Harpie duelist… Duelist Kingdom finalist… Battle City finalist… Soldier of the Orichalcos… These are some of the phrases that describe Mai Valentine. Someone once called her the 'greatest duelist who was never successful', but whatever faults she had, she ultimately was someone that could be relied on.
She's retired now, her once-blonde hair grey with age, but her children and grandchildren have kept her legacy alive, in more ways than one. Jade still teaches martial arts in Domino, while Amber works as a defense attorney for a law firm in America. We even met Jade's daughter in Duelatopia last year, where she had become an Eliminator, using the playing card Knight Warriors.
Still, this family all goes back to one woman with a badass attitude and a deck of female Monsters who, while beautiful, would tear you to shreds if you so much as looked at them wrong.
Why do I bring this up?
Well, I'm in the middle of a duel, and while my opponent is a far cry from Mai, I can't help but think that this is how her opponents felt when they were on the receiving end of her Monsters' claws…
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CHAPTER FOUR
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On Feathered Wings
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"So, Ms. Arachne," asked Olga. "How are you going to do this again?"
"Okay, let me explain this in simple terms," said Sheena, as she typed.
"The security system of KaibaCorp's main computer could best be described as a fortress of sorts. It not only had a powerful defense, but if it were attacked, it could mount a counterattack with powerful counter-viruses, destroying the online intrusion before it even reached its walls.
"From what I can gather, what Daala did was make an outright attack with some sort of security breaker so powerful, that the fortress couldn't destroy it, and its walls proved ineffective against it. This same… weapon, if you will, is also what enables her to control the system now. In other words, what she used to break into the fortress is now inside the computer, allowing her to control it.
"It also repaired all the damage it did, in order to keep others out. Which makes sense, because if someone else broke in, they could use it as a bridge to access Xanadu's secrets.
"However… I know a little secret of my own… And I'm wagering that Daala doesn't know it.
"Siegfried programmed a sort of private entrance to this fortress, to be used in dire emergencies. Its security was comparable to the Pentagon's. The only way into it, or to change it, was by using the password.
"And only two people in the world knew the password… Siegfried, and me. It wasn't written down anywhere. We only knew it by memory. The password is a pet name he used to call me when we were alone. No-one else ever heard it.
"Daala must have learned a lot to discover how to break into my defenses, but in order to have disabled this part of it…"
"She'd have to have been spying on the two of you when you were…" said Nicholas, slowly.
"Exactly!" said Sheena. "And since I never used this entrance before, there's no record of its existence anywhere.
"Now, once I use this entrance, I won't be able to do much except look around.
"I'll be like a thief lurking around in my own house, as pathetic as that sounds…
"But maybe, just maybe, we'll discover a weakness that we can use to mount our own attack, and take back the computer another way."
She typed in some words, and an image came up on her computer's screen. It looked like a spider web made of digital ones and zeroes.
"There's the entrance…" she said. "Both of you, close your eyes… This is one secret I'd like to keep to myself… And cross your fingers."
They closed their eyes as Sheena typed in the password.
"Bingo!" laughed Sheena.
A menu appeared on the screen.
"We're in, people. And Daala is none the wiser…
"Now, Daala… Let's see what we can find out about you and your kingdom…"
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Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea stepped back as the huge ape loomed above them and roared, waving its club threateningly. (2,600/1,800)
"Lovely…" said Ren. "A giant, green gorilla…"
"That's no gorilla," said Yumi, drawing the top six cards off her deck. "That's Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest."
She looked at the six cards.
"And I don't have anything that can deal with it!"
"Don't worry," said Chelsea, looking at her own cards. "If we can use Monsters to fend off danger in this world, I'm betting Spells and Traps work too…"
She threw a card into her Disk.
"I play Call of the Mummy! And I'll use it to Special Summon Vampire Lord!"
In a burst of shadow, the exotically dressed vampire appeared. (2,000/1,500)
"Nice try, Chels," said Ren, "but he's not gonna cut it…"
"Then I'll trade him in for Vampire Genesis!" shouted Chelsea.
Vampire Lord vanished into grains of light. Lighting flashed, the sky darkened, and the hulking, muscular creature that seemed as much demon as he was vampire appeared in the spot. (3,000/2,100)
Green Baboon roared.
"Attack!" shouted Chelsea. "Crimson shroud!"
Vampire Genesis burst into a cloud of blood-red vapor, and shot at the Green Baboon. The Beast howled, and then exploded into pixels.
A flock of birds flew from the trees overhead. Numerous pairs of glowing, red eyes peered out of the underbrush.
Chelsea shuffled her cards back into her deck nervously as Vampire Genesis vanished.
"Someone's coming…" said Yumi.
