The Rise and Fall of History II: Opposing the Present

by Medigo

The world of dueling has reached its climax. Many stories have been told through these cards, and the final story brought everyone together. People are united and yet, an unknown world suffers in their shadow. The fallen one returns in the midst of their peace, pursued and still a stranger to those around. There is not much time to save both his home and his friends.

57. Never Too Young

Redux 34: Never Too Young

"we see." Anastasia nodded. She, Uno and August raised their pendulums. "Two." It did not take long for August to get a sense of something. "You were not lying, when you said there were only no other pendulum crystals in this world besides ours?" He asked them sternly. "No. Its just ours.. Marco's and your pair.. The second should be at the city." Uno was starting to feel it too. "But.." There was more than one power on the horizon. ".. this is not Marco's." Lady Nisell was familiar with the power of her brother, she would know if it was his pendulum. "There are two crystals back there.. it looks like you forgot to mention someone. Tell me! Are you truly the only ones Tempus 'adopted'?" August asked with a roar. "there.. there were others.. before me. father said. but they went away, they were 'destroyed' by the guardians of time. their crystals always passed on to the next. father had four of them, except the fourth.. should not be here..."

...

"Looks like my trap was a little too loud." Stonewell wanted to catch Iria alone, he did not think he would attracted the attention of these other two as well. If he dueled them now, he would be outnumbered three to two. And those were not the kind of odds he felt like risking his lifepoints against. "You lucked out this time." He turned his back on the disciples and ran away through the door that Zach and Dom used earlier. "Wait!" Zach futily called out after him. "I still don't really get what is going on?" He did not understand. "There's a man named Martel who can control people, sir. He's from the fusion guild." Zach explained. Though there were still unanswered questions here. If this was Martels doing, why did Stonewell sound nothing like he expected. "It's an invasion, he might be calling for reinforcements. We have to get out."

"Allright. You take a look at the doors. I will handle this poor fellow here" Dom was the first to drew his cards. "No, sir, let us help." Due to the nature of Martels puppet games, they were all technically dueling. "Hold that thought, Iria. It's just one of them." Dom declined her offer for now though. "He's right, Silver. If you.. we.. enter this duel now, we'll leave ourselves open for an ambush. We wont regain any lifepoints if we duel needlessly." Zach expected more puppets to strike at any moment. "Creffield?" Iria was a little surprised to see him act so cautious. It was not like him. "I am sorry, sir." But the fact that his dueldisk was not activated showed that he was reluctant to duel. "That's okay, Zachary. I can't expect you to do all the work."

Dom's LP: 8000 Rook's LP: 8000

The rook placed a trap card and normal summoned a half-crow/half-man assassin(4/0/0) in midnight blue. "Shinobird Shinobigarasu? Did we print that already?" Dom recognized it from the release schedule. "This world is a bit ahead of ours, sir." Cards like this and Performapals were already as common as dirt now. "Well, Shinobirds are spirit monsters, so.." Normal and flip summoned spirits always retreated at the end of the turn. But the voiceless duelist activated two spell cards: Divine Wind of the Mist Valley and Shinobird Powerspot. "Oh boy." Both spells were triggered by monsters going back to a players hand, once each turn. When Shinobigarasu left the field, Powerspot searched the deck for new Ritual spells or Spirit monsters. The man added a Shinobird Calling spell card to his hand. "And the field spell.." Divine Wind of Mist Valley special summoned a level 4 or lower wind monster from the deck each time. Spirits could not be special summoned, but this duelist chose something else; a white-winged harpie(4/1200/1000) with long blonde hair. "Harpie Dancer?"

"Wind.." Zach was more concerned by the attribute than the cards. "This is one of Martels replacements, a new elemental for the one he lost." Light, fire, wind, water and earth; the puppetmaster always traveled with at least one of those decktypes around him. "Well don't worry Zachary, I'll free this guy in a jiffy." Doms turn began and he summoned a toddler-aged earth magician(1/400/400) in pink. "Say hello to Berry Magician Girl, when she.." Before he could finish the lecture her effect was shut down by the opponent activating Harpie's Feather Storm. "Hm?" The Storm trap would negate all monsters effects this turn, because the opponent controlled a wind winged beast. "Okay, it might take more than one jiffy." Dom shook his head and set a card in the spell/trap zone.

