Annex 083: Die Kunst der Fuge

"Come on, Iria. We have to get moving!" Uno shouted as he checked the elevator shaft. Gareth was out of sight, it was their turn to go. "I need more time!" The disciple was still at Vespers chair, accessing it with her dueldisk. "The oddball is correct, disciple. The longer we wait, the more likely it is that the other guilds will find this place." Adamant had no desire to stay. This room had only one exit, and they would be cornered if duelists came down here. "I am well aware of that. But I have to try." Even if trying basically meant downloading random data from Vespers console. "I am done." Iria retracted her dueldisk. "... We're just going to leave her there?" Alice hesitated, she could not tear her eyes away from the comatose woman. "We are. She did that to herself." Iria had no pity to give, she stormed out of the chamber. "...O-kay."

The climb back up the ladder was long and restrained. Nobody said a word until the exit was within sight, when Alice made a delicate attempt. "Ms Silver. Dom is okay, I'm sure." She did not want to upset her further, but she also did not like this uncomfortable atmosphere that followed them. "That's right. If he's in the other timeline, we will find him." " Uno had his own words to raise her spirit. Not that he usually affected that demeanor of hers. "How would you find him.. You cannot go there.." Iria retorted and stopped in front of the elevator hatch. "But people have done it before, so maybe we can do it too?" Alice was still spoke humbly. This time though, something in Iria snapped. "What would you two know about it?!" She yelled. "Do you believe you can wave your crystal around to fix everything? Do you think you can make me happy with fairytales? Dom could be dead already!"

"...I.." Iria breathed heavily and cast her head down. "I apologize... That was inappropriate behavior. I... am not used to situations like these." She opened the hatch and got inside the elevator. The others were soon with her. "Is that because this is the first time.. you are not with him..and he is not with you?" Uno asked. "Dom was.. is.. a genius. He ran Dreamworld from a very young age. He made sure to leave detailed instructions for his staff.. In case something ever were to happen to him." If she were to speak openly, she would say that Dom hardly ran the company anyway. That's what he had assistants, directors and disciples for. "That does not make what I feel.. any easier. Nor will it make it easier for him." Another thing she would not admit in the open was that she saw Dom as more than a boss. Though that was something the three around her had already gathered from the way she was acting.

"It can be done.." Once they were all finally on a solid floor again, Adamant opened his mouth. "What!?" Iria shuddered. "What I wanted to say before was that my guild has experimented with dimensional travel as well, just like Cassius. I know that it is possible." As he talked he glanced around the corner of the elevator doors. "Why are you telling us this?" Iria was still skeptical, largely because it was him saying it. Adamants answer only came after a pause. "Because our common enemy cannot hear us now... The coast is clear." He stepped outside. "..Very clear." Uno took a look himself. He did not spot a single soul. "Where did everyone go?" Alice did not understand. The upper floor had been filled with people just a second ago. "Cassius and his followers must still be controlling the lower levels. This is where the fighting took place.." Iria saw evidence of solid-vision duels on the wall; blast marks and deep cuts. "Eric and Zach were on this floor." Uno did not like what he was seeing and not seeing. All around were empty hallways and discarded cards; fusion, synchro and XYZ-monsters. "All three guilds were here, duking it out? Is it over now?"

"Over? No." A man shuffled down the main hallway. "Gareth?" It was the duelist who ran away from them not less than ten minutes ago. "Where has he been?" Iria's dueldisk had failed to warn them about his approach, as if his dueldisk was not with him. "Nobody wins.." Yet Gareth had his dueldisk and his cards. "Gareth, what are you.."

