A/N: The dream in this chapter takes place directly after Chapter 1. Enjoy!
"Are you lost?"
Aki opened her eyes. She was surrounded on all sides by tall stone walls that reached far above her head. She didn't recognize the voice that had called out to her. How did she get here? She wasn't in her uniform anymore. Instead, she was wearing a heavy dark cloak with a white pattern all over it. The design felt familiar but it wasn't ringing any bells. "Your name is Aki Izayoi, one of the Crimson Dragon's Signers." That voice again. "You're here because your resolve has weakened. You're no longer worthy of your Mark of the Crimson Dragon. You'd be much better off with this on your arm."
Her right arm burned, a bright purple symbol searing onto her skin. "That symbol is the labyrinth, one of the Nazca Lines," the disembodied voice explained. "I am the Lord of Blood and I have been starved for over 5,000 years, trapped here by your pesky Black Rose Dragon." Aki felt something cold brush her shoulder. "And I would love to use your body as the vessel for my next reign upon the world, to blacken the skies with eternal darkness, and to feast on the blood of the innocent until the end of existence."
"And if I refuse to be your vessel?" Aki responded, unable to hide the fear in her voice.
The sound of a cloak billowing in the wind came from behind her. "Then I'll have to take it by force. Minions, get her!" The stone wall in front of her disappeared and a pack of white and black wolves surrounded her.
"Black Rose Dragon!" Aki called out, putting her hand on her collarbone and drawing the Synchro Monster from her very soul. There was no response and the familiar sense of protection didn't wrap around her. "What?!" The card she'd drawn crumbled into dust in her hand. "Black Rose Dragon, I need you!"
"Did you forget? You're not a Signer anymore, Aki," the Lord of Blood mocked, his low laughter echoing. "Now, let your soul be released from your body!" Aki felt her body grow weak and she collapsed to her knees, her vision blurring. Her mind was blank, swirling, and fuzzy all at once. She needed help. She needed someone to help her.
"You were a fool to think that you could ever survive on your own path," the Lord of Blood spurned. "You're all alone because of your own decisions! It's your fault you're here all alone. Not even Yusei can save you now."
At the sound of Yusei's name, Aki felt her blood boil. Her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood. "Don't you dare say his name," Aki whispered, standing up slowly. "He saved me from the darkness, from Divine."
"Yet where is he now in your time of need?" the Lord of Blood asked. "Where is your light? Your unmoving star?"
"I don't need him to protect me anymore!" Aki screamed, a blast of energy knocking away the wolves that surrounded her, their bodies hitting the stone walls that surrounded them. "I decide my path from now on. No matter how many mistakes I make, I'll keep getting up and I'll keep going. You don't scare me, Lord of Blood. If anything, you're a coward! Show yourself instead of hiding!"
"If you truly wish to face off against me, find me in my castle, vessel," the Lord demanded. In the darkness beyond the circular walls, silhouetted by a massive red moon, a great castle stood. Its pointed spires reached into the sky, decrepit banners of war decorating the exterior. The castle stood upon a floating mass of land that was at least half a kilometer away and the only connection between Aki and the castle was a wide, sturdy wooden bridge. Aki left the stone walls and found a strange chestnut horse resting by the bridge. It was prepped for riding and attached to its saddle was a whip.
She approached the horse, reaching her hand out to its snout. It cautiously sniffed her hand and whinnied, stomping its hooves into the packed earth. "Looks like you'll be helping me," Aki said, petting the horse's face. It snorted in affirmative. With great care, Aki managed to get onto the saddle and the horse didn't move. "How... wait I don't know how to ride a horse."
The horse snorted and turned to look at her, its eyes darting to the whip on its side. "Is this it?" Aki detached the whip and held it in her right hand. It was quite long, at least three and a half meters in length, and was made of tightly woven straps of leather while its handle was adorned with sharp thorns. When Aki recognized the whip for what it was, had traced it with her eyes, it glowed a deep amethyst color and her Dark Signer mark absorbed it. All that remained was the phantom feeling of having once held the whip.
"I should name you," Aki said to the horse, patting its side gently. "You'll be... Twilight." Twilight seemed to roll its eyes before starting a gentle trot across the bridge. "Faster. I want to get across quickly!" Just as Twilight started a long gallop, flying demons began to circle the bridge, their serpentine bodies coiling through the air as they flashed their sharp fangs and the red moonlight reflected off of their cyclops eyes.