The rook took his turn and resummoned the Shinobigarasu(4/500/500) in his hand. Thanks to Shinobi Powerspot, all spirit monsters like it were given 500 more attack and defense points. Shinobigarasu used its own effect now too. It discarded a Shinobaron Peacock card, which gave that baron monster's 3000 attackpoints to the crow assassin(3500/500). "Well here comes the attack.." The main phase ended, the enemy moved and attacked with Harpie Dancer. "Sir!" Iria cried out once more. "I told you, I will be fine. New deck or old deck, I wouldn't be the cardmaker if I didn't know all the tricks!" Dom activated the effect of his attacked magician. "Berry Magician Girl switches herself to defense mode when she's attacked, and then she special summons one Magician Girl from my deck!" The infant mage waved her wand and created a puff of pink smoke. "Say hello to Apple Magician Girl!" An older red-armored magician girl(3/1200/800) with short black hair and pink wings emerged from the smoke. The rook payed her no attention and continued his attack, crushing the now defending Berry girl with its talons.

"Not a fan then?" Dom grinned as Shinobigarasu came after the Magician in red. "Ah, but.. you'll love this one! When Apple Magician Girl is attacked, she can summon a Magician Girl from my hand and point the attack towards the newcomer!" Apple Magician Girl raised her staff and targeted one card in Doms hand. "Chocolate Magician Girl!" Now came a girl(4/1600/1000) with long seablue hair and batwings. "And your monsters attack is halved too!" The fire mage threw a quick fireball at the attacking Shinobird(1750/500), weakening it. "But..Chocolate Magician Girl has her own power too! When she's attacked, she summons one Magician Girl from the graveyard!" The aquatic mage dipped her staff into the ground and caused a geyser of water to burst upwards. Berry Magician Girl was summoned back in attack position. "Your attack is redirected to her, and your monsters attackpoints are halved again!" Chocolate Magician Girl splashed Shinobigarasu(875/500) with another waterburst. "And of course, since she left the field. Berry Magician can reuse her own power!" The berry girl switched herself to defense mode. "I special summon the Dark Magician Girl!" The original apprentice of black magic(6/2000/1700) made her grand entrance. Regardless, the weakened ShinobiGarasu kept going and killed Berry Magician Girl.

"See, Iria? I'm doing all right!" Dom gloated. "Apparently, sir. But dont forget that he still has all of his cards." Regardless of what he said, Iria was going to jump in if there were any signs of trouble. "Right, I know Harpie Dancer enough. It does that 'bounce one wind monster to get a second wind monster normal summon' thing." Dom watched his opponent activate the Dancers effect on Shinobigarasu, returning the crow to his hand and normal summoning a new Shinobird, Kannagizuru the white-winged crane archer(4/2000/2000). Afterwards the effects of his spells followed and targeted two cards in the deck. The Shinobaron Peacock spirit monster was added by Shinobi Powerspot and the harp playing Harpie Harpist(4/1700/600) was special summoned by the Mist Valley field. "..." The duelist activated Shinobird Calling, which allowed him to sacrifice Spirits from the graveyard as well as monsters on the field, to ritual summon the Shinobirds rulers. "Here he goes." Shinobigarasu was tributed from the hand along with the Harpie Harpist. It was time for the Shinobaron Peacock, the baron swordsman(8/3500/3000) in robes of white and blue peacock feathers, to shine.

"So much for my girls." Shinobarons effect forced up to three monsters off the field. The Apple, Chocolate and Dark Magician Girls flew back to Dom's hand. "Man this guy knows what he is doing." Kannagizuru responded to a spirit monster's summon each turn with a drawing effect, one card was drawn after the Baron made his entry. Then the rook placed another trap card down and ended the turn. Kannagizuru and Shinobaron Peacock returned to the hand. But as the ritual monster returned by its own effect, it left two three-tailfeather shinobird tokens(1/0/0) behind in defense mode. Special summoned spirits could stay on the field, so Kannagizuru did not go anywhere either. Lastly, Harpie Harpist could add one level 4 or lower wind monster to a players hand during the endphase of a turn in which it was sent to the graveyard. Shinobird Tsutabaeto was the target in this case. "I know what he is feeling, sir. If its anything like me.. he knows what he is doing and he may even realize that its really happening, but cannot stop it. It's.." Zach saw his own hand tremble.

"Zachary, you were like this too?" This was the first time Dom heard of that. "This Martel, where is he anyway? How can he boss around people without even seeing them?" He felt anger rise inside. "He does not have to be. He can hear and see what we hear and see." ZXach explained. "Is that so? Then hear this, Martel! Nobody takes my companions away and gets away with it! And to make someone afraid of dueling. That's perhaps the worst crime of all. My turn!" Dom drew a card. "I summon Chocolate Magician Girl! Once a turn, she can discard one Magician Girl, to draw a card!" The water-mage discarded Dark Magician Girl from his hand. "And I can get that discard back, with Dark Magic Veil!" A hexagram seal glowed on the monster zone besides the Chocolate Girl. "I pay 1000 lifepoints to special summon a dark spellcaster from the graveyard, Dark Magician Girl!" The apprentice of the dark flew out of the circle. "Sir I have been meaning to ask, who are you explaining all these effects too?" Iria inquired. "Oh. Old habits dont die young, Iria." Dom knew it was pointless, but he wasn't going to quit now.

