Hello, everyone. Here is the next chapter of the story. This will probably also be the final chapter. I had considered putting an Epilogue, but I am giving that up after some thought. In my mind, this story does not really need an epilogue.
There will be a longer note at the chapter's end. For now, let's get to business.
Godwin = Goodwin
Rutger = Roman
Ruka = Luna
Rua = Leo
Ushio = Trudge
Aki = Akiza
DISCLAIMER: Same as usual (don't own Yugioh! or Android: Netrunner, do own OC and other custom elements)
Onward to the Chapter
"Can you see it, Signers?" Rex Godwin taunts to us all from the top of the "Divine Temple". "I was once a man, but now a God! My utopia is within my grasp!"
"Your utopia is a sham, Godwin!" Crow quickly shoots back. "We'll take you out before you ever get the chance to make it!"
"Brave kid," I hear Gabriel Santiago comment from beside me. "Reminds me of, well, me when I was his age." I look to my right to see the cyborg "Agent" stand to Rielle's right. His arms are crossed in front of his chest as he looks on the Duel. The match continues as I turn my eyes back to it, as well.
[DUEL RESUMES] [Crow: 1800 LP, Jack: 4000 LP, Yusei: 4000 LP, Rex: 8800 LP] [SPC: 2 (Crow, Rex) 4 (Jack, Yusei)]
"My turn!" Crow calls out as he draws. The three riders skirt around a corner as Crow quickly makes his move.
[RESUMED TURN 5: Crow] [HS: 3]
"I Set two cards facedown and end my turn." He then turns to Yusei with the comment, "I'm with you all the way, bud!" I hear Yusei grunt back; he's probably having a tough time forming words (HS (Crow): 3-1).
The King lumbers ever closer to the temple, and I glance at its progress every few seconds. I do not want to be around here if it arrives. Unfortunately, that 'if' is looking more and more like it will actually happen.
"We have to stop that King!" Rua's fear echoes the fear in my heart. "It's getting closer to the altar!"
"It's moving too fast." Everyone nearby looks at me in objection, horror, or anger after I say that. I give them all a glare as I explain, "It will get here before the Duel ends, unless we do something."
"We can't do anything against that," Aki states, and I sense a bit of fear with her words. "Yusei, Jack and Crow have to win if we have much chance of surviving."
Jack pulls ahead of Crow and Yusei as he calls out, "My turn! I don't know about Gods, or fate, but I know my own power! It's time you saw it, too!"
[TURN 6: Jack] [HS: 3-4] [SPC: 2-3 (Crow), 4-5 (Jack), 4-5 (Yusei), 2-3 (Rex)]
"I Set one card facedown and Normal Summon Magic Hole Golem." (EARTH, Rock, 0 ATK/2000 DEF, LVL 4) (HS (Jack): 4-2)
"Hole Golem's effect! I halve the Attack Points of Mad Archfiend so it can attack you directly, Godwin." (ATK (Archfiend): 1800-900).
"Mad Archfiend attacks directly. Take this, Godwin! Bone Splash!" (Godwin: 8800-7900 LP)
"Nice shot, Jack!" Crow comments. "But, you can't get rid of bonds that easy." The way he emphasizes those words sounds to me like he knows Jack already. Did those two meet up in the past, maybe in Satellite? Or, when Jack was just starting his reign as the Riding Duel King?
"I'm adding onto Jack's strike," Crow then announces as my implant reports a Set card on his field being activated. "Go, Shadow Dance! This Trap triggers when my opponent takes direct damage. Now, you take another 1000 points of damage!"
Bolts of black lightning fly from Crow's field over to Godwin's. The muscled man covers his face with a burly arm as the bolts pummel his position (Godwin: 7900-6900 LP, 3-2 SPC). He doesn't look hurt at all when the bolts clear.
"Here's my add-on, and the proof of my bond to my friends," Yusei adds as one of his Set cards reveals itself. "Trap Card, Rising Rush! Since you took damage from a card effect, Godwin, I can Special Summon a Tuner Monster from my hand. Come out, Junk Synchron!"
A white orb flashes on Yusei's field and deposits a small humanoid robot. At least, that's what the card picture shows on my Disk; the Duelists are too far away for me to see the actual Solid Vision at this point. The robot's orange-and-white body has two large generators on its back, probably the source of its "Tuning" power. A white scarf is wrapped around its neck, and a green lever rests on its waist.
From the way Yusei sounded when he brought this card out, he seems confident in it. But, it's stats don't show any big improvement to me against Godwin's Earthbound God (LIGHT, Machine/Tuner, 1300 ATK/500 DEF, LVL 3) (HS (Yusei): 4-3).
"I end my turn," Jack then announces. "Magic Hole Golem's effect expires." The Attack of "Mad Archfiend" return to their proper states a second later (ATK (Archfiend): 900-1800).
Yusei calls out, "I draw!" as the three Duelists reposition themselves on the flaming track. They come more into focus as Yusei makes his move.
[TURN 7: Yusei] [HS: 3-4] [SPC: 3-4 (Crow), 5-6 (Jack), 5-6 (Yusei), 2-3 (Rex)]
"In my Main Phase 1, I Tune my Level 4 Max Warrior with my Level 3 Junk Synchron!" The Tuner tugs the lever at his waist before it rises into the air alongside the Warrior. As the Synchron turns into three green rings that overlap the non-Tuner, Yusei speaks a new chant…
"Tsudoishi sakebi ga kodama no yatonari kuu wo saku! Hikari sasu michi tonare! Shinkuro Shoukan! Ideyo, Jyanku Āchā!"
(Gathering roars turn into an echoing arrow which tears through the sky! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Junk Archer!)
The Synchro tunnel clears for another orange-and-white colored warrior, this one taller and stronger-looking. Its long arms clutch a giant blue bow, several arrows in a gray quiver on its back. It takes out one arrow and notches it on the bow's string without a word (EARTH, Warrior/Synchro, 2300 ATK/2000 DEF, LVL 7).
"Junk Archer's effect!" Yusei states. "Once per turn, I can banish one Monster my opponent controls until the end of this turn. I banish Moon Dragon Quilla: Dimension Shoot!"
