What was the accessory card for the two star Monsters from "Invasion of Chaos"? If you said "Primal Seed", you were successfully able to Name that Card!
This is the type of chapter where you miss a lot if you miss even a small part. So pay attention.
We were almost counting on an ambush on the way back from Johnson's fortress. It happened twice before, once with Ares, and once with Want.
But I didn't expect this. An ambush has indeed come – and the one who has ambushed us is Daala herself. She has come out of hiding to challenge me personally.
How can I refuse? I'm not stupid enough to think that Daala will be a pushover… But If I can win, it might be over. We might be able to take the ruler of Xanadu herself prisoner, and the rebellion would end in victory!
I only wish it was as easy as it sounded…
Because I know that Daala isn't stupid either…
The Queen has made a gambit… Consider this gambit accepted…
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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
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Queen's Gambit
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The hulking butler placed a tray of scones and a pot of coffee on the coffee table that was between Dr. Ting and the two teenagers.
"Thank you, Ashraf," said Dr. Ting. "That will be all for now. I'll call you if I need anything else."
Ashraf nodded, and walked out of the room.
Nicholas looked at the briefcase that Ting had put on the table. He wondered what was in it, but wasn't rude enough to ask.
"So what's the story, Dr. Ting?" asked Olga. "Who is Daala? Why did she want to kidnap Yumi? You realize she may well…"
She paused.
"Well, you know… Kill them…"
Dr. Ting sighed.
"The Daala I used to know would never have hurt anyone," he said, sadly. "But she's changed a great deal…"
"You… you knew her?" asked Nicholas.
"She once had a different name," said Ting, still in the sad tone of voice. "Her name was once Phyllis Ting…
"She is… Or rather she was… My daughter…"
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Five four-wheeled ATVs sped across the sands of the Burnt Paradise.
Yumi and the others had left Jesse and the freed prisoners behind to set up shop at the fort, and had taken these vehicles, knowing that Johnson was in no position to stop them. As Yumi had hoped, the sandstorm at the mid-border had been quelled, and no opposition hindered them as they drove over the desert.
"We're almost there!" shouted Yumi. "I see the border to Nexus up ahead."
The five of them drove past the border point, and the odd spatial effect kicked in, transporting them to the grassy knolls with the ruined temples. As they shifted gears, they noticed a figure up ahead.
"Who's that?" said Sam, as they slowed down.
The question was quickly answered as they slowed to a stop.
"DAALA!" everyone shouted.
There was no mistaking that it was Daala. She had changed her wardrobe again, wearing a leather halter, skirt, and jacket ensemble that was almost the same as Yumi's. Her Duel Disk appeared to be standard issue, which surprised them a little.
Yumi removed her helmet and dismounted her vehicle. She looked Daala in the eye.
"What's the big deal, Daala?" she asked. "The head of state doesn't usually show herself to five armed members of a group that wants to overthrow her. That's poor judgment."
"Really?" said Daala. "What are you going to do? Hold me down and tie me up? Well, you can't. Joan didn't mention that the rule she imposed over Xanadu works both ways.
"I can't forcibly apprehend a member of the rebellion unless he loses a duel or attacks a member of my forces outright… And the rebellion can't do it to a member of my forces either, so long as I'm still head of state. Joan couldn't make the rule one-sided, Yumi. The Higher Plane has laws.
"On the other hand, if you do try to make a rush for me like a bunch of thugs right now, the rule restricting me becomes void… Not that the five of you would even be capable of restraining me… I still control enough of Xanadu to call upon powers that would give Marik nightmares."
Yumi looked at her closely.
"Okay, Daala," she said, "What's this all about?"
"Why jump to conclusions, Yumi?" asked Daala. "We're so much alike… We're both young, smart, attractive… We're both duelists…"
She threw open her arms, showing off her outfit.
"Look! We even shop at the same store!
"One might say we're two sides of the same coin, Yumi… I'm the Yin to your Yang, the Hyde to your Jekyll…"
"Mr. Hyde was entirely Dr. Jekyll's fault," said Yumi, with a scowl. "I had nothing to do with however you came to be."
Daala chuckled.
"I guess literature classes do teach you some useful stuff after all," she said. "I was always better at math and physical sciences myself…
"So what do you say, Yumi? Why don't we see which Queen of Games is more deserving of that title?"
"You want to duel me?" asked Yumi, in shock. "You came here to challenge me? To a duel?"
"Well, I don't mean to Pinochle," said Daala. "My butt was falling asleep sitting on that couch and watching you. Besides, I don't consider myself a good ruler if I don't crush a member of the rebellion personally at least twice a week. I've dealt with a lot of tough ones… And you're a challenge I might actually enjoy."
"Yumi…" said Sam. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"
"Oh, you bet I am…" muttered Yumi.
"Yumi!" shouted Chelsea. "Daala is the Queen of Xanadu! Remember what Joan said about Deck Lord abilities? Daala knows how to give Deck Lords Extraordinary Abilities!"
"Yes, and I'll gladly tell you how it's done," said Daala. "A Deck Lord can only acquire an Extraordinary Ability if it absorbs power from the Core. The source of Xanadu's power.
"Now, if you defeat me and your Deck Lord absorbs the power from mine, your Deck Lord might be able to learn the trick… In due time…
"However, it isn't that easy with my Deck Lord. Its prolonged exposure to the Core has made it much hardier than most Deck Lords. So even if you win this duel, your Deck Lord will have no power over it…
"Unless… Unless, that is, your personal power at the time has improved since the start. In other words, your Life Points at the end of the duel have to be more than they were when you started."
"Say WHAT?" shouted Yumi.
"No fair!" shouted Ren. "Just because you rule Xanadu doesn't mean you can tack on any house rule you want!"
"I'd say that it means I'm allowed to pose any house rules that I want," said Daala. "So you'll either accept that condition and like it, or I'll be leaving, and…"
"I accept!" shouted Yumi.
"What?" said Erik. "Yumi, it's impossible!"
"I don't need the power from her Deck Lord, Erik," said Yumi. "If I can simply defeat her, this nightmare will be over, and Xanadu will be freed. I won't need a Deck Lord after that."
They all looked at her.
"Good luck, Yumi," said Ren.
Daala smirked.
She apparently didn't take into account the fact that Extraordinary Abilities are incredibly powerful, thought Daala. With the one I have, my strategy is almost impossible to beat.
Once Yumi is defeated, it will crush the others' spirits, and they'll be easy pickings. I'll be able to defeat Sam and Erik easily, and I'll be able to get the Key, whichever one has it, at my leisure.
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"Your daughter?" shouted Nicholas and Olga at once.
Ting sighed and poured the coffee.
"I was a Pro League Duelist," he said, "even though it was only a part-time hobby. One that I happened to be rather good at, but a hobby nonetheless. Phyllis loved to duel too, and I encouraged her.
