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CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
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Thirty Minutes of Desperation
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Erik versus the Deck of Darkness
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There were only a few times in the life of the Mouto family when a member simply didn't know what to do. This was one of those times.
It was truly a lose-lose situation, and it seemed to Yumi that she had rescued her friends for nothing.
This mysterious masked woman – if she was a woman, there was more than a little doubt in her mind – who seemed to get her wardrobe from Fredrick's of Hollywood and called herself an ambassador, had all of them except her caught in a spell that manifested as flames of pure darkness. If what she said was true, she could make them as deadly as real flames at any time, and burn them to ashes. And that was just what she intended to do. In the meantime, the flames also forced them to keep their distance. Her friends could barely move.
This ambassador was willing to duel, but it hardly made a difference. She had stated that even a victory on their side wouldn't change her intentions. She would kill them anyway.
She hadn't cast the spell on Yumi, due to a claim that she was needed alive – for now. But Yumi could hardly get up to face her. She didn't have the strength to stand yet, having just recovered from her ordeal.
What do I do? she thought.
"So…" chuckled the ambassador. "Who's it going to be? Who wants to duel one final time?"
Erik glared at her.
He struggled against the flaming bindings, and wrenched himself off the floor.
"Did I say you could get up?" asked the ambassador.
She waved her hand, and he fell to his knees again.
Erik struggled again. He slowly got up again.
"Listen, bitch…" he said with a scowl, "knock me down as much as you want, I'm not going to grovel when I talk to you…"
"You really want to die, don't you?" she asked.
"You're gonna kill us all anyway," said Erik, "so I'm thinking I don't have much to lose…"
The ambassador looked at him.
"Good point…" she said.
"Look, let's have some answers," he said. "Do you even have a name?"
"Yes, I have one," she said. "But I won't speak it yet. If you cooperate, it may be the last thing I tell you."
"I'll pass…" said Erik. "But why do you call yourself an ambassador anyway?"
"Because I am one," she replied. "Are you calling me a liar?"
"An ambassador is a representative for a nation or similar world power," said Erik. "May I ask whom you represent?"
"It isn't a nation that the UN recognizes," she replied. "I'm afraid this is a secret that I must leave unrevealed.
"Let's just say that Rasputin is working with a partner now, someone who is allied with the head of state of the place I represent. Since I've been working with Rasputin for a while myself, I'm working as a go-between."
"Who's this partner?" asked Erik.
The ambassador chuckled.
"He's someone who's both a lover and fighter," she said. "Excellent in both areas. But I'm afraid only Yumi will get to meet him."
"Yeah, well what's the point of dueling if you're going to kill us anyway?" he asked.
"Fun," she said with a shrug.
Everyone stared at her.
"So then you're a sadist…" he said. "Well sorry, I won't duel for your amusement, and I doubt any of us here will either. We have our pride, you know, and…"
"Erik!" said Anastasia's voice.
"Huh?" said Erik.
"Erik, duel her," said Anastasia.
"What…" started Erik.
"Don't say it, just think it," said Anastasia. "I'll be able to hear you."
Erik paused.
Why should I duel her? he asked.
"Because," said Anastasia. "I think I know what she is. I have the power to save all of you, and she hasn't noticed me yet.
"The problem is, I need time. If you duel her and make it last long enough, she can truly be defeated."
Erik paused.
How long do you need? he asked.
"Give me thirty minutes," she said. "That's all I require…"
Erik looked at the ambassador.
He reached into his pocket.
There was the small box full of chocolate truffles. The ones Janustein gave him.
He quickly took one and shoved it into his mouth. He closed his eyes as he chewed it.
"All right, whoever you are," he said, placing his deck in his Disk. "I changed my mind. I'd rather go down fighting…"
The ambassador chuckled.
"Very well…" she said. "I will grant you a warrior's death… Prepare…"
Both Disks activated.
"Game on!" they both shouted.
(Erik: 8,000) -------------------- (?: 8,000)
"You'd better know what you're doing, Erik!" shouted Sam.
"Don't worry, baby," said Erik, "I can take her…
"So why the mask? Did that supermodel figure come with a face that could stop a clock?"
He cringed as the flames around him intensified.
"Erik, you should know better than to insult someone who has you trapped in a spell of chaos fire," said the ambassador.
"But anyway… You make the first move…"
Erik made his first draw.
"Okay, let's see here…" he muttered.
He looked over his hand of cards.
"What to play, what to play…" he said.
"Are you trying to stall for some reason?" asked his opponent, angrily.
"Uh, no!" gulped Erik, taking a card from his hand.
She's onto me, he thought, placing a card on his Disk. Whatever Anne is planning, I can't ruin it…
A facedown Monster appeared.
I've just got to duel, and hope I can make it last long enough. Let's pray that her deck doesn't use an OTK strategy.
"My draw…" said the ambassador.
She drew a card from her deck and looked at it.
"I play the Spell Card, Terraforming," she said, playing it.
She took her deck from her holder.
"I'm sure everyone here knows how this works. It lets me search for any Field Spell I desire, and add it to my hand."
"Next, I summon this guy…"
A chilling wind started to blow through the gear housing…
"Appear before me, Shadowknight Archfiend!"
The winds picked up even fiercer, and a horrid creature appeared on the field. It was a tall, winged demon, dressed in plate armor, the breastplate resembling a horse's skull. He held a longsword in one hand, and had a wicked looking claw for the other. (2,000/1,600)
"Good lord…" muttered Sam.
"An Archfiend…" said Ren. "Chels, didn't your dad use these cards?"
Chelsea nodded.
"That Field Spell she searched for can only be one thing…" she said.
"Your assumption is dead wrong, Chelsea," said the ambassador. "It isn't Pandemonium."
"Huh?" said Chelsea. "But… but… Without Pandemonium, you have to pay Life Points every round for Archfiends! And what other Field Spell could possibly benefit them?"
"I'll show you in a minute," replied the ambassador. "For now… Shadowknight, attack with shadowblade."
The Shadowknight flew at the facedown card, and Giant Rat appeared on it. With one swipe of his longsword, the rodent was cut in half.
"I activate Giant Rat's ability," said Erik. "When he bites the dust in battle, I get to summon an Earth Monster with a low Attack Score.
