Several decades ago, the dueling world suffered a great tragedy. A team of heroic duelists, still in the primes of their lives, chartered a private plane to New York City to attend a convention. The plane crashed in the Rocky Mountains. When a rescue team found the plane, only the pilot was there. He claimed that his passengers had wandered off. Search parties were mounted, but the duelists were never found. It was assumed that they got lost in the wilderness and starved.

The dueling community mourned, not only for the loss of life, but for the fact that some of these duelists had incredibly rare, and in some cases unique cards, that were now lost forever.

The years have gone by, and all that remains of these heroes is their legacies…

Until now.

One of them, or someone who looks just like him, has appeared before us in this place. He claims to be an ally, but he wants to duel just the same.

And if the stories about this member of that group are true, I may be in over my head.

But I've never turned down a challenge, and I'm not about to start.

Let's duel…

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CHAPTER THREE

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Pilgrim in an Unholy Land

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"Nothing…" said Yumi.

She and her friends looked around, but all they saw were more hills, more ruins, and the roads that didn't seem to go anywhere.

"Daala is sure taking her sweet time deciding what to do with us," muttered Erik. "Maybe she's lulling us into a false sense of security… And just when we least expect it, a squad of troops is going to come out of nowhere."

Then they all heard a ringing.

"What is that?" said Chelsea.

"I don't believe it…" said Yumi.

She reached into her pocket. Her cell phone was still there, and it was ringing.

She carefully answered it.

"Uhm… Hello?" she said.

"Hi!" said a cheery voice. "Is this Yumi Mouto?"

"Who is this?" demanded Yumi.

"Easy, Yumi," said the voice. "I assure you, I'm someone you want to get to know. Not everyone in Xanadu works for Daala.

"In fact, Daala has enemies in Xanadu. And I also assure you, any enemy of Daala is a friend to yours.

"The enemy of my enemy… That sort of thing."

Yumi paused. Her eyes narrowed.

"Who is this?" she asked again.

"Take a gander at the big ruin on the hill to your right," said the voice.

Yumi looked up, and saw a figure up at the ruin, waving to her.

"As you can see, I'm all alone," said the voice. "You outnumber me five to one. So why don't y'all come up here and I can explain things, okay?"

Yumi took a long look.

"Okay, we're coming," she said. "But no tricks, got it?"

She hung up.

"Everyone, be ready to summon a Monster in case this is a trap," she said.

She started to walk up the hill, and her friends followed. The figure slowly came into view.

Everyone was somewhat startled when they saw who it was.

"Hey, y'all," he said.

"Jesse Anderson?" said Ren, in disbelief.

"Yep," said the youth. "See…"

"That's impossible…" said Ren. "He's… well, he's dead…"

Yumi was quiet.

She alone knew that Jesse Anderson and Jaden Yuki's other allies, along with Jaden himself, had faked their deaths. They were all now in Neo-Space, where they were the rulers. The Neo-Spacians had granted them immortality, among other powers.

But that didn't explain why one of them was here.

"Strictly speaking," said Jesse, "I'm not the real Jesse. You see, someone that wants to meet you used advanced virtual technology to create a virtual construct…

"A program, given intelligence, emotions, and all the memories of the real Jesse Anderson…"

"And when he hit the Run command, you came out," said Ren.

"That's it!" said Jesse, with a laugh. "This person has done it several times, creating lots of great duelists from the past."

"Why?" asked Sam.

"All for the cause," said Jesse. "The rebellion."

There was a pause.

"Rebellion?" said Yumi.

Jesse gave a sad look.

"Daala rules Xanadu with an iron fist," he said. "It's said that she created this place from her dreams, but beyond Nexus, it's a land of nightmares. We know she has terrible plans for your world too, even though we aren't sure what they are. Our goal is to take her down. Make Xanadu a better place.

"Unfortunately, we haven't made much headway. Like I said, I'm only a program, as are most of the members. Daala has a great army, and it has people like me, along with several living creatures.

"And duelists who truly possess life… They have an advantage over ones whose life is artificial."

"And who's heading this rebellion?" asked Chelsea.

"I'll show you to her soon," said Jesse. "But first…"

He lifted his Disk.

"She wants me to duel one of you first."

Ren gave him a strange look.

"You want to test us, don't you?" he said. "You want to make sure that we're worth your time."

Jesse just shrugged.

"Or maybe you want to make sure we can be trusted, huh?" asked Ren.

"It isn't my place to question," said Jesse.

"Fine," said Ren. "Yumi just dueled, so I'll duel you."

"Hold it," said Jesse.

He took something out of his pocket.

"Hang onto this."

He handed him something. It was a feather.

"What's this for?" asked Ren.

"Remember what happened to Easy Eddie?" asked Jesse. "There's a rule in Xanadu that even Daala has to follow. So long as a duelist never loses a duel, she can't use her executive powers as queen to apprehend him, no matter what crime she believes – or claims – he has committed. That's how members of the resistance can move about reasonably safe.

"But once a duelist does lose, if Daala doesn't want him wandering her lands anymore, her hand swoops down on him quickly and grabs him. He vanishes."

"What… What happens to them?" asked Sam.

Jesse shrugged.

"We know that they aren't dead," he replied. "But that's all we know. We assume that they're either prisoners or slaves somewhere.

"But anyway, those feathers have a special power. If both duelists are holding one, Daala has no authority over the duel. I've already got one. If you hold that, it's safe to lose."

Ren quickly tucked the feather into his pocket.

"Ren," said Chelsea, running up to him. "Be careful with this guy… You remember the stories… Jesse's Monsters… They… weren't garden variety..."

"I know…" sighed Ren. "I'll just have to be really careful…"

Both Disks activated.

"Game on!" they shouted.

(Ren: 8,000) -------------------- (Jesse: 8,000)

"Let's go!" said Jesse, drawing a card.

He added it to his hand, and looked them over.

"I'll set this, and end with that."

A facedown Monster appeared in front of him.

"Okay…" said Ren, drawing a card.

Perfect! he thought, looking at his hand. This will do to start off…

"I play Graceful Charity!" he exclaimed, playing a card.

In a burst of light, the beautiful angel of charity appeared over him. She closed her eyes, and three feathers fell from her wings, falling on Ren's deck.

Ren drew three cards. He quickly made two discards, already knowing what he had wanted to toss.

"Now I summon… My Dark Blade!"

Out of a shadow, a dark knight in black, spiked armor, wearing a red cape and holding two swords, appeared on the field. (1,800/1,500)

"All right!" he shouted. "Attack his Monster! Dark sword slash!"

