Boss Rush
LIII: Wish of Final Effort
Sounds rang through the air – the crackling snap of lightning and the roar of thunder following. It could be uncharitably said that chaos had begun to break out in the mostly emptying stadium.
Ryuusei ran, skidding and sliding on the stairs up, and around him from the shadows burst numerous monsters. Screams high and sweet, bellows deep and brassy, the numerous monsters and ghosts of duels past and present and future played out across the field in overlapping, more-than-three-dimensions stereo. Rex's yell; the blond had noticed his disappearance. A scream, probably Alexianna's; some of these creatures were worth it.
Two metres away, over the treacherous steps of the seats in the stands stood a crowd of robed skeletons. Some of them were horse-like, some were once human, some wearing cobwebs of dress in grey lace, and all stood in rank and file before one who was leading the charge.
In another place, stood a short brown-robed warrior holding a curved sword, and backed by four tiny multi-coloured sheep. As Ryuusei ran past, the sheep began disappearing, and the swordsman glowed with power. Then it aimed and began to slash its way through. Ryuusei winced at the way the Little Swordsman of Aile seemed to act like the star of a slasher film.
Adrian was trying to fight off a swarm of small winged creatures. More creatures stood within a long stone's throw, including a group of Exiled Force, completely encased in armour and mounted on long-legged warhorses. A wounded Slipheed crouched nearby and would have looked like a lovely, green-haired girl from fifty yards away– if not for the blood staining her staff and clothes.
Taken as a whole, it was its own wild storm of music, huge, teeth-rattling, overwhelming, and charged with adrenaline.
Ryuusei dived slightly as a loud cackle and a Headless Knight swung for his head, but was mercilessly gunned down by a bout of flame. "Are you alright, Your Majesty?" Hiita crouched on one of the plastic seats, her torch-staff dimly lighting the way.
"Thanks," Ryuusei took a deep breath. "What the hell is going on?"
Marguerite appeared, no longer insubstantial, but more ghostlike."Halloween," she primly replied. "Mantles and masks are discarded, worn. Usually mortals would not be able to see the true state of affairs that is the spiritual world hiding behind mortal façade, but obviously the Winter Queen has turned this place into a killing ground for immortals. Into a literal battlefield."
As she spoke, a slicing wind nearly took her head off. Marguerite moved her little finger, and her staff intercepted the blast, and revealed a shock of green locks and a wide grin.
"Wynn!" Hiita looked taken aback. "What are you doing?"
"What I should have done when I missed the blast, and nearly incapacitated two Duelists," a wide smile graced her features. "Come sunrise, we will fade, mere shadows to hand between worlds once more, but tonight, here, we are real, we are mortal, and we shall fight."
"A foolish move," Marguerite raised a hand. "Magical Blast!"
"I need to get to Setsuka!" Ryuusei bellowed. "It's the only way to stop this madness!"
Marguerite's fingers gestured, making a shield which protected them from Wynn's storms for a brief chat. "Hmm? Oh. Hiita, you handle your fellow Spellcaster. It appears that I am needed elsewhere."
Hiita prepared fire in answer, and already Ryuusei was scrabbling over the stairs, dodging blows and battles and running for where he could see the bobbing shape and hear the wild, harsh laughter amidst arctic winds. Marguerite had to conjure a whole garden where rain was freezing into snowflakes. His breath condensed as they turned into hailstones instead.
Pride, fear and trust. Pride, that he was Summer, that he was fire. Flames burned, melting plastic and steel and concrete, and Ryuusei ignored the cold and rain and snow that melted and hissed and evaporated around him. Fear that if he lost, Setsuka could and would turn her hand towards Rex and Chase, as she was doing. Trust, that he could do it, would do it.
Takeshi, using his crutches to beat a Bladefly back. Alexianna, afraid yet defiant to the end, Darklord Asmodeus hovering like an avenging angel. Kiyomi, his throat being reached for by one drooling demon.
