Chapter 21: The End of the World
By the time Bryan woke up, Matt was already showered and dressed. Bryan had stayed up for an extra hour after Matt had crashed, mostly watching TV and texting with friends from school, though the main reason his brain wouldn't shut down was his fixation on the unexpected prize money. He hadn't told his mom how much yet because he wanted to surprise her.
Bryan stumbled into the bathroom to relieve himself of the excessive amount of food he had consumed the previous night.
"Better hurry in there," said Matt through the door.
"Nothing makes this go faster than having a conversation about it." Bryan wondered whether Matt could hear his eyes rolling. At least the sarcasm should be obvious enough. "Just go without me."
"My adjunct is required for this meeting."
Groaning, Bryan willed himself to finish up. It didn't really do anything. All in due time. But even though he only needed a couple more minutes, he still felt so gross after that he wanted a shower.
He barely heard Matt over the running water. "Are you kidding me right now?"
"Why are you so stressed out? You won the tournament. Shouldn't they wait for you?" asked Bryan.
Whatever Matt's answer was, the words were drowned behind the sound of hot water pattering against Bryan's skull. He kept the shower short—no hair, just a quick rinse and a bit of soap on the key areas. He was glad he still wrapped himself up because Dexter was in the sitting room space, looking away from the bedroom, toward the room door.
Matt, on the other hand, was looking right at Bryan. "Did you and I have a Freaky Friday moment on a Sunday or something?"
Bryan kept walking to his pile of clothes. He spoke loudly as he dressed. "Why do you ask?"
"Just seems like we switched mindsets for a minute there—me being concerned about punctuality and you thinking the universe revolves around me. Dexter is here to encourage the punctuality."
Dexter's voice was soft from facing the other way. "Ms. Moxley awaits on the rooftop."
"The roof?" asked Bryan as he pulled on his shirt.
"We're having breakfast with her in the restaurant up there," said Matt. "Is this a private event?"
He meant that question for Dexter, which is why Dexter answered, "We'll continue to ward off adoring fanatics."
Bryan emerged from the bedroom fully dressed. Responding to Dexter, he said, "That should be good enough, right? You're probably more concerned about having a quiet breakfast than you are about shutting down the restaurant."
Matt said, "Finally! Let's go eat."
"You're hungry already?" asked Bryan.
"You're gonna tell me you're not hungry after that marathon evacuation you just completed?"
Maybe in the dorm room, Bryan would have come up with a retort. But in a fancy hotel right in front of Dexter, who always wore such nice clothes, Bryan blushed slightly and headed toward the door while explicitly avoiding eye contact with Matt. "And on that note, we're on our way out."
"Remember your jacket," said Dexter.
"Is it cold outside?"
"It's your uniform."
Again, Bryan wanted to argue, but Dexter seemed so authoritative. Bryan slipped his jacket on and said, "I thought being on vacation would mean fewer Academy rules to follow."
"If it helps, this one's a tournament rule," said Matt.
In part, Bryan just didn't want a chance to ruin the jacket so soon after Dexter had it cleaned. It never smelled so fresh and it never would again. Maybe Bryan could at least slip it off before he actually started eating so he wouldn't get any crumbs on it.
The hotel rooftop was set up like a hollow square. The two corners facing the Arno River had a rooftop pool and restaurant seating—the two scenarios most eager to take advantage of the view. The kitchen was situated in the middle of the east side of the roof, in between the pool and the dining areas. And rising up in between all of it was the top of the Spirit Tree. It was the source of all the rooftop foliage visible from outside the hotel. Branches were trimmed back so that they didn't fully block the rooftop experience, though the trunk still prevented being able to see from one corner to the opposite. Katerina was actually the one outside pruning errant branches with some long gardening tools.
The restaurant itself managed to combine luxury with a rustic feel. Chairs had metal frames with round, wicker backs and cushioned seats. The tables were similarly assembled but then covered with white tablecloths. Waist-high barriers lined the edge of the roof, decorated with voluminous planters, probably thanks to Katerina's green thumb. From kitchen to corner, a white canopy with frilly edges had been pulled out to protect patrons from the rain. It wasn't raining yet, but the sky was overcast and threatening. The lack of sun left the air almost too cool for outdoor dining, but Bryan and Matt were just the right age to pretend the cold didn't bother them.
On the plus side, the uncomfortable atmosphere meant fewer people were likely to swarm around outside. Only half the tables were inhabited, and everyone was silent. The only noise Bryan heard came from the music speakers positioned near the kitchen and the corners of the seating area. The ambience was almost spooky. Maybe the food was so good that everyone just shut up and enjoyed their food.
Dexter claimed a table in the corner of the roof, cordoned off by simple stanchions. Matt and Bryan both sat with a view over the Arno River. Dexter remained standing. Bryan glanced back at the kitchen, then said, "You might be wrong about the Middle Eastern food. I think the cook is Central Asian."
Before Matt could be sarcastic, Dexter asked, "Why should the cook limit himself to meals only of his ethnicity?" Bryan hadn't realized how bad the comment sounded until Dexter put it that way.
Matt opened the menu and pointed out, "Middle Eastern food must have been yesterday. Looks closer to Indian food today. Maybe Nepalese. And according to the blurb on the back of the menu, they have a team of chefs that rotate menus throughout the week to provide a varied culinary experience for visitors."
Bryan said, "That's pretty cool. And it's really risky. What if you're allergic to some food but not others and you don't know until you show up what they're serving?"
Dexter commented, "The menu is posted online daily. Should you be concerned, you can prepare." He added, "The chef loves to travel and study and recreate a variety of foods. His skills grow, our staff never tires of the same recipes ad nauseum, and culinary diversity serves as its own form of tourism to the Villa Serenella Denkard."
"Can he do basic stuff in case of picky eaters?"
"As long as it involves fire, he can do it."
