"So, this is the place?" Konami wondered from his hiding spot in the bushes, his eyes locked on the strangely carved ruins located in the overgrowth ahead.
"Certainly appears to be," Wisteria purred beside him. "It seems that dear Grandfather's map was telling the truth, after all."
"Good," he grunted. "I would've hated coming this far just to find nothing." He pushed his way out of the bushes, ignoring the ominous giggle behind him.
"Oh, don't worry, darling. There's almost certainly something here. Can't you feel it? The thrumming energy? Yes… This place has power."
"Master… Are you sure about this?" Yae's voice whispered in his ear. "Gaining power is one thing, but…"
"The Sacred Beasts are too dangerous!" The Dark Magician Girl's screech overpowered Yae's own voice. "If you continue down this path, you'll spell doom for us all! Yourself included!"
"So you keep saying," Konami drawled. "And yet, something tells me I'll be just fine."
"Fufufu… Of course, you will. You have me by your side," Wisteria said with a smirk. She sauntered past Konami, approaching the dark entrance to the ruins. She stopped by its gate, waiting for him. "Well? Shall we, darling?"
"Hmph. I said to stop calling me that. But sure, Fujiwara. Let's go."
He stepped forward toward the entrance, following the girl to their doom.
TAG FORCE ALTERNATIVE: TWISTING THE TALE
LESSON ELEVEN
VS NIGHTSHROUD
"Let's Duel!" Atticus and Nightshroud roared, drawing their Duel Disks.
An air of darkness swirled around them both, soaking the clearing in its venom.
"Atticus, no! What are you doing? You can't duel him! It's dangerous!"
"Don't worry, Lex," Atticus assured her. "It'll be just fine. I promise!"
He looked over at Zane and narrowed his eyes. "Take care of her, bro. I'll be back in a moment. As soon as I'm done beating this guy!" He cast his gaze back toward Nightshroud, frowning as he took in the strange Duelist's form. The black-clad warrior chuckled at the sight, as if finding Atticus's words amusing.
"Beat me? How interesting. We'll see if you can back up your words."
"Oh, don't worry about that, pal. Trust me, I'm no slouch at dueling!" he drew his first card. "But why don't we skip the small talk? You want a Duel? I'll give you one! Starting with my Floowandereeze & Robina!"
A pair of birds chirped as they appeared on the field, each bearing the colors and sounds of birds scattered across the world. One, the Arctic Tern, shone with feathers as blue as the ocean. The other, with its brown, red, and white feathers, was clearly a European Robin.
Floowandereeze & Robina - LV1 - DARK - Winged Beast - (600/1200)
"Floowandereeze, huh?" Chazz asked from the sidelines, folding his arms. "I've heard of those. They're a bunch of rare cards that you can only find certain cards of in each country! Even my brothers weren't able to gather all the needed cards."
"I'm not surprised," Zane noted, narrowing his eyes as he studied the field. "Atticus spent much of his time at Duel Academy gathering these cards. It's why he keeps going overseas to experience other Academies. But…" his eyes narrowed further. "Something about that card seems off. Last I checked, the Floowandereeze Monsters were supposed to WATER and WIND type."
"They are," Atticus said, frowning as he studied his Monster. "Which means something is up. What's going on here, Nightshroud?!"
The green-haired Duelist chuckled, his raspy voice echoing out of his mask. "Surprised, boy? I told you, didn't I? This is a Duel of Darkness. And with my power, this field has transformed into the Lair of Darkness! Through its effect, all Monsters on the field will be treated as DARK-type. Fufufu… I hope that doesn't throw a wrench in your strategy."
"Hm…" Atticus frowned, but it quickly gave way to a smile. "Not at all. Sorry, but small tricks like that aren't enough to stop me. Much less my Floowandereeze, 'cause they've got a special effect!"
"Oh?"
He threw his hand forward. "See, if Floowandereeze & Robina is Normal Summoned, I can add a Level four or lower Winged Beast monster from my Deck to my hand! And that's not even the best part, pal, because once I do, I can immediately Normal Summon another Winged Beast in my hand!" His fingers swung into his Deck, drawing the desired card from its contents. He grinned as he looked at it, then swiveled it around to reveal it to Nightshroud.
