If you by some chance read King Dragun's "Sister of Anansi", you might remember a chapter like what follows. In that story, Diane peered into her future and saw herself in a duel. But as Twilight told her, at that point, there were several possible paths that the future could take, and she was only seeing one of them.
Thus, the duel in this chapter is not what Diane saw… It happens quite differently, even though there may be similarities. Even the Millennium Necklace can't tell the future with perfect accuracy.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
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Elimination Duel One
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Yumi versus Mystara
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It was the morning of Day Three.
Ren and Chelsea were eating their breakfast.
Yumi was inhaling hers.
It seemed this morning her appetite was limitless, and the all-you-could-eat breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant was being depleted as fast as the staff could replenish it.
"Be careful, Chelsea," said Ren. "Keep your hands away from Yumi's mouth."
Yumi scarfed down another waffle.
"I have to be at the peak of my strength," she said, "for when I face this Eliminator."
Ren and Chelsea shivered.
"Yumi…" said Ren. "Please think it over. You know the rumors… I don't believe that they're actually allowed to kill you, but the threat of a punishment… Well, it's something to consider. Maybe he'll just lock you up until the end of the tournament… Maybe even use shackles. Who wants that?"
Yumi gulped down her orange juice.
"Guys…" she said, "that may be true… But I'm not a coward. My folks did it. Your fathers did it. Some people say the three of us are continuing a legacy…
"Well, you know what?
"I don't want to continue a legacy. I want to start one of my own.
"You two can do it too. And if we have to take risks, then maybe we have to. That's the way it goes sometimes."
She smiled.
"After all, we're all risking our necks with this deal with Rasputin…"
"She's got a point…" said Chelsea.
She sighed.
"In the meantime, I'm nervous as Hell…"
"What?" asked Ren.
Chelsea looked at the Sword of Tsunami at her hip.
"In case you guys didn't notice, I'm carrying a weapon!" she whispered. "I tried ten times this morning to just leave it in the hotel, but the thing just kept calling me back somehow… I couldn't leave without it!
"I got so nervous, I drank one of those six-dollar sodas in the mini-bar...
"I could get in major trouble if…"
"Ms. Ramset?" said a voice.
Chelsea gave a casual glance. She buried her head in her hands.
Three Centurions had entered the restaurant, and one looked very important – he was the one wearing the purple sash over his armor.
"Officers…" said Chelsea, nervously, "I can explain, really… Well, I can try…"
"Calm down," said the one with the sash. "We've been getting some… Concerned reports. May I take a look at that?"
He pointed to the Sword.
"I can't give it to you," said Chelsea, unsheathing it. "Honest…"
"Just hold it up…" he ordered.
She did so.
He looked intently at the blade. Then he ran his finger along the edge.
He turned to the other two.
"Watch them," he said. "I have to contact someone…"
Chelsea looked about to cry as he walked to the other side of the room.
When he was sure they couldn't hear him, he tapped his helmet.
"Descartes here," he said. "No doubt about it… It's the Sword of Tsunami…"
He paused.
"Yeah… Uh huh… Yes, I'm sure Yumi has the Crown as well…"
He paused again.
"Are you sure?"
Another pause.
"Okay, you're the boss…"
He walked back to the table. He turned to the two other Centurions.
"It's harmless, people," he said.
Everyone looked surprised.
"Commander…" said one of them. "Are you sure?"
"Positive," he said. "I see no laws being broken.
"Ms. Ramset… If you want to carry around some dull antique, fine, but don't threaten anyone with it.
"Let's go…"
He and the other two turned and left.
"What on Earth?" gasped Ren. "I thought they were going to…"
Chelsea looked at the sword.
"Dull antique?" she said, touching the point. "This thing is a dull an…
"OW!"
She put her cut finger in her mouth.
Yumi watched as the three officers left.
Great, she thought. Now we have another mystery to uncover…
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Rasputin carefully looked over his files on his computer.
"Crap…" he muttered.
He hit the switch, turning it off.
"It's just as I thought," he said with a moan. "Constructing a new homunculus would drain precious resources that we simply cannot spare unless we get all the Charms."
He turned to where Olga and Nicholas were chowing on room service food, while Louis stood watch.
"I'll put Yumi on the back burner for now…" he said, sitting down beside them. "I want that accursed Chelsea defeated first!
"Anyone have any ideas? I'm open to suggestions here, people!"
Nicholas slowly ate a grape, and shrugged.
"Uh, I got an idea, boss…" mumbled Louis.
They all looked at him.
"Hows about that Edan guy who wants her?" he asked. "We could get him on our side, and have him take care of her."
Rasputin slowly stroked his beard.
"A surprisingly good idea, coming from you, Louis," he replied. "That underground duelist may have been handed several defeats by young Chelsea, but maybe with the proper tweaking, we can make him more successful."
He went to his computer again.
"We simply need to locate him and convince him to come here, which shouldn't be too hard… Promises of power and strength are like sweet candy to thugs like him…"
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The face of Clock Tower Prison read eight-thirty as three youngsters approached a certain building in the Museum District…
…The Kaiba Memorial Library.
In the heart of the Museum District, this place was a monument to the Kaiba legacy. At least its legacy since Seto Kaiba.
Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea slowly entered the high-tech museum. Centurions stood guard, and with good reason. The exhibits in this place were priceless to duelists, all of them representing KaibaCorp's contributions to dueling.
In one case was the very first Duel Disk, a prototype that had only been used once. The original virtual pods that he once used to create the original virtual reality world were in another display. In other cases were models of the battlefields of the first Battle City: Kaiba Craft One and Alcatraz. Cards donated by famous duelists, among them Yumi's grandfathers, were displayed in cases. Yugi's copy of Dragon Master Knight was here. (A little known fact was that he had actually kept that in his fusion deck with the intent to use it against Kaiba. Ironically, the two times he used it, the two of them were acting as a team.)
