Stardust Shimmer
Eighteen: Soul of Fire
Batman was one of the heroes most protective of his city, a complete opposite to most heroes. While Metropolis had seen its fair share of heroes substituting for Superman most of the time, Gotham in contrast saw almost zero new heroes. There was a saying that this was how the Bat remained in business; because there was no other hero. Even Nightwing remained in Bludhaven and only covered Gotham when its own Dark Knight could not, something which almost no League hero had ever done.
Today, the League formed another theory about Gotham; when Batman called for help, it was the kind of thing that began the end of the world, or something like it, for no sooner than had where about twenty heroes were released from some mysterious black dome than Superman get a message about the Bat and start breaking the sound barriers to get to the Wayne Enterprises building. Even with various powers or short-cuts through the Gothic city, it was still a sobering sight to see a black dome begin to form as three figures ran out of the main entrance of Wayne Enterprises.
"Oh, it's you," the lone adult of the picture said as he stared at the descending hero, the brunette and red-haired girl staring at him. The red-haired girl then looked to see another red-head, and ran towards her, crying.
"Professor," Superman greeted, looking at the dome before charging forth. The dome met him with an equal force and sent him back.
"I don't think you can get in," Yusei shook his head as thorned vines began to snake around him.
"Professor?" the two red-headed girls shyly sidled to the dark-haired man, blinking. "I'm Himemiya Hazuki. Thank you for saving my sister."
"Thank Batman," Yusei shook his head as he glanced at the black dome. "I have to save my son."
Superman shot a blast of heat vision, that came out of the other end and nearly fried the Flash. "It's no use, I can't break through."
"What?" Lantern growled as he floated down, aiming a blast at the dome. The green light shot through to hit the other side as well.
"Obviously, any blasts or brute force would not open it," Yusei shook his head as he poked his hand through, withdrawing as his own gloved hand came back at him. "It's designed to keep people out. We need..."
"Yusei!" the white-streaked Valhallanders swerved to a pause as Harald shook out his long hair from the helm. "Thank Odin I caught you."
"Harald!" Yusei answered, less enthusiastically. "Can you open it?"
The white-haired European Duellist studied the dome, occasionally poking his fingers through it. "This is old magic, perhaps older than even the Aesir."
"Please step aside," John informed the men as more superheroes tried to blast through the dome, to no effect. "Flash! Escort these civilians away from here."
The superhero in question soon found himself under the calm, implacable gaze of two Duellists. "Er, nice to meet you?" he hazarded. "I really liked how you beat Atlas."
"Jack is a very good opponent," Yusei answered neutrally as Harald looked at the dome again. "Are you sure you should be here? As I know, Black Garden is still active."
"Wha-?" Flash found himself tangled in rose vines at the same time both men made a break for the dome.
Yusei looked him in the eye. "Protect the children, please." He then looked to his companion. "Harald?"
"Influence of Runes!" Harald called, left eye glimmering as he caught onto Yusei's wrist and both men passed through the dome's surface and did not surface.
"Hey, that's cheating!" Flash complained as he began to vibrate himself out of the vines. "Big Blue!"
He awoke to darkness, and promptly swore in his mind. The dark was not his thing, never really had been, that was more Batman's thing and Bruce was so going to chew him out for falling asleep-
"Wake up, Dick," Batman's gravelly voice whispered, the darkness fading slightly as some light shimmered from the shaman-woman with wings to match Hawkgirl's own wings. "Focus. We're in... the Shadow Realm. It's a hostile environment, and it will siphon off energy of unguarded people. Elma, handle Tim, please. Dick, wake up. If you fall asleep here it's going to be final, you hear me? Eatos is protecting us, but we don't have time."
Nightwing shook his head, returning to full consciousness. "This is... this is that place Flash said sucked the energy right out of people without protection, right?"
"Yeah," the Bat growled in answer, looking at the shaman-woman. "This is Guardian Eatos. Eatos, this is... my ward, Nightwing."
"Master Grayson, a pleasure to meet you," the woman nodded, sword still in hand.
Dick stared. "How did you-?"
"I am one of the nine that resides within the mind of the Dark Knight. I daresay that Zera would know more than I," Eatos observed, almost amused. "Your companion the one who wears the mantle of Robin is being assisted by Elma. Rest assured that the Realm will not take your soul as long as one of us remains with you."