"You know, Phyllis had a dream as a child… She had read the stories about Jaden Yuki, and his ability to see Duel Spirits… She wanted to see them too. She wanted to see them, and the places where they lived. Worlds where Spirits were the dominant species… It was her dream to reach one. But I didn't know how to give her that gift. I was certain that there was a science that governed how Spirits could be seen and communicated with, but I never studied it in detail.
"Still, Phyllis tried to live her dream by dueling, giving the cards at least a pseudo-life. But she had a problem that gave her a severe disadvantage whenever she dueled using a Disk.
"She suffered from asthma. The excitement of a duel would often lead to her becoming breathless and coughing, and unable to continue. It was a shame, because she was an excellent duelist when she didn't use a Disk.
"I wanted my daughter to be able to duel like a pro, able to experience the excitement that most duelists felt, and do it without succumbing to her sickness…
"That's why, ten years ago when she was sixteen, I used my vast knowledge of virtual technology to create Xanadu…
"At first, Xanadu was a small virtual world. Phyllis could enter it, and without her physical body to hinder her, she could duel like a perfectly healthy teenager. She could download the information stored in databases to create virtual avatars of any duelist, living or dead, for her to oppose. She could even create virtual Duel Spirits as opponents. The computer would create a deck from an online database that would match the Monster's Type and Attribute, as well as any reports on their personalities it could find.
"And for a while, she was happy.
"But eventually, she apparently decided that the virtual world I had given her was too small…
"I found out that she was downloading technology to upgrade and enlarge Xanadu. It grew in size, and she added places to it, places which she told me she had envisioned in her dreams. When I saw them, I was worried. These dreams were apparently not very pleasant.
"I realized eventually that Phyllis had created a much larger world than my intention. She was spending more time in Xanadu, and less in reality.
"I didn't like this. I had to stop it. I told Phyllis that I was going to destroy Xanadu.
"She begged me to reconsider. She cried and wept, pleading with me not to destroy her paradise. It tugged at my heartstrings, but I knew that I had to do it. It was affecting my daughter's mind.
"Then, she somberly asked me for one more week. She begged me to let her have Xanadu for just one week more, and then she would give it up forever.
"I thought that a week more couldn't hurt. I didn't want her to hate me, after all. I told her she could have one more week…"
Ting let out a great sigh.
"To this very day," he said, "I regard that decision as the worst mistake I ever made…"
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Yumi and Daala stared each other down.
Suddenly, Yumi was startled by Joan's voice in her head.
"Yumi!" shouted the voice.
Yumi quite jumped, because she hadn't been expecting it.
"Don't talk, just listen," said Joan's voice. "Something you should know about Daala's strategy. She does not play fair.
"She combines an incredibly powerful Deck Lord ability with an incredibly rare and powerful card. With this combination, she is nearly impossible to defeat. She has no intention of even giving you a fair chance."
"Then what do I do?" whispered Yumi.
There was a long pause.
"I'm sending you something that might even the score a little," said Joan. "Use it wisely…"
Yumi's deck glowed with golden light.
"Enough talk, Yumi," said Daala. "Bring out your Deck Lord."
Dark Magician Girl appeared behind Yumi.
"And here's mine!" shouted Daala.
In an explosion of energy, a fierce creature appeared behind Daala. From the waist up, he was Lord of Dragons, albeit radiating a majestic aura. He held a golden scepter topped with a dragon's head. From the waist down, he was a long, serpentine dragon.
"Meet King Dragun," said Daala. "Quite a looker, isn't he?"
"He doesn't scare me," said Yumi.
"That may change," said Daala.
"Hey, take a look," said Ren, pointing behind them.
They looked. Vita was watching again, partially hidden behind a building.
Daala looked at her and scowled. The flames around her head intensified.
"What are YOU doing here?" she shouted. "Who asked you to come? Get lost or I'll have you impaled!"
This seemed to spook Vita. She took off, and ran away again.
"Daala…" said Yumi. "You know who Vita is?"
"Do NOT concern yourself with that thing!" shouted Daala. "That is nothing more than a failed experiment!"
She seemed to calm down a little.
"Now where were we… Oh yes, we were about to duel…"
"Game on!" they shouted.
(Yumi: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Daala: 8,000)
"Let's go!" shouted Yumi, drawing a card.
"I'll summon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode!"
In a burst of energy, the two elf sisters appeared. (1,900/900)
"Then I'll set these…"
Three facedown cards appeared.
"And I'll end there…"
"Not a bad opening move," said Daala, drawing a card. "But I can trump it.
"I summon the Lord of Dragons!"
In another burst of energy, a different Spellcaster appeared on Daala's side of the field. He was dressed in black, with a cape with a high collar, wearing a helmet that resembled a fanged mouth. (1,200/1,100)
"Now I activate his favorite Spell Card," she said, throwing a card into her Disk, "The Flute of Summoning Dragon!"
A golden flute shaped like a dragon's head appeared in mid-air, and Lord of Dragons grabbed it.
"When he uses it, I get to Special Summon two Dragons from my hand. So Lord of Dragons, play some corn on that old gold horn, will you?"
Lord of Dragons put the Flute to his mouth, and a rousing tune echoed over the field.
"So, let's welcome Blizzard Dragon and Prime Material Dragon!"
Two large Dragons appeared in bursts of energy. One of them had blue scales, and wings on its forearms. (1,800/1,000) The other one was odd. It looked more like a large plant that had been molded into the shape of a dragon. (2,400/2,000)
"Three Monsters in one turn?" shouted Chelsea.
"Nope," said Daala. "Four. My Deck Lord's less powerful ability is a watered-down version of one of its regular effects. I can Special Summon one Dragon every round, so long as it's Level Four or less.
"So I summon Twin-Headed Behemoth!"
She played another card, and a scaly, purple Dragon with two heads appeared in front of her. (1,500/1,200)
"Forgot to mention," said Daala. "One of my informal titles as ruler of Xanadu is the Dragon Queen!"
"Man, those facedown cards Yumi has had better be good ones…" said Ren.
"Guess again," said Daala.
"Huh?" said Ren.
"My Deck Lord has an Extraordinary Ability, remember? It protects my Dragons from being destroyed by anything except battle. Spells, Traps, and Monster effects can't destroy them. So those three facedown cards really don't concern me.
"Besides, with Lord of Dragons on the field, they're protected from ALL card effects that target.
"So let's get down to business, shall we? Prime Material Dragon, vaporize Gemini Elf with hyper blast!"
Prime Material Dragon roared, and blasted a beam of pure light from its jaws…
"Can only be destroyed in battle, huh?" asked Yumi. "Fine by me… Activate… Rush Recklessly!"
One of her facedown cards lifted, and Gemini Elf's Attack Score shot up to 2,600. They shot a bolt of lightning, intercepting the Dragon's blast. Prime Material Dragon roared, and was blown to pieces.
"Ergh…" muttered Daala. "Lucky…"
She looked at the last card in her hand.
"I can still use Blizzard Dragon's effect," she said.
Blizzard Dragon shot a bolt of blue energy from its jaws, and the two elves screamed as it hit them.
When Yumi looked, they had been frozen in a block of ice.
"WHAT?" shouted Yumi.
