As a common duelist, a Duelatopian Eliminator, and the CEO of KaibaCorp, I've faced a lot of spineless opponents…
I'm pretty sure my current opponent doesn't fit that category. I can see part of her spine in a place where her flesh doesn't cover, as well as a few of her ribs.
I'm not easy to scare. I was once trained in intimidation tactics, after all. This isn't the first time I've faced a creature from the dark depths of the netherworld. When Saurius invaded Duelatopia, I was taken by surprise, and my sister had to fight off one of his goons. She always was a trooper.
Of course, the one I'm facing right now is a far more infamous force of evil, one known to every duelist who's seen the final rounds of Battle City – in other words, all of them. Her mere presence is enough to instill fear in the five AI programs who are with me, and the ancient prophesy that she threatened us with seems very legit…
Most people would run for their lives. Most people would be far away from here…
If I did what most people did, I'd never have gotten as far as I have.
Duel…
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CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
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The Dark Seed
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While Yumi and the others were making their way into the Core, the other half of their group, the group consisting of Zane, Aster, Mako, Jesse, Atticus, and Sheena, were making their way through the castle, doing their best to follow the same path that their allies took.
They followed the remains of fighting and forced-in entrances that Yumi and the others had left. Most remaining members of Daala's forces surrendered quickly, and those that didn't were subdued easily. Their biggest lead came when they encountered Daala's handmaidens – the group of Harpies – who were seriously reconsidering their alliances. The Harpies gave up, and were able to give them quick directions to Daala's throne room.
Once there, the stairway leading to the Core was still exposed, and they started to follow it down, six Disks ready.
Aster was trying to reach Yumi on his mobile, but having almost no success.
"Not even a small signal," he said. "Something's up…"
"We're in a demonic palace, Aster," said Zane. "I doubt our calling plan is good here…"
"I don't like this," said Mako. "I have the feeling I get right before the fiercest gale strikes. This stairway may well be a passage down to Hades."
"I don't like it either," said Atticus, "but my gut tells me that Yumi and the others went this way, and they might be in trouble. They could use our support, at least."
They all walked into the large chamber, where the portal to the Core stood.
Jesse looked at it, as the Spirits of Topaz Tiger and Sapphire Pegasus appeared next to him.
"What do you guys think?" he asked.
"There's no welcome mat in front of that door," replied Pegasus.
"There's evil in the air," added Tiger.
Then everyone was startled, as two glowing eyes surrounded by an aura of darkness appeared in front of them.
"I'm so sorry, everyone," said Dark Necrofear's sinister voice, "but I'm afraid this path leads to a dead end…"
The six of them stepped back in shock as the Fiend came fully into view.
"Is that…" gasped Aster.
"Oh, yeah…" said Zane.
"I'm afraid I can't let any of you go any further," said Dark Necrofear. "But I can't let you leave either… I suggest you simply surrender. I'll be merciful and quick."
"Like I'm going to believe that," replied Sheena.
"She can't beat all of us!" shouted Aster.
His Disk activated.
Dark Necrofear laughed a wicked laugh. She gestured, and the mannequin in her arms vanished.
"You want to duel me, fools?" she asked. "You think you can defeat me? You think I can be defeated?"
"Who says you can't?" asked Zane.
"Says one of the greatest prophets in the Abyss, that's who," replied Dark Necrofear.
She paused. She turned her back to them.
"My birth, so long ago," she started, "was a horrific event, even by demon standards. My father was a general of the Blood War, my mother one of his many concubines.
"When born, I tore myself free from my mother's womb, killing her, and then inflicting a grievous womb upon the midwife who conducted my delivery. My father was shocked by this creature he had sired, but took it as a divine sign. Certainly, the powers of Chaos had blessed him to provide him with a daughter with such power.
"His hunch was all but proven true, when only hours after my birth, a call was delivered from the watery domain ruled by great Dagon, the Sage of the Abyss. The ancient demon demanded that I be brought before him, and my father didn't dare disobey.
"When I faced the great Sage, the words he spoke to me were burned into my mind, and remain there to this day:
"'Child of Chaos, great is your power, greater is your potential. Wherever you choose to go in this world and beyond, Good will crumble, Order will erode. Destruction and death will follow where you walk. Whole kingdoms will shudder at the mention of your name, and when new kingdoms are built over the ashes of the ones you have destroyed, they will dread it for generations to come.
"'But walk with caution, Child of Chaos, for you are not invincible. One day, you will be challenged not by a legendary knight or a hero of renown power, but by an honest commoner, who was given the blessing of the celestial hosts. That day, Child of Chaos, is the day where you will finally be met with defeat.'"
Dark Necrofear chuckled as she turned back to face them.
"It's been a long road since then," she said, lifting her arms. "The blood of each fool who has challenged me has been sweeter than the last. No 'honest commoner' has ever attempted to raise a hand against me… In every city that I have destroyed, commoners flee for their lives!
"And only the ones who can run fast manage to live…"
"You monster…" growled Zane.
Dark Necrofear gestured, and a Duel Disk made from black iron appeared on her left arm.
"I've been called far worse things in the past, Truesdale," she said. "The choice is yours… Either surrender, or humiliate yourself by challenging me to a battle that you cannot win."
"I accept your challenge," replied Sheena.
Her five companions gasped as Sheena boldly stepped forward, a decidedly pissed look on her face.
"Prophesy, huh?" she asked. "Big deal… You know what I've come to know about prophesies? They're usually wrong. On my world, some people think that Nostradamus was a great prophet. The thing is, almost every event that he is believed to have correctly predicted was interpreted by modern researchers through hindsight. Likely, each time he was supposedly right, it was just a misinterpretation of his works."
"You dare compare the abilities of the Great Sage of the Abyss to those of some mortal soothsayer?" asked Dark Necrofear, with a hint of anger in her voice. "Dagon has never been wrong."
"First time for everything," said Sheena. "I accept your challenge."
"You are either very brave or very foolish, Ms. Arachne," replied the demon. "Or maybe a little of both. Either way, who am I to stop you? I'll duel you… And once I have crushed you… I will eat your soul!"
That last comment made Sheena flinch a little, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Uh, Sheena?" said Mako. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Never been surer," replied Sheena. "You folks might want to find a big, solid object and hide behind it. I have a feeling this duel is going to be a little intense…"
(Sheena: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Dark Necrofear: 8,000)
"I always give my victims the honor of the first move," said Dark Necrofear. "At least they can have that…"
Sheena made her first draw.