Gareths LP: 8000

"No." He started a turn and summoned a monster, Jutte Knight(2/700/900) the edo-era policeman tuner. "He's challenging us?" Iria cried out of exasperation. "Boost Warrior." Gareth payed her no mind and special summoned his second monster. The rocket-powered fire warrior(1/300/200) could be summoned when a duelist already controlled a warrior-monster. "Synchro-summon." The Knight and Warrior were used as materials for a level 3 synchro monster. "Goyo Defender." The duelist called upon another officer from the Goyo-series, this one was a pint-sized riot cop(3/1000/1000). "We do not have time for this, Gareth! I thought you got that!" Uno growled. They did not have to accept his duel, they could take one of the other halls. "No." But Gareth activated the effect of Goyo Defender. "There is." Goyo Defender could special summon a second Goyo Defender(3/1000/1000) from the extra deck, if the player only controlled earth-type synchro monsters. "No way Out." The second Goyo Defender used its power to summon a third Goyo Defender(3/1000/1000). Each of the Defenders blocked one of three paths. They were pinned down, literally. "Hey..these are real." When Alice tried to push her way through the holograms, she met with resistance. The Defenders shields were as solid as real metal. "Solid-vision? Has the Synchro Guild given in to using that power after all?" Adamant grunted. If he had his own deck, this would not be a problem. But his cards were still confiscated.

"Leave this to me!" Their rescuer came from an unexpected corner, also literally. "Creffield?" Iria had never said that name with that such delight before. The other disciple rushed down the left pathway, with his cards at the ready. "Sing the first verse, Melodious Songstress Solo! Back her up, Melodious Diva Sonata! Cap it off, Melodious Songstress Soprano!" Zach controlled no monsters at first, so he could special summon the Songstress in the red dress(4/1600/1000). Once he controlled a Melodious monster, he could special summon the diva(3/1700/1500) with the green harp-wings and the attack/defense boosts from his hand. Then it was easy enough to normal summon the redhaired singer(4/1900/1900). "I declare my attack!" Solo(2100/1500) started off the symphony, unloading a powerful yet musical cry from her throat. "No." However Gareth countered with the effect of Goyo Defender. The Defenders could raise their attackpoints by 1000 for each other earth-type synchro monster on the field. As there were three Defenders, the attacked Goyo(3000/1000)'s increased the size of his shield twice and slammed Solo flat against the wall.

Zach's LP: 7100

"Creffield. What are you doing? I am coming over there!" Iria shouted and grabbed her deck. "This is under control, Silver!" Zach swore with his confident smile. "Solo, you played your part. Now I will bring in Shopina!" The death of Solo allowed Zach to special summon a leading Melodious from his deck; the Maestra Shopina(7/2800/1700). "The next song will begin with Flash Fusion!" The disciple activated the quickplay fusion spell from his hand. It fused all three of his Melodious monsters. "Shopina, Solo, Sonata! Together, you will sing the song that UNO wrote for you, the song of Bloom Prima!" The trio formed the pale angel(7/1900/2000) in the blooming yellow dress. "Give the Defenders your power, Bloom Prima!" The Melodious Choir(2800/2000) gained 300 attackpoints for each of her fusion materials. She and the spirits of her three fusion materials all released their attack as one harmonious dirge. "No." Gareth had the same answer as before. Goyo Defender(3000/1000) raised his attackpoints by 1000 by drawing power from its comrades.

"We went through that routine already, Gareth!" Zach discarded a card from his hand. "It is time for something else! I activate Honest! My singer of the light-atttribute will gain the power you carry!" Honest targeted Bloom Prima to add Goyo Defenders current attackpoints to the attacking fusion monster(5800/2000). "...No." Gareth stood there and took 2800 points of battle damage, while his first synchro monster was overwhelmed by Bloom Prima. "One path is clear!" The Melodious Choir could attack twice in one turn, so it shared its song of four voices with the second Goyo Defender. This one(2000/1000) had less attackpoints to take from its brothers, so it died even quicker and delivered 3800 points of damage to Gareth. "N...No." He only had on defender left, one pathway to guard. "The coup de grace, Defusion!" With the other quickplay spell from his hand activated, Zach unfused Bloom Prima and returned her fusion materials to the field. "The last song!" Sonata sang and destroyed the final Goyo Defender. Shopina then finished off what remained of Gareths lifepoints with a devastating blast of music and sound. "NO!" With his last point of life removed, Gareth's eyes rolled back into his head and his body dropped to the ground.