Dark Blade leapt at the facedown card and swung his sword down…

And then he was thrown backwards in a burst of energy.

Where the card had been was now a very large turtle shell, with green crystals protruding from the top. Two glowing eyes peered out from the front. (600/2,000)

Jesse laughed.

"Sorry, Ren," he said. "My Crystal Beast Emerald Tortoise's shell is a little too tough for that guy to crack."

(R: 7,800) -------------------- (J: 8,000)

Then, to everyone's surprise, a voice came out of nowhere.

"Jesse?" said the voice, that sounded somewhat nervous. "What's going on? I thought we weren't going to deal with any more of Daala's men again so soon."

"These aren't them, pal," said Jesse. "These are the guys I told you about, remember?"

"Oh…" said the voice, nervously. "Is my shell on straight? I'd hate to look unpresentable…"

"You look fine!"

Ren realized where the voice was coming from… It was coming from the Emerald Tortoise.

"Your Monsters talk?" asked Ren.

Jesse nodded.

"The same program that created me can program virtual Duel Spirits too," he said. "It isn't nearly as easy, of course, but the leader insisted that the Crystal Beasts in my deck work with me just as well as the real ones did for the real Jesse. So she pretty much broke the bank when she programmed my deck."

Ren looked hard at the Monster.

"Uh…" he said, looking at his hand. "Yeah… uhm… I'll play a facedown, and end my turn."

A facedown card appeared behind Dark Blade.

Nutrient Z should help if he summons something strong, he thought.

Jesse drew a card and looked at it.

"Time for more bling," he said. "I summon Crystal Beast Amethyst Cat! Come out!"

He played the card, and a huge, purple gemstone appeared in mid-air. It shattered, and a large, pink she-panther appeared next to the Tortoise. On her chest was a golden brooch with a large amethyst. (1,200/400)

She looked at Ren and licked her lips. Ren was nervous. She was looking at him the way he usually looked at a prime rib…

"Feeling frisky today, old girl?" said Jesse.

"Purr-fect," said the Cat.

"Uh, I hate to tell you this," said Ren, nervously, "but her Attack Score is 600 points lower than Dark Blade's."

"He's not the target," said Jesse. "She can attack directly, so long as cut her Attack Score in half."

Ren gulped as Amethyst Cat's Attack Score fell to 600.

"Go!" shouted Jesse. "Amethyst power pounce!"

Amethyst Cat leapt at Ren and tackled him, knocking him over. Ren looked up, just in time to see her bearing her claws.

He screamed as she raked them across his face.

He groaned as she leapt back to her position.

"I'm not done, Ren," said Jesse. "Now I can use Emerald Tortoise's effect, which can switch one of my Monsters into Defense Mode."

Emerald Tortoise glowed with green energy, and Amethyst Cat sat down in a defensive position.

"I'll set a card facedown, and end my turn," said Jesse.

A facedown card materialized behind the two Crystal Beasts.

(R: 7,200) -------------------- (J: 8,000)

"Jesse two, Ren zero," sighed Sam.

"This guy certainly has the dueling skills that the real Jesse had," said Chelsea. "I don't even know if Ren stands a chance."

Ren made a draw.

We'll soon see… he said. Time to go on the offensive…

"I summon… Getsu Fuhma!" he shouted.

He played another card, and a female, redheaded Warrior wearing an armored battle dress and holding a katana appeared. She and Dark Blade nodded to each other. (1,700/1,200)

"Now, I play Rush Recklessly, which gives her more Attack Points."

He played the card, and Getsu Fuhma glowed with energy. Her Attack Score shot up to 2,400.

"Time to do some gem cutting! Attack the Emerald Tortoise! Whirlwind blade!"

Getsu Fuhma leapt at the Tortoise, and with one slash, it exploded into shards of green rock.

"Dark Blade, attack the Amethyst Cat!"

Dark Blade slashed with his sword, and the panther shattered into purple shards.

"Looks like I took out your two pets," said Ren.

"Don't be so sure," said Jesse.

Two glowing lights appeared on Jesse's side of the field…

Then, a large green gemstone, and a large purple one appeared in front of him.

"What the heck?" said Chelsea.

"Crystal Beasts can't be destroyed," said Jesse. "If that would ever happen, they can retreat to my Spell Zone, where they transform into precious gems."

"So… what do they do there?" asked Ren.

"Well, by themselves, nothing," said Jesse. "But if I were to use other cards…

"Well, allow me to demonstrate…"

He drew a card.

"First, I play the Spell Card Crystal Beacon," he said. "Since I have at least two Crystal Beasts in my Spell Zone, this lets me summon another one from my deck.

"And I think I'll summon Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger!"

A huge, yellow gemstone appeared on the field. It exploded, and a large, white, Bengal tiger appeared where it had been. He had huge fangs, and a single horn on the top of his head. (1,600/1,000)

"All right…" said the Tiger, in a gruff voice. "Let me at him, Jesse…"

"In a minute, old pal," said Jesse, taking a card from his hand. "Next, I play Rare Value. Now, you have to pick one of the Beasts in my Spell Zone, Ren, and it goes to the Graveyard."

"Then I choose your Cat," said Ren.

The purple gem dissolved into light.

"Now I get to draw two cards," said Jesse, making two draws.

He looked them over.

"That was pointless," said Ren. "Your Tiger only has 1,600 Attack Points."

"Only when he's not attacking," said Jesse. "When he actually attacks a Monster, he gains 400 more Attack Points."

"Great…" said Ren.

"Attack his Getsu Fuhma!" ordered Jesse. "Topaz incisor shred!"

"Right," said the Tiger. "Tallyho!"

He pounced at Getsu Fuhma, and the Warrior exploded. Ren cringed.

"I'll set this facedown, and end my turn," said Jesse.

Another facedown card appeared in front of him.

(R: 6,900) -------------------- (J: 8,000)

Ren drew a card.

Just who I wanted to see, he thought, looking at it.

"All right, Jesse," he said, taking another card from his hand. "First, I summon Familiar Knight."

He played a card, and a knight in shining armor, holding a sword and shield with a red cape appeared. (1,200/1,400)

"Now, in order to summon this next lady, I have to remove one Dark Warrior from play…"

Getsu Fuhma slipped out of his discard slot, and he pocketed the card.

"I summon… La Sombra!"