Aki yelped in surprise when one of the demons swiped at her. Her right arm swung up in instinct and the sound of a loud crack came from above. The whip had appeared, clutched tightly in her hand as it snapped the demon's left wing in two before her eyes. It screamed, bouncing off of the bridge and into the darkness below. With another snap of her arm, the whip's end cracked another demon away from her path. The labyrinth mark on her arm glowed and Aki felt power surge through her body.
It was another minute before Aki reached the end of the bridge and the swarm of demons left her alone. She wasn't out of breath despite swinging such a heavy whip around. The castle was even more imposing up close, far taller than any buildings in Neo Domino City. Upon the porcelain steps sat a strange woman in a black and red gothic dress holding a black parasol.
"Are you here to challenge the Lord of Blood?" the woman asked, twirling the parasol between her gloved fingers. "You're the first one I've seen in 5,000 years." Aki raised her whip. "Hey, I'm not gonna hurt you like the others. I'm tired of him and I'd like to be free of this prison. Why don't you take me along?"
"Take you... along?" Aki echoed. "Sorry but there's only one seat on this horse."
"No, silly," the woman laughed. "Like this." She walked over to Aki and reached out her hand. Aki touched the woman's hand and she glowed, transforming into a Duel Monsters card in Aki's hand. "I'll help you in your upcoming duel against the Lord of Blood. You have my promise!" Aki squinted at the card's name. Bloody Rose Witch. She pressed the card into her collarbone and it disappeared into her soul.
"Thank you," she whispered before patting Twilight's side to urge her towards the castle doors. The massive wood doors were wrought with rusted iron and an enormous padlock keeping it closed probably wasn't going to budge anytime soon. Aki guided Twilight around the side of the castle and found a door in the thorny garden. The brambles moved to let her pass, as if terrified of her.
At the very center of the garden was one of the white and black wolves that had tried to attack her earlier. It whined when it noticed her and backed away cautiously. Aki understood its fear. She was wearing the mark of its master. "Shhh, I'm not here to hurt you," Aki whispered, carefully dismounting Twilight's saddle to approach the wolf. "Come here. I can help you." The wolf approached her and she pet its dense fur. "You want out of here too, don't you?"
As if on cue, the wolf glowed and became a Monster card as well. Aki pressed the card to her collarbone and hopped back onto the saddle. She had a plan now: she was going to recruit as many of the Lord of Blood's soldiers as possible. Aki stormed through the underground area of the castle, speaking with the neutral or friendly troops of the castle but subjugating the more loyal ones with her whip.
The underground cavern narrowed into an indoor greenhouse where Aki was assaulted by exploding flowers and strange spiders. There was no one willing to speak to her in this area but her body coursed with power with each monster she slew. Through the tall windows of the first floor, the massive red moon reminded her of the strangeness of her experience. Up the stairs and into the library, Aki found herself building rapport with more of the Lord of Blood's minions.
Aki wasn't keeping count but by now, she had to have recruited at least twenty. She ascended the stairs with Twilight and into the observatory where a massive telescope sat in the center. A sorcerer was lounging against the telescope and scoffed as soon as he caught sight of Aki. "You think you can convince me to join you too?" he asked, crossing his arms.
"Well, half the castle wants to join me already. Aren't you doubtful of the Lord of Blood's chances of winning against a Signer?" Aki reasoned.
"As if. You're without your Signer dragon, Black Rose Dragon," the sorcerer responded. "She's the only one who can seal him away again. I'm not joining you." At that, the sorcerer disappeared and Aki continued her path through the castle. Headless suits of armor swung at her and flying books assaulted her from every corner of the library.
Aki continued to press onwards, urging Twilight to keep her pace through the castle. It bothered her that as each monster she destroyed with the whip, the Earthbound Immortal mark on her arm would flow with power. She knew she couldn't avoid fighting many of the denizens of the castle but the growing evil in her arm deeply disturbed her.
Entering a powder room to take a short break, Aki closed the door behind Twilight and sank into the plush sofa near the window. No matter where she was in the castle, Aki could always see the giant red moon through the window. It was as if it was watching her. The vanity mirror caught her attention and she stepped forward to get a better look at herself.
Dark lines ran down her cheeks and forehead and her irises were black as night, her pupils dilated from the darkness of the castle. Her reddened lips twisted in a deep scowl. The white lines on her robe had been dyed crimson and seemed to flow like water under her gaze. Aki stumbled back from her reflection in terror. "Is that really what I look like?" she thought, her hands clasping her face. "I look just like a Dark Signer. I have the mark of one. Am I... am I going to be like this forever?"
