – and chuckled evilly before dashing forward again. Bonnie groaned and covered her face.
(V: 6,200, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 6,900, SPC: 4)
"What's the matter?" asked Vince. "Can't take it?"
"The attack was nothing," she grumbled. "His breath, on the other hand…"
"Think that's bad?" asked Vince. "I'm still not done. I'm using the effect of Speed World 2." He held up two cards, both of them Speed Spells, and then veered his D-Wheel, turning to the side. As his Counters dropped to 2, a cloud of foul exhaust was propelled at his foe. She grunted and covered her face.
(V: 6,200, SPC: 2) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 5,300, SPC: 4)
Bonnie coughed, and then looked at Whizpig. "I see your little stunt didn't help him much," she said, her smile returning through the soot on her face.
Indeed, Wizpig's Attack Score was now only 1,800. Clearly, having lower Speed Counters than she did had the opposite effect.
"I'll set one more card," said Vince, as a new card appeared in his Spell Zone. "And now I'm done."
"Which means I can activate this," replied Hood. She threw her left arm out, and her Trap lifted and spun around. "It's called Jury Rig. Because that monster you destroyed had the word 'Cyber' in its name, I can banish it and one Level 4 monster from my Graveyard…"
Both Cyber Dinosaur and Cybernetic Cyclopean's card appeared behind her, and crumbled into dust.
"Then I get to summon a new copy of the weaker monster I banished from my deck. So come out, Cybernetic Cyclopean!"
There was a shadow behind her from which a glaring, red eye stared out, followed by a hulking creature with green skin and a metal helmet, forearms with metal claws, plating covering its chest, and metal greaves. It looked like a Hitotsu-Me Giant with cybernetic implants. (1,400 ATK)
"Now I'll draw…" she said, drawing a card and accelerating past Vince and the dashing swine. "And I'll sacrifice Cyber Esper…"
The weird Machine shattered into silvery triangles.
"…to summon Cybernetic Magician!"
There was a flash and a vortex of silvery light, and a sorcerer in a silver overcoat and a tall cap with a boyish face, piercing eyes, and blonde hair emerged, palming a long stiletto. (2,400 ATK)
"Then, by banishing my Stygian Street Patrol from my Graveyard," she added, "I can Special Summon a Fiend from my hand with up to 2,000 total Attack Points. So here's Cyber Archfiend!"
Lightning flashed in the sky, and a demon that looked like Summoned Skull, only smaller, with metallic skin with circuitry covering it, (1,000 ATK)
The three monsters turned towards Wizpig, who growled at them.
"Let me show you how this little trick works," said Bonnie. "By discarding a card in my hand, I can change the Attack Score of any monster on the field to 2,000. That's going to be Cyber Archfiend.
"Oh, just so you know, this is the last card in my hand…"
She discarded that card, and Cyber Archfiend roared, growing to half-again its size. (2,000 ATK)
"Which means, because I have no hand, Cybernetic Cyclopean's Score also becomes 2,000!"
The cyborg monster flexed its muscles as electricity coursed over its flesh. (2,000 ATK)
"I don't care how tough they are!" shouted Vince. His Trap lifted up and activated. "Thanks to Safe Zone, Wizpig can take it!"
"But can you?" asked Bonnie.
Cybernetic Cyclopean struck first, shooting a bolt of black fire from its one eye. Then Cyber Archfiend spread its wings, and blasted electricity. Finally, Cybernetic Magician blurted out a hasty incarnation as he threw his stiletto, and a dozen shimmering dagger crashed towards the racing Pig-Man.
When the dust cleared, Whizpig's jumpsuit and cape were torn and burned, but he was still standing… And angry.
"Ugh…" groaned Vince, who had taken the brunt of the three attacks.
(V: 5,200, SPC: 2) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 5,300, SPC: 4)
"With that, I end my turn…" said Bonnie. "Which means Cyber Archfiend's Score returns to normal. So now what, swine?"
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"Much as I hate to say it," said Picchiare, who was now watching from behind the couch with Drago and Tormento, "he's doing pretty good…"
Fanciullo looked at him. Before Picchiare could say anything else, he nodded, then turned back to the screen.