One rare card stood out: Air Fortress Ziggurat, the one owned by Alister himself. A year after the Orichalcos incident, he had sent it to Kaiba as his means of apologizing. Kaiba's personal reaction to this gesture was never truly known, but he kept the card anyway.
There was another, more frightening artifact here from that incident. Inside one glass case was an Orichalcos Duel Disk (rendered inoperable, of course) that had been taken from one of Dartz's men. For the sake of history, it was here, representing a dangerous chapter in Kaiba's life.
There was also an indoor theater where visitors could watch showings of Kaiba's duels that had been recorded. The ones where he had dueled Yugi (the only ones he had lost) were left out, but it was still interesting to watch. His match against Ziegfried Von Schroder was the one that drew the most attention. Yumi had promised Ren and Chelsea they would go there to see it when they had the chance.
All of the previews led to one room called the Shrine. This was the primary monument to the two people the museum represented, Seto Kaiba, and his nephew, Siegfried Kaiba. On the walls of the room were the cards they had personally used at various times in their careers.
There was Vorse Raider, Gadget Soldier, Kaibaman, Hyozanryu, Lord of Dragons…
In a special display were the cards Kaiba had won as a result of the ante rule in the first Battle City. The most valuable card in this lot was the Masked Beast Des Guardius that he had taken from Lumis and Umbra. He had never actually used it in a duel, keeping it only as a souvenir.
In one extra-secure case was the priceless Chaos Emperor Dragon – Envoy of the End. Seto Kaiba had only used this card in one public duel, the one against Ziegfried. Two months after he had, the card had been outlawed. It was simply too powerful to ever be used in the dueling circuit. Some said that Kaiba had requested the ban himself because, as one of the best duelists in the world, he felt like handicapping himself to keep the game more interesting.
Only a few Spells and Traps were here, but the ones that were stood out. There was Kaiba's Fiend's Sanctuary, his strategy for defeating The Winged Dragon of Ra. When he knew he wouldn't face Ra after his defeat at Yugi's hands, he decided to lend it to Yugi, although no one – likely not even Kaiba himself – knew what made him decide to be so generous. It helped turn the tide of the duel. (Kaiba had believed it would increase Yugi's chances of winning from three percent to twenty percent, thinking no plan had a very good chance against Ra. Fortunately, Yugi won.)
But all this was all small potatoes compared to the glass case in the center of the Shrine, made of bulletproof glass and wired with several alarms.
Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea walked up to it…
Inside the case were two photographs. One was a photo of a young Seto Kaiba, facing an unseen opponent on the streets of Domino, taken during Battle City. The other photo was of Siegfried Kaiba, using a Disk that he was testing before his reign as Master of Games in the first Duelatopia tournament.
And in front of them were four cards, sealed in special plastic cubes…
The three Blue-Eyes White Dragons, and Kaiba's Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. Due a decree set by Yumi's father, these cards would never be used again, out of respect for two martyrs who gave their lives to save the world…
One Blue-Eyes was left for use. Solomon Mouto's copy had been torn in half by Seto long ago. However, Kaiba eventually regretted doing so, and he also feared that his three copies would be destroyed out of spite by the demon he was protecting the Mandate from, and Blue-Eyes White Dragon would be rendered extinct. Fortunately, the torn pieces of the card had been kept safe. Before he died, Kaiba arranged for some of the best card restorers in the world to restore the card to mint condition for Yugi Jr. free of charge. Yugi eventually presented it as a gift to a duelist who used Dragons (mostly Armed Dragons) and he assumed she still had it.
Looking at the cards in the case gave the three teenagers chills.
"So…" muttered Ren. "What are we looking for?"
Yumi looked around.
At the far end of the room was an odd mirror, flanked by two statues of a young woman in fancy yet skimpy clothing...
Yumi rubbed her chin. The mirror seemed odd. It was as if you wouldn't notice it unless you were looking for something specific.
She walked up to the mirror. Then she noticed a plaque at the bottom.
She read:
Enter if you dare,
But if you must, beware.
Noble Guardians protect this place;
Turn back now, or terror face.
If you insist on breaching this door,
Remember this and nothing more:
Fire, Water, Earth, or Wind;
One of these will let you in.
"Not exactly the most welcome greeting…" muttered Chelsea.
"But I think I know how to get in…" said Yumi, looking through the cards in her deck. "I need a Monster of the Fire, Water, Earth, or Wind Attributes.
"Only ones in this deck that qualify are Blast Magician, and…
"Hey, Buster Blader... Why not?"
She activated her Disk, and placed the card on it.
In a shimmering light, the Buster Blader materialized.
"Yumi, listen closely…" said a voice coming from the armored figure.
Yumi raised an eyebrow.
"I've stood by the side of your father and grandfather for many years, Yumi," said the Warrior, "and I don't want doom to fall upon your family line at this stage.
"Are you absolutely certain that this risk is worth taking?"
Yumi looked at him.
"We've come this far," she said. "I'm not gonna back out."
"Very well…" said the Warrior, drawing his sword. "Then good luck…"
With one slash, the mirror shattered.
"You'll need it…"
He vanished. Yumi shuffled her deck.
She peered inside. It seemed the mirror had been a hologram of some sort, hiding a secret passageway.
They slowly walked in, and looked around in awe to see a vast chamber made of crystal.
To their sides were statues of odd, humanoid creatures, including that woman whose statue had flanked the mirror. A set of double doors was far in front of them at the other side of the chamber.
"Where are we?" asked Yumi.
"The Crystal Sanctum…" said a female voice. "Sacred ground."
The voice startled them. They looked up, as a woman leapt down from above, landing gracefully in front of them.
They stepped back as she got up.
