Hello, everyone. I've been hoping to write a Shadowchasers story for a good long time, and I finally got around to it. This is an old idea of mine, one that I've had a while to polish. Hopefully I can do it justice.
The Shadowchasers setting and general premise belong to 0ccam's Razor, Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Konami, and Vladimir Bloodletter (once he appears) belongs to Metal Overlord 2.0.
Chapter 1
Unexpected Dai
#
Stigma, noun: a mark of infamy or disgrace. Also, a mark on the body corresponding to the wounds of Crucifixion on Jesus Christ's body.
Also, the sticky part of a flower's pistil that receives pollen during pollination, but that's less important right now.
Isn't it a cynic's dream come true how reputation works? Building a trustworthy image takes backbreaking work and constant care. It demands investment, paid properly on time and to the dollar amount. But it's so, so easy to rip down, and once it's gone, it's back to square zero with you. And on the other hand, building a bad reputation is easy as, say, riding into town one day and denting someone's expensive car because you were busy looking around.
What does it say about us, about people, that we make it so hard to earn our trust but so easy to earn our scorn? And what happens when one day we all decide that the price of faith in our fellow man is too high to ever pay? I'm sure that Jalal Stormbringer's been thinking about it, ever since Vladimir Bloodletter beat a path to his door and kicked it open onto him. Hell, maybe he'll never forget. The world won't let him.
My name's Travis Kennedy. Maybe you've read my books. They're mostly true, I'll have you know. Names changed to protect the innocent and all that. Right now, I'm on my way down south to visit someone I haven't seen in a very long time. But unfortunately, it looks like I've attracted someone who's image of me isn't particularly shiny either…
#
In Travis' experience, the dead of night was the best time to get on the interstate and ride. He'd passed some long-haul trucks here and there, but otherwise the sticks were completely silent this time of night. It was a good feeling, having the highway all to yourself for miles. It gave a man time to think.
The darkness of the early morning countryside was even more absolute inside of Travis' motorcycle helmet. The stars didn't reach his eyes through the thick fiberglass of his visor - the only light he saw was the dim headlight shining on the front of his bike, lighting up the highway as if creating its own path through the night.
From this side of Oklahoma City, there was still more than three hundred miles to the Texas border, and even more to Austin. It wouldn't have been the first all-nighter that Travis pulled during his time on the road, but Riann got upset whenever he didn't take care of himself. He sped along until an exit emerged from the darkness and then he veered off the highway.
Thankfully, the strip that Travis rode into was decent enough; it had a gas station, and some fast food places, and finally a motel where Travis rode into the parking lot. He kicked one leg over the seat and slid off his bike, stretching out the aches of a long ride, and left his helmet dangling on the handlebar as he made for the lobby.
Travis pushed the door open and stepped into the motel, silent but for the sputtering AC. He walked over to the vacant front desk and rapped on it with gloved knuckles. "Excuse me?" Travis called. "Anyone home?"
After a long delay, a woman stumbled out from the back room, looking exhausted. "Need a room?" She asked, clearly wanting to be anywhere else.
Travis rubbed messy black hair out of his face. "Just for the night, please," he said. "Anything's fine."
She hit some buttons on the nearby desktop and held out a key. "113," she said, with no inflection at all.
Travis took the key and smiled pleasantly. "Have a nice night," he said, leaving before she answered, if she wanted to at all. (Probably not.)
His room was nothing special. Really nothing special. One bed, a small bathroom, old and yellowing wallpaper, and a mild smell of mildew were all that really awaited Travis for the night - which was fine, as he'd slept in worse for much longer.
Travis peeled off his clothes and took a quick cold shower, then got his laptop out of his bag and settled onto the bed. As his computer powered up, he pulled out his phone and opened his texts. He'd gotten a bunch from one person while he was on the road today (yesterday, whatever).
Hey, Uncle Travis? I found some Duel Monsters cards today, and I wanted to know if you've heard of them. They're these weird Dragon support cards.
I've never heard of any of them.
Are you still planning to get in tonight?
Hey, are you free?
I need to talk to you.
Something happened at work tonight. There was a weird kind of
Never mind. Forget I sent that. Everything's fine.
That last text was from hours ago, and they hadn't sent anything since then. Riann was wound tightly and jumped at nothing sometimes, but something had clearly freaked them out before they'd gone dark.
Hey, kid. Hope you're sleeping well. Travis typed on his phone with one hand as he opened a document on his laptop. Made a stop for the night, but I'm always here if you need me. I'll see you tomorrow after work. We'll hit a museum or something. Talk more if you want.
Travis dropped his phone onto the bed. He would have liked to say more, but his nibling was probably long asleep by now. Instead, he focused his eyes on the computer screen and began typing.
Knight took a moment to choose his next words. "I didn't get the sense that she was being cruel," he said carefully. "When Cindrellon attacked me, she didn't play with me. She just… she was skittish. Hesitant. Reaching out and pulling back. I think more than anything, she was afraid."
Eshe gave Knight a scornful look. "Afraid? She tortured our father! Our mother-" She let out a choking cry. "Our mother can't even be in the room with anyone else! And you think she's afraid?! She doesn't get to be afraid!"
That had been a difficult venture, a deeply personal one about a family of three cursed sisters. The middle sister had acted in malice, but that wasn't the whole story. Her parents had spent her whole life hurting her, planning to dispose of her once and for all in a dark bid for power. The other sisters had no idea, not until Travis had stepped in at the youngest sister's pleas. He'd done everything he could, exposing the parents' misdeeds and reuniting the sisters, but in the end he could only leave them with hope for a better future together.
Maybe he'd give them a better ending in writing; his readers always enjoyed the books that ended happily. Angel of Glass had been one of his most hopeful stories, and the accolades for that had been endless.
"What's… oh, Mr. Knight!" A voice said from the stairs. It was Ghira, clutching her doll to her chest like her own child. "Is Ellie…?"
It killed Knight to shake his head. "Not yet. But we're working on it. How's your mother?"
Eventually, Travis blacked out, resting up against the headboard with his computer balanced in his lap and the flickering lamp light still shining nearby.
#
There was a booming at the door. "Hey, get out here!" A voice shouted from outside.
Travis twitched, but kept slumbering until another deep round of impacts shook his room. "KENNEDY! Don't ignore me! I'll break this damn door in two!"
That was enough to jolt Travis rudely back to life. He fought the weight of exhaustion to sit up in his bed. His now-dead laptop slid from his lap onto the mattress.
"Ugh… who's it?" Travis fumbled out. "Paid for the room already."
His perfectly reasonable question was met by another round of hammering knocks, slower and more deliberate than before. The doorframe cracked loudly after one such impact, and Travis' exhaustion was replaced with a grim verve. Whoever was intruding on his rest was done waiting for him.
"Hold on, I'm coming!" He called, sliding out of bed and feeling his tired mind reactivate. It was still pitch dark outside, and there was no clock in the room for Travis to check. He doubted that he'd slept for more than a few hours.
Travis reached the door and warily unlocked it. He leaped back as the door flung open and a shimmering light whistled through the air in front of his face. A humanoid form stumbled into the doorway, allowing Travis to bring a fist smashing down onto their head.