"They won't defrost until the end of your next turn," said Daala. "Until then, they're helpless to attack or change their battle position.
"And it's your move."
(Y: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 7,800)
Yumi angrily drew a card.
I can't use this until I get rid of Lord of Dragons, she thought, looking at it. I'll have to save Blizzard Dragon for later…
"Since my elves can't attack, I'll sacrifice them," said Yumi.
Gemini Elf vanished into grains of light.
"Come on out, Chaos Command Magician!"
The powerful chaos mage appeared, brandishing his staff. (2,400/1,900)
"He's immune to your Blizzard Dragon's effect, I'll have you know. And now he's going to wipe out your Lord of Dragons!"
Chaos Command Magician aimed his staff at the Dragon Lord, and it glowed with energy.
"And I'll also activate this!" shouted Yumi, as another facedown card lifted. "Magician's Circle! Now, both players must summon in Attack Mode, a Spellcaster with 2,000 Attack Points or less.
"And I summon Magician's Valkyria."
In a burst of dark energy, the brunette, female mage appeared. (1,600/1,800)
"Then I'll summon my second Lord of Dragons!" shouted Daala.
A second of the draconic Spellcasters appeared on her side. (1,200/1,100)
Chaos Command Magician fired his blast of multicolored energy, and the first Lord of Dragons was blown to pieces.
"Ergh…" groaned Daala, shielding herself.
"Valkyria, magic illusion!" shouted Yumi.
Valkyria blasted her burning beam of light forward. The second Lord of Dragons was atomized.
"I'll throw another card facedown, and that ends my turn," said Yumi.
A facedown card appeared in front of her next to her other one.
(Y: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 6,200)
Daala drew a card.
"Well, what do you know?" she said. "It's my old friend Luster Dragon.
"I'll use my Deck Lord ability to Special Summon him, and then set a Monster in Defense Mode."
She played the card, and a large dragon that seemed to have been carved out a single large sapphire appeared in a flash of light. (1,900/1,600) Then a facedown Monster appeared.
"Luster Dragon, attack Valkyria! Sapphire spark!"
The Dragon exhaled a burst of blue energy at Magician's Valkyria…
"GO!" shouted Yumi. "Draining Shield!"
Her facedown card shot up, and the blast plowed into an invisible shield. Energy flowed into Yumi.
"Your Deck Lord ability is impressive, Daala," she said. "But it's making you careless."
"Fine!" shouted Daala. "Blizzard Dragon, you attack her!"
Blizzard Dragon blasted its freezing breath at Valkyria and she screamed. She was coated in a coffin of solid ice, and then was blown to shards.
"I move Behemoth to Defense Mode, and end my turn," said Daala.
Twin-Headed Behemoth curled up in a lying position.
(Y: 9,700) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 6,200)
"This is weird," said Sam. "Daala is the ruler of Xanadu, but her Deck Lord aside, this is little more than any other Dragon Deck I've seen a hundred times before."
"I know," said Erik. "And that worries me. She's hiding something…"
Yumi drew a card.
"I'll set a Monster of my own," she said.
A facedown Monster appeared.
"Chaos Command Magician, destroy her Blizzard Dragon!"
The Spellcaster fired his blast, and Blizzard Dragon shattered into shards of ice.
"So what now, Daala?" she said.
(Y: 9,700) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 5,600)
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Dr. Ting didn't talk for some time. A very sad look appeared on his face. He slowly sipped his coffee.
"So, you gave her a week…" said Nicholas.
Ting nodded.
"And the very day before her week would be up," he said, "disaster struck.
"I was monitoring her unconscious body in the virtual pod, as I did every hour, when the computer's anti-intrusion alarm went off.
"I went to see what was the matter… And I discovered that we were the target of an online attack. Someone was trying to sabotage the computer!
"I tried to stop it, but the strange nature of the attack confused even me. I had never seen a security breaker like this.
"Then Phyllis's vital signs started to react. Her breathing and heartbeat increased to dangerous levels. To my horror, this attack was attacking her as well.
"My goal at this point was not to stop the attack, but to rescue my daughter. But my attempt to safely bring her mind back to her body was foiled by this mysterious saboteur. Whoever was doing this apparently knew exactly how the computer worked. Even so, I tried every option…"
Tears started to fall down his cheeks at this point.
"I failed…" he said. "By the time I had regained control of the computer, Phyllis's physical body had perished."
"I mourned, but only for an hour or two. Soon, grief turned to rage. I did a complete scan of the computer, searching it with a fine-toothed comb, file by file, vowing not to rest until I found the identity of the saboteur… The one who had murdered my daughter…
"The true horror came when I succeeded in doing so…"
Nicholas and Olga looked at him.
"The attack had… Not come from outside…" he said. "It had come from within… From within Xanadu… Phyllis had done it herself…
"She had given me an ultimatum… Her mortal body was now dead, but she still lived in Xanadu. If I destroyed Xanadu now, I would truly kill her.
"What was a father to do?
"So, I left Phyllis to her… paradise, at least for a while… Which was another mistake…"
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"You know, Daala," said Yumi, "for someone who claims to be the Queen of Games in Xanadu, you're not doing too well. Just look at the scores. You're losing."
"Your grandfather pulled plenty of come-from-behind victories in his day," said Daala. "No-one would ever doubt that he was the King of Games."
She drew a card.
"I flip my Morphing Jar into Attack Mode."
Her facedown Monster flipped up, and the giggling, one-eyed creature in the ceramic vase appeared. (700/600)
"All right, fine," muttered Yumi, discarding the card in her hand.
Daala discarded the card she had just drawn and they both drew five cards.
"Now I play… Monster Gate," said Daala. "I have to sacrifice a Monster to use this, so I'll sacrifice Morphing Jar."
Morphing Jar vanished into grains of light.
"Then I get to pick up Monsters from my deck until I reach a Monster that I can Normal Summon. Then I Special Summon it…"
She picked up one card, then a second. She picked up a third, and then placed it on her Disk.
"The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave, in Defense Mode."
A large, rocky, scaly Dragon appeared, curling up in a defensive position. (1,300/2,000)
She discarded a Burst Breath and a Dragon's Gunfire.
"I'll throw a card facedown, and move Luster Dragon to Defense Mode. And then you go. As a wise man once said, I have not yet begun to fight."
A facedown card appeared, and Luster Dragon curled up in the same defensive position.
(Y: 9,700) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 5,600)
Yumi made a draw. She looked over her hand.
"I flip Crystal Seer into Attack Mode!" she shouted.
Her facedown card flipped up, and the mysterious, veiled gypsy appeared. (100/100)
"Now, I get to look at the top two cards on my deck, and add one to my hand."
She took the top two cards off her deck.
One was Cosmo Queen. One was Sage's Stone.
Crud, she thought. Should have swapped that one… Dark Magician Girl is my Deck Lord… Sage's Stone is no good… Oh well…
She placed the Spell Card on the bottom of her deck.
"Now, I activate Call of the Haunted."