"So I'll bring out my trusty Toy Soldier."
In a burst of energy, a Toy Soldier appeared. Shadowknight chuckled as the much smaller Monster pointed its weapon. (800/300)
"So be it…" said the ambassador. "Now, as for that Field Spell…"
She placed the card in her Field Slot.
"I play… Pazunia."
There was a clap of thunder. The gear housing faded away, and a series of stone monoliths rose around them.
Erik looked around. They were on a blasted wasteland, full of jagged rocks and twisted trees. The sky above was grey and stormy, and winged demons flew by overhead. Surrounding the arena itself were six standing stones. Each one was marked with a fiery symbol. Erik clearly saw that they were Roman numerals, for the numbers one through six.
"Pazunia?" he asked. "What is this place?"
"Allow me to explain," said the ambassador. "The Archfiends didn't always rule Pandemonium, the capital of Dark World, which is Hell for Duel Monsters. According to one legend, the original rulers of the place were naturally the Dark World Fiends. But the Archfiends conquered Dark World, and threw them out of Pandemonium.
"This legend hints that the Archfiends ruled another realm before taking over Pandemonium…"
She threw up her arms.
"Welcome to the ancestral home of the Archfiends! Welcome to Pazunia!"
"Swell…" said Erik. "What does this Field Spell of yours do?"
"Well, like Pandemonium, it has two effects," said the ambassador. "The first effect is the same as the first effect of Pandemonium; neither player has to pay Life Points to keep Archfiends on the field.
"The second effect…
"Well, you'll find that out if I need to use it. In the meantime, I end my turn. Just try to defeat my Shadowknight."
Erik drew a card.
"I activate Toy Soldier's special ability," he said. "When he's on the field, I can summon two more from my deck."
Two more Toy Soldiers appeared next to the first.
"Next, I play the Spell Card, Forced March."
The Attack Scores of the three Soldiers fell to 400 apiece. Their eyebrows narrowed angrily as they pointed their muskets.
"No more time to play!" shouted Erik. "It's time to be serious!
"Open fire!"
The three Soldiers knelt down on one knee, and fired three blasts from their muskets. The ambassador grunted as she was hit by them.
"Ergh…" she said, holding her chest. "Merely a flesh wound… I've taken far worse…"
"I throw a card facedown, and end my turn," said Erik.
A facedown card appeared in front of him.
(E: 8,000) -------------------- (?: 6,800)
I know Shadowknight's weakness, he thought. When it attacks, I'll only take half the damage I normally would from a Monster with 2,000 Attack Points. So even if she summons a second Monster, with my Trap Card, I won't lose that many.
"Well, he's winning…" muttered Chelsea. "At least we may go out with dignity…"
The ambassador drew a card.
She looked at it. It was hard to tell her expression with the mask, but Erik had a feeling she had gotten a good draw.
"Or so you think," she said. "Since I have one Archfiend on the field, I can summon one of the strongest ones. I summon the King of the Archfiends… Terrorking Archfiend."
A bonfire erupted on her side of the field, and a monstrous demon stepped out. His body looked like it was made of exposed muscle, held in place by a framework of metallic, sharpened bones. His face was that of a fiendish skull, topped by a French crown, and he had huge wings and a long cape on his back. (2,000/1,500)
The ambassador chuckled.
"I could attack your Toy Soldiers," she said. "But… I could hurt you even more by playing this Spell Card…"
She fit a card into her Disk.
"I play Checkmate."
"Checkmate?" said Ren. "I don't like the sound of that…"
"She gets to sacrifice one Archfiend," said Chelsea, nervously, "and in return, Terrorking can attack directly."
"Exactly," said the ambassador. "So, Shadowknight, begone…"
Shadowknight vanished in a flaming burst, and Terrorking flew up, and perched on one of the monoliths behind the duelist. He pointed at Erik, and his claw glowed.
"I activate my facedown card!" shouted Erik, as his card lifted up. "Enemy Controller!"
The large video game pad appeared in front of him.
"Now I can move your king to Defense Mode before he can attack me, so that sacrifice was a big waste."
"Or so you'd like to believe…" said his opponent.
All of a sudden, fires erupted on the tops all six of the monoliths. Terrorking didn't seem to mind in the least that he was in the middle of one.
"Apparently you don't know that nothing is ever certain when you oppose an Archfiend," said the ambassador. "When one of them is targeted by Spell, Trap, or Monster effect, the whims of chance intervene.
"Five of these bonfires will now be extinguished, leaving one burning at random. If that one is the one on the monolith marked two, or the one marked five, your Enemy Controller will fail."
Everyone watched anxiously…
Five of the fires died out…
The one still burning was the one on the four.
"HA!" laughed Sam. "You lose!"
"Not yet I haven't Sam…" replied the ambassador.
Then, to everyone's surprise, all six bonfires erupted again.
"What's happening?" shouted Erik.
"Now I reveal the second effect of my Field Spell," replied the ambassador. "If I make a roll to activate the negation effect for an Archfiend and it fails that roll, I get to disregard that roll and roll a second time."
"No fair!" shouted Erik.
"Blame the card designers!" laughed the ambassador.
The flames died down again…
This time, the flame that remained burning was the one on the stone marked two. Which, coincidentally, was the one Terrorking was standing on.
The Enemy Controller was blown to bits.
"Heh, heh…" said the ambassador. "I said I'd duel you… I never said I'd let you win…
"Terrorking… Attack him directly!"
Terrorking fired a blast of white-hot flames from his claw, and Erik screamed. He fell to his knees again.
(E: 6,000) -------------------- (?: 6,800)
He panted for breath… He slowly got up.
"It's your move…" said his opponent.
Erik made a draw.
Ring of Destruction… he thought, looking at it.
He looked at his hand.
And I have Ring of Defense too… But the chances of it actually working are… Uhm…
Well, they… aren't very good…
Aw, heck with it…
"I set two cards facedown on the field, and move my Soldiers to Defense Mode," he said.
Two facedown cards appeared, and the three Soldiers knelt in Defense Mode.
"That's all," he said.
The ambassador drew a card.
"I activate Ring of Destruction!" shouted Erik.
His Trap Card lifted, and Terrorking roared as the ring of grenades formed around his neck.
