Boss Rush

XVIII: Magician's Circle

Dark, wet and unbelievably scary were good descriptors of the Puzzle Area of Neo Domino City. This area, and the adjacent Daimon Area, was a good place to look for serious Duellists, and equally bad as living quarters. Of course, no one expected the underground Duel arenas to be light, dry, or filled with hope and dreams, especially not those whose activities had to be carried out in secret from the eyes of the Arcadia Movement lest the Cold Queen came upon them with extreme prejudice.

"Is it here...?"

Something was amiss. Duellists, those who boasted of bravery and strength and intelligence, would take one look to the shadows and cower back in fright. People were run over by other people in efforts to get away from that shadow. A dark aura was dripping out of the mysterious blackness. From above, the raggedly robes of the boy flapped in the night winds of Neo Domino City.

"Feh..." It was no different from the rest, a teenager in fact, with brown hair and fair skin covered in tattered clothes and gripping a staff that had what looked like a scythe or a horned bird's skull at the very top. All in all, it did not look extremely frightening. "Okay, where the freak are we?"

From around his perch on the street-light, the Meda Bat's eye throbbed. We're not exactly making progress here.

"Shut up, Meda Bat," Dharc groaned. "Just because right now we're Familiar-Possessed doesn't mean I can't shut you up, you know."

Oh, look, we didn't need to come to the mortal world. I mean, why are we even finding the guy? Just because he taught you freedom... or what it meant to be free... or even helped in the Battle of Shine Palace... and won against the Lightsworn... okay, we owe them way too much. Have you even thought about where to start, O master of the arcane lore?

"Either Warm or Cold," Dharc flippantly answered. "Aussa mentioned that she and Hiita were going to the mortal world. If that's the case, then Eria and Wynn might already be here. I just need to home in on either of them."

Which would be an indication of taking sides. So we can look forward to death by burning, or buried, or drowning, or being blown far, far away. Wonderful.

"Meda Bat, you're awfully negative about meeting them again."

Yeah, and you couldn't think about bringing Lyna along?

"She wouldn't understand," Dharc muttered. "Queen Winter's explanation would have saddened her."

Fate is an unusual creature, that mortals can become two of the Shadow Realm's important members.

"Yeah," Dharc muttered as he leapt into the skies. "Fate is."

"Oh, it's you," a feminine voice drawled as Dharc landed on the next street-light. "You finally mastered Familiar-Possession?"

"Wynn," Dharc acknowledged the fellow Charmer, her green hair askew and her dragon-topped staff nearly out of her hand. "Storming Wynn now?"

"From charmer to summoner, story of my life," Wynn shrugged as the Petit Dragon beside her gave a hiccough. "Lyna's not with you?"

"She's with Milla-nee in the Luminous Spark."

"Yeah, I heard about the Lightsworn Revolution," Wynn agreed, producing a wineskin and taking a drink. "Have a drink?"

"What's inside?"

"Supremacy Berry juice, fermented."

"I'll pass," Dharc frowned. "Isn't that only for medicinal purposes?"

"Nice to meet you too, Dharc," Wynn sarcastically answered, before her face smoothed over in curiosity. "Did you really kill Celestia?"

"Yes."

"...damn," Wynn took a swig of the wineskin again. "I thought that was a myth, that Dharc killed Celestia. I mean, we're charmers, but we're nowhere close to the Lightsworn. How did that happen?"

"Someone taught us freedom," Dharc whispered in reply, his usual stoic expression melting into wonder. "I told the city that. Freedom echoed throughout the city that day."

"Don't get it," Wynn admitted. "So, why are you here?"

"I'm on an errand for Kuraz-sama," Dharc defended. "He couldn't actually leave, so I'm carrying a message for both monarchs of Summer and Winter concerning the upcoming games."

Wynn frowned, her half-drunk expression fading slightly. "I heard from the winds that Aussa and Hiita already found the Summer monarch. The rulers of Summer and Winter were in the same city, and he was under Winter's protection before his power awakened and the chains broke."

"In the same city?" Dharc frowned. "Wouldn't that mean...?"

Wynn took another sip as a breeze blew. "Who knows... either way, this city will become the chessboard where Summer and Winter can cancel each other out flawlessly. It's just a game."

"I heard that the Flamvell and Laval are regrouping again," Dharc suggested.

"Does it matter?" Wynn shrugged carelessly.

"You're not scared? Of losing?"

Wynn gave a laugh, the sound broken and sad. "You've never really met the Queen of Air and Darkness, have you? She's reassuring and dark, cold like she always has been, practical and safe. I can't imagine it. But... it's sad, you know? That we have to keep fighting."