"Even if you end up changing, you'll always be my friend, Aki," a cheerful voice from her heart called out.
"Carly?" Aki whispered, her hand clutching at her robe for stability.
"I was a Dark Signer once too, y'know," Carly noted. "And I turned out alright." Aki snorted at the lackadaisical attitude Carly was giving off. "You're not alone, even in the darkness. You've got me."
The voice faded and Aki gripped the fabric of her robe tighter.
It felt like an eternity had passed before Aki finally reached the throne room. She pushed the gilded doors open and a thick red carpet lead to a single tall velvet chair where a tall man in gilded purple armor sat, his red eyes glowing in the darkness. In his armored hand sat a goblet of red liquid which he swirled lazily with his wrist. An enormously tall window rested behind his throne, the red light of the moon coating everything in scarlet. "You didn't even knock," he noted, the doors closing behind Aki and Twilight. "I presume you're here to... duel me?"
"I'm winning back my mark as a Signer one way or another," Aki declared, pointing her finger at the Lord. "I challenge you to a duel!" She dismounted Twilight and speed walked towards the throne, unafraid despite the sheer pressure the Lord of Blood gave off.
"Oh? You're approaching me instead of running away?" the Lord of Blood asked, rising from his seat to stand at full height.
"I can't beat you to a pulp without getting closer," Aki responded. The whip materialized in her hand and she cracked the tip against the stone floor. "Now duel me!"
The Lord of Blood tossed aside his goblet, the glass shattering on the stone floor of the throne room. "If you insist!" he bellowed. An enormous horse appeared at his side and he mounted the horse before both he and the horse smashed through the massive window behind his throne.
"Hey, come back here!" Aki yelled. "Twilight!" The horse ran up to Aki and she hopped onto the saddle, holding onto the reins for dear life as the horse reached galloping pace within seconds and the two jumped through the broken window. Aki braced for impact but a strange red path formed beneath them, trailing through the sky from the window towards the red moon. Up ahead, the Lord of Blood was racing towards the moon and Aki spotted in the very center of the moon a rose bud waiting to bloom.
"Sealing away the Black Rose Dragon would take a lot more than just stealing it from your soul," the Lord explained as Aki caught up to him, just three horse lengths behind. "I still need to take your vessel to fully seal her away. Isn't that an awful thought? Your own Signer sealing you away for all eternity?" He bellowed with laughter. "Now, Aki, let us duel! Where are your cards and your Duel Disk? Even I have one!" A large gilded purple Duel Disk embossed with red gems appeared on his wrist.
Aki closed her eyes in concentration. This entire scenario was a dream. She'd understood that by now. She could create a Duel Disk with her mind. She could do it. The bloodied whip she'd been using to slay the monsters of the castle wrapped around her left arm, its thorns dulling against her skin as it slowly transformed into a deep red Duel Disk with a white gem on the top and black accents across the Deck holder.
Aki opened her eyes. "I have one, Lord of Blood," Aki declared, activating her Duel Disk. A fine mist of crimson ejected from the Duel Disk, disappearing behind her with the night wind.
"Do you even have cards?" the Earthbound Immortal spat.
The redhead pressed her hand to her collarbone, a stack of cards emerging from her soul. She lifted up her new deck to show the Lord of Blood. "I found some right here."
The Lord of Blood reared his head back with laughter. "My servants?! You're even more troublesome than I thought! We'll be dueling with Speed World 2 rules like you prefer! And I get to go first!" The Immortal drew six cards from his deck and Aki hurriedly slotted her cards into her Duel Disk and drew five cards. "I set three cards face-down and summon Pyramid Turtle in Attack Position. I end my turn."
"I draw," Aki declared, a trail of red droplets streaming from her cards as she drew. "I..." She felt her head swirl and her legs weaken. "What's going on?" she muttered.
"Do you feel it?" the Lord of Blood asked, flashing a wicked smile at her. "The call of the undead within your soul? You've absorbed so many of my minions at this point that you've become undead yourself! There's a price to pay for everything. Can you handle this Shadow Duel?"