"Don't be so sure…" said the ambassador.
The six bonfires ignited again. Everyone watched.
Five of them went out, leaving the one on the three lit.
"Seems you lost that roll," said Erik.
"How soon we forget…" she replied.
The bonfires blasted again…
"Don't give up, Erik!" shouted Sam. "You've got more than a fifty percent chance now!"
Five of them went out, leaving the one on the five this time.
"Crud…" said Erik.
The Ring of Destruction crumbled into dust.
"Maybe now you'll see that trying to use these cards against my Archfiends is a big waste," said the ambassador. "Now I summon Vilepawn Archfiend."
The ground in front of her cracked, and a new Archfiend crawled out of the soil. Like Terrorking, its body was made up of exposed muscle and bone, but its face was much more skull-like. It had a long sword blade in place of a right hand, and a huge claw for the left. (1,200/200)
"And by the way," she continued. "So long as he's on the field, you aren't allowed to attack any Archfiends except Vilepawns.
"Vilepawn, attack the first Toy Soldier."
The Vilepawn slammed its blade into the ground, and a shockwave tore across the field, shattering the Toy Soldier in the middle to pieces.
"Terrorking, attack with locust storm barrage."
Terrorking's eyes glowed. Then his chest burst open, and a swarm of insects flew out, plowing into another of the Toy Soldiers and eating him alive.
"Gross…" muttered Sam. "No wonder Ha Des doesn't deal with these things…"
The ambassador laughed.
"Ha Des?" she said. "He's an upstart. He wouldn't know the true meaning of Evil if it slugged him in the face."
"Oh, that's it…" said Sam.
She struggled against the flames holding her down, and stood up.
"Sam, no!" shouted Yumi.
It was a surprise to everyone, because she hadn't spoken for a while.
"The rules of the duel are still in effect," muttered Yumi. "If anyone on our side interferes, Erik loses."
"Sam, sit down," said Erik. "I can handle this skank."
Sam sat down with her face in a sulk.
"My, my," said the ambassador. "Seems someone really wants a painful demise once this is over."
Erik ignored the remark as he drew a card.
He smirked.
"First I'll play Emergency Provisions," he said.
The card appeared, and the Ring of Defense lifted up and vanished.
"Next, I'll throw a new card facedown, and summon Toy Magician."
A facedown card appeared, and the toy sorcerer appeared in a burst of light. (1,600/1,500)
"Attack the Vilepawn!" he ordered. "Sparkle blast!"
Toy Magician shot his blast of glowing motes at the smaller Fiend, and it exploded into a shower of pebbles.
(E: 7,000) -------------------- (?: 6,400)
"Bishop takes pawn," muttered Erik. "I end my turn."
The ambassador looked at him as she drew a card. Even with the mask, it was clear to see she was angry.
"Terrorking…" she ordered. "Attack his Toy Magician!"
Terrorking roared again, and the storm of locusts burst from his chest.
"Gotcha!" shouted Erik. "I happen to know that an Archfiend's negation ability is powerless against THIS!
"Go Mirror Force!"
His facedown card lifted, and Terrorking exploded in a blast of flames.
"You little brat!" cursed the ambassador.
"Not so confident now, are you?" asked Erik, with a grin.
The ambassador didn't answer. She simply took a card from her hand, and discarded it into her Graveyard slot.
A bonfire erupted on the field again, and Terrorking stepped out again. And this time, he was mad. (2,000/1,500)
"How'd she do that?" shouted Ren.
"That card she discarded…" said Chelsea. "It was a Desrook Archfiend. She can use it to bring Terrorking back if it's destroyed… By anything."
"Terrorking, show that Toy Magician that you won't be so easily vanquished," said the ambassador.
The locust storm plowed into Toy Magician, and he groaned before bursting into shards.
"Now I play Premature Burial," she said. "I'll resurrect my Vilepawn as well…"
She played the card, and Vilepawn appeared again. (1,200/200)
"…and that concludes my turn."
(E: 6,600) -------------------- (?: 5,600)
Erik nervously drew a card.
He placed a card on his Disk, and a new facedown Monster appeared.
"That's all I can do…" he muttered.
The ambassador made a draw.
"I play Pot of Greed," she said.
She played the card, and then drew twice.
"Time for someone new," she said. "I summon the Queen of the Archfiends… Infernalqueen Archfiend."
Another bonfire erupted on her side of the field, and a new Archfiend appeared. Like the ones previously, her torso was made up of exposed muscle and bone, but it was shaped into a female form. Her skull-like face bore a jeweled tiara on top, and a mane of long, tangled, hair was behind. She wore a long, flowing cape under her wings. (900/1,500)
"Man, there's a girl who looks like she fell off the ugly tree," said Ren.
"Yeah, and hit every ugly branch on the way down!" added Sam, trying not to laugh.
"HEY!" shouted Chelsea. "These were my dad's cards in case you forgot? So show some respect!"
Then all three of them screamed as the flaming auras around them intensified.
"No audience participation, if you don't mind!" ordered the ambassador.
She sighed.
"Now..." she continued, "I must, under incredible protest, play this Spell Card… Court of the Ninth Circle."
"Huh?" said Chelsea. "My dad never used that one…"
The Spell Card appeared on the field, and Yumi didn't like the look of it at all. The artwork depicted Terrorking and Infernalqueen holding Dark Magician Girl captive with chains.
"I'd like to get my hands on whoever designed this card," said the ambassador. "The name suggests that the Archfiends are devils, when they're clearly demons.
"But anyway, with both Terrorking and Infernalqueen on the field, this Spell lets me Special Summon an Archfiend from my deck, up to Level Four."
She took her deck and looked through the cards.
"Now let's see… There are so many possibilities…"
That's it… thought Erik. Take your time… The longer you take, the better chance we can get out of this mess…
She finally put a card on her Disk, and a swirl of blue energy appeared on the ground…
"I choose Darkbishop Archfiend, in Attack Mode."
The new Archfiend that appeared was one that one had to see to believe. It was dressed in an evil parody of a clergyman's vestments. Its skull-like head had a bony protrusion on top that might have passed for a bishop's miter, and it clutched a long scepter topped with a fanged human skull. (300/1,400)
"You could have Special Summoned any Archfiend up to Level Four," said Erik, "and you summoned a weakling?"