Someone did come, sooner than they thought. Tara leapt from the tree above, and she was clearly angry.
"Well, well, well," she said, crossing her arms. "Not in Tzimisce for an hour, and you guys have already gotten into trouble…"
"Trouble?" said Chelsea. "Who are you?"
"Tara," she replied. "I'm the warden for the Realm Lord. But enough small talk.
"First you folks slaughter a grove of flower nymphs. Then you not only kill the Defender, but you do so in the sacred arena."
She pointed to the standing stones.
"Sacred arena?" asked Chelsea.
"A spot where the most vital duels in this forest take place," said Tara. "And I'm using its powers to enforce the rules of the Realm Lord. None of you are leaving until one of you duels me. It will be your punishment for what you did."
"Huh?" said Chelsea.
"Try to leave if you want," said Tara. "But the forest itself will force you back into this shrine if you do.
"I'm giving you a fair chance. You win, and you can leave. Lose, and Daala takes you."
"Wait a minute!" shouted Chelsea. "How do we know you weren't the one who sicced those Monsters on us?"
Tara's only reaction to this was a slight smirk.
"Guys…" muttered Yumi, "I have a feeling that Daala's rules only apply when they benefit her."
"Who is this Realm Lord anyway?" demanded Chelsea. "Green Phantom King? Fairy King Truesdale? Lord Poison?"
"First," said Tara, "I'm not allowed to say. Second, Green Phantom King and Fairy King Truesdale aren't welcome here, and we have orders to apprehend them if they show up. Them, Doriado, Queen of Autumn Leaves, and the Charmers. They'd all try to drive out the Lord's influence if they came here.
"Third, Lord Poisons are hardly unique Monsters, and they all work for the Realm Lord.
"And fourth, you still aren't leaving until one of you duels me."
"All, right!" said Chelsea, walking forward. "I knew I'd have to risk my neck in this place eventually… There's no sense in putting it off…"
"Very well…" said Tara. "I promise you a painful, merciless duel. Present your Deck Lord. I assume you have one…"
"Uhm…" said Chelsea. "I haven't chosen one yet…"
"Fool," said Tara. "Your Monsters choose one for you. Don't tell me they were too slow to make up their minds."
Then a burst of energy appeared behind Chelsea, and Vampire Genesis appeared again, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Not a bad choice," said Tara, with a laugh. "Now meet mine…"
An explosion erupted on her side of the field, and a Monster even bigger than Vampire Genesis appeared. It was clearly a Dragon, with rust-red scales, large wings, a jeweled tiara, and a collar with a golden chain serving as a leash.
"Harpie's Pet Dragon?" laughed Chelsea. "Why don't you just put a tattoo on your stomach that says, 'I'm using a Harpie Deck'?"
"Trust me, Chelsea," said Tara, "you may have discovered the bare basics of my strategy, but enough of it remains hidden to catch you by surprise."
She smiled again.
"Do you know the legend behind this creature?" she asked.
She started shuffling her deck.
"Legend?" asked Chelsea.
"Why, yes," said Tara. "This is the fabled Dragon That Never Sleeps."
There was a long pause.
"The dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece?" asked Yumi.
"The one and only," said Tara. "Don't you remember the other creatures that Jason and the Argonauts fought on their quest?"
There was another long pause.
"They fought Harpies…" said Yumi slowly.
"Makes sense, doesn't it?" said Tara.
"So does that make you Medea?" asked Chelsea. "I think she tended to dress more decently."
Tara closed her eyes.
"If I'm anything like Medea," she said, somewhat irked, "that would make me a witch who knew powerful black magic, so making fun of my fashion sense wouldn't be a good idea!
"Enough talk… Let's duel…"
The Disks activated. They both snatched five cards off their decks.
"And mythology aside, my Deck Lord is more experienced than yours. That oversized Zombie has, at most, one Minor Power. I guarantee that mine benefits me more."
"Game on!" they shouted.
(Chelsea: 8,000) -------------------- (Tara: 8,000)
"Chelsea," said a deep voice.
"Huh?" whispered Chelsea. "Vampire Genesis?"
"She's only partially right," said the vampire. "The tiers of Deck Lord abilities only measure raw power. My ability is incredibly useful, if incredibly situational."
"Okay…" said Chelsea. "So what is it?"
"Should you lose a Monster with the word 'Vampire' in its name via battle," said Genesis, "discard one card from your hand, and I can resurrect it in Defense Mode.
"Good luck."
"I insist," said Tara. "You go first."
"Thanks," said Chelsea, drawing a card. "Don't mind if I do…
"I throw two cards facedown, and then summon Zombie Werewolf."
