What card is based on a video game boss who changed forms three times? If you said Getsu Fuhma's archenemy "Ryu Kokki", you were successfully able to Name that Card!
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My name is Daala, and I am the ruler of Xanadu.
Joan thinks she is gaining power by taking away my nominal rule over the six visible Realms of Xanadu. Piece by piece, she compromises my authority. She doesn't know that so long as I hold the power of the Core itself, I possess incredible power… Power of raw Chaos.
Now… A threat more serious than Joan has challenged me.
I rule Xanadu through the good graces of another entity. He gave me a few conditions, and one of them was to find the Dark Exemplar, a creature who served him as one of his two generals before it became a Duel Spirit. Once I find it, and manage to pass one final test, I'll be allowed to use it in my ultimate deck, and the Dark energy it will unleash will allow him to begin his master plan.
For years now, I've had my army digging up Xanadu, searching for the Dark Exemplar, who crash landed here after drifting in the void for so long. It was defeated once, and it was wounded, so its cries were too weak for me to hear. I cannot use the deck I've built without it… The other Monsters in it have orders to only obey me if it leads them.
And now, I'm facing someone who has found it…
If I lose this duel, the Dark Exemplar will fall into enemy hands, and my patron's anger will be without limit. And my opponent has an incredibly powerful strategy.
I like present the impression that, as the queen of this land, I fear nothing… But right now, fear is slowly working its way into my bones…
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CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
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All or Nothing
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Having left both Aster and Adrian at the Infernal Clock to see to the rescued prisoners (with a promise from both not to kill each other), the five members of Yumi's group drove back into Nexus, arriving just as the sun was starting to set.
Everyone was exhausted as they walked into the temple.
"Honey, we're…" said Ren.
He stepped back in surprise.
"…home?"
The common room of the temple was crowded. Several Monsters were gathered around, apparently waiting to be seen to.
Yumi and her group could identify most of them. There was an Octoberseer, a King of Yamimakai, a Flame Champion, a Garoozis, a Molten Behemoth, and a Dark Chimera, among many others.
"Are we late for a party?" asked Chelsea.
"Everyone, calm down!" shouted Joan's voice. "I need to speak to my current troops. Please wait in the other room."
The gang of Monsters turned and walked into the other room, some of them grumbling.
"What's going on, Joan?" asked Erik.
"Your idea, Erik!" beamed Joan. "It was wonderful! I sent out word that any Monster whose card had fallen out of use for lack of value would be welcomed, and ever since then, recruits have been coming in by the dozen!"
"Whoa…" muttered Erik. "I didn't think it was that good an idea…
"Uhm, anyway, here's something for you to lock up…"
He handed her the Pestilence card.
Joan gave it a careful look.
"One Horseman remains…" she said with a sigh. "The worst of the lot… The only one that Revelations truly mentioned by name…
"Death… Clearly, Daala may be saving the best for last."
At that moment Sheena and Jesse walked in.
"No good yet, Joan," said Sheena. "We still can't break through the…"
"MOM!" yelled Sam.
She ran up to her, and mother and daughter hugged each other tight for a minute.
"Ms. Arachne?" said Yumi. "You came after us?"
"It took some help from Nicholas and Olga, but yes," said Sheena. "And right now, my main goal is trying to contact them.
"We have to warn Domino some way… We think we may know Daala's plans…"
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The Burnt Paradise may have been the Realm of Light, but night did fall on the sands.
Daala walked over the rocky area where Yumi had encountered Sand Gambler, and a lot was on her mind.
She wanted a member of the resistance to ambush and challenge her. She was thinking up terrible punishments that she would inflict on whoever did after she defeated him.
"First I'll hang him by his wrists," she grumbled. "No, better yet, by his ankles. Then I'll force him to duel two of my soldiers at once upside-down...
"Then, once that's done, I'll shrink him to pixie size, put him in a jar, and place him on my mantle…"
She looked around.
"Well? Is anyone gonna challenge me?"
Silence.
"No patrols," she muttered. "Joan isn't doing a good job keeping order here…"
She heard a loud meow.
She spun around.
A Cat of Ill Omen was in front of her.
It meowed, and then quickly leapt away, into the darkness.
"Okay…" she muttered. "That was… creepy…"
She noticed something up ahead. A torch had been lit.
She followed the flame, and came to a large, Arabian-style tent, with two torches flanking the entrance.
"Okay…" she said. "This certainly wasn't here before…"
She shrugged, and went inside.
Inside the tent was a simple table, with a crystal ball in the center.
The air behind the table shimmered. A humanoid form started to appear.
It was a tall woman, dressed in the blue and red clothing of a gypsy, with a blue cape, and a veil over her face. She gestured, and a blue orb appeared between her hands.
"The Crystal Seer?" asked Daala.
"Well, well," purred the Spellcaster. "What brings the Queen of Xanadu to my humble abode?"
Daala glared at her.