The warrior raises its bow at the four-headed creature. The arrow quickly glows bright blue as it powers up. The Archer fires the projectile at Quilla, who doesn't try to dodge. The impact causes the dragon to phase out of view like rippling water until nothing remained. Of course, Yusei had said this effect was temporary; I cross my fingers in hopes that Yusei can turn this Duel around.
"Junk Archer attacks you directly, Godwin!" The warrior readies and fires another blue arrow at the Dark Signer within seconds.
"That will not happen!" Godwin responds as the field display on my Duel Disk shows one of his hidden cards flipping upright. "I activate the Trap Offering to the Immortals! This negates your attack and Special Summons two Ceremonial Tokens to my side. In addition," he states with a sinister grin, "I can add my Earthbound God to my hand."
"Junk Archer's" attack hits a purple barrier and dematerializes. Then, two strangely-shaped shards of rock and metal appear on Godwin's field. They each have a single red gem near the top, and a small metal wing on either side (DARK, Rock, 0 ATK/0 DEF, LVL 2) (HS (Godwin): 0-1).
My feelings on Yusei's failed attack go away when I feel a pulse of something come from the top of the temple. Godwin gives a very dark smile as holds a single card up before adding it to his hand – the Earthbound God, for sure.
"He did all that because of a single Trap?!" Crow shouts incredulously over my Disk's speakers. "That's playing dirty!"
"Totally dirty," Ken agrees. "He's got all the requirements he needs. Right?" He turns to the other agents, and I just see Shillouette glare at him.
All Yusei says after this change of events is, "I Set two cards in my backrow and end my turn." At that moment, Moon Dragon Quilla returns to Godwin's field in Defense Mode (DEF: 2500) [HS (Yusei): 4-2].
Aki mutters, "Yusei…" as I try to stare Godwin down without him actually noticing me. I hear a worried hum from Ruka as well, which does not fix my own worries. Did I make the right choice in not Dueling alongside them?
[Your fears against Rex Godwin are somewhat justified. Fighting your creator is almost never a good option.]
I click my tongue at my guidance implant's words.I then look back at Godwin as he draws for his turn. His smile now looks menacing, considering what he was able to get from his Deck the previous turn.
[TURN 8: Rex] [HS: 1-2] [SPC: 4-5 (Crow), 6-7 (Jack), 6-7 (Yusei), 3-4 (Rex)
"The time has come!" he shouts. "I offer my two Ceremonial Tokens to Tribute Summon the emblem of your nightmares!
"Kyuukyoku no hakai wo motarase! Saikyou no Jibakushin! Ideyo! Wirakocha Rasuka!"
(Bring forth the ultimate destruction! The strongest Earthbound God! Come forth! Wiraqocha Rasca!)
The actions when Rutger brought out "Earthbound God Uru" repeat themselves. A giant heart appears in the sky above the temple and begins to throb. Purple energy flashes between the heart's cracks with each throb, the device gathering power to call forth a deity of Darkness. Rielle gives a gasp a second later, and I turn to look at her. But, she's looking towards Neo Domino City.
"The City!" she says. "The citizens in Neo Domino must be in range to summon the God. Their souls are the sacrifice Godwin needs!"
I look to the City myself, hoping that Rielle's words are incorrect. But, hundreds of purple lights quickly fly to the temple from across the water. I don't hear any screams, cries, or shrieks as they enter the pulsing heart, but I really don't need to.
"All these souls… all these lives." I clench my fists as raw anger surges through my tired limbs. "Damn you, Godwin!"
"People like him are never satisfied," Gabriel grimly explains as the heart throbs louder and faster. "They just want more and more, taking from everyone else regardless of the consequences. But, there will always be something else they want over the horizon."
I hear a "tch!" from Rielle and a muttered curse from Ken at that statement. Anything else they were going to say is lost against a sudden, crushing weight of anguish and despair that makes my knees shake.
The heart turns into purple light, too bright to look at. I shield my eyes as I hear various grunts and exclamations from the rest of us bystanders. I look as soon as the light clears and stare at the black-and-purple body of a gargantuan condor. It floats behind the temple, above the geoglyph-field, its wings spreading around the field like a dark embrace. Purple lines glow along its wings, its purple eyes staring down at the ground.
The God's power is so strong, I feel it dig against my body and try to push me to my knees. It must be a whole lot worse for Yusei, Jack and Crow, since they are so much closer to this creature. It takes my guidance implant another few seconds to show its stats. I am thrown off guard by what I see: (DARK, Winged Beast, 1 ATK/1 DEF, LVL 8) (HS (Godwin): 2-1).
A noise from the water makes me look back toward the King. Jack's cry of, "The King is getting closer!" mixes with a roar from the sludge-covered beast. It stops as it notices the God before raising one of its arms up. Globules of liquid fall off its body, only to transform into large black condors that fly toward the gargantuan lookalike. Their caws come one after the other as they come closer and closer to the altar.
"Oh, great," Crow sarcastically shouts out, "he's got an army with him!" The 'army' flaps around the geoglyph as Godwin laughs some more.
"The King wants to end this as much as I do," he says as the bird's cawing turns into background noise. "These condors will feast on your broken spirits!"
I hear Aki cry, "Yusei!" a moment later. I look at Aki, and then at Yusei, just as one of the large condors flies over his D-Wheel. My mind races to the worst option; the bird wants to pick Yusei off the track. Even if this doesn't injure Yusei, he'll probably be carried right out of the Duel. Godwin is trying to win this battle through cheating!
Before I can stop her, Aki has her Duel Disk on and activated. She pulls out one card from a small group and slams it onto her Disk with the words, "Go, Black Rose Dragon! Protect our friends!" I then stumble back as Black Rose Dragon actually appears above Aki. I don't know whether it's just Solid Vision or a psychic manifestation, but I do not want it this close to me!
Luckily, the rose-covered dragon flies off towards the geoglyph. It extends several vines like whips that snap into the bird's feathered body. The condor cries out as it quickly flies away to safety, which causes Black Rose Dragon to roar defiantly against the rest of the flock.
I look on in confused amazement when Rua calls out, "I'm counting on you, Ancient Fairy Dragon!" A dragon appears in the sky above the young Signer a second later, the dragon that was apparently imprisoned in the Spirit World until recently. This dragon has blue scales, shimmering wings, and a long green mane behind a golden headpiece. It has two human-like hands, its body ending in a green tail.
