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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
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Elimination Duel Two
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Tomb of the Elders
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Underneath the Duelatopia Museum of Natural History was a small set of private rooms, where a duelist and his servants lurked…
The biggest room was a large, comfortable-looking chamber, full of large, satin pillows and Persian rugs, with scented candles filling the air with the smells of sage and citrus.
On the far side of this chamber was a magnificent device: a huge, elaborate pipe organ.
It was a working instrument, proven by the fact that the master of this chamber was playing it right now. The haunting piece of classical music he was playing was familiar to most folks, but not many who knew of it knew the piece's exact origins. It was originally played by the title character of The Phantom of the Opera, using a similar instrument.
The organist here didn't cover his face with a mask like Andrew Lloyd Webber's title character, but most of his other clothing was similar: black formal tuxedo, with a black cape with red lining. He appeared to be in his early forties, with hair that, while full, was prematurely grey. He was clean shaven, with slate-blue eyes.
Standing behind him, quietly listening to his music, were four young women. Their revealing dress suggested that of harem girls, with a great deal of make-up and fancy hair styles. Each of their outfits was a different color scheme – one orange, one green, one blue, and the last brown.
He played the final stanza, and the last note echoed through the chamber. He turned to the woman in orange.
"Is she coming?" he asked.
She nodded.
He held out his hand, and an orb of blue, flaming energy appeared on it…
He gazed into it, and saw Chelsea, followed by Ren, Yumi, Sam, and Erik, approach the museum entrance.
"Come, my dear…" he said. "I'm waiting… Waiting for you…
"…and for her…"
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"So…" said Chelsea, who had been listening to Yumi as they had been walking. "This guy was supposed to be some sort of vampire Don Juan?"
"That's what Anastasia said," replied Yumi. "Although I don't think he ever wooed a woman who was willing."
Chelsea smirked.
"Well, this should be the challenge I've been waiting for," she said. "His deck is likely similar to mine, and I've worked hard to make my deck perfect…
"Now I'll do my best to try to prove that I did."
"We'll soon see…" said Sam.
Yumi frowned. She had read Jaden Yuki's autobiography, published posthumously after his memoirs were found, after his untimely death. (No-one even knew he had written memoirs. Such a thing didn't seem to fit his character.) The part about the Shadow Riders was tame compared to what happened later, but it was still interesting.
Most of that part was tame. The descriptions of Camula were the most chilling in that part.
"Why are you two even following us?" asked Ren, in an annoyed tone. "I thought you two 'had better things to do than hang out with twerps'."
"I'd follow you guys to Taiwan if it meant seeing one of you fall victim to an Eliminator," said Sam. "It might be good for a few laughs."
"Glad to have your support…" muttered Chelsea, sarcastically. "Your faith is reassuring."
They walked around the dinosaur fossils and other exhibits, looking for some sort of sign.
"All right…" said Chelsea. "If I was an entrance to a vampire's parlor, where would I be?"
She looked at the map again.
Then, to her shock, the letters started to change.
She read the new sentence.
Use your brain to find the place where the brain of one of your ancestors was once housed.
She paused.
"Guys…" she said. "The Cro-Magnon Man exhibit…"
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Five minutes later, they were standing in front of a glass case containing the skull of a Cro-Magnon.
"Well, that certainly housed the brain of one of humanity's ancestors," said Ren. "But now what?"
Chelsea noticed something.
At her feet was an inscription on the floor. It was faint writing…
"What the…" she said. "Some sort of limerick…"
She read the verse slowly.
There once was a fellow named Ned,
Who awoke in a coffin of lead;
"It is cozy enough,"
He remarked in a huff,
"But I wasn't aware I was dead."
She looked at her deck.
"I probably need a card to get in…" she said, looking through the cards. "And it's likely a common card… One that almost every duelist would have…"
"That limerick seems awfully macabre…" said Erik. "It suggests someone being buried alive."
"Buried alive…" muttered Chelsea.
Her face lit up, and she took a card from her deck.
"Premature Burial! That's it!"
She activated her Disk, and the placed the card in her Spell/Trap Zone. There was a rumbling, and the floor unfolded, opening into a stone, spiral staircase.
She shuffled the card back into her deck.
"After you," sighed Ren. "Just be careful, okay? You know these guys play rough."
Chelsea started down.
"If you lose, I'd die…" he said, under his breath.
Chelsea paused for a minute. Then she continued down, and the others followed her.
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The spiral staircase ended in a small area with a very large set of stone doors.
"So what do we do now?" asked Ren. "Knock?"
The two doors swung open with a rumbling sound.
"Uh, I think someone was expecting us…" said Yumi.
"I'm not scared of this guy," said Chelsea. "You're talking to someone who's been seeing ghosts all her life…"
She boldly walked though the doorway, and the others slowly followed.
They found themselves in the large chamber, with the comfortable-looking pillows and the huge pipe organ at the far end…
And they were all very surprised to see the four harem girls there, watching them enter.
They looked sadly at Chelsea. Then one of them picked up a platter and walked towards her. She saw that it held brie, grapes, and fancy crackers. The girl held it up as if to offer.
"Uhm, gee…" said Chelsea. "Thanks, but…"
"Chelsea, don't even think about it!" shouted Ren. "I'll bet it's drugged!"
Then someone laughed.
"Poisoning one's enemies is what cowards do, Mr. Marris," said the voice. "The proper way to confront someone is to do it face to face…
"And I fully intend to…"
The four girls nervously stepped aside, and they saw the one who had spoken standing in front of the pipe organ. Chelsea wasn't about to believe that he was a real vampire, but he sure fit the profile of one.
"The Midnight Caller, I presume?" she said.
"I am," he replied, "and you are Chelsea Ramset… So nice to finally meet you in person."
She looked at the huge pipe organ.
"Interesting…" she said.
"A family heirloom," he replied. "How they transported it from France was an adventure in itself."
"And these four girls of yours?" she asked.