"Death Fire Blast!" Chase's yell, echoing from behind, propelling him up.
Rex's shout of intractability, orange and black suitable as he raced across the stage, accosted by a Trance Archfiend. Monsters past and present, ghosts and shadows made real, laughing, fighting, celebrating the change of seasons from life to death, immortal to mortal.
Fire cloaked him from the worst of the rain as he climbed through the doorway to face her.
Her dress hung limply, the lace still intact but wet. The rose-tipped staff hung by her side, but was placed as a makeshift support. Her Alice band was askew. Her eyes shone still blue-green behind where her black locks hung on her left face, lending enough of the Hollywood vibe to give some cheery wickedness. Ryuusei did not need a mirror to know that his own eyes were glimmering in answer.
"Here I am," he placidly began.
"Here you are," she agreed. "Here we are. And the night is young."
Both unlocked their DuelDisks, and the thunder crashed as an opening volley enough as knight and witch faced off.
"Duel!"
Setsuka: LP 8000
Ryuusei: LP 8000
The storm raged overhead, and both of them ignored it. Elemental powers presumably did not need to notice petty things like a thunderstorm when they stood at the top of the Memorial Circuit, the apex of the Kaiba Dome. Winds howled, thunder rumbled, and they faced each other.
"You sent Wynn to injure us?" Ryuusei arched a brow.
"To incapacitate," Setsuka shook her head. "I am not above petty methods to waylay. There is more at stake than what the Deity of Poisonous Snakes and the Aesir think. I draw. I summon Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier [1700/900]. Because I control an Ice Barrier monster, Prior of the Ice Barrier [1000/400] can be special summoned from my hand. I then activate the Continuous Spell, Curtain of Hail."
Unlike normal Duels, the temperature dropped as frost covered the ground, and a curtain of sparkling diamond-dust literally appeared as Setsuka's breath fogged.
"Now all level three or lower Water Attribute monsters cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect." She continued. "I set two cards, turn end."
"Draw!" Ryuusei commanded.
"Continuous Trap, Freezing Dance," Setsuka relayed. "Both players cannot normal summon, set or special summon monsters from the hand while this card is active. Furthermore, this card will be destroyed during my opponent's second end phase after activation."
"What?" Ryuusei looked taken aback. "Then... I'll set two cards, turn end."
"Draw," Setsuka tonelessly answered, the savagery lurking under her calm features. "I shall play the Spell, Medallion of the Ice Barrier, to search for an Ice Barrier card. Once per turn, I can reveal any number of Ice Barrier monsters in hand to bounce an equal number of set Spells or Traps back to my opponent's hand."
"What?"
"I reveal General Gantala of the Ice Barrier and Defender of the Ice Barrier." Setsuka relayed as the icy princess kicked out and the cards on Ryuusei's field returned to his hand. "Battle. Dance Princess, attack him directly."
There was a whoosh and Ryuusei choked as the blow was dealt swiftly to his midriff. "This..."
"This is a battle between equal powers," Setsuka cocked her head. "Does it hurt?"
"Yes..." Ryuusei wheezed.
"Excellent. Prior, direct attack."
Ryuusei: LP 8000 → LP 6300 → LP 5300
Setsuka: LP 8000
"In any other Duel you would have had Battle Fader," Setsuka murmured as Ryuusei actually sank to one knee. "And yet here you are now, driven to one knee before me. Turn end."
"Draw!" Ryuusei called. "I activate the Spell, Reincarnation of Hope! With that, I discard two monster cards. Since I discarded Dandylion, two Fluff Tokens [0/0] are special summoned to my field in defence mode. I'll set two cards and end my turn, and then at my end phase, Freezing Dance is destroyed!"
"Indeed," Setsuka murmured as her own card shattered. "Is it not interesting? You who have barely any move to make... I draw." her eyes flicked to the card. "I use the effect of Dance Princess once more. I trust you have no objections to my strategy?"
"Well, right now you're preventing me from using my traps, so I think it's a valid thought," Ryuusei quietly answered.
