To FireflyBookworm: Sorry that my previous update timings annoy you, but I need to actually find the time to think and write effectively. My life has been pretty hectic. The best I can say for now is I will update as soon as I can. For the couples, for me it's the main protagonists with their respective main girls. For that last part, I'm more into traditional boy and girl relationships. Lastly, thanks for checking out my stories! :)
Now, Who wants to see a battle of angelic warriors vs fiery demons Yugioh style? Well that's what is happening! Enjoy!
Yugioh: The Hope of Six
Chapter 56: Arcadia - Part 11
"Both of you, be careful. We don't know which of Divine's Elite Psychics we'll each be facing tonight. Be ready for anything." Yusei advised. It wasn't long before the clock struck midnight. He, Aki, Jack, and Crow had mounted on their respective D-Wheels and prepared to ride out to face their enemies.
"Do not underestimate any of them." Aki said sternly. "I knew the other Elites well enough to know that they don't care about making a mess of whoever gets in their way." The latter two Signers nodded.
"Whichever Elite I will encounter, they will end up regretting it." Jack said confidently.
"Same here. I definitely don't plan on going easy them!" Crow declared while pumping his fist in the air.
"Alright then. Yugo and Rin are probably on their way to their locations right now while Rua and Ruka are waiting back at their home for their Elite. Kiryu and Sherry are with Aki's parents at the mansion to protect them." Yusei said while glancing over at his still worried girlfriend.
"Once we all take down our respective Elites, we will meet up to go after Divine and end this." Aki added with conviction. She really wanted this whole nightmare to be over. She had had enough of her past coming back to haunt her. The former Arcadia Elite spent the previous month worrying about Divine, his plans, and ultimately how she and her friends were going to stop him. Now was the time to start fighting back, and she intended to win that fight.
"Everyone… Good luck." Yusei said before putting on his helmet and revved up his vehicle. After everyone else did the same, they sped off toward their destinations. He and Aki went one way, while Jack and Crow took the other.
Before splitting up themselves, Crow asked his friend a quick question. "Hey Jack, I know the timing may not be the best, but what do you think of that waitress at Cafe la Geen? The brunette that likes to serve you your absurdly expensive coffee?"
Jack looked over at him, slightly surprised by the inquiry. "What about her?"
"Well…" Crow tried to be delicate while trying to get an idea of how Jack exactly thought of Stephanie. It might help knowing his friend had anything to feel about her. "Don't you find her, I don't know… cute?"
Jack grunted. "I, Jack Atlas, don't have time to think about stuff like that! Things like women and dating are just a distraction! I prefer to focus on what is more important!"
"Which is?" Crow questioned.
"First, to stop Divine and his minions from tearing our home apart! After that, I will resume my training to defeat Yusei and reclaim my title as King! Nothing else matters!" Jack boldly declared.
Crow frowned. "I see." 'Yeah, I'm starting to think Jack may not be the best dating material for Stephanie after all…' He thought and groaned inwardly.
"Crow! Here is where we separate! Do not let yourself be killed!" Jack ordered like the King he used to be.
"Yeah! You too!" Crow replied before riding away on a different road, leaving Jack by himself on his path.
Now that he was riding alone, Jack thought about Crow's questioning. 'Why would he bring up that waitress? Why does it matter to him how I feel about her? I hardly even know the girl. She just brings me coffee and hardly says a word. Besides, she isn't…' Jack then shook his head. He almost started thinking of a certain woman he kept at a distance for a while. 'No, I can't think it! Carly is not part of my plan! I must remain focused on my objective!' Jack rode on, trying to not think of her… not knowing he would see her again sooner than he imagined.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Achoo!" Carly sneezed, quickly covering her mouth with a tissue to avoid making too much noise. 'Where did that come from? Oh no, don't tell me someone heard that!' She risked a peak from her hiding place and saw no one coming her way. She breathed a sigh of relief before opening the bathroom door and walked out. 'Safe, for now.'
A few hours ago, Carly had entered Domino General Hospital with the intent of getting an inside scoop on Misty Lola's condition. True the "official" reports said she fell into a coma earlier that day, but there was no more than that. No one had spoken about the exact cause of her infliction. So, being the reporter she was, Carly decided to enter the hospital and get inside Misty's hospital room to see for herself.
To her dismay, she learned upon entry earlier in the day that the supermodel's room was off limits to everyone outside hospital staff. That sparked an idea for Carly. She couldn't go there as herself… but she could as "someone else". When she returned to the hospital a few hours before midnight, Carly snuck in through the back door. To her luck, a nurse just came out and was apparently done with her shift. Carly zipped inside before the door could fully close. The other woman did not spot her. Next, Carly found a store room that contained spare nurse uniforms. Smiling to herself, she changed outfits and hid her regular clothes in a trash bag before hiding it from plain sight. Carly then took her swirling glasses off, put on some contact lenses, and lastly tied her long hair into a ponytail. She then found a nearby mirror and looked at herself. She was very pleased of her appearance. Now she looked nothing like the nosy reporter that was here recently.
This wasn't the first time she played nurse to get a scoop. Last time she pulled this off, she tried to get information from Jack Atlas, who was injured after the Fortune Cup. Surprisingly, they got into a situation where Carly ended up helping save Jack's life. Unlike before, however, she went further with the contacts and ponytail. She had started to wear contact lenses recently to see if people would take her more seriously as both a reporter and a person. She personally didn't find them appealing, but they came in handy on occasion, like tonight. She had considered the sunglasses she brought as backup, but thought they would attract unwanted attention. Therefore, she didn't use them.
