Chapter 37: The Strongest Earthbound Immortal! Wiraqocha Rasca!
The mark of the condor shines high above, as Angela gives a news report. "I'm at Maya Memorial Park. At 5:47pm, a mysterious light shaped like Nazca's condor geoglyph appeared at Director Godwin's mansion." Angela and her cameraman are part of a thin crowd of foolishly brave bystanders, other news people and Security forces gathered on the outside of a circular barrier of purple fire around the duel. "It's surrounded by blue flames, so we can't get any closer. Is this connected to the fire that occurred a week ago at Domino City West 5th District? The Public Maintenance Department hasn't announced anything yet." Angela says.
"Hahahahaha!" Godwin laughs.
Crow, Jack, Sakura and Yusei round a corner of the design.
"I set two cards and end my turn!" Says Crow.
Sakura's holding at her chest, just above her heart, closely. "Uncle…" Sakura says, she sounds just as weak as she looks.
The King of the Netherworld is approaching across the water. Some of its slime looks more like coarse hair now. It roars.
"The bond between humans is weak. The only way to control destiny is to become a god and create a new world! Ha ha hahahahahaha!" Says Godwin.
Lua, Luca, Ushio, Minako, Kakyuu, Usagi, Hotaru, with Aurora standing beside her, Jace, Subaru, Velvet and Aki are watching from the ground. "I can't believe he's our enemy!" Luca says. "Sakura…" Says Aki.
"Damn, Godwin…" Crow says.
Jack dodges around the other three and moves to the front of the pack. "I don't care about god! And I don't care about bonds either! I'll surpass them all! Destiny doesn't affect me! I'm driving at high speed, so you'll never catch me! My turn!" Says Jack. He draws. "I set one card! I summon Magic Hole Golem in defense position!" Jack says.
Magic Hole Golem has 2000 defense points and is a Level 3 monster.
"I activate Magic Hole Golem's effect! Once a turn, I can halve the attack points of a monster on my field to attack you directly! I choose Mad Archfiend!" Says Jack.
Mad Archfiend soars through Golem's big central ring and its attack points decrease to 900.
"Mad Archfiend attacks you directly, Godwin!" Jack says.
Godwin looks up, this is annoying.
"Bone Splash!" Says Jack.
Godwin cowers a bit, as he's attacked with little shards of bone and his life points fall to 11900.
"Stop joking, Jack. No matter how fast you go, you can't break our bond! I flip over my trap card 'Shadow Dance'! When a monster successfully attacks you directly, you take one thousand points of damage!" Crow says.
"What?" Asks Godwin. His life points fall to 10900 and he drops a speed counter, he now has 2.
"That's right! It doesn't matter whether you're a Signer or not!" Sakura says.
"We already have a bond called friendship and family! It's a mark that will never vanish!" Says Yusei.
"With our bond, we shall defeat destiny! I flip over my card! 'Rising Rush'! When you take damage from an effect, I can Special Summon one Tuner Monster from my hand! I summon Hex!" Sakura says.
Hex has 1500 attack points and is a Level 3 monster.
"All right! It's your turn, Sakura!" Says Jack.
"Hm. My turn!" Sakura says. She draws. "Level Three Hex tunes Level Four Sonic Boom! The stars come together to form an ethereal blade that cuts through the galaxy! Become the light that envelops the darkness! Synchro Summon! Come, Whirlwind!" Says Sakura.
Whirlwind has 2500 attack points and is a Level 7 monster.
"I activate Whirlwind's effect! Once a turn, I can remove your monster from play until the End Phase! Whirlwind, remove Moon Dragon Quilla! Atomic Rainbow!" Sakura says.
Direct hit and Quilla vanishes into the air behind it.
"Hmph! Now all our cards are linked!" Says Jack.
"This is our bond! His field is wide open!" Crow says.
"Whirlwind attacks Godwin directly! Tempest Cloud!" Says Sakura.
"I won't let you do that! I activate a trap card! 'Offering to the Immortals'! If your monster declares an attack when I have no monsters on my field, that attack is negated." Godwin says.
"Huh?" Asks Sakura.
"Afterwards, I Special Summon two Ceremonial Tokens." Godwin says.
The Ceremonial Tokens each have 0 attack points and are Level 1 monsters.
His four opponents are silent, somber. This can't be good.
"Hmhmhmhm! Then I can add one card with 'Earthbound Immortal' in its name from my deck to my hand!" Says Godwin.
"What?" Sakura asks.
