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.

71. The Circle is Now Complete

Redux 20: The Circle is Complete

Uno could only assume June did what he asked of her, he could not recollect the last few seconds before unconsciousness. "Did it work?" When he regained consciousness, he was lying on a soft bed of grass. "It did!" He was back in the garden, the garden outside the home of the sisters three. "Wait.." Only it looked a little less colorful now, the flowers were all dilapidated, the leaves turned brown and the grass faint. "Focus, Uno." Ignoring what was not a good sign, he got up and walked to the house. "...It's.." The door was already open, bad vibes kept piling up. He pushed it in further and walked inside.. "!?" There he saw not the sisters of prophecy.. "Brother!?" But Marco Amadeus Nisell himself.

"You.. You knew about this place?" Uno gasped. "What? Did you Think Father only told You? Ha! We can both Reach this place, Christopher." Marco closed the book he was reading and turned to his brother. "You were hiding here? No, that's not it." Even if Marco was here mentally, his body would still need a physical resting place. "You're using this space to prepare for your time-jump. That's why you wanted to distract me, you didn't want me to come here sooner." Uno noticed the pendulum glowing in Marco's hand. "And it worked Pretty well!" Marco chuckled. "Marco. Think about what you're doing! You're going to erase everything we built, erase billions of lives!" Uno knew he could not stop Marco here with force, only words could work. "That never Stopped you before, Christopher. You have gotten Weak." The lord scoffed and walked right into Uno's face. "This is my world Now, brother. My Dream. You have no Power anymore." He gave him a simple shove and pushed him out of the house.. "No!" And out of the dream.

...

Alice's LP: 8000 Anastasia's LP: 8000

Above the horizons and underneath the stars, the Lady of Millennium began her battle with the only survivor of the world she destroyed. "you trust uno.. the new uno." Anastasia Nisell claimed the first turn. "when you first got here, i saw the bond you two shared.. i was almost envious.." She normal summoned Kozmo Goodwitch(4/1800/1000) in attack position and ended her turn.

"What? Bond? Of course.. he's friend who wants to help, and I want to help him! And that doesn't have anything to do with.." Alice shook her head. "You wont confuse me! It's my turn! I activate Machine Angel Ritual. I can sacrifice monsters to ritual summon a Cyber Angel!" The Machine Angel ritual spell tributed two cards in her hand; Exa the Enforcer of the Nekroz and Relinkuriboh. Their effects activated sequentially. The Nekroz moved a Nekroz dragon monster, Nekroz of Catastor, from the deck to Alice's hand Relinkuriboh straight up drew one card from the deck. But the main event was the ritual monster summoned by the ritual spell. "I summon Cyber Angel Idaten in defense." A purple-skinned cybernetic angel(6/1600/2000) in a black leotard, wearing a red mask/cape, appeared between Alice and Anastasia.

"those cards.. " Anastasia was given pause by the sight of this angel. "did.. you take those from the other side?" They were not among the many printed by Millennium. "No I.. I got these from three ladies.. in a strange library." Alice did not think she would be saying something so crazy sounding to anyone. But this was a crazy time. "the sisters three." And Anastasia's response was surprisingly observant. "You know them?" The girl gasped. "father told me about meeting them several times.. the keepers of lost stories and spirits from time's edge. i never could find them myself.. you have?" The lady sounded slightly jealous again. "Yeah.. That night I learned how to use the pendulum. They also gave me these cards, so that someone could give them life again.. I guess.." Alice pulled another card from her deck; a second Machine Angel Ritual. "When Idaten is summoned, she gives me a ritual spell from the deck." She then placed a trap card down and passed the turn to Anastasia.

"you are.. truly special." The lady mused. "you are not like us.. but you are strong, to still be as you are." She activated the effect of Kozmo Goodwitch, banishing her to special summon a higher leveled Kozmo monster from her hand. "kozmo delta shuttle." A three-winged space jet(5/2000/2000) took off from the platform, circling around the tower. "it sends one kozmo card away from my deck, to weaken yours by a hundred for each level on that dismissed card." The Shuttle discarded Kozmo Dark Destroyer, a level 8 monster. 800 attackpoints flew away from Cyber Angel Idaten(800/2000). Then came the attack itself. "Uh.. I will use this!" Alice flipped her trap. "Unbreakable Spirit. Because I only control one monster, he will gain the attackpoints of your monster for one turn!" Cyber Angel Idaten(2800/2000) powered up and assumed a fighting stance. Delta Shuttle's attack backfired and the machine was kicked out of the skies as soon as it got near Idaten.

