Authors notes: Just a little note about my update rate.
When I first posted the story up, I already had some chapters pretty much done (and a little of this one done). I just needed to detail the duels a bit more mostly. But from here on in I'm working from scratch, so I can't promise I'll be anywhere near as quick as I was in the first two days. Sorry everyone, but I'm only human. And a lazy one at that.
I'll try and have at least one chapter done a week.
Onwards to chapter 4.
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The Emissary of Extinction
Chapter 4
Bones of The Beast
"AHHHHHHHHH!" A Ra yellow student fell back as a monster attacked him directly. (LP/0) The white haired boy laughed as another opponent lay defeated. "This is great! I cant be beaten!"
The white haired Ra deactivated his duel disk, placing his deck back together and shuffling again. "Thanks for the target practice."
Neither noticed as a card in his deck was briefly covered in dark energy.
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"Dammit!" A boy punched a wall in his rage. "That damn Osiris Red!" Since he'd lost that duel in public he'd been a laughing stock "I'll make the him pay! I'll make that asshole pay! I'll make-huh?"
He looked down as a card fell down in front of his face. "What's this?" He leaned down, picking up the card. "What a card, who's is it I wonder?" He waited a few minutes, but when no one came he slipped it inside his deck.
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The man walked away. "This is too easy."
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"Well that's one creepy monster." Xiaolang's response to the story told got a short laugh from the four present. He continued. "The Emissary of Extinction. What do you have to do to get a title like that?"
Kenzan nodded. "It must be horrible-don. And you'll fight it if it comes, right Judai?" Judai nodded. Kenzan smiled. "I'll help if I can." "Me too." Rei chimed in. Xiaolang nodded. "I'll join in, though I doubt I can be of much use. So Judai, any idea about that symbol you mentioned?" Judai frowned. "Nothing yet. But if the Emissary comes, I have a feeling we'll see who made it."
Xiaolang leaned back, laying on the grass beneath the tree they'd met up at. "Warriors... Hey, you think they might be warrior-type monsters if they were cards?"
"Warriors? Why not Dinos-sarus?"
"How many dinosaurs have you known been called warriors?"
"It could happen."
"I could be the next world champ, until I see it, I don't buy it. Dinosaurs are cool and all, but they are not warriors."
Rei stepped in before Kenzen could respond. "They could be Fairies." Xiaolang nodded. "That's possible. After all, fairies are light, and this creature is dark. You don't have to wield a sword to be a warrior. Though that symbol...maybe not" Xiaolang was suddenly silent for a second, something just hit him.
He turned his head to face Judai. "Hey I just thought of something. Could these guys already be cards? Like this monster may be?" Judai nodded. "If the creature is, I bet they are. We just need to find out who's using them." Xiaolang laughed, but then his face turned serious, as if he was struck by a realization, he suddenly sat up. "Wait. If the monster's here for something...it might be here for the one's who sealed him!" Judai's face showed his shock, there was a lot of sense in that.
Revenge was a powerful motivator. "Then they're already here..."
The four turned to look at the main building, facing the possibility that someone in that building may have been in grave danger.
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In the halls of the Academia Sorano Taigo ran. He'd heard that Judai had come back and was searching for him. "Alright Judai. I'll win this time. Now where are-oh damn!"
Sorano collided with a figure much bigger than himself. He fell right on his backside. "I'm sorry." He quickly stood back up. "Sorry about that. I was in a rush...umm, sorry?"
The man in front of him was the most strikingly scary he'd ever seen. And became even more scary when he smiled. "Think nothing of it boy. Oh, you're Sorano Taigo are you not?" The boy nodded. "Might I ask what you are in a rush about?" The boy smiled.
"Judai Yuki is back on the island, so I wanted to have a rematch with him." The man reached into a pocket, pulling out a card.
"Well try using this. It might help you out."
Sorano took the card, taking a quick look at it. "Are you sure? This card looks pretty powerful." The man nodded.
"I have many copies of it. And it's a personal favourite of mine, seeing it used by a strong young duellist like yourself will bring happiness to my old heart. If you'll excuse me, Mr Taigo, I'm afraid I don't have as much time for chat as I would like. Best of luck against Judai by the way." The man smiled one last time, before moving around Sorano and walking on.
Sorano slipped the card into his deck. "Thank you! By the way, do you teach here?" The man stopped, and turned his head to face him. "Not quite, but I intend to enlighten some people while I'm here. Good day to you. And by the way. Running is discouraged in the hallways for good reason."