"Fine…" he said, his voice a little better. "If he comes back in one piece, I just might decide to hear him out before I break both his arms…"
"I'm a little worried…" said Nitro. The henchman rubbed his chin. "This combo that she's using… It's hard to pull off, and even harder to pull off right, but it can be very effective."
"As in?" demanded Fanciullo.
"Well, if you have Cyber Archfiend, you get to draw twice at the start of your turn if you have no hand," explained Nitro. "But if you have a hand of even one card at the end of your turn, Cyber Archfiend is destroyed. So it potentially gives you an extra draw every turn, but you have to use them right away.
"But Cybernetic Magician solves the problem, partially. Its effect requires a discard, making it unlikely you won't be able to do anything with the remaining card. And Cyclopean, well, you saw."
"Well, at least he's winning…" said Drago.
"Barely," said Tormento.
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"First I draw," said Vincenzo, drawing a card, "then Whizpig attacks Cyber Archfiend! Rabid Rush!"
Steam blew from the giant Beast-Warrior's nostrils as it charged forward towards the Fiend. Hood flipped a switch on her console and tapped the screen, and Necro Gardna appeared in front of the giant, shattering as it blocked the huge fist.
"Not as easy as you think, big guy," she said.
"I end my turn…" mumbled Vince.
(V: 5,200, SPC: 3) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 5,300, SPC: 5)
"My move…" said Bonnie. "And because I have no cards in my hand and my Archfiend in play, I get two draws."
She drew twice as both bikes started to speed up, but it didn't help Whizpig much. Vince didn't like the smile on her face, especially when she set both of them, one in her Monster Zone, one behind it. Again, Cybernetic Cyclopean rose to 2,000 Attack Points.
The Beast-Warrior's single eye started to flash with blinding fire. Then his optic blast and Cybernetic Magician's magical blades flashed towards Whizpig, the giant hog tumbling over with a crash.
(V: 4,400, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 5,300, SPC: 6)
Amazingly, the giant managed to get up, shaking his fist at Bonnie before dashing down the highway again.
"Doesn't that guy ever give up?" she asked.
"Nope," replied Vince. "Grass grows, birds sing, the sun shines, and he runs. It's what he does."
He gave his grip a turn, and the gear on his bike twisted, more exhaust blowing from the pipes as he pulled ahead. He watched and saw Cyclopean's score return to 1,400.
"It's your move…" she hissed.
Vincenzo drew, and put the card aside as his Counters inched up.
"I'll set this card," he said, placing a card in his Spell Zone, "then Whizpig attacks again!"
For the second time, the giant boar dashed towards Cyber Archfiend, only for Bonnie to chuckle again.
"You know, big guy, there's a disadvantage to being so fast," she said. "Harder to use the breaks! I activate Call of the Earthbound!"
As her Trap lifted up, Whizpig looked a little puzzled.
"Now I can direct his attack away from Archfiend and towards my set monster!" she laughed.
"Oh, boy…" muttered Vince, as a strange-looking, purple imp with a long tail and big, toothy mouth appeared in front of Whizpig. The giant hog stomped on it, and then yelled something unintelligible in an alien language as a shocking surge covered him.
"That was an Electric Lizard," laughed Bonnie, looking behind at the cursing pig-man. "An old card, but still rather effective… Your big pig won't be attacking the next turn either."
"Feh…" said Vince. He waved his hand to her.
"You're ending your turn, I take it?" asked Bonnie. She drew twice once more.
(V: 4,400, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 5,300, SPC: 8)
"Nice…" she said. "Here, take a look at this!"
She played a card, and a very familiar – as in dreaded –monster appeared, a weird Machine with a skull-like metal face, an upper torso resembling a red cloak covered with mirrors, a cape and high collar, and a pointed spire in place of legs. (1,700 ATK)
"Shit…" growled Vince. "Reflect Bounder…"
"Mmm-hmm," said Bonnie, with a playful nod. "And I've got this too… Speed Spell –Convergence!"
She played the card, and Reflect Bounder's optic Sensors turned red as the other three monsters all moved to Defense Mode, crossing their arms (and wings, in the Archfiend's case).