"Not only did he negate the attack and summon two Tokens, but he also added an Earthbound Immortal to his hand. That's dirty!" Says Crow.
"It's only natural. I'm the ultimate god who has everything! Hahahahahahahaha!" Godwin says.
"Earthbound Immortal is coming on the next turn!" Says Jack.
"I set two cards and end my turn." Sakura says.
"Huhuhahahahahaha! Moon Dragon Quilla returns to the field during the End Phase." Says Godwin.
Moon Dragon Quilla has 2000 defense points and is a Level -6 monster.
"Mother…" Subaru says. "Rrrgh." Velvet growls under her breath.
"My turn!" Says Yusei. He draws. "Thanks to the trap card that Sakura played, it can allow me to summon one monster without the traditional Synchro Summoning! And the monster I'm bringing out is Junk Archer!" Yusei says.
Junk Archer has 2300 attack points and is a Level 7 monster.
"But since he wasn't regularly Synchro Summoned, he can't attack until my next turn! So I'll set a card and end my turn!" Says Yusei.
"My turn! I release two Ceremonial Tokens! Nnhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmmhm! I'm bringing ultimate destruction! The strongest Earthbound Immortal! Come, Wiraqocha Rasca!" Godwin says.
Down on the ground. The Security guys outside the barrier have stopped to stare. "What's that light?" All of them turn into purple light, as they're absorbed by the nascent Immortal.
The bystanders are looking around in a panic, as purple lights shoot up all around them.
Angela is frantic. "Oh no! People are turning into light and… Run away!" Says Angela. She runs a few steps, then is frozen in her tracks, as she starts to glow.
From the looks of it, the camera guy escaped, but she was absorbed.
Souls pour into the Earthbound Immortals floating snail shell of doom and it begins to throb.
"It's absorbing souls!" Jack says.
"Earthbound Immortal!" Says Sakura, grimly.
The snail shell explodes, erupting into a small sun.
From out of the bright light appears a black wing, glowing with pinkish designs. A talon, veined through with pink light. A head with glowing yellow eyes, a dark black beak like a vulture's. And Wiraqocha Rasca takes the field, its wingspan three-quarters as wide as the geoglyphs. Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca has 1 attack point and is a Level 10 monster.
All four gasp.
And the King of the Netherworld is still lurching toward the land.
As they watch, little drops shoot out from it and turn into big, ugly birds made of the same gray slime.
The flock of nasty birds swoop down on the duel, fly an aerial formation around the Immortal and dive toward the four turbo-duelists.
"Heheheheheheheheh." Godwin laughs.
Jack looks around, unsettled, as two birds fly alongside his D-Wheel, one on each side.
Crow looks around, worriedly, and extends an arm, experimentally, as though to let the bird land, then yanks it away before he can get bitten. "Outta my way!" Crow says.
"We're nearing the climax of the ritual. The king of the underworld is excited by Earthbound Immortal's arrival. After waking from its deep sleep, it yearns to drink your blood to quench its five thousand-year thirst! Hahahahahahahahaha!" Says Godwin.
"Uncle!" Sakura says.
Suddenly, a shadow flies over her, a really huge one is about to claw at her.
However, Sakura doesn't seem very fazed by it. She closes her eyes and concentrates. "If this is how you want to do things. Then, so be it." Sakura thinks to herself. She extends out her hand. "Grim, come forth!" Says Sakura.
Wisps of shadowy mist suddenly emerge from her shadow and Grim soon takes form, lunging at the bird, with his unnaturally long tail being the last thing to form. He's able to reach the bird before it can so much as do anything to harm his mistress and tears into it with his claws and teeth, with ease, and it dissipates.
As soon as the bird is destroyed, Grim turns and moves to catch up with Sakura's D-Wheel. He manages to keep pace alongside her and her D-Wheel. "Well done, Grim." Sakura says. Grim then jumps onto her D-Wheel and lies down behind her, resting his head and one of his front paws on one of her legs, he's still being very watchful, though, encircling his unnaturally long tail around her waist.
Suddenly, a shadow flies over Yusei, a really big bird is about to land on top of him.
Just then. A sharp, thorny vine stabs the bird through and it dissipates, Black Rose Dragon has joined the fight. She swats more birds down with her vines.
A short distance away. Ancient Fairy Dragon is at the center of a swarm of the things, smacking at them one by one.
"The Signers' dragons can use their power on this field!" Says Luca. "We won't let you interfere!" Aki says, merciless. "Eternal Sunshine!" Says Luca.