Dom's LP: 7000

"Now I can activate Dark Burning Attack! When I activate this spell, Dark Magician Girl can destroy all face-up monsters on the field at once!" The Dark Girl created a crackling ball of black magic at the tip of its wand and hurled it down to the other field like a comet. It impacted with Harpie Dancer, the Shinobird tokens and Shinogarasu, destroying them all. "And now some direct attacks!" The two Magician Girls fired their spells of darkness and water. "!?" But the enemy countered with Shinobird Healing. "Oh, right!" It was a continuous trap that and ended battle phases by banishing spirits from the graveyard. Shinobigarasu was removed, so that the two magic attacks fizzled out. "Of course we gave the spirit archetype a trap that defends against direct attacks." Dom snapped his fingers. "Hrm, one more round should do it. I end my turn!"

The enemy normal summoned Shinobird Kannagizuru again and then activated the spell card; Shinobird Calling. "He had another one?" The ritual spell banished the first Baron from the graveyard, the one that Shinogarasu had used as a powersource last turn, to ritual summon the second Baron back to the field. "Creative he isn't." Dom murmured as the Peacock Barons fieldwiping effect reactivated; sending Dark Magician Girl, Chocolate Magician Girl and Berry Magician Girl back to the cardmakers hand. "And I guess now he.." With this effect succesful, the ritual baron could special summon one spirit monster from the users hand, ignoring the usual restrictions on spirit monsters. Shinobird Tsutaebato the pigeon scholar(4/1500/2300) was summoned in attack position. "Is going to summon him." Shinobird Kannagizura's effect reactivated, drawing one more card. "And then he'll return the Ritual Baron." Tsutaebato's effect made one spirit leave the field before the end of the turn. It used this power on Shinobaron. "So that his spells can reactivate.." Shinobird Powerspot placed the third Shinobird Calling spell in the rook's hand. Divine Wind of the Mist Valley special summoned a second Harpie Harpist(4/1700/600). "I am beginning to see what kind of duels you two had to go through."

And the worst was yet to come, as the card drawn through Kannagizuru was.. another ritual monster. "Master!" Zach called out as the rook activated the last of the ritual spells. Shinobird Calling sacrificed the Baron in the hand, to call forth Shinobaroness Peacock(8/3000/3500) the princess in purple feathers. "If that card hits the field, she will.." The Baroness returned spells and traps as opposed to her male partner, and she would then summon a spirit monster from the deck. "Aha!" But, it could only get this effect off, if it actually returned something. "I activate Dark Magic Inheritance! Two spells are banished, and one support spell for a Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl will wind up in my hand!" He used the spell before it could be affected by the Baroness; banishing Dark Burning Attack and Dark Magic Veil to take a Dark Magical Circle spell from his deck. "But sir, you're still.." Though the princess failed to summon a new servant, the rook had more than enough attackpoints gathered to erase Doms life.

"Au contraire! See, when I activate a spell or trap outside my turn..." Dom placed a monster on his field in defense mode; a mage of shadows(7/2100/2500). "The Magician of Dark Illusion?" Iria remembered that card, it could summon himself thanks to the ambient magic left behind by Dark Magic Inheritance. "I accounted for direct attacks too, Zachary! Like I said, Uno's not the only one to make up cards!" Shinobaroness was the only one who could overpower its defense. She raised a storm with a snap of her fan and tore the Illusionist to pieces with her feathers. "Yikes!" Afterwards Harpie Harpist, Kannagizuru and Tsutaebato attacked Dom directly with talons and wings. "Master Dom!" He survived the attacks, but due to the nature of the monsters he was left with bloody cuts across his arms. "Why do you put yourself through this? I don't understand!" Iria cursed. "Because.. I gotta learn to stand on my own two feet as well. I am a companyman but also a duelist, Iria."

Dom's LP: 1800

During the endphase, Shinobird Kannagizuru and Shinobaroness Peacock returned to the rook's hand. But like the Baron, the Baroness could create two shinobird tokens(1/0/0) to defend her master. "You know, this duel feels symbolic somehow. Almost like UNO knew I would have this duel one day." Dom drew his next card and chuckled. "But he'd get it better than me. I'm not that well versed in mythology, all I know is.. how to dazzle the crowd! I activate Dark Magical Circle to look at the top three cards of my deck! If there's any dark magician cards or supporters among them.." The deck was excavated, revealing three cards (Dark Magic Curtain, Chicken Game, Legion Fiend Jester). "It will be mine!" Dom took the Dark Magic Curtain spell. "I activate this!" The curtain fell over the field. "Now one Dark Magician is summoned from my deck!" When the red curtain pulled back, it revealed the Dark Magician(7/2500/2100) in all his glory. "And Dark Magical Circle banishes one card, when Dark Magician is summoned. Ergo.." With the power of the circle, the black magician banished the trap Shinobird Healing.