She was an exotic beauty who was intimidating at the same time. She seemed to be in her thirties, with long black hair in a ponytail, tied back with a silver ribbon. She wore a toga that was silver as well and fell to her knees. She wore a pair of crystal bracelets with strange runes in them, and she had a curved crystal sword at her waist, tied on with a belt of rope. Her skin was tanned, and her face was covered with a green butterfly mask, obscuring the eye color. On her left arm was a silver-colored Duel Disk with jewels shaped like the four gods of China – a dragon, phoenix, tiger, and turtle – embedded in the deck holder.
"Yumi Mouto?" asked the strange woman.
Yumi bravely stood forward.
"I am, and you are?" she asked.
"I am Mystara, guardian of the three brothers. The other Guardians and myself make certain that their sleep is undisturbed.
"I knew you were coming, and I give you an offer I don't make to many…
"You may leave. If you do not, I will not let you go should you lose…"
She waved her hand, and Yumi stepped back as several large crystals descended from the ceiling.
She was shocked to see that they seemed to have people inside them.
"What are they?" she gasped.
"The remains of my opponents," said Mystara. "Trapped in amber like flies, condemned to sleep forever, just as the Dragons will.
"Consider my offer, Yumi. Consider your family and your future. If we duel and you lose, I will not let you go…"
"Yumi…" muttered Ren, "maybe it's a good idea to just leave…"
Yumi's eyes narrowed.
"I'm not afraid of you…" she said to Mystara. "I'll face you, and I'll defeat you…"
Her puzzle glowed, and in a flash of light, the change started to overtake her.
"Very well…" said Mystara.
She raised her hand, and the three teenagers were startled as a gate slammed down behind them, blocking off the way they came.
"Now only one exit from this chamber remains," said Mystara, "and that is the door behind me. Don't dream of ever getting past me unless you win this duel. An Eliminator is the equal of ten Centurions."
She smirked.
"I knew this was a bad idea…" muttered Ren.
"Should you win," continued Mystara, "you get an upgrade, a card or two, and a special gift called the Blessing of Diamond. But if you lose, your fate will be theirs…"
The crystals retracted into the ceiling.
"Stand on that symbol," ordered Mystara.
Yumi looked at the strange symbol on the floor. She stepped onto it.
Then, a set of railings arose from the boarders of the symbol, surrounding her.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"A precaution to keep you from fleeing once you see what I unleash," said Mystara, as similar railings rose around her. "See, I am bound as well… It is only fair."
She grinned evilly…
"You know, Yumi, I may have offered you a chance to back out," she said, "but I'm glad you didn't. You may not understand this… But I have waited for this moment for a very, very long time…
"Now…"
Her Disk activated.
"Let us begin!"
"Game on!" they both shouted.
(Yumi: 8,000) -------------------- (Mystara: 8,000)
Mystara drew her opening hand and looked at the cards.
I envisioned this duel nineteen years ago, she thought. I remember it quite clearly… But Twilight told me that it would be different when it actually happened. She was right… My strategy now is far different than anything I ever saw my future self use. Does that mean I can defeat her?
We will see…
"To be fair," she said, "I will let you move first."
Yumi drew her first card.
"Think Yumi can beat this dame?" asked Ren.
"Well, this Mystara seems more experienced, and likely has a lot of good cards…" said Chelsea. "In other words, it's gonna be hard…"
She looked around at all the crystal.
"You don't suppose she has those… What were they called… Crystal Beasts?"
"I hope not," said Ren. "Those were supposed to be very dangerous…"
The Pharaoh appeared beside Yumi as she looked over her cards.
"Yumi…" he said. "Be careful. This Mystara… There's something familiar about her."
"Familiar?" asked Yumi.
"Yes…" he replied. "It's as if I met her once before… In another place and time… But I can't quite put my finger on it."
Yumi took a card from her hand.
"I summon Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer," she said.
In an aura of darkness, Kycoo appeared, taking a fighting stance. (1,800/700)
"Beat that," she dared.
"We will see…" said Mystara, making a draw.
She added the card to her hand.
"I play my Graceful Charity," she said, holding up a card.
As usual, an angel appeared behind Mystara… But oddly, this was not the same angel that usually came when that card was played. It was a tall woman with much more gorgeous wings, and clothing that suggested… Well, they sort of suggested Native American more than anything.
Where have I seen that before? thought Yumi.
Mystara drew three cards. As the strange seraphim vanished, she chose two cards and discarded them.
"I place a card facedown," she stated, "and also a Monster in Defense Mode."
She played the cards, and a facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.
"Your move…"
Yumi drew a new card.
Got to be careful, she thought. I assume these guys work for KaibaCorp… Their decks could be packed with the rarest cards in circulation. That Monster could have a nasty effect, and that facedown card could be an even nastier Trap.
But I'd best get her to use them up…
"I summon… Magician's Valkyria!"
In a flash of light, Valkyria appeared on the field, brandishing her staff. (1,600/1,800)
"Okay…" said Yumi, "Kycoo, attack her facedown Monster! Spell of banishment!"
Kycoo cast his powerful spell… Lightning flashed…
…and then he hollered as a backlash threw him backwards, and he landed on his behind.
Yumi looked, and saw that Mystical Elf was kneeling on the card he had aimed at. (800/2,000)
"A little too strong for him, I must say," said Mystara, with a smile.
(Y: 7,800) -------------------- (M: 8,000)
"Okay…" said Yumi. "I'll end my turn there…"
Mystara drew a card.
"I play Pot of Greed…" she stated, playing it. "Now I'll draw two cards…"
The jar appeared in front of her, and she made two draws.
She looked at them.
"Both of which I'll use," she said. "One is a handy Equip Spell… It's called Butterfly Dagger – Elma. Its effect can raise the Attack of a Monster by 300 points.
"But since I'm not selfish, I'm not going to Equip to my Monster… I'm Equipping it to Magician's Valkyria."
"Say what?" asked Yumi, with a look of shock.
Valkyria's staff vanished, and a long, fancy dagger appeared in her hand. (1,900/1,800)
"I think your other Monster looks jealous," continued Mystara. "So I'll give Kycoo something too. The Equip Spell, Gravity Axe – Grarl."
