A/N: I OWN NO PART YU GI OH 5DS! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS!
Chapter 64: The Light of Their Hearts- Part 2
Third Person POV
"They're something about that beast," Halldor commented on the field. He stared at it and the Crimson Dragon could be seen through his rune eye. "This monster in the incarnation of the Crimson Dragon!" He then smirked calmly. "No matter, he cannot attack."
"Now since Cosmic Compass was used to synchro summon, I get to make an additional draw," Yusei declared. "Next I throw down a face down. Then, end my turn. And now that I have I activate a face down. The trap Star Force. By paying 1000 life points, I can negate the effect of one monster until the next turn. And I negate the effects of Majestic Star Dragon to prevent it from returning it my extra deck."
"It's my turn." Halldor drew his card. "Dear Yusei, I applaud your effort to keep fighting, but as you can see, Odin out matches your dragon by 200 points and even if he didn't, you'd better believe I've taken extra precautions to secure my victory regardless. Precautions such as this one, I activate a trap card. Odin's Eye! And I'm afraid, Yusei, that your Majestic Star Dragon's ability cannot negate the activation of this card."
"It's not?" Yusei questioned.
"That's right, Yusei. When a god is on the field, nothing can negate the effect of Odin's Eye and that being the case, this trap activates," Halldor declared. "Now by negating the abilities of a god card, I'm allowed to look at your hand or a face down on your field. And I think I'll choose to look at your face down, Yusei." Odin's metal eye opened and Halldor grinned and stated, "I see. How interesting, you're face down card is Wave Rebound. That means on this very turn, if a synchro was summoned from the graveyard, you could negate that summoning and then you could deal damage equal to what that synchro's attack points were. A very cunning scheme you have planned and I do believe if you had managed to execute your scheme at this present moment, you would have won the duel. However, I think you know quite well I won't be letting that happen. Not a chance, not since I've seen it coming. Ah, Yusei, this is how it should be. Perhaps it is not as exciting for the crowd, but I assure you, it is exciting for me. After all, the very best part of a chess match such as this, is the moment the players just sit and strategize. And given the present state of this duel of ours, well, that's what we must do now. I place one card face down and end my turn."
. . .
"If only Yusei had been able to get off his trap," Crow stated.
"But he didn't get it off though and that's that," Jack retorted. "It's like Yusei said, you can't change the past but you can control what happens next. Course by that logic, Halldor can too."
"The good news is by Yusei's Stay Force trap, Majestic Star Dragon can stay for now three more turns," Bruno stated.
"But you have to remember Bruno, Monster Chain's effect will end on Yusei's next turn," Akiza reminded.
"Era, can Yusei win this?" Luna asked her.
"He can and will. Just watch and believe in him," Era responded. "Don't give up on him so quickly."
. . .
"It's my turn," Yusei stated drawing his card. "First I use the effect of Speed World 2. Now by removing seven of my speed counters, I can draw an extra card. Next, to extend the effect of Stay Force, I will pay 1000 life points. Now, Majestic Star Dragon no longer has to leave the field. With that, I end my turn."
"It's my draw," Halldor declared drawing his card. "Now then, time to end this once and for all. That's right, Yusei, I know the prevailing wisdom has us all waiting for Monster Chain to expire but it's like I said, the best part of the duel is when the players take time to strategize. Well, I have strategized, Yusei, and now I'm ready to implement that strategy. So here it comes. Odin, I activate your special ability! Now the effect used by Monster Chain to stop Odin is negated."
"Then I play my Majestic Star Dragon's ability! As you well know Halldor, when you use Odin's ability, I can released Majestic Star Dragon and negate that ability," Yusei retorted. "Then all the cards on your field are destroyed." All of Halldor's cards were destroyed as Yusei stated.
"I'll now place a card face down and end my turn," Halldor declared. "Which means we're at the end phase and my Nordic god returns. So rise, Odin, Loki, and Thor!"
"You asked for it Halldor, I activate my trap, Wave Rebound!" Yusei declared.