"It may be physically weak," said the ambassador, "but it has a powerful ability. Like all Archfiends, if it is targeted by a card effect, a roll of the die can negate it.
"But… When it's on the field, if any other Archfiend fails its roll, then it can roll and negate it for that Archfiend. Also, Darkbishop's chance of winning the roll is greater than most other Archfiends, succeeding fifty percent of the time."
"But that means…" said Ren.
"I'll tell you what it means…" said Yumi. "She already has a Field Spell that gives her Archfiends two chances to avoid a targeting effect. With that guy, she has four chances. The odds of any targeting effect ever actually reaching one of them is now incredibly slim."
"This is not fair…" said Erik.
"Life isn't fair," said the ambassador. "You put so much faith in the higher powers, but you seem to forget the story of Job.
"Terrorking, attack his facedown Monster."
The burst of insects shot at the card. Giant Rat appeared on the card, and was blown to bits.
"I activate Giant Rat's effect…" muttered Erik.
"Fool," said the ambassador. "You can't. Terrorking negates the effect of any Monster he destroys."
Chelsea sighed.
"I'm afraid she's right, Erik," she said.
"Infernalqueen, wipe out the last Toy Soldier. Terror flames!"
Infernalqueen cackled, and cast a fiery spell at the Toy Soldier, burning it to a crisp.
"Vilepawn, Darkbishop, attack him directly!"
Vilepawn leapt at Erik, and slashed across his chest with its sword. Erik clutched his chest in pain.
Then Darkbishop raised its staff, and a beam of blue energy shot from it, hitting him in the chest.
"For my final move of the turn," said the ambassador, "I play a Spell Card. It's called Archfiend's Favor. I need Pandemonium on the field to use this, and since Pazunia is assumed to have the same name as Pandemonium, I can. Now, for each Fiend-Type Monster on the field, my Life Points go up by 500."
She played the card, and all four Archfiends were surrounded by those evil, dark flames. Then the same flames surrounded her, but they seemed to energize her rather than hurt her.
"It's your move…"
(E: 5,100) -------------------- (?: 7,600)
Erik looked at the one card in his hand, which was Toy Memorial. He was waiting for the right time to play it, and unless he got the best draw ever this turn, it would be the time.
He drew.
Pot of Avarice.
Have to play Toy Memorial first, he thought. If I play Pot of Avarice first, Toy Memorial will be useless.
"I play Toy Memorial," he said, playing the card. "Now, at the cost of skipping my Battle Phase, I get one draw for each card in my Graveyard with the word 'Toy' in its name. With three Toy Soldiers and one Toy Magician, that's four."
He made four draws. He looked them over.
"And I got some good ones," he said. "Next, I play Symbol of Heritage. Since I have three Monsters in my Graveyard with the same name, I can summon one of them to the field."
He played one of the cards, and the strange ankh appeared. Toy Soldier appeared in front of him. (800/300)
"But he's going right back to the Graveyard," he continued. "Because now I'm playing Crowning of the Emperor."
Toy Soldier held his gun by his side, and saluted before vanishing into swirls of light.
With a galloping sound, Toy Emperor rode onto the field, and slashed at the air with his saber. (2,300/800)
"Is that supposed to scare me?" asked the ambassador.
"I'm not done," said Erik. "Next, my Pot of Avarice."
He played the card, and five cards fell out of his Graveyard: All three Toy Soldiers, Toy Magician, and Giant Rat.
He placed them in his deck, reshuffled, and then drew twice.
"Now I'll summon a second Toy Magician, and place a card facedown."
A new Toy Magician appeared in a burst of light. (1,600/1,500) Then a facedown card appeared.
"Your move…"
The ambassador chuckled as she drew a card.
"So foolish…" she said. "You think your pathetic Emperor can one-up my king…
"You forget Infernalqueen's effect. While she's on the field, she can increase the Attack Score of any Archfiend Monster by 1,000 for one round."
Terrorking Archfiend burned with the black fire again, and his Attack Score rose to 3,000.
She played a Spell Card.
"But before I attack, I play Card of Sanctity. Draw your cards. I don't care what you get."
They started drawing. She drew five cards, while Erik drew four.
"Show him who the true emperor is!" she shouted. "Locust storm barrage!"
Terrorking's chest burst open, and the swarm shot towards Toy Emperor…
"Go, Spell Card!" shouted Erik. "Rush Recklessly!"
"Huh?" said the ambassador.
"Surprised?" laughed Erik. "I knew all about Infernalqueen's ability!"
Toy Emperor's Attack Score rose to 3,000. He pointed his sword forward and charged at the Archfiend.
"Caramba!" shouted Enrique. "Their Attack Scores are equal! They'll kill each other!"
Both Erik and his opponent staggered backwards as both Monsters were blown to pieces in a mighty blast.
"Terrorking!" shouted the ambassador.
"It was your own fault…" said Erik.
The ambassador growled.
"I move my other three Monsters to Defense Mode," she said.
Infernalqueen, Vilepawn, and Darkbishop knelt and covered themselves with their wings.
"Then," she said, "I play the Spell Card, Blazes of Demise. I can't summon a Monster on the round on I use this card, but I do get two Dark Blaze Phantom Tokens."
Two mysterious flames appeared on her side of the field. They formed into two strange creatures. They looked like ghosts made of dark fire, each with one eye. They shielded themselves in Defense Mode. (0/0 x2)
So what is she going to do with them? thought Erik.
"Draw!" he said, drawing.
He added the card to his hand.
"I summon Blockman in Attack Mode!"
In another burst of light, the stocky man made out of Legos appeared. (1,000/1,500)
"Blockman," he said, "knock Vilepawn's block off!"
Blockman leapt into the air, and socked Vilepawn with its fist, blowing it into rocky pieces.
"Toy Magician, take out Infernalqueen!"
Toy Magician cast his spell, and the evil queen screamed before she exploded in a burst of fire and smoke.
"That's all for me, sister," said Erik.
His opponent drew a card.
Thunder rolled again.
"You fight well…" she muttered. "But it's time to teach you a lesson…
"I sacrifice my two Tokens…"
The two Tokens vanished in plumes of black flames.
