Chapter 28: Emotional Inferno

Even a graduate student fulfilling the role of an associate professor heard rumblings of campus goings-on. More so, in some cases, as a grad student might have an existing rapport from attending classes alongside undergraduate students. And once in a blue moon, a graduate student has a romantic past, such as it is, with an undergrad. But that's really neither here nor there because Bryan's insistence on taking Erica Dawkins on a single date during his freshman and her senior year had nothing to do with what she had learned about her new man-friend.

Dressed in jeans and the leather jacket he'd insisted on wearing ever since his days as a Guardian Dueler, Bryan agreed to meet with her in one of the lecture halls after hours on the weekend. It was the surest place not to find any other students or faculty on a Friday night. James Flores was also invited. He arrived wearing a fancy, black coat so bulky and long it was difficult to discern the rest of his outfit. The legs of black pants were all Erica could see.

Watching Bryan shake hands with James was surreal, partly because Bryan had stars—or perhaps gold coins—in his eyes. "So you're Uncle Moneybags that Erica's dating now," he said.

Immediately Erica went on the defensive. "I never called you that."

"She also never used the word 'dating,'" Bryan said, coming to her aid. "But this is a small island and an even smaller campus. Wildfires everywhere, you know?"

Erica rolled her eyes at Bryan while she turned toward James. "Like I said, Bryan has a strange sense of humor. What he means is…"

"Rumors spread like wildfire," James interrupted. He flashed her a bright smile. "I get it. He's clever, but I think I can keep up."

"I like this guy," Bryan said. "Kinda funny how you have a type, though. He's charming and rich while I'm charming and going to be rich. How'd you make the big bucks, anyway? Did you invent a new kind of fertilizer that reuses the nutrients from the soil so it lasts longer?"

"That's not how fertilizer works," James said. "People add it to the soil only because it already lacks the nutrients necessary for optimal plant growth. And for the record I was born into money just like ninety percent of rich people." He didn't seem shy about sharing that biographical tidbit. Among his multitude of character strengths, James had proven to be well-grounded in reality while making the most of his advantages.

"I'm going to earn mine," Bryan said. Pointing to himself with his thumb and grinning wickedly, he said, "Keep an eye on me if you want to see some true innovation in the dueling world. But for now, Erica says you are a member of the Hellfire Club. What can you tell me?"

The stare James returned showed bewilderment with just a hint of annoyance—a classic cocktail for feigned ignorance. "What makes you think I'm a member of the Hellfire Club?"

Erica again defended herself. "I never said you were a member."

Bryan said, "That's true. I added that part. She just said that one of the stories you told her alongside your sweet nothings sounded a lot like a monologue I heard about how the world is going to end. Something about spiritual pressure building up when dead souls reject the Collective Consciousness."

For once, the way Bryan tended to talk too much helped his case. James relaxed his posture. Bryan had basically accosted him with accusations of being in an organization so secret they probably killed hundreds of people per year to keep it that way. But then he stepped past the accusation and mentioned a few buzzwords one might not often hear in casual conversation. If anything, James's grin made him appear brimming with anticipation and zeal. Erica felt more relaxed about arranging the meeting.

Finally, James slid into one of the seats behind the desks on the lowest tier of the lecture hall. "What reason do you have to think the world is ending?" he asked.

Bryan made a face. "Why is that any of your business?"

"One's safety is never guaranteed when the topic of conversation is the Hellfire Club, even if one has no affiliation with their members whatsoever," said James. "If I am to be convinced to subject myself to such risk, I need to gain knowledge commensurate to the risk."

"That's fair," Bryan said with a shrug. "Not like it's a big secret, anyway. I'm collecting the legendary god cards. From what I heard, they're resultant to the Shadow Realm losing its balance with our world. Pretty soon, they'll collide and everything will explode. Or possibly implode. I'm actually unsure about the particulars, but I do know that hearing any related stories might give me a clue."

James nodded slowly, the same way everyone does when they don't believe in the legend of the Shadow Realm. "To call me here for a meeting like this, you must both truly believe those cards have some kind of magic." He glanced at Erica when he said it. She blushed, almost like she was ashamed to admit she believed it was true. And she had once been directly possessed by the Shadows!