With a cry, a new female Warrior appeared. It was a brunette and busty young woman with tanned skin, dressed in a low-cut leather leotard with boots, gloves, and a mask over her eyes. She carried a long bullwhip. (1,800/1,000)

"You triggered my Trap!" shouted Jesse, as one of his facedown cards lifted. "One of my favorites, too…"

Ren had never seen this Trap Card before. It bore the image of Celtic Guardian fighting Battle Ox in close combat.

"Triggered Summon?" asked Ren. "What does that do?"

"Since you just Special Summoned a Monster, now we both get to Special Summon another one… So long as each of them is Level Four or less.

"So let's see what else you've got."

"Fine," said Ren, taking another card from his hand. "I summon Double Pinaska."

In a burst of dark energy, another Warrior appeared. It was a bandito in a leather jacket and pantaloons, with dark hair and a slim moustache. He carried a pair of rapiers. (1,500/1,500)

"And I'll summon this guy," said Jesse. "Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth!"

A round, orange gemstone appeared on the field. It exploded, and a huge mammoth towered over the field, with four huge tusks, and an orange crystal embedded in its forehead. (1,700/1,600)

"This is one of the ones who's going to help us against Daala?" said the voice of the new Monster. "He looks pretty scrawny to me…"

"Come a little closer and say that, hose-nose!" shouted Ren.

"Uh, Ren…" said Chelsea. "I don't think it's wise to yell at big, talking elephants…"

Ren sighed.

"Anyway," he said, "La Sombra's effect still activates. You have to draw one card. What happens next depends on the type of card.

"If it's a Spell Card, she can destroy one Monster. A Trap, and she can attack directly. A Monster… well, then she's destroyed.

"So draw."

Lovely… thought Jesse. This is the downside of using a deck that doesn't use many Monsters…

He drew a card.

He showed it to Ren. Ren grinned.

"Well, Jesse, I've never heard of Counter Crystal… But since that's clearly a Trap Card…

"La Sombra…"

La Sombra gave her whip a crack, and grinned at Jesse.

"Trap activate!" shouted Jesse. "Last Resort!"

His other facedown card lifted.

The whole arena was engulfed in light.

Ren looked around. Then were standing in the center of a huge Colosseum, with a rainbow in the sky.

"What happened?" asked Ren.

"Since you declared an attack," said Jesse, "my Trap Card let me play the Field Spell Ancient City – Rainbow Ruins. Welcome to Rome!"

"Yeah, well…" said Ren. "Unless it can block direct attacks…"

La Sombra leapt at Jesse and lashed downward at him with her whip. He staggered backwards.

"About time," said Chelsea.

"Dark Blade…" ordered Ren, "attack his Tiger!"

Dark Blade looked at Topaz Tiger. He paused…

Then he charged at Amber Mammoth. He made a swipe with his sword, and the huge pachyderm burst into shards.

A large, orange gemstone appeared next to the green one.

"I told you to attack the Tiger!" shouted Ren. "Not that!"

"Don't blame him," said Jesse. "Amber Mammoth can draw any attack on a Crystal Beast to him."

(R: 7,000) -------------------- (J: 6,100)

"My move…" said Jesse, drawing a card.

"I summon Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus!" he shouted.

A brilliant, blue sapphire appeared on the field. It burst, and a gorgeous stallion with a unicorn horn and huge, feathered wings appeared. (1,800/1,200)

"Now I get to take one Crystal Beast from my hand, deck, or Graveyard, and place it in my Spell Zone," he said. "And I think I'll go with my Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle."

He played the card, and a large blue gemstone appeared next to the orange and green ones.

"Just how many of these things are there?" shouted Ren.

"Next," said Jesse, "I play the Spell Card, Crystal Promise! This lets me summon Cobalt Eagle from my Spell Zone onto the field."

He played a new card. The blue gem burst, and an eagle with golden feathers and blue gems on its chest flew out. (1,400/800)

"Okey-doke!" said a voice coming from Sapphire Pegasus. "Let's take them together, guys!"

"You said it!" said Jesse. "Topaz Tiger, attack Double Pinaska!"

The Tiger leapt towards the Spaniard.

"I activate Pinaska's effect!" shouted Ren. "Once per duel, he can negate one attack!"

Double Pinaska crossed his rapiers, and he swatted the Tiger aside.

"So he can," said Jesse, with a shrug. "Sapphire Pegasus, attack Double Pinaska with Sapphire cyclone!"

Sapphire Pegasus's horn glowed with blue energy. A blast of wind shot towards Double Pinaska, and he was blown to shards.

"Cobalt Eagle, take down Familiar Knight!"

Cobalt Eagle screeched, and swooped on Familiar Knight. The Knight tumbled over and shattered.

"I activate his effect!" shouted Ren. "Now we can each Special Summon a Level Four Monster from our hands."

A second Dark Blade appeared on his side of the field. (1,800/1,500)

(R: 6,500) -------------------- (J: 6,100)

"Well, I'm afraid that's all I've got," said Jesse.

"Then look out!" said Ren, drawing a card.

"I play The Warrior Returning Alive," he said, playing a Spell Card. "I'll bring back someone who I discarded with Graceful Charity."

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

"Now, I'll sacrifice one Dark Blade to summon her. I summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!"

One of the two Dark Blades vanished, and another female Warrior appeared. She was tall and blonde, wore armor that was shaped into a skirt and halter, and carried a longsword and a very large shield. (2,100/1,400)

"Attack his Sapphire Pegasus!" he shouted. "Sword of shadows!"

Penumbral Soldier Lady hollered a war cry, and slashed at the Pegasus. The winged horse shattered into blue shards, and a large, blue gem formed in Jesse's Spell Zone.

"Dark Blade, attack the Tiger!"

Dark Blade struck with his sword, and Topaz Tiger exploded. A yellow gemstone formed next to the others.

"La Sombra, destroy the last one."

La Sombra lashed with her whip, and Cobalt Eagle shattered. A blue gem formed in the last space in Jesse's Spell Zone.

(R: 6,500) -------------------- (J: 5,300)

"Huh?" said Ren. "5,300 Life Points? You should have 5,100…"

"My Field Spell has five abilities, Ren," said Jesse. "How many it has depends on how many Crystal Beasts I have in my Spell Zone. Since I had four when you attacked Cobalt Eagle, I was able to use the second effect, and reduce the battle damage from one attack by half."

"Wait a second…" said Chelsea. "He has five Crystal Beasts there now… That means…"

"That Rainbow Ruins is at maximum power…" muttered Sam.