Now, thanks to her cleverness, Carly had managed to gain access to Misty's private room. Once in there, she switched out her contacts with her regular glasses. Misty was being cared for on the sixth floor, in Room 604. The primary doctor in charge of monitoring the supermodel's condition wasn't around so she easily snuck in. Of course, if she did hear someone approaching, she would have to hide to avoid getting kicked out. Hence, the bathroom.
Carly walked around the bed, studying Misty intently. The equipment was showing a study heartbeat, but nothing else. Carly didn't understand medical tech, but she could tell that a screen that was supposed to show brain activity was hardly showing any activity in Misty's brain at all. "Hmm, from the looks of it, Misty seems to be alive but… not thinking or anything? Like, does she not have a brain in her head anymore?" Carly opened one of Misty's eyes, then waved a hand in front of it before snapping her fingers a couple of times. No reaction. After closing Misty's eye, the reporter then pinched an arm, a leg, even a cheek. The woman did not react at all. "But if someone is "brain dead", won't that mean that person is dead? It's like… her body is still here, but Misty isn't. This is so confusing." Carly admitted while scratching her head in confusion. "What really happened to you Misty?"
As she gazed down at the poor woman, Carly couldn't help but pity her. Misty lost her little brother, then she died and came back as a Dark Signer. Except for the little brother bit, the same thing pretty much happened to Carly herself. After they both came back to life as normal people again, Carly and Misty resumed their lives. But now, the latter had yet another unfortunate incident that landed her here. How much more would Misty have to suffer? Couldn't fate just let her be?
"Misty. I wish there was something I could do to help you…" Carly moved to lay a hand on Misty's shoulder, when suddenly the unconscious woman reached up and grabbed Carly's arm. Then Misty's eyes snapped open. They were completely white, no irises or pupils. The reporter was shocked by this. "W-What the heck?!" Carly yelped, close to freaking out. And then, Misty stared straight at Carly and spoke to her, but the voice did not sound her own.
"The Cyber God will soon be created. Evil will take their power for it's own. Tobi is in danger. Tobi and the other four innocents are all in danger. They must be saved before it is too late. Save them. Save… Tobi…" With that, Misty released her hold on Carly and fell back into her coma. The completely flabbergasted reporter fell on her butt, nearly hyperventilating.
"What… just happened?" Carly gradually started to calm down. 'Cyber God? Innocents? What was Misty talking about? And why did she mention Tobi, her little brother? Isn't he dead? How could he be in danger if he's not even alive? Unless…' Carly thought of something extremely unlikely. "Unless her brother… isn't actually dead.' Before Carly could fully process what just transpired, another thing got her attention.
A bright light was shining beneath the door leading out into the main hallway. Foot steps could also be heard approaching… before the sound of the door handle being turned.
'Crap!' Realizing someone was about to enter, Carly sprung to her feet and dashed back into the bathroom. She barely got herself out of sight before the main door opened and heard someone walk in. The same bright light also seemed to shine into Misty's room. 'Man, what now?' Carly didn't dare try to look, without risk of being seen. Plus, she didn't want to risk being blinded by the light. So she stood inside and listened.
Back in Misty's room, a long blonde haired man dressed in a tunic stood over the unmoving supermodel. Light shined all around him like a cloak. It had made it easy for him to infiltrate the hospital, shielding him from sight. If anyone should look his way, all they would see was a brief flash of brightness from the overhead lights on the ceiling. The man scoffed as frowned down at Misty.
"So this is the famous Misty Lola? What a truly pitiful soul you are. You lose your weak little brother, losing your own life before coming back as one of those accursed Dark Signers, then became truly alive again before ending up in this state. In my own honest opinion, you should have stayed dead." The stranger then chuckled in a very unpleasant way. "Fortunately for you, that is why I am here. At the stroke of midnight, this whole building will be razed to the ground by my Holy Light, ending the pathetic lives of the humans residing here, including yourself. All the sick and wounded will vanish from this world, as decreed by Master Divine."
Carley gasped. 'Divine?! This guy is working for him?! And he's going to kill everyone in this hospital?!' Carly knew she was in it again. Unless she got out of there and warned someone, she, Misty, and the other patients and hospital staff would perish at the hands of this nut job. She didn't want to end up dying… again.
"Only 10 minutes until the holy hour. Time for me to go to where my light will shine it's brightest to cleanse this unholy structure." He then turned and headed back out to the hall.
As soon as she heard the outer door close, Carly cautiously opened the bathroom door and peaked through it. The man that had been here was gone, leaving only Misty still present. "He's gone. But where is he going?" As a precaution, Carly brought a pair of sunglasses incase she needed to avoid recognition. After Carly slipped them on, she proceeded to the main door and creaked it open a little. It was still incredibly bright, but the lenses of her sunglasses enabled Carly to see the figure within the light. She barley made out his blonde hair before he stepped into the elevator. After the doors slid closed, Carly glanced up at the floor numbers above. The numbers lit up as the man traveled from one floor to the next. Finally, the elevator settled on the very last one, which led to… "The roof! He's going to do whatever he plans to on the roof! I've got to tell someone!"
