Hey everyone! Hello again.
It is June, and this is my favorite time of the year. It means I'm just about past the worst of allergy season, but it hasn't become so swelteringly hot that I need the air conditioner running nonstop. If not for the horrible smog from the Canadian wildfires over last weekend, the weather around here would be perfect.
It probably also means I'm going to be the one roped into hosing down and scrubbing the patio before my folks have their barbecue on Independence Day, like I've done the past eight summers, but hey, nobody said Independence was easily won.
So, until then, on with the show!
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Shadowchasers
Blue Blood
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Chapter Eleven
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Reconsideration
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Dolores was in a bad situation, nobody would deny that.
(Dolores: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (Saulie: 2,800)
Obviously, she was ahead on points, but the scores might not matter at all in literally one turn. Due to Saulie's "aggro-mill" strategy with her Iron Chains - plus Dolores' own self-milling via her Infernoids - her deck was now down to a single card. If she had none to draw, she would lose, a rule for card games that predated Duel Monsters which even amateur players knew.
"Heh, one card left," said Saulie.
Dolores looked at her coldly and said, "Are you done?"
"Pretty confident there, ain't ya? Hmm, you know, if I was some typical cartoon villain with no sense of foresight, this is where I'd gloat and say something I'd probably regret later, but…" She took two of her cards from her discard slot - Iron Chain Enchantress and Iron Chain Repairman - and pocketed them. "...to be safe, I'll use the effect of my Iron Chain Penitentiary, which I can do because I used an Iron Chain's effect to send at least one of your cards from your deck to the Graveyard."
The concrete and iron walls of the Penitentiary started to rise again, the sudden return of the Field Spell fueling Iron Chain Taskmaster, bringing his Attack Score up to a potent 4,100.
"Since the only monster I have in play right now is an Iron Chain, ah can also Special Summon Iron Chain Gremlin in Defense Mode."
Again, this new monster resembled its nomenclature in only basic outline. I looked like someone had taken a bunch of old iron bars and then bent them and soldered them together into a shape that vaguely resembled a gargoyle. (1,300 DEF)
"Having done so, I get to draw two cards, so long as I discard one."
She drew the cards and gave them a look, one of them being Cemetery Bomb - not very useful now. She discarded that one, and fit the other into her Spell Zone. "I'll set one more card, and then it's your move. Make it count."
Dolores reached for the final card in her Duel Disk's deck holder…
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It was one PM. Hank and Francis seemed to be running late, but the four lady Shadowchasers were at their unofficial meeting table at the bustling Coy Nixie, where they would be easy to spot.
Unfortunately, Nichole's relating of what Kandy had told her didn't seem to mean anything to Red Feather, Maddie, or Sonya, but when Maddie told her what the hamadryad had told them, Nichole responded with a "Hmm…"
"Hmm?" asked Sonya. "Is that a good Hmm or a bad Hmm?"
"Not sure… He tried three times to get twilight bloom from her, meaning he must have had a hard time finding it via legitimate channels, but he did manage to get it eventually…"
"From the black market?" said Sonya with a shrug.
"But why did he not go there first?" asked Red.
"Cost, Red," said Maddie. "When you sell contraband, they charge a lot more, and they charge extra for discretion."
Nichole rubbed her chin. "If Mulgo's Pocket is goblin jargon for a place you'd find things you didn't expect -"
Then her train of thought was interrupted by Sonya shouting, "YO, Hank! Francis! Over here!"
"Afternoon, ladies," said Hank.
"So," said Maddie, "any news?"
Francis turned one of the chairs backwards, leaning forward on the back part as he sat down. "Well, yes and no," he started. "First of all, the restaurant was about twenty minutes from opening when we got there, but we were able to ask a few questions of the Matre'd, the manager, and a few of the waitresses. They all gave a variation of the same story, Stronk is a hard person to work with and an even harder person to like, but as far as they know he's legit."
"Dang," said Nichole.
Francis wasn't finished. "His businesspartner who owns 40% of the place, now he is another story. They said -"
And then, he was interrupted too. Nichole's Duel Disk started to buzz.
"SAL?" She looked at the incoming number. "Francis, hold that thought." Hitting the receive switch, she quickly said, "SAL, that you?"
"The one and only. Good news and bad news, folks, turned out Karl's code was the second option there, but he managed to nab the perp. The bad news is, he thinks he knows what your perp is. You've got a Suel lich on your hands."
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"Well, Sugar? Don't keep us waiting, did you get the card you need to turn this around?"
"Truthfully… No."
"Heh, well then, I guess you…"
"But it will summon a monster that will help. First, I'll set these two cards, and then I'll banish this Infernoid and these two -" She placed the card she had drawn and two others from her hand in her satchel. "- and then summon the Prince of Lust… Infernoid Aesmadaeuua!" She placed the card on the Monster Zone of her Disk, widthwise, and added, "Don't ask me to spell it."
Dust clouds and tremors preceded the appearance of this Inferoid as it slowly rose from the ground below. After a good thirty seconds, it appeared in full, and would have stood about twenty feet tall had it not been sitting cross legged. It was bulky and obese (as much as a robot could be called "obese"), had a long tail as thick as a tree trunk with a barb on the end, and three horrible heads. The left head was long and horse-shaped with a nasty grin, like that of Infernoid Seitesmas, the right one similar but without the smile, and curved ram-like horns. The central head was human-shaped, but had no features at all on the front; no eyes, nose, or mouth. It did have jagged, upward-pointing spires on its head, like a crude sort of crown. The whole thing was made of iron, bronze, and gold. It crossed its thick, muscular arms over its chest and its four eyes flashed briefly as it looked down at Saulie. (1,000 DEF)
"Prince of Lust?" asked Saulie. "That certainly wouldn't turn me on." There was a lot of laughter from the other Orbs at this remark, and she added, "What exactly is that supposed to do other than sit there?"
"Like I said, Aesmadaeuua is only a means to the solution. This is the actual solution." She took the set card she had set last turn and flipped it over. "Localized Tornado!"
As the Trap activated, there was an eerie rumbling of thunder as wind started to slowly pick up, then grow strong, and stronger… "What's happening?" shouted Porgy.
"I'll field that one," said Jalal. "Localized Tornado is a very common but rarely used card, its effect sending every card in her hand and Graveyard back to her deck."
The winds turned from strong to fierce, and a tornado funnel cloud manifested. Dolores held her left hand out, and as the funnel grew, the cards from her Disk's discard pile flew out and were consumed by the fierce storm. After a few minutes, the winds died down, and her deck - which had grown in size from one to 24 over the course of one turn - reappeared on her Duel Disk.
"...in other words, this duel is not over yet."
Saulie was beside herself with anger. "No fair!" she shouted.
"What do you mean no fair?" asked Dolores. "I found that Trap in the card store's discount bin, and given how my deck works, it was the best $1.75 I've ever spent. I call it being pragmatic, Saulie."
"Fine, fine!" shouted Saulie, "a lot of good it will do you, with that…" She looked up at Dolores' monster. "What did you call that again?"
