Here is part 2! Where is the Numeron Code being kept? Will Ai be able to unlock it's hiding place from within Enna's mind? I hope everyone enjoys this, especially all you Ai fans! One minor thing. I can't get the symbol that appears before "Ignister" to show itself on here; the site just won't let me. Sorry about that. Still, it shouldn't affect the chapter overall.
Just another reminder that I'm taking my break after this chapter. I'll resume sometime after the first of the year. Merry Christmas and continue to stay safe!
Yugioh: The Hope of Six
Chapter 8 - Ai's Mission
"Thanks. Now then… let's do this!" Ai said, getting the Duel for the Numeron Code's location underway.
"DUEL!"
(Ai: 4000) (Enna: 4000)
"As the guardian of the Numeron Code, I will go first. My turn! Draw!" She declared, taking the first turn.
"Hey! Wait! You get to draw first?!" He asked, surprised by this.
"Yes. All Duels have the first player draw first. Do you not have that same rule on your world?" Enna asked, confused by Ai's reaction. Ai shook his head.
"No, we don't. It's always the second player that draws first." He said before quickly adding, "But I'm cool playing by your rules!" The Astral woman nodded.
"Very well. I will begin by playing Double Summon, which allows me to make a second Normal Summon this turn in addition to my first one! First, I Summon Bujin Yamato!" (LIGHT; Level 4; ATK: 1800; DEF: 200) A humanoid warrior wearing dark red and gold armor appeared before Enna.
Ai was stunned by the hairstyle and overall appearance of the Monster. 'Okay, that's freaky. That thing kinda looks like one of Yuma's friends, Judai Yuki.' He thought to himself. He snapped out of it to focus on the Duel.
"For my second Normal Summon, I Summon Bujin Mikazuchi!" (LIGHT; Level 4; ATK: 1900; DEF: 1500) This Monster had dark blue and silver armor with spiky hair. He didn't know why, but Ai suspected it resembled someone else on another world. Possibly someone Judai knows. "Now I Overlay the Level 4 Bujin Yamato and Bujin Mikazuchi! With these two Monsters, I build the Overlay Network! Ancient blue warrior! Wield your mythical blade and strike down your foe! Xyz Summon! Appear, Bujintei Kagusuchi!" (LIGHT; Rank 4; ATK: 2500; DEF: 2000) Now it seemed the blue warrior from earlier just got a better suit of blue and silver armor and had four "blades" on his back covered in blue flames. It also held a sword and shield.
"That's what I call being "fired up"." Ai couldn't help saying to himself. He then noticed something odd. "Hold it! You Summoned your Xyz Monster in one of your Main Monster Zones?!" Enna appeared confused again.
"What do you mean by "Main" Monster Zones?" She asked. Ai decided to explain.
"In my world, there are two rows of Monster Zones in Duel Monsters. There's the 5 Main Monster Zones, where all main Deck Monsters are Summoned in. Then there is another row called Extra Monster Zones, where Extra Deck Monsters are Summoned. There are only 2 of those though."
"Meaning you can only Summon Monsters from the Extra Deck in those particular Zones?" Enna asked in surprise. Ai nodded. "I see. We certainly do not have those here. Is this going to affect your dueling strategy?" The Dark Ignis shook his head.
"Nah, it's fine. I did say I would play by your rules, and I'm sticking to that! Thanks for letting me know!" Ai said with a goofy smile. 'So this means I gotta pick my Monster Zones carefully when my turn starts. I should still be okay with what I have in mind.' Ai thought.
"Are there other differences I should be aware of?" Enna asked. Ai thought for a second before asking another question.
"I don't suppose you know about Link Monsters or other kinds of Extra Deck Monsters other than Xyz Monsters, do you?" Ai asked in return.
"I have seen Fusion, Synchro, and Pendulum Monsters when I dueled those three humans. I am also aware of Ritual Monsters, even though they do not come from the Extra Deck. However, I have never seen or heard of Link Monsters." She told him. Ai didn't know a thing about Pendulum Monsters, but he was familiar with the others.
"I thought so. Well, I just might show you as the Duel goes on. You're free to continue your turn now." Ai said.
"Thank you. At this time, Bujintei Kagusuchi's Monster Effect activates! When it is Xyz Summoned, I can send the top five cards of my Deck to the Graveyard! For each "Bujin" card sent there this way, Kagusuchi gains 100 Attack Points!" Enna then took the top five cards from her Deck, and was pleased. "My top five cards are Advent of the Bujin, Bujinunity, Bujingi Sagusa, Fall of the Bujin, and Bujingi Tsumugari! This means my Xyz Monster is now 500 Attack Points stronger!" Enna confirmed as the Monster's flames bursted with power.
(Bujintei Kagusuchi's ATK: 2500 + 500 = 3000)
'Talk about luck.' Ai thought grudgingly.
"I then Set one card facedown and end my turn. Let us see what you are capable of, Ai." Ai smirked. He definitely planned to.
"It will be my pleasure. My turn! Draw!" He smiled, knowing this was going to be fun. "I play a Field Magic card, Ignister AiLand! If I have no Monsters in my Main Monster Zones, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower "Ignister" Monster from my hand! Then for the rest of the turn, I cannot Special Summon Monsters except for "Cyberse" Monsters! I Special Summon Pikari Ignister!" (LIGHT; Level 4; ATK: 1200; DEF: 600) A small yellow creature covered with markings and wearing a white hat appeared on the Field. "Pikari's Monster Effect! When it is Normal or Special Summoned, I can take a "Ignister AiLand" from my Deck and add it to my hand!" He said, adding a copy of his Field Magic to his hand.
'I wonder what his strategy is? It should be interesting to see.' Enna thought as she observed her opponent.
"Next I Normal Summon Doyon Ignister!" (DARK; Level 4; ATK: 400; DEF: 1600) Appearing next to Pikari was a little purple creature, also covered in similar markings. "Now I Overlay my Level 4 Pikari and Doyon! Woman of gold! Come and bring true light and protection for all that look up to you! Guide all to a better life! Xyz Summon! Appear! Rank 4! Gold Lady Ignister!" (LIGHT; Rank 4; ATK: 2400; DEF: 1600) In place of the two smaller Monsters, a tall gorgeous woman with long blond hair, pale blue eyes and wearing a golden dress now stood in Ai's far right Monster Zone slot. She also had a certain blue mark on her forehead, just like the ones Pikari and Doyon had.