"By playing this Spell Card, my Machine-Type monster gains half the Attack Score of all my other monsters combined for the rest of the turn, so long as they all move to Defense Mode."
(Cybernetic Magician: 1,000 DEF, Cyber Archfiend: 2,000 DEF, Cybernetic Cyclopean: 200 DEF, Reflect Bounder: 4,100 ATK)
"So take THIS!"
A blast of light from the Machine's central mirror hit Whizpig in the chest, and Vince's bike shook violently…
(V: 3,100, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 5,300, SPC: 8)
"Ah, ah… ARGH!" shouted Vincenzo.
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"Okay, he's toast…" muttered Drago. The khimera was leaning against the wall as he watched, casually smoking a cigarette. "I got dibs on his DVDs."
"He'd better survive," growled Tormento. "The mooching fatass still owes me thirty euros."
"Will you two shut up?" ordered Fanciullo, with such force that Drago coughed on the cigarette smoke. "That's going to be the least of your troubles in a minute."
"Besides, I don't think he's done yet," added Nitro.
"What do you mean?" demanded Fanciullo.
"The guy's had it," said Picchiare. "He tries to attack that Reflect Bounder with Whizpig…"
"I know, it will hurt him more than it will Bonnie," replied Nitro. "But just wait…"
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"My… move!" shouted Vincenzo, making a draw.
He seized the top card of his Disk, and lifted it high as he drew it. To Bonnie's shock, both he and Whizpig accelerated as smoke poured from his D-Wheel, pulling up beside hers as the engines roared even harder.
(V: 3,100, SPC: 9) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 5,300, SPC: 9)
"How…" she gasped.
"The Trap Card I used last turn," he chuckled. "Slip Stream! Haven't you caught on? My cards all need raw speed to work, so I had a Trap that would make me my Counters catch up to yours quickly.
"I just needed to wait for you to use a Speed Spell, and since you did, not only has my hawg gotten a second wind, so has you-know-who."
Indeed, Whizpig was running just as fast as before, his Attack Score back to 2,400.
"Big deal," she said. "He can't attack this turn, remember? And even if he could…"
"Yeah, yeah, three of your monsters are in Defense Mode," he interrupted, "and if I attack the one that isn't, I lose. Well I have a Speed Spell too…"
With a deft stroke, his hand threw the card on his dash… Speed Spell – Ignition.
"Wait…" said Bonnie. "To use that card, you have to destroy another of your Spell or Trap Cards, and the only one you have…"
"You got it!" he laughed. "I'll destroy Safe Zone to switch the battle positions of all your monsters!"
The Trap Card smashed, and four fireballs shot towards Bonnie's formation of monsters, causing Reflect Bounder to cross its arms and defend (1,000 DEF) while the others stood up into Attack Mode. (Cybernetic Magician: 2,400 ATK, Cyber Archfiend: 1,000 ATK, Cybernetic Cyclopean: 1,400 ATK)
At the same Whizpig howled and finally crashed, smashing into pieces on the street.
"You big dummy!" laughed Bonnie. "You forgot that when you destroy Safe Zone…"
She was interrupted by a crash as a huge monster landed in front of her, its evil, throaty laugh taunting her as she swerved to drive around it.
She looked back as clouds started to cover the sun and the… thing started to chase after her, Vincenzo following. It looked like Whizpig, but head-and-shoulders taller, with metallic, silver skin and clothing. (2,800 ATK)
"I forgot to mention," said Vince. "Destroying Whizpig with a card effect lets me bring out his big brother, Supersonic Whizpig, and all I had to do was reduce my Counters by three. He could care less about your Electric Lizard's effect.
"Now I'm going to use one of his effects… Because my Counters are still at least six, he can attack all four of your monsters!"
"You can't be serious…" she replied.
He wasn't. The even bigger Beast-Warrior charged down the highway, flames igniting under its feet. What happened next was brutal. It went for Cybernetic Magician first, hitting him with a punch so solid he was propelled against the cement wall of the dueling lane with a splat, shattering a split second later. Then it grabbed Cybernetic Cyclopean by the leg, and slammed it into the ground to the left, crushing Cyber Archfiend in the process, smashing it in the other direction and smashing the defending Reflect Bounder, and finally hurling what was left at Bonnie's windshield as she shrieked.
