I apologise for the lack of chapters over the last couple of days. Things are starting to get busier but I'll attempt to keep churning out this story for you guys. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 6 – The Fusion User
A day after the incident in the courtyard, Tanion was summoned to the control room by Felirae. Escorted by Teleor and Draven, Tanion made his way into the room filled with computers and monitors showing images of all over the castle, including many areas he had not yet seen. Waiting for him was Jorann, Felirae, Elise and Darrien, and they all stood to greet him as he entered.
"Thank you for joining us," Felirae said, motioning Tanion toward an empty seat.
"Is this about the Fusion energy reading you picked up a couple days back?" Tanion asked.
"It is," Felirae said, nodding. "Although we picked it up back then, we've only just managed to pinpoint it's location."
"Right now, we are just of the coast of what used to be San Francisco," Elise said, bringing up a map of the former United States. "Now Tanion, I know that this may seem a bit weird for you, but –"
"No, I understand," he said. "This world is the same as mine, except Duel Monsters are used in everything. It was referenced many times in the first two anime series."
"Oh, okay," Elise said, taken aback but slightly pleased at the development. "Anyway, the Fusion Energy has been pinpointed to an old Industrial Illusions building in Los Angeles, just over five hours from here. Although they were based here in San Francisco, they had buildings all over the country. It seems this one still houses a very powerful Fusion user."
"We've had scout squads keeping an eye on the building for over a day now, but The Grand Order hasn't seemed to have made a move on the building," Felirae said. "They might no even be monitoring the city any more. It was one of the first ones engulfed by the war, after all."
"I suppose that's why you've set up camp just off the coast then," Tanion noted. "Last place they'd look is where it all started."
"Precisely," Felirae said. "No one has entered or left the building since we've arrived, but we haven't moved in yet because I don't want to lose our scouts to a rogue Fusion user. That's why I'm sending you three in. Elise, I want you to find this Fusion user and lock them into a duel."
"Why not engage them in a Duel of Strength? Isn't that how you fight?" Tanion asked.
"It's too risky," Jorann commented. "If they are too strong for us then we could lose a lot of men bringing them down. But by locking them into a duel, it all depends on the person's skill rather than their power."
"And if they lose, we can short out their disk and knock them out with an electrical pulse," Elise added. "It stops them from dueling in any shape of form."
"It's a process we use on the Grand Order's generals and field commanders," Felirae said to Tanion. "They are too dangerous to engage in a Duel of Strength."
"I still don't like this plan," Jorann said. "The location bothers me. Why would there have been a powerful Fusion reading in a place that's been abandoned for years? It feels like a trap to me."
"We don't have a choice," Darrien said. "We need them on our side, and if it's Jaden..."
"It's not Jaden," Jorann cut off. "But you are correct. The Fusion user is too powerful to be allowed to be captured by the Grand Order. We need to find them."
"I will alert Hangar Bay 3 that you are coming," Felirae said. "Tanion, Draven and Elise will look after you. You have the strength to fight, but you must follower their orders to a tee, understand?"
"Yes, sir," he said.
"Elise, bring this Fusion user home," Jorann said, almost warmly.
Tanion, Elise and Darrien all bowed and headed out of the room, but as Tanion followed behind the duo, he couldn't help but let him mind wander. I'm about to wander into a city destroyed by Duel Monsters in the hopes of finding a powerful Fusion user who could help end a war, he thought, shaking his head in disbelief. I really am insane.
"Let me make this clear right now, Tanion," Elise said as they briskly headed for the hangar. "This isn't the friendly card game you know. If someone is engaging in a Duel of Strength, their damage becomes reality. They can and will destroy the environment around you, and you will no survive getting hit by the monsters or the debris they might cause. Do you understand?"
"Completely," Tanion said.
"I'd recommend summoning a monster once we land," she continued. "You and Darrien will be watching my back once we land to make sure nothing jumps us while we head toward the location. Can you do that?"
"I'll have you covered," Tanion swore.
"Good," Elise said, and opened the hanger bay door. "Now get in. We haven't got a moment to spare."