"Finding the god cards is easy to say, and doing it takes relatively little effort because they tend to be drawn to one another," said Erica.

"I know the world is ending but I don't really understand the cause," Bryan said. "Without that, I don't know what to do with the cards. At best, your story would fill in all the missing pieces so I know exactly what needs to be done. At worst, it's useless and I forget all about it five minutes from now. But even somewhere in between, you could say something that will give me a new lead—somewhere to continue looking."

Erica said, "Won't you tell him the story? If we're lucky, the information you have could help us out."

"It's nothing more than a fairy tale," James said insistently. "The story has no more merit to it than the origin of the Tooth Fairy." The expression on his face told it all. He thought Bryan was insane for caring about the prophecy. Erica wasn't much better considering she went along with the delusion.

"Whether history or fantasy," said Erica, "any words you utter in here stay between us. No one else will hear this prophecy." She glowered at Bryan. "Right?"

"Right," he said, half shrugging and half shaking his head. It was a perfect display in contradictions.

With a laugh of concession, James ran his fingers through his hair. "Fine." He settled in and stared into Bryan's eager eyes. "It starts with a Russian tsar named Sanjan. Legend says he sought to find god by accessing another plane of existence. He thought the best way to do that was through the Aurora Borealis—the Northern Lights. After all, as far as he knew, the phenomenon was the result of god's campfire."

"I know this part," Bryan interrupted.

James tilted his head, a look of curiosity. "How do you know this story?"

"I heard it in Yasna... when I overheard other members of the Hellfire Club talking on the phone to some guy they called the Overlord."

Now James shed his disdain in favor of a look of amusement. "The Overlord only communicates directly with the highest members of the organization. You spied on a meeting between the most powerful human beings on the planet?"

"They didn't see me," he said.

"Of course not," said James. "If they had, you would have disappeared long before we could have this conversation. Even those on the lowest levels of the organization are very particular about their secrets." His earlier reluctance to share the Hellfire prophecy was proof of that. "Members don't even call themselves the Hellfire Club. That name began with a newspaper article about college secret societies decades ago. The organization merely allows it because it prevents people from learning too much."

Erica nodded as if finally figuring out how two puzzle pieces fit together. "That explains why even the internet turns up only hearsay and conspiracy theories."

"That's the best way to hide," James said. "No solid evidence left behind except the word of people with little credibility."

Bryan said, "Can we go back to the prophecy thing? I know about Sanjan and the Northern Lights and how he sacrificed hundreds of lives trying to open up his way into god's world." James took his comments in stride and remained largely unreactive. But he couldn't hide that little glimmer in his eye. Maybe Bryan knew some details of the story James didn't already know. "I heard the part where the sacrifices caused a rift that somehow weakened the Shadow Realm so that some souls have the willpower to resist joining the Collective Consciousness in death. I'd like to know how that story connects to the prophecy that established the Hellfire Club."

James shrugged. "Parts of the story are different, but that is the prophecy you just told me."

"Please tell me the way you heard it," said Bryan.

"Alright. When Sanjan went to the Northern Lights and found nothing there, he meditated for forty days and forty nights. His period of meditation drew to a close, but just as he lost all hope, he was struck with a divine vision. In it, god spoke to him of the impending cataclysm. Sanjan was told that god was making preparations to descend onto earth himself in order to prevent the destruction of the three realms. He instructed Sanjan to gather together the greatest of the planet's resources in preparation for his arrival.

"Sanjan didn't know in his time that gods live on a different scale. Millennia for us are but moments for gods. What Sanjan thought was an imminent descent failed to occur for eons and ages. Without children of his own, his most trusted advisors took up the mantle of responsibility for god's advent. They married into foreign regimes to extend their influence into all four corners of the globe and pooled their resources through mutual respect for Sanjan's prophecy. A centralized meeting point was established to ensure their resolve held firmly. That meeting grew as generations passed and more family members were brought in. Organizations evolve, and that focal assembly became the rumored Hellfire Club, so named because of their core goal to prevent the end of the world."

Bryan sat in silence as he took it all in. Erica took advantage of the lull to clarify a discrepancy she noticed. "In Bryan's memory," she said, "the leaders of the Hellfire factions didn't know the prophecy before that Overlord guy told them. Well, one did, but he was Russian, and so was Tsar Sanjan."

