Susano-o: Before there was time, before there was anything, there was nothing. And before there was nothing, there were monsters.
Sekhmet: So...Yeah. Something canon divergent happens this chapter. But then again, we've done this so many times already.
Susano-o: Let's get to it. Also Hugo man you are bad at predicting when our stories end lol. There's always more, and yes we're going to be doing more fandoms.
Chapter 47: Siege Tactics, Part 3
"It's time," Rose said, raising her hand thumb to the side. "FOR THE END!" She screamed dropping her thumb.
Eraser and Dreadroot burst forth from Yuko's duel disk, and immediately started wreaking havoc and terrorizing the remaining dorm.
"Scream for me, little piggies!" Eraser laughed. Dreadroot was more Godzilla about the situation, letting his fear aura do most of the work while he pulled apart structures. Avatar shot stun lasers from its black mass from above. While this was going on, Black Knights wove between Dreadroot's legs like ants and made a final push to take the building.
"Yuko," Rose said, shoving her hands in her pockets. "You keep everyone else away, I'm dealing with Sartorius myself."
"Are you sure? It's gonna get real messy in there." Yuko said, about to pull down her mask.
"Yes," Rose insisted. "He's mine alone," She growled walking into the fray, tendrils wiping anyone that got close to her away.
"Well alright. Fuck him up good." Yuko replied, sliding down her mask. Tendrils rose from her back as well, and they were sent wherever she pointed.
…..
Rose snarled as she sent another Society member flying away, she didn't have time to duel every idiot that tried to stop her.
"Hey!" Alexis shouted standing in front of Rose, duel disk at the ready.
Rose stopped and let out an annoyed growl. "Alexis," She warned. "For the sake of what we once had, I'm giving you one chance," She said looking down. "Stand aside or," She raised her head to glare at the blonde from above her glasses. "You're gonna have a bad time."
Alexis laughed. "A bad time?" She said dismissively. "Yeah right, now get your duel disk and-" She didn't finish because in that moment Rose reached out and snagged her with her tendrils, flinging her into the walls, floor, and ceiling multiple times before finally throwing her out of the building and into the ocean.
"Get dunked on," Rose said walking towards the back of the dorm.
…
The Dark Priestess walked nonchalantly through the hallways, tossing white students left and right with absolutely no care in the world.
She rounded a corner and felt a draft. Looking around for it, she saw a scrap of a familiar grey jacket and a trail of small blood droplets leading down the hall, into the darkness.
"Oh dear. Someone's not going to be happy about this." She said to herself, following the trail. It dead ended in a sunroom, one of the many windows was shattered and the rest of the jacket was snagged on a jagged scrap of glass. A thicker blood trail ended at the edge of the lake.
"What a shame. He went down fighting, but at what cost?" She asked herself, seemingly sad for the first time. "I will miss him so dearly." Finding no other trace of him, she turned around and went back to the action.
…
Rose looked at the massive doors to the chapel with a raised eyebrow. "What a gaudy design," She huffed before sending all her tendrils at it, turning the wood to dust in an instant.
"Ah," Sartorius said from his chair. "Welcome," He smirked setting down his tea cup. "Would you care for some tea?"
Rose snarled as she walked closer to Sartorius.
"Oh no tea?" He asked preparing to attack when she got close. "Maybe you'd be interested in a tarot card reading then?" He asked swinging his arm over the table to bring up his cards, and send a blast of telekinesis right at Rose. Who simply swatted it away before driving a fist of darkness straight into the table, sending him and the cards flying.
"No," Rose said as Sartorius fell to the ground. "I think it's time you get a reading," She said grabbing one of the fallen cards. "Oh look, Judgement," She said flipping the card around. "-Because I'm the one who will judge you!" She shouted before unleashing a darkness version of herself at Sartorius that started repeatedly punching him.
Sartorius was unprepared for the rush and ended up cowering in fear as he listed to the darkness Rose scream Muda at him repeatedly, briefly he felt like he had seen this before in some sort of TV show, but the pain he felt prevented him from following up on that.
"I'll obliterate you!" Rose screamed as she threw the final bone shattering punch into Sartorius's jaw to send him flying across the room, just as the rest of the knights came through.
"Looks like we stopped by just in time. Or too late, it depends on your point of view." The Dark Priestess said, heading up the group.
"We're here to help, Rose!" Syrus added.
"You can't keep us from helping a friend." Camula agreed.
"Don't hog all the heads to knock for yourself!" Tania said, making a fist in palm motion.