The dragon lets loose a strange, guttural screech as it flies to aid "Black Rose Dragon". It fires green energy from its mouth that send condors scattering in disarray. Even so, the birds outnumber the beasts by a whole lot. The dragons could be swamped at any second. It isn't enough.
My gut instinct kicks in. I ready my Disk, activate it, draw my Extra Deck into my hands, and slap a familiar card onto a Monster slot. I call out, "Help them, Terra-Wing Netrunner Dragon!" as my emotions flow into the Monster. The dragon appears above me with its own roar as it instantly flies through the air to support its kin. The beams of white light it unleashes on the condors joins the other dragon's attacks, and the birds scatter once again.
"We'll fight for you guys down here!" I call to the Duelists as our dragons stay close to the geoglyph. "You focus on winning this Duel!"
"That's right!" Aki calls out with me. "We're with you all the way!" The others all add cheers of encouragement. Our hope and commitment feels strong in my heart. We may actually win!
"Your efforts will not help you!" Godwin states, his voice colder than before. "I use Wiraqocha Rasca's effect. By skipping my Battle Phase, I can reduce an opponent's Life Points to 1! Yusei Fudo will be my target!"
The God flaps its wings once, which is enough to send a giant breeze down from the temple onto us bystanders. Even the deceased Collective agents cover their faces from the dust storm. My Disk's speakers crackle as I shield my eyes; Crow's voice filters through.
"Why are you doing this, Godwin? You used to help other people, let them reach their dreams. Now, you're nothing but a monster!"
"Crow," Yusei then warns, "don't push him!" But, Crow continues on like he didn't hear him.
"You started on the Daedalus Bridge, and you had the whole of Satellite supporting you. I watched you work, and I believed you could succeed! You were our hero!"
Godwin doesn't respond for several moments. The dust clears enough for me to wipe my face and open my eyes again. He then says, "That man is gone forever. He is a shadow of the past."
"I still believe in the past!" Crow says, and I hear him sniffle through the speakers as he takes a breath. "Everyone deserves a chance. If you won't give it to them, then I will!"
I hear Yusei and Jack suddenly cry out at the same time, but Crow cries even louder. When I look at the rider's position on the geoglyph-field, there's another of those black condors amongst the three. It must have gotten to them through the dust-storm. I can't see the damage it causes from on the ground, but the, "Gah!" Crow makes tells me it hurt. Even so, all three D-Wheels continues on course.
"Dodge, man, dodge!" I turn to my left to see Ken "Express" Tenma swipe a hand to one side in some gesture to express his words. He looks at the distant Duel with deep focus. I don't know whether he is scared or excited about what is going to happen. Is everyone from the Collective going to show up here?
"We are as interested in this Duel as you are, Netrunner," Rielle says, seemingly reading my mind through her own psychic powers. "We want to see the fate of the man who ordered our deaths."
She didn't have to say it like that…
"I will protect Yusei's wish!" Crow shouts as my guidance implant reports a Set card on his field revealing itself. "I activate Life Exchange! This directs your God's effect to me instead of him!"
Godwin gives a growl through the speakers; this must not have been something he planned for. But, he quickly says, "So be it! Polestar Obey!"
The God's gigantic beak opens as its purple lines glow. Purple fire streams out towards the geoglyph, a torrent far larger than any of our dragons could unleash. Crow gets enveloped in the flames, his pained scream warped by the speakers crackling from distortion (Crow: 1800-1) (SPC: 5-4).
Then, out of nowhere, Crow's D-Wheel appears out from the flames. Those wing-like pieces on either side have been extended out as actual wings. He flies below the flames before they turn back on him.
"Wait," I state out loud, "since when can D-Wheels fly?!" No one answers me because Crow says something else to Godwin.
"Life Exchange's got a second ability. Since my Life Points decreased, I can destroy one card on your field, like your damn Moon Dragon!" The D-Wheel fires something like rocket engines from its back that cause it to climb further into the air. Crow gives a wordless battle cry as he rams "Moon Dragon Quilla" at full speed. It shatters into blue-and-gold pixels as "Wiraqocha Rasca's" flames fade away.
"When the Moon sets beneath the horizon," Godwin declares, "the Sun rises in its place. I Special Summon Sun Dragon Inti!" Golden light signals the red dragon's return to the field, but my eyes are focused on Crow's crazy stunt (ATK: 3000). My Disk's speakers still manage to pick up his words as his ride's boosters run out.
"I Tribute Blackwing Armor Master to activate my Trap, Blackwing Anchor! Now, if a Synchro Monster any of us control battles one of your Monsters, we can send Anchor to the graveyard to increase out battling Monster's Attack by Armor Master's original Attack. Yusei, Jack, I've done all I can!"
Several voices, including mine, shout out "Crow!" with similar amounts of scared concern. He falls onto a part of the geoglyph far away from Jack and Yusei. I hear a loud crunch from the speakers that makes my gut twist up. Several more brutal noises follow until, I suspect, the ride comes to a complete stop. Crow lands a few feet from his vehicle. I zoom in as best as I can with my metal eye, but I don't see him get up.
My guidance implant states the simple, cold truth: [Crow is too injured to stay on his D-Wheel. Riding Duel rules state this means Crow is unable to continue Dueling. Therefore, Crow is eliminated.]
"The legend falls," Godwin says mockingly. "How pitiful! I Set a card, and leave the world's fate to the other two."
"Idiot." Silhouette now speaks up from behind me as Godwin's Set card is registered by my guidance implant. "No respect for anyone than himself." (HS: 1-0)
"You will pay for this, Godwin!" Jack shouts, enraged by this turn of events. "My move!"
[ROUND 3] [Jack: 4000 LP, Yusei: 4000 LP, Rex: 7900 LP] [SPC: 7 (Jack/Yusei), 4 (Rex)]
[TURN 9: Jack] [HS: 3-4] [SPC: 7-8 (Jack), 7-8 (Yusei), 4-5 (Rex)]
"I Normal Summon the Tuner Sinister Sprocket. I then Tune it with my Level 4 Mad Archfiend!" The new Monster is shown as a black gear with two blue eyes and a long chain wrapped arounds its body (DARK, Machine, 400 ATK/0 DEF, LVL 4) [HS: 4-3]. That chain extends out as the Monster rapidly spins into the air. It turns into four green rings that overlap the bone-wearing fiend, while Jack cries out a chant with thunderous voice…
"Oja no kodo, ima koko ni retsu wo natsu. Tenchi meido no chikara wo miru ga i! Shinkuro Shokan! Waga tamashi, Reddo Doragon Archfiend!"