"The card I'm adding to my hand is Floowandereeze & Eglen! But I'm afraid it won't be there for long, 'cause I'll Normal Summon them through Robina's effect!"
A second pair of birds chirped as their bodies materialized in the darkness, this time creating a mighty bald eagle who screeched into the dark alongside the tern.
Floowandereeze & Eglen - LV1 - DARK - Winged Beast - (800/1000)
"And the fun doesn't stop there, because now, Eglen's effect activates! Since it was Normal Summoned, I can add a Level Seven or higher Winged Beast monster from my Deck to my hand!"
Nightshroud frowned. "And let me guess. Then you can Normal Summon again?"
"That's right," Atticus smiled. "Looks like you've figured it out. So, here's a prize for the lucky winner: the card I just drew… Floowandereeze & Empen! I'll summon this Level Ten by tributing both my Eglen and Robina! Now, my birds, give way to the emperor who'll light the path! Come forth, Floowandereeze & Empen! Shine on!"
A block of ice erupted from the floor of darkness in front of Atticus, upon which stood a mighty emperor penguin and arctic tern. It spread its wings, releasing a gust of cold air from its body. It cut across the field, forcing Nightshroud to brace himself lest he be frozen by the chill.
Floowandereeze & Empen - LV10 - DARK - Winged Beast - (2700/1000)
"Atticus… Incredible!" Alexis breathed, clenching her fist. "A powerful Monster in just three moves…?"
"And I'm not done yet," he smirked, wagging his finger gently at her. "When Empen is summoned, I can add a "Floowandereeze" Spell or Trap from my Deck to my hand. But that's not all, the effects of my Eglen and Robina activate, too! If they leave the field, they don't go to the Graveyard like usual. Instead, they're banished, which lets me use their other effect! Since I summoned a monster while they banished, they come right back to my hand!" He smirked and added the two cards to his hand. "Pretty sweet, don'tcha think? Now, I'll just add my chosen Trap, Floowandereeze & the Dreaming Town, to my hand… then I'll set two cards face-down and end my turn."
"No way!" Jaden cheered, pumping his fist energetically as he watched the Duel. "You're brother's amazing, Alexis! Look at that hand advantage! He brought out a powerful monster and got his starter back! Once this is over, we've so gotta duel! I'm getting pumped up just thinking about it!"
"Fufufu…" Nightshroud chuckled. "If that's all it takes to impress you… then let's see how you feel after watching my turn. It's my move… Draw!"
He ripped a card from the top of his Deck, creating a whirlwind of darkness. As he glanced at the card, he smirked beneath his mask.
"Perfect," he said with a hiss. "I activate the Spell Card: Starry Knight Balefire! It lets me add a "Starry Knight" or Level Seven LIGHT Dragon to my hand. The card I choose to add is this! Starry Knight, Starry Dragon!" he revealed the card, "but like your Empen, he won't be in my hand long. Thanks to Balefire's effect, since you control a DARK Monster on the field, I can Special Summon a Level Seven LIGHT Dragon from my hand!"
"DARK?" Atticus glowered. "You dirty cheat! So, that's why you did it!"
"Kukuku… Now, come forth! Starry Knight, Starry Dragon!"
A bolt of light pierced through the clouds from the heavens, slamming down upon the field with an eerie screech that made everyone cower. As the pillar vanished, it gave form to a large and massive dragon, its scales shining an eerie black as if corrupted from the Lair of Darkness.
Starry Knight, Starry Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2500/2300)
"Now, Starry Knight, Starry Dragon's effect activates! If it's summoned, I can target and destroy a card on your field!"
"Not so fast, pal!" Atticus interrupted as the Dragon reared back. "You must not have read my Floowandereeze & Empen's special effect! Since he was Tribute Summoned, he'll keep you from activating the effects of your Special Summoned Monsters in Attack Position! Sorry, dude, but that Starry Dragon of yours has been put on ice!"
Empen screeched just as Starry Dragon was about to lunge forward, the sound paralyzing the larger beast and dousing it with a blast of cold air. Small particles of ice formed across Starry Dragon's scales, freezing it in place and preventing it from using any special abilities.
