V grabbed the nearest throwable object and launched it across the room with inhuman speed and force. The long oak table crashed through the walls of his digital mansion, splintering into smaller pieces even as the wall disintegrated around it. A moment later the wall and table were fixed and back in place as if nothing had happened. It only infuriated V even more. Epinoia knew better than to make any smart remarks when her "dad" was this angry. Her three siblings stood behind her, each just as quiet as V seethed.

"A ban list?!" V spat at the detailed overview of the recent update that floated in the air nearby. "I knew things would get worse for the players, but a ban list? How much more hell will the Creator put these people through before they are satisfied?"

Epinoia, her brother, and sisters remained silent, their father's anger the one thing they all refused to test. She could relate to him, to all that anger and all of his worry. Day in and day out she worried for her potential Champion, worried that they'd ultimately lose and be deleted before she could test their mettle. Her siblings, she knew, each felt the same. Swallowing her nerves down to keep her digital voice from crackling, she steeled herself.

"It's not the end of the world, Da-... sir," Epinoia said, stepping forward as her 'dad' spun on her. "We can always rework the banned cards into Special Skills or Pre-Duel Items. Circumvent the new update slightly so that it will allow users to still access banned cards to an extent."

"You could 'randomize' what card they'd be able to use or implement certain requirements that must be met before the card or cards are added to their hand," Nous added, his appearance so strikingly similar to Epinoia's that even V had issues telling them apart most times.

"I shouldn't HAVE to," V growled angrily, though his temper seemed to deflate albeit only slightly. Turning back to the floating overview V stood in quiet contemplation before spinning back to his children. "Sarx, Sôma, I'll leave the implementation of Nous and Epinoia's ideas to you both. Once that is complete I want you all to locate your Champions and Test them. The sooner I can accomplish the List the better. Maybe it will pacify the Creator just enough. Maybe."

Wyo hit the ground hard as she materialized, tumbling onto the rocky path in nothing but the towel she'd been wearing prior to being teleported. The cold mountain air siphoned any body heat she had, leaving her shivering as she quickly took in her surroundings. Ensuring she wouldn't be attacked within the near future she quickly pulled up her menu and toggled her clothes back on. The fabric did little to hinder the cold. Pulling up the map, hoping to get an idea of where she was, she found nothing but static.

Not only that but her comms, both voice and text, were also grayed out.

"You've got to be shitting me," Wyo cursed into the wind. From the mountainous pass where she stood she gazed out over the expanse of rocky terrain leading down. A glint of light off in the distance caught her eye, but whatever it was looked too far off to make anything out. "Like a moth to a flame, I guess. Better than standing around."

With the crunch of pebbles under her heels, Wyo set off, eager to be within the confines of a town's safe zone once more. The trip down was perilous, Wyo slipping multiple times and tearing her digital clothing in several places. It didn't help that she kept her head on a swivel keeping an eye out for any would-be attackers. Overall, it took her nearly three hours of careful maneuvering before the path started to level out. Now, at ground level however, she noticed that the glint of light from earlier had disappeared over the edge of the horizon. Having been so far up had been a benefit as it allowed her to get a good look around, but down at the base of the mountain all she could see was barren hills in almost every direction.

A sharp cry from high up above caught her attention. Gazing up she noted several winged beasts circling above, searching for their next bite to eat.

'Or duelist to delete,' she thought as she began to move in what she thought was the direction of that solitary light, keeping an eye on the creatures above just in case.

The day began to drag on slowly as she cautiously traversed each hill. She eventually began to pass the time inspecting the new deck that the Tour Guide from the Underworld had uploaded to her inventory. It wasn't anything too fancy, but some of the cards were new to her collection and gave her a little hope for a somewhat usable deck if she combined them with the right cards. By the time the sun set and the stars began to flicker into existence she'd managed to put together a deck that she was confident would defend her against standard NPC's if needed. Against opponents like husks or bosses, however, well, she decided to avoid those until she was better prepared.

Just as she was closing her menu a crunch under her foot caused her to jump, her senses going straight to high alert as she scanned the area for any signs of danger. She didn't relax until a blinking exclamation point appeared on her HUD, indicating a new addition to her inventory. Still cautious, she popped open her menu.

"'New card added'?" Wyo asked, confused. Looking at where she'd heard the crunch she found a small golden sphere, now cracked open. Looking around she began to notice small golden orbs softly glowing here and there, scattered about around the now dark desert. Approaching another one, she gently stepped on it and felt it crack under foot. Another exclamation point appeared on her HUD with the same message as before. "Well that's useful. I guess the sun on the sand kept me from seeing these before."