Enna and the Astral World survivors were visibly awed by the new Monster. Ai felt great pride in Summoning it for the first time. Seeing it in action brought back the memory of when he met Ray Akaba, and learning what she did…
Flashback
"Huh?" Ai said after being rematerialized as an eyeball. He didn't understand why he existed at all. He was supposed to have been permanently deleted after losing against Playmaker. "What's… going on?"
"Stay still. It will take me a moment to completely revive you." Said an unfamiliar female voice. Ai should be wary of hearing a strange voice wanting to bring him back. However, the kindness in the voice somehow relaxed him and did as she said.
Ai felt a weird tingling sensation as his body started to return, little by little. In a short time, his original Ignis body was fully reformed. He examined himself, still extremely confused. "I'm… really back?" He asked himself, staring at his hands. The female voice giggled.
"Yep, you most certainly are." Ai learned the voice was right behind him. When he turned around, he saw a pretty human girl in a golden body suit with long maroon hair. She was smiling at him while sitting on her knees. "Feeling like your old self again, Ai?" She asked kindly. Ai was surprised further.
"H-How do you know my name? How did you revive me? Who the heck are you, lady?" Ai asked, wanting answers.
"I am Ray Akaba. It's okay. I have no intention of hurting you. I'm actually happy to finally meet you, Ai. I have been watching you and Playmaker for quite some time." She then proceeded to tell him of her own life's story, including her time watching over him and the other Ignis in LINK VRAINS. Ray then frowned a little when she got to the part where Ai terminated himself. "When I saw you get deleted, I acted quickly and used my new powers to collect your scattered data here and restored you to your original form."
The Dark Ignis was totally flabbergasted by Ray's story. A human from another world with godlike abilities? He didn't know what to think of it all. Before long though, Ai's confusion turned to outrage. "How dare you?! Why would you do that?! If you had been watching me this whole time, then you know why I had to die! The humans, including Playmaker, would perish because of my very existence! All because I…" Ai faltered as he lowered his head. "Because I'm the only Ignis left. I am completely alone…" He said, sounding unmistakably miserable. When he was about to argue more, he saw that Ray was smiling.
"No… you're not." She said quietly before turning to her right. Confused again, Ai turned to where Ray was looking… and saw an impossible sight. He gasped and his yellow eyes widened in total disbelief. It couldn't be true… could it?
"Flame? Aqua? Earth? Windy? They're… they're actually…?" Ai couldn't bring himself to finish his question. Ray nodded, confirming he was not seeing things. Before him lay the four Ignis he tried, and failed, to save from Bohman. They appeared unconscious. "H-How…?"
"Right after you and Playmaker returned to the real LINK VRAINS, I froze Bohman and used my powers to free them from his core. After that, I brought them here… in a destroyed building on Cyberse World. I have been keeping watch over them while I was observing you. Now you won't be alone anymore." She told him gently. Ai had another question.
"What about… Lightning?" He asked. Ray frowned.
"I left him inside Bohman. It was his choice to be a part of him. They both died together." She said, not caring about that heartless being or his creation. Ai nodded.
"Good." He said coldly. "He deserved it for everything he did to everyone… including me." The Dark Ignis was silent for a moment before slowly turning back to Ray. "Will they be… okay?" He asked. Ray nodded again.
"Yes. I'm sure they'll all wake up soon." At this, Ai became teary eyed big time and his whole body started to shake. Before Ray knew it, the little guy was hugging her tightly and cried without restraint.
"Thank you, Ray Akaba! Thank you for bringing them back! Thank you for giving them back to me! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!" A smiling Ray returned the hug, holding him as he wept.
"It was my pleasure, Ai. It truly was."
Flashback End
Ai was so grateful to Ray for what she did, he decided to honor her by replacing his old Xyz Monster with his current one. His original Xyz, Light Dragon Ignister, was made in memory of Lightning. Even though he hated his former leader for his actions, he was still an Ignis and Ai wanted to at least not have that forgotten. After recent events, he changed his point of view and made the switch.
'Ray, you've given the Ignis a second chance. You've given me a second chance. Now it's time to pay you back in full… by getting this mission done!' He thought determinedly. "I activate the Effect of Gold Lady Ignister! By detaching both of it's Overlay Units, I can Special Summon an "Ignister" Monster from my Deck and my Extra Deck, ignoring their Summoning conditions! From my Deck, I Special Summon the Ritual Monster, Water Leviathan Ignister!" (WATER; Level 7; ATK: 2300; DEF: 2000) Ai's Ritual Monster, an aqua blue elegant sea serpent with a dark pink stone it's forehead, materialized on the far left Monster Zone slot.
"Pretty." A little Astral girl upon seeing it.
"Now from my Extra Deck, I Special Summon the Link Monster, Fire Phoenix Ignister!" (FIRE; Link-3, ATK: 2300; Middle-Left Marker, Bottom-Center Marker, Middle-Right Marker) In the center slot stood a fiery red bird with blue stripes across it's body.
"So this is a Link Monster?" Enna asked, very curious about the new Monster type.
"Sure is! These Monsters have no Level or Rank. They also don't display Defense Points, meaning they can't be switched to Defense Mode. The arrows you see are called Link Markers and they point to Monster Zones. To Summon a Link Monster, the number of Materials has to be equal to the Link Rating, or the number of Markers it has, of the Link Monster you plan to Summon. When a Link Monster itself is used as a Material, that Monster can ether be treated as one Material or multiple Materials equal to it's own Link Rating. Link Monsters can use certain Effects when Monsters are occupying Zones the Markers point to." Ai explained to her.
"Fascinating." Enna said. She wondered what kind of Effects Fire Phoenix had.
"I know, right?" Ai said with a smile. "But for now, I'm keeping my focus on Gold Lady! While she is on my Field, other "Ignister" Monsters I control cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects! In exchange for their protection, each "Ignister" Monster gives Gold Lady 400 Attack and Defense Points!" Ai revealed as his new Xyz grew stronger.