The convenient location certainly made sense. A huge advantage to living in Europe was how much easier it was to travel the continent and study different cuisines without needing to go far. And it sounded like Leona gave her staff the freedom to leave for a while and come back—job security that pretty much didn't exist back in the States. Very different business practices.
Bryan heard footsteps from behind, expecting to see either a waiter or Leona, their breakfast date. Instead, he saw an old woman wearing a swimsuit. Her face looked familiar, but it was her behavior that triggered the memory.
Hilde grabbed Matt's wrist and then looked at her watch. "How are we feeling today, Mr. Luther?"
Matt made a face appropriate to random people touching him without warning, but he settled down and allowed her to continue taking his pulse. "Started out good. Had a good night's sleep. Had a good BM. Not ready for any bad news… and would prefer at least 'Hello' before you grab me again."
"Hello," she said as she dropped his wrist and felt his forehead. "Sleep seems to be exactly what you needed."
Bryan said, "He fell asleep really early. Probably out for ten hours or so."
"No new stresses or pains? Anything unusual about your bowel movement?"
"It smelled a bit like eggplant," said Matt. Bryan cringed, but he was eighty percent sure Matt was making that up just to get a reaction.
Hilde was immune to his attitude. Her only reaction was to say, "You had lunch with Katerina on Saturday, so I'm not surprised. No voices or visions or anything?"
"You mean the usual one telling me to kill all my friends before they can kill me?"
Bryan quickly leaned over to say, "He's kidding."
Matt frowned. "What? You guys don't hear that one?"
"Still kidding… I hope," said Bryan. The look on Matt's face was reassuring in that respect, even though he tried to hide the humor.
Hilde looked either sad, frightened, or constipated. But then she just bobbed her head. "You should be fine for now."
As she walked away, Bryan said, "She wasn't kidding about being both doctor and lifeguard."
"That's a pretty weird flex to lie about," said Matt. He sniffed the air a few times, then he turned to look at the next table over. "Speaking of weird, how long has that food been out? It's starting to smell… less than optimal."
Bryan looked over at the next occupied table. Everyone was still and quiet. No one was talking and no one was eating. "It still looks good, so it probably smelled amazing when it first came out. Wasn't there a fad diet for a while about smelling food?"
"You might be making that up."
At that moment, the sky finally opened up. The rain didn't just sprinkle onto the rooftop—it poured. Instead of a pitter-patter on the overhead canopy, the sound was an outright scream, like being surrounded by fast, constant applause. Despite being almost deafening in volume, it was also soothing. Almost as soothing as the jets in the suite's bathtub.
"Good thing we wore our jackets," said Bryan. But he was joking. The overhead canopy was so well constructed that he couldn't even see any water trickling down the inside of the posts. He was still slightly anxious about the battering overhead and worried about what happened when the wind started blowing the rain sideways, but the canopy was solid.
Matt asked, "Where did everyone else go?"
Dexter asked, "Who else?"
"The other patrons."
Bryan looked around and realized all the other tables were empty now—even the ones underneath the canopy. "They probably left to get out of the rain."
"But they didn't finish their food. That platter at the table right there is the same platter that we saw two tables down when we first arrived."
He was right. Bryan had a great memory for good-looking food. "Yeah, that's the same meal those other people were eating."
"Did you actually see anyone eat it before?"
Bryan made a face. "So… what? They just move the food between tables if no one eats it?"
Matt made a face. "Sure, it sounds stupid when you say it like that. Dex?"
Dexter turned his head slightly, showing a wry smirk. "I suspect you already know. Perhaps Ms. Moxley will explain further."
"Is she even coming?" asked Matt.
Is there a Murphy's Law corollary for when complaining about something makes it more likely to happen? As if she were only waiting for Bryan and Matt to ask about her, Leona showed up presently. She still wore a long, elegant dress, but her shoulders were covered this time. Vidya walked beside her, holding an umbrella large enough to ensure they both remained dry.
"Good morning, everyone," she said. "Thank you for joining me. I always like to spend some time speaking in some depth with the tournament champions. Oh, but you must be hungry already."
Bryan held back saying something like "duh", but Matt tapped his nose without concern over whether it would be rude or whether Leona would know what that signal meant.
Apparently she did. "Vidya, would you please ask to provide several options? We must have anda bhurji and idli sambar. Maybe medu vada and chilli cheese toast in case of something closer to American food."
"What about masala dosa?" said Matt. "And puri bhaji looks interesting."
Leona motioned toward him. "Anything else?" She looked to Bryan as well, but he didn't really know what any of these Indian breakfast foods were, so he was willing to let others recommend foods to try.
As Vidya went toward the kitchen, Leona sat down with her back to the view, which made her first comment come off a bit odd. "Isn't the view lovely from up here?" Bryan wondered how many dirty jokes rolled through Matt's head in which Leona was the "lovely view". Luckily he had the self-control to hold back from saying any out loud.
"The hotel is wonderful," said Matt. He pointed toward the giant tree sticking out of the middle of the roof. "Can you tell us more about that?"
"The Spirit Tree?"
"Exactly. Now that this tournament is over, I'd like to finally learn everything you know about imaginary space and this Great Cataclysm your staff keep talking about."
Leona frowned. "It is a difficult story to explain. Would you tell me what you know so far? I will address the information you're missing."
Bryan was not surprised when Matt glanced his way before talking. It was a way of centering himself by connecting briefly with a friend. But then Matt asked, "Why don't you start?"
"Me?" asked Bryan. Even Leona appeared to be thrown by that request.
Matt said to her, "No, wait. This will be worth it." To Bryan, he said, "I've told you everything I learned so far. Why don't you tell us all how you heard it?"
Bryan cheeks felt flush, put on the spot like that. Yes, Matt had told him a lot of about parallel universes and ghosts haunting the hotel, but Bryan hadn't understood it all. And he had been so sure that it was all just fairy tales and folklore that he hadn't bothered asking follow-up questions.