"I won't lie to you, my dear," replied the Caller. "They are slaves. Duelists who tried to defeat me and failed, enabling me to completely dominate them.
"I always have room for another…"
He waved his hand, and the stone doors slammed shut.
"Terrific…" said Ren.
Chelsea nervously looked at the four girls. Michelle wasn't here, so she hadn't been added to this group. Whether she had even come, of course, there was no way of knowing.
"Here's how it goes," said the Midnight Caller. "That door is the only way out, but the only way you'll ever leave is if you defeat me. If you do, you get an upgrade, a card that I know will benefit you, and one priceless gift that will be worth the trouble. I already have something in mind…
"If I win…"
He pointed to the four girls.
"You join them…"
Chelsea stared at him.
She started to shuffle her deck.
"I'm not afraid…" she said. "It isn't like this is the first time someone made me make a wager like that…"
"I'm a far better duelist than that fool Edan is," he replied.
Chelsea looked at him nervously…
He raised his right arm, and a Disk appeared on it that seemed to lack a tray. Then, a tray unfolded from it that resembled the wings of a bat, made of gold.
"Oh, ladies…" he said. "It's time…"
He waved his hand, and the four harem girls stood up straight. Then they all transformed into globes of light…
Chelsea watched, as the four globes shrank and flew to the Midnight Caller's hand…
Then, there was a flash, and he was holding four Duel Monsters cards.
"You… You turned them into cards!" shouted Chelsea.
"Yes," said the Caller, producing a deck. "One of their functions is to serve as four of the Monsters in my deck…"
He shuffled the four cards into the deck.
"However, my dear, the strategy I use them for requires five Monsters. Until now, I must use them and one normal card. It is sadly… incomplete.
"Once I have you, my deck will be perfect."
"This is insane…" said Ren. "If Chelsea loses, she'll have to be part of this guy's deck?"
"If you can't stomach it," said Yumi, "just think how Chelsea must feel right now."
Chelsea looked hard at him.
Four Monsters… she thought. But… All four of them can't be Vampire Ladies… He's only allowed to have three copies of a card in a deck. Is there some female vampire I don't know about?
Is he using vampires at all? Maybe there's more to this guy than I expected…
The Midnight Caller placed the deck in his Disk.
"So now that every term and condition is understood…" he said.
The two Disks activated.
"We may begin!"
"Game on!" they both shouted.
(Chelsea: 8,000) -------------------- (Midnight Caller: 8,000)
"Make the first move if you desire…" said the Caller. "After all, this will likely be the last time you will ever duel."
"Yeah, yeah, keep dreaming…" said Chelsea, drawing a sixth card.
"I'll summon Zombie Werewolf in Attack Mode," she said.
With a howl, the vicious werewolf appeared in front of her. (1,200/1,200)
"End turn…" she said.
"I must say, Chelsea…" said the Caller, as he drew a card, "you have good taste in Monsters…"
He looked over the cards in his hand.
"I will play… Graceful Charity," he said, holding up a card.
The card glowed, and he drew three cards.
"So three cards go to my hand…" he said.
He discarded two of his cards.
"And two go to the darkness of the grave…
"Next, I summon Gemini Elf."
He played a card, and the two elf twins appeared, their arms around each others' waists. (1,900/900)
Okay… thought Chelsea. That's certainly no Zombie…
The Caller chose another card from his hand.
"Now I'm going to Special Summon a Monster, my dear," he said, "and it will certainly be a surprise to you, because it's going to be a surprise to me!"
"Say what?" asked Chelsea.
The Caller fit a card into his Disk.
"I play Mystery Summon," he said.
The card that appeared showed a silhouette of a figure surrounded by question marks.
"This card starts with me paying 1,000 Life Points," said the Caller. "Then, I pick up cards from the top of my deck until I reach a Monster. Then I Special Summon it and Equip it with this card."
He picked up one card, then a second…
He grinned when he picked up the third.
"Well…" he said. "Lucky me… It's my second most powerful Monster! Presenting, Cosmo Queen!"
In a burst of energy, a dark portal appeared on the field, and an intimidating form stepped out of it. It was a grim-faced woman in a maroon robe, wearing a large, exotic headpiece. She looked at Chelsea…
As Chelsea looked back, she saw what looked like the splendor of the galaxy in the Monster's eyes…
(2,900/2,450)
Chelsea gulped.
"Ah, heh, heh…" she said. "Nice hat…"
The Caller returned the two cards he had picked up to his deck, and quickly reshuffled.
"Cosmo Queen…" he ordered. "Attack that Werewolf! Cosmic nova!"
Cosmo Queen put her hands together, and an orb of crackling, black energy formed between them. She hurled it at Zombie Werewolf, who howled before shattering into pieces.
"I activate Zombie Werewolf's ability!" shouted Chelsea. "I get to summon another from my deck. And I'll put this one in Defense Mode."
Another Zombie Werewolf appeared, crouching in defense. (1,700/1,200)
"Gemini Elf," ordered the Caller, "obliterate the second one. Dual magic."
Gemini Elf shot twin blasts of lightning, and the second Werewolf was blown away.
In a burst of shadow, a third Werewolf appeared, also in Defense Mode. (2,200/1,200)
"What's this guy playing?" asked Erik. "Some sort of Spellcaster Deck?"
"He's no amateur," replied Sam. "Cosmo Queen is an incredibly rare card. She's got that Spiral Serpent thing tied for second most powerful Normal Monster in the game. Only my dad's Dragons are stronger in that area."
"Hold on one second…" said Erik. "Did he say that she was his second most powerful Monster? What the heck is his MOST powerful Monster?"
"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled the Midnight Caller. "You will see, Mr. Matell, you will see…"
He turned to Chelsea.
"My turn is far from over, my dear," he continued. "First, I'll place this facedown…"
He fit a card into his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.
"Next…" he said, "it's time to bring out one of my key cards…"
He opened a slot on his Disk, and placed a card inside it.
"I play… Tomb of the Elders."