Up in the sky. Ancient Fairy Dragon radiates light, every nasty black bird within a twenty-foot radius is dusted.
"Black Rose Flare!" Aki says.
Black Rose Dragon commands the sky, with a breath of violet fire.
Jack smiles.
Yusei grins.
"Haha!" Crow laughs, triumphantly.
Even Sakura is smiling. "Aki! Luca!" Says Sakura.
"It's the first time I've had friends, and I'll fight for them!" Aki says. "Yeah! In order to protect our bond!" Says Luca. Kuribon floats back into her arms and she hugs him close. "Hooray! Hooray! Yusei!" Lua says. "Master Atlas, do your best!" Says Minako. Hotaru nods, with a genuine smile. "Don't lose, Crow!" Ushio says.
The four D-Wheels round another corner. All four are a bit more hopeful now, knowing that their friends and family are watching over them.
"Their hopes…" Says Crow.
"...are with us!" Yusei says.
"Hmhmhmhm. Everything you do is a joke." Says Godwin.
"Uncle, our hopes and our bond will overcome destiny!" Sakura says.
"You're so naive. Destiny will devour you. The eternal battle between the Crimson Dragon and the evil god will control and silence you. That's why I'm going to become a god and create a better world!" Says Godwin.
"Uncle!" Sakura says.
"I'll show you despair, Sakura. With Wiraqocha Rasca's effect, once a turn, I can drop you to one life point by skipping the Battle Phase!" Says Godwin.
"Ugh..." Sakura says.
"Sakura will only have one life point? That's crazy!" Says Jack.
"Hmhmhmhmhm! How's that? You'll feel hopeless! Powerless!" Godwin says.
"Sorry, but we never feel that way because we grew up in Satellite!" Says Crow.
Yusei gasps.
Jack seems reigned and upset.
And Sakura seems troubled, not to mention in a bit of pain, still holding at her heart. "Crow!" Sakura says.
"No matter how tough life gets, we still cut through the wind and keep going ahead! The legendary D-Wheeler taught us that!" Says Crow.
No evil laugh now. Godwin doesn't want to believe it, but Crow's words are affecting him. "But he couldn't accomplish anything." Godwin says.
"You're wrong! Even though he knew it was impossible, he tried to change the status quo." Says Crow. He's nearly crying. "That memory strikes a chord in our hearts!" Crow says.
Godwin's silent.
"Godwin, no matter what you think, I embody that spirit! As does Sakura, Yusei and Jack! As does everyone in Satellite! I'll never feel helpless!" Says Crow.
"Crow…" Yusei says.
One of the nasty birds escapes Black Rose Dragon and whacks Crow across the shoulder, sending him off-balance.
"Crow!" Says Sakura.
"Ahh!" Jack says.
Crow swerves a bit, but holds his course.
"Emotions alone aren't enough to reach me. I'll break your bond! I activate Wiraqocha Rasca's effect!" Says Godwin.
Rasca starts to glow.
"My emotions will reach you! I flip over my trap card! 'Life Exchange'! If a card effect changes life points, I become the target of that effect!" Crow says.
"Don't do it, Crow!" Says Sakura.
Godwin realizes it, too, this is a moderately disagreeable and unexpected turn of events.
"I won't let you hurt Sakura! She's the one who created our bond of friendship! Sakura strengthened our bond! That's why no matter how badly I'm hurt, our bond will never break as long as Sakura is around!" Crow says.
"Crow…" Says Yusei.
"You…" Jack says.
"Hmph. I'll do as you wish. Do it, Wiraqocha Rasca! Turn Crow's life points into one! Polar Star Obey!" Says Godwin.
Rasca breathes a rain of purple fire.
Crow rides into it and his wheels lift from the track. "Agh!" Crow says.
"Crow!" Says Sakura, Yusei and Jack.
Crow sails over the side of the track, still covered in Rasca's fire, and plummets toward the water below. He winces, as his life points drop to 1, and the fire dissipates. "Godwin, Crow the Bullet will continue the legend!" Crow's D-Wheel's wings activate and fold into position. "'Life Exchange' has another effect. When my life points decrease, your monster is destroyed!" Crow says.
"What?" Asks Godwin.
"I wanted to get rid of Earthbound Immortal, but I'll settle for destroying Moon Dragon Quilla!" Crow says. The flying engines on the back of his D-Wheel light up and he's flying back upward, just as the legendary D-Wheeler once soared off the end of the unfinished bridge. "Aaa-aaa-aaaaaaaaahh!" Crow screams. He rams Moon Dragon Quilla head-on and it shatters around him.