Gareth's LP: 0

"Silver! Guys! ...Adamant?" With Gareth out of the way, Zach could finally get a good look at his friends. He did not expect the XYZ-duelist to be one of them. "Your attack was impressive, disciple." Adamant could appreciate a rapid take-down. "Zach, what happened up here? Gareth was not exactly acting.. like a normal person." Uno had no idea what changed the synchro-duelist into that zombie-like state that only allowed him to yell single words. "It was not a pretty sight. First everyone 'resynchronized'. Then the XYZ-guild stormed the castle. Jet and the others scattered everywhere, leaving me to fend for myself. And all that chaos turned frighteningly still." Zach knelt down before Gareth. "This is Martels doing; turning innocent men and women into his slaves through a method that is either technological or psychological. He must be here."

"Mister Zach.. Did you see Eric or Emily anywhere? Do you think.." Not knowing what had happened to her friend and her sister had been nerve-wracking for Alice. And now there was this creepy man walking around? "I am affraid I did not see Eric. As far as Emily is concerned, she must still be one floor below with Cassius. I am not receiving any signals from her wire anymore. I do not think he would harm her." Zach tried to be as optimistic as possible. "..I don't think so either. Aaron was.. used to be nice.." Alice was not sure what she could still believe in; except Cassius felt he was doing the right thing. "Alice, I doubt Eric ran into trouble. He was the one who told us about Martel, so he knows to avoid him. And Martels previous victims recovered, no worse for wear. Gareth should recover too."

"Creffield.. Zach. I need to tell you something." Iria stepped forward. "Iria? ...Is this about Dom?" It finally dawned on the disciple that his master was not part of the group anymore. "It was the woman below, Vesper. Dom challenged her to a duel. He was leading when she.. as a last act of defiance.." Iria had difficulty communicating the story. "He was banished from time, sent away by the woman." Adamant did it for her. "He..what?" Zach took it hard. He lost his balance and had to lean against the wall. "Is he..where did she send him?" He could not imagine a world where there was no Dom. There had to be something they could do. "The other timeline, possibly. Vesper didn't know, she didn't give any coordinates. I tried to reverse the process.. He could be anywhere." Iria did not have much hope to give him. "The other timeline? The one that Uno went to? Then, can we not do the same?" Zach looked to Uno for answers now. "I know what you're thinking. I have been thinking the same. But I don't know how yet. The last time I 'crossed over', it was an accident."

"Crossed over?" Adamant began to mentally connect some dots. "You traveled to the other timeline as well?! Are you one from this world or theirs?" The former champion had always been under the assumption that He had the full story. Yet he didn't understand any of this. "From theirs. Surprised?" Uno pulled out his crystal. "This is what took me here and there, the pendulum." Adamant observed the jewel with a glint in his eyes. "I knew there was something unique about you, Oddball Guild." He smirked. "Uno, is it a good idea to inform him?" Iria was wary about giving Adamant more than was required. "I think we can trust him." Uno said as he put the pendulum back under his shirt. "What do you base that on? He.." She started to say but was interrupted halfway by the other disciple. "We will have to cut this meeting shot, Iria. There's more of Martels friends coming down." A couple of sleepwalking duelists shuffled along two of the three corridors. "You should take off. I can settle affairs with these fellas."

"We can't leave, what about Eric.. and Emily.. and you? Where will we go?!" Alice protested. Once again everyone was talking about separation. "We could make a run for the helicopter, if the guilds have not already confiscated it." First they'd need to open the gates though. "But Creffield, Dreamworld needs you too. Now more than ever." As expected Iria disagreed with Zachary's approach to this problem. Only this time it was for more than professional reasons. "Iria, we both know that you did more for the company than me. I was just a manager. Please, let me at least make sure one of us gets far away from here." Of course, Zach still had his charismatic side in his favor. It was hard for her to argue against him. "Alice. I will stay here, and I will not rest until I have found Eric and your sister. But someone like you shouldn't be trapped in a mad world like this. Go with them, okay?" His words worked on the younger one as well. "Is that a promise?" She stared at him. He nodded back at her. "It is" Zach turned around and activated his dueldisk. "Good luck, Zach." Uno and the others headed into the open path while Zach remained with the entranced duelists; one XYZ-duelist and one Synchro-duelist. "Alright, who asked for an encore?"

