Chapter 10: Blazing Battle: Inferno Arena
Fire stared intently at Raijouta, his eyes shifting back and forth like dancing flames. "Ready to be defeated?" He asked in a cocky voice.
"Don't get yourself mixed up," Raijouta said, "you'll be the one to lose. I am dueling for justice to save the lives of innocents."
"Eh, suit yourself," Fire said. "Now time for me to explain the Inferno Stage we will be dueling in!" As he said this, flames erupted from the metal ring, surrounding the two duelists in a wall of fire. Raijouta winced at the unexpected heat, while Fire stood, closing his eyes and sighing. "It feels good doesn't it?"
"I personally dislike the heat," Raijouta answered. "Please explain the arena so we can get this over with and my friends and I can proceed."
"Can't you just enjoy the gentle warmth?" Fire cooed serenely as a flame jumped and burned his arm, causing him to smile.
"I think he's a pyrofilic," Ryu-Hikari whispered to Izumi, Shadow, and Jack who nodded in agreement. Fire didn't hear their comment and began his explanation.
"The Inferno Stage, or Inferno Arena if you prefer, is fairly straightforward. No field cards can be played, and all Fire attribute monsters gain 500 attack points."
"That gives him a huge advantage," Jack growled.
"Leave it to Ryu-Yami to rig things in his favor," muttered Shadow.
"Don't forget," Fire replied, "you are playing by my master's rules if you want those civilians spared, especially your friend Baxter. Anyway, I need to continue talking about the rules. As you can see, we are surrounded by fire, so if you try and leave the arena for any reason, you will be burned to death. Speaking of burned to death, look above yourself, Raijouta." Raijouta craned his neck upwards to see a vat hanging from the ceiling over himself and over Fire. "Those vats contain gasoline; the loser will be drenched it in and the flames around us will catch and burn him to a crisp. Also every time you lose life points, the fire around you increases in heat, making it harder to stand. Oh, and passing out from the heat counts as losing."
"This is sick," Raijouta said, "but if it's to save innocent lives, I suppose I will need to take yours."
"Then let's begin, shall we?" Fire asked, drawing his five cards.
Fire 8000/Raijouta 8000
"I'll start with a monster known as Raging Flame Sprite in attack mode!" 100/200. (600/200 w/ Inferno Stage). A small pixie with flames encircling her body hovered in front of Fire. "My sprite can attack directly, and gains 1000 attack points whenever she does. However, since it's the first turn, you're safe for now, so I'll just set a card and end my turn."
"Then it's my turn," Raijouta declared as he drew a card and immediately played it. "One of my favorite openings: I play Marauding Captain (1200/400) and his effect will allow me to summon Blindly Loyal Goblin (1800/1600)!" A young, blonde captain dressed in armor and holding a broadsword in each hand appeared, along with a brown-skinned goblin who bowed to Raijouta before drawing his sword. "Now my Captain, attack the Sprite!" The Captain charged and swung both swords, but was blown back by an invisible barrier.
"You think I'd leave a 600 attack point monster open?" Fire shook his head. "My Negate Attack will protect me for this turn. Any other moves?"
"None at the moment," Raijouta answered.
"Good! Then it's my turn!" Fire grinned widely as he examined the card he drew. "Another Raging Flame Sprite!" 100/200 (600/200 with Inferno Stage). Another pixie hovered beside the first and they giggled as Fire pointed straight at Raijouta and declared, "ATTACK!" The pixies flew over the two warriors and shot small flames at Raijouta from small orange wands they carried. They then returned to their side of the field as their attack points increased (1600/200). "I'll set another card and I'm done."
Fire 8000/Raijouta 6800
"All right, my draw," Raijouta drew and looked over his hand and the field as the heat intensified. He could feel sweat on his brow, but he could stand it, he had to stand it. I need to think of an effective plan. Raijouta thought to himself. That face down card is most likely something to protect his monsters like last turn. However, it could just as easily be a bluff. I have my Heavy Storm card, but I'd rather save it if I can.
"Are you going to play or daydream?" Fire asked, to which Raijouta answered sternly.
"Yes, and here it is! I play Pot of Greed!" Raijouta prayed silently as he drew his two cards, and grinned widely as he saw what they were. "First I summon my Pitch Black Warwolf!" 1600/600. A black humanoid wolf holding a dark sword appeared. "Now I play The A. Forces which will add 400 attack points to my Marauding Captain (1600/400) and Goblin (2200/1600). Now, my Captain, you have served me well, so attack one of the Sprites and take it to the grave with you!" The Captain lunged, knowing his sacrifice was for a good cause.