Sorano nodded, deciding to walk from now on. "Creepy guy, but generous though."
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The man smiled as he took a turn to evade being seen by anyone else. "Now it is in the hands of someone of his strength. How long before they learn of me I wonder?"
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"Wait! Wait! NOOOO!" A girl was sent flying back, screaming as a wall of darkness hit her. Her life points starting to drop. (LP/4000, 3500, 3000, 2500, 2000, 1500, 1000, 500, 0) A figure advanced on her fallen form.
"Next time you want to insult me, have the cards to back it up. That drop-out got lucky. Lucky! I'll destroy him next time. Him and anyone who dares to doubt me."
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In Yusuke's room the floor was laden with books, with two people looking through them.
Judai was flipping through a random book very quickly, he was glad that Yusuke had a much, much, wider collection of books on mythology and the occult. Judai had a sneaking suspicion that most of these didn't come from the library. "Find anything Yusuke?"
He shook his head. "Nothing. Not even a mention. I don't understand how a monster like this can be eliminated without a mention of the ones who did it."
"I think you two are missing the obvious." Both turned to face Yubel. Who had just appeared looking down on them with an amused smile. "We know that the Emissary of Extinction had a cult following in this world. That monolith would not have existed otherwise. Every other monster mythology in any book at this Academia is in those books because at one time they had some kind of following. Whoever sealed the Emissary away clearly didn't want to be known."
Judai closed the book he had open "But we can't give up, Yubel!"
She shook her head. "Yes Judai, you can. You should. Instead you should be focusing on finding information on this monster we're about to fight. Maybe then you'll find information on them both. Or maybe a way to stop the beast."
Begrudgingly, they agreed with her logic. They slowly began to put the books away. Only one book that they knew of held any information on their new threat. And it had very little to say.
They decided to call it a day.
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With Xiaolang's guess in mind, he, Rei and Kenzan had gone to look for duels to watch. They needed to see if anyone was using this mystery deck. Though at this point only Xiaolang was left looking, Kenzan had been challenged and Rei had been dragged off by some friends. So now Xiaolang was left alone to search.
"Hey!" Xiaolang stopped, slowly turning to face an approaching Obelisk blue.
"What?"
"You're the guy who beat one of us at the stadium. But everyone knows you got lucky."
Xiaolang raised an eyebrow. "Really? You should stop referring to yourself in third person, especially when your name's 'Everyone'. It might lead to a misunderstanding."
The students eye twitched. "My name Soskue, you drop-out, duel me right now!" Xiaolang shrugged. "If it'll get you to go away, I'll make it quick." Xiaolang was expecting to duel, it's why he even brought his duel disk, but he wasn't expecting to fight an obnoxious punk. "Though I guess I should have expected to."
Two disks were activated. "Duel!" The Obelisk drew first."Alright, I begin with Unified Summon. If I control three different monsters in my hand with the same level and type, I can pay 1000 life points to special summon them all." (Soskue LP/3000) "I summon Giant Orc!" (Attack mode. ATK/2200 DEF/00 A Gray skinned beast holding a giant bone for s club appeared.
"Goblin Elite Attack force." Three well equip, apparently fat green skinned fiend knights took to field. (Attack mode. ATK/2200 DEF/1500)
"And Gil Garth." (Attack mode. ATK/1800 DEF/1200) This creature looked more like a machine than anything else, but with spikes poking out of many places on it's armor and the sword it wielded, it looked sinister enough to be a fiend.
"And lastly I play the field spell, Mystic Plasma Zone. Here all Dark attribute monsters gain 500 attack but lose 400 defence points." (Gil Garth ATK/2300 DEF/800. Giant Orc ATK/2700 DEF/0 Goblin Elite Attack Force ATK/2700 DEF/1100) The sky darkened as purple clouds formed. A storm was brewing. "I end my turn."
Xiaolang looked up at the now cloudy sky. As it crackled with electricity it longed to fire to the earth.
"I draw. Well this is interesting. I activate my own Unified Summon. Like you I'll be summoning level four monsters." (Xiaolang LP/3000) "Command Knight!" (Attack mode. ATK/1200 DEF/1900) The crimson armored knight already had her sword drawn this time.
"Field Commander Rahz." (Attack mode. ATK/1600 DEF/1200) The proud warrior appeared with it's signature smile.