"We won't let you down Ma'am!" The rest of the Black Knights cheered in a synchronized chorus.
Sartorius groaned as he stood up. "Hey," He said confused. "I'm back to my old self, and my Jaundice has cleared up!" He said happily. "Oh thank you-!" He started before being pummeled into the floor again. "Oh Ra why!" He screamed.
"Rose wait!" The Dark Priestess yelled. "He's changed somehow. I don't think he was ever himself to begin with!"
Rose stopped for a second and nearly started again before Sartorius started begging again. "Well if he's not the one in control," She asked retracting her powers. "Than who is?" She said before a cold feeling washed over the room.
Descending from its place floating above the group was a pale white, ghostly humanoid. Two large hornlike qaufts of fire like hair topped with a tuft reminiscent of the one Sartorius had topped its head. It only appeared to have one closed eye, the other was shrouded. It had long, claw like fingers and slender, almost pointed feet. It looked like it was on white fire, and bubbles of stardust reminiscent of mercury bubbled from its body, disappearing into nothingness.
its eye snapping open to reveal a pinpoint pupil, "Fall."
Rose felt a massive wave of telepathic energy rip through her head, shredding her darkness shielding like it was made of paper and bringing her to her knees. Only her and The Dark Priestess were left anywhere near conscious, all the rest were flung against the back wall, asleep. The world seemed to fade away leaving only an endless white void and Rose tried to get to her feet with no success.
The ghostly humanoid landed in front of them, staring down at the still kneeing Rose. "You are alone, child. There is only light for you, and only death for your friends," he intoned in a deep voice. "This planet is just the beginning. For I command a great and terrible power," He said reaching out to touch her face. "And I will use it to go to a billion worlds. I will continue until every life has been extinguished," he chuckled rubbing Rose's cheek. "You are strong, child, but I am beyond strength. I am the end, and I have come for you, Rose."
Rose lashed out as hard as she could with her tendrils, sending the humanoid back with a laugh. "What the hell are you?" She asked wheezing.
"I am the thing that keeps you up at night. The evil that haunts every dark corner of your mind. I will never rest and neither will you," he intoned again.
"You're the Light of Destruction," Rose realized in fear.
"Correct," The Light said walking towards Sartorius and flinging him away with some telekinesis. "This vessel was not strong enough to contain my full power, and now that I am here, I will bring about the end of this world myself."
Barely able to get to her feet Rose looked around at the blankness surrounding her, trying desperately to find a way to freedom.
"You will not escape," The Light chuckled as he sent another telepathic wave at Rose, who summoned a shield to block it. "The only way you will leave this room, is when your spirit passes on to the afterlife," Rose gulped as The Light walked over to her. "Now, I've had enough of these games," The Light said. "Prepare for oblivion," He said raising an arm.
"Wait!" Rose yelled. "You can't do this without giving me a chance!"
"Oh I can't?" The Light questioned. "It's the end of the world. Did you think it would be easy?"
"Yes," Rose snarled summoning her duel disk to her arm. "If you want to destroy the world, then you're gonna have to do it after prying it from my cold dead hands!" She yelled standing up.
The Light looked at Rose and laughed. "Your optimism is really adorable. But you're forgetting one thing, Rose. This is what I was born to do. I came here to destroy the Earth."
"And I'm here to defend it," Rose said back.
"Very well," The Light chuckled. "For the amusement you provide me, I will indulge your last request," He said summoning Sartorius's deck to his hand. "I will even use that poor excuse for a vessel's deck to give you a hand," He condescended as his arm morphed into an approximation of a duel disk.
"Let's Duel!" "Let's Duel."
Rose gulped as she drew her first card. "My move!" She yelled trying not to shake. "And I play 'Elemental Hero Sparkman' (1600/1400) in attack mode," She said as 'Sparkman' appeared in a shower of electricity. "I'll set two cards and end my turn."
"My turn," The Light said drawing a card. "I play 'Arcana Force-VI The Emperor' (1400/1400) in attack mode," He said summoning his monster, a huge mechanical Eldritch beast with clawed extending arms and two faces appeared behind him, along with a spinning version of its card above it.
"What's with the card?" Rose asked.
"When you call stop, it will slow down, which way it stops determines its effect," The Light explained.
"Alright, stop!" Rose yelled and the card slowed down, eventually stopping right-side up.
"Good, now his effect will give all 'Arcana Force' Monsters an extra 500 ATK," He explained as 'The Emperor' got bigger (1400-1900/1400). "'The Emperor' attack 'Sparkman' with Emperor's Wrath."