Two facedown cards appeared, and then a vicious werewolf appeared, wearing only torn trousers and broken shackles on its wrists. He lifted his head and howled. (1,200/1,200)
"I end my turn."
If she attacks, she thought, my facedown Rush Recklessly will boost his Attack Score to 1,900. Even if she attacks with Harpie Queen, she'll only manage a draw. And even if she does beat my Werewolf, his effect will let me summon an even stronger one.
"My draw," said Tara, drawing.
"I play the Spell Card, Summon Storm. I simply have to give up 800 Life Points, and I get to Special Summon a Wind Monster from my hand that's Level Four or less.
"So I'll summon the enchanting Harpie Lady."
A burst of wind blew over the field, and the lovely, female Winged Beast appeared. Chelsea and her two allies were somewhat shocked by her appearance… Especially since her upper body was only covered by a pair of cloths resembling suspenders. This was the one with long, straight, red hair. (1,300/1,400)
"Why Special Summon a Monster that you could just have easily Normal Summoned?" asked Chelsea.
"So I could play this," replied Tara, holding up a Spell Card. "Inferno Reckless Summon. Now I get to bring out two more Harpies."
In another burst of wind, the Harpie's two sisters appeared: one with short, red hair with bangs, and one with bushy blue hair. The three of them looked at Chelsea with evil smiles.
"Fine!" said Chelsea. "Maybe you forgot, I get to summon two more Werewolves."
Two more Zombie Werewolves appeared in two more bursts of shadow.
"I didn't forget," said Tara, "and they'll be all the more fun to destroy."
"Hey…" said Ren. "Shouldn't those Harpies have gained some Attack Points?"
Tara chuckled.
"You make the mistake of thinking that these girls are the Effect Monster versions of the Harpie Ladies, Ren," she said. "Harpie Lady 1 of that flock does indeed have the ability to increase the scores of Wind Monsters. These aren't them… These are just the old-fashioned non-Effect variety.
"You're likely asking, 'Why is she only using weak non-Effect Harpies? Well, remember when I said that my strategy would take you by surprise?"
She played another Spell Card, one with a picture of three Fiend Scorpions arranged in a triangular pattern.
"I play… Delta Attacker. I can only use this when I have three Normal Monsters on the field with the same name. It lets all three attack directly."
"Wait a minute!" shouted Chelsea.
"GO!" shouted Tara, as the Harpies flew into the air. "Triple dive bomb! Chew Chelsea to pieces!"
Chelsea remembered what happened next for a long time afterwards, although what she remembered was vague. It was mostly the three Harpies swooping down on her, followed by a multitude of claws raking against her arms, legs, belly, and face.
She collapsed.
(C: 4,100) -------------------- (T: 7,200)
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In Sheena's house, Nicholas walked into the lounge carrying a soda. He sighed. It seemed that Sheena only had regular Coke instead of Diet, and she didn't have any Gatorade. But it wasn't like he could complain.
"Any progress?" he asked.
"Like the tortoise, slow but steady," said Sheena. "I never thought I'd be sneaking around my own system…
"I'm getting a little information about Xanadu… Basically, if it were a true video game, I'm getting the stuff you would find in the instruction booklet…
"From what I can see, it's not a very pleasant place… And there are house rules for some of the duels that I can't seem to access yet…
"A major difference between Xanadu and Dueltasia seems to be that Xanadu's population consists of both humans and intelligent Duel Monsters…"
"Strange…" said Olga. "It's like Daala has created her own alternate dimension… A dimension of Duel Spirits…"
Sheena sighed.
"Duel Spirits," she muttered. "Very difficult to deal with…"
"You've dealt with them?" asked Nicholas.
Sheena nodded.
"Well, maybe," she said. "One of the Eliminators currently working in Duelatopia is a guy who calls himself the Midnight Caller. He claims to be a vampire, although I'm not sure I believe him… But he's one of the most mysterious employees I ever brought into KaibaCorp.
"The thing is, he has a retinue of five servants… Five women… And either by some power that he or they have, they're able to turn themselves into five of the cards that he uses in his deck.
"It leads me to think that they may be Duel Spirits. Where they came from, I have no idea… Maybe he made some sort of deal with them.
"By the way, if you tell anyone, I'll deny ever having said that, and no-one will ever be able to prove it, I guarantee."
"Hey, we can keep secrets," said Nicholas. "He doesn't drink blood, does he?"
"According to him, that's a myth," said Sheena. "He says vampires don't need sustenance at all. The curse that they use to spread vampirism is simply that – a curse. They don't drain a victim's blood to do it.
"He's not interested in telling me the details, but he's not interested in creating more vampires either, so I don't pry."
There was a beeping noise on the screen.
"What's this?"