Supersonic Whizpig did a backflip and kept running.
"Ah, cheer up," said Vincenzo. "At least the damage you took was halved. I end my turn. Well?"
(V: 3,100, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 3,500, SPC: 9)
Bonnie didn't answer for several long tense seconds… Then she smiled broadly, and giggled again, that girlish giggle which was starting to sound creepy.
"I gotta admit Belsito…" she said.
"Starting to run out of insults?" he asked.
"You're my kind of scum…" she continued. "You're my kind of scum… Inventive, creative… Ruthless…"
"Yeah, I learned a lot of that from Tranello," said Vince with a scowl.
"Ah… Tranello…" said Bonnie. "Oh! Right…"
"You got no idea who I'm talking about, do you?" he asked. "Just move, okay?"
Bonnie's fake smile disappeared as she did so.
"I'm using the effect of Speed World 2 to draw a second time…" she said. Her Speed Counters fell to 3 as she made the draw.
"You're wrong, Belsito, I remember every detail of that duel we had. He was good… Very good… I remember the chat we had too. One thing that kept going through my mind was, how can a guy so smart and so skilled not see the obvious?I practically spelled it out for him.
"We were talking about how the characters in fairy tales get into trouble because they're too dumb to see danger in plain sight. Maybe he would have figured it out if I drew him a diagram?"
"Wait…" said Vince. "Were you trying to get caught, or was it your sick idea of a joke?"
Bonnie didn't answer. She simply set her two cards, causing two reversed cards to appear, one in each Zone.
"End…" she said.
"Ah, have it your way…" he answered, drawing.
Got it! he thought.
"I set one card," he said, as a face-down card appeared behind Supersonic Whizpig. "Then, my Stout Sluggard!"
There was a tired, wheezing noise, and a morbidly fat razorback floated out beside him. (1,000 ATK)
"Ugh!" said Bonnie, looking at the thing. "Now that's a face that would make even a mother scream."
"You can insult my cards all you like," growled Vince. "This one is special. It was a gift from Tranello."
"He must not have liked you very much," she supplied, chuckling a little.
"I'll show you…" he growled. Supersonic Whizpig broke into a sprint again, towards the set monster, but as it did, it was replaced by a large, red sphere with three metal grippers. It launched at Supersonic Whizpig, latching to its chest.
"GOTCHA!" shouted Bonnie with delight. "On your next Standby Phase… BOOM! My Blast Sphere explodes, taking that monstrosity and 2,800 of your Life Points with it!"
"I'm so scared," snarked Vincenzo. "Stout Sluggard, attack directly with Retch Cannon."
The sluggish pig lifted its head a bit, and then spewed a cloud of vile gaseous residue at Bonnie with a horrid belching sound. She squirmed and turned her head away as it covered her and her bike.
(V: 3,100, SPC: 8) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 2,500, SPC: 4)
All I need is one Life Point left to finish her off on my next turn, he thought. With my Threatening Roar set, I can protect Stout Sluggard until then, when my Speed Counters hit 10, and then… Then its true power is unleashed.
She doesn't know it, but its true Attack Score is 5,000 minus 500 for every Speed Counter I have. A handicap because I need at least 6 of them to summon it. But when I hit ten, I can use the most powerful effect of Speed World 2. It reduces my Counters to zero, but will let Stout Sluggard attack with full strength.
She likes fairy tales? I'm about to give her the most explosive reenactment of The Tortoise and the Hare this town has seen in years…
"Your move…"
Bonnie made a draw. "I pass…" she said, ominously. "Go…"
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Fanciullo and his henchmen watched the screen eagerly as Vincenzo drew once, and his Speed Counters rose to a full 10.
"I use the effect of Speed World 2!" they heard him yell.