"Tread with caution…" she warned. "I'm not overly fond of Spellcasters, especially ones known to be used by my enemy."
"And you shouldn't," said the Seer. "But you should be wary as well, my queen… I know things that people try to keep secret, and I know what you seek…
"In fact, I have what you seek."
"You have no idea what I want," growled Daala. "Nor will I be fooled by some charlatan fortuneteller. There's an old saying you may have heard of… Never trust someone who wears a mask."
The Seer gestured, and the orb vanished.
"Do you trust your own eyes, my queen?" she asked.
She took a card out of the folds of her robe, and Daala gasped in surprise.
It was a Duel Monsters card, the orange border indicating an effect Monster. The art on the card had been replaced by a dark fog, and the effect text was gone. All that remained on the card were the Level Stars, the Type, and the Attribute symbol.
"The Dark Exemplar!" whispered Daala.
"The card that you have urged your men to tear up the landscape looking for," said the Seer. "I have found it."
"Give it to me!" demanded Daala.
"No," replied the Seer.
"Give it to me," growled Daala, "or you'll spend the rest of your life in the darkest, dirtiest, smelliest part of my prison…"
The Seer closed her eyes, and placed it back in her robe.
"You think you can capture me, yes?" she goaded. "But what if you can't? What if I escaped, and then showed every Spirit in Xanadu what lay behind your mask?"
She took another card out of her robe. Daala was startled by it.
"No!" cried Daala. "How did you…"
"Like I said," purred the Seer, "I know things that people keep hidden. And if others knew your shame, my queen, you'd lose the support you had, and all the remaining Spirits loyal to you would join Joan in an instant.
"So I strongly suggest you stop threatening me."
She quickly put it back. Daala looked at her.
"I must have the Dark Exemplar," she said with a scowl. "What do you want for it? Do you have a friend who's in prison who you want released? What?"
"I have several," said the Seer. "You've imprisoned so many… Most for unjust reasons. You forced The Unhappy Girl to duel a member of your inner circle, and had her arrested once she lost, never giving any reason."
"Heh…" chuckled Daala. "She wasn't much of a duelist… I mean, a Stall Deck? And using Terrible Deal? Not exactly the best Trap Card…"
"I know the real reason you had her arrested…" said the Seer. "She had information you wanted, and you knew that coaxing it out of her would be easy."
"I let her go!" shouted Daala.
"And she did nothing but sob for five days straight after that Warrior Lady of the Wasteland found her," replied the Seer. "We still have no idea what sort of interrogation you put the poor thing through.
"But I know why you want the Dark Exemplar.
"It is one of two powerful creatures of Chaos that serve Shogarr the Dread Emperor. Once you have it, the members of the Dread Council in the deck you have created will combine their powers to give it a new body. Then you will be able to use it in the same deck, so long as you are able to pass a test to ensure that you are worthy of doing so. The duel energy released by it and the Light Exemplar, which is in the hands of another servant of Shogarr, will complete the Great Helm, an incredibly powerful artifact that will enable Shogarr to initiate the ritual which will begin the Grand Rebirth, which would remake the universe into a place where Chaos ruled."
"In… so many words…" muttered Daala.
"Or…" added the Seer. "Or, I could give it to Joan, and it would spend eternity confined to the most secure prison in the Twelve Dimensions, to assure that Shogarr's plan failed."
Daala started to sweat.
"I'll duel you for it!" she shouted.
The Seer chuckled.
"And what would you wager?" she asked. "It is worth so much… Not even Kaiba's three Dragons are worth this much. The very fate of the universe may rest on where it ends up…
"Even if it is imprisoned, I know that Shogarr may be able to empower a creature to take its place, perhaps after several years and many resources spent. Demon lords like him are, if nothing else, very persistent…
"Therefore, I will only duel you for it if you agree to ante the whole Dread Council against it. If they were taken away, Shogarr would be weakened to the point where the Wind Dukes of Aaqa could finally assault his domain in the Abyss and emerge victorious. His plan would truly be ended before it began.
"In other words, Daala… We duel for all or nothing."
Daala started to sweat heavily. She looked at the deck case on her belt. The one that held the Dread Council. Well, most of it.
If she refused this duel, and the Dark Exemplar fell into the hands of the Higher Plane, Shogarr would hold her responsible… She'd never be forgiven.
She had been to Shogarr's palace once, and seen his defeated enemies displayed like trophies, sealed inside soulgems for eternity. It had scared the Hell out of her. (Being a guest in a demon lord's palace is only slightly better than being a prisoner. Anyone who deals with them knows that.) The same fate would await her if she refused this duel…
If she accepted and lost, it would be little better. If Shogarr took that serious a blow to his power, he would need all the power he had left to protect himself, so he'd take it back from all of his followers, including her, leaving her powerless. She'd have no real control over Xanadu at all, and she wouldn't be able to fight back against Joan any longer. She knew of the outlaw status that Voltanis had placed on the rulers of Xanadu, and she knew that facing the prosecutor in his court was worse than doing so in any mortal justice system…
Then she calmed down a little.