"True, that," Setsuka agreed. "Draw. I summon Strategist of the Ice Barrier [1600/1600] to the field. With him, I discard General Gantala to draw a card. Activating the effect of Prior, I shall tribute Prior to special summon General Gantala of the Ice Barrier [2700/2000] to the field." The snowflake halo behind the dark-skinned warrior seemed to glow eerily as he appeared, his upper body uncovered and his lower body swathed in dark green belted with yellow.
"... well, crap," Ryuusei quietly admitted. "I know this loop. You're searching for a tuner monster. Next turn you'd most likely Synchro summon Dewloren. That set card would usually be Call of the Haunted. With this loop, you'd have a consistent recovery rate of two or three monsters each turn. Basically an impregnable defence."
Setsuka inclined her head. "Perhaps. But you forget, it is my turn. Battle. Dance Princess, Strategist, deal with those little puffs of fluff."
Ryuusei bit his lip as the two monsters were destroyed.
Setsuka seemed to grow positively sharply interested. "Gantala, attack him directly."
Ryuusei curled in slightly as the warrior charged and planted an ice-covered fist onto him.
Ryuusei: LP 5300 → LP 2600
Setsuka: LP 8000
"Where is that fury now?" Setsuka's mocking tone echoed, whipped by the winds and amplified. There were tears on her cheeks, freezing into little white streaks, forming white frost on her eyelashes. "Where is her pride? Where is her anything? I am about to unmake every precious thing she ever valued more than her own blood, her own child. And where is she?"
"Oh, Setsuka," Ryuusei murmured, his voice thick with compassion and something like resignation. "What happened to you? What happened to the girl who took lessons of heroism from Miyamoto Musashi? It's not revenge. You're trying to press all my buttons, trying to drive me into a rage. You knew that attacking someone in front of me would drive me to do the same, to seek justice for them."
"Justice?" she repeated. "Justice is a delusion you will not find on this or any other sphere. I have more experience than you. I have more knowledge than you. I have more willpower than you. We are here tonight, Halloween night, and Michiru has already begun to lift the veils. Natashi Kiyomi has fallen, a sad fact, but true. Chase Princeton and Rex Atlas are able Duelists, but they cannot stand forever, and their survival tonight is relatively low. Adrian Rodriguez and Ishihara Takeshi are crippled, barely able to Duel, let alone fight. Those who hold the 'seeds' will see now, that there is frankly nothing much that can be done to save us."
And over her calm features with malicious eyes, perhaps he could be hallucinating, but he saw one eye turn cold blue, the same icy colour that was uniquely Shimotsuki. "End phase, Gantala will revive Prior of the Ice Barrier. Turn end."
"Draw!" Ryuusei called. "I play the Spell, Trade-In, discarding the level eight Tytannial from my hand to draw two cards. Then, I summon the tuner monster, Debris Dragon [1000/2000]! The effect of Debris Dragon allows me to special summon Dandylion [300/300] from the graveyard!"
"Oh?" Setsuka boredly murmured.
"Tuning, level three Dandylion to level four Debris Dragon!" Ryuusei called. "Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom! Synchro Summon! Bloom, Black Rose Dragon!"
Like the storm of midsummer, it swept onto the field, A wind swept by, fire and black petals danced. From the narrow, tapered head to the wide red florid wings to the thorned vines that made up its tail and all around it, the dragon seemed to be a force of nature unto itself, unadulterated rage condensed into one form. It was a raging force as bloodless as a natural disaster itself, because nature just did not care about mortal concepts like murder, far above the mayflies of humanity [2400/1800].
"The effect of Black Rose Dragon," Ryuusei whispered. "When it is Synchro summoned, I can destroy all cards on the field. Go, Black Rose Gale!"
The dragon screamed, and a whirlwind whipped up to surround them, the rain-slicked roof beneath their feet groaning dangerously before it was met by a crash of torrents.