"Crow!" Says Sakura.
"When Moon Dragon Quilla is destroyed, Sun Dragon Inti resurrects from my graveyard." Godwin says.
Sun Dragon Inti reappears on the other side of the field, it has 3000 attack points and is a Level 8 monster.
"No way!" Says Yusei.
Crow's still gliding through the sky. "I'm not done! I release Armor Master to activate the Continuous Trap 'Blackwing-Bombardment!" Crow says. At this point, he's falling again and falling fast. "I pass the legendary D-Wheeler's baton to Jack, Sakura and Yusei! These emotions will lead to the completion of the Daedalus Bridge!" Says Crow.
Godwin looks annoyed.
"Yusei! Sakura! Jack! I'm counting on you!" Crow says.
Even as they keep riding, Sakura, Yusei and Jack are craning their necks, hoping he'll be okay.
"Crow!" Says Jack, Sakura and Yusei.
Crow lands on his back wheel, fairly smoothly, on the glowing track, then his D-Wheel leans to the side and the left-side wing snaps off.
Aki gasps. "Crow!" Luca says. "No way…" Says Lua. "Crow!" Ushio says.
Crow keeps rolling, but the snapped wing throws off the balance. He tips over and crashes to the ground, thrown off. Crow lies on the glowing track, not moving.
"Crow!" Says Jack, Sakura and Yusei.
"Hmph. A D-Wheeler who can't drive doesn't get to play on his or her turn. No one cares about the legendary D-Wheeler. No one cares about your bond. I set one card and end my turn!" Godwin says.
Crow twitches a finger, then lifts his head, looking straight at the screen of his D-Wheel. 'Blackwing-Bombardment' is still flashing on the screen. Crow smiles. "Our bond isn't broken yet. Ugh!" Says Crow, tiredly. He then faints.
"Crow…" Sakura says.
"Godwin, you punk! My turn!" Says Jack. He draws. "I summon Sinister Sprocket!" Jack says.
Sinister Sprocket has 400 attack points and is a Level 1 monster.
"Level One Sinister Sprocket tunes Level Four Mad Archfiend and Level Three Magic Hole Golem! The pulse of the King now forms a line here! Witness the power of the rumbling heavens! Synchro Summon! My soul! Red Dragon Archfiend!" Says Jack.
Red Dragon Archfiend has 3000 attack points and is a Level 8 monster.
"But if Sun Dragon Inti is destroyed, your monster is destroyed, and you take damage equal to its attack points." Godwin says.
"I flip over my trap card! 'Half Straight'! I halve Red Dragon Archfiend's attack points until my next Standby Phase." Says Jack.
Archfiend's attack points are reduced to 1500.
"If it has less attack points than your monster with the highest attack points, it can attack you directly! Sun Dragon Inti can't lead him astray, so he will bite your throat! Go, Red Dragon Archfiend! Absolute Powerforce!" Jack says.
"Sun Dragon Inti's effect activates! Its own attack points become zero!" Says Godwin.
"What?" Jack asks.
"'Half Straight's' effect now doesn't work." Says Yusei.
"That means it can only battle…" Sakura says.
"That's right. You can't attack Earthbound Immortal. Therefore, you'll have to battle Sun Dragon Inti." Says Godwin.
"That means Red Dragon Archfiend will be destroyed!" Jack says.
"I flip over my Continuous Trap! 'Scrubbed Raid'! By sending a card on the field to the graveyard, the Battle Phase ends! Jack! Use this card!" Says Yusei.
"Jack Atlas. What are you fighting for? It's not to see destiny to the end. It's not to resist the gods. You don't even care about bonds." Godwin says.
"Jack! Don't let him trick you! Use 'Scrubbed Raid's' effect!" Says Yusei.
"In order to get the title of the King, you abandoned your Satellite friends." Godwin says.
Flashback. Rally lies tied up on a little wooden boat off the shore of the Satellite's waterfront.
On shore, Jack watches, dispassionately, as Yusei points, urgently. "Didn't you abandon the bond of friendship before?" Asks Godwin, in voice-over. Jack takes the deck box from the pocket of the jacket Yusei left on shore and takes a single card from it, Stardust Dragon. The flashback ends.
Back to the present. "Unless you're a loner, you can't become the King. You knew that." Godwin says.
"You're wrong! We're Jack's friends! He's not alone!" Says Sakura.