Kycoo's prayer beads vanished, and a large, fancy axe appeared in his hands.
"It increases his Attack Score by 500, and also prevents any Monster on the field from switching Modes."
(2,300/700)
"Uh…" said Yumi. "Care to tell me why you're purposely making my Monsters stronger? Kycoo can beat your Elf's Defense now, you know."
"Only if he can get by this…" said Mystara, playing another card.
In a flash of light, a pious holy man in a white vestment appeared on the field and raised his hand.
"Messenger of Peace," she continued. "For the low price of only 100 Life Points per round, all Monsters with an Attack Score of 1,500 or greater are forbidden to attack. So both of your Spellcasters can't come near my Elf.
"I'll conclude my turn with that."
"Well, uhm… This is a strange strategy…" said Chelsea.
"All the Eliminators have strange strategies…" said Ren. "My dad told me about his duel with Imhotep. The whole thing was like a trek through a tomb full of booby traps. Fortunately for him, his deck had some of the greatest tomb raiders in history."
Yumi drew a card.
Until I find a way to tear down her Messenger, I'll never get to her… she thought.
"I summon Gemini Elf…" she said, playing a card.
The two elf twins materialized. (1,900/900)
"Then I'll place a card facedown…"
A facedown card appeared.
"That's all for me…"
"I draw one card…" said Mystara. "And I pay 100 Life Points to keep Messenger of Peace…"
She looked at the card she had drawn.
"Pass…"
(Y: 7,800) -------------------- (M: 7,900)
Yumi looked at her.
She drew one card.
"Trying to wait me out, huh?" she asked, adding it to her hand. "Well I pass too!"
"This could take a while…" muttered Ren.
Mystara drew again.
"I have no more use for Messenger of Peace," she said, "so I'll destroy it…"
Messenger of Peace shattered.
"Next…" she said, "I'll play Monster Reborn to bring back a Monster whom I discarded with Graceful Charity…"
The glowing, golden ankh appeared…
"Come forth, Maha Vailo!"
In a burst of light, a tall, female Spellcaster appeared. She was dressed in a blue robe, with wing-like extensions on her back. She wore a peaked hat with strange ornaments dangling from it, and had long, blonde hair. (1,550/1,400)
"Next…" said Mystara, "I'll Equip her with Shooting Star Bow – Ceal. This lowers her Attack Score by 1,000…"
She played the card, and a silvery bow appeared on Maha Vailo's back. Her Attack fell down to 550.
"…but due to her own effect, she gains 500 Attack Points for each Equip she has. And the effect of the Bow allows her to attack you directly."
(1,050/1,400)
"Go ahead!" laughed Yumi. "I can take it!"
"Can you now?" asked Mystara. "Aren't you interested at all in what my facedown card is? It's a Trap that your grandfather used in Battle City in his duel against Bakura."
Yumi paused.
Wait… she thought. She can't mean…
The facedown card lifted.
"I activate… Collected Power!" exclaimed Mystara. "Now, all Equip Spells on the field are Equipped to one Monster. So, I'd like to thank your two Spellcasters for keeping those weapons safe… I'll be taking them back now…"
Butterfly Dagger and Gravity Axe vanished from Valkyria and Kycoo, and reappeared hanging on Maha Vailo's belt.
"Now, let's take a minute to recalculate…" said Mystara. "She gains 300 more Attack Points from Butterfly Dagger, then 500 more from Gravity Axe, then 1,000 more from her own effect, due to having two more Equips."
(2,850/1,400)
Yumi gulped…
"I'm not done…" said Mystara. "Since Butterfly Dagger is now on my side of the field, I'm permitted to summon its owner to the field. So I now summon Guardian Elma!"
In a flash of light, a woman appeared next to Maha Vailo. It was the same woman as the one depicted in those statues, now in full color. She wore a fancy, blue halter, a brief, red pair of shorts, several bracelets, and her red hair was crowned by a fancy tiara. She held a dagger similar to the Butterfly Dagger. (1,300/1,200)
"And when Elma is summoned," continued Mystara, "I can Equip her with an Equip Spell from my Graveyard. And I discarded a good one with Graceful Charity. So, I'll now discard my Big Bang Shot to Equip her with Wicked-Breaking Flamberge – Baou."
She discarded the card, and Elma's dagger vanished, and was replaced by a large, nasty longsword. (1,800/1,200)
Yumi took a step backwards…
"And I'm still not done…" said Mystara. "Since Gravity Axe is on my side of the field, I'm allowed to summon its owner, and this one can be a Special Summon if he happens to be the only card in my hand, which he is…
"I summon Guardian Grarl."
The floor rumbled, and then split, and a hulking form burst out of the ground. It was a muscular, simian humanoid with grey skin, wearing patchwork armor, and holding an axe similar to the Gravity Axe. (2,500/1,000)
"Ho boy…" said Chelsea.
Ren looked at the map that had led them here. He noticed something…
On the instructions, the word "guardian" was capitalized. It made sense now…
"Don't forget, Yumi…" said Mystara, "the one holding Ceal's bow is able to make direct attacks…
"Maha Vailo, attack Yumi directly! Sacred lightning!"
Maha Vailo threw up her arms, and lighting crashed down from the ceiling to them. She threw the bolts forward, hitting Yumi. Yumi screamed and was thrown back against the railing.
"Elma, attack her Magician's Valkyria. Breaking blade."
Guardian Elma leapt up, and made a fancy pirouette. She swung her sword at Valkyria. The sorceress screamed as she was cut down.
"Grarl, attack Gemini Elf. Doom chop."
Guardian Grarl growled, and lumbered forward, and swung his axe down with a crash, right between the two elf twins. They screamed and shattered.
"And that's all," laughed Mystara.
(Y: 4,150) -------------------- (M: 7,900)
Yumi slowly got up.
