Hamon Ayver was sitting alone a small dark room, concealed within the many layers of the Begia base he was in. The only things in it were a desk, a chair and a Duel Disk with a deck inside it. He knew that he would need it today.
"Sir!" The door to the room flew open and a young girl appeared, looking mortified. "Sir, five people have entered the base! They managed to get past the preliminary guards! They..."
"Where are they all headed?" The girl looked surprised, but recovered quickly and gave her report.
"Sir! Two of them - a boy and a girl - are headed towards the main computer! Another boy and girl - the girl is unconscious - are headed to the Emotion Absorption Area! And another girl is headed for you!" Hamon gave a small smile.
"Make every attempt to stop those trying to make it to the Emotion Absorption Area. Evacuate all host bodies and transfer them to the Duel Academy Facility. Don't bother too much about the two making their way to the computer - they don't have a hope in beating it. And make no attempts to stop the girl who is making her way to me." The girl was clearly shocked by Hamon's choice of tactics, but made no mention of it as she rushed out.
It's a shame I already know how this is all going to work out. Except for my duel for some reason...oh well! Let the games begin!
"I can't believe anyone would waste their time making a computer duel to defend itself!" Adela and Bryon were running through the corridors of the Begia Base towards the main computer. "They could have just gone for the normal means, or guard it with people who actually have weapons as opposed to Duel Disks!"
"Then we wouldn't have a chance, ADELA!" Bryon replied with a big grin.
"Whatever. Let's just beat this computer and then get out of here." The two continued running along the corridors, until at long last they entered a deserted room with a large computer screen. The two approached it cautiously, eyeing the machinery with apprehension. When they were a few metres away from it, the computer spurred into life.
"Intruders detected. Preparing defence program. Initiating Duel Disk."
"OUT OF MY WAY!" Michael snarled as two Begia members blocked his route to his destination.
"We're not letting you through here." One of the members replied simply. "Not unless you defeat us in a duel." Michael snorted.
"Defeat you in a duel? This base has got to have the worst defence system I've ever seen! No guns, no security cameras, nothing! Nothing except some "guards" who think they can duel. I'll take both of you on!" The two members looked at each other.
"Challenge accepted. You'd better hope Fate isn't too harsh on you."
"I've been waiting for you, Ms. Ramirez." Arlene was about to make a sarcastic retort when Hamon burst out laughing. "Oh! So sorry! I've been wanting to say that for the longest time! Now, for formality's sake, what brings you here?"
"To bring this place down. You've made it very easy for us." Hamon gave a warm smile and spread his arms.
"Well of course I did! This isn't a base that's of much importance to me, you know. It used to be Begia's main base, but my how we've grown! We have our own island now!"
"Why would you use Duel Academy Island for a base?"
"Lots of kids for absorbing emotions of course..."
"Not likely since a lot of them died or left! What's the real reason?" Hamon laughed again.
"I wont say just yet. You may find out from someone else though...should you survive this of course."
"Then can you tell me why Begia suddenly gets to decide people's fate?" Hamon gave a knowing smile.
"Ah! Memories! I find that the story is best told when dueling. I'm just not much of a storyteller otherwise!"
"Beginning turn." The Computer called out in its metallic voice. "Set one card and one monster. End turn."
D.C: 4000
Bryon: 4000
Adela: 4000
"OKAY!" Bryon picked up his sixth card and began his turn. "I play Meteor of Destruction, to inflict 1000 points of damage to you!"
"Activate trap. Hallowed Life Barrier. Discarding one card from hand to activate." The computer screen was showing the cards it had played as well as the backs of the cards in its hand. One of them vanished as the computer spoke. "Hallowed Life Barrier negates all damage for 1 turn." Bryon gave a frown.
The computer couldn't have known I'd play a burn deck, could it?
"I summon Solar Flare Dragon and attack your face down!" Bryon's monster charged into the face down, then bounced back as it failed to destroy it.
D.C: 4000
Bryon: 3700
Adela: 4000
"Card flipped was Des Koala. Activating effect. Opponent loses 400 life points for each card in hand." There was a pause. "Recalculating. Two opponents. Both players take 400 damage for each card in hand." Adela and Bryon tried hard not to yell out in pain as their life points took a loss.
D.C: 4000
Bryon: 2500
Adela: 2000
"I'll set a card and end my turn." Bryon was clearly worried by his incompetence on the first turn.
"My move then," Adela said quietly.
Half of my life points were gone before I even made a move! The Computer's good, but not that good.
"I summon Element Saurus (1500/1200) to the field! When a Fire Monster is on the field, it gains 500 attack points, and as there's Solar Flare Dragon..." Her monster glowed as it absorbed some of Solar Flare Dragon's heat (1500/1200 - 2000/1200). "That's not all. Because Des Koala's an Earth type, now Element Saurus can negate the effect of any effect monster it destroys in battle. Now, destroy the Koala!" Element Saurus shot a large fireball at Des Koala, destroying it. "I'll set a card and call it a turn."
"I don't think we've introduced ourselves," one of the Begia guards sneered at Michael. "I'm Alvaro and this is Donovan, a pleasure to meet you! What's your name?"
"Michael."
"Alright, Michael, you can go first!" Alvaro gave a mock bow to Michael as he drew his card.
Michael: 4000
Alvaro: 4000
Donovan: 4000
"I'll start by Summoning White Magician Pikeru (1200/0000) to the field. I'll then set two cards face down and end my turn."
"Okay then!" Alvaro seemed to be enjoying himself as he drew his card. "I discard one card from my hand to summon The Tricky (2000/1200) to the field, and now it'll destroy your monster!"