An eerie mist covered the field, and the comfortable parlor with its pipe organ vanished, replaced by a dreary dungeon. Behind the Midnight Caller now were five stone coffins, upright against the wall.
"What?" asked Ren.
"Some sort of Field Spell…" said Yumi.
"What's in those coffins?" asked Chelsea.
The Midnight Caller casually waved his hand, and the five coffins opened. They seemed to lack occupants.
"Why, nothing, of course," he said. "For now, that is.
"For the final part of my turn, I play a Spell Card called Field Barrier."
He fit the card into his Disk. It was a Continuous Spell that showed the image of a card surrounded by a dome of green energy.
"Never heard of that one…" said Chelsea.
"To put it simply…" said the Caller, "so long as this card is in play, the current Field Spell cannot be destroyed, nor can either of us play another Field Spell."
"You don't say…" muttered Ren. "I should tell Kenta about this card. He'd have beaten me if he had used this to protect Necrovalley instead of Magic Reflector."
"And now…" said the Caller, "my turn concludes."
(C: 6,300) -------------------- (M: 7,000)
Chelsea took a long look at Gemini Elf and Cosmo Queen.
She drew one card.
She played two cards, and a facedown Monster, and a facedown Spell/Trap appeared.
"I activate my facedown card…" said the Caller.
A Trap Card lifted. It was a spooky image of a crystal ball with a ghostly skull inside it.
"It's called Ominous Fortunetelling," he said. "We'll get to what it does when it's my turn."
"Fine," said Chelsea. "I'm ending my turn now…"
"Then I draw…" said the Caller.
He drew a card, and added it to his hand.
"Now then, you're obviously wondering what my Field Spell does, right?" he asked. "Well, let me show you…"
He took his deck and looked through the cards.
"The coffins start out empty, but during each of my Standby Phases, I take one Monster from my hand, deck, or Graveyard, and seal it in one of the coffins. It has to be Level Four or less, but that fits my needs adequately.
"For this round, I think I'll do that with my Dark Elf…"
He held up the card, and the sinister, black-robed, dark-haired twin of Mystical Elf appeared next to him.
Dark Elf walked to the first coffin, and then stepped inside it. She crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes, and then the lid closed over her with a low rumbling.
"This is creepy…" said Erik.
"So what happens to her?" asked Chelsea.
"You'll have to wait until all five of them have occupants," said the Caller, "assuming this duel doesn't end before then.
"Until then, on with my turn. I activate the effect of Ominous Fortunetelling.
"See, I choose one card in your hand, and then try to guess what kind of card it is. If I'm right, you lose 700 Life Points."
Chelsea looked surprised. She looked at her hand of four cards.
"Now let's see…" said the Caller. "I believe… That the card on the middle right… Is a Monster."
Chelsea growled, and flipped the card around. It was Ryu Kokki.
A ghostly phantom flew from the Trap Card and dove into Chelsea's chest. Her eyes bugged out, and she clutched her heart…
That felt like my insides were doused in ice water! she thought.
(C: 5,600) -------------------- (M: 7,000)
"Now then…" continued the Caller, "I summon Cure Mermaid."
He played the card, and a beautiful mermaid dressed in a pink blouse appeared on the field in flurry of bubbles. She smiled sweetly and waved at Chelsea. (1,500/800)
"I'm beginning to get the picture…" said Chelsea. "Every Monster in your deck is female. It's a regular little black book for you."
"Is that a problem?" asked the Caller. "Are you suggesting that I'm some sort or chauvinist? Or a misogynist? Admiring women doesn't make me a bad person, my dear. Fact is, I value the power that they often have. The Power of the Female.
"Females have more power than you can imagine, my dear… The female is the one who creates life inside her womb. Most say the spirit of the Earth itself is female…
"I seek to harness that power, Chelsea. I do value the fairer gender… And I use their skills to my advantage…
"Cure Mermaid, if you would…"
Cure Mermaid blew a kiss to Zombie Werewolf, and a blast of bubbles shot from her lips…
"I activate a Trap!" shouted Chelsea.
Her facedown card lifted, revealing Widespread Ruin.
"Now your most powerful Monster goes up in flames!"
Cosmo Queen screamed as an explosion of flame erupted around her, and she exploded into pixels.
"Your Monsters will follow…" said the Caller, with an evil glint in his eye.
The blast of bubbles struck Zombie Werewolf, blowing him to bits.
The Caller pointed, and Gemini Elf blasted their lightning bolts. Vampire Lady appeared on the card, and was incinerated.
"This doesn't look good…" moaned Ren.
He paused.
"Chelsea!" he shouted. "Don't give up!"
"By all means, listen to your boyfriend," said the Caller. "After all, you won't remember him after you lose this duel."
"She's not my…" started Ren.
"He's not my…" interrupted Chelsea.
"Certainly…" said the Caller, with a laugh. "My turn is now over…"
Chelsea drew a card, somewhat irked.
"Okay…" she said, "time to take the offensive. Perhaps you've heard of Call of the Mummy?"
She played the card, and it appeared on the field.
"Now, I'll use its effect to summon Ryu Kokki!"
With a rumbling noise, the huge Zombie made of bones and skulls rose out of the ground. (2,400/2,000)
"Ryu Kokki, smash the Gemini Elf!" she shouted.
The Bone Dragon Ogre lunged forward, and slammed its first down. The two elves screamed and flew backwards before they shattered.
"I'll end my turn by setting someone else in Defense Mode," said Chelsea.
A facedown Monster appeared next to Ryu Kokki.
(C: 5,600) -------------------- (M: 6,500)
"Then I draw…" said the Caller, drawing a card. "And first, my Mermaid gives me a little gift…"
Cure Mermaid conjured up a large, watery bubble, and tossed it over her head. It showered over the Midnight Caller, and he glowed with energy.
"Now, it's time for my Tomb to get a new resident.
"Chelsea, remember my four slave girls? The ones I turned into cards?"