What am I worried about? she thought. I've only lost a duel once since I became ruler of Xanadu, and that was to Yumi. I can beat this third-rate Spellcaster. And it's not like she can use the Dark Exemplar herself.
"I accept!" she shouted.
"I knew you'd see it my way," said the Seer. "This tent is a little cramped, wouldn't you say? Why don't we step outside?
"Oh, and by the way… Should I win, this wager applies to the entire Dread Council, including the member who is not currently in your deck."
"How did you know…" gasped Daala.
She stopped short.
This Seer knows far too much, she thought. I have to defeat her just to keep her mouth shut.
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Daala and the Crystal Seer glared at each other.
The Seer gestured, and a Duel Disk made entirely of blue crystal appeared on her left arm.
"What are you so nervous about, my queen?" she asked. "The results of this duel will only decide your fate for the rest of your immortal life."
'Don't try to be funny," growled Daala, as the two Disks activated. "Just duel."
(Daala: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Crystal Seer: 8,000)
"I'll go first, if you don't mind," said Daala, making her first draw.
"And I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and leave it at that."
A facedown Monster appeared in front of her.
The Seer made her first draw.
"I play a facedown," she said, as a facedown card appeared in front of her. "And then I summon Blackland Fire Dragon."
A small, green, scaly Dragon with large wings appeared on the Seer's side of the field. (1,500/800)
"What?" shouted Daala. "A Blackland Fire Dragon? Of all the Dragons you could have put in a deck, why use one so outdated?"
"I have my reasons," said Crystal Seer. "Attack her Monster at once!"
Blackland Fire Dragon spit a ball of flame at the facedown Monster. A Troop Dragon appeared on the card and exploded.
"I use Troop Dragon's effect," said Daala, "and summon another one in Defense Mode."
A second Troop Dragon appeared, kneeling and crouching. (700/800)
"That will be all," said the Seer.
Not much yet, thought Daala, making her draw. But I don't trust her one bit…
She looked at the card she had drawn. It was Dragon's Mirror.
Ah… she thought. It's only a matter of time before I can summon my ultimate beast… Then this foolish gypsy will learn not to take things that don't belong to her.
She added it to her hand and chose another one.
"I summon Blizzard Dragon!"
In a blast of arctic air, the large, icy Dragon appeared. (1,800/1,000)
"And I activate my Spell Card," said Crystal Seer, as her facedown card lifted.
"It's called Both Sides. As you know, Chaos is a two-sided concept, and has two parts, Light and Dark. This card lets me sacrifice a Light Monster to summon a Dark one, or vice-versa.
"So I'll sacrifice Blackland Fire Dragon to summon Light Lindworm from my deck."
The Dragon vanished, and a new Dragon appeared. It was more a large lizard than a true Dragon, with no wings, golden scales, and six long tails. (1,900/1,200)
Daala frowned.
"My Blizzard Dragon can't defeat that," she said, "but I can use its effect to put your Lindworm on ice!"
Blizzard Dragon blasted a beam of frost, and Light Lindworm was frozen solid.
"And I end my turn."
Crystal Seer drew a card. She looked at it closely, and added it to her hand.
"I summon my Slate Warrior," she said.
She played another card, and the alien-looking fiend with a blue, metallic face, a gold breastplate, and ruffled sleeves and pants, whose upper torso was separated from its lower body, carrying a long staff, appeared. (1,900/400)
"Slate Warrior, attack her Blizzard Dragon."
Slate Warrior pointed its staff, and blasted a bolt of pulsating, green energy at the Dragon. It roared, and shattered.
"I set one card facedown," said Crystal Seer, "and end my turn."
A facedown card appeared.
(D: 7,900) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 8,000)
Daala frowned again, and drew a card.
It was Divine Dragon Ragnarok.
Perfect, she thought. All I need now is Lord of Dragons and Polymerization, and I can put that replacement King Dragun to good use.
But I can summon something powerful right now…
'I play Premature Burial!" she shouted.
She played the card, and glowed with red energy as Blizzard Dragon appeared again. (1,800/1,000)
"Now, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"
Blizzard Dragon and Troop Dragon vanished into grains of light.
"Come on out, Tyrant Dragon!"
With a roar, the ferocious Fire Dragon loomed over the field. Smoke poured from its jaws. (2,900/2,500)
"Oh dear," said Crystal Seer. "A big, scary Monster… Whatever shall I do?"
"Laugh while you can," growled Daala. "Unless that facedown card is a Mirror Force, your two Monsters are goners!
"Attack Light Lindworm! Imperial inferno!"
Tyrant Dragon roared, and flames appeared in its jaws. It breathed a fiery burst at the much smaller Dragon, and Crystal Seer shielded herself as her Monster exploded in a conflagration of cinders.
"Now, attack her Slate Warrior!"
Tyrant Dragon blasted its breath weapon again, and Slate Warrior was blown to pieces.