All right! she thought. I have Sakuretsu Armor and Shrink in my opening hand! I'm off to a great start…
"I set two cards," she said, "and then summon my Insect Knight!"
Two reversed cards appeared, and then the tall mantis Warrior appeared, brandishing his sword. (1,900/1,500)
"And I end my turn…"
Sheena watched as her opponent drew a card.
Go ahead… she thought. Attack… Attack, I dare you.
Sheena watched as Dark Necrofear placed a card on her Disk, and a Monster appeared in Defense Mode.
"I end my turn," she said.
"Huh?" said Jesse. "All of her threats and evil taunting, and she's defending?"
"Don't count her out yet," replied Zane. "Every duelist knows that several Monsters are dangerous in Defense Mode."
Sheena drew a card.
That's true, she thought. She's probably using Fiends. So it might be Night Assailant… Or Newdoria… Or Grave Squirmer…
If that's the case, and I have two Monsters on the field, she'll likely use its effect to destroy the one that didn't attack, so she won't be attacked directly… So, I have to attack it with my stronger Monster…
"I summon Neo Bug!" she shouted.
In a burst of energy, the large, green, pincered Insect appeared. (1,800/1,700)
"Insect Knight, attack her Monster!"
Insect Knight flew at the facedown card…
To Sheena's surprise, the Monster that appeared on the card was not Night Assailant, Newdoria, OR Grave Squirmer… What it appeared to be was a large fruit with eyes and a fanged mouth. Insect Knight brought his sword down on it, causing it to burst into pulp and juice.
"HUH?" shouted Atticus. "That… That was no Fiend… It… It looked like a Plant…"
"That it was," replied Dark Necrofear. "A form of plant life grown in the soil of the Abyss called a Cursed Fig. And now that you have planted its seed in my Graveyard, it takes root, and its curse is unleashed!"
Sheena gasped, as a series of vines shot out of the ground. Then, they all looped around her two facedown cards, trying them to the ground.
"What happened?" she shouted.
Dark Necrofear laughed.
"By destroying my Cursed Fig," she replied, "it renders those two facedown cards worthless, until you manage to remove the Cursed Fig from my Graveyard. I may have given up my attack for last turn, but I've taken out two potential threats by not doing so."
"Oh, really?" asked Sheena. "Well, I'm not done with you! Neo Bug… Attack her directly!"
Neo Bug scurried up to Dark Necrofear and chomped on the demon's abdomen with its mandibles. Dark Necrofear hardly seemed to care. She simply pushed Neo Bug away with the palm of her hand.
(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 6,200)
"It… doesn't hurt?" asked Aster.
"Of course it hurts, Phoenix," replied Dark Necrofear. "Can't you tell by my clothing that I welcome pain? This outfit was something my father forced his female slaves to wear, but I donned it willingly. Pain only invigorates me…"
"Guys… She's nuts!" gasped Jesse.
"I end my turn…" said Sheena, nervously.
Dark Necrofear drew a new card.
"I set a new Monster, and then a facedown card," she said.
Another concealed card appeared, and then a reversed card.
"That will be all."
Still no attack, thought Sheena, drawing a card. She's clearly up to something…
"I'll set a Monster of my own," she said, as a facedown Monster appeared.
"Then, I'll attack with Insect Knight!"
Insect Knight lifted his sword.
"Not so fast!" exclaimed Dark Necrofear.
Her facedown card lifted.
"I activate Raigeki Break! This Trap Card lets me destroy any card on the field, so long as I discard one from my hand."
She quickly slipped a card into her discard slot, and lighting flashed. Insect Knight screamed, and was burned to ashes.
"Ooh, you're gonna pay for that," growled Sheena. "Neo Bug, attack her Monster!"
Neo Bug scurried towards the card. The creature that appeared kneeling on it was a slim, graceful, female figure, apparently clad in leaves. Then it became apparent that her body was actually made of leaves, with a crown of pink petals around her head, and a pitcher plant-like growth hanging down the back of her head like a ponytail.
Neo Bug grabbed her, and she shattered.
"You just destroyed Botanical Girl," said Dark Necrofear, with a chuckle. "And when she goes from the field to my Graveyard, I get to take a Plant from my deck, so long as its Defense Score is 1,000 or less."
A card slipped out of her deck, and she took it.
"I'm kind of confused here," said Zane. "Why all the Plants? When did the ultimate evil in Duel Monsters get such a green thumb?"
"Since Shogarr the Dread Emperor put me in charge of the growth and distribution of Devil's Fruit!" laughed Dark Necrofear. "Even demons have hobbies, Truesdale… Over many millennia, I learned several things about the Abyss, and demonic horticulture was a hobby I picked up. When Shogarr learned that a demon of my power could make plants grow as well as I could, he couldn't enlist my services for that purpose quickly enough.
"I've worked with Devil's Fruit so long, raising it, experimenting with it and developing hybrids… Transplanting cuttings on other dimensions and the mortal world so that it could take root and grow, and fools could find it and try to benefit from its power. Oh, I just love working with it… So making a deck full of Plants just came second nature."
"It takes a lot to make something as beautiful and as natural as a flower evil," growled Sheena. "Insects eat plants, in case you didn't know…
"It's your turn, by the way…"
Dark Necrofear drew a card.
"I play Monster Reborn," she said. "I'll summon from my Graveyard the Monster I tossed with Raigeki Break's effect. Lonefire Blossom in Defense Mode."
The glowing ankh appeared, and a large flower appeared in front of her. Its stem was made of thick, twisting vines, it had leaves that looked like bronze ivy leaves, and its blossom looked like a spherical pod. (500/1,400)
"Next," she said. "I'll summon Gigantic Cephalotus."
She played the card, and a new Plant Monster appeared. "Gigantic" was a good description, as it was about seven feet tall, and five feet wide, and its body was almost entirely taken up by a toothy mouth with a long tongue, standing on two legs. (1,850/700)
"A big, man-eating plant?" asked Atticus. "Isn't that kind of a cliché?"
"I'm not done," replied Dark Necrofear. "I play the Spell Card, Seed of Deception."
The Spell Card appeared, a card showing the image of a Dark Plant, a very out-of-date Monster.
"This Spell lets me Special Summon a Plant from my hand, so long as it's Level Two or less. So, I Special Summon my Night Twist."
A new Plant Monster appeared. This one looked like a small, dead tree with a fiendish face carved into its trunk. It let out a sad moan. (800/900)
"Now," she continued. "I activate Lonefire Blossom's effect. By sacrificing a Plant on the field, I get to Special Summon any Plant I want from my deck…"
The Night Twist vanished.