"Tell me, Yusei, are you happy with your plan?" Halldor asked. "Because I am happy with it. In fact, I couldn't be happier and do you know why?"
Yusei turned. "I think you're about to show me," he replied.
"I activate a trap from my graveyard," Halldor declared.
"A trap from your graveyard?" Yusei repeated.
"That's correct. Gjallarhorn! This trap unleashes its effect only when six feet under, and it's quite the effect," Halldor stated. The card activate and a person came from within it blowing a horn. "Do you hear that Yusei? That's the sound of your complete and utter destruction! That's the sound of victory and it's getting louder. Yusei, prepare to feel the full wrath of the Nordic gods!" He calmed himself down. "Sorry Yusei, but due to Gjallarhorn, your Wave Rebound won't be making any waves at all. You see, Gjallarhorn puts a stop to any effect that negates the revival of my Nordic gods. But there's more, at the end of my third turn, all the monsters I have on my field are removed from play and you get hit with a total of their attack points."
"No way," Yusei muttered.
. . .
"That means at the end phase of every turn, the three Nordic gods will return to the battlefield. Guess, Gjallarhorn really does sound the alarm for Yusei," Bruno stated.
"Especially if you add up the attack points of those three gods," Jack added. "Yusei could be taking over ten thousand points of direct damage."
Crow gave a worried whimper. "This is just awful! Yusei just went from the guy to beat to the guy getting beat!" he exclaimed.
"Not quite," Era intervened and they all looked at her. "There is something in his eyes. This is only the beginning."
. . .
"Now, then since Thor has returned, you take 800 points of damage," Halldor stated and Yusei's life points fell to 1200. "And since Loki has returned, I can add one trap card from my graveyard to my hand. And as you can see, the card I've selected is the trap Odin's Eye! You know what that means!" Yusei tensed as he watched the card. "Next, thanks to Odin's special ability, I get to draw one card from my deck." He looked at it. "Ah, very nice." He placed it in his hand. "Now, I'll end my turn and since I have, Gjallorhorn's counter becomes one." The counter was placed. "A counter that is the countdown to your demise, Yusei. Especially since at this very moment, the effect of your monster chain trap is snapped! Your move, Yusei, perhaps your last."
'As long as Halldor has Odin's Eye out, he'll be able to see my card and right through my strategy. But wait…' Yusei thought.
~Flashback~
"Yusei, when a god is on the field, nothing can negate the gaze of Odin's Eye and since that's the case, it activates," Halldor declared. "Now once per turn, by negating the special abilities of my gods, I am able to look at a card in your hand or on your field."
~Flashback Ended~
'Maybe I can use that to my advantage!' Yusei thought. 'After all, what you see isn't always what you get.'
"My turn!" Yusei declared drawing his card. "And first I'm summoning Stardust Phantom (Attack 0/ Defense 0)! When Phantom is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, I can summon Stardust Dragon from my grave in defense mode. Furthermore, if I remove Stardust Phantom from play, I can then lower Stardust Dragon's defense points by 800 and make it invincible any attacks you dare throw its way. I then end my turn with a face down."
"I see what you're planning. I'll even break it down for you step by step," Halldor stated. "Since Phantom's ability activates form the graveyard, Thor won't be able to negate it. Then, if my three Nordic gods attack, you would simply be able to revive Stardust Dragon from your graveyard and be able to survive the onslaught due to his hardy defense. In fact, thanks to Stardust Phantom's ability, you can survive my gods' attacks three times and still keep Stardust Dragon."
"That's right," Yusei responded.
"However, you forgot one thing, it's my turn, and my speed counter is up to ten!" Halldor reminded and drew his card. "And that means I can activate Speed World 2's effect now. So by removing ten speed counters, I can destroy one card on the field. The card that I choose to destroy is that Phantom!"
"And since you have, Phantom's ability now activates, so what happens next is just as you called it. I can summon Stardust Dragon from graveyard," Yusei declared and, as said, Stardust Dragon took to the field.
"Now Thor, attack!" Halldor ordered.