Although the flight over had been rough, Tanion was alert and ready when the wheels of the helicopter they were in touched the dusty surface. Jumping out with duel disk at the ready, Tanion noted that they had landed in the middle of a courtyard, and before them lay the ruins of what had been an Industrial Illusions building. Giving a wave to the pilot, Elise turned and urged the Tanion and Darrien to follow, and they did so.
"Darrien, summon your monster now," Elise said. "Tanion, hold off using Synchro monsters unless it's absolutely necessary."
"Why?" Tanion asked.
"Because if you do, it'll be picked up by The Grand Order and they will come here," Elise reminded him. "It's how we found you on Eden even without you using a duel disk, and so they will definitely be able to find you here."
"So I can't Synchro Summon outside the castle?" Tanion scoffed. "What was the point in bringing me to this world then if I'm useless?"
"We're working on that," Elise said. "Now summon a monster to cover our ass while we're out here."
"Are the scouts in position?" Darrien asked.
"They've got their monsters summoned and positioned," Elise said.
"Which monsters do you use?" Tanion asked.
"Machina Sniper is the rebel standard," Elise answered. "Now summon your god-damn monsters already."
"Right," Tanion said. "Appear before me, Level 5! Woodsman Knight!"
"And come to me! Level 3! Angel of Light!" Darrien added.
With their monsters summoned, the trio moved in slowly toward the building. In her hand, Elise held a tracking device, seemingly pointing towards the location of the Fusion user's Duel Energy. Following the device, Elise led them into what remained of the entrance lobby, until eventually she stopped right in the centre of the lobby.
"The signal came from directly below us," Elise said, one eye on the tracker, and the other guiding her hand toward a radio. "Felirae, I need a copy of this building's schematics."
"Roger that," Felirae said through the radio. "I thought that may have been the case so I've got them ready for you. Sending them through now."
"Copy."
The device pinged slightly, and Elise immediately swiped left on the pad, bringing up the old schematics of the building. After analysing it for a short while, she motioned toward a large concrete block that had fallen down from above long ago.
"Tanion, get your Knight to move that out of the way," Elise ordered.
"Um, sure," he said.
Tanion willed Woodsman Knight forward, and much to his surprise, the Knight obeyed. Following Tanion's instructions through his mind, Woodsman Knight heaved the chunk of concrete out of the way, and Tanion felt somewhat tired from his monster's effort. However, by removing the concrete block, a stairwell had been revealed.
"The signal came from the basement," Elise said. "That stairwell can take us straight there."
"Fortunate," Darrien commented.
"You take what you can get in this line of work," Elise said. "Darrien, it's going to be dark down there."
He nodded. "I understand," he said.
Tanion followed with his Knight bringing up the near as Darrien's Angel of Light led them down the stairs. Tanion gasped as his Angel suddenly began to light up ahead of them, giving them a clear view of the stairs and lead them safely into the basement below. Once down there, Tanion noted that it was a warehouse-like space, but it had been all but stripped clean.
"The signal came from down here," Elise said, eyes scanning the shadows cast from Darrien's Angel. "If our Fusion User hasn't already left, then they should be here."
"How nice of you to join me."
At the other end of the room lay a set of reinforced doors, and before them was a person that Tanion could have sworn had not been there before. They seemed young, but at the same time, he could tell something was wrong with this guy. It was almost like he didn't fit into the world itself.
"Who are you?" Elise demanded.
"I am a collector, young lady," the man said, his sickly nature becoming more evident as he approached. "And I'm here to claim the prize lying behind that door. I'm so very close..."
"Felirae, can you see what's back there?" Elise asked into her radio.
"That room doesn't exist on any schematics," came the reply. "I have no idea what's in there."
"You," the man said, looking at Tanion. "You're a Synchro user, aren't you?"
"How can you tell?" Tanion asked, unnerved by how the man knew that.
"I can feel like coming from you, seeping into the world around you," the man whispered. "It's beautiful... and I want it!"