...

As the remaining duelists ventured into the castle area, Uno put a few questions in Adamants way. "Adamant. What was your plan anyway? Why couldn't you just ask for Doms help, for the entire country to help?" The former XYZ-duelist had not discussed the subject yet. Uno thought it was time to do so. "This currently was not my plan. I already said I have no control anymore. Roma must be trying to secure this world first. With the barrier he can make any demands he wants." The fact that they made an open assault soon after the barrier was raised, was no coincidence. "My Plan would have been to extract the secrets that Dom hid, and use them right away. The XYZ-Guild has some contacts within the army, financial and military. But so do the other guilds. And we did not want to go public and cause worldwide chaos and despair." Adamant could never guarantee that his plans could save his world. "And what did you want from Dom anyway?" Iria would like to know what secret of Dom could possibly surprise her with. "Cards.. special cards. I am sure you have heard this before, but the game is older than dreamworld or the novels of The First Duelist. There are higher powers at play, powers I wanted to honor. Until.." He glared at Alice. "Huh?"

"...Hold." Adamant abruptly raised his arm. "This area is not clear." They stopped at the edge of the castle courtyard. Beyond were a hundred XYZ-duelists, all camped out around the gate which had been smashed to pieces. "Damn them. Our transportation is beyond." Iria whispered. The helicopter they needed to fly out of here was parked outside the walls. They would definitely be noticed if they tried to reach it. "Maybe we can steal one of your helicopters?" Uno caught the sight of a few bigger black-painted models on one of the castle towers. "..It would be a change, but I might manage piloting one." Iria had no qualms about stealing something that belonged to these people. "That might not be necessary." Adamant stated, without elaborating why. "Not? What did you have in mind?"

Uno soon wished he had not asked that, as he got more than he bargained for. "Oh goodness. Look what the cat dragged in." First Ichirou snuck up on them from behind. "Aah!" Then a dozen or so XYZ-duelists advanced on them from the front to block them. "Ichirou.." Adamant muttered. "Welcome back, former champion. The cat in this story is you of course. Are these three your way of repaying the guild for your failures? If so.. well done."

...

"Bloom Diva!" Zach launched his final attack against the duelists, letting the fusion melodious fusion fairy(6/1000/2000) fight off the Super Dreadnought Railcannon Gustav Max(10/3000/3000). The former countered its own destruction and damage by destroying the Railcannon instead, while inflicting damage equal to the difference between their attackpoints. "Ghh.." Softly the opponents went down. Their consciousness disappearing along with their lifepoints. "Hff.. Ha.. I thought that would never end." Taking three duels in a row, along with duels he had to endure to even get to this point, was starting to take its toll. "Father would tell me to get a grip if he was here. Iria would probably be the same.." He was tired, he just wanted to rest. He knew he couldn't. He had made a promise to a fellow duelist, and to a workpartner. They mattered more than family now. Zach got on his feet, he had someone to find before someone else found him.

Too late..

"My dolls." It was him, the same hooded figure from the museum. "You keep taking them." He walked out of the shadows of another room, taking Zach by surprise. "Martel!" How long had he been standing there? Had he been watching the last few matches? "I liked them. Now they're different, spoiled. Because of you. I know you." Martel pulled his hood back, revealing himself to be a young boy with sunken eyes and oily black hair. "My eye remembers you. You were there the last time, playing with us." Martel chuckled. "What do you want?" Zach inquired as he scanned his surroundings. He could run away if he wanted too. He doubted Martel would let him. "A replacement." His hands crawled up along the clothed object that he carried in his arms. "I haven't had a fusion duelist in a while." Martel pulled the cloth back to reveal what he had been holding all this time; a hollow-eyed blue doll with a ribbon tied to its neck. "?" It vaguely resembled a Gemknight Lapis Lazuli card, but it was a different monster. "The Shadows want to play.."

(To be Continued in Annex 084: Veni, Vidi, Vici)

New Cards used by Zach Creffield
Bloom Prima the Melodious Choir

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Defusion

Cards used by Gareth
Jutte Fighter
Boost Warrior

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Goyo Defender