Chapter 12 – A Gentle Breath
. Bold words: Name Introductions; Card names; Monster Stats; 'Special Attacks'; Player(s) Life Points, Key words/Change of Tone.
. (A) / (FM): Anime / Fan-Made - Cards used in the Anime/Manga; Cards created by the author.
. Italic: Non-English words; Flashbacks, Epilogue, and Prologue
. " " - Normal Talk
. ' ' - Thoughts; Summon Chants
Special Thanks: Zeon Paralysis Crystal (Story Proof-Read)
Author's Notes: I'm back again after a very long period of not writing. I won't prolong with the details, just informing that me and my good friend Zeon Paralysis Crystal decided to make this chapter a 'very special' one. Sorry for being too long; reaching about 35k words, but it was done the best way possible so I hope you enjoy the reading.
– CONTINUATION –
Location: Duel Academy Main Hall; Time: Next Day, 10 am
On a sunny day, a big group of Obelisk Blue Students began their day with a massive sigh of relief. After the scare and frustrations of the Azure Giant incident, the stolen cards were finally returned to their respective owners.
The one delivering the cards was their headmaster Dr. Crowler, who received them from Chancellor Sheppard because he had one other matter of importance to occupy himself with. But the good Dr. Crowler seemed to be in high spirits, even a pep in his step for two simple reasons.
One for seeing the students of his dorm back in high spirits with a much-needed boost in morale, just in time nearly before the exams; the second one albeit deep down was a bit concerned although he would vehemently deny those feelings… two certain students didn't show up in class today. While relieved during the surprisingly breezy class time, he couldn't help but be a little concerned about them.
A very lackadaisical Slifer Slacker whom he had very mixed feelings with in general, after that time he humiliated him in the Duel Entry Exam AND the 1st lesson he had with the teacher. His blue-haired follower being a bit of a smart aleck despite his seemingly timid demeanor took a long time to answer his questions. They had the potential to be better but if they wanted to be troublemakers here and stifle their potential. He DIDN'T need students like them in his class. Non-Non!
"Thank god, my Beast King Barbaros is back. I'm glad I got this card back; I was getting really worried…"
"My main man Doom Shaman is BACK! My deck can't work correctly without my star player, so I'm happy to have them back."
While most of the students were sharing and basking in the relief of their returned cards, some of them felt some amusement along with a tinge of trepidation toward their headmaster. They knew their teacher could come up with a few extra-class lessons that would make them much more capable after this humiliation. Obelisk Blue's resolve and pride at its finest…
"How did you beat him? What deck was he using?"
"As expected from Dr. Crowler. He sure lives up to his reputation as the best teacher on this island. You made that punk squirm, am I right?"
"We won't forget this, as you've become the Hero of our day today. Thank you, Professor.", one other student chirps up before the others respectfully bow their heads to him in gratitude.
"My, my, my, dear students. While I'm flattered you think highly of me, you're assuming it too much this time. That dishonorable vagabond of a duelist would've been easily exterminated at the hands of my machines. I have a twist in this little plot - na no ne."
"If you didn't do it then who did, Professor?", one of his students, Henry James, pondered curiously before making his request. "You know that a lot of us had the bad luck of running into the giant at night. Could you tell us who he was?"
"Why yes and it's certainly a surprise considering the color – no ne. It's none other, than the 1# Ra Yellow student, Bastion Misawa who got the courtesy to hand me over your stolen cards – na no ne.", Crowler continued confidently seeing some of his relieved students look at him curiously and others regaining their cocksure attitude. Talk about perseverance…
"So, you know who was the one guilty for all this?", another student, Edward Coda, insisted. "We gotta find him to get some payback."
"Students, calm yourselves, now – no ne.", Dr. Crowler starts with a tone while calm has an undertone of anger that breaks no argument. "We are not people who drag others into a witch hunt and the intruder is long gone, if they know what's good for them. But if you wish to know who received your cards back..."
All the commotion had a certain trio of Obelisk Blue girls listening to it, at the 2nd Level Hall, wanting to know what was going on.
"Would you believe it? From the rumors that I've been hearing about from the other students I chat with. These arrogant Blues got their asses kicked to the curb.", Mindy mutters with a little bit of mirth in her voice, as she continues.
"… And a Ra Yellow like Bastion would be the winner of that hunt. Even sharing the glory as well, how interesting. He even got the Professor to do his good deed for the month."
"Hmm…", Jasmine hums with a displeased look. "I don't doubt Bastion's abilities, but the Giant tore through a lot of Obelisk Blue. I don't think Bastion would've taken him alone; Maybe he had someone else in his dorm take on the Giant with him. They have other unique duelists like the "Mimic" for one. Don't you agree Alexi- You're looking a bit more icy than usual, aren't cha?"
The stoic blondie gave a cold but studying glance at the announcement in progress, before giving a quiet huff and leaving the scene, her two friends in tow.
"Well, our schedule is free; Let's pay a visit to the Ra Yellow Dorm. Bastion should be kind enough to answer our questions.", she says, while Mindy and Jasmine follow along.
Location: Chancellor Sheppard's Office
In a dreadfully quiet room, stood the principal of the Academy looking out the window with a stern expression on his face; two nervous students from the Ra Yellow Dorm were sitting next to his table, the ones behind the Azure Giant incident, Brier and Beauregard. Next to them, their headmaster from Ra Yellow, Satyr has a very worried but resigned look towards his two students.
Headmaster Satyr liked to think his dorm was generally well-behaved and intelligent. Many of them were polite despite a good few of them having their eccentricities this year. A curious bunch but a good bunch given their work ethic and more experimental looks at dueling. He always tried to be a place where the students were comfortable at the very least. It was a shock to the system when this morning he was called to Shepherd for an important matter involving two of his students with the Azure Giant mess, more specifically they were the Azure Giant causing said mess through using a disguise. He felt responsible for this mess in turn and ashamed of himself for not watching his students more carefully.
"You two are aware why I had you here and called your Dorm's Headmaster after Mr. Misawa's request?", Sheppard spoke sternly to the two boys, Brier resolutely staring right back at him while Beauregard was looking away in parts shame and worry for their fates. They made their bed, now it's time to lay in it.
"Do you know why this is called a Duel Academy Island? Because the School inside welcomes students from anywhere from any place to turn them into people willing to push the Dueling World to new heights in their way.", he says with a stern tone underlying disappointment.
"Doesn't matter if they were born with one eye, one arm, one leg, blind, and other ailments make achieving one's dreams and ambitions far more difficult than expected? But we HAVE rules to uphold and follow. One of the ways to see them is on the PDA we've given you on the first day here. Given the potential severity of your actions, I believe you know what that means, correct?"
"It's expulsion… isn't it?", Brier asked softly, but with a hint of anger. "That's fair if you give it mainly to me and my friend, we did dress up as an unknown and take rare cards of those who look down on many of us. Did they also have those rules in their PDA, one rule specifically they didn't follow that caused all this, that they HAVE to respect their opponent? No matter the circumstances?
With a sigh, the Chancellor spoke again with a sterner and even a little bit of coldness to his tone.
"That's why you have other faculty and supervisors to speak with on that subject. You threatened the security of this school with your actions. Did I allow a burglar into the Academy this time?"
"That's…" Brier muttered to himself trailing off due in part to Shepherd's sternness and having no sufficient counterargument. His face grew more despondent and panicked even tearing up his body trembling as that familiar feeling of helplessness crept back in.
Beauregard sensing that very panic carefully placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.
"Mister Chancellor. We know that we're wrong here. But… But what my friend is trying to say is… that even if we told this to a supervisor, what would that solve the conduct problem between us and the students from Obelisk Blue?"
"What do you mean by that, Beauregard?" Sheppard says with a curious glance, his tone of voice softening.
"Well… is just… This thing that happened; was around last week about some Obelisk Blues mocking and insulting my friend constantly because of his stage fright whenever it came rearing its ugly head. How they knew… is anyone's guess.", the tall Ra Yellow boy explains calmly.
"I was an accomplice to this but what would a supervisor or faculty do or tell us in this situation?"
"That's an easy question, Beauregard.", Satyr finally spoke up. "You two aren't the only students I know that have fears towards the Obelisk Blue dorm. If I could add – more than 25% of your dorm HAS that same fear, and that's why they come to confide in me about that. The problem would then be shared between us, the teachers, and the headmaster of the Academy so that we could come up with a solution. There was no need to bottle it up and let it boil over in such a manner as now, don't you agree?"
"My apologies, Headmaster Satyr and Chancellor Shepard…", a voice from the door to the room says as Satyr looks behind himself. He saw an Obelisk Blue student opening the door of the Office after knocking. To both Brier and Beauregard's surprise – it was their closest friend from the Obelisk Blue Dorm, Scott Lee.
"I hope I'm not too late or being a bother. But I have something to discuss since we're talking about my friends, Brier and Beauregard."
"Hmm… and what's the subject you wish to speak of, Scott?", Sheppard asked him with a stern but curious look that wasn't in the mood for wasted time.
"… I overheard the 'supervisor and faculty' topic when you were going on about school conduct and so on. Think a good chunk of them screw up with that."
"Continue…", Sheppard crossed his arms, wanting to hear Scott out.
"The thing is this – our 'supervisor' in this, Dr. Crowler; he… he is not a great example of a supervisor willing to step in when lines were drawn.", the boy freely admits, Sheppard facepalmed while Satyr was rubbing his temples.
Dr. Crowler was giving his students a bad example to work off of…
"We don't confide in these opinions about our teacher, because he tends to be unapproachable at points for us. Some like me were afraid to speak up. What's worse, he's the Obelisk Blue Headmaster and he resonates with other students like him or shares some of his views. It kinda alienates the Blues trying to get through the day and suffocates our voices at least in our Dorm."
"Scott!", Brier says in surprise. "So that's the pressure you've been under?"
Scott gave a tired smile. "Sorry, Brier. I should've told you this before… but it's the reason why I didn't have time to spare hanging out with you. Heck even getting used to everything in that dorm. A lot of pressure for no reward and a lot of people looking down on us on the lower levels."
"You can stop now.", Sheppard replied, Scott looking at him in surprise. "So… you're against the idea of Brier and Beauregard getting expelled from my Academy, thanks to participating in the Anti-Rule and potentially causing a security leak during the past week due to your personal history, am I correct?"
The student looked at his friends and then gave a quick nod to Sheppard.
"I also take the blame towards the Anti-Rule Rampage, Chancellor. My friends are guilty for their actions, I'm guilty for not catching and stopping this before it went too far. And it took until yesterday to make me realize I was being a coward. So, if they get to be expelled from this island… I'll gladly pack my bags with them."
Those words struck Sheppard like a silver arrow at a werewolf. Scott Lee; who he got to know through his profile? A student with an interesting background. His father was famous for his films, and his last set of action movies got nominated for various awards, he heard he was going into comedies in recent years. And his mother? A Famous Fashion Designer. It is said that she spread the 'Great Green Gate Threads' stores all over Japan.
Scott Lee was one of the better examples of getting to Obelisk Blue; not just only for his great grades from Middle School but also due to his family's earnings and sponsorship. If their son happened to leave the Academy thanks to the poor treatment of his friends… the sponsorship would be dead in the water and the Academy could be sued.
Worst of all, Sheppard would be the poor unfortunate soul forced to explain the entire mess to the President of Kaiba Corporations.
"I see… so you want me to give one chance to your friends so they would make a mistake like this that would have far greater consequences later on, correct?
"I'm willing to go the distance to keep a promise to my friends.", Scott says with a grin. "That in these next Writing and Duel Exams, I would help them with it, whatever may come. I'm not someone who would break it easily."
Satyr, smiling at him, sighed in relief. Brier and Beauregard were lucky how nice their friend was. And as for Sheppard, he gave a good-natured chuckle at the teenager; he then looked towards the two troubled and trembling kids.
"Thankfully, I never planned on expelling you two but I wanted you to know the gravity of what you had done and what could've happened. After all, a cloaked individual, their purposes unknown harassing students and stealing their property is cause for concern. I could've gotten Campus Security involved and ended this immediately and very differently for all involved. But this will be the last time I hear your names around an Anti-Rule fiasco, am I clear?"
Both Brier and Beauregard immediately stood up from their seats like statues with an air of relief in their postures.
"Yes, Sir! Crystal Clear, Sir!"
"Good! You're dismissed", Sheppard declares, while seeing the students quickly leave the office and close the door in a hurry. "… Kids these days. They still have a lot to learn."
"Give it time, they're still young?", Satyr asked while letting out a little chuckle before they got serious and had other discussions on how to mitigate the Obelisk Blue or more specifically Crowler's behavior before something worse happened.
Outside the office, the three students were finally dismissed from this whole incident. Pure relief on their faces as if they escaped judgment. But Brier was worried about a certain part of Scott's defense of them, at a certain subject he mentioned…
"… Is it true, Scott?", he asked curiously but tensely while looking at him. "Dr. Crowler and everything about a certain chunk of students"
Scott gave a huff of bemusement when he took a moment to give it some thought even starting chuckling at the irony.
"The professor isn't the worst person out there but the environment he creates can certainly bring out the worst in people, you get me?"
Beauregard thought over Scott's words and adopted a curious look on his face.
"Don't judge a book by its cover, right?"
"Something like that Beauregard.", Scott responds shrugging while nervously scratching his head. "It's less on the superiority complex side of things and more hyper-competitive. Lots of people are willing to do a lot to get an edge over the competition. Doesn't help that a lot of Blues can back up their words.", he then recalls a more recent incident with the Blues to further his point.
"Look at Jasmine and Gerald's duel for a recent example of what I have to compete with. Sure, some of us were rooting for Jasmine, hell I certainly was; but most of the Blues who were rooting against Gerald were because he was being an ass even by their standards. Even the entire duel felt like a stick measuring contest. Trust me, all that glitters is not gold."
"… How were you able to keep it together Scott? Cause you tend to be not very competitive", Brier worriedly wondered for his friend.
"That's what I said back in the office, Brier. It pays to be cordial with people", he said while placing his hand over Ra Yellow's shoulder. "But I still think the world of you two and want a roommate to change if we could. So then, are you two willing to accept my help again?"
"Scott!", Brier shouts looking at him, his friend's words hitting him hard to make him tear up. "How... How did I get a friend like you!?"
While Brier kept tearing up from missing one of his childhood friends, both Scott and Beauregard consoled him by giving him a group hug. In a hallway where some students from Ra Yellow and a single girl from Obelisk Blue looked at the scene.
It certainly revealed some mixed feelings about the green-haired kid's look. Worrying, regret, sympathy and resolve. Because, unlike those Obelisk Blues that enjoyed looking down at the weak, the Ra Yellow Dorm was known to help those from their dorm to keep evolving their skills.
There was a week left before the Exams would begin, and they knew what they had to do…
Location: Slifer Red Dorm
In the currently less lively room of three, the window had its curtains closed. Even Chumley wasn't here or simply left early, busy with his problems thankfully. Which allowed the two spirits to relax a bit more carefreely with their human partners.
They slept in a fair bit longer into the morning than usual, even sleeping through the announcement of the incident's abrupt resolution which understandably had many of their dorm mates worried due to Jaden's cheer being loud enough to wake people up on occasion.
'Were they victims of the Azure Giant?', a good number of reds thought to themselves, even fewer thinking aloud. They knew about Dr. Crowler delivering the stolen cards to their respective owners thanks to a surprise announcement by Professor Banner.
Because to most people in the school's knowledge, the "good" doctor despises Slifer Reds, and they thought Dr. Crowler confiscated Jaden and Syrus' cards or would delay giving them back. Despite the results, many of them had an inkling that they did duel the Azure Giant. Jaden was certainly brave enough for the task and Syrus was usually following him, even if the gutsiness and comradery seemingly had brought them low in the face of the Giant.
If they had the guts to duel against a monster like that just before the Exams no less, why couldn't they go beyond just the same? This thought, no matter how heavy with self-doubt it was, brought a good measure of reassurance and confidence for many in the Red Dorm. Best to try with everything one has rather than not at all.
But inside the dorm room of the two infamous Slifer students, Syrus was tuckered out from the events of last night. His mind couldn't quite leave that moment; he finally caught the shift in behavior from his usually jolly best friend. Said shift culminated in Jaden shrouded in a billowing aura of black, with his eyes starting to shift to a golden hue; and his monsters that night enveloped in fiery rage and a chilling darkness waiting to grievously harm.
Syrus wished he could forget what he saw and what he felt when Jaden's darkened aura flared indiscriminately during the duel. The primal sort of fear one could only feel when facing certain death with Jaden's Elemental Hero Escuridao being the Grim Reaper coming to collect.
Was he scared of Jaden or for Jaden, while calling him by his nickname of 'Big Bro'? He wondered how Brier, Beauregard, and even Bastion stood their ground against such pressure. That's why Syrus wanted to have that fear fade away, to hope it was a bad dream he could tease Jaden over. At least that much, or so he thought...
"Little Blue… Sy… Are you okay, Syrus?", a gentle voice spoke carefully. The boy in response slowly opened his eyes and felt Dee's hands hugging his body. "Ahh, sorry… Did I wake you up? Good morning, sweetie."
It didn't take him 2 seconds for his face to turn a flustered red from how surprised he was and trying to struggle out of Dee's grasp.
"… Dee!? W-Why are you hugging me!?", he frantically questions, while trying to keep himself together. As any well-mannered teenager would try to keep himself from being tempted to enjoy Dee's more well-endowed features. Dee hugging him like a teddy bear had the little guy counting prime numbers to focus on something else aside from the large swaying bust on the back of his head.
"Just relax there, this is just recharging Spirit energy. You earned it, gotcha?", she says with a gentle smile to the embarrassed Syrus, as she cuddles him further. "I must thank you, my Blue Star. You followed my commands despite your great fear and thanks to that gave me the opportunity needed to prevent my brother from making a grave mistake. Last night's duel ended as good as it can get without permanent and drastic injuries"
"… That's a relief?", Syrus says, doubting his voice. "Don't get me wrong, but it felt to me that Jaden was dueling someone similar to me when I thought about Brier's train of thought more. What I'm trying to say here is… I understood his way of solving things. If the Obelisk Blues didn't mess with him in the first place, there wouldn't be an Azure Giant running around on this island, right?"
"Mmm… Perhaps, perhaps not. Depends on the person and the choices they make. You and that Bastion guy made the right choice to stop Brier and Jaden from going too far. Jaden is very serious when it comes to cards being close to a duelist's soul, to the point of taking drastic measures as you unfortunately saw yesterday. But... had Jaden not been seeing crimson, he would've supported Brier fighting back."
"Big Bro wasn't?", Syrus looked at the surprised Magical Girl. "Then why did he react the way he did during that duel?"
A small sardonic bitter laugh rang throughout the room most notably from the desk area of the room, sitting there tense but relieved Yubel turned away from the two friends to give them their space.
"You'd be surprised how lucky that Ra Yellow was, given the many landmines he and that 'Scott guy' were performing a waltz on, complete with even tap dancing as a starter?", she bitterly remarked to a chuckling Syrus and a surprised and reluctant Dee.
"Is it too much to talk about? It's fine if this is something too... secret to talk about."
Yubel with a resigned breath shook her head in disagreement.
"No, not after what you saw last night. You deserve to know this, and Jaden himself with some convincing did agree to this.", Yubel gently says with a serious expression on her usually mildly manic face. "I just make the request of you keeping this topic between us, for no one else to know. Promise?"
"Don't worry, Yubel. You can keep promises with me… Mom didn't raise a turncoat."
'How quaint. I wonder if Little Blue will introduce her soon…', the demoness gingerly thought to herself, glad to know she could trust the bluenette on this matter. "Well then, Syrus. Have you ever wondered why I call Jaden by the title of 'Prince'?"
"Hmm…", Syrus thought aloud to himself, as if that question would be answered easily. "Courtesy? Because you look at him as a knight in shining armor... despite how lax he can get at times?"
"Courtesy, you say? You're closer to the mark than you'd think.", Yubel says, getting up from her spot to sit on the lower bunk where Jaden sleeps to rub his hair, the slumbering teenager even purring at her gentle touch. "Syrus. Do you believe in 'Reincarnation'?"
"… Wait, that's a thing!?", the boy looks at the demoness with confusion all over his face. "I mean a week ago, I found out you guys were real; Now there are reincarnations... Do you have one?"
"I don't and won't need it anytime soon.", Yubel answers with her other hand rubbing her nose in an incredibly smug gesture akin to a certain blue hedgehog for a moment and then continues with a calm nostalgic smile.
"But Jaden does have one and thankfully for Dee here, it's not Egyptian; we checked. It's an ancient one that nonetheless slumbers within his very soul, the darkness that you glimpsed that night. It belongs to the reincarnated Supreme King Haou, or in more spiritual circles, ancient tongues, and more personal circles, he was known as Judai. I was his right hand, while he had ruled his kingdom like his father before him and taught him the ways of ancient rulers."
"Eh… so that's why Big Bro's always confident in himself; He has the confidence of royalty on his side.", Syrus muttered to himself looking a little enviously at Jaden. "So you call Jaden a 'Prince' because you serve him, the same way you did in the past?"
"Jaden's confidence and jovial nature are entirely his own, they have been like that since he was nine and younger.", she adds proudly before letting the other shoe with her face darken with a glimpse of anger and sadness sparking in her eyes as her voice grew more solemn. "But, it's at that same time where Jaden lost everything."