Bonnie's Trap Card – which they couldn't see well enough to identify – shattered. But they certainly saw Stout Sluggard become fully awake with a vicious roar of bloodlust as it grew to four times its size. (5,000 ATK)
Then… something happened. There was an explosion as whoever was filming the duel was knocked down. Some tense moments followed, where all they could see was a view of the pavement and hear some groans and curses from someone, likely whoever was filming it.
Finally, that person got up and lifted the filming device.
"Per amor de Dio…" whispered Fanciullo.
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On the exit ramp of the highway, B.B. Hood smiled as she watched the smoke rise amid the sirens from three police cars and one fire truck.
"Practically spelled it out for him…" she said, shaking her head.
She giggled again, donned her helmet and took off.
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An hour later…
Fanciullo was sitting in his office brooding with the lights off and the curtains pulled.
Brooding, nothing more.
"Boss?" said Nitro's voice from outside.
"What?" replied Fanciullo.
"Ricci says it's gonna cost you ten grand…"
The mobster slammed his fist on his desk.
"Maledizione!" he cursed. "That's highway robbery!"
"I told him that," sighed Nitro, "but he told me it's either that, or you find someone else who can get info from the police evidence locker."
Fanciullo sighed. His gut told him he shouldn't concern himself with it. Vince was an idiot. He had deliberately disobeyed a direct order…
But he knew that was the biggest mistake Vince had made… Thinking with his gut. His brain – the thing you were supposed to think with – told him that this wasn't over yet…
He looked at the journal at the side of the desk. It was the reason Hood was targeting his gang, he was sure of it. It would be so easy to simply throw it away… Pretend he had never been given it and forget about this whole nightmare…
Then he shook his head. Two of his henchmen were dead. He couldn't forget it. Or let it go unpunished. It was a matter of pride.
"Fine…" he said. "Send him the cash. But you tell him I want the results here yesterday."
He heard Nitro leave, and continued to brood.
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Going back a few hours, as it turned out, Atlantic City did indeed have a public library, and a pretty complete one, with a rather large and complete magazine and newspaper microfiche collection.
She had just found an issue on them of a periodical from way back in 1935 which she could have sworn she heard Karl mention from time to time, called Weird Tales. She had no idea who Robert Bloch, the author, was, but it seemed interesting:
It was red and dripping; an immensity of pulsing, moving jelly; a scarlet blob with myriad tentacular trunks that waved and waved. There were suckers on the tips of the appendages, and these were opening and closing with a ghoulish lust... The thing was bloated and obscene; a headless, faceless, eyeless bulk with the ravenous maw and titanic talons of a star-born monster. The human blood on which it had fed revealed the hitherto invisible outlines of the feaster.
"Eww…" she said. "Not exactly bedtime reading…"
Then her mobile rang – or rather vibrated, seeing as this was a library.
"Yes," she said softly, picking it up. "Speaking… Uh-huh…
"Yes, I can be there…All right, sure…"
She hung up. It was time to find out just how sincere Ferd had been…
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ZERO GAZER (Trap Card)
Normal Trap
Image: Panther Warrior in a fighting stance in front of a roaring inferno with two glaring, evil eyes.
Effect: Activate when your opponent declares an attack against an Attack Position monster you control; reduce the ATK of the attack target to zero. After damage calculation, draw 1 card.
Note: "Zero Gazer" first appeared in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode #157.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
SLIP STREAM (Trap Card)
Normal Trap
Image: A racecar driven by a man with a helmet, pursuing another car in the foreground, through the vortex of "Speed World"
Effect: Activate when your opponent activates a "Speed Spell" card, and your Speed Counters are less than your opponent's. During your next Standby Phase, your Speed Counters become equal to your opponent's Speed Counters.
Note: "Slip Stream" first appeared in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds" episode "Pipe Dreams".
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
DEATH ACCEL (Trap Card)
Normal Trap
Image: A close up view of a stern-faced D-Wheeler at the helm of his bike.
Effect: Activate only when you take Battle Damage.Gain 1 Speed Counter for each multiple of 500 damage you took during damage calculation.
Note: "Death Accel" first appeared in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds" episode "Surprise, Surprise".