"Stories get lost over time," James said. "History fades and becomes legend."

"Is that why the purpose that brought them together now seems to be a point of division among the ranks?" she asked.

James smiled brightly at her. "Most likely. When the scope of any organization grows too unwieldy, the inevitable result is top members vying for leadership. Betrayal becomes commonplace in the midst of power grabs."

"Ren Bacon definitely wanted to be in charge," said Bryan.

"Ren Bacon, you say," said James. "I didn't realize his influence was sufficient to warrant a post atop the Spades."

"He was the King of Spades."

"Fascinating." James wore a half-smile as he sat patiently in silence. Bryan noticed the awkward silence and winced. Finally James explained to him, "You should keep to yourself all names you have heard, the same way everything you have heard from me must never be repeated. Should you divulge the knowledge you have, your testimony be instantly discredited and you might disappear."

Erica gulped for fear of what amounted to an economic mafia, but Bryan was unfazed. "I get it." He mimed a zipper across his lips, locking it, and throwing out the key. As If to contradict his agreement immediately, he said, "Is anyone in the Hellfire Club still looking for the vessel god inhabits? I mean, they know the World Collision is imminent."

Rolling his head to one side until a popping sound emerged from his neck, James answered, "As I said, fairy tales get distorted over time. But I heard rumors circulating that god had been found some twenty years ago."

Bryan's heart skipped a beat. Assuming James rounded his number down, he could have been talking about Matt. Matt was twenty-one. Did that mean the Hellfire Club knew where he was?

He prodded more. "Are they watching him secretly?"

With a shrug, James said, "It depends on the veracity of the rumors. Popular folklore among the oldest entrants is that god was raised by the organization. Apparently his earthly parents were members, or so say the myths. The story is so popular that most if not all of those without numbers treat it as fact."

"Raised by the Hellfire Club?" Bryan repeated. "Why?"

"What better way to mold god into the supreme overlord than to raise him from the start by organization tenets?" James answered.

Bryan couldn't believe what he just heard. Everything James said made it sound like Matt was the leader of the Hellfire Club. Sure, he hadn't been there when Bryan overheard the phone call where the Overlord spoke, and maybe the voice was obviously distorted to hide identities… But Matt couldn't keep a secret that humongous without spilling it to Bryan. Not for seven years as sworn brothers.

…Right?

"Me?" Lucy said. She was momentarily certain that she had misheard what Dr. West told her. Sitting nervously in his office—her legs crossed tightly over her blue skirt, her hands clasped in her lap over her baggy blue jacket, and her head down so her hair hung low—she did not put up a confident front. "Why would you want to put me in the School Duel? I'm far from the strongest duelist at school, even when you discount everyone who is ineligible." She referred to people like Matt and Bryan, who were unable to participate because they each competed in a past School Duel.

Dr. West wouldn't hear her complaints. He just sat back in his seat as relaxed as always: collar unbuttoned and a big, goofy grin beneath his bushy mustache.

"There is more to strength than one's rank in the hierarchy," he said.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "Dr. Lankford sure acts like the hierarchy is absolute. If you can't number in the single digits, he can hardly stand to have you around."

"Kevin holds his students to the highest standards and expects them to maintain that level of performance," Dr. West said. "Trust me that you will be more suited to this task than any other student—even Mr. Luther."

Lucy went wide-eyed. Under what circumstances could she be considered a better duelist than Matt? He was the top-ranked duelist at Duel Academy, and—if the rumors were to be believed—the only student who ever defeated Dr. Lankford in a casual duel.

"This duel will be a special assignment against Godwin Academy," Dr. West said.

"But the Spring Duel is never against them." She made a face. "Are we not facing Hawkins University this semester?"

"Plans have already been placed, and so our duel against Hawkins will proceed on schedule in six weeks," said the headmaster. His grin paled just slightly. "This duel is a special case, and one of urgent importance to us. A student of Godwin has located one of our missing god cards."

"Oh!" Suddenly Lucy understood why she was summoned to represent Duel Academy in this match. As a former member of the Guardian Duelers, she had firsthand experience with a god card. It dawned on her to say, "Bryan already found Obelisk, which is the card I used to own. So what good am I going to be?"