Fire snickered. "You should know I'd protect my monsters with…" Fire pressed the button on his duel disk to activate his set trap, but for some reason it wouldn't respond. Raijouta smiled.
"My Warwolf makes it so you can't activate traps during the Battle Phase, so finish your attack my Captain!" The warrior and pixie collided with one another, both being destroyed and going to the graveyard. "Sadly, by doing so, I lower the attack points of my Goblin (2000/1600) but it's worth it. Now Goblin, destroy the other Sprite!" The Goblin bowed to Raijouta again and slashed the fairy; she cried out in pain as Fire lost life points. "Now Warwolf attack directly!" The black beast stabbed his sword into Fire's chest, but the insane pyromaniac ignored the pain as his life points dropped and heat from the flames around him rose.
Fire 6000/Raijouta 6800
"Your turn," Raijouta said, which was greeted by cheers from his friends, commending his moves.
"Not bad, you destroy my Raging Flame Sprites and made me lose a quarter of my life points," Fire said. "Now for my turn I will set a monster and two cards and that is all for me."
Raijouta drew and immediately summoned a monster, "I play Dark Blade!" 1800/1600 (2200/1600 w/ The A. Forces). A warrior in black armor wielding two silver scimitars stood beside the Goblin and Wolf. "By playing him, my Goblin also goes up to 2200 attack points! Now Warwolf, attack his set monster!" The Wolf slashed at the monster to reveal a turtle with a metallic saucer on its back. As it was destroyed, another Turtle of the same type appeared on the field, this time in attack mode.
"When you destroy my UFO Turtle (1400/900, 1900/900 w/ Inferno Stage), I can special summon a Fire attribute monster of 1500 attack points or fewer from my deck and play it in attack mode." Fire said.
"Regardless, my monsters are still stronger," Raijouta replied. "Attack the UFO Turtle my Dark Blade!" The Turtle was destroyed, and this time Fire took damage, but ignored the pain and rising heat as he summoned another UFO Turtle. "Blindly Loyal Goblin, destroy the final Turtle!" The Goblin bowed to Raijouta before drawing his sword and stabbing the Turtle.
"That's it for my UFO Turtles," Fire stated, "but I can still summon another monster. I choose my Ultimate Baseball Kid!" 500/1000 (1000/1000 w/ Inferno Stage). A short boy wearing an orange and red baseball uniform took the place of the slaughtered Turtle. Instead of a traditional wooden bat, he held a large spiked club.
"I must end my turn," Raijouta said.
Fire 5400/Raijouta 6800
"My move," Fire looked over his hand before playing a card. "I summon a second Ultimate Baseball Kid!" 500/1000 (1000/1000 w/ Inferno Stage). "These two are great team players, for every Fire attribute monster on the field my Ultimate Baseball Kids gain 1000 attack points. That means these two each have 2000 attack points!"
"That means their power can become very great because of his deck," Ryu-Hikari muttered. "Raijouta should get rid of those things as quickly as he can."
"Now, I play my Scroll of Bewitchment on your Blindly Loyal Goblin!" Fire said as he inserted the card into his duel disk. A large scroll with strange writing appeared and began to wrap around the Goblin.
"Did you forget? His Goblin can't be controlled!" Jack yelled out.
"That's not what that card does," Izumi muttered. "It changes the equipped monster's attribute to whatever the person equipping it chooses. Essentially, Fire can make the Goblin help him as much as it helps Raiji."
"As you can guess," Fire snickered, "your Goblin is now a Fire attribute monster meaning both my monsters now have 3000 attack points!" The Goblin's skin suddenly burst into flames but he still stood resolutely. "Now Baseball Kid number one, attack his Dark Blade!" The young batter threw a fireball into the air in front of him, and then slammed it with the bat, sending the projectile into the black clad warrior. "Baseball Kid number two, your turn! Destroy the Warwolf!" The second baseball kid copied the first, destroying the Wolf in a blast of flames.