"I can keep going!" Aki insisted, her Earthbound Immortal mark glowing brighter. "I normal summon Twilight Rose Knight in Defense Position. When I normal summon this Monster, I can special summon a level 4 or lower Plant-type Monster from my hand. I summon Botanical Girl in Defense Position." The two monsters appeared at her side, their visages dark blue and their poses stiff and defensive.
"You're planning on Synchro Summoning? You'll be dead before you know it, vessel!" the Lord of Blood bellowed.
"I tune Level 3 Botanical Girl with Level 3 Twilight Rose Knight. Synchro Summon!" Shining stars and green synchronization rings aligned above her. "Come forth, Splendid Rose!" The green clad Monster appeared from a whirlwind of flowers. "Botanical Girl's effect activates. When it's sent to the Graveyard, I can add one Plant-type monster with 1000 or less Defense Points from my Deck to my hand." Aki's Duel Disk shuffled through her Deck and a thin selection of cards pushed out for her to grab. "I select Rose Girl." The rest of the cards were shuffled back into her Deck.
"Splendid Rose attacks Pyramid Turtle! Aerial Twist!" Splendid Rose leaped into the air and kicked through Pyramid Turtle with ease.
"Pyramid Turtle's effect activates! I get to special summon a Zombie-type Monster from my Deck with 2000 or less Defense points! I summon Vampire Dragon in Attack Position!" The Lord of Blood slapped a card onto his Duel Disk and from a swarm of bats appeared a cycloptic serpent with wings.
"I set two cards and end my turn," Aki said.
"Not a bad first turn, vessel," the Lord of Blood complimented. "You managed to power through the pain. You've lasted longer than I expected. But now begins your demise! I draw! I activate my Continuous Trap card, Earthbound Sacrifice. During the Standby Phase, the turn player can send 3 cards from the top of their Deck to the Graveyard to inflict 500 points of damage to their opponent! It's my Standby Phase so I'll be doing just that!"
A scythe appeared at Aki's side and the blade disappeared into her gut. This was real pain. This was exactly like her duel with Misty. "I have to be careful," she thought, gritting her teeth from the impact.
"I now activate my Trap card, Vampire's Desire. I send Vampire Grace from my Deck to the Graveyard to change Vampire Dragon's Level to 6." A green glow surrounded the serpentine monster. "Next, I activate my Continuous Trap card, Vampire's Domain. In addition to my Normal Summon, I can pay 500 Life Points to Normal Summon a Vampire monster. I pay the 500 Life Point cost to summon Vampire Lady and I summon Glow-Up Bloom alongside it!"
"A Tuner monster?!" Aki thought. A level 1 Tuner and a level 4 and a level 6 monster. There was no way the Lord of Blood was going to summon something so powerful immediately. Or... was he?
"I tune Level 6 Vampire Dragon with Level 1 Glow-Up Bloom!" Aki watched in horror as the rose on the moon began to unfurl its dark red petals. "Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom! Synchro Summon!" The rose blossomed and Black Rose Dragon emerged from the center of the petals, flying down towards the Lord of Blood.
"No... Black Rose Dragon..." Aki managed to whisper. She wanted to scream, to call for her dragon to return.
"Battle! Black Rose Dragon, destroy Splendid Rose!" the Earthbound Immortal commanded. "Black Rose Flare!" Great purple chains wrapped around Black Rose Dragon's neck and forced her to breathe flames onto Aki's monster, shattering the Synchro Monster into hundreds of glowing shards. "Does it hurt to be attacked so viciously by the dragon that was supposed to protect you?"
"Now, Vampire Lady, attack the vessel directly! Drain her of her precious life!" The vampire shot out her hands at Aki and she could feel her very essence draining from her body. This hurt. The painful duels were something she thought she'd left behind long ago. "When Vampire Lady inflicts damage, I declare a card type and you must send one of that type from your Deck to the Graveyard. I pick Monster!"
Aki's Duel Disk rapidly shuffled through her cards and about 2/3rds of her cards pushed out from the top. She quickly chose Glow-Up Bulb and put her cards back into her Duel Disk once more.
"And that's not all. When a Vampire monster inflicts damage, I gain that same amount as Life Points!" A strange wine glass appeared in the Lord of Blood's armored hand and he drank from it.
"That's such bullshit," Aki thought.
"I end my turn and activate Earthbound Sacrifice's effect to place 1 Sacrifice Counter onto it since I have 7 cards in my Graveyard currently," the Lord of Blood announced. "Do continue to struggle. It makes this Duel all the more amusing."