Something whipped through the air and clamped onto Tanion's duel disk, locking onto it with force and pulling him towards the man. Behind him, his Woodsman Knight disappeared.
"Since I can't have the power behind that door, I'll simply take the next best thing," the man said wildly. "I'll beat you in a duel, and then I'll take what's rightfully mine!"
"Darrien, leave your monster here and get that door open," Elise ordered. "Tanion, he's locked you into a duel. Your only way out is to beat him."
"Got it," Tanion said, gulping. He was not ready for this.
DUEL!
"I'll start," the man said madly. "I activate the spell card Foul Tribute! By banishing cards from the top of my deck, I can special summon a monster from my hand who's level equals the amount of cards sent. I banish 5 cards in order to special summon Demonic Owl! (Lvl:5/ATK:2000/DEF:1400). I then activate Owl's ability! I can use this face-up card and one card in my hand to perform a Fusion Summon!"
"Here it comes," Elise said. "Be careful, Tanion!"
"I fuse the Level 5 Demonic Owl and Level 4 Demonic Beetle in my hand! Fusion Summon! Rise from the void, Level 10! Demonic Overlord! (Level:10/ATK:4000/DEF:4000)."
The huge, satanic behemoth rose from the earth, it's towering presence barely able to fit into the basement. Tanion gulped as it's imposing figure loomed over him. What the hell is this guy?
"Tanion, I get it now," Elise realised. "Look at the man now. The Fusion Summon was unstable, and it's hurt him."
"And that means?"
"What he said before... I don't think he was born with the ability to Fusion Summon!" Elise told him. "He took it from someone, and I think he's here to take Synchro Summoning as well."
"Is that even possible?"
"Oh, it's very possible," the man answered, giggling slightly. "Highly dangerous and deadly, but when I took Fusion Summoning away from my last victim, I felt euphoric. Such power... I don't care if it tears me apart!"
"That's why the Duel Energy was so powerful," Elise said. "It's highly unstable, and that was simply a large fluctuation."
"But how could he take that from someone?" Tanion asked.
"I don't know," Elise admitted. "I've never heard of that being possible."
"I activate Demonic Overlord's effect!" the man said, laughing. "By banished 10 cards from my deck, I can special summon one monster from my hand! Now come forth, Gren Maju da Eiza! (Lvl:3/ATK:?/DEF:?)"
"I know that card," Tanion said. "But wait, if he's banished 15 cards, then that means..."
"Gren Maju has an ATK of 6000," the man said. "I now activate the spell card Corruption! I can destroy one monster on my field, and deal damage to my opponent equal to half their attack! Take 3000 damage, Synchro user!"
Tanion cried out in pain as the blast hit, sending him flying, only for the chain attached to his arm to catch him in the air and drag him into the ground. Getting up groggily, he could see that the Fusion User was giggling away madly.
"The Grand Order took my family," he whispered. "Well, I took their Fusion Summon. Now, I'm going to acquire Synchro Summoning as well, and then they'll pay for what they did. I'll make them pay!"
A pillar of violent purple light enveloped the man, and Elise's device suddenly went haywire. The man screams of laughter turned to screams of pain, and Tanion turned away and attempted to block it out.
"This is just as strong as what we picked up before," Elise shouted to Tanion. "The Fusion Energy within him is trying to escape. It's trying to return to where it was stolen from, but it's getting more unstable by the moment. Tanion, you have to end this quickly!"
"Right," he said. "Now I just gotta figure out how to do that."
Tanion – 1000 LP
Madman – 4000 LP
"I'm sorry about your family," Tanion called. "But you should know that this won't bring them back!"
"I don't care!" the man yelled, the pillar dissipating. "I just want vengeance. Nothing else matters to me any more!"
"I don't want to hurt you, but I have to to help you. My turn," Tanion said, drawing. "I'm sorry, but this is the end for you."
"I have a 4000 ATK monster of my field," the man yelled. "You can't stop me."
"I play the spell card Fast Recruitment," Tanion said. "By paying half of my life points, I can special summon two Level 4 or lower 'Knight' monsters from my hand, but their attacks become 0. Come to us now, Level 4, Lancer Knight, and Level 3, Knight's Squire!"