With that, Carly raced out into the hall and down the nearby stairs. She had no time to use the other elevator. Taking two steps at a time, it took her less than a minute to reach the bottom floor. She kept bumping into other people (who complained and demanded to know what the hell was going on), but she ignored them. She couldn't warn anyone to get out for two reasons. First and foremost, if she tried to warn the staff and urged them to evacuate the building, no one would believe her. They would think she was nuts. Second, 10 minutes wasn't nearly enough time to get everyone out of the hospital before that maniac made his move. Therefore, her best option was to hopefully find someone nearby who can stop this. Namely, one of the Signers… preferably Jack. But the odds of finding him and getting him here in such a limited timeframe seemed impossible…
At last, Carly had reached the main doors leading outside the building. She had barely opened them when she bumped into someone else. It had felt like hitting a brick wall; Carly fell on her butt again without knocking the other person over. "Darn it! Sorry about that! I'm in a huge hurry and I don't have time to chat!" She said while getting up and massaging her rear end.
"Carly!? What the hell are you doing here?!" The last person Jack Atlas ever planned to bump into was the very girl he tried to avoid thinking about on his ride here. 'Dammit. For once can't she just value her own life over a story?' He thought with exaggeration.
Carly's face flushed with embarrassment when she saw who she accidentally ran into. She gave a huge sigh of relief. "Jack! Oh thank goodness! Something really bad is about to happen here!" Carly told him.
"I know. That is why I am here." Jack said, revealing the Duel Disk attached to his arm.
"You know about the bright blonde guy that plans to destroy this place at midnight?!" Carly asked him. Jack gasped at this info.
"Bright blonde guy?" Jack asked, then remembered seeing a pic of someone matching those details. 'It must be the Elite Psychic called Michael. Aki said he was the strongest of Divine's group. If he is here…' "How do you know about him?"
"I snuck in here looking for a good scoop, when he came inside the room I was in. I hid in the bathroom before he could see me. I heard him talking to… himself about his plan to kill everyone here with a "Holy Light" or something." She left Misty out of her explanation. She would save that for later.
'It must be Michael then. Aki did mention him having a power called the "Holy Light".' Jack thought. Carly continued.
"He then left the room. I barely managed to get a glimpse of him before he got into the elevator. He went all the way up the roof! That freak's going to do his dirty work up there when it's midnight!" Carly shouted, pointing to the top of the hospital.
Jack narrowed his eyes upward. "Then that is where I must go." He then shifted his attention back to the reporter. "Listen Carly. You must leave. Get far away. I don't want you anywhere near here right now." At this, Carly went on full reporter mode.
"Are you kidding?! You facing a potential mass murderer to save a hospital full of civilians?! This could possibly be the best scoop of my life! I'm not passing this up!" Jack groaned.
"I'm not asking! Do you want to repeat what happened at the Arcadia Movement's old base?!" Carly gritted her teeth.
"Well… no. Not really. But…"
"No buts!" Jack cut her off. "Go and get at a safe distance now!" He ordered before he ran inside the hospital, toward his destined foe. Carly pouted and put her hands on her hips, annoyed by being brushed off like that.
"Does he know who he's talking to?" She then fished out her handy camera from her jacket pocket. "If I see a potential scoop, there's no way I'm missing it!" She declared to herself with a confident smile.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
The blonde man stood on the center of the hospital roof, breathing in the night air. He smiled as he gazed skyward. "Ah yes. The time has come." He raised a hand above his head. "Now! Let there be li…"
"Stop right there!" The blonde man turned toward the elevator in shocked surprise.
"Jack Atlas?!" He couldn't believe one of the Signers had caught him in his moment of triumph. 'There was supposed to be no one else up here! No one's even supposed to know about me! How did he know?' The blonde man thought incredulously. "You dare interrupt my purification?!"
Jack snorted as he stepped out onto the roof a short distance away. ""Purification"? Is that what you are calling murdering dozens of people, Michael?" The blonde man, Michael, flinched.
"How could you possibly…?"
"Aki told me all I needed to know, including what you're capable of! Now… I, Jack Atlas, will show you what I'm capable of!" Jack declared before activating his Duel Disk.
Michael strapped on his own Disk, giving a look of utter disdain. "Challenging one who is far above you is the peak of foolishness! In this battle, I will banish you to the deepest depths of Hell!"
"It is you who shall fall from the Heavens in defeat!" Jack retorted before their battle began.
"DUEL!"
(Jack: 4000) (Michael: 4000)
"I shall take the first turn! My turn! Draw!" Michael snickered at his opening hand. "I play Card of Destruction! This forces both of us to discard all the cards in our hand, then we draw the same number of cards from our Decks!" Michael smirked at his new hand. He had a promising start. "Now I play Prohibition! While this Continuous Magic card is active, it can prevent you from playing a card I name! Specifically, I'm forbidding you from playing Red Daemon's Dragon!" Michael said with a laugh. He could tell Jack looked annoyed by this. "Not happy about that, I see. The light that has chosen me never allows darkness to rise! Next I shall Set a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, Set 1 card facedown and end my turn. Now come at me, if you dare!"
Jack grunted. "Just because I cannot Summon my Ace Monster for now doesn't mean I cannot fight back." Michael chuckled.
"For now? Don't jest. You can't do a thing without your demon dragon!" Jack couldn't disagree more.
"I shall prove you wrong. My turn! Draw!" Although his opening hand got discarded, Jack wasn't discouraged. On the contrary, Michael may have actually helped him by throwing his first cards away… "I discard a card from my hand to Special Summon Bone Daemon from my Graveyard!" (DARK; Level 4; ATK: 1800; DEF: 0) A skeleton with wild hair silver hair appeared on the Field. "Then I Normal Summon a Tuner Monster, Vision Resonator!" (DARK; Level 2; ATK: 400; DEF: 400) A small creature wielding a tuning fork and a mallet and wearing a cloak with an distinctive "eye" on it materialized next.