"Even his parents? Is Big Bro…"
"Don't worry about that, he's… mostly okay these days. What older sibling wouldn't take care of their younger sibling, right?", Dee consoles Syrus, the earlier reluctance and flustering fading thanks to Yubel's more currently serious company. "But… the story with Jaden isn't a pleasant one and there's a reason why Yubel is telling you."
Syrus gave a nervous gulp and nodded to the Magician and saw Yubel taking a moment to take a deep breath to calm herself; Filled with anger, sadness, regrets, and more notably to Dee, self-loathing.
"It was difficult to stay in contact with little Jaden since that day, that his parents were slain by a man shrouded in Light; I was… caught off guard by the sudden assault. I got gravely injured by that searing light in the resulting fight to the point I could barely move for days, temporarily blinded which made it much harder to find Jaden as I recuperated."
"I was consumed with worry and rage as I dragged my healing body to Jaden's location in a certain compound in a small dark room, with a hurt and terrified Jaden as the first time I'd seen him in days, crying about the men above..."
(Past Flashback; Time: 6 years ago)
Creeping around a compound associated with the Underground of Domino City. Yubel, a Spirit unseen by most, heard two people talking casually at a table.
"It's tomorrow, isn't it?"
"Indeed. It'll be an Arena stuffed to the brim for sure - And our guests have been begging for entertainment for weeks.", the leader of this operation said; He was clad in black akin to a stage magician, with a Dark Cloak and a Top Hat to complete the set.
"It's a good thing that Jaden-boy was desperate enough to tag along with this performance. It's the final part of initiation for the tyke… a trial by the spark."
"Trial by the Spark is putting it lightly. But what can I say? It's the money and results that's the bottom line; and with Jaden as our star player, I'm sure we'll gain quite the investment out of him."
Listening to both men conversing and chuckling about it like it was just another day at the office for them, Yubel in response to how casually they were talking about Jaden's incoming torment, felt a near uncontrollable surge of volcanic fury coursing inside her.
Retribution for this compound and these pieces of child-manipulating scum comes second before her real mission. She NEEDED to find Jaden first to know how badly he's suffered in this wretched place firsthand and to at least heal him.
Didn't take her too long due to the bond between her and Jaden, but when she finally located the little kid…
He was in the fetal position sniffling, his brown hair bangs hiding the tears that were running down his cheeks; his face was overall messy from how much Jaden was crying during the night. He tightly held onto the lone pillow on the bed as if he needed all the comfort possible.
He was lonely, that feeling was all too familiar for him in the last few days. He didn't have his parents or a single friend to lean on for support. Yubel wondered what in particular Jaden went through in his time in this "fine" establishment under the wills of men like those.
"I don't want this, please anyone… help me", the boy weakly pleaded. "Where's Mom and Dad, I wanna go home… it's cold here."
The demoness' mind flashed to that bloodstained night caused by a man shrouded in sharp ominous light; the guilt the winged guardian felt was all-consuming for her failure to protect her fledgling prince's late parents. Because if she was faster, then Jaden wouldn't be here in the first place.
She was almost heartbroken by the sound of Jaden's desperate, broken, and tear-stricken pleas for help. Her protective instincts and years of experience of being the Supreme King's right hand and all that entailed for good and ill pushed the heartache aside, pushing onward with her duty as she entered the near-pitch-black room and kneeled near his bed to get a better look at her prince. The little nine-year-old felt his head being rubbed softly almost affectionately with one hand as Yubel emitted a soft and warm golden light to get Jaden's trust and attention.
Thanks to the sudden surge of warmth and light and as result, little Jaden quickly turned toward the source of it, and what he bore witness to was a tall but kneeling demonic-looking woman with messy hair, white on one side and violet hair on the other and giant wings that look like a mix of bat and gargoyle-like wings connected to her back, and looking at him as if she was looking into his soul with her three eyes, all a different color due to their heterochromatic and her more otherworldly nature. An attentive amber, a curious cyan, and her third eye which was of a draconic sort with a raw ever piercing yet protective crimson met his innocent eyes.
But the thing that caught his attention was the sad but relieved smile on her lips. Any normal person, especially a kid would be scared, especially in these circumstances of what appears to be a smiling winged demon suddenly appearing out of a flash of gentle golden light. But thanks to the terrible set of days and Jaden recognizing her for her artistic depiction as a 1st Place Prize, a rare card he had earned from a small-scale tournament had joined a long while back before this mess even happened. Jaden, while surprised, was mostly numb to her appearance. It was more reassuring than the "fine" individuals inside this dark compound.
Yubel was a dark guardian angel to Jaden at the moment.
"Easy little one, your cries for a savior have been answered. Not one more tear will be needed"
"Y-Yubel. You're Yubel, aren't you!?", he says with renewed hope and some hesitancy, part of him not believing his very eyes at what he was seeing. As if he was hoping against hope that this wasn't a fleeting dream and he could be saved. Signified by Jaden getting up and hugging the kneeling demoness like his life depended on it.
Yubel nodded while showing a pleasant smile.
"It's truly a gift to talk to you, little Prince" Yubel quietly spoke, giving back the hug her little prince gave but a more protective feeling.
"Prince?", he mutters, questioning the title, pointing to himself. "I don't have a crown or a cape"
He then looked away from Yubel's face and to his room which barely had the bare essentials for living. "I have nowhere else to go. Then these men found me and gave me a place here. I don't remember everything they said while I was really hungry..."
Yubel could only hide so much rising hate and thankfully protective anger from Jaden, but her eyes for only a quick moment were set alight with a black and gold flare.
"Have they harmed you? Do you have any injuries, scarring, did they do anything bad to you!?" She frets, looking over at him worriedly for a few moments before letting herself relax and caressing Jaden's face to wipe away the tears on his young face.
"N… No. I'm just a little tired, but they didn't harm me. They brought me to this place from under a loud b-bridge" the little kid stutters out nervously.
"How long have you been here with these people, Jaden?" Yubel questions almost too calmly for any average person to be comfortable with.
"… D-don't know. Maybe 5 or 6 days?" Jaden nervously responds.
The demoness' anger was temporarily halted by her shock at her prince's admission of how long he dwelled underground. She knew that wasn't healthy for a young human child at all. She needed to act swiftly.
"My dear Prince, I need you to trust my words.", she says with a tense expression as she holds Jaden's face gently with her hands so that he can look at her face-to-face to get the full point across of the danger he is in.
"These people have played you for a fool. If you don't let me help, tomorrow will be truly a day from the infernal depths, and they will let you fall there with nothing more than a sadistic cheer and an uncaring laugh as you are riddled with a torturous spark running through your body. I don't want any more unneeded pain to befall you any more than what has happened before I came to this accursed place."
"Pain… Pain. Pain.", he says repeatedly with his voice numb, his face blank from the last few days and his body showing true exhaustion that had Yubel shedding tears. "No, I hate pain. What did I do wrong, Yubel? They wouldn't hurt me, would they? Why would they want to hurt me?"
"Because they're bad people. They don't care about your conditions here; they only care about themselves and merely see a clown in you to laugh at." Yubel tried to summarize for the little kid and she felt the need to continue. "I didn't expect this to happen to you but, I am your guardian and I must get you out of this accursed place."
"Can you do that for me?" Jaden questioned tiredly, snapping out his numb trance with renewed hope in his heart. "But how will you do it, Yubel? Will you show yourself and punch them out like a superhero?"
The demoness with a thoughtful look on her face had to admit the simple solution the kid suggested was the most tempting but she would've added more to the plan. Like slowly brutally maiming the people working here by stringing them up with her thorn-riddled vines draining them dry, burning this wretched place down with the people inside in golden ethereal flame, savoring their dying screams to lull herself to sleep and using her magic to hear the anguished screams on repeat as a sweet lullaby for any rainy days ahead on her lonesome, and salting the very dirt the establishment was built upon as a very "light" punishment for the treatment her little princeling suffered during his stay here. The catharsis would be immense after the horrid weeks' worth of days she and her liege had suffered through. And little Jaden wouldn't need to know.
But the more logical part of her brain brought up the damnable logistics of the plan, Jaden would be in greater danger through being a hostage and unable to defend himself, nothing more than a living target and weak spot to exploit. Let alone the consequences of more people knowing her existence. And simply having a bigger target than the man in white. Which meant she needed to get Plan B on the line…
"Let me bare and connect my soul to yours, my Prince," Yubel says without skipping a beat.
"Eh? Soul?", the boy curiously chirps. "Is that like those movies where a creepy ghost thing makes a person into a ragdoll to hurt people around them?"
"Well …kind of. It's just like you said, my Prince – I need to take control of your body, but not just to hurt people. But to defend ourselves in this situation. I merely wish to assist you in the duels to come, especially with the monsters of the peanut gallery watching in this challenge. You'll have to endure a lot and this is only the tip of the iceberg of the types of monsters in your future you'll be forced to fight.'" Yubel spoke honestly, the time for sugarcoating has long since passed.
"Monsters watching me, dueling? And hurting me as well?", Jaden mutters in fear and a little confusion. "No… No, No, NO! P-please Yubel, get me outta this place!"
Yubel hugged him tightly but gently, softly rubbing his head with her hand as a mother would do to her child, allowing her soul to easily sync up and integrate smoothly with Jaden's body and soul as if she was reconnected with an old friend.
"I pledged my very soul into your protection, my Prince. And bring you some semblance of warmth on these cold nights no matter how alone we'll be. Trust me, my little prince."
"Yubel… trust me to be strong, you're my only friend now.", Jaden muttered, and got that feeling. A warmth of sorts overtook his body that replenished him somewhat with a soothing sensation. His smell, his thirst, and hunger, and his cold skin from the ragged clothing he was dressed in.
He felt warm but refreshed. His heart felt like it was carefully embraced by an angel, her gentle caress lulling Jaden to sleep, the kid feeling a greater degree of safety in Yubel's arms than anyone else's. Finally glad to know that she was someone on his side. Tomorrow will prove to be an interesting day…
Despite being unable to see the dawning sun from his dark and bare little room in the underground compound, the little kid's body due to the new soul residing within his body re-energizing him. Its biological clock was set right again.
But the thing that got the little kid moving was hearing certain footsteps from outside the hall and the doors next to his clicking open and close.
"Good morning, little Prince.", his joyfully relieved new guardian angel communicated telepathically from his sounded from inside his mind. Her body was in a deep-black void representing a part of Jaden.
"I can tell you slept miles better than usual here, now that I have you to look out for."
"Yubel, I can hear you like a bell banging in my head. And my eyesight... I can see a lot more. That's so cool!", Jaden muttered with hope and a fair bit of confusion as a new excitement came to him. "Do I have superpowers? Like those superheroes, I watched on TV with my... parents?"
"Easy there, Prince. My power doesn't work like the way you're thinking and your body wouldn't have the energy for the attempt yet anyway.", the spirit told him, crossing her arms; her positive expression on her face giving way to a tensely neutral one leaning towards a negative mood.
"Also, I'm sincere about what I said yesterday. Let me duel for you, my liege. Right now, the monsters in human skin are still playing with their food. They won't expect me to make the meal more than what they can handle. And I swear on my soul to you, that not even a scratch will befall you."
Jaden couldn't help but blush nervously from the depths of the demoness' devotion and loyalty to him. Shown further in him with that nervous state of mind scratching his head, all this being very new to him but gave a hopeful smile thankful to whatever force was out there watching out for him that this all wasn't a mere dream.
"Yeah, I do trust you but I wanna see you fighting alongside my heroes. It would be the coolest team-up ever!" He says excitedly to himself, imagining the escape scene in his head being like the most exciting part of a movie while he's watching from a movie theater complete with buttery popcorn.
"And also, when you first went into me, I felt a lot of... frowny feelings that night. Could you smile for me when we get out of this dump?"
Tears of joy threatened to fall from the demoness' eyes, even though unseen by her Prince it was clear she was surprised and touched by the sentiment. But alas due to the current circumstances, she would wipe away the single tear she let loose. No crying till the end.
'Thank goodness I got here before that little smile was... truly locked away.' Yubel thought almost fearfully but her relief washes through the little kid's mind.
The door opened up with a creaking sound dampening the good mood quickly, the man dressed in a black cloak complete with a Top Hat walked in with a friendly smirk on his face. His name was Shroud, the head of the Underground Arena of Domino City and the owner of this 'fine' establishment.
"Did you sleep well, kid?", he asks with a calm tone, his face shifting from a smirk to a deceptively calm smile. "The days of your initiation are almost over. It's time for you to be forged into the star of this show down under."
"Me, a Star?", Jaden questioned, pointing to himself with some surprise. "What about the other guys here? Weren't they supposed to duel me?"
"Why yes, you are correct in a sense but it's going to be much more... ...different. The fun will be had, so much that we have a huge crowd today coming to see you, so please give them your best shot, got it, kid."
Jaden paused at the remark. His new guardian was right about Shroud and this place's intentions. He felt a good amount of relief at Yubel getting here just when he was about to stumble further into Shroud's Web and get damaged in ways his little mind would dare not ponder. And Shroud's manner of speaking was more... friendly than the last few days.
'Something smells fishy here, Shroud was quieter with me yesterday. Whatever happens, I owe Yubel a lot after we get out of here. Gotta be Strong Jaden; Gotta be Strong Jaden...'
"A crowd, huh? Like in those TV shows where cameras are pointing at other people? That's so cool! I always wanted to go pro!"
"Oh… then you're a lucky little duelist. Think of this as a step in that direction for this next challenge." The cloaked man says with a deceptively friendly smile, wondering how the kid will handle the spark of this upcoming show.
"Then, what are we waiting for!?", Jaden leaped seemingly excitedly from his bed while carrying his new duel disk and placed his Deck in the little slot.
The cloaked man saw him leave the room; a truly malicious smirk on his lips as he looked upon the kid. Thanks to Yubel's natural sensory abilities, Shroud's intentions were practically crystal clear to the little one through his aura and there was no affection - Just greed, sadism, and a deep desire to break people to his will.
Jaden felt hurt and angry that Yubel was right. The guy who after his parents were killed, gave him a place to stay, food to eat, and a place to duel out his frustrations. How could Shroud just use him like that?
Picking up the top card from his Duel Monsters Deck, conveniently the Level 10 DARK Fiend monster, Yubel. Knowing that this card will be in use soon and Yubel will be in charge of his body for a few hours in this dark challenge, he couldn't help but wish the spirit luck...
Jaden placed the rare card close to his heart, letting the spirit take full control of his body and mind. A soothing warmth washed over his body as he felt Yubel's protective drive for him. The bad people here will pay.
"Yubel. Is it time?", Jaden whispered in parts frustration and excitement; then after a quick moment the kid closed his eyes and with a quick flash of amber and cyan, the Guardian Devil of the Supreme King Haou was in the driver seat and she had a calm expression on Jaden's face as tranquil as a calm before the storm.
"It's showtime, let our Gentle Performance begin…"
Location: Underground Duel Arena
What Yubel had warned about last night to Jaden of the people in the audience for this dark jamboree... A large audience came for the show and what incensed Yubel's temper more were the stares and reactions of the waiting crowd to a mere child being brought on to carry the performance...
Clear dark merriment, dreadfully morbid curiosity, casual amusement, and for the few of the special breed of psychotics. A mere acknowledgment of the young boy with hints of a particularly blood-stained curiosity that consists of such thoughts as 'Should I stab him or Shroud'.
Very few left the stands and out of the compound immediately due to disappointment and feeling ripped off or by what little moral standards they had left or some strange mix of both. Quite the audience this boy had garnered, a very predatory one befitting the darkness of the Underground.
The show's host, the enigmatic Shroud himself, gave a big faux cough and a grand wave of his black cape to give the crowd a good introduction when spoke into his microphone.
"Ladies and Gentlemen from the Underground of Domino City and beyond our depths of the woods! Thank you for supporting this fine establishment but now it's the moment you've been anticipating a long time! It's the 'Sparking Underground Railway Exhibition' event.
And here's our Newest Rising Star of the show, the rookie Jaden Yuki!"
After the applause and enthusiasm died down a good bit, the possessed Jaden saw someone walking from behind, holding metallic bracelets with an amber-colored orb at the top center of them and a choker with the said amber orb at the front of it as well, completing the look was incredibly sharp spikes on the sides.
With a good amount of reluctance to play with this farce of a show... Yubel let them put the equipment on with a huffy haughty expression on the possessed body of Jaden as if trying to retain dignity.
As the audience awaited with knowing expressions of what the boy got himself into, with the opposing gates of the cage opening to a dead-eyed duelist making his reappearance…
"Looks like Jaden's first opponent is already raring to go. After a long disappearance and hiatus after his stint at Duelist Kingdom, The Mimic of Doom makes his return. This man has so many disguises for so much of the Dueling World and beyond you'll feel haunted by the dead by the authenticity of his art. Our guest, the Imitator of Death! But it seems... he longs for the good old days.
Let's give our applause to an old alias of his, Ghost Kaiba."
With the dead eyes turning predatory in an instant and with an increasingly gleefully vicious look on his face, the Mimic had almost the same appearance as Seto Kaiba but his clothing and mannerisms were... older and more off-putting for the young kid as the mimic smiled in Jaden's direction as he walked towards the opposite side of the field, the clothing being a black, silver, and purple version of the corporate mogul's usual wear but more torn and worn down.
The deep dark dead blue eyes had little to no life inside them, and his face looked more haggard and fatigued, almost rabid looking. And as if to forever remind the ghoul-like mimic of his slight against the Ancient Pharaoh and his time in the Shadow Realm after the Pharaoh's gaining his eternal rest freed him among others from their seemingly endless torment. An Eye of Wdjat that looked akin to a burn scar the size of the one on the Millennium Puzzle was on top of his forehead despite his best efforts to hide it, no matter the disguise it would appear. Once the disguise specialist was on the opposite side of the cage arena, he rolled up his sleeves a bit to reveal his metallic choker and bracelets.
To both Jaden's surprise and Yubel's chagrin, they looked a bit damaged.
'It had to have been intentional.', Yubel thought to herself anticipating the trap about to spring…
"Don't worry about it, kid.", Ghost Kaiba says raspily, while keeping his cat-like grin that looks out of place on Seto Kaiba's face toying with his new prey. "I know what you're thinking – will my equipment function correctly while damaged? No need to worry, boy. I'm under the same penalty, see for yourself..."
He quickly snapped his fingers, nonverbally signaling the host to activate the signature penalty of this arena. As expected, the electricity surged through the Mimic but a significantly lighter amount to the point of tickling the Mimic.
"But why do only I get this exhilarating sample of what's to come, it's only fair for you to feel the same thing?", he glibly jokes, his tone of voice all too gentle and calm as he licked his lips hungrily as if he wasn't just electrocuted a quick moment ago. Snapping his fingers again, the collar attached to Jaden's neck activated, and Jaden braced himself for the worst as he closed his eyes.
From the audience's point of view, the little duelist felt a painful amount of electricity surging through his little body. But oddly enough for the audience, the kid didn't scream for their entertainment. In fact, the kid was laughing maniacally the whole time as if he was tickled as well despite coughing at the end of it. This got people more interested in the boy due to his unknown resolve. But the truth was far more foreboding…
Luckily for Jaden, Yubel through her power took the full brunt of the electricity straight to her spirit, and her aura granted Jaden's body increased durability, the surging sparks running through the body being rather weak in comparison to the stuff she had to feel so long ago and unnerving the audience a bit was a mere bonus. After all, she had far worse in store for them.
"Yubel! Please be okay!" Jaden frets through their mental connection over his Guardian in worry as tears start to roll down his cheeks at the sight of his friend in pain as she was coughing a bit after the first shock.
"Your faith is all the support I need…", Yubel mutters, trying to comfort her tear-stricken liege through their mental connection and with practiced confidence trying to rouse Jaden's spirit through one statement. "Now chin up little one, and hold your head high and cheer your hero on!"
Despite Yubel's attempt to keep morale high in this situation. Tears still rolled down the kid's cheeks but at least now they had been reduced somewhat, the crying that ran through the mind lessened significantly enough for Yubel to truly focus on the duel and make the imitator pay dearly for making Jaden shed tears. In exchange, for a bit, she felt her hand being held tightly by Jaden as if in support.
Her pain was worth less than dirt on the monsters in human skin's shoes in comparison to Jaden's condition. However, her fanatical loyalty toward Jaden had its limits, it didn't cloud her ability to face facts and one she was especially worried about in regards to the status of Jaden's body. While enhanced, the body is still very young and unused to the energy both harmful and beneficial at play. Yubel deduces from this that she has to end the duels quickly to escape this hellish nightmare.
"I believe in you, Yubel! Beat this weirdo!"
"Gladly, My Prince. He'll be fried within the next five minutes."
Activating their duel disks and placing their decks on the slot, their red Led activated the Duel Field, preparing for the long-awaited match.
"And with the shocking demonstration of the new model of the state-of-the-art Electrodes better known as Shock Collars out of the way, the Anti-Rule will also be enforced. So Rare Cards are on the line as well to spice up the competition to even fiercer heights.
So, without further ado, let the Cage Match Commence!"
"I'll enjoy acquiring your screams, stubborn brat!", the mimic seethes out, greatly annoyed and a little inwardly unnerved that the child seemingly shrugged off the Shock Collar's voltage and readying himself, something was off about this kid.
"And I was hoping we would be decently acquainted, you 4th-rate mimic with 6th-rate makeup" the possessing demon cheerfully retorts her host's brown eyes changed to amber and cyan in a flash.