(D: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 6,000)
"Scared yet?" asked Daala.
"No," said Crystal Seer, calmly. "You forget, my queen, I hold the Dark Exemplar. The card wasn't unguarded in the place where I took it from, you know. Not many Spirits would have stolen a treasure from the cursed shrine where I found it if they were frightened of a Monster like Tyrant Dragon.
"And by the way, since Tyrant Dragon destroyed Slate Warrior, Slate Warrior's effect activates, causing Tyrant Dragon to lose 500 Attack Points."
Tyrant Dragon roared, and fell to an Attack Score of 2,400.
"You didn't forget, did you, my queen?"
"Of course I didn't!" yelled Daala.
She chose a card from her hand.
As if it matters, she thought. Unless she has a Chainsaw Insect, it's still more than strong enough to defeat anything she can summon with no sacrifice.
She threw a card into her Disk.
"I play Super Rejuvenation! Now, during my End Phase, I get to draw once for each Dragon I sacrificed this turn.
"Okay… I'm moving to my End Phase NOW."
She made two draws.
Her eyes lit up.
She had drawn Lord of Dragons and Polymerization.
Heh, she thought. Who cares if it loses 500 Attack Points? Next turn, I can summon King Dragun. Then I'll have four Dragons total in my Graveyard and one additional one on the field, so I'll be able to summon F.G.D. as well. I'll destroy anything she summons with King Dragun, and then my best Monster will blast her into next week!
"My draw," said the Seer.
She made a draw. She considered it for a minute, and then placed it in her Disk.
"I play a facedown," she said, as it appeared on the field.
"Then, I remove from play one Dark and one Wind Monster in my Graveyard…"
Blackland Fire Dragon and Slate Warrior appeared behind her and then faded into nothing.
"One Dark and one Wind Monster?" said Daala. "What the heck? Is this some sort of summoning?"
"Indeed it is…" said Crystal Seer.
A dark tornado started to form in front of her…
"The Dark Exemplar isn't the only remnant of Shogarr's might that I located… I found an ex-employee who'd like a word with its old peers…
"I summon… Dark Simorgh!"
In a burst of wind and darkness, a huge bird with black feathers appeared in front of Crystal Seer. It looked like a dark and evil parody of the famous Simorgh, Bird of Divinity. It glared at Daala, and its eyes turned red, like glowing, hot coals. (2,700/1,000)
"Impossible…" gasped Daala. "It's… It's the one who was lost!"
"Yes, my queen," said the Seer. "I located the lost member of the Dread Council. And it's none too happy with them or anyone who's allied with them.
"And it's going to show you right now. Attack Tyrant Dragon with foul hurricane."
Dark Simorgh beat its mighty wings, and a storm started, causing the desert sands around them to whip up into a sandstorm. Daala braced herself, and Tyrant Dragon roared before exploding.
(D: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 6,000)
"By the way," said Seer, "as you likely know, all the members of the Dread Council have powers that are twisted versions of the powers that are possessed by their more benign counterparts.
"Dark Simorgh is no different, and it hasn't lost its touch after being away for so long. So long as he's on the field, you aren't allowed to set any cards."
"I can't set cards?" asked Daala.
"That's right," said the Seer. "Meaning you can't defend, nor can you use Trap Cards."
Doesn't matter! thought Daala. I can summon two powerful Monsters next turn without having to set cards…
She paused.
Hey… I just had an idea…
Shogarr has been looking for the lost one for centuries… If I brought it back, I'd be rewarded…
Maybe I'll sweeten the pot…
"Oh, Seer?" she said with a smile. "How about we increase the terms of our wager a little?"
"What did you have in mind?" asked the Seer.
"I'll ante my F.G.D. against your Dark Simorgh!" exclaimed Daala.
Crystal Seer closed her eyes.
"A foolish wager," she said. "But I accept nonetheless."
"So…" chuckled Daala. "It's still your move… Anything else?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact," said the Seer.
The facedown card she had set the previous turn lifted.
"I activate Anti-Spell Fragrance."
A smell like strong, burning incense wafted over the field, and Daala's eyes opened in terror.
"When this Continuous Trap is in play," said the Seer, "both players cannot play Spell Cards unless they set them a turn beforehand."
"But that means…" gasped Daala.
"It means that I have you in the ultimate lock," said the Seer. "You are unable to use Spells and Traps at all. And as Yugi Mouto said to Joey Wheeler when the latter first started dueling, you cannot win a duel using only Monsters.
"I'm sure that the Dread Council believes that Dark Simorgh was captured and imprisoned by some enemy. They're wrong. It left via its own free will. You see, my queen, it desired something that all sentient beings desire.
"Independence. It wanted to prove that it could be its own beast, and didn't have to rely on others to help it.
"This strategy proves that it can. I've combined the powers of Jinzo and Horus into one. Dark Simorgh doesn't need to be part of any team to be powerful.
"I haven't Normal Summoned yet, so I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode…"
A facedown Monster appeared.