Anastasia's LP: 7200

"i took the first hit. as always.." Anastasia activated the effect of the destroyed Kozmo Delta Shuttle. It banished itself to special summon a low-level Kozmo monster from her deck. She chose the flying monkey brigade in black armor, Kozmo Soartroopers(3/1000/1000). "Kozmo Soartroopers can, by paying a thousand of my lifepoints, revive one Kozmo." Anastasia paid the sum just like that, and let the Soaring troopers special summon the Kozmo Dark Destroyer(8/3000/1800). "with this machine summoned, one monster on the field will be destroyed." The Destroyer targeted Cyber Angel Idaten. "Ah! But a Machine Angel Ritual in my grave can save a ritual monster from those kinds of effects!" Alice banished the machine ritual spell, which negated the destruction of Idaten. "it was worth trying." Anastasia activated her own spell, Foolish Burial with Belongings. With that card she could send one trap card, Kozmourning, from her deck to the graveyard. "you must always try, you understand.." After all that, she let her turn come to a close.

Anastasia's LP: 6200

"I.. ." Alice had no answer to that. There was just something odd about the way Anastasia was dueling, like she didn't care what she was doing. "It's my turn.. I activate Moray of Greed." Alice's spell shuffled two water monsters from her hand (Nekroz of Catastor, Nekroz of Decisive Armor) into the deck to draw three cards. "And I will summon Manju of the Thousand Hands." The gods idol(4/1400/1000) of many hands landed on the platform, to bring the user new ritual cards. Alice used Manju's effect to get the second Cyber Angel; Benten. However Benten was not next in line. "Fairy's Blessing! I can ritual summon any light-monster with this spell. Like Sauravis!" The Fairy spell tributed a Djinn Releaser of Rituals from Alice's hand, along with the Manju of Ten Thousand Hands. Seven stars pooled together to form the ancient crowned dragon Sauravis(7/2600/2800). "...I may not know you very well, miss Anastasia. Maybe I should have. But I saw you duel Uno, at least. I know how you like to play." With the Djinn Releaser integrated into this ritual summon, Anastasia could not special summon at all while Sauravis was alive.

"And.. now I sacrifice Idaten, for Cyber Angel Benten." The second Machine Angel Ritual began. One angel gave her six stars to summon another; to the fan dancer(6/1800/1500) with long black hair. "When Idaten is used a sacrifice, she will give 1000 attackpoints to all my ritual monsters." Both Sauravis(3600/2800) and Idaten(2800/1500) bathed in the light of Idatens spiritual blessing. "So I .. I am going to attack you now!" Benten the cyber angel loomed over the dark troops. "you still can not bring yourself to hate me.. there is no need for pity, alice brandt. i have already lived longer than i should have." When Benten sliced the Soartroopers up and down with her fan, Anastasia countered the normal damage by banishing Kozmourning from her graveyard. The trap's second effect allowed her to gain lifepoints instead of losing them to battle damage. Nevertheless, Benten still inflicted effect damage equal to the defense points of the destroyed monster.

Anastasia's LP: 8000

"But I don't hate you. I just.. don't like what you're doing." Alice ordered her second attack, Sauravis the Ancient dragon coiled around the Dark kozmo spaceship like a constrictor snake to grind it into a heap of scrapmetal. "Do you want to be hated?" Alice asked before she ended her turn. "..i believe i drew myself to cards like these.. which gain strength from pain and loss.. because i saw it as something i deserved. but i see more reasons. as do you. we are both keepers of stories.. your name is not yours, it is the way it is because of the books you red when you were younger. it is the same for me. this deck was made for my favorite story..

Anastasia's LP: 6200

"i summon her, kozmo farmgirl." And she normal summoned the sci-fi farmers daughter(3/1500/1000) with the red braids. "i give her the equip spells kozmo lightsword and psycho sword." The farm girl ditched her blaster gun for two new weapons, one was a sword of light that added 500 attack and defense points to the Kozmo psychic(2000/1500). It would also grant her with piercing and dual-attack effects. The second equip spell was a blade carved from pure psychic force. The attackboost of this spell depended on the amount of lifepoints the user was willing to give up. "i pay 2000." Anastasia sacrificed as much as the spell allowed to make the Farmgirl(4000/1500) the strongest monster on the field. "she will attack sauravis." Kozmo Farmgirl raced towards the dragon sage, and made a vertical swing with her psychic sword. "I'm sorry, I know you want to special summon again. But I cant let you." Alice banished the second Machine Angel Ritual spell, which negated the destruction of the Ascended one. Though it did not negate the battle damage.