She looked at something that she had just come across.
"Nicholas… Olga…" she said. "I seem to have uncovered something by accident… A private e-mail that Daala is sending to someone…
"And its title reads: 'Top Secret'."
She punched in a command.
"What are you doing?" said Olga.
"A special hacker trick," replied Sheena. "If this works, a copy of Daala's e-mail will be sent to me, without her even knowing it.
"If this works, we may discover something vital we can use."
"Let's hope it's not just a letter to her boyfriend," said Olga.
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"That hurt, Chels?" asked Tara. "Well, shucks… You want my Harpies to kiss it?"
Chelsea looked up and saw the three of them grinning with sinister smiles.
"I'll pass," she groaned.
"Chelsea…" said Ren.
"Uh, uh, uh," said Tara. "You try to help her, Ren, and she's disqualified."
Then Vampire Genesis reached down and offered his hand.
Chelsea took it, and struggled to her feet.
"Show off," said Tara. "It's still my turn. First I'll play a facedown…"
A facedown card appeared behind the Harpies.
"Next I'll play this… Winged Repayment. This Spell Card lets me pay 600 Life Points to draw one card for each Winged Beast I have on the field."
She drew three cards. She looked them over.
"Thing is, I'm not allowed to use them until my next turn. So I'll end my turn now."
(C: 4,100) -------------------- (T: 6,600)
Chelsea slowly drew a card.
"I really hope that facedown card isn't Mirror Wall," she whispered.
"Hard to tell," said Genesis. "It's hard to say how many of her cards are the ones that Mai Valentine used…
"And furthermore, Mai hated seeing her Harpies die. This duelist may not be so sentimental. She might be willing to sacrifice them without a second thought. So while Mai would never have used Icarus Attack, Tara likely doesn't have such qualms."
"Good point," said Chelsea. "But if she uses another Delta Attacker, this is gonna be over very quickly…
"I sacrifice one Werewolf to summon Vampire Lord!"
The Werewolf in the middle vanished, and the tall vampire appeared. (2,000/1,500)
"Attack the Harpie Lady in the middle!" she shouted. "Children of the night!"
Vampire Lord's eyes glowed. He lifted his cape, and a swarm of bats shot at the Harpie Lady. She covered herself with her wings and staggered back as the swarm hit her, but when the onslaught subsided, she was still standing.
"Huh?" said Chelsea, opening her eyes wide. "How did she survive?"
Tara chuckled.
"I have no idea…" she said with a laugh. "Wait… Could it have something to do with this big Dragon behind me?"
She pointed at her Deck Lord.
"Her Deck Lord ability is called Harpie Bodyguard. When a Harpie Lady is summoned, she gains a Protection Counter, and if she would be destroyed, I can protect her by removing the Counter."
Chelsea's eyes narrowed.
"I see you still lost Life Points!" she shouted. "That means Vampire Lord's effect activates. I declare Spell Card."
"Whatever you say…" muttered Tara, taking a card from her deck.
She discarded a copy of Elegant Egotist.
"And I'm not done," said Chelsea.
One of her facedown cards lifted.
"Go, Rush Recklessly!"
The Zombie Werewolf to Vampire Lord's right rose to an Attack Score of 1,900.
"Attack the Harpie without the Counter!" she shouted. "Terror claw!"
Zombie Werewolf lunged at the Harpie and slashed with his claw. Harpie Lady screeched, and shattered into bits.
"Now I'll move my other Werewolf to Defense Mode…"
The other Werewolf crouched down and crossed its arms.
"I'll throw two more cards facedown, and play Mirage of Nightmare."
Two new facedown cards appeared, and the Mirage of Nightmare card materialized.
Ren and Yumi grinned. Chelsea was so good at this combo…
"I end my turn," said Chelsea.
(C: 4,100) -------------------- (T: 5,300)
"Then it's my move," said Tara.
She drew a card.
This will do… she thought, looking at the Monster.
"Hold up," said Chelsea. "Thanks to my Mirage card, I get to draw four cards."
She made four draws.
"Uh huh," said Tara. "And one of those facedown cards is clearly Emergency Provisions, right?"
Chelsea frowned. Her facedown Emergency Provisions flipped up. A large mouth appeared, and chomped down on the Mirage card, devouring it.
"Whoa…" muttered Chelsea. "Realistic…."
"Well, I'll activate my own facedown card," said Tara. "Call of the Haunted."
Her Trap Card lifted, and a wicker casket appeared on her side of the field.
It opened, and the Harpie Lady stepped out. (1,300/1,400)
"Not so fast!" shouted Chelsea, as another of her facedown card lifted. "Go, Dust Tornado!"