"At least his Spell Zone is full," said Erik. "That means his Beasts have nowhere to retreat to if they're destroyed now. I suppose that means they'll go to the Graveyard."

Jesse chuckled.

"Maybe so," he said. "But not in the way you think. It's my turn…"

He drew a card.

Well, hi there, he thought, when he saw who it was.

"I activate the fourth effect of my Field Spell," he said, "which lets me draw an extra card."

He made a second draw.

"Next, I activate the fifth effect, which lets me summon a Crystal Beast from my Spell Zone to the field."

The orange gem glowed, and then burst. Amber Mammoth appeared, looming over the field again. (1,700/1,600)

"Now I have a free space," he said. "And I'm gonna use it.

"Uhm… Now, Ren… The card that I'm about to play… The real Jesse had it, sure… But he usually kept it in his side deck. Cards with this much destructive power, well, they just weren't his style."

He placed the card in his Disk.

"But Ren… This is Xanadu… And we're at war. And in war, you can't give quarter, because you can't expect any.

"I play Crystal Abundance! Since I have four Crystal Beasts in my Spell Zone, I can send all four to the Graveyard…"

All four of the gemstones vanished into grains of light...

"I would cover your eyes if I were you, people…"

The warning came too late. In the next instant, the whole arena was consumed by an explosion of colors.

When Ren could look again, he was shocked. The Spell Card had apparently wiped out the whole field. His three Monsters, Jesse's Monster, his facedown Nutrient Z, and the Rainbow Ruins Field Spell itself had all been vaporized.

"Destroying every card on the field?" said Ren with a laugh. "That was really smart…"

"Actually, it is," said Jesse. "Because, for each one of your cards that I destroyed, I get to summon a Crystal Beast from my Graveyard."

Ren stopped short…

Four flashes of color appeared on the field, and Sapphire Pegasus (1,800/1,200), Amber Mammoth (1,700/1,600), Cobalt Eagle (1,400/800) and Topaz Tiger (1,600/1,000) appeared in front of him.

"And since I haven't Normal Summoned yet," said Jesse, "I'll bring out my old friend Crystal Beast Ruby Carbuncle too!"

He played the card, and a large ruby appeared on the field. It burst, and a small, blue kitten with a ruby orb at the tip of its tail appeared. She let out a cute meow. (300/300)

Ren started to sweat…

"So, tell me, Ren," asked Jesse. "How good are you at math?"

"Uhm…" said Chelsea. "1,800, plus 1,700, plus…"

"It's a grand total of 6,800," said Yumi. "I don't think Ren will be winning this one…"

"Well, it was fun, Ren," said Jesse, "but it's time to end this…

"Sapphire Pegasus, you first."

Sapphire Pegasus neighed, and his cyclone shot towards Ren…

All of a sudden, a dark figure sprang up behind Ren. It was a fiendish-looking Warrior with studded, spiked, armor, and a mane of white hair.

He put his arms around Ren, and the blast was blocked.

"Huh?" said Jesse.

"That was my Necro Gardna," said Ren, as the strange Warrior vanished. "He was the other card I discarded when I played Graceful Charity. By removing him from play, your Pegasus's attack is negated."

Jesse looked at him.

Then he laughed out loud.

"Looks like you're full of surprises Ren!" he laughed.

He chuckled.

"Everyone else… Get him."

Ren braced himself as the Eagle, Tiger, and Mammoth rushed at him. Cobalt Eagle scratched at him with his talons, Topaz Tiger made a savage slash with his claw, and Amber Mammoth made a mighty stomp with his front leg. If he hadn't been a phantom created by whatever system controlled the duels in Xanadu, Ren would have been smashed flat.

Finally, Ruby Carbuncle shot a beam of pure, red energy from her mouth, striking Ren in the chest.

(R: 1,500) -------------------- (J: 5,300)

"He's still standing!" shouted Chelsea.

"But for how long?" asked Sam. "He has no cards on the field, none in his hand, and he's facing five Monsters! It's gonna take a miracle to win now…"

Jesse placed a card in his Disk.

"I'll set this facedown, and end my turn," he said.

A facedown card appeared.

Ren gasped for breath.

"Well…" he said. "Okay… I've been clawed, scratched, stepped on, and blasted… But you gotta give me credit… I still haven't lost my sense of humor!

"Draw!"

He drew a card.

"I play… Card of Demise!" he shouted, playing it. "Now, I get to draw until my hand consists of five cards."

He made five draws.

Then he was startled as a shadow loomed over him. He turned around and saw an intimidating guillotine, its blade held up by five ropes behind him.

"I should have warned you, Ren," said Jesse. "Folks in Xanadu don't use that card very often. Never mind the side effect… The visual effect is kinda scary."

Ren nervously looked at his five cards.

He smirked.

"First up…" he said, "Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He played the card, and the cyclone tore across the field. Jesse's facedown Trap Card lifted up and shattered.

"Rainbow Path?" asked Ren. "What the heck is that?"

"Uhm… Nothing…" muttered Jesse, nervously.

Ren looked at him for a few seconds.

"Continuing…" he said, "Since you outnumber me five Monsters to none, I can Special Summon The Fiend Megacyber!"

In an explosion of energy, a hulking, cybernetic Warrior in bronze armor, with blades on his gauntlets, appeared in front of Ren. (2,200/1,200)

"Next," he said, "I'll play Premature Burial, to bring Penumbral Solider Lady back to the field."

He played the card, and his Life Points dipped. Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared in a flash of light, looking a little pissed. (2,100/1,400)

"I'm not half-done!" he said. "Next, I summon New Moon Princess!"

He played the card, and a new Warrior appeared. It looked like a young girl, about fourteen years old, with glossy-black skin and dark hair. She wore leather armor and held a wooden practice sword. (1,300/1,200)

"But she isn't staying," said Ren, taking the last card in his hand. "I can sacrifice her to summon her big sister…"

New Moon Princess vanished.

"The queen of my deck… I summon Crescent Moon Queen!"

In a burst of shadow, she appeared on the field. She also had glossy, black skin and dark hair, but she was tall and powerful, with silvery armor, and a cape the color of the night sky. She wore a crown set with a single white gem. Her eyes were pools of silvery light.

She looked at Jesse, and drew two crescent-shaped scimitars. (2,600/1,700)

"Three heavy hitters in one turn," said Jesse. "Nice…"

"I'll show you nice…" said Ren. "Fiend Megacyber, attack his Mammoth with mega slash!"

The Fiend Megacyber skid towards Amber Mammoth, and made a swipe with his gauntlet. The huge Beast trumpeted, and then burst.