"ANY Plant at all?" asked Mako.
"Well…" muttered Aster. "What's the worst she could summon? I mean, there aren't all that many strong Plants..."
"But the strong Plants that do exist can be incredibly strong," replied Dark Necrofear. "And by the way, each time a Plant goes from the field to the Graveyard, my Cephalotus gains 200 Attack Points. Also, when Night Twist is sent to my Graveyard, I gain 1,000 Attack Points."
Gigantic Cephalotus grew to an Attack Score of 2,050.
Dark Necrofear's eyes glowed with evil light.
"Now…" she said. "Ms. Arachne… Meet a Monster much stronger than any Insect you're likely to summon… Her royal highness… Tytannial, Princess of Camellias!"
The Monster that appeared seemed to fit the description of a "Princess of Camellias" very well. It was a tall, very beautiful woman, clothed in an elaborate dress than seemed to be made of flowers and leaves. The upper part of the dress was all leaves, ivy, and pink roses, while the lower part seemed to be one huge, red rose. She wore a crown made from a smaller, but still large rose, set with a green gem in front. Aside from her dress, she seemed to be human, except for her hair, which appeared to be made of ivy leaves. (2,800/2,600)
"2,800 Attack Points?" shouted Mako. "She's just as strong as my Coelacanth!"
"Is THAT strong enough for you, Aster?" asked Zane.
"She not only has a very impressive Attack Score," replied Dark Necrofear, "but a powerful effect. If you activate a Spell, Trap, or Monster effect that targets another card, she can negate it if I sacrifice a Plant Monster.
"So, I'd like to proceed… Cephalotus, destroy her facedown Monster."
Gigantic Cephalotus roared, and charged at the facedown card. Skelengel appeared on it. Cephalotus snapped up the cherub and swallowed it whole.
"Eww…" muttered Sheena. "I get to draw one card…"
She made a draw.
"Tytannial… Attack with Petal Storm!" ordered Dark Necrofear.
Tytannial's eyes glowed, and she thrust her arms forward. A storm of razor-sharp rose petals shot at Neo Bug, and it was knocked over before it was blasted to pieces. Sheena shielded herself.
(S: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 7,200)
As Sheena put her arm down, she noticed that it wasn't all there. Part of her arm, the part from her wrist to her elbow, was gone. Exactly what was holding her hand up, she didn't know.
"What happened to my arm?" she gasped. "What are you doing to me?"
"Remember what I said, Ms. Arachne?" asked Dark Necrofear. "As you lose Life Points, I'll consume your life force gradually…
"I've found that a delicacy like the human soul is similar to fine wine… It's best to savor it… Rather than take it all at once…"
"This…" stammered Sheena. "This is some sort of Shadow Game, isn't it?"
Dark Necrofear chuckled.
"I'm a demon from the Abyss, Ms. Arachne," she said. "Did you really expect otherwise?"
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"Master plan?" asked Yumi.
"Why, yes," replied Llymic. "Although, it's changed a lot over the last few months.
"At first, we were going to pull you into Xanadu by sabotaging Ms. Arachne's silly online video game. But with Joan's rebellion and her dictum, which would have prevented us from making a quick capture, we decided to change tactics.
"We came up with the idea to use you to get the Key. Although, Joan was obviously too clever, and apparently hid it somewhere else. But that hardly matters now. Joan can no longer protect herself with her own dictum, and our plan to capture you has all but succeeded."
"Another plan by Shogarr to get rid of me," growled Yumi. "So his precious Grand Rebirth could go off without a hitch."
"Yes," said Llymic, "but now we came up with a way you can help us with that as well.
"You see, I discovered a way to increase the output of power from the Core of Xanadu… The epicenter of might that we're standing on…"
He pointed to the archway behind him.
"You weren't entirely right when you said there were no other exits from this place. That is the portal to the Abyss itself! I can make Xanadu's Core feed off the Chaos energies and generate great power…
"The way I would do this is by creating special Soulgems. They would act as generators, using the prisoners inside them as batteries. However, these special Soulgems could only hold Duel Spirits."
Everyone gasped.
"That's why you tricked us into…" stammered Sam.
"Doing THIS to ourselves!" screamed Chelsea.
Llymic nodded.
"Kill two birds with one stone, that was the reason," he said. "That was Daala's idea, actually. You'd not only be our prisoners and be out of Shogarr's way, you'd be giving us the energy we needed for our true goal – a mass invasion of Earth. Our first one was compromised, but with my plan, we'll have more than enough power to make more attempts… Far more powerful ones!"
"WHY?" shouted Yumi. "Why do you want to invade Earth?"
"To lure Jaden Yuki back to defend it!" replied Llymic. "Once he and his friends learn that their home planet is under siege by Duel Spirits, they'll come, which is just what we want…"
Yumi and the others gave him a strange look.
"What does Jaden have that you want?" asked Yumi.
"The very things that Shogarr needs to enact the Grand Rebirth," replied Llymic. "I'll explain…
"In his final duel with Yubel, Yubel sought to merge the Twelve Dimensions together, in a mad ritual which likely would have destroyed them, all to win back Jaden so she could rule with him at her side.
"So, she used the Super Polymerization card in an attempt to do this, attempting to fuse together twelve Monsters, of Levels One through Twelve, which would have, in turn, fused the Twelve Dimensions together.
"She almost succeeded. However, Jaden countered her Chain Material Trap Card with a Trap of his own called Spiritual Fusion, which let him choose what was fused with the Super Polymerization. Of course, if he had Neos Wiseman at the time, he could have fused Yubel's avatar with Neos and used it to win the duel. But apparently, he either didn't have it at the time or didn't choose to. What he chose to fuse was his soul with Yubel's. Thus, the universe was saved, and Jaden matured in the process, gaining a strong spirit guide.
"To perform the Grand Rebirth, we intend to conduct a similar ritual…"
Yumi gasped.
"Those eleven Monsters in that shrine!" she shouted.
Llymic nodded again.
"All we need," he said, "is a Level Twelve Monster, and a Super Polymerization card.
"Sadly, Level Twelve Monsters are hard to come by. Almost all of them are Fusion Monsters. We thought of using Daala's F.G.D., but as you know, we're going to have to use eleven slots in the deck already for the other Monsters. If we use more of them for Dragons and Dragon's Mirror cards, we can't count on the ritual being successful. With the Grand Rebirth, time is of the essence. It must be finished quickly, because no matter how secretive we are, the Wind Dukes and every other planar race that opposes it are certain to discover what is happening, and send legions of troops to try to stop it.
