Hello, all! Here is the next chapter of the story; the Duel between Epsilon and the so-called 'Harbinger'!
I do hope this Duel is entertaining for you to read; it was difficult for me to write at times because other things have needed more of my focus. What's more, I've tried to explain as many rules as I can in this Duel, which is another reason why this took a while to create.
I was also torn between giving 'Harbinger' a custom Deck, or using a Deck based on already-created cards. I have chosen the latter for this Duel, partially because Epsilon is using already-created cards. That way, the Duel is a bit more balanced (to my eyes).
Before we get going, let's get the list of Japanese-to-English names set:
Divine = Sayer
Aki = Akiza
Now for the DISCLAIMER: The Yugioh TCG, and the Yugioh 5D's anime is owned by Konami. The author owns all custom characters/elements/factions they choose to include in this story.
Onward to the Chapter!
"DUEL!"
[DUEL BEGINS] [Epsilon: 4000 LP/Harbinger: 4000 LP]
"First turn!" Harbinger calls out before it draws its card.
[TURN 1: Harbinger] [CARDS IN HAND 6].
It looks over its hand before it makes its first action: "I Normal Summon Alien Warrior." [CARDS IN HAND (Harbinger): 5]
A low thrum turns my eyes up into the haze above us. A large humanoid creature falls from the haze and lands on all fours in front of Harbinger. A thick, white carapace covers most of its grey skin, and forms a frill of bone on the back of its head. Two grey-black orbs are on its chest, with another one on each of its shoulders. The carapace grows into razor-sharp claws on its hands, and talons on its five-toed feet.
The creature flexes muscles beneath the exterior bone as it glares at me with bright orange eyes. It raises its claws at me as it lets out a roar from its sharp-toothed mouth, and I see a tube in each palm that must lead to some unknown substance in its body (EARTH, Reptile, 1800 ATK/1000 DEF, LVL 4).
"I now play the Field Spell, Otherworld - The 'A' Zone." The haze changes into bright stars, swirling nebulae, and distant planets of some unknown sector of space. The wire turns into a giant asteroid that we both stand on, and a nearby asteroid has a giant blue-scaled lizard-like creature that looks at us without much interest [CARDS IN HAND (Harbinger): 4].
I stare in awe at the detail of this place. It's certainly an 'Otherworld', but it's also very beautiful. I'm still a bit surprised at the creative level Solid Vision can go to with these holograms. Then again, since I'm Dueling inside a digital network, who's to say this actually is Solid Vision we're using to Duel?
"I now activate the Continuous Spell Code A Ancient Ruins." This Spell brings up a large open-air structure to Harbinger's right. A long stone walkway is flanked by several stone pillars on either side. Each pillar has an inhuman creature carved on the top, all the creatures looking over the walkway as it leads to a dark-blue chamber. [CARDS IN HAND (Harbinger): 3]
"I Set one card in my backrow, and end my turn." The enlarged card back appears in front of the statues, its appearance simple against the detail of this Deck's activated cards. [CARDS IN HAND (Harbinger): 2]
"My turn," I announce as I draw, "I'll show you what my Deck is capable of!"
[TURN 2: Epsilon] [CARDS IN HAND: 6]
Well, this hand is… quite good! It's got a copy of the 'Iron Core' Spell, two Monsters of the same Type, another supporting Monster, and two cards I can use to control the field. Maybe this is just plain luck? Actually, I suppose I shouldn't be questioning it at a time like this. I should really just play out my move.
"I Normal Summon Koa'ki Meiru Overload!" This Monster stomps onto the field with a deep growl, despite it not being much larger than me. Its body is made up of several jagged shards of rock over a human-shaped body of molten lava. Its arms stretch out, its neck extends far from its heavily-armored chest. Its forearms have silver rings that keep those limbs together, and an extra layer of thick stone protects its neck.
Its eyes are white, a ring of spikes protruding from its constantly-open mouth. The pumping core inside its chest is shaped differently than the 'Iron Core'. Rather, it looks stronger, evolved from the original Core. The Monster seems to represent this extra level of power with a loud roar against Harbinger's Alien Warrior. The Warrior raises its arms for combat with a sharp grunt (EARTH, Rock, 1900 ATK/1200 DEF, LVL 4) [CARDS IN HAND (Epsilon): 5].