"Infernoid Aesmadaeuua, and here's where both its effects come into play. You may remember I banished three Infernoids to summon it; I could have done so by banishing only one, and the number I banished is the key to both of its effects. First off, when at least five cards are moved from my Graveyard by one effect, like I just did with Localized Tornado, I get to draw once for each of those banished cards." She grunted a little, the Field Spell causing her to lose 900 Life Points, but drew the three cards, gave them a look, and then continued. "Then, I get to banish one Spell or Trap in either Graveyard for each of those banished Infernoids." Again, her score went down by 900, and Localized Tornado, Contingency Fee, and Cemetery Bomb all appeared in enlarged size and laser beams flashed from the Fiend's eyes again, turning them to ash.
(Dolores: 3,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Saulie: 2,800)
"For each of those cards, Aesmadaeuua gains 1,000 Defense Points." (4,000 DEF)
"Big deal, my monster is -"
"- not strong enough to beat this card's Defense, seeing as with no monsters in my Graveyard, it loses the bonus from your Field Spell." (2,400 ATK) "Plus, seeing as I have no cards at all there, and at least four of my cards are banished, I can use this card"
She then activated one of the cards she had just set. "Chaos Greed. So, I draw twice."
Now with a hand of five to work with, Dolores looked Saulie in the eye, set two more cards, and said, "End."
Jalal sat up straighter, feeling his strength start to return. Saulie had assumed he didn't know about the energy-sapping qualities of Carcerian steel - she was wrong. She had, however, been right about one thing, chains made from this stuff could indeed have held his father, he remembered how one group of would-be thieves attempting to loot his vaults had attempted exactly that. Of course, being able to hold someone with restraints was one thing, how long they could do so was another story.
His train of thought was cut off by the sound of a large crunching noise. Turning his head, he saw that Ernie was munching on a large-sized Butterfinger.
Porgy noticed it too. "I was wondering what happened to that," he growled.
"Oh, this was yours?" asked Ernie. "I'm sorry, here -"
"Ugh, I don't want it now!"
Jalal smiled inwardly. It seemed Saulie's henchmen were paying more attention to the duel than to him. This might not be as difficult as it seemed.
Saulie, however, barely noticed it as she made her draw to start her turn. She was starting to look a lot less confident now, and she felt even less confident. Her two cards were two Continuous Spells, neither of which was very useful now. Iron Chain Gremlin was a Tuner, but it was Level 5 and thus not much help.
Her Trap Card opened - this was going to be a risk and she knew it, but she hadn't exactly played it safe up to now.
"Reckless Greed. At the cost of my next two Draw Phases, I draw twice now…" She made the draws, and then grinned from ear to ear. "Got it! The Spell Card, Synchro Downshift!"
Why that card? thought Jalal. It lets her sacrifice her Synchro Monster for another that's two Levels lower… Which likely means…
His hunch was right. Iron Chain Taskmaster crumbled into pixels, and a new monster appeared that looked just as big and just as terrifying. A Dragon with a thick, bulky torso, an armored carapace, no limbs other than its wings, which were long with papery membranes, and chains wrapped around its wing-shoulders. (2,500 ATK)
Iron Chain Dragon… Jalal was straining and sweating in his attempt to wriggle free of the bonds, but he was more than capable of paying close attention to the duel. But even if she used its effect to banish all of the Iron Chains to use its effect, it wouldn't be enough.
He twinged a little, dislocating his left shoulder and freeing his left arm. It was excruciating, but he had long ago conditioned himself to pain. Important thing was, the Orbs had not noticed yet.
It was indeed ironic that the All-Seeing Orbs weren't the most attentive of minions.
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The Suel. Now those folks were bad news, although in most cases, the Shadowchasers could only assume such.
Nobody knew their origins, but they had been a vast nebulous organization of dark sorcerers, most of them human, with ties to Shadowkind. Even Rayearth grudgingly admitted that the arcane power of a Suel wizard was the equal of the typical Incantifer. Thousands of years ago, they ruled a dark empire, but exactly where this nation was located has never been confirmed. Few modern governments who knew about them were eager to claim such despots as one of their own. It is known that the Suel were a strict magocracy, where only those with expertise in wizardry were permitted to have government positions, though the Suel Empire seemed to be very much an oligarchy as well.
Their goals were simple if not widespread: total domination of everything. They not only wanted to conquer the world, but any other worlds they discovered and bend the entire concept of magic to their will and make themselves the sole masters of it. Legends state the most megalomaniacal Suel wanted to conquer Hell and Heaven, giving themselves true dominion over all reality.
Lunacy, of course. If they had one weakness, it was their lack of restraint and inability to realize when they had gone too far. This led to one of their experiments creating the Rain of Colorless Fire; nobody knows how, nobody knows why, but it resulted in a cataclysm that eradicated them and their evil creations forever.
At least, that's how the story goes.
"SAL, wait, if that was a lich, then."
"I don't mean a regular lich, Francis. Even a Suel wizard who becomes a lich - and there were obviously many - does not necessarily qualify as a Suel lich."
"How is that -"
"Ever hear of Swedish meatballs, Maddie? If a chef in Sweden fries up ground beef and breadcrumbs, those are meatballs, but it doesn't make them Swedish meatballs. Now, uh… This is going to take a while to explain, do you folks have any place to go?"
"Not for a while. So, spill it."
"Okay then, first a bit of an explanation here, my apologies in advance if I start to ramble.
"Now, most people see the common depiction of a lich, an undead wizard who has become a rotting, mummified, or skeletal corpse, not a pleasant sight (or a pleasant smell, I'd assume) but still a solid and tangible creature. This is, in fact, a farce. This physical body is a vessel, a tool the lich uses to interact with the mortal world.
"Some background here on how a wizard becomes a lich. It is believed that the exact procedure varies depending on who is using it, but this is what was uncovered in a spellbook that was owned by a certain Rupert Grumby."
"Rupert Grumby?" Maddie almost laughed. "Not exactly the best name for a sorcerous overlord."
"Hey, at least it's a better name than 'Hupert Dumptree'."
"WAIT, what?" Francis seemed very surprised to hear that name. "Who did -"
"AHEM, I'm talking here, people!"
"Uhm, hold that thought again, Francis," said Nichole. "Go on, SAL."
"THANK you. First, before our theoretical would-be lich starts the procedure, he has to make arrangements with whoever he has to make the arrangements with, usually that all involves human sacrifices, ritual magic, signing a contract in blood, all that stuff. That's how he learns what else to do. At that point he (or she, as the case may be) called a beneficiary.
"Then the beneficiary has to construct the phylactery the item that will contain his soul should the process be successful. This could be an amulet, a ring, a gold-plated skull with the teeth replaced for gems, something you'd need to be as rich as Howard Hughes to make and as eccentric as Hughes to display openly. Usually always has eldritch runes of dark magic scribed onto it. This phylactery is needed for the rest of the process.