Rose gulped as 'The Emperor' brought up it's claws and fired energy beams at 'Sparkman'. "Go 'Mirror Gate'!" Rose yelled. "Now our monsters switch places and you'll take the damage!"
The Light said nothing as he watched their monsters flip sides and 'Sparkman' explode on his field (The Light LP: 8000-7700). "Because of that I will now activate 'Divination of Fate' and now I'm allowed to summon another level 4 or lower 'Arcana Force' monster from my hand, come out 'Arcana Force-0 The Fool (0/0) (0-500/0)," He said summoning his new monster, a rather humanoid monster with tentacle hair, and a spinning card. "Same as before."
Rose growled at this annoying mechanic. "Stop!" She yelled, and once again the card landed upside down. "Yes," She smirked.
"Yes, for me," The Light chuckled. "For 'The Fool' is different, upside down is the right side, now 'The Fool' will negate any of your effects that target it and destroy them."
"Oh fuck you," Rose growled.
"And now I end my turn," The Light concluded as 'The Emperor' came back to him.
Rose gulped as she drew her next card, sighing in relief. "I play 'O-Oversoul', now I can bring 'Sparkman' (1600/1400) back from the graveyard," she explained as her monster returned in a hazy O. "Now since I control a 'Elemental Hero' I can play the card 'Hero's Bond' and summon two more level 4 or lower 'Hero' monsters from my hand, so come out 'Elemental Hero Clayman' (800/200) and 'Woodsman' (1000/2000) in defense mode," She explained as her two monster appeared in defensive positions on the field. "Now I end my turn."
"My turn then," The Light said drawing his card. "I play 'Cup of Ace' now if it comes upright then I get to draw two cards," He explained. "Stop now," He ordered, unfortunately for him it landed upside down.
"So I'm guessing that means I get to draw two cards?" Rose asked with a little cheek, despite the anger The Light was exuding.
"Yes," He said. "This is the unfortunate problem of your Darkness it that it prevents my future vision from divining correct, as well as preventing me from changing any fate involving you."
Rose had to breathe a sigh of relief as she drew two more cards, knowing her power was affecting his as much as hers was great.
"Don't think it will make things easier for you," The Light said playing another card. "'Sowing of the Fool' now every turn I can target an Arcana monster and if 'Sowing' lands upside down you will have to send 1 card from the top of your Deck to the Graveyard for each multiple of 300 ATK the monster has, and I'll target 'The Emperor'."
"I hate mill decks," Rose whispered shaking as she watched the card rotate before finally landing upside down.
"So with 1900, that will be 6 cards," The Light snarked as Rose was forced to discard her cards. "Now I sacrifice 'The Fool' to summon 'Arcana Force-XII The Hangman (2200/2200) (2700/2200)," He declared sacrificing 'The Fool' for a large tree that had a smaller monster hanging off it. "You know what to do."
"Stop!" Rose yelled, stopping the card right side up.
The Light glared it's one eye. "Now once per turn during the end phase I have to destroy a monster and take damage equal to its ATK," He explained. "Either way I can still attack, 'Hangman' attack 'Woodsman' with Hanging Grasp."
The smaller creature suddenly extended out and grabbed 'Woodsman' in its clutches, crushing him to bits. "And now 'The Emperor' will destroy 'Sparkman'." (Rose LP: 8000-7700). "Now I set a card and end my turn, and I'll discard 'Arcana Force-II The High Priestess' to negate 'The Hangman' effect for one turn."
Rose grit her teeth as she drew her card. "I use 'E-Emergency Call' to add an 'Elemental Hero' to my hand, now I'll summon 'Elemental Hero Solid Soldier' (1300/1100) and using his effect I'll summon 'Elemental Hero Shadow Mist' (1000/1500) and now I get a 'Change' card, which I will use on 'Solid Soldier' to summon 'Masked Hero Dian' (2800/3000)!" She yelled as her hero appeared on the field in a diamond shower. "Now I can use 'Solid Soldier's' effect to summon 'Woodsman' (1000/2000) again in defense mode!" Dian attack 'Emperor' with Crisis Crusade!" 'Dian' quickly teleported to The Light's side of the field and stabbed him in the chest (The Light LP: 7700-6800) (Hangman ATK 2700-2200). "Now I can summon a level 4 or lower 'Hero' from my deck, so come out 'Elemental Hero Lady Heat' (1300/1000). "Now I'll end my turn, allowing 'Lady Heat' to burn you for 600 damage (The Light LP: 6800-6200).