"The card we must confront is a shadow of Obelisk," said Dr. West. "The Wicked Dreadroot. Do you remember that card?"

Of course she'd heard Bryan's story of how he confronted the Wicked Gods in a heroic duel to rescue every human being on Academy Island, but she'd never seen the cards in person. There was a world of difference between hearing how they play and witnessing their strength.

"Only through stories, sir."

"Unfortunately, the only duelist who has directly seen Dreadroot's defeat in battle is ineligible for a School Duel. Actually one other has seen it, but he is no longer a student here." Dr. West's mustache twitched as he sniffed sharply. "Even if Matt were eligible to participate, I would still deem him an inappropriate selection because of who his opponent will be."

"Who is that?"

"Kasumi Sato. She left Duel Academy but had no desire to give up on her dueling aspirations. I understand she and Matt have a history together that could affect his judgment."

That was an understatement. From the way Matt told the story, he and Kasumi broke up ostensibly on friendly terms. But clearly he left something out because of the mere fact that she chose to abandon Duel Academy. She had told Cary that she couldn't stand to be around Matt anymore while he was dating someone else.

It all made sense. "I understand your request," said Lucy. "I accept."

He beamed at her. "Wonderful to hear. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to make your preparations easier."

Standing to leave, she said, "No, thanks. I'll be ready." She turned and then stopped, suddenly struck with a nagging thought. "What's the bet for this duel?"

"I beg your pardon?" Dr. West asked.

"You and Headmaster Spengler usually bet on the god cards during the School Duels. He always wants them and you always have them. Except this time he has one we need." She narrowed her eyes as if trying to figure out a missing piece from this puzzle. "Don't tell me he actually came to you first and offered to bring one of the god cards straight to us."

The headmaster of Duel Academy took a moment to compose himself with a deep, relaxing sigh. "Our bets are supposed to be a secret." Lucy made a face that suggested the bets were never a secret in all of Duel Academy's history. "Hamlin is an old, dear friend. He knows the danger presented by those god cards as well as I do. It was different when he desired to hold the sealed cards in his possession. He also knows that he lacks the capacity to seal away their energy again. As long as the Shadow Realm can use those cards as conduit to enter our realm, the safety of the world is in peril."

He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the desk and interlocking his fingers together. "Ancient rituals we still fail to comprehend force the full transfer of god cards to take place through dueling. The pressure on you to endure and overcome The Wicked Dreadroot is greater than you realize. That said, you have more knowledge of the game than any other student. That is what gives you the insight to develop cards and is why Industrial Illusions has sought your employment. When you place sufficient faith in yourself, you will emerge victorious no matter the challenge."

She nodded. Of course Dr. West was almost right. There was one duel in which the pressure to triumph was greater than ever—she had dueled for Bryan's soul. Without her, he could have lost himself to the darkness permanently. And Bryan was among the best duelists she ever met.

"I won't let you down." Perhaps she would be underestimating her opponent to assume Kasumi could not measure up to Bryan, but Kasumi had never reached the same level as the man Lucy chose to marry. Before long, The Wicked Dreadroot would join the other gods at Duel Academy.

"You are such a Nic Cage fan."

That was the boldest accusation Matt ever faced, even coming from a beautiful woman who agreed to skip having a four-course meal in the luxurious dining hall provided to the students with the blue uniforms in exchange for a quiet night in his bedroom watching National Treasure and National Treasure 2 back-to-back.

Rory sat on the hardwood floor with her Spicy Italian sub, ordered from the campus version of a fast food restaurant, using the desk chair as a makeshift table. She still wore her blue uniform skirt and the black leggings that kept her warm, but she had removed the jacket and draped it on the coat hook on the back of Matt's door, leaving her in a black tank top decorated by the slogan "I will End you" and a picture of a Cyber End Dragon.

When Matt asked her to skip out on dinner with her roommate and other friends to join him in his room, she didn't exactly have in mind watching a Nicholas Cage movie, let alone two. And yet, it was oddly in line with his personality—only he didn't seem to realize that. He acted as if being caught liking Nicholas Cage movies was the most grievous of sins.

"How can you say that to me?" he said. "I mean, the man is not a very good actor at all. He's never won any award worth mentioning, he always plays the same character, and he does such goofy movies."