"Kuh…! Neat trick."
"Awright! That's what I'm talkin' about!" Jaden cheered.
'This is Alexis's brother? Tch…! He's no joke!' Chazz thought.
"No matter… I have more than one way to get what I want," Nightshroud sneered. "And I will get past your defenses one way or another!" His mask seemed to pulse as he reached into his hand for another card. "This Lair of Darkness has served its purpose… So, now, let it make way for the light! I activate the Field Spell… Starry Knight Sky!"
The air of darkness shrouding the field vanished as he placed the card, returning the clearing and surrounding forest to its normal, late-night appearance. In the sky, however, a bright light shone down, blinding everyone! Several bright stars appeared in its midst, hovering gently in the heavens.
"Humph… For a guy named Nightshroud, you sure are using a lot of LIGHT," murmured Atticus.
"There can be no Darkness without the Light. And there is no Light without Darkness. I learned this truth deep into my years… and soon, you'll learn it too."
"Uh, sure. Whatever you say, pal."
"Oh? In that case, I activate the effect of Starry Knight Ciel! While it's in my hand, I can return a "Starry Knight" monster on my field to my hand, and then, I can Special Summons Ciel to take that beast's place!" He threw his hand forward. "Now, return to me, Starry Dragon! And… come forth, Starry Knight Ciel!"
A blue light shone from one of the stars hovering in the distance, erupting into a shooting star that descended toward the field. Stopping just before crashing into the clearing below, it hovered before Nightshroud, then burst, revealing a pair of white wings. Attached to them stood a tall angel clad in blue. A massive axe sat in its grip, shining with a green glow.
Starry Knight Ciel - LV4 - LIGHT - Fairy - (1700/800)
"And at that moment, I'll activate the effect of Starry Knight Sky!" Nightshroud continued. "Since I returned a Level Seven LIGHT Dragon to my hand to activate Ciel's effect, Starry Knight Sky will let me draw another card from my Deck!"
"Oh, great. Looks like this guy knows how to manage his hand, too!" Syrus grumbled.
"Such is the first lesson one must master when becoming a Duelist," Nightshroud chuckled. "But my Turn's not done yet. I'll continue by Normal Summoning this! I summon Starry Knight Rayel to the field in Attack Position!"
This time, it was a pink star that fell from the heavens above. As it landed, its wings parted to reveal a lance-wielding angel.
Starry Knight Rayel - LV4 - LIGHT - Fairy - (1800/700)
"When Rayel is summoned, I can add a "Starry Knight" Spell or Trap from my Deck to my hand. I choose to add Starry Knight Ceremony. And it doesn't end there! You see, thanks to my Field Spell's effect, I'm allowed to Normal Summon "Starry Knight" Monsters twice per turn. And as you may recall, I have a Monster in my hand that requires two tributes!" He threw his hand forward. "Ciel! Rayel! Make way for my servant! Return to the depths of the stars above, so I may bring forth… Starry Knight, Starry Dragon!"
The two angels crossed blades while disintegrating into nothingness, their particles returning to the holy skies as Nightshroud replaced his card. In their place, the swirling mass of Starry Dragon reappeared, gracing the game with its shining presence and overwhelming might!
Starry Knight, Starry Dragon - LV7 - LIGHT - Dragon - (2500/2300)
"Now, I'll activate Starry Dragon's effect once more!" Nightshroud laughed. "And since this time he was Normal Summoned, your Empen won't be able to stop it!"
"Ugh!"
"Darn," Atticus grimaced. "Guess I ran right into that one!"
"Indeed you did, and now, your precious Empen will pay the price!" Nightshroud roared. "Starry Dragon, remove that pitiful penguin of his from my sight! Starry Knight, Starry Blaze!"
"Hang on! I've still got my Trap card! Dreaming Town! Since it's the Main Phase, I can use its effect to immediately Normal Summon a Level Four or lower Winged Beast! So, give a warm welcome back to my Floowandereeze & Robina!"
The twin birds chirped as they reappeared, soaring pleasantly over the battlefield. Nonetheless, Nightshroud threw his hand forward toward Empen.
"Summon whatever you like, fool! It won't save your monster from mine! Starry Dragon, continue with their effect! Starry Blaze!"