"The one who- Tim!" Dick sat up.
"I'm okay!" A grinning Robin walked over, accompanied by the slender Elma. "I got to meet a Duel Monster face-to-face!"
"What endearing children," the mermaid floated towards the two dark-haired protégées of the Bat, smiling enough for them to see her sharpened incisors. "Much improved from our Rafael, no, Eatos?"
"You can baby them later, Kay'est," Elma shook her head tiredly at the blue-finned mermaid's antics. "Make sure you don't do what you did with the Lantern, though."
"Ladies, and gentlemen," Eatos growled, still smiling. "The priority is to escape from this place. Setsuka is obviously tangled in a Duel along with Ryuusei Fudo, so I suggest that we find the rule of the place. Regina Mackenzie has obviously trapped us in a different Game."
"Game?" Batman reacted.
"This is a Dark Game," the Guardian monster inclined her head. "And every game has rules. We are bound to obey the rules of the game, yet every one has a way to win. This is an old skill, that has not been seen in the modern world for a while. For her to know it is truly terrifying."
"In a game there are stakes," Batman recalled. "What's the stakes?"
"We stay," Eatos shrugged. "I cannot play, since I am not bound by the rules. I can only safeguard you against the illusions that will distract you."
"A Dark Game..." Kay'est wondered. "A match of hearts and minds. The key is to see past the illusion of darkness."
"Ow!" Robin yelped as his hand hit something. "What the...?"
"So, to get out, we have to win," Dick concluded, sighing. "This is worse than the Riddler, no offence. Batman... Batman?"
The Dark Knight was staring at a spot that to the two Robins seemed like empty shadow. "The key to winning... is to get out of the darkness."
Setsuka: LP 4000
Ryuusei: LP 4000
Regina: LP 4000
"Ladies first," Regina simpered.
"You're no lady," Ryuusei grumbled but did not protest.
"Draw." Regina decided. "I play the Spell, Cards from the Sky, banishing a Light Attribute Fairy in my hand to draw two cards. This turn, I cannot special summon or conduct my battle phase. I activate the Field Spell, The Sanctuary in the Sky. I then activate the Spell, Heaven's Lost Property, allowing us to draw three cards and discard two each."
Neither Duellist reacted as the surroundings changed to a pure white plaza surrounded by Grecian pillars. "This is a place untainted by humans," Regina raised her hands to make her point. "A true Arcadia, for the powerful, where there is no ills or pain... this is within the power of Sephylon to grant."
"Are you going to stand there with empty words, or will you prove it through your actions?" Setsuka cut in bluntly.
"I then summon Nova Summoner [1400/800] and end my turn with three set cards." Regina declared. "You will see the error of your resistance soon, little Setsuka."
"I'll go next," Setsuka declared. "Draw!"
"Trap card, open! Miraculous Descent!" Regina countered. "I can special summon a banished Fairy Type monster from my field. Come, Splendid Venus [2800/2400]!"
"Interesting," Setsuka observed dispassionately as the winged being appeared from the air, shimmering into existence. "When my opponent controls four or more cards than I, I can special summon Medium of the Ice Barrier [2200/1600] from my hand."
The woman that appeared shrunk away from the shining angelic being as se appeared. [2200/1600 → 1700/1100].
"Splendid Venus causes all non-Fairy Type monsters to lose five hundred attack and defence power," Regina explained. "Furthermore, none of my spells or traps can be deactivated."
"When Medium is on the field, my opponent can only activate one Spell or Trap card per turn." Setsuka rebutted. "I then activate the Spell, Magic Triangle of the Ice Barrier. I reveal General Raiho, Geomancer of the Ice Barrier and General Grunard in my hand, to destroy one card on the field. I choose The Sanctuary in the Sky!"
"A wise choice," Regina murmured as the Field Spell vanished and the plaza was replaced by thick darkness.
"Then, I special summon General Grunard of the Ice Barrier [2800/1800 → 2300/1300]," Setsuka continued as the ice-armoured warrior shimmered into existence. "This is one of my most useful generals, because with him I can effectively normal summon twice. I now summon Geomancer of the Ice Barrier [800/1200 → 300/700] in defence mode. With that, I declare turn end."