The figure crumpled to the floor with a painful cry. Travis saw the glimmering knife in their hand and stomped on it to make the figure let go. Their other hand - gray-skinned like ash, Travis noted quickly - grabbed him by the ankle in a deathlike grasp.
Travis stumbled as the figure with ashen skin and a painful grip on his ankle reared back and up, dragging him forward. He saw a lean face, as pale and gray as their hand, with hair so white it was nearly clear and green eyes shimmering with rage.
"Kennedy!" The ashen figure snarled. "You'll pay for what-"
They were cut off as Travis stopped trying to pull his foot back and instead brought it down hard onto the floor, giving himself enough stability to bring his back foot upward in a kick that glanced off his aggressor's shoulder. Their hand spasmed and released his ankle as they shrank back along the floor.
Travis shot his hand out and struck the wall, catching himself enough to put both feet firmly back on the floor. He caught the eyes of the figure on the ground; with the sudden dip in adrenaline, he noticed their pointed ears and the veins just barely visible underneath their face. They looked young, with the line of stubble just barely grown along the edge of their chin.
But then, it was always hard to tell with elves. And Travis recognized a pale elf - a Glamfellen - when he saw one. He certainly didn't expect to see one this far south, though. "Do I know you?" He asked.
It was clearly the wrong thing to say, as the elf's furious gaze screwed up even further. "You scum! Don't you have any shame for the sins your hands have wrought?!" They lurched up to their feet, standing a few hairs taller than Travis but with a much slighter build - albeit one covered with long, ragged pants and a heavy, dark-colored hoodie.
Unfortunately for them (For him? Those looked like men's clothes.), Travis had been stared down and unintimidated by much more imposing creatures. He folded his arms across his chest. "I could fill a book with the sins that everyone says that I've committed. And I have," he said flatly. "I need you to be specific."
The elf's white skin turned the slightest tinge of pink with anger, but he let out a furious growl through his teeth rather than lunging at Travis again. "I come from the Moondew clan in the north. My name… my name is Dreyr," the elf seethed. "Do you remember us, Kennedy? We implored you for aid when our lands were being encroached on. The humans wanted to build more roads, more businesses, more monuments to their idols."
Dreyr spat on the floor. "And you swore that you would come to our aid! You tricked us into welcoming you as a comrade, and then you left us! We were chased away from our homes because you lacked the decency to honor your promise!"
It was tempting, Travis thought, to say that Dreyr's story didn't ring any bells. Just to see what hues the elf's face could become. But he wasn't in the mood for Dreyr to come at him with that knife again, not this late at night.
"I remember that," Travis said. "And I didn't abandon you. I found out that you were abducting people from the nearby towns and trying to sacrifice them so your god-" That was Rymrgand, the Beast of Winter and the Glamfellen's god of entropy and collapse, "-would bring a painful end to anyone you thought was dangerous. As far as I'm concerned, you're all lucky I didn't do my duty as a Shadowchaser and bring your whole tribe in for attempted mass murder."
That would have been difficult, holding an entire tribe of elves in contempt of the law. But Dreyr didn't need to know that Travis was mostly bluffing.
"Your duty was to us!" Dreyr snarled. "We were the aggrieved party! Or are the rest of your oaths so thin as well?"
Travis sighed. "Look, we could go around in circles about this until the world burns or freezes or whatever. Did you really follow me all the way from Montana?"
At this, Dreyr scoffed lightly. "Nothing so convoluted. My tribe knew of an oracle in nearby lands. I sought them out and they divined your location."
That was a nuisance. Come to think of it, some kind of anti-tracking charm would come in handy to avoid times like this in the future. Someone somewhere probably owed Travis a favor. "Okay, you found me. Now what do you want?" Travis asked.
With a sudden growl of exertion, Dreyr splayed the fingers of his uninjured hand. His knife flew up from the floor and into his waiting palm. "Isn't it obvious?" He snapped, pointing it at a wary Travis. "To end your wretched existence, once and for all!"
As Dreyr turned the dagger forward, Travis glimpsed the flat of the blade. He tried not to let any fear show at the sight of the rune engraved on the side. It was a straight vertical line, with two smaller lines curving downward at equal angles near the bottom. Like an inverted Greek letter psi.
Travis was just versed enough in Futhark alphabets to know what that meant. It was the Yr rune, the inverse of the Man rune that represented life. A symbol bearing the power of death, on a knife wielded by an aggressor who worshiped a god of entropy and erosion.
It could mean absolutely nothing good.
"...Okay," Travis said at last, his voice and affect perfectly flat.
Dreyr paused. "What do you mean, okay?" He asked.
"I mean, okay," Travis repeated. "You have a knife, clearly one enchanted to kill easily. Are you going to come at me?" He slid into a ready stance. His weapons were in the bag strewn across the floor, what an idiot, but Travis could and had done plenty of damage with his fists alone.
Had Dreyr lunged at Travis without waiting, Travis might have been concerned. Instead, the elf paused, still glowering with rage but clearly disturbed by Travis' easy acceptance of the upcoming fight. He was a child, then. A young man driven to desperate and thoughtless vengeance by resentment. Even if Travis died tonight, the Moondew clan's problems wouldn't be fixed.
The Glamfellen's eyes flickered back and forth in rapid thought, then steeled once more. "There are others in this building besides us. The human woman in the lobby, at least," Dreyr said. He slowly slid his front foot behind him, back toward the doorway. "Submit to my judgment, or… or I'll hunt down every one of them and slaughter them first!"
He waved his knife around. For the first time, Travis got a look at how the air went dead along the blade's arc, rippling as it dispersed and the vacuum was filled with the air around it. For a kid propelled by piss and spite, he'd found a decent weapon for killing.
Travis slid back out of his fighting stance, seemingly unconcerned. "Go ahead," he said.
This time, Dreyr actually jerked in surprise. "You… these are innocent people! They're probably all human! Do you… do you think I won't kill them?!"
"No, I'm sure you will," Travis said quickly, to stave off Dreyr's rising ire. "Don't let me stop you."
The arm holding the knife lowered in shock. "Wh-what are you saying? You're supposed to be a Shadowchaser!"
"Clearly not a good one," Travis shrugged. He watched the pale elf's expression twist further into bewilderment, into confusion. Most importantly, into uncertainty.
Time to de-escalate.
"Look, can I suggest an alternative?" Travis asked. He pointed to the Deck box hanging from Dreyr's hip. "You can Duel, right? Let's settle this peacefully. If I win, you get out of here without hurting or killing anyone and we can forget tonight happened.
"If I lose…" Travis paused for effect. "Then my life is in your hands. How about it?"
Another war waged behind Dreyr's eyes. A war between the visions of a probable but bloody vindication and an uncertain but morally pure one. He kept his knife pointed at Travis, but couldn't hide his other hand lifting closer toward his Deck.
Finally, after what felt like days, the pale elf settled his hand on his Deck box and lowered the knife just a little bit. "Fine. We'll handle this your way," he spat. "Follow me, and don't you dare linger."