(Gold Lady Ignister's ATK: 2400 + 800 = 3200; DEF: 1600 + 800 = 2400)
'Now his Xyz Monster is stronger than mine.' Enna thought, but she wasn't worried.
"Okay, time for some action! Battle! Gold Lady Ignister, attack Bujintei Kagusuchi! Golden Ray!" Ai's Xyz fired a blast of golden energy from it's hands, streaming toward Enna's warrior. She wasn't going to make it that easy to destroy.
"I activate Bujingi Sagusa's Monster Effect! During either of our turns, by banishing Sagusa from my Graveyard, I can prevent a Beast Warrior-type "Bujin" Monster I control from being destroyed by battle or card effects once this turn! Kagusuchi is now shielded from your assault!" A shiny yellow hare appeared and intercepted Gold Lady's attack.
"Yeah, but you still take the damage!" Ai reminded her as Enna took the small hit to her Life Points.
(3200 - 3000 = 200)
(Enna: 4000 - 200 = 3800)
"A good start, but you will have to try harder to defeat me." Enna said strongly. Ai shrugged.
"I know. Trust me, you haven't seen my best yet. I Set one card facedown and end my turn."
Enna knew she couldn't let her Monster be destroyed… not if she planned to bring "it" out. "My turn! Draw!" She saw an opportunity to move her plan along. "Trap card open, Seal-Regulating Bujin! This can be Equipped to a Rank 4 Xyz Monster and raise it's Attack Points by 300 for each Overlay Unit it has! Kagusuchi has two, so it gains 600 more Attack Points!"
(Bujintei Kagusuchi's ATK: 3000 + 600 = 3600)
"Not much of a problem." Ai said.
"My Trap has another Effect! Once per turn, I can take a "Bujin" Monster from my hand and attach it to the Equipped Monster as an Overlay Unit! I attach Bujin Hirume to Bujintei Kagusuchi to make it stronger!" Enna said as her Xyz Monster gained more Attack Power.
(Bujintei Kagusuchi's ATK: 3600 + 300 = 3900)
"Okay, maybe it's more of a problem now." Ai said, starting to feel nervous.
"Now I will go on the offense! Battle! Bujintei Kagusuchi, attack Gold Lady Ignister! Azure Flame Sword!" The warrior lifted it's blade and rushed forward towered Ai's Xyz Monster. "Now I activate the Effect of Bujingi Tsumugari in my Graveyard! When a Beast-Warrior "Bujin" Monster I control battles an opponent's Monster during either of our Damage Steps, I can banish Tsumugari to increase the Attack Points of my Monster by the same amount as the opposing Monster's until the end of the Damage Step! If successful, then all damage you take from that battle is halved!"
(Bujintei Kagusuchi's ATK: 3900 + 3200 = 7100)
"Now THAT'S a problem!" Ai said, appearing to panic… only to chuckle a second later. "Just kidding! Trap card open, A.I.'s Show! When an opponent's Monster attacks, I can target that Monster and Special Summon any number of non-Link Cyberse Monsters with 2300 Attack Points from my Extra Deck, with their total Attack Points being equal or less to the targeted Monster's! Also, those Monsters have to be in Monster Zones that a Link Monster points to, Fire Phoenix in this case, and then the Battle Phase ends! On either side of Fire Phoenix, I Special Summon the Fusion Monster, Earth Golem Ignister (EARTH; Level 7; ATK: 2300; DEF: 2000) and the Synchro Monster, Wind Pegasus Ignister!" (WIND; Level 7; ATK: 2300; DEF: 1500)
In Ai's inner left Monster Zone slot was now occupied by a white and green winged horse. His inner right slot was taken by a bulky brown rock giant. Enna's Monster was forced to halt it's attack since the Battle Phase had ended. As it did, Kagusuchi's Attack Points dropped back down to 3900. "That was an impressive defense." Enna remarked. Ai smiled from her compliment.
"Hehe. Anyways, now that there are two more "Ignister" Monsters on my Field, Gold Lady gets a lot stronger too!" He declared as Gold Lady also increased her power.
(Gold Lady Ignister's ATK: 3200 + 800 = 4000; DEF: 2400 + 800 = 3200)
"So it has. However, I still have not shown my true abilities. You will see very shortly. I end my turn." Enna said, finishing her move. 'It is almost time. On my next turn… you will face my ultimate power as the Numeron Code's guardian.' She thought to herself. She still hoped Ai would succeed, but that did not mean she would go easy on him. She must fight to the fullest of her abilities to protect the Numeron Code. That was her duty.
However, Ai also had his own mission. No matter what Enna intended to throw at him, he had to overcome it in order to win and secure the Numeron Code. "Oh, I look forward to that, Enna. My turn! Draw!" First, he would get rid of a troubling matter. "I activate the Monster Effect of Wind Pegasus! I can target a number of Magic and Trap cards you control equal to the number of "Ignister" Monsters I control and destroy them! You only have one, but it's the one that's gotta go! I destroy your Seal-Regulating Bujin!" Enna wasn't really annoyed her Trap was destroyed, even though her Monster's Attack Points were lowered back down to 3000. She had a sufficient amount of Overlay Units. All she needed now was one successful attack and a certain card she had yet to draw, then her victory would be assured.
'Go ahead Ai. I am more than ready for your next assault.' She mentally dared.
But that attack didn't take place just yet. On his end, Ai suddenly felt the cards in his hand were inadequate for now. "I play A.I. Contact! This Magic card lets me choose a Field Magic in play and shuffle a copy of it in my hand into my Deck before drawing three more cards! I shuffle my second Ignister AiLand into my Deck and draw!" Ai sent one card back while getting three more. Ai smiled with that he held now.
'Ai is planning something, but what could it be?' Enna wondered. She felt she would know soon enough.
'Maybe I should let one of my other Monsters see some action this time.' Ai thought before attacking. "Battle! Water Leviathan Ignister, attack Bujintei Kagusuchi! Tidal Wave Blast!" Ai's sea monster fired a burst of water at the flaming blue warrior.
