Here's the next chapter. I'm adding an extra chapter to finish the duel really quick. For another announcement, it might take a while for me to post up To the Unknown 2, because it's the only story I'm having a beta reader look over. I apologize to you guys for taking a while.
In other News. I posted a poll out for, if you want me to write a prequel of Yugi's journal that tells about when he ran away from home. The results of the poll will decide on, if I write the story or not. This is mostly to look at my general audience and what they want. Review please!
Jaylin had just lost her Elemental HERO Heat and Elemental HERO Frost Blade, now having no monsters on the field. On top of that, she had no face-down cards, but did had 3600 life points remaining. Ronda, on the other hand, had The Fabled Cerburrel and Fabled Soulkius on the field, one face-down card, and 3800 life points. It seemed that Ronda was winning and, if Jaylin didn't come up with a good move soon, she would likely lose quicker than a jackrabbit.
Jaylin drew her next card, searching through her hand to figure out a smart move to turn the duel around. Her eyebrows furrowed, thinking out a quick strategy.
"First, I summon Bubbleman to the field!" Jaylin declared as a super-hero with a light blue outfit and cape appeared onto the field. "Since there are no monsters on the field, I can use its effect." Jaylin drew two extra cards from her deck to her hand. "I place Woodsman in defense mode and one card face-down. That ends my turn!" The audience clapped for the end of Jaylin's turn.
Ronda drew her next card, getting the feeling that Jaylin was running out of ideas. She smirked, "I summon Snipe Hunter to the field!" A small demon monster with bat wings on its head, holding a little gun with a spinning arrow in the middle of a gun barrel and numbers circling around like a clock. "He takes out your Bubbleman!" Snipe Hunter shot from its gun and the bullet made its way to Elemental HERO Bubbleman until...
"I reveal Negate Attack!" Jaylin declared as a swirling vortex appeared in front of Elemental HERO Bubbleman, which sucked the gunshot in.
"Then, I end my turn!" Ronda declared as the audience clapped for the end of her turn.
Jaylin drew her next card, knowing that she couldn't defend herself for long. If she didn't come up with a strategy to defeat Ronda, this duel would end. Luckily, she had a few tricks up her sleeve. A smirk appeared from her lips.
"I use the effect of Woodsman!" Jaylin declared as she searched through her deck and got out a Polymerization card. "I use Polymerization on Woodsman and Bubbleman to bring out Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" Elemental HERO Bubbleman and Elemental HERO Woodsman fused together in the light and appeared as the ice-armored HERO. The audience screamed and cheered for the summoning of Elemental HERO Absolute Zero. Jaylin had used this monster often when dueling against Alexis at school. "I place one card face-down, then end my turn!"
"I suppose that's one way to turn this duel around. Even if Ronda was to destroy Absolute Zero, all her monsters would be gone," Carl thought.
"Still, it was good for her to end her turn and not attack. Jaylin doesn't exactly have strong defenses, as of now, especially considering that Sniper Hunter," Zane commented.
Ronda drew her next card, then peered at it. She looked out onto the field, knowing she HAD to be careful with this particular Elemental HERO that could take out all of her monsters. She decided, "My Snipe Hunter uses his effect!" She placed one card in the graveyard, then...
"Not before I activate my trap card Ability Limitation!" Jaylin smirked as Sniper Hunter became bound in chains. Ronda glared in annoyance.
"Fine. I pay 500 life points to activate my Snipe Hunter's ability!" Ronda replied as her life points dropped to 3300. The spinning arrow spun on the barrel until it slowed down and it landed on a 6. "Looks like you're lucky!"
"Damn right," Jaylin bragged with a smirk upon her lips.
"I place all of my monsters in defense and end my turn."
The audience clapped to declare the end of Ronda's turn as Jaylin drew her next card. She knew the weakness to Ronda's deck, which lied in her graveyard. The only problem was that Jaylin didn't have the cards she needed to cripple Ronda's deck. Though, that wasn't to say there weren't other ways of defeating Ronda. Jaylin had to be careful and make every move count.
"First, I'll play Graceful Charity!" Jaylin declared, discarding two cards and drawing three from her deck to her hand. "Then, I play E – Emergency Calling!" Jaylin searched through her deck and added one Elemental HERO in her hand. "Now, I play Elemental HERO Stratos!" The mighty blue Elemental HERO with wings appeared boldly onto the field. "He attacks your Cerburrel, but not before playing H – Heated Hero!" Elemental HERO Stratos' attack rose to 2300 before flying up in the air and attacking The Fabled Cerburrel with a gusting whirlwind, bursting it from the field. Due to the effect of H – Heated Hero, Ronda's life points dropped to 1400. "I throw down a face-down and that ends my turn!"
"Damnit," Ronda cursed at herself in a whisper, while hearing the audience clap for the end of Jaylin's turn.
"See, I told ya Jaylin was going to win this," Alexis smirked.
"It's not over until one of their life points drops to zero or cards run out," Syrus reminded Alexis. "Though, looks like Jaylin is catching up now."