"Then comes the hardest part, or rather the most dangerous part, the potion, a concoction of incredible evil and toxicity. The one Mr. Grumby used consisted of… Ugh, this isn't the sort of stuff you'd buy at a Walmart, I'll say that much. It needs arsenic, belladonna, and cyanide, all of the purest distillates. Then blood. Blood from a vampire that is still undead, blood from a unicorn foal that was killed by the poison of a wyvern, and blood from a gryphon hatchling killed by the poison of a phase spider. Plus, a quart of venom each from the same wyvern and phase spider. The concoction also requires the heart of a sapient humanoid being. Removal of the heart must be the action that resulted in said being's death, done 30 days after the being was poisoned by the venom of the gympie-gympie plant. The heart must be soaked in desecrated holy water for another 30 days, and then the previous ingredients added."
Sonya pushed away the basket of potato wedges in front of her. Suddenly she didn't feel like eating.
"In case you haven't gotten the hint yet, you'd have to be an Emperor Palpatine type of evil to make this stuff."
"Sal, can you get to the point?"
"I'm getting there! Like I said, the potion is the most dangerous part of this little process because if the beneficiary makes even one of the smallest mistakes, he's not only dead, he is soul dead. As in, his soul perishes with his body eradicating him from existence, leaving nothing but an empty shell. We believe this is exactly what happened to Mr. Grumby.
"But, if it works, he doesn't become a lich right away. He becomes what is referred to as a proto-lich. What that means is, when his physical body dies, his soul travels to the phylactery and is trapped inside it. At that point the proto lich becomes an honest-to-goodness garden variety lich. But like I said, he's an incorporeal ghost. His intangible form is much like any immaterial undead, spiritual matter mixed with ectoplasm. Kind of like mixing chocolate into milk, but with necromancy."
"Well, that's, uhm, original."
"Thank you. A lich thus cannot influence the world in any way unless he takes control of a dead or undead corpse. When he does that the lich is basically using the corpse like a puppet, and should the corpse be destroyed, he can just retreat to the phylactery and use another one. That's why a lich is so hard to destroy. As you have probably guessed by now, most of the time a proto-lich just commits suicide and then uses its own body to save time.
"A Suel lich… they are… different…"
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"The Synchro Monster ah'm going to summon this time," continued Saulie, is Level 9, and ah'd normally have to use three monsters to Tune it. And yes, ah know, ah only have two and they aren't the right Levels, but…" Iron Chain Gremlin chattered, and then leapt upon Iron Chain Dragon's back as it started to spread its wings. "With this Synchro, ah can use Iron Chain Dragon an' any Level of Tuner, so long as it's an Iron Chain. So, ah'll Tune my Level 5 Iron Chain Gremlin an' my Level 6 Iron Chain Dragon…"
"Behold the Iron Chain SUPERMAX Dragon!"
Dolores had at first expected simply a bigger version of Iron Chain Dragon, but the assumption was debunked very quickly. This evolved form seemed to combine features of a golem, robot, and organic life all in one unholy union. It's muscular torso was set upon a long, serpentine tail in place of legs. It had two muscular human-like arms; the left one had a huge spiked mace in place of the hand, and the right one held a long single bladed machete. Its head was that of Iron Chain Dragon with longer, more pronounced antlers. It's entire body, including the weapons were covered with odd spheres and lines of circuitry formed into eldritch runes, all of which glowed and flickered with orange light with a buzzing sound that seemed like the noise from a fluorescent lamp, only louder and more annoying. (3,000 ATK)
"Afraid it's only going to get worse from here, Dolores. Remember my Taskmaster? All I gotta do is get rid of two more of my Iron Chains -" She took Iron Chain Snake and Iron Chain Forge from her Disk and pocketed them, causing the huge torturer to reemerge for below with a mighty bellow. "- and he's baaack!" (2,400 ATK)
"He can't use his effect, but it seems I gotta end this the old-fashioned way regardless. Next, my Iron chain SUPERMAX Dragon has two effects, both of which I can use once. First of all, bring back two, count them, two of my banished monsters."
She snapped her fingers and the circuitry on SUPERMAX Dragon's body changed color from red to green while glowing more intently; Iron Chain Repairman appeared to its left and Iron Maiden Enchantress to its right. (1,600 ATK, 1,500 ATK)
"Second, ah get to look at your Extra Deck and banish one'a the cards, so let's see what ya got."
Of course, asking was a mere formality. The circuitry on SUPERMAX Dragon changed color again, to purple, and the cards from Dolores's Extra Debt appeared in enlarged versions with the front sides turned towards Saulie. She looked them over - Sanwitch, Gagagigo the Risen, three copies of a level 4 Fusion Monster she didn't recognize, and a…
"That's the one!" She explained, pointing to the Level 11 Fusion monster. SUPERMAX Dragon glanced at the card and burning beams of violet energy blasted it to ashes. "And with that move, SUPERMAX Dragon gains 100 points for each Level of that monster!" (4100 ATK)
"Ah'm gonna finish you off right here! SUPERMAX Dragon, that one is yours."
The glowing orbs and runes on the huge Synchro turned red again, blood red. It made one mighty diagonal cut of that huge blade through Infernoid Aesmadaeuua, causing a long, red glowing scar. Cracks of the same hue spread all over the huge Fiend, and it fell apart with a loud clatter into a cloud of dust and pile of broken metal.
"Don't forget, my Field Spell gives Iron Chains 100 points for each monster in your Graveyard.
(Iron Chain Repairman: 1,700 ATK, Iron Chain Taskmaster: 2,500 ATK, Iron Chain SUPERMAX Dragon: 4,200 ATK)
"So, Taskmaster an' Repairman both get 100 more points, and ah'm usin' em! Hammer time!"
A Quickplay Spell on Dolores' side lifted. "I activate Hyper Refresh! Because my Life Points are less than the total Attack Score of your monsters, and I have no monsters, my Life Points are doubled!"
Unfortunately, her proud boast was short-lived, as the brute's hammer slammed down upon her. It was followed by Enchantress coiling her tail and propelling herself at Dolores, striking hard on the way down with her kanabō.
(Dolores: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (Saulie: 2,800)
"Ooh, so close! Iron Chain Taskmaster lifted its flail and spun it around and around over its head, its eyes fixed on Dolores…
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Ectoplasm, huh? thought Nichole.
The mention of that word had caused her to remember something; but SAL continued her explanation, her tone becoming less frivolous and more serious.
"A Suel lich uses a different process that was developed by the most powerful of the Suel Imperium, which is assumed to have been lost in the Rain of Colorless Fire. A Suel lich is also an intangible phantom, but rather than being composed of spiritual energy and ectoplasm, it is spirit and… darkness. Not regular darkness, deeper darkness, a substance like… pure, concentrated evil."
Now Nichole knew what she had been reminded of the first time. She discreetly picked up her duffel bag (which she always kept by her feet when she took it into a restaurant) where she had stashed the grimoire.
"This alternate method of lichdom still uses a potion, but there is no phylactery. The biggest advantage to this is, when a Suel lich's current body is destroyed, it is not limited to a corpse, it can steal a living creature's body."