He led Travis out of his room toward the motel parking lot. Along the way, they were accosted by a large and harried man who spat at them both. "You! Do you have any idea what time-" He tried to shout, but at the sight of Dreyr's knife, he croaked and rushed back into his room.
Once they reached the parking lot, Travis walked over to his motorcycle and retrieved his Duel Disk from the top box. It was nothing fancy, but it - and the Deck that he slid into the waiting compartment - had carried him through many a predicament. He turned back toward Dreyr, who had fastened his own Duel Disk to his arm and was now fumbling with retrieving his Deck.
"You need any help?" Travis asked.
"Not from you," Dreyr snarled. He pulled his Deck box off his hip and couldn't keep himself from wincing. No wonder - that was his bad hand, the one Travis had stomped on.
All things considered, Travis didn't feel terrible about it.
Finally, Dreyr set his Deck into his Duel Disk and stood at the ready. "Kennedy… tonight, I'll finally avenge my people!"
The malice in his eyes shone brightly even in the pitch-black midnight. Travis wondered for just a moment if he'd made a mistake giving the pale elf a fighting chance, but he cast that doubt aside. He'd handled worse - besides, Riann was waiting for him. He couldn't let the kid down.
"Whatever you need to tell yourself," Travis replied, lifting up his own Duel Disk. "Let's Duel."
(Travis: 8000 LP) - (Dreyr: 8000 LP)
They both drew their first five cards.
"As the aggrieved party, I'm going first," Dreyr declared. He studied his hand for a few moments, then slowly picked out a card and Set it facedown "I'll Set one monster and…" He added three more facedown cards behind it. "...these other three cards. Go."
"Don't mind if I do," Travis said, lifting a card from the top of his Deck. He smiled; it was an Equip Spell. He could use that. "Let's get this started right.
"I Summon Infernoble Knight Ogier." Travis placed the card on his Duel Disk, and a Solid Vision appeared in the darkness - a handsome blonde man clad in black and white armor with red trim, surrounded by fairies of shining technicolor flame (1500/2000). "Ogier's effect, when he's Normal or Special Summoned. I send another FIRE Warrior monster from my Deck to the Graveyard."
Travis fanned his Deck and quickly plucked out a card, sliding it into his Graveyard slot.
"Next, since I control a FIRE Warrior monster, I Special Summon Infernoble Knight - Renaud from my hand!" Another young man appeared, wearing similar armor but more rugged and with dark hair. He rode astride a black horse with a bright mane and a single flaming eye (500/200). "Now, I could add the monster in my Graveyard to my hand, but he's more suited for staying there."
Dreyr scowled. "I shouldn't be surprised, that you'd send your own to die and refuse to save them. Even your Deck betrays your disregard for life other than your own."
"I prefer to think of it as my monster making a valiant sacrifice to assist his comrades," Travis shot back. "To unite and burn bright upon the battlefield, and give their strength in death with their last burning embers. That's the creed of my knights.
"But we'll get to that second half later. For now, since Renaud was Special Summoned by his own effect, he becomes a Tuner!"
Renaud sat tall upon his horse, bathed in a warm red glow.
The Glamfellen's eyes widened. "So soon? But…"
"Why not?" Travis asked, smiling. "My knights give each other strength and burn even brighter! I Tune my Level 1 Renaud with Ogier!"
Renaud's horse galloped into the air and burst, rider and mount, into a single green ring. Ogier flew into it and faded into four shining stars, bathed in a column of fire.
(*1 + *4 = *5)
"Synchro Summon, Level 5!" Travis called out. "Infernoble Knight Captain Roland!"
The light was cleaved in half by a brilliant burning blade, wielded by a muscular orange-haired man wearing an extravagant cloak (2000/500).
The new Synchro Monster's presence lit up the dark parking lot with flickering firelight. Travis saw the new uncertainty in Dreyr's eyes and met it with his own fiery grin.
"Captain Roland's effect! When he's Synchro Summoned, during the End Phase of this turn, I can send an Equip Spell from my Deck to the Graveyard to add another Warrior from my Deck to my hand!
"But that's then. First, let's go back to the second half of that creed." A card slid out of Travis' Graveyard. "The 'strength in death from burning embers' deal. Ogier's effect activates from the Graveyard!" He held it up for Dreyr to see. "If he's in the Graveyard, I can equip him to a Warrior I control!"
He slid Ogier's card into the Spell & Trap Zone, and Ogier appeared in the back row, shimmering like a heat haze. "When Ogier is equipped to a Warrior monster, that monster cannot be destroyed by card effects. A little insurance in case I need it. And now, I have another number in my hand to bring out…"
Travis held up the Equip Spell he'd drawn at the start of his turn. Dreyr blanched at the sight of it, making Travis smile. "I was wondering if you'd recognize this old card. I equip Captain Roland with Big Bang Shot, for 400 extra ATK and piercing!"
Captain Roland's sword hand ignited with its own orange light, mingling with the flames of his sword (2400 ATK).
"Now, Roland!" Travis swung his hand forward. "Attack his facedown monster! Big Bang Durendal Slash!"
Travis' Synchro Monster lunged across the field, raising his blazing sword upward and bringing it down in a single vertical slice.
"I…!" Dreyr lifted his hand to the back of his Duel Disk, then paused. "No, but… I can-!"
It was too late. His facedown monster was cut in half and burned outward from the center; a wizened gray owl with a crown on its head (300/500) appeared in the flames for a moment before exploding into pixels. A tongue of flames washed through the Glamfellen before it all faded at once.
(Dreyr: 8000 - 6100 LP)
"That was An Owl of Luck," Travis noted. "Gravekeeper's, then?"
"And what of it?!" Dreyr seethed but said no more. He searched his Deck for a copy of Necrovalley (still shakily, with his hurting hand), and placed it on top of his Deck.
It was a frustratingly decent matchup, Travis admitted to himself. His own Deck did a lot of dumping and retrieving from the Graveyard. If he didn't cut off the pale elf's momentum early, this could be a precarious Duel.
He looked at the remaining three cards in his hand, and slid the two he thought would help most into his Spell and Trap Zones. They appeared facedown beside Ogier. "Now that it's my End Phase, Captain Roland's effect resolves," Travis said. "So I send this card from my Deck to the Graveyard…"
He slid a copy of Noble Arms - Excaliburn into his Graveyard. "...to add this guy to my hand." Another card poked from Travis' Deck. He pulled it out and held it up.
"Immortal Phoenix Gearfried?" Dreyr read. "That Gemini Monster?"
Travis shook his head. "That's the old one. This one's a revamp. But before that, I have another effect I need to resolve. From my Graveyard, Infernoble Knight - Roland."
The heat haze of another knightly monster appeared. Another young man, similar to Captain Roland but younger and cockier. "Since he's in my Graveyard having been sent there this turn, I add either a FIRE Warrior or an Equip Spell from my Deck to my hand. I'll do the latter."
He added another Noble Arms to his hand - Gallatin, this time. "I told you, didn't I? My knights don't simply leave each other to die. From their ashes, they leave gifts of resolve to their allies still standing."