"DUEL!"
Turn 1
Ghost Kaiba (GH) – 4000 LP
Jaden? (J) – 4000 LP
"I'll take the first act! I Draw!", the mimic quickly drew a card from his deck, and with a quick glance at the card he couldn't but laugh at his opponent's misfortune. "BWAHAHAHAHA! It seems Lady Luck is smiling upon me. But first, I'll summon my Hitotsu-Me Giant!"
The field with a mass of digital sparkles suddenly gave life to a green screeching one-eyed behemoth while brandishing its sharp claws at the seemingly lone opponent, its muscular body instinctively tensing for a brawl (ATK 1200 / DEF 1000).
"And next, I'll play my Spell Card! Bargain Bin Tribute!"
(FM) Bargain Bin Tribute – Normal Spell
Tribute 1 Level 4 or lower monster you control; Special Summon 1 Level 8 monster from your hand.
"Now, by sacrificing Hitotsu-Me Giant on my side of the field; from my hand, I summon the Cerulean Beast of Destruction! Fight for your beloved Master, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
The low-level monster was struck down by a white-hot bolt of draconic lightning from out of the blue coming from above, the ashes fluttering to the wind as its paltry life was accepted as a suitable price for one of Duel Monsters' most famous beasts shown in its full glory as the gigantic white-scaled dragon bursting in a flash of a blue spark, their luminously sharp wings spread more wildly, the blue eyes looking more feral and frantic as if longing for freedom and battle staring down the opponent but as if sensing the ancient spiritual essence of a fellow dragon from the opponent gave a solemn but tremendously fierce roar of respect but had an undertone of fatigue. (ATK 3000 / DEF 2500)
Yubel gave a studying glance at the azure dragon, she felt something very concerning - The specific type of pain that the dragon was bearing. Not physical pain, but a very familiar mental fatigue of sorts. Yubel had felt it herself over several millennia in darkness, the longing for a proper partner to cure their loneliness. The dragon was begging for its freedom.
"Unforgivable... Unworthy... Wretch!", she states her rage rising and her original voice slipping for a moment letting loose a small amount of her mounting anger. The possessing demon gives the disguise specialist a glowing glare that causes the amber and cyan of her eye to be even more uncanny.
"Such ghoulish gall you possess, trying to gain pleasure from our pain. And having such a beast under your command yet never treating it with respect akin to a simple circus animal. Your debts will be paid in full soon."
"… The electricity must've scrambled your brain? Maybe it scared you straight? Anyways, you're merely a fun job to complete."
Two set cards were placed in his Spell/Trap Zone. "I'll set these two cards, and end my turn. It's your turn now!"
"Good, you just handed me your fate", Yubel calmly warned, while drawing from the deck.
Turn 2
J - 4000 LP
GK – 4000 LP
"It's my turn. Draw!", the possessor drew his card, Yubel knowing how the turn would end. "If you think your strategy of relying on Blue-Eyes protecting your Life Points due to its Attack Power, then you have a death wish. I Summon, Elemental Hero Bubbleman!"
On the possessed Jaden's field, a high amount of bubbles gathered in front of the possessed boy, the blue bubbles bursting all at once signaling the appearance of a stout cerulean-armored hero with his eyes obscured by his mask completing the set was a white cape billowing behind him. But due to the severity of the situation, all signs of joviality in the bubble gunner were gone. (ATK 800 / DEF 1200)
"And since Bubbleman was Summoned while I control no other cards on my side of the field, his effect lets me draw 2 cards.", the possessed boy did so, picking the next cards from his hand. "Bubbleman has accomplished his objective, so he can fall back and call the cavalry. I'll activate the Spell Card, Elemental Shift!"
(FM) Elemental Shift – Normal Spell
Return 1 "Elemental Hero" monster you control to the deck, and if you do, Special Summon 1 "Elemental Hero" monster from your deck with a different Attribute.
"By returning my monster to my deck, this Spell allows me to Special Summon Elemental Hero Burstinatrix!", the possessor stated as the cerulean bubble-themed Hero was surrounded by a burning ring of scarlet fire and very familiar to the bubble gunslinger due to it being a trademark of a longtime comrade to him and fellow founding member to their hero group.
A grim smirk threatened to creep on his face as he felt an all too warm hand on his shoulder signifying the cavalry's arrival through the fire and the flames in the form of a heroine clad in a red full-body skin tight spandex-like outfit and a large golden headpiece with a jade-colored orb at the center of the headwear.
Her pale gray face was deathly grim as she nonverbally gave the order for the bubble gunner to fall back and get the other heroes ready for a dangerous mission with their wielder's life at stake. The sky-blue hero stepped back as the ring of scarlet fire coalesced around him into a medium-sized scarlet sphere of raging fiery energy, containing and taking the retreating hero away from the field and into the deck.
The pyromancer looked at her possessed wielder's opponent and the sadistic audience watching the illegal cage match. The surge of anger from the heroine high enough to unconsciously burn parts of her outfit a grayish white as her eyes and hands are alight with scarlet flame as she gets into a battle stance readying herself for a brawl. (ATK 1200 / DEF 800)
Ghost Kaiba let out a small snort of amusement at the possessed boy's decision of the monster he just summoned which barreled into laughter at the interaction between Bubbleman and Burstantrix and the resulting light as if he wasn't impressed nor intimidated by the burning glare the pyromancer was shooting him.
"Good performance. The emotional intensity is exquisite, the pyrotechnics are an impressive sight for the eyes, could've used a dance at the end; 7/10. Pity it's wasted on a monster with a paltry 1200 Attack Points, worth nothing more than the tribute trash I just threw away. How lousy are you trying to waste everyone's time?
"Such pride, such stock you put into that giant blue lightning rod of yours. Your 'Sapphiric Beast' will be just the weapon needed for your fate. Just wash your neck with oil... and wait. Activating Spell Card, Double Summon! It allows me to summon my Elemental Hero Avian from my hand!
Next to the angry Heroine, a sharp gale of wind brought forth a winged stern-faced hero clad in a flexibly green-furred armored suit looking akin to a green 'Garuda'; the suit meant for aerial-based combat. (ATK 1000 / DEF 1000).
After he was summoned, the two Heroes gave a glance at each other, the literal fire in Burstinatrix's eyes was all the communication the wind-based hero needed to understand the grave depths of the situation; they gave a quick nod readying themselves for the temporary wielder's orders. But as this was happening the Mimic duelist was getting a little impatient in this slow turn.
"Two weak monsters, one even weaker than the first one you summoned? Blue-Eyes here should be able to pulverize them to ash in a snap. I'll bite brat, what's your game?"
"Shouldn't a disguise specialist know all is not what it seems? Look beyond the attack stat, why don't you? Thanks to them being on my side of the field, I can play the Spell Card, R – Righteous Justice!"
"Why you!?", the mimic seethed. "Doesn't that Spell Card-"
"Oh, you can catch on, but you're rather late. Such hubris and tardiness have their price like your two facedown cards for instance."; The possessor quickly retorts, cutting the Imitator off. Jaden's monsters quickly combined their respective elemental energies into an orange spiraling sphere that had the strength of a wildfire condensed into a medium-sized sphere thanks to the Spell's effect.
With a fierce roar of anger, Burstinatrix poured more of her energy into the sphere to make it near fit to combust as the two threw the wildfire sphere at the mimic's side of the field. The resulting burst had burnt Ghost Kaiba's Negate Attack and Defense Paralysis, sending them to the grave and the small explosion singed the stunned imposter.
Without skipping a beat, the possessing demon picked her next Spell Card and placed it on Jaden's duel disk to press the advantage even further.
"And now it's time to answer the dragon's roar with one of our own. I activate Polymerization! Elemental Heroes Avian and Burstinatrix, fuse for your wielder.", the two heroes while looking very unnerved at the possessed boy's expanded vocabulary and eloquence, more demanding aura, and gradually increasing ruthlessness; the two heroes obeyed the command without complaint by holding each other hand.
Resulting in the partner's respective element consuming the other as their energy combined into a raging orange vortex of fiery energy. Said energy vortex creates scorching winds that swiftly pass through the cage of the arena and cause the audience to sweat greatly as they are more entranced by the spectacle as an imposing figure emerges from the blaze from above.
"'Wing of Salvation, Soar in Freedom. Flame of Virtue, Embolden the Just. May Draconic Wrath bring forth an Inferno of Retribution! Fusion Summon! Lend us your aid, Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"
From the crowd's point of view, as the energy vortex dissipates a green and black-skinned Humanoid descends, muscles tensing for a fight, his face tinged with barely contained rage itching to be set loose. His clawed left hand clenched to the point of drawing blood. The veins on the clear white wing bulged in volcanic fury. Said rage was more obvious with the more draconic aspects of his being. His mythic crimson draconian tail was slamming the floor hard enough to break it. The Dragon Head of a right arm unconsciously emanated a concerning amount of heat that filled the whole room causing many to sweat. (ATK 2100 / DEF 1200)
"W-What's this? The vents were poorly insured cause it's getting scorching in here, or did Jaden's Fusion Spell give a Solid Vision Monster new life!?", Shroud commentates from his mic while feeling rivulets of sweat running down his face. "How come our Underground Arena's esteemed audience is at risk of heatstroke!?"
"The heat sure as hell isn't from a Duel Disk malfunction…", an imposingly tall figure wearing a dark-blue collared coat over a mesh shirt with spiky hair sticking out of his cap, with two vertical lines tattooed to his face even over his eyelids that covered his ebony void-like eyes looking at his glass of wine as muttering to himself from his waiting table.
The little brat that caught his attention bore a similar aura to one over a decade ago.
"Kids these days and the shit they get into," he muttered to himself.
On the other hand, Ghost Kaiba wasn't feeling so on top of the world watching the flamingly furious fusion monster giving one hell of a death glare at him. Sure, the monster was fairly weaker than the blue overgrown lizard. But he was sure that the precocious brat had something up his sleeve…
"S-Snot-nosed brat, if this is t-the best you have. I-I've seen so much worse than this poor excuse of a cinematic movie hero pose. You better pass the baton back to me, so I can end this far-"
"Such palpable fear I sense, oh how I crave it so.", Yubel purred through Jaden's young mouth, her voice becoming more apparent, the mimic back away as a bone-chilling shiver ran through his spine. "That mighty beast is quite the illusion, isn't it? The dragon has been disrespected enough by your rotten weak hands. Activate Equip Spell, Cursed Bill!"
A hovering ofuda enveloped in ebony-tinted cursed energy shot toward the Blue Eyes' head in an instant. The legendary dragon was growling in pain from the planted seal, the cursed energy weakening the body causing the dragon to lower its head in fatigue...and confusion.
The seal's energy wasn't as painful as it should be as if the energy was being restrained. It glanced at the possessed boy and saw one of the heterochromatic eyes was tinted with a golden color suppressing the ofuda's energy a good bit. The Imitator was letting fear slowly overtake him as his best hope for a win was being crippled right in front of his eyes.
"W… What did you do to my Dragon? That Equip Spell didn't decrease or increase its Attack Points. What was the point of doing that?"
"Why... I suppose you should be rewarded for your faltering curiosity before you're finished.", the demoness' falsely honeyed voice purred, the eyes shining with malice with the next and last card in Jaden's hand. "But it all starts with a familiar Spell Card, Blustering Winds. It grants Flame Wingman 1000 Attack and Defense Points"
The raging aura of azure-tinted wind energy enveloping the monster dwarfed the orange scorching winds of Flame Wingman's entry into the field, the Spell Card made the Fusion Monster's wing glow almost gold, the left claw of the draconic humanoid glistened as if it grew sharper and then the dragon head glowing a bright azure letting out a draconic growl of barely restrained fury could be heard from the monster as his eyes, alight with a violet flame sending a murderous glare towards the enemy duelist. (ATK 2100 – 3100 / DEF 1200 – 2200)
"Can you believe this, esteemed audience!? The rookie here is giving us quite the surprise here today; being able to destroy Ghost Kaiba's set cards with his own and getting his hands on a monster stronger than Ghost Kaiba's Blue-Eyes White Dragon. And what's the mystery behind the Equip Spell, Cursed Bill, that'll have Jaden lay claim to a surprising victory?"
The imposing cloaked figure gave a harsh gulp to avoid choking on some of the wine he was drinking from the glass when he realized the strategy behind Jaden's turn. In his head, there was just one thing his mind came to...
"A One-Turn Kill? On the Blue Eyes of all creatures? This brat is something else."
Ghost Kaiba could feel the smug imp-like grin from the possessed Jaden bearing on him akin to an ever-tightening noose; The meaning behind it was obvious to both opponents. Their roles had been switched, this show was meant to painfully make a little boy beg for mercy on his knees to break his will to show him the true face of the world of the Underground, it was now the mimic's turn to truly feel fear.
And it was intoxicating for the fiendess inside Jaden to see the imposter's face stricken with immense fear and frustration, body trembling in place, still trying to maintain an ever-decaying sense of control in front of the smiling 'kid'. And for a moment that felt like an eternity, he saw a golden silhouette of Yubel standing behind the boy, a glow of cascading cyan and angry amber crippling his confidence.
"S-Stop! Y-You can't! You're not allowed to attack my monster, you hear me!?"
"I beg to differ, you tattered facsimile! Our time together was short but it has to end all the same. Flame Wingman, why won't you go there and liberate Blue-Eyes White Dragon from the monster that dares adorn itself with human flesh? Engage!"
By the orders of the possessed Jaden, the Fusion Monster quickly flew over the fatigued dragon; but where the crowd thought Flame Wingman was about to use the dragon head to instantly incinerate the Blue Eyes, instead to everyone's surprise the draconic humanoid Hero soothes the White Dragon through scratching its chin with a carefully warm touch using his left hand, the Opposing Dragon at first being hesitant and then purring affectedly akin to a lost pup. The audience collectively gaped in shock at the scene, surprised that something so pure could happen in such a dark place. A little tingle from the sparks released from the choker doing its job to show Ghost Kaiba losing his Life Points.
GK: 4000 – 3900 LP
Despite the Hero's surprising hospitality, the mighty dragon sensed the rage within the fusion monster's gentle hand with a small golden flame akin to a candle. To the hero's surprise, the white-scaled dragon used its huge claw to grab the hero's smaller claw and squeezed it to let out the golden flame and let itself burn to ash to remove itself from the field.
For its desire for freedom and a worthy wielder but not without leaving a gift for the kind-hearted hero, a white bolt of draconic lightning from above struck the Fusion Hero that left a portion of its essence behind in the hero, effectively its letter of resignation to the confused imposter that was nervously sweating bullets at the sight of the mighty dragon seemingly taking its own life as whatever words could say are seemingly stuck in his throat as he could only wait for the next play the possessed child had in store.
"W-What!? You have to be kidding me. My monster chickening out like that!?", he exclaims in shock, fear, and frustration finding his faltering nerve as he sees the draconic humanoid with his left claw alight with white-hot draconic electrical energy the furious hero was about to release their rendition of the Burst Stream to strike him with little to no mercy on the panicking imposter. "… WHAT TRICKERY IS THIS!?"
"That is Flame Wingman's little ability. When he defeated the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and sent them to the Grave, you take burn damage equal to its Attack Points it had on the field.", Yubel says stoically the malicious smile unfitting for a child to wear was gone momentarily as if she was solemn at the scene of Blue Eyes taking its leave.
For its pride and dignity and with a mere gesture from Yubel to the Flame Wingman gave the order to strike which they were willing to oblige with a single sharp swipe of their clawed hand, firing an azure-tinted Blue Eyes-shaped energy blade comprised of white-hot electrical energy towards the Mimic and in an instant the energy combusts exploding on the Mimic with an azure tint.
The energy moderately electrocuted him quickly, burning away the Mimic's disguise into his true form as his body was slammed into the cage and it was… pudgier than expected for his opponent.
GK: 3900 – 900 LP
The Mimic's disguise was destroyed. The audience had to enjoy the sight of a shabby-looking froggish-faced gray-skinned pudgy-looking man, complete with an awkward hairstyle dyed in bright pink forming three fragments on his head, wearing a dark blue cape and tight gray gloves that fit perfectly on his large hands.
"Eheh… tough luck, brat.", the man breathed out raggedly starting to cough up smoke and a bit of blood and spittle as he pushed himself off the bent cage as some of his confidence was barely rekindled thanks to the seeming end of the possessed child's onslaught. "You gave me quite the scare, but your battle phase is done with. My next turn will end with you crying-"
But then, whatever words the Mimic of Death had died in his throat, at the familiar almost demonic Cheshire cat-like grin that shouldn't be on a young child returned, complete with their eye color mixed with a golden tint shaking their head in playful defiance and as if wanting to break his hope into tiny little shards, the demoness' honeyed voice leaked out once more…
"Such an assumption, pity it's weighed down by the fear of a dead man. You should know better than anyone here that you were in danger the moment a certain Cursed Bill was equipped onto your monster. Your time is up! Care for a final embrace of light before you suffer in Eternal Flame and Darkness?!"
Flame Wingman, in their rage, turned their attention toward the one that dared to irreparably harm their wielder at this moment. Aiming the Dragon Head Arm at the panicking Imitator the eyes of the Dragon Head glowed two bright burning colors, on one side an Ethereal Gold and the other a Luminous Cyan. The two colors were mixed into a sphere of Volatile Atomic Dragonfire in its open maw, ready to fire at Yubel's behest.
"Cursed Bill's effect now activates. You will suffer burning damage in the form of the Blue Eyes' Defense Points. This 'marvelous' morning will be your last; and Flame Wingman, don't make a mess", Yubel says idly in her voice as if the Mimic was nothing more an boring chore now, giving the Flame Wingman the order to fire and the Fusion Hero gladly obliging.
'Oh… and Jaden dear. Please close your eyes and cover your ears as best you can.' she added through the duo's mental connection; not wanting Jaden to see and hear the immense incoming pain of the opponent, at least what was left of him.
'Ok!' the little kid in question chirps, somewhat oblivious to the incoming results. All he knew was that the bad guy was getting what he deserved.
Looking like an angelic harbinger of death complete with a white wing to the crying Mimic, Flame Wingman let loose a point-blank blast of magically atomic jade-colored dragonfire onto the Mimic that slammed the pudgy disguise specialist to the partly burnt and damaged side of the cage setting him ablaze in emerald-colored fire.
The flame was real due to Yubel and his vision was darkening as his screams of agony were stolen away bit by bit with each desperate cry for help only for the audience to roar in applause for the victor drowning out his pleas, surprised at the stunning show on display. As the Imitator of Death's pained screams grew duller and quieter as the emerald blaze consumed him, one final image the Mimic beheld before passing out was little Jaden staring blankly with fully golden eyes with Yubel with a wide psychotic smile on her lips in her full demonic glory behind him, an aura of darkness was billowing from them like a fountain. He could only give one final cry...
"Anyone… please… save me…", Mimic gasped out his final words, before he felt darkness overtake his vision and pass out. The 1st Round of this vile bloodsport was over.
GK: 900 – 0 LP
Duel's Result: Victory
The Victor: Jaden?
"Hmph... easier than I thought.", the possessor of the kid admits with a huff, while looking at the host of the show while subtly using her power to teleport the Blue Eyes White Dragon card into the deck. "Now then; Who is brave enough to be my next opponent or should I leave?"
"Right here, little rookie.", a deep-sounding baritone of a voice made the possessed kid turn their head to see a scarred muscular man standing behind him, while the burnt mimic was dragged out by a few medical attendants to get desperately needed medical attention. "This show is FAR from over because there are still opponents like me willing to tangle with you. Where's the fun in leaving after the first act?"
Yubel's eyes gave a very careful but studying look at the man she was about to face off against; the admittedly tall height of the man was nothing in comparison to the stories the scars covering his body would tell, she deduced that he went through a lot of physical pain without great care or cause. It seems the man bore no sense of self-preservation as if he thirsted for an opponent like this to duel against like finding an oasis in a desert in the form of the strange but uncannily skilled kid in the spotlight.
'His eyes are like that of a gladiator from back home; pity it seems he is without honor or shame. But thankfully this isn't a boxing match my prince.', Yubel's thoughts communicated to little Jaden trying to keep the mood light, who was very scared of the shirtless muscular scarred duelist.
'He looks scary too. But I know that with your strength we can beat him, Yubel. And I hope we have a way outta this.'
The possessor nodded in agreement with her host as she gave a glance at the parts of the damaged cage. But Yubel notes to herself that her energy can only do so much with a young vessel without the body giving out. Thankfully the increased durability granted to Jaden's body was enough to tank through the example and first duel without issue.
The next one she felt given the scarred man's more straightforward and casual composure in contrast to the Mimic's theatrics hides a much more competent opponent.
"I'm quite skilled compared to the embarrassment you just overwhelmed. Suffering the same fate just ain't in the schedule!", the man declares while putting the spiked choker on his neck and bracelets on his arms. Surprisingly, they were pristine, unlike the damaged ones the disguise specialist was wearing…
"Something really important must be here for you to take the pain. The electricity I assume is at full power for you, isn't it?", the possessor of the boy's body questioned, any concern heard in its tone superficial at best.
"No Pain, No Gain! Nothing less but the best! That's what my motto is", the scarred man declares with a psychotic smirk— pointing his finger at the kid as if to goad the strange brat into taking his challenge.