"Yes, demonic possession, we already figured that out."
"Actually, Maddie, this is called malevolence, which is even worse than regular possession. You see, with malevolence, uhm… Okay, let's say a human body is a car, and the soul is the car's driver. Then let's say the possessing entity is a carjacker. In the case of a typical demon or evil spirit, the carjacker would force his way into the car and knock the driver unconscious, throw the victim in the back seat, and then take the wheel. The car's owner thus has no idea what the carjacker is doing, nor would they know what had happened should they ever recover.
"The malevolence of the Suel lich works very differently. In this case, the carjacker would tie up and gag the driver, shove the victim into the passenger's seat, and then take the wheel. The victim is conscious the whole time, can still see, hear, smell, taste, and otherwise experience everything that is happening, but utterly helpless to do anything."
"Poor Melissa," said Nichole.
"Oh, it's going to get much worse for her, Nichole. Even if the Suel lich is somehow purged or convinced to release the victim, most victims are traumatized and rendered insane by the experience. The Suel lich literally feeds on anguish, fear and despair of every mortal it torments and kills, the possessed victim being the primary source. This… unique arrangement gives it arcane power even stronger than that of the typical lich… For a while…"
"You mean…"
"Yes, eventually the victim's soul is consumed entirely. The same 'soul death' I mentioned before. Erased from existence. Once that happens, the Suel lich is pretty much the same as an ordinary lich, until it gains a new body and, well, you get the idea."
There was dead silence for a few seconds, and then Hank said, "It offered to wager Melissa's body in a duel. I have a feeling winning would have the same result as losing." Then he thought of something."SAL, what would happen to a Suel lich if there wasn't a body available? Like say, if its body was destroyed by, say, a golem, and it happened in the middle of nowhere?"
"Well, it would be completely powerless until it could find one, meaning it would, how do we say this… dissipate over the course of a week or two. No doubt a painful, terrifying and likely humiliating end for such a demon, but also deserving."
"Hank, we're in the middle of a city," said Maddie, "even at midnight there'd be plenty of 'available' bodies, and I think you know how Duel Monsters tends to draw a crowd."
"And it knows that. Don't forget everyone, these beings have been around since the actual Suel empire, they know their weaknesses. The problem is, the usual method of destroying a lich is to cut off its escape route, which means destroying its phylactery and then destroying its current vessel, or destroying the phylactery while it is still inside it. But like I said, no phylactery. Many would-be lich-hunters have died trying to find a phylactery, not knowing they were up against a Suel lich."
"Is there any way to fight this thing?"
"Well sure there is. They aren't invincible. Although usually defeating one requires sealing it in some magical prison or banishing it to some closed off demiplane. Usually that means a ritual of some sort, numerous incantations…"
"...in other words, we'd need access to magic we don't have," said Sonya, "swell."
"Maybe, maybe not," said Nichole.
Everyone turned to her, noticing she was carefully reading one of the entries in the grimoire. "Might have an idea here, not sure if but it's well within the realm of possibility."
"Afraid that's all I know folks," said SAL. "If anyone here comes up with anything else, we'll call. So… good luck." Right before the call ended, she said something else that may have been "You're going to need it."
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"What the devil are you made of?"
(Dolores: 2,900) - - - - - - - - - - (Saulie: 2,800)
Taskmaster's flail had crashed into Dolores, knocking her backwards with impact so brutal that Saulie's henchmen looked frightened, but to their complete shock, Dolores was able to pull herself to her feet, still in the game. She nodded to her activated Trap Card, Nutrient Z, which had increased her Life Points by 4,000 an instant before the lethal blow would have hit.
Saulie looked gobsmacked for a few seconds, and then… "Heh… heh-heh… HAHAHAHA! Oh, you are one tough cookie, ya know that?"
Truthfully, she did. Dolores had conditioned herself all her life to be tough, physically and mentally, a story for another time. But she did have limits. She was sore and bruised and wasn't sure how much longer her luck would hold out.
"Well, this seems to be running long," said Saulie, "so I'm playing these two cards. The Continuous Spell Cards, Lockdown, and Security Breach!"
Using the two cards caused the Iron Chain Penitentiary to take on an ominous, sinister air, the sky turning dark with crimson clouds, and odd, red-violet wisps to start emitting from the ground. It didn't take a genius to see that these cards were about to change the situation substantially.
"With the Lockdown in effect, you won't be able to summon anything from your Graveyard or banish them from there. And just in case you're thinking of usin' a Mystical Space Typhoon or anything like that on it, forget it, it can't be destroyed so long as I have those two on the field." She paused, pointing to her two Synchro Monsters.
"Security Breach, on the other hand, lets me name a Type of monster, an' the effects and attacks of those monsters ain't gonna work onIron Chains and Iron Maidens.
"So, ah'll end my turn. So now what?"
Dolores was sweating heavily. She made one draw…
"Huh… How about that… I summon… Necroface."
Playing the card caused another rather… unpleasant monster to appear. A disembodied and decaying head of an infant with a festering tumor covering the left eye and much of the left part of its face, plus six ugly tendrils. (1,200 ATK)
"Eeww!"
"Yeah, I know, not nice to look at, and this is clearly not an Infernoid, so my Void Purification is destroyed." The Continuous Spell Card crumbled into black motes. "Worth it though, as this effect sends every banished monster back to our decks. It costs me 300 Life Points due to your Field Spell, but Necroface gains 100 for every banished monster returned to our decks."
"Uh, I kind of lost count," said Duke. "How many -"
"Sixteen. Twelve from Dolores' three from Saulie.
"Oh, uh, thank… you?"
Jalal had slipped out of his bonds. Unfortunately, this revelation came to Duke only a few seconds before the leader of the Shadowchasers slugged him in the jaw.
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"So, does anyone have any ideas?" asked Maddie.
"Well, I believe the first thing we must do," started Red Feather, "is decide who will be the one to actually duel this fiend."
Hank bowed his head and lifted his hand. "That would be me."
"Are you sure?"
Hank looked up and smirked. "Hey, my line of work, I've been in old, abandoned temples and cursed tombs quite a lot, I've dealt with an ancient evil or two in my day."
"Then all we have to do is -"
"Uhm, excuse me, how long do I have to hold these two thoughts? I only have two hands here."
Of course, they had almost entirely forgotten what Francis had been trying to tell them. Apologies followed, and he started to relate what he and Hank had found out in their impromptu discussions with the staff at the restaurant. While all of them didn't like Stronk much, they trusted him, but the same could not be said for Stronk's business partner and accountant.
He wasn't allowed to enter the restaurant during business hours, despite owning 40% of it, due to some lewd behavior towards female customers and employees. He'd also been caught stealing profits more than once. And of course, his disgustingly smelly cigars that he never seemed to be without.
His name? Hupert Dumptree. That was why he recognized the name. It seems they had found a smoking gun.
"Sexual abuse? Embezzling? And Stronk never thought to have him arrested?"