"You're little hits are nothing," The Light chuckled as 'Sowing of the Fool' started spinning again. "Let's see if your luck will hold," He said as the card stopped, upside down. "That will be 7 cards," He laughed as Rose's deck got thinner. "Now 'Hangman' attack 'Shadow Mist'!" (Rose LP: 7700-6500). "I'll end this by playing two cards face down and summoning 'Arcana Force-VI The Lovers' (1600/1600)."
"Stop," Rose said, and then smiled when it landed upside down. "Oops the bad effect," She laughed.
"Not quite, I activate 'Reversal of Fate' This switches all 'Arcana Force' effects on the field."
"What that means," Rose said in fear as 'Hangmans' effect switched too.
"I can destroy one of your monsters and you take damage equal to its ATK, say goodbye to 'Dian'," He said as 'Dian' was crushed in 'Hangman's' grip (Rose LP: 6500-3500).
Rose was shaking in fear as she drew her next card, this was going bad and at this rate she was done for, she just needed the right card, and she hoped this would be the one. "I play 'Reinforcements of the Army' to add a warrior to my hand, I also get a 'Polymerization' from 'Woodsman' Now I'll fuse 'Woodsman' and 'Lady Heat' to summon 'Elemental Hero Nova Master' (2600/2100)!" She yelled as the fire wielding hero appeared on the field. "Then he'll destroy your Hangman with Burning Brand!" She yelled as 'Nova Master' tore the tree in two with a fire powered punch (The Light LP: 6200-5800). "Now I get to draw a card, and I'll set two and end my turn."
"You'll never win," The Light said drawing his next card as 'Sowing' activated, this time landing on the reverse so he had to discard 5 cards. "I use 'The Lovers' effect to summon 'Arcana Force-XVIII The Moon (2800/2800)." He said as a large robotic suit with an alien inside it's chest appeared on the field.
"Stop!" Rose yelled as it landed right side up.
"Now I get a 'Moon Token' every standby phase, and I'll send 'The Moon' to attack your 'Nova Master'," He ordered as 'The Moon' attacked with a blast of acidic goop, melting Rose's monster (Rose LP: 3500-3300). "Now I end my turn."
"Before that!" Rose suddenly yelled. "I activate 'Hero Blast' and 'Call of the Haunted'!" She smirked. "To bring back 'Sparkman' (1600/1400) and add 'Clayman' (800/2000) to my hand, and now I draw," She said then smiled wider. "I play, 'Double Summon' to normal summon twice this turn, so come out 'Avian' (1000/1000) and 'Burstinatrix' (1200/800) and I'll play H-Heated Heart to give 'Avian' an extra 500 attack (1000-15000/1000)," Rose sighed as she looked over the field. "Alright," She said hardening herself. "I play 'HERO Flash!' now by removing the 'H-E-R-O' cards from play, thank you 'Sowing' for getting me the R, I can summon another normal hero like say 'Clayman' (800/2000) and all normal 'Heroes' can attack you directly!" She said as her Heroes started glowing. "Go Sure-Kill Hero Flash!" She ordered as all her heroes flew into The Light to land a 4-way punch (The Light LP: 5800-700). "Now I set a card and end my turn," She said, smirking.
"And now I'll end this duel," He said as 'Sowing' activated, forcing him to send 5 cards, and a 'Moon Token' was summoned. "I use 'Monster Reborn' to summon back 'The Lovers' (1600/1600)
"Stop," Rose ordered, landing it right side up.
"Now I send 'The Lovers' to the graveyard to summon 'Arcana Force XXI- The World (3100/3100)."
Rose gasped as she watched the one eyed mechanical beast appeared on the field, unknowingly calling stop she was so scared, landing it right side up.
"Now the fun ends, but first, 'The World' attack 'Clayman' OVER-CATASTROPHE!" He yelled as 'Clayman was about to be evaporated in a blast of orange light.
"Go 'Elemental Recharge'!" Rose screamed as the light hit her monster (Rose LP: 3300-7300- 5000). "Ha! didn't see that coming!" She laughed.
The Light said nothing as he sent both 'The Moon' and 'Moon Token' to activate 'The World's' effect, causing the duel to pause in a flash of reverse color, dubstep sounds, and reversing clocks. "Saw it coming," He joked drawing his next card when Rose realized what had just happened. "Over-Catastrophe 'Avian'," he ordered (Rose LP: 5000-3100).