"A double sacrifice?" said Chelsea. "No Archfiends need two sacrifices…"
"You thought wrong," said the ambassador. "Remember Infernalqueen? For the Queen of the Archfiends, she didn't seem very formidable, did she?
"Well, I'm going to treat you all to a little secret… I'm going to show you the true form of Queen of the Archfiends in all her glory!
"I call forth Prisonqueen Archfiend!"
An explosion of flames erupted from where the two Tokens were, and a horrid creature appeared. It looked similar to Infernalqueen, but much darker, much more intimidating, and much more evil… Her wrists and ankles were bound with shackles that she had apparently broken from their moorings. (2,600/1,700)
No-one was more shocked than Chelsea. Her father had never used this Archfiend.
"Man, if that's Infernalqueen's true form," said Sam, "I'd hate to see Terrorking's…"
"I think I'm in trouble…" muttered Erik.
"More than you could ever dream!" shouted his opponent. "Prisonqueen, destroy his Blockman with chaos inferno!"
Dark flames appeared in Prisonqueen's hands. She shot a flaming blast of dark energy at Blockman, and he exploded into his component blocks.
(E: 3,500) -------------------- (?: 7,600)
Erik stared at her.
Whatever Anne is cooking up had better work, he thought. I don't think I can hold her off much longer…
"I set one card facedown," said his opponent, "and I end my turn."
Erik quickly drew a card.
Hey… he thought.
"First…" he said, "I play Monster Reborn. I'll bring Giant Rat back in Defense Mode."
The holy ankh appeared in golden fire, and the huge rodent appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,400/1,450)
"I'll move Toy Magician to Defense Mode too."
Toy Magician knelt, and shielded himself.
"Next…" he said, "I'll remove one Spell Card from play to Special Summon Spell Striker."
Pot of Avarice fell out of his discard slot, and he pocketed it. The toy wizard with the big smile appeared on the field. (600/200)
"You're going to stand up to my Queen with that pathetic thing?" asked the ambassador.
"Yes, once I also summon his little friend…" said Erik. "Come on out, Armor Breaker!"
He played another card, and the short, stout Warrior with a huge hammer for a helmet appeared. (800/800)
"Oh, please…" she said.
"Don't underestimate my guys," said Erik. "Your Queen isn't the first Goliath that my Davids have slain. Guys… do it."
Armor Breaker leapt into the air and spun around like a top. In a flash of light, he transformed into a big hammer. Spell Striker caught it as fell back down.
Spell Striker frowned, and looked at the ambassador.
"And if you think that's cool," said Erik, "Spell Striker can attack directly."
"I dare you!" she replied.
"Okay…" said Erik. "Go!"
Spell Striker leapt at the ambassador. She grunted as he clobbered her with the hammer and she took a step backwards.
(E: 3,500) -------------------- (?: 7,000)
"Are you quite done?" she asked.
"Not by a long shot," said Erik. "When a Monster deals damage when he's swinging Armor Breaker, he gains the ability to destroy one card on the field."
The ambassador chuckled.
"Well sure," she said. "Go ahead and try…"
The bonfires erupted on the monoliths again.
"Yeah, I know…" said Erik. "If I try it on your Queen, your Darkbishop can try to negate that effect and destroy Spell Striker. And even if the first roll fails, your Field Spell gives you a second chance.
"So you know what? I'm not aiming for your Queen. The card I'm going to destroy…
"…is Pazunia itself."
The ambassador gasped.
"And since it's clearly not an Archfiend," said Erik, "I'm willing to bet its own protection against targeting effects is very limited, if not nonexistent."
"Hold on!" she shouted. "Stop!"
There was no stopping Spell Striker. He slammed the mallet into the ground, and a veritable earthquake struck the field. Everyone held on, as the mountains crumbled to dust, the broken land split open, and the six monoliths were smashed to pieces.
Through the cataclysm, the ambassador strained and struggled, and her mask flew from her face…
"Her face!" shouted Ren.
Everyone strained to get a close look.
They were somewhat surprised. Her face seemed as beautiful as the rest of her body, with flawless skin, no blemishes, and a healthy color.
Then she opened her eyes, causing everyone to jump.
They were pupiless, and glowing red.
"So, you wanted to see my true face?" she asked, with a voice full of bile.
Two fiendish horns sprouted from her forehead.
"Well, since I lost the item that was masking the illusion, I have no choice but to show you everything…"
Two huge, dark, batlike wings unfolded from her back. Her skin turned from flesh-colored to a coppery sheen.
"So… Like what you see?"
"No…" said Erik. "Who in blazes are you?"
"I won't tell you my real name," said the creature. "My people must keep our names secret from mortals, because that information might be used against us. And you might, by some miracle, escape to do so.
"I'll simply use the name that Rasputin identified me with… And I can do so because he isn't listening.
"Claret."
Everyone except Enrique gasped.
"Que?" said Enrique. "Am I missing something here?"
"Claret?" said Yumi, pulling herself to her feet. "The succubus who tried to sacrifice Stephansdom in an unholy ritual?"
The demoness nodded.
"But you're dead!" shouted Ren. "He killed you."
"Thinking that he had succeeded was his first and biggest mistake," said Claret.
She grinned a grin that made their blood run cold.
"When you set out to kill a demon," she said, "and both of you are on a material world, always make sure you know how the demon came to your world in the first place.
"The reason is simple. If you succeed, whether or not the demon is truly dead depends on how it came to your world. If it came via its own accord, then rest assured, it is truly dead. You can sleep soundly knowing it will never trouble mortals again.
"But I never arrived on Earth via my own free will. I was summoned by a foolish conjurer. He was a lustful rake who thought that having a succubus as a concubine would make him superior to others. He was an upstart, nothing like the sorcerer I'm working with now…"
"The one you're working with now?" said Yumi. "Rasputin's new partner?"
Claret paused. She nodded. Then she continued.
"After I disabled his wards and killed him – and trust me, he died happy – I was free to roam the Earth, and saw an opportunity… I saw Stephansdom in the Vienna skyline.
"Malcanthet encourages the succubi in her employ to perform the ascension ritual. I had everything to gain by doing so. By sacrificing this mighty pillar of goodness, I could evolve into a temptress capable of seducing even minor powers.