(The ruler's heartbeats will now file through here. Take witness to its earth-shaking power! Synchro Summon! My very soul, Red Dragon Archfiend!)
The dragon that appears from the Synchro tunnel is that demon-horned dragon I saw at the Fortune Cup's opening ceremony. It has massive black bat-like wings, sharp claws, and muscled red-and-black skin. The roar it gives reaches my ears as a roar of power and anger. Pretty fitting, actually (DARK, Dragon/Synchro, 3000 ATK/2800 DEF, LVL 8).
"This won't do anything!" Godwin taunts. "Red Dragon Archfiend has the same Attack Points as my Sun Dragon Inti."
"I'll change that with my Trap, Half Straight!" Jack replies. "This halves Red Dragon Archfiend's Attack until my next Standby Phase. But, it can attack you directly since its Attack is lower than the Attack of your strongest Monster." The horned dragon's Attack drops as the Trap kicks in, but it still keeps flying (ATK (Red Dragon Archfiend): 3000-1500).
"I see." Godwin actually sounds impressed by this play. "Wiraqocha Rasca cannot be selected as an attack target, due to its effects. So, you're going for the next best option. Well," he then shouts as his tone shifts back to his usual confidence, "it won't work! I use Sun Dragon Inti's first effect: I can reduce its Attack Points to zero until the End Phase, which nullifies your Trap entirely."
My guidance implant shows this change, despite my not actually believing it (ATK (Inti): 3000-0). How can Godwin's cards have so many special tricks?
"No!" Jack shouts. "Now Archfiend has to attack Inti!"
'Which means,' I mentally add, 'it will be destroyed, and Jack will lose some Life Points. He can't afford that against an Earthbound God!'
"I won't let that happen, Jack!" Yusei calls out before anything else can happen. "I activate my Trap, Scrubbed Raid! Jack," he then tells his fellow Duelist, "use this Trap to end the Battle Phase by sending Red Demons Dragon to the Graveyard!"
"Take the path you know is best, Jack," Godwin quickly warns. "A King only trusts himself. You eliminated your friends to become King. You can do so, again! Eliminate Yusei Fudo!"
"Oh, no, this isn't good." I try to breathe normally as Laramy Fisk, the last of the deceased team, speaks up from behind me. "He's bargaining with that man. Rex Godwin is a very good bargainer when he wants to be."
I resist the urge to tell Laramy he isn't helping things, as well as ask all these Agents how they are appearing here. It's probably the effects of my Psychic Dueling powers, but I did not want them to come out and start talking.
"No." That one word from Jack Atlas gets my attention again. He then adds, in a solemn tone, "I will Duel for myself, and no one else! Red Demons Dragon attacks Sun Dragon Inti! Absolute Powerforce!"
The horned dragon lets loose a thunderous roar before it charges the four-headed dragon. Its claws glow bright orange before they slice into "Inti's" scales. The dragon's body shatters, and then freezes in place along with "Red Dragon Archfiend" as Godwin's Life Points take the hit (Rex: 7900-5400, 5-4 SPC).
"Was that the right choice, Jack? For now," he adds with a wild laugh, "you will pay the price! Sun Dragon Inti's second effect activates. Burn!"
Jack cries out as "Inti's" body emits blinding light. I look away as my guidance implant reports the damage; I don't want to see this much pain (Jack: 4000-2500, 8-7 SPC)!
"Now, when the Sun sets, the Moon rises! Return, Moon Dragon Quilla!" True to Godwin's word, the blue dragon appears on his field once again as "Inti's" final burst of power fades (2500 ATK).
"I Set a card. Turn end." Despite the damage he just took, Jack still sounds confident as he finishes his turn. I don't think I'd be so confident, for obvious reasons (HS (Jack): 3-2).
"Remember your past, Jack Atlas. Remember your days of glory, as the King! I plan to become the greatest King in my new world!"
"I still am a King, Godwin. You will never be!"
"What?" Godwin sounds angry at this upfront denial.
"A King is powerful, for sure. But, a King is nothing without people who respect his rule, soldiers to fight in his name. A King's glory lives on in the people he rules, not by his power alone! Carly taught me the strength of love, bonds, and friendship, and I carry her lessons in my heart!"
Carly? As in Carly Carmine? Where do I remember her from?
[Archived memories indicate you encountered her as a Dark Signer, while Apex possessed your body. You witnessed her in a Duel against Divine when the Arcadia Movement was attacked.]
'Why would Jack be so focused on the words of a Dark Signer? That doesn't sound like the Jack Atlas I remember…'
"My loner days are over, Godwin! I'll risk everything I am for what is right; stopping you!"
"That's the spirit!" Gabriel shouts, even though Jack probably can't hear him. "He's acting like a real King, now."
"Good to see you care about this, Gabriel," Shillouette comments. The cyborg just grunts back to the quieter "Agent" as Yusei calls out, "It's my turn, Godwin!"
[TURN 10: Yusei] [HS: 2-3] [SPC: 7-8 (Jack), 8-9 (Yusei), 4-5 (Godwin)]
"During my Main Phase 1, I'll use Junk Archer's effect to banish Moon Dragon Quilla for this turn. Dimension Shoot!" Once again the bow-wielding warrior fires a glowing arrow at the blue beast.
"A foolish effort!" Godwin shouts before the attack connects. "I activate my Trap, Destruct Potion. This destroys Moon Dragon Quilla and increases my Life Points by Quilla's Attack." Quilla's heads cry out before its body turns into dust. That dust flies into the temple, beneath "Wiraqocha Rasca's" gaze, as the Dark Signer's Life Points jump back up (Rex: 5400-7900 LP).
"Now, with Quilla destroyed, Sun Dragon Inti returns to the field!" Yet again, the shining dragon is back, continuing this very annoying cycle (3000 ATK).
"Your doomsday has come, Signers!" Godwin shouts out to everyone. "You will be remade in my image. I am your God, and you will bow before me!"