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
SPEED SPELL – IGNITION (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: An explosion erupting out of a Duel Monsters card, with Key Mace, Key Mace #2, and Shining Friendship being propelled from it.
Card Description: You may activate this card when you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Select and destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card you control (other than this one). Then, change the Battle Position of all face-up monsters your opponent controls.
Note: "Speed Spell - Explosion" was first used in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode #121.
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TORTO THE TERRIBLE (Monster Card)
Beast-Warrior/Earth/Effect/Lvl4/1,000/1,800
Effect: During your opponent's Battle Phase, if this card targeted by any attacks by your opponent's monster while its ATK is lower than its base ATK, then during the End Phase, your opponent takes damage equal to half the Battle Damage you took from battles involving this card.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
CIACCO THE ELDER (Monster Card)
Beast/Earth/Effect/Lvl5/2,000/1,500
Effect: You may Special Summon this card (from your hand) if you control no monsters and your Speed Counters are 4 or higher.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
CIACCO THE YOUNGER (Monster Card)
Beast/Earth/Effect/Lvl4/1,600/1,200
Effect: If you control a "Ciacco the Elder", you may Tribute this card to Special Summon 1 "Prince Ciacco" from your hand or Graveyard. You may only use the effect of "Ciacco the Younger" once per turn.
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PRINCE CIACCO (Monster Card)
Beast/Earth/Tuner/Effect/Lvl3/1,200/800
Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you may add 1 "Ciacco" monster from your deck to your hand.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
WHIZPIG (Monster Card)
Beast/Wind/Synchro/Effect/Lvl8/2,400/1,300
Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
Effect: If your Speed Counters are a different amount that your opponent's, increase this card's ATK by 300 times the difference in the number of Speed Counters between you and your opponent (if yours are greater) or decrease this card's ATK by 300 times the difference (if yours are lower). If this card is destroyed by a card effect, you may Special Summon 1 "Supersonic Whiz Pig" from your hand or deck.
Whizpig is based on a character that appeared in Diddy-Kong Racing and is a copyright of Nintendo America.
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SUPERSONIC WHIZPIG (Monster Card)
Beast/Wind/Effect/Lvl10/2,800/1,300
Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned or set. Can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Whizpig" and cannot be summoned any other way. Once per turn, if your Speed Counters are 6 or higher, you may reduce your Speed Counters by 2 to activate 1 of the following effects:
Attack all monsters your opponent controls; If you do, Battle Damage to your opponent this turn is halved, and only this card may attack this turn.
This card may attack directly with its ATK halved. If this card attacks directly using its effect, it is the only card that may attack this turn.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
STOUT SLUGGARD (Monster Card)
Beast/Earth/Effect/Lvl10/5,000/0
Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned or set. Can only be Special Summoned by its own effect, and cannot be Special Summoned any other way. This card can be Special Summoned from your hand when your Speed Counters are 7 or more. Reduce the ATK of this card by 500 for each Spell Counter you have. This card's effect cannot be negated.
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SPEED SPELL - CONVERGENCE (Spell Card)
Normal Speed Spell
Image: Similar to "Covering Fire", but with Diskblade Rider where Mechanicalchaser should be, and the surroundings changed to Speed World.
Effect: Activate when you have 5 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 Level 4 or lower monster you control, and move all other monsters you control to face-up Defense Position; the selected monster gains Attack Points equal to half the combined ATK of the monsters switched to Defense Position until the End Phase. The selected monster is the only monster that can attack this turn and cannot attack directly.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
JURY RIG (Trap Card)
Normal Trap
Image: Magical Scientist tightening the "bolts" on a Cyber-Stein with a monkey wrench as it lies on a slab, while the parts of a disassembled Cyber Ogre lies on the ground.
Effect: Activate during the End Phase of a turn when a "Cyber" monster you control that is Level 5 or higher is destroyed by battle. Select 1 Level 4 or lower monster in your Graveyard, then banish it and the destroyed monster; take 1 monster from your deck with the same name as the banished Level 4 or lower monster and Special Summon it.