"He's attacking with a weaker Monster?" Enna asked herself, stunned by this act.
"At this time, Water Leviathan's Monster Effect kicks in! When it attacks an opponent's Monster, that Monster's Attack Points are halved during damage calculation!" Ai declared. Enna didn't flinch as her Monster suddenly got weaker again.
(Bujintei Kagusuchi's ATK: 3000 / 2 = 1500)
"Clever, but it is not enough! I activate the Effect of Bujingi Yata in my hand! If a Beast-Warrior "Bujin" Monster I control is being attacked by an opponent's Monster, I can send Yata from my hand to the Graveyard to not only negate your attack, but also to inflict damage to you equal to half of the attacking Monster's Attack Points!"
"What?!" Ai shouted as his attack was nullified and had taken a hit instead.
(2300 / 2 = 1150)
(Ai: 4000 - 1150 = 2850)
"With your attack negated, the Effect of Water Leviathan ends!" Enna said, her Monster's Attack Points rose back up to 3000.
"Nice one, Enna! You're definitely a challenging opponent! I Set one card facedown and end my turn!"
"You didn't want to try attacking with your stronger Monster?" Enna questioned. Ai shrugged again without any care.
"Eh, I figured I shouldn't risk any further damage to my Life Points this turn." He said in a casual tone.
"Your behavior continues to surprise me, Ai." Enna told him. "You know what is at stake and how important your mission is, yet you intend on enjoying yourself in this Duel." Ai smiled.
"Just because what I'm doing is important, doesn't mean I can't have some fun in the process. Believe me, I'm taking this seriously. I just don't want to come off as a stiff who can't even crack a smile." He said with a little laugh.
Enna couldn't help but smile from his words. She was liking him more and more. In fact, she came close to laughing herself. Still, they were dueling. She couldn't afford to get distracted, especially since it was almost time to call "it" out. "I doubt you will laugh when you see how I plan to win. My turn! Draw! I play Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two more cards!" Once she saw her new cards, Enna knew she was all set for her big move. "Battle! Bujintei Kagusuchi, attack Wind Pegasus Ignister!" Ai didn't expect this.
"Enna, you do know that Gold Lady prevents my other Monsters from being destroyed, right?" He asked. Enna smiled at him as her Monster closed in on her opponent's.
"I am aware. However, that does not mean I can't damage you." She said. Ai wondered what she was up to. He smiled back.
"I wouldn't say that! I activate the Effect of Donyoribo Ignister in my hand! When an "Ignister" Monster I control is being attacked during damage calculation, I can send it to the Graveyard to not take damage from that battle!" Even though Kagusuchi's sword struck Ai's Synchro Monster, the Ignis lost neither his Monster or a chunk of his Life Points. "Sorry Enna, you couldn't touch me this time!" Enna had dropped her smile, and replaced it with a frown. This concerned the Ignis.
"Ai… I truly did not care whether or not I could destroy your Monster in battle or further damage your Life Points. What mattered was that my Monster had attacked this turn… and that was all I needed." Ai started to get a very, very bad feeling about this.
Suddenly, the atmosphere around them seemed to electrify… literally. The group of survivors tensed up, feeling that something ominous was about to happen. Ai then saw a small thundercloud forming above Enna, and it grew larger by the second. Before long, it occupied the whole ceiling and was lighting up with electric bolts dancing across it. "Uh… why is it getting a little stormy in here?" He asked, now sounding genuinely scared… as he should be.
"Everything I have done until now in this Duel has all been preparation for this moment. Now it is time! You are about to see how I won against the humans I was forced to battle!" Enna declared loudly.
"Uh oh." Ai said, feeling the sweat running down the back of his neck.
"I possess one of the most powerful Monsters ever conceived, and now I shall Summon it! In order to call forth this mighty being, I had to have an Xyz Monster attack this turn! After that, I can Xyz Summon it using an Xyz Monster I control as Material! I Overlay my Rank 4 Bujintei Kagusuchi! With this Xyz Monster, I build the Overlay Network once more! Mechanized Lord of Olympus! Descend from your throne and unleash your fury! Let the skies shake from your thunder! Xyz Summon! Appear, King of the Gods! NEGALOGIA AA-ZEUS!" (LIGHT; Rank 12; ATK: 3000; DEF: 3000)
Out from the thundercloud came a giant white and gold humanoid mech with huge wings, each equipped with a powerful turbine engine. Neon green energy formed at the top of both engines, while dark purple electricity sparked from the bottom. The Astral World survivors were in great awe of the massive machine. The Dark Ignis himself was frozen in place as he stood within the thing's enormous shadow. He was speechless. 'A Rank 12 Xyz Monster?! Enna had THAT all along?!' When Enna's new Monster landed on the ground, it actually shook the place a little, nearly making Ai fall (comically) off his feet.
Enna could tell Ai was terrified of her true Ace. He was going to see how terrifying it was. "Brace yourself! I activate the Effect of Negalogia AA-ZEUS! By detaching two Overlay Units, I can send all other cards on the Field to the Graveyard! Wrath of Olympus!"
"It WHAT?!" Ai yelled in horrified shock. He watched as ZEUS raised both it's fists and let lose multiple bolts of lightning at Ai's side of the Field. The Dark Ignis screamed as every single one of his cards were obliterated before getting blasted down to the ground himself.
Enna felt great pity for her opponent. 'Ai, as much as I care for you, I must not soften my resolve. I hope you will understand.' She then waited to see if he would try anything to retaliate.
Laying on his chest, Ai managed to look up and saw his Field scorched and empty. All his Monsters, his Field Magic, and his facedown card… all gone. Just like that. Gold Lady's protection Effect wouldn't work if she was destroyed as well. He was again alone… isolated. This strangely brought up another memory from his recent past…
Flashback
Ai had been floating within the bottomless gorge that was his territory of Cyberse World for a while now. He wanted to be in the dark, away from all that would try to get his attention. He came to this decision after thanking Ray for rescuing the other Ignis, minus Lightning. He told her he wanted to isolate himself, be alone with his guilt of hurting the humans he previously befriended. His actions against Blue Maiden and her brother were particularly hurtful. Ray tried to talk him out of it, but his mind was made up. He was there, quiet, cold and by himself. Until…
"Hey! Ai!" Ai turned around to the first welcoming sight since his solitude started. Flame, Aqua, Earth, and Windy flew down toward him. "Ray told us where to find you after we woke up, so here we are!" Flame said as he and the others met up with him. Ai was actually very happy to see them awake again.