"Yumi," said the Pharaoh, "I recognize these Monsters…"
"Yeah…" she replied. "Raphael's cards, right? Grandpa might have mentioned him once or twice…"
"Well, uh…" said the Pharaoh.
"Don't concern yourself with ancient history right now," said Yumi. "We have bigger problems…"
She looked at Mystara's four Monsters.
She seems to have a good plan… she thought, looking at the field. But it does have one small weakness…
She's tied up four of her five spaces on her Spell/Trap Zone with Equips, leaving only one spot left for anything else… Not to mention the fact that she's used every card in her hand.
Of course, I'm not in the best shape either…
She looked at her own hand.
Not much to work with… Kycoo could defeat Elma right now, but the battle would be a draw… And I have nothing that could take out Maha Vailo.
She drew a card.
"I play my Graceful Charity," she said.
She played the card, and the angel – the one she was familiar with this time – appeared, and her deck glowed. She drew three cards.
She smiled. She discarded Life-Absorbing Machine and Dedication Through Light and Darkness.
"I throw a second card facedown, and then summon Breaker the Magical Warrior."
A facedown card appeared, next to the first one, and then, in a dark shadow, Breaker appeared, holding his sword and shield. (1,600/1,000) –) (1,900/1,000)
"Now I'll use his effect to destroy that Gravity Axe. Breaker, do it!"
Breaker's shield glowed. His Attack fell to 1,600 and the Gravity Axe shattered.
Maha Vailo's Attack Score fell to 1,850.
"That's all I can do…" she said nervously.
She glanced at her facedown cards.
It's all up to chance… she thought.
Mystara drew one card.
I'll save this for now… she thought.
"Grarl… Attack Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer," she ordered.
Grarl lifted his axe…
"I activate… A Hero Emerges!" shouted Yumi.
Her Trap Card lifted. Mystara frowned.
Yumi held out her hand, which consisted of four cards.
"So pick a card… Any card…"
"Eh… Far left…" muttered Mystara.
Yumi gave a wicked grin…
She placed a card on her Disk, and in a flash of light, Buster Blader appeared, waving his huge sword. (2,600/2,300)
Mystara flinched a little…
"All right!" shouted Chelsea. "That's one of her best Monsters!"
"It's still all over for your Ghost Destroyer!" snarled Mystara. "Grarl, continue your attack!"
Grarl slammed his axe into Kycoo, and he was blasted to bits.
"Maha Vailo, attack Yumi directly again!"
Yumi screamed again as she was hit by a blast of sacred lightning. She fell to one knee.
(Y: 1,600) -------------------- (M: 7,900)
"Since Gravity Axe is gone," she said, "I'll move Elma into Defense Mode, and end my turn."
Guardian Elma knelt in defense, and held her sword on her lap.
"Your Life Points are down to 1,600, and mine have barely been touched," she said. "Surrender now, and I'll try to make your fate painless…"
Yumi panted for breath, and drew a card.
"Never…" she muttered.
"I play Monster Reborn… Now I'll bring Gemini Elf back."
The glowing ankh appeared, and Gemini Elf reappeared. (1,900/900)
"Buster Blader… Attack Grarl! Buster sword!"
Buster Blader leapt up, and brought his sword down on the Guardian. The Guardian groaned and shattered into pixels.
"Gemini Elf…"
She paused.
"Attack Guardian Elma!"
"What?" said Mystara in surprise.
Gemini Elf blasted their lightning, and it struck Elma. The Fairy screamed, and shattered into bits.
(Y: 1,600) -------------------- (M: 7,800)
"FOOL!" laughed Mystara. "Maha Vailo will attack you again next turn, and you will lose!"
"No I won't…" said Yumi. "You see, since I just attacked with a Spellcaster, I get to activate this…"
Her other facedown card lifted.
"Magician's Circle," she said. "Now, both duelists may Special Summon from their decks a Spellcaster that has 2,000 Attack Points or less. So I'll bring out Dark Magician Girl!"
In a flash of light, Dark Magician Girl appeared, and spun a full circle before turning to face Mystara. (2,000/1,700)
"You said both duelists!" replied Mystara. "Maha Vailo fits the requirements, and I have a second one!"
In a flash of light, a twin of the first Maha Vailo appeared next to the first one. (1,550/1,400)
"Whatever…" said Yumi. "My Battle Phase isn't over. Dark Magician Girl, attack the stronger Maha Vailo! Dark burning attack!"
Dark Magician Girl aimed her staff and fired, blowing Maha Vailo to fragments.
"Breaker, your turn… take out the other one!"
Breaker charged, and made a slash with his sword, eradicating the other Maha Vailo.
(Y: 1,600) -------------------- (M: 7,450)
Mystara's eye twitched under her mask.
"That's it for my turn…" said Yumi.
"I still have Mystical Elf…" said Mystara, drawing a card, "and she'll protect me for now…
"…as will the card I just drew. Another of your grandfather's favorites. Swords of Revealing Light."
She placed the card in her Disk, and a blast of glowing swords shot forward, forming a cage around Yumi and her Monsters.
"Crud…" thought Chelsea. "Anyone who's dueled her grandpa knows how annoying that card can be."
"That ends my turn," said Mystara.
Yumi drew a card.
She played two cards. A facedown Monster and a facedown card appeared on her side of the field.
"That'll do it…" she said.
Mystara looked at her for a minute, and then drew. She looked at the strange Monster.
"I play Fairy of the Spring," she said, playing the other card in her hand.
A glowing, angelic form holding two swords appeared behind her.
"Now I get to reclaim one Equip Spell from my Graveyard, but I can't use it this turn…"
She took a card from her discard slot, and looked at the Shooting Star Bow.
"Go ahead…"
"I draw…" said Yumi, drawing.
Premature Burial? she thought, looking at it. I have a full field of five Monsters… I can't use that right now…
And I've got precious few Life Points to spend as it is…
She added it to her hand
"I'll just draw and pass…" she said. "One turn to go."