"Movies you enjoy watching," she reminded him. "Every. Single. One." She poked him playfully on the chest, partly as an excuse to feel his firm muscles. He had stripped off his Academy uniform the second they got in, settling down to watch the movies in a tight t-shirt and baggy gym shorts. "Like it or not, you are a fan of Nic Cage. I bet you even want to name your son Kal-El just so you can be like him."

"Not anymore," he said, feigning that a devastating depression settled in on him. "I can't believe I didn't realize that I'm so in love with Nicholas Cage movies. What will people think?"

"They'll tease you and move on," she said. Her head tilted as she playfully added, "Sweetie, no one cares."

Before he could retort, there was a knock at the door. "After I kick this person out, I'm coming back here to tease you about your affection for Chris Evans."

She beamed at him. "I will never be shamed for loving that man's body."

"That's not the basis for a lasting relationship," said Matt while he pulled the door open. "Kasumi," he uttered. The mention of that name immediately drew Rory's attention. She turned off the TV so she wouldn't miss a word of the forthcoming conversation. Didn't she leave Duel Academy? Why was she back? What was she doing here at Matt's dorm room?

Kasumi stood in the doorway with a minor smile on her lips. She was no shorter than he was. She had auburn hair that was perfectly groomed into a Rachel-style cut. Her eyes were a reddish shade of hazel, almost matching her hair. She wore a form-fitting wool coat, red in color and long enough to reach her knees with a waistband in the middle to show off her figure. Rory felt slightly self-conscious seeing how much shapelier Kasumi was.

"Hi, Matt," she said. "It's good to see you again." Her Japanese accent was negligible, but the essence of it was still there. She looked past Matt into the room and made eye contact with Rory, but the smile never faded. "Hi there, Aurora."

"Hi," Rory said. She felt suddenly disappointed in herself for not being more presentable. She clambered to her feet and brushed off the bread crumbs that had fallen from her sandwich. A forced smile crossed her face as she tried to guess Kasumi's motive for visiting so unexpectedly. Sure, she could just ask, but why waste the effort talking to the woman who made Matt miserable for so long?

"Sorry to drop in," Lucy said, revealing herself in full Academy garb behind Kasumi. "She is visiting the campus and asked to be escorted here for just a few minutes." She shot Rory an apologetic look, indicating she hadn't realized Matt might not be alone in his room.

"We'll be out of your hair soon," Kasumi agreed. "I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing. I'm glad you followed my advice about Rory." She extended her smile to Matt's new girlfriend. "I totally agree with you about Chris Evans, though. Even this guy with his morning pushups can't match Captain America."

"Hey!" Matt protested. "I'm in good… enough… shape. I still have leftover bulk from my high school football days. For a duelist, I'm frickin' Sylvester Stallone."

Kasumi chuckled at his defensive reaction and playfully touched his arm. It was not enough to count as anything beyond the appreciation of Matt's humor, but the motion ignited Rory's jealousy. Was Kasumi's plan to steal Matt back? A nagging voice in Rory's brain reminded her that their relationship began when Matt fell out of love with Kasumi and aimed his affections at Rory instead. What would stop him from doing it in reverse?

He's smarter than that, another voice—a more rational one—said to her. Matt remembers why he left Kasumi. He's not flirting with her. He's uncomfortable because of how things were the last time they saw one another. That thought gave her renewed confidence in her relationship. She had nothing to envy. She only had to understand him.

"I should be the one to duel you," she blurted out. Everyone turned to look at her in surprise. She, herself, couldn't believe she just challenged Kasumi. Maybe she was more bothered by Matt's former flame than she realized. But it was out there now. She could step it back, but in her heart, she didn't want to. In a way, Kasumi was her greatest rival. "You've learned a lot by transferring, right? You should have a chance to prove it by facing me in a duel."

If Kasumi's reaction was "surprise," then Matt was flat-out dumbstruck. He just stood there, utterly speechless.

Kasumi pointed to Matt. "I only came by to see him for a minute. Just… to say hi." For some inexplicable reason to her, Rory felt more loathsome toward that comment than anything else.