"Super Polymerization is even harder. We tried to get that information from Brron, but his Wicked Cannon Spell Card simply cannot be recreated. It seems that only Yubel herself has the knowledge to craft that card.
"But… Jaden has the two cards we need. He has Super Polymerization, and he has the card that represents Yubel's true form, Yubel – Das Extremer Traurig Drachen, a Level Twelve Monster that isn't a Fusion.
"We simply need to lure him to Earth, take him and his allies by surprise, overwhelm them, and take those two cards. Then, by combining the power of the duel with the power of the Great Helm, the ritual can be done, and Shogarr's ultimate plan can reach a glorious crescendo!"
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Sheena was sweating hard. She looked at the four cards in her hand.
I gotta think of something fast… she thought. Man, to think of all the times I told Diane that veggies were good for her…
She drew a card.
"I play Pot of Greed!" she shouted.
The wicked jar appeared with a laugh, and she made two draws.
"Perfect!" she said. "Time to toss this salad. I play Burden of the Mighty!"
She quickly threw the card into her Disk, and it appeared on her side of the field.
"Guess what?" she said. "Burden of the Mighty isn't a targeting effect! And that's bad luck for your three Monsters…"
Gigantic Cephalotus fell to an Attack Score of 1,650, Lonefire Blossom fell to 200, and Tytannial was hit the hardest, falling to 2,000.
"Then, I summon my Chainsaw Insect!"
With a blast of buzzing sound, the huge beetle with chainsaws for mandibles appeared. (2,400/0)
"I'll just keep on going," she said, "and play my own Monster Reborn!"
She played the card, and the ankh appeared on her own side of the field. Insect Knight appeared again. (1,900/1,500)
"Now, I'll, uh…"
She paused.
"Yes, Ms. Arachne?" asked Dark Necrofear.
"One second…" replied Sheena.
Can't make a mistake here… thought Sheena. I can only destroy two of her Monsters this round… Which one not to attack?
I have to destroy Lonefire Blossom, definitely. I can't risk her summoning a second copy of Tytannial with it… So should I attack Tytannial, or Cephalotus?
Wait… Cephalotus will gain 200 Attack Points each time a Plant goes to the Graveyard. If I leave it alone this round, it will go up to 2,050 Attack Points again. I could handle it next round…
Unless… Unless she destroys Burden of the Mighty, in which case it would go up to 2,450, and have the potential to become even stronger!
Better destroy it now…
"Chainsaw Insect," she shouted, "destroy Gigantic Cephalotus!"
Chainsaw Insect's blades roared, and it scurried forward, slicing the Cephalotus in half like a ripe eggplant. The remains shattered.
"I get to draw one card due to that bug's effect," said Dark Necrofear with a chuckle.
She drew a card.
"And it seems you made a big mistake… One that will cost you dearly…"
"We'll see," said Sheena. "Insect Knight, destroy Lonefire Blossom with mandiblade!"
Insect Knight flew at the large flower, and loped off its large bulb with his sword. The rest of it was blown to pixels.
(S: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 6,450)
"I end my turn," said Sheena. "And who says I made a mistake? I'll get her next turn."
"No you won't," replied Dark Necrofear.
She drew a card.
She turned the card on her Disk, and Tytannial knelt and shielded herself in Defense Mode.
"Oh no…" said Mako. "Sheena DID make a mistake. Tytannial's Defense Score is only 200 points lower than her Attack Score! Chainsaw Insect can't beat that!"
"Don't feel too bad," said Dark Necrofear. "You aren't the first of my opponents to make stupid mistakes. Of course the stupidest mistake you made was even making this challenge.
"I summon Mystic Tomato."
She played the card, and the large tomato with a silly face on it appeared. (1,400/1,100)
"Next, I play the Spell Card, Fragrance Storm."
She played the card, and the air around them became full of sweet-smelling potpourri.
"When I play this card, I have to destroy one Plant on the field."
Mystic Tomato shattered into pixels.
"Then I get to draw one card. And if that card is a Plant Monster…"
She made a draw.
"…and it is…"
She held the card forward. It was Botanical Lion.
"…I get to make an additional draw."
She drew a second time.
"I think I'll end my turn there."
Sheena sighed, and then drew a card.
She turned a card on her own Disk, and Insect Knight crouched in Defense Mode.
"Guess that's all I can do…" she muttered.
"Feeling despair?" asked Dark Necrofear. "Feeling hopeless?"
She drew.
"Good… When mortals give up the last traces of hope, they are at the peak of their flavor!
"I play the Spell Card, Tornado!"
The Spell Card appeared on her side of the field, and true to its name, a huge, glowing tornado started to form.
"You have three cards in your Spell Zone, which is exactly the amount I need to use this card and destroy one of them."
The windstorm crashed into Burden of the Mighty, blowing it to bits. Tytannial rose back to an Attack Score of 2,800.
Then she stood back up into Attack Mode.
"Now, appear before me, Botanical Lion."
A new plant sprouted, and formed into the shape of a lion – sort of. Its body seemed to be made completely out of wood, and it had a large rose for a mane. (1,600/2,000)
"And it gains 300 more Attack Points for each Plant I have on the field."
(2,200/2,000)
"Tytannial, wipe out her Chainsaw Insect! Petal Storm!"
Tytannial's eyes glowed again, and the storm of rose petals started again. Chainsaw Insect staggered against it, and then exploded.
Dark Necrofear drew another card.
Then Botanical Lion roared, and pounced, leaping on Insect Knight and crushing him flat.
(S: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 6,450)
Sheena was shocked to see more of her arm slowly fade away.
"Ready to give up?" asked Dark Necrofear. "Or do you want more pain?"
"I'm not gonna give up, Dark Necrofear!" screamed Sheena. "I'll keep fighting until I can no longer stand!
"Draw!"
She drew a card.
Hmm… I think I can use this… she thought.
"I play Giant Trunade!" she shouted.
She played the card, and a fierce wind ripped over the field. Her two facedown cards strained against the vines holding them down, until finally, the vines snapped. The Shrink and Sakuretsu Armor cards reappeared in Sheena's hand.
Okay, let's see, she thought. If I set them again, her Cursed Fig will have no further effect on them…
However, both of them are targeting effects, meaning Tytannial can negate them if Necrofear sacrifices a Plant Monster.
So…
She took a Spell Card from her hand.
"I play Magical Mallet!" she said. "I'll reshuffle two of the cards in my hand back to my deck, to draw two new ones."
She placed Shrink and Sakuretsu Armor back in her deck, then reshuffled. Then she made two draws.