Mystara drew a card.
Perfect… she thought. This was just what I needed to get rid of her Buster Blader…
"I'll use Shooting Star Bow again, this time Equipping it to Mystical Elf…" she said.
The bow appeared strapped to the elf's back.
"Why?" asked Yumi. "That reduces her Attack Score to zero. She can't attack me."
"Did you forget how Guardians and their weapons work?" ask Mystara. "Since the Bow is on the field, I can summon its owner. Come forth… Guardian Ceal!"
A bonfire of flame erupted on her side of the field, and a nasty creature appeared. His torso and limbs were red and scaly, but his head was that of a feral wolf. He held a bow similar to the Shooting Star Bow in his hand. (1,700/1,400)
"Eh, Buster Blader will make a rug out of him," said Ren, a little nervously.
"Oh really?" said Mystara. "I play my Tailor of the Fickle card."
She played a card.
"It's a Spell Card that is seldom used, but is quite useful with my deck. Simply put, it lets me remove an Equip Spell from one Monster, and place it on another. It's rare that a Guardian gets to wield its own weapon, but Ceal is doing so now."
The Shooting Star Bow vanished from Mystical Elf, and reappeared in Ceal's other hand. (700/1,400)
"It may be his own weapon," said Yumi, "but I see he receives the same penalty for using it."
"He won't be keeping it, due his own effect," replied Mystara. "By destroying one Equip Spell that he's Equipped with, Ceal can destroy one Monster."
The Bow shattered, and Ceal aimed his other bow, which burned with fire.
"Ceal, wipe out her Buster Blader!" commanded Mystara.
Guardian Ceal drew his bow back, creating a flaming arrow. He fired, striking Buster Blader, and the Warrior erupted in flames. He groaned before shattering.
"I still have his normal attack…" said Mystara. "Ceal, attack Breaker."
Ceal fired his arrow again, striking Breaker and blasting him to pieces.
(Y: 1,500) -------------------- (M: 7,450)
Yumi glared at her.
"You have no more cards," she said, "so I'll move…"
She drew a card.
"I'll just pass again, and let your Swords expire…"
The Swords of Revealing Light faded and disappeared.
Mystara drew one card.
"I play Card of Sanctity!" she shouted.
The arena lit up, and gold coins fell from the ceiling.
"How lucky can you get…" muttered Chelsea.
Yumi only got to draw one card from this, but Mystara got a full hand. She looked them over carefully.
"I'll move Ceal to Defense Mode, and place one card facedown…" she said.
Ceal crouched in Defense, and a facedown card appeared.
Yumi paused before drawing a card. Then she drew.
If that card is a Mirror Force, she thought, I'd lose everyone except my facedown Monster. If she drew a Monster on her next turn with decent scores, or even if she attacked my facedown Monster with Mystical Elf, I'd lose…
She looked around nervously at the crystals…
"Frightened, Yumi?" asked the voice of the Pharaoh.
"A little," she replied.
"It wouldn't be the first time a Mouto took a risk, Yumi," he said. "Your parents and grandparents took them several times.
"Your mother would have been turned into a fox by that witch Circe if she hadn't bet a great deal on A Hero Emerges. Your father risked killing Jade based on an assurance that he wasn't sure was true.
"Some risks you just have to take."
"Then let's go for the gusto…" said Yumi.
She placed a card in her Disk.
"I play… Premature Burial," she said. "I'll give up 800 Life Points and… Magician's Valkyria, welcome back."
In a flash of light, Valkyria reappeared on her side of the field. (1,600/1,800)
"Now I play… Rush Recklessly."
She played the card, and Valkyria rose to an Attack of 2,300.
"Valkyria, attack Mystical Elf!"
Valkyria cast her spell, and Mystical Elf's eyes opened as it hit her. She strained, and then she shattered.
"Gemini Elf, take out Guardian Ceal!"
The elves cast their lightning bolts, and Ceal exploded into triangles.
"Now, a direct attack! Dark Magician Girl, hit her directly!"
Dark Magician Girl flew at Mystara, and she gasped as the powerful spell hit her.
(Y: 700) -------------------- (M: 5,450)
Yumi looked at her opponent.
She fit another card into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.
"Your move…" she said.
Mystara drew a card.
That's it, she thought, looking at it. That's the final piece of the formula I need to summon my mightiest creature…
"Now it ends, Yumi…" she said.
"I play this… Soul Release. With this, I can remove from play up to five cards in either Graveyard.
"And I'm going to do that with yours, once I get a closer look…"
In a flash, the images of all the cards in Yumi's Graveyard appeared in front of her.
She touched Magician's Circle, Monster Reborn, Rush Recklessly, and A Hero Emerges, and they vanished.
"What the heck?" asked Yumi. "If you were smart, you would have removed the three Monsters I have in there so I couldn't use them again."
"Don't worry…" said Mystara, with an evil smile. "I'll get to them later! For now…"
She played a Spell Card.
"I play Buried Destiny. If a Spell Card that you've used isn't in your Graveyard right now, I get to reclaim a Spell Card of the same name from my own Graveyard."
Monster Reborn slipped out of her discard slot.
She played it, and the glowing ankh appeared in front of her. Maha Vailo appeared again.
"Next, I play another Spell Card. It's called Summon Storm. For the price of only 800 Life Points, I'm allowed to Special Summon a low-level Wind Monster from my hand. Such as my Whirlwind Prodigy."
She played the card, and in gust of wind, a young, elflike boy appeared on the field, dressed in green and brown leather. (1,500/1,600)
Whirlwind Prodigy? thought Yumi. Why would she need him?
"Next, I Equip Maha Vailo with Celestial Sword – Aitos," said Mystara.
The Crystal Sanctum darkened, and a long, shining sword appeared in Maha Vailo's hands…
"Yumi!" shouted the voice of the Pharaoh. "I know this! Something bad is coming!"