Aki surveyed the field, careful not to bite her tongue as Twilight galloped against the Lord of Blood's steed. Her opponent had her Black Rose Dragon and Vampire Lady. His Trap cards, Earthbound Sacrifice and Vampire's Domain, gave him total advantage currently. She didn't have any Synchro Monsters in her Extra Deck that could overcome Black Rose Dragon. "And Tytannial, Princess of Camellias didn't appear when I was in the castle," Aki thought. "And I have 3 cards in my hand: Rose Lover, Rose Girl, and Spore."
"Having cold feet, vessel?" the Earthbound Immortal asked.
"I believe in myself!" Aki yelled. "I draw!" A thin stream of red followed her card as it arced through the air. A Speed Spell! But first... "I activate Earthbound Sacrifice's effect. I send the top three cards of my Deck to the Graveyard to inflict 500 points of damage to you!"
The Lord of Blood's booming laughter erupted as his Life Points dropped. "You're not too far off from being a real Dark Signer now, vessel!"
"Then, I activate the Speed Spell, Angel Baton! I draw two cards and discard one. I send Rose Lover to the Graveyard!" Aki looked at her cards and something in her mind connected. She did have a Synchro Monster that could defeat Black Rose Dragon and all the necessary materials were in her hand, field, and Graveyard.
"I activate my Trap card, Wicked Rebirth! I pay a cost of 500 Life Points to summon Splendid Rose from my Graveyard! Revive, Splendid Rose!" The red road behind Aki exploded as the Synchro Monster burst out from below, landing triumphantly by Aki's side. "Next, I summon Spore in Defense Position."
"A Synchro Summon?" the Earthbound Immortal wondered aloud. "Is there really anything in you that can defeat Black Rose Dragon?"
"Yes there is! I tune Level 6 Splendid Rose with Level 1 Spore! Decorate the world in blossoms. Bring life to your fallen army! Synchro Summon! Periallis, Empress of Blossoms!" In a shower of bright pink petals emerged a green haired empress wearing an extraordinarily complex dress. "Because a Plant-type monster was sent to the Graveyard, I get to special summon Rose Girl from my hand in Defense Position!" A shy fairy darted behind the empress, hiding in her great swaths of green hair.
"I activate Periallis' effect. Once per turn, I can special summon a Level 5 or higher Plant-type monster from my Graveyard in Defense Position! I choose Splendid Rose!" Yet another hole appeared behind them as the Synchro Monster rose from the dead once more.
"You're starting to grasp my playstyle," the Lord of Blood laughed. "You're a lot more like me than I thought."
"I'll never be like you!" Aki retorted. "I activate my Trap card, Plant Food Chain. I equip this Trap card to Periallis and her Attack Points go up by 500. Her total Attack Points are now 2900, far above Black Rose Dragon's. Battle! Periallis, attack Black Rose Dragon! Vines of the Empress!" Aki watched with sadness as her Signer Dragon shattered into shining fragments. "I'll see you later, Black Rose Dragon," she whispered as the holographic fragments brushed past her face. "I set one card face down and end my turn."
"It's my turn!" The Lord of Blood predictably activated Earthbound Sacrifice's effect once more, inflicting 500 points of damage while sending the top three cards of his Deck to the Graveyard. Another cold stab through Aki's chest. "You're not the only one who can activate Speed Spells. I activate the Speed Spell, Dash Pilfer. I take control of one Defense Position monster on your field. I select Splendid Rose!" A large gloved hand grabbed Splendid Rose and tossed him to the side of the Lord of Blood.
"Periallis' Attack Points went down by 500," Aki muttered.
"Next, I summon Vampire Ghost from my hand in Attack Position and it's effect activates. I send Vampire Lady to the Graveyard to add Vampire Scarlet Scourge to my hand. Then, I send Vampire Retainer from my Deck to the Graveyard." Vampire Lady gasped as she was sent away to the realm of the dead, only a shrill screech echoing to let them know she was once there.
"He's sending more cards to the Graveyard already. He'll have an Earthbound Immortal in no time," Aki thought.
"I pay the cost of Vampire's Domain to summon another Vampire monster this turn. I tribute Splendid Rose to summon Vampire Scarlet Scourge!" Splendid Rose disappeared into a deep red vortex, a cloaked vampire appearing in its place. "I pay 1000 more Life Points to activate Vampire Scarlet Scourge's effect. I get to special summon a Vampire monster from my Graveyard. I choose Vampire Grace!" The Scarlet Scourge lifted up his cloak, the tall Grace ducking out from underneath. "I activate her effect. I select Monsters once again! Send a Monster from your Deck to your Graveyard!"