"I now activate the Continuous Spell Core Overclock. This gives all my 'Koa'ki Meiru' Monsters 500 more Attack Points." The card image shows 'Koa'ki Meiru Overload' powering up from the energy of the 'Iron Core' inside its body. Overload's body glows an orange-white as it gives a loud cry. Its molten-metal body bubbles as the stone bulges a bit (Koa'ki Meiru Overload: 1900-2400 ATK) [CARDS IN HAND (Epsilon): 4].
"Battle! Overload attacks Alien Warrior. Overcharged Punch!" The core inside Overload's body shines with a piercing light at my command. Overload charges at the warrior with one fist raised to punch through the creature's body. However, its body also glows with a multicolored aura that seems to make it… weaker.
"Otherworld – The A Zone activates," Harbinger explains before I can voice my question. "Since your Monster isn't an 'Alien' Monster, it loses 300 Attack and Defense Points during the Damage when it battles an 'Alien' Monster." Harbinger's words come true, but it still races at the Warrior without stopping (Koa'ki Meiru Overload: 2400-2100 ATK)
"That's still enough to wipe your Monster out!" Alien Warrior raises its hands up to block Overload's punch, but my Monster breaks those hands off through its punch. The hands squirt some kind of fluid as they clasp onto Overload's body, but the rest of the Warrior gets shouldered to the ground by Overload's taller body. A few pieces of bone fly into Harbinger's body as its Monster turns to golden dust (Harbinger: 4000-3700 LP).
"Alien Warrior's effect triggers along with Ancient Ruins," Harbinger immediately states. "2 A-Counters are placed on Koa'ki Meiru Overload because it destroyed Alien Warrior by battle. Then, Ancient Ruins gains an A-Counter each time a face-up 'Alien' Monster is destroyed."
Alien Warrior's hands fall to the rock below at Harbinger's words; Overload's arm now turns an ugly shade of purple. At the same time, a small simulacrum of another otherworldly being rises up from the ground to join the Ruin's statues (Overload: 2 A-Counters) (Ruins: 1 A-Counter).
"I Set one card in my backrow, and proceed to my End Phase." Overload's core throbs and pumps wildly inside its chest, which causes the Monster to double over in pain [CARDS IN HAND (Epsilon): 3].
"In order to keep Overload out," I explain, "I have to either discard one 'Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru', or reveal a Rock-Type Monster in my hand. I'll reveal Koa'ki Meiru Guardian, which is a Rock-Type, to keep Overload alive." A silhouette of the protective stone creature appears behind Overload, the latter of which stands back upright as its core's energy becomes stable again.
As I let out a breath, I start to think about Harbinger's Deck. Are these 'A-Counters' part of this Deck's objective? That's certainly a type of Dueling style that I haven't seen before, as far as I can remember.
"Your confidence betrays your fear of loss. My turn." Harbinger draws a new card with its 'hand'.
[ROUND 2] [Epsilon: 4000 LP/Harbinger: 4000 LP]
[TURN 3: Harbinger] [CARDS IN HAND: 3]
"I activate the special effect of 'Alien Overlord' in my hand. I can Special Summon him by removing two A-Counters from the field. I remove one from my Ruins, and one from your Overload." Overload's arm becomes slightly less purple as the new statue amidst the Ruin breaks to pieces. Two purple orbs form in the air, and then join together into a large, pulsing blob. The blob shifts and twists, forming arms and legs in seconds.
The blob quickly takes shape into a humanoid alien; similar to the Warrior in face and body shape, but much stronger in appearance. It has six arms, a grey carapace over red skin, and channels yellow lightning form its clawed fingers. It stands a bit taller than Overload, its chest dominated by two red tubes that probably act like the tubes in 'Alien Warrior's' hands. Four purple orbs rest around the tubes like the four orbs on the Warrior.
The creature cracks its arms into place, and then glares at me with glowing red eyes. It looks like it wants a fight. I'm not going to give it that chance. (Ancient Ruins: 0 A-Counters) (Overload: 1 A-Counter) [CARDS IN HAND (Harbinger): 2]
"I'm not letting that stick around," I shout before the Monster's stats are revealed to me. "I activate the Trap Automatic Laser. Since you just Normal or Special Summoned a Monster with 1000 or more ATK, I can reveal an 'Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru' from my hand to destroy that Monster!" At my command, a large machine with the 'Iron Core' carved on a central frame emerges from digital pixels. Two red optics focus on 'Alien Overlord' as I reveal the 'iron Core' in my hand.