"My turn!" Ryuusei chipped in. "I discard Dandylion to special summon Quickdraw Synchron [700/1400], and with it two Fluff Tokens in defence mode. As there is a face-up tuner monster on my field, I can special summon Boost Warrior [300/200] from my hand in defence mode. Tuning, level five Quickdraw Synchron, to level one Boost Warrior! To fight, we take up the swords and shield, aim at the enemy's heart and strike true! Synchro Summon! Drill Warrior!"
"The infamous Warrior," Regina observed. "Splendid Venus's effect activates [2400/2000 → 1900/1500] Then, you will halve its attack and use it to escape Venus."
"That's what I'd do," Ryuusei admitted. "Drill Warrior's attack is halved [1900/1500 → 950/1500], and in exchange, it attacks you directly!"
"Trap card, Heaven's Judgement," Regina countered. "I send the level six Herald of Perfection [1800/2800] from my deck to the graveyard to destroy Drill Warrior."
"Che!" Ryuusei grimaced as the Drill Warrior was destroyed. "I play the Spell, Tuning, to mill a card and move Turbo Synchron [100/100] to my hand. I summon Copy Plant [0/0] to the field." A large bulbous bramble bloomed, taking the shape of Venus. "Copy Plant's level is now eight. I reduce its level by one to special summon Level Eater [600/0] from my grave. Tuning, level one Level Eater to level seven Copy Plant! Clustering wishes will become a new shining star, become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Stardust Dragon [2500/2000]!"
The dragon roared in answer as it shimmered onto the field. "I set two cards and end my turn," Ryuusei finished.
"Draw," Regina gave a small smile. "I discard Zeradias, Herald of Heaven [2100/800] to add The Sanctuary in the Sky from my deck to my hand. I activate The Sanctuary in the Sky once more." The field changed back to the Greek plaza. "Nova Summoner, attack General Grunard."
"What?" Setsuka started as the wreath was torn apart by Grunard.
"Another takes its place," Regina carelessly waved as another Nova Summoner appeared. "Attack Grunard again. Due to the Sanctuary in the Sky, I take no battle damage, and another Nova Summoner is summoned. The Nova Summoner soon gives way to Shining Angel [1400/900]. Shining Angel attacks again, destroyed, attacks, destroyed, attacks, destroyed, and the chains ends with the summoning of Gellenduo [1700/0]. Gellenduo cannot be destroyed in battle. I summon Dark Valkyria [1800/1050]. Battle, Gellenduo, attack Geomancer!"
Setsuka barely winced, still staring at the Splendid Venus. "Activate Geomancer's effect, discarding a card from hand and declaring an Attribute, so all cards of the chosen Attribute cannot attack Geomancer. I choose Light."
"Venus, attack the Medium!" Regina commanded as the Geomancer's mirror bounced back the Gellenduo.
"Trap card, Sakuretsu Armour!" Ryuusei announced as the winged being were sucked into an armour and shattered forcibly. "Care to try again?"
"No," she answered after a while. "Turn end."
Setsuka gave a tired sigh. "Thank you."
"No problem," Ryuusei answered tersely. "We have to work together to finish this."
"Draw," Setsuka grimaced at the cards. "Since Venus is gone from the field, our monsters return to their original power [2300/1300 → 2800/1800] [300/700 → 800/1200] [1700/1100 → 2200/1600] [2300/2100 → 2800/2600]. Tuning, level four Snow Dragon to level three Geomancer. Winter sweeps the land as the epilogue begins. Its icy clutches upon the earth make themselves apparent. Synchro summon! Ice spear of the one-eyed, Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"
The two-headed dragon [2500/1700] roared as it blew upon the field, dusting it with a light coating of ice. "I discard one card from my hand to destroy Gellenduo," Setsuka coldly declared. "Sway Spear!"
Regina barely twitched as the two cotton-candy beings were destroyed.
"Medium, attack Dark Valkyria!" Setsuka then commanded as the dark fairy shattered. "Grunard, direct attack!"
"Argh!" the blonde winced as the warrior struck true.
Regina: LP 4000 → LP 1200
"Turn end," Setsuka coldly ended. "Well? You're not making your argument heard."
"My turn!" Ryuusei declared. "Draw! Stardust, attack directly!"