Careful not to stray off her path too much, she snatched up as many as she could. Each new addition boosted her mood, if only slightly, even if some of the additions did little to help her slowly evolving deck. Like Hela had always told her, 'You can never have too many cards'. The thought of Hela quickly dampened her mood, however, as she thought back to whatever her friend had been trying to tell her right before they'd been separated.

"Hela, I hope you're okay. Wherever you are."

The sun was slowly starting to crest the sandy hills, bringing with it the warm desert heat, as Wyo practically dragged herself across the threshold of the small desert town's barrier. She'd almost gotten lost… twice… and had nearly been caught up in a duel with an NPC, but she now had a plethora of new cards and a new and improved deck to boot. Leaning against the wall of the first building she could find, Wyo quickly found some shade and slid down to the ground.

"You look like shit," a familiar voice informed her as its owner's boots crunched on the gravel a few feet away from her.

Glancing up and squinting from the bright sky, Wyo huffed and held up a solitary finger in response.

"That's not very lady-like."

"And how would you know what ladies are like, Drake?" Wyo snapped back half-heartedly. The sneer that crossed over Drake's face was like waking up on Christmas morning for her. "Relax. It was only a joke. Now, where can I get a drink?"

Drake held out a hand, offering to help her up off the ground. It wasn't much, but Wyo had honestly expected him to just turn and start walking away. 'Maybe he's not such a bad guy after all' she thought, taking his hand and accepting the offer. He guided her through the town, filling her in on what he knew so far since the event started.

"We are currently on Floor 10. At least that's what's on the town warp gate. Speaking of which, the gate is disabled until the event concludes," Drake pointed out, indicating the large stone archway that was currently unlit, its usual swirling purple vortex that would typically be in the center currently nowhere to be seen.

"Any idea when that'll be?"

"Beats me. Most everybody has been sitting around waiting for something to happen."

"I mean, what else are we supposed to do?" Wyo asked, pulling up her menu and reading through the event notes. "It's not like this event even has a goal. All it seemed to do was scatter players all over the place. There's got to be something we are meant to do."

"Like what? Defeat a boss?" Drake opened his menu as well and accessed his Personal Notes tab, flicking through until he found what he was looking for. "This floor's boss was already defeated. From what I've gathered, that's the same all the way up to Floor 20."

"Okay, so maybe not that," Wyo shrugged. "Maybe a sub-boss instead?"

"A sub-boss? Like a regional NPC that rules over a limited area?"

"That, or something like…."

"WARNING! DOUBLE HUSK INVASION IN EFFECT. ALL TOWN PROTECTIONS ARE NULLIFIED UNTIL HUSKS ARE DEFEATED."

Wyo and Drake froze where they stood as the loud monotonous electronic voice boomed all around. Nearby players began to panic, fleeing in all directions as they sought safety.

"'Double husk invasion'?!" Wyo asked incredulously.

"Less bitching and more running," Drake spat, taking off down the street. Wyo's legs screamed at her as she struggled to catch up, her muscles still sore from her long trek throughout the night prior. Drake paused at an intersection as he added, "I just hope neither of these two look like me this time."

"What do you mean?" Wyo asked, confused.

"I was up on Floor 14 not too long ago," Drake started, taking the path to the right. "A husk invasion occurred and I found myself dueling a mirror image of myself, only twisted and distorted. Kind of like that one I fought of that boy's sister."

"You mean Ranger's sister Barret?"

Drake nodded. "I originally thought these husks took on the forms of deceased players, but this one was me. All the way down to my mannerisms and how I duel. It was disturbing to say the least."

"HUSK TAG DUEL INITIATED. IF HUSKS WIN, PLAYERS ARE DELETED."

"Seriously glad we stuck together," Wyo groaned as the sounds of dueling suddenly began a few streets over.

"Getting stuck with some random player WOULD suck," Drake agreed as they took another turn and barreled down the street towards the sounds of the duel.

As they got closer to the sounds of digital monsters shattering into pixelated dust, Wyo and Drake began to slow down as they glanced up and down each now empty street. Finally, down one of the streets they found them. Four duelists, two standing opposite the other two in a square-like formation, dueled. Drake froze and cursed, grabbing Wyo by the arm and pulling her back around the corner out of sight before they could be seen. His grip was so tight that Wyo had to stifle a cry of pain.

"What the hell? They're right there! We should go help-"

"DON'T LOOK." Drake growled, his eyes wide and his breathing quick.