"It's neck in neck. Either one of them could win at this point, even if Ronda's life points are as low as they'll get. She's a very tough opponent. Jaylin will need to keep her guard up no matter whose life points are higher," Zane mentioned.
"I agree."
"What surprises me is that Ronda didn't set any trap cards," Atticus pointed out.
"You know what that means, right?" Carl asked as Atticus gave her blinking eyes. She sighed. "It means Ronda's setting up for a combo attack."
"Oh... well I'll be damn."
Ronda drew her next card, staring at them with furrowed eyebrows. She couldn't bring back The Fabled Cerburrel, since she needed to pay 500 life points to use monster effects and wanted to use her life points wisely. Luckily, she knew exactly how she could put the last bit of life points to good use.
"I place all my monsters in attack, then summon The Fabled Chawa, using his ability!" Ronda smirked, discarding her Snipper Hunter to the graveyard, her life points dropping to 900. Then, a small little tanned dog with a small yellow demon on its back appeared onto the field in defense mode. Jaylin showed a slight smirk. "I can see that you know what's going to happen next. I've been saving this baby for this moment."
"Bring him, Ronda," Jaylin dared.
"Very well! I banish my Sniper Hunter and Cerburrel to special summon my ultimate monster Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning!" Ronda shouted as Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning appeared instantly with such might. The audience applauded, cheering for the summoning of Ronda's ace monster. "My Soulkius attacks your Stratos!" Fabled Soulkius flew into the air and grabbed a hold of Elemental HERO Stratos, crushing it to the ground and bursting it from the field. Jaylin was left with 3200 life points remaining. "I end my turn!" The audience clapped for the end of Ronda's turn.
Jaylin drew her next card, then said, "I play Spellbook inside the Pot!" Her and Ronda drew three cards from their decks to their hand. Jaylin looked at her hand, trying to figure out the best strategy. On the positive side, Ronda couldn't use any effects from her monsters, which was the root of her winnings. "I also play Reinforcement of the Army!" She searched through her deck and got out a warrior-type monster, placing it in her hand. "Then, I summon Voltic in defense mode!" The purple armored HERO with electricity all around him appeared in a defense position. "I place Absolute Zero in defense mode, and place one card face-down. That ends my turn!" The audience clapped for the end of Jaylin's turn.
"Rather she's run of ideas or is thinking of a strategy," Bastion thought.
"There's only one way to find out," Alexis said, showing eyes filled with interest.
Ronda drew her next card, then peered at her hand. She looked out onto the field, trying to figure out Jaylin's possible strategy. Could it have anything to do with that face-down card she just placed? It was possible that Jaylin is going on defense now, since all her monsters are in defense mode. Though...
"I also place one card face-down!" Ronda started. "Then, I play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy the face-down card you just placed!" Jaylin watched her face-down card burst from the field. "Now, my Black Luster Soldier can attack your Voltic!" Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning slashed through Elemental HERO Voltic, cutting it in half, before bursting it from the field. "I end my turn!" The audience clapped for the end of Ronda's turn.
"Now, for my last turn," Jaylin smirked, drawing her next card as Ronda glared, being ready for anything. "First off, I reveal my face-down card Miracle Fusion by banishing my Elemental Hero's Voltic and Stratos to bring out Elemental Hero The Shining!" Elemental HERO Voltic and Elemental HERO Stratos appeared from the graveyard and merged together in the light to appear as a white-armored glowing Elemental HERO. The audience gazed up in awe, since Jaylin never summoned this one often. "On top of that, I also play Soul Release from my hand!"
"You knew I would destroy your face-down card," Ronda concluded, showing a small smile.
"Yep! I've dueled you way too many times to not know that," Jaylin smirked. She banished all her monsters, which were three in all, the other two cards banished were spell cards. "You also know my Shining's effect!" Elemental HERO The Shining's attack rose to 4100. "And I'm going to take a while guess and assume those face-down cards are spell cards, right?" Ronda shrugged. "Shining attacks Black Luster Soldier and it's game." Elemental HERO The Shining blasted it's burning light at Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, bursting it from the field and leaving Ronda with no more life points remaining. "GOTCHA!" Jaylin placed her fingers on her forehead and shot them out toward Ronda. The entire crowd screamed and clapped for the game as the two girls walked up to each other and shook hands.
"That was a really fun game!" Jaylin said.
"I had a feeling you'd beat me anyways," Ronda said, rubbing the back of her neck. "How about we celebrate at Alexis' place?"
"Sure thing, girl!"
The girls ran off the stage together, quickly wanting to get their invites and go off to Alexis' dorm room. Jaylin was excited, especially given that Alexis would be the next person she'd duel against. Despite Alexis being in the Obelisk Blue dorm, that wasn't to say she wasn't a pro duelist. She was one of the few Obelisk Blue students that was a duelist pro and the only one in her grade.
In fact, Alexis and Jaylin decided to table-top duel a few times before they started their actual duel to make it more difficult when the real competition came. They'd each be able to know each other's strategies and weaknesses by heart.