As Godwin breaks out into even more psychotic laughter, the King of the Underworld lets out a bubbling roar. I look to the demonic creature as it release more birds from its sludgy body. These birds join with the already-strong flock that hangs around the geoglyph. They dive towards Jack and Yusei, but I have something to stop them causing any harm.
"Take them out, Black Rose Dragon!" This comes from Aki as her dragon lets loose a wave of bright purple fire. The flames incinerate the birds into charred corpses that fall like stars form the sky.
"You too, Ancient Fairy Dragon!" Ruka joins in as her regal beast emits light that shifts between every color in the spectrum. The birds hit by this attack just vanish, no bodies let behind.
I call out, "Don't let up, Terra-Wing!" as my dragon flies up from below the two allied monsters. Its tail snaps a few birds into feathered pieces as it fires beam after beam of energy. Each beam lances through several birds at once, and "Terra-Wing" snaps its neck up and down quickly. It doesn't look hurt by this repeated motion. Hopefully, it can deal a lot more damage to these birds before the King arrives.
"Useless efforts!" Godwin taunts, despite the damage our dragons are causing. "The King still approaches. You can't stop my destiny!"
"We'll keep fighting, no matter what!" Yusei replies. Jack adds in a, "That's right!" Godwin huffs before Jack declares, "It is my turn!"
[TURN 11: Rex] [HS: 0-1] [SPC: 8-9 (Jack), 9-10 (Yusei), 5-6 (Rex)]
"I activate my Trap," Jack interrupts before Godwin can do anything else, "Fiendish Chain! This targets Sun Dragon Inti and prevents it from attacking, activating any effects, or being Tributed."
After the Trap activates, several giant metal chains wrap around Inti's four heads. Inti is barely able to resist their binding force, and its heads are pushed against the Sun at its center. The chains even go around said celestial body, further binding the beast.
"Hmph," Godwin huffs. He doesn't sound as angry as I expected. "You are so confident now. I remember what you once told me; no matter how much a person casts aside, people don't become lonely. Well, people easily fall into loneliness, and that loneliness is death. When you face death, you don't think about things like family or bonds. You're completely alone."
I look to the Collective "Agents" around me at this. They all have angry, grim, or sad expressions on their faces. That tells me far too much.
"I will make you the King of Riding Duels once again," Godwin then states. "I'll give you loneliness and despair, just like when you were the King. I activate Earthbound God Wiraqocha Rasca's effect!"
I brace my feet against the ground as I keep my eye on the Earthbound God. Its wings flap once more, and the remaining sludge-crows make more caws as they move closer to the greater bird. No dust flies into my face, though.
"Face absolute suffering, Jack Atlas." Godwin shouts. "Polestar Obey!" The God spits out a giant ball of fire from its beak. It splits into several smaller fireballs that rain down on the track with small explosions. Yusei and Jack both ride through the bombardment, but Jack's Life Points drop to the lowest amount possible (Jack: 2500-1) (SPC: 9-7).
When the explosions finally stop, I hear Jack say "…No! My Trap!" I look back to the field to see "Inti" smash its bonds apart (ATK (Inti): 0-3000).
My guidance implant fills in what is happening: ["Fiendish Chain's" effects last as long as the Trap's controller's Life Points is over 1000. The Trap is destroyed the moment this is no longer the case.]
"Inti is free," Godwin shouts triumphantly, "Look and feel the death before you!" He then pauses before he says, "King of the Underworld, I offer you this sacrifice!"
The King responds instantly. It unleashes a blast of dark energy that travels across the water, towards the Duel. The blast obliterates a whole lot of sludge-crows as it bears down on the geoglyph-field. All three of the dragons not involved in the Duel dodge the fire before it slams onto the track. Jack's scream mixes with a pained grunt from Yusei.
Aki cries out, "Our dragons can't stop the King!" as the flames recede. My guidance implant then reports what I don't want to see: [Jack Atlas is unable to continue the Duel.] I don't try to find where Jack is on the track.
"We're not out of options yet," I shout to try and drive back the hopelessness inside me. "Go, Hades, Eden, and Utopia Shard!"
The three crystalline Synchros emerge the moment I place their cards on my Disk. They each glow their respective colors against the night sky, and the Earthbound God's blackness. They move together to one part of the flock and attack with combined effort.
"Hades Shard" slices sludge-birds apart. "Utopia Shard" fires a concentrated beam that punches a small hole through the flock. "Eden Shard's" angelic figures channel part of the water separating Neo Domino and Satellite onto the birds, and a small portion vanish. Even with these attacks, the flock doesn't look any weaker.
"We can't hold the King back forever!" I say to everyone around me. "Those guys need to hurry up and win!"
"They'll do it!" Ushio says with a confidence I did not expect from him. He looks me right in the eyes as he repeats, "They'll do it." I actually believe him a little bit, especially when Ruka chimes in with, "I believe in Yusei!"
Wow. They've got so much faith in their friends. I give all the bystanders another glance and see a light in their eyes as they look on the battle. They have hope that I don't anymore. If only I could be more like them, not just because I am no longer a full-blooded human like they are.
"I still have my friends, Godwin!" Yusei announces. "I have their feelings with me! I draw!"
[ROUND 4] [Yusei: 4000 LP, Godwin: 7900 LP] [SPC: 10 (Yusei), 6 (Godwin)]
[TURN 12: Yusei] [HS: 3-4] [SPC: 10-11 (Yusei), 6-7 (Godwin)]
"Junk Archer's effect will banish Sun Dragon Inti this time. Dimension Shoot!" The archer loads another arrow from its quiver and fires it right at "Inti's" central Sun.
"I won't allow this!" Godwin interrupts the effect once again, "I activate the Trap Passion of Baimasse, which negates Junk Archer's effects and destroys it!" The warrior just explodes outright from Godwin's card, no other special effects. Its arrow turns into dust before it gets close to the dragon.
"I Set a Monster, as well as one card facedown. That's it." Yusei sounds upset as his cards appear on the field; is he losing his hope (HS (Yusei): 4-2).
"That's it?" Godwin repeats mockingly. "That's the extent of your friends? Two cards you don't have the courage to show outright?" The Dark Signer then chuckles as he draws for his turn.