The machine charges up power from my revealed card with each second, until it fires a white beam of pure energy at the Monster. Overlord tries to block the shot with lightning-charged arms, but the laser blasts a hole right through the creature's body. Overlord's arms fall to the ground as its body turns to golden dust; my machine vanishes a second later.
"Ancient Ruins gains another A-Counter from your efforts. I Normal Summon Alien Telepath." The Ruins gain a new statue as Harbinger plays another Monster from his hand. This one has orange skin, a mouth too large for its face, and pure-green eyes. A long whisker trails from either side of its mouth, and its legless body easily slithers along the asteroid. (Ancient Ruins: 1 A-Counter) (FIRE, Reptile, 1600 ATK/1000 DEF, LVL 4) [CARDS IN HAND (Harbinger: 1)
"I use Telepath's effect. By removing 1 A-Counter from the field, I can destroy 1 Spell or Trap. I remove 1 Counter from my Ruins to destroy Core Overclock." The creature raises one of its flipper-like arms to the Ruins, and a statue breaks apart at its command. Telepath's whiskers then rise up on their own, and one of them fires an orange laser beam that incinerates my Spell. Overload's extra bulk fades away as its strength returns to normal. (Ruins: 0 A-Counters) (Overload: 2400-1900 ATK)
"Battle. Alien Telepath attacks Koa'ki Meiru Overload. The A-Counter on Overload decreases its ATK and DEF by 300 during the Damage Step. Combining this with my Field Spell's effect means Overload loses 600 ATK and DEF."
My "What?!" combines with a cry from Overload as its entire arm turns purple and drops uselessly to its side (Overload: 1900-1300 ATK/DEF). Telepath points a flipper-arm at my Monster just before both whiskers fire orange lasers into its core. Overload hunches over as its liquid skin bubbles and froths without a sign of restraint. Then, it explodes into a wave of stone and lava, some of which splashes onto my right arm (Epsilon: 4000-3700 LP).
"AGGH!" I clutch my injured arm as I actually feel the burns on my skin. It's like I'm in a fire, or having molten lava actually poured onto my body. The pain is shocking, forcing me to catch my breath.
"What was that?" When I get no answer, I look up to Harbinger and shout, "What the hell was that?! Solid Vision isn't supposed to hurt like this!"
"Your mind makes this pain real, android. More will be dealt before this Duel ends. My turn's finished."
I actually believe what Harbinger is saying. I draw my card carefully, to avoid any further pain.
[TURN 4: Epsilon] [CARDS IN HAND: 4]
'What the…? This card is the one I didn't want to see earlier!' I want to slap myself in the face as I remember I had shuffled this card into my Deck, even though I didn't like it. But, now it's in my hand, and I have to use it in some way.
'Maybe this card can actually help me! But, it's got such a high cost to bring out...'
I think for a moment before I make my decision to hold onto it for later. I should probably use it only when I absolutely need to. For now, I've got other Monsters I can use.
"I Normal Summon Koa'ki Meiru Urnight!" The four-legged warrior rides onto the asteroid with a short, "Hyah!" (ATK: 2000) [CARDS IN HAND (Epsilon): 3]
"I use Urnight's Battle Cry! I show you an 'Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru' in my hand, and then Special Summon one Level 4 or lower 'Koa'ki Meiru' Monster from my Deck." Urnight clashes his sword against his shield and calls out like it did before, while I once again reveal the 'Iron Core' in my hand. My Deck appears before me in digitized form, and I select the Monster I want from the display. That card then pops out from my Deck holder for me to grab.
"I Special Summon Koa'ki Meiru Bergzak!" The muscled warrior spins its two swords around as it materializes onto my field. It stands beside Urnight, equal to it in strength (ATK: 2000).
Harbinger suddenly laughs with the voice of a crackling fire before it says, "You've fallen into my ploy. Open Trap, Planet Pollutant Virus!" The revealed card shows the center of a major city covered in a purple sky, and several small purple blobs with eyes and tentacles slithering along the buildings.
Harbinger quickly explains what this card actually does: "After I Tribute an 'Alien' Monster on my field, this card destroys all Monsters you control without A-Counters on them." Alien Telepath suddenly tenses up before its body ruptures into fleshy chunks. The same purple fog as on the card spreads over our asteroid; I gag and retch after I breathe it in as my three Monsters all turn a shade of purple. I raise a hand to try and help them, but they all melt into piles of purple goo.