"I asked them that, Stronk always insisted on disciplining Dumptree on his own, and we can only guess how. But if accessory to kidnapping and murder are on the list, it's obvious it wasn't sufficient. Someone told me he'd probably be at the Devil's Horns this evening. The place doesn't open until six, because it's, uhm, it's one of those places where you need an ID to enter, if you know what I mean."
"Heh, in that case, I'll go with you for that, I know how to deal with perps in that sort of place." As she had been listening, Nichole had been quickly writing something down in a notebook. "In the meantime, we need to try to find this."
She pushed the list of ingredients she had jotted down towards Red Feather, who took the paper and looked over it. There were a few mundane items that could be easily found or purchased, but…
"Toadshade, Hyancinth Nectar, Mortflesh Powder, Silvermint… Voidroot?" This was one of the very rare times Red had raised her voice. "Nichole, this is all… unorthodox."
"I know, Red, I know, it won't be easy, but this is the only chance we have." She looked at her watch. Two o'clock. This was going to be the longest ten hours of their lives…
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There was pandemonium in the underground fighting club as the All-Seeing Orbs (a grandiose name for about twenty thugs who had failed to keep their eyes on one captive) converged on Jalal Stormbringer, or at least tried to.
Porgy and Ernie of course, were closest to him, the first swinging a crowbar at the half dragon, only for him to catch it in mid-air and wrench it away from him, kicking him in the stomach in the process and then clubbing Ernie with it in the same stroke. There was loud gunfire as two of the Orbs opened fire with shotguns, the shells barely even making a noticeable scratch.
"PUT THOSE DOWN ya idiots!" shouted Saulie. "Ya WANT ta bring the cops down here!"
Of course, it barely mattered, as Jalal managed to grab the weapon from the first one before either could get off a second shot, then belted the second gunman with the butt of the rifle.
"Don't mind me," he said. Two more of the thugs took a straightforward approach and were quickly felled. "By all means, you two can finish what you started." Another tried to strike from behind, but a backhand strike took that one out too.
"Ugh, ingrates…" growled Saulie.
"So, where was I?" asked Dolores. "Oh yes, my Trap Card." Incredible power started to ripple forth from her as her Trap Card - Void Feast - lifted up. "By sending another Spell or Trap with the word 'Void' in it to the Graveyard, I can break the rules and summon three Infernoids from my deck, so long as all of their Levels are eight or less. So, I'll send my Void Launch to the Graveyard, and then summon Infernoid Sjette and two copies of Infernoid Decatron."
The first monster looked like a cross between a bird and a demon. It had a fiendish hawk-like face, fan-like wings, and oriental-style armor, all of it with violet metal plating. More of those odd power capsules, colored gold, were on its shoulder guards, chest, belt, and boots. Large, menacing, but not all-that different than the other Infernoids. (2,400 ATK)
However, the other two monsters were… strange. They were large… objects that looked like the skulls of larger Infernoids, each with three sickle-shaped outcroppings on their sides and backs, made of rusted and worn metal and stone. While the skull itself seemed… dead, it had no less than ten of the odd fuel canisters, and all seemed fully charged, pulsating with colored light, on the outcroppings, the crown of its head, and chin. Other than those, however, there was little to suggest this was a living creature at all, it seemed more like… a generator. (500 ATK x5)
"Those… Those things ain't right…"
"Yes, unnerving, aren't they? Truth be told, Infernoid Decatron isn't dangerous on its own, but its effect sets the stage for something much, much bigger. By using the effect of an Infernoid Decatron, I can discard an Infernoid from my deck." She took two cards from her deck and held both forward - Infernoid Devyaty (which she had summoned several turns ago) and the even stronger Infernoid Onuncu. "So, I'll use the effects of both these Decatrons to discard these two."
"Big deal! My Field Spell assures they'll stay there."
"Whoever said they have to leave?"
The two Decatrons became shrouded by violet and crimson fire, both of which consumed the two Infernoids quickly, rising into towers of flames. After a few seconds, the flames became auras that surrounded two far bigger monsters, large, terrible serpents with huge wings and dragon-heads.
"How did -"
"I didn't, by using a Decatron's effect, it assumes the appearance, effect, and name of the discarded monster. Thus, the two Decatrons have become avatars of Devyaty and Onuncu. Of course, one thing that did not change are their scores, but…" She flipped forward the card she had drawn that turn. Polymerization.
Then, the unthinkable happened. The entire floor of the arena changed, the Fusion vortex appearing on it, and now, Saulie truly looked scared.
"I'll fuse together Devyaty, Onuncu, and Sjette…
"Access violation at quadrant 0x000000 in module . 1010011010 The scourge has been unleashed."
"What… what? What are you…" Saulie screamed, the whole arena becoming engulfed in hellfire.
"Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here," said Dolores' voice. "Time for you to question, Saulie, are you truly prepared for where your choice may lead?"
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It was now 7 PM in Cauldron.
"You sure, Sonya?"
Nichole was with Hank, Maddie, and Francis at the south part of town again, about five blocks downward from the cathedral. She and Maddie were wearing long cloaks with hoods, doing their best to cover their faces. The Devil's Horns probably wouldn't turn away female customers, but Nichole and Maddie didn't want to draw undue attention, as this was likely their only chance. The attempt to find materials had not gone well.
Red Feather and Sonya had found some of the more conventional supplies, but the herbs and special fungi that Nichole had told them to look for were not available at any store they knew of, nor did any shop keep know of any that had them. With most such stores closing at seven, it seemed now that "plan-A" was a bust, and they had only six hours to think of a "plan-B".
"We have a few more places to look," said Sonya, through the Duel Disk, "but we aren't exactly optimistic now. We'll call in an hour."
Nichole sadly said "Yes," and hung up. She had something else to worry about now, the Devil's Horns nightclub was in front of them.
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Saulie was falling. The Iron Chain Penitentiary seemed to have melted away, changing to a dark, cavernous tunnel, which to Saulie's shock, she was hurtling down at high speed.
"OOF!" She landed on her behind, strangely not hurt. "How?" she mused. "Dolores? Where -"
Then she saw it. A huge, ominous, iron gate appeared in front of her. She knew where it led - despite never having seen it before. A primal imprint in the conscience of every mortal being told her what it was.
Then the gate opened, and the Fusion Monster finally revealed itself. While this strange amalgamation of Devyaty and Onuncu also looked like a colossal demon serpent with wings, it was not mechanical or even solid. It seemed like an immaterial phantom made of light with streaming binary symbols within.
But one only needed to look at it - though it was hard to even see all of the behemoth in a single glance - to know why it was here. Infernoid Tierra looked down at Saulie and roared, preparing to consume her very soul… (3,400 ATK)
She backed up slowly. Seeing her four monsters - Taskmaster, SUPERMAX Dragon, Enchantress, and Repairman - appear startled her at first, but as the dark gate opened, she was relieved to see them move between her and the gate. They were still on her side, it seemed…
"They can't protect you now, Saulie," said Dolores' voice.