Now that's more like it! she thought.
She placed a card in her Disk.
"I play… Nightmare's Steelcage!"
The ground erupted in fire around Dark Necrofear and her two Monsters, and a solid steel domed cage formed around them. Dark Necrofear's eyes narrowed.
"All right!" shouted Jesse. "Now Sheena is safe from attacks for two turns."
"A mere annoyance," replied Dark Necrofear.
"I'll set this Monster," said Sheena, as a Defensive Monster appeared, "and that will be all."
Dark Necrofear drew a card.
She smirked a little. She placed it in her Disk.
"I activate a powerful Continuous Spell," she said. "Behold, the grand majesty of… The World Tree!"
As she played the card, the whole chamber seemed to break apart, and the largest, most majestic, most beautiful tree any of them had ever seen rose behind Dark Necrofear. It was an enormous, titanic plant the size of a skyscraper, with emerald leaves, a stout trunk, and ripe, sumptuous-looking fruit hanging from its branches. Birds sang in its thousand branches, and squirrels scurried up and down the great trunk.
"Behold, Ms. Arachne," said Dark Necrofear, "the glory of the mighty Yggdrasill, the fabled World Tree whose branches spanned the universe. Its upper boughs reached Heaven, its roots reached into Hell, and it cradled the world of mortals in its center. This great plant held power beyond imagining, that even the gods could not comprehend."
"Very dramatic," said Sheena. "What does your Spell Card do?"
"You'll see…" said Dark Necrofear. "Soon enough… I end my turn…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"So, my young friends," said Llymic, "now that you know the whole story, do you comprehend the great potential we are poised to unleash?"
"Uh, yeah…" said Erik, nervously. "So… When do the guys in the white coats come to take you to the happy hotel?"
"Who thought up this plan?" shouted Chelsea. "Lunatics Unlimited?!"
"This is Chaos at work," said Yumi. "It's supposed to sound insane.
"What about you, Daala? What do you stand to gain in all of this?"
"I'll get what I always wanted once it's complete," replied Daala. "The world of mortals will become an empire where Duel Spirits and humans live as one society, with me as Shogarr's governor."
"A twisted version of Phyllis Ting's original dream," replied Vita.
"Be that as it may," said Llymic, "here is what I'm willing to offer, Yumi. If you are willing to duel both Daala and myself, you may make one final wager… If you win, you and your friends are free to go home, and Xanadu will never trouble the human world again.
"But if we win, you, your four companions, and those two…"
He pointed to Joan and Vita.
"…must surrender, unconditionally!"
There was dead silence for a few seconds.
"Two against one?" asked Yumi. "That's hardly fair…"
"Oh, you can have a partner," sighed Daala. "Choose anyone here you want. We don't care…"
Yumi paused again. She looked at her hands for a minute.
"Well?" asked Llymic.
"Give me a minute…" replied Yumi. "That's a pretty heavy wager, and I want to be sure I'm making the right decision when I answer…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sheena drew a card. She looked at it.
"All right, demon," she said. "I'm setting these…"
A reversed card, and a second defensive Monster appeared.
"And I end my turn."
"Very well," said Dark Necrofear, drawing a card.
She looked at the card, and then added it to her hand.
"I'll simply pass for this turn, and let your cage expire."
The metal bars started to smoke and rot, and the Steelcage dissolved into mist.
Sheena nervously made a draw.
Okay, let's hope this works out, she thought, looking at it.
"I play… Graceful Charity!" she shouted playing it.
In a flourish of light, the lovely angel appeared once again. Her feathers fell on Sheena's deck, and she made three draws.
Perfect! thought Sheena.
She quickly discarded her Insect Princess and Skull-Marked Ladybug.
"Next," she said, "I flip both my Monsters into Attack Mode. First, Pinch Hopper."
One of her facedown Monsters flipped up, and the large grasshopper appeared. (1,000/1,200)
"Next, my 4-Starred Ladybug of Doom!"
Her second Monster flipped face-up, revealing a large ladybug with four stars on its back. (800/1,200)
"Due to its effect, all your Level Four Monsters are destroyed!"
Botanical Lion roared, as glowing stars covered its woody hide. It burst into pixels.
Then, a large flower sprouted on the boughs of The World Tree.
Okay… thought Sheena. Don't… like that…
She took another card from her hand. She opened her Field slot and placed it.
"I play Insect Garden!" she shouted.
A forest of giant grass and huge flowers started to sprout around them, still dwarfed the enormous World Tree, but only accenting the odd nature of the battle.
"By playing this card, all Insects on my side of the field that are Level Four or lower move to your side of the field. So go ahead, guys."
Pinch Hopper and 4-Starred Ladybug of Doom scurried across the field, positioning themselves on Dark Necrofear's side of the field.
"What's the point?" asked the demon.
"I'll show you," replied Sheena. "I activate Call of the Haunted!"
Her facedown card flipped up.
"I'll summon a princess of my own… Insect Princess!"
In a burst of energy, the royal Insect appeared; the delicate, four-armed, humanoid, female insect with antennae and butterfly wings. (1,900/1,200)
"Next, an Equip Spell," she said. "The Insect Pheromone!"
She played the card, and Insect Princess's wings started to glow with colored lights.
"Of course, you're free to use Tytannial's effect to stop me… But you'd have to sacrifice Tytannial herself…"
"I'm not afraid of your Equip Spell!" shouted Dark Necrofear.
"We'll see about that," said Sheena. "Insect Princess, attack 4-Starred Ladybug of Doom! Katydid kick!"
Insect Princess flew over the field, and then flew down, bringing her foot down on the Ladybug and squashing it. Dark Necrofear winced a little.
"Insect Princess gains 500 Attack Points for each Insect she stomps," continued Sheena, as Insect Princess rose to an Attack Score of 2,400. "What's more, due to her Insect Pheromone, whenever she does so, she can compel another Insect to attack her."
Insect Princess flapped her wings, and a cloud of dust covered the field. Pinch Hopper scurried towards her, and the Princess complied by smashing it flat. Dark Necrofear cringed, and Insect Princess rose to an Attack Score of 2,900.
"Insect Princess is stronger than Tytannial now!" shouted Atticus. "Sheena may have a chance!"
"You got that right," said Sheena, taking the last card in her hand. "I'll set this Monster, and end my turn."
Another defensive Monster appeared.
(S: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 3,950)
Dark Necrofear made a draw.
"I set one card facedown, and move Tytannial to Defense Mode," she said.
A facedown card appeared, and Tytannial knelt and crossed her arms.
"That's my turn."