"Now that this sector is infested," Harbinger continues as I mutely stare at the remains of my Monsters, "this Trap will remain activated until the End Phase of your third turn from now. So, this turn's End Phase will be the first of those three. As long as this card is activated, all future Monsters you Summon automatically gain an A-Counter."
"It's not over yet!" My voice sounds hollow to my ears, maybe because it's tainted by the purple fog that still coats the field. "I'll Set one more card in my backrow, and end my turn." [CARDS IN HAND (Epsilon): 2] [Pollutant Virus: 2 End Phases Left]
"Your assimilation will come, android; there is no sense in denying it. My turn: I draw."
[ROUND 3] [Epsilon: 3700 LP/Harbiner: 3700 LP]
[TURN 5: Harbinger] [CARDS IN HAND: 2]
Harbinger quickly makes its next move: "I Set a Monster." The only Monster now on the field is an enlarged card back. That doesn't make me feel any better [CARDS IN HAND (Harbinger): 1].
"I now Set one card in my backrow, and end my turn." Another card back appears in Harbinger's back row. Again, it doesn't change my feelings about how things look right now [CARDS IN HAND (Harbinger): 0].
I draw my card silently, glad that Harbinger didn't take the chance to attack me directly. Maybe it was worried I had a ploy like it had against me?
[TURN 6: Epsilon] [CARDS IN HAND: 3]
I look over my hand. The new card won't help me, but my focus is on that card. I suppose it's time to use it; it's got enough strength to seriously dent Harbinger's Life Points, if not win me the Duel outright. Even if I leave myself vulnerable, I can't let this chance pass.
"It's time I showed you just how powerful I am," I say with as much confidence as I can give considering I have nothing on my field. "You'll never reach the Arcadia Movement!"
Harbinger lets out a short laugh before it says, "Confidence only works if you have the proof to back it up." I grit my teeth at this taunt. I want all the more to wipe that smile off of its face. This card will certainly do that.
"I banish one 'Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru from my hand to Special Summon my Deck's most powerful Monster!" I show the Core, and it turns into a giant version of itself that begins to activate. The three dragons spin like in my visions, creating a tunnel of golden-yellow and golden-orange energy that reaches into a separate dimension from the Duel field. Lightning bolts shoot out and blast craters into the asteroid as a loud rumble comes from within the tunnel.
Harbinger takes a step back as wingbeats come from inside the tunnel; loud, ominous wingbeats that grow stronger with each second. The tunnel surges open to twice its former size as a deep-throated roar comes out from the pocket dimension inside. I feel very confident as to how this will turn out as I raise a hand to the sky.
I call out with a strong voice as the wingbeats grow deafening: "Come to me, Koa'ki Meiru MAXIMUS!"
The tunnel bursts open as a massive silver-and-grey-scaled dragon emerges onto the asteroid, dwarfing even the blue lizard-creature in size. Its grey wings splay out as it catches the air. Its bony, spiked tail lashes forward as it flaps for a moment. Then, its four legs impact the asteroid's surface with loud thooms, each leg ending in a three-clawed paw.
Its face stretches out like a bulb, and its jaws stretch out to show a set of dark-gray teeth. The 'Iron Core' emblem shines a dark-red on its long forehead. Its eyes glow bright green against the tunnel's yellow light, and the roar it lets out overpowers the tunnel's thunder. It doesn't seem phased when one of its legs and paw turn dark-purple, and I'm not afraid of it coming to harm. I feel so powerful with it here, nothing can scare me! (WIND, Dragon, 3000 ATK/2500 DEF, LVL 8) [CARDS IN HAND (Epsilon): 1] (Maximus: 1 A-Counter)
"That Monster is certainly impressive," Harbinger comments as Maximus's roar rings in my ears. "However, true strength isn't always so easily visible."
"This is my strength, Harbinger! I activate Maximus's Core Disruption! Once per turn, during my Main Phase, I can select and destroy one card on your field. I destroy your Set Monster!"
"Simple fool. I chain the Trap, Detonator Circle 'A'!" Harbinger's Set card flips up to show one of the 'A-Counters' in the midst of a violent explosion. A shockwave of green energy flies from the purple mass. I glance over to Maximus' purple leg and see it bubble and writhe like it's about to explode like the card shows.