"And it's your move…"
Daala's hand shook as she drew a card.
She looked at it.
Her eyes lit up with excitement.
How lucky can you get? she thought.
"I summon Decoy Dragon!" she shouted.
In a small burst of smoke, a little baby dragon with blue scales and small wings appeared in front of her. (300/200)
Crystal Seer chuckled.
"Clever…" she said. "If I attacked that little thing, you could Special Summon Tyrant Dragon from your Graveyard and draw the attack to it. You'd have to sacrifice another Dragon, of course, but Decoy Dragon fits the requirements.
"There's only one problem, my queen… I don't have to attack you in order to win… You forget… I'm a seer. Fortunetelling is my specialty."
Her other facedown card lifted, and lightning flashed.
"I activate Destiny Board."
A demonic laughter filled the air, and Daala looked up in fright. A spooky-looking Ouija board materialized above the field, with a fiendish and evil version of Crystal Seer holding the glass.
The evil Seer moved the glass to the letter F, and a flaming, ghostly letter appeared under the board.
"See the full scope of my strategy now, my queen?" asked the Seer. "When my Board's message is complete, you lose. And you can't destroy my Board without Spells or Traps. You certainly wouldn't have Breaker in your deck… You'd never risk using a card whose Spirit might have more loyalty to Yumi."
Daala started to sweat even more.
"I end my turn…" she said.
"That means Destiny Board gets its second letter," said the Seer, as her evil twin moved the glass.
A flaming letter I appeared next to the F.
Crystal Seer drew a card.
"Wait…" said Daala.
The Seer looked at her.
"There's a flaw in your strategy," said Daala.
The Seer stared her in the face.
"You can't complete Destiny Board when you have Anti-Spell Fragrance on the field."
Crystal Seer simply looked at her. She placed a card on her Disk, and another facedown Monster appeared.
"I'm well aware of that," she replied. "It's your move."
Daala drew a card.
It was Heavy Storm.
OOH! she thought. Tyrexxus is probably laughing his head off right now. And he'll be able to laugh in Shogarr's face if I don't figure out something…
I'm going to lose some Life Points, but I have to put something on the field in case she manages to destroy Decoy Dragon, and try to get rid of her other Monsters. She must be planning something with them.
"I summon Masked Dragon!" she shouted.
She played the card, and the rust-red Dragon wearing a metal mask appeared. (1,400/1,100)
"Attack the facedown Monster on the left!" she shouted.
Masked Dragon blasted a stream of fire at the facedown card.
Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and laughed hysterically.
"NO!" screamed Daala.
It was too late. The blast incinerated it.
"Now we have to discard all our cards and draw five more," said Crystal Seer.
Daala bowed her head. She discarded the five cards in her hand – her Heavy Storm and the cards that were required to summon two of her best Monsters. Crystal Seer mostly benefited from it, because she only had to discard one card.
Both of them made five draws.
Daala looked at her new hand. Were the gods taunting her? She now had Pot of Greed and Monster Reborn, but both were worthless.
"I move Decoy Dragon to Defense Mode, and end my turn…" she muttered.
Decoy Dragon sat and shielded itself.
"And my Destiny Board continues to count down to your destruction," said Crystal Seer.
Her doppelganger's hand moved again, and a flaming letter N appeared.
"Draw…" said Crystal Seer.
She drew a sixth card.
"Dark Simorgh," she said, "blow Masked Dragon away."
The dark storm started again, and Masked Dragon was blown to bits.
"I use Masked Dragon's effect," muttered Daala. "I get to summon another weak Dragon. So I'll summon a second one in Defense Mode."
Another Masked Dragon appeared. (1,400/1,100)
"Your move," said the Seer.
(D: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 6,000)
"I draw…" said Daala.
She drew a card.
"I summon Luster Dragon…" she muttered.
In a burst of energy, the beautiful, sapphire Dragon appeared. (1,900/1700)
"I end my turn."
The evil Seer moved her hand again, and the letter A appeared.
"So now what?" asked Daala, with a scowl.
"I'll show you," said Crystal Seer, drawing a card.
"I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior. Unlike you, I have no fear of him."
In a burst of energy, Breaker appeared, holding his sword and shield aloft. (1,600/1,000) –) (1,900/1,000)
You gotta be kidding me… thought Daala.
"Breaker," said the Seer. "Break Anti-Spell Fragrance."
Breaker's shield glowed, and the Trap Card shattered.
"Now," continued the Seer, "I play Double Summon. This allows me a second Norman Summon this turn.
"So, I'll sacrifice Breaker and my facedown Monster…"
Breaker and the concealed Monster vanished…
"To summon a creature that represents a more benign side of Chaos… I summon Light and Darkness Dragon."