"I don' care how big your monster is! So long as I have Security Breach -"
"A weak and temporary defense that exists only so long as your monsters are there. This monster's effect sends three cards from both our Extra Decks to the Graveyard. Your Extra Deck is of no concern here, but mine has three copies of Elder Entity N'tss."
A lovely woman, also a phantom, but more in focus than the Infernoid, appeared behind Tierra, wearing a long, flowing green and gray robe, a golden tiara holding back her long, raven hair, holding a shield and a spear. "Naturally, your Field Spell means this effect costs me 1,100 Life Points, but when N'tss' card is sent to the Graveyard, she destroys one of your cards."
N'tiss pointed her spear at Iron Chain SUPERMAX Dragon, and a wave of chilling cold shot from the tip. The beast struggled and roared, but quickly iced over and froze solid, and then shattered.
"Now my second discarded N'tss deals the same fate to your Iron Chain Taskmaster!"
"No…" said Saulie with her lip trembling. She couldn't stop it, the Fusion Monster's freeze ray eradicating the other Synchro.
"No more Synchro monsters means your Lockdown is now worthless. But I have one more N'tss, and her effect now cancels your Security Breach."
"NO!" shouted Saulie. She was close to panic, but as the third N'tss aimed her weapon, she used one last effect of her Spell Card. "Ah can send my Field Spell to the Graveyard to protect Security Breach!"
The freeze ray struck the card, but as she said, it was unharmed, though the Field Spell's absence caused Repairman and Enchantress to return to their base scores.
"Heh, heh, heh… No matter…"
A Spell Card appeared… Monster Reborn. The Spell lay flat on the floor and golden ankh glowed, and Iron Maiden Dian Keto appeared on it. (2,500 ATK)
Saulie bowed her head, sobbing, but it didn't help her. Dian Keto leapt at Iron Chain Repairman, her heel kicking into his fat stomach, knocking him over, and a hard stomp blowing him to bits. Then Necroface - whom Saulie had almost forgotten about - thrust its tendrils forward, seizing Iron Maiden Enchantress and crushing her.
With them gone, Security Breach was powerless, and nothing could stop Infernoid Tierra. It bore down on Saulie, like a very large cat about to catch a mouse. There was no doubt now that the duel was over, the question was how it would end.
Then she looked up at it, looking the Fiend straight in the eye.
"WELL?" she said.
The Fiend nodded. As she felt the flames from its fiery breath start to burn her, it actually felt invigorating. Her sore muscles actually seemed to be healing. While the direct attack was burning her Life Points away, they were burning away the fear and doubt as well.
(Dolores: 1,800) - - - - - - - - - - (Saulie: 0)
Even as she collapsed, it wasn't out of pain or trauma. It seemed more like falling into a slumber…
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As he came into the window, it was the sound of… a crescendo.
He came into her apartment, he left bloodstains… on the carpet.
She ran underneath the table, he could see she… was unable.
So, she ran into the bedroom… she was struck down… it was her doom…
"Hey, I love that song!"
"Sonya, please, focus."
Getting into the Devil's Horns was easier than it seemed. While the bouncer had indeed asked for a password, it seemed a 20 Sovereign tip was adequate to get him to let them by.
Inside, it seemed they had entered a facsimile of Hades itself. Sort of. Much like any such establishment, it had a raised platform where the dancers were, set in the center of the common room; it was ring-shaped, the seating for the spectators around it. The biggest difference was the flaming brazier in the center, which was the only source of light, making the common room dim with a hellish glow. They had no idea where the music was coming from, as it seemed omnipresent, possibly an audial glamor.
Of course, due to the brazier, the most visible occupants of the common room were the dancers, and they were… bizarre. The one they focused on had coppery skin, waist-length jet-black hair, backwards-pointing horns on her forehead, and her feet were… Well, they were hooves. She had a barbed tail that swayed seductively with her dance steps. She also had a pouty frown and glasses, spectacles with black rims that seemed to enhance her bewitching green eyes. Was she an actual demon? Hard to tell, but it wouldn't be that unusual if she was.
More unusual was how this fiendish beauty stood out from the customer she was, well, serenading. Well dressed, but overweight, his custom-made suit including suspenders to support his pants. Much like the hamadryad had described, he had mutton-chop sideburns and a handlebar mustache, two hair styles that were considered more antiquated than a 1930s "zoot suit".
"Target sighted," whispered Hank.
"Not exactly a 'smooth criminal' there, is he?" asked Sonya.
Hank nodded to Nichole, she nodded back, and she quietly moved away from them. Time to put this plan into motion.
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"Saulie? Saulie! Damn it, Dolores, do you really have to be so rough?"
"Oh, you should talk."
The underground fighting arena seemed to have hosted an unofficial battle royale, with Jalal the winner by shutout. Roughly half of the All-Seeing Orbs had decided to cut their losses and flee after he had freed himself, many of them after Infernoid Tierra had appeared - they hadn't been privy to the odd vision Saulie had seen, but the monster was still terrifying, as was seeing their leader taken down. Those who didn't had been pummeled into submission quickly. Maulie, on the other hand, was fast asleep, and likely wouldn't wake up for a while.
This, unfortunately, left nobody around to tell them where the physical exit to this complex was, information Saulie had promised to provide if she was defeated.
"We'll worry about who to blame later." Jalal dug into a pouch on his belt, one which contained a magical gemstone that was standard issue for all Shadowchasers. Its function could teleport one man-sized creature per use to Shadowchaser Headquarters in Great Britain, an essential tool while making an arrest. "We have to transport everyone before that monster shows up."
"Afraid that is no longer an option, Stormbringer."
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What was Nichole's plan? Simple.
She positioned herself next to part of the stage where she was certain she was within earshot of the bespectacled dancer whom Hupert was lecherously glaring at, eyeing him as he finished his drink. Eventually, he turned to find a waitress to get a refill, and Nichole whistled and held up a 20 Sovereign bill. As she expected, the dancer spun and sauntered towards her - as any such dancer would when you offered a tip - and when she was far enough away from Hupert, the two male Shadowchasers struck, grabbing him from behind.
"Wait! What! Unhand me!" he shouted.
"Nothing to see here folks," said Maddie, "just on an errand here for Mrs. Dumptree."
Nobody made any move to stop them, the bouncer even stepping aside and opening the door for them. "Tell her to make sure he stops bringing those gods-awful cigars here," the bouncer added as they dragged him out, "he's costing us customers with those things."
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"Stay… behind… me."
Dolores didn't need more than that to do so. The same beholder that Francis and Nichole had confronted was in front of them, and while it was slightly translucent - indicating that this may have been some sort of projected image or similar phantasm - that didn't mean it wasn't dangerous. It seemed solid enough to at least see the Intelligible Imprint on the side of its face.
Jalal looked it directly in the central eye and said, bluntly, "Who are you?"
"You haven't figured it out yet? Meh. No matter. I am certain you will in time. You were right, by the way, I have been watching the entire time. While I had indeed intended to punish Ms. Masonstern once this was over it seems rather inconsequential now. Do with her as you see fit, I would say her debt is well-paid."