"Trap card, Torrential Reborn!" Setsuka called. "When one or more Water Attribute monsters are destroyed, not only do I revive the destroyed monsters, but also inflict damage to you equal to five hundred times the number of monsters!"
The waters crashed against Black Rose and hit through to him, the concussive force sending him stumbling back as the looming shades of Dance Princess, Prior, Strategist and General Gantala reappeared on the field, all of them standing as silent sentinel, ready to kill him.
Ryuusei: LP 2600 → LP 600
Setsuka: LP 8000
"Look at yourself," a sneer. "And you call yourself King of Summer. At least Marguerite might have the brains to do something else. Tell me, what exactly are you? Who exactly are you? Why are you here?"
He knew, she was right. He might have power, maybe explosive, destructive power. Except... from where he stood now, he wasn't quite sure that Setsuka had really been trying to kill him. Maybe she had denied him help for a reason, forcing him to focus on the grudge rather than the bigger picture. She had been shaping him, as her mother had been years before. For what purpose, he did not know, but she was trying to provoke him. She was powerful, and in a way utterly different. She was not bigger than his power, that was for sure, but she was horribly, unbearably deeper, like a photograph of a sculpture compared to the sculpture itself. With power at her command beyond anything he had experienced, the mock throw-downs made her seem like she had been playing, and now she was beyond measure, beyond comprehension – just plain beyond. He might as well be a grain of sand to its oncoming tide.
Yet... that grain of sand might be the last remnant of what had once been a mountain, but that which it is, it is. The tide comes and the tide goes. Let it hammer the grain of sand as it may. Let lofty mountains fear the slow, constant assault of the waters. Let the valleys shudder at the pitiless advance of ice. Let continents drown beneath the dark and rising tide.
But that grain of sand? It isn't impressed. Let the tide roll in. The sand will still be there after it rolls out. Pride, fear and trust.
"I am the son of Fudo Yusei and Izayoi Aki," he growled, rising back to his feet. "I am the Night Rose Knight, Lord of the Ever-green. In one I am Night Rose Knight, in the other I am Blood Rose Dragon. The witch of the Black Rose is my origin, the star of salvation has a hand in me. Blood and starlight and fire is my name. Tonight, on Halloween night, I rip the masks off. And then, we see where everyone stands."
"Fine words," she murmured as the winds died and two Fluff Tokens, their cute faces masked in concentration, stood against her field of veritable monsters. "It is still your turn. You must find a way to even the scales, Lord of the Ever-Green, or I will destroy you."
"I mill a card to special summon Glow-Up Bulb [100/100] to the field," Ryuusei answered. "Tuning, two level one Tokens to level one Glow-Up Bulb. Evening shades envelop the world; herald of the night, shine. Take flight, Synchro Tuner, Twilight Rose Dragon!"
Dark wings spread, the tiny dragon small and vulnerable against the gazes of the Ice Barrier, but still it stood [500/1400].
"I banish Tytannial to revive Spore [400/800] as a level nine monster," Ryuusei instructed. "Now, I tribute Spore to use the effect of Twilight Rose, so revive, Black Rose Dragon!"
Red wings clashing against black, Black Rose Dragon took the field once more.
"Tuning, level seven Black Rose Dragon to level three Twilight Rose Dragon," Ryuusei called, his voice growing louder. "Farewell, glorious sun; flower of the night, bloom! Accel Synchro! From the darkness greet me, Night Rose Dragon!"
Wisps of black whirled overhead, and then slowly, very slowly, condensed into the form of an enormous dragon. Narrow head and slender neck velvety black, wings formed by countless petals like that of the Black Rose. Brilliant stardust, glowing and glittering, like a night sky full of stars covered it, a shade of the night cast into a comprehensible form [3000/2500].
"So you choose," Setsuka's eyes were half-lidded.