"What he is bringing out?" Michael asked himself.
"I am Tuning my Level 4 Bone Daemon with my Level 2 Vision Resonator! Red Flames from the Underworld! Give birth to your future King! Synchro Summon! Appear! Red Rising Dragon!" (DARK; Level 6; ATK: 2100; DEF: 1600) A younger version of Jack's Ace Monster made up of red and orange fire emerged in the place of both previous Monsters. "Vision Resonator's Monster Effect activates! When it goes to the Graveyard, I can take a Magic or Trap card from my Deck that mentions "Red Daemon's Dragon" and add it to my hand! I am taking a Magic card called Absolute Powerforce! Now for the Effect of Red Rising Dragon! Since it is Synchro Summoned, I can Special Summon a "Resonator" Monster from my Graveyard! I choose the Tuner Monster, Force Resonator!" (WATER; Level 2; ATK: 500; DEF: 500) A demon similar to Jack other Tuner appeared. This one wore a dark green tattered cloak and had no tuning fork or mallet, but had a giant dark ball floating behind it.
"He's getting help from Monsters in his Graveyard?!" Michael said in disbelief. He didn't anticipate this tactic from his enemy.
At this time, Carly just arrived in the elevator. Jack and Michael were so focused on their Duel that they had not noticed her presence. "Oh good! Looks like I just got to the good stuff!" She said excitedly as she started recording with her camera.
"I send Force Resonator back to the Graveyard to activate it's Monster Effect! When a Synchro Monster I control attacks this turn, the Effects of Magic, Traps, or Monsters that target the attacking Monster cannot be activated! Speaking of which… Battle! Red Rising Dragon, attack that facedown Monster! Red Birth Fire!" A stream of red fire streamed out of the dragon's mouth and collided with the opposing Monster, which was revealed to be a woman dressed in white holding a golden staff. (LIGHT; Level 4; ATK: 300; DEF: 2100) The woman used her staff to shield herself from the incoming attack.
"Nice try, Jack Atlas! There was no need for me to activate card effects for this! My Lightlord Priest Jenis' Defense Points are the same as your Monster's Attack Points, so the attack is cancelled out!" He proved himself correct as both Monsters remained on the Field with neither Duelist taking damage.
"So I see." Jack said, hardly disappointed by the failed attempt to eliminate his opponent's defenses. "I will simply have to hit harder on my next assault. I Set 2 cards facedown and end my turn."
"The one that will "hit harder" shall be me! My turn! Draw!" Michael retorted. "I play Card of Sanctity, letting both of us draw until we hold 6 cards in our hands!" The arrogant Elite smiled. 'This will do splendidly.' "I play Dian Keto the Cure Master to raise my Life Points by 1000!"
(Michael: 4000 + 1000 = 5000)
"Why would Michael give himself some Life Points when he hasn't even taken damage yet?" Carly wondered while she continued to record.
"Next I activate a Magic card called Darkness Begone! When I have 3 "Lightlord" Monsters in my Graveyard, I can banish a DARK Monster from my opponent's Extra Deck! I am ridding you of your unholy Scar-Red Nova Dragon! First I am forbidding you from playing your Ace Monster, and now I took away it's strongest form! Your meager demonic servants cannot possibly hope to stand against my holy power now! Hahahaha!" Michael laughed.
Jack grunted. "Your voice is starting to irritate me. Be silent and move on!" He said, more than a little annoyed. Michael gave a sneer.
"Very well. I Summon Lightlord Summoner Luminas!" (LIGHT; Level 3; ATK: 1000; DEF: 1000) Another female warrior on white appeared. This one had two white scarfs hanging out from her back. "You are not the only one who can use Monsters from the Graveyard to aid you! I discard a card to activate Luminas' Effect, allowing me to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower "Lightlord" Monster from my Graveyard! I am Special Summoning a Tuner Monster, Lightlord Assassin Raiden!" (LIGHT; Level 4; ATK: 1700; DEF: 1000) A bare chested dark man emerged wearing a long purple scarf and and holding two gold short swords. "Now I am Tuning my Level 3 Luminas with my Level 4 Raiden! Champion from the Heavens! Fly down to enact your righteous wrath on the wicked! Synchro Summon! Come forth! Lightlord Ark Michael!" (LIGHT; Level 7; ATK: 2600; DEF: 2000) A man in golden armor with wings appeared. He was riding a big, feathered white dragon and held out a shiny broad sword.
"Wait. Michael's Ace Monster has the same name as himself? Talk about an oversized ego." Carly commented while still recording. Jack said nothing, but he had pretty much the same thought about the Psychic Duelist.
"My Synchro Monster and I share more than just a name, Jack." Michael told him. "We also have power to strike fear into our unrighteous enemies! Here is the proof! I activate Ark Michael's Effect! Once per turn, by paying 1000 of my Life Points, I can banish a card in the Field! This time, I am banishing your Red Rising Dragon!" A flash of light from the Synchro Monster's blade had erased Jack's only remaining Monster from the Field.
(Michael: 5000 - 1000 = 4000)
'Now he is starting to get under my skin.' Jack thought, his annoyance slowly becoming anger.
"Next, I Equip Ark Michael with Lightlord Rapier! The "Lightlord" Monster Equipped with this card gains 700 more Attack Points!" The weapon held by Michael's Monster changed into a thin blue energy sword.
(Lightlord Ark Michael's ATK: 2600 + 700 = 3300)
"Oh not good!" Carly said, panicking. Jack gritted his teeth, knowing what was coming next.