"Crescent Moon Queen, you're up. Attack his Eagle! Crescent sword slash!"

Crescent Moon Queen made a fierce cut with her left blade, and Cobalt Eagle exploded.

"And by the way… My Queen gets a double attack!"

The Queen slashed with her right blade, and Topaz Tiger shattered too. Jesse cringed as pieces of crystal flew at him.

(R: 700) -------------------- (J: 2,600)

"Time to end this," said Ren.

"End it?" said Jesse. "How? Even if you attack Ruby, I'll still have Life Points left…"

"No you won't," said Ren. "Ruby Carbuncle is a Light Monster, which means Penumbral Soldier Lady gains 1,000 more Attack Points when she attacks it."

Penumbral Soldier Lady charged at the small Fairy. Her Attack Points shot up to 3,100…

She gave it a kick, and Ruby Carbuncle was thrown backwards like a football before shattering into pieces.

"RUBY!" screamed Jesse.

He fell to his knees.

(R: 700) -------------------- (J: 0)

Ren panted for breath.

Jesse chuckled as the remaining Monsters vanished.

"Boy, Ren," he said, "I'm glad you don't work for Daala… If you did, it would have been all over… I'm one of the most wanted men in Xanadu, after all…"

"Well, Jesse?" said Ren.

"Yeah," said Yumi. "Well? Are you going to show us to this mystery figure who's behind this rebellion? Assuming that there truly is one?"

Jesse chuckled.

"Of course," he said. "Just take a gander over there…"

He pointed behind himself.

On the largest hill was a building that none of them had seen yet…

They couldn't believe it. It looked exactly like The Sanctuary in the Sky. If it had been perched on a cloud, it would be an exact match. None of them knew how they could have missed it.

"Any questions?" asked Jesse.

"Yeah…" muttered Ren. "Does the owner stock anything to drink? Because my mouth just went dry from the shock…"

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With Jesse leading the way, the duelists entered the huge temple. The inside looked like a palace, with gold furniture, marble statues, and elaborate tapestries. They all felt a warm feeling that could best be described in one word – security.

"Joan?" called out Jesse. "I've brought them."

"Joan?" said Yumi.

Then, a tall, radiant form appeared on a dais above them.

It was the most beautiful woman they had ever seen. A woman with unearthly beauty and a flawless form, which the average supermodel would sell her soul for. She was dressed in a flowing, white robe. She had beautiful, white, feathered wings growing from her back.

"Guardian Angel Joan?" asked Yumi.

"Greetings, children," said Joan. "Please have a seat…"

They sat down on the splendid furniture (which they didn't like doing, seeing as it looked like it belonged in a museum).

"So… are you a virtual construct too?" asked Chelsea.

She was very nervous. She remembered her duel with Olga where Olga summoned Joan, and her Vampire Genesis destroyed her.

"No, Chelsea," said Joan. "I'm very real. To explain, I'd best explain the nature of Xanadu."

"Is this where you offer us a blue or red pill?" asked Erik.

Joan shook her head sadly.

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple," she said. "Unlike Neo, you have very little choice. Your only choice other than joining me is to take your chances in Xanadu alone, and I doubt you'll last very long if you do.

"Before I go further, let me assure you that this temple is the one location in Xanadu where you are completely safe from Daala. Her minions cannot enter, and she cannot eavesdrop on conversations within."

"Good to know," said Sam.

"You see," said Joan, "as Jesse told you, it is believed that Daala created Xanadu from her dreams. However, it began as a virtual reality world, created by a computer. I don't know the computer's location or its manufacturer.

"But somehow, Daala was able to combine the technology of virtual reality with true magic, expanding Xanadu, as well as her power."

"That's impossible," said Erik. "Magic and technology don't like each other."

"Then how did Marik, Dartz, and all of those other loonies create Shadow Games using Duel Disks?" asked Sam.

"Hold it…" said Yumi. "Sam is right, and it's not necessarily true all the time. Arthur C. Clarke had three laws of prediction, and the most famous one is, any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

"In other words, if the average person from five-hundred years ago saw the modern world, and saw us using computers and airplanes, would he not think that we were capable of performing magic?"

"Exactly," said Joan. "Science and magic can thus combine well when one knows how to do it. One must simply approach magic as one would an advanced science.

"Daala was able to use this combination to draw materials and energies from other dimensions that are populated by Duel Spirits. Not only was she able to expand Xanadu, but she was able to populate it with actual Spirits.

"Some of them went willingly, desiring to serve Daala… Others were dragged here. And with no way to get back, they suffer under her rule.

"Soon, this had a strange effect on Xanadu. It eventually broke apart, and developed new rules.

"I don't want to scare you children, but…

"Xanadu is no longer solely a virtual world. It is truly a dimension onto itself."

"Too late!" said Chelsea. "You already scared us!"

"Wait…" said Yumi. "Then… Sheena's equipment is now functioning as… a portal?"

Joan nodded.

"And despite the fact that Xanadu is its own dimension now," said Joan, "Daala's virtual reality equipment still works in its maintenance. By running programs, she can build structures, buildings, and whole landscapes. She has godlike power here.

"A dimension built using her dreams… Dreams of a young woman who likely suffered nightmares. Evil pollutes this land like a virus.

"And she continues to both recruit and kidnap Duel Spirits from other dimensions.

"Neither was the case with me…"

She sighed, and looked behind her.

Yumi took notice of the structure behind Joan. It seemed to be a throne of some sort. An incredibly beautiful piece of furniture, made of marble with silk cushions, with gemstones set in intricate patterns all over the surfaces. Clearly, it was a chair designed for royalty…

But the strange part was, it was huge. No human could possibly sit in it. From the look of the immense chair, it was built for someone who stood thirty feet tall.

I'd hate to see whoever that belongs to, thought Yumi.

After a short pause, Joan continued.

"I was approached by someone who wanted Daala stopped. I do not know his identity for certain. But I accepted the responsibility, and used the opportunity he gave me, and some help from… allies, to come to Xanadu undetected.

"I got right to work, and worked quickly. I am immortal and tireless… I don't need rest or food. I built this temple, and then usurped Daala's technology, using it to create virtual duelists. Soldiers who could fight via dueling. Dueling, after all, is the favored method of combat in dimensions where Duel Spirits live. It's how things are done in most of their cultures.

"I am the one who protects them from Daala. So long as I live, she is bound by the condition that she cannot apprehend anyone who doesn't lose.