Her facedown card lifted, and a dark coffin appeared on her side of the field. Valkyria appeared again, looking a little pissed. (1,600/1,800)
"Next, I sacrifice Valkyria and Crystal Seer…"
The two Spellcasters faded into grains of light.
"To bring out Cosmo Queen!"
In a burst of energy, the mighty galactic empress appeared, her eyes glowing with cosmic power. (2,900/2,450)
"Humph…" said Daala. "Nice hat. Never been a big fan of royal raiment myself… It chaffs. I just like to dress in a way that shows who I am…"
"Does that mean you're a slut?" asked Chelsea.
Daala looked at her.
Once Chelsea is defeated, she thought, I'll promote my personal handmaiden and fill the role with her. It will teach her some respect…
"No more jokes!" shouted Yumi. "Cosmo Queen, attack with cosmic nova!"
Cosmo Queen blasted her bolt of eldritch energy, and The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave exploded into bits.
"Chaos Command Magician, chaos magic!"
Chaos Command Magician fired his own blast, and Luster Dragon was blown to shards.
"Your Behemoth is next!" shouted Yumi.
"Oh, I'm shaking in my boots…" said Daala, sarcastically.
"I end my turn!" shouted Yumi.
Daala drew a card.
"I play… Pot of Greed," she said, playing it.
She quickly made two draws.
"Time to get serious, Yumi!" she shouted.
Her eyes glowed with pinpoints of red light, and the flames around her head burned fiercer.
"I activate… My own Call of the Haunted!"
Her facedown card flipped up, and Luster Dragon appeared again. (1,900/1,600)
"Now, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"
Luster Dragon and Twin-Headed Behemoth vanished into bursts of flame…
"To summon… Tyrant Dragon!"
A much larger Dragon appeared in an explosion of fire. It towered over the field, its wingspan reached forty feet, and its eyes smoldered like embers. (2,900/2,500)
"Okay!" said Erik. "I think that qualifies as 'serious'!"
"Tyrant Dragon is one of the most powerful Monsters in the game," said Daala. "It not only has 2,900 Attack Points, it can attack two Monsters in one turn, and it's impervious to Trap Cards.
"And I'm gonna make it even stronger! I play the Equip Spell, Megamorph!"
She threw a card into her Disk.
"I seem to recall you saying that I was losing. Well, good! Since I am, this Spell doubles my Monster's Attack Points!"
Tyrant Dragon glowed with an aura of fiery energy… (5,800/2,500)
"It's too powerful!" screamed Chelsea.
"Tyrant Dragon…" ordered Daala, "obliterate Cosmo Queen with imperial inferno!"
The Dragon shot a super-intense blast of flames at the Spellcaster. Yumi shielded herself and cringed in pain as Cosmo Queen exploded.
"I'm not done!" shouted Daala. "It gets to attack again, remember? Destroy Chaos Command Magician! Show him who controls Chaos in this world!"
Yumi was thrown to the ground as the second blast hit Chaos Command Magician, reducing him to hot ash.
"Of course," said Daala, "I'm not losing any more, so now, Megamorph doesn't double its Attack Score any more. It halves it. So I'll get rid of my Equip Spell by using Emergency Provisions."
She played a card, and the mouth appeared, devouring the Equip Spell. Tyrant Dragon returned to its base Attack Score of 2,900.
"I'm not done yet!" she continued, throwing another card into her Disk. "I play another Spell Card… Super Rejuvenation. When it's my End Phase, I get to draw one card for each Dragon I sacrificed this turn.
"Okay… I'll set one card facedown. Then I'll move to my End Phase."
She placed her last card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared. She drew two cards and looked at them.
She smiled evilly when she saw what they were.
"It's your move…"
(Y: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 6,600)
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"Phyllis didn't think I was watching, but I checked on her every now and then," said Ting. "She started doing things that were illegal, and morally questionable.
"I believe she used a proxy – I don't know who it was – to use the internet to make deals with Yakuza, arranging for them to download software and information into Xanadu to make her more powerful. I dared ask her what she had promised those mobsters. She told me that she was playing them for fools. Once she got all that she wanted from the Yakuza, they would get nothing and like it.
"I could have called the police… But I knew that if they found the location of my equipment, I would be questioned, and they would shut it down, destroying Xanadu and killing Phyllis. So I kept my mouth shut…
"But strangely, Phyllis didn't. She had her proxy tell everyone whom he made deals with to keep a copy of Mutant Mindmaster, my signature card in the Pro League, telling them it was the symbol of her ultimate benefactor. I didn't know at first why she left such a clue…
"And then I realized why… She wanted me to be found out. She wanted to get rid of me. Whether I was arrested by the police or murdered by the vindictive Yakuza, she didn't care.
"Fortunately, no mobster or police officer ever made the connection, but I decided to look closer into Xanadu…
"Using my hacking skills to look past the veil Phyllis had erected, I discovered that Xanadu had grown indeed. It was now a vast nation in what I assumed was a virtual world. I saw that it was populated by hundreds of creatures whom I assumed were virtual constructs made in the image of Duel Spirits.
"And my daughter was ruling this land as a queen… Ruling with an iron fist… She had even upgraded her own form, turning herself into someone I hardly recognized. Apparently, she had given in to vanity, and used the technology to make herself more beautiful, in a diabolic and intimidating way.
"I made up my mind then and there. Heaven might damn me for what I was about to do, and I would hate myself the whole time, and forever after… But it had to be done. My daughter had clearly become evil. I had to destroy Xanadu even if it meant killing my own daughter…
"But, when I entered the delete command, I found it did nothing. I was terrified to learn that I could not destroy Xanadu, because it was no longer a virtual world. It was now truly a dimension onto itself. The creatures I had assumed were virtual constructs were nothing of the kind… They were real Duel Spirits…"
He took some deep breaths.
"I had no doubt that my daughter was plotting sinister plans… And I was determined to do anything I could do to put a stop to it…
"As I told you before, I was certain that a science existed governing the society of Duel Spirits. I graduated first in my class at Harvard, with multiple honors. I hold fifty-seven patents for software, many of which are used by most of the Fortune 500 companies, and hundreds of others, globally. I worked for the government of Japan, and was once an unofficial advisor for the Prime Minister in technology matters. I'm a man who learns quickly, and I figured that there was no science that I couldn't learn…
"I started to do research…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Yumi clutched her chest as she got up.
Man! she thought. I really shouldn't have provoked her! She's pretty good after all!
She looked at her hand of cards.
All I need is one card… One card, and I can summon a creature that will bring Daala to her knees…
She quickly made a draw.
YES!
"All right, Daala," she said, throwing the card into her Disk, "take THIS!"
"Polymerization?" asked Daala as the Spell Card appeared.
"That's right," said Yumi. "I'll fuse together Dark Magician and Goddess With the Third Eye…"
Two Monsters appeared on the field. One was the Mouto family's signature Spellcaster. The other was a woman in a long, green robe, with three eyes, only the extra one open.
