Matt LP: 2000
Borealis Tatami: Fairy-Type/Spirit/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1200
Blader of Eoseuleum – Tsubasa: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 2000/DEF 1800
Leah LP: 3800
Captain of Eoseuleum – Sencho: Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 4/ATK 2300/DEF 1500 – 2 OLU
Spell & Trap Card Zone: Spiritual Haven of the Borealis [Field Card]
There was a moment of silence while everyone digested the implications of this piece of information. James was the first to speak. "Hang on, your Number? Are you sure that's a good idea? What if it starts rampaging again?"
Dan turned to him, looking genuinely perplexed. "Come on, you must know why this is necessary."
Leah, now quite serious, spoke up. "We need to use our Numbers as tools to gather other Numbers. If we never use our Numbers out of fear of what might happen, we'll never be able to save other holders." She grinned. "So, to make sure its safe, I'm going to try Summoning Number 17. If it goes insane and starts attacking everyone and destroying the building, we'll know that the bands probably aren't working."
Everyone laughed nervously. Everyone except Matt, that is. Matt was struggling with himself, trying to get his fears under control, and trying to inject a sense of logic into his thoughts. What Leah was saying was a perfectly valid argument: he had to make good on his promise to save other Number holders.
But still, those horrific images... they just wouldn't leave him alone...
"I Summon Borealis Leger!" Matt was snapped out of his thoughts by the appearance of the bow-toting angel.
Borealis Leger: Fairy-Type/Spirit/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1400/DEF 600
"Oh, and let's not forget that she gains a boost from my Field Spell."
Borealis Leger: ATK 1400 → 1500/DEF 600 → 700
"And due to its effect, when it's Normal Summoned, I can increase the Level of any Spirit monster I control by one." Leger raised its bow... "I'll have it increase its own Level" ...and fired it straight up. The arrow dissipated into particles of light almost the moment it left the bow, which swirled around Leger and upped its Level.
Borealis Leger: Level 4 → 5
"Next, I'll use my Field Spell's effect to gain an extra Normal Summon each turn. I Summon Izanami." The familiar black-haired Spirit, dressed in a large white robe, appeared.
Izanami: Fairy-Type/Spirit/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1100/DEF 1800
Izanami: ATK 1100 → 1300/DEF 1800 → 2000
Borealis Leger: ATK 1500 → 1600/DEF 700 → 800
"And I think I'll use Izanami's effect as well. When she's Summoned, I can discard one card to return any Spirit monster from my Graveyard to my hand. I discard Borealis Nanbu to recover Borealis Tatami." She exchanged the two cards, then grinned cunningly. "Now then, normally I would leave these two Spirits here and just attack with them. But this duel serves a purpose, so let's ignore common sense and get this ball rolling! I activate the Spell Card, Resonance Device, which lets me change the Level of one of my monsters to equal the Level of another monster I control with the same type and Attribute. So since they're both WATER Fairy-Types, I'll change the Level of Izanami to equal Leger." The Spell Card let of resonance waves that surrounded both monsters.
Izanami: Level 4 → 5
"Nice one," said Katie. "She actually did it, like she said. She's good."
"You're telling me," Dan replied, still fixated on the duel.
"Ready or not, here it comes!" Leah called. As if in response, both her monsters morphed into blue masses of light. "Level five Izanami and Borealis Leger, Overlay!" The monsters flew upwards, making room for a galaxy-shaped portal to open. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" The monsters shot into the portal, which exploded. "Be born! Number 17: Passion Aurora!"
The green number seventeen flashed above the field, and the spinning sideways-oval crest appeared, sporting three sharp protrusions; two from the side and one from underneath. Protruding from the side of each 'spike' were two downy wings. Lines of light traced across the surface of the crest as it started to unfold. All six wings stretched out. A pitch-black humanoid figure, covered in shining gold armour, began to take form. Two scarf-like strips of fabric, one grey and one purple, hung from its waste. It had spikes on its kneecaps, and pointed feet. Everything about it besides its wings looked synthetic. With one final battle-cry, it stretched out its arms and wings, then took its position ready for battle, orbited by two yellow Overlay Units.
Number 17: Passion Aurora: Fairy-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 5/ATK 2500/DEF 1800 – 2 OLU
James, Katie and Dan instinctively got to their feet. The kept their eyes fixed on the Number, waiting for it to do... something... anything that could be dangerous.
But no. The Number simply stood there, like any ordinary monster, waiting patiently to be told to do something. Dan felt a knot of tension in his gut loosen. It seemed that the Professor had been right – the bands had rendered the Number harmless.