A thunderous howl filled the air as Starry Dragon unleashed its attack, spitting forth a flaming sphere that hurtled across the clearing toward Empen. Atticus grunted and shielded his eyes as the blast consumed his Monster, sending sparks and debris flying everywhere as he withstood the attack.
"Ugh… Sorry, Empen… But your death won't be in vain!" he promised. "Because now I can activate Robina's effect! Since it was Normal Summoned, I can add a Level Four Winged Beast to my hand! This time, I'll choose this! Floowandereeze & Stri!" he revealed the card, quickly adding it to his hand before grabbing another. "And since I used Robina's effect, don't forget, I can Normal Summon again, too! So come on back, Floowandereeze & Eglen!"
"What?!" Nightshroud glowered.
"I see. Quite the combo, Atticus," Zane noted from the sidelines.
"No way," Alexis agreed, nodding her head despite the Dark Duel. "I knew my brother was good, but this is really something else. With those two cards, he can keep piling Monsters on his opponent, even during their turn!"
"I see why everyone thinks he's as good as my bro," Syrus murmured, pumping his fist. "If he keeps this up, then this Nightshroud guy won't last long at all!"
As Eglen reappeared on the field, Atticus smirked and snapped his fingers.
"Now, Eglen's effect reactivates," he continued smugly. "This time, I'll add Floowandereeze & Snowl to his hand! But just like the Empen you just destroyed, it won't be there for long… because with Eglen's effect, I can Normal Summon it right now! Robina! Eglen! You know the deal! You're up! I banish you two to bring forth the mighty Floowandereeze & Snowl!"
This time, it was a snowy white owl who appeared with the tern, standing imperiously on the block of ice that was once occupied by Empen.
Floowandereeze & Snowl - LV10 - WATER - Winged Beast - (2900/800)
"And don't forget," Atticus said with a wink and wag of his finger, "Thanks to Robina and Eglen's effects, they come back to my hand."
"Urgh… persistent pests…!" Nightshroud grumbled.
"Hey, that's no way to talk. Sounds like you need to chill out. Fortunately, I have just the way to do that, with Dreaming Town's effect!"
"Dreaming Town?" Nightshroud asked. "You already activated that card, fool!"
"Well, yeah, but I had used its field effect. Now, I'm using it's Graveyard effect! By banishing it, I can flip a Monster of yours into face-down position! Which I'll do right now! Tell your Starry Dragon, it's lights out!"
"Tsk!"
Nightshroud's eyes narrowed behind his mask as his Monster's hologram card suddenly swallowed it, transitioning into the face-down field and leaving him without any attackers.
"Heh Heh Heh… I'm going to enjoy sending your soul to the shadows… But it seems I'll have to work harder to do it. No matter. This will serve as a fine test."
'Test?' Atticus wondered. "Sure, whatever you say, dude. But ya know, it's not too late to surrender and turn yourself in to Sheppard! He's a pretty lenient guy, so if you spill on all your guys' plans, he might let you off with a slap on the wrist… and just a few years in prison!"
"Prison? You think a cage like that can contain my power? Fufufu… You really know nothing about this fight, boy. But rest assured. You will learn." He glanced at his hand. "Just not yet. But it would be remiss of me to leave my field completely defenseless. That's why… I'll activate the Continuous Spell Starry Knight Ceremony! Now, by revealing a LIGHT Fairy Monster in my hand, I can add a Level Seven LIGHT Dragon Monster from his Deck to his hand. Then, I must place the revealed Fairy at the bottom of my Deck." He reached into his hand and revealed a card. "This is Starry Knight Orbitael. Now that it's been revealed, I can add a second copy of Starry Night, Starry Dragon to my hand."
"Hmm… Yeah, you'll probably need it. If you even get the chance to summon it!"
"Oh, don't worry about that. I'll set one card and end my turn."
"Alright, then. That makes it my move! I… Draw!" said Atticus. "And before I start, I'd better let you in on my Snowl's effect! While it's on the field after being Tribute Summoned, this little guy lets me Normal Summon Monsters three times per turn!"
"Three times?!"
"That's way too much! There's no way he can lose now!" Jaden gasped.