A tornado shot across the field, and the Call of the Haunted card was blown to pieces.
However, the Harpie just grinned wickedly at Chelsea.
"What?" said Chelsea. "She should have been destroyed…"
"My Deck Lord can protect them from being destroyed by anything," said Tara. "Not just battle."
"Oh, this is not fair!" shouted Chelsea.
"Hey!" said Tara. "I started out with a weak Deck Lord, and I worked my butt off to get her to earn an Intermediate Power. And before that, I worked my butt off before Daala recognized my talent and awarded me the right to even use a Deck Lord.
"Unlike you, who was given one by Joan as a gift. Deny that…"
"Okay, I won't deny it," said Chelsea. "But was your hard work honest work, or was it all crimes committed in Daala's name that resulted in the citizens of Xanadu suffering?"
Tara frowned, and put a card on her Disk.
"I summon Hunter Owl!" she shouted.
A new Winged Beast appeared. It was definitely an owl, humanoid in shape, carrying a pike. (1,000/900)
"That's weak," said Chelsea.
"Weak?" asked Tara. "I'll show you weak. Hunter Owl gains 500 more Attack Points for each Wind Monster on my side of the field. My Deck Lord doesn't count, but I have four of them."
All four of Tara's Monsters glowed with green energy, and Hunter Owl grew to an Attack Score of 3,000.
"How's THAT for weak?" asked Tara. "And it has another effect, by the way. You can't attack it so long as I have at least one other Wind Monster on my side of the field. But for now…
"Hunter Owl… Attack Vampire Lord with night predator slash!"
Hunter Owl rose into the air. It swooped at Vampire Lord, and with one swipe of its pike, the Zombie was cut down.
Chelsea grit her teeth.
"You aren't the only one who can use her Deck Lord, Tara!" she shouted. "I'm tossing one card in my hand to do so, and bringing Vampire Lord right back."
She discarded her Axe of Despair into her Graveyard, and Vampire Genesis glowed. Vampire Lord burst out of the ground, kneeling and covering himself with his cape. (2,000/1,500)
Tara took a card from her hand, and placed it in her Disk. A facedown card appeared.
"I'll set a facedown card, and that will be all," she said.
(C: 4,100) -------------------- (T: 5,300)
Huh? thought Chelsea. Why didn't she have her Harpies attack my Werewolves?
She drew a card.
Oh yeah… she thought.
"I move Vampire Lord to Attack Mode," she said, "and summon Vampire Lady."
Vampire Lord stood up, and then the dark, female vampire appeared. (1,550/1,550)
"Vampire Lord, attack…"
"I activate… Windstorm of Etaqua!" shouted Tara, as her facedown card lifted.
A wind that could best be described as hurricane-force blew through the forest. All four of Chelsea's Monsters strained, and both vampires knelt in Defense Mode, as did the Werewolf in Attack Mode, while the Werewolf in Defense Mode moved into Attack Mode.
Chelsea sighed. She turned the card on her Disk, and he moved back into Defense Mode.
"I'll play a facedown of my own, and that's all," she said.
A facedown card appeared next to her other one.
"Then I'll move…" said Tara, drawing a card. "And you're about to lose…
"I play my deadliest Spell Card…
"Harpie Lady – Phoenix Formation!"
"NO!" screamed Yumi and Ren at once.
"Since I have at least two Harpies on the field," said Tara, playing the card, "I can destroy one Monster for each one, and the total attack points of the destroyed Monsters come out of your Life Points!
"Go!"
Chelsea looked up in panic, as the three Harpies became surrounded in auras of flames and flew skyward…
My Spell Card! she thought.
"I activate… Mystik Wok!"
One of her two facedown cards flipped up, revealing a Quickplay. Vampire Lord vanished into grains of light, and a huge wok with a fire underneath it appeared behind Chelsea. Energy started to flow from the wok into her.
"My little stir-fry lessens the effect of your barbecue," said Chelsea, "letting me sacrifice Vampire Lord before he's destroyed, and giving me 2,000 Life Points as a buffer!"
"Yeah?" said Tara. "Your other three Monsters won't be so lucky…"
Flames fell from the sky, and Vampire Lady and the two Zombie Werewolves were incinerated.
Chelsea held her chest in pain…
(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 5,300)
The three Harpies landed.
"Hang in there, Chelsea!" shouted Ren. "Her Harpies can't attack after she uses that Spell!"
"Oh, sure," said Tara, with a laugh. "They can't…"
She pointed to Hunter Owl.
"Remember him? There's nothing that says I can't attack with Hunter Owl.
"Hunter Owl, attack Chelsea directly and finish her off!"
Hunter Owl flew into the air… It swooped at Chelsea.