"Dammit," Aki cursed as she looked through her Monster cards. She discarded Revival Rose. "He can destroy all my monsters and he'll gain back the Life Point loss in no time."
"Battle! Vampire Scarlet Scourge, destroy Rose Girl!" The vampire grabbed the smaller monster in his hand, crushing her into shining fragments of light. "You're quite lucky that Vampire Grace can't attack due to Scarlet Scourge's effect. Monsters special summoned by its effect can't attack during the turn they're special summoned."
The Dark Signer let go of a breath she didn't realize she was holding. If Periallis was defeated, she really would have no other monsters. Not to mention... she was going to run out of cards in her Deck if the Lord of Blood kept summoning more Monsters that would force her to send her cards to the Graveyard. Nothing was going her way right now.
"I end my Battle Phase and Rose Girl is summoned to my side by Vampire Scarlet Scourge's effect!" A glowing light lifted up from Aki's Duel Disk and floated onto Scarlet Scourge's shoulder, morphing into Rose Girl.
"I set one card and end my turn. I have 14 cards in my Graveyard so I get to add 2 more Sacrifice Counters to Earthbound Sacrifice. Just one more and I can summon out my Earthbound Immortal, vessel! You'll get to see your future Dark God in no time!"
Aki glared at the laughing Vampire monsters in front of her. She would simply have to get rid of Scarlet Scourge if she wanted to get even the smallest of an edge over her opponent. "I draw!" Aki's lips flattened when she looked at her hand. Evil Thorn and Hedge Guard. On her previous turn, she'd set Synchro Material but it was unlikely to be useful. She didn't have any more Synchro Monsters in her Extra Deck.
"I activate the Earthbound Sacrifice card! I send the top 3 cards of my Deck to the Graveyard to inflict 500 points of damage to you!" In response to the great scythe swinging into his stomach, the Lord of Blood laughed again. Aki frowned. Something really felt off. She knew she was playing right into his plans but she still wasn't sure what it was. She just needed to inflict as much damage as she could, as consistently as possible.
Aki considered using Evil Thorn's effect but it would leave her with two 300 ATK monsters out in the open. She would just have to play it safe. "I activate Periallis' effect to Special Summon Splendid Rose from my Graveyard once more. Periallis' Attack Points go up by 400 points, giving her 100 more than your Scarlet Scourge!"
"Battle! Destroy Vampire Scarlet Scourge, Periallis! Vines of the Empress!" The empress leapt behind the vampire and entangled him in a mess of vines, shattering him in mere seconds. "I end my turn."
"There's nothing I can do except try and stall with effect damage," Aki thought. "The Lord of Blood is right though. I've been playing exactly like him: summoning Monsters from my Graveyard, depleting my Deck to..." Her focus wavered for just a moment and she collapsed onto Twilight, breathing heavily for stability. "Dammit, I didn't realize just how many cards were gone already... how many are left?"
Aki glared up at the Lord of Blood who continued to gallop ahead of her. "I can feel your fear, vessel," the Earthbound Immortal said, his back facing her. "Despite everything you've done, nothing will prepare you for what you are about to face." His gloved hand hovered over his Deck. "You've done me a great service, offering up so many of your cards for sacrifice for my Earthbound Immortal."
"I draw!" The Lord of Blood cackled as he placed his new card into his hand. "I activate Earthbound Sacrifice. You already know how this will go!" Aki flinched at the sight of the scythe and held on for dear life to Twilight. "Next, I tribute Rose Girl and Vampire Ghost to summon Vampire Voivode." From the two tributed Monsters, a tall slender man with a waterfall of blonde curls appeared, pointing a trident directly at Aki. "Voivode, summon your minions!" Blue flames sprouted from the tip of his trident and Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis and Spore appeared at his side, their visages blue.
"You..." Aki began, forcing herself to sit up properly on the saddle. "You keep taking my Monsters!"
"They make excellent fodder, don't you know? It's fun to play with the lives of others." The Lord of Blood raised his hand in the air. "What better is there than seeing the shock and horror when someone realizes they've been double crossed, betrayed, thrown to the wolves?" He turned around to face her, Aki flinching from his stone cold expression, the strange way his dark red eyes glowed under his helmet. "Nothing."