"Hey guys. You're all okay?" He asked. The group nodded.
"We are fine, thanks to Ray Akaba. Are you okay?" Earth asked.
"What do you mean?" Ai asked, trying to sound ignorant.
"Ray told us what happened to you after you lost us." Windy said softly, looking sad. Ai turned away, not bothering to comment on the subject. "She then said you went into "self isolation" as penitence for your sins. You really didn't think we'd let you suffer all by yourself, did you?" When Ai still didn't speak, Aqua surprised him with a hug.
"Ai, what you have gone through… it was terrible. You felt you had no way out. You had no one to turn to for help or guidance. Your pain was too much for you to bear on your own, so you sought to end it… by ending yourself. How awful." Said the Water Ignis, tears running down her face. He couldn't help it; Ai hugged her back, crying as well. Flame, Earth, and Windy also joined in to lend their emotional support.
"You're not alone anymore, Ai." Flame said gently.
"We are here now." Earth added.
"It's going to be okay. You'll see." Windy said in a very caring tone. It was ironic, Ai thought, remembering not long ago that the Wind Ignis wasn't very caring at all. He was glad that the old Windy was back. He was glad they were all back, thanks to Ray. After a very long time, Ai separated himself from the others.
"You guys… thanks for coming to see me. It matters to me more than you'll ever know. But…" He hesitated before sighing. "I don't think I'll ever receive forgiveness from anyone I've attacked. In fact… I don't think I can ever forgive myself. That's why I want to be alone right now." Flame grunted.
"Don't be stupid." He told him.
"I do not hate you for what you did against Blue Maiden and her brother. I pains me that she has been hurt by you, but I forgive you." Aqua said.
"You shouldn't do this to yourself." Earth said. Windy had something to say as well.
"Listen Ai. I know how you feel. When Lightning reprogrammed me to work for him, I committed lots of terrible deeds. What I did to Flame was such an atrocity. Worst of all was the car accident that took my partner's life… an event I orchestrated." He then tightened his fist. "After my original personality was restored, I felt unbearable shame and guilt from my past actions. I wanted to delete myself for everything. But Ray and the others convinced me that it really wasn't my fault, because I was not my true self. I learned to forgive myself. You can too." He encouraged.
Ai shook his head. "It's not the same, Windy. No one reprogrammed me into someone I wasn't. My decisions and actions really were my own. Yes, Lightning's simulation did start my path of self destruction, but he only laid one path for me. I chose my own way. Everything that I caused was my doing. So please, all of you, respect my wishes and… let me be." He insisted. Flame was about to argue more but Aqua held up a hand.
"Very well. We will do as you ask. Just remember that we are now here for you Ai… all of us." Ai nodded, appreciating her and the other's words. With that, the rest of the Ignis headed back to their territories, leaving Ai alone once more in his gorge… feeling not quite so lonely anymore.
Flashback End
After that, Ai recalled two other times the other Ignis visited him. The first was when they told him they were rebuilding Cyberse World with Ray. They asked if he would like to join them, but he still preferred his solitude, so they left him alone again. The second time was when they asked him to help them find four powerful Duelists to save Ray's world from destruction. Again, he refused to do anything. Not because he didn't care about helping Ray with stopping her father's actions, but because he felt he was unworthy of helping anyone after all the harm he caused in this world. Very reluctantly, they left him once more.
It wasn't until much later, when he felt all of Cyberse World being moved, that Ai finally decided to leave the gorge to see what was going on. It was then that he saw the other Ignis, Ray, Playmaker, Soulburner, Blue Maiden, and several others he had never seen before. He listened to everything that was being said after that. When he heard about Lightning's return, he was shocked and angered that the one truly responsible for all of Ai's suffering was back to cause more chaos and destruction. It was in that moment he at last came to the decision to take action… and help stop Lightning once and for all.
Back in the present, Ai gritted his teeth as he struggled to move after the hit he just took from ZEUS. 'Lightning wants the Numeron Code… that's why he got Enna involved in this mess in the first place. He discovered she was the card's guardian and she now holds the key to where it is hiding. So he sent some mystery woman to bring all sorts of havoc to the Astral World in order to flush Enna out. Well, he's not getting that card… not while I'm here!' Ai thought as he slowly, and painfully, got back up. "Enna, that's a hell of a Monster you've got… but I'm not done yet! Not even close!" He declared. Enna was impressed by his unwillingness to give up.
"Then show me how you intend to fight back!" She challenged.
"You bet! First, I activate the final Effect of Gold Lady Ignister! When she is destroyed, I can Special Summon one of the Monsters used for her Xyz Summon to my Field in Defense Mode! I Special Summon Doyon Ignister!" The little purple creature returned in a defensive position. "Now Doyon's Monster Effect! When it is Normal or Special Summoned, I can take an "Ignister" Monster from my Graveyard and add it to my hand! I choose Pikari Ignister!" He said, adding the other little Monster to his hand. "Next, I activate the Effect of Fire Phoenix Ignister! When it is destroyed by a card effect and goes to the Graveyard, I can destroy a Monster you control! I destroy Negalogia AA-ZEUS!"
"Defeating the King of the Gods will not be so simple! I activate Forbidden Holy Robe! This Quick-Play Magic card prevents a Monster I control from being targeted or destroyed by other card effects until the end of this turn! In exchange, that Monster loses 600 of it's Attack Points until the turn is over! ZEUS is safe from your Phoenix's destruction Effect!" Enna declared, weakening her godlike Monster to protect it.
(Negalogia AA-ZEUS' ATK: 3000 - 600 = 2400)
"Damn." Ai cursed in frustration. Enna gave her own sigh.