[TURN 13: Rex] [HS: 1-2] [SPC: 11-12 (Yusei), 7-8 (Rex)]
"I use Earthbound God Wiraqocha Rasca's effect on you, Yusei. Feelings and bonds don't exist in the realm of death. Polestar Obey!"
The God's attack creates a giant cloud of smoke that shrouds Yusei in darkness. To everyone's immense relief, he rides out after several tense moments (Yusei: 4000-1 LP, 12-9 SPC).
"You will not succeed, Godwin," Yusei declares in a hoarse voice. "So long as there is hope, I won't fall to despair. That hope is the bonds I share with my friends. I… draw!"
[ROUND 5] [Yusei: 1 LP, Godwin: 7900 LP] [SPC: 9 (Yusei), 8]
[TURN 14: Yusei] [HS: 2-3] [SPC: 9-10 (Yusei), 8-9 (Rex)]
"Incredible." I turn to Rielle when I hear the shocked tone in her voice. Her eyes are wide as she then says, "He is driven by his faith in his friends against a God. He would make an excellent Agent, if he would ever need the Superior's help."
"I highly doubt that," Laramy replies. "He can handle himself without any upgrades." Rielle gives no reply as Yusei makes his move.
"I activate the Speed Spell, Angel Baton. This lets me draw two cards, and then discard one card from my hand to the Graveyard." I don't see the cards Yusei draws, for obvious reasons [HS: 3-2].
"I Normal Summon the Tuner Debris Dragon. Its effect lets me Special Summon Sonic Chick from my Graveyard. Sonic Chick's effects are negated this way."
"Debris Dragon" is a small white-scaled dragon with black wings and four orange spots on its upper body (WIND, Dragon/Tuner, 1000 ATK/2000 DEF, LVL 4). "Sonic Chick" looks the same as when Yusei brought it out in the Fortune Cup; a small pink bird with large boots on its feet (WIND, Beast, 300 ATK/300 DEF, LVL 1) (HS (Yusei): 2-1). Neither of these Monsters seem very good against an Earthbound God, but Yusei didn't sound like he was done yet.
"I now Flip Summon Shield Warrior." This Monster has, true to its name, a giant metal shield clutched in one hand. Its other hand holds a long spear with two axe blades just below the tip; a reasonable weapon against such a giant amount of defense (EARTH, Warrior, 800 ATK/1600 DEF, LVL 3).
"I Tune my Level 3 Shield Warrior, Level 1 Sonic Chick, and Level 4 Debris Dragon!" All three Monsters rise into the air at Yusei's words. "Debris Dragon" turns into four green rings that fly over "Sonic Chick" and "Shield Warrior". They turn into four white stars as Yusei shouts a chant as loudly as Jack did earlier on…
"Tsudoishi negai ga aratani kagayaku hoshi to naru! Hikari sasu michi tonare! Shinkuro Shoukan! Hishouseyo, Sutādasuto Doragon!"
(Clustering wishes will become a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Stardust Dragon!)
Yusei's Signer dragon emerges in a cloud of sparkling white dust. I instantly know it is Yusei's Signer dragon because of how the bystanders cheer on its arrival. It certainly looks powerful, with its white scales, sharp claws, and massive white wings. The dust continues to fly off its body as it flies on the field, probably due to its name (WIND, Dragon/Synchro, 2500 ATK/2000 DEF, LVL 8).
"Your dragon won't stop me, Yusei!" Godwin taunts, still confident as ever. "Stardust Dragon is far too weak to defeat Sun Dragon Inti. Is this the extent of your hope?"
"No, Godwin," the Satellite Duelist answers. "My friends bonds keep my hope strong. I now use Crow's Set Card: Blackwing Anchor!"
To my surprise, the last Set card on Crow's field activates for Yusei. My guidance implant pops in with an explanation: [Despite Crow and Jack not able to continue Dueling, their Life Points did not reach 0. Therefore, their cards can be used by their teammates in the Duel.]
"Stardust Dragon's Attack increases by Blackwing Armor Master's Attack for this turn!" The dragon lets out a screeching roar as its power doubles. A brief image of Crow's winged Synchro appears to my eyes as Yusei's Synchro rises to fly at Godwin (ATK (Stardust Dragon): 2500-5000).
"Stardust Dragon attacks Sun Dragon Inti! Shooting Sonic!" The dragon unleashes a stream of cosmic energy from its mouth that obliterates "Inti" in a single blow. I hear Godwin's grunt from the speakers, and it gives me some satisfaction (Rex: 7900-5900 LP, 9-7 SPC).
"Sun Dragon Inti's second effect activates," Godwin says after a few moments. "Stardust Dragon is destroyed, just like your hopes." A ghostly copy of "Inti" appears where the real dragon had been. One of its heads fires a beam of red light at "Stardust Dragon".
"I Chain Stardust Dragon's ability," Yusei shouts before the beam hits, "Victim Sanctuary! I Tribute Stardust to negate Inti's effects." Yusei's dragon just vanishes out of sight at these words. The red beam goes with it. There's nothing to mark their passing; they're just gone.
"The cycle of Signers and Dark Signers won't end like this,," Godwin says with a sigh. "Moon Dragon Quilla will now be Special Summoned to replace Sun Dragon Inti." A purple cloud moves onto the field as a familiar blue light begins to glow from behind it. The cycle is going to continue, yet again.
"No, it won't!" My eyes go wide when Yusei interrupts Godwin. "I use Jack's Set card, the Trap Conquest of the Supreme Ruler! I send this card to the Graveyard to negate Moon Dragon Quilla's Summoning!"
Jack's last card creates a large tornado that sucks the reforming "Moon Dragon Quilla" into itself. The dragon isn't able to escape the cyclone. The cycle is broken – maybe, just maybe, the greater cycle of Signer and Dark Signer can be broken, too!
"I now end my turn. Stardust Dragon comes back via its own effect. Its bond with me will never break!" Another cloud of stardust signals the return of Yusei's dragon, unharmed by its departure (2500 ATK).
"Bonds are nothing to me!" I detect a waver in Godwin's voice as he shouts this to Yusei. "I can reset bonds, along with the rest of the world, once I am a God!"
"So, you've forgot everything?" Yusei asks. "Even your brother, Rutger?"
"What are you saying?"