"I activate my Trap Card, Sacrificial Synchronization!" Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis and Spore were snatched up by giant thorny vines. "By tributing one Monster and a Tuner, I can Synchro Summon a Synchro Monster from my Graveyard, so long as the difference in levels between the two monsters are equal to the Synchro Monster's level! Now, vessel, what's 8 minus 1?"
"... seven," Aki answered in a low tone.
"I summon from the grave, Black Rose Dragon!" The road underneath the Lord of Blood's horse cracked and shattered right in front of Aki's eyes, a thick mass of vines and petals assaulting her vision. There it flew once more, the Black Rose Dragon. Aki felt her grip on Twilight's reins weaken.
"Battle!" Aki couldn't hear or do anything as Periallis and Splendid Rose were destroyed in front of her eyes by Vampire Voivode and Black Rose Dragon. There was a high pitched noise in her ears, her mind. Her hands unconsciously moved her cards to the Graveyard.
"It's my End Phase now. I have a total of 19 cards in my Graveyard. I add one last Sacrifice Counter to Earthbound Sacrifice." The Lord of Blood paused. "And I activate its final effect. I remove all four Sacrifice Counters and pray to the great Earthbound God that wanders the labyrinth of night!" Against the bright crimson of the moon, a great earthen heart began to beat for the first time in millennia. Trails of red souls left both Duelists' Duel Disks, powering the dark heart in the sky.
"Rise from the forest under which you have been buried! Smash the walls that give humanity a false sense of safety and drown them in the darkness that creates insanity! I summon the Earthbound Immortal Pikiru!" The Lord of Blood and his horse disappeared into a dark red mist, his armor falling onto the road and clattering against the glowing red. Twilight purposefully stomped on the helmet, flattening it with his hooves. The moon shattered, an enormous snake covered in glowing dark red markings slithering across the night sky.
"I only have 800 Attack Points at first but... I gain 200 for every single card in both player's Graveyards!" the snake bellowed. "I have 19 cards and you have 18! That totals to 37 cards in the Graveyards!" That wicked laughter echoed through the night. "That means I have 8200 Attack Points! When I have more than 8000 Attack, I'm unable to be destroyed by battle or card effect! My turn ends!"
Aki slowly surveyed the field. An 8200 Attack Earthbound Immortal monster that wasn't affected by Spell or Trap cards and was immune to battle destruction and... and Black Rose Dragon. She still had Synchro Material as a face-down card on the field and both Evil Thorn and Hedge Guard in her hand. She should've used Hedge Guard during the last turn to protect Periallis but she'd lost her focus for a moment. Hell, Aki was losing her focus right now.
Her Deck seemed to drift from her, unwilling to let her draw from it, to beg for a non-existent chance of victory. It was hopeless. No matter what card she drew, no matter what she did, Aki couldn't defeat the Earthbound Immortal in front of her.
"Even if I summon a monster in Defense Position and use Hedge Guard to keep it from being destroyed by battle, it'll be nothing but delaying my fate," Aki reasoned. "I don't have anything. There's nothing I can use to defeat him!"
"Yes. You have something you can use," a strong familiar voice spoke in her head. Was that...?
"Sherry?" Aki whispered.
"A Riding Duel is a conversation, a dialogue between two Duelists. You can feel the pain, joy, pleasure, and sadness of your opponent and they can feel yours as well," Sherry spoke, that smirk ever-present in her voice. "Even the most complicated of lies crumble to dust in the world of speed. Is the monster in front of you truly undefeatable? Is Black Rose Dragon the very limits of your soul?"
"Awaken your sense as a Riding Duelist! Regain your pride! You are more than you think you are!" Sherry declared, her voice echoing in Aki's mind.
The Dark Signer closed her eyes, letting the sound of Twilight's hooves escape her hearing. She listened closely for the hush of the wind at her ears. There it was, a presence. It wasn't coming from the Black Rose Dragon in front of her. Something was still lodged deep inside of her.
"I draw," Aki said, her hand pulling the top card of her Deck. She looked closely at the card, her expression unreadable.
"Did you perhaps find something useful? I doubt it. I am indestructible. I am the god of night and darkness, a deity rivaling even the God of the Underworld," Pikiru claimed. "When I take over your body, I will use your psychic abilities to wreak havoc in the general populace before I turn the world into minions and cattle! It's a shame that you stopped destroying others, whether it was their bodies or their pride, with your dueling abilities. You would've been even easier to win over if you had kept to such habits."