The two of them faded into two swirls of darkness and light, and a powerful burst erupted over the field…
Slowly, a powerful form landed on the field. He looked like Dark Magician at first glance, but was dressed in armor rather than robes, and held a decorated staff with a large blade on the end. (2,900/2,400)
"Yeah!" shouted Ren.
"Go, Dark Paladin!" yelled Chelsea.
"Dark Paladin gains 500 more Attack Points for every Dragon on the field and in both Graveyards," said Yumi. "You have one on the field, and five in your Graveyard."
"Six, actually," said Daala, with a bored expression. "I tossed a Decoy Dragon when I flipped that Morphing Jar."
Yumi frowned.
"You seem awfully calm for someone who's facing a super-powered Dark Paladin," she said, as the Spellcaster in front of her started to glow with incredible power.
(6,400/2,400)
"Attack Tyrant Dragon!" shouted Yumi. "Fierce slashing wave!"
Dark Paladin cast a mighty spell, and a blade of magical energy tore across the field. Tyrant Dragon roared in rage, and then exploded into a fiery blast of slag and ashes.
(Y: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 3,100)
When the smoke cleared, Daala had apparently fallen on her rump from the impact. But she was laughing.
"Oh, this is great, Yumi!" she laughed. "I knew you'd be the challenge I was looking for…"
"This is nuts!" shouted Sam. "Yumi just killed her best Monster, and she's happy?"
Daala got up.
"Now who ever said that Tyrant Dragon was my best Monster?" she said.
"Well then, Daala," said Yumi, "I set one Monster, and end my turn…"
A facedown Monster appeared next to Dark Paladin.
"By all means, try to summon this Monster that's even stronger than Tyrant Dragon…
"However, I'm pretty sure that if you have such a Monster, it's the kind that can't be Normal Summoned. And should you try to play a Spell Card, my Paladin can negate it, if I simply discard one card."
Daala drew a card.
"I know that, Yumi," she said. "You see, I knew you'd summon that guy… And I came prepared…"
She took another card in her hand.
"I summon Goblin of Greed."
The Fiend that appeared in front of her was very recognizable, as he had appeared on several cards other than his own. He was a fat goblin wearing expensive clothes that suggested those of a sultan, albeit torn and ragged. He held a Pot of Greed in his right hand, and carried a Jar of Greed under his left shoulder. (1,000/1,800)
"You see, Yumi," said Daala, "so long as this guy is on the field, neither player is allowed to discard cards as a cost."
"But that means…" said Yumi.
"It means that Dark Paladin's ability to negate Spells is effectively shut down," said Daala. "So I can use them all I want.
"And I'm going to use one… A very powerful one…"
The sky started to darken as she held up another card.
"I have a question for you Yumi," she said. "What's the difference between a great Monster and a truly spectacular Monster?"
"Uh… what?" asked Yumi.
"A great Monster is one that your opponent has never seen before," said Daala. "A truly spectacular Monster is one that she likely will never see again.
"I play… Dragon's Mirror!"
She played the card, and lightning flashed. A large mirror with a frame shaped like a classic dragon appeared beside Daala, and images of Decoy Dragon, Luster Dragon, Blizzard Dragon, Twin-Headed Behemoth, and The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave appeared inside it. Then it cracked, and black smoke started to pour out of it.
"I'll banish five of my Dragons from the game…" she said, as the smoke started to form into a thick cloud, "in order to summon the ultimate beast!"
The sky turned pitch-black and the mirror itself vanished, as a huge, dark form rose behind her…
"No…" gasped Sam. "It's the F.G.D.!"
It was indeed the F.G.D. The towering monstrosity stood fifty feet tall, and almost as wide, with five hideous heads – one blue with a finned mane, one black with a spined mane, one pale yellow with a spiked mane, one metallic with horns, and one that was literally made of fire. Its body was scaly and green, and its wingspan reached a hundred feet on both sides.
It bellowed a roar that shook all of Nexus… (5,000/5,000)
"By the way, Yumi," said Daala. "By summoning this Monster, I added one Dragon to Dark Paladin's total… But I also subtracted five. That gives him a net gain of three Dragons."
Dark Paladin's score fell to (4,400/2,400).
"No…" muttered Yumi.
"Told you I was good at math," said Daala. "F.G.D… destroy her Paladin with Pentecost Holocaust!"
A steam of fire, a bolt of ice, a bolt of lightning, a spray of corrosive gas, and a beam of pure darkness blasted from the Dragon's five mouths, combining into one lethal blast of energy. Yumi shielded herself as Dark Paladin was blown to pieces.
"Ergh…" she muttered.
(Y: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 3,100)
"Goblin of Greed," ordered Daala, "wipe out her facedown Monster!"
The Goblin rushed at the facedown Monster. Apprentice Magician appeared on the card. He clubbed her over the head with his jar, and she shattered.
"Daala…" growled Yumi, as a new facedown Monster appeared, "I will beat you!"
"Oh?" said Daala. "Let's look at the facts, shall we? My Monster has 5,000 Attack Points. Due to its own effect, it can't be destroyed in battle by any type of Monster except Light Monsters. And thanks to my Deck Lord, it can't be destroyed any way except through battle.
"You obviously see the backbone of my strategy now, why I'm the ruler of this land. With this Monster combined with my Deck Lord, I'm unbeatable!"
"You are not!" shouted Ren. "All she has to do is summon her Mirage Knight, and it's game over!"
"Uhm…" muttered Yumi, getting up, "actually, Ren, my chances of summoning that guy aren't very high…"
"What are the chances?" asked Ren.
"Well, to be perfectly honest," said Yumi, "none at all."
Daala gave an evil laugh.
"He isn't even in your deck, right?" she asked. "Well, I don't blame you… After all, you weren't expecting to face this thing, and there's only so much room in a deck…
"Still my turn, I believe, and I'm going to lessen the chances of you being able to pull something off even more."
Her facedown card lifted, revealing The Transmigration Prophesy.
"I know you have Double Spell in your deck," she said. "So you may think you can win if you bring back Chaos Command Magician, get back your Rush Recklessly, and then use my Megamorph.
"Well, it's not gonna be as easy now. I'm sending both your Chaos Command Magician and Rush Recklessly back to your deck. Even with your luck, I defy you to draw all three cards before I finish you."
Yumi started to sweat as the two cards slipped out of her discard slot. She added them to her deck, and slowly reshuffled.
"It's your move, Yumi," said Daala. "Feel free to give up at any time…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"How's the coffee, lads?" asked Dr. Ting. "I've found that a touch of nutmeg mixed in with the grounds makes all the difference."
"Very good," said Nicholas. "But please, continue…"
"Well," said Ting, "I studied Xanadu as best I could. As luck would have it, Phyllis didn't pay much attention to me anymore. I discovered that somehow, she had combined the technology with magic to expand it beyond the limitations I had set.