"You went against fate when you went off the Daedalus Bridge, in order to reach your brother. You still remember that, don't you? That arm on your body is Rutger's, right?"
Godwin mutters something, and I try to zoom in on him with my metal eye. I don't get a clear image, but he just stands there without a word. Yusei's words must be getting to him!
"Enough of your prattle!" the man suddenly shouts. "Once the King arrives, this world will be mine. You, Yusei Fudo, are the final opposition to my ultimate victory! You will fall before me, on this turn!"
I look away as Godwin begins his turn. Godwin, my creator, really doesn't care a single bit about me anymore. If I'm not even "opposition" to him, then how should I think of him?
[TURN 15: Rex] [HS: 2-3] [SPC: 10-11 (Yusei), 7-8 (Godwin)]
"Earthbound God Wiraqocha Rasca attacks you directly. Burn in agony, Yusei Fudo, as the world falls apart around you!"
The God flies up above the temple, and then dives down on Yusei's position. Its body dwarfs the geoglyph made in its image. My jaw drops in terror at the sight as several of the other bystanders cry out, "Yusei!" in fear.
"That will have to wait, Godwin. My bonds have saved me once again! I activate the effect of Jack's last card, Scrubbed Raid! By sending itself to the Graveyard, the Battle Phase ends immediately!"
A giant dome surrounds Yusei as my guidance implant records the change .The dome, against all odds, holds back the full impact force of "Wiraqocha Rasca's" dive-bomb assault. The God retreats back to the temple with a hoarse caw, which the sludge-bird flock echoes countless times over.
"This won't be enough to stop my plans!" Godwin growls. "I activate my Set Trap, Meteor Flare! I discard two cards from my hand to deal you 2000 points of damage." I look at Godwin's field as a large column of fire coils its way towards Yusei.
"I activate my Set Trap," Yusei quickly shouts back, "Joint Future! This negates Meteor Flare's effect, and returns it to your Deck, as long as I discard a card." The fire column snuffs out in a split second as Yusei's card takes effect (HS (Yusei): 1-0).
"I still have a plan, Signer. Meteor Flare's second effect lets me add it to my hand on my next turn, as long as I skip my Draw Phase. I will burn you over and over, until you die!"
"No chance, Godwin! Joint Future's second effect shuffles the card it negates into your Deck!" Godwin gasps at this, and I can't resist grinning.
"Kuh!" Godwin angrily grunts. "I end my turn."
"Godwin!" Yusei instantly addresses the Dark Signer. "Do you really want to become a God?"
"Don't play tricks with me! I cannot become a God until I surpass my brother."
"You're wrong. People have things they never, ever forget." Yusei's voice chokes up as he continues. "Those things, those people you love and respect, are always in your hearts. You're not trying to surpass fate with Rutger, you're going against it. Isn't that what we call a bond?"
Godwin mutters a series of words I don't hear clearly through the speakers. Rielle gives some sort of explanation a moment later: "I can feel it. His fear, his shock. He's seeing the people he's forsaken for his own gain."
I don't know how to feel about that. Then, my right arm flares up with pain again, and I don't have to think about it at all. A gasp jumps out of my open mouth as several motes of red light fly out of Godwin's body, and onto all the present Signers.
Ruka shouts out, "Our marks!" as her arm glows with a glowing dragon arm. Aki then says, "They're back!" as her arm glows same mark she once called "cursed".
"No. No!" Godwin shouts in genuine shock. "Why is the Crimson Dragon leaving me? I had its power bound to me! I was about to become a God!"
"The Crimson Dragon has chosen the side of bonds, Godwin!" Yusei answers for the shocked Dark Signer. "Our bonds will surpass fate itself!"
At that moment, the marks on Aki and Ruka's arms fly off their bodies again. They join other motes of red light that all fly onto Yusei's body. My metal eye zooms in, but I can sense exactly what has happened.
The Crimson Dragon's power… it's all with Yusei now. He has the full power of the Signers on his side.
"It's my… turn!"
[ROUND 6] [Yusei: 1 LP, Godwin: 5900 LP] [SPC: 11 (Yusei), 8 (Godwin)]
[TURN 16: Yusei] [HS: 0-1] [SPC: 11-12 (Yusei), 8-9 (Rex)]
"Come on, Yusei," I mutter out loud, "you can do this." I clench my fists in determination. "I believe in you, like everyone here!"
I look to the manifested Collective "Agents", and then the Synchro Monsters outside of the Duel. The dragons and Shards hang back from the flock, which doesn't try to attack back. The "Agents" all look to the Duel with unflinching stares. Everyone is focused on this turn.
"Since I control Stardust Dragon, I Special Summon Stardust Xiaolong from my Graveyard!" This Monster is a small green dragon with a flowing blue mane, its head shaped exactly like "Stardust Dragon's" (WIND, Dragon, 100 ATK/100 DEF, LVL 1).
"I now Normal Summon the Tuner Majestic Dragon!"
"No!" Godwin shouts. "Not that one!" This Monster is a small, pink-skinned angelic dragon with a large pair of yellow eyes. It flies with unnatural elegance, for a hologram (LIGHT, Dragon/Tuner, 0 ATK/0 DEF, LVL 1) (HS: 1-0).
"I Tune my Level 1 Majestic Dragon with my Level 1 Stardust Xiaolong and Level 8 Stardust Dragon!" I don't get a chance to see the Tuning process as I notice a shadow fall over my position. I whirl around, along with everyone else nearby, to see the King of the Underworld a lot closer than I want it to be.
"Crap!" Ushio yells. "Run for it!" I comply, along with everyone else here. Even the deceased Collective "Agents" break into sprints. Ken is at the lead, of course, and I hear Laramy's huffs and puffs as he tries to catch up from behind me. As we run, I hear Yusei recite a new, powerful chant through my Disk's speakers…
"Tsudoishi hoshi no kagayaki ga aratana kiseki wo terashidasu! Hikari sasu michi to nare! Shinkuro Shoukan! Kouraiseyo, Seivā Sutā Doragon!"
(The shine of clustering stars will illuminate a new miracle! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Arrive in light, Majestic Star Dragon!)
We all stop as the Synchro Tunnel disappears. In its place is a massive, four-winged, white dragon with scales like crystal. Its body shimmers with rainbow-colored light, and its four wings flap like fans. Blue and white "stardust" falls from its body as it turns to face the oncoming King of the Underworld (WIND, Dragon/Synchro, 3800 ATK/3000 DEF, LVL 10).