"It was never about money, was it? It was all about entertainment."
"Yes and no. Money is useful, yes, but only as a means towards a greater goal. I know the opinion your men have of Cauldron's founder. They all believe Spellmason was a greedy conquistador pursuing dreams of cities with streets paved with gold. While his greed was considerable, he sought treasures far more valuable. That motto of yours, it says knowledge is not power, but -"
"It means knowledge should not be used to gain power."
"I am certain many have debated such a concept, but the fact remains, it is powerful. Levistus remained hidden under your nose for years due to his firm control over the media - distribution of information, Stormbringer, a weapon more potent than any that could be built. That was Spellmason's goal. He sought knowledge beyond anything ever conceived, regarding the very origins of Shadowkind."
"Some knowledge is best kept out of mortal hands."
"Again, a debatable opinion. Seeing as you have contacts with the Fraternity of Order, I would assume you know the dogma they follow - learn how the laws of reality function, learn how they work, and in theory, rule it."
Obviously, that was a subtle way of informing them that it knew about their inquiry with their contact with the Guvners, which was itself its way of telling them it had been observing their investigation the whole time. But Jalal wasn't going to let this thing intimidate him.
"Again, it's a matter of how well you can learn it. I believe the Suel had a similar… 'dogma', and they paid dearly for delving into such things."
Then he heard a low chuckle from the creature, something that, with beholders, was never a good sign. "Quite an ironic comparison right now," said the beholder. "Something your men in Cauldron may soon deign to discuss."
"What are you -"
"Suffice to say it may be in your best interests to check on them soon." The beholder started to fade away. "Consider this my way of showing appreciation for inadvertently aiding me a month ago. Do not expect such generosity again."
And he was gone.
"He's all heart, isn't he?" muttered Dolores. She turned to Jalal, and noticed a tired, frustrated expression on him that she didn't see on him often. She was about to inquire as to why, but he answered the question before she could ask it.
"That wasn't Khun."
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"Boy, she wasn't kidding," said Maddie, "to be blunt, fella, you-reeka!"
The door slammed behind them; Francis and Hank threw Hupert on the ground against the wall - and they were pretty relieved to finally be able to let go of him. Not only did he stink of the foulest cigar smoke, but of sweat and cheap liquor.
"Okay, rich man, we need to chat."
"Please," he said, "I don't know how much she's paying you, but -"
"We aren't working for your wife, Hupert," snapped Maddie, "it was an improvised excuse that I assume places like that have heard a lot."
"Tell you one thing they haven't heard." Nichole came out of the front door of the nightclub, holding what looked like a wad of cash. "That dancer you were with told me you can have this back."
She threw the wad to the floor in front of Hupert, who started to sweat heavily. Francis bent down and picked it up.
"Monopoly money? You have got to be kidding,"
"Ah heh," he chuckled nervously, "you would, uhm, you'd be surprised how many times that works."
"Listen here, funnyman, we've had a long day so we're going to get right to the point. We heard you had a friend who was looking for twilight bloom, a goblin with blue skin and hair, ring any bells?"
"Look, look, I don't sell contraband, I'm just a man who makes arrangements, people! All I did was make a suggestion, I told him that Franct might have it. He's the man you want!"
"Franct?" asked Francis. Hupert nodded. "As in, Franct the Sheep Eater?" Hupert nodded faster. "Uh, we didn't know he bought from Franct the Sheep Eater."
The expression on Hupert's face was a clear indication he had just made his situation worse, but it got worse still. Nichole grabbed hold of Hupert, lifting the larger man by his collar and slamming.
"Listen closely, big guy," she snarled. "Seems your employees at the Ace of Swords don't like you much as it is, but now, your 'friend' has taken one of them hostage. Melissa, ring any bells."
"Wait, she -" he started. "Lizzie?"
"That's right, 'Dizzy Lizzie' I think they call her. Right now, he is subjecting her to unspeakable torments and is only willing to release her if we wager her in a contest. If we refuse, she may not live to see her next sunrise. I don't know if Stronk or Cauldron's security would let that slide, but I do know that the man we work for does not, and I assure you, if it happens, we would remind you until the last day of your rotten life." She dropped him, and he landed on his behind with a thud. "Now TALK."
Tears started to form Hupert Dumptree's eyes. "Okay, okay…" he sobbed. "I'll tell you."
While the four Shadowchasers had the feeling he wasn't telling them the whole truth, what he said did add quite a few pieces to the puzzle. He claimed that the cigars and the strip clubs were not the only bad habits - nor the only expensive habits - he had. (He went into some detail, much of which was best left for the imagination.) Out of a desire to keep his… activities hidden and still afford them, he would often let shadier types sleep in the wine cellar of the restaurant for cheap.
"You turned one of Cauldron's best restaurants into a flophouse?"
"It seemed like a good idea at the time."
He then said the blue goblin was one of those "tenants", who had come in about two weeks ago. He started making suggestions about how to improve recipes or increase quality with cheaper ingredients. They all worked, so he never asked about the sources.
"The stuff with the twilight bloom… He said it would be 'mutually beneficial'. I was an idiot."
"Not disagreeing here," said Nichole.
"Ironic thing is, Franct wouldn't sell him the stuff, that's why he told me to help him with the herb shop the second time he went. I have no idea who he got it from, in fact, it's news to me that he actually found any."
"Wait, one thing," started Hank, "why would someone with that kind of skill in wizardry be reduced to squatting in a restaurant basement?"
"Oh, he said there was an accident at his place, something about a mistake involving alchemy, an explosion… He told me it was only until he was able to rebuild. Wizards, you know… They…"
Then… it hit Nichole like a brick. Every piece of the puzzle had fallen into place now.
"Maddie, come with me!" she shouted. Before giving him a chance to answer, she grabbed him by the wrist.
"Wait, what?" said Hank.
"Deal with him, you two, we'll meet you outside the Courthouse at midnight. Oh, and Hank, good luck."
"Whoa, whoa, WHOA, Nichole!" shouted Maddie. "Where are we going?"
Nichole didn't answer directly but tapped the call-back on her Duel Disk. "Sonya! Red Feather!"
"Uhm, Nichole?" came the reply.
"How far are you two from that apothecary shop right now?"
"About ten blocks, but -"
"Great! I'll meet you there! I know where he got the twilight bloom… and hopefully, we can kill two birds with one stone…"
"Nichole, what are you doing?" shouted Maddie. "I don't think that place is open this late, and -"
"It's not the apothecary store, Maddie, it's the tower, the burned out tower across the street! Remember the explosion?"
"No… way…"
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It was long since midnight in Philadelphia. Rather than search the entire building for the way out, Jalal and Dolores had decided to do the smart thing and call for backup. Saulie still hadn't woken up, though at very least, most of the other Orbs were in custody, and the ones who had escaped would be easy to find.