"Destroying, hm?" Aki responded, grinning wildly as the card in her hand glowed dark red. "I'll show you what true destruction looks like. I summon Evil Thorn in Attack Position and activate its effect! I tribute it to inflict 300 points of damage to you and to summon two additional Evil Thorns from my Deck to the Field!" The spiny plant exploded, sending out thin needles at the enormous snake in the sky. He laughed at the pinprick pain, coiling in the sky.
"Next, I banish Rose Lover from my Graveyard to special summon Bloody Rose Witch from my hand!" A red haired young girl appeared on the field, holding onto her jeweled wand with confidence. "Then... I activate my Trap Card, Synchro Material! This turn, I can use a Monster on your side of the Field as a material for Synchro Summoning this turn! I choose Black Rose Dragon!"
The Earthbound Immortal laughed menacingly, his voice booming above her. "What can you even summon that can defeat me, vessel? What can you bring forth from what little remains of your soul that will give you even a sliver of chance against me?!" he asked, demanded even. "You have nothing! I've already taken everything from you, your soul and pride is Black Rose Dragon! I see nothing else within you!"
"You're wrong!" Aki screamed, her Dark Signer mark glowing brighter and searing pain traveling up her arm and all across her body. "I realized that there is something I haven't accepted about myself, something I forced to keep away because I was terrified of the way I used to be! I am no longer scared of the destructive capabilities I have! I will not be controlled by my fear!"
The full Crimson Dragon's form appeared on her back and a single glowing card appeared in her hand. "I tune both Level 1 Evil Thorns and Level 7 Black Rose Dragon with Level 1 Bloody Rose Witch!" Black Rose Dragon and both Evil Thorns became glowing stars within a dark red synchronization ring.
"Reawaken the witch and guide her to an unknown realm with courage in your heart! Eviscerate all who stand against you, dyeing the world red with blood! Synchro Summon!" Aki slapped the glowing card onto her Duel Disk and her Dark Signer mark shattered, the right claw of the Crimson Dragon taking its rightful place. "Bloody Rose Dragon!" A deafening roar shook the road and Aki held on tighter to Twilight.
She looked up and there it floated above her, a great dragon of magenta and light pinks with just the slightest tinge of crimson on the edges of its sharp petals. "That's what I'm capable of," Aki thought, glistening dew raining down from above her, cooling her skin. "You've always been inside of me. I just never knew." Sherry and Carly flashed before Aki's eyes and she bit back a sob. In the darkness of this horrible dream, only those two had reached her from the outside. Nobody on the team had appeared before her in her time of need in this hellscape. "Sherry, Carly... thank you for believing in me. I'll end this Duel for myself and the both of you."
"So, you've summoned a Synchro Monster. It's still not powerful enough to destroy me!" Pikiru mocked. "It will linger only for me to destroy it on the next turn and finally capture your soul!"
"Is that so? We'll see about that," Aki responded. "Bloody Rose Dragon's effect activates. If Black Rose Dragon or a Rose Dragon monster was used to summon it, all other cards on the Field are destroyed." Vampire Voivode shattered but Earthbound Immortal Pikiru remained in the sky, unfazed.
"Bahaha! What a fool! You cannot destroy me with such a weak effect! I am immune to such middling effects so long as I have the power of the Graveyard at my side!"
"Bloody Rose Dragon's second effect activates!" Aki interrupted. "If a Bloody Monster was used to summon it, all cards in both Duelist's Graveyards are banished face-down!"
"You! How dare you?! I won't be bested by you like this! I refuse! I'm..." The thick red lines that ran across the snake's body faded back to a pale white. "No! I'm the Lord of Blood! I cannot- I cannot lose like this! Please have mercy on me!" Aki stared down Pikiru, her eyes narrowing.
"Battle! Bloody Rose Dragon, attack Earthbound Immortal Pikiru! Send him back to the Underworld and lock him up for good! Blood Rose Flare!" The Signer Dragon reared back its head, a mass of dark red energy gathering in its fanged mouth, and a thick laser of energy evaporated the Earthbound Immortal where he was.
The air of battle faded and Twilight slowed to a stop on the glowing red road, pawing nervously at the strange material. Aki dismounted and sat down, dangling her legs over the edge as she admired the shattered moon in the sky. Even though it was broken, the moon still looked quite beautiful.
A/N: Please leave a review!