"Ai, you have fought valiantly in this Duel. You battled with great determination and didn't back down. I admire you for that. However, this is where you will face your defeat. In my Duel against the humans, I first destroyed all their cards on the Field with ZEUS' Effect. Then I used another Magic card to finish the job… and I am playing that same card now! I activate… Master Bolt! This can only be played when "Negalogia AA-ZEUS" is on my Field! It allows me to inflict damage to you equal to the combined Attack Points of all your Monsters that were destroyed this turn!"
"Are you kidding?!" Ai said incredulously.
"This is it Ai! Forgive me as you fall!" ZEUS then fired a massive lighting bolt formed from Enna's Master Bolt card. It really looked like Ai was finished… except it wasn't.
"It's not over Enna! When a card or effect that inflicts damage is activated while I control an "Ignister" Monster, I can banish "Donyoribo Ignister" from my Graveyard to reduce the damage to zero!" A new small purple Monster with grey curly hair blocked the bolt from touching it's master.
Enna was visibly stunned by this move. "Ai, you actually survived my combo! That is truly impressive! But still, you are at a severe disadvantage! I detach ZEUS' last two Overlay Units to use it's Effect once more!" Ai braced himself as ZEUS fired another barrage of lightning, which resulted in Doyon's destruction. "I have one more card to play! I shall now Equip ZEUS with Xyz Unit! The Xyz Monster Equipped with this card gains Attack Points equal to that Monster's Rank times 200! ZEUS' Rank is 12, which means it will gain 2400 more Attack Points!" ZEUS roared as the mech's already formidable power grew.
(12 x 200 = 2400)
(Negalogia AA-ZEUS' ATK: 2400 + 2400 = 4800)
"Just when I thought that thing couldn't get any tougher." He said quietly.
"With that, my turn ends and ZEUS regains the Attack Points it lost from Forbidden Holy Robe's Effect!" Enna said as ZEUS' Attack Power rose by 600, making it 5400 Points in total.
Needless to say, Ai was in a huge pickle. He was up against a super strong Monster while he had nothing. Things looked pretty bad for the Dark Ignis. Even though the odds were definitely against him, he refused to call it quits. Thankfully, he had a plan.
"Enna, prepare to be amazed big time… as I take down ZEUS and win!" Ai's declaration surprised the woman he dueled.
"You actually believe you can defeat me?" She asked. Ai nodded, looking more confident now.
"Oh, most definitely! I'll prove it! My turn! DRAW!" His eyes widened. 'Yes!' He cheered in his mind. "First of all, do to activating it's Effect last turn, Fire Phoenix returns to my Field during my Standby Phase!" Ai's firebird Link Monster returned to it's Master's Field. "Remember the facedown card you destroyed earlier?" Ai asked, with Enna nodding to confirm it. "Well, here it is! I banish my Trap, A.I. Live!, from my Graveyard to Special Summon as many "Ignister" Monsters as possible from my Graveyard that were destroyed last turn! Come on back guys!" Ai called out as he revived Gold Lady, Water Leviathan, Earth Golem, and Wind Pegasus.
"Incredible! He managed to resurrect them all!" Enna said in amazement.
"I am just getting started! Since a Link Monster was revived by A.I. Live!, it goes down by one Link Rating! In other words, Fire Phoenix is now a Link-2 Monster!" Ai revealed as Fire Phoenix lost the "Bottom-Center" Marker. "Next I activate Wind Pegasus' Effect again to destroy your Xyz Unit! Without it, ZEUS won't be so high and mighty anymore!" Ai declared as ZEUS's Attack Points dropped back to 3000.
"ZEUS has another Effect! Once per turn, if another card or cards I control is destroyed by battle or an opponent's card effect, I can attach one card from my hand, Deck, or Extra Deck to ZEUS as an Overlay Unit! I take a card from my Deck and give it to my Monster!"
"Doesn't matter. I'm not going to let you use that thing to wipe me out next turn… especially since you won't have a next turn!" Ai told her.
"Excuse me?" Enna said, thinking she misheard Ai. He gave a wide grin.
"You showed me your true strength, now I'll do the same! Appear! The circuit that guides the dark!" A dark blue cybernetic square with eight markers appeared above Ai. "Arrowheads confirmed! The Summoning conditions are at least two Monsters with 1500 or more Attack Points that have different Attributes! Remember, even though Fire Phoenix is only 1 Monster, it counts as 2 Materials due to it's reduced Link Rating! I Set the five "Ignister" Monsters in the Link Markers! Circuit combine!" The Monsters then went into six of those Markers, lighting them up red around the square. "Link Summon! The revived five shine and become one! Superior! Splendid! Stunning! Elegant! Super! My overwhelming feelings for their return pour out! Appear! Link 6! The Arrival Cyberse Ignister!" (DARK; Link-6; ATK: ?; Top-Center Marker, Bottom-Center Marker, Middle-Right Marker, Middle-Left Marker, Bottom-Left Marker, Bottom-Right Marker)
Enna and her people gasped at the new Link Monster before their very eyes. It seemed to be a dark purple humanoid cyborg with a bright blue crystal in the center of the chest and two large rings behind it's back. "Link… 6?!" Enna gasped. 'How high can these Link Monsters go?!'
"Currently, my Ace has the highest number of any Link Monster from my world! Now to show you what it can do! The original Attack Points of The Arrival become 1000 times the number of Link Materials used for it's Link Summon! Because five Monsters were used, it now has an original Attack Power of 5000! But wait, there's more! The Arrival also gains 1000 more Attack Points for each card I control! That includes itself, so now it's power is at 6000!"
"6000 Attack Points?!" Enna shouted in shock. It had now far surpassed the power of ZEUS! She never expected Ai to have a Monster like this.
"The Arrival has yet another Effect! Once per turn, I can place a counter on it, and as long as it has a counter, my Monster is unaffected by other cards' effects!" The blue crystal on The Arrival's chest glowed as it's counter was placed. "Now for one more of it's Effects! Once per turn, I can target one Monster on the Field and destroy it! Say bye-bye to ZEUS!" Ai said. Enna wouldn't have it.
"Your Fire Phoenix couldn't destroy it, and neither will your new Monster! I banish Master Bolt from my Graveyard to protect ZEUS from being destroyed by card effects this turn! Also, it raises my Monster's Attack Points so that is 1000 Points higher than your Monster: 7000!" Ai seemed amused.