But if Matt just wanted an entertaining story, then Bryan could provide. "As I recall, this hotel was built on an ancient, Roman burial ground, which is why it's haunted. Only some people can see the ghosts because most of the time they hide in the Pit of Despair, waiting for a ghost ship to take them back to Guilder."
"Close," said Matt. "So very close."
Leona said, "I appreciate the references to The Princess Bride. Apt, as well—quite likely, Florin was created as a fictionalized version of Florence." Bryan nodded his head, but Leona's gaze fell on Matt again. "Would you like to try this time?"
Matt sighed. "Basically, there are three realms of existence… or maybe two realms and one in-between space. Real space, where we exist, is everything we know that follows the laws of physics. The Overworld is the source of life—a Collective Consciousness that connects all life to each other. Imaginary space exists in between real space and the Overworld, following those squishy rules of quantum physics that aren't fully understood. Whenever someone is born, they receive a spirit from the Overworld, tethered to real space by their physical body. When the body dies, the tether is broken and the spirit flows to imaginary space on its way back to the Overworld. But sometimes the spirit has an overinflated sense of individuality, and it's too scared or selfish to go back to the Overworld. As the number of spirits rejecting the Overworld increases, it's causing imaginary space to swell and the Overworld to shrink, kind of like a clogged artery preventing blood from getting to the heart. The Great Cataclysm is what happens when the Overworld can no longer sustain life and everything dies."
Leona nodded. "You are mostly correct."
"What did I get wrong?"
"Spirits do not choose to remain in imaginary space. Imaginary space offers them nothing except emptiness and torment. They do seek the warmth of the Collective, but they reject its influence. As a result, they are rejected by the Collective Consciousness because of their individuality. Should they merge, they will weaken the will of the Collective."
"What is its will?"
She said, "The Collective Consciousness seeks the cycle of life. The Great Cataclysm, therefore, is when the cycle ends, and all life in the universe ceases to thrive."
Matt asked, "Why would it have to stop just because of a few bull-headed spirits?"
Leona held her hand out as if pressing down on a toaster. "Please wait. Our chef has arrived with our meal."
Bryan turned to see someone approaching with a tray almost overflowing with bowls and plates. There were donuts, pastry puffs, cheese toast, and some kind of couscous. But the man who carried the tray was the biggest surprise of all.
"Ash Staotar?" said Bryan. Matt looked equally confused, never taking his eye off of the would-be champion duelist. "What happened? You lost a tournament so you decided to stick around and become a chef?" A second waiter followed him with another tray, which he laid out on the next table. Before Bryan could assume they were intended for more ghosts, Dexter and Vidya sat down to eat those. The waiter took another of the ghost platters back with him on the next trip.
Leona chuckled. "Ash has always been employed as our chef. Every few years, he leaves for a time to travel and study."
"Not just food," said Matt.
"Correct. Ash travels to regions where the imbalance between the realms can be felt the most. He does, indeed, study the culinary arts in each region, yet his primary purpose is to learn more about the flow of spiritual energy."
"And make money while he's at it," said Bryan. "Isn't he a finance guy?"
Ash nodded. "Also a temporary role to facilitate my movement."
For some reason, finding out that Ash had been essentially lying the whole time resurfaced a question Bryan hadn't been able to answer. It was the kind of question Matt would ask, but Bryan was hesitant to eat and couldn't help himself. "Did you pick the name 'Ash' because everything you cook tastes like ash?"
He was met only with an amused grin. "No. It is a short version of my name."
Leona said, "Thank you, Ash. Now come, boys. Please, eat right away. Food is always best when fresh. Our conversation can wait."
To reiterate her point, she began eating even without waiting for Bryan and Matt to begin. Dexter and Vidya did the same. Based on the expressions they all made, the food hit the exact spot they all needed it to. Bryan was hesitant to touch the couscous—which looked more eggy up close—but donuts felt like a safe choice. After one bite, he almost fell out of his chair. Instead of being sweet and sugary, the donut was quite the opposite. "Why is the donut spicy?"
"It is medu vada, and the spices make it savory," said Ash. "Most like, you taste the green chilis, possibly the piquant black pepper. If you like spicy flavors, you should dip it into the hot sambar."
He motioned to the small bowl full of orange, viscous liquid. It looked like it was a spicy soup broth. Not what Bryan was looking for at breakfast time, but when in Rome… or Florence, or India… whatever expression works. "Why not?" Bryan dipped his donut in the sauce then bit into it again. It was as if the exact same spices suddenly exploded with Overworld energy. It was the first time breakfast ever cleared out his sinuses.
Ash continued to explain the food items, describing what to expect as he encouraged Bryan and Matt to try to couscous—which turned out to be spicy scrambled eggs—the fermented rice cakes, the spicy potato wrap, deep-fried bread, and even spicy cheese toast.
"Good thing you didn't bring Kasumi. She can't handle spicy foods at all." Bryan drank from his water glass, licked his lips, and then said, "Even the water is spicy."
Matt said, "It's okay to not talk while you eat."
Bryan blushed. "Sorry. I'm not used to sitting around next to someone dressed like royalty and not saying anything. The droning of the rain wasn't noisy enough."
Leona smiled. "As I am the hostess, there is no expectation that you will provide me with entertainment."
"Isn't that what the whole tournament is about?"
"Excellent counterpoint."
As they continued eating, the rain let up. It didn't stop completely, but its pace would no longer soak through clothing instantly. At one point, Bryan turned to look around the entire roof again, including the kitchen. He caught sight of Ash leaving a plate of food at one of the empty tables. Thanks to the humidity, Bryan could easily see the steam rising, so he knew the food was fresh, even though no one was around to eat it.
"What's the deal with the extra food?" he asked.
Matt and Leona both looked at the table Bryan indicated. Matt looked back and asked, "Spirits?"
"Yes," said Leona.
Bryan looked at the table again. He didn't see anyone at the table, so he had to ask, "Do you see spirits there right now?"
Leona chuckled. "No. Ash has placed a meal to draw them out."
"Why?" asked Bryan.