"As you might imagine, Daala has ordered my death…"

"She can never leave this temple to go into Xanadu," said Jesse. "It's far too risky. If she were to be defeated, the whole rebellion would fall in an instant."

"So where do we come in, Joan?" asked Yumi.

Joan gestured, and a large, 3-D map appeared in front of them.

"Xanadu has six main Realms," she said. "Each one represents one of the six Attributes of Duel Monsters. Nexus has pathways leading to all of them.

"Each Realm is under the control of one of Daala's top lieutenants. They are the Realm Lords. So long as their presence is maintained in each Realm, the power generated by the individual Realms is Daala's alone to command. She alone can control the energies of Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Light, and Dark in Xanadu, due to her control over these Realms.

"But if the Realm Lords were defeated, if I could assert my own control over them, I could gain the power that the lands themselves generate. The powers of the elemental forces would be transferred to me… Duel Spirits of those Attributes would quickly find that there was no longer any benefit to serving Daala. My own hold on Xanadu would be strengthened.

"There is a seventh Realm of Xanadu. A mysterious seventh Realm, where Daala's fortress presumably lies. This seventh Realm is the core of Xanadu, where the evil magic is the most powerful. We simply call it the Core. We believe that no Attribute rules this land… It is dominated by Chaos."

Yumi jumped a little when she said this. Chaos? Maybe Daala was indeed working for Shogarr…

"It's far too risky to try to go there now, if it is even possible," said Joan. "If anyone tried, my protection over them would quickly be overridden, they'd be at Daala's mercy. She simply cannot be defeated when challenged at the source of her power.

"But if all six of the other Realms were under our control, it would create a full circle that would tip all of Xanadu's power against her. With most of the population of Xanadu on our side, and all six Attributes under our control, our power just might exceed that of the Core. In theory, it would be possible for us to enter this den of evil, defeat Daala, and be victorious.

"And if I could possibly gain control of the energies of the Core after that…"

She paused again.

"You could turn Chaos into Order," said Yumi. "You could end the whole nightmare."

"Our ultimate goal," said Joan. "Our task is difficult, but we may try. Unfortunately, the resistance has tried, but we have yet to secure even one of the Realms. All of the duelists who have made it as far as the Lords' fortresses have not returned. We do not even know the Lords' identities.

"My men try hard, but for each of Daala's men that we defeat, more of them surface, and more and more of mine fall as well. Almost no headway has yet been made. The Realm Lords' authority is still strong."

"I've volunteered to try to take them down," said Jesse, "but she won't let me…"

Joan sadly sighed.

"As I've explained to Jesse several times," she said, "I can't risk my most powerful soldiers against such foes. They may well be able to win, but what if they don't?

"The upper echelons of the resistance have powers to manipulate the magic of the spiritual world that Daala is trying hard to discover how to do herself. If my chief lieutenants were captured while trying to defeat a Realm Lord, vital information would fall into her hands."

"So that's why you need us," said Chelsea. "We don't have those powers… But we're strong enough to make the attempt."

"We hoped," said Joan, "that you, being fully human, possessing true life and more soul than anything I could program, might stand a better chance. For the most part, all I can create are imitations. Duelists like Jesse know feeling and emotion… But inside each of them, no matter how much they try to hide it, is a sorrow that they are not truly human."

They all looked at Jesse, and he shook his head.

"I wish that I could give them true life," said Joan, "but as any practitioner of either science or magic would tell you, that is impossible.

"But you five… You do have life. I'm hoping it will give you an edge. The power to succeed where so many have failed."

"I dunno…" said Ren. "I never imagined myself as part of some revolutionary army."

"Ren, you can do anything you set your mind to," said Chelsea. "Well, except cook. You stink at that."

Yumi sighed.

"One question," she asked. "Do you know why Daala forced us to come here?"

Joan sadly shook her head.

"I have no idea," she said. "I can only assume she will try to capture you for some dark purpose that is known only to her. But at least she must give you a fighting chance, so long as I live.

"I'm afraid that I cannot control the portals back to your world as of yet. Daala's equipment that is controlling KaibaCorp's computers serves as the only path from Xanadu to Earth. No transport between the two worlds will occur unless she desires it… Or if, by some miracle, someone else gains control of the system."

"Then we're trapped here…" muttered Sam.

"Well," said Yumi. "If it's true that our only other choice is to take our chances alone… I'd rather not take that risk."

Everyone else nodded.

"So… you don't mind working with a Fiend duelist?" asked Sam.

Joan sighed, and bowed her head.

"Let us keep no secrets from each other, Samantha," she said, slowly.

As she said this, a dark, phantasmal form appeared behind her. It was a fiendish-looking woman, with black skin, blonde hair, and black, feathered wings.

"Marie the Fallen One?" asked Sam.

"This is a shadow of my former self," said Joan. "What I became after I was expelled from the Higher Plane. I won't claim that it was anyone's fault but mine. I wanted power that wasn't mine to take, and my greed for it led me to steal it, corrupting me with evil. For this, I was cursed and cast out.

"And it was only through years of excruciatingly hard work that I was able to climb back to the lofty heights."

The phantom vanished.

"I won't criticize you for using Fiends, because I know more than ever that just using them does not make one evil. You must admit Samantha, towards the master of your deck, you show a trait now that Evil does not understand – loyalty."

Sam paused. She shook her head, remembering her promise to Ha Des never to stray again…

"Tell us what we have to do," said Yumi.

Joan beamed.

"Then I will give you each a gift," she said. "Daala possesses the power to give her most favored duelists a Deck Lord…

"I can do the same…"

Then the five duelists were shocked, as their decks started to glow.

"What's happening?" asked Chelsea. "Deck Lords?"

"Let me explain," said Joan. "Daala has created a system similar to Noah's Deckmaster system.

"The Monsters in your decks are now discussing the matter among themselves. By the time you need to use a Deck Lord, one of them will be chosen.

"You only use your Deck Lords when confronting duelists who also use them. In a duel, they can't do anything except use their ability, unless you choose to summon them. And I implore you to do that only if there is no other option."

"Because if it's destroyed, the duelist loses automatically," said Ren.

"Yes," said Joan. "Now listen closely, there's more.

"Deck Lords have four types of powers: Minor, Intermediate, Greater, and Extraordinary.

"I'm afraid you can only start with one Minor Power. But your Deck Lord can evolve by defeating other duelists with Deck Lords, and absorbing their power.

"How much power they get is measured in points, depending on the powers that the opposing Deck Lord had. For each Minor Power it had, yours gains one point. For each Intermediate Power, two. For each Greater Power, four. And I believe, for each Extraordinary Power, eight.