Atticus grinned. "For my first summon, I'll play my Floowandereeze & Stri!"
An angry ostrich appeared on the field, a crimson aura surrounding its feathers.
Floowandereeze & Stri - LV1 - WATER - Winged Beast - (700/1100)
"And you know the gist, right? Since I Normal Summoned Stri, its effect activates! Since it was Normal Summoned, I can banish a card from either of our Graveyards! And if I do, I can—"
"Immediately Normal Summon a Monster, yes yes. Get on with it," Nightshroud grunted.
"Heh. You think a guy using angels would know a little more about patience." Atticus strummed an imaginary guitar. "They call it a virtue, you know?"
"The only virtue I have to gain here is the charity of eradicating your filth from this world. And once I've sent your soul to the shadow as fuel for my Beasts, I'll be one step closer to gaining the power I've sought for so long."
"Hmm." Atticus frowned at that. "Sheppard thought that was what you were after. But me and my pals are gonna make sure those Sacred Beasts stay where they are!"
"Sacred what now?" Chazz inquired.
"Sacred Feasts? Like food?"
"No, Jaden. Sacred Beasts! But… what are those, Atticus?" Alexis asked.
"I'll tell ya what they are. Three dangerous cards sealed here on the island! And this guy's planning on freeing them to bring destruction to the world!" He reached into his pocket, retrieving the Spirit Key Sheppard had trusted him with. "Zane and I are part of an elite squad meant to protect these from the group."
"Elite Squad…?" Syrus asked, glancing over at Zane.
"You… Why would you do that, Atticus? It's incredibly dangerous!" Alexis gasped.
"Well, someone had to. And better me than my sweet little sis. Besides," Atticus shot her a wink. "If they all duel like this guy, I won't even break a sweat!"
"Hmhmhm…" Nightshroud chuckled. "Spirit Keys, indeed. I'll take yours soon enough, boy. You won't escape my wrath…"
"We'll see about that, because I'm banishing my Empen from my Graveyard for Stri's effect!" he continued. "And then, I'll Normal Summon my Floowandereeze & Toccan through its second effect!"
Zane's eyes widened minutely as a large Toucan appeared on the field.
"That's… all of them," he murmured. "Atticus… You're amazing. To think you'd gather all of the cards. As expected of my rival."
Atticus smiled as the last of the birds spread out its wings and screeched.
Floowandereeze & Toccan - LV1 - WIND - Winged Beast - (500/1300)
"Toccan's effect activates! Since it was Normal Summoned, I can add a banished "Floowandereeze" card to his hand! So, I'll bring back my Floowandereeze & Empen, and then… yep! You guessed it! Normal Summon it by tributing Toccan and Stri!"
The Emperor Penguin howled as it emerged on the field once more, rising on a second pillar of ice to stand alongside the snow owl.
Floowandereeze & Empen - LV10 - WIND - Winged Beast - (2700/1000)
"And then, my Stri and Toccan return to hand from their third effects!" Atticus smirked. "And that's not all, because Empen's effect activates on summon, too! I'll add a second copy of Dreaming Town to my hand!"
"C-Combos for days…" Chazz drooled. "This is my future Bro-in-law…"
Ignoring Chazz's words, Atticus smiled and continued his combo. "Now that I've done that, I'll use the additional summon from Empen to Normal Summon Eglen back to the field!"
The bald eagle screeched as it soared high above.
"With his effect, I can add another Level Seven or higher Winged Beast from my Deck to my hand. This time, I'll add this!" he revealed his chosen card, which held an artwork of a glowing sphere with spread wings. "And now…" he reached for another card in his hand. "I'll use Eglen's additional summon to tribute him and call forth… Raiza the Storm Monarch!"
A sharp wind burst from Eglen's body as it transformed, its freedom flight replaced by an imperious air of power and royalty. Crashing down upon the field, an armored king rose to his feet, clad from head to toe in emerald steel and incredible might.
Raiza the Storm Monarch - LV6 - WIND - Winged Beast - (2400/1000)
"A Monarch here?!" Nightshroud twitched.
"Yep, and he's got quite the effect!" Atticus said. "It lets me target a card on the field and return it to the top of the Deck! I target your face-down Trap!"