(Travis: 8000 LP) - (Dreyr: 6100 LP)
Dreyr didn't reply, merely pulling a card from his Deck to his hand. Before he could say anything, Travis spoke up once more. "Oh, before anything else, I activate this!"
One of his facedown Traps rose up. "Drop Off! I know that's Necrovalley, and it'd be a nuisance if I let you keep it."
The pale elf discarded his pivotal Field Spell, looking… oddly composed. "If that's the case, then I'll activate one of my own Traps." He pointed at one of his facedowns. "Necrovalley Temple!"
The card flipped up and shone brightly, followed by the earth behind Dreyr splitting open and a wide, square temple rising from the underground. A total of ten torches ignited on the front of the temple, casting more firelight across the field.
"This temple's effect…" Dreyr continued. "If I control no Field Spell, allows me to activate the card that you just made me discard, from my hand or my Graveyard."
Necrovalley slid out of his Graveyard, and he placed it on his Disk. The world around both of them changed from the midnight strip to a canyon at dusk. Travis hadn't played against Gravekeeper's in a long time, if ever, but it was an old enough card that he remembered its effects just fine.
Dreyr held up the only remaining card in his hand. "Now, since I control no monsters and you control a Special Summoned monster, I activate the Spell Card of Adversity, to draw twice." He pulled two more cards off his Deck, then frowned at them for a moment before playing one. "This is Arduous Decision. I look at the two cards on my Deck, and you choose one."
He drew two cards at once and held them up, backs facing Travis. "If it's a monster, I Special Summon it and add the other to my hand. Otherwise, they both go to the Graveyard. Pick one."
Rather than doing that, Travis watched his opponent's face. "What's with you, getting it together all of a sudden?" He smirked.
"I hesitated when you attacked me last turn," Dreyr replied. "And it cost me. I won't hesitate any more. Not when my clan's justice is so near. Now, choose!"
Travis nodded. "I can respect that," he said. He lifted his finger and pointed. "The one on the left."
Dreyr held the card up for a moment, then turned it around to show its brown frame. "It's a monster, so I'll Special Summon it! Gravekeeper's Recruiter, in Defense Position!"
From a burst of light, the Spellcaster appeared. It was another human man, in black robes with white trim, with dark skin and a scroll of hieroglyphics tattooed over the top of his bald head (1200/1500).
"The other card goes to my hand," Dreyr continued. "And it was also a monster, though I prefer that you chose as you did."
"Always happy to help," Travis chimed in.
The pale elf ignored him. "Necrovalley's effect activates! My Recruiter, as with all Gravekeeper's monsters, gains 500 ATK and DEF!
"And now that I control a Gravekeeper's monster and Necrovalley, my Temple's other effect activates. Your monsters lose 500 ATK and DEF!"
The ethereal fog of the valley flowed through the Recruiter, whose gaze sharpened (1700/2000). The same fog seemed to drain Captain Roland of vitality; his sword dipped ever so slightly (1900/0).
"Not a bad setup," Travis said. "Your monster's still trailing mine a bit, though."
"Then it's good that I'm not finished." The Glamfellen held up the other card that he'd gained through Arduous Decision. "I tribute my Recruiter for a greater monster. Come, my Gravekeeper's Chief!"
The Recruiter sank into the earth, and what rose from below to replace him was the leader of the Gravekeeper's; a regal man wielding a golden staff with a cobra's head (1900/1200 - 2400/1700).
"I think I see what you're going for," Travis said thoughtfully. "Since Chief renders your Graveyard unaffected by Necrovalley, you're going to Special Summon back Recruiter with Chief's effect, then destroy Roland with Chief and attack directly with Recruiter."
"Not quite," Dreyr replied, looking a bit self-satisfied. "First, I activate my Recruiter's effect. When it's sent to my Graveyard, I add one Gravekeeper's monster with 1500 DEF or less from my Deck to my hand." He shuffled through his Deck and held up another card that Travis didn't quite recognize.
"And now I'll use my Chief's effect, Special Summoning back my Recruiter." The tattooed man rose up once more. "But unlike what you expected, it won't be staying. I activate from my hand the Spell Necrovalley Throne!"
Behind Gravekeeper's Recruiter, a chair made of gold faded into existence. Recruiter stepped back without looking and settled upon it solemnly.
"The Throne's effect allows me to either add another Gravekeeper's monster from my Deck to my hand, or Normal Summon another Gravekeeper's monster. I'll do the latter once more, and tribute my Recruiter for the monster it sought out. For my Gravekeeper's Shaman!"
The Recruiter faded into shadows, replaced again by a more regal monster. This one was an elderly woman in white and gold, with a grand headdress and staff and a blindfold covering her eyes (1500/1500 - 2000/2000).
"My Recruiter's effect activates again." Dreyr fished out another monster from his Deck. "And then my Shaman gains 200 DEF for each Gravekeeper's monster in my Graveyard." The Shaman held her sightless gaze forward (2200 DEF).
"Furthermore," said the Glamfellen, raising a finger. "My Shaman negates all effects that activate in the Graveyard save for Gravekeeper's monsters. And, as Necrovalley is on the field, you cannot activate Field Spells or destroy them with effects. Thus, my field is secure.
"And with that in place…" Dreyr thrust his finger forward. "Gravekeeper's Chief! Destroy Captain Roland! Wrath of the Royal Family!"
The eyes of the Chief's cobra staff shone a dangerous ruby red, then fired two streams of energy at the waiting Infernoble Knight.
…Who, without warning, suddenly sank to the size of a boy (900 ATK).
"What's…" Travis looked across the field in surprise and saw one of Dreyr's facedowns lifted up. "Shrink, huh?"
"I promised that I wouldn't hesitate again," Dreyr said, voice like steel.
The Chief's attack struck Roland, who let out a high-pitched cry and shattered.
(Travis: 8000 - 6500 LP)
"And following him, my Shaman attacks directly!" Dreyr shouted. "Light of Khonsu!"
The Shaman took her staff in both hands and raised it in front of her. The crescent-shaped assortment of gems shone like the moon before projecting across the field like a spotlight toward Travis.
The Shadowchaser grit his teeth. "I activate my own facedown! Defense Draw!" The card flipped up, and the Shaman's crescent attack struck an invisible field around Travis before dissipating. "The battle damage from this attack becomes zero, and I get another card."
Dreyr scowled as Travis made his draw. "Do what you will," he spat.
"I intend to," Travis said, making another draw. He looked at the card and his eyes lit up. This card might just get him out of the jam he was getting into. Assuming he could keep it around until his next turn, anyway…
Travis threw it onto his Disk. "I play Gearbreed!" He shouted as it appeared. "During my Draw Phase, instead of drawing like normal, I can add an Equip Spell from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand - or just my Deck, for now.
"But until then, I Summon Noble Knight Borz!" A man with short black hair and silver armor appeared on Travis' field (1700/900 - 1200/400). "And I'll give him his own blade to wield by equipping him with Noble Arms - Gallatin!"
A sword appeared in the air before Borz, one with a blade that shone like daylight. The knight took it in his hand and swung it with a cry (2200 ATK).