"Getting desperate huh? Welp, guess there's just one thing to do now! BATTLE! THE ARRIVAL CYBERSE IGNISTER, ATTACK NEGALOGIA AA-ZEUS! ULTIMA ATTRIBUTION!" Ai's Monster then soared ahead toward the it's powerful adversary with it's cybernetic scythe.
"Your Monster isn't strong enough!" Enna pointed out. Ai chuckled.
"This will change that! I play a Quick-Play Magic card called TA.I. Strike! When my "Ignister" Monster I control battles an opponent's Monster during damage calculation, my Monster's Attack Points become the same as the opposing Monster's!" Enna watched as The Arrival now shared ZEUS' 7000 Attack Points.
"But then both Monsters will be destroyed!" Enna said.
"Yep, but there's more to it than that! When the Monster battling an "Ignister" Monster is destroyed from that battle, TA.I. Strike inflicts damage to you equal to the original Attack Points of your Monster! Before it's big boost, ZEUS' original Attack Power was 3000! Your "King of the Gods" is going down and you take the hit!" Ai said as the two Monsters collided, ZEUS' Fist against The Arrival's scythe. Both blew themselves apart in a great explosion.
(Enna: 3800 - 3000 = 800)
Ai and Enna covered their faces from the blast. The latter couldn't believe the former had succeeded. "Ai, you actually defeated ZEUS and nearly depleted my Life Points! Astounding! Still, this Duel is not over yet!" She claimed. Ai shook his head.
"Actually Enna… it is." Enna gave him a stunned look.
"What?" She said.
"I have one more Quick-Play Magic card to play. I activate Aidling Born! This allows me to Special Summon an "Ignister" from the Graveyard to my Field! I revive Gold Lady Ignister!" Ai's Xyz Monster returned.
Enna realized she had nothing left to defend herself. She fought her hardest, but Ai had fought harder… She smiled in resignation. "Well played, Ai. Finish it." She told him. Ai nodded.
"Here it comes! Gold Lady Ignister… DIRECT ATTACK!" One more energy blast from Gold Lady and Enna lost her remaining Life Points.
(Enna: 0)
The Astral World survivors stared in disbelief, stunned by the outcome of the match.
Enna had fallen to her knees. She had lost the Duel, something she wouldn't have thought possible. Yet, it had happened. She was not saddened by her defeat, however. Enna was actually relieved that her loss came at the hands of a friend of Yuma. She looked up when Ai, still his human form, offered his hand. She gladly took it and was helped back on her feet. "Ai, you were not just boasting about your skills. You are very strong indeed, a much stronger Duelist than I am." Ai chuckled.
"Yeah well, you were certainly a force to be reckoned with, Enna. I couldn't afford to hold back against someone like you." Enna smiled from his compliments. "What's next? Do you now know where…?" Ai started to ask, only there was no need for him to finish. A light green glow instantly appeared from where Enna's heart was. That glow had then taken on the form of a card with the picture of a spark of energy erupting from the center of the universe. "Enna! Is that…?"
"The Numeron Code!" Enna confirmed to her complete astonishment. The woman was speechless. She did not ever suspect something like this! "It has been within me this whole time!" She exclaimed, looking at the place where the card had shown itself in her body.
"You've had it all along?! But how?! How could you have it inside you without you knowing?!" Ai asked, utterly confused. Enna, on the other hand, suddenly understood everything.
"I remember now! Astral gave the Numeron Code to me after he was done using it, telling me to protect it with my life. He had it placed inside me, claiming no one was more suited for keeping a card like the Numeron Code safe than someone who had no desire to use it. Eliphas, using his godlike power, sealed that knowledge away and made it so that defeating me in a Duel would break the seal and restore my memory." She explained, remembering what Eliphas's last words meant.
"Woah. Talk about taking drastic measures." Said the impressed Ignis as the godlike card faded back inside Enna. "That's got to be the reason why Lightning couldn't possess you like those two humans. The power of the Numeron Code provided protection for it's guardian. Lucky you." He said with a smile. Enna nodded in agreement.
Just then, everyone heard loud noises from the tunnel where they came from. They sounded like something was trying to bite and claw their way in… very hard. Growls and barks could also be heard. Enna and the survivors knew instantly what it was. "It's those beasts! They've found us!" Enna shouted in alarm.
"How, after all the time you and your people have been hiding?" Ai questioned.
"They must have sensed the Numeron Code's energy when it was revealed just now!" Said the Astral woman. The noises were becoming more intense. The creatures were definitely trying to break inside. "The Astralite I used to block the entrance won't last long!" Ai turned to her.
"Is there another exit?" He asked. Enna sadly shook her head.
"No, that tunnel is the only way in or out. We are trapped." She said, despair in her voice now. The survivors huddled together, terrified of those things coming for them. Ai gritted his teeth.
'Dammit. Guess there's no other way…' He decided there was only one way now to complete his mission… and save everyone present. Ai stood before Enna and clasped her shoulders, making her look back at him. "Enna… you're wrong. There is another way out." Enna was confused.
"But, I just told you there wasn't." Ai then smiled.
"Not on the Astral World." He said, sounding more confident. Before Enna could ask what he meant, Ai surprised her even more when he suddenly planted his lips firmly on hers. Enna had never experienced this before. The touch, the sensation of being kissed by him made her heart beat much faster than normal. She actually liked this feeling. Not wanting to resist, Enna closed her eyes and placed her hands on both sides of Ai's face, kissing him back. After a very passionate moment, Ai pulled back. Enna took a moment to regain her composure.
"Ai…" she whispered, still not quite believing that had just happened. Her light blue cheeks actually turned a shade of purple. Ai smiled more broadly.
"I always wanted to know what it felt like to kiss a beautiful woman. Humans enjoy that quite a bit. I just couldn't resist." He said in his mischievous tone. Ai then regained his seriousness. "More importantly though, I had just given you the means for everyone to get away."
"I don't understand." Enna said.