"As a man of science, sorcery was a foreign concept to me. But I started studying the world of Spirits, trying to find a solution. My history as an unofficial advisor to several government agencies helped. I was able to gain access to libraries and media morgues that most researchers only dream of accessing. I interviewed scientists who had studied under the late Dr. Eisenstein, likely the greatest genius of his time on the subject of duel energy. I traveled to the original Duel Academy, and to all four of its splinter schools around the world. I sought information from the archives of I2 itself…
"KaibaCorp was the only company that turned me away, as they deemed the trumped-up reasons I gave for wanting to access their archives 'insufficient', and I didn't dare tell them the truth. I guess I couldn't blame them… KaibaCorp is a grand prize, and so many others have tried to seize its power. They have to protect what they have.
"I worked on this solution for three long years. It looked hopeless at times, but I wouldn't give up. Men of science learn patience early.
"Finally, I managed to do something. I was able to open a window. Using the rudimentary knowledge I had gained, I sent a message into the Twelve Dimensions, the places where Duel Spirits lived. It was more or less a plea for help. I begged someone to stop my daughter and whatever she was planning. All I could offer at that point was my thanks, and the gratitude of the Spirits who were suffering under my daughter's rule, which, of course, wasn't much to offer. All I could do was pray for someone to hear who sympathized enough.
"And my prayers were answered…
"I got a reply… Guardian Angel Joan heard my plea, and said she would help.
"I know now that a war is happening in Xanadu, one that has been going on ever since then. Joan is trying to overthrow my daughter, even though Xanadu continues to grow, and my daughter's plans, whatever they are, remain. I know that my daughter may well perish…"
He sighed.
"But maybe it's for the best… Maybe Heaven can forgive this old fool for letting it get out of control if… Daala is stopped before her plans come to fruition."
He opened the briefcase by his side.
He took out a CD disk in a case.
"Give that to Ms. Arachne," he said, handing it to Olga. "It's a program that will drive out the Duel Spirit that's controlling her company's computer, and prevent another one from invading it. She'll be able to regain control easily.
"Take this too…"
He handed her a flash drive.
"It contains the blueprints for the original Xanadu program, and all the data I've been able to garner on how… Daala has changed it over the past ten years… It even has an index. It should help in rescuing your friends."
"You're… you're just giving us these?" asked Olga.
"You can thank me by leaving me in peace," said Ting. "You must admit… I've been through enough…"
He stopped for a minute.
"Oh… I almost forgot… There is… one more thing…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Yumi paused before she drew.
There's only one way I can win this duel… she thought. And that's to use Magic Cylinder to blast her Dragon's attack back at her…
She drew. She looked at the card.
But I don't have it!
She set a card on her Disk, and a new facedown Monster appeared.
"That's all," she said.
"My move," said Daala, drawing a card.
She grinned when she saw what it was.
"I throw one card facedown," she said, as a facedown card appeared.
"Then I attack with my F.G.D.!"
The huge Dragon fired its multiple blasts at the facedown Monster on the right, and Skilled Dark Magician was incinerated.
"Goblin of Greed, your turn."
Goblin of Greed charged at the facedown Monster, and Old Vindictive Magician appeared on the card, right before he was smashed to pieces.
"Forget?" asked Daala. "My Dragon's can't be destroyed by effects."
"True," said Yumi. "But Goblin of Greed is no Dragon."
The Goblin screamed and shattered into pixels.
"Crud…" said Daala. "Oh well… It will all be over soon anyway…"
And I mean it, she thought. My facedown card is Dragon's Rage. When I trigger it next turn, Yumi won't be safe by defending. This duel will be over.
"My move," said Yumi.
She drew a card.
Still not Magic Cylinder… she thought.
Indeed, right now she had a pretty bad hand. The card she had just drawn was Dark Magician of Chaos, and the other cards in her hand were Mausoleum of the Emperor, Magic Stone Excavation, and Premature Burial.
She could use the Mausoleum to summon Dark Magician of Chaos, but if she did, he'd be destroyed, and she'd lose.
"Okay, Daala," she said, as Dark Magician Girl started to glow, "I'm using one of my Deck Lord's abilities.
"It's called Spellcaster Shuffle. I send one Spellcaster in my hand back to my deck…"
She placed Dark Magician of Chaos in her deck.
"Then, I get to take a Spellcaster from it, that's at least two Levels lower than the one I sent back there."
She took a card from her deck and looked at it.
"Now I summon her… My second Magician Valkyria!"
In a flash of light, a twin of the first Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)
"Next, I play Premature Burial to summon my first one."
She played the card, and the first Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)
"A Valkyria lock!" laughed Daala. "Whatever will I do?
"I'll admit that's very clever, Yumi, but your barrier won't last long.
"Every duelist who uses Premature Burial, which is to say, nearly all of them, knows that if it's destroyed, so is the Monster that it Special Summoned. My deck has one Mystical Space Typhoon, one Heavy Storm, and two Stamping Destructions. So your barrier is at most a weak and temporary defense. You're like a marooned sailor desperately clinging to a piece of driftwood that will fall apart at any minute."
"Heh…" chucked Yumi. "Now you're being melodramatic."
"As soon as I draw even one, you're finished!" shouted Daala.
Yumi sighed. Daala was right…
"I end my turn," she muttered.
(Y: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 3,100)
Daala quickly drew. She looked at the card.
I'll save this, she thought.
"You're safe for now, Yumi," she said. "I'm just going to pass for my turn."
Yumi's hand sweat as she drew a card.
She looked at it.
Still not Magic Cylinder… she thought. I have one last gambit… And if it fails, I'm dead meat…
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"What?" asked Olga. "There's more?"
"Yes…" said Ting. "It happened just last week, in fact…
"An e-mail came. It had apparently come from Xanadu itself. But I didn't recognize the user name. It seemed to be gibberish.
"It was a simple and short, but very mysterious message…
"It said, 'I want to help. I can help free Xanadu. I want to help the Queen of Games. I am the Testament.'
"Unfortunately, I have no idea what it meant…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"I use another of my Deck Lord's abilities!" shouted Yumi. "Spellcaster Recycle!
"I get to take five Spellcasters from my Graveyard, and shuffle them into my deck…"
Dark Magician, Gemini Elf, Cosmo Queen, Skilled Dark Magician, and Dark Paladin slipped out of her discard slot. She combined them with her deck, and reshuffled.
"Then I get to draw twice…"
She quickly made two draws.
She looked at them.
And then she almost fell over in surprise.
"You gotta be kidding…" she said.
"Yumi!" said Dark Magician Girl. "It's the card that Joan sent you! You can turn this duel around!"
Yumi grinned.
"Right…" she said, giving a thumbs up.
"I sacrifice my two Valkyria…" she said.
The two Spellcasters started to glow with a soft light.
"What are you up to?" shouted Daala. "Not even a Monster you could summon with two sacrifices could defeat my Dragon!"
"I beg to differ!" shouted Yumi.
The two Valkyria nodded to each other. They flew into the sky, and vanished as a brilliant light started to form above…
Flying out of the light was a beautiful, winged figure…
Everyone couldn't believe their eyes. It was Guardian Angel Joan herself, looking more lovely and radiant then ever. She landed in front of Yumi, and glared at Daala and her giant Dragon. (2,800/2,000)
Daala laughed out loud.