Sheena drew a card.
Hmm, this might be useful, she thought.
She set it in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.
"Insect Princess, attack the Princess of Camellias!"
Insect Princess aimed a violent kick at the flower fairy, and everyone cheered as she burst into an explosion of rose petals.
Then, a second huge flower sprouted on The World Tree.
"Uh… What exactly do those do?" asked Sheena.
"I'll show you in a minute," said Dark Necrofear. "Is that your turn?"
Sheena nodded. Dark Necrofear drew a card.
"Each time a Plant Monster is destroyed," continued Dark Necrofear, "The World Tree gains a Flower. The World Tree has three different effects. Which one I use depends on whether I remove one, two, or three of them.
"By removing two of them, I can destroy any card on the field."
The two Flowers vanished, and The World Tree glowed with eldritch energy. Insect Princess screamed, and then shattered into shards.
"No…" gasped Sheena.
"Next," continued Dark Necrofear, "I summon the Tuner Monster, Night-Rose Knight!"
"Tuner Monster?!" shouted Sheena.
In a burst of energy, a new Monster leapt onto the field. This was not a Plant – he was clearly a Warrior. He looked like a young boy, only wearing dark knight armor and a cape, holding a sword. (1,000/1,000)
"A Tuner Monster…" gasped Zane. "That means a Synchro Monster isn't far behind…"
"Night-Rose Knight also has a powerful effect of his own," continued Dark Necrofear. "By summoning him, I get to Special Summon a Plant Monster from my hand, so long as it's Level Four or less… So I summon Rigorous Reaver."
Another Monster appeared on the field. It was a blocky construct made completely out of wood, with an ovoid head that seemed to be taken up completely by a toothy, vertical mouth. It carried a sharp scythe. (1,600/100)
"Reaver… Attack her Monster."
"Huh?" said Sheena.
Rigorous Reaver slashed with its scythe. A Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and was sliced into dark particles.
Sheena quickly made five draws. Dark Necrofear discarded the three cards in her hand and made five draws.
"Night-Rose Knight, attack Ms. Arachne directly! Night slash!"
Sheena grunted as the Warrior's sword struck her. She took a step backwards.
"I'm not done with you," said Dark Necrofear.
Her facedown card lifted.
"You were expecting a Synchro Summon? I activate Urgent Tuning. This Trap Card lets me do it in the middle of my Battle Phase."
"You gotta be kidding…" said Sheena.
"I never kid," replied the demon.
Night-Rose Knight and Rigorous Reaver leapt into the air, and then dissolved into six glowing stars.
"Planted in cursed ground…" chanted Dark Necrofear, "roots feeding on tainted soil, a sinister bramble blooms in the wilds of the Underworld! I Tune Night-Rose Knight and Rigorous Reaver! Clustering stars call a new force… Synchro Summon… Queen of Thorns!"
The ground burst open, and thorny vines sprouted out of the ground. A feminine creature rose from the spot, one that looked like Tytannial's evil twin. Her leaves were russet and serrated, thorny vines covered her foliage, and instead of hands, she had wicked-looking claws that resembled the mouths of a flytrap. (2,200/1,800)
"Like I said," continued Dark Necrofear, "my Battle Phase hasn't ended, meaning my Queen can attack you directly…"
Queen of Thorns reached for Sheena.
"NO! Don't!" pleaded Sheena, starting to panic.
Then she screamed as the Monster grabbed her with a claw and started to squeeze. The Queen of Thorns grinned evilly as Sheena collapsed on the floor.
(S: 3,400) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 3,950)
Dark Necrofear placed a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.
"While you're picking yourself up," she said, "it's only fair to warn you about Queen of Thorns' powerful effect. Summoning a Monster from your hand that isn't a Plant costs 1,000 Life Points so long as she's on the field."
Sheena got up and looked at herself. Half of her lower torso had faded away.
"I end my turn," said Dark Necrofear. "I can make the pain stop, Ms. Arachne… Any time you're willing to surrender."
Sheena paused. She shivered for a minute.
Okay, so I panicked, she thought. I didn't expect a Synchro Monster… I can still do this… I just have to take a few deep breaths…
She drew a card.
"I play Pot of Avarice!" she shouted.
She played the card, and took Insect Knight, Neo Bug, Skull-Mark Ladybug, 4-Starred Ladybug of Doom, and Pinch Hopper from her discard slot. She shuffled her deck, and made two draws.
"Next, I play Premature Burial," she said, playing a card. "I'll bring Insect Princess back from my Graveyard."
She glowed with an aura of red energy, as the royal Insect appeared once again. (1,900/1,200)
"Next, my facedown card," she said, as her reversed card lifted. "Emergency Provisions. I'll send Premature Burial and my Field Spell to the Graveyard, to gain 2,000 Life Points."
The Insect Garden and the Equip Spell faded away, and she glowed with golden energy.
"Now, I play the Ritual Spell, Wrath of the Spider Queen!"
Lightning flashed, and the sinister spider altar appeared behind her.
"I'll sacrifice Insect Princess and Aztekipede the Worm Warrior," she said, "to summon The Spider Queen!"
Aztekipede appeared next to Insect Princess, and both Monsters vanished into bursts of violet flame. The altar burst, and the spider goddess with Sheena's face appeared, and glared at Dark Necrofear. (2,600/2,800)
"Don't forget," added Dark Necrofear, "it costs you 1,000 Life Points."
"I didn't forget," replied Sheena, as she glowed with the red aura again. "Now I'll…"
She paused.
Aw, nuts… she thought. I have to sacrifice a Monster to attack with her…
She looked at her hand.
And the only one I have left is Doom Dozer… I could summon it, but I don't like that facedown card she has… I'd better wait for now…
"I… end my turn…" she said.
(S: 3,600) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 3,950)
"So," said Dark Necrofear, "my Queen of Thorns against your Spider Queen. We'll soon see who the better monarch is…"
She made a draw. She added it to her hand, and then gestured.
"I activate the Trap Card, Plant Food Chain," she said.
Her Trap Card lifted, showing a rather frightening image. It was a picture of Botanical Girl being devoured by Gigantic Cephalotus.
"I seem to remember you saying," said Necrofear, "that insects eat plants. On mortal worlds, that is indeed the case. Plants lie at the bottom of most food chains there. That isn't always the case in the Abyss, and this Trap Card helps bring them a few notches up the ladder. By activating it, I can Equip it to a Plant Monster like an Equip Spell, and increase that Monster's Attack Score by 500 points."
Queen of Thorns glowed with a sickly green aura, and rose to 2,700 Attack Points.