The purple substance spreads faster than I can follow; Maximus is covered in the stuff in seconds. It cries out even as Harbinger explains the card's effects: "This destroys one Monster on the field with an A-Counter. Since Maximus' effect is an Ignition effect, it must be on the field to be able to use its ability. This Trap will destroy it before its effect activates due to Chain Link. Finally, after the Monster is destroyed, this card deals us each 1000 points of Effect Damage."
My jaw drops as Maximus, my strongest Monster, stumbles around without any control. Its jaws and teeth drip purple ooze as the 'Iron Core' emblem on its forehead emits sparks of red lightning. The sparks grow stronger, wilder, more destructive, until they start impacting Maximus's body. The dragon's body bulges and expands to an enormous degree…
And then explodes into a violent burst of purple ooze, red lightning, and ear-piercing screams that cover the field in gore. I cover my face with my hands and feel hot liquid splatter all over my body. It takes several long, heart-pounding seconds for the noise to fade, and the damage to be calculated (Epsilon/Harbinger: 3700-2700 LP).
"I…" I lower my hands as Maximus's remains rest on the field for a moment longer, and then fade into black dust. The blue-lizard creature is now a skeleton, its skin and muscles melted away from the hot ooze. I can't say a word about my most powerful Monster being obliterated in the blink of an eye. I had felt so strong… now I feel so weak.
I look to my hands, covered in the purple ooze. They don't give me any answer as to why that move just happened. For a second, though, the slime becomes thick, red blood as I see a human body in front of me. It's female, and has a hole through the side of its head. I blink, and the image is gone.
I eventually look at my last card; the Spell 'Core Transport Unit' stares back at me without eyes. Four words eventually escape my lips as I look right at my opponent; "I end my turn." [Planet Pollutant Virus: 1 End Phase Left]
[ROUND 4] [Epsilon/Harbinger: 2700 LP]
"My turn." Harbinger draws its card quickly, and its jaws crack open into a demented smile.
[TURN 7: Harbinger] [CARDS IN HAND: 1]
"It's time for your end, android. First, I Flip Summon Alien Grey. Its Flip effect activates, but you have no available Monsters on your field to target, so it fizzles." This Monster's name matches to its grey-colored body. Its hands are writhing dark-grey tentacles, similar tentacles acting as toes on its feet. Its inner body is mostly covered by a small light-gray carapace with yellow orbs around the shoulders. The creature stands up to my knee, but something about it seems off.
Maybe it's the glowing red eyes. Maybe it's the pointed ears that stick out from its ball-shaped head. Maybe it's the lack of a mouth. I can't tell for sure, and that actually scares me (Light, Reptile, 300 ATK/800 DEF, LVL 2).
"Next, I Normal Summon the Tuner Monster Alien Ammonite." This Monster is a ball-shaped alien that floats slightly above the asteroid. Its grey-and-black shell protects a small, sharp-toothed mouth and tiny yellow eyes that glow brightly. Eight tentacles with spiked ends coil and move on their own below the creature's face. It looks at me in a way that makes my stomach turn (LIGHT, Reptile/Tuner, 500 ATK/200 DEF, LVL 1) [CARDS IN HAND (Harbinger): 0].
'A Tuner Monster…' I quickly ask myself. 'Why does that sound familiar…?'
"Ammonite's effect," Harbinger announces as the new alien waves its tentacles in a slow pattern. "When it is Normal Summoned, I can Special summon one LVL 4 'Alien' Monster from my Graveyard. I Special Summon Alien Warrior." The armored warrior bursts up from inside the asteroid, using its muscled arms and claws to pull its body up and out onto the field. It grunts at me the moment I lock eyes with it, and I quickly turn away (ATK: 1800).
"I Tune my LVL 1 Alien Ammonite with my LVL 4 Alien Warrior!" The word 'Tune' captures my attention; I don't remember ever hearing that word in one of my Duels. But, I also know what that word implies, and I don't want to see the end result.