Fortunately Lucy stepped in with the voice of reason. "Actually, I am the right opponent for her. You are a great duelist, Rory, but you two have a history. Your decisions would be colored by your underlying need to prove yourself to one another, and possibly to Matt."

"They have nothing to prove to me," Matt said.

Lucy mimed a zipping motion over Matt's mouth. "You have no lines in this play. Just stand there and envy Chris Evans while the girls work out their problems, okay?" Turning back to Rory, she added, "I know Kasumi well enough to face her on a level field. I won't underestimate her and yet I know I can win. We don't have that deep-seated enmity that can bring about stupid mistakes."

"I've beaten her before," Rory insisted. "She has one of the god cards we need to protect the world." Kasumi smirked at the comment. Probably she doesn't understand our plight, Rory thought to herself. "We need those cards here. Matt has been searching for them for a year."

"So has Bryan," said Lucy. That was a fair point. Dating Matt didn't connect her to the god cards any more than dating Bryan connected Lucy to them. Plus Lucy had the honor of being a Guardian Dueler back when that organization was present on campus. Not to mention the fact that the faculty already selected Lucy as Duel Academy's representative. Every passing second felt more and more lost to Rory as the realization dawned on her that she could not convince anyone that she should replace Lucy.

Kasumi's smirk faded. "I agree with you."

Matt flinched like he had been punched in the stomach. Lucy rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. She took a single step away as if to distance herself from the squabble unraveling before her.

"You do?" said Rory.

"I do. We should duel. It'll be a good opportunity for both of us to obtain closure."

Closure, huh? Rory thought she understood what Kasumi was saying. She didn't want the two rivals to compete in the School Duel. She wanted it to take place right there in Matt's dorm room. Maybe Kasumi thought that winning a duel against Rory would remind Matt that he made the wrong decision. Well, in order to do that, she'd actually have to win a duel for once.

Matt asked, "Can I say something?"

Kasumi zipped across his mouth. "No lines, remember? This spat is between us. You're not part of this." He didn't like that answer, but he was smart enough to step back and wait in silence. "That's better. So what do you say, Aurora? Shall we?"

"Bring it."

Lucy shook her head in disappointment, but she didn't step in the middle, either. She only stepped inside the room and shut the door. "Technically you're not even supposed to be in the dorms, so this shouldn't take place somewhere people can come watch. It's a private matter, anyway."

Rory furled her brow. "So, we're supposed to play tabletop?"

"It's a nice, low-profile way to play, if you're game," said Kasumi.

"Oh, I'm game," Rory said. She realized in that moment what Lucy meant about her emotions taking the joypad to control her brain. Kasumi's mere presence bothered her. She was going to have to hold it together a little longer. That should be easy, though. After all, there was no reason to be bothered. Matt wasn't going to choose his girlfriend based on the result of a single duel. Only Bryan ever showed that level of shallowness.

The two decks were exchanged, shuffled, and handed back. "Let's duel," Kasumi said. "Care to go first, Cyber Girl?" Her offer was a not-so-subtle reminder that Kasumi knew the Cyber Dragon's special ability and how it favored going second.

Being the challenger in this event, Rory felt compelled to accept Kasumi's request to go second. "That's fine. I don't need you to go first to draw a deck of whoop-ass on you."

Matt kept his laugh silent by grinning so widely his eyes closed. He gave a thumbs-up and said simply, "Nice!"

Proud of herself for making Matt laugh, Rory threw out her first card. "I summon Cyber Dragon Core (2/400/1500). When I Normal Summon one of these, I get to move a Spell or Trap card with Cyber in its name from my deck to my hand. I've chosen Cyber Repair Plant." She flipped the card around long enough for Kasumi to see that it fit the criteria. "I'll set two cards and end my turn."

Kasumi nodded at the field. She seemed to know right away that Rory's cards were Traps. Why else would she leave a 400-point monster in attack mode?

"I summon The Black Stone of Legend (1/0/0)," said the old Red-Eyes tamer. She had obtained some new cards since leaving Duel Academy. "I tribute this card to Special Summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon (7/2400/2000) from my deck." A smile played on her lips as she winked. "I'll attack. Do you wish to continue?"

Rory did not hesitate. "No. Cyber Dragon Core is destroyed. I lose 2000 Life Points."

"Then I will set one card," said Kasumi.