Rose held her breath as she drew her next card, then sighed as a soft cooing sound filled her head. "Hey buddy," Rose sighed as she looked at her 'Winged Kuriboh' now floating around her. "We're in quite the situation."
"You can do it," He said back nuzzling her head. "Everyone believes in you, show him why you're the Black Knight's leader!"
Rose smiled at that pep talk and looked at her hand. "I'll set everyone to defense mode, set a monster, and play 'Pot of Greed' to draw two cards," She said drawing them and setting one. "I end my turn," She said with a sigh.
"I saw your future," The Light said drawing his card. "You're only delaying the inevitable, I summon 'The Empress' (1300/1300)." (Right side up). "And I attack your 'Sparkman' and 'Burstinatrix'."
Rose's sigh turned into a smirk.
"'Transcendent Wings'!" Rose yelled activating her facedown. "I discard two cards and now I can summon 'Winged Kuriboh LV10' (300/200)!"
"NO!" The Light screamed as 'Winged Kuriboh' transformed into a shower of light and feathers. "THIS IS NOT WHAT THE FUTURE FORETOLD!"
"You won't hurt her anymore!" Winged Kuriboh yelled as he unfurled his massive feathered wings. "Go away!" He yelled blocking 'The World's' attack, sending it back at them in a giant explosion.
"I make my own future!" Rose yelled as the battlefield was consumed in orange light. "Now go back to the void!"
The white room shattered and Rose was left standing alone in the room surrounded by her passed out friends.
…
The Dark Priestess woke up first, as if from a long nap. When she realized what had happened, she whipped out a few tendrils and scanned the area, looking for any threats.
"Yuko you can put it away," Rose said calmly from Sartorius's chair.
"Very well." She said, still in the persona, and dissipated then. "So what happens now?"
"Yuko," Rose sighed. "Can you chill with the acting?" She asked taking her glasses off to rub her face. "Its….its been a long day," She muttered.
She took off her mask. "Ok. But seriously, what happens now?"
Rose sighed. "I think we won," She said standing up.
"We won?" Tyranno asked waking up.
Slowly, other knights started waking up, leading to a cacophony of groaning and questions.
"What happened?" Camula asked.
"I feel like every bone in my body's broken." Syrus groaned.
"Where's hubby?" Tania asked looking around.
"The nightmares over?" Sartorius asked happily.
"Alright Alright!" Rose yelled over everyone. "Yes we won the wars almost-," She tried to finish.
"VICTORY SCREECH!" Someone yelled from the crowd.
The warbling cry of the knights made Rose sigh then smile as Tyranno threw her on his shoulder with a smile. "Let's go back to the dorm and party!" He yelled.
"Woohoo!" They yelled going as a massive mob back, Rose finally gave up trying to be serious for now and with a deep breath, started singing. "Almost Heaven! West Virginia!" She sang, and the rest joined.
….
"So umm," Sartorius said awkwardly from a chair in the common room. "Where are the rest of the people you ummm..."
"Kidnapped?" Rose asked. "Oh yeah they're over there," She said pointing at another door. Sartorius gulped and slowly opened the door, revealing Chazz, Lorenzo, Bob Banter, and the rest all dressed in casual clothing watching Bob Ross tapes.
"And now we're gonna add just a touch, just a touch of cadmium yellow," Bob Ross said softly, and the rest followed.
"Umm," Sartorius said.
"Operation: Happy Little Trees," Rose smiled.
"Oh hey Rose!" Bob Banter said smiling. "Look at my new painting!"
"Looks good buddy," Rose chuckled.
Sartorius turned to Yuko. "What is this?"
"This is penance." Yuko said. "We've done ungodly, destructive things to these people. This is our apology."
"Yuko, english please!" Rose yelled from where she had been dragged by the rest of the knights.
"It's our way of fixing our mistakes." Yuko amended.
Sartorius, blinked in confusion. "-But, but how does Bob Ross fix them?" He asked.
"He has a way of melting tension and troubles away. I don't know how it works, but it does." Yuko said.
Sartorius, decided it wasn't worth arguing with the people who saved his ass, sat down and proceeded to call his sister to tell her the good news.
…..
From the opposite side of the lake, small bubbles emerged on the surface. They soon became larger, and Aster burst out of the lake and clamored onto the shoreline. He had a long but thin cut going all the way up his forearm and he was a bit oxygen deprived, but very much alive.
"That was probably the worst decision I've ever made." He gasped, just lying on the shoreline until he caught his breath. He noticed the dead, eerie silence. "Where is everyone?"