"It doesn't matter how painful the attacks and shocks are, you've shown me a greater challenge than I expected for this little jamboree to have! The path to power is filled with pain for all, and you're going down the same path as I did. Is your body ready for the pain train's arrival!?"
"Tsk… Give me more reasons to end it swiftly."
"Y-You heard it from our rookie, ladies and gents. It looks like his second opponent is all set to duel him; this man knows no bounds and is the Bane of the Weak of Domino City. He is the Beast with No Fear. The Hellhound of the Underground is off his leash.
Give your applause to MAAAAAD DOOOOOG!"
A heavy amount of applause the crowd roared out echoing throughout the compound, the enthusiastic introduction of the next opponent Jaden and Yubel were about to face further fanning the flames. The red LEDs of the duel disks turned on to signal the next round inside the metal cage, where the two duelists were giving two very different glances. One of tranquil focus and determination, eyes giving very little sign of worry and stress despite the gradual disadvantage. The other bore a visage of mounting excitement, eyes overflowing with battlelust and lofty expectations of the battle to come despite the young age of the opponent. But the rising tension had to be released somehow and Yubel spoke out first.
"This is a one time courtesy, gladiator. Stand down and you will be unharmed, continue at your own risk"
"Such a courtesy, brat. You still have a long road to climb before making brave requests like that, points for the confidence though"
The duel-disk on Jaden's arm showed the red LED being turnt on once again, and for a quick moment for Maddog he thought he saw a golden silhouette of a demon-like figure whose body language would suggest annoyance.
"Should've known asking for basic common sense and decency here would be futile; Alright then gladiator, I gave you an out, don't cry on the way to the infernal depths"
The Mad Dog gave a wide grin at the retort, turning his Duel Disk on as well, never once showing signs of fear nor hesitance.
"Oooooh! Quite the spitfire. Stop threatening me with a good time and give it to me you brat!"
"DUEL!"
Time: 10 Minutes Later
Loud panting could be heard from both duelists, sweat whether hot or cold dripping down their bodies; They were showing signs of fatigue, the scarred duelist, Maddog wearing a tired smile that he knew was ticking the kid off. The electricity that ran through his body thanks to the choker and bracelets had a stronger voltage than the one Yubel and Jaden had, so it seemed someone in the background was amplifying the voltage.
Jaden and Yubel on the other hand had a big problem, no monsters on their field to protect themselves; but thankfully a few set cards kept their Life Points intact. However, Mad Dog's field looked quite daunting for the child but posed a very irritating chore for the demoness. Yubel, to her frustration knew she had underestimated him due to the mediocre performance by that mimic skewing her judgment and how badly the ambush and her desperate search for her king before participating in this bloodsport drained her energy.
The clock was ticking on her energy reserves but she would be damned if she lost and got her king killed or worse through her own damnable hubris.
However she couldn't help but give an angry growl at the masochist's commendable dueling ability when comparing them to the previous opponent. But she had been through worse than what this fool offered. But acknowledgement was due when looking at the field.
Turn 3 (Jaden's turn)
- Jaden? (J) - 2500 LP
3 Cards in Hand
(Jaden's field)
2 Set Cards
- Mad Dog (MD) - 4000 LP
2 Cards in Hand
(Mad Dog's field)
Clone Slime (ATK 0 / DEF 0)
3 Set Cards
"I underestimated you.", the possessor reluctantly admits, wiping sweat off her host's face. "For someone who took the title of a rabid dog, you fight more like a lone wolf."
"Hmph… High Praise from you but long overdue. Your mistake was thinking these scars in my body were just for show.", the scar-ridden adult spoke calmly as he crossed his arms with a calm sense of pride and achievement. "Each scar is a mark of improvement, every injury has a tale to tell. I long and relish nothing less but your best in the arena that forged so many spirited opponents over the years!"
"Such an interesting philosophy and such selfishness attached to it, and on contrary actually, such a shame an opponent of your calibur will meet their end here," Yubel says in her tone a mix of deadpan and hate.
"Oh? How amusing to think you still got the skills enough to compete with me. As I would say, because the way you behave has been a little confusing, your wording and demeanor is rather advanced and calm for an orphan. They're usually more angry, reckless, many even carrying a death wish. But you are different from them, the eyes tell me a very different tale, what battles have you been in before coming here, I ponder…" The scarred duelist questioned, genuinely curious.
Yubel's face darkened in rage at the implications but spoke evenly in turn "How perceptive people can be these days, but unfortunately our time is short, but you couldn't comprehend the scale of the battles behind me. But I can let you have a taste of my baptism."
The possessor drew her host's card, a smile grew on her face once she glanced at what was drawn.
"I play the Spell Card, Pot of Greed.", she says as she activated the spell card and an green pot with blue marking and an unnerving smiling made it's short appearance on the field, turning to Yubel and akin to a frog flicked it's tongue at Jaden's deck, handing the possessor two cards before disappearing. "Thanks to this Spell, I get to draw two cards from my deck. One of them being this card I'll activate it. Monster Reborn!"
The second spell card emitted an ethereal prismatic cobalt light throughout the compound as Yubel makes her next move.
"As the name says, this Spell allows me to revive a monster in our Graveyards. Which in my case, Hero Kid, report to me!", the possessor continued as she placed the monster card from the grave to the disk, the light dying down signifying the appearance of a young boy wearing a red mask and a metal suit with jet boosters attached to his legs. (ATK 300 / DEF 600)
"And since Hero Kid was summoned, his effect lets me Summon another Hero Kid from my Deck.", she declared, placing a copy of his monsters on his field, the twin brother with a tense but easygoing smile completed with a thumbs up to show support (ATK 300 / DEF 600)
Mad Dog gave a chuckle thoroughly amused at the little spirited kids, and was anticipating the real challenge. "I have a feeling you wouldn't be summoning those monsters to fight full time"
"It is as you say. The two Hero Kids will now be the beacon for one of our strongest allies. Shine On, Elemental Hero Bladedge!"
As the junior heroes bumped their glowing azure wrist orbs, they were enveloped in a large deep gold diamond-like prism, their bodies morphing into spheres of verdant colored light that bounce and refracted inside the prism till the jewel was completely shining in an intensely bright lime green hue causing both duelists and audience to cover their eyes. Then the light-energy based being morphed into a more human-like shape and started to solidify and the huge golden diamond containing the new being and like clay shrunk and shifted into armor as three orbs of green light were formed on the head, chest, and waist. When the lightshow subsided and the duelists and audience couldn't be blinded by the green light they saw an fully Golden Armored Gladiator, his helmet adorned with horns, equipped with retractable sharp blades on his elbows, sharp golden wings attached to his back, complete with three green energy orbs on head, waist, and chest that would give more than enough energy for the Hero slice through anything his wielder wished. (ATK 2600 / DEF 1800)
Mad Dog gave an impressive whistle at Bladedge's lightshow and the Golden Hero looked unamused at the praise giving the masochist a calm glare loaded with immense killing intent. But Maddog's excitement only grew at the fear and pressure bearing down on him coalescing into a wonderful adrenaline high. Not helped by his confidence to handle whatever the strange brat can pull. It was only a matter of time he thought.
"No matter how strong your monster is, nothing more than a stepping stone for me. Me and my slimes will handle him, no problem!" he boasts.
"Please underestimate me, Mad Dog; The worst is yet to come! Bladedge, we have a task to complete! Cut his Clone Slime to ribbons! 'Edge Hammer!'"; Jaden's Golden Hero prepped his two golden blades while approaching the green slime, while the opposing monster was waiting for the wielder's command.
"Rather foolish of you attacking my Clone Slime. Once it's a target of an attack, it can switch itself with another 'Slime' monster from my graveyard. And that monster will be… Acid Slime!"
As Mad Dog said, the green humanoid slime in a flash was suddenly replaced by blue quadrupedal slimy creature with a grotesque jaw-like amoeba in center in the gelatinous substance.(ATK 800 / DEF 1000)
(A) Clone Slime - Effect Monster/WATER/Aqua/Lv 2/ATK 0/DEF 0
When this face-up card is targeted for an attack: You can send this card to the Graveyard to target 1 'Slime' monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that monster in the same Battle Position as this card, and switch the attack target to that monster.
(A) Acid Slime - Effect Monster/WATER/Aqua/Lv 3/ATK 800/DEF 1000
When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: Inflict 800 damage to your opponent.
"You merely switched a monster's time of dying. But oh no, my dear acquaintance, I have an ill tide prepared for you. When Bladedge attacks a monster with lower Defense, it inflicts piercing damage straight to your Life Points!"
"Shit!", Mad Dog cursed out to the unexpected monster now a foot close to the slime and with a strong and ready arm slammed down fast enough to not only smash the slime in two but also enough to create a golden windblade blasting toward the scarred duelist; the sheer force slamming him into the cage as a large amount of voltage quickly and forcefully surged through his body. Temporarily paralyzing him and sticking him to the cage's bars as his Life Points ticked downward.
MD: 4000 - 2400 LP
The adult duelist got up seconds later, residual electricity flowing through his body like his heart was a battery that absorbed all that pain into power; massaging his head without showing any slight hint of concern.
"I said it once, and will say it again… you were reckless for attacking my Acid Slime. Now that it is destroyed, his effect will make you take 800 points of damage to your Life Points! Have another rousing round of electricity my young friend!"
"Son of a-", the possessor was about to curse but was cut off by the choker releasing another round of electricity into Jaden's neck; But thanks to her powers, the intensity of the electricity was not only lower but merely damaged her instead of Jaden. But that didn't stop her from letting slip-out grunts of pain, with her host body's eyes closed and her teeth gritting from enduring the torture that was happening at that moment.
J: 2500 - 1700 LP
"Tch… Clever….Trick.", Yubel grits out while making her host body get up for more.
'Are you okay, Yubel!? You don't look too hot!' Jaden's innocent but shrill voice sounded throughout her mind like a calming wind chime. She was forever grateful that Jaden was not taking this punishment. 'Maybe I can take him and you recover?'
'Your renewed courage is great, my Liege. Don't worry… there's no need. I won't break the promise I made; I am your guardian, this oath to you will stand till the end of time if need be. We WILL leave this place, no matter the enemies we'll face. But I want you to always be by my side, safe, got it!'
'Gotcha. Always!', the boy cheers, and the demoness smiles at little Jaden making a temporary respite from the situation they're in. As the possessor started massaging the host body's neck and arms as the electricity quickly subsided, the golden aura thankfully healed a good bit of the internal wounds and scarring.
"Could've gone better; My turn is over."
Turn 4
J: 1700 LP
MD: 2400 LP
"Would you take a look at the show on display, ladies and gentlemen. It looks like the match is still far from over!", Shroud continued his commentary, while internally enjoying Jaden's torment. "But it looks like the tables have been turned, now that we're seeing Jaden holding a powerful Hero on his side of the field, and Mad Dog is unprotected in his Monster Zone, but his set cards are still intact. Now then, it looks like it's the start of Mad Dog's turn - Wondering how his turn will end?"
"That's a tough answer, Tophat. This one is stronger than most!", Mad Dog declared, a loud burst of laughter letting loose from his big mouth. "This is gonna be fun!"
"Did you not see the Mimic's fate?" Yubel retorts.
"Why don't we get this party started then? My turn, Draw!", Mad Dog drew his card, the grin never leaving his lips and pointedly ignoring Yubel's idle threat. "If you thought that you were the only one playing this spell card, you have another thing coming. I'll activate Monster Reborn, to revive my Acid Slime from my graveyard!"
The quadrupedal slime creature made its reappearance, gaining odd looks from the crowd for such a weak monster getting brought back against a far stronger creature like Jaden's Bladedge that was just taken out the previous turn by said hero (ATK 800 / DEF 1000).
"Summoning a monster with that caliber of power, instead of any of the other stronger monsters in our graveyards. What's your goal?"
"It's simple, if you think about it. You see, my 'Slime' deck isn't a simple deck for you to play around with. I was just waiting for the right moment to begin a combo!"
"Combo….okay, I'll bite, what exactly did you have in mind?"
"Then you better know what you're saying. I activate my Continuous Trap, DNA Surgery!" His set card was flipped up, and in a flash manifested a group of paramedics adorned with a teal uniform and had blue skin that circled around the two duelists. "With this Trap Card, I get to declare a Monster Type. And while this Trap is on the field, all monsters become the same Type, and I choose Machine!"
Yubel, when she saw the doctors and paramedics arm themselves with comically giant syringe-like ray guns that looked like the ones the monster, Injection Fairy Lily was infamous for but more for long-range fighting than melee. They aimed it upward and pulled the trigger to fire a silver-tinted energy wave that spread across the whole field.
Due to the effect of the Trap, Bladedge felt his armor on the inside forcefully attach several sets of metallic wiring to his energy-based form as the armor shifted to be more technologically advanced, and it looked to be very uncomfortable for the monster inside the rapidly futuristic armor. The surprised Hero was now in a more advanced state but more reliant of his energy in exchange. On the other hand, the Acid Slime had a more metallic sheen to its gelatinous form, as if it was simply palette swapped.
"Great…just great, I already don't like the makeover."
"Then you sure won't like what happens next. Because this means I get to activate my second trap; Last Machine Acid Virus!", Mad Dog declared, activating another set card that was now absorbing his slime monster.
(A) Last Machine Acid Virus - Normal Trap
Tribute 1 WATER monster; look at your opponent's hand, and all monsters they control, and all cards they draw until the end of their 3rd turn after this card's activation, and destroy all Machine monsters. Inflict 500 damage to your opponent for each monster destroyed by this effect.
"By tributing my Acid Slime, my anti-machine combo will now commence. First of all, your Elemental Hero Bladedge gets automatically destroyed.", the Golden Hero felt his mechanical armor fail and break down, a thick black smoke rising from the armor; and after a moment causing an enormous explosion on Jaden's field from its destruction.
"... Second order of business, I'll check your hand for any other Machine monsters you might possess.", Maddog continued as holograms of Jaden's cards were visible for Mad Dog and the audience to take a glance.
"I see… Elemental Hero Avian, Polymerization… and Transcendent Prayer? Never heard of that card before. Nevertheless, it seems you're lucky to only have 1 Machine in your possession get destroyed. That means that you'll take 500 points of damage!"
"Not this turn I won't! I activate my Trap Card, Energy-Absorbing Monolith. It cancels the effect damage, and instead, this Trap allows me to gain those 500 Life Points.", the possessor counters, a sphere of azure healing energy enveloping the possessed body and thanks to Yubel's power made the healing process a bit easier.
J: 1700 - 2200 LP
"Not a bad way to buy time, but do you think that trap will make a difference? Even with that amount of Life Points, you're not surviving this next turn. I'll activate my last set card; Call of the Haunted!", His trap caused a tombstone to suddenly rise from the ground and with it in tow, a dirty dusty coffin. "With this Trap Card, I'll Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard; take for example my Humanoid Slime!"
When the coffin fully opened a mass comprised of sky blue gelatin-like substance leaped from it, and another slime creature made its debut to the field; this one looking rather bipedal and equipped with golden armor and the left hand morphed into a scythe, the liquid looked denser than jello (ATK 800 / DEF 2000).
"And when I combine it with the Worm Drake from my hand, this game is mine. I activate the Spell Card, Polymerization!", Mad Dog revealed his last two cards in hand, while summoning his other monster to the field; what seemed like a giant green worm clad in gold bindings with ruby orbs on the sides, complete with draconic scales and an unnerving eye it's maw.
"There's no escaping my Ace Monster, brat. Prepare for punishment time! Fusion Summon! Emerge and Consume the weak of this world, Humanoid Worm Drake!"
The slime from the humanoid enveloped the drake, looking like a draconic alien with silver gelatin-like armor, and the red orbs littered across its body changing into purple orbs signifying its change. The green orb in its maw on its face, one of its gelatinous arms a sharp silver blade (ATK 2200 / DEF 2000).
A good amount of applause could be heard from the audience in partly disturbed, morbid awe of Mad Dog's Fusion Monster which had the same Attack Points as Jaden's Life Points. It was like he had said; it didn't make any difference for Jaden to activate that Trap to heal himself if it wasn't enough for him to get defeated with a single attack.
"Bravo, mutt.", the cloaked man muttered in relief as he gave his applause while savoring his red wine. As if drinking to the death of a monster. "About time we got a nice finisher from this performance, finally one of those brats gets to feel fear for once."
Mad Dog gave an appealing wave to the cheering audience, his performance was going swimmingly for him, and the opponent after a hard-fought battle was cornered; however, something was off. Despite all the combinations he made this turn to make sure Jaden would have no choice but to beg for mercy and be denied in turn and be crushed like all others who faced him.
Jaden was staring at him as if studying him. Not a hint of fear or hopelessness on his young face. Was he waiting for something, or bluffing? There was only one way to find out…
"You fought well but it's time for the end! Strike him down, Humanoid Worm Drake; Homing Violet!"
The draconic alien heard the host's order to give the attack, morphing the metallic liquid into much more notable blades while the body flew to and fro frantically in the air in a quick fashion like a giant hummingbird; as it got closer to its 'prey', the alien screeched while launching itself unaware that this target had a trick up their sleeves and when the drake close, the child gave a mirthless smirk.
"Activating Trap Card, A Hero Emerges!", the possessor responds as Jaden's set card flips up and activates, creating a white particle-like barrier that protects them from the Alien's attack. However, that said the shield wouldn't be here for long, while the possessor gave out the trap's conditions…
"Thanks to your Trap, you have intel of this hand having only one monster card, and two Spell Cards. My Trap Card gives you a choice of one of the cards in my hand. Monster card, I get to Special Summon it to the field…"
Mad Dog had a tense but careful look on his face, in short order shifting into a dark smirk. He couldn't help but interject.
"What if I happen to choose a Spell Card?"
"If a Spell… it gets sent to the graveyard, and I'll be completely at your mercy."
It was silence for a moment when that fact was spoken aloud that felt like a day, the tension thick enough to poke a needle in for the audience. But after almost two tense minutes a quick but loud laugh could be heard from the Mad Dog hearing that sentence. To think that the final result would be decided by a gamble. He looked into the boy's eyes and saw their unwavering resolve, the smirk while confident was seemingly mostly for show.
Mad Dog couldn't help the respect from forming for…this one. This young but prodigal duelist was really different alright, one to truly make waves in the future for better or worse. As if the performance against the Mimic wasn't proof enough of his efficiency. The duel against him is proof of the kid's resolve and audacity. Most kids and even many adults weren't this daring, especially with the shock collars on as a deterrent. But he couldn't help but be in slight awe of the act. Sticking to one's metaphorical guns and handing a potentially literal one to one of their tormentors and daring them to play a round of the Duel Monsters Underground's equivalent of Russian Roulette…
Mad Dog couldn't help but give a proud laugh at the young duelist, a surprisingly well-meaning one considering the circumstances.
"You cheeky little duelist, you're too much! But I still have about a 2 in 3 chance to choose a Spell Card from your hand, while you only have a mere 1 in 3 to get your monster on the field. Quite the daring play but are you sure leaving your life to the Goddess of Fortune is the right call."
"If you don't stake your life, then you can't make a future", a mix of Yubel and Jaden's voices could be heard for a moment when this quote was spoken with a wide but manic smile that would make a certain pirate proud adorned the boy's face as Yubel continued with almost showman-like grace set the cards on the ground facedown. "You should know this better than most but instead of discussing the chances of failure and success, we are here to give these fine people a show they'll never forget! My eyes won't even get the chance to glance at the cards either, no one will. Care for a dance with fate, Gladiator!"
The scarred adult felt a certain air thanks to Jaden's sudden shift in temperament. While more manic and expressive the boy wasn't kidding and was more focused, and the more he thought about it… this was an easy chance for a win here. If this trap failed, Jaden would take the Slime Drake's attack with no one to save him, and he would win the match against this rising star; and another, while certainly unexpected, huddle in his journey would be completed and overcome.
But at the same time, he pondered about what else could this kid do, if the trap succeeded. He would still be defenseless, he did agree with the mimic on the point of this rookie's cards not being strong by themselves and with seemingly one painful expectation demonstrated by Bladegde, usually needing 'Polymerization' to make a difference and the potential threat of that either extremely rare or unknown Spell Card in his hand. This kid would need a miracle to overcome his fusion monster and take his life points…
But then again, those long odds were also dependent on his judgment, which would explain why Jaden acted so confidently now, hoping his rousing excitement to greater heights would get him to choose quickly but recklessly. He had to give the kid points for the attempt at psychological warfare. He stopped his little musings and looked back at the three non-holographic facedown cards that the possessed Jaden was standing behind…
"I'll pick the furthest right card. 'Your' right.", Mad Dog confidently ordered.
The possessor picked up and held the requested card in one hand and the unchosen in the other, flipped it over the requested one, and gave a quick glance and the confident smirk turned into a devilish smirk as she concluded this game of chance to Maddog.
"So a Goddess of Fortune does smile upon me.", the possessor says almost happily while revealing the card in hand. "Protect your wielder, Elemental Hero Avian!"
Yubel placed the monster card on Jaden's duel disk, and the Garuda-like Hero appeared after the blue particle shield disappeared (ATK 1000 / DEF 1000); and immediately got in the Slime Dragon's way and even she couldn't help but cover Jaden's eyes for his sake to not see one of his heroes willingly taking multiple impalements in stride for Jaden with a grunt of pain and a bloodstained smile while getting partly consumed by slime monster before vanishing to the graveyard, the hero satisfied at least protecting his user.