"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Chelsea, as her last facedown card lifted. "Widespread Ruin!"
Hunter Owl exploded, and feathers filled the air around the arena. Tara scowled.
"I end my turn!" she shouted.
Chelsea drew a card.
"All right!" she said. "I play… Pot of Greed!"
The evil jar appeared in front of her with a chuckle. She made two draws.
"Time to turn this around," she said. "I play Book of Life. It's called that because it gives life to creatures that formerly didn't have any.
"So, I can Special Summon a Zombie from my Graveyard, like my Vampire Lady."
Vampire Lady appeared in a burst of shadow. (1,550/1,550)
"Of course, to do something like that, a sacrifice has to be made. So I'll remove your Hunter Owl from play so I won't have to worry about it again."
Hunter Owl fell out of Tara's discard slot.
She took a card from her hand.
"But my vampire's not staying long… You say your Dragon has a legend behind it? So does the guy I'm about to summon…
"Long ago, there was a powerful wizard who sought the secrets of the universe. He studied forbidden magic, secrets that most feared, and mastered them on all levels. He cheated death by transforming from living to undead, and grew in might and power. He became the master of all secrets, and the lord of darkest arcane power.
"So terrifying were the powers he practiced, only the very brave or the very foolhardy ever spoke his true name aloud… The name… Vecna.
"Those who weren't so brave spoke of him by his many titles. The Master of the Spider Throne, The Whispered One, The Maimed Lord…"
Vampire Lady vanished, and a creeping shadow appeared.
"Or… Lich Lord, King of the Underworld!"
The shadow formed into a skeletal creature in a tattered, crimson sorcerer's robe, clutching a golden staff, with black, feathered wings on its back. (2,400/1,200)
"Ugh!" said Tara.
"Attack the Harpie without the Counter!" shouted Chelsea. "Cursed magic!"
Lich Lord chanted, and cast a bolt of flaming black magic at the Harpie. The Harpie Lady screamed and fell backwards before she shattered.
Chelsea looked Tara in the eye.
"Your move," she said.
(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 4,200)
Tara drew a card.
"I'll simply move my two Harpies to Defense Mode, and that will be all," she said.
The two Harpies landed, and covered themselves with their wings.
Chelsea drew a card and looked at it.
"I set a new facedown, and summon a second Vampire Lady," she said.
A facedown card appeared, and another vampiress appeared, standing under the larger Zombie. (1,550/1,550)
"Both of you," said Chelsea, "attack the Harpie Lady on the right!"
Vampire Lady flew at the Harpie, and slashed at her with her claw. Then Lich Lord cast its dark spell, and the Winged Beast shattered.
"Looks like Chelsea found a way to defeat this Deck Lord," said Ren.
"Yeah," said Yumi. "Take down the Harpies one at a time…"
Tara frowned as she drew a card.
Perfect! she thought. I've got just what I need to play Phoenix Formation again.
The only problem is, I need at least two Harpies on the field… But that's easily taken care of…
She fit a card into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.
"Your move," she said with a cheery smile.
Chelsea drew a card.
"I summon… Blood Sucker," she said.
She played the card, and a new Zombie appeared. It looked like a fiendish bat, with horns and wing-like membranes under its arms. (1,300/1,500)
"Lich Lord… Vampire Lady… Finish the job…"
The two Zombies rushed at the last Harpie Lady, and with two attacks, she was blown to pixels.
"Blood Sucker… Attack directly!"
Blood Sucker flew at Tara, and clawed at her torso with its claw. She gasped and fell over.
"And then there's Blood Sucker's effect," said Chelsea. "You lose the top card from your deck."
The top card flew off of Tara's deck and vanished.
I'll still have the last laugh… thought Tara.
(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 2,900)
She got up.
"My move…" she said. "Time to fry…"
She drew a card.
Her facedown card lifted.
"I activate… Hysteric Party!
"I just have to toss one card, and all three of my Harpies come back."
She discarded the card she had just drawn, and funky music started to play, and colored strobe lights covered the arena. All three Harpie Ladies appeared in front of her. (1,300/1,400 x3)
"And guess what?" said Tara. "They all have Counters again. Not like it will matter…
"I play Spell Reproduction! I toss two other Spell Cards…"
She discarded her Pot of Avarice and Harpie's Hunting Ground.
"…and I get my Phoenix Formation back."
She took the Spell Card from her discard slot.
"So this duel is over…"
She played the card.
"Don't think so…" said Chelsea.
Her Trap Card flipped up.
"I play Spell Shield Type-8!"
"Huh?" said Tara.
Chelsea discarded the Symbol of Heritage in her hand, and a strange machine appeared in front of her. As Harpie Lady – Phoenix Formation appeared on the field, the machine spun, grinding it into confetti.