Thor made his way and Yusei immediately reacted, "I play Phantom's second ability, just as you predicted. By removing phantom from play and lowering Stardust's defense by 800, he can't be destroyed in battle (Stardust Dragon: Defense 1200)!"
"Now your turn, Loki. Go, Vanity Blast!" Halldor ordered. The attack was sent.
"Once again, I activate Phantom's ability (Stardust Dragon: Defense 400)," Yusei defended.
"And that's the last time you will, Yusei," Halldor stated. "Don't you see? Stardust Dragon doesn't have enough attack points to save himself and stick around. You were one move short due to my speed counters." Yusei tensed slightly. "And now, blast that Stardust Dragon off the field, Odin! Go Sacred Scepter Slash!"
As the attack neared, Yusei called, "I play Stronghold Guardian! Since my monster in defense mode has been attacked, by banishing Stronghold, Stardust Dragon gains 1500 defense points until this turn's end phase (Stardust Dragon: Defense 1900). Now Phantom, activate your ability!" The attack was avoided and Yusei told his dragon, "Thanks for taking some shots for the team, Stardust."
"Well, I have to admit to you Yusei, I am ever so impressed with how resourceful you have become. You have been down so many times but never quite out. But that will all change. I summon Jormungardr the Nordic Serpent (Attack 3000/ Defense 3000) to your field!" Halldor declared.
"My field?" Yusei asked. The long serpent wound around Yusei like a circular wall made of a somewhat living being. "What's this? What's going on here?"
"I'll tell you what's going on here, Yusei. When a god is on my field, I can summon Jormungardr from my hand to your field in defense mode. Then if Jormungardr switches to attack mode, you take 3000 points of damage," Halldor explained. "Next I activate my face down. Gleipnir, the Fetters of Fenrir! Due to Gleipnir, when a god is on my field, I can add Fenrir the Nordic Wolf from my deck to my hand. And then, again, thanks to the gods, I can summon Fenrir from my hand to your field in defense mode and I'm not just crying wolf! Rise, my pet! Now when your turn's battle phase begins, Fenrir switches all monsters on your side of the field in defense to attack mode. Also, from this point on both players take damage from any battle involving Fenrir."
"Say what?!" Yusei exclaimed.
. . .
Back at the pit, Bruno stated, "That is one tough card combo."
"Wait, how's this a combo?" Leo asked.
"Because, Leo, during the battle phase of Yusei's next turn, Fenrir forces monsters from defense to offense which means that… which means that Jormungardr switches to offense and Yusei takes 3000 points of damage!" Jack exclaimed.
"What?" Leo asked shocked.
"Oh no," Luna muttered.
"Era, are you sure he can win this?" Crow asked.
"At this point, I couldn't be more certain," she answered confusing them a bit.
. . .
"Next I place one card face down and end my turn," Halldor declared. "And since I have, Gjallarhorn's counter becomes two."
'The card Halldor just placed face down has to be Odin's Eye,' Yusei thought. 'I'll have to play this carefully.'
"My turn now," he declared drawing his card. "I play the trap, Hope for Escape! Now since I have less life points that you Halldor, by getting rid of 1000 of them, I'm now allowed to draw one card for every 1000 point difference in our life points." Yusei's life points dropped to 200. "And since the difference between us is more than 3000, I'm allowed to draw 3 cards from my deck. I summon Life Gardna (Attack 0/ Defense 800)! And with that done, I'm now going to summon a monster simply by removing one I already have from play. So now Jormungardr make way for Different Dimension Sprite (Attack 0/ Defense 100)!"
"But wait," Halldor responded realizing his combo was gone.
"Different Dimension Sprite, now rise and tune with Life Gardna! Behold as both power and speed surge towards each other to create the synchro, the tuner, the mighty Formula Synchron (Attack 200/ Defense 1500)!" Yusei declared.
"A synchro tuner?" Halldor asked.