"Nope. Go, Astral Barrier and Spirit Barrier! Astral Barrier can change your attack to a direct one, and as long as Spirit Barrier is on the field, and I have a monster as well, any battle damage I take is reduced to 0!" Alvaro shrugged and set a card.
"My move then!" Donovan announced. "I set two cards face down, then tribute them both to summon Anteatereatingant (2000/0500)! This card also allows me to destroy a spell or trap card on the field provided my monster forfeits its attack this turn, so I'll choose your Spirit Barrier! Next I'll summon Chainsaw Insect (2400/0000) to the field!" Donovan gave a smirk at this point. "Now you have a choice. When my insect attacks a monster you draw a card. So. You can either lose a monster and life points but gain a card, OR you can lose a lot of life points and not gain a card. Which will it be? Chainsaw Insect attack!"
"Astral Barrier will redirect the attack to my life points!" Michael yelled.
Michael: 1600
Alvaro: 4000
Donovan: 4000
"Your move." Donovan informed Michael.
Arlene: 4000
Hamon: 4000
"I'll start by summoning Balance Saviour (1500/1000) in defence mode. I'll then set a card and end my turn."
"And then mine begins! Hmm...I'll summon Earth Statue (0000/0000) to the field, and I'll get it to attack your monster!"
"What?" Arlene watched as the Statue made its way to her monster. "But your monster will be destroyed! You'll lose 1500 life points!"
"Really?" Hamon asked. "I was under the impression I would gain life points. Watch!" The statue collided with Arlene's monster, causing both to explode and Hamon's life points to go up!
Arlene: 4000
Hamon: 5500
"Ahh, my statues. Let me explain how these marvellous things work! If my statues attack a monster of the same attribute as itself, three events occur: one, they destroy both monsters; two, I gain life points equal to the other monster's original attack; three, I can summon another statue monster with the same name, so another Earth Statue comes out!"
"But now Balance Saviour's effect activates!" Arlene declared. "When it's removed from the field, I can bring out a Balance Warrior from my deck and give it a Light or Dark Aura, so I choose Balance Warrior Gyunn (1600/1400) and give it one Light Aura to bring its attack up by 400 (1600/1400 - 2000/1400)." Hamon clapped his hands.
"Bravo! Right, one face down card and that's me!"
"Okay, I draw..."
"And I activate my face down, Next to Be Lost! I select one monster on the field and then send a monster from my deck with the same name to the graveyard! Right, carry on."
What's this guy playing at? His dueling style is...a little eccentric. His monsters must do something when they're in the graveyard.
"I summon my Balance Warrior Kirud (1500/1500) to the field. Now, Gyunn will destroy your Earth Statue, and Kirud will attack you directly!"
Arlene: 4000
Hamon: 0500
"I'll call it a turn there." Hamon gave a mischevious grin and picked up a card.
"Now! I'll remove all three of my Earth Statues to summon from my fusion deck Earth Incarnation (1500/1500)!" Arlene looked up at a gigantic statue that resembled a rocky monster. "Now, Earth Incarnation gains 500 attack and defence points for each Earth monster on our fields, including itself! So if we include Earth Incarnation and Kirud, my monster gains 1000 attack and defence points (1500/1500 - 2500/2500)! Now, Earth Incarnation will destroy Kirud!"
Arlene: 3000
Hamon: 2500
"What the...how did you gain all those life points?"
"Simple! When Earth Incarnation destroys an Earth Monster, I can either increase my life points by the destroyed monsters attack when it was destroyed, or increase Earth Incarnation's attack after the battle, so I chose the former! I'll set a card and call it a turn."
"You know, there's one flaw in your plan." Hamon looked intruiged. "Not only did your monster just lose 500 attack and defence points by destroying Kirud, I also don't have any other Earth monsters!" Hamon chuckled.
"You think I didn't figure that out? Pick up your card." Arlene hesitated, then did so. "And now I activate DNA Transplant! This allows me to change the attributes of all face up monsters on the field to one attribute, and I choose Earth!" Earth Incarnation swelled in size as Gyunn became an Earth Attribute (2000/2000 - 2500/2500). "So. You were saying?"
New cards...
Balance Saviour
ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000
Attribute: Earth
Level: 3
Type: Spellcaster
Image: A woman wearing a wizard's hat and blue robes with a broad smile on her face.
Effect: When this card is removed from the field, special summon from your deck one monster with Balance Warrior in its name. You may also give the monster one Light Aura or one Dark Aura.
Earth Statue
ATK: 0000 DEF: 0000
Attribute: Earth
Level: 2
Type: Rock
Image: A clay statue of a human face.
Effect: When this card battles a monster with an Earth Attribute, Earth Statue and the opponent's monster are destroyed and increase your life points equal to the original attack of your opponent's destroyed monster. Then you may special summon from your hand or deck an "Earth Statue".
Earth Incarnation
ATK: 1500 DEF: 1500
Attribute: Earth
Level: 6
Type: Rock
Image: A large warrior made up of 3 Earth Statues.
Fusion Requirements: Earth Statue + Earth Statue + Earth Statue
Effect: By removing 3 Earth Statues from your graveyard to your out of play zone, you may special summon this card from your fusion deck. This card gains 500 attack and defence points for every EARTH attribute monster on the field. When this card destroys an opponent's EARTH monster, you may either increase your life points by the destroyed monster's attack when it was destroyed, or Earth Incarnation's attack after battle. This card cannot be destroyed in battle by an EARTH attribute monster. During the damage step when this card battles, you may tribute 1 monster to increase your life points by an amount equal to the tributed monster's original attack.