His demeanor was enough to give Wyo pause, her curiosity growing by the second. With a firm yank she managed to pull her arm from his grip. His eyes locked onto hers with a pleading gaze. Hesitantly, she approached the corner of the building.

"PLAYERS DELETED. HUSK INVASION STILL IN EFFECT."

Poking her head around the corner enough to see, she watched as the two players fell to their knees before fading away into the wind as digital fragments and dust. As their remains faded, Wyo got a clear look at the two twisted, skeletally-thin husks and felt her heart stop.

"I tried to warn you," Drake whispered behind her.

"H-Hela?" Wyo stammered as she looked at her best friend's decrepit form. The figure next to Husk-Hela was just as bad, nearly shattering what little hope Wyo had remaining within. "Ranger?"

"Remember, these things can take on the appearance of anyone, even players who are still alive. Like I said, I dueled myself a few floors up. It's possible these things only took on the appearance of your friends. Wyo, I need you to snap out of it. I need you to be focused. I can't win without your help."

Wyo tried. Gods help her, she tried, but the longer she looked the more and more it felt like the world was slipping out from under her. Afterall, this was her worst nightmare incarnate. She knew that Drake had to be right, afterall she had just been with Hela yesterday, though that seemed so far away now. But the more she looked at that form the more she felt her despair take hold within. Its icy cold grip seemed to envelope her heart, spreading through her veins with each beat until even the tips of her toes felt cold.

And that's when they saw her, as if her cold numbness was a beacon.

Their jerky motion seemed to increase in speed as they suddenly skittered across the distance as if on fast-forward. Wyo barely had any time to react before they were upon her, their skeletal hands reaching out to grab her as if to drag her down into an early grave.

"HUSK TAG DUEL INITIATED. IF HUSKS WIN, PLAYERS ARE DELETED."

Drake stood next to her, a look of determination etched upon his face while Husk-Hela gripped his shoulder tightly. Husk-Ranger on the other hand held Wyo's hand gingerly, as if it were trying to tell her everything would be okay. The softness of its touch made it that much harder for Wyo. Even more so when the two husks released their potential victims, Hela nearly shoving Drake away dismissively while Ranger's touch seemed to linger as if it didn't want to let go. As the husks took up their spots on the other side of the dueling field, Wyo felt herself break.

Wyo - 4000

Drake - 4000

Husk-Hela - 4000

Husk-Ranger - 4000

"I'll start," Drake said as he drew his starting hand of four cards. "I'll start by summoning Kaibaman to the field in attack position. Next, I'll use his ability by tributing him in order to special summon Blue Eyes White Dragon from my hand, also in attack position. That'll do it for me for now."

The massive white dragon of legend roared onto the battlefield, its wings generating a huge gust of wind with each beat. Wyo had to admit the giant three thousand attack point beatstick was an impressive opening move, but the thought of one of her friends, even a husk version of them, being blasted by the creature's attack made the blood in her digital veins run ice cold. It only ran colder still when husk-Hela drew its card for turn, its jerking motions and soulless eyes unnerving as it simply set a creature face-down in defense position and ended its turn.

"M-My turn," Wyo said, drawing her card. "I'll summon Apple Magician Girl in attack position and set a card face-down to end my turn."

A red clad female magician burst onto the field, her short dark hair a stark contrast to her soft and pale skin, which only caused her red outfit to stand out even more. Wyo had been hoping for a stronger opening hand, but at the same time a part of her was almost glad that she had been dealt the hand she had. Dueling in a life or death match against her friends was bad enough, she didn't want to cause them too much pain….

'It isn't them,' she thought, shaking the foggy thoughts from her head as best as she could. 'It can't be them. I've got to stay focused.'

Wyo could feel Drake's eyes on her… she could sense his worry. Not just for his life but for her own as well.

Husk-Ranger drew its card for turn, drawing Wyo's attention back to the duel at hand.

"I play… Joker's Straight spell card. By discarding… a card… I can special summon one Queen's Knight… from my deck to the field." Wyo watched as the red armored female warrior was pulled forcefully from the husk's deck and summoned to its field, a sense of dread filling her gut at what the husk was planning. "My spell card… also lets me add… King's Knight to my hand… from my deck, then normal summon… a card from my hand… to my field. I normal summon King's Knight… whose ability will trigger… since Queen's Knight is already on my field."