"Maybe not," Dharc murmured. "Summer and Winter have brokered a truce before. We could do it again, this time with new, more reasonable rulers."

"Yeah, they have," Wynn agreed. "Until Titania died."

Mockingly, she raised her wineskin. "To lasting peace!... right..."

Dharc shook his head and left, Meda Bat's wings and his own silhouette resplendent against the white moon.

A breeze blew, as the Storming Wynn disappeared into the night as well.

"Itsy Bitsy Spider crawled up the water spout~
Down came the rain, and washed the spider out~
Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain~
And the Itsy Bitsy Spider went up the spout again-"

"Oh, shut up!" the man who yelled might have been considered beautiful and cultured normally, but twenty different renditions of the same song, each becoming increasingly more gory until the first innocent song, had sorely tried the patience of Natashi Kiyomi. "Arden, don't you have anything else to sing?"

The other sourly gave him a glare. Liliana Arden had been pretty, short with white hair and brown eyes and demurely dressed in a white school uniform from Duel Academia. However, hers was a case where the outside did not match the inside; she had been one of the Underground Arena's most sadistic and ruthless recruiters masquerading as a teacher in Duel Academia Central with the code-name Lilith. Her only saving grace had been her intelligence and willingness to change, as long as she got paid for any job, or she held power over something. It had been until she got ambitious in a trip to Neo Domino and tried to figure out who had made Neo Domino's undisputed recruiter disappear.

That path had taken her to Shimotsuki Setsuka, who obviously did not tolerate the underground anywhere near the Daimon Area or the city in general, and Liliana Arden had obviously fallen on the wrong side of the Cold Queen. Her material body subjected to sheer cold and broken up into a condensate or mere particles, her soul ripped out of its mortal shell and cast, and the innocent teenager who was not only the Winter Queen but also the head of the Arcadia Movement had even cast her to Exodia in a fit of unmatched sadism.

It had taken a while, but Liliana Arden, or Lilith, had escaped, although not unscathed. Here and there, her material shell flickered, skin puckered or torn from her time cast to the dimensions of darkness, and her eyes were bright, as if she had a constant fever.

"Well?" Kiyomi repeated in a softer voice.

"You should add a 'san' there," Liliana replied dreamily. "I'm way older than you, boy."

"I'm the one planning to break into the Arcadia Movement here," Kiyomi scowled. "And you? You're just sitting there, waiting for me to slot you in."

"Boy, I know more about Shimotsuki Setsuka than you can ever imagine," Liliana laughed. "She shouldn't have saved a single piece of me, you know... it hurts. And I'll visit that pain upon her soul many, many times."

"Yes, yes," Kiyomi dismissed. "You've said that many times, but you never really said what she did to you."

Liliana was silent for a few moments. "Do you know how absolute zero feels like?"

Kiyomi stopped to stare at her.

"Yes," Liliana sighed. "And worse."

"Have you figured something out?" a gravelly voice muttered.

"Not yet, Dunames-san," Kiyomi greeted the oldest of the Duellists. "I think Satonaka Ryuuga might be willing enough to participate if we pay him, but otherwise we can only depend on the 'seeds' we have."

"These 'seeds', they come from Marguerite the Sorciere de Fleur, yes?" Kevin Dunames asked.

"They're human potential for special abilities, intensified by the Sorciere," Kiyomi clarified. "Hence the parlance 'seeds'. But for these 'seeds' to grow, we need a form of time magic, and Marguerite is one of the few Duel spirits who can control time magic and is also in the human realm."

"We need those of power on our side," a fourth voice muttered as a brown-haired gentleman walked in, his red eyes gleaming. "Either psychics or 'seed' holders."

"But, almost all psychics go to the Arcadia Movement," Liliana pointed out. "I remember because I could hardly recruit any psychics in my time with the Underground Arenas."

"Recruiting psychics, even young ones, will attract too much attention from the Movement," Kiyomi concluded. "Shimotsuki Setsuka employs a difficult security system that, while not impossible to crack, does label what information we stole and where, basically a tracker on all information taken from the Movement's data banks, so gathering unaffiliated psychics is also difficult. There are also many who prefer to discreetly report their children to the Movement rather than the authorities first due to the trust that has been built up."

"Basically, aiming for psychic Duellists will be like painting a big bulls' eye on us," Hakuro nodded. "And 'seed' holders?"

"Can be much more if we can find Marguerite," Kiyomi acknowledged. "However, Marguerite's deal with us was concluded when she found the Summer King, and therefore have no more need to distribute 'seeds' as the saying goes."

"Well, we can't really do much with what we have now," Hakuro shook his head. "Who is Marguerite with? You can get anything if you pay enough, a captured Duel Spirit included."