"Uhm, yeah…" said Chelsea. "Kind of hard to forget…"
"Well, that Dark Elf was not one of them," said the Caller. "She was just an ordinary card.
"However, from now on, if I can, I will use the four of them for my Tomb's effect. I'll bring one out now, but she will look different to you than she did when you first saw her…
"Presenting… Water Magician."
He took a card from his deck, and held it up. I a burst of light, a woman appeared wearing a blue and green wizard's outfit, and a long cape. She wore a porkpie hat with a feather stuck in it, and carried a long staff with a pointed orb at the tip.
She walked to the second coffin and stepped in. She folded her arms just as Dark Elf had, and the coffin closed around her.
"Okay, now I'm getting creeped out too…" said Sam.
"Continuing my turn," said the Caller. "I use the effect of Ominous Fortunetelling. I guess that your card on the right is a Spell Card."
Chelsea looked at the card and then frowned at him.
"It would help it you turned it around…" said the Caller, with a chuckle.
Chelsea snarled and turned the card around. It was Mirage of Nightmare.
The phantom flew from the Trap Card and dove into her chest again. She gasped and panted for breath.
(C: 4,900) -------------------- (M: 7,300)
"Now, I move Cure Mermaid to Defense Mode," said the Caller, "and set another Monster in Defense Mode."
The Mermaid curled up in Defense, and a facedown Monster appeared.
"And that's all…"
Chelsea paused. She looked at the two occupied coffins.
[IIs it like a Different Dimension Capsule that seats five?[/I she thought. [IIf it is, I could throw wrench into his strategy by destroying this Field.[/I
She drew a card. She smirked when she saw what it was.
"All right!" she shouted. "I play… Heavy Storm!"
She held the card up, and a fierce wind blew through the Tomb. Her Call of the Mummy card shattered, then the Ominous Fortunetelling card, and finally, the Field Barrier card.
The Midnight Caller grinned.
"My Tomb is unharmed…" he said. "My Field Barrier protected it, even though your Storm destroyed the Barrier itself."
"Fine…" said Chelsea. "I'll tear it down soon enough. I Flip-Summon Blood Sucker."
Her facedown Monster turned around and flipped up. Blood Sucker appeared, and hissed menacingly. (1,300/1,500)
"Ryu Kokki, attack Cure Mermaid! Bone bash!"
Ryu Kokki slammed its fist into the floor, and Cure Mermaid screamed before she shattered into bits.
"Blood Sucker, destroy his facedown Monster!"
"Chelsea! Wait!" shouted Ren.
Blood Sucker lunged for the facedown card.
A ceramic jar appeared on it, and a long, snaky shadow with one eye and a toothy mouth shot out of it. Blood Sucker slashed it to shreds.
"It was a Morphing Jar!" exclaimed Yumi.
"Exactly…" said the Caller. "Now we must each discard the cards in our hands, and draw a new hand of five cards."
He discarded one card, and Chelsea discarded two. They each drew five times.
"So Chelsea…" he said. "Anything else?"
She looked over her cards.
"No, I end my turn," she said.
The Caller drew a sixth card.
"And you know what that means," he said, taking his deck. "My Tomb gets a new occupant."
He held up a card.
"I believe my Harpie Queen will do this time…"
In another flash of light, a new feminine form appeared. It looked similar to Mai Valentine's signature Monster, but far more regal. She had flowing, green hair, beautiful, silvery wings, and was dressed in a lavender leotard and hip boots. Her hands and feet were sharp talons.
She stepped into the third coffin, and folded her wings in front of her. The coffin lid closed over her.
"Is there some sort of a point to all this?" asked Chelsea.
"We're getting there," said the Caller, taking a card from his hand. "Next, I summon Getsu Fuhma."
He played the card, and the armored, redheaded Warrior appeared, holding her katana. (1,700/1,200)
Oh, no! thought Ren.
"Attack her Ryu Kokki!" shouted the Caller.
Everyone gasped…
Getsu Fuhma charged. As she swung her sword, Ryu Kokki lunged with its fist. In a huge explosion, both Monsters were incinerated.
"What?" shouted Erik. "Ryu Kokki should have won that battle!"
"Technically, it did," replied Sam. "But Getsu Fuhma destroys any Fiend or Zombie she battles automatically. With those two Types, even if she loses, she wins."
The Caller placed a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared on his side of the field.
"It's your move, my dear," he said. "So time to see what else you can do…"
(C: 4,900) -------------------- (M: 6,600)
Chelsea drew a card.
"Heh, heh…" she said with a laugh. "Well, buddy… Guess we aren't gonna see what your Tomb can do after all… I just drew Mystical Space Typhoon!"
She played the card, and the cyclone tore across the field…
"Not so fast, my dear…" said the Caller. "I activate… Curse of Royal!"
His facedown card lifted, and a swarm of phantoms flew out of the card, blocking the whirlwind. It dissipated and died down.
"Curse of Royal?" said Ren. "What the heck is that?"
"A very underrated Counter Trap," answered Yumi. "It can negate and destroy any card that tries to destroy one Spell or Trap. With no cost, no less. It's no good against Heavy Storm, but most anything else…
"And now… Likely the only thing Chelsea has left that can destroy that Field Spell is her Dust Tornado, and her chances of drawing it aren't too good."
Chelsea frowned.
"It's still my move!" she shouted, taking a card from her hand. "And you're defenseless!"
She placed a card on her Disk, and Vampire Bat appeared on the field. (800/800) –) (1,000/800)
Blood Sucker rose to an Attack of 1,500.
"Vampire Bat, attack him directly! Nightmare scourge!"
The swarm of bats flew at the Midnight Caller, and he grunted and shielded himself with one arm as they bit and clawed at him.
"Blood Sucker, you too! Claw rend!"
Blood Sucker pounced, and swiped at him with its talons. He took a step backwards…
"Now you lose the top card from your deck…" said Chelsea.