My eyes betray me as I see the Ammonite and the Warrior rise into the stars around us. The Ammonite's body grows and changes into a ring of green energy. This ring flies over the Warrior, and turns its outer body into an orange silhouette that covers four white stars. When the ring fully passes over the body, a column of light-green energy covers the stars with enough force to shake the rock I stand on. Through all this, Harbinger lets out a chant that seems to call a powerful Monster to the field…
"Tooku no hoshhikara ginga no kyoufu ga kuru. Taishita iryoku wo miyo! Shinkuro Shokan! Uchuu yousai Gol'Gar wo hakai suru!"
(From a distant star comes a galactic terror. Behold its world-shaking power! Synchro Summon! Destroy, Cosmic Fortress Gol'Gar!)
I place a hand against the asteroid as it actually starts to shake. The column of green energy fades to reveal a Monster that eclipses the light of the faraway stars behind it. Its body is a bloated mix of green, grey, and white. Strange knobs of flesh and scales rest on its back, and its legless body trails on a giant stomach with several large holes or vents along the sides.
Several tentacles with giant white eyes connect to the front end of its chest. Blue-green orbs rest along its chest, and as a small crown on its forehead. The best thing I can see for its 'face' is a pair of yellow eyes above a gaping mouth filled with wiggling tentacles. It doesn't make much of a sound, but it doesn't need to in order to scare me. Compared to the much-smaller 'grey' alien, this creature really does look like a fortress (LIGHT, Reptile/Synchro, 2600 ATK/1800 DEF, LVL 5).
Harbinger gets my attention with the next phase of its move: "I use Gol'Gar's first effect. I return any number of face-up Spell and Trap Cards on my field to my hand, and distribute an equal number of A-Counters among Monsters on the field. I return my two Spells to place 2 A-Counters on Alien Grey."
The space around us returns to its original red haze, and the Ruins fade away as well. Alien Grey then wriggles as both its arms turn purple. Is it in pain from being infected by its own disease (Grey: 2 A-Counters)?
"I now use Gol'Gar's second effect," Harbinger continues. "I remove 2 A-Counters from the field to destroy one card you control. Your Set card is gone, as are your final hopes of defeating me." Alien Grey's limbs return to normal, the purple essence flying into Gol'gar's crown. Two of its eye-tentacles angle themselves at my field, and I jump back as they each fire a green laser beam. The beams cut through my Set Core Reinforcement, and shatter it to pieces. Even if I could have activated it, I couldn't have brought back a Monster with enough power to stop Gol'Gar (Grey: 0 A-Counters).
'No… my Trap! It's gone! I have nothing to help me! NOTHING!' My breath comes in gasps as I stare at the Monster before me. Will I actually lose here? Will I actually be assimilated? Will I actually die?!
"This ends here, android." Harbinger's words each hit me like I've been punched. "Your assimilation has come. Cosmic Fortress Gol'Gar attacks you directly!"
The fortress now actually makes a sound; a crackling gargle that fills my ears with noise. The crown on its head glows sky-blue; the eye-tentacles all glow the same color as large ball of energy forms in front of the crown. The ball turns into a beam of energy that sends a shockwave through the digital air as it flies at me.
I have no time to dodge, no chance to stop the attack. I can only try to survive whatever damage it causes. I raise my arms to protect my face from harm, but that just makes my arms burn with agonizing pain. I squeeze my eyes shut as I scream my throat hoarse; I picture my arms burning into ash and dust by the laser beam, not even the bones remaining.
It's just pain, unending pain. My memories start to vanish into static, flickering in and out as pain punches them away. It's worse than anything I've ever felt, and my mind isn't able to shut down to block it out. I actually want to fall unconscious, let go of all feeling, to get rid of the feeling of being disintegrated.
I don't realize my body's hit the ground until I feel the asteroid's rocky surface stab into my side. My body shakes without any control; I dare not open my eyes to see how injured my arms are. Even so, the update my metal eye gives me says I still haven't lost yet (Epsilon: 2700-100 LP).
"Alien Grey attacks you directly. This Duel is over." I keep my eyes shut when I hear this. I don't want to feel any more pain; it's all too real inside this network. I don't know how to escape here, and I don't want to experience what happens when I lose.
Maybe, if I keep my eyes shut, the pain won't be as bad? I mean, I won't be seeing the attack that hits me, so I won't have the image of that final Monster stuck in my head. I curl into a ball, not worrying about how silly I probably look to Harbinger right now. I just don't want to be hurt any more, certainly not by an alien creature.