She held up a card, and a beam of light fell from the heavens. A creature appeared, unfolding its wings like some great bird, even bigger than Dark Simorgh. One half of its body was white, and had a large, feathered wing. The other half was black, and had a large, batlike wing. It had two tails, and radiated a pulsating aura. (2,800/2,400)
"Now you see my solution to the problem you mentioned," said the Seer. "Try to destroy my Destiny Board if you think you can, but my Dragon can negate any and all card effects you play.
"And just to spite you… Attack her Luster Dragon with Shining Breath."
Light and Darkness Dragon's eyes shimmered in the dim light, and it blasted a beam of pure energy at Luster Dragon. The smaller Dragon exploded in a burst of flame.
(D: 4,600) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 6,000)
"My turn is over," said Crystal Seer. "And as soon as your turn ends, so does this duel."
"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Daala, as she drew a card.
"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" she laughed.
"You dare to challenge the Dragon Queen to a battle of Dragons? I know all about Light and Darkness Dragon, and I know its powers… And I also know its weaknesses!
"First, I'll sacrifice Decoy Dragon to summon Luster Dragon #2."
Decoy Dragon vanished, and in a brilliant burst of blue energy, the beautiful gemstone Dragon appeared. (2,400/1,400)
"Next, I play the Spell Card, Dragon's Gunfire. Since I have a Dragon on the field, this lets me inflict 800 points of direct damage to my opponent.
"But that isn't gonna happen… You know why? As you said, Light and Darkness Dragon is going to negate it. Its effect isn't optional, and activates automatically whenever any effect is activated. And whenever it negates an effect, it loses 500 Attack and Defense Points!
"Thought I didn't know that, did you?"
Light and Darkness Dragon fell to (2,300/1,900) and Daala's Spell Card shattered.
"Now that your Dragon has been cut down to size… Luster Dragon #2, attack Light and Darkness Dragon with emerald flash!"
Luster Dragon breathed a blast of green energy, and Light and Darkness Dragon screamed before exploding into white and black globules.
"Now Light and Darkness Dragon's final effect activates," said Daala, with a wicked smile. "You choose one Monster in your Graveyard. Once you've chosen it, all cards on your field are destroyed. Then, you Special Summon the chosen Monster."
Crystal Seer glared at her.
"Very well," she said.
She took a card from her discard slot.
Dark Simorgh and the whole Destiny Board burst into shards.
"The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave, in Defense Mode," said Crystal Seer.
The large, rocky, elderly Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)
"Huh?" said Daala. "When was that in your Graveyard?"
"Think back," said the Seer.
Daala paused.
Then she remembered.
"So, I'll sacrifice Breaker and my facedown Monster, To summon a creature that represents a more benign side of Chaos…"
"Fine," muttered Daala. "I move to my second Main Phase. Now that I can play Spells again, I play Pot of Greed."
She played the card, and drew twice.
"Next, I play Monster Reborn."
The holy ankh appeared, and Luster Dragon #1 appeared again in a flash of light. (1,900/1,600)
"Next, I play… Magical Stone Excavation. I'll discard two cards…"
She discarded her Cave Dragon and Burial From a Different Dimension.
"To get back my Dragon's Mirror."
The Spell Card slipped out of her discard slot.
"Now… I'll play it!"
She played the card, and Cave Dragon, both Troop Dragons, Decoy Dragon, and Masked Dragon appeared behind her. They vanished into nothing…
With a bellowing roar, the titanic form of F.G.D. appeared behind her. (5,000/5,000)
"Heh, heh…" she said. "Your move…"
(D: 4,600) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 5,900)
Crystal Seer drew a card.
She added it to her hand, and the placed two cards in her Disk. A facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.
"And… That will be all," she said.
Daala drew a card.
The facedown card is clearly a Trap that will halt or kill my F.G.D., she thought, taking a card from her hand. Well, sorry, Seer, it won't work…
"I summon Mirage Dragon!" she shouted.
She played the card, and the wispy, translucent Dragon appeared. (1,600/600)
"With him around, you can't activate Traps during the Battle Phase.
"I'll move Masked Dragon into Attack Mode too…"
Masked Dragon stood up.
"F.G.D… Attack her Dragon with Pentecost Holocaust!"
The titan blasted its five bursts of energy, and the twilight was lit up as The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave was blown to slag.
"Now, Luster Dragon #2, attack her facedown Monster!"
The large Dragon blasted its emerald flash at the facedown card, and a Light Lindworm appeared on the card. It was blown to bits.
"Sorry, my queen," said Crystal Seer, "but this facedown card is one that your Dragon cannot stop…"
Her facedown Quickplay Spell lifted.
"Guidance to Light and Darkness?" asked Daala. "What does that do?"
"I can activate this when one of my Dragons is destroyed," said Crystal Seer, "and since you just blasted my Dragon to Kingdom Come, that condition is fulfilled.
"Now, I can remove my Light and Darkness Dragon from play…"
The card slipped out of her discard slot, and she placed it inside her robe.
"…and in return, I can summon a Light or Dark Attribute Dragon from my hand.
"I choose to summon Seiyaryu."