"Next I play Life Gardna's ability. Because Life Gardna was used to synchro summon, I now get 800 life points," Yusei declared and his life points sprinted to 1000. "Now I'll play Formula Synchron's ability. With it, I'm allowed to draw one extra card from my deck every turn." He put a hand on his deck and thought, 'The key to winning this now isn't just skill, it's speed.' He drew and looked at the card. "And I just got a whole bunch of it! Let's rev it up!" he exclaimed as the wind that angled off his duel runner glowed and he moved faster than the wind. "I tune my level two Formula Synchron with my level eight Stardust Dragon! Let the spirit of all duel monsters now spread its wings and soar to new heights, where it can be transformed by the wings of destiny, where it can become all powerful! Go Accel Synchro!" Yusei vanished from sight.
"What in the world?!" Halldor exclaimed in shock.
A pulse wave was sent from behind him and Yusei appeared while exclaiming, "Appear Shooting Star Dragon (Attack 3300/ Defense 2500)!"
"Shooting Star Dragon?" Halldor repeated. "That's Yusei's most ultimate monster."
"Now from my hand, I'm playing the Speed Spell- Star Force!" Yusei declared. "With this card, so long as I have four or more speed counters, I can remove one monster on my field from play. And then, I can give one monster on my field a super charged power up until this turn's end phase. So the monster I'm removing is Fenrir!" Fenrir was immediately destroyed and Yusei continued, "And since Fenrir was level ten, I get to power up my Shooting Star Dragon by 1000 (Shooting Star Dragon: Attack 4300)!"
"4300 attack points? This could pose a problem," Halldor stated.
"A bigger problem than you realize Halldor," Yusei retorted, "Because now Shooting Star Dragon's ability activates which means I get to check the top five cards on my deck for tuner monsters." He looked at them. "I have three, and I'm afraid for you that means I'm allowed to wage three separate attacks. Now then, let's get to it! Shooting Star Dragon attack!" His monster split into three clones of it and each attacked and destroyed the three godly monsters and dropped Halldor's life points to 1900.
"You will pay for that, Yusei," Halldor growled. "Like a bug on my duel runner windshield, you just keep hanging on; refusing to accept that sooner or later, you're going to hit the pavement."
"The only thing hitting the pavement are these two face downs," Yusei responded calmly.
"Which means it is the end phase of this turn and because it is, guess who's back," Halldor retorted. Each Nordic god returned to the field. "That's right, Thor has returned, which means you take 800 points of damage." Yusei's life points fell to 200 again. "And now Loki is back meaning I can add one trap card from my graveyard to my hand. And as you can see, the trap card I've selected is God Shackles Gleipnir. And finally Odin returns to the field allowing me draw one card from my deck. But that's not the end of it. Don't forget, now that we're at the turn's end phase your dragon's attack points return to normal (Shooting Star Dragon: Attack 3300). And now it's my turn!" He drew his card.
"Bring it on, Halldor!" Yusei challenged.
"Aren't you peppy for someone who is about to lose?" the Aesir responded.
"If I lose, at least I'll know I did everything I could to win," the Signer replied.
"Oh, please. That's the way failures speak. But I suppose that fits because you have failed," Halldor argued. "And now I'm going to make it official. Then, at long last, all of the world will recognize something as an enclad fact. And that is, the Nordic gods can defeat all who oppose them, even your fledgeling synchros. Observe, I summon Tyr of the Nordic Champions (Attack 2000/ Defense 2000)! Next I activate the trap card, Odin's Eye!" He smirked. "Remember, Yusei, you can't negate the activation of Odin's Eye when a god is on the field. Of course, I have to negate my gods' abilities in order to use Odin's Eye, but that's a small price to pay. Next up, I play Tyr's ability! Now by releasing Tyr, any attacks you were thinking of throwing my way won't do my gods any harm. In other words, the penalty that comes to use Odin's Eye is now gone. Now, then, by the divine power of Odin's Eye, let's see that face down!"
As it was about to be revealed, Yusei called stopping it, "Just what I was hoping for! I activate my trap, Trick Mirror! Due to this card, when your trap activates, I can activate its effect as though it was my own. And the trap effect that I'll be taking is that of Odin's Eye!"