"Destroy her Spider Queen!" she shouted.
Queen of Thorns reached for The Spider Queen with her claw…
"Not so fast!" replied Sheena.
She quickly discarded her Insect Imitation.
"If I toss a card, The Spider Queen can't be destroyed!"
The Spider Queen grunted as the claw slashed at her, but she remained standing.
Dark Necrofear took a card from her hand, and placed it in her Disk. Another facedown card appeared. She glared at Sheena.
"Uhm, I take it that means it's my turn…" muttered Sheena.
(S: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 3,950)
She drew a card.
Huh? she thought, when she saw the card. How did…
Then she suddenly remembered. She had discovered this Trap Card just last week. It didn't truly require Insects to use, but it fit her theme, so she put it in her deck.
The problem was, she had never used it before.
Oh, a Shadow Game where my life and soul depends on the outcome isn't exactly the best time for a test run! she thought.
She added it to her hand. Then she quickly took Chainsaw Insect and Aztekipede from her Graveyard, and pocketed them.
"I Special Summon Doom Dozer!" she shouted.
In an explosion of energy, the giant, demonic millipede appeared with a roar. Sheena groaned a little as Queen of Thorns glowed again, and her Life Points were sapped. (2,800/2,600)
"All right!" shouted Jesse. "Mulch that weed!"
"You heard him!" shouted Sheena. "Attack the Queen of Thorns!"
Queen of Thorns glared at Doom Dozer defiantly as it loomed over her…
"I activate… Mystical Space Typhoon," said Dark Necrofear, as her facedown card lifted.
"WHAT?" gasped Zane. "But… The only card you can destroy is your own Plant Food Chain!"
"That's the idea," replied Dark Necrofear.
The cyclone blasted across the field, and the Trap Card shattered. Queen of Thorns fell to 2,200 Attack Points again.
"Plant Food Chain has another effect," continued Dark Necrofear. "When it's destroyed by a card effect, even my own, I get to Special Summon a Plant from my Graveyard.
"Guess who it is…"
In an aura of energy, Tytannial appeared next to Queen of Thorns. (2,800/2,600) Doom Dozer paused.
"Keep going!" ordered Sheena.
Doom Dozer lunged, and swallowed Queen of Thorns in one gulp.
Another flower sprouted on The World Tree.
"And you lose the top card from your deck now," growled Sheena.
Dark Necrofear shrugged, and discarded a card.
(S: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 3,350)
Sheena looked at the Trap Card she had drawn again.
It's now or never… she thought.
She placed it in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.
"I end my turn…" she muttered.
Dark Necrofear grinned as she drew a card.
"I play the Spell Card, Trap Booster!" she exclaimed. "So, I toss one card…"
She discarded her Lord Poison.
"…and I get to activate a Trap Card directly from my hand. Like a second Plant Food Chain!"
She played the card, and Tytannial's Attack Score rose to 3,300.
Sheena grinned.
"That's just what I was hoping you'd do, Dark Necrofear," she said. "Now, I can activate THIS!"
Her own facedown card shot up.
"Spider Web Castle!"
In an instant, a dark shiro loomed behind Sheena, and then, her whole side of the field became shrouded in thick spider webs.
"What's going on?" shouted Dark Necrofear.
"Spider Web Castle is a Continuous Trap," replied Sheena, "that I can activate in response to you using a Trap Card. If your Princess attacks now, she'll get tangled in these webs, and her Attack Score will be cut in half."
Dark Necrofear's eyes narrowed in anger. She took a card from her hand.
"I play Premature Burial," she said, "to summon Lord Poison from my Graveyard."
She glowed with red energy, as the ugly creature made of algae appeared next to Tytannial. (1,500/1,000)
"Attack it if you think you have the strength," said Dark Necrofear. "I end my turn."
(S: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 2,550)
"This is bad," said Jesse. "If she attacks Lord Poison, that tree will gain another Flower. Dark Necrofear will be able to tear down her Castle."
"And she'll be able to use Lord Poison's effect to bring Queen of Thorns back," said Atticus. "This is one big standoff."
"No it isn't," said Sheena, as she drew a card. "Watch and learn…"
She gestured, and the shiro and the mass of spider webs glowed with energy, and then faded away.
"What?" said Dark Necrofear. "You got rid of it? Why?"
"You'll see," said Sheena. "Now, I'll sacrifice Doom Dozer so that The Spider Queen can attack…"
The Spider Queen pointed her scepter at Doom Dozer, and drained its energy. Doom Dozer vanished, and the Queen glowed with eerie energy.
"First you get rid of your Castle, then your Doom Dozer?" asked Dark Necrofear. "Are you trying to lose on purpose?"
"Not quite," said Sheena. "I'm going to win.
"Your Monsters aren't what I'm aiming for. You see, Spider Web Castle has another effect. By sending it to the Graveyard, I get to attack directly with one of my own Monsters!"
Dark Necrofear's expression suddenly changed. A look was on the demon's face that they had not seen before – a clear expression of terror…
"Spider Queen…" ordered Sheena, "attack directly! Spider's Curse!"
The Spider Queen fired a blast of dark energy, and the demon screamed as she was hit by it. Dark Necrofear collapsed to her knees.
(S: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (DN: 0)
The Monsters and The World Tree faded away. Sheena took some deep breaths. She felt herself, and her flesh had been restored.
She looked at Dark Necrofear, who was sprawled on the ground, with dark mist rising from her body.
"How?" she moaned. "The prophesy… How could Dagon have been wrong?"
"Actually, he wasn't," replied Sheena. "You see pal, before Siegfried found me, I was a poor orphan girl living in near poverty… But even then, one of the Archlords chose me to defend the Mandate of Heaven.
"So in a way, I was once a 'commoner who was given the blessing of the celestial hosts'. When you told us about that prophesy, I figured I might be the one who Dagon was talking about. A prophesy was stated, and it appears to have come to pass."
Dark Necrofear looked up at Sheena weakly. Smoke started to rise from her pores.
"The true thing about prophesies is," added Sheena, "you have to know how to interpret them right. Otherwise, you'll never know when they'll come calling."
Dark Necrofear let out an unholy scream. Then she collapsed, and melted into a pile of black, foul-smelling sludge.
"Whoa," said Mako.
"Whoa is right," said Zane.
They all looked at the portal.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"Well?" asked Llymic.
"I guess I have no choice," replied Yumi.
She opened the pouch that contained her side deck, and slowly took a card out of it.
She looked at it. The card that Sheena had given her. The one that she said could defeat Daala for good.