"For the same reason Melody puts essential oils in those lanterns," said Matt. Leona seemed curious to hear the rest of his explanation, so she didn't interrupt. "She said the scent would get rid of the spirits. Ash expects a similar reaction to the scent of food, doesn't he?"
Leona said, "Lanterns work to keep spirits calm in common spaces. The aromas are somewhat distasteful. However, the best way to find peace is through food."
Bryan said, "I'm sorry. Did you say the best way to get rid of ghosts is to feed them?"
She laughed. "The majority can't interact with real space because they don't have physical form. Ash provides food with a pleasant aroma to draw them in and provide sensory satisfaction. If they are able to experience even temporary bliss, they will accept the allure of the Overworld."
"If food sends them back to the Overworld, what's the point of the dueling tournament?" asked Bryan.
"A fair observation. As you can see, culinary aromas have a limited range of effectiveness. The energy emitted during a duel can spread much wider. Whereas peaceful acceptance is a gentler course, duel energy disrupts far more spirits at one instant and is therefore much faster and more efficient."
"Wait. But don't you burn oils to keep them away from the duels?"
She said, "The energy disruption reaches far beyond the dueling stage. In the rare event of a spirit with violent urges, the oils help to quell those violent tendencies to ensure the duel ritual has time to complete."
"Ash mentioned that spirits can affect if the real space if they have enough power," said Matt. "So, did we interrupt your ritual by making Ash lose?" He still looked uncomfortable even asking the question.
Bryan added, "Hilde and Melody made it sound like Ash was the one causing the Great Cataclysm and that Matt was the only one who could stop him."
"All played their roles in this ritual," said Leona. "Ash was never intended to complete the ritual. Capable as he is, his spiritual energy is not high enough. The purpose of the tournament was to find the duelist who can accumulate even higher levels than he can." She motioned toward Matt. "The champion is that person."
Matt said, "But the ritual's not complete." He and Leona locked eyes for a moment before he added, "You have to participate."
She signaled behind them. Dexter and Vidya both stood from their table. "Please take our finalists to build their final decks."
"Finalists, plural?" asked Bryan.
"Yes. Your final limitation is to build a deck of only twenty cards using standard rules and the current ban lists set forth by Kaiba Corp."
Dexter ushered Matt away from the table to walk past the kitchen. Vidya pulled out her umbrella and held it over Bryan's head as they walked in the other direction. He hadn't paid attention to how tall she was until then.
"We're being separated?" Bryan asked her.
Vidya said, "You're expected to build your own deck."
"Why? I thought Matt was dueling against Leona. Are we actually dueling each other?" He supposed that maybe a battle royale format was possible, but that would be even more difficult than usual with only twenty cards in the deck.
Through the pitter-patter of the rain on the umbrella, he heard Matt shout, "Build what you know!"
Bryan scoffed. If they were being set up to duel against each other, then Matt would know how to counter everything Bryan knew how to use. If Bryan wanted any chance of winning, he needed to throw in some brand new cards that even Matt couldn't anticipate.
Vidya led him to a staff office that was connected to the rooftop elevators and the bathrooms. It was a spacious little room mostly filled with supplies that would be needed to clean the pool area, but there was also a desk with a laptop. "Use this to log in to the Denkard Dueling app." She handed him an SD card identical to the one the tournament duelists used to build their virtual decks.
"Don't I need a Duel Disk?" he asked, secretly hoping he would walk away from this trip with a free Duel Disk.
"No," was all Vidya said. "Do you remember how to use the app?"
"Yes," he said as he logged in and inserted the SD card. "Is this why everyone had to invite a partner to come with them?" Another puzzle piece clicked into place. "And it's why Ash was the only person without a partner? He was never going to have a final round. If he managed to win the tournament, then you'd have to try again to find someone else who has more spiritual energy than he does."
Vidya said, "You make a lot of assumptions."
"Not all the time. It's just a habit I picked up from Matt, especially when I'm really confused about something."
Speaking of being confused, Bryan looked at the selection of cards available for his virtual deck. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, he pulled out his phone.
"Not right now," said Vidya as she yoinked it right out of his hands. "No communication between you and Matt before the next duel starts."
"I wasn't going to text Matt," he lied. "I have a lot of friends from Duel Academy who sometimes offer advice. They're helping me become a better duelist."
"Whatever they're doing is working already. See how well you can do without them for this round. If it makes you feel better, remember that it's two o'clock in the morning at your home address. Your friends shouldn't be able to respond to text messages right now."
Bryan muttered, "Justin might."
And so Bryan got to work playing around with the deck builder. He asked, "Can you at least tell me who I'm dueling?"
"Approach this exercise as if you're dueling Ash," she suggested.
"Ash? Aw, man. He wiped the floor with everyone except Matt. And he almost beat Matt, too. Do you think he'd go back to playing a Burn deck?"
Vidya retained her tiny smile. "I can't predict what deck your opponent will use. Try a versatile strategy. Be prepared for any powerful deck."
Bryan couldn't imagine more generic advice… except maybe "build a deck that can win". He kept trying to think about whether he would have to duel against Matt. That seemed like the obvious answer, and it would have an obvious outcome. But maybe he could put some less-common Hero cards in his deck to throw Matt off-balance. He put some thought and time into a Destiny Hero deck.
As soon as Bryan hit the twenty-card limit, doubt crept in. What if the clue about his next duel was in the Deck Limitation? If he was only allowed to use twenty cards, either the expectation was that he could end the duel quickly or that he and Matt were about to combine their decks. The evidence was flimsy, but he liked that idea. It felt clever and it fit into place—two twenty-card decks, plus Bryan wasn't provided with a Duel Disk.
But what if he built a deck that could synergize with Dark Magician and then Matt turned out to be his opponent instead? That possibility still seemed just as likely. So Bryan decided the best course of action was to build a deck he could understand but that had some cards Matt hadn't seen him use before. The only way that could backfire was if Bryan built a deck that Matt would have to use. But even if that happened, he would have enough well-known Heroes for Matt to figure out some useful plays.