"You may spend two points for a new Minor Power. Also, you may sacrifice three Minor Powers for one Intermediate Power. And you may sacrifice two Intermediate Powers for one Greater Power."

"And Extraordinary Powers?" asked Erik.

Joan sighed sadly.

"I don't know," she said. "Only Daala herself and her most trusted followers know how to obtain them. I'm trying to figure that out."

"Looks like we'll be at a disadvantage," said Sam.

"I believe in you," said Joan. "I believe they will get stronger.

"As far as summoning your Deck Lord goes, there are some rules you must follow should you decide to take such a risk. Doing so is considered a Special Summon that can only be done during a Main Phase.

"However, it only does not have a cost if the Deck Lord is a Monster who could be, under normal conditions, Normal Summoned with no sacrifice. If the Deck Lord would ordinarily need one sacrifice to summon, you must pay 1,000 Life Points. Two sacrifices, and you must pay 2,000 Life Points.

"If the Deck Lord is a kind that cannot be Normal Summoned at all, Fusion Monsters, Ritual Monsters, and NOMIs of all sorts, you must pay half your remaining Life Points."

"That might be less than paying 2,000 of them," said Erik.

"True," said Joan. "But once you summon it, your Life Points rarely matter any more. Once again, I stress that this is the riskiest option, and you should do so only if you have no option left."

"Swell," said Sam. "So where do we start?"

"Well," said Joan, "all six of the Realms have evil auras hanging over them. But the aura is the least intense over the Tzimisce Woods, the Realm that is the source of the power of Earth. It might be a good place to begin."

"Tzimisce?" said Ren.

"I recognize that name," said Chelsea. "In an old RPG called Vampire: The Masquerade, that was the name of Dracula's clan."

"I don't get the connection," said Ren.

"You know what the literal translation of 'Transylvania' is?" asked Chelsea. "It means 'through the forest' or 'beyond the forest'. I take it to mean the forest is cursed with evil magic."

"Yes, Chelsea," said Joan. "But your Monsters are not guaranteed safe passage. And remember, the fates of five members of the resistance who successfully breached the walls of its Lord's fortress are not known. If you find them, try to rescue them."

She gestured, and a map appeared in Yumi's hand.

"That will help you navigate around Nexus," she said. "And it will help you get to Tzimisce. I've given you all the help I can give for now.

"Remember, I can only protect you from Daala's clutches so long as you don't lose. Daala's men wouldn't dare carry my feathers. She knows their power, and has publicly stated that being caught with one will result in being marked as a traitor. None of her servants will risk that, as it is one of the few crimes in Xanadu punishable by death.

"Should you lose… I'll pray for you."

"We'll do the best we can, Joan," said Yumi.

She turned to everyone else.

"Ready people?" she asked.

They nodded.

"Let's go kick some tail…"

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

In another chamber, the polar opposite of Joan's, Daala was reclining on her couch as her servants continued to fan her.

She glared at Joan's temple, a place she hated among all else. Its existence, and Joan's existence defied her rule, and it drove her mad.

She long ago discovered that an outright attack was pointless. Barrel Dragons, Blowback Dragons, Gatling Dragons, and even XYZ-Dragon Cannons couldn't scratch its walls. (She once tried a VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon, but the temple's defenses blew it to pieces before it could fire a single shot. The risk of losing another Spirit that powerful kept her from trying it again.) Blaze Accelerators, Wave-Motion Cannons, and Mega Ton Magical Cannons couldn't break down the gates, and trying to just gave its defenses time to attack you.

She had tried numerous ways to bypass the front doors – Dimensionholes, Interdimensional Matter Transporters, and the like… Such Spells seemed to backfire and deposit the user in a random Realm of Xanadu (which could be incredibly dangerous if that Realm happened to be the ocean).

She had tried infiltration. Duel Spirits had been sent to approach the place, saying that they wanted to join. It was pointless. The temple's magic could detect lies.

At one point, Daala thought up what seemed to be a great idea. A lot of captured members of the rebellion had been brainwashed – dealing with obedient slaves was easier than ones who wanted to hurt you, after all. She thought she could order one of them to go to the temple under the presumption that he had escaped, and bring Joan down himself.

She thought that the plan worked when the temple let her slave inside… But then, to her shock and anger, the temple's magic quickly undid the brainwashing. There was nothing Daala could do about it. A prisoner had escaped for real, and he was taking down her duelists with renewed fury the very next day.

She tried this plan several times, strengthening the brainwashing effect, implanting layer after layer of counter spells and resistances. It was no good. There was no magic that she could do that the temple couldn't undo. So that plan was scraped.

She wasn't going to give up… She was going to get into that temple and bring down Joan… And hopefully, Yumi and her friends would help.

She couldn't spy into the place, but she was keeping a close eye on the outside. And she saw the group leave.

Then she saw as they took the path to Tzimisce.

She waved her hand, and another screen appeared in front of her. A face appeared on it.

"They're coming," she said. "Best start preparing. If they get to you, handle Yumi before anyone else."

"It would be my pleasure," said a voice. "After what her accursed grandfather did to me, I'm looking forward to it."

"Don't let personal vendettas cloud your judgment," said Daala. "Or your ego. That's the mistake you made the last time."

"Understood," said the figure. "But don't worry… I've more than matured since then."

"We'll soon see…" said Daala.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

The change was gradual for Yumi and her friends, and then became quicker.

As they walked, trees became more and more prevalent. As they continued, they became thicker, and very large thorn bushes appeared by the paths.

Then, by some apparent spatial oddity, the sparse forest suddenly became a very think one. All around them, they were surrounded by twisted trees that blotted out the sun overhead. Think vines and creepers studded with thorns were everywhere. From beyond the path, eyes glowed, and strange noises clicked.

"Stay on the path," said Yumi. "If we stray from it, odds are we'll never find it again…"

"Hey, look…" said Erik, pointing up ahead.

In front of them was a very large skeleton that seemed to have once belonged to fiendish dragon or dinosaur. It was entangled with vines.

"What is that?" he asked.

"I think a better question is," said Sam, "what was it?"

Chelsea felt an odd sensation. Someone's hand was caressing her buttocks.

"Ren!" she scolded. "This is hardly the time."

"What?" said Ren.

She looked at him.. Neither of his hands were touching her.

"Everyone… freeze…" she said.

She turned around…

It wasn't a hand. It was a vine.