"You can't seriously think that they will beat me," the man laughed. "You cannot stop me from acquiring your power and learning the Synchro Summons!"
"You want to learn it so bad? Then I'll show you," Tanion huffed. "I use Squire's effect to raise his level to 4. I tune the Level 4 Lancer Knight with the now Level 4 Knight's Squire! Synchro Summon! Appear before us now, Level 8! Royal Knight! (Lvl:8/ATK:2500)."
"A Synchro Summon," the man said. "I've worked away for three days trying to open that door in order to acquire it, and yet here you are, ripe for the taking. Once my Overlord destroys your Knight, it'll be all mine!"
"I'm sorry, but this is the end for you," Tanion said sadly. "Royal Knight's effect activates, destroying Demonic Overlord and dealing half it's attack as damage to you. Go, Royal Knight!"
"No, you can't!" the man said desperately.
As the words left his mouth, Royal Knight sliced through the huge monster that was Demonic Overlord, it's howl deafening as it crumbled and eventually disappeared back into nothingness.
"Royal Knight attacks you directly," Tanion said. "I'm sorry, but that's game over."
The man howled almost like an animal as Royal Knight struck him and his life points hit 0. As they did so, the chain clinging to Tanion's arm crumbled away, and before Elise or Tanion could reach him, the man vanished in a blast of black and purple smoke, even his duel disk simply disappearing.
"Okay," Tanion said. "What the hell just happened?"
"I've never seen anything like this," Elise said, mortified. "I've heard stories that have trickled in from the outskirts of the civilised world, though. They told of ghoulish creatures formed by a person's Duel Energy as they died who could take on the form of man and strip people of their souls."
"That's ridiculous," Tanion scoffed. "There's no way that that guy could've..."
"Not only did he have Fusion Summoning that didn't seem to be his, he literally just disappeared," Elise pointed out. "There's no way of saying either way."
"I just hope he's gone," Tanion said. "Whatever he was, he wasn't right."
"I know," Elise said. "I could feel it too. Now go check on Darrien and see how he's coming with the door."
As Elise relayed everything that had just happened to Felirae via radio, Tanion brought himself back into focus and rushed over to the other end of the warehouse where Elise's trainee was hard at work deciphering the lock on the door, which had been severely damaged by the madman before they had arrived.
"How's it coming?" Tanion asked.
"It's a 6 digit code, and I've got the first 4 right," Darrien said. "Well fought, by the way. Taking on a Duel Energy ghoul is no easy feat."
"You know about them?" Tanion asked, surprised.
"She didn't want to tell you, obviously," Darrien said, his golden eyes working overtime trying to figure out the lock. "My father turned into one of those ghouls when my town was attacked by The Grand Order. Think of them as ghosts, but formed from a person's Duel Energy as they pass between life and death. If the will of a person is strong enough, they can remain on this world as a ghoul until they complete the one final task they wish to accomplish, or get beaten in the process of doing so."
"So what he was saying about his family..." Tanion whispered. "That was his dying wish. To make The Grand Order pay for taking his family."
"It would seem that way," Darrien nodded. "He believed that he needed Fusion and Synchro Summoning in order to do that, and he already had Fusion Summoning from some poor soul."
"But why come here for Synchro?" Tanion wondered. "There is no way he could've known that a Synchro user would come here."
"We're about to find out," Darrien said. "Elise, I've got the code!"
Elise rushed over as Darrien punched in the code. The three watched, disks at the ready, as the great concrete doors slid sideways, opening up another room. Darrien's Angel of Light moved in first, and they soon realised that there was nothing there. All save a glass container placed upon a round table.
"Tanion, go check it out," Elise ordered.
Nodding, Tanion walked into the room with Darrien and Elise covering his back. He approached the container and removed the lid in order to reveal what was inside. He gasped as he did so, picking up that which lay within.
"What is it, Tanion?" Elise asked.
"This is..."
And the world went white.