Matt was unsurprised to see Bryan looking so annoyed when they met back up in the hotel courtyard. His narrow gaze meant he still hadn't figured out what was happening with the final duel.
"Please tell me you made a deck using the cards you know and understand how to use," said Matt.
With a slow nod, Bryan said, "Absolutely added a bunch of cards I'm familiar with."
"Stop being cryptic. If our decks are about to combined so I can duel against Leona, I need to know that you used legitimate Hero cards. I made my deck using Heroes specifically to make sure that our half-decks would harmonize well together."
Bryan made a face. "Wait. You're sure we're just going to combine our decks?"
"Positive."
"Did Dexter tell you that? Vidya wouldn't tell me anything."
Matt rolled his eyes. "No, he didn't tell me that. He's more cryptic than Cary is."
"Well, I thought maybe one reason for us building 20-card decks could be to combine them." Bryan suddenly closed his eyes and leaned back. "Oh, wait. Leona has a photographic memory, doesn't she?"
"Eidetic, yes."
Bryan smacked himself. "That's how you figured it out. She uses Deck Limitations to ensure no one uses the same deck twice so she can't memorize anyone's cards. That wouldn't matter unless she planned to duel against the winner."
"Exactly. Heroes, right?"
"Yes. A few new ones because I was trying to throw you for a loop in case we had to duel against each other."
Before they could exchange details about the deck, Vidya caught there attention. "Come this way, please." She led them to a dueling station that was set up in front of the Spirit Tree. It was similar to the stations back at Duel Academy except it was spread wide apart, like someone cut a standard duel station in half and pulled the halves across the courtyard. The whole courtyard was cordoned off to prevent additional spectators, though Matt suspected there would still be plenty of opportunity to watch the duel given how many cameras he spotted around the two consoles.
"Your decks have been uploaded to this side of the arena. You'll take turns dueling, but you can't discuss strategy after the duel begins."
"Hang on," said Bryan. The gears in his head were spinning in overdrive.
But Matt had already suspected this might happen. "This was the whole reason for bringing a second person to this tournament. We've been expected to collaborate and synchronize the whole time. Even though I built some decks myself, you helped me refine them. Then you built a couple of decks—which I suspect was unplanned but added further drama to this little gimmick. Now we're expected to show off how well we work together."
"You're as intuitive as expected," said Vidya.
Bryan grumbled, "Yeah, after you already told him what's happening." He pulled out his SD card and offered it to Vidya. "Do you need this?"
She shook her head. "We captured and combined your decks directly in the app."
"There were only two files to read," said Matt as he realized how easy that must have been for their development team to do.
Leona entered the courtyard, gliding as elegantly as ever. Her dress skirts swallowed her seat as she positioned herself in front of the console. This time, Katerina carried her umbrella. "I can't overstate how much I'm looking forward to this contest."
Matt said, "This must be part of your ritual. Are we expected to lose to you? We're not going to inadvertently cause the Great Cataclysm if we win?"
"The Great Cataclysm was foretold ages ago. It might be impossible to avoid. Every action taken and ritual completed is only an effort to delay the devastation."
Bryan wore a heavy frown. "She makes dueling sound less fun. But at least, if the result doesn't matter, then we're free to do our best. Maybe we'll win."
"I think the outcome does matter," said Matt. "And we need to win."
Vidya pointed out a spot for the boys to stand and wait as they rotated turns. "Remember that you can't discuss strategy during this duel. It's an additional Limitation. Leona will take the first turn, then Bryan will play your hand, then Leona again, then Matt. You will use the same cards, both in your hand and on the field, but you are expected to make your own decisions during each turn. Any questions?"
"It seems straightforward," said Bryan. Matt hoped that was true. He had faith in Bryan's general ability to duel, but they'd never dueled this way before. Matt squared off against Bryan, then he squinted his eyes and dropped his lower jaw. Bryan mirrored the goofy expression. Then Matt pulled both hands over his head until they stopped near his cheeks, with his fingers wide.
Bryan laughed. "Right. Snake eyes. 'Play the card before you touch it.'"
"Exactly." Little Big Man was ancient as far as movies go, but Bryan could always remember a funny face.
Even though the duel stations were already active, they seemed to hum to life as soon as Vidya pressed the button to load the Life Point counters.
Leona drew her opening hand. Her grip was so dainty that her cards might as well have been attached to her hand with Velcro. She also had real cards, not the virtual card plates that Matt had used for most of the tournament.
"First, I'll set one card face-down. Second, I'll summon The Beneficent Spirit (4: 1500|1500)." Her card was a man covered by white clothing but decorated with red trim. A cow walked by either side of him. The Main Deck slot on both duel stations lit up. "When I summon them, we each draw two cards from our decks."
"Wow," said Bryan. "Not used to gaining card advantage before my first turn even happens." Matt agreed with the sentiment. The effect was consistent with the card's name, but Matt had never heard of that card. If Leona had access to program her own cards into this duel, what else was she planning?
Bryan and Matt: 8000 LP, 7 cards
Leona: 8000 LP, 6 cards
Vidya had to remind Bryan to draw a card to actually start his turn—he had almost forgotten because his hand was already overfull. Bryan looked through all his cards at least three times before he said, "Okay, I think I have a plan. And it'll use most of my cards so I can get back down to the hand limit.
"I'll start by summoning Elemental Hero Shadow Mist (4: 1000|1500)." As his dark hero took the field, the Main Deck lit up. "When he's summoned, I can take Mask Change out of my deck and keep it in my hand." Well, that didn't change his hand advantage, so Matt calculated there were more moves coming.