"Battle! Lightlord Ark Michael, Direct Attack! Heaven's Strike!" The dragon riding warrior flew ahead and viciously slashed Jack, making him yell in pain.
"Jack!" Carly cried out in worry. Jack held his chest, barely able to remain standing.
(Jack: 4000 - 3300 = 700)
Michael didn't show any pity for Jack's predicament. "You see, wielder of the demon dragon? Fighting me was by far your worst mistake! You shall receive no mercy from me whatsoever! I will end you very soon. For the time being, I end my turn. And now, both of my Monsters' other Effects! During the End Phase once per turn, Ark Michael sends the top 3 cards from my Deck to the Graveyard! Then, during the End Phase, when 1 or more cards were sent from my Deck to the Graveyard by the Effect of a "Lightlord" card this turn, Jenis inflicts 500 more points of damage to you while my own Life Points go up by 500!" Michael revealed before Jack took a small gold blast to his chest, hurting him more. Michael himself glowed gold when his Life Points increased.
(Jack: 700 - 500 = 200)
(Michael: 4000 + 500 = 4500)
Carly was now really worried about Jack's condition. 'This guy is seriously hurting Jack, plus his advantages just keep growing! Come on Jack! You can't lose to this chump! Do something!'
Michael laughed once more. "Look at the mighty Jack Atlas now! Wounded and stripped of all his best Monsters! Whereas I have complete dominance in this Duel! You can never win in your pathetic state! Hahaha… Huh?" Michael stopped his taunting when he saw a flaming red aura coming from Jack. "What is this?" He and Carly gasped when Jack met Michael's eyes with his own, which also glowed red.
"I am sick of hearing your constant rants! A truly "righteous" person would not use his abilities to harm others! The people in this hospital do not deserve to die at the hands of a delusional freak like yourself!"
"What did you just call me?!" Michael yelled back, outraged by Jack's words.
"I will shut you up here and now!" Jack's Signer Birthmark glowed as he bumped his fist over his heart. "Behold! The power that will cut you down: My Burning Soul! My turn! Draw!" Through his power, Jack could see a way to strike back at the narcissistic bastard before him. "I play Crimson Hellgaia! Once per turn, during my Main Phase, this Continuous Magic card allows me to add "Red Daemon's Dragon" or a card that mentions it from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand! From my Deck, I take Red Nova! Next, I Summon a Tuner Monster, Dread Dragon!" (FIRE; Level 2; ATK: 1100; DEF: 400) A winged dinosaur like dragon materialized with purple dreadlocks on it's head. "Continuous Trap, Scar-Red Zone! Once per turn, I can Special Summon a DARK "Dragon" Synchro Monster of mine that was banished! Return! Red Rising Dragon!" Jack's flaming Monster instantly returned to stand with his other Monster. "Now… I am Tuning my Level 6 Red Rising Dragon with my Level 2 Dread Dragon!" This move surprised both Michael and Carly, but the former was more so.
"He's Summoning a Level 8 Synchro Monster? But the only one I know about is…" Carly gasped. 'But he can't! Unless he's bringing out something else, there's no way he could…!'
Michael had similar thoughts… before he smirked big time. "A Level 8 Synchro? We both know it isn't Red Daemon's Dragon, since you are not allowed to Summon it!" Jack smirked himself, confusing the Elite
"You are half right!" Jack replied before he proceeded with his Summoning. "The King brings a feast of blood! Crimson Demonic Dragon! Leave your mark on the battlefield! Synchro Summon! Appear! Scar-Red Daemon!" (DARK; Level 8; ATK: 3000; DEF: 2500) A Monster virtually identical to Jack's Ace Monster, both in appearance and stats, materialized onto the Field. The main difference is that the red portions are much darker and parts of the Monster are covered in bright purple flames. (A.N. Apparently I got this chant wrong too. Thank you Hyphen 101 for the right one!)
"What the?!" Michael exclaimed in shocked surprise.
"Scar-Red Daemon is the perfect stand-in for my true Ace! While it is face-up on the Field or Graveyard, it's name becomes "Red Daemon's Dragon", thereby slipping past Prohibition's Effect!"
"Nice one Jack!" Carly cheered. Michael just growled.
"Battle! Scar-Red Daemon, attack Lightlord Ark Michael! Red Claw!" Jack's Monster flew forward, pulling it's flaming fist back to strike…
"Terrible move! Your poor excuse for a threat is assaulting an enemy stronger than itself!" Michael informed Jack, who's stern expression did not falter.
"I activate Crimson Hellgaia's second Effect! When "Red Daemon's Dragon" has declared an attack, I can switch all my opponent's Monsters to facedown Defense Mode!"
"You what?!" A stunned Michael shouted when he saw both his Monsters disappear from sight after being forced to be Set facedown.
"Now I activate my facedown card I acquired last turn from Vision Resonator! Quick-Play Magic, Absolute Powerforce! When my "Red Daemon's Dragon" battles an opponent's Monster this turn, I can apply several Effects until the end of the Damage Step! First, my dragon gains 1000 Attack Points!" The stand-in Monster glowed bright red from the power-up.
(Scar-Red Daemon's ATK: 3000 + 1000 = 4000)
"That doesn't frighten me! I will suffer no damage from this battle!" Michael said proudly. Jack ignored him.
"Second, my opponent cannot activate cards or effects! Third, if my dragon battles a Monster in Defense Mode, I can inflict damage to you equal to the difference between the attacking Monster's Attack Points and the opposing Monster's Defense Points!" That one made Michael drop his arrogant grin.