"But Rasputin wasn't fooled by my attempt to seduce the congregation. In fact, he turned the tables on me.
"Wine tainted with Tears of the Couatl… I never stood a chance.
"Rasputin, however, didn't see the smile on my lips right before I died…
"For you see, since I had been summoned, my death wasn't permanent. After a week or two, my body reformed back in Malcanthet's home realm, and I woke up none the worse for wear.
"Still, I wasn't in a very good situation. In fact, my situation was quite dire. Malcanthet was known for dearly punishing succubi who had attempted the ritual and failed. Such failures are bad for her reputation. I was facing life as Malcanthet's slave at best. Or being sold as one to an allied demon lord at worst. I thought of my sister succubi who had failed, and were now serving as Demogorgon's harem girls. I had laughed at them when they were dragged away by his representatives… Now the same fate might have been awaiting me.
"I panicked…
"And when the soldiers of my mistress's army finally realized I was there, I fled in fear. And in doing so, I foolishly cut off my route to the realm's most common exit. I had, in my haste, fled into the dark forest where only the more martial demons went.
"I knew of another exit located in this woods… A portal. But my other sisters had warned me never to go near it. This portal led to the realm of a demon lord far more powerful than Malcanthet, whom even she was afraid of.
"I saw the ominous portal before me. I heard the shouts of the soldiers behind me. I had a choice to make: Capture and punishment, or risking a dark unknown…
"I decided that the uncertainty in front of me was preferable to the misery behind me. I took the portal."
That's it… thought Erik. Keep talking… Keep yourself occupied until Anne manages to do whatever she's planning…
"I found myself in a mysterious realm," said Claret. "And I wasn't there for an hour before I was seized by powerful demons that I had never seen the likes of before. When they threw me into a cell in their lord's palace, I wondered if slavery didn't still exist in my future. Or even worse, if my fate wouldn't involve being roasted on a spit for this entity's dinner.
"I gathered enough bravery to ask my jailer to deliver a message to his master, saying that I would pledge allegiance to him, completely. To my surprise, I quickly got an audience with this powerful lord. Sure, I was brought to him bound in chains, but he was willing to listen. At that point, I would have volunteered to serve willingly as a concubine if he refused everything else. I'd be a slave in all but name in such a situation, but I figured I might be able to advance.
"And again, to my surprise, he was impressed. He welcomed my services, and not simply as a concubine. I had to make several promises and sign over both my soul and spirit, as well as my powers of illusion – thus requiring the mask to hide my true form – but this entity welcomed my offer.
"I soon found that I had made a wise choice. I became infused with more power than I ever had before. My powers as a temptress weren't as powerful, but I developed other abilities. Powers of deception had been replaced by ones of pure might. Unlike most succubi, I became able to fight like more martial demons, by harnessing the raw chaos from the core of the Abyss.
"As a bonus, I was safe from Malcanthet's forces. They never came looking for me, because, as I've said before, my new master was far stronger than she, and they had no alliance. Extradition treaties do not exist in the Abyss.
"I made plans… Plans for revenge…"
"No…" said Yumi.
"Oh yes…" said Claret. "I visited Vienna soon after. I used talismans to make myself invisible, and started visiting Rasputin, whispering things into his ear…"
She laughed.
"You would be surprised at how often the tired old, 'How can the gods care for mortals when suffering exists?' line actually works! It was a demon who thought that up in the first place! The forces of Good try to debunk it.
"And when I suggested to him that the powers had let me invade Stephansdom with no defense, serious doubt was planted in his mind. Doubt turned to anger, anger turned to hate. Hate turned to despair.
"As I planned, Rasputin's rage and resentment grew. I stood over his shoulder, invisible, taunting him every time he saw hunger and poverty. Eventually, as I had planned, his soul rejected the light and believed my side.
"I eventually appeared to him in person, claiming to be Claret's rival. He readily believed it. After all, in most layers of the Abyss, succubi are their own worst enemies. In fact, he still believes it.
"I led him on the quest for more power. I convinced him to make a deal with that bastard Dispater in order to study infernal alchemy, showing him how to get the better of the old devil."
She chuckled.
"Oh, he's gotten suspicious at times. In recent years, he's pushed me away, not accepting my help. But now… I gave him an ultimatum. This partnership is the only way he'll survive now.
"So he gets what he wants, and as a bonus, my master gets what is desired too."
"And what is that?" asked Yumi, angrily.
Claret chuckled.
"My master will tell you, Yumi…" she said. "Right after you're put in shackles and sealed away for eternity!"
"What?" said Yumi.
She got up.
"WHY?"
"Like I said," said Claret. "I'll leave it to my master to tell you… But first…"
She pointed to Erik.
"…I'm going to make you suffer like you've never suffered before…"
"Fine!" shouted Erik. "On with the duel!"
(Erik: 3,500) -------------------- (Claret: 7,000)
"I draw one card…" said Claret.
She made a draw.
"Don't forget," said Erik, pointing his finger at her, "you've lost your Field Spell, so every round that your Archfiends are on the field, you have to pay the price…"
Prisonqueen Archfiend and Darkbishop Archfiend erupted in violet flames, and then the flames surrounded Claret. She groaned.
"Yes…" she said with a scowl. "That would be the… 1,000 Life Points I have to pay… for Prisonqueen… And the 500 for Darkbishop…
"So I'll get rid of Darkbishop. I play Mystik Wok."
She played a Spell Card, and Darkbishop Archfiend vanished into shadowy vapor. Claret glowed with dark energy.
"Prisonqueen Archfiend… obliterate his Spell Striker!
"Chaos inferno!"
The Archfiend threw up it arms and cast forth a bolt of dark, burning flames at the toy Warrior. Spell Striker held up the mallet like a shield. The weapon was blown to bits, but he was unharmed.
"Looks like someone missed part of the rule book," said Erik. "When a Monster is attacked while Equipped with a Union Monster, only one of them gets trashed."
Claret frowned.
"Fine…" she said. "I activate my Trap Card… Archfiend's Roar!"
Her facedown card lifted, showing the image of Terrorking looming over Darkbishop and bellowing.