"Next up is Polymerization, which fuses Shadow Mist on the field with Blazeman in my hand so I can summon Elemental Hero Flame Wingman – Infernal Rage (8: 2100|1200)." The card name was almost familiar except that Flame Wingman couldn't be fused with just any Heroes… except this new card could be summoned that way. He was still the same green-skinned hero with the dragon arm and one wing, but now he had new abilities. "Summoning this card lets me pull Favorite Hero from my deck to my hand. And I'll equip this to Flame Wingman (+3300)." The monster shone with a colorful aura of strength. "He gains attack points equal to his defense points, making him even stronger."
Matt nodded to himself. Bryan really did go out of his way to add new cards to his deck. Maybe Matt had glanced at this variation on Flame Wingman, but he hadn't paid attention. If the two had dueled against each other instead of as a team, maybe Bryan would have the edge.
"I'll move to the Battle Phase now," said Bryan, "and that means Favorite Hero activates Skyscraper from my deck." An entire city sprouted from the arena in between Bryan and Leona. One building in particular reached high enough to touch the sky, and yet it paled against the height of the Spirit Tree. "Now we'll attack."
Leona tapped her duel station. "I counter with The Eternal Plants." Dozens of trees, shrubs, and flowers sprang up in front of The Beneficent Spirit, protecting it from Flame Wingman's attack. When the plants burned away, a woman dressed in green was visible briefly. "Your attack and the destruction it would cause is negated."
Bryan said, "Alright." He thought a little too long about the cards in his hand. "I'll place two cards face-down and end my turn.
Bryan and Matt: 8000 LP, 4 cards
Leona: 8000 LP, 6 cards
The way Leona played was a bit different from the other opponents Matt had faced. She moved her face as if she were evaluating each of the cards she drew, but her expression never shifted and she never paused or hesitated. Either she could see the future and already had her turn planned out, or she was the fastest tactician ever.
"I'll summon The Sovereign Will (1: 100|100)." An elderly lady appeared on the field, decked out in gold clothing and carrying metallic implements in each hand—one looked like a short sword and the other looked like a crown of some kind. "When she enters the field, she takes control of all monsters on your side of the field." The crown turned out to be some kind of mind control device. The woman placed it on Flame Wingman's head, and he immediately shifted over to Leona's side of the field.
Matt muttered, "That's a hell of an effect."
Leona apparently heard him. "To balance it, I can't attack you this turn."
He was surprised to hear that. Mostly because the field was wide open now, so she must have something even worse in mind.
"I'll play The Everlasting Waters," a massive wave of water that actually looked like it was just the train of a long, blue dress, "to summon Aever, the Holy Unity (10: 1000|1000)."
For the first time, Matt balked at the duel arena. Aever carried herself like an elegant woman of unparalleled beauty, but her clothing was far from regal. She wore the kind of blue robe that was likely to be censored by the division of Kaiba Corp who still wanted Yu-Gi-Oh! Dueling to be kid-friendly. Her black hair was long and silky and surprisingly more opaque than any of the holograms had been in the entire tournament. The golden tiara atop her head shone like a halo.
Even without seeing his face, Matt could tell that Bryan was drooling… over a card. He asked Vidya, "Can I remind him that she's just a drawing so her boobs are literally fake, or will that count as strategizing?" He made sure to ask loudly enough for Bryan to hear and snap out of his stupor.
"Once per turn," said Leona, "I can equip a card from my Graveyard to Aever and grant her a corresponding effect. I equip her with The Everlasting Waters." Aever's outfit remained the same except for a long, sheer cape that looked like ocean water ebbing and flowing from her shoulders. "By discarding The Everlasting Waters, I can equip any card from my hand to Aever, and I choose The Devoted Earth." Now Aever's cape turned to dunes of desert sand, sweeping and blowing as the cape waved. "The Devoted Earth targets one monster to increase Aever's (+3100/+2200) attack and defense points by that monster's original points."
Bryan said, "That's not good."
Matt wanted to ask if he had a counter to that move, but that was sure to count as collaboration.
"Finally, I'll activate The Righteous Flame and target Flame Wingman – Infernal Rage." A man in red appeared on the field. He carried a handful of fire in his right hand. His left hand held a set of scales, placing Flame Wingman on one side and the fire on the other side. When the fire outweighed Flame Wingman, Bryan's monster fell into the fire. "The Righteous Flame destroys one monster and inflicts damage to you equal to that monster's attack points." Bryan stood through the overwhelming spray of fire that washed over him. Even though it was just a hologram, Matt noticed Bryan started sweating.
"Finally, I will send The Sovereign Will to my Graveyard so that I can return The Eternal Plants to my field, face-down."
Bryan and Matt: 4700 LP, 4 cards
Leona: 8000 LP, 3 cards
Between her words and the activation of the duel station, it was clear Leona ended her turn. Matt stepped up to grab the cards from Bryan, but Vidya made him wait until Bryan walked away from the duel station, then she acted as the intermediary to hand the cards over.
"You're really paranoid about this collaboration thing, aren't you?"
"Rules ensure smooth operation."
"Good thing, too. Otherwise Leona might have to duel against someone who actually understands their whole deck."
Leona smiled. "This challenge isn't for me."
Matt asked, "Care to explain?"
"Perhaps later, if you meet the challenge."
With a nod, Matt looked over the cards in his hand. As expected, there was a mix of cards he planned with cards Bryan planned—Stratos, Liquid Soldier, Neos, and Neos Fusion. He checked the two set cards to find Mask Change and Favorite Contact. Surely Bryan had to figure out that Matt's side of the deck was focused on Neos cards.
Matt stared down the god-level monster that Leona had played. He used the console to look up information about Aever, the Holy Unity. Her only effects were immunity to destruction in battle plus the ability to equip monsters from the Graveyard. That's where the real variety of her power came from. As for Leona's other card… The Eternal Plants could negate any action that would result in destroying one of her cards, including battle or card effects. So if Aever couldn't be destroyed, Matt had another idea how to get rid of her. He took a card from the top of the deck he and Bryan built together.