"And this brings us to Borz's effects," Travis continued. "Ordinarily, he's treated as a Normal Monster while face-up on the field, but when he's equipped with a Noble Arms, a few things change. First, his Attribute changes from LIGHT to DARK and his Level increases by one."
As if to accentuate the point, Borz's eyes grew dark and sunken as he held his shining blade (DARK; Level: 5).
"Why on Earth would it have a needless effect such as that?" Dreyr scoffed.
"I wouldn't call it needless," Travis said. "And I'd suggest reading some Arthurian mythology. Borz was the cousin of Lancelot, and they both played important roles in the downfall of King Arthur and Camelot.
"But that's neither here nor there. What matters is Borz's other effect. Once per turn, I can reveal three Noble Arms Equip Spells from my Deck." Travis rifled through his Deck and pulled out three. "Then you select one at random to go to my hand, and the other two go to my Graveyard."
Travis held out all three cards, and they were projected across the field toward Dreyr. The pale elf read them closely.
"Caliburn, Gallatin, and Infernoble Arms - Durendal?" Dreyr studied them all and frowned as they shuffled themselves. "Whatever. I choose… the one in the middle."
It spun around, revealing the art of Durendal.
"Thank you very much," Travis grinned, adding it to his hand while sliding the other two into his Graveyard. "Now that that's over with, I'll banish Gallatin from my field as a cost to Special Summon this number!"
He turned the card around in his hand, and Dreyr's eyes flashed with recognition. "Oh, that's…!"
"Yes, it is! Making his grand entrance on this humble field, I Summon the proud, everlasting, Immortal Phoenix Gearfried!"
Gallatin shattered into light in Borz's grasp, and the sparkles condensed into flame that formed into a great rumbling sphere. An immense blade stabbed through the top of the flames from within, swinging down to cut the fire in half. The halves of the sphere opened out and backward to form into wings of flame for a majestic new monster. Seven feet tall, with shining silver armor and a brilliant crimson helm, the Warrior swung its greatsword and shield with a bellow and stood ready (3000/2200 - 2500/1700).
Without Gallatin, against the golden flames, Borz's darkness seemed to recede and he stood tall in Gearfried's radiance (LIGHT; Level: 4; 1200 ATK).
Travis opened his mouth - whether to attack or activate another card, Dreyr didn't know, but he didn't give the Shadowchaser that satisfaction. "I activate another Trap! Threatening Roar!"
As the card let out a roar befitting its name, Travis frowned. That was… a pretty good move. Without it, Gearfried could have attacked Shaman and equipped Chief to himself for more ATK, leaving the elf's field open for Borz to attack directly. "Did you know that Gearfried's effect activates when he attacks?" Travis called across the field. "Is that why you waited until now to play that?"
"I wasn't going to leave anything to chance," responded the Glamfellen. "Not against a monster with that level of power."
"And if you were wrong?" Travis asked. "What if Gearfried could negate Traps? You would've wasted a pretty useful defensive card for nothing."
Dreyr said nothing for a time but looked irritated once more. "Then it's good that that didn't come to pass. Do you have anything to add?"
Travis sighed and looked back over his hand. "I Set one more card facedown and…" He held up the copy of Durendal that he'd added to his hand this turn. "...I equip Gearfried with this. Infernoble Arms - Durendal."
He slid the Equip Spell into an empty slot, and Gearfried took hold of the red-winged, red-spined blade. "Wish I'd gotten this last turn," Travis laughed. "This is Roland's blade of legend. Would've been fitting to put it in his hands."
Regardless, I can use this thing right about now, he thought. If I can keep it around until my next turn, I can destroy it and add another Warrior to my hand, and even if I lose it and Gearfried, I can still Special Summon something from my Graveyard for defense, or I can use Gearfried's effect to get rid of it for a Monster effect negation.
I'm feeling good right about now…
"I don't care," Dreyr told him, snapping another card from his Deck to his hand. "I activate my Reasoning Spell Card." He threw it onto his Duel Disk. "Give me a Level."
Travis considered that. He could guess a higher Level - Visionary was Level 8 - but the vast majority of Gravekeeper's monsters were lower-Level. And of those, the best tended to be… "Four," he declared.
The pale elf flipped over one card - a Trap - then a Spell, then another Spell, and then…
A monster. But it only had one Level star above its picture. Damn it all.
Dreyr looked at it, and couldn't hide the raw surprise on his face… followed by stark excitement. "I'll Special Summon this, my Level 1 Dimension Conjurer!"
What appeared on the field was a monster that Travis hadn't expected to see. "Waitwait, is that the thing from Magical Dimension?"
"The two are related," Dreyr replied, sliding the other cards he'd excavated into his Graveyard. "And so, when my Conjurer is Normal or Special Summoned, I can add a Magical Dimension from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand - and I just discarded one." He made no effort to hide how he eagerly reached for his Graveyard.
"Oh, I don't think so!" Travis said. "Gearfried's effect! I send one Equip Spell on my field to the Graveyard to negate a monster effect and destroy it! Immolate that monster, Gearfried!"
The Durendal in Gearfried's hands burst into flames from tip to hilt, and Gearfried threw it like a spear through the Dimension Conjurer, reducing it to ash.
Dreyr just smiled. "Thank you, Kennedy. When Dimension Conjurer is sent to the field to the Graveyard, I can draw a card for each Spellcaster I control." He beckoned to Gravekeeper's Chief and Shaman, then drew two cards. "And then, I place the same number of cards from my hand on top of my Deck."
He slipped two cards onto his Deck, then held up the only remaining card in his hand. "And now, since I have no other cards in my hand, I can activate Aurora Draw, and draw two more cards!"
Travis hissed quietly as the elf drew his cards. He hadn't expected a play like that. Gearfried still led the field in ATK, but only by 100 points, and Borz was an open target.
Dreyr didn't give him time to languish. "Now, since I control both Necrovalley and a Gravekeeper's monster, I can activate my Hidden Temples of Necrovalley!" He played the Continuous Spell, and two towering statues of seated pharaohs rose from the earth on either side of the Necrovalley Temple. "With this card on my field, neither of us can Special Summon monsters other than Gravekeeper's monsters. So whatever other Synchro Monsters you have are off-limits.
"And now to clear your field properly, I tribute my Gravekeeper's Chief, a single Gravekeeper's monster, to Summon the one who hears the gods!" He held up the last card in his hand - the other monster he'd searched for with Recruiter.
"A single Gravekeeper's monster…" Travis thought, then went taut. "Oh shi-"
"Strike him down, Gravekeeper's Oracle!" Dreyr shouted. The Chief vanished, and another figure emerged from the fog. It was an immense man, clad in heavy raiments and sporting a thick and full mane of hair around his face. The Oracle held out his hand, and the Chief's serpentine staff flew up from the ground into the Oracle's grip. With his might, he swung it about like a small baton (2000/1500 - 2500/2000).
"With another Gravekeeper's monster in the Graveyard, my Shaman gains further power," the pale elf said, as Gravekeeper's Shaman glowed softly (2400 DEF). "And then, my Oracle's power is released!"
"You get one of three effects now…" Travis said warily. He knew which one he'd choose here, at least.