The Caller took the top card from his deck and looked at it for a second…
He clutched his forehead…
Chelsea looked at him. It seemed those two direct attacks had hurt him a bit…
As she looked, she could swear she saw his teeth taper into points, and his eyes glow with fiery light for a few seconds…
(C: 4,900) -------------------- (M: 4,100)
The Midnight Caller shook the fog out of his head, and discarded the card.
"Ugh… Where was I?" he muttered. "Heh… Not bad… You are a frisky one…"
"I try my best…" said Chelsea, nervously. "Make your move…"
"I will…" said the Caller, drawing a card. "And I'll activate the effect of my Tomb again. This time, my Command Knight will suffice…"
He took a card from his deck and held it up. A young woman wearing ceremonial armor and a beret with a sword at her side appeared in front of him.
She walked to the fourth coffin. Once again, she stepped in, closed her eyes and folded her arms over her chest, and the lid closed over her.
"Now then…" said the Caller. "I summon The Unfriendly Amazon to the field."
In a burst of energy, a tall, grim-faced woman with a long ponytail, wearing drab armor and holding a sharp scimitar appeared in front of him. (2,000/1,000)
"Whatever this poor girl did to be labeled 'unfriendly', I don't know," said the Caller, "but she's very strong, so she's a friend to me.
"Attack her Bat!"
The Amazon leapt at the Bat, and slashed with her sword. Vampire Bat shattered into a swarm of smaller bats. Chelsea cringed.
"I activate its special ability!" shouted Chelsea, discarding a card. "I discard another Bat from my Deck, to keep it from being destroyed."
Vampire Bat reformed into a big bat again.
(C: 3,900) -------------------- (M: 4,100)
"So you did…" said the Caller, placing two cards into his Disk.
Two facedown cards appeared.
"Well my turn is over, and this duel is reaching its conclusion…"
"He's right…" muttered Ren, getting nervous. "He's filled four of the five coffins… What's going to happen when all five of them are occupied?"
The Caller smiled an evil smile…
Chelsea drew a card.
She looked over her hand for a minute…
"I activate my facedown card," said the Caller. "Scapegoat."
One of his two facedown cards lifted, and four fluffy, multicolored sheep popped out.
Chelsea looked at them.
Well, THAT'S a surprise… she thought.
"I'll move my two Monsters to Defense Mode, and that's all I can do…" she said.
Blood Sucker knelt and shielded itself. Vampire Bat hung upside-down like a sleeping bat.
"Then I draw…" said the Caller, drawing. "And I sacrifice one Scapegoat so I can keep my Amazon for now…"
One of the sheep turned to energy, and was absorbed into The Unfriendly Amazon.
"And it's time for the last of my girls to make her appearance," he said, taking his deck. "I now seal Warrior Lady of the Wasteland in the final coffin."
He held up a card, and the scantily clad, female Warrior with a tattered cape and fedora appeared beside him.
She walked to the final coffin and stepped inside. Once again, she closed her eyes and folded her arms over her chest, and the coffin closed.
"Okay…" said Chelsea, nervously. "So now what?"
"On my next turn…" said the Caller, "its true effect occurs. For now, I summon Manju of the Ten-Thousand Hands."
He played the card, and the Fairy with the multitude of hands appeared on the field. (1,400/1,000)
"What?" said Ren. "He's planning on some sort of Ritual Summon?"
"This is not good…" added Yumi. "Like Heck said before, Ritual Monsters are never good news…"
The Caller took a card from his deck and smirked at it. He added it to his hand.
"Next I activate… Meteorain," said the Caller.
His other facedown card lifted.
"Now, for this round, my Monsters can hurt you even when yours are in Defense Mode.
"Manju, destroy her Bat!"
Manju's many hands glowed, and it shot forth a blast of blinding light, blowing Vampire Bat to shards. Chelsea sweat in pain…
"Amazon, attack Blood Sucker…"
The Unfriendly Amazon slashed with her sword, cutting through Blood Sucker, and then stabbing into Chelsea with the follow-through.
Chelsea panted for breath…
(C: 2,800) -------------------- (M: 4,100)
"It's… your move…" said the Caller with a smug smile.
This is it… thought Chelsea. If I don't draw Dust Tornado this round, there's no telling what his Tomb of the Elders will do…
She drew a card.
Sadly, it was not Dust Tornado. But it was something she could use to protect herself, at least for a turn.
"Okay…" she said. "First I'll place one card facedown…"
A facedown card appeared in front of her.
"Then I'll play Monster Reincarnation. I'll toss one card, to bring a Monster back to my hand…"
She played the card, and then discarded Mystik Wok. Vampire Lady slipped out of her discard slot.
"Now I'll set it in Defense Mode."
The facedown Monster appeared.
She glared at The Midnight Caller. She looked at her side of the field.
If it isn't enough… she thought, I guess I end my career using cards, and start my career being one…As well as… some vampire's concubine…
"Very well, my dear…" said the Caller. "It is time to show you exactly what my Tomb of the Elders can do, now that every coffin is occupied."
He drew a card, and looked at it. He added it to his hand.
"First, every Monster remaining on my side of the field is now destroyed."
Manju, The Unfriendly Amazon, and the three remaining Scapegoats all exploded into pixels.
"But they are quickly replaced…" he continued. "For now, I am able to Special Summon all five of the Monsters that I sealed in those coffins. Come on out, ladies!"
The five coffins slowly opened, and the five Monsters stepped out. First came Dark Elf (2,000/800), then Water Magician (1,400/1,000), then Harpie Queen (1,900/1,200), then Command Knight (1,200/1,900), and finally, Warrior Lady of the Wasteland (1,100/1,200).
Command Knight glowed. Her Attack rose to 1,600, and Warrior Lady's rose to 1,500.
"Finally," said the Caller, "the Tomb itself is removed from play…"
The Field Spell with its five coffins vanished, returning them to the comfortable parlor with the pipe organ.
"Poor Chelsea…" said Sam, shaking her head. "I really don't think her facedown card can save her now…"
Chelsea looked at the facedown card.