A long silence passes; far too long to be normal. The air is still, waiting. Sweat, or maybe the alien slime, runs down my back. I breathe through my nose as I try to retreat away from this Duel. Screw Dueling etiquette, I want to live!
I gasp as something stabs into my neck. Something slips into a slot on my neck that I never knew was there. My eyes snap open automatically to view the glowing red eyes of Alien Grey. I instantly lose all outside senses; my fear is swamped over as I suddenly become so unbearably tired. I can't focus on anything else, and surrender myself to its control (Epsilon: 100-0 LP) [Victor: Harbinger].
"You have lost, android." Harbinger's voice turns sweet to my ears. "My creator's arrival is now unhindered. Your body will be consumed, and your mind will be assimilated. You will not resist."
I don't resist. I barely notice Alien Grey fading away, its power still controlling me. I rise to my knees as the digital haze rips open to reveal a giant rift. Countless colors shimmer beyond a black cloud of quick-moving creatures. Something massive pierces through the rift and instantly scatters the black cloud.
A giant red-and-orange eye emerges from the something. It looks at me, and my jaw drops in awe. It is much more powerful than I, more than I can ever achieve. Divine's power seems so weak compared to it.
Then, the something speaks through many, many unseen mouths: "Į̛͝ ̢͏̴͏͞A̵̵͞M̀ ҉̴͜A͏̷P̷͡͠E͠X҉̵́͘.̴͟͞ ̶̨̧͞͠I̧͟͏̸̨ ̶̴̶́̀B̷̧̛͜͝Ŗ̨͜Į̸́͢Ǹ̴́͠G̛҉͘ ̵̨̛͠T́͠O̵̵̵̷̕ ͠͠Ţ̴͘Ḩ̴̡̛I̴͘҉Ş̸ ̶͟S͜͟͡҉E̵̸̵͠Ŗ͠V́̀E̷҉̴͜R̨҉̢́,̡̀́͏͘ ̶͜͞͝Á҉S̛̀͠͝S͟I̛҉̸̵͡Ḿ̨̛̕I̵̶L̨͞Á̕͜҉T́͘I̡̕O̵̷̢̡͘N̕͜͡.̸̕͟͟
My body rises off the ground as red fire dances along my vision. I see Harbinger rise up a bit before me, arms spread open before its creator. Its single eye glows like a star amidst the network's red background.
"Feast on us, Apex," it calls out. "Let our data be the first for your consumption!" Apex doesn't speak back, instead drawing us both to it by its own power. A giant maw that drips large globules of saliva opens beneath its eye. Sharp teeth glisten within the maw, but that doesn't upset me in the least.
Harbinger floats into Apex's maw, and I get to see its body be eaten firsthand. There's no gore or blood, probably because this is in a digital network. Then, the maw reopens for me, and I float over willingly. I still want to help the Arcadia Movement, but losing a Duel like this is something I can't forgive. I can't be the best if I lose.
This way, Divine can find someone else to be the best. Maybe that senior Duelist, Aki Izayoi, or some other senior member of the Movement. They'll certainly be much better than me, a weak-minded Duelist who can't even protect the people who care for him.
I see into Apex's maw now, a convoluted mix of organs, wires, sharp teeth, and dripping red saliva. As I feel the outside air start to fade away, my right arm flares with pain, and my vision splits in two. I feel no pain from this change; I don't think I'm supposed to.
I see through two pairs of eyes, one of them a bit above of the other. The upper one shines with a bright red glow that my lower one sees. The lower one is dulled to a simple grey that my upper one sees. The upper one feels surprise and panic at this phenomenon. The lower one doesn't feel anything, doesn't want to feel anything.
The upper one struggles and twists until it pops an arm free. It quickly uses that arm to push against the lower one's body, and falls out of the lower one's body just as Apex's maw closes around it. The falling body becomes my body, like I never left it. My senses snap into this new body, alive with pain, anger, fear, knowledge.
That last bit is especially important as images and names of people and places my other body didn't know come back to me. I break free of a mental lock as I remember all the previous designations I've been given in my lifetime.
Samuel, the amnesiac Duelist in Satellite who worked with Yusei and his friends to right the wrongs of rival gangs.
The Netrunner, Dueling representative of a Collective that sought to fuse man and machine into perfect harmony, no matter how difficult that is.
Epsilon, last in a line of Psychic Duelist clones created by Rex Godwin to save the world through artificial Signer marks.