"I was also a loner. I had to face destiny alone. I even left the woman I once loved, kept my legitimate daughter at a distance and was cold towards my illegitimate daughter for that very reason. That's why I knew that my only path was to become a god. Jack, it's the same with you. By abandoning everything and becoming a loner, you chose the path of the King! Your fight is to become the King!" Godwin says.
Jack's silent. Godwin's clearly getting to him.
"All this talk about bonds makes me laugh. Yusei, people are loners by nature! If you rely on others, you become spoiled and irresponsible! That bond can't defeat destiny!" Says Godwin.
"You're right. I was a loner." Jack says.
"Jack!" Says Sakura.
"Red Dragon Archfiend attacks Sun Dragon Inti! Absolute Powerforce!" Says Jack.
Godwin doesn't flinch, as his life points fall to 9400.
After Archfiend attacks, Inti shines brighter and brighter, the two monsters are as though frozen in time.
"Jack, you're the King of loners! You'll feel the same pain that I felt. Starting with her. I activate Sun Dragon Inti's effect! The monster that destroyed Inti is also destroyed, and you take damage equal to its attack points!" Godwin says.
Jack's life points are reduced to 2500.
"Jack, why?" Asks Yusei.
"When Sun Dragon Inti is destroyed, Moon Dragon Quilla resurrects from my graveyard." Godwin says.
Moon Dragon Quilla has 2500 attack points and is a Level -6 monster.
"I set one card and end my turn!" Says Jack.
"Jack, you have no friends and don't rely on bonds. That lonely spirit befits a King. But being a King isn't good enough. You must become a god. I, the god, will create the world!" Godwin says.
"Never forget that I'm no longer the King! It's true that I threw away my bonds and friends. And I also threw away my status as the King." Says Jack.
"Jack…" Sakura says.
"But after I threw everything away, I gained one small thing. And that's why I'm here!" Says Jack.
The silhouette in his mind's eye is unmistakable from the fanny pack slung around her hip and her fan of long, black hair.
Jack's visor glints, his eyes blazing. "Godwin! Too bad, but I'm not alone! Even though I never wanted to join them, I'm now part of this rowdy group!" Jack says.
Crow's listening.
As are the spectators on the ground.
Sakura and Yusei can hardly believe their ears, they've both been waiting to hear this for over two years.
"Jack..." Says Yusei.
"No matter how hard I try to deny it, I can't escape from this bond. I learned that…" Jack says.
The silhouette in his mind turns around and lights up with color, of course it's Carly, smiling and laughing.
"...from someone I've come to admire! Godwin, it's hard to become all alone! I have my son, who I'm very proud of and will do anything for, and I'll never abandon him like you did with your own daughters!" Says Jack.
"And if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have that bastard son of yours, Jack!" Godwin says.
"No, what you did to Sakura, someone of your own blood, is unforgivable! You put her through unspeakable things, both physically and mentally. Yeah, you may have brainwashed me into forcing myself on her and impregnating her, but what you let happen to her, your own niece, boils me to my core! If I had only known that you had her and allowed all of it to happen, I would've stopped you and saved her! And as long as I'm around, you won't ever touch Sakura again!" Says Jack.
"People are all the same! In the end, everyone becomes satisfied with such simplistic ideas! That's why I had to be the one to reach these heights!" Godwin says.
"That's not true! We shall prove that with our bond! My turn!" Says Sakura. She draws. "I'll attack him directly with Whirlwind!" Sakura thinks to herself. "Due to Whirlwind's effect, Moon Dragon Quilla is removed from play! Tempest Cloud!" Sakura says.
"I won't let you do that! I flip over my Continuous Trap! 'Destruct Potion'! By destroying my own monster, I gain life points equal to its attack points! I destroy Moon Dragon Quilla. When the moon sets, the sun rises again." Says Godwin. His life points rise up to 11900. "Resurrect, Sun Dragon Inti!" Godwin says.
Sun Dragon Inti has 3000 attack points and is a Level 8 monster.
"Whirlwind's effect can only be used once per turn. Now there's nothing you can do." Says Godwin.
"I end my turn." Sakura says.
Jack growls under his breath, this doesn't look good.
The three ride on, grimly determined, in the face of the end of the world.
"Friends, bonds, legend, love… Did they do anything? Were you able to hurt destiny even a little? Destiny laughs at us and cannot be changed! But I will travel the only remaining path! The path of thorns! The path to becoming a god! Leave it to me! Worship me! I will create the new world! Hahahahahahahahahaha!" Says Godwin.