"Damn it, my gambling skills must be really rusty now. At least getting rid of my gambling addiction was worth it for a duel like this", Mad Dog partially joked to himself and inwardly was a bit relieved at this duel not being over just yet. "But fortune favors the bold. It now comes to the next card you'll draw. And let's be honest with each other… your short self was buying time with that stunt but now, was it worth it? You will lose on my next turn if it isn't the one you need. So I'll end mine, use your turn wisely."
Turn 5
J: 2200 LP
MD: 2400 LP
'It comes down to this next draw, Yubel'. Little Jaden frantically thought after hearing one his heroes brutally take one for the team. 'I'm scared of the next card we get. If it happens to be another weak Hero…'
'Don't finish that thought, my compassionate little prince. I understand that tenderness for all of your Heroes, the same way I care for you to stay safe. But take heed of the fact that they WANT to help you as well. You're not dueling alone anymore, right? Trust your deck, trust us… and most importantly, keep your spirit proud no matter the trials ahead!'
After Yubel gave a warm mental hug to the tear-stricken child helping to wipe some of the tears sliding down his face; the embrace helped greatly in calming him down. Smiling at his savior's warm words he felt his fighting spirit bloom once more…
'You're right. I still have you on my side and I did make you promise not to frown so much, kinda silly for me to cry when I asked you not to. Let's go, Yubel!'
"As you wish, my Liege. Your wish is my command!", the possessor and possessed together in sync picked the top card of his deck, and swung it away. "I DRAW!"
"And thanks to my Trap Card, Last Machine Acid Virus, I get to see the card that you drew. Now, show it…", Mad Dog requested, as the possessor and possessed gave one last glance at the same card as well. A smile could be seen on their face, as the card finally was revealed...
Blue-Eyes White Dragon
"Is that it? That's the card that will change the game?", he spoke in somewhat surprise, thinking to himself a little bit as the crowd started to laugh after processing the contrast of what was drawn in the previous gamble a bit. "Wow, what piss poor timing. If only that was the card you had when you activated 'A Hero Emerges', you would've instantly ended this. The Goddess of Fortune has a strange sense of humor, doesn't she?"
Yubel couldn't help herself to one last jab at Maddog's expense before starting the beginning of the end of this duel. "So you're saying, either way, you would've lost this match one way or another," Yubel deadpanned to an insulted Maddog as she continued "My My, this Goddess of Fortune must have my sense of humor. Erasing a chance for a clean conclusion for a more painful end. And it all begins with this Spell."
"What Spell Card? Wait, you don't mean!" Mad Dog gasps in surprise.
"The very same 'unknown' Spell you had mentioned before? What was it called…..oh right, Transcendent Prayer!" Yubel with a malevolent sneer unfitting on Jaden's young face placed the card on Jaden's duel disk, the card hologram revealing an unknown but shining statue of an unknown deity being worshiped by many monsters from many paths in life, even a few from other dimensions.
(FM) Transcendent Prayer - Normal Spell
Discard 1 Level 8 or higher monster; Special Summon 2 Normal Monsters from your deck which total Level equals the discarded monster's Level.
"By discarding Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my hand, I Special Summon two Elemental Heros Sparkman and Clayman!"
Two portals of Light emerged from the solid ground of the cage, and two figures jumped out of them a Hero clad in a Gold and Blue Electric Suit alongside a Golem-like hero, giving a quick but respectful nod and waiting for Yubel's next orders. (ATK 1600 / DEF 1400) (ATK 800 / DEF 2000)
"And finally, the game is set, and it's time to light a match in victory. It's time for fusion Sparkman and Clayman! I activate Polymerization!", with the Spell card being played, Sparkman getting in front of Clayman and with practiced ease gave a stylish pose before merging together into a large vortex of teal-tinted electrical energy that was the beacon for…
"'Azure Lightning, hear my cry; Reddened Stone, heed my call!' I Fusion Summon, the Righteous Birthed betwixt Heaven and Earth, Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!"
The being summoned was clad in massive gold armor with white lines, a sapphire-colored orb at the center responsible for channeling, storing, and harnessing the massive amounts of dense electrical energy covering the violet rubber suit underneath that armor the giant was wearing, cutting an intimidating presence. Once he stood on the field, he looked back at his host and gave a respectful bow for his much-needed welcome. (ATK 2400 / DEF 1500)
"A bit small for a giant isn't he?", Mad Dog snarked, a bit confused and disappointed at the appearance and looks of the monster. "While I agree his attack is higher than my Humanoid Slime Drake, I'm afraid I have enough Life Points to survive to my next turn."
"There won't be a next turn!", the kid's voice suddenly changed again, a deep ferocious but feminine tone weighing it down, and his eyes revealing the amber and cyan colors that signified an ebony-tinted aura enveloping him.
"I gave you an out, chance to run, but you couldn't resist the rush of it all. A price must be paid for wasting my time, and by activating my Thunder Giant's effect. Once he's Summoned, one monster you control with original Attack Points lower than Thunder Giant's gets automatically destroyed!"
"WHAT?!" Mad Dog and the crowd asked in shock and fear at the same time, as they saw some strong sparks getting created from the tips of the Giant's fingers, and after a while, a huge bolt of purple thunder was dispatched straight to the alienated monster.
"Enjoy the 'Faraday Cage of Pain'", Yubel jeers as the giant grabbed a cage bar and sent a massive amount of violet-tinted electricity into the cage weakening it further and with expert control completely doused Maddog's field with electricity to ensure the drake's departure to the graveyard as the whole audience had to hear the death cries of slime body of the now melting Humanoid Slime Drake; thanks to a combination of chemicals and metallic-like material of the DNA Machine-Type and the augmented electricity was causing the alien-looking drake to quickly melt and evaporate to nothing.
The masochist looked back at the possessed kid, and one last thing came to his mind. So that's what he had that Mad Dog didn't. For a moment with a certain…clarity he didn't have before this duel saw the silhouette of his true opponent that of a winged demoness. Someone or something was looking out for him; while the kid was fighting alongside someone, Mad Dog was only fighting by himself. He wanted to prove himself, as the strongest.
He couldn't help but laugh and yet curse the luck of it all. He can't turn back now, his time was up and he would be damned if he didn't go out with grace and pride. He took a risk and he couldn't overcome it, he would at least hold his head high at the sight of his end.
"Any last words, before I end this duel?", Yubel asks with anger underlying her even tone, the adrenaline dying down a bit.
"I regret nothing,.", Mad Dog tiredly concluded. "Only that I couldn't go higher than this. But now… now that I met you, who dared to face this Gauntlet with that Deathly Glare on your face with no tear shown shed this match. A new Master or maybe…Mistress of Pain has appeared. I'm just disappointed that I couldn't see…..the waves you'll bring…worthy opponent."
"Sayonara Gladiator, may the unmarked grave you leave behind be easy to find.", the possessor says, the Fusion Monster on her side was now ready to give the finishing blow. "Thunder Giant, finish this fight, 'Blackhot Bolt'!"
'... And Jaden, mind closing your eyes again till I tell you to open them.' Yubel asks not wanting him to see the soon to be not metaphorical walking corpse about to be fried alive. Jaden quickly acquiesced due to his level of trust in Yubel.
The hero monster prepared an extremely condensed bolt of electricity to fire at Maddog, the audience stuck still either in awe or disappointment or fear at how the 'gladiator duelist' didn't flinch or run away. The Mad Dog stood on his feet, accepting of his fate.
Someone with the resilience and spunk needed to trade barbs with him under electrical torture, with audacity and that was bold enough to warn him of the fight he was promised would lead to his end. A true fight between monsters with everything to gain and almost nothing to lose.
When Thunder Giant's mass of electricity condensed into sparking ebony-tinted energy he fired the blast at Maddog. The defeated man opened his arms with a stoic look, letting the voltage wash over him, and Mad Dog felt his body get lighter as this baptism of electricity continued. He couldn't feel the electricity, nor the floor he fell upon for the last time. In five scant seconds, his body was burnt beyond repair, his skeleton felt like it was on fire and one of his ankles was blowing out, and then his heart gave out as he blacked out into an eternal slumber as his body failed and burnt to an unrecognizable state.
MD: 2400 - 0 LP
Duel's Result: Victory
The Victor: Jaden?
A group of paramedics came out fast to recover Mad Dog once the gate behind him was open, immediately checking his pulse and heart; to no one's surprise, there was no pulse and the heart was fried, as they checked the clock to record the time of his death.
In the meantime, Yubel discreetly with a snap of her fingers bought one of the scattered cards close to him, due to the 'penalty game' of taking the loser's best card. Jaden noticed the card and picked it up, the possessed and possessor took a look at the prize of this victory…
Metal Reflect Slime
'This card… does it belong to someone we know?' Yubel asked Jaden.
'I think I do know him. I saw him once on TV, in one of the most awesome duels from Battle City, between the King of Games, Yugi and a weird meanie called Marik. Yeah, this Trap belongs to Marik's deck.'
'Hmm… How come that duel is so important, my liege?'
'You don't know? It was one of the best duels of all time, right before the duel between Yugi and Seto Kaiba. They were the ones who had the three Egyptian God Cards. Yugi with Slifer the Sky Dragon, Kaiba with Obelisk The Tormentor and finally Marik with a Sun God, the Winged Dragon of Ra.'
Yubel drank in the innocent sight of a little kid's eyes sparkling from how giddy he was about a duel that may or may have not given him the reason to start really enjoying duels in general like a particularly parched man with an oasis in a desert, a much-needed sight in this situation. Maybe he had fun watching them duel and the way each duelist had their own style and reason to win.
'Once we leave this place, I'll make sure to ask about all you know about these people you're so fond about, and what you like about them.', a relieved Yubel winked at him with the most jolly smile she can muster that made the kid approach and hug her tenderly in mindscape.
'Then that's another promise between us!', her little liege gave a huge grin from cheek to cheek. 'Speaking of which, isn't it about time for another weird person to duel us?'
After what seemed like two minutes of mindscape conversing between the boy and the spirit, Jaden and Yubel saw quite a few more people leaving from the underground, the faces they showed were from pure fear. They were avoiding the 'monster' that was the star of the show. Jaden allowed Yubel to take the wheel for this.
Even Shroud couldn't speak through the microphone, his skin nearly deathly pale and eyes fixed onto Jaden's almost deathly still figure, as if killing Mad Dog right in front of the audience meant nothing to him. But then that accursed Cheshire Cat-like smile came creeping back as the possessed kid enjoyed his victory lap.
"Was I the star you longed for?" The feminine voice slithered from the kid's lips, a wide eyed smile filled to the brim with malevolent intent was on the possessed kid's face; approaching the steel cage and grabbing it to test its strength and to Yubel's delight it was noticeably flimsy as she hammed up her performance to let out some steam. "C'mon, hit me with the best duelists you got and watch another human fall into hell; Don't be shy, be brave and join this Death-ridden Dance!"
"'Death', you say?" The cloaked man from the sidelines finally revealed himself, entering the steel cage from the other side and approaching the opposing field Jaden was standing on.
Taking off and hanging up the dark cloak and the dark glasses from his sharp fully black eyes, he had a dark bandanna covering the black spiky hair, a frightening smirk on his big oval face; wearing two double-sized Dueling Gauntlets, the man suddenly closed his fists together to show a mix of anger and excitement at once.
"I'll be your next opponent. And when I mean next, I mean your 'last' one!", he states, but not wearing a choker nor any bracelets like the two opponents Jaden faced. "Don't make it look like you were the star of this circuit, you damn brat. I can see right through you easily, and I can tell you have weaknesses yet to be revealed. But don't you worry; I've always loved to intimidate my enemies to a point where even begging to lose the duel won't be enough. You'll long for the darkness of death before long!"
"My, quite daring aren't we? Making bold claims in my home field, so facing you won't be a problem at all.", the possessor in the boy's body gave an idle glance at the man without any signs of being intimidated. "To whom do I have the honor of facing, little title and all that?"
"I'm the Player Killer of the Darkness, but people know me better as Panik. If you're claiming to be of the dark then allow my skill to demonstrate what Darkness and Damnation truly mean!"
"Is that so? What a curious declaration, for a coward that couldn't bother to wear the set of shocking accessories I'm stuck with, only to test me with his own skills? I almost wish Mad Dog was still here to bellow in laughter at how foolish you're acting.", the possessor mocked with mirthless amusement at the now-angry and ever-rabid Panik.
"The only person laughing here will be me. I will kill you, take everything you hold dear! I will watch you drown in the night's embrace, I will enjoy watching your body's heart stop again and again! And only when you're on your knees begging for an end. I will continue dragging you through the mud and brimstone!
"Were you talking to me, or are you facing a mirror about to shatter? I couldn't tell the difference, as if I could care less."
"... I'll kill you a thousand times over, you demonic runt!", PaniK's duel-disk activated, giving light to its red LED.
"It's your fault for choosing your fate poorly." the possessor retorts, shrugging with straight up disappointment, her host's duel-disk getting lighting up again as well. "Your dance with the dark awaits"
"DUEL!"
Time: 20 minutes later
In what appeared to be a Duel in the Dark, that would be putting it lightly. Although it looked a good bit different now, since the battle was a great deal more fearsome than the last two, and the duel monsters' attacks damaging the whole underground facility. The conflict made a lot of shady individuals flee as fast as they could; Shroud included, fleeing from the commentary zone screaming all the while over all the insanity going on between the Player Killer and their Uncontrollable Rising Star.
But as a last ditch effect to kill a seemingly uncontrollable demonic loose end. Shroud before he fled turned the voltage of the shock collar up significantly. The orbs adorning the metallic armaments on the kid's body glowing with barely contained electricity. Resulting in the penalty being a great deal more painful for Yubel. The spirit stubbornly not showing weakness as electricity strong enough to kill a man many times over riddled through her host body as her energy stopped the worst of the damage this would cause.
Panik wasn't kidding about his intent to kill. HE was enjoying this, with the way his sadistic expression could be seen through the black mist ridden arena conjured by a magical fortress on his side of the field, its magic enshrouding his monsters in darkness.
Turn 5 (Panik's turn)
- Jaden? (J) - 2000 LP
3 Cards in Hand
(Jaden's field)
Giant Germ (ATK 1000 / DEF 100)
Mirage of Nightmare
2 Set Cards
- Panik (P) - 3000 LP
4 Cards in Hand
(Panik's field)
Castle of Dark Illusions (ATK 920 / DEF 1930)
2 'Face-down Attack Position' monsters
Dark Incense (1 counter)
"HAHAHAHA!" Panik psychotically cackles, while watching the real show of a greatly fatigued Jaden kneeling on the ground, panting for cleaner air unburdened by the great mass of smoke and fire roaming around the ceiling. "What's wrong, runt? Weren't you looking for a tag partner for this dance you were asking for? Why the down look now? Is mommy dearest watching you? I wouldn't wave the white flag just yet…"
"SILENCE!" the possessed spirit inside Jaden wrathfully ordered, doing her damndest to hold everything together with the significantly drained reserves she had left. Although bruising and electrical scarring on Jaden's body could be seen easily with varying degrees of severity being healed but at a gradually slowing rate.
Yubel couldn't think about that way any longer, Jaden's pain tolerance wasn't on her level let alone the durability of his juvenile body. She needed to end this sooner rather than later.
"YOU DARE MOCK THE DEAD?! To bear witness of your parents being slaughtered like dogs right in front of you, and know what exactly you can do!? Absolutely! Nothing! Except for running away and not even knowing if you live or die the next being hunted alive!" The possessor ranted and raved with frantic rage, for a moment both Jaden and Yubel mixing as one at the start before transitioning fully her voice. Her temperance reached its limit by having her liege's biological parents being disrespected as Jaden's connection with her made the demoness feel through Jaden's memories. But Panik wasn't done being fatalistic yet.
"Why should I care about your worthless sob story? Everyone has one. Do I look like a man who would shed tears over it? Do you understand what this Society is like? It takes, breaks, and devours everything, and leaves you as husk with nothing left. The weak and powerful are the few things that make a difference.", Panik uncaringly spoke, as if he was discussing the weather. But his uncaring face darkened as he continued further.
"Blame your parents for being too weak. Damn your naivety for being cocky enough to think that you would leave here alive. You want to know something? NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR LIFE! YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER DISPOSABLE BODY FOR THIS WORLD TO BE DRAGGED INTO THE MEAT GRINDER! ONLY THE DARKNESS WILL EMBRACE YOU, AS IT'S SOLELY THE ONLY FATE FOR MERE MEN LIKE US LONG FOR!"
"...I see.", The possessor of the young duelist got her host's body up after hearing just how pitiful Panik sounded right in front of her. "If that's what you mean by deciding my fate, then you have so much to learn. After all, this match is still going and both of our Life points have not touched triple digits."
"Confident, are we? Remember that we're on my turn, and my Conceal Darkness Trick is in play. Thanks to my Castle of Dark Illusion's effect, all monsters I get to summon have the great advantage of being cloaked in darkness, not even you are able to guess what you're attacking or it'll attack you.", Panik revealed the floating fortress on his side of the field, what seemed like a large stone castle levitating thanks to a large magical orbital stone ring that had the Kanji for 'Darkness' at the front and center of it..
(A) Castle of Dark Illusions - Effect Monster/DARK/Fiend/Lv 4/ATK 920/DEF 1930
While this card is face-up on the field, you can Set monsters in face-down Attack Position.
"As well as my Dark Incense Spell Card.", Panik states as he sets up another piece of his strategy. "This card will make my Castle protected by any attacks you declare, if I control any other monster on my field. And by each turn I have it on my field, a counter is placed; each counter makes my monsters stronger by 200 Attack and Defense points. So it'll be impossible for you to stop me, I'm telling you this right now."
Castle of Dark Illusions (ATK 920 - 1120 / DEF 1930 - 2130)
(FM) Dark Incense - Continuous Spell
"Castle of Dark Illusions" cannot be targeted by attacks while you control another monster. If you would Special Summon a monster, you can Summon it in face-down Attack Position.
You can apply these effects if you control a face-up"Castle of Dark Illusions":
- You can Normal Summon Level 5 DARK Normal Monsters without Tributing.
- During your End Phase: Place an Illusion Counter on this card. For each Illusion counter, all monsters you control gain 200 ATK/DEF.
If "Castle of Dark Illusions" leaves the field, destroy this card.
Panik didn't feel like wasting too much time talking to the possessed kid, as he started his turn by drawing the top card of his deck.
And due to Jaden's Mirage of Nightmare's Spell effect; the Standby Phase allowed him to draw two extra cards so that he could have five cards in his hand.
"My turn might be simpler than you expect. I'll play this monster on the field, face-down. To next play the Spell Card, Polymerization! I'll use it to fuse these two 'set monsters' on my side of the field." Panik revealed the Fusion Spell card in his duel-disk, using it to create a smokescreen on his side of the field, where a bright flash of violet light shone for a moment before getting quickly obscured by the black mist.
"Your little shroud is getting rather crowded. Your increasing number of cowardly darklings is starting to annoy me."
"Then it's a great thing I'm attacking now. Go, my monster; Attack his Giant Germ!" The black mist field suddenly enveloped his opponent's side of the field, where a shadowy figure with an metallic appendage quickly squashed the floating biohazard on the kid's field to the floor, and left nothing more than a grotesque and quickly decomposing biomass on the floor before quickly vanishing to the graveyard when the dark shroud made it's return to Panik's side of the field.
"It's a good thing that you attacked my Giant Germ. Because now that's been sent to the graveyard, I get to Special Summon 2 more Giant Germs in Attack Position." The possessor retorts, while placing two exact copies of the Giant Germ on his side of the field, 2 x (ATK 1000 / DEF 100).
She wasn't finished yet, picking the destroyed monster from her graveyard.
"You should be wary of the battlefield. It continues to take life even after conflict, like a Giant Germ taking 500 Life Points when you destroy it for example" Yubel continues her tone evermore vindictive and with a fingersnap. Panik felt his body be wrapped around by the rotten remains of the recently slain Giant Germ, it's rotting carcass excreting a viral gas all over Panik's body, filling the Player Killer's nostrils before vanishing; and Panik feeling a great deal more sick as a result and too nauseous for comfort, he began to cough violently, escalating to upchucking spittle along with a certain red liquid, when he finally collected himself while his Life Points ticked downward he saw blood, his own blood.
P: 3000 - 2500 LP
"Damn it! I wasn't expecting a paltry effect like this one to hurt this badly.", the adult raggedly cursed to himself, his voice heavy with fatigue, rage, and a small bit of... familiar fear as he wiped off blood and spittle off his face with the back of his hand taking a moment to look at Jaden, more specifically his eyes.
The Player Killer unfortunately being reminded of a certain spiky haired someone for a moment as a dreadfully familiar mounting primal chill of pure fear through his spine increased but he shook his head seemingly shaking it off and continued his turn. "No matter, I declare a Direct Attack! You'll be gone before long!"
The possessor was a bit surprised, not by declaration but she sensed in the black mist covering her side of the field, a foreboding presence of death washing over her as she saw a reaper clad in a violet cloak on a fiery but partly mummified horse quickly approached seeking to strike the duelist down.
"Reaper on the Nightmare! It's not my time yet! I activate my Counter Trap, Negate Attack!" Yubel quickly responds as she activates her set counter trap, causing a violet barrier to manifest that Reaper struck to no avail, while the Nightmare Horse screeched as the barrier rebuffed and knocked them back to Panik's side of the field. "As the name says, this trap negates that direct assault, and ends the Battle Phase of this turn."