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Next:
Jemorille: As Fanciullo sat in his darkened office, he couldn't help but wonder if the gods were mocking him. Was this retribution sent from a divine source that believed in paying evil unto evil? Even if it was, it seemed extreme. He had never expected sympathy from the world at large, given his long career in organized crime, and he never claimed to be any sort of philanthropist, but he had always considered himself better than sociopaths like B.B. Hood.
Or maybe he was a bit of a philanthropist. He had helped that girl out of charity. Would he be done in for a good deed after escaping comeuppance for a life of crime?
As he was pondering this while trying his hardest to remain the leader his syndicate knew him to be, night was falling on Italy, and half a world away, Sofia left the safety of the library, headed for a place where "a mutual friend", as the contact said, would meet her.
She was prepared… As much as she could.
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Shadowchaser Files
Eldritch Locations: The Endless Staircase
Every so often an Aware human will find himself in one of those stores… Maybe a shop that wasn't there yesterday, or one on the thirteenth floor of a building that has none, if the elevator is any indication, or one with a shopkeeper who doesn't seem very trustworthy… It may be a place that sells books with weird titles, severed animal paws, or strange puzzle boxes…
Anyway, some of these places may have a doors that won't open, possibly even with a location in the store with no logical sense. (Say, positioned in such a way that it would open into a part of the building outside where there's no exit.)
As closemouthed as the clerk is about most of his goods, he might tell you about this door… But if you want to use one of the entrances to the Infinite Staircase, the price is often very high.
The greatest of the Great Paths, the Infinite Staircase, once you're inside, is an unforgettable, awe-inspiring sight, so long as you're prepared. Contrary to what the name may suggest, the Infinite Staircase is in fact many separate flights of stairs, a chaotic three-dimensional maze branching off into dozens of flights.
Portals to the Stairway, which always take the form of doors, seem to appear on their own. They rarely appear in the middle of nowhere, usually appearing in cities, usually in a place where they'd be easily overlooked. While they are indeed found in odd shops that specialize in magic, it's also common to find them in places where a door would be ignored, like an old storeroom, cellar, or even a ruin. These doors are always lead to one of the Staircase's landings, and every landing always has only one door, from a simple wooden construction to a large metal valve to, rarely, an open archway.
Exactly who built the staircase isn't known. Some say that it's still being built, and that if you listen carefully at times, you can hear the whispering and snickering of its mysterious constructors, possibly even catch a slight glimpse of them in the shadows. But these creatures, whatever they are, do their best to keep out of sight. The lilend (who will be detailed next chapter) patrol the Stairway from time to time, both to help anyone who gets lost and to punish vandals and those who threaten violence.
And you may need their help eventually. To get to wherever you want to go, you simply have to locate the landing you need, as the Staircase may not truly be Infinite, but it is the size of a decent-sized city. The doors aren't labeled, but it's easy to open them and peer out, because anyone inside the staircase is protected from any natural hazards of what's outside. (Not the inhabitants, however.) If one navigates the stairway correctly, he can find a passage to almost any place in the known multiverse.
But there is one big danger to maneuvering through the Staircase, if you try to do so alone, a hazard very difficult to fight off, if one even wishes to try. The Staircase is said to have the ability to sense a cutter's true wishes, their deepest heart's desire. And occasionally, it will present it to them. When traveling alone, a traveler may find a new path, a flight they never noticed before. Upon ascending it, they'll be led to a landing, on which is a portal that leads to the fulfillment of their greatest desire.
What happens next? A person who steps through this doorway and accepts their desire is never seen again, and his fate is unknown. But a person that resists the temptation and leaves the landing can never again find that staircase or that landing. He may live the rest of his life regretting his decision…
Story Ideas: The Infinite Staircase is unique in that it is not only an eldritch location, it has eldritch locations inside it, which will be detailed later. In any event, transport is the obvious use for the Staircase, and once someone gets the hang of it, it's not very hard. Of course, some people tend to find the entrances and guard them, charging a steep toll, even though they really do nothing but open the door. Not all of them charge money.
Of course, the Staircase is not only a good way to get to a hostile place, it's a good way to escape from one. If a villain has his fortress in another dimension, there might be a door somewhere. Still, if he knows about it, it's likely well-guarded.