Matt, however, was having a very different reaction. He was staring into the eyes of the Number with pure terror, which grew with every passing second. 'This thing… it's like my- it's… that's…" Without warning, those dreadful images were back with him again, more vivid and horrifying that ever before. With a jolt, he realised that the thing standing before him was exactly the same as the thing that had hurt so many people on his whim. It was all he could do not to bolt from the very sight of this creature. He was shaking. He felt sick with fear...
Suddenly, a cry of anguish cut through his haze of fear like a knife. Every pair of eyes in the room snapped to Leah, who was clutching her left hand, and staring at it in horror.
From her hand, visible to everyone, emanated a soft green glow...
Immediately, Dan vaulted the barrier and started running towards her. In the space of three seconds had crossed the distance between them, leapt onto the platform, and ran over to her. Her hands were trembling. He gently took hold of her wrist, and pulled her right hand away so he could see properly. And sure enough, there it was...
The green number seventeen, etched onto the back of her left hand like a glowing green tattoo.
"No..." he whispered. He let go of her arm and put his hand on her shoulders, turning her to face him. "Leah... look at me." She obediently looked him in the eyes. They were both a similar height, so she did not have to raise her head to look at him. "Can you feel it? Is the Number affecting you?"
Leah stayed quiet. Everyone in the room held their breath, worried. Even Matt had partially forgotten his fear and was now watching Leah with wariness.
Thirty seconds passed...
Then a minute...
Finally she spoke. "I... I can't feel anything." Slowly, her face started to brighten. "Nothing. I think the band worked. The Number isn't affecting me. It worked!" By this point, she was positively grinning again.
Everyone in the room let out a sigh of relief. Dan let his arms relax, let out a laugh of relief, and playfully punched her on the arm.
"Hey," she said indignantly, but laughing all the same. "What was that for?"
"Giving me a damn good scare is what." Dan replied, trying to keep a straight face, but kept smiling with relief.
Leah folded her arms, the glowing number still clearly visible on her hand. "That Professor... he could've warned us that the number still appears on our bodies. I got the shock of my life!"
"Oh give over," Dan laughed. "You're fine, aren't you?"
"Yeah, but-"
"Guys, above you!" James shouted.
Dan and Leah quickly looked up at the Number. Passion Aurora has no longer standing in the same position. Its head was tilted down and it was... looking at them. It wasn't thrashing around or rearing up to attack. It was just looking at them, its glowing white eyes clearly visible through its helmet. In a way, that was far more eerie.
"Hey," Dan whispered. "Can you feel anything now? Is this thing trying to say something to you?"
Leah's eyes closed as she felt around carefully, searching for any hint of something – a thought, a feeling, anything – that wasn't hers. Finally, she opened them again.
"Yes..." She said slowly, her eyes never leaving the Number. "I can just about feel it. It's... angry." Dan looked at her, concerned. "It's a really tiny feeling, like I'm looking at it down a tunnel, or from a great distance, but that much is clear: it's furious. It's raging at me, at you, at your Number, at Matt... at everything."
Dan looked back at the Number, still wary, but no longer nervous in its presence. "So it's angry, but we know the band is keeping it in check." He looked back at her. "If you ask me, I think it's safe."
"Same," she replied. "It's angry, but I don't think it can actually do anything. So we're safe." She grinned, her fear gone. "Well, now that that's sorted, go sit down boy. This is my stage."
Dan laughed. "Just be careful." He walked back to his seat. Leah took a deep breath to calm her nerves, then turned to look at Matt.
"So, you ok to get straight back in?" She asked.
As it turned out, Matt was far from ok. He was battling internally with his crippling fear of the Number, his wariness of the Number's unusual actions – it had raised its head and was now staring at him instead – and his determination to get over his fears. Despite everything, he nodded, not trusting himself with words just yet.
"Alright then," she said cheerfully. "Then let's go." Just before declaring her first attack, she stopped herself, and thought things through. 'In our last duel, both Numbers manifested themselves as real monsters.' She reached behind her slowly, and touched the spike protruding from the angel's knee.
It was solid. And cold.
'Right,' she thought, 'so the bands don't stop the Numbers becoming real. So I mustn't attack him directly with it. That could hurt him really badly.' Reassured, she resumed her move. "Go, Passion Aurora! Attack his Blader of Eoseuleum – Tsubasa!" The Number lifted both hands and charged a sphere of pale gold energy between them. Taking the sphere in its left hand, it pulled its arm back... "Ionization blast!" ...and let loose a crackling beam of yellow energy, which struck Tsubasa, destroying it on the spot.