"Hmm… you used Negate Attack now, because you were expecting me to destroy your Giant Germ to Summon 2 monsters on your side of the field, enough monsters for a Tribute Summon.", Panik grunts to himself as he cautiously studies the field, but not too concerned about what Jaden could do in this situation.
"Clever move, gremlin. But it doesn't matter one bit, as you're stuck in this darkening haze. While my Castle of Dark Illusions stays on my field, my monsters grow stronger, as Dark Essence gains one more Illusion Counter during my End Phase; I'll end my turn."
Dark Essence: 2 Counters
Castle of Dark Illusions (ATK 1120 - 1320 / DEF 2130 - 2330)
Turn 6
J: 2000 LP
P: 2500 LP
'Yubel….' little Jaden's concerned tone of voice rang in her ears through the mindscape, while she felt him hugging her from behind, Yubel grimacing at his trembling arms ladened with fear. 'I didn't want to see you like this. I want to help you, and do whatever I can to make it easier on you.'
'My liege… don't worry too much. I'm doing okay and need to keep your body in working condition.' The Spirit stated, turning around and caressing the boy's brown hair with a gentle hand.
'My soul had taken much worse than this; the mana I still have is the main thing keeping your body whole. Let me endure this last bit of the gauntlet.'
'Yes… I get that part, but… but I don't want you in pain alone. I want us to share this pain together, as a team.'
'Jaden…. no, especially at the level the shock collar is at. But I promise you that. When we take care of this charlatan right in front of us, we will be free and your body can rest and heal. Now… let me proceed with my plan, is that okay?'
'... Fine, but please be careful, cause I'm not leaving without you.' The boy pouted as the mindscape chat cut short, and the short respite gave the possessing spirit the time needed to think through her plan one more time and center herself enough to make her next move, and it all starts with the next card drawn of the merged deck between Yubel and Jaden.
"My turn; Draw!"
"Hold it, have you forgotten?" Panik chided Yubel with a reminder of a Spell Card on Jaden's field. "Due to Mirage of Nightmare's effect, you must now discard two cards from your hand from a previous turn, correct?"
"That is correct… although that card must be on my field to force that little issue." Yubel smirked with Jaden's face while revealing a set card she had on the field. "Fortunately I came prepared with a solution, called Mystical Space Typhoon. It allows me to destroy my Mirage of Nightmare; no discarding for me."
"Tch… so you've also seen through that. Quit dilly dallying and continue your turn!"
"Getting impatient? Pity then I wasn't done with drawing cards, but this time at less of a price. I activate Allure of Darkness, allowing me to draw two cards and remove a DARK monster from my hand, if I have it."
Drawing the two cards and then looking at her hand, one of them Yubel noticed was her card, along with another DARK monster. It was tough to decide, one that even Jaden had noticed..
'Yubel… please, don't remove that card. Put the other one away…'
'My liege, trust me on this, I won't disappear.'
'But it's YOUR card. I can't… I can't….are you sure about this.'
'Yes and my apologies for causing you further distress.' She says, Jaden's voice lowering in volume and letting her continue her turn. "I'll be banishing Yubel from my hand as payment. Now I'll sacrifice my two Giant Germs. To Summon one of many Envoys of the Netherworld." Panik raised an Eyebrow at that declaration as Yubel started to chant once more.
"May the Screech of the Damned compel you to our Bloodstained Game, Oh Graceless Souls nourish this Infernal Visitor with your baneful essence. I Call Upon, Malignant Construct!"
The two floating viral biomasses were contained with two energy chains comprised of infernal crimson light cruelly pulled the germs into the dark portal, then for a moment all was silence and then a loud squelch and the soul piercing sound of a hellborn beast tearing into it's long sought meal and the swaying chains were quickly pulled taut and the two duelists pay witness to the chains pulling forth a being sworn to hell as huge arms were the first to emerge from the portal, it's body comprised of jagged brimstone. Its head has four pitch-black sharp horns, complementing the red piercing eyes of the damned. It was tall enough to nearly bump its head on the ceiling of the cage, lastly his oddly slender size waist and feet (ATK 2400 / DEF 1500).
(FM) Malignant Construct - Effect Monster/DARK/Fiend/ATK 2400/DEF 1500
Must be Tribute Summoned by tributing DARK monsters. After Damage Calculation, if this card attacked a monster and it was not destroyed by that battle, banish it. At the End of the Battle Phase, if this card battled: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; destroy it.
During the End Phase of the turn this effect was activated: This card loses 500 ATK/DEF until the end of your opponent's turn.
"Such a monstrous beast." Panik grunts, in fearful awe by the uncontrolled almost casual billowing aura of killing intent of what was just was summoned onto the field. It took a moment for the Player Killer to regain his nerve. "How fortunate for me you don't have knowledge of the monster's abilities nor the strength they possess, thanks to my Castle of Dark Illusions in play. What a wasted effort…"
"How arrogant do you have to be? What makes you think I won't find a weakness in your strategy? Because it's easy to see but not so easily obtained," Yubel admonishes the Player Killer.
"You… You're bluffing. T-There's no way you have a card with li-" Panik sputtered, his namesake starting to rise further.
"Light." Yubel retorts, the word due to previous events the last week being like bile in her mouth, cutting Panik's sputtering off but in exchange inwardly savoring the spooked look on his face. "A true darkling whether virtuous or malicious, no matter their power, no matter how high their guile and wisdom are must pay heed of this fact, its power and shine notable enough even as a mere candle on a few occasions being enough to hold us back. Your fortress of illusion being a bit more flexible about this fact with its ever roaming shroud. Hence this card, waiting under the right circumstances to be let loose. "
As she finishes her little speech she sets the card on the field, the possessor then picks out another card to activate it.
"Normally this set card would be activated on your turn, due to being a Trap Card. But my Spell will accelerate the process; Activate Bait Doll!", thanks to her Spell Card, a cursed doll was placed on the set Trap, and in an instant a bamboo scythe hit the doll, making it pull up the card to trigger its effect.
"By shuffling this spell card back to my deck, it 'forces' the selected set card to be activated; the Trap set is known as Striking Starlight."
(FM) Striking Starlight - Continuous Trap
When this card is activated: If there's a face-down monster on the field, flip all monsters face-up. Neither player can Set monsters while this card is face-up on the field.
"Due to this trap, all your monsters automatically go face-up. And the best part is, you can no longer set monsters with the Castle's effect." The possessor bragged, watching with glee as a mass of tiny stars shot from the trap and quickly shone different colors blinding the monsters enshrouded by the black mist, besides the fortress in the air.
Reaper on the Nightmare (ATK 800 - 1200 / DEF 600 - 1000)
Metal Guardian (ATK 1150 - 1550 / DEF 2150 - 2550)
Castle of Dark Illusions (ATK 1320 / DEF 2330)
"Shit, it's too damn bright! Turn that wretched nightlight off right now!" Panik quickly complains while shielding his eyes from the light the miniature stars were emitting thanks to the possessor's trap. Even his monsters were at risk of their eyes burning out as they futilely covered their eyes but when the rainbow lights subsided they were able to look at Jaden's field again, but they immediately noticed their Illusionary Fortress' ever comforting shroud wasn't here.
"As someone would say… It is better to light a candle than trigger a curse. The more you were focused on your immediately clever but rather piddling tactics, the more tunnel vision you'd gotten about my field; And now here we are, quite the embarrassing misplay, "Killer"."
Panik grit his teeth in irritation at the jab and his eyes sharpened with panic, the little brat got to someone of his notoriety and infamy's mind who's been through and overcome so much worse ever since….him. The little fool was even starting to glare right to his very soul…like him. For a moment that felt like an eternity for Panik, the Player Killer's eyes flashed back to that fateful night in Duelist Kingdom, where he had found…a powerful force drowned and forged in such all consuming darkness that left him wanting.
Tortuous memories barreled through his head of what happened after he had failed to prove himself superior in the dark that night pounded away at his focus laden with such sensations of being scorchingly fractured to what felt like his soul by that infernal flash of that golden eye of that wretched pendant and then consumed to languish in an ever blackening hell after that duel with that…King.
Panik was certain after he was somehow woken up in the hospital after that fateful day and seemingly free from that hell that he was never the same. Years of his life just… gone, he had spent years in that unending blackness of reality. His eyes being completely black voids as a reminder of his infantile lesson from that godforsaken…King. But the experience left him both awestruck but soul splittingly maddened yet humbled the more his thoughts dwelled in where freshened renewed pain lay in store for his damaged mind and soul. His breathing got evermore tighter and sharper akin to wearing a hanging noose, his fingers twitched at the kid's condescension and that little smirk…..like that wretched King of Games.
Oh how he had longed to strangle yet thank him and his friends for what happened after that match in the cold night of Duelist Kingdom. His eyes leaking blackened red blood at the time he had lost while the wretched band of smiley and maddeningly naive fools lived on and rose to prominence as if his departure into a void-like hell didn't happen and was forgotten.
His heart so longed for sweet revenge, his vision for a few moments had shifted once more, the child in front of him shifting into something forever seared into his soul. A human-sized pitch-black wisp that the flames billowed around as if under its command, the black figure adorned with sharp golden-void like eyes and that infernal golden mark on his forehead - the Eye of Wdjat.
His nerves were failing fast as the hallucination continued but... if he could hold out a bit longer, if the damned shock collar would do its job on that demonic wisp's body it would lessen his concentration a just a bit more, he could win. Victory through stalling wasn't too uncommon in the Underground.
"If you thought that you could outplay me, think again. My Reaper on the Nightmare cannot be destroyed by battle, and you cannot attack my Castle of Dark Illusions due to Dark Incense's protection effect. Even if I take damage from your Malignant Construct attack, I'll have my monsters clean house with the rest of your Life Points next turn. You've run into a dark dead end, brat."
"Just how many times do I have to listen to your underestimation? Arrogance like this is so tough to wither through, isn't it? Well then, may the battle welcome you. Malignant Construct, strike down his Reaper on the Nightmare; make its bones shatter and rot! 'Doomsday Stroke'!"
Not affected by the starborn lightshow on the field, the demon comprised of brimstone and the malicious spirits of the damned gave a look at the reaper, a very casual glance with a hint of interest and instinctual familiarity gleaming from his eyes before respectfully following his master's order with a raised chained arm.
With a eerie yet casual grunt they bloomed an infernal aura of crimson mana enveloping the whole limb billowing wildly as it swung it's heavy arm at the surprised Reaper not expecting this lumbering beast to be this swift nor controlled in it's movements, not even giving the cavalry bound harbinger of death a chance to react as it's arm with a hint of vindictiveness in its eyes struck true, with one swift slash of its heavy arm, smashes the deathly entity and his equine companion to the damaged cage wall. However it wasn't done just yet…
"Malignant Construct's effect, 'Calamitous Karma' should activate about now. If it attacks a monster that cannot be destroyed by battle, their immortality is rendered null through removal from the game!" Yubel smugly exposes, taking great glee in stripping her opponent from his security blanket bit by bit, as his stubborn sense of hubris cracks even further.
"No..No nonononono! Of course your monster could do such-", Panik frets before being cut off by seeing his Fusion Monster suffer a grievous fate thanks to the Construct's glowing eyes leaking out blood-red spirits latching onto the Reaper and his horse with utmost of glee and ripping him and the fiery mummified horse to bits and dragging them into their unending hell as the construct's burning eyes, death crackling screams and a ghastly horse-like screech of pure agony could heard throughout the whole onslaught.
As the Reaper was consumed, Panik felt the infernal energy wash over him like a poisonous noxious cloud, the air itself feeling like it's trying to kill him; it was beyond mere toxicity it felt it was tainting his very soul, and in short time the Player Killer couldn't handle the hellborn fumes, not made easier being on his knees and covering both his nose and throat in a near useless effort to prevent himself from potentially vomiting blood.
P: 2500 - 1300 LP
"What… How is this even possible!?" Panik angrily questions with veins on his face looking fit to burst, his temper fraying from the weight of the strain his body was being put through just to stay conscious and just even kneeling felt like a herculean effort as he longingly waited for the smell of crimson brimstone to fade away from his general vicinity. "J-Just, W-W-what are y-you!? W-Why? W-what monster d-did Shroud find!?"
"Why, Why…..WHY... Eh… Ehehe…" the little kid's head was pointed down, the hair was obscuring his eyes and body trembling, but it was obvious to the Player Killer that the kid gave nary a care about what was asked and it would matter little to the circumstances at hand but found it….humorous. But it felt so ironic to the spirit inside her little liege she vowed to risk her life for. The peanut gallery of this vile bloodsport's arena and its ringleader Shroud had gotten what they wanted and they were scared off from the result. "HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"QUIET! JUST SHUT UP ALREADY! SHUT YOUR TRAP AND ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION?!" the black eyed one exclaims, and notices how pointless it truly was for him to even make the attempt. When the answer was right in front of his eyes, 'Those eyes'. Those heterochromic eyes that switched from the average brown to the bright gold as if it was just a pair of contact lenses to signal how merciful the brat was feeling at the moment, and even that was unreliable as Maddog found out.
"Monster…I'm the monster here? Such agonized myopia, complemented with that expression of sheer despair and fear, your gradually sinking resolve and sanity.", Yubel mockingly praised with an imp-like grin on Jaden's little face as her sadism only grew further at the growing fear on display and her tangent went to a more consensually sadistic direction.
"It's beautiful, so sublime, it's… SO ecstatic. Please show me, show me more of that resolve. Let me watch your spirit break into a symphony of horror stricken screams and cries while my magic keeps draining your tear tainted blood, your stress riddled veins, taking all the delicious nutrients your rotten bones have to offer to their last drop. After all, you are the star of this show, aren't you?
This show called 'society' was all about you and last two opponents babbling on and on about taking your frustrations of your "No Good Very Bad Life" out on an child whose parents were recently killed off that your cowardly superior wanted to begin abusing by unleashing you wolves to tear apart like wounded calf. To abuse and break him into being a monster is only good for destroying everything around him like yourself that would be reduced into languishing and crying at his lot in life alone. Oh how I love it, so why wait for such love and grace? Let's continue on your path to oblivion, and really make that soul scream!"
"Y-You're absolutely insane!" Panik gasps, his resolve dwindling while stepping back. "N-no NO! I must kill you now, even if it's the last thing I'll ever do!"
"Good luck, 'Killer'. But you'll have a hard time living up to that title with your Ace taking a dive…" The possessor then looked at the floating fortress on the opposing field, the glare making her intentions clear.
"Malignant Construct's additional effect! Once he battles, one monster on the field gets destroyed at the end of the Battle Phase! Long may the fortress fall!"
The rattling chains smashed upon the ground akin to a whip with a bestial ease, with a grunt and almost casual look toward the fortress; the hellborn Construct threw the huge makeshift chain whips onto the orbital ring, wrapping around the fortress' lifeline. The demonic construct attempts to pull to tear the ring in half and it results in a series of cracks could be heard being made all over the ring with a large crack appearing on the Kanji and with a low grunt of effort completely splits the ring in half from the front to the back causing the fortress to quickly plummet, and crashes to the ground against the Dark Incense Spell Card taking it along with the fortress to the Graveyard…
Such an explosion knocked Panik down as he watched in near abject terror that his plans were falling apart. His lines of defense were now gone, the only thing left for him was a weaker fortress, his Metal Guardian that no longer had the power boost of the recently destroyed Spell card.
Metal Guardian (ATK 1550 - 1150 / DEF 2550 - 2150)
Although Panik was at a huge disadvantage with his Fortress and Dark Incense being destroyed at same time, the same could be said for Jaden's field. Where the Player Killer saw the giant demon drop to his knees in fatigue and the chain glowing blow, as if his efforts in dealing with Panik's monsters wore him down and over extended his energy, his Attack and Defense Points decreasing to signify this change.
Malignant Construct (ATK 2400 - 1900 / DEF 1500 - 1000)
"How unfortunate. My Construct overused all his strength to save us one more turn, at the cost of 500 points of Attack and Defense until the end of the next turn.", the possessor looked at the brimstone fiend on her side, the expression on the host body not showing any or little worry at the situation she and Jaden were in. "But look at the bright side, Metal Guardian here won't be here long."
"Not him but maybe…", Panik grunts to himself due to the sudden decrease of his monster's defensive strength. But in a flash a smirk to Yubel's slight bemusement and irritation appeared on Panik's face that was an instant tell for her to know that something was up. "Count your Blessings runt. I have been stalling with my Dark Castle, it was a challenge setting up plan B to overcome your hellborn beast. The next card will help turn all your disrespect into fear."
Turn 7
J: 2000 LP
P: 1300 LP
"MY TURN!" Panik screams inwardly desperate for hope, the next card drawn and taking a cautious glance at it. The face he showed was one of surprise and pure…relief . "... Lady Luck has a twisted sense of humor. Want to know true terror? For a self proclaimed denizen of the dark you should be trembling at monsters. Because I'm about to take you on a trip to the same void I was casted into."
"Just fantastic…..the fool is rambling again."
"I'll let you have a great taste of my Ultimate Monster. The ceremony is a rather simple affair with the assistance of the Ritual Spell, Resurrection of Chakra!"
'Uh oh.' little Jaden shuddered from the mindscape, fearing for what would come out. Yubel grits her teeth, looking utterly done and not looking forward to what comes next.
'And that's just even better… my Liege, steel your resolve.'
Holding the Ritual Spell Card to the air and slamming it down on the duel disk, Panik gave a maniacal laugh the whole way through while a giant cauldron with a burst of dark green hellfire appeared onto the field along with manifesting an ethereal shade of a woman adorned with the green flare as if it were clothing; Metal Guardian and another monster Panik had in his hand, showcasing a giant grotesque fiend with electrical energy flowing all around him. The lady adorned in hell's fine fire with a glance and with a nod deemed the two souls worthy of this macabre trade and then they are consumed, in an instant and with demonic screech of a king and sounds of melting machinery accompanying their descent into the cauldron. Then as a result a scarlet and violet tinted pillar of dark magical energy then bursts from the cauldron, said pillar of infernal energy nearly reaching the ceiling and its energy overflowing into the battlefield.
"Now watch as I sacrifice my Metal Guardian with the King of Yamimakai! Combining these two Level 5 monsters, I have all the requirements to Summon this monster from my hand!" Panik exclaims, hoping to return to him as he reveals the Ritual Monster from his hand. "Ritual Summon! 'With these Restless Cries, Awaken from the Depths of Existence to this Execution, Oh Beast of the Void'. Ascend Now, Level 7 Chakra!"
As the pillar of energy subsides the cauldron then emits black fog-like energy that covers the field augmented by dark crimson dancing about as a amorphous like shade emerged from the magical cauldron and the unknown lady raised an idly curious eyebrow at the miserable existence that was brought before vanishing from the field.
The energy fog was then sucked into the shade giving it form as both duelists saw eight large silver like claws burst forth from the shadow, four on the top and bottom and on each side as a tar like substance dripped from the monster's claws; a dark blue spire-like spine with a comparatively small skull in the middle attached to a faded dark gold middle, and completing the set is an abnormally large top, a shell that was a Darkened violet for it's encased eye; intently looking at the possessed with an increasing intensity, the thick tendril like fingers and silver claws from his armor wriggling to and fro instinctively. (ATK 2450 / DEF 2000)
'Y-Yubel! What is that thing!?'
'Chakra… I've read it once in one of many Ancient Tomes and Scrolls from an era long since dead. But it belongs to your Race, Jaden. A Hindu myth, I had read about a weapon bearing the same name, belonging to the Deity Vishnu, the God of Time and Preservation. Thankfully the cards are just merely artistic representation of us monsters and not the real thing….barring some exceptions'
'Maybe… do you think…'
'Found in one of those card packs or an Anti Rule Duel here?', Yubel ponders from the mindscape, Jaden fidgeting at the mention of the rule. 'The God Vishnu is one with a claim over Time, one of many protectors of Good. Doesn't fit this charlatan at all but this darkling bearing the name certainly fits this fool's theme.'
Sharing thoughts inside Jaden's mind, they noticed how Panik was giving them a stretched out smirk, one that made Yubel concerned and focused on what was coming up.
"Thinking too deeply about what to do now? Even though you're no match to face my almighty creature?"
"Only 550 Attack of difference? If you compare it to the Malignant Construct's original Attack, it's minus 50 Attack." The possessor then shrugged, sighing. "It's not like that Attack won't matter against my whole Life Points, will it?"
"And you mocked me for being arrogant… although I wonder how you will survive this next attack, once I equip my Chakra with this Spell card. Axe of Despair!" Panik shot back as then, suddenly a cursed hatchet with an eerie but larger than normal veiny voodoo head with dazed red eyes attached to the back of the blade manifested and cause Chakras tendrils to absorb and morph into the ax, vile feeling green mist swirling around the monster while increasing the strength of the Ritual Monster, the eye staring even more intently as pitch-black mist .
"When a monster is equipped with the Axe of Despair, it raises its Attack power is increased by an extra 1000 points.", boasted the Player Killer, enjoying the power-up Chakra gained as it's tendrils morphed into its own grotesque biological copies of the weapon as if it was a part of its body (ATK 2450 - 3450 / DEF 2000)
"Attack… 3450? This is not good…", Yubel grits out.
"Its Attack is the least of your worries. Because this Equip Spell is "Special"… for the fiends that have it equipped are granted their true strength, as true demons. Let's hope this next attack, combined with the intensity of your choker and bracelets will make you croak."