"So I choose," Ryuusei agreed. "I choose the way of the knight. I choose the way I should have for so long. I choose the way which is difficult, the way where I will not rely on Blood Rose Dragon. I choose to walk in darkness. I shall wear midnight, but not today. Activating the effect of Night Rose Dragon; by banishing Plant-Type monsters in the graveyard I can destroy any number of cards equal to the number of monsters banished. I banish Glow-Up Bulb, Spore, and Dandylion to destroy your monsters except for Gantala."
Setsuka raised her arms to shield herself once more, as her monsters were destroyed. "I assume you have another solution?"
"I activate the Spell, Scattering of Seeds," Ryuusei finished. "I can choose five monsters in my deck, and send them to the graveyard. But, this turn they cannot be special summoned from the graveyard. Then, I use Aurora Draw to draw two more cards."
"Yet my Gantala will protect me," Setsuka noted.
"Not for long," Ryuusei added. "I activate the equip Spell, Mark of the Rose!"
Her face did not change, even as Gantala crossed the field to stand by Night Rose.
"Gantala, Night Rose," Ryuusei sighed. "Attack directly!"
Setsuka: LP 8000 → LP 2300
Ryuusei: LP 600
A stiff second passed, before Setsuka slowly got up from the crater resulting from their combined assault. Her movements were slow, pained, and her expression did not changed although her eyes took on the air of a wounded predator. "I will end you."
"I set a card. End Phase, Gantala switches back to your control," Ryuusei quietly murmured.
"It is my turn, draw." Setsuka solemnly declared. "Activate the Spell, Card of Demise, and draw until I have five cards in hand. I summon the tuner monster, Defender of the Ice Barrier. Now, I play Surface, to revive Prior and tribute Prior for Strategist once more. By discarding and drawing again, I use my second copy of Surface for Prior. Tuning, level two Prior and level four Strategist to level three Defender!"
Ryuusei swallowed. He knew, he knew it would come, but...
"Trident of the cold death, the swing of the pendulum is ever frozen." Her words were cold, and resolute. "May the three thousand worlds linger forever in winter. Synchro Summon! Touch the three worlds, Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"
When the name of the creature was pronounced, a single beam of white light shot up into the tempest, like a magnesium flare. An earth-shaking roar, and a pair of crystalline wings unfolded from the pillar, so wide they nearly blotted out the sky. When the light finally dimmed, a mighty creature of solid silver-blue scale, glistening and shimmering like a statue of ice was here [2700/2000]. One long neck curved low, and the snake-like head moved close to her, yellow eyes shining with joy. As if sensing the creature's desire, Setsuka raised a hand and gently stroked the creature's left-most head.
"The effect of Trishula activates," Setsuka's expression was laden with resolution. "Night Rose, that sole card in hand, and one card in your graveyard will be banished. Go, Trishula! Three World Spear!"
"Trap card, Fiendish Chain!" Ryuusei quickly countered as the chains whipped out and bound Trishula, which thrashed and screamed in protest.
Setsuka's expression was not one of amusement. "So be it. I shall play the Spell, Advance Draw, and tribute Trishula to draw two cards. I set two cards, turn end. End Phase, Gantala will revive Trishula." The dragon reappeared, still growling madly.
"Draw!" Ryuusei breathed quickly. "Two standby phases have passed, so I can search for a monster and add it to my hand. I summon Necro Fleur [0/0] to the field. Activate the Spell, Fragrance Storm, to destroy Necro Fleur and draw a card. I drew the plant-type Lonefire Blossom, and so I draw again. The destruction of Necro Fleur means that I can special summon, from my hand or deck, Sorciere de Fleur [2900/0]!"
Marguerite's haunting laugh echoed, and she herself appeared, her staff raised, her expression proud, and yet sad.
"Then, Night Rose activates by banishing two Plant-type monsters to destroy your set cards," Ryuusei frowned. "You are very cold, my lady. Gantala, destroy Trishula!"
The general did not look happy to be attacking a fellow, but compiled, and the two went down in a blaze of glory.
"Marguerite..." Ryuusei's expression was sad but understanding. "Deal the finishing blow."