"It what?" He said in response.
"And lastly, any damage my opponent suffers from this battle… is doubled!" Jack finished.
"Doubled?!" Michael shouted, shocked. This means he would take heavy damage and there was nothing he could do to stop it. The moment Scar-Red Daemon punched it's fiery fist through the enemy Synchro Monster, Michael got pushed back several feet from the impact.
(4000 - 2000 = 2000; 2000 x 2 = 4000)
(Michael: 4500 - 4000 = 500)
"Oh yeah! Get him Jack!" Carly shouted happily from the sidelines.
Michael glared at his adversary with undisguised hatred. "You bastard!" Jack grunted.
"Underestimating your enemy is something one must never do. Yet you chose to do so, and have suffered the consequences as a result. With the battle over, Scar-Red Daemon's Attack Power returns to normal." He said as his dragon's power went back down to 3000. "I Set 1 card facedown and end my turn."
Michael shook with fury. In all his past Duels, he had never been damaged to this extent! All his opponents never even managed to destroy one of his best Monsters! But this wretched Signer, Jack Atlas, had dared to go this far. For that… Michael would ensure his enemy's death was an excruciating one. "This is far from over, Signer! You will now feel my full wrath! MY TURN! DRAW!" He needed more than what he had to make good on his word. "I play Solar Exchange! By discarding a "Lightlord" Monster, such as Lightlord Thief Rinyan, I can draw 2 more cards send the top 2 cards from my Deck to the Graveyard afterward!" Michael smiled more like a devil than an angel at his point. 'Perfect! This shall do nicely!"
"Scar-Red Zone's second Effect is activated!" Jack intervened. "When my opponent plays a card or effect while I control "Red Daemon's Dragon" or a Synchro Monster that mentions it, I can destroy 1 card on the Field! I will use it to rid you of Prohibition!" Michael seethed as he lost another of his cards.
"Yes! Now Jack can Summon his Ace Monster!" Carly said excitedly.
"Like I would give you the chance!" Michael protested. "I Flip Summon Jenis back into Attack Mode!" His remaining Monster reappeared before him. "Continuous Trap, Flashing Illusion! This allows me to Special Summon a "Lightlord" Monster from my Graveyard in face-up Attack Mode! I revive a Tuner Monster, Lightlord Archer Felis!"(LIGHT; Level 4; ATK: 1100; DEF: 2000) A female warrior with long green hair, cat ears and a tail materialized next to Jenis holding a bow. "This Monster can only be Special Summoned by a card effect!" Michael smiled, knowing he will make good on his promise now. "At last, you shall face your punishment! I am Tuning my Level 4 Jenis with my Level 4 Felis!" The Trap that Summoned Felis was destroyed since the Monster it revived was now gone. "Dragon of the Heavens who lost his Rider! Shine your glorious light onto the world and destroy all evil within your gaze! SYNCHRO SUMMON! COME FORTH! SPLENDID CELESTIAL DRAGON, JUDGEMENT!" (LIGHT; Level 8; ATK: 3000; DEF: 2600) The same white dragon that carried Ark Michael returned, but this time on its own.
"So that's his real Ace?!" Carly asked, surprised.
"Behold, Jack Atlas! The true symbol of my sacred power! You and your disgusting, demonic hoards have no chance against it… or me! You never have!" Michael mocked with another laugh.
"What is this guy's deal?" Carly wondered, seeing how insane the man was. Jack frowned with disdain.
"I do not fear a maniac like yourself!" Jack replied strongly. Michael snarled.
"You know nothing about me, demon holder!" The Elite clinched his fists. To Jack and Carly's surprise, Michael calmed himself as he spoke. "As a child, I was raised to believe there was good in everyone, as well as evil. I went to church every week, trying to keep up my faith in righteousness and purity. Years went by and my beliefs never wavered… until one night, when I lost everything."
"What happened?" Jack asked. Anger flashed over on Michael's face.
"I was running late for an evening service at the local church due to helping an old lady cross the street. It took a long time; she was fragile and had trouble staying on her walker. My parents had gone on ahead of me, expecting me to catch up. By the time I arrived, I came upon a most unforgivable sight." Michael had shut his eyes tight from the painful memory. "Several people, including my mother and father, lay on the church floor… in a pool of blood. They were all dead." Jack and Carly gasped in horror before Michael went on. "I could not believe the sight before me. If I had arrived on time, I would have been part of that massacre. I was forever traumatized after that night. Before long, my pain and anguish became anger and fury. I vowed to find the one responsible and see to it that he would pay for what he had done. I did not have long, for the killer was still there."
"He didn't flee the scene?" Carly said softly.
"The murderer had hidden himself behind a stone pillar when I came inside. Believing his job was not finished, he tried to kill me as well. What the fool didn't realize…" Michael smirked vindictively. "Was that I would be the last thing he would ever see. When the killer tried to stab me from behind, he stepped onto some blood, alerting me to his presence in time to grab his arm holding the blade. Immediately realizing I was facing my family's killer, I became filled with one desire: To avenge my family and see to it that this wretched scum burn in Hell. This desire caused a bright light to shine from within myself, blinding him. He was so caught off guard by my powers, he slipped on more blood and fell to the floor on his back. As dumbfounded as I was for what just happened, I didn't stop to think about it. I jumped on top of the man without hesitation, holding his knife hand down with one hand and punching his ugly face with the other. While he was in a daze, I snatched the blade out of his hand and thrust it into his heart. The bastard never had a chance. My righteous fury gave me a strength he couldn't match. In my anger, I stabbed him over and over until I was sure there was no more life in him. His blood became stained on my hands… the blood of a cold, heartless human being."