The shockwave was bigger than Matt expected. With a cry of pain, he was lifted off his feet and hurled backwards, landing painfully on his back.
Matt LP: 2000 → 1500
He struggled into a sitting position, his fear of the Number very much renewed.
"Now, Captain of Eoseuleum – Sencho, attack the Borealis Tatami I gave him!" The captain let out a loud battle-cry, crossed the distance swiftly, and slashed at the rainbow-hued angel, which dissipated.
Matt LP: 1500 → 1000
"I'll set one card and end my turn." Her set card appeared, and she took an anxious step forwards, worried about Matt, who was struggling to get up. "Hey, are you ok? You didn't break any bones, did you?"
Matt shook his head without saying a word, and through sheer force of will alone, stood up and began his turn. "My turn... draw!"
Before he could go any further than that, however, James shouted at him from the stands. "Hey Matt. Do us a favour and Summon your Number, would you? Ideally we need to see both in action to be sure the bands are working." Katie nodded beside him.
Matt shook his head. "It's ok. I can win without it-"
"C'mon Matt, that's not the point," Katie interrupted. "This duel isn't about winning or losing. It's just a test. That's all."
"Seriously Matt, it'll be fine," Leah reassured him. "Here, I'll make it easier for you." She raised her hand. "I activate the effect of Number 17: Passion Aurora! During either player's turn, by detaching one of its Overlay Units, I can shut off its effect for the rest of this turn." One of Number 17's Overlay Units broke orbit and flew into its helmet with a flash of light. A few feathers detached themselves from 17's wings and began to float in small circles around it.
Number 17: Passion Aurora: 2 → 1 OLU
Leah nodded, satisfied. "There we go. Now you can Special Summon all you like this turn. Go for it."
Matt couldn't bring himself to reply. Despite everything that had happened today, and despite his own consoling, he couldn't bring himself to do it. A quick glance at his hand gave him even more bad news: he had the resources to Summon his Number. And Passion Aurora's effect was no longer applying. He could... but he couldn't...
'No…' A new idea came to him. 'No, this isn't the time to test my Number. This is the time to prove that I don't need it. So what if my opponent has a strong monster. If I can prove that I can defeat a Number without a Number, then I can become an even stronger Number hunter. I don't need you, Dark Excalibur… this is my duel!'
Author-made cards:
Borealis Tatami
Fairy-Type/Spirit/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1700/DEF 1100
Cannot be Special Summoned. During the End Phase of the turn this card was Normal Summoned or flipped face-up: Return it to the hand. When this card is Normal Summoned: Add 1 "Borealis" monster from your Deck to your hand.
Blader of Eoseuleum - Tsubasa
Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 2000/DEF 1800
If your opponent controls a monster and you don't: You can target 1 Spell Card in your opponent's Graveyard; banish that target, then Special Summon this card from your hand. This card is unaffected by Spell effects.
Borealis Leger
Fairy-type/Spirit/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1400/DEF 600
Cannot be Special Summoned. During the End Phase of the turn this card was Normal Summoned or flipped face-up: Return it to the hand. When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 face-up Spirit monster you control; that target gains 1 Level.
Captain of Eoseuleum - Sencho
Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 4/ATK 2300/DEF 1500
2 Level 4 Warrior-Type monsters
You can Special Summon this card (from your Graveyard) by Tributing 1 face-up "Eoseuleum" monster you control while there is a Spell Card(s) on your opponent's field or in their Graveyard. This card gains 500 ATK for each face-up Spell Card your opponent controls. If this card would be destroyed, you can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card instead.
Number 17: Passion Aurora
Fairy-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 5/ATK 2500/DEF 1800
2 Level 5 monsters
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. Neither player can Special Summon monsters. During either player's turn: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; negate this card's effects until the End Phase.
Spiritual Haven of the Borealis
Field Spell Card
Face-up Spirit monsters gain 100 ATK and DEF for each Spirit monster their controller controls. You cannot Normal Summon non-Spirit monsters. Once per turn: You can Normal Summon 1 monster from your hand as an additional Normal Summon.
Fun Fact #7: Maybe we should be writing horror stories... anyway, yeah, slightly more eerie chapter, sorry about that. Normal humourous content will be resumed as soon as possible.
Fun Fact #8: Yes, I did copy and paste the Summoning sequence for Number 17: Passion Aurora straight from the last story. Coming up with a unique Summoning sequence for... well, the exact same Summoning sequence, is very hard.
Fun Fact #9: I wonder if I could've killed the tension by having the Number call Leah 'sweetcakes'...
Fun Fact #10: Don't even think about it, Dan!
Fun Fact #11: Oi, you two, stop wasting Fun Facts!