"And I'll choose to reduce your monsters' ATK and DEF by 2000 each!" Dreyr swung his hand to the twilight sky. "Oracle, invoke the might of Osiris and raze the heretics! Lightning Blast Plague!"
The Oracle held his staff before him, placing his other large hand on the hood of the golden snake at its end, and murmured a quiet prayer. Moments later, the sky itself seemed to shake as lightning fell like javelins upon Gearfried and Borz. The former barely remained upon his feet as the electricity ravaged his body (500/0), but Borz collapsed onto his knees and went still (0/0).
Travis grit his teeth as the pale elf called his attacks. He could only brace himself as Shaman's light shone across the field again and pierced through Borz, followed by Oracle conjuring a sphere of light and hurtling it across the field at Gearfried, who was incinerated within moments.
(Travis: 6500 - 4500 - 2500 LP)
As the dust settled, Travis pushed a button on his Duel Disk. "Ugh, I activate this! Shock Draw!" The card flipped up. "I draw a card for every 1000 damage I took this turn, and you hit me pretty damn hard!"
He closed his eyes and counted his four new cards one at a time. Please, please let one of them be a monster. Just a means of getting one would be fine. He could still turn this around with the right Equip Spell, but it wouldn't mean anything without a monster to Summon…
Travis ripped a near hand's worth of cards off his Deck, giving himself a pregnant pause before looking at them.
And then, despite everything, he smiled.
"You still intend to fight?" Dreyr asked. "You have to understand the situation you're in now. How completely I've caged you in."
Travis just laughed. "Believe me, I've gotten out of worse. Read one of my books sometime.
"I activate Gearbreed's effect! Instead of drawing at my Draw Phase, I can add an Equip Spell right to my hand. And I know just what I'm going for…"
He fanned his Deck and picked out one card with such vigor that he nearly sent it flying. "But before I play it, I'll activate my Reinforcement of the Army, and get a monster to give it to."
Another quick search later, and Travis held up his monster. "Now I'll Summon him! The cousin of Renaud de Montauban, Infernoble Knight Maugis!"
From a roaring flame emerged another pretty young man, this one with red and blue hair and a spear made wholly of flame (1500/1000 - 1000/500).
"And now, to give him the instrument of your undoing. I equip Maugis with this!" Travis shoved the card into his disk. "Eternal Reverse!"
Dreyr narrowed his eyes as Maugis lit up with a soft green glow. "I've never heard of that Spell. But do I need to remind you of your situation?" He beckoned across the field. "My Necrovalley strengthens my monsters and restricts your Graveyard. My Hidden Temples forbid your Special Summons and my Shaman protects my Field from destruction. And even if you should find a way to remove Necrovalley, my Necrovalley Temple - which weakens your own monsters - will let me replay it next turn.
"With all that in mind, are you honestly so self-deceptive that you consider one Equip Spell to be an 'undoing'?"
Relishing the moment, Travis replied. "I don't need to destroy your Field Spell. Eternal Reverse will let me Set it back facedown!"
As soon as he said it aloud, green strings shot from the ground and wrapped around the Necrovalley card, forcing it face down onto the field. The dusk of the valley shimmered like a mirage and faded back into the empty midnight of the roadside motel.
"And since you no longer have both a Gravekeeper's monster and Necrovalley on the field…" Travis continued, still beaming brightly. "I think your Hidden Temples Spell gets destroyed as well. And without Necrovalley or Necrovalley Temple's effects in play, all our monsters return to normal!" Travis finished.
Sure enough, the two seated pharaoh statues faded as well, and Maugis stood empowered (1000/500 - 1500/1000) as the Oracle (2500/2000 - 2000/1500) and Shaman (2000/2400 - 1500/1900) felt their added strength fade.
"You… Kennedy…!" The pale elf snarled.
Travis continued unabated. "Since I'm free to Special Summon and use my Graveyard again, I activate Premature Burial, paying 800 LP to bring back my most reliable ally. Return to the field, Infernoble Knight Captain Roland!"
(Travis: 2500 - 1700 LP)
In a burst of red light, the elder Roland rose from beneath the earth with his flaming sword in hand once more (2000/500).
"...Our monsters ATK scores are equal," Dreyr ground out. He beckoned to Oracle and Roland, both with 2000 ATK, and Shaman and Maugis with 1500. "You'd empty both of our fields for no gain."
"True," Travis nodded. "Which is why, as Captain Roland is a Synchro Tuner, I'm going to Tune him and Maugis together for an even greater Warrior!"
Roland lifted his sword to the night sky with a shout, bursting into five flaming red rings. Maugis flew into them, fading into four stars that were swallowed by a column of flame.
(*5 + *4 = *9)
"Synchro Summon, Level 9!" Travis shouted. "Descend from the burning red stars and preside over this battlefield! Infernoble Knight Emperor Charles!"
Another crimson armor-clad knight descended from on high, with blonde and violet hair. His sword was formed from white flame, and the streaks of fire it left in its wake spread through the air like strands of pure light (3000/200).
"We'll get to what he does in a bit," Travis said. "First, Maugis' effect activates, since he was sent to the Graveyard." Travis slid the non-Synchro Roland and Durendal from his Graveyard and the banished copy of Gallatin from his pocket all into his Deck and drew once. "Now, Captain Roland's effect from the Graveyard lets me equip him to a Warrior on my field and give it 500 ATK!"
Captain Roland appeared in the Spell/Trap Zone like a heat haze, as Ogier had done before, to support his emperor (3000 - 3500 ATK).
"And now Charles' effect activates! Once per turn, if a monster on the field is equipped with a card, I can destroy one card on the field! So I destroy…"
Travis put his hand to his chin for a moment, then declared, "Necrovalley Temple!"
Charles held up his white-flame blade, and a comet of light shot from the crossguard and crashed into the front of the temple. It collapsed and disappeared within seconds.
"The effect of Necrovalley Temple activates!" Dreyr snapped. "If it's destroyed by your card effect, I can set another Necrovalley Spell or Trap directly from my Deck!" He shoved a card into his Disk to replace what he'd just lost.
"Fair, but now you can't bring back Necrovalley if I destroy it," Travis said. "Since I control an Equip Card, I activate the other effect of Gearbreed! I place Renaud from my Graveyard to the bottom of my Deck and draw one more." He did so, and his eyes lit up at the card he drew.
Fairy of the Spring, huh? With this, I can keep Necrovalley at bay for another turn! But first…
"I activate a Quick-Play Spell, Glory of the Noble Knights!" Travis played the card from his hand. "I target one Noble Knight on my field, and equip it with a viable Equip Spell from my Deck. I choose… Infernoble Arms - Hauteclere!"
Charles held out his hands, and his pure white sword vanished as a pair of smaller swords appeared, one in each of his hands.
"But it won't be sticking around," Travis continued. "I activate Hauteclere's effect. I destroy it and target one monster on my field, and then I can only attack with that monster this turn…" The dual swords of Hauteclere burst into sparks. "...But it can attack twice during this Battle Phase!
"I'll start with your Oracle, and I'll even throw this into the mix too!" As Charles drew his white flame sword again, Travis threw one last card onto his Disk. "The Quick-Play Spell, Ego Boost, to give my monster 1000 more ATK this turn!"