She quickly lifted her foot and stomped on the vine. Girlish laughter echoed around them.

A very large, blue flower with large, thorny vines rose up in front of them…

Then a sinister-looking nymph with green skin emerged out of the flower's blossom. It looked like she was growing out of it from the waist. (800/1,000)

"Good lord…" muttered Chelsea.

Then three more of the flower creatures rose up around them.

"I've heard of these Monsters," said Yumi. "They're called Arlownay."

"Well, let's do some pruning," said Chelsea, activating her Disk. "Go, Vampire Lady!"

"Opticlops!" shouted Sam.

"Dark Blade!" shouted Ren.

"Toy Magician!" shouted Erik.

They each threw cards on their Disks, and four Monsters appeared. Ren's Dark Blade took the forefront. (1,800/1,500) A sultry female vampire appeared beside him. (1,550/1,550) Then a hulking, muscular ogre with one eye and a horn on its forehead appeared. (1,800/1,700) Finally, a comical wizard that looked like it was made of plastic appeared, holding a scepter. (1,600/1,500)

"GO!" they all shouted.

Dark Blade slashed with his swords, and one of the Arlownay burst. Vampire Lady made a swipe with her claw, and another one exploded.

Opticlops charged and rammed one of them, blowing it to pieces. Finally, Toy Magician fired a blast of pure light, incinerating the last one.

"Escarole, anyone?" asked Erik.

"Well…" said Chelsea. "Wasn't so hard…"

She was cut off as an even bigger vine grabbed Vampire Lady. Vampire Lady screamed as the Monster lifted her off her feet. It was an even bigger flower nymph, with a red flower and blue skin on her human half. (2,000/1,800)

The nymph smiled evilly as she crushed Vampire Lady in her coils, until Vampire Lady gave one final gasp, and shattered.

"That's a Rose Spectre of Dunn!" gasped Sam. "And she doesn't look too happy that we just killed her sisters…"

"Leave it to me…" said Yumi, drawing a card.

She looked at it.

"I sacrifice Toy Magician and Opticlops…"

Sam and Erik's Monsters vanished.

"…to summon Dark Magician!"

In a burst of light, Dark Magician appeared. (2,500/2,100)

Dark Magician and Rose Spectre of Dunn frowned at each other…

"Dark… magic… attack!" shouted Yumi.

Dark Magician cast his powerful spell, and Rose Specter of Dunn exploded into shards.

Dark Magician and Dark Blade faded away.

"Look!" said Chelsea.

The deaths of the flower Monsters had apparently revealed another pathway, one sloping downwards.

"Hmm…" said Yumi. "Which road is the right road?"

"Maybe we should split up," suggested Sam. "I mean, we know our cell phones still work. We could call each other if we get in trouble."

"Okay, I'm fine with that," said Yumi. "Sam, Erik, you two take the high road, and the rest of us will take this low road."

Ren chuckled.

"You take the high road, we'll take the low road," he hummed, "and we'll get to Scotland before ye…"

They didn't know that they were being watched. Tara had been perched in a tree, watching their battle with the nymphs.

She spoke into her phone.

"They're splitting up," she said. "Who do you want me to follow?"

"Follow the larger group," said a voice that clearly wasn't Daala's. "I have someone else who can deal with Sam and Erik."

Tara nodded, and put the phone away.

She leapt to the next tree, and started to trail Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Five minutes later, Yumi and her two friends trudged out of the brush into a wide clearing.

In the clearing was a set of standing stones. They reminded the teenagers of Stonehenge, only much smaller.

"So what do you suppose these are for?" asked Yumi.

"Mokey Mokey," said a voice next to her.

"Huh?" said Yumi.

She turned her head and saw an odd creature. It looked like a marshmallow with wings, stubby limbs, a face, and a question mark on its top.

"Anyone know what this little guy wants?" she asked.

"Who knows?" said Ren. "The flavor text on Mokey Mokey's card says that nobody knows what he's thinking at all."

"Mokey Mokey," said the little Fairy.

"Yeah, well he's annoying," said Yumi.

"Be careful," said Ren. "Take it from someone who went up against a Human Wave strategy… It isn't wise to make a Mokey Mokey mad."

Then a bellowing roar echoed through the forest. The Mokey Mokey's eyes popped out, and it flew away as fast as it could.

A shadowy, hulking form lumbered out of the forest in front of them. It was fully fifteen feet tall, resembling nothing less than a giant ape with green fur. It carried a large wooden club. (2,600/1,800)

"People…" said Yumi. "I think this video game's difficulty setting has just gone up a level…"

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

DOUBLE PINASKA (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,500
DEF: 1,500

Card Description: When this card is face-up on your side of the field, you can negate one attack made by your opponent. This effect can only be used once per duel.

Note: "Double Pinaska" first appeared in "Legacy of the Duelist".

0

0

0

CRESCENT MOON QUEEN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 7
ATK: 2,600
DEF: 1,700

Card Description: This card can attack twice in the same Battle Phase. If this card attacks twice in the same Battle Phase, move it to face-up Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase.

Note: "Crescent Moon Queen" first appeared in "City of Souls".

0

0

0

LA SOMBRA (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 5
ATK: 1,800
DEF: 1,000

Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing one DARK Warrior-Type Monster in your Graveyard from play. On the round this card is Special Summoned, your opponent draws one card. Enact the one of the following effects depending on the type of card drawn:

Monster: This card is destroyed.

Spell: You may destroy one opposing Monster.

Trap: This card may attack your opponent directly this round.

0

0

0

NEW MOON PRINCESS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,300
DEF: 1,200

Card Description: By offering this card as a Tribute, Special Summon one "Crescent Moon Queen" from your hand.

Note: "La Sombra" and "New Moon Princess" first appeared in "Legend of the Sorcerer Kings".

0

0

0

CARD OF DEMISE (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: An executioner about to chop a deck of cards in half with a guillotine.

Card Description: Draw cards from your deck until your hand consists of five cards. On your fifth Standby Phase after this card is activated, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard.

Note: "Card of Demise" was used by Kaiba several times in the original anime, originally in "Clash in the Colosseum (Part Four)".

0

0

0

The heroes at least know where to start, but they are off to a rough start, as the horrors of the Tzimisce Woods try their hardest to block their advance.

Coming up next, Tara appears, and challenges Chelsea to a duel. Eddie's assumption that she isn't better than him may be challenged. One thing is for sure – Tara is experienced using a Deck Lord, while Chelsea is a beginner.

Don't miss "On Feathered Wings".