She threw a card on her Disk, and a large Dragon glowing with an aura of light appeared. It had violet skin, a bird-like face, and wings that were partially feathered. (2,500/2,300)
"And since the only Monster you have that is capable of defeating it has already attacked, I'm safe for this turn."
"Yeah?" chuckled Daala. "You've only bought yourself a turn. Next turn, my great beast will wipe it out, and everyone else I have is going straight for you!
"Unless you move it to Defense Mode, in which case my Luster Dragon is going to wipe it out…
"I'll play a facedown, and that will be all."
She set a card, and a facedown card appeared.
The Seer drew a card.
"First, I summon Axe Dragonute," she said.
She played the card, and a fierce-looking Dragon-man with black scales and wings, holding an axe appeared. (2,000/1,200)
"Now, I play a powerful Spell Card… The dreaded Riyoku."
"You wouldn't!" yelled Daala.
"I would," said the Seer, as the card appeared. "This takes half of F.G.D.'s Attack Score, and adds it to Seiyaryu's."
F.G.D.'s Attack Score became 2,500, while Seiyaryu's became 5,000.
"And by the way, since Seiyaryu is a Light Monster, it's just the right type of Monster that can defeat you great beast.
"Seiyaryu… Attack the F.G.D."
Seiyaryu blasted a beam of pure light from its jaws, and F.G.D. exploded into flaming debris.
"Axe Dragonute, attack Mirage Dragon."
Axe Dragonute slammed its axe down, slicing Mirage Dragon in half. The remains shattered.
"Axe Dragonute now must move into Defense Mode," said the Seer, as the Dragon-man knelt and shielded itself with its axe. "But since he can't stand up to Luster Dragon #2, that's somewhat of a benefit. And now that Mirage Dragon is gone, I play the Field Spell Luminous Spark."
Her Field slot opened, and she placed a card in it. The twilight lit up as a bright light wafted over the field.
"I end my turn."
Seiyaryu fell to an Attack Score of 3,000.
(D: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 5,900)
Daala started to tremble…
But it wasn't with fear this time…
She was trembling with rage.
"NO!" she screamed to the sky.
"NO! No, no, no! I'm not gonna lose again!"
An aura of dark flames surrounded her like a bonfire.
"I'm the Queen of Xanadu! I'm the Princess of Chaos!
"I will NOT be beaten! I will not lose the Dark Exemplar!"
She quickly drew a card.
"Heh, heh, heh…" she chuckled, looking at it.
"I sacrifice Masked Dragon…"
Masked Dragon disappeared.
"To summon White-Horned Dragon!"
In a burst of dark energy, a new Dragon appeared. It was a fiendish, red-scaled Dragon, with a long, white, crystal horn on its forehead. (2,200/1,400)
"When White-Horned Dragon is summoned, I get to remove up to five Spell Cards in your Graveyard from play!"
Images of Both Sides, Double Summon, and the three Spirit Messages appeared behind Crystal Seer, and then burst into grains of light.
"And for each one I just removed, White-Horned Dragon gains 300 Attack Points!"
(3,700/1,400)
"Attack Seiyaryu! Horn drive buster!"
White-Horned Dragon's single horn glowed with blinding light. It flew at Seiyaryu horn-first, and Seiyaryu exploded. Crystal Seer cringed.
"Luster Dragon, destroy Axe Dragonute!"
The smaller Luster Dragon blasted a beam of blue energy, and Axe Dragonute burst into shards.
"I'm not done with you… Luster Dragon #2 attacks you directly!"
Luster Dragon #2 blasted its emerald flash at Crystal Seer, and she staggered under the blow.
"I'm still not done…" growled Daala, as her facedown card lifted. "Go, Call of the Haunted!
"I'll sacrifice Luster Dragon, so my Tyrant Dragon can return!"
Luster Dragon shattered into shards, and Tyrant Dragon loomed over the field again. (2,900/2,500)
"Attack her directly!" screamed Daala. "Imperial inferno!"
Tyrant Dragon mercilessly blasted its flame at Crystal Seer. The Spellcaster screamed and fell over.
(D: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (CS: 0)
Daala stood over Crystal Seer.
"You lost…" she growled. "Hand them over."
Crystal Seer looked up at Daala.
She tossed the Dark Exemplar and Dark Simorgh, and they landed at Daala's feet.
"I always keep my word," she said. "But beware, my queen…
"As soon as you pick them up, the first stage of Shogarr's master plan will begin… And then… For you, there is truly no turning back. If you turn out the loser of this conflict, the divine punishments you will receive will be doled out with no mercy."
Daala bent down and picked up the cards.
"I'll take my chances," she said. "And as for you, you'll rot in prison for the rest of your…"
She looked up.
Crystal Seer was gone.
She looked around. Nothing. Via some trick of magic, the Spellcaster had fled.
Daala looked at the two cards in her hand.