Anastasia's LP: 4200 Alice's LP: 7600

"do you remember what happens when.. farmgirl inflicts damage." Anastasia payed another 500 lifepoints. "she can take one kozmo card from my deck." Farmgirl's effect delivered her the Kozmoll Dark Lady psychic monster. "and a kozmo equipped with the lightsword, can attack two monsters in one turn." The Farmgirl jumped back up and made a cutting pass at Sauravis with her other sword. "I still have Relinkuriboh!" Alice quickly banished the cybernetic kuriboh from her graveyard, which also prevented the death of her monster as a result of battles. Sauravis pushed the Farmgirl back, while Alice's life suffered another minor loss. "i will use her again." Anastasia exchanged another 500 lifepoints to reactivate Farmgirl's effect and add a Kozmotown field spell from her deck to her hand.

Anastasia's LP: 3200 Alice's LP: 7200

Anastasia placed Kozmotown on her field. Its effect added Kozmo Delta Shuttle from the banished zone to Anastasia's hand. Though she took 500 points of damage; 100 for each level on the monster. "Can you really.. use up so much life?" Even a Kozmo deck could not keep paying life every time, not when she was barely hurting Alice in return. "i am afraid, losing is as difficult as dying.. for me. the only ones who ever could break through that curse were my brothers and my father.. that is why, you do not need to feel sad." Anastasia activated the second effect of Kozmotown to shuffle Kozmo Delta Shuttle back into the deck and draw a new card as a result. The new card was set down in the spell/trap zone. "do not hold anything back, that is how your soul wants it, that is how all the spirits want it.. only we can dictate how the story goes.."

Anastasia's LP: 2700

"I wasn't going to..." Alice immediately activated her next spell. "With Preparation of the Rites I take back one of my ritual spells, and I can add a ritual monster to my hand.. if her level is less then 8." Alice took Fairy's Blessing from the graveyard along with a second Cyber Angel Benten from the deck. "I will sacrifice Benten for Idaten!" The roles were reversed, the wisdom goddess sacrificed herself for the goddess guardian(6/1600/2000). "When Benten is tributed, I get a fairy with a light element. And since Idaten was ritual summoned again, I get a new ritual spell too." Alice added Machine Angel Ritual and a Cyber Petit Angel to her hand. "Cyber Petit Angel searches for Cyber angels or their spells. And I am going to take Cyber Angel Dakini!" She normal summoned a round and metallic pink angel(2/300/200). Cyber Petit Angel reached into Alice's deck to find the requested card. "Machine Angel Ritual will summon her!" Cyber Petit Angel and Cyber Angel Idaten were the tributes. Their eight stars breathed life into the four-armed warrior goddess; Cyber Angel Dakini(8/2700/2400). Not only would Dakini's effects take the life of Kozmo Farmgirl, the tributed Idaten would add another 1000 attackpoints to all ritual monsters on the field. They would have... "Shape.. of the soul?" if they were up against someone 'normal'.

Shape of the Soul, Normal Trap
You can only activate 1 "Shape of the Soul" per turn. Activate only if your opponent's Life Points are higher than yours.
Negate all effects that would prevent a special summon and special summon 1 monster from your hand, whose combined ATK and DEF is lower than the difference between your Life Points and your opponent's.

"But.." The trap special summoned Kozmo Dark Lady(5/2200/1800) from Anastasia's hand, breaking through the Djinn Releaser's lock. "the dark lady will negate one effect, if i lose 1000 more lifepoints." Anastasia activated the Dark Lady's effect to negate the effect of the tributed Idaten. "and dakini gives me the choice of which monster to send to the grave. i choose the dark lady." The witch in black armor lost her head to Dakini's swords, instead of the Farmgirl. "i am sorry too, alice. the soul.. my soul.. births new spells and traps, whenever it foresees death. i cannot lose.. "

Anastasia's LP: 1700

As she spoke the beams at the top of the tower grew wider. "No." Alice could only guess that it would soon be too late to stop Anastasia's plan. "My turn.. is over." During her endphase Fairy's Blessing returned to her hand thanks to Dakini's second effect. She'd have to defend one more turn, which was difficult when the opponents attacks could pierce right through defense. "attack." No seconds were wasted, Anastasia sent Farmgirl after Sauravis. "!" The first hit only damaged it slightly, since Alice could banish the last Machine angel ritual card to save the ritual dragon. But the second attack from the Kozmo Lightsword wielder finished the job. Sauravis the ascended one died and the Djinn's special summon block vanished from the field. "kozmo dark planet, kozmo forerunner." And all the while, Anastasia made use of Kozmo Farmgirl's effects. She paid 500 lifepoints twice to take two Kozmo monsters from her deck. "alice brandt, the time has come. i banish at least ten levels worth of kozmo monsters.. to special summon kozmo dark planet."