"And Blade Knight" (Attack mode. ATK/1600 DEF/1000) A knight who's armor completely covered his body appeared, completely on it's guard with it's shield covering mode of it's armored body. "Also my Command Knight boosts the attack points of my warriors by 400 each." (Command Knight ATK/1600. Rahz ATK/2000. Blade Knight ATK/2000) "I'll set one card. When I have one or fewer cards in my hand Blade Knight gains 400 attack points." (ATK/2400)
"Now I'll sacrifice all three of my monsters to summon my strongest card!" He grabbed a card in his hand, he raised the card to the sky as his monsters were sacrificed to it. The Sky struck the earth with all it's might. "Oblivion!" (Attack mode. ATK/? DEF/0) "His attack points are equal to the total attack points of the monsters I sacrificed, that includes point alterations." (ATK/6000) "Attack Gil Garth and end this! Judgement Blade!" Oblivion slammed his sword into the ground, releasing a river of power which drowned the field."
(Soskue LP/0)
Xiaolang turned around as the holograms faded. "I win." As Xiaolang walked away his thoughts turned to Judai. "Wonder if he had any luck finding anything?"
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Judai smiled to the person across from him. "You ready to go Sorano?" As he'd gotten back he'd found a challenger waiting for him. One he wouldn't dare pass up.
Beneath the late day sky the duellist nodded. "Yes I am, Judai!"
"Duel!"
Sorano drew a card. "I'll start." His mouth fell open. "That's the card. And so soon. Heh heh, with this new deck, the true power of Horus can be increased." "I'll set three cards face down. Next I set one monster and end my turn."
"I draw! I'm kinda disappointed Sorano. I was expecting you to unleash Horus on me right away. No matter. I summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman." (Defence mode. ATK/800 DEF/1200) the Hero rose from a cloud of bubbles, kneeling in front of it's duellist.
"When he's summoned while I control no other cards, I can draw 2 more." He picked them up and grinned.
"Now I play Polymerization! From my hand I fuse Elemental Heros Necroshade and Sparkman. To summon Elemental Hero Darkbright!" (Attack mode. ATK/2000 DEF/1000) The Hero appeared in a brilliant show of dark light. "Next I play O - Oversoul. To special summon a Normal Elemental Hero from my graveyard. I summon Sparkman!" (attack mode. ATK/1600 DEF/1400) Spark appeared with a flash of lightning, it's palms already gathering power for the upcoming battle.
With his field prepared Judai moved to his battle phase. "Now I'll have Sparkman attack your face down monster. Spark Flash!" Sparkman shot a blast of lightning at the set monster. To reveal a six armed insect, each of it's arms holding some weird object or another.
"You attacked Magical Merchant. Now I pick up cards until I find a Spell or Trap card, then that card is added to my hand, everything else is discarded." He picked up two discards, discarding the first. "I picked up Level Up! Horus The Black Flame Dragon Level 6 was discarded."
Judai nodded. "Darkbright, direct attack. Dark Flash!" Sorano steadied himself as the blast hit him full force. (Sorano LP/2000) Judai grinned. "Once Darkbright battles he must switch to defence mode." (DEF/1000) "I'll set three cards and end my turn."
"I draw!" "I have you now, Judai. Once you see what I have planned..." "I activate Level Modulation. You can draw two cards." And so Judai did. "Now I can select any 'LV' monster from my graveyard. So I summon Horus The Black Flame Dragon Level 6!" (Attack mode. ATK/2300 DEF/1600) The bird headed dragon rose from a hole that suddenly opened in the ground.
"He cant attack or use his effect this turn. But that's no problem. I activate Level up! I can tribute my level 6 Horus, to summon Horus The Black Flame Dragon Level 8!" (attack mode. ATK/3000 DEF/1800) The level six dragon vanished, only to be replaced by the strongest of it's line. Judai felt a mix of nostalgia and excitement.
"Horus is your signature card after all, Sorano."
"Now I play two Level Copies! I select 1 'LV' monster, then I get a Copy Token, that has all the same powers, effects and name as the selected monster. So I summon two more Horus Level 8s!" (Attack mode. ATK/3000 DEF/1800) "I play a field spell card, Molten Destruction!"
The arena changed.
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"What the?" Xiaolang was just coming out of the woods when suddenly his dorm vanished.
"OH CRAP!" He saw a volcano erupting in the distance. He had to run, he had to escape. He had to...find out...what the hell those dragons were doing there. "Oh." He sweat-dropped. "I'll just...go watch." So the boy slowly walked forward, genuinely curious. He'd heard about Sorano Taigo, best duellist on campus apparently. "I wonder if I'll ever face him?"
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Sorano smiled. "Here, all Fire attribute monsters gain 500 attack points!" (Hours' each ATK/3500) "Hours attack his Sparkman! Black Mega Flame!" The original dragon breathed out a torrent of dark fire.