"Now, for the price of 500 Life Points, an Archfiend comes back from my Graveyard."
In a burst of black flames, Terrorking Archfiend appeared on the field with a bloodthirsty howl. (2,000/1,500)
"Don't worry, he has to leave at the end of my turn. But for now…
"Attack his Spell Striker! Locust storm barrage!"
Terrorking's chest burst open, and the swarm of insects plowed into Spell Striker, consuming it.
"I'm still unhurt," said Erik, "due to his effect."
"I place one card facedown," said Claret, "and end my turn."
A facedown card appeared. Then Terrorking Archfiend burst into flames and was devoured by them.
(E: 3,500) -------------------- (C: 6,400)
Erik quickly drew a card.
"I'll set this card facedown…" he said.
A facedown card appeared.
"And mine will activate…" said Claret.
Her Trap Card lifted, showing a frightening picture of Terrorking slashing at Marauding Captain with his claw.
"NO!" shouted Chelsea. "That's Battle-Scarred!"
"What?" said Ren. "I'm assuming we don't like Battle-Scarred?"
"When it's activated…" started Chelsea.
"Shut up, mortal!" shouted Claret. "It's my card, and I'll explain what it does.
"It's true that my Queen is now a problem for me, requiring me to pay Life Points. But so long as this Trap is on the field, Erik, my problem is your problem too."
Erik gulped.
"I… end my turn…" he muttered.
"Then I draw…" said Claret, drawing a card. "And as I said, we both pay 1,000 Life Points for Prisonqueen Archfiend."
The violet flames surrounded the Archfiend again, and then the aura surrounded both duelists. Both of them moaned as their life was sapped.
"Destroy his Giant Rat!" shouted Claret.
Flames shot at the Giant Rat, and it was burned to a cinder.
"I summon Toy Soldier again!" shouted Erik.
Toy Soldier appeared in a burst of light. (800/300)
Claret's eyes glowed even fiercer.
"End…" she said.
(E: 2,500) -------------------- (C: 5,400)
Erik drew a card. He looked at it.
It was Graceful Charity.
Okay, time to turn this around… he thought. But first…
"I summon two more Toy Soldiers…" he said.
Two more Toy Soldiers appeared, this time in Defense Mode.
"Now, I play Graceful Charity…"
He played the card, and the room became awash with light…
Erik didn't understand at first. He must have played Graceful Charity a hundred times since he started dueling, probably more. So many times, he had summoned the Angel of Charity, whose blessed feathers let him draw three cards in exchange for two…
…but this angel was not her.
The angel turned and looked at him. And then he recognized her…
"Anastasia?" he gasped.
It was Anastasia, but she had changed. Her sunglasses were gone, and so was her white business suit. But she was now dressed in a white toga, with golden sandals on her feet, and glorious feathered wings grew from her back.
She was more beautiful than ever. The sight of her filled ever human present with invigorating, nourishing energy. Claret, however, hid her eyes from the light.
"Yes, Erik, it's me," she said. "This is my true form. You've done well… The delay was enough for me to assume material form."
She shook her wings, and three feathers fell on Erik's deck.
"Now finish the duel," she said. "I have no doubt that this demon's pride is so great, she will not let the duel end without a winner…
"But I also have no doubt that you will win. Once you do, I will handle her myself."
"Right!" shouted Erik.
"One, two, three…"
He quickly drew three cards.
He looked at his hand.
Perfect! he thought. I'll keep these, and toss these…
He discarded two cards, as Anastasia faded away.
"All right, Claret, I play… Premature Burial. Come back, Toy Emperor!"
Toy Emperor appeared on the field, and his mount reared up and whinnied. (2,300/800)
"I'll place a card facedown, move my other Toy Soldier to Defense Mode, and end my turn."
A facedown card appeared, and the first Toy Soldier crouched in Defense Mode.
(E: 1,700) -------------------- (C: 5,400)
"Draw…" said Claret.
The burning flames surrounded them again.
"Time to finish you off!" she shouted. "I play the Spell Card… Falling Down!"
Prisonqueen's eyes burned with black flame.
"This card costs me 800 Life Points for each of your Standby Phases, but so long as I have it and at least one Archfiend, one of your Monsters becomes my slave."
Prisonqueen gestured, and a set of black chains looped around Toy Emperor and his mount. He was dragged over to Claret's side of the field.
Claret chuckled.
"Bitch…" said Erik.
"Now, my slave…" ordered Claret, "attack the Toy Soldier on the left!"
Toy Emperor struggled to resist, but he lifted his saber, and charged at the Toy Soldier. With one slash, it was cut down.
"I know all about its effect, by the way," said Claret, taking her deck from the holder. "I get to take any Trap I want from my deck now."
She got what she wanted and put her deck back.
"Now, Prisonqueen Archfiend…" she ordered, "destroy the next one!"
The Archfiend raised its arms.
"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Erik. "Toy Cannon!"
His facedown card lifted, and the small cannon appeared on the field.
"This weapon can blast your Queen into Defense Mode, and deal you 400 points of damage from the impact."
Claret's eyes opened wide…
The Toy Cannon went off with a boom, knocking Prisonqueen Archfiend over, and Claret along with it. The wicked monarch crouched in Defense Mode.
Claret took some deep breaths as she got up.
She placed the card she had searched for in her deck, and it appeared facedown.
"Make your move," she said. "It will be your last."
(E: 700) -------------------- (C: 4,000)
Poor Erik… she thought. I can sense your fear… I suppose I could be nice and tell you that, according to the rulings for Battle-Scarred, since you can't pay the cost for Prisonqueen on my next turn, I'm the only one who'll be paying it.
But I'm not very nice.
You won't be winning anyway…
She looked at a card in her hand.
On my next turn, I'll simply use Emergency Provisions to dispose of Falling Down, and give you your Emperor back… Right before my Prisonqueen attacks it.
And thanks to him, if you try to destroy Falling Down before then, my Judgment of Anubis will end this duel early.
Erik snatched the top card off his Disk.
"Like you said," he said, "your Falling Down costs you 800 Life Points."
Claret winced a little as a black aura surrounded both her and Toy Emperor.
"I move my Toy Magician to Attack Mode," continued Erik. "So stand up!"