"I'll set one card in the backfield, then I'll summon Elemental Hero Stratos (4: 1800|300)." A blue hero wearing a gyroscope on his back blasted onto the field. The air current caused the Main Deck to light up. "Summoning him lets me take another Hero card from my deck to my hand." He searched the deck list on the console and selected Elemental Hero Spirit of Neos, one of the new cards he found in the system and couldn't wait to play.
"Now for the fun part. I'll activate Neos Fusion: I get to select any Neos Fusion Monster that names two Fusion Materials, then send those monsters to the Graveyard so I can summon Rainbow Neos (10: 4500|3000)." As the field began to shine in prismatic colors, he said, "Oops. Did I spoil the ending?" He tossed Neos and Rainbow Dragon from his deck to the Graveyard while their fusion emerged on the field in a fury of color. Not only that, Rainbow Neos towered over the field, his wingspan stretching so far that the tips went beyond the range of the hologram projectors.
"Since Aever can't be destroyed, I won't even try. Instead, I'll send Stratos to the Graveyard to activate Rainbow Neos. All monsters on your side of the field are shuffled back into your deck." Aever, the Holy Unity was struck by a flash of rainbow color and faded away. "Now the field is ready for an attack." Rainbow Neos flexed briefly and then threw a beam of rainbow-colored energy that smothered Leona, who appeared to tolerate the attack much better than Bryan did.
Matt said, "It's no one-turn kill, but it's enough to end my turn." He just had to hope Leona played the right cards for him to counterattack before Bryan's turn. Otherwise, he had to hope Bryan could figure out which cards to play next.
Bryan and Matt: 4700 LP, 3 cards
Leona: 3500 LP, 3 cards
As before, Leona started her turn running. "I'll summon The Devoted Earth (3: 1200|2100)." In full monster form, the card was a woman wearing khaki-colored clothes. "Summoning her lets me activate The Everlasting Waters while it's in the Graveyard. Doing so summons Aever, the Holy Unity (10: 1000|1000) back to my field." This card was as much a nuisance as the god cards, constantly reviving itself and coming back to the field with its indestructible abilities. "Aever's ability equips The Devoted Earth from the Graveyard, this time targeting Rainbow Neos (4500)."
Matt was ready. "I'll chain Mask Change. I remove Rainbow Neos from the field and transform him into Masked Hero Koga (8: 2500|1800)." Another Hero wearing brilliant armor with a golden hue, Koga (+3500) replaced the ability to refract light with the ability to draw 500 attack points from each of Leona's monsters.
"Your plan was sound, but The Devoted Earth has dominion over the Graveyard. Rainbow Neos remains a valid target to increase Aever's (+5500|4000) power."
A wave of water crashed against the field. "When I banish The Eternal Waters from my Graveyard, I can equip Aever with The Sovereign Will." Aever retained the sandy cape, but now she wore a second cape woven from rays of sunlight. "Once per turn, I can target a monster to negate its effects." The sunlight wrapped around Koga (-2500) and melted away all that power he had absorbed. "And now, Aever, the Holy Unity (5500) will attack."
The attack was incredible. Aever crossed her hands over her chest and closed her eyes. Her shadow darkened, stretched, and grew into a man as tall as the entire duel, though he remained tethered to Aever by a shadow where his legs should be. He wore the same robe as the woman who summoned him, but his torso was shielded by golden armor and his face was obscured by a golden hood. White wings spread wide as he leapt past Aever and slammed directly into Masked Hero Koga (2500). Matt felt the shockwaves of the attack as if he had been directly punched, even though that was clearly impossible.
As Leona moved to attack with The Devoted Earth, Matt pulled another card from his hand. "Before you attack, I'll special summon Elemental Hero Spirit of Neos (7: 2500|2000) in defense mode." The monster looked exactly like Neos but much more see-through than even the typical hologram. He seemed like he could be reaching out from imaginary space. "Summoning him to the field lets me take A Hero Lives from my deck to my hand."
Leona smiled. "I won't attack anymore when your defense is so high. One card face-down will end my turn."
Bryan and Matt: 500 LP, 4 cards
Leona: 3500 LP, 2 cards
As Matt walked away, he tried to shove his will into Bryan's skull. It didn't matter what card Bryan drew anymore. Everything he needed to end the duel was already set up. Their two decks had meshed almost perfectly. Bryan just needed to see the pieces.
For a moment, Bryan was hesitant to take up the cards again. He started to glance Matt's direction but stopped with only his cheek visible, maybe to avoid any accusation of sending signals to each other. After he drew his card and looked through his hand, he checked the two face-down cards. He spent extra time reading one of them—probably Forbidden Chalice. When he looked back at his hand, he was quick to double-check the other card—probably Favorite Contact. That was a good sign that his tactical gears were turning.
"Here goes," said Bryan. "I'll start this turn with A Hero Lives." The field exploded, and Elemental Hero Stratos (4: 1800|300) stood there when the dust cleared. "It costs half my Life Points to summon any Hero from the deck. And summoning Stratos lets me put another Hero in my hand, which I'll summon right away: Vision Hero Vyon (4: 1000|1200)." His blue Hero appeared on the field just as see-through as Spirit of Neos, almost like a mirage. "Summoning him lets me send a Hero from my deck to the Graveyard." A brief image of Elemental Hero Prisma flashed on the field over the Graveyard.
"Now I'm going to try another new card: Favorite Contact. By sending Neos and Flame Wingman from my Graveyard back to the deck, I can fuse them into Elemental Hero Shining Neos Wingman (8: +5200|2500)." The new monster on the field appeared to be a copy of Neos wearing the same armor as Shining Flare Wingman—white armor and bladed wings shimmering in the sunlight. "Like your monster, he draws power from the Graveyard, gaining 300 points for each Hero monster we've lost so far."
Shining Neos Wingman (+5200) was impressive but still a bit shy of Aever's (5500) current power.
Bryan tried to suppress a grin. "And the best part? Shining Neos Wingman destroys one card on your field for every separate elemental represented on my field. Neos (light), Stratos (wind), and Vyon (dark) each have different elements, so I can destroy Aever and your two face-down cards."