Samuel Tagami, the lover of Aki Izayoi who died by her hand when she still feared her own powers.
I slowly fall into the Network as Apex consumes my latest identity; Epsilon, Psychic Duelist of the Arcadia Movement and slave to Divine. Apex's eye widens in what I assume to be shock, but I'm not sure whether it's from the data it received or whether it can see my new body before it. Before I can make a sound, Apex's tentacles wrap around my pain-filled limbs and pull me to it.
I see a presence within its eye; female, digital, and just as confused about all this as I am. Her name is on the tip of my tongue, but my mind refuses to say it. She extends a hand to me, but suddenly draws it back as she turns away from me and covers her eyes. A roar flies from her lips, unfiltered and angry.
Regret, I suddenly understand from the sound. Hatred. Sorrow. She's sorry for what's she did to me, because she did not know then who I really was.
The Network around us crackles with energy, and Apex's body hardens into crystal. A bolt of lightning shatters its form into thousands upon thousands of tiny shards, and my body gets cut to pieces in the storm as they spread across the entire server.
[3rd PERSON POV]
The Arcadia Movement's electrical system experiences a surge of energy that shuts down all power. In the space of a few seconds, Apex's programming slips into the source code of every single electrical device in the building. Then, all the lights turn back on, all the automatic doors function as normal, all the outside connections resume their regularly-schedule programming.
Divine curses as his Duel Disk sparks with red lightning on his arm. He gives it a hard smack on the gemstone, and it functions as normal. He picks up the handheld phone in his office to hear the usual tone before a call. The virtual display screens function as normal, also. No long-term damage seems to have been done, though his Disk never shocked him before.
On impulse, he checks on the display camera for Epsilon's room. What if his cybernetics got affected by the attack? Thankfully, the clone is slumped over on his bed, fast asleep. Divine cracks a smile and closes the screen before a knock on his door has him get up and walk over. Aki stands on the other side when he opens it.
Aki's expression is focused as she asks, "You wanted to see me, Divine?"
"Yes, I did," the Movement's leader replies as he steps out of the room and gestures down the hallway. "Come, let's go to the latest meeting. I have something important to tell you along the way." Aki nods, and the two make their way down the hall.
If Divine had kept the camera on for several seconds longer, he would have seen Epsilon's body suddenly rise up as if sleepwalking. His metal eye glows a piercing red as the shard of Apex inside Epsilon's body activates, while his human eye remains tightly shut. He cracks a dark smile as he speaks two words in a human replica of Apex's voice.
"Assimilation successful."
In an underground room, two men and a woman sit in three separate chairs. Wires connect the chairs to each other, and a larger computer system all around the room. As one, the figures stiffen, the cybernetic implants on and in their bodies notifying them of a sudden change.
"The anomaly has infiltrated a new server; a much more secure one, this time." This comes from the older of the two men. His fingers move quickly across virtual screens that he brings up before him.
"It's targeted the Arcadia Movement servers," the younger man reports from reading his own set of screens. "Assimilation has already begun." He looks to the other man, and the woman, as he then asks with bated breath, "Shall we intervene?"
The answer comes from the woman, her gray eyes reflecting the light of another set of virtual screens before her: "Affirmative. But, this mission requires the utmost precision. The Arcadia Movement has been a major contender for us. It would bode ill to be caught inside their headquarters."
"Digital infiltration is impossible," the first man states as he wipes a hand across his face to clear it of sweat. "The server has been corrupted, and the anomaly has influence over all the building's electronics, including the server's security codes."
"Confirmed." The woman's voice carries no emotion as she states her next words. "We shall have to go in through meatspace. A 'smash-and-grab' job, as it is said."
"Perhaps this can answer the fate of our missing agent, as well? The Movement is one of our prioritized targets for investigation." The younger man asks this with a raised eyebrow, his curiosity reflected in the other two figure's eyes as they all look at each other.
"Affirmative," the woman then says as she reaches for a set of wires plugged into her neck. "Prepare to jack out. The Collective will get to the bottom of this, one way or another."
Alright, that's all for now! The Collective have returned, and the anomaly known as 'Apex' has revealed itself. What will it do with the reformed Samuel's body? Stay tuned to find out!
Just to warn you, the next chapter will probably take a while to post, like how this one was. However, any reviews, comments, constructive criticism and feedback are well appreciated until then.
Draconos is taking off!