"What?" asked Yumi, nervously.
"Now…" continued Mystara, "Maha Vailo gains 500 Attack Points from her own effect, plus the effect of that sword grants her 300 Attack Points for every Monster in your Graveyard…"
(2,950/1,400)
"I could attack your Valkyria with Maha Vailo and win right now, but I have something else in mind, a finish which will seal your fate, and have your two friends leaving in utter terror…"
"Too late…" squeaked Ren, who was holding onto Chelsea.
"As you may know," continued Mystara, ignoring them, "when Whirlwind Prodigy is sacrificed to summon a Wind Monster, he counts as two Monsters. And since Celestial Sword is on the field, I can summon its owner…
"So, I sacrifice him, to summon the mightiest Guardian of all… Guardian Aitos!"
The crystals in the shrine blazed with fiery light. Wind howled through the halls. Whirlwind Prodigy vanished, and a new form arose… A powerful-looking, angelic being of unearthly beauty, similar to the vision Yumi saw when her opponent played Graceful Charity, but more imposing, more intimidating… More real…
This wasn't just a Duel Monster…
This was a goddess…
(2,500/2,000)
"Impossible…" gasped Yumi. "There was only one copy of that card, and it belonged to Raphael…"
"True…" said Mystara. "How he gave it to me is a secret you will never learn, because this is your last stand…"
She revealed her last Spell Card.
"I play my second Tailor of the Fickle to transfer Aitos's sword to her…"
The sword vanished and appeared in Aitos's hand.
"Now I activate the effect of Celestial Sword that can only be enacted when Aitos herself is holding it. By sending it to the Graveyard, I can remove the Monsters in your Graveyard from play from the top down until I reach a Spell or Trap. And due to my Soul Release, no Spells or Traps stand in the way of your three Monsters."
The Celestial Sword shattered…
The phantoms of Buster Blader, Breaker the Magical Warrior, and Gemini Elf appeared, and were absorbed into Aitos.
"Then, their Attack Scores are added to hers…"
Aitos glowed with divine energy…
(8,600/2,000)
"Aw, Yumi's a goner…" moaned Chelsea.
"Overkill perhaps…" said Mystara with an evil smile, "but I like to make an impression.
"It seems that facedown card of yours is your only hope at this point… Fortunately, I'm prepared for that…"
Her last facedown card lifted.
"I activate Royal Decree. Now your Trap Card is worthless."
"YUMI!" screamed Ren.
"Aitos…" commanded Mystara. "Attack Magician's Valkyria!"
Aitos flew towards Magician's Valkyria…
"You almost had me…" said Yumi. "But you didn't count on one little thing…"
Her facedown card lifted.
"This is no Trap Card…"
"Magical Dimension?" gasped Mystara. "That's a Quickplay!"
"A very powerful one…" said Yumi. "I'll sacrifice Valkyria…"
Valkyria vanished.
"And summon Dark Magician to the field!"
Dark Magician appeared in a burst of energy. (2,500/2,100)
"Then I get to destroy one Monster," continued Yumi.
Aitos screamed as she was enveloped by dark energy. She fell to her knees… And then was blasted into pixels.
"AITOS!" screamed Mystara.
The winds slowly subsided…
Then there was silence… Dead silence…
"No-one… has ever… beaten her…" whispered Mystara.
Yumi bowed her head.
"Man, I feel like I just smashed a stained glass window…" she said with a sigh. "Really sorry, but I wasn't about to lose on purpose…"
"I think it's my move, seeing as you're out of cards. I draw one card…"
She drew.
"…but I don't need it. Gemini Elf, wipe out her last Monster."
Gemini Elf fired their lightning bolts, and Maha Vailo was incinerated.
"Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl…"
The two Spellcasters nodded to each other…
"Double dark magic attack!"
The two Spellcasters leapt up, and struck their staffs together. A powerful blast of dark magic shot from the point of contact, striking Mystara. The Eliminator screamed and slammed against the railing behind her.
(Y: 700) -------------------- (M: 0)
"That'll do it…" said Yumi, as Mystara slumped to the ground. "You were pretty good yourself… Really scary. Maybe a little… intense…"
Mystara got up, and the railings retracted.
She walked over to Yumi.
She sighed.
"I thought I could beat you…" she said with a sigh. "But I gave you my best, and you gave me more… Your bloodline is strong… The true legacy of the King of Games runs in your veins…"
Yumi looked at her.
"So…" muttered Yumi. "You said something about a Blessing of Diamond?"
"Yes…" said Mystara. "But first, there are the other parts of your prize. First, your status…"
Yumi's badge slowly changed, turning to Silver.
Then a pair of cards appeared in Mystara's hand.
"As for a material prize," she continued, "since Spellcasters play such a large role in your strategy, I bequeath to you these two cards, Monsters not unlike ones used by a friend of mine whom I started dueling with long ago. Use them wisely."
Yumi took the two cards and looked at them. She had heard of these two Spellcasters… They were powerful… Maybe she would save them for something special.
She slowly slipped them into her side deck.
"And the greatest prize…" said Mystara. "For triumphing over the Guardians of this Sanctum, the Blessing of Diamond!"
She put her hands on Yumi's shoulders, and Yumi began to glow with a soft light…
"Do not struggle…" said Mystara.
Yumi gasped, as a crystal started to form around her.
"What gives?" shouted Ren. "She won the duel!"
"The losers are imprisoned in amber," said Mystara, as the crystal covered Yumi. "This is a coat of diamond which will only last for a minute.
"You see, my friends, there is magic in gemstones, the treasures of the earth. The more precious the stone, the more power it holds. And when this coat breaks in a minute or two, Yumi will emerge with its power having seeped into her veins…"
The diamond holding Yumi started to glow with soft light. Ren and Chelsea nervously watched.