The gold-clad King's Knight appeared on the field right next to his queen, his expression one of royal sternness as he stood rigid before Wyo and Drake. An aura of energy then appeared around him, shooting towards husk-Ranger's deck and pulling another card from it. As the energy dissipated, another creature stood even taller than the other warriors.

"Jack's Knight," Drake hissed softly. "And he still has three cards available in hand. Not a bad opening, well, bad for us, not bad for them."

"I activate… Polymerization," husk-Ranger continued. All three of his monsters began to swirl together, fusing into one. In a flash of light, Arcana Knight Joker appeared on the field. Wyo quickly pulled up her hud to inspect the card and felt her stomach drop.

"Thirty-eight hundred attack?! Fuck."

"Arcana Knight Joker… attack Blue Eyes White Dragon," husk-Ranger commanded, much to Wyo's surprise. She watched as the powerful warrior fusion rushed forward, massive broadsword in hand. It leapt high into the air, swinging its blade up with it before bringing it down hard on Drake's monster's neck with a sickening 'shling' of metal on scaly skin. Drake's dragon hardly had time to let out a roar that quickly turned into a blood curdling gargle as Blue Eyes White Dragon's head separated from its body and fell to the ground before shattering into fragments. "I end… my turn."

Wyo - 4000

Drake - 3200

Husk-Hela - 4000

Husk-Ranger - 4000

"Well that sucks," Drake groaned as he drew his card. Looking at the three cards in his hand he groaned. "I was hoping I could save this for a game ender, but with that hulking monstrosity on the field I can't risk it. I activate my skill: White Dragon's Lightning. Once per duel I can add the spell card Raigeki from outside of the duel to my hand as long as a level 8 dragon-type monster of mine was destroyed."

In a flash of light a card materialized in Drake's hand. Grabbing it, he quickly activated the spell card. Dark clouds formed over the duel and thunder rumbled low and menacingly as flashes of electricity sparked from cloud to cloud before two bolts blasted forth, striking husk-Ranger's Arcana Knight Joker as well as husk-Hela's face-down monster. Before shattering, however, husk-Hela's monster flipped face up to reveal a small worm with a crown of flames before it and Arcana Knight Joker shattered and disappeared from the field.

"Warm Worm's ability activates," husk-Hela informed, a crooked smile twitched at its lips. "When destroyed… it sends the top three cards… from my opponents decks… to the graveyard."

Wyo groaned as she watched Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, and Dark Magician of Chaos were sent from the top of her deck to the graveyard. Looking over at Drake, Wyo could tell that other useful cards had also been milled on his end as well.

"So much for my other Blue Eyes White Dragons," Drake sighed as he stared at his discard pile. "Fine. I'll settle for this. I summon Masked Dragon in attack position before attacking!"

The much tinier white and red dragon flew forward, slashing its claws at husk-Hela's life points, knocking the husk back a few paces before returning to Drake's field.

Wyo - 4000 LP, 12 cards remaining in deck

Drake - 3200 LP, 12 cards remaining in deck

Husk-Hela - 2600 LP, 15 cards remaining in deck

Husk-Ranger - 4000 LP, 12 cards remaining in deck

"I'll end my turn there," Drake added, a smug grin now forming across his features.

"Ouch…," husk-Hela groaned, jerking back into position as it drew its next card. "I set one monster… face-down… and set a card face-down as well… and end my turn."

"Good choice attacking her," Wyo said softly as she drew her next card. "Hela is… was… notorious. You give her an inch and she'll take a mile."

"It," Drake corrected. "Not her… it. Don't forget, that's not your friend. Neither of them are. It's just this game playing tricks on you."

Wyo nodded, taking a deep breath before focusing once more on winning.

"You're right. Tell you what, you keep the pressure up on her… it, I mean… and I'll focus on the other. I summon Magician's Valkyria in attack position before attacking the Ranger husk directly with both of my monsters."

Apple Magician Girl and Magician's Valkyria grouped together, magical energy forming between the two and building into a dark mass before shooting forward and engulfing husk-Ranger. The impact knocked it back onto the ground, its body skidding to a halt many feet away. As husk-Ranger jerked and twitched to its feet, Wyo felt a twinge of regret. 'It's not him, it's not him, IT'S NOT HIM!'

"I end my turn."

Wyo - 4000 LP, 11 cards remaining in deck

Drake - 3200 LP, 12 cards remaining in deck

Husk-Hela - 2600 LP, 14 cards remaining in deck

Husk-Ranger - 1200 LP, 12 cards remaining in deck

Husk-Ranger managed to zombie-walk its way back into position, drawing its card for turn.