Rory 8000 – 2000 = 6000: Kasumi 8000.

"I begin my turn by banishing Core from my Graveyard to summon Cyber Dragon (5/2100/1600) from my deck," said Rory. Lucy took her deck, shuffled it, and gave it back. "I will also summon Chronomaly Golden Jet (4/1300/1400)."

"And now I chain Torrential Tribute," said Kasumi. She flipped over her Trap with a plan to clear the field of all monsters.

"I reply with Trap Stun," said Rory. "Your Trap is negated and my monsters are safe." Kasumi accepted the effect and removed her card to the Graveyard. "Now I use Golden Jet's effect to raise its own level by 1. Now I can overlay Cyber Dragon (5) and Golden Jet (+5) to Xyz summon Number 61: Volcasaurus (5/2500/1000)." The black card showed an explosive, red monster with spikes and claws big enough to rend monsters twice its size. "By removing one overlay unit from this bad boy, he destroys your Red-Eyes instantly like a volcanic explosion." Then again, there were no holograms on the tabletop. "Point is: You take damage equal to your monster's attack."

Rory 6000: Kasumi 8000 – 2400 = 5600.

"You're still just as fierce as the last time we butted heads," Kasumi confessed.

"You're pretty feisty yourself," Rory also complimented.

"Thanks. I have some new cards, too. You've already seen The Black Stone of Legend (1/0/0). Well, I can use its ability to shuffle Red-Eyes back into my deck while I move The Black Stone back to my hand. I will summon it again. And now I banish it to summon Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon (8/2800/2400)."

"I know that card," Rory said. She flipped over her other face-down card. "I play Compulsory Evacuation Device to move that card right back into your hand." Not only did that protect her from the Darkness Metal Dragon's swarming effect, but it kept Kasumi's field empty.

"Okay," Kasumi said, accepting the card back into her hand. "I set one card and end my turn."

In her excitement, Rory didn't notice the card Kasumi just set. "I attack with Volcasaurus (2500)!"

"I protect myself with Mirror Force," replied Kasumi.

Just like that, Rory's field was the empty one now. Unfortunately, she had no other cards in her hand to play just yet. It was worth holding out for one turn, possibly suffering a direct attack, in order to await a proper combination.

"My turn?" Kasumi asked coyly. "I play Sacred Sword of Seven Stars. By banishing a Red-Eyes Black Dragon (7) from my hand, I can draw two cards." She picked up her new cards and reviewed her hand. "I set one monster and one other card to go with it."

Rory was curious why Kasumi had skipped a prime opportunity to attack. How often did your opponent have no monsters or Traps on the field? Why pass that up? Could her face-down cards be so good that she needed to set them up? Kasumi looked so smug, sitting there on the side of Matt's bed, awaiting her turn patiently.

Of course she wasn't setting up the ultimate play. It was a bluff. Whatever her cards were, Kasumi was smart enough to know they wouldn't save her once Rory drew this combo.

"Now is the time to use my Cyber Repair Plant. Because there is a Cyber Dragon in my Graveyard, I can move one Light-attribute, machine-type monster from my deck to my hand. I choose Cyber Dragon (5/2100/1600). I will also Special Summon that Cyber Dragon because you have a monster and I don't. To assist, I summon Cyber Dragon Drei (4/1800/800)."

Rory's excitement grew every time she made a play and Kasumi failed to activate her face-down card. "Drei's ability means it also counts as a Cyber Dragon. I play Power Bond, fusing together Cyber Dragon and Cyber Dragon Drei into Cyber Twin Dragon (8/+5600/2100)."

"Power Bond," Kasumi said dreamily. "That was one of Matt's best cards when he first started. Double the power to your machine fusion as long as you can withstand the negative effect at the end of your turn."

"Or I can avoid it altogether," Rory chided. "Cyber Twin attacks twice: once for your monster…" It was Red-Eyes Wyvern (4/1800/1600) in defense mode. "…and once against you directly. Cyber Twin's attack takes all your Life Points."

Kasumi chuckled. "Settle down. I have a Trap to play: Escape from the Dark Dimension. Remember when I banished my Red-Eyes for my Sacred Sword card? Now I can summon it back to the field to defend me against your second attack." She placed the card sideways on the field and then moved it to the discard pile. "So it looks like I'm safe after all. But you're taking a big hit here."