It's my Red Ghost Moon, she thought.
She looked at the three cards in her hand.
And I have Pyramid Turtle that I can use to activate it… I'm safe for this round…
After that, it's all up to fate…
"I know what you are thinking, my dear," said the Caller. "You think I'm going to attack your Monster with my Dark Elf, and then attack you with everyone else…
"Well, I'm not… That would be crude. I have something else in mind…"
His eyes glimmered with evil light…
"Something far more… Overwhelming…"
He took a card from his hand.
"I play this…" he said. "The Ritual Spell known as Unholy Dragon Revival!"
Yumi and Sam opened their eyes in pure horror…
"He can't…" gasped Yumi.
"There are only eight confirmed copies of that Ritual Monster!" shouted Sam.
"Heh, heh," chuckled the Midnight Caller. "Well, you'll only find seven outside of Duelatopia! This ceremony doesn't work like any other Ritual… Rather than sacrificing a set amount of Levels, I must sacrifice five whole Monsters, and each one must be of a different Attribute…"
The five Monsters all walked to the center of the arena, and formed a circle. They threw up their arms, and flaming lines on the floor connected them…
…forming a five-pointed star.
"So now, I combine the energies of Dark, Water, Wind, Fire, and Earth, to call forth my F. G. D… The Five God Dragon!"
The five female Monsters erupted into multicolored bonfires, and were consumed…
…and then, a gigantic form rose behind the Midnight Caller, touching the ceiling of the large chamber. The huge Dragon had a hulking, pale torso with giant, bat-like wings and huge claws, and it had five hideous heads. One was blue and metallic, one was green and scaly, one was yellow with a spiked mane, one was literally made of fire, and the last was pitch black.
It bellowed a terrible roar that shook the whole chamber…
(5,000/5,000)
It makes sense in an ironic way… thought Chelsea, as sweat beaded on her forehead. That thing was inspired by legends of Tiamat… Likely the most powerful female figure in any mythology…
"Chelsea, don't panic!" shouted Yumi. "That thing can't attack this round!"
"Mmm, yes, perhaps…" said the Caller. "It can't actually attack on the round I summon it… But what it can do now is destroy everything on your side of the field."
Five blasts of energy shot from the huge beast's mouths, and Chelsea's Vampire Lady and Red Ghost Moon were vaporized.
"I won't give up, Caller!" shouted Chelsea.
"Oh?" asked the Caller. "Well, my four girls… They all fell to their knees and begged for mercy at this point.
"And by the way… My Dragon is almost untouchable. Dark, Water, Wind, Fire, and Earth Monsters can't destroy it.
"And just in case…"
He fit one of his last two cards into his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.
"The turn is yours. Fight on if you can… It will make your defeat all the sweeter…"
Chelsea drew a card.
"I play… Pot of Greed!" she shouted.
She played the card, and the evil jar appeared. She made two draws.
Her face fell when she saw what one of them was…
Dust Tornado… She had drawn it one round too late.
"I place a Monster in Defense Mode…" she said, placing a card on her Disk.
A facedown Monster appeared.
"Sorry, but I can't let you…" said the Caller.
His facedown card lifted.
"I activate Shadow of Eyes."
A pair of evil, hypnotic eyes appeared in front of him, and the card flipped face-up. A large, sandy turtle with a pyramid on its back leapt into Attack Mode. (1,200/1,400)
"No…" moaned Ren. "If that thing attacks her Pyramid Turtle… It's all over…"
Chelsea looked at her cards.
"Change of plans…" she said.
She threw all four of her remaining cards into her Disk, and they all appeared facedown in four bursts of light.
"Your move…" she said.
"Heh, heh…" said the Caller, drawing a card. "I doubt those four cards are anything but a desperate attempt at a bluff, my dear. But I don't have to take chances…
"I play… Giant Trunade!"
He played the card, and a fierce wind started to erupt over the field…
"Chain!" screamed Chelsea. "Go, Emergency Provisions!"
One of her facedown cards lifted, and a huge mouth appeared, swallowing her facedown Dust Tornado, Interdimensional Matter Transporter, and Symbol of Heritage.
"Now your Giant Trunade is wasted…" said Chelsea, with a smirk, "and I gained 3,000 Life Points to buffer your attack."
The Midnight Caller glared at her…
"So be it…" he said. "F. G. D… Incinerate her Pyramid Turtle! Pentecost Holocaust!"
A blast of fire, a cone of ice, a gust of wind, a bolt of lightning, and a beam of pure darkness shot from the Dragon's multiple mouths. The explosion blasted Pyramid Turtle to atoms and threw Chelsea backwards…
(C: 2,000) -------------------- (M: 4,100)
"Chelsea!" shouted Ren.
Chelsea slowly got up… Fires were burning around her…
"I activate… Pyramid Turtle's ability…" she gasped. "I get to Special Summon… from my deck… a Zombie with 2,000 Defense Points or less…
"Come on out, Penelope!"
In a flash of light, the imposing form of Penelope, the Lady of the Night appeared in front of Chelsea, brandishing her staff. (1,000/200)
Her eyes narrowed angrily when she saw the Midnight Caller.
He crossed his arms.
"Well, well, well…" he said. "I was hoping to finish you off with one attack from my Dragon…
"But this might be even better… So, Penelope, we meet again…"
"Wha…?" said Chelsea, surprised. "You… You couldn't have dueled someone else who used her… Her card hasn't been distributed yet…"
The Caller frowned.
"I knew the real Penelope…" he said. "Centuries before Duel Monsters ever existed… It was the high point of my… uhm, former life…"
He paused.
"Can you believe this guy?" asked Erik. "He's gotta be pulling our chain…"
"I knew about her for a long time," continued the Caller, "back when the race of vampires was numerous… She had taken it upon herself to hunt us down like some vampire slayer, even though she was one of us. Some called her a traitor, others simply called her insane…
"I wanted her with me… I had many concubines, but no true bride… To possess one who was a slayer was every vampire's dream... A dream that only the most powerful vampires ever achieved. I thought I was the equal of those who had succeeded in that goal…"
"Okay, now I don't think he's kidding…" said Erik, nervously.