Dom's LP: 900

"Now, I set the pendulums, Dragonpit and Dragonpulse Magician!" His last drawphase completed this pair. Dom placed the scale 1 sorceress on his right and the scale 8 warlock on the left. "Pendulum summon! Go, Apple, Dark, Chocolate and Lemon Magician Girl!" The three girls from before showed up along with a longhaired blonde(2/800/600) in stockings and yellow armor. "Lemon Magician Girl can trade one Magician Girl on the field for one in my deck!" The magician girl of light tributed the Apple girl, and placed a second Berry Magician Girl in Doms hand.

"Now you stopped me last time, probably because you don't like speeches." Dom normal summoned the new Berry Girl(1/400/400). "But here she is again! Berry finds a Magician Girl for me, when she is normal summoned like just now!" It was time for the final link of the 'black' fivesome. "I take Kiwi Magician Girl! I can discard her from my hand, and all Magician Girls will get 300 attackpoints for each Magician Girl, in my graveyard or on the field!" The discarded mage of wind empowered the remaining magicians with the elements of fire, water, wind, earth, darkness and light; giving them all 1800 attackpoints. "Incredible!" Zach was amazed. "We should have expected nothing less." Iria figured the duel as almost sealed. Dom only needed one more edge. "Go my magicians, attack!" Whether he had it or not, he was moving on. Berry(2200/400) and Lemon Magician Girl(2600/600) destroyed the two shinobird tokens, Chocolate Magician Girl(3400/1000) drowned Shinobird Tsutaebato in a bubble of water. And the Dark Magician Girl(3800/1700) destroyed Harpie Harpist.

Rook's LP: 4000

"Sorry my disciples. The finisher will have to be done by the teacher and not the apprentice." Dark Magician prepared its own attack. "But.. he wont do it alone! I discard Apprentice Illusion Magician from my hand!" Suddenly the spirit of another girl appeared at his side, she looked like the Dark Magician Girl, if only more tanned and with armor in a shade of purple. "She's the original magician girl, the Illusionist's apprentice. When a spellcaster of the darkness attacks, she can add 2000 attackpoints to that monster!" The apprentice's spirit added her power to the spell and doubled its size. "Direct attack!" With this new power, the Dark Magician(4500/2100) struck, sending the black bolts down uon the Rook like unholy thunder.

Rook's LP: 0

"Well, that worked out alright. Messed up my clothes though. How's the door?" Dom moaned as he inspected his coat. "I opened those a while ago. What about the injuries sir? Do you need a medic?" Iria was more concerned with the cuts. "Ah its nothing. You should see the other guy." Doms opponent lay there in a smoldering crater, his clothes singed. "It had to be done." Zach shook his head. "I know how it feels, Zachary. We'll drag him to the infirmary. But there have to be more where those came from, so stay on your toes. We're cardmakers, lets not become cards again ourselves!"

...

Not far from them, in a dark corner of the palace; a knight joined a queen and king. "I couldn't do it, there were too many of them. Forgive me." Stonewell bowed before Martel while the silent duelist Tara kept watch. "This was expected. These sufferers of 'friendship' always swarm together like ants." Martel scoffed. "I lost more than I gained, I lost my new Rook. It's time to change the rules." He said as he rubbed the strange doll in his arms. He then gave Tara a nod. "My Knight, use this." The queen took out a special dueldisk and gave it to Stonewell. "What is this?" It was a model not familiar to him or his world. "Something that will keep others from interfering, while you make new pawns. I will let you decide who to target." Stonewell looked up and smiled. "I know who I want to give to you."

(To be Continued in Redux 034: The Worst in Each Other)

New Cards used by Dom
Berry Magician Girl
Apple Magician Girl
Chocolate Magician Girl
Lemon Magician Girl
Kiwi Magician Girl
Apprentice Illusion Magician

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Dark Magic Veil
Dark Burning Attack
Dark Magic Curtain

Cards used by Rook
Shinobird Shinobigarasu
Harpie Dancer
Shinobird Kannagizuru
Harpie Harpist
Shinobaron Peacock
Shinobird Tsutabaeto
Shinobaroness Peacock

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Divine Wind of the Mist Valley
Shinobird Powerspot
Shinobird Calling

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Harpie's Feather Storm
Shinobird Healing