The fires of Charles' blade glowed gold and stretched out even further as he leaped up and plummeted toward the Oracle (3500 - 4500 ATK). One furious slash, and the hulking gravekeeper was no more.
"And next, your Shaman! Double Burning Joyous Rending!"
The Shaman followed into nonexistence in short order. The force of Charles' second slash was so great that Dreyr let out a cry and fell painfully onto his back, helpless against Travis' onslaught.
(Dreyr: 6100 - 3600 - 600 LP)
Travis still wasn't finished. "Now, onto my second Main Phase," he said, playing yet another Spell Card. "I activate Fairy of the Spring, to get back an Equip Spell from my Graveyard at the cost of being unable to activate it this turn. I'm sure you haven't forgotten my Eternal Reverse yet." He picked it out of his Graveyard.
"And finally at my End Phase, Charles' other effect activates! I can equip him with one Equip Spell from my hand or Graveyard, and then I can equip him with a FIRE Warrior from my Deck and make it give him 500 more ATK. I choose Gallatin from my Graveyard, and… Squeaknight from my Deck!"
With that, Travis' last two open Spell/Trap Zones filled up. Charles grabbed the copy of Gallatin that appeared in his off-hand, and another heat haze appeared in the other - a small but most noble mouse knight wielding a cheese wedge spear and a mousetrap shield (4500 - 3500 - 5000 ATK).
Travis surveyed his newly established field with pride. He'd started the turn with only Gearbreed in play, but now he was sure he could handle whatever the Glamfellen could throw at him. Admittedly, he didn't love plugging up his entire backrow - Premature Burial had stuck around, useless, since Captain Roland left the field without being destroyed - but he could either Special Summon Squeaknight with its effect next turn or destroy it to protect Charles before then.
From the other side of the field, Travis heard Dreyr's furious murmuring. "Not yet… I can't lose yet…!" The pale elf forced himself to his feet, powering through the pain, and tore another card from the top of his Deck.
He looked at it, and whatever rage had propelled him broke. His face settled into a calm acceptance. When Travis caught his eyes next, that steel from before had returned.
"Whatever comes next, I submit to the flow of destiny. I play my Roll of Fate!" He threw the card down, and a die made of dark stone flipped into the air above him. It struck the ground and spun, golden dots blurring against the sable, before settling once and for all.
"Three," Dreyr said, wordlessly drawing that many cards and then milling the same number from his Deck. He scanned his three new cards, and plucked out the middle one. "Since I control no face-up cards, I activate my Lightning Storm Spell Card, to destroy your entire assortment of Spells and Traps."
Another furious round of lightning, not dissimilar to Oracle's effect from before, pummeled Travis' field. This one missed his monster, but it turned all five of his Spells and Traps to pixels, leaving Charles bereft of additional arms (5000 - 3000 ATK).
"I re-activate Necrovalley," Dreyr began, flipping his Field Spell back up. The twilit canyon faded back into view around them both, and the pale elf held up another card. "Gravekeeper's Stele allows me to ignore the restrictions of Necrovalley and add two Gravekeeper's monsters from my Graveyard to my hand." He held them up - Recruiter and Oracle.
"Oracle's not going to turn this around for you again," Travis called. "Even if you can Tribute Summon it, Charles has enough ATK to outlast another Lightning Blast Plague."
"I don't need him for that," Dreyr said, flipping forward the card of another monster. "My Gravekeeper's Spiritualist will suffice."
Another new Spellcaster appeared, a nubile woman in the mask of a cat - the symbol of Bastet (1500/1500 - 2000/2000).
"She's pretty, that's for sure," Travis cracked. Dreyr merely scowled.
"Show some respect! She's more than her looks. Once per turn, if she and Necrovalley are on the field…" This time, the Glamfellen did hold up Gravekeeper's Oracle. "I can use her and other monsters in my hand or field to Fusion Summon another Spellcaster!"
The Spiritualist clasped her scepter before her with both hands, and it began to glow brightly. As the ghostly image of the towering Oracle appeared above her, the light became blinding and encapsulated them both.
"He who heralds the world beyond the natural, appear now! As the veil parts between life and death, between this world and the next, stand above all others and convey a meaning beyond normal! Fusion Summon, Level 7! Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist!" Dreyr shouted."
The light from the Spiritualist faded away, showing a new monster in her place; a man with long white hair who carried a staff shaped like the sun (2000/2000 - 2500/2500).
"Supernaturalist's effects!" Dreyr continued. "It gains ATK and DEF equal to the original Levels of its Fusion Materials times 100, for a total of 1400." The sun on Supernaturalist's staff shone with an amber light (2500 - 3900 ATK/DEF). "Furthermore, as long as Necrovalley is on the field, my Supernaturalist and any card in my Field Zone can't be destroyed by card effects.
"Now I activate Supernaturalist's final effect, and attack Charles!" Dreyr punched forward for emphasis. "Fury of Ra!"
The Supernaturalist thrust his staff upward, and an orb of light shone above the field, one so bright that the night receded completely for just a moment. An immense sunbeam shone down on Charles, burning him down into nothing.
Travis let out a strangled groan of pain in response.
(Travis: 1700 - 800 LP)
"I end my turn!" Dreyr finished. "And during my End Phase, Supernaturalist's final effect resolves. I add one Gravekeeper's monster or Necrovalley card from my Deck to my hand!"
He pulled out his Deck one more time and sifted through it. "I know exactly how I want to keep you down, Kennedy!" He snarled, holding up another copy of Hidden Temples of Necrovalley. "Next turn, I will see you helpless again. I swear on the name of my clan! Of my god!"
Travis rubbed his mouth and scoffed. "Funny thing about swearing on the names of gods, kid. They like to make you regret it. Maybe Rymrgand will let you retract it if you ask nicely?"
"Just take your turn!"
"Don't say I didn't warn you…" Travis took a deep breath and slid his next card halfway out of his Deck. He could finish this now, if he just had a little bit more luck. Even with Supernaturalist and that facedown waiting to spring, he only needed one more card. That, and for his Glamfellen adversary to make one last hasty error.
Travis drew his card, glanced at it, and felt the beginnings of a smile upon his face.
"Well, I can't say this wasn't entertaining," he started. "But I'll wrap this up now. I Summon my Noble Knight Medraut."
One final Warrior graced the field. He was an austere young man in silver knight's armor with short, golden hair (1700/1000).
"And I'm sure you haven't forgotten this little number." Travis held up Eternal Reverse again and set it in his Duel Disk. "I equip Medraut with Eternal Reverse from my hand."
His heart clenched, waiting for Dreyr to clinch the bait - and he did, with gusto.
"Not again! I activate my Trap!" Dreyr shouted. "Imperial Tombs of Necrovalley! I negate your Eternal Reverse and destroy it!"
The Equip Spell shattered, and Travis grinned. "Thanks for that, man. I think we can call this Duel over." Before the pale elf could shout at him again, Travis played his last card. "I equip Medraut with Noble Arms - Clarent. And Medraut, he's like Borz. When there's a Noble Arms equipped to him, he becomes DARK and his Level goes up by one."