"Oh no!" Halldor exclaimed shocked.
"And this means your gods' abilities are negated once more," Yusei added.
"Fine, what's it matter?" Halldor retorted. "Even without his ability, Odin has 4000 attack points which is more than enough to take down your Shooting Star Dragon. But don't take my word for it. See for yourself! Odin, attack!"
"I play Shooting Star Dragon's ability!" Yusei defended. "Now by removing Shooting Star Dragon from play during your turn, the attack of one of your monsters is negated." His dragon vanished.
"So what? Your field is now empty, Yusei. I'll just have one of my other two gods attack you now," Halldor responded.
Yusei smirked. "I play the trap, Zero Force! Now, Halldor, because my monster left the field, your three Nordic Gods are about to lose all the power and might they each possess," he fought.
"That can't be!" Halldor exclaimed but Thor, Loki, and Odin's attack points dropped to zero. "But if they're points are zero, they can no longer attack!"
"And don't forget, at the end phase of this turn, the effect of your Gjallarhorn trap activates. And that means all monsters on your field will be removed from play and that I get damaged with the combined attack points of those monsters. However, since the attack points of your three gods now total just zero, I won't be taking any damage at all," Yusei added.
"No way…" Halldor muttered shocked.
"And now that we've reached this turn's end phase, Shooting Star Dragon rises again (Attack 3300/ Defense 3000)," Yusei continued. "And with his rise comes your fall! Now go, Shooting Star! Attack!" The attack succeeded and Halldor's life points fell to zero.
Yusei and Halldor looked at each and nodded in respect before Yusei drove off to meet with his friends. When he was back, he nodded at Era who had an approving grin on her face while the others congratulated him.
Suddenly their lockets began to glow signalling a message and they looked at it. "They aren't serious, are they, Era?" Yusei asked looking at her worried.
"Today is the ninth month since the King of the Underworld's defeat," she answered.
"And what does that mean?" Akiza asked.
"The Day of Darkness is beginning," Era answered as the sky began to grow darker.
"What's the Day of Darkness?" Leo asked as they noticed the sun disappear.
"It is when the light of mortal worlds disappear for a day and demons gain more power than ever before," Era answered.
"And when that curse is supposed to activate," Yusei added and they looked at it worried.
"Have you two figured out anything on it?" Jack added worried.
"Nothing," Era added and they noticed it beginning to glow. Suddenly, though, Era collapsed and Yusei caught her.
"Era!" he called but she wouldn't budge. He immediately felt for her pulse and was relieved to find it there. "Whatever this curse is, we need to find a way to get it off of her."
"Yusei!" came Cornelia's voice. He turned as she and Myla landed. "We noticed the curse activate. We'll take her to the eldest Healer Angel. She might be able to figure out a way to get this curse off of her before it does any significant damage."
"Get her there and keep her safe," Yusei ordered and they carefully took the angel from him before flying off.
"Will she be alright, Yusei?" Luna asked.
"I don't know," he answered honestly. "The only one with any clue on how to break that curse would be the Crimson Dragon and I'm not sure what he'll be able to do with it being the day it is."
"What're the demons going to do today? Do you have an idea?" Jack asked.
"If I had to guess, turn Earth into the vision of the original King of the Underworld," Yusei answered. And they grew worried. "Whatever is going to happen now, it won't be good. Not for this world or the Afterlife."
"We'll keep it safe," Akiza assured. "We're Signers, after all."
"For now, though," Crow began and they turned seeing Yliaster getting ready for their duel, "we need to get ready to face those guys and stop them. I'm sure other angels will keep the demons busy until we can go help. We need to stop Yliaster from their goal and then we can stop the demons."
"Right," Yusei agreed followed by everyone else. 'Please, Era, stay with me,' he thought before they turned to face the opposing team, preparing to either save the world or die trying.
Alright, now before you start questioning on why that curse just made her pass out for the time being, let me tell you that's not the full effect of the curse. It is only the beginning stage. You will find out what the final stage is soon, I promise! Until then, my readers!
-bricann