As Marguerite raised a hand, he realised that Setsuka was not reacting as she should have been. Cold rage, seething anger, megalomaniacal outrage – any of those would have been something he would have considered utterly within her character. But there was none of that in her face.
Just... regret. And resolution.
She knew something – something he did not.
"Mille Fleur: Fragrance Storm!"
The dark petals swept over Setsuka, lifting her off, cutting deep welts into any exposed skin, and then... and then she crashed into the roof.
Setsuka: LP 2300 → LP 0
Ryuusei: LP 600
Marguerite's finishing blow had been absolutely no-holds barred. The rain pattered down, mixing with her skin. Robbed of the air of invulnerability, she seemed small, almost the same size as Seika though usually Ryuusei thought of her as owning the space around her. Her cuts were not bleeding; the wounds themselves were superficial, but damning. The true cause was the coughing and the blood seeping down her front, staining the purple roses reddish with blood. She was clinging on to life, just barely.
"I... I never h- hated you quite that much, you know," Setsuka coughed.
"I know," Ryuusei tiled his head. "So why?"
She gave a smile, her white teeth stained red. "Because... I am, first and foremost, Shimotsuki Setsuka. And I haven't been able... to be Shimotsuki Setsuka, for a long time. Tonight is Halloween."
"You're dying," he hissed. "We need a medic. I'll try to-"
"Don't." her command was sharp. "I... Halloween. Too many..."
"You did this to die," he realised. "Was it so bad? Was it worth it, giving up your life? We need a doctor!"
Marguerite, still solid, hovered. "No mortal medicine can help her. We can only offer a measure of comfort."
"Pa... pa..." she choked, still bleeding. The DuelDisk on her arm glowed. "I... I win. You... you lose."
Blue fire was flickering about her, cerulean as the deepest iceberg.
"The mantle will transfer to the nearest Winter vessel," Marguerite registered in surprise as Ryuusei heard a voice behind him.
"Ryuusei!"
"Chase," he hissed, watching the cold blue coalescence. "He must have won against Michiru... and he has Dreigoon."
"The Hound," Marguerite agreed as the blue rose, made as if to strike behind.
"Marguerite," Ryuusei quickly spoke. "I wish we were in the spirit world. I wish that Chase would never have to come here. I wish that none of my friends need to ever be dragged into this conflict."
"No..." Setsuka shifted, as if to physically haul herself up. "Michiru..."
"Setsuka!" Michiru's scream was long and loud, even as the blue portal shimmered behind the witch. Michiru's tear-streaked and rain-battered face hovered, and she barrelled over Chase as the two reached the doorway from stadium to roof, and then slipped.
She slipped, and her foot struck Ryuusei in the leg. He went over, and into the portal, cradling Setsuka in his hold. Michiru went next, slipping across the rain-slicked roof, and disappeared from the reality.
Marguerite sighed, laughing, and glanced over to a horror-stricken Chase. "Oh my, I guess this is goodbye, Anam Ghairm."
"Give him back," Chase muttered. "Give him back!"
He threw a punch, and missed as she winked, stepped back into the portal, and disappeared with the portal, and Fudo Ryuusei.
Twilight Rose Dragon
Dark LV 3 500/1400
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
Synchro/Tuner/Plant
Once per turn, you can tribute 1 level 5 or higher Plant-Type monster to Special Summon one Plant-Type monster or 'Black Rose Dragon' from your Graveyard.
Night Rose Dragon
Dark LV 10 3000/2500
1 Synchro Tuner + "Black Rose Dragon"
Synchro/Dragon
You can banish any number of Plant-Type monsters in your Graveyard to target the same number of cards on the field; destroy them. Once per turn, you can target 1 monster your opponent controls and halve its ATK and DEF.
Scattering of Seeds
Type: Normal Spell
Effect: Choose 5 monsters in your deck, and send them to the graveyard. You cannot special summon from your Graveyard the turn you activate this card.
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