The only thing that came to Yubel's mind once Panik said why the attack could be fatal. Not just from the electricity they experienced in the last two duels. The Spirit felt the Ritual Monster that wielded the Axe and its various copies would tear Jaden's body apart easily, before returning back to life. And without anything to protect themselves…
'Yubel… don't worry about me. Just get out of here.', the boy whimpered as he hugged her tightly from behind, keenly aware of the severity of the situation. An innocent kid like Jaden was just more focused on his new friend Yubel staying alive due to already losing his parents before all this.
At least how the demoness spirit understood it trying to put herself in Jaden's traumatized line of thought. She turned around and kneeled to his level and taking a breath and steeling her resolve to even look at the tearful Jaden, a stern expression befitting the Supreme King's Right Hand appear on her face. The demoness had struck down monsters far worse then this Chakra creature, saw many a sight a great deal more gruesome than this.
Unwanted memories of desperately flying above literal oceans of blood as countless pillars of white entropic light chased her down as she desperately wanted to get to a castle where her King and his Royal Guardsmen were leading an assault on. That castle tauntingly gleaming with that wretched light that seemed to amuse itself with their suffering for so long during a night that had no moon in the sky flashed through her head as she made a quiet yet steel-filled mental declaration to not fail her king again.
'Listen to me, my liege. No matter what the trial ahead, I'll be there as best I can but you'll have to be able to make a stand on your own eventually', she states sternly inwardly bemused at her little liege's clinginess then hugged him, in a way that Jaden hugged her back his eyes full of tears.
'Please… don't forget your duelist spirit. Even if my soul burns away, the spirit will never leave you. As long you survive I live on. Live, Learn, Laugh, Love, with all your heart and soul. Always Stand Strong, got it'
'Y-Yubel? W-w-why? What… What do you mean?' he tearstrickenly stutters, in the middle of trying to hold his tears that make his voice sound a fair bit inaudible and a bit quieter. '... You're not leaving me, are you? Don't leave me alone again…please."
'I. Will. NEVER. LEAVE. YOU!…', Yubel exclaims resolutely, emphasizing the last part while turning her back on him, refusing to look at and letting Jaden's tears weaken her resolve to do what is needed. She stubbornly refused and brushed off the need to cry herself due to the stakes at hand, she quickly readied herself for the potentially fatal attack soon coming.
"Chakra, show Malignant Construct your true power. Unleash the strength of your blackened soul, as mercy is a dying dream; 'Dark Vorpal Barrage'!" Following his master's orders, the Ritual Monster manifested several mirages, copies of itself surrounding the beast in a quick fashion ready to strike.
Then one second passed, and Construct's head was sliced into ribbons; and as if smelling blood the other mirages like a group of predators jumped at the chance to really tear into the demon, throwing their weapon replicas at the body of the chained demon, while it's body melted thanks to the curse that infected the body.
How insure the demon would be put down for good the main Chakra channeled a gigantic black and violet-tinted sphere of void-augmented energy, then using the axe as conduit for the energy and giving a heavy swing with the axe that would shoot out a sharp wave of ebony-tinted energy at the barely alive ally of it's master enemy uncaring if the opposing duelist was caught in the blast.
J: 2000 - 450 LP
As if the general vicinity of the cage wasn't blinding enough with all the fire and smoke dancing about; a black dome of explosive energy quickly came, causing a silence outside of Panik's pants and fire billowing through the compound. Panik thought about it, how he was gonna get out of the sealed cage while calming down and feeling a good deal of relief at Jaden's notable lack of reaction, or any response from the quippy upstart. Maybe he was already dead, the Player Killer concluded to himself. The current setting of the voltage's power combined with the smoke should've been enough to truly put the opponent down for good.
Unfortunately for him; A silhouette of the young duelist could be seen still standing but smoke obscured Panik's vision a bit but the fear came back in droves as the smoke clears and Jaden's appearance… isn't pretty as Panik sees blood dripping down on a now scarred young face, burnt bangs of hair covering his tired eyes, electricity feverishly dancing to and fro through his damaged skin and ripped clothes, mostly his shirt to reveal the red and black scars needing immediate medical attention all over his arms and chest; The shocker and bracelets were broken and shattered due to the dark gold aura enveloping the kid, Yubel's energy slowly healing Jaden's body, the much slower regeneration being rather unnerving to look at.
The equipment completely wrecked, the broken pieces emitted small sparks of electricity, proof along with constant battle, this… demonic runt put himself through was still standing. And what truly set him off was that damned Cheshire Cat-like smile that brat had the audacity to still wear.
"Why… Just why… Why won't you JUST DIE ALREADY!?" Panik agonized at the sight. After all the efforts, cheating via a surprise assist from Shroud with using the control panel to increase the rate of the electricity's power was manipulated the level of the voltage just HIGH enough to kill a normal human being many times over, along with the 'special' Axe of Despair card augmenting Chakra's power to greater heights.
But for that damnable Jaden to survive; Panik could compare his fortitude to…Yugi Muto
The harder he had tried and failed to kill this... thing, only made Panik more unable to handle the stress as reminders of the King of Games kept sprouting up to the point the only thing that came to his unstable mind was one thing, to flee. As bullets of sweat slid down his head, and he took a step back in fear, he felt that he made a huge mistake accompanied by a heavy pressure on his soul.
"Wow…..you wasted….your last chance." The possessor tiredly mocks, blood leaking from her host's mouth. Which causes a now frantic Panik to take a moment to look at him and couldn't help but be reminded of the Pitch Black Wisp again. "No… not again… not one more… not after you made my precious one shed tears, you piece of gutter trash."
"Your loved one? I thought your parents were dead. Is the trauma causing you to make a split personality to love yourself?" Panik in a bout of false bravado mockingly questioned, and thinking about it; it was Jaden's turn after this one. And his field was empty outside of the useless Trap on his field.
"Don't you want to meet up with them? You should be thanking me, because I'm only acting as a chauffeur, taking you to your destination… Only hell will seem fit for dueling maniacs like y-"
"Such disrespect." The boy glared but the tone notably softer yet hiding significantly more steel, the golden eyes now showing a hint of pitch black; where a black fire was now covering the cage where Panik could not escape, and even the Chakra creature feeling a twinge of fear crawling on its back.
"My patience for you pathetic charlatans has run its tedious course. Your facilities' list of sins against my Prince is great. The trickery, the attempted torture, and then the murder attempts of him and I will be your last. Unfortunately, like the cowards and vermin they are, the rest have fled this wretched place and the only way for the crimes to be paid is through immense pain and worse. But with your withering resolve I'm certain you wouldn't survive this punishment. The last turn awaits so please, enjoy."
Turn 8
J: 450 LP
P: 1300 LP
"DRAW!" Yubel declared with the authoritative tone of an executioner as she drew from the combined deck, and then she gave a sincere smile at the card drawn. "I'm sorry I made you worry this much over me, my liege. But this card I've drawn is the key to ending this fight. I activate my Spell Card, Darkening Temperance! Thanks to this Spell Card, the removed 'Yubel' will be added back to my hand. Such a fine result, once I activate my Fusion Spell Card, Umbral Dance of The Damned!"
(FM) Darkening Temperance - Normal Spell
Target 1 of your banished DARK monsters that has a Level; add it to your hand.
(FM) Umbral Dance of the Damned - Normal Spell
Fusion Summon a DARK Warrior or Fiend Fusion Monster, using monsters in your hand or field as Fusion Materials. If 'Yubel' is used as Fusion Material, negate the effects of all face-up Spell/Trap cards on your opponent's field.
The possessor placed the card on the disk, and then a group of beautiful female demons of varying types clad in a mix of ancient harem and ritual dance clothing were summoned onto the field, aligned in an pentagram formation, they started their ritual dance and a ancient song lost to time with a strange bell and chime sound rung through the room as a black hole with a pentagram with in the middle manifested thanks to their dance, the demons awaiting their wielder to deliver the needed material for the beast to be summon.
"This card marks your end! I fuse from my hand, Yubel and Elemental Hero Necroshade! 'Virtuous Demon of the Inferno, Mistress of an Ancient Darkness. May Umbramancy and Devilry converge to create the newest Herald, The Virtuous birthed betwixt Damnation and Oblivion!' FUSION SUMMON! Come Forth and Serve your Prince, Elemental Hero ESCURIDAO!"
The two demons manifested onto the field, the red demon and the demon dragon hybrid that were then consumed by the black hole, the fusion signified by the pentagram emitting both a silvery light akin to twilight and yet swirling with particles of dark matter. The demonic conductors of the ritual danced and chanted more fervently in languages long dead and buried in the sands of time on Earth.
The two seemingly opposing yet closely related elements coalesced into an miniscule orb colored silver that contained great power. And then it fully turned black and four wings darker than midnight burst from the orb as it morphed into a more slender and feminine shape. Becoming human sized as two red eyes formed onto its new face as it truly solidified into a form that was darkly crystalline yet complemented by the malleable clay-like ebony-colored wings. The new monster was dripping with a black liquid-like substance emitting a black mist that quickly enshrouded the field as the conductors of the ritual vanished, their work completed as the area darkened, not unlike the shroud of the Fortress destroyed not too long ago. (ATK 2500 / DEF 2000)
But this was a great deal different than a mere mist and was more befitting of a Darkling's true home, it was vast, all but him, Jaden, and the cage could be; Panik felt the walls both metaphorically and literally close in. And the piercing yet tranquil red-eyes that the lady behind the mask were looking into his dirty soul with idle even an innocent curiosity, very little hatred lay in her eyes for the Player Killer in front of her. Yet Panik made this monster all the more unnerving to look at, it was too calm as if it was the Grim Reaper coming to collect his soul, doesn't help that it's strength was the same as the…Dark Magician.
Although he was most certainly desperate, looking at his Ritual Monster holding onto the cursed weapon didn't make him feel too great about the escalating situation…
"I-If you're trying to scare me… then it won't w-work. My Chakra has the Axe of Despair, its Attack power is still greater than your Escuridao? It has an effect, doesn't it…"
"Although I give you credit for deduction, I'm ashamed to say that it's too late for courtesy. This is an execution, once my 'Umbral Dance of the Damned' other effect activates."
"Bullshit! Weren't you supposed to only fuse your monsters with that Spell Card? It wasn't just an extra fusion card!?"
"The devil is always in the details. Because if 'Yubel' is used as a Fusion Material for this Fusion Summon, all Spell and Trap cards you hold have their effects nullified. Your Axe of Despair is mere trash now."
Chakra's eye was looking incredibly dazed as an amber aura enveloped the creature that caused the magical axe and its bio-replicas to rust and rot. The two opponents hear a pained indescribable groan of pain as black crystal-like mold painfully sprouted all over its abominable body.
Chakra (ATK 3450 - 2450 / DEF 2000)
"This sickness looks rather fetching on the creature, wouldn't you agree?", the possessor with a bloodied grin mockingly ponders to Panik while playing the last card in her hand. "Now how to turn this terrible morning into your dusk? I suppose by activating this Spell Card, 'Advent of an Umbral Herald' is a decent start."
(FM) Advent of an Umbral Herald - Normal Spell
Target 1 face-up DARK 'HERO' Fusion Monster you control, and send cards from the top of your Deck to the GY equal to half that monster's Level. If your target was 'Elemental Hero Escuridao', make 1 monster your opponent controls lose 200 ATK for each card sent to the GY this way.
"Thanks to this Spell, I'm allowed to send the top 4 cards of my deck to the Grave. And since Escuridao is on my side of the field, for each card I've discarded thanks to this effect, your Chakra's Attack is decreased by 200. 800 Attack points down the drain."
As if losing the strength of the Axe wasn't enough, then losing a portion of its original power was just insult to injury as the abominable creature of the void was buffeted by a wave of dark spiritual pressure from the hero that caused Chakra's black crystalline boils to quickly harden painfully as it further absorbs its strength as it's hovered lower to conserve what energy it had left, the groans of pain turning into straight up agony that serve to cripple Panik's morale.
Chakra (ATK 2450 - 1650 / DEF 2000)
"S-So what? With that, you have n-nothing left in y- your hand.", Panik stutters, the trembling to his displeasure being much more obvious to Yubel. The possessor only wished she could've gotten Shroud for he did to Jaden as she savored her opponent's distress, but she was snapped out her thoughts of brutally skinning the ringleader alive by Panik futilely trying to retain some measure of dignity. "I still have Life Points. Don't think you've won… Don't-"
"Your Done", the Spirit stoically states as if it's a mere fact, annoyed that this condemned charlatan of her kind is stubbornly clinging to the vain hope of survival, at least Maddog was quiet despite his bluster during his execution unlike the Imposter and the pathetic but formidable wretch in front of her, soon to be disposed of.
"Your association with Shroud and this burning facility, cheering on the attempts to torture a child, attempting to kill my prince in cold blood. Your punishment is death. For mercy is a dying dream… but the reality of Hell awaits. Escuridao is the right choice to be your Executioner due to its effect. A Lot of the heroes of this deck deserve their pound of flesh for what you and your associates tricked our precious one into but I fear you won't be nearly enough for them. Because for each 'Elemental Hero' sleeping in my Graveyard, our Escuridao gains 100 Attack!"
In a moment the dark wings of the Abyssal Heroine glows a ghastly green aura hot enough be hellfire to form a fiery pentagram as spirits of the Heroes that Jaden and Yubel put in the grave in the consecutive duels leading up to this moment, appear. They consist of Avian, Burstinatrix, Sparkman, Clayman, and Necroshade all of them immensely furious for the crimes committed in this wretched place.
Burstantrix and Necroshade in particular sporting vindictive smiles or their body language being quite obvious at how happy they are at the sight of this place being burnt to the ground and one of the tormentors of their young wielder was getting retribution for their actions. The other three Sparkman, Avian, Clayman being greatly furious but putting on a mask of professionalism but inwardly enjoying this and relieved with this one act their nightmare will be finally over.
The heroes looking at their new comrade born from the darkness and sensing her dark yet gentle justice-seeking spirit, morphed into different colored orbs representing their elemental attributes that shot toward the fiery neon green Pentagram shot towards the abyss heroine's orb that then enveloped the hero in a cascading spectrum of colors, most predominantly violet before the aura subsided and shifted into a shade of black darker then the void between stars as her orb gleamed with prismatic light. (ATK 2500 - 3000 / DEF 2000)
"3000… Her Attack is 3-3000. No…..no no no! NO! I REFUSE TO DIE LIKE THIS!"
"You should be honored "Player Killer" you'll soon be free from the society that turned you into a pathetic wretch with fair weather resolve; but then again into the waiting arms of Hell's denizens isn't much of an improvement, be careful what you wish for. This departure will not be painless." Yubel purrs in angry glee, her and Jaden's monster awaiting her orders. "Escuridao, your first official order. Strike Chakra down and commence with the "Player Killer's" execution. 'Lethal Requiem'!"
It was instantaneous for Panik, one moment the reaper-like hero was in a combat stance with one of her arms morphed into a sharpened crystalline blade enveloped in ebony-tinted energy. And then the next, the crystalline monster was behind him in a stance that suggests the monster completed its attack. When Panik turned around hallucinated, a monster that was a mix of the Black Wisp he saw in Duelist Kingdom and the Dark Magician of that King's Deck but had that accursed cheshire-cat like grin the child wore several times throughout the gauntlet of this facility on the monster's face.
His and Chakra's bodies began to burst with red and black blood, as the latter was completely cut in half and with the former Escuridao was feeling particularly mischievous that moment and with a bit of blunting her blade. The surely fatal strike caused Panik's clothing to be completely burnt and shredded to ash thanks to the sheer speed and friction of her attack as an all too massive and deep for comfort burning black blade scar appeared across his body, Panik not having enough time to even scream. The Player Killer died feeling the same fear and despair he dealt onto others in life, his body collapsing into the hot floor.
P: 1300 - 0 LP
Duel's Result: Victory
The Victor: Jaden?
The duel was over, yet again in the duo's favor for the last time in this vile bloodsport. And the cage, thanks to the cumulative damage from the three duels, was a completely wrecked heap. The fire grew a great deal in intensity throughout the last one however.
Meanwhile from the outside of the Underground Arena, a lot of people were greatly surprised and worried about the smoke and fire rising up from the building and the concerningly high amount of people running out of the building; a few minutes later, police sirens and also an ambulance one were blaring on the way to their destination.
One detective wore a brown jacket, gray trousers, and fine boots; his brown hair styled into a pointier Pompadour than average, the color of the hair matching the jacket, his eyes tensing at the disastrous sight. As he left the police car, he gave the order to the nearest cops to surround and blockade the perimeter, also not forgetting their safety equipment for those just going in case of finding any hostages or corpses.
"Detective Tristan, Sir. I've got a report.", one of his colleagues who went by the name MarkFaru, saluted him. "A group of people left from those stairs 25 minutes ago, screaming about a 'monster' infiltrating this facility. It's said the cause of all destruction was… a Duel."
"Really now? Give me a break…", Tristan ruefully rubbed his head in exasperation. Just how often he would hear that word, either from his friends or in regard to one of his old-friend from High School and beyond. Who had earned the title, King Of Games. "A bad time for nostalgia, saving lives is our main priority at the moment; we can sort that can of worms out later. If needed, I have the King and his Court on Speed Dial if that game comes up."
"Understood Sir!" Mark stood back in his position letting other Policemen more equipped for rescue take charge.
Aside from the raging fire and falling debris it was deathly quiet in the arena. Supposedly, the Player Killer is dead or at least is immensely close to death's embrace due to his silence. Panik's duel disk was just as broken as he was thanks to the duel…
Yubel couldn't help but take a ragged breath as she shut off the Duel Disk causing the monsters to fade away. Her confident poise and the frantic adrenaline had subsided pretty quickly as her host body fell down in fatigue, the "excitement" of the perilous morning coming back to bite her and her host in a big way soon.
"A familiar sight… the more things change the more they remain the same.", she mutters mirthlessly to herself, the sight of this wrecked facility reminding her of participating in a war long lost yet won. Wishing to herself that she had killed more who had harmed her Homeland and her precious people then and currently the people who had harmed her Prince now, especially that pathetic rat Shroud and that Herald of that Eldritch Light, preferably by searing their eyes shut with hot wax, or maybe wrapping her thorn-riddled whips around their necks and turning them into her own personal version of a rose garden complete with their endless screams as a wind chime complementing the place with their frayed bodies being used as nutrients for her garden. Their cries to be free of the pain being merely pained yearnings of the wind, and if she was really feeling it when she found them there was always more ancient torture techniques to inflict upon them like Scalpism, one her personal favorites activities to watch happen as the war dragged on. Especially when magic was involved.
"Now H-How… how to get out of here.", Yubel tiredly questions herself and Jaden as she knocks herself from that line of thought, reasoning that she'll get to that point someday. "I… really should've… thought this plan… through better, how… foolish of me, eh My Prince…"
…
Her vision suddenly started to get darker as the silence washed over her. Her energy reserves due to her injuries over the week ever since the ambush at Jaden's home at its limit once again, the constant fighting here causing the phantom pain of the previous fight with the Herald of that wretched Light to bloom forth again. Adding it all up, she could barely move. Was she about to pass out? Right at her reckless plan's success no less? But these thoughts pale in comparison to her concern over the main motivation for even pulling this stunt in the first place.
"Jaden? Jaden!?" Her voice rang through mindscape, where she tried to call for the boy's name. But only silence and the lack of a response from the crying child had the effect of rebooting her distress to even greater heights.
"No… Shit! I must've overtaxed his body and must've accidentally used his energy or he must've tried to help me which led Escuridao's creation, FUCK! I have to leave now or Jaden will die soon!"
Using her greatly drained energy she immediately made herself solid to the touch to quickly check up on Jaden more manually in a panic.
Yubel's blood ran cold at the sheer level of damage done to her Prince's young body, with blood sprayed around his head, his right hand (the one used to hold the duel disk) too damaged and requiring extreme treatment. But unlike Panik, he was thankfully much closer to life… but without her soul and spirit nourishing his body, he wasn't long for this world.
Yubel cursed to herself as she desperately emptied her energy reserves to bring him back from the brink. She couldn't help but damn her sadism at this moment. Torturing an enforcer of the men who were about to kill her Liege wasn't the issue. But now whatever satisfaction and enjoyment Yubel felt over her victories in this facility and the deaths of the people in Shroud's employ had died next to the cold truth of her own major hand in killing her prince. She had broken her promise and failed her liege not once, not twice… but three gently forsaken damned times.
On her knees, the Spirit hugged his badly damaged body while his bloody head rested on her tired and partly scarred chest thanks to exhaustion. While looking at him again and watching in horror, how Jaden wouldn't wake up no matter how much struggle she put into it.
She used her wings to protect Jaden from the fire and smoke, just so he wouldn't die from the heat or inhaling toxic gasses. If there was one thing Yubel could think of, it was not letting her liege die again. She refused to even think of killing him to take him out of his misery.
Which led to her last idea. As much as it would cost her, she knew it would be the best decision… and her life is forfeit if it means Jaden is safe. But before she could sentence herself to non-existence…
"Y… Yu…", the young boy's voice struggles to speak out, but weakly coughing thanks to the smoke. His semi-lidded eyes opening gave a great deal of hope to the winged demon. "Yubel… hey…?"