"Damn you!" shouted Tara.
"Since you have no more cards, it's my move…" said Chelsea, drawing a card.
"And I got just what I needed. Go, Mystical Space Typhoon!"
She played the card, and the cyclone tore across the field, blowing the Hysteric Party card to bits. The music cut short, and the lights died.
"Normally, that would have destroyed all three Harpies," said Chelsea. "So now all of them lose their Counters.
"Blood Sucker, you attack first."
Blood Sucker bore its fangs. It flew and tackled the first Harpie, and both Monsters exploded.
"Vampire Lady!" shouted Chelsea.
Vampire Lady clawed at the second Harpie, and she shattered.
"Lich Lord!"
Lich Lord cast its spell at the last one, and she burst.
(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 1,550)
"Your move," said Chelsea.
Tara drew a card.
She simply set a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.
"Lose the attitude, huh?" said Chelsea.
She made a draw.
"Well, that's usually what happens when people like you realize that they're finished."
She pointed, and Vampire Lady pounced. A Harpie Girl appeared on the card and was blown to pieces.
Lich Lord, the King of the Underworld cast the cursed magic one more time, striking Tara directly. She cried out in pain.
Chelsea breathed a sigh of relief.
(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 0)
Vampire Genesis started to glow with energy. Then Harpie's Pet Dragon roared. The Dragon shattered into particles, and Vampire Genesis glowed even more intently.
"What happened?" asked Chelsea.
"We won," said Genesis. "Harpie's Pet Dragon's power is now mine… Next time, I'll be even stronger.
"You're off to a good start, Chelsea. Whether your next duel requires me as a Deck Lord or a normal card, I have high hopes."
He vanished.
Chelsea walked up to Tara, with Ren and Yumi behind her. Tara was chuckling.
"What's so funny?" asked Chelsea.
"You're so naïve, Chelsea," said Tara. "The Realm Lord was using divide and conquer tactics against you. I was supposed to handle you while someone else disposed of Sam and Erik.
"You beat me… But will they be so lucky?
She started to fade away.
"Daala might lock me away for failure… But who knows… Once someone defeats you, she might make us share a cell…
"I'll be happy to see you…"
And then she was gone.
"Don't count on it," said Yumi.
She took out her cell phone, and dialed a number.
She listened to the dial tone.
"The person you are trying to reach is currently dueling," said the message at the other end. "Please call back later."
Yumi gave a strange look. That was not the message Sam had recorded.
Clearly, in Xanadu, the cellular service was pretty good…
And Sam was likely in trouble…
"Ow!" she shouted.
Something had hit her on the head.
She looked up.
Then an acorn hit her in the face. Then one hit Ren, and then two hit Chelsea.
"HEY!" shouted Chelsea. "Who's the wise guy who's throwing nuts at us?"
They shielded themselves as the barrage of nuts continued to fall.
"Look…" said Yumi.
They saw the creatures in the trees. They were odd looking animals, resembling hedgehogs at first glance, but with bat-like wings and single horns on their foreheads.
"Archfiend Marmots of Nefariousness," said Ren. "And they just got on my bad side…"
He went to draw a card.
"NO!" shouted Yumi. "It's a trick! Someone wants us to waste our cards fighting a flock of weaklings. The Realm Lord will likely send something just as strong as that Baboon after us after we've used all our Monsters fighting these dumb squirrels."
"So what do we do?" asked Ren. "OW! That one hit me in the eye!"
"This way…" said Yumi, pointing to the path they hadn't taken.
"We're gonna run from a bunch of chipmunks?" shouted Ren. "This is embarrassing…"
"We're not running…" said Yumi. "We're… making a strategic retreat."
They backed away from the onslaught of nuts, and ran down the path.
"Okay, strategic retreat," said Ren. "I can live with that…"
On the other side of the forest, someone was watching them.
"Seems you have some brains in that head of yours, Yumi," he said. "You'll be a worthy foe… should you manage to get here…
"You'll… Huh?"
He paused. He noticed something.
"Oh… drat… They're heading right for my private orchard… That's all I need… Who have I got guarding it today?"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"Good news, people," said Sheena. "We've gotten a copy of the e-mail…
"Now… Let's see what message Daala was so intent on keeping secret…"
She clicked on it.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Well, this e-mail wasn't sent to one person," she said, "but to four."
"Who?" asked Olga.
"The recipients are AGoW, DoP, LLoA, and FOM," said Sheena. "Who they are, I have no idea…
"But let's read this…"
They read the message.
To the Four Elite Bodyguard,
This message is to let you know that the cards have been completed. They have been added to the decks designed to your specifications.