"Unbelievable," she said. "I never thought Joan would take such a risk…"
"Risk?" said Yumi. "What risk? What do you mean?"
"You think that's a hologram in front of you?" asked Daala. "Uh-uh. Joan has used a special power that only very powerful Spirits can manage to come help you personally. She's here in the flesh now.
"You know how when I apprehend a duelist, his deck usually goes with him? I can confiscate his deck, Yumi. Well, when you lose now, I not only get you, I get Joan, because she's in your deck!"
"That's what you think, Daala," said Yumi. "I'm not going to lose."
"Yeah?" said Daala. "How is Joan going to beat my Dragon? She may be a Light Monster, but it has 2,200 more Attack Points!"
"Watch!" said Yumi, taking three of the cards in her hand. "I start by setting this facedown…"
A facedown card appeared behind Joan.
"Now, the exact strategy you were trying to prevent me from using is going to take that thing down!
"I play… Double Spell! I toss one Spell Card…"
She discarded her Magical Stone Excavation.
"And I get to use one Spell Card in your Graveyard. I'll bet you can guess which one… Your Megamorph!"
The card flew out of Daala's discard slot, flew over to Yumi, and she caught it. She threw it into her Disk, and Joan clenched her fists and glowed with energy… (5,600/2,000)
Joan flew into the air. F.G.D. roared.
"Evil beast!" shouted Joan. "Feel the wrath of my Divine Flame Strike!"
Joan formed a ball of flaming light in her hands, and it grew into a large, fiery orb. She lifted it over her head, and hurled it at the F.G.D., and Yumi's friends cheered as the huge Dragon screamed in death throes and exploded into a burst of dark shards.
"And guess what, Daala?" said Yumi. "Joan has a powerful effect. I gain Life Points equal to your Monster's Attack Points. And your Dragon had a LOT of Attack Points!"
(Y: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,500)
"Well," chuckled Daala, closing her eyes. "That certainly makes things easier…"
Everyone looked at her.
"Thanks to Joan's own ability," said Daala, "your Life Points are ahead of mine now… So Megamorph doesn't double her Attack Score anymore. It halves it."
Everyone looked at Joan. It was true. (1,400/2,000)
"No…" said Chelsea.
"It's your move…" muttered Yumi.
Daala drew a card.
"Well, what do you know?" she said. "I may rule Chaos in this world, but I often make use of a powerful creature of Law as well… A Dragon native to Hell…
"I summon Infernal Dragon!"
In a bonfire of dark flames, a seven-foot-tall Dragon with black scales, large claws, spurs all over its body, and a forked tail appeared. (2,000/0)
"Now," she said, taking another card in her hand, "I use my Deck Lord effect to Special Summon Mirage Dragon!"
She played the card, and small, wispy Dragon with golden scales appeared. It seemed almost translucent, and seemed to glow with light. (1,600/600)
"In case you're thinking about using that facedown card to help you," said Daala, "forget it. Mirage Dragon prevents you from using Traps during the Battle Phase.
"I've been waiting a long time for this… Infernal Dragon… Attack Guardian Angel Joan with infernal darkfire!"
The Dragon roared. Dark flames appeared in its jaws…
"Your plan may seem flawless, Daala," said Yumi, "but it has one small, fatal flaw…
"This is NOT a Trap Card."
Her facedown card shot up.
"I activate… Mystical Space Typhoon!" she shouted. "Destroy Megamorph!"
The cyclone shot out of the card, blowing the Equip Spell to pieces. Joan rose back to an Attack Score of 2,800.
She fired a blast of light, blowing Infernal Dragon to particles.
"All right!" shouted Ren. "And now Yumi gains 2,000 more Life Points!"
(Y: 9,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 1,700)
"This isn't over, Yumi!" shouted Daala. "I activate Infernal Dragon's effect, sacrificing Mirage Dragon to bring it back from the Graveyard."
Mirage Dragon dissolved into grains of light, and Infernal Dragon appeared again in Attack Mode. (2,000/0)
"I dunno, Daala," said Yumi. "My turn is coming up… All I need now is the right Monster, and I can take this duel home…"
She drew a card.
"That's the ticket…
"I summon Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer!"
She played the card, and the bald, scarred monk appeared, holding his set of prayer beads. (1,800/700)
"Let's end this battle, Joan," said Yumi.
Joan nodded.
She blasted her searing light, and Infernal Dragon was blown to pieces again.
Kycoo cast his spell, hitting Daala directly. Daala screamed and toppled over.
Daala sat up, and gasped for breath.
"Impossible…" she muttered. "I couldn't have lost…"
"You not only lost, Daala," said Sam. "Check out Yumi's score."
"Huh?" said Daala.
(Y: 11,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 0)
"Despite how unfair your condition was," said Erik, "Yumi was able to meet it."
Dark Magician Girl aimed her scepter, and King Dragun howled in pain.
"NO!" screamed Daala, getting up. "I can't lose King Dragun! I can't…"
She couldn't stop it. King Dragun shattered into dark particles.
"Joan," said Yumi, "you'd best get back to the temple fast. We'll handle her."
Joan nodded, and vanished.
"It's over, Daala!" shouted Yumi. "Your reign of terror ends now!"
"Well, Yumi," said Daala, standing up, "that kinda depends on one thing…"
"What?" said Yumi.
"Whether or not you guys can catch me," said Daala.
Then she took off running.
"After her!" shouted Sam.
The five duelists started chasing their enemy, and as they did, their Disks activated. Skilled Dark Magician, Opticlops, Vampire Lady, Getsu Fuhma, and Toy Magician joined them.
"She's going into the Tzimisce," said Ren.
"Why?" said Chelsea. "She doesn't have authority there any more…"
They chased Daala into the heavily forested domain…
And there they were met by a surprise. Daala was standing there, and five Manticores of Darkness were in front of her. (2,300/1,000 x5)
"Fools," she said. "Joan may be the nominal ruler of this part of Xanadu now, but it will take more than that for some of the native beasts to recognize a new ruler."
The five Beast-Warriors breathed streams of fire, and the duelists' five Monsters were blown to pieces.
Daala quickly mounted one of the Manticores.
"Hear me now, Yumi!" she shouted. "For your act of… desecration, by order of the Queen of Xanadu, you and your friends are now sentenced to die! I didn't defeat you, but once you are defeated, it will be your last stand."
The Manticore spread its wings and flew to the treetops, taking her with it.
The five of them backed away from the four other Manticores.
"Any suggestions?" asked Erik.
Yumi's eyes glowed with the same light as when she had called on the Dinosaur back in the quarry…
With a roar, a familiar Beast charged out of the woods. It was Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest. (2,600/1,800)
"Not him again!" shouted Chelsea.
"Don't worry," said Yumi. "He's on our side now."
Greed Baboon roared, and clobbered one of the Manticores with his club, smashing it. The other three turned on him, and a brutal fight started. Yumi and the others took this opportunity to make a run for it back the way they came.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Daala walked into her throne room, with a look of anger on her face.