Fire 5400/Raijouta 4600
"AHH!" Raijouta winced as the flames behind him became hotter. "That attack also lowers my Goblin's points back down to 2000." Raijouta drew and studied his hand briefly before deciding on a move. "I sacrifice my Goblin to summon The Fiend Megacyber!" 2200/1200 (2400/1200 w/ The A. Forces). A large mechanical looking, electrified warrior resplendent in golden armor took the place of the Goblin. "Not only does this give me a strong monster, but also it lowers the attack of your Baseball Kids back to 2000." The kids began to become smaller as the mighty Megacyber stared them down. "Now I set a card and have my Fiend attack one of your Ultimate Baseball Kids!" The mighty metallic warrior slammed his fist into the face of one of the batters, while the other's attack decreased to 1000. "That's all for me."
Fire 5000/Raijouta 4600
Fire stared intensely at Raijouta. "You are a worthy and strong adversary, but this duel is over when I play my next monster! I summon Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch!" 2400/1000 (2900/1000 w/ Inferno Stage). A mighty lord wearing burnished armor and manipulating balls of flame between his hands stood facing The Fiend Megacyber. "When he is summoned, I can choose a card in your hand and send it to the graveyard, and I pick the card on the far right." Raijouta discarded his Gilford the Lightning, watching as his life points decreased as Thestalos blasted him with a jet of fire.
Fire 5000/Raijouta 3800
"Oh sorry," Fire said mockingly as Raijouta winced in pain, "I forgot to mention if a monster was discarded you lose life points equal to the number of its stars multiplied by eight. Well, anyway, time to continue. Thestalos, Incinerate the Fiend!" The Monarch nodded and released a wave of flames from his hands which engulfed and destroyed The Fiend Megacyber. "Your turn!"
Fire 5000/Raijouta 3300
Raijouta sweated as the fire behind him continued to increase in heat. He couldn't lose. He wouldn't lose. "I play Graceful Charity which lets me draw three cards and discard two." Raijouta sighed as he discarded two cards. "Fire, it's over."
"Impossible! I have 5000 life points and one of the strongest Pyro monsters in the game in play!" Fire roared.
"No, because I drew a card that has never failed me. I play Change of Heart on your Monarch!" The mighty Thestalos walked over to Raijouta's side of the field. "And now I play Monster Reborn to revive my Gilford the Lightning!" 2800/1400. (3000/1400 w/ The A. Forces). A muscular warrior wearing silver armor and holding a mighty broadsword stood resolutely before Raijouta. "Now Thestalos, attack your former master!" A stream of flame hit Fire, lowering his life points considerably.
Fire 2100/Raijouta 3300
"Now, Fire, I did not want to have to take your life," Raijouta sighed. "Your master is twisted, and thus I see this is killing you for justice. May your soul be at peace. Gilford, finish him!" The muscular warrior walked slowly towards Fire and plunged his sword into the pyromaniac's heart. The holograms disappeared as the vat of gasoline poured of Fire and he was incinerated.
The flames then died down, and Raijouta left the metal ring and the corpse of Fire. His friends cheered, but he solemnly walked to the elevator and stepped inside. "Coming?" He asked the others as they rushed to join him. The ride was only up one floor, but felt like an eternity for the group. As the doors opened, they found themselves in another large room, this one with wires covering the walls. Electrical discharge erupted periodically from them, but would always halt before a metal ring in the middle of the room. In it stood a tall duelist with spiky blonde hair.
"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Storm and this is the Tempest Arena! Who is up to the challenge of dueling me?" The blonde yelled, his statement complimented as a loud electrical discharge occurred.
"I'll handle him," Ryu-Hikari declared walking forward and entering the metal ring.
"Good, now to the rules…" Storm began.
HES: Raijouta was victorious, but at the cost of a life. Now it's on to the next round with Ryu-Hikari vs. Storm! Time to answer some reviews…
Phoenix of the Sea: Yep, Raijouta beat him! Thanks for the review!
HES: Wait…what? Only ONE review? This makes me sad readers. If you read but don't review, please do. Your reviews inspire me to devote more time to writing, meaning my chapters will come out sooner. Ok? Ok. Thanks for those that have been supportive so far! By the way, school starts for me tomorrow, and this year is going to be very challenging, so my updates may be slower, but I WILL update and this story WILL be finished.
Next time on The Shadow Falls: Storm and Ryu-Hikari engage in a deadly battle in the Tempest Arena! Again, lives are on the line, but that won't stop these determined duelists! Who will win? Find out next time on The Shadow Falls!