Alice's LP: 6400 Anastasia's LP: 700

"Huh?!" This went beyond what even Alice was used too in all the insane battles she'd fought. During her second main phase, Anastasia banished Kozmo Forerunner and a Kozmoll Wicked Witch card. Eleven level stars burned up to generate a portal large enough to cover every horizon. The gatewayippled, 'something' ruptured the surface. "What is.. is that a card too?" It was as if a second moon emerged before her eyes, brought here by Anastasia. It was in fact a planetoid-sized spacebase(10/4000/4000); a round green sphere surrounded by three stabilizing rings. "Whoa.." Alice could feel the pressure, just like all the other monsters.. this was not a hologram. She imagined that the people in the city below could see it too, through the clouds. "i gave its name; kozmo dark planet.." Anastasia actually began to hover after she summoned her machine, she was caught by the planet's own gravity. "no effect can target it, it is too far away. and each turn it may negate one spell of my choosing. you know what this means." The lady looked down at the girl, while she floated closer to the Dark Planet.

"That I.. cannot use ritual cards anymore?" The stunned girl replied as her turn came. "And.." Dakini alone couldn't fight back against both of Kozmo monsters. It would all come down to whatever card she could draw from her deck. And there was nothing that could change that. "It's my turn!" So she drew the card. "Oh.." It wasn't anything that could turn the tide. At least her lifepoints were still decently high. "I set a card in the spell/trap zone, and end my turn." Alice could only hope that Anastasia would not summon anything else on the next turn. "...i call the kozmo scaredy lion." Unfortunately, she did. The red-maned lion(3/1200/500) from the original tale, now dressed in black cybernetic armor, joined Kozmo Farmgirl on the battleground platform.

"!" And when Alice saw the card, she tried her best to hide her reaction. "Scaredy Lion can return three banished monsters to the graveyard, to inflict effect damage. But if she does that.. then I can use my trap!" Alice's set card was Ghost of a Grude. It reduced monsters attackpoints to zero, but only when the opponents eight or more cards in their graveyard. Anastasia was not one of those opponents right now. But she could be, if she used the Lions ability. "attack the cyber angel.." Alas, Anastasia was not doing that. "No!?" The Kozmo Farmgirl entered the battlephase and drew Dakini into a furious battle of swords and sabers. The goddess lost to the psychic. "and.. attack alice.." The Scaredy Lion made the second attack, delivering a weak but solid jab with its paw. "Egh.." If that was bad enough, there was no preparing for what the Dark Planet would be like. "alice.. hurting you is not my desire. but if this attack is something you cannot survive, give up now. nothing good comes from needless pain.."

Alice's LP: 3900

"No!" Alice yelled. "If you don't want people to feel bad for you. Then you don't get to feel bad for me either!" This was not the first time someone offered her an easy way out of a duel. So many treated her like a fragile girl. "You want to be nice to me, because you did something bad once. That's why you saved Adamant, even though you're doing this now!" Perhaps Anastasia she was, in her own way. "You'l have to do hurt me first, before you can hurt anyone else!" It was possible, to bluff her way out. But that wasn't the reason Alice carried with her in her mind. "Just.. don't use the Monument. You don't really want too.. you can't." She was simply trying to help Anastasia. "what i want... is not the same as what i want. between this and another world without family, i know what i would choose. and uno.. would do the same. he is the same." Anastasia raised her hand. "dark planet, direct attack." The rings around the planet aligned, while energy built up inside the core of the machine. "..Uno.. everyone. I.." Kozmo Dark Planet fired. Alice could not look at it, she was not strong enough for that. She waited as the light reached and enveloped her.

Alice's LP: 0

"!? Eh?" Though the attack hit, the energy avoided her. The physical force of the attack was parted by a figure above. The light made it difficult to identify as anything more than a winged humanoid that disappeared immediately with the blast. "You two?" Soon Alice saw others standing next to her, June.. and a young blonde-haired kid in a grey coat. "another.." Anastasia trembled. "Yup! Call me January! And you must be Uno's sister! Nice to finally meet you!"

(To be Continued in Redux 019: Life, but a Dream)

New Cards used by Alice Brandt
Cyber Angel Idaten
Cyber Petit Angel

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Machine Angel Ritual

New Cards used by Anastasia Nisell
Kozmo Delta Shuttle
Kozmo Soartroopers
Kozmo Dark Lady
Kozmo Dark Planet
Kozmo Scaredy Lion

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Foolish Burial with Belongings
Kozmo Lightsword
Psycho Sword

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Kozmourning
Shape of the Soul