Kiyomi breathed. "We don't know. Marguerite's 'seeds' have been distributed from Neo Domino City to as far as Britain and even the United States. She may well be able to cross the world using her magic. However..."

"Yes?" Hakuro urged.

"She distributed all of those powers for the sake of finding the one who holds Titania's soul, the Summer monarch," Kiyomi murmured. "Maybe, she hangs around the Summer monarch."

"Whatever this Summer monarch is, where do we even begin?" Lilith posed. "There are still about six billion people on this planet, don't forget."

"I know who it is," Kiyomi defended. "The polar opposite of Shimotsuki, the other psychic in the entire Arcadia Movement who could probably match the Cold Queen. The son of the Black Rose Witch."

"That guy?" Lilith repeated.

"Yes," Kiyomi nodded. "That guy..."

Night in Neo Domino tonight was tranquil, breezy for summer. A breeze blew past the harbour as thunder rumbled overhead. There was the makings of a light rain here, right as the sound of wings rustled.

A pair of feet, shod in sneakers, thudded ever so softly onto the roof of the warehouse. "Sylph in position above."

From either side of the warehouse entrance, two men, one with amethyst hair tied back, and another in a hat and coat, stood by either side of the entrance. "Fog and White Rose, in position."

From behind, at the secondary doors, a dark-haired girl sighed as she adjusted her red beret. "Why did my second favour have to take me to stay up, Mon Dieu..."

The other dark-haired girl dismissed her with a huff. "Angel and Devil, in position."

From around the building, a blond boy was seated on the roof of the right adjacent building. Across him, on the opposite warehouse around the one the psychics were all centred across, a shock of orange hair could possibly be spotted given night-vision telescopes and a bird's eye view. "Siegfried and Hydra in position."

"Excellent work," a masculine voice masked by a scrambler reported. "Spirit of the Books will be your host for today. Targets count at five men as buyers and ten as sellers. Our mission is to shock, incapacitate, and leave for NDPD before the Patroids come. Any last requests?"

"Erm, why are we on point...?" the one named White Rose asked.

"Because Boss decided you might be better than a meat shield or bait for once, honey-trap," the coordinator snapped in answer.

"That's so mean...!"

"Right, Polaris will be taking point," there was a collective gasp across the airwaves as clicks could be heard.

"Polaris, in position," the crisp feminine voice came in. "Execute Operation Dragnet. Begin."

The doors of the warehouse were kicked down, various men in suits going for guns and knives before their senses registered impossibly chilly air and that there was an ice dragon heading straight for them. At the same time, a shock of white hair could be glimpsed as the skylight burst open in a clang of glass and metal, the front and back doors crashing open at the same time. Various, malevolent spectres of monster and warrior alike appeared, mere spectres as the men were quickly taken down by a combination of fear and quick action.

"W- What?"

"The Movement!"

"Shit, they're with NDPD!"

A delicate cough. "I am a psychic Duellist under the Arcadia Movement. Under the Neo Domino Arcadia Rights Bill of 20XX, I can perform warrant-less arrest in my capacity as a disciplinary member upon suspicious activity or imminent threat. For suspicions of drug trafficking, drug pushing, and the violation of various anti-narcotics laws, you are hereby under arrest by the authority of the Neo Domino Police Department through the Arcadia Movement."

One of the suited men tried to reach for his stun gun, but got his hand crushed underfoot. "M- Monster..."

He met cold, pitiless eyes as the cold intensified. "What an astute observation. And another charge for resisting arrest."

"Angel reporting. Fifteen men secured."

"Devil reporting, same."

"Siegfried, Hydra, Sylph, reporting, same."

"Fog and White Rose reporting, same."

At the head of the pile of bodies, Shimotsuki Setsuka absently gave the crushed foot a kick. "Polaris reporting. Fifteen secured, phase one success. Begin ribbon wrap and exit."

"Understood," came the chorus as the bodies were piled up and notes laid out along with evidence with great care and gloves.

The sirens were beginning to wail as the psychics left by various means of transport, the cruiser headlights shining upon a human pile and a simple note:

By the authority of Neo Domino Police Department, courtesy of the Arcadia Movement.

Misawa Tsugare stretched as he and Yamamoto Koichi ambled off. "what are we doing now?"

Koichi fixed a look on the slender man. "No one said anything about a we."

"You're a stranger," Tsugare muttered. "You need me."

"Like I need a distraction," Koichi mumbled.

"What was that?"

"These shoes are losing traction."

"Huh?"

Koichi gave a slight cough, changing the subject. "Either way, since there was clear evidence that Natashi Kiyomi could not have rescued Cheryl Madison alone, we are investigating any suspicious parties. That means anyone with the motivation to get Cheryl into Neo Domino City, along with provide Kisaragi the means by which revenge could be gotten. So..."