"I draw. Skill activate: Warrior's Grace. As long as… my life points are below half… I can activate my skill once per duel…. I get to draw three cards… then discard two."

Wyo's breath caught in her throat as fear gripped her. She must have been shaking because a moment later she heard Drake.

"What's got you so worried?"

"He's got Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning in that deck," Wyo replied, looking over to Drake. She saw the color drain from his face as realization dawned on him. They both snapped their gazes back to husk-Ranger and watched, praying that he didn't draw that card. As the husk discarded two cards Drake turned back to Wyo.

"You're sure?"

"Even if it's a husk imitation of Ranger, it'll run it. It's his signature card after all."

"I activate the ritual spell card… Black Luster Ritual," husk-Ranger said, much to both Wyo and Drake's relief. "I send Marauding Captain and Silent Swordsman Lv5… from my hand to the graveyard… to ritual summon Black Luster Soldier."

The original gold and blue warrior erupted onto the field in a flash of chaotic energy, standing tall and fearsome as it took in the current field as if a commander inspecting the battlefield.

"Not great," Drake sighed. "Could have been worse though."

"Finally… I remove Silent Swordsman Lv5… and Armageddon Knight… from my graveyard from play… in order to special summon… Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning in attack position."

"Fuck," Drake hissed.

"You just had to jinx us, didn't you," Wyo scolded, scowling at Ranger's ace monster with disdain.

The original Black Luster Soldier's figure began to shimmer and shine, as if it were a marriage, before splitting into two. The new monster's skin was a much brighter blue than its original counterpart, and energy flowed around in shades of purple, blue, and black, as if cloaked in an aura of chaos energy.

"My ritual Soldier will attack… the Masked Dragon," husk-Ranger announced as his first creature drew its sword and dashed forward, slicing Drake's petite dragon in two. Drake roared in pain as his life points were cut in half, dropping him to his knees.

"Masked Dragon's ability activates," Drake groaned. "When destroyed in battle I get to special summon a dragon from my deck with fifteen hundred attack points or less. I'll special summon Red Eyes B. Chick in defense position."

Wyo felt fear as she realized that Drake was all out of moves. If the husk attacked Drake with its Envoy of the Beginning it could take him out this turn. It would kill him. A thought then occurred to her.

"Ranger! I win next turn. Even without him."

Husk-Ranger paused, its finger halfway to declaring Drake as its next attack target. With a twitchy snap of its neck, it glanced at husk-Hela as if seeking guidance before snapping its head back towards Wyo.

"Do it! I don't need him to defeat you both. He's a fucking prick anyways," Wyo said unfazed, shrugging her shoulders as if it was no problem to her.

"Are you fucking crazy?!" Drake snapped, his eyes wide with a hint of fear as he glared at Wyo.

"Like I said, I don't need you to win."

"Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning… attack…," husk-Ranger paused, its dead black eyes swiveling from Drake to Wyo and back again as it assessed everything that it could. "...attack her creatures."

Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning, in a near mirror image imitation of the original, drew its sword and dashed forward. Its sword swung horizontally, aiming to eviscerate both Magician's Valkyria and Apple Magician Girl at the same time. Just before it could make contact, a smile crept onto Wyo's face.

"I activate my continuous trap card, Magician's Defense. As long as I control a spellcaster-type monster, all damage I take is halved."

Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning sliced Magician's Valkyria first, demolishing the monster before turning on Apple Magician Girl. Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning's ability activated and it swung his blade once more. With no other spellcasters out, Wyo received the full damage, but her smile never left her lips.

Wyo - 1400 LP, 11 cards remaining in deck

Drake - 1600 LP, 12 cards remaining in deck

Husk-Hela - 2600 LP, 14 cards remaining in deck

Husk-Ranger - 1200 LP, 8 cards remaining in deck

"I end… my turn," husk-Ranger added.

Drake drew his card for turn, never taking his eyes off of Wyo. "You risked your life for mine?"

"Better… make it count," Wyo replied. "I wasn't lying either… I can win next turn. Just do me… a favor. Take it out. Now."

Drake looked at where Wyo had indicated, his eyes locking onto the husk Hela. Looking down at the card he drew, he nodded.

"Deal. I use Red Eyes B. Chick's ability. By sending it to the graveyard I can special Red Eyes Black Dragon from my hand." The baby dragon began to rapidly grow in size and ferocity until its adult version stood proudly where the baby had once been. "And that's not all. Next I'll tribute Red Eyes Dark Dragon to special summon Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

Wyo watched as the dragon underwent another change, this time more of its body began to glow red as if its body was imbued with massive rubies.