"Reverse card open! Battle Intercept. I can only use then when an 'Elemental Hero' is targeted for battle. Now I tribute the hero and pick up cards from my deck until I find another Elemental Hero Monster. Then I can summon it in attack mode in place of Sparkman and have it take over the battle."
Sparkman faded away as Judai picked up cards, though he coulden't help but noticed something. "No Royal Decree? Have you changed your deck, Sorano?" He found a Hero Monster. Discarding three cards as he showed his forth. "Elemental Hero Neos!" (Attack mode. ATK/2500 DEF/2000) "He'll take your attack on!"
Sorano smiled. "That won't save your life points."
"Huh?"
"I activate a trap! Metalmorph!" Suddenly the mighty dark dragon was turned into a metal version of itself. (ATK/3800) "When a monster under the influence of Metalmorph attacks, it gains half of the attack power of the target." (ATK/5050)
"Cool effect, Sorano. But you wont win with it!"
"I know! Because I have this! Reverse Card Open!" Sorano's card revealed itself.
Judai felt his heart briefly stop.
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Xiaolang stood still, his jaw had fallen open.
"It cant be-!"
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The card had that monster on it's image!
"Extinction Armor!"
Hours suddenly stopped attacking.
The metal dragon began to change. Out of each side of the Dragon's chest, four bones, looking almost like giant white spikes emerged, causing Horus to scream out in pain. As if they were on a hinge, they turned, covering the dragon's chest as if they were forming a ribcage. A spine burst from it's back. At the top of the spine a white substance began to grow, spreading out over the dragons head, looking almost like cloth before it suddenly formed to fit the beast. Creating a skull on the outside of it's head. The spine stopped growing near Horus's tail, instead suddenly stabbing the creatures lower back, digging itself into the beast's own spine. It's tail suddenly rotted, leaving only bone. With it's new armor formed the dragon began to emit a darkness Judai had seen before.
"It's the same. The same armor as The Emissary."
Sorano mistook Judai's reaction for awe. "Any battle damage either of us would take involving a monster equipped with Extinction Armor is doubled. Hours opened the mouth of the skull, roaring as it prepared to attack. Darkness gathering it the mouth.
It was then Judai snapped back to reality. "I activate Hero Barrier! Your attack is negated." The fire struck at the shield, creating a powerful shockwave, but still doing no damage to Judai's life points. Even as the fire danced around him.
With the attack done the Armor laden Dragon's attack power dropped. (Hours ATK/3800)
"My Copy Token will attack Neos!" The mighty Neo Spacian Hero was burned by the attack that hit him. (Judai LP/3000) "Copy Token two will attack Bubbleman!" Now only Darkbright remained.
Judai had one last move to make. "I activate my last face down card. Miracle's Wake. I can select and revive a monster that was destroyed by battle this turn. I revive Neos!" (Attack mode. ATK/2500 DEF/2000)
"I end my turn."
Judai drew a card silently. "That's definitely it. That monster is definitely the monster I encountered. So there is an Extinction set of cards. But who's using them? I don't think it's Sorano. In fact, where did he even get that card? I need to get to the bottom of this. No. I need to get out of this first."
"I summon Cross Porter." (Defence mode. ATK/400 DEF/400) "And with his effect, I can tribute monsters I control to special summon Neo Spacians from my hand. So I tribute him and Darkbright to summon Neo Spacians Flare Scarab!" (Attack mode. ATK/500 DEF/500) "And Grand Mole!" (Attack mode. ATK/900 DEF/300) "Triple Contact Fusion!" Neos, Flare Scarab and Grand Mole ascended into the galaxy that appeared before them. "Come forth! Elemental Hero - Magma Neos!" (attack mode. ATK/3000 DEF/2500) Judai briefly remembered the last time he summoned this monster. Striking at a monster much weaker than it, that attacking simply being reflected. "For every card on the field, he gains 400 attack. Plus 500 from your field spell!" (Sorano's field/6. Judai's/1. ATK/6200 Molten Destruction boost. ATK/6700) "Attack his strongest monster!" Magma Neos raised the arm it had gotten from the Flare Scarab part of itself, creating a ball of fire several times it's size. "Super Heat Meteor!"
The attack struck, causing the dragon to scream as it was burned alive. It did not shatter, instead only burning. But the armor did not burn, it was not even damaged by the attack. Horus continued to scream, it's face starting to crack, along with the rest of it's body. It's body quickly broke apart, burning to ashes, leaving the armor floating in midair before it faded away.