"So I lured her to my chambers, and tried to trap her," continued the Caller, "but I underestimated her power, due to my cursed overconfidence. A fight broke out, which lasted most of the night. Neither of us could defeat the other, and she was forced to flee before the sun came up and made an end to both of us.
"I thought that I was safe from her resting in my coffin… After all, how could she attack me during the day? But she had a trick that I didn't anticipate. She used a special talisman that she had taken from another vampire that let her endure the sun for a short time, and she used that short time to find my coffin, and cast an incredibly powerful curse, sealing it shut with magic, and rendering me a prisoner of it.
"I was trapped, helpless. I did the only thing I could do – I entered the Vampire's Sleep, hoping that eventually, perhaps after a few centuries, natural atrophy would cause the curse to erode and lose its power.
"It eventually did, and I finally clawed my way out. I soon learned that Penelope had perhaps done me a favor. Had I not been trapped, I would surely have perished in the Great War where my race was exterminated. I almost thanked her for what she had done. Still, I was alone… Nothing remained of my previous life… I needed to search for a reason to exist…
"And then… Then I learned of another survivor of the war who turned to Duel Monsters… Of course, her methods were cruel even by vampire standards, and she perished. But I put my skills to better use…
"And now, Penelope, we meet again…"
He gestured to the huge Dragon.
"…but this time, the advantage is mine…"
"I don't think so, pal…" said Chelsea. "Because for each Zombie in my Graveyard, she gains 400 Attack Points."
Penelope glowed…
(4,600/200)
"Oh… no…" she muttered.
"HA, HA, HA, HA!" laughed the Caller. "It seems she came up one Zombie short! You should have kept better track, my dear…
"Heh, heh… I'm ending my turn now… But what will you do? No cards in your hand… And even if you draw a Zombie right now, you can't discard it for no reason."
Chelsea gulped…
It all comes down to this… she thought.
Everyone tensed as she drew one card…
She looked at it.
"I play… Graceful Charity!" she shouted.
In a beam of light, the beautiful angel appeared, and her feathers fell on Chelsea's deck. She drew three cards and looked at them.
"Now I discard two of these cards…" she said, "and just so you know…"
She showed him the cards, which were Vampire Genesis and Pyre Ghost.
"…they're both Zombies!"
She tossed the two cards, and Penelope rose to an Attack of 5,400.
"Oh, and one more thing…" she added. "Penelope is a Light Monster, which means she's just the right type of Monster to take down that five-headed freakshow!
"Penelope… Slay his Dragon! Light of Vengeance!"
Penelope leapt into the air, twirling her staff around… The great Dragon roared…
The Lady of the Night shot a blast of burning energy, and the Midnight Caller covered his eyes as the blast hit home. The F. G. D. howled before it was consumed in holy energy and was blasted into shards.
Everyone started cheering.
(C: 2,000) -------------------- (M: 3,700)
"I'll place my last card facedown, and end my turn," said Chelsea. "This duel is just about over."
A facedown card appeared.
The Caller glared at her in silence for a few seconds.
Chelsea tensed. There was no doubting the fiery light in his eyes this time. She was beginning to wonder just how much of the Eliminators of Duelatopia was real, and how much was smoke and mirrors…
He drew one card.
"Or so you think…" he said. "I play… The Shallow Grave. Now, we each Special Summon a Monster from our Graveyards in facedown Defense Mode… Since every Monster in your Graveyard is a Zombie, that will certainly bring Penelope's power down a notch."
A facedown Monster appeared on his side of the field, and one appeared on Chelsea's side of the field. Penelope fell to an Attack of 5,000.
"It's your move…"
Chelsea drew a card.
She thought for a minute…
The Monster I have facedown is Ryu Kokki, she thought. His Monster… It can be one of two things…
It could be Getsu Fuhma. If I attacked it with either Monster, it would be destroyed… but if I attacked with Ryu Kokki, I could attack directly with Penelope and win.
But…
It could also be his Dragon. If I attacked that with Ryu Kokki, I'd lose 2,600 Life Points, and I'd lose the duel. But if I attacked with Penelope, the battle would be a draw. Plus, it wouldn't count as a summon, so he couldn't use its effect. And Ryu Kokki would still be in Defense Mode.
No choice… I have to risk Penelope.
"Penelope, attack his Monster!"
Penelope fired her blast… An explosion burst on the card…
When the smoke cleared, a delicate-looking, female fairy with gossamer wings, clad only in her long, billowing hair, was crouching on the card. (300/1,600)
"Wha?" said Chelsea.
"That's my Sand Pixie," said the Caller. "Penelope cannot kill her, because she can only die in battle if she is attacked by a Monster that is Level Four or less."
"Wait!" shouted Chelsea. "Since when was she in your Graveyard?"
"Since your Blood Sucker made me discard her," replied the Caller. "This duel is not over yet."
Chelsea paused.
My facedown card is Call of the Haunted… she thought. But there are no Level Four Monsters in my Graveyard that can beat that Defense. My deck wasn't designed with Level Four beatsticks in mind…
"I have to end my turn…" she muttered.
The Midnight Caller drew a card.
"I play… A Feather of the Phoenix," he said, playing a Spell Card. "First, I discard the other card in my hand. And what use do I have for a Terraforming now anyway?"
He discarded his last card.
"Then I get to take any card I want from my Graveyard, and place it on top of my deck."
A card slipped out of his discard slot, and he placed it on his deck.
"By the way, my dear…" he said, "you didn't see me use this Spell Card either. I discarded it back when I used my own Graceful Charity. Next round, it will be mine.
"Your move…"
"A Spell Card?" asked Ren.
"And I think I know what it is…" said Yumi.