'That's what really happened…' Carly thought. She had read about the "Neo Domino Church Massacre" some time ago and that the man that seemed responsible had killed himself after murdering his multiple victims. But the truth was even more tragic. Michael continued.
"After making it look like the man had taken his own life, I left the church and fled the city. I jumped in the river to wash the blood off me, hoping to "cleanse" myself. While cleansing, I kept flashing back to that moment when I murdered that evil man. He showed no remorse for his actions. He cared for no one. He was pure evil… a pure, evil human being. I hated him… I hated all who were like him. More than that, I hated that all humans had that kind of darkness in them… waiting to be awakened. In that instant, I realized humanity could easily be more influenced by evil than with good. I wanted all humans to burn in Hell for eternity, convinced there was nothing good about them at all! I then began thinking about the light I blinded the killer with. It had come from my wish to stop that evil man from committing further death. I wondered how, and more importantly why, I was blessed with such an amazing gift, my "Holy Light". Once I emerged and returned home, I met the man that gave me those answers and more: Master Divine."
"Divine tracked you down?" Jack questioned.
"He did." Michael answered with a surprisingly warm smile. "He found out what happened and found me. After explaining I was a powerful Psychic with great power, Master Divine told me he understood how I felt and offered me a place by his side. He too believed humanity was not worth saving. Inspired by his words, I took his offer without hesitation and became one of his Elite Psychics. My life turned to ridding this world of wretched humans and make way for all Psychics like myself. That is why I am here this very night: To bring the Arcadia Movement one step closer to it's ultimate goal!"
"You truly are a hopeless case." Jack said to him with a sigh. Michael appeared insulted.
"Your opinions are meaningless to me! I will now erase you, a wretched Signer, from the face of the earth! I activate Judgement's Monster Effect! Once per turn, if I have 4 or more Tuner Monsters with different names in my Graveyard after Judgement was Synchro Summoned and is in my control, I can pay half my Life Points to destroy all other cards on the Field! Fortunately for me, I don't have any other cards to lose! And I just happen to have 4 Turners in my Graveyard: Lightlord Maiden Minerva, Lightlord Assassin Raiden, Lightlord Archer Felis, and Mahaama the Fairy Dragon!"
'Once or two of those Tuners must have gotten into his Graveyard when he played Card of Destruction.' Jack figured.
"Here, Jack Atlas! Be the first tonight to witness my "Holy Light"!" As Michael said this, an unbearably bright light shined from the Elite. Jack yelled as he felt his eyes hurt from the light's intensity. "This is but a taste of my power! At it's fullest, I can remove this whole building in a flash, leaving no trace of the pitiful life within! Be grateful! Within in my Light, you will not be able to see me wipe the Field of all your cards! Holy Purge!"
(Michael: 500 / 2 = 250)
"Jack!" Carly yelled, taking out her sunglasses and rushed out to her crush. She looked down and shielded her eyes from Michael when she reached the Signer. Michael was basking in his own glow so much he didn't even notice her. "Jack, hurry! Put these on!" Carly had thrusted her sunglasses onto Jack's open hand.
"Carly!? I told you to leave!" He berated while he slipped on the sunglasses.
"You're welcome! Now do something before Michael leaves you defenseless!" She instructed before running back to her original filming spot. However, when she looked back at Jack, she saw that she had been too late. All of Jack's cards were gone. Michael laughed like the psycho he was as his light faded.
"I told you, didn't I?! Light always conquers darkness! This is no different than… what?!" Michael's rant was interrupted when a burst of dark fire erupted from Jack's Field.. and a familiar shape started to appear. "What is happening?!"
"You are the real fool, Michael! When Scar-Red Daemon is sent from the Monster Zone to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon the "true King" from my Extra Deck! APPEAR! MY VERY SOUL! RED DAEMON'S DRAGON!" The real demon dragon (whose stats were the same) finally appeared in all it's blazing glory.
"Alright!" Carly cheered. Michael shook with outrage.
"You wanted this to happen, didn't you?!" Jack only responded with a smirk. Michael wasn't going to let that slide. "I am not finished! I banish a Magic card, Angel's Wrath, from my Graveyard to destroy 1 DARK Monster on my opponent's Field! You lost your true Ace this time!" Jack was prepared for this too.
"You are wrong once again! When one or more of my cards would be destroyed by a card effect while I control "Red Daemon's Dragon" or a Synchro Monster that mentions it, I can banish Soul Resonator from my Graveyard instead!" A shadow of a little horned demon with a tuning fork and a mallet briefly appeared to block the shining hand that tried to take away Red Daemon's Dragon and blocked it.
"Dammit! Fine then! If I cannot vanquish your dragon, then I will just vanquish you! I banish another Magic card, Path of Light, from my Graveyard to allow a LIGHT Synchro Monster I control to attack directly this turn!" Michael's face looked twisted at this point. "THIS IS IT! YOUR END HAS COME, JACK ATLAS! BATTLE! SPLENDID CELESTIAL DRAGON, JUDGEMENT! DIRECT ATTACK! HEAVEN'S FIRE!"
"No! Jack!" Carly cried out in despair. A breath of golden fire spat out of the white dragon's mouth, intending to scorch it's target to ashes…
"Feel the wrath of the light, accursed Signer!" Michael taunted.