"Jaden… Jaden. Don't talk. It's okay… Everything's okay. Just don't rest just yet. I want you to stay awake until I say so…", the Spirit desperately ordered, trying to keep her tone as even as she could while her mind tried to come up with a plan to safely take them away from this hole as she healed him. But a soft hand gripping her stress ridden on stopped her frantic, it belonged to her Liege, who made her look at him again.
"Don't cry… Please. We…won…r-right?", he says the tone is more ragged and quieter, no matter if Yubel asked him not to. But he felt like he needed to think he didn't have too much time left… He closed his eyes wearing a tired smile. "Yubel… Thanks"
"No-No, Jaden. You can't do that to me!"
…
Tears. So many tears slid and fell down her cheeks as Jaden passed out and seemingly died as she cried out in remorse and self loathing of her failure. Her tear stricken figure still looked like a statue, the sound of her weeping and grief pierced through the sound of the roaring flames as she clung to the little kid's body like glue .
Ignoring the sound of the sirens as footsteps trudged through the building, Yubel could make only one last futile plea.
"Wake up. Please wake up… Don't leave me alone again! Please, I beg of you, my Prince! Please… WAKE UP!"
(End of Flashback)
"... And that's the end of this 'Tale'.", Yubel bitterly concluded, a quiet sigh of regret leaving her lungs yet feeling just a little bit lighter for it. "One that forever marked Jaden's life and my greatest failure as his guardian, what protector let's their sadism, pride, and wrath completely guide their actions."
Syrus glanced at the downtrodden Yubel with mixed feelings. Shock, thrill, sadness, and fear; but as the story went, and seeing they were here now alive seven years later… He felt relieved. It was a miracle that Jaden and Yubel were here in the current day and he felt satisfied and thankful at being allowed to listen to their past and the pain they've been through. And hopefully being the ONLY time they've gone through the wringer.
"Don't worry, Sy. It was a bit much when Jaden's adoptive parents and I had to hear it", the blond sorceress told him, her hand lightly on his tense one as Yubel told the entire story. "It wasn't a pretty one. Got a few nightmares thanks to it even. But everything's fine now… they have been under my wielder's protection for years after that disaster. It's why Yubel and I share the Big Sister role."
'Yep… you definitely are Jaden's Big Sis alright.', the blue-haired boy smiled slightly, the 'Big Sis' title merely having two contenders. Syrus then shook his head before the dirtierconnotations of that title in modern media appeared in his mind to focus on the main subject; while Yubel simply stood there enjoying the interaction between those two.
"So, Syrus… what did you think about my Tale?", she curiously asked the little teenager.
"... My thoughts? Well, Yubel… You... it's a lot of stuff to sort through."; Syrus said replying to her first question but still reeling from the long revelations and implication Yubel's story had. It would take days for the information to process, so he kept it…short.
"First things first… I do have to say it. Possessing someone to fight criminals is dubious. And honestly kinda demented and very twisted and I now dread that happening to me, if a spirit that shared your sadism with none of the compassion would take control of me like that would be a nightmare. But for Big Bro's Guardian it was in his defense. So I totally agree on you posessing him that way."
"I… That is true, having little Jaden cheering me on dueling. I felt very… relieved and fluffy that Jaden was still smiling"
"Aww! Aren't you a big Teddy Bear?" Dee jokes with a wry smirk, participating in the chitter-chatter.
"... Teddy Bear!?", the demoness sputters as she blushes at the quick jab, Syrus tries to hold in his laughter with great difficulty before a certain thought comes to mind.
"You know, Yubel? After hearing the whole story between you and Jaden; it kinda made me think a bit about me calling him 'Big Bro', heck even calling him a 'friend' wouldn't be enough now. Not to add on the fact that… his Big Sis is linked to me."
The two spirits' faces lightened a bit with curious and surprised expressions respectively. Yubel thinking to herself how her failed attempts to keep Jaden safe and sound at the end would make Syrus think he didn't deserve to be Jaden's friend. And Dee… an eyebrow was raised at Syrus' thoughts on the dynamic between him and Jaden. Was Syrus feeling like was stuck in Jaden's shadow? But before she could act on this thought, Yubel was quicker on the conversational draw.
"You're an odd one, Sy.", Yubel used Jaden's nickname as a way to comfort Syrus a bit, just like Dee and Jaden would call him. It seemed too good to be true to the blunet's perspective and his understanding of the bond between her and him in comparison to the extremely close bond between her and Jaden. Yubel could easily tell how heavy that lack of confidence weighs on "Your confidence is rather lacking isn't it, and the tale told here didn't help."
"Wow! You read me like a kids book, and yeah that sounds about right. I feel like a clown and a big failure", he says before giving a sigh at the end, but then gets interrupted by a surprisingly soothing headpat by a certain magician. "W… What was that for, D-Dee?"
"Bad… Self-Destructive thoughts like that blind you to the things that make you great. I don't want you to call yourself a 'failure', Got it?"
"Be careful, Syrus…", Yubel purrs to the insecure boy. "You better take heed of her advice, speaking from experience it's usually right on the money."
He nodded, now calmed after. His list of thoughts kept focusing on the conversation…
"Say, Yubel. I'm sorry if I'll try to sound off in this question, but… If you could turn back time, and change anything after defeating that Player Killer guy… What would you do?"
"Why would you ask, it's obvious?" the demoness deadpans, not too surprised this question was asked. "Considering the… authorities of this city were right around the corner at the time, getting Jaden to them sooner without any fuss would be my main objective unlike last time."
"... W-Would you be capable of getting him out of the building with all that was going on let alone traversing the place. We're talking about a burning building that was falling apart at the time."
"Syrus…", Dee spoke out in a warning tone, not wanting him to verbally cross a line.
"S-sorry I overstepped…but I'm not underselling you, Yubel; and neither Jaden, to even think he'd been through something like that when he was Nine and still smiling now. If anything, I should be ashamed of myself at how weak I am now. But Yubel… you… you're an amazing friend. Saying that you failed to save Jaden… is crazy. While injured you gave everything you had to fight for him. Your skill and endurance… are unbelievably high to defeat three skilled and terrifying opponents while being forced to wear that Shock Collar under settings high enough to kill a person. But you made the impossible… possible. Jaden lives because of you."
"..." the Demoness was stunned silent not at the affirming outlining of respect but more at the the "Amazing Friend" bit he had spoken of, after many a night beating herself up for that reckless plan, with the occasional nightmare where things didn't work out, and a lot of days going over the what ifs of the situation. Keeping her personal feelings to herself for years. While unexpected it felt a little cathartic to the demoness to hear as the bluenette continued his tangent.
"I asked you that question about changing your actions… because I have a good friend, and he's alive, safe and sound because of you. Even if Jaden's life was at the edge… you made sure he didn't fall off it.", Syrus concludes, not thinking his answer was worth much it was merely an admission of the great respect he now holds for Yubel.
"He... Big Bro really cares about you two. I bet he felt braver the moment you stood with him. He needed someone that cared about him after what happened to his parents. I guess he was really easy to trick back then but you showed him how bad things were and helped when nobody else could or would. And then showed him that even those nightmares can be overcome."
"... But I burnt out at the end of it all and broke it anyway", Yubel bitterly retorts, not thinking too greatly about herself. At points wishing that Jaden and now Syrus didn't have that high of an opinion of her. "Some guardian I was, I couldn't escape by myself either… I was too weak and grief stricken when I saw Jaden pass out.…"
"Jaden wouldn't be mad at you if that promise was broken. Because you never left him alone. He was GLAD he wasn't alone.", Syrus concluded his argument. "He must have told you before, right? That is the KEY for Jaden's growth into the guy he is now, thanks to you."
"Key..?" Yubel mutters to herself, the Supreme King's Guardian can do many things but even then those thoughts will still haunt her, but having it be called out that the main reason for Jaden's happiness was her and she did an excellent job was certainly a good confidence boost. "Heh… I suppose Darklings are more susceptible to negativity. Thank You, Syrus Truesdale. Your words have touched my heart."
"That's what friends are for. Besides, after thinking about it more… I do want to be useful for you two, Yubel."
"Okay… how?" the fiendess ponders, interested to know what Syrus would offer.
"I'm also all ears, Sy.", Dee added with a curious expression.
"Well, is that… when we first met, Yubel… when you all enjoyed hugging me, you told me that you would look at me as a pet."
"Oh Dear…" Dee mutters concerningly
"That I want you to look at me now… as YOUR pet. I want to be the Supreme King and his Guardian's Proud Pet!"
After hearing what Syrus had to say about his new title, Yubel gave a chuckle at that declaration while Dee facepalmed hard enough to leave a mark at how low her apprentice's self esteem seemingly was. The latter act caused Yubel's chuckling to barrel into laughter that would get louder as time passed and utterly drain the tension in the room and caused her to tear up from how humorous that mental image was.
"... After… the speech you just gave to me about self-love and respect, not on your life." She cleaned her eyes of tears after laughing for a good bit. "You… you'd probably make for a better auditor and speaker back then."
Syrus looked back at Dark Magician Girl, who was somewhat agape that declaration of submission and started to grumble to herself in a moment after her brain had to reboot from that; he gulped nervously, and rubbed his head in a small bit of fear and self deprecation.
"I… It's okay if it can be special for a friend I can depend on, right? I can also better share my kindness this way…"
"You're too sweet, Syrus.", Yubel interrupts with her arms crossed. "No wonder Dee chose you as her disciple. That kindness of yours would fit right in with her Sweet Magician Troupe. Although I must wonder what would happen if you were taken advantage of by someone who saw an easy score out of you or if you gave far too much. I wonder how… Dee would react to you when you go that far."
He started shivering in terror feeling the word 'hate' come to mind when it came for the one he had a crush on. He wouldn't go that far; but it wasn't out of the realm of possibility considering her more passionate side.
"Yubel… I want to earn your trust, just this time. Because I want to get to know you guys better and maybe get a bond with the same level of care I see with you and Ja… Big Bro. I want to be more than… this. I want to do all this… because I want to be a part of your family."
"Ah… so that's why.", Yubel concludes with a ponderous gaze, Dee now sighing in relief and smiling as well. "Very well, but be well aware that family can be a messy affair in and of itself at the best of times, and we have only been roommates for only two or three weeks. Family takes a lot of time and effort to create and it won't always be pretty."
"Yeah…I know that, but I want to feel more than just not being good enough and just something more than just being scared. Maybe connect your family with mine.", Syrus says resolutely with a soft smile, as did Dee and Yubel. Their bond starts – To deepen further than whatever superficial feelings they have now being much more genuine due to this baring of souls.
Location: Outside the Slifer Red Dorm; Time: 12:30
A certain Slifer Red was laying down upon the tall green grass trying to relax, feeling the wind blow freely over his prone body. Jaden was intently looking at the clear blue sky as if in thought, joining his hands like a pillow under his head; That duel with the Azure Giant, his unconscious channeling of the Gentle Darkness inside of him… and his extreme loss in composure. If it wasn't for Yubel, Dee, Syrus, and Bastion collective interference with that duel. The Slifer Red couldn't help but shudder at the thought at the grim implications.
He had lost himself to anger even if he'd won the victory wouldn't have been a good one. The power he had unknowingly wielded in that rage could've grievously harmed his opponent. Brier and Beaugard's faces in the aftermath of his rage causing him to flashback to the very reason he didn't want to duel in such a fashion. The memories were blurry but he has the general gist of what happened: The Monster in White; Shroud; The Cage of the Underground... and that damn collar. Jaden rubbed his neck in frustration feeling like the thing was attached to his neck right this second?
He felt cursed… not because of Yubel. But because he felt so useless then, all he could do was cheer and cry then and if she wasn't there to protect him… he would've died or worse. All starting with the grim thought of suffering electrical torture and being laughed by monsters who would enjoy hearing his cries every. single. second. The cartoonish if not comic book levels of evil being almost funny if it didn't horrifically scar him. Jaden couldn't help but give a mirthless sigh as he slammed one of his hands onto the grass-filled ground as he couldn't help but count his blessings that Yubel arrived just before that fateful day.
Jaden knew he dodged a bullet train thanks to Yubel. To think a powerful spirit like her would come that night 7 years ago to save him when he had lost his original parents thanks to that Monster in White. The next being lost and starved in the city the day after the break in and then meeting Shroud who had found a desperate child on the street with potential and lured him in with promises of shelter and food. Didn't help Shroud did seemingly hold his end of the bargain along with training for his new 'occupation'. Jaden couldn't help but squint at the sky in disbelief and embarrassment, looking back at his younger self's excitement for the 'orientation duels' Shroud promised. But before he could reminisce further…
"Big Bro, there you are!", a voice shook him out of an unwanted trip through memory lane, Jaden knew it was Syrus.
"... Hey, nice to see ya here, Sy. Did you sleep well?" Jaden asks, quickly shaking his head to ward off the bad memories for the time being. "Guessing Yubel told you everything?"
Syrus nodded, sitting next to him in the open field.
"A lot to think about… Just imagining facing three duelists, which two of them were known to be some of the most infamous terrors of the Dueling World and maybe beyond for the Mimic guy in their heyday. But they disappeared after the Duelist Kingdom Tournament."
"Yeah…certainly ", Jaden grins for his friend's
"I got curious… the way they dueled in the past was WAY too different compared to… your run in with them. With their different rulings, and how High-Level monsters and some Fusion Monsters were played without using monsters as a sacrifice."
"Hmmm, how so?"
"Well… if you want me to tell you more about it…", Syrus tried to show off his knowledge of the older Duel Monster rules, but then shook his head trying to skip the topic and wanting to address the elephant in the room. "HEY! You don't want me to talk about 'that', do you?"
"Ahah... You got me. And… yeah, at least not too much", Jaden says looking a bit more solemn despite the smile on his face, then looking back at the clear blue sky. "You must have a lot of questions, don't you?"
"Do you and Yubel share the same psychic powers to know what I'm thinking?"
"You came here in two hours… wasn't too hard to figure out" Jaden shrugged at the question but then to lighten the mood decided to tease Syrus a little. "… Did you and Big Sis Dee kiss at the end?"
"WE DID NOTHING LIKE THAT! That's not fair, Big Bro…", Syrus replied, his face red from embarrassment. "... Yubel and Dee decided to teleport to their world or something for a bit to visit Skyscraper, checking in with some of your hero friends after what happened with Brier. A few shaken up from last night, they said."
That certainly brought Jaden's mood down as his tone of voice was a great deal softer after taking a moment to process that fact.
"... Sorry. It's my fault for losing it that night. Oh… and Syrus… I should also apologize. You had to see that... Anger just got the the better of me"
"The Anti-Rule Rampage Brier and Beagurard went on reminding you of… 'that'."
"Yeah... kinda obvious once you hear the reason why I got angry. The Anti-Rule just kinda ticks me off, think I got into trouble because of that rule more than once before coming here. Bullies just love picking at wounds." Jaden mirthlessly laughs.
Syrus kept a steady but cautious glance on Jaden, feeling a bit hurt. Because he knew Jaden was deeply troubled by this despite how long ago the incident was for him but Syrus trying to be a good friend didn't want to pry too much into it but also not wanting it to fester even more.
But… What could he possibly say? Something that he knew Jaden would be receptive to… The blunet wracked his brain for an idea for a moment. Until something came to mind, remembering the first day they met.
"Weird, isn't it?" Syrus deliberately thinks aloud.
"What's weird?" Jaden questioned, wondering what Syrus was getting at.
"It's weird to know that I'm sitting right next to the one… who will be the next King of Games."
"Huh? Where did that come from?" Jaden, a good bit confused, couldn't help but ask, what did his step-dad's title have to do with this.
"Have you forgotten? From the first day we got here, about two weeks ago?", Syrus grinned cheek to cheek. "You made the declaration right in front of Chazz, to his lackeys, to me… that the next King of Games would be you. And it was a shock to hear at the time?"
"I guessed it was, but it's a long road to get there." Jaden shrugged
"Maybe I'll help in your path to get there easier."
Jaden quickly looked at Syrus, the curiosity about his offer rising, to forsake his claim to the King of Games title.
"What are you playing at Sy? Isn't that why you signed to get to Duel Academy?" Jaden ponders aloud.
It was time for Syrus to give a small chuckle at Jaden's ignorance.
"You expect me, a short, nerdy looking, anxious, and also stuck in not one but two shadows… little shrimp to shoot for the title of King? Don't patronize me too much… So many rivals, yet I couldn't keep up with some of the classes here."
"Oh c'mon... You threw down with Alexis of all people. And stood up to Gerald for your older brother Zane... you are 'King material'. You just need to see it…" Jaden retorts, a bit saddened at Syrus' self doubt weighing him down this badly.
"It's okay, Big Bro. What I see is how much of a magnet for crazy people that title is… but you can't change my mind, Big Bro. I've decided 'this' on my own. And besides I ain't the only one on your side. Yubel and Dee are there as well with me."
A curious humming sound came from Jaden, pondering about Syrus' wish to be better aligned with Jaden's goals at the cost of his own goals. Thinking too negatively of themselves is something they both had in common, one's insecurities more obvious than the other. Add on the fact his monsters were shaken thanks to his loss in composure that night. Jaden's feelings were conflicted with Syrus' declaration but he would take any good cheer right now to get out of the mental mire he was in.
Jaden in the present was simply happy for the company.
"Thanks, Sy, It's hard to believe there's someone out there willing to help me become the King of Games to that extent? Anything in return for your aid?"
"Anything in return?" Syrus thought aloud about it, and it made sense… considering Jaden's parentage and the weight their names bring but his desire was simple. "Mmm… isn't that obvious what I want in return?"
"Well what is it? I'm not that rich, you know? My parents are very well off but aren't millionaires."
"Your friendship is all I ask for, Big Bro! I want to continue being your friend, and keep it for a long time. Unless… you don't like me calling you 'Big Bro' and want me to start calling you 'Jaden'."
Jaden couldn't help but give a quick chuckle at Syrus' harmless clinginess, although alleviating a good bit of the awkwardness.
"... I would've mentioned it earlier, if I did mind? That's a challenge I've been thinking about taking on… being a Big Brother? Besides… my adoptive-parents aren't too fond of pets, so Yubel and Dee would be pretty stoked for you to join."
'Seriously… does his power make him psychic?', thought Syrus with a surprised expression on his face. 'I just talked a little while ago about being Yubel's pet. Or did she tell him earlier? Scary…'
Jaden got up with a new spring in his step, so did his…friend...'Younger Brother'? Both giving a respectful smile to each other. Their friendship was already clear for all and was certainly a potent one. But now it would evolve into something more than just a friendship despite how short their time has been together. But it seems one of them wants the friendship to evolve in a different way than expected.
"Let's see where this goes"
"Thanks, Big Bro. For letting me be apart of it"
Meanwhile a certain trio of ladies from the Obelisk Blue Dorm that made their way towards the Slifer Red Dorm, and just stumbled into seeing the bromantic hug being shared between Jaden and Syrus to their surprise. Alexis just tries to calmly smile to see how they were looking okay; Jasmine simply appreciating the moment between those two Slifers, but also really wishing she was in Jaden's place to hug Syrus instead even giving a quiet 'Aaaw' at the sight; and lastly, Mindy face went blank while her brain was trying to reboot and feeling really out of place watching two boys she didn't interact too much with and had semi-bitter feelings towards the taller one sharing an intimate moment with their friend. She didn't expect this to happen today...
As they approached the two, the close steps made Jaden and Syrus look at them and the latter pulled away in embarrassment while Jaden was a bit sad at the comforting hug ending so soon.
"Did we interrupt something?", Alexis politely asked, hands on her hips.
"Didn't think Yaoi like this happened in real life? It's different in person but gotta love the sight", Jasmine purred mischievously while hiding her lips with her fingers. Which then turned into a thirsty look and her tone was more suggestive as she picked up her camera from one of her pockets of the uniform. "Wouldn't…particularly mind seeing you two hug again as sweetly as you did now. Can I take a pic?"
"Save it, Jazzy…", a facepalming Mindy interrupted Jasmine's line of pervy thoughts, the black haired student giving a concerned look to Jaden and Syrus. "We heard about the Azure Giant fiasco, did our own investigation, and asked Bastion where you two were and what your part was in that incident. Also fair warning, you two lovey dovey dolts missed two classes today. And the exams are coming up soon. What are you two going to do now?"
"Huh… Good question", Jaden cluelessly scratches his hair. Only expecting Syrus would come with a fine answer.
"... Sorry if we worried you three. But me and Big Bro stayed up studying for the exams and we were planning to do a 'Tag Duel' today at the Duel Stadium. Right, Big Bro? We still didn't do the Weekly Mission to earn some Duel Points." Syrus quickly spoke, making up an hopefully adequate cover story.
Jaden gave a relieved grin at Syrus' lie but not for getting out of trouble with their blue friends. But Syrus was reading his mind… but not for just any duel, but a TAG duel that would be a celebration of their renewed bond as… brothers. Why would he say 'no' to that proposition?
"It's just as 'Little Sy' said. We're a bit busy right now, but wanna join in?" he said, starting to run toward the Duel Arena, while Syrus valiantly followed him, not caring if he couldn't catch up. Jasmine chasing to get a chance to duel Syrus, Mindy chasing to get a round two with Jaden, and lastly Alexis with a small reluctance and a desire to see a good match.
But what truly mattered to Jaden was that everyone was happy or at least having fun. Right now he felt content and confident that no matter the challenge whether born from the past or dwelling in the present or skydiving from the future. His family and friends could stand tall and overcome it all.
It was gonna be a good day to take a breath...
- END OF CHAPTER 12 -