So do I… thought Chelsea. Fulfillment of the Contract. If he brings his Dragon back with that, Penelope will be destroyed, and I don't know what I'll do…
She drew a card.
She grinned.
"I activate… Call of the Haunted!" she shouted.
Her Trap Card lifted, and a coffin appeared on her side of the field. It opened, and Vampire Lady stepped out. (1,550/1,550)
"Now I play… Rush Recklessly!"
She played the card she had just drawn, and Vampire Lady shot up to an Attack of 2,250.
"In case you didn't notice," she said, "Vampire Lady is Level Four.
"Vampire Lady, attack the Sand Pixie!"
Sand Pixie cowered in fright. Vampire Lady flew forward, and with one slash of her claw, the Fairy shattered into bits.
The Midnight Caller stepped back in fear…
"Penelope…" ordered Chelsea. "Attack directly! Light of Vengeance!"
The light storm erupted around Penelope, and she cast her lethal spell. The Midnight Caller hollered, and was thrown backwards, and he landed roughly on the floor in front of the organ.
(C: 2,000) -------------------- (M: 0)
"Well…" said Sam. "She actually did it… Lucky…"
Penelope grinned. She and Vampire Lady slowly vanished.
The Midnight Caller slowly rose to his feet.
"Well…" he said with a sigh.
He held his gut.
"Oh, my aching kidneys…"
He paused.
"Well," he sighed, "it seems that she hasn't lost her touch, and her power lives on in you, Chelsea… I commend you…"
He waved his hand, and Chelsea's badge changed color, turning to Silver.
"So now I'm supposed to get a card and some other gift?" asked Chelsea.
"Indeed," said the Caller, as he walked up to her.
A card appeared in his hand, and he handed it to Chelsea.
"I've been searching a long time for one whom I could give this special card to," he said. "It's a card that has a little of me in it…"
Chelsea looked at it.
"If you ask me," she said, "it has a LOT of you in it. Are you sure I can use this in the same deck with Penelope?"
"Consider this a peace offering from me to her," he replied. "After all, were it not for her curse, I'd likely be dead.
"As for your gift… I know your power. You can see undead spirits. You also wish to help them, but you are clueless as to how…"
He held Chelsea by the arms.
"Let me help you in that regard…"
His eyes glowed, and he stared at Chelsea without blinking. Her eyes widened in surprise, and then they glowed as well…
"Chelsea!" shouted Ren.
"Wait…" said Yumi.
The glowing stopped, and the Midnight Caller released her.
The large doors behind them slowly opened.
"Go now," he said. "And good luck using what I have given you…"
Chelsea turned to the others.
"What did he do?" asked Ren, anxiously.
"Something that's gonna help a great deal," said Chelsea, as they walked out the doors.
"Starting tonight, I stop easing torment, and start ending it…"
That remark was a little confusing, but she seemed to know what she was talking about. They walked up the stairs, into the museum proper…
…not knowing that somewhere else on the island, another Shadow Charm was starting to wake up…
Having defeated the Midnight Caller, Chelsea exits the vampire's parlor at Silver status, and possibly with her powers enhanced. But more trouble is brewing… Who will reach the next Shadow Charm first?
0
0
0
TOMB OF THE ELDERS (Spell Card)
Field Spell
Image: A dark tomb with five sarcophagi against the wall.
Card Description: During each of your five Standby Phases after you play this card, so long as it remains on the field, choose one Monster in your hand, deck, or Graveyard that is Level Four or less that can be Normal Summoned and remove it from play. On your sixth Standby Phase after playing this card, so long as this card remains on the field, destroy all Monsters on your side of the field, then Special Summon the five Monsters you removed from play with this card's effect, then remove this card from play.
0
0
0
MYSTERY SUMMON (Spell Card)
Equip Spell
Image: A shadowy silhouette of a man surrounded by question marks.
Card Description: Pay 1,000 Life Points. Pick up cards from the top of your deck until you reach a Monster that can be Normal Summoned. Special Summon that Monster in Attack Position and Equip it with this card. Shuffle the rest of the picked up cards back into your deck. If this card is removed from the field, destroy the Equipped Monster.
0
0
0
SAND PIXIE (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Fairy/Effect
Attribute:
Earth
Level:
4
ATK:
300
DEF:
1,600
Card Description: This card cannot be destroyed as a result of battle by Monsters that are Level Five or higher. (Damage calculation still applies.)
0
0
0
UNHOLY DRAGON REVIVAL (Spell Card)
Ritual Spell
Image: A five-pointed star surrounded by flaming braziers.
Card Description: This card is used to Ritual Summon "F. G. D.". You must offer as a Tribute from the field or your hand five Monsters, one of each Attribute except LIGHT.
0
0
0
F. G. D. (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Dragon/Ritual/Effect
Attribute:
Dark
Level:
12
ATK:
5,000
DEF:
5,000
Card Description: This card is Ritual Summoned via the effect of "Unholy Dragon Revival". You must also offer as a Tribute from the field or your hand five Monsters, one of each Attribute except LIGHT. This card cannot attack on the round it is summoned. On the round this card is summoned, destroy all Monsters, Spell Cards, and Trap Cards on your opponent's side of the field. This card does not take any battle damage and cannot be destroyed as a result of battle with EARTH, WATER, FIRE, WIND, or DARK Monsters. (Battle damage is still inflicted to players.)
Note: The Ritual version of "F. G. D." (called by its original name here to differentiate it from the Fusion version) was first used by the Big Five in the original anime episode "Merger of the Big Five". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0
0
0
Ren: It's happening again, Yumi! Another Shadow Charm has appeared, and we have to win it from another of Rasputin's goons.
Chelsea: This is too much… We can't take more of these deadly games…
Sam: Step aside, twerps… The Consort of Ha Des won't lose to any thug duelist!
Yumi: Sam? Be careful… It's gonna be a tough fight.
Coming up next, "Sam's Challenge; The Ring of Spirits".
Sam: Shadow Game or not, it's still a duel to me.