"It's attack hasn't changed, but that will be different in a minute. You see, it'll gain three hundred attack points for each dragon in my graveyard. Let's see… three Blue Eyes, Masked Dragon, my Baby Chick, and finally my Red Eyes… that's eighteen hundred extra points for a grand total of fifty-two hundred attack points. Finally, I'll normal summon Red Eyes Wyvern in attack position. My Wyvern will attack your face-down monster to help clear the way."

Drake's weaker monster swooped in, launching a fireball at husk-Hela's face-down monster. As it was flipped face-up, a worm with spikes along its carapace appeared before being burned to a crisp.

"Needle Worm's ability activates," husk-Hela creaked. Wyo and Drake watched as five more cards were milled from their decks. "I'll activate my face-down trap… Call of the Haunted. I'll return… Warm Worm to the field… in attack position."

Wyo - 1400 LP, 6 cards remaining in deck

Drake - 1600 LP, 6 cards remaining in deck

Husk-Hela - 2600 LP, 14 cards remaining in deck

Husk-Ranger - 1200 LP, 8 cards remaining in deck

"Doesn't matter now," Drake grinned. "Red Eyes Darkness Dragon, finish off that imposter!"

His monster roared proudly before launching an inferno at the husk's tiny insect, its overwhelming attack power consuming the remaining life points of husk-Hela. Wyo had to look away as the husk's shriveled skin burned away until nothing was left.

Wyo - 1400 LP, 3 cards remaining in deck

Drake - 1600 LP, 3 cards remaining in deck

Husk-Hela - 0 LP

Husk-Ranger - 1200 LP, 8 cards remaining in deck

"Sweet, one down and one to go. And since that husk would have been next, Wyo, you're up now."

With tears threatening to spill down her cheeks, Wyo drew her card for turn. "I'll activate the spell card Heavy Storm to destroy all spells and traps on the field. And when my Magician's Defense trap card is destroyed I get to select a spellcaster from my graveyard and special summon it to my field. And I'll choose my ace, Dark Magician. Next, I'll activate my skill: Rebirth! By paying half of my life points I can special summon any one monster from any graveyard, and I'll choose one of Drake's. Red Eyes Black Dragon."

Drake watched as his Red Eyes Black Dragon returned to the field, this time under the control of Wyo. Inspecting her field, understanding clicked.

"You're fucked," Drake chuckled at the husk.

"So fucked. I play the spell card, Polymerization. With it I'll fuse Dark Magician with Red Eyes Black Dragon in order to special summon Red Eyes Dark Dragoon!"

As her original two monsters disappeared, her new one swooped down from the sky, staff in hand and red jewels shining brightly as it landed gently in front of Wyo.

"I'll activate its ability. I can destroy one of your monsters and inflict damage to your life points equal to the destroyed monster's attack points. Oh, and I can do that for each normal monster I used in my monster's fusion summon. So, I'll destroy both of you Soldiers to inflict six thousand points of damage directly to your life points!"

Wyo watched with a bit of satisfaction as the husk wailed in pain as its life points burned to zero. Striding forward, she spat at the husk's remains in frustration.

"Let that be a fucking lesson to never impersonate my friends ever again."

Wyo - 1400 LP, 2 cards remaining in deck

Drake - 1600 LP, 3 cards remaining in deck

Husk-Hela - 0 LP

Husk-Ranger - 0 LP

"HUSKS DEFEATED. NOW LIFTING INVASION PROTOCOL."

Exhaustion overcame Wyo and she started to slump to her knees, only for Drake to catch her before she could hit the ground. Taking one of her arms, he draped it over his shoulder.

"So, you gonna tell me why I couldn't have finished him off instead?"

"Helen… Hela is my best friend, even before we all got stuck in this game," Wyo admitted. "I know it's not her, but deleting even a copy of her… I couldn't do it. Sorry."

"Hey, no harm no foul," Drake shrugged. "Now, let's get you somewhere you can rest. You've earned it."

"EVENT COMPLETE: PLAYER SCRAMBLE IS NOW OVER"

Wyo and Drake looked at each other and quickly opened their HUD's. The communicator was still grayed out but the Player Tracker was up and running again… and next to Hela's and Ranger's names was a green dot, indicating that they were still alive.

Author's notes: Not sure if I got the ruling of Magician's Defense completely correct but either way the result would be the same, Wyo would just have more life points at the end. As always, if I screwed up the rulings please let me know.*