"Majestic Star Dragon's effect! I negate the effect of Earthbound God Wiraqocha Rasca for this turn, and give those effects to my dragon!"
Godwin only says a shocked, "Impossible!" as Yusei's new dragon shines even brighter. "Wiraqocha Rasca" turns its giant head away from the light as the sludge-bird flock scatters with panicked cries.
"I now activate my facedown Trap," Yusei continues, "Synchro Baton! Majestic Star Dragon gains 600 Attack for each Synchro Monster in my Graveyard, and my teammate's Graveyards. There are four in total, so that's 2400 points!"
The dragon becomes even brighter as it powers up, despite how impossible that sounds. I can barely look at it straight on now, but the light is certainly beautiful to look at anyway (ATK (Majestic Star Dragon): 3800-6200).
"Majestic Star Dragon attacks Earthbound God Wiraqocha Rasca! Shooting Blaster Sonic!"
The dragon flies right at the God. It moves so fast, its body becomes a giant spear of light. I hear Godwin's shocked, "No… I've lost!" from the speakers before the God is pierced straight through. It lets out a long crying screech as it bleeds red-and-black light, and then purple shadows, into the night. The dragon instantly turns to the oncoming King as I hear Godwin moaning in defeat (Rex: 5900-0 LP) (YUSEI WINS)
As the King looks to the oncoming dragon, the entire body of the Crimson Dragon forms around it. The larger red-colored deity opens its mouth to let out its crying roar. The King fires a beam from its mouth, but the Crimson Dragon just flies right through it. It charges towards the King before it can strike again.
A moment later, everything around me is replaced with white light.
"Yusei?" I ask as I whirl in place, somehow still standing up in this void. "Aki? Anyone?!"
After a few more silent moments, a giant red eye appears in the air in front of me. I look at it, lost on what I should say or do. The eye blinks, crinkles as if part of a happy smile, and then slowly closes up.
"Epsilon," four male voices say at the same time as the lids shut tight. "Brother. Our lost brother."
"Alpha?! Beta?! Gamma?! Delta?!" I look around for any spot in this white space my brothers might be hiding. "Where are you?!"
"You've won, brother. The battle is over. Our creator, and torturer, has paid for his crimes. We are redeemed, and we are happy."
"What? But, I didn't fight Godwin with the others!" I honestly feel that I don't deserve this kind of gratitude from my fellow cloned brothers. "I was afraid of him, too afraid to fight! How did that redeem you?"
"You helped the Signers, brother, even from the sidelines. You recognized your limits, and when to step up to a fight. Whether that fight was against us, digital monstrosities, insane madmen, or the Dark Signers. That makes you smart enough to survive. We want you to survive and carry on our story. We are free. We are happy. Thank you, Epsilon."
The space slowly turns to black. My shouts of, "Come back!" and "I don't want you dead!" get no answer…
Then, I'm back in the real world. "Majestic Star Dragon" punches straight through the King's body. The sludge-dragon lets out a scream before a giant beam of light utterly annihilates it. The dragon flies back to the temple that is no longer there. The condor geoglyph is gone, too.
Any fears I have for Yusei, Jack, and Crow vanishes as "Majestic Star Dragon" flies low to the water with elegant rolls and turns. All three Duelists, the saviors of our world, land on its back as golden dust flies out across the sky.
"YES!" I cry out as I see Yusei wave to us, tears in my eyes as I feel overwhelming relief that overpowers my own sadness. "They did it! They did it!"
"Yes," Rielle agrees. "He did." I look at her, but she's suddenly gone. So are all the other "Agents" when I look for them. I look to the sky, but don't find any manifested Synchro Monsters other than Yusei's dragon. Their departure does not lessen my relief; the "Agents" are satisfied, and the Synchros did the best they could.
"Look!" Ruka calls out. "The sky!" The boy points to the clouds as they quickly break apart. The yellow beams of the rising Sun shine on the horizon, the skies now clear of any danger.
"It's all going back to normal!" Aki states. "Yusei's Majestic Star Dragon is repairing the damage!"
"That means everyone who died is safe!" Ushio adds as he jumps up and down with glee. "They're all alive again!"
The other bystanders all have their hands up to wave at the three Signers on the dragon's back. Their combined happiness makes me smile so wide my jaws start to hurt. I can't help it – they just saved the whole world from destruction! Everyone is safe, and everyone can remain happy.
Everyone? Really?
My eyes turn to Aki. She notices my stare after a few seconds, and looks back at me. I feel my emotions, good and bad, flow into her as hers flow into me. Just like when we met at the crossroads, we share a thousand words without speaking any one.
"So," I ask her, "what now? What do we do?"
Aki grabs me in a hug before she answers, "Whatever we want. The world is safe. Everyone can remain happy. Everyone can achieve their goals and dreams."
I wrap my hands around Aki's back, happy that she's happy. For one of the first times in my life, I don't worry about the next step or the outcomes of my actions. Right now, right here, I am happy that everyone I care about is happy. I achieved my goal after all…
Alright, that's all for this story. As I said at the top, I do not think this story needs an epilogue. If I do get the urge at some point, I will write it. But, I want to get the main content of this story done with.
Now, for all of you who have read this far, thank you very much. For those of you who left reviews/comments/constructive criticism/feedback on this story, thank you very much. For those of you who read this story from its prequel ("Stardust Accelerator: Digital Warrior"), thank you very much.
Seriously, I want to thank all of you for sticking through with my writing. This story has been written over the course of about two years (give or take a few months), and I lost interest in it multiple times in the process. I am happy to have finished it up, but I know it isn't a perfect piece of work. My original ideas have changed significantly since this story was first conceived, and it took me a lot of effort to change my plans.
I will now be taking a break from fanfiction writing for a while. Especially with Yugioh! stories. My enthusiasm for this game, and the series, has been heavily oversaturated. But, I will try my best to respond to any words you all send me as soon as I can.
Thank you all again, and I hope you all enjoyed reading the story of Epsilon/The Netrunner, the Collective and their "Agents", and every other unique element I placed into the "Yugioh: 5D's" series to make it my own.
Until the next time, Draconos is taking off!