As Shining Neos Wingman lashed out with his powerful wings, a variety of flora sprang from the ground to intercept the attack and defend Aever.
"I chain the activation of The Eternal Plants," said Leona. Although she couldn't prevent the destruction of her two Trap cards, she could activate one of them to make sure Aever, the Holy Unity was not destroyed.
Matt could tell what Bryan was thinking. Aever was immune to destruction by battle because of her natural effect. But at least now she didn't have backup from the plants—not until Leona's next turn, anyway. There was another card ready to go…
Bryan checked his other face-down card again. He didn't set it back down; he activated it instead. "I'll use Forbidden Chalice." A small drinking goblet appeared in front of Aever, tipping over to pour its magical contents. "Aever (+5900) gains another 400 points for the rest of this turn, but her effects are negated." He waited for a moment before saying, "I kinda hoped her points would drop back down to 1000."
"Increasing her attack points is The Devoted Earth's effect, not Aever's," said Leona.
"It's okay. I almost forgot that my monster is already as strong as I need him to be. My Skyscraper from earlier in the duel is still in play. That means that when he attacks a monster with higher attack points, Shining Neos Wingman (+6200) earns a 1000-point boost for the attack. That's pretty much the exact number of points I need him to have." Neos emitted a blast of solar energy that shredded through Aever, whose body had been weakened by the contents of the Foridden Chalice.
When the attack ended, Leona's field was empty. "The usual Wingman power kicks in, too, inflicting additional damage to you equal to your monster's attack points." Technically Leona still had Life Points remaining because Shining Neos Wingman only dealt effect damage equal to Aever's (1000) original power, but Stratos (1800) and Vyon (1000) were there to finish the job.
Bryan and Matt: 250 LP, 4 cards
Leona: 0 LP, 2 cards
As the duel station shut down, Leona leaned back and appeared to inflate slightly. She looked like she was taking in a super-deep breath. On looking around, Matt realized all the staff members were doing the same thing. When they all had gone on long enough to pass out from not breathing, they suddenly breathed a collective sigh.
"That was spectacular," said Leona.
Bryan still looked understandably unnerved, so Matt was the one to ask, "So we stopped the universe from collapsing?"
"The Great Cataclysm hasn't been averted, but it won't occur soon. The ritual appears to have driven incredible numbers of spirits out of imaginary space and reinforced the borders between realms. You have time to continue growing and investigating."
"Me?" asked Matt.
Leona nodded. "Yes. You have proven to have the spiritual energy needed to quell the spirits and return them to the Overworld."
"Isn't that your thing?" asked Bryan.
With a gentle frown, Leona said, "We aren't capable of stopping it. We would have done so by now. Only two in this world have that kind of power…" She trailed off with a sad look in her eye.
Forcing herself to smile again, Leona said, "Congratulations to you both. Your teamwork truly provides you with unparalleled potential. You have proven yourselves to be the champions of this Deck Limitations Tournament and earned all associated prestige."
After taking a dozen pictures to make sure everyone looked their best and no one blinked or sneezed or scratched themselves below the belt, Leona presented them with a crystal chalice for each to take home, a trophy to give to Duel Academy for their display case, and patches declaring them tournament champions to sew onto their jackets.
While Bryan was signing paperwork, Leona pulled Matt aside. "Take this."
She handed him a physical copy of Aever, the Holy Unity along with six support cards she had used during the duel. From every angle, the cards looked real, including the holographic security seal Kaiba Corp used to identify counterfeit cards. So on top of crazy technology, she was also a master counterfeiter.
"I couldn't accept this. These cards are clearly special to you."
"Which is why you should have them," she said. "You are also special. You will do great things." Matt wasn't sure how to react, which was an unusual and uncomfortable feeling. So he just accepted the cards and returned to the stack of paperwork needed to ensure he was properly recognized and rewarded as the tournament champion.
The next hour was a whirlwind of paperwork, rewards, and packing, culminating in the two boys receiving a souvenir suitcase so they had room to pack the Duel Disk, their trophies, and the rare cards given as a standard prize at almost all tournaments globally.
As Dexter drove them to the airport, Matt asked, "Do you think there's really something special about me?"
"You're one of the smartest people I've ever met," said Bryan. "But since you're thinking about this whole Great Cataclysm thing… I don't know. I'd never heard of anything like it until we came here. Maybe we should do a little extra research when we get home."
Matt nodded. "I wonder if any of the Duel Academy faculty know anything about it."
"We can always ask."
"What if they're cryptic about it like Leona was? Like…" He motioned toward Dexter.
Bryan tapped his chin. "Then we bribe them with snacks. Oh! You know what's amazing as a snack? Chocolate-and-pistachio biscotti. But, like, the real biscotti from Italy. Not the junk you get back home." He leaned up toward the driver seat. "Hey, Dex. Can we get more authentic biscotti to take with us?"
Dexter shot a sharp glance in the rear view mirror. "Will you promise to save some for your mother and not eat it all on the plane?"
Sheepishly, Bryan sat back and said, "Yes!"
After one more glance, Dexter said, "Check the pocket in the back of the seat in front of you." Bryan reached into the back of the passenger seat and pulled out three sticks of biscotti. Matt found another three in the pocket behind the driver's seat. "That's all you get for now." He waited a beat before saying, "There are more in your suitcase."
Matt leaned over and popped open the suitcase just enough to see a plastic bag filled with sticks of biscotti resting on top of the other boxed items. "You sneaky bastard."
This ends the Deck Limitations arc of my story. I'm still finalizing the main events of my next arc, so I'll be off for a little while. First I need to finish my current project, then I'll work on writing out the next arc here. We'll be back at Duel Academy, so I'm looking forward to exploring more locations that haven't come up yet and dueling against a few characters who haven't yet played their cards.
If any of you have stories you're writing, or you'd recommend a friend's story for me to read, I'm open to recommendations during my break. Let me know what else you're reading!