"Milady!" gasped Skull Knight. "Thank goodness you're all right! I knew it was a bad idea…"
Daala sat on her couch.
"Take this down," she said.
Skull Knight reached for a notepad and pen.
"Tell the stewards of the prisoner reception area to look through all the decks we've confiscated from captured members of the rebellion," she said. "If they find a King Dragun, have it delivered to me at once.
"If one is not found, send word out to every member of my army. There will be a reward for anyone who has one or obtains one quickly. Assuming they hand it over, of course."
"Yes, milady," said Skull Knight.
"And if I discover that anyone has one and is withholding it from me," she continued, "he will suffer dearly."
"Uhm… Yes…" said Skull Knight.
"A couple of other things," said Daala. "Go tell Jean-Claude to bring me that pint of mocha fudge ice cream I was saving… If he ate it himself again, have him flogged."
Skull Knight nervously took it down.
"And contact you-know-who," she said. "I need her tomorrow…"
Skull Knight gulped. That order sounded strange, but he knew what it meant…
Daala waved, and a screen appeared in front of her. The scene showed the image of her five enemies walking towards the temple.
"You may have won, Yumi," she said, "but I wouldn't flaunt your victory. We both know that you only won because you had help from that accursed Fairy.
"By the time we meet again, I'll have finally found the Dark Exemplar…"
She touched a pouch on the belt on her waist. Most assumed it contained a side deck. It actually contained a deck that was nearly complete. All it needed was one card.
"…and once I have it, the Council will recognize me as master… And even with Joan's help, you won't stand a chance…"
The pouch glowed with a sinister, shadowy aura…
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"We failed, Joan…" said Chelsea, sadly.
"Whatever makes you say that?" asked Joan.
"We couldn't capture Daala!" said Erik. "And we tried…"
"Fret not, children," said Joan. "We've won a great victory today. Daala has lost King Dragun. Until she can empower a new Deck Lord, she is helpless to duel via the system that she herself designed.
"You saw her usual strategy. She combines the F.G.D. with her Deck Lord, making her almost unstoppable. But now, she has lost the ability to use that combo."
"She still has F.G.D.," said Chelsea.
Joan sighed.
"Yes…" she said. "Only one copy of that incredibly powerful card – Daala's – exists in Xanadu. The more powerful a card is, the harder it is to download into Xanadu, and the longer it takes. Now that we know that the Big Five are her governors, they may well have helped her with that one."
"Hey Joan…" said Ren with a chuckle. "How did it feel to blast that ugly thing to Kingdom Come?"
Joan smiled slightly.
"It has been a while…" she said, "but it reminded me of the old days… The days when the armies of the Higher Plane repelled the attacks of the Archfiends, sending them fleeing back to Pandemonium with their tails between their legs…"
"Well, let's not take that risk again," said Yumi. "You had me worried there."
"Indeed," said Joan. "And speaking of cards, Yumi…"
She handed Yumi a card.
"Ever since you came to Xanadu, I've been trying to download a card that will help you immensely. I take it you recognize this Monster."
Yumi took the card. Her eyes lit up.
"Oh, great!" shouted Sam. "Yumi beats Daala, and she gets all the good stuff…"
"Calm down, Sam," said Joan. "I have one for you too."
She handed Sam another card. Sam turned beet red from embarrassment as she took it.
"Hey…" she said, looking at it. "I've heard of this guy…"
"Since we likely are fighting the demons of Chaos," said Joan, "I figured you needed someone who specializes in that area.
"I predict that rest of you will grow stronger too, in time…"
Yumi sighed.
It felt good to have beaten Daala, but she knew as much as Daala did that she had countered Daala's dishonest strategy with one that was just as morally dishonest. She didn't have any choice but to use Joan's card… But she really wished there had been another option…
"And now is the perfect time to strike when Daala is weakened," said Joan. "Tomorrow our next target is Darkspire, the Realm of Dark."
"Darkspire?" asked Sam.
"It's a city Realm," said Joan. "A dirty, dark metropolis. It is not only cursed with evil magic, but with terrible pollution as well. Only Machines and other Spirits who don't mind the smog live there on a permanent basis.
"The way into it is a stretch of road referred to as Route 13. But once again, I'll have a guide for you in this leg of your journey."
"Uhm, Joan…" said Ren. "I know we have to take every Realm, but we've been working nonstop in these life-or-death duels. Can't we just take a break and…"
He paused.
"Say no more, Ren," said Joan. "Maybe a little recreation would be good. Your guide likely won't be back from his current mission until noon tomorrow anyway. If you'd care for a less dangerous duel, one that will help you relax, I have just the man who can help you. I can point you in the right direction tomorrow morning."
"Yeah…" said Ren. "I would like that…"
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"We can't thank you enough Mr. Ting," said Olga, as they walked out the door. "And if we manage to contact Yumi, we'll tell her about this… Testament…"
"Good luck…" said Ting. "I'll pray for you and your friends… That's all I can do at this point…"
"Come on," said Nicholas. "Sheena's going to love this…"
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BLIZZARD DRAGON (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Dragon/Effect
Attribute: Water
Level: 4
ATK: 1,800
DEF: 1,000
Card Description: Once per turn, you can select one Monster that your opponent controls. The selected Monster cannot attack or change its battle position until the End Phase of the next turn.
Note: "Blizzard Dragon" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States.
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Yumi's Deck Lord: "Dark Magician Girl": "Spellcaster Recycle": Once per duel, you may return five Spellcaster-Type Monsters in your Graveyard to your deck and reshuffle. Then, draw two cards. If you currently have no cards on your side of the field and in your hand, draw an extra card. (Intermediate Power) "Contribution": Once per duel, you may draw one card for each face-up Spellcaster-Type Monster on your side of the field. At the End Phase of the turn in which you use this effect, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard. (Minor Power) "Spellcaster Shuffle": Once per round, you can send one Spellcaster-Type Monster in your hand to your deck. Then, take a Spellcaster-Type Monster from your deck that is at least two Levels lower than the one you sent back to your deck, and add it to your hand. Then, shuffle your deck. (Minor Power)
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Daala's Deck Lord: "King Dragun": "Dragon Summoning": Once per round, you can Special Summon a Dragon-Type Monster from your hand that is Level Four or less. (Greater Power) "Dragon Immortality": Dragon-Type Monsters on your side of the field cannot be destroyed by the effects of Spell Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster effects. (Extraordinary Power)
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Coming up next:
More information is revealed about that mysterious Chaos Sorcerer who Ren defeated. Meanwhile, Ren engages in this duel that supposedly will help him relax, even though his opponent comes at him with both barrels loaded. A duelist who looks at dueling from a unique perspective gives him and the others an exclusive performance. Can Ren see this one to the finish? It's called "Amphitheater", and it's coming soon.
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Name that Card!
The image on this Spell Card is based on a popular product produced by Milton Bradley. However, you will not find the Spell Card's name on this product. Can you name it? (The Spell Card, not the product.)