"Before I left to come here, I made an emergency escape program to take me back to my world using my connection to Ray. I had planned to use it once I had secured the Numeron Code, but obviously things didn't quite work out that way." He paused before continuing. "Now you have that program. All you have to do is say a certain phrase and then whoosh! You'll be safe and sound on my world!" Enna then became very worried as she turned to the Astral World survivors.
"But… I can't just leave them! Even if the Numeron Code will be safe, it still wouldn't feel right by abandoning my people!" The Dark Ignis shook his head.
"You won't. I'm willing to bet that the Numeron Code's power will enhance my program so that you can take them all with you. It protected you from Lightning when you refused his wishes. Perhaps that card is now responding to your own feelings." Enna thought about this, and figured he had to be right. It's main power to alter reality would not respond without the key, but this was different. Maybe it could work. There was still one other issue.
"What about you? Are you not coming back with us?" Ai sighed as those creatures continued to weaken the block to their shelter.
"Believe me, I want to. The problem is that those things may break in and kill everyone before the program finishes it's job. If it was just you or me, the process would be instantaneous. I imagine it would take a little bit longer with a large group such as this. So if the creatures get in before all of you have left, I need to hold them off until then."
"No Ai! I won't leave you here to die!" Enna protested. Everyone heard a loud cracking noise just then. They were almost through.
"Enna, you must! You have to save everyone here and protect the Numeron Code!" Ai said in desperation. The cracking noises grew louder. There was hardly anytime left. "ENNA, NOW!" He shouted. Reluctantly, she finally agreed to Ai's plan and ran toward the survivors.
"Everyone, gather around me! There may be a way to escape! Quickly!" She instructed. At once, Enna's people gathered around her. "Make sure all of you are in contact with each other as well as with me! I do not wish for anyone to be left behind!" Once everyone confirmed they were as close together as possible, Enna turned to Ai. "Ai, we are ready! What is the trigger phrase?"
A loud breaking noise was heard just then, and the barking sounds were getting louder by the second. The creatures had broken inside. Wasting no time, Ai gave the words to save everyone. "Repeat after me! "Nothing is more important to me than my family!"" The second Enna had repeated Ai's return command, she and the Astral World's citizens began to glow both light green and light purple. Ai smiled. The program was working. Now he just needed to buy them enough time.
It was just then the abominations finally entered the cavern, thirsty for Astral flesh. Ai wouldn't have it as he altered his form once again. This time, he changed into a big fiend like creature with six tentacles, a large yellow eye and mouth, with two of his eyes on the center of his body. The sight scared the survivors and even Enna a little, but the evil monsters running right for them were even more frightening.
When the nightmares were in range, Ai lashed at them with his tentacles and sent several flying into a nearby wall. He did the same to a six more than came at him. When a few tried to get past him to reach Enna and her people, Ai slammed them into the ground with his main body. He actually grabbed one beast with his mouth and shook it around a bit before tossing it toward it's buddies. He lashed, squashed, and beat down every creature he could get at. However, Ai quickly realized he was indeed fighting a losing battle. No matter how many he took down, more just kept coming in from the tunnel. In spite of this, he didn't let up and fought on.
Enna watched Ai fight the beasts with a ferocity she never would've expected from him. He was determined to not let a single beast reach them. Around the group, the glow became brighter. Enna felt that Ai's program was close to completion. 'Any second now.' She thought.
"Lady Enna!" A little Astral girl pointed at Ai, who was now being overwhelmed by the sheer number of monsters. They were piling on top of him, trying to immobilize him.
"Ai!" She yelled. However, that only got the attention of several of the creatures. They then charged at them, mouths open with drool flying past them as they ran.
"NO! DOWN BOYS!" Ai yelled furiously as the managed to slam a free tentacle on top of them. After that, he grabbed them all and tossed them just above the tunnel before falling to the ground. He quickly glanced at the group, and was pleased to see none of them were harmed. By that time, the Astral group was fully enveloped by his return program and were just a few seconds away from vanishing. "Enna… when you see Ray and Playmaker, tell them that… I completed my mission." He told her with a goofy grin in his monstrous form.
Enna was on the verge of tears again. She couldn't believe she was about to leave the one who saved them all. "Aiiiiiiiiiiiii!" She yelled before she and her people flashed out of sight. Ai smiled to himself as he was still being covered by those vile demons.
"Mission accomplished…"
/\/\/\/\/\/\
Back on Cyberse World, Ray sat on the ground, tired. It had been a month since she lost contact with Ai. She had not had any updates from him before things went dark. Plus, in all that time she found no hint of the location of Lightning, Zarc, and E'Rah. She was worried. Not only that, she was feeling a little lonely without the Ignis there with her. Sure they could still communicate through their connection, but she missed having them around in person. "I have made no progress so far in finding those three. Plus, still no news from Ai. Do you think he's okay?" She asked. The spirited teacher sighed while Pharaoh lay next to Ray and purred.
"All we can do is pray that he is and is getting his job done." He told her. Ray nodded, knowing they couldn't do anything else. Just then, a bright flash erupted before them. It scared Pharaoh and made him jump into Ray's arms. "What the?!" Daitokuji yelled in surprise.
He and Ray were stunned to see a bunch of blue skinned people now standing before them. They all seem scared and confused about their new surroundings. One of them, a yellow eyed woman, saw them and spoke. "Excuse me, I am Enna. Are you the ones known as Ray and Playmaker?" She asked in a calm but shaky voice. The two glanced at each other, surprised that the woman knew those names.
Ray was also stunned to learn the strange woman's name. 'Enna! That's the name of the friend Yuma spoke of! He asked Ai to see if she was okay! If this is her, it means that everyone in that group is from the Astral World!' She decided to be the one to answer. "Um, I am Ray. Ray Akaba. It is good to meet you, Enna. This spirit is Daitokuji, and this here is Pharaoh." She said, nodding to the still scared feline she held. "Welcome to Cyberse World. I'm sorry, but Playmaker isn't here right now. Are you and your people okay? And where is Ai?" She asked, not seeing the guy in the new crowd.
Enna looked down, greatly saddened. She then told Ray and Daitokuji the shocking news.
"He… didn't make it back with us."
To be continued.