"No," Regina countered. "Activate Trap, Sacred Revelation! I negate the direct attack by sending two level four or lower Fairy-Type monsters from my deck to my grave, and I choose Herald of Orange Light [300/500] and Herald of Green Light [300/500]."
Ryuusei scoffed as the attack was blocked, Stardust also roaring in disappointment. "I set a card, turn end."
"Draw!" Regina glanced at the cards. "I play the Spell, Card of Sanctity. I banish all the cards from my field and from my hand, which is at zero, to draw two cards. Draw!"
Her clear desperation soon gave way to calm. "Everything ends... with ten monsters in my grave, I special summon a very special monster."
Their surroundings began to rock as Regina slammed the card down on her DuelDisk. "Descend, the Ultimate Temporal Machine God, Sephylon!"
Superman was about to try and break through again before a pillar of light shot down from the skies overhead, piercing straight through the Wayne Enterprises building down. "That's..."
Buildings shattered under the force of the beam, the yellow light reaching from up to the skies down to the earth, to form a solid pillar. Within the pillar, the glimpse of a large being could be glimpsed, wings spread and mechanical and vaguely humanoid and... there were eyes and faces and-
"What is that?" the Man of Steel breathed.
Within the building itself, Dick was still slapping his own face at the simple killer Game they had just barely escaped. "I can't believe that she trapped us there with our own sight... that was the single most humiliating trap ever! No, the Riddler's pea soup was worse..."
"Neither can I," Tim shook his head, before he froze as the ground and walls began to shake. "What the...?"
"Is everything alright?" Yusei's voice shook slightly as he rushed towards the three members of the Bat-clan, Harald following in his tracks. "Batman!"
"Get back!" Batman growled, black cape swirling as he waked back. "Nightwing, Robin, I'm leaving them to you. Professor Fudo."
"Er, yes?" Yusei froze slightly at the Batman's tone. Looming over the two men like some dark wraith of Gothic tales, the next question stumped him for a bit.
"How do I deactivate the Momentum generator?"
Setsuka: LP 4000, Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier [2500/1700], Medium of the Ice Barrier [2200/1600], General Grunard of the Ice Barrier [2800/1800]
Ryuusei: LP 4000, Stardust Dragon [2500/2000], 2x Fluff Tokens [0/0] in defence mode.
Regina: LP 1200, Sephylon the Ultimate Temporal Machine God [4000/4000]
"S- S- Sephylon..." Ryuusei stuttered, staring at the giant monster [4000/4000] that Stardust Dragon kept glaring at. "Attack power, four thousand points..."
"It's huge," Setsuka answered plainly.
"This Sephylon must be special summoned from my hand when I have ten or more monsters in the graveyard, and cannot be summoned by other ways," Regina explained. "Furthermore, once per turn I can special summon a level eight or higher Fairy Type monster from my hand or grave, but its effects are negated... and the attack becomes four thousand. I choose to summon... the Splendid Venus!"
With a burst of white light, the winged being appeared on the field, resplendent as it glowed with the giant monster's aegis [2800/2400 → 4000/2400].
"Now, Venus, attack that irritating General Grunard!" Regina cackled. "Judgement!"
Setsuka raised her arms to shield herself as she was blown away by that attack.
Setsuka & Ryuusei: LP 4000 → LP 2800
"Gah!" both children were blown back by the force.
"Venus, attack that troublesome medium!" Regina followed up. "Holy Light!"
Setsuka shielded herself again as the Medium of the Ice Barrier shattered under the goddess's light.
Setsuka: LP 2800 → LP 1000
Ryuusei: LP 4000
"Gah..." Ryuusei growled as he stood back up. "Are you alright?"
"Is that it?" Setsuka followed up, panting and bruised and scuffed but otherwise alright. "This... is nothing..."
"Oh?" Regina shrugged, false kindness evident in her voice. "In that case, I end with a set card."
"Draw!" Setsuka snarled. "I play Swords of Revealing Light!"
"What?" the blonde woman protested as glowing swords appeared around her. "Very well. I'll allow you these three turns."
"Then, I move Gungnir to defence mode and end my turn," Setsuka growled. "Fudo."
"Got it. My turn!" Ryuusei drew quickly. "Two beat-sticks... I play Charge of the Light Brigade! When I activate this card, I can mill three cards from my deck to move a Lightsworn monster from my deck to my hand!"