She was right. Power Bond hadn't ended the duel like Rory had wanted it to. With no protection from the damaging effect, Power Bond dealt damage to her Life Points equal to her fusion monster's attack power.

"That's fine," Rory said. "Cyber Twin retains its attack boost, so I'll manage."

Rory 6000 – 2800 = 3200: Kasumi 5600.

"That's the spirit," Kasumi said. "Thanks for damaging yourself, by the way. That reduces the effort I need to make my final play. I activate Red-Eyes Fusion. This is a specialty fusion card for use exclusively with the Red-Eyes Black Dragon. With this, the fusion material monsters can come from my deck. I pull Red-Eyes B. Dragon and Meteor Dragon in order to fuse them into Meteor Black Dragon (8/3500/2000)."

Matt interrupted them for just a moment to admire her card. "Man, it's been a long time since I saw that card. Once upon a time, it was the strongest monster card in existence, back before they discovered the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon."

"And the Cyber End Dragon," Rory added. Under her breath, she scoffed, "And a Cyber Twin Dragon (5600) summoned by Power Bond."

"It's still strong enough to suit my needs," Kasumi said, returning the card to the table. "Any card summoned by Red-Eyes Fusion has its name treated as Red-Eyes B. Dragon as long as it remains in play." She paused just long enough for Rory to wonder why that was helpful.

Kasumi glanced playfully at Matt for a moment. "While I was here, struggling to catch up to your ability, I thought about ways to pull the Red-Eyes for a One-Turn-Kill maneuver. I came up with a pretty decent combination, although Power Bond reduced the need for me to hold all the cards in my hand at once. You see, as long as Meteor B. Dragon is treated as Red-Eyes B. Dragon, I can activate Inferno Fire Blast on it. With this card, you take instant damage equal to my monster's attack points. It's too bad we don't get to watch the effect rendered in three dimensions, but I'm sure you can do the math."

Rory 3200 – 3500 = 0: Kasumi 5600.

Kasumi scooped her deck up in one hand. With a big grin plastered across her face, she walked to the door and Lucy followed. The last thing she said before stepping into the hallway was, "Thanks for that, Aurora. I feel like I finally have my closure." The door shut itself behind them.

Rory sat motionless for a moment, replaying the last several turns in her head. What could she have done differently? There's no way her loss was a foregone conclusion. She'd beaten Kasumi before with no special effort, but this time Kasumi was all over her. Despite their win-loss record in the School Duels, Godwin Academy really did live up to its reputation as Duel Academy's great rival.

Matt's hand found its way around Rory's shoulders, giving her neck an affectionate squeeze. "You know what will make you feel better?" he asked. "Ghost Rider."

Again with the Nic Cage movies! Rory found the humor in his voice and smiled. "You wouldn't rather watch Ghost Rider 2?"

Immediately the color drained from his face. She enjoyed messing with him over that phenomenally bad movie. "I have no idea what you're talking about. Such a movie does not exist. If it did, it could certainly never be the worst superhero movie imagined. Seriously, let's not dwell on droll fantasy. Instead, let's enjoy the glorious beacon that is Sam Elliott's mustache."

This chapter threatened to be another one without a duel (lots of exposition still to cover). But the encouraging review left by Amourenvie reminded me that Kasumi really does need to win a duel. Leaving Duel Academy did a lot of good for her mentally and skill-wise, and I think this duel really shows that. Plus I had the chance to learn about a whole slew of Red-Eyes support cards out in the OCG. The prospect of using all of them excited me a lot, but it was important to me not to let this chapter's length get out of hand. So thanks to Amourenvie for the uplifting review. I'm so pleased that I've been able to entertain even a handful of people for all these years.

Obviously the next chapter will focus on the School Duel-another chance for Kasumi to strut her stuff. I always liked her character even though the story required me to lose her mind to jealousy for a while. Bryan will confront Matt about the Hellfire prophecy (any guesses?), and the two headmasters will reveal a bit of information before we get to the Ars Arcanum.

Trivia: I honestly do envy Sam Elliott for his mustache-him and Tom Selleck both. I can barely grow the wispy kind of mustache Cary Elwes is known for.