Toy Magician stood up and aimed his scepter.
"Next… Call of the Haunted!"
His facedown card lifted up. An explosion of energy rocked the field, and Toy Dragon appeared out of it. (2,300/2,000)
"What?" said Claret. "When was that in your Graveyard?"
"I put him there with Graceful Charity," said Erik. "And with three other Toy Monsters on the field, he gains 1,200 more Attack Points."
Toy Dragon roared… (3,500/2,000)
"Toy Dragon… Destroy Prisonqueen Archfiend! Shooting star shower!"
A blast of intense light shot from the maw of the Dragon, and the Archfiend screamed in pain. She burst into an explosion of black smoke and ash.
"You still haven't beaten me!" screamed Claret.
"Wanna bet?" asked Erik. "You have no Archfiends on your side of the field now. That means Falling Down is destroyed, and my Emperor is freed."
The chains binding Toy Emperor snapped, and he shook his head to get the haze out of it. He rode back to Erik's side of the field.
"This can't be…" gasped Claret. "No mortal has ever bested me at a Shadow Game…"
"Your winning streak is about to end…" said Erik. "Toy Emperor, attack her directly!"
Toy Emperor charged at the succubus, and jabbed his rapier into her torso. She hollered.
"Toy Magician, finish this!"
Toy Magician cast a burst of glowing orbs from his wand, and Claret fell to her knees.
(E: 700) -------------------- (C: 0)
"Whoa…" said Sam. "Erik… Erik won…"
"Yeah…" muttered Erik. "I… Uhm… I guess I won…"
Then everyone cringed in pain, as the black flames surrounded them. The aura surrounding Erik was the most intense. He fell to his knees, writhing in agony.
"So you won," muttered Claret. "You defeated a demon at her own game. Well, fine. You've earned your way into Heaven at least.
"I could burn you ashes right now, Erik, but I'm only going to do that to your allies. You…
"You, I think I'm gonna strangle."
Her hands clasped around his neck.
"Anastasia…" he grunted. "If you're gonna do something, now's the time…"
"UNHAND HIM!" screamed a voice.
"Huh?" said Claret.
What happened next took everyone totally by surprise, Claret most of all. A blast of pure light came from nowhere, striking the succubus and throwing her against the wall at the far end of the room with a very loud splat.
Everyone turned, and saw Anastasia, in all the glory of her true form, looking angrily at Claret. The dark flames surrounding them vanished.
"You want to kill these children," she said, angrily. "You want to take Yumi to your master in order to imprison her…
"I don't know why you plan these things, but I will not let you, demon.
"If you want to try, you will have to answer to me…"
A very big monkey wrench has been thrown in the villains' plans, as Claret's sadistic game has given Anastasia enough time to assume material form. But what is about to occur? Anastasia may have gotten the drop on Claret, but there's no telling what the limits of this demon's powers are. And should a fight break out between them, the casualties may be dire… And more importantly, now that the truth is revealed, what will Rasputin's ultimate fate be?
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PRISONQUEEN ARCHFIEND (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Fiend/Effect
Attribute:
Dark
Level:
8
ATK:
2,600
DEF:
1,600
Card Description: The controller of this card pays 1,000 Life Points during each of his/her Standby Phases (this is not optional). During your Standby Phase, if this card is in your Graveyard and "Pandemonium" is face-up on the field, you may increase the ATK of a Level Four or lower Fiend-Type Monster by 1,000 until the End Phase.
0
0
0
BLAZES OF DEMISE (Spell Card)
Quickplay Spell
Image: Two ghostly phantoms made of smoky, dark flames, each with one eye.
Card Description: When you activate this card, you cannot Normal Summon, Flip Summon or Special Summon during this turn. Special Summon two "Dark Blaze Phantom Tokens" (Fiend/Dark/Level One/ATK 0/DEF 0) in Defense Position on your side of the field. "Dark Blaze Phantom Tokens" cannot be Tributed except to Tribute Summon DARK Monsters.
Note: "Prisonqueen Archfiend" and "Blazes of Demise" are real cards that will be released in "Phantom Darkness".
0
0
0
PAZUNIA (Spell Card)
Field Spell
Image: A circle of stone monoliths on a blasted wasteland, dotted with twisted trees and mountains of scorched, black stone.
Card Description: This card's name is treated as "Pandemonium". Neither player has to pay Life Points during their Standby Phases for Archfiend Monsters. Whenever an Archfiend Monster is targeted by a card effect and its owner rolls a die to attempt to negate the effect, the player may choose to disregard the first roll and roll a second time.
0
0
0
COURT OF THE NINTH CIRCLE (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: Terrorking Archfiend and Infernalqueen Archfiend on thrones made of skulls holding the end of chains that hold a captive Dark Magician Girl.
Card Description: You can activate this card when you have at least one "Terrorking Archfiend" and at least one "Infernalqueen Archfiend" face-up on your side of the field. Special Summon one Archfiend Monster that is Level Four or lower from your hand or deck.
Note: "Court of the Ninth Circle" first appeared in "Thousand-Year Door".
0
0
0
ARCHFIEND'S FAVOR (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: A man in armor kneeling before Terrorking Archfiend and Infernalqueen Archfiend.
Card Description: You can only activate this card if "Pandemonium" is face-up on your side of the field. Increase your Life Points by 500 for each face-up Fiend-Type Monster on the field.
Note: "Archfiend's Favor" first appeared in "Mandate of Heaven".
0
0
0
Ren: Anastasia's kicking butt! We're saved!
Yumi: Yeah, for the moment we are… But if a fight between them tears Duelatopia apart, we'll be even worse off.
Anastasia: Yumi is right… I must find a way to vanquish this demon without the cataclysm that a battle between us would cause…
I have no choice… This time, I will duel…
Yumi: Anne… Are you serious? There's no telling what's waiting…
Chelsea: Hey, don't worry… This is one duelist I'd bet my college fund on.
Coming up next: "The Prodigy Returns; Challenge of Divine Law".
Anastasia: I may have lost my duel to Yumi's father… But my record is still better than most… I just hope I'm not too rusty…
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0
0
You heard right… Anastasia is dueling next chapter.
And anyone who can correctly predict the theme of her deck will get ten brownie points. Care to try?