"Yeah...?" Tsugare hazarded.

Koichi held up a card, the picture gleaming slightly. "Excalibur. Pretty rare, this one. We're going to trace these things back to their last owner, Suzuki. Got me?"

"Suzuki... oh, that guy hangs around the Ace of Spades regularly," Tsugare flippantly replied. "Well, he'll definitely talk to me, but you... unlikely."

Koichi stopped, giving him a dirty look. "That sounds awkwardly like a date."

"Ah, it does," Tsugare faked surprise.

"I'm straight," Koichi emphasised.

"Yes, I know that," Tsugare answered. "But Suzuki is one of those romantic types. If he thinks you're with me, he's more likely to talk." Daringly, the eldest Misawa of the generation leaned to challengingly meet Koichi's eyes. "What's it going to be, Mr Detective?"

Koichi weighed his options, his eyes running down Tsugare's form as he swallowed. "Er, I'll buy supper."

"Of course you will. You need to act well."

Mentally, Koichi began cursing every god of every pantheon he knew as the unbidden temptation dragged him off into a nightclub to further drown himself in sin.

Fudo Ryuusei spent Friday night, or May fifth, feeling extremely awkward. His only consolation was that, as bad as he felt outside, it was nothing compared to how awkward Rex must feel in the same ward as the screaming banshee, or Carly Nagisa in labour.

"Erm... well, the head's out!" Rex Atlas was yelling, and Ryuusei exchanged a tired glance with Chase Princeton as they exchanged tired looks at how it must be Papa Atlas on the phone. "Oi, I'm not the one substituting for the guy who should be here!"

Up the hallway comes the World King, Jack Atlas himself clutching a cellphone and yelling: "You disrespectful son!" as he ran up.

"They're inside," all three bystanders pointed.

"Thanks," Jack nodded as he went in. Barely a minute later, a grey-eyed doppelgänger wearing a casual grey shirt and pants under a sports jacket and sneakers was unceremoniously thrown out, still holding onto his own cellphone.

"Damn him," Rex muttered, hanging up and putting the device away. "Children's Day, of all times?"

"How lucky," was the vague reply. Even so, all of them could tell that the Atlas son's stoic face was a mask and that he was really worried.

A darkened shadow appeared by Chase. Your human rituals are unusual.

"It's a birth, duh," Chase hissed back to it.

"Chase, stop talking to your imaginary spirits!" Rex's mask was cracking. "That's my mother and sibling in there!"

A scream ripped through the other side as all four winced. "Last time I'm sleeping over," Chase muttered.

"God, Buddha, whoever is up there..." Rex ignored them.

Another shadow appeared beside Ryuusei, taking the form of a slender pink-robed magician with flyaway blue hair and a rose-topped staff. "A birth?" Marguerite whispered. "Well, it seems that birthing still remains as painful as it always has been."

Ryuusei paled as another scream ripped through. "I wonder how my own went like..."

"Ryuusei!" his mother ran up to them, panting. "Carly's inside?"

"With Uncle Jack," Ryuusei answered. "Mom... how was mine like?"

"Hmm... very textbook," Fudo Aki nee Izayoi answered. "Barely any trouble. You were a model baby too, so quiet after the first bout of crying, unlike Rex. Still..."

"Hey!" Rex protested.

All five started as another scream ripped through, followed by a baby's cry.

"Finally..." Chase sighed for all of them.

It was a long while before they were face to face with the new member of the Atlas family. Reina Atlas was smaller, barely the length of Rex's own forearm. Her tiny eyes, the violet of Jack's own, peered up at them from her position on her back through pudgy folds. Her tiny feet kicked, and she waved one small arm at them, gurgling especially at Rex and Ryuusei.

All four boys carried expressions akin to a priceless treasure being horrendously manhandled when Aki scooped up the child to bring to a tired Carly. "Here you go."

Rex kept hovering about the mother and daughter as Ryuusei drank in the sight, that was a new life just barely formed hours before from hours of pain and labour and teeth-biting nervousness.

"Do not forget," Marguerite's words whispered. "Life is that something precious that is always valuable. Never forget that it is a miracle that even time has not eroded. Because life is always short, and time is always merciless, that is why birth is so celebrated."

"It's beautiful," Ryuusei confessed quietly as Reina began to wail once more, the very act itself seeming to be proof of living.

As the beginning of Arc II: Fragrance Storm, I decided to do a refresher chapter as an introduction, as well as slowly integrate our antagonists here into the story! As you can tell, Duel spirits will still play a very large role in this story.

Please review!