This had better do the job, she thought.
"Sam?" she said. "I'm gonna need your help again…"
"Not surprising," said Sam, with a smile. "You need my help with everything…"
Llymic gestured, and a dark aura surrounded him. He changed back into Chaos Sorcerer.
"So it will be two-on-two," he said. "One last time…"
"Why bother with the disguise?" asked Ren. "We know who you are now."
"I'm going to need this form in this duel," said Chaos Sorcerer. "It's my true form, after all…"
"And I think I'll keep this form too," replied Daala. "After all, now that the secret is out, I guess I'm going to have to learn to live with Dark Witch… Once I gain even greater power than I had before, my subjects will have no choice but to accept it…"
Then everyone heard shouting.
"What's going on?" shouted Eikou.
"You tell me," replied Fujita.
They watched as Sheena and her group rushed into the arena.
"Impossible!" shouted Daala. "Dark Necrofear…"
"Won't be joining us," said Zane.
He threw something into the middle of the arena. It was Dark Necrofear's mannequin.
"Who…" started Sam.
"Thank Sheena," said Jesse. "I never saw dueling like that."
"Mom?" asked Sam. "You beat Dark Necrofear?"
"Sam?" said Sheena, in shock. "Is that you?"
Sam realized that she was a Shadow Tamer, and her mother hadn't learned yet.
"Uh…" muttered Sam. "It's a real long story, mom! But don't worry… I can still go to law school once this is over…"
"Enough!" shouted Llymic, in anger. "Seems we have a regular party here… Too bad I didn't have the sense to put out a shrimp platter…
"That's perfectly all right," said Eikou. "I have a terrible allergy to shellfish anyway…"
"QUIET!" shouted Llymic, raising his hand.
He chanted a quick incantation, and the doorway in became shrouded by a dark aura.
"Now, nobody comes in or out that way unless I allow it," he said. "This duel will commence without any more interruptions…"
And when it does, he thought, the final thing we need will be finished. I left out the fact the Great Helm still needs to be fully charged with the required energy before it can be used. And it will be given energy to spare… when the powers of the two Exemplars are finally unleashed!
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
NIGHT-ROSE KNIGHT (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Warrior/Tuner/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: 1,000
DEF: 1,000
Card Description: While this card is face-up on the field, your opponent cannot select a Plant-Type Monster as an attack target. When this card is Normal Summoned successfully, you may Special Summon one Level Four or lower Plant-Type Monster from your hand.
Note: "Night-Rose Knight" will be released in the "Crimson Crisis" set, due out in Japan in mid-November (U.S. release date not yet known). It was used by Aki in an episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D".
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
NIGHT TWIST (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Plant/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 2
ATK: 800
DEF: 900
Card Description: This card cannot be Tributed for a Tribute Summon. When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, except when destroyed as a result of battle, its controller gains 1,000 Life Points.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
INSECT GARDEN (Spell Card)
Field Spell
Image: A garden of grass and flowers, as seen from the view of an insect.
Card Description: All Insect-Type Monsters on the side of the field of the controller of this card that are Level Four or less are transferred to the control of his/her opponent.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
INSECT PHEROMONE (Spell Card)
Equip Spell
Image: Insect Princess's visage, with glowing wings.
Card Description: Equip only to "Insect Princess". When the Equipped Monster destroys an Insect-Type Monster as a result of battle, it may attack a second time in the same Battle Phase. The second attack must target a second Insect-Type Monster.
Note: "Insect Garden" and "Insect Pheromone" were first used by Missy in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Sad But Truesdale". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
SPIDER WEB CASTLE (Trap Card)
Continuous Trap
Image: A Japanese shiro covered with spider webs.
Card Description: Activate only when your opponent activates a Trap Card. When your opponent's Monster attacks, halve that Monster's ATK during damage calculation only. During your Main Phase 1, you may send this card to the Graveyard. If you do, one Monster you control can attack your opponent directly during the same turn's Battle Phase.
Note: "Spider Web Castle" was first used by Bolt Tanner in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D" episode "The Facility (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Lords of Chaos
Pale Night, The Mother of Demons
What is the mystery behind the entity called Pale Night? Scholars in demonology have been trying to figure her out for centuries, but have come up with very little. Enigmatic and incredibly powerful, Pale Night may well be one whom demons can trace to their origins.
It is known that Pale Night is a member of the obyrith race; however, she was ancient even when her race was powerful and numerous. Regarded as a mother figure by many demons, several demon lords, including Graz'zt, Lupercio, and Vucarik of Chains claim to be her offspring. Unus the Undying claimed that Shogarr may have been the father of the modern demon race, and several sages claim that Pale Night is none other than the mother of the race, suggesting that the two may have once been lovers at one point. Pale Night rarely speaks, and does not confirm any rumor about herself.
It cannot be denied that Pale Night's power over Chaos is nearly unmatched. Those who view her see a soft, feminine form clad in a flowing white shroud. It is said, however, that like Shogarr, this is an illusion, and that Pale Night's true form is so hideous, reality refuses to accept it. It is believed that anyone who manages to see the Pale Night's true form – whether he attempts to do so, or if Pale Night willingly reveals herself – is struck dead by the overwhelming Chaos. If the spirits of these victims are later contacted using spiritual magic, they cannot remember what they saw. It defies description.
Pale Night doesn't seem to have many goals these days. She dwells in a grand palace on a plateau in the Endless Maze where Baphomet also makes his home, but she has dwelt there much longer than he has. Her palace, which she rarely leaves, resembles a large, grasping hand made of bones and guarded by bone constructs. Pale Night has little to do with the politics of the Abyss, and even less to do with the Blood War. Should anyone be bold enough to approach her castle, their fate usually depends on her whim. Some, she simply sends on their way. Others she adds to her collection of lost souls.
The Wind Dukes of Aaqa know that Pale Night may well be far too powerful to confront, but take comfort knowing that she seems to be "retired" as far as demon lords go. Now and then, they confront her rare cultists, mad groups who make attempts to spawn half-demons and other monsters in the mortal world. They research the Mother of Demons as much as they can, knowing that an obyrith with this much power would be a dire threat if she ever decided to come out of retirement.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coming up next:
It's a two-on-two extravaganza! The heirs of Yugi Mouto and Seto Kaiba take on both Daala and Llymic in a fight to the finish. But the job may be difficult, because the two villains have the two most powerful servants of Shogarr in their decks, two mighty titans who hold the power needed to provide the energy for the Great Helm! The war against Chaos has reached its most crucial point. "Rise of the Exemplars" is coming up next.