"That... that mill potential can work in our favour," Setsuka nodded. "This isn't battle royale..."
"I choose, Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter [200/100]!" Ryuusei held up the card. "I set a monster and two more cards, and end my turn!"
"Draw!" Regina smirked. "Very well, I shall then flood the field in preparation of when the swords fall. I special summon Darklord Asmodeus using Sephylon's effect [3000/2500 → 4000/2500], and apply the same power-up to it. Turn end. Well, let us see the value of your field. Can you not see? You will not win. Why fight me when we're trying to make the world better? Surrender, little Setsuka. Sephylon has the power to rewrite everything... even return your parents."
"My parents... wouldn't want something like Sephylon to determine our fate!" the girl retorted fiercely. "They gave up their lives so that I could live without people like you to determine my future! I refuse! I don't want a world where the future is controlled! If I can't save the present... I can't save the future either! It's my turn! Draw!"
Setsuka looked at the card. "I play the Spell, Card of Demise, to draw until I have five cards in hand. Within five standby phases, I must discard my entire hand." She drew accordingly. "I activate the Spell, Monster Reborn, to special summon from my grave General Grunard [2800/1800]. I summon Snowman Creator [1600/1000]. When Snowman Eater is summoned, I place Ice Counters equal to the number of Water Attribute monsters I control. That's three, so I can distribute three Ice Counters amongst Sephylon, Venus and Asmodeus."
"And then?" Regina sneered.
"If I distributed three or more Ice Counters using this effect, I can destroy one card on the field," Setsuka slyly added. "I destroy that face-down card!"
The woman did not reply as another Heaven's Judgement was destroyed.
"Now, I special summon Ice Master by tributing Grunard and Snowman Creator!" Setsuka growled as the ice magician appeared. "Furthermore, I play the Spell, Magical Space Typhoon, to destroy my own Swords of Revealing Light! Ice Master's effect activates; I can tribute this monster, and destroy all monsters with Ice Counters attached to them! Ice Master, Ice Time!"
The magician nodded as he raised his staff in a silent gesture, ice creeping over the fairies as they froze over and shattered.
"Sephylon...!" Regina gasped. "This... the Ultimate Machine God... how...?"
"Turn end," Setsuka gave her a thumbs down.
"It's my turn!" Ryuusei took over. "Draw! Looks like... your monsters froze over in the face of winter. Stardust, attack directly!"
The blast from the majestic dragon blew over the woman, as she feebly tried to escape from the attack, running from the field just as it impacted.
Regina: LP 1200 → LP 0
"Sephylon... lost..." she sank in despair. "Our promise... lost..."
"Regina Mackenzie... I forgive you," Setsuka murmured as the shadows began to fade. "I forgive you for killing my parents. I forgive you for the murder of Professor Kannazuki. I forgive you for the pain you inflicted on so many innocents in your crusade against normal humans, including the Himemiya siblings. Do you know why?"
Slowly, the blonde woman raised her head to stare at the child. "Why...? I have nothing left... I'll just take both of you along with me!"
"Those who break the rules of the Dark Game will be punished," Setsuka murmured in reminiscence as the blonde woman charged towards them.
"Oi, Shimotsuki!" Ryuusei called. "Time to run!"
"The door to darkness... has opened." A snowflake-engraved locket clicked open as darkness descended over Regina.
The locket clicked closed as Setsuka beheld the still spinning Momentum. "We... should get that out." She then sank to the ground.
Batman dove into the room, the cold room covered in ice, to see the unconscious Regina and two children and one winged dragon staring at him. Before them, the Mini Momentum generator kept humming, a low continuous whine now.
"It's going to overload," the Dark Knight growled. "We have to take it away from the city."
"Ryuusei!" Yusei ran in, Harald following. He stopped momentarily. "The generator's going to explode! Ryuusei!"
"I think Stardust can fit inside there," Setsuka glanced up, at the skylight carved into the Wayne Enterprises building by Sephylon's descent... a skylight large enough to fit a pair of wings. "But, a Psychic Duellist would have to be onboard..."
The seed of an idea began to sprout in the mind of the Dark Knight.
Please review! Stay tuned for the next turn: Miracle Restoring! Duel, Acceleration!