"In that case, I'll use it!" Nightshroud roared. He flipped the card face-up, revealing— "Starry Night Arrival! When it's activated, I can Special Summon a Level Seven LIGHT Dragon from my hand! And if you'd recall, I added one to my hand last turn! Come forth, my second Starry Night, Starry Dragon! I summon you in Defense Position!"
Starry Night, Starry Dragon - LV7 - LIGHT - Dragon - (2500/2300)
"Tsk…! Defense Mode, huh? Looks like you learned," Atticus grimaced. "Even so, your Starry Night Arrival is still sent to the top of your Deck!"
"Fine by me," Nightshroud grinned as the Monarch's wind rippled across his field, "Because now that Starry Dragon's been Special Summoned in Defense Position, it means I can use its effect to destroy your pesky Snowl!"
"Ugh!" Atticus grunted as a flaming sphere erupted from the dragon's maw.
"Wait, what?!" Syrus gasped. "But I thought Empen stopped him from using Special Summoned effects!"
"No, Syrus," Zane corrected. "It only prevents the activation of those in Attack Position. Since Nightshroud summoned Starry Dragon in Defense Mode, he can still use its effect."
"Oh, man! And Atticus had such a good combo going on, too!" Jaden groaned.
"Atticus…!"
"Don't worry, sis. I've still got this in the bag!" Atticus promised, shooting her a thumbs-up. "After all, even without all my Normal Summons, I've still got ways to win! Like the one I just added to my hand…" he grabbed the card and stared at it. "Yeah, this one'll do. I activate an effect from my hand!"
"Hmgh..." Nightshroud glowered.
"By banishing two Monsters from my field and one from my Graveyard, I can Special Summon this gnarly beast from my hand! Empen, Raiza, thanks for the help, you two! But it's time for a new bird to take to the field… so give Snowl my thanks!"
The two Winged Beasts inclined their heads toward Atticus as they vanished, disappearing into the Different Dimension alongside the ghost of Snowl. As they did, the wind picked up with a fierce intensity, swirling around the space where the two Winged Beasts had stood seconds prior. The sky above darkened, blocking out the Starry Knight Skies, and a low rumble of thunder rippled through the clearing, illuminating the shape of a new, powerful presence descending from above.
"Through the boundless skies and endless storms, it protects all in its embrace!" Atticus chanted. The swirling vortex tightened, compressing into a radiant core of energy, revealing an ethereal, feathered form—a majestic, angelic creature cloaked in light.
"Let the wings of fate converge to bring forth this beast's unseen power!" Atticus raised his hand high, a surge of energy coursing through him. "Advance Summon! Level Eight! We rely on you… THE ATMOSPHERE!"
The creature unfurled its wings, each feather catching the light in a dazzling display of power as it descended to the field. With a single beat of its wings, a gust of wind surged across the field, forcing Nightshroud's Starry Dragon to brace itself against its overwhelming force.
"Whoa…" Syrus murmured, eyes wide in awe as he stared at the creature. "That… that's incredible…"
Jaden grinned, fist clenched in excitement. "Yeah! Show 'em what you've got, Atticus!"
Nightshroud narrowed his eyes, a glimmer of frustration crossing his face as The Atmosphere settled onto the field, its piercing gaze fixed on him.
"Now, The Atmosphere," Atticus commanded, his voice resonating with newfound confidence, "let's show Nightshroud the power of the skies… no, the atmosphere itself!"
The Winged Beast let out a screech, shaking the forest beyond.
The Atmosphere - LV8 - WIND - Winged Beast - (1000/800)
TAG FORCE ALTERNATIVE: TWISTING THE TALE
LESSON ELEVEN
END
Oh, my! Looks like Atticus is certainly no slouch when it comes to dueling! No wonder he's seen as the perfect rival to the oh-so-great Zane! But will his ace, The Atmosphere, be enough to overcome Nightshroud? Or does this dueling devil still have a few more tricks up his sleeve? Strap in tight and prepare to find out, NEXT TIME on Twisting the Tale! Lesson Twelve! Burst Stream!
"You keep my Blue-Eyes out of this!" Kaiba roars.