At least I have the Dark Exemplar, she thought. And once Llymic channels the Council's power to give it a new body, my new deck will be stronger than ever…
Yumi won't be walking away from the next one…
She was a little worried about the Seer escaping… Clearly, this Duel Spirit knew too much. Well, she was a fugitive now, and since she had lost the duel, Joan's dictum could no longer protect her. Just as soon as she even caught a glimpse of the wily Spellcaster, her hand would come down, and it would be all over for her.
She didn't know that she wouldn't be seeing the Crystal Seer again. The Spellcaster – or rather someone who had been disguised as the Crystal Seer the whole time – was hiding behind a rocky ledge not far away, and had no intention of ever using that disguise again.
She sighed. It was not what she had hoped, but it was more than she had expected. At least she had been able to get close enough to her enemy to study her, something that she had not been able to do since they had last encountered each other.
Next time, she confronted Daala, she would be more prepared.
She quickly removed the blue and red costume, letting her long, black hair down, and revealing a black spandex suit. A white mask appeared on her face.
Vita took one last look at Daala, and then disappeared into the night.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"My friends," said Joan, "a toast…"
She raised a glass.
"We have achieved more success in the last four days than we did in the proceeding years. The energy of four Realms is now ours to command. Daala's executioner is gone. And the army of the resistance grows at a more rapid pace than it ever did before.
"We now have enough power to attempt to invade the two most dangerous Realms…
"Tomorrow, we will make our move on the Flaming Peaks. Atticus is in charge of that area, as Jesse already told you, and he'll be there to guide you."
"Will you be coming too, Ms. Arachne?" asked Ren.
"I'll leave that to you kids," said Sheena. "I'm no spring chicken, after all. I have to stay here and work on a way to break through Daala's barriers and communicate with Domino. We have to warn them somehow that Daala is planning to invade.
"Oh, and Yumi…"
She walked up to Yumi, and handed her the card.
"I'll trust you with this…" she said. "It is the key to Daala's defeat…"
As Sheena explained it to Yumi, Joan walked up to Ren.
"I have a card for you as well, Ren," she said.
She handed him a Spell Card.
"Well, gee, Joan, thanks…" said Ren, looking at it, "but this isn't really my thing…"
"Trust me, Ren," said Joan. "I believe that card may well mean the difference between victory and defeat…"
Ren took a long look at the card.
He slowly shuffled it into his deck.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
In the palace at the core, Skull Knight spoke into a phone.
"It's almost time, my protégé…" he said. "Go to the Flaming Peaks and wait…
"Remember all I taught you…"
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AXE DRAGONUTE (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Dragon/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 2,000
DEF: 1,200
Card Description: If this card attacks, switch it to face-up Defense Position at the end of the Damage Step.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DARK SIMORGH (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Winged Beast/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 7
ATK: 2,700
DEF: 1,000
Card Description: This card is also considered a WIND Monster. This card may be Special Summoned from your hand by removing one DARK Monster and one WIND Monster in your Graveyard from play. You may Special Summon this card from your Graveyard by removing one DARK Monster and one WIND Monster in your hand from play. While you control this face-up card, your opponent cannot set (or flip facedown) any cards.
Note: "Axe Dragonute" and "Dark Simorgh" are Japanese cards that have not yet been released in the United States.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
GUIDANCE TO LIGHT AND DARKNESS (Spell Card)
Quickplay Spell
Image: Light and Darkness Dragon, with a glowing jewel on its chest.
Card Description: You may activate this card when one of your Dragon-Type Monsters is destroyed. Remove one "Light and Darkness Dragon" in your Graveyard from play. Then, Special Summon one DARK or LIGHT Dragon-Type Monster from your hand.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
LIGHT LINDWORM (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Dragon
Attribute: Light
Level: 4
ATK: 1,900
DEF: 1,200
Flavor Text: An ancestor of modern Dragons, the Lindworms were until recently thought to be extinct. Their lack of wings distinguishes them from their modern kin.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
BOTH SIDES (Spell Card)
Quickplay Spell
Image: A burst of energy, the right side black against a white background, and the left side white against a black background.
Card Description: Choose one of the following two effects:
Tribute a face-up LIGHT Monster you control. Special Summon a DARK Monster of the same Level from your hand or deck.
Tribute a face-up DARK Monster you control. Special Summon a LIGHT Monster of the same Level from your hand or deck.
Note: The proceeding three cards were all used by Chazz Princeton's Manga counterpart in various issues of the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" Manga. Creative credit goes to the writers.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coming up next:
Who is Skull Knight's mysterious protégé? She's someone who knows Yumi, and who has grown to hate her out of a misguided interpretation of the facts. Next chapter, she forces Ren into a hard and painful duel, with a deck that has a powerful advantage over no less than four of the heroes' decks.
Some would say that nothing is worse than being alone in the world. "Where it Hurts" is coming soon.
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Name that Card!
Strangely enough, the six Attribute Search Monsters are not used very often in the anime, despite their usefulness. Which of these six guys was the first to appear in the anime? Can you name it?