I have sent each of you a messenger to deliver your decks. I won't say the species name here, but they are Dark Machine-Types that are Level Four. I chose these Machines to deliver them because such creatures are incredibly loyal and do not ask questions. They do not know the contents of their cargo. They have been instructed to deliver their parcels to you, and nothing else. They have been given several Limiter Removal Spells to use in case someone tries to rob them, but if that happens, they should survive long enough to get the decks to you.
Remember the instructions you were given at the time you volunteered. The resistance must not know of the existence of these cards until the time has come to use them for the duels they were created for. Do not let anyone else so much as look at them. And if you use these cards at any time other than the designated time, I will consider it an act of treason.
Good luck.
Power Comes in Combinations
Sheena, Nicholas, and Olga looked at the screen for a minute.
"That's heavy," said Nicholas. "She's created some super-weapons to use against this resistance…"
Sheena smiled.
"But…" she said, "at least now we know that there IS a resistance! Maybe not everyone in Xanadu is an enemy!"
"So what do we do?" asked Olga. "We can't get to Xanadu with Daala controlling your things… Even if Yumi and the others have allied themselves with this resistance, there's very little that we can do to help… We have no way to warn them."
Sheena sighed.
"True…" she said. "We'd best get back to working on regaining control of my computer.
"But now we do know that there's a resistance in Xanadu. That means that, no matter how cruel Daala is, there exists one driving force in Xanadu that may be her undoing… Something that is created whenever someone decides to take a stand against evil… A powerful force that has sent so many dictators to ruin…
"That thing… is Hope…
"And children… Hope is a tyrant's deadliest enemy…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0
0
0
ZOMBIE WEREWOLF (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Zombie/Effect
Attribute:
Dark
Level:
4
ATK:
1,200
DEF:
1,200
Card Description: When this card is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon one "Zombie Werewolf" from your hand or deck. The Special Summoned Monster's base ATK becomes 500 more than the one that was destroyed to activate this effect.
Note: "Zombie Werewolf" was first used by Camula in the multi-part "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Field of Screams". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0
0
0
BLOOD SUCKER (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Zombie/Effect
Attribute:
Dark
Level:
4
ATK:
1,300
DEF:
1,500
Card Description: When this card damages your opponent's Life Points as a result of battle, your opponent discards the top card from his deck.
Note: "Blood Sucker" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States.
0
0
0
SUMMON STORM (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: A ninja in the center of a glowing tornado.
Card Description: Pay 800 Life Points. Special Summon one WIND Monster that is Level Four or less from your hand.
0
0
0
WINGED REPAYMENT (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: The image on this card was not clear.
Card Description: Pay 600 Life Points. Draw one card from your deck for every Winged Beast-Type Monster face-up on your side of the field. The card(s) drawn by this effect cannot be summoned, set, or activated during the turn you use this card.
Note: "Summon Storm" and "Winged Repayment" were first used by Harpie's Brother in the Yu-Gi-Oh GX episode "A New World Order". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0
0
0
HARPIE LADY – PHOENIX FORMATION (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: A blue, flaming bird inside a rune-covered circle.
Card Description: You may activate this card when you have at least two Monsters named "Harpie Lady" face-up on your side of the field. Destroy one opposing Monster for each "Harpie Lady" face-up on your side of the field. Inflict direct damage to your opponent's Life Points equal to the combined ATK of the destroyed Monsters. Monsters named "Harpie Lady" on your side of the field cannot attack on the round you use this card.
Note: "Harpie Lady – Phoenix Formation" was first used by Mai in the original anime episode "My Freaky Valentine (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0
0
0
Chelsea's Deck Lord: "Vampire Genesis": "Vampire Regeneration": When a Zombie-Type Monster with the word "Vampire" in its name is destroyed as a result of battle, you may discard one card from your hand to Special Summon it from the Graveyard in face-up Defense Position. (Minor Power)
0
0
0
Tara's Deck Lord: "Harpie's Pet Dragon": "Harpie Bodyguard": When a "Harpie Lady" is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, place one Protection Counter on it. If a Monster with a Protection Counter on it would be destroyed, you may remove the Protection Counter to prevent it from being destroyed. (Intermediate Power)
0
0
0
Coming up next:
One of the best things about computer programs is, it's possible to upgrade them without having to replace the whole system. By doing so, the program improves.
In the next chapter, Sam meets a virtual construct similar to Jesse, modeled after a duelist from the past. Unfortunately, this one isn't nearly as friendly as Jesse was, nor is he working for Joan. Even worse, Daala has upgraded his strategy, making him far more deadly than the original was – even if his ego is the same.
Don't miss "Pest Dilemma". It sounds confusing, but it will all come together.