"Not today!" Jack countered. "When my opponent's Monster attacks me directly, I can Special Summon Battle Fader from my hand to end the Battle Phase! I Special Summon it in Defense Mode!" (DARK; Level 1; ATK: 0; DEF: 0) A winged demon with a swinging bell emerged next to Jack's dragon and caused Judgement's attack to dissipate.
"Phew! I really thought Jack was a goner that time." Carly said while wiping sweat off her forehead.
Michael cursed to the heavens above. "Damn you! Damn! Why won't you just die?!" After seething for another moment, he regained enough of his composure to move on. "You are harder to take down than I expected, but you are still only delaying the inevitable! Because I control a LIGHT "Dragon" Synchro Monster, I can Special Summon Light Dragon Giver from my hand in Defense Mode!" (LIGHT; Level 3; ATK: 0; DEF: 1500) A golden female humanoid dragon in a white tunic appeared next to Judgement. "When Light Dragon Giver is Summoned this way, I can destroy a Level 4 or lower DARK Monster you control! I destroy your Battle Fader!" Jack's only Defense Monster was now gone. "After that, I Set my last card facedown and end my turn. Due to another of Judgement's Effects, I have to banish the top 4 cards from my Deck during the End Phase once per turn."
'Finally.' Jack thought, relieved his next turn had come. "I have no intention of letting myself lose to you! Especially not with the fate of innocent lives resting on my shoulders! My turn! Draw!" His Burning Soul was calling to him again… and it was showing him a vision of victory. "I Summon a new Tuner Monster, Crimson Resonator!" (DARK; Level 2; ATK: 800; DEF: 300) This Resonator bore the same dark red as Jack's Ace Monster. "Since the only other Monster I control is exactly 1 DARK "Dragon" Synchro Monster, Crimson Resonator's Effect allows me to Special Summon up to 2 "Resonator" Monsters from my hand or Deck once per turn! From my Deck, I Special Summon Dark Resonator!" (DARK; Level 3; ATK: 1300; DEF: 300) The demon with a blue mallet with it's tuning fork appeared alongside it's fellow Resonator. "Next, because I control Red Daemon's Dragon, I can Special Summon Red Nova from my hand!" (FIRE; Level 1; ATK: 0; DEF: 0) A dark pink wild haired fairy joined the other Tuner Monsters in play.
"3 Tuner Monsters? Why would he need that many?" Carly questioned.
Michael thought what Jack was planning and scoffed at him. "Ha! Aren't you forgetting something, Atlas? I banished your best Monster! All your Monsters' Levels are beyond 12! And besides, Scar-Red Nova Dragon requires 2 Tuners, not 3!"
"I have forgotten nothing." Jack replied calmly, further confusing his opponent. "My last preparation step! I banish Scar-Red Familiar from my Graveyard to change the Level of Red Daemon's Dragon until the end of the turn! I can choose the Level from 1 to 8! Red Daemon's Dragon's Level is now 6!"
'Now all the Levels add up to 12! Does Jack have some super secret weapon never before been released?' Carly hoped as she watched.
'But Scar-Red Nova Dragon is gone. What is he planning?' Michael thought, still unaware of what was about to happen.
Through his sunglasses, Jack's eyes burned red again as he covered himself in the fiery aura once more. "Witness now the hottest fires of my Burning Soul! I am Triple Tuning my now Level 6 Red Daemon's Dragon with my Level 3 Dark Resonator, my Level 2 Crimson Resonator, and my Level 1 Red Nova!"
"TRIPLE TUNING?!" Carly and Michael exclaimed in shock at the same time.
The three Tuners became intense orange rings of fire that covered Jack's Ace, setting it ablaze... "The three sages welcome the King! The Red Star won't die, only the fool will be crushed! Savage soul, mark the time of the creation of the heavens and earth! SYNCHRO SUMMON! COME FORTH, MY NEW POWER! SCAR-RED SUPERNOVA DRAGON!" (DARK: Level 12; ATK: 4000; DEF: 3000) The new dragon had a strong resemblance to the previous Nova Dragon, except for a few details. Supernova Dragon was a much darker shade of red and had four blue gems on it's chest instead of just one. It also had two lower wings beneath it's other four and had shoulder pads similar to the end of it's tail. (A.N. Thank you so much andrewjeeves for the correct Summon Chant! It's definitely better than mine!)
"Scar-Red Supernova Dragon?!" Michael couldn't hide his immense shock.
"Holy…!" Carly couldn't finish her comment. She was that awed by Jack's new Monster.
"You may have stripped me of one of my top Monsters, but I have another! Scar-Red Supernova Dragon cannot be destroyed by my opponent's card effects and gains 500 Attack Points for each Tuner Monster in my Graveyard! I have 6 Tuners in my Graveyard, so my new dragon gets a power boost of 3000!"
(500 x 6 = 3000)
(Scar-Red Supernova Dragon's ATK: 4000 + 3000 = 7000)
Michael was feeling extremely desperate at this point. He knew if Jack attacked now, it would be all over for the Elite. He refused to let that happen, not after he came this far. "NO! I will not let it end for me here! Trap card open, Twilight Cloth! This will let me banish an number of "Lightlord" Monsters from my Graveyard and give 200 Attack and Defense Points per Monster to one Monster I control until the end of this turn! I banish 8 "Lightlord" Monsters to make my own dragon much stronger!"
(200 x 8 = 1600)
(Splendid Celestial Dragon, Judgment's ATK: 3000 + 1600 = 4600; DEF: 2600 + 1600 = 4200)
"Scar-Red Supernova Dragon still has more than enough power to finish you off!" Jack pointed out.
"I still have one more trick up my sleeve! I activate the Monster Effect of