Within, Yumi felt a rush of energy, as visions assaulted her mind. Scenes of the duels which her parents and grandparents fought flashed past her eyes from most recent to oldest…
She saw Bakura… Dartz… Marik…
Once past the very first duel with Kaiba, so long ago, the visions went further, and she saw the ancient struggles of the past… She saw the Pharaoh, and his struggles against evil forces.
She caught an odd glimpse as she saw him in this vision…
Standing behind him was a young girl, one who was nervously watching the conflict in which he was involved in…
She tried to get a better look…
Then, the diamond shattered, and the vision went dark.
Yumi gasped for breath.
"Yumi?" asked Mystara.
"Uh, yeah…" muttered Yumi. "I… think I saw something in there… I don't know exactly what it was, but it might have been a good starting point."
Mystara smiled. The doorway behind her opened.
"Then go, and good luck to all of you," she said. "But do not come here any more. If your friends wish to seek other Eliminators, have them find others."
Mystara stood aside.
Yumi paused as her two friends walked up to her.
She didn't say anything. She simply walked towards the exit. Ren and Chelsea followed.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Earlier, about when the duel was starting, Olga was working on something in a small book with a pencil, while Nicholas was looking over her shoulder and Rasputin was pacing back and forth.
"The top row should be 7… 5… 3…" said Nicholas.
"Nicholas, please!" shouted Olga. "I like solving these sudoku puzzles on my own!"
"You let Louis help you," replied Nicholas.
"As I was saying…" she answered.
"Speaking of Louis, where is he?" muttered Rasputin. "I tell him to fetch one duelist… If he got lost…"
"Please…" replied Nicholas. "That Cro-Magnon could get lost in a grocery store."
"I heard that!" said Louis, as he walked in. "And I found him."
He was followed by the same guy who was leading the two punks, the one with the rainbow Mohawk, leather jacket, and ugly-looking tattoos.
"Whoa…" said the punk. "How do you rate a pad like this?"
"Sorry it took so long," said Louis. "He was in the middle of a duel, and he did pretty good."
"Edan Abercrombie, I assume," said Rasputin.
"Yeah, but don't spread my last name all over the place," replied Edan. "It's not very… hip."
"Indeed…" said Rasputin. "I kind of wonder how three underground duelists like you and your two henchmen got invited here."
Edan grinned.
"One of the spectators who came to one of our places frequently is an executive at KaibaCorp," he replied. "The three of us found that out, and if anyone else knew he went to such places, it would be bad for him. He made a little deal – we keep our mouths shut, and he falsifies some documents, making us look like we're big in the Pro League."
"Ingenious…" said Rasputin. "Seems like something I would have done…"
He walked up to him.
"I hear you're looking forward to a rematch with Chelsea."
"Oh yeah!" said Edan. "And I'm gonna beat her this time!"
"Mmm…" said Rasputin. "May I see your deck?"
Edan handed him a deck. Rasputin slowly looked through the cards.
"I see…" he said. "I see… Hmmm… Yes…
"Well, now I know why she's beaten you so many times… Her deck is superior."
"What?" said Edan, startled. "I just reworked it."
Rasputin handed it back.
"A Rock Deck can only be reworked so much," he said, "but I can rework it so you'll actually win…
"You see, Mr. Abercrombie, you want Chelsea, I want something she has…
"I run a private… club of sorts that wouldn't be much of a step up from underground dueling as far as requirements went. But it would pay more. I could supply you with what you need to finally get what you've wanted for so long, I'd benefit too, and maybe you could join our little group…
"Interested?"
Edan looked at him.
He looked at his deck.
"For sure…" he said.
"Then let's see the deck again…" said Rasputin. "As Boggart once said, this looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship…"
Having defeated an Eliminator with a lethal weapon, Yugi moves to Silver status, only one step away from the finals! But now, more trouble looms, as Rasputin sets his sights on Chelsea. Will this persistent pain in the neck who has bothered her so often actually be a viable threat now?
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SUMMON STORM (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: A humanoid, winged creature in the center of a glowing tornado.
Card Description: Pay 800 Life Points. Special Summon one WIND Monster that is Level Four or less from your hand.
Note: "Summon Storm" will be used by Harpie's Brother in a future episode of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0
0
0
CELESTIAL SWORD – AITOS (Spell Card)
Equip Spell
Image: Guardian Aitos's face behind two crossed swords.
Card Description: Increase the ATK of the Monster Equipped with this card by 300 for every Monster in your opponent's Graveyard. When this card is Equipped to "Guardian Aitos", you may send this card to the Graveyard to remove the Monster Cards in your opponent's Graveyard from play from the top down until you reach a Spell or Trap Card. Then, add the base ATK of each Monster removed from play to "Guardian Aitos".
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0
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GUARDIAN AITOS (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Fairy/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 7
ATK: 2,500
DEF: 2,000
Card Description: This Monster cannot be Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned unless you have a "Celestial Sword – Aitos" on your side of the field. If you have no Monster Cards in your Graveyard, this Monster may be Normal Summoned or set with no Tributes.
Note: "Celestial Sword – Aitos" and "Guardian Aitos" were first used by Raphael in the multi-part original anime series "Fate of the Pharaoh". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0
0
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BURIED DESTINY (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: A swampy mire with shiny crystals embedded in the mud.
Card Description: Name one Spell Card that your opponent has used during the course of the duel that is not currently in his/her Graveyard. If there is a Spell Card with the same name in your Graveyard, add it to your hand.
Note: "Buried Destiny" was first used by Chazz in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Blinded By The Light (Part Two)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
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Ren: Yumi? You okay?
Yumi: So whoozy… It was such an experience…
Chelsea: Maybe we should take a break. We need a breather after all that.
Ren: Don't stray too far, Chelsea… The Ascenders are out there, and they want that Sword…
Anastasia: Not only the Sword… One of them wants you
Coming up next: "The Tyrants of Death; Chelsea versus the Hidden Danger".
As the quest towards the top starts to become rockier…