Unlike Borz, there was no outward change to Medraut as he took the ceremonial broadsword in hand (DARK; Level: 5). Somehow that scared Dreyr more than he'd ever admit. "Another traitor?" He asked.
"Of course," Travis said. "Ever heard of Mordred? King Arthur's son? Clarent was his blade, you know. Kinda makes this fitting.
"And Clarent's effect lets me pay 500 LP once per turn, so the equipped monster can attack directly this turn."
(Travis: 800 - 300 LP)
He said it so casually that Dreyr didn't register it until a second had gone by. "Wait, he-"
"Attacks you directly," Travis said, still grinning. It wasn't the most climactic finish, but a win was a win. Medraut's final attack was simple; he charged Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist, waiting for the Spellcaster to raise his staff in defense, then slid past him at the last second and brought his blade forward into the elf's chest with a mighty thrust.
(Dreyr: 600 - 0 LP)
Dreyr kept standing for a moment as Medraut faded away, then fell onto his knees and slumped forward with a weak cry. Necrovalley and the Supernaturalist disappeared as well, sending him and Travis back to the empty parking lot.
"And that's that," Travis said. His Duel Disk shut off and retracted its blade, and he reshuffled his Deck into one. "Kid, I can't stand here and say that I know how you feel. I've had my share of backstabbings in this business, but I can't say I've had family caught in it. Maybe I'd be pissed off too.
"But I'm not sorry about what I did." He slid his Deck back into the holder on his waist. "There's a lot I'm not sorry for. It was what had to be done."
Dreyr's breath was audible in the empty night, soft as it was. Travis couldn't see his face.
"...I suppose that would always have been true," the elf said at last. His voice was like a whisper. "Even if I had won… So I can't be sorry, either."
Travis felt his stomach jerk backward, a split-second before Dreyr shoved off the ground and lunged forward. He fell backward as well, barely keeping ahead of the Glamfellen's runic knife as it sped up toward his stomach.
Travis didn't have time to say anything as he caught himself and pushed forward again. He wrapped one hand around the knife's grip - and around Dreyr's smaller, slender hands that gripped it - and grabbed the elf by the arm with his other hand.
The struggle was brief, but the rage that forced Dreyr's hands made it last longer than Travis expected. They held their ground and tried to push each other forward, and the end result was that the knife embedded itself into Dreyr's side.
It tore into his flank near his stomach, and the elf stumbled back in shock as silvery blood sprayed from the wound. In the dim light, Travis could just barely see how the clothing around the knife faded and came apart in seconds; as the cloth fell away, it left the bleeding wound to turn to sickly ashen gray and the shining blood to turn dark before the drops hit the ground.
Dreyr stared down at the knife, at his own body rotting at speed, and let out a sobbing cry. He fell backward onto the concrete and howled in utter terror, trying to scramble away from his own failing body. He clawed at something on the back of his belt, missing and scraping his fingertips against the ground.
Travis started forward to follow. "Hey, what're you-"
He didn't get a chance to finish before another rune appeared in the air between them. This one lit up the night like a flashbang and seared Travis' eyes, sending him staggering backward again before he could process it. The entire front of the motel was illuminated in icy blue light; Travis was certain that if there were more sleepers, they would be wide awake now.
Once the light faded, Travis blinked the headache away as best he could and turned back to where the Glamfellen had been. Through the obnoxious new spots in his vision, Travis could tell that Dreyr had disappeared into thin air, leaving only an aged bloodstain on the parking lot to mark his presence.
Travis cursed. He'd won after it all, but this would still be hell to deal with if the kid somehow held on and spread the word of what had happened. He should've just ignored the knocking at the door and gone back to bed.
"Hey, what the hell's going on out here?" Someone said from a distance.
"Was someone yelling out here?" Someone added.
"Unbelievable. It's… in the morning. Who the hell did this?"
Travis was still too busy blinking the spots from his eyes to see, but he let out a deep groan. Yeah, here came everyone else in the motel.
He really should have gone back to bed.
#
"Like a drifter I was born to walk alone…" Travis hummed to himself as he sped along the highway. At least he was making good time again after they kicked him out of the motel.
'They' wasn't even any of the motel staff; he could handle them fine, but the small mob of exhausted and angry patrons was more trouble to deal with than it was worth. He'd had to negotiate to get back into his own room and grab his things. The indignity of it all.
Still, he felt a little more awake now. Maybe a few hours of sleep and a Duel for his well-being was a better wake-up call than he'd thought. The interstate was a little more populated now than in the dead of night, and the black sky was fading to a deep blue.
Soon it would be dawn, and the border to Texas wasn't much farther. At this rate, the afternoon would still be young and Riann would be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (well, dim-eyed and awake) when their Uncle Travis made it down to Austin.
Travis grinned behind his helmet. Not much longer, and then they'd have some fun.
#
CARD OF ADVERSITY (Normal Spell)
If you control no monsters and your opponent controls a Special Summoned monster: Draw 2 cards.
This card first appeared in Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL - Episode 73. Credit belongs to the writers of that episode.
ARDUOUS DECISION (Normal Spell)
Pick up the top 2 cards of your Deck and have your opponent select 1 of them at random. If it is a Monster, you can Special Summon it and add the other card to your hand. If not, send both cards to the Graveyard.
This card first appeared in Yu-Gi-Oh! - Episode 105. Credit belongs to the writers of that episode.
AURORA DRAW (Normal Spell)
Activate only if you have no other cards in your hand. Draw 2 cards.
This card first appeared in Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's - Episode 141. Credit belongs to the writers of that episode. I am using the effect that it had when it appeared in the anime, rather than the Meklord Emperor support effect that it had in the Tag Force games.
ETERNAL REVERSE (Equip Spell)
Once per turn, you can select 1 face-up Spell/Trap card your opponent controls, and Set it face-down. That Set card cannot be activated for the rest of this turn. If the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle, you can send this card to the Graveyard instead.
This card first appeared in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX- Episode 149. Credit belongs to the writers of that episode.
ROLL OF FATE (Normal Spell)
Roll a six-sided die. Draw cards equal to the result, then send an equal number of cards from the top of your Deck to the Graveyard.
This card first appeared in Yu-Gi-Oh! - Episode 171. Credit belongs to the writers of that episode.
SHOCK DRAW (Normal Trap)
Draw 1 card for every 1000 damage you took this turn.
This card first appeared in the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's manga - Chapter 3. Credit belongs to the writers of that chapter.
#
So, that's me, Travis Kennedy. Shadowchaser, author, philosopher, biker, agent of a higher power, and a pretty damn good uncle. Unfortunately, I'm not the main character of this story. Yes, I'm sure that's a disappointment, but I'd make a poor protagonist.
Instead, I leave you in the hands of my little nibling, Riann. One drudging late shift at their workplace turns into a night they'll never forget once a special little package arrives just for them… along with a creature of the night to test it on.
A mystery unfolds, and with it, a permanent departure from Riann Kennedy's humdrum life. The best stories always start with a big change, so let's dive in. Surely we'll all appreciate it one day…
Next time, "Dark Eye Nightmare". See you soon.