(Sorano LP/0)
Sorano fell to a knee. But Judai was not about to use his catchphrase. "Sorano, where did you-Xiaolang?"
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Sorano looked up just in time to see a hand sneak into his duel disk, pulling out his newest card. "Hey!"
"Where did you get this!"
"It's mine!" Xiaolang grabbed Sorano by the collar, pulling him up so there were eye to eye. "Where. Did. You. Get. This!" One look into Xiaolang's burning orbs told Sorano that he'd best answer. "A man gave it to me!"
Xiaolang's grip tightened. "What man!" Sorano grabbed at the boy's hands. "Get off me!"
"TELL ME!"
Judai gripped down on the boy's solder. "Xiaolang, let go." It was then Judai saw something he'd never saw in the boy's eyes before. As he slowly turned around he saw something burn in Xiaolang's eyes brighter than he'd ever seen in anyone else's.
Hatred.
Judai changed tactics. "Sorano. Please tell us where you got that card." Sorano had a feeling that speaking would be the best thing for his health. "I man gave it to me, a couple of hours ago actually. I don't know who he was, but when he found out I was looking to fight you again he gave it to me." He felt Xiaolang's grip loosen slightly, but knew that trying to break free would not be smart. Looking into the orbs that now burned with hatred Sorano could not help but feel pity for whoever had put that hatred there. Xiaolang spoke, his words coming out slowly, dripping with venom.
"Tell me. Did this man, send a chill spiralling down your spine? Did his eyes look like they could stare right through your soul?" Xiaolang's breathing became laboured, clearly it was taking him a great deal of effort not to lose his temper. More than he already had.
Sorano nodded. Xiaolang let go, letting Sorano fall back. Xiaolang looked at the card he'd taken.
"So you're here. Why? Why now?"
Judai watched through the eyes of Yubel as Xiaolang looked down at the card he'd recognized.
"What is that dark energy, it reminds of Mr. T's power, but it's different. I felt it when Horus was destroyed. It's like it's...feasting. Is the Emissary of Extinction a monster that feasts on death? But it's more than that. it's feasting on something of Xiaolang's, but what is it the card is feeding on? What kind of card is that?" He switched back to his own eyes, walking over to Xiaolang. "Xiaolang, can I see that card?" Xiaolang handed him the card, apparently done looking at it.
Now Judai could get a good look at the picture.
It depicted the Emissary of Extinction, in a battle with two monsters, fiend-types by the looks of them, each striking at his bone armor. The beast was apparently screaming, it's force creating a powerful wind, which could be noticed by how the picture was drawn. The claws of the fiends that struck bone were cracked by the armor. Clearly the Emissary was beyond their abilities to slay. He looked up.
"You recognize this card, Xiaolang?" He nodded. "One of my Fathers." "But he didn't play this card. Or even this archetype."
Xiaolang shook his head. "Not in public. Home life was another story." He turned away, his body language clearly saying he was done with this conversation Xiaolang walked back to his room. Walking slightly slower than normal, the tension he was carrying could easily be seen.
Judai turned to Sorano. "Sorry about him, Sorano. I have no idea what got into him. He's normally a nice kid." Sorano stood up. "It's alright. It's clear that he knew the guy who gave that card to me. I guess they don't have a good history, given that they're family if I'm understanding it right. So why are you so curious about that card?" Judai frowned. "It has some kind of power attached to it." Sorano nodded, he knew Judai enough to know to take him seriously.
"Well you can keep it, after seeing what it did to my dragon I don't want to play it again." Judai smiled, relieved. He'd rather this card was not in the hands of anyone without knowledge of the many secret powers of duel monsters. "Thank you, Sorano. Do you know if anyone else has one of these?" Sorano's eyes shifted upwards, as he tried to remember something. "Well the guy said he many copies of it. Do you think he might be handing them out to people?" Judai nodded. "Definitely. Can you keep an eye out for me?"
"Sure. I'll leave you to your friend. And thanks for the rematch Judai, I am gonna beat you one day." Judai laughed, turning to walk back to his old room. "You keep working at it, Sorano."
As Judai reached the door, he couldn't help but feel a little bit of hope.
It would seem that answers had been closer to him than he'd thought.
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End of chapter
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Today's Strongest Card
Extinction Armor
Trap (Normal)
Effect: After activation, equip this card to a face-up monster. All battle damage to either player involving the equipped monster is doubled.
Commentary: ?
"My power is beyond comprehension!"