Dolores had a splitting headache. Her skill as a duelist was one of the best Jalal had ever seen, but such contests were stressful for her, and always left her winded and exhausted. Even worse, the beholder's haunting voice was still echoing through her mind, an experience most anyone who spoke to one could relate to. Right now, all she wanted was a hot shower and a soft bed, fully intending to sleep until noon once she got them. But not before she asked the boss one simple thing:
"That wasn't Malakkus Khun? We came here for nothing?"
Jalal nodded. "Dolores, if someday I become so senile that I forget my own name, I doubt I will ever forget the first time I saw Malakkus Khun, and that was not Khun. It claimed to be an 'elder orb'. I had no idea what that meant, but whatever the nomenclature was, it was an exceptional beholder. It was twice as big as most beholders, and it did not have eyestalks. Its ten small eyes were affixed directly to its body and were protected by hard eyelids that only opened when it needed to use their powers. It also had a mouth with a vertical jaw, and long tendrils on its underside. It could even grasp objects with them, even if not as well as one can with hands."
"Sounds… pretty horrifying."
"Indeed. I have no idea whether this was typical of 'elder orbs', Khun was the only beholder we've documented that claimed to be one. It seems obvious now that the beholder who blackmailed Saulie after killing her grandfather was indeed the one they met in Cauldron, but an imposter who was claiming to be Khun.
"Problem is… I have no idea who the bloody hell that was."
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The clock tower said 9PM as they finally got there. They saw Red Feather standing on what was left of the south wall, the largest part that remained, waving to them as they approached.
"Where's -"
"Sonya is inside." Red leapt off her perch, landing in front of them. "Cauldron's constabulary just patrolled this area five minutes ago, we should have about ten minutes before they come by again."
The trio hopped over the barricades and into what was once a ground floor of the now burned-out structure. Sonya was there, using the device they carried to read the auras, and a flashlight that she was using to look over the floor.
"What's the scoop, Sonya?"
"Well, it does seem like this place might have been used by a lich - there's a moderate trace of transmutation magic, and faint traces of all schools of magic except illusion, plus negative energy, but all except the Transmutation are rapidly decaying. Doesn't seem like there's any way to enter the basement here."
"Maybe it doesn't have a basement?"
"Maddie, wizards always have basements in their houses, it's where they do all their wizardry-stuff."
"Wait, it can't be…" Nichole looked around. "Transmutation?"
"Yes, it's the only trace here that still seems stable."
Nichole cleared her throat, and said, "Kandy sent me."
In the middle of the room, there was a strange ripple of magic and green light. Slowly, a doorway started to form, a circular "color pool". When Kandy had told her to say that if she found the place she was hinting at, she meant it was the passcode to open a portal.
"I'm going to have to give her a bigger tip the next time I go there."
"I'll come with you," said Sonya, with a short laugh. "Shall we?"
The four Shadowchasers stepped into the portal, the door into Cauldron's black market, also known as Mulgo's Pocket.
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Phew, lots of stuff here.
Next chapter, we'll move away from Jalal and Dolores awhile as the climax - naturally, the duel between Hank and Xokiek with poor Melissa as the wager in what seems to be a no-win situation for everyone involved.
Drop a line, read and review, and oh, want to see more of Saulie Masonstern? If so, let me know!
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Iron Chain Taskmaster (Effect Synchro Monster)
Warrior/Earth/Lvl8/2,400ATK/2,800DEF
Effect: If this card destroys a monster by battle, this card may attack a second time during the Battle Phase; if this second attack is a Direct Attack, its ATK is halved for the Damage Step only. If this card inflicts Battle Damage via a direct attack, send 4 cards from your opponent's deck to the GY. If this card is in your GY after being sent there from the field, you may activate the following effect: Banish 2 "Iron Chain" or "Iron Maiden" monsters from your GY to Special Summon this card from your GY; it cannot use its effect and is sent to your Extra Deck during the next Standby Phase.
Iron Chain Gremlin (Effect Tuner Monster)
Fiend/Earth/Lvl5/1,000ATK/1,300DEF
Effect: Cannot be Special Summoned from the deck. If the only monster you control is an "Iron Chain" Synchro Monster, you may Special Summon this card from your hand; you may not Synchro Summon the turn you summon "Iron Chain Gremlin" in this manner. If this card is Special Summoned via its effect, you may draw 2 cards – if you do, then discard 1 card from your hand.
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Iron Chain SUPERMAX Dragon (Effect Synchro Monster)
Dragon/Earth/Lvl10/3,000ATK/2,000DEF
Tuner + 2 or more non-Tuner "Iron Chain" monsters, OR "Iron Chain" Tuner + "Iron Chain Dragon".
Effect: If this card would be summoned using "Iron Chain Dragon" as a non-Tuner, the Tuner can be any Level. You can only control 1 "Iron SUPERMAX Dragon". You can apply 1 or both of the following effects, each of which can only be used once per duel per player:
Special Summon 2 of your banished Level 4 or lower "Iron Chain" and/or "Iron Maiden" monsters
Select 1 card from your opponent's Extra Deck and banish it; this card gains 100 ATK times the banished monster's Level.
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Security Breach (Continuous Spell)
Image: G.B. Hunter and Tactical Espionage Expert fleeing down a hallway towards an iron door in the process of closing, with alarms flashing and a digital countdown reading "0:10".
Effect: Upon activation, declare one Type of Monster; "Iron Chain' and "Iron Maiden" monsters you control cannot be destroyed by monsters (via battle or effects) of the declared Type and no battle damage is taken from battles involving monsters of that type. If this card would be destroyed, you can send a Field Spell you control to negate that effect.
Lockdown (Continuous Spell)
Image: Iron Maiden Dian Keto handcuffing Tactical Espionage Expert, using knee to pin him against the floor; behind them, Iron Maiden Kanan shoving the already handcuffed G.B. Hunter against the wall behind them. A flashing sign above reads "BREACH AVERTED".
Effect: If you do not control an "Iron Chain" Synchro Monster destroy this card. Monsters in your opponent's GY cannot be Special Summoned from the GY or banished.
Infernoid Aesmadaeuua (Effect Monster Card)
Fiend/Fire/Lvl9/1,000ATK/1,000DEF
Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) by banishing 1, 2, or 3 "Infernoid" monsters from your hand or GY while the total Levels and Ranks of all Effect Monsters you control are 8 or lower, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. On the turn this card is summoned, you may banish 1 Spell or Trap Card from either GY for each card banished to summon this card; this card gains 1,000 DEF for each card banished for this effect. If 5 or more cards are sent from your GY to your deck via a single effect, you may, after the resolution of that effect, draw 1 card for every card that was banished to summon this card.
Synchro Downshift (Spell Card)
Image: Scrap Dragon on its hindlegs, roaring, with a phantom of Atomic Scrap Dragon looming over it.
Effect: Tribute 1 Synchro Monster you control. Select 1 Synchro Monster in your extra deck that is 2 Levels lower than the Tributed monster and the same Attribute. Special Summon it, disregarding summoning conditions. This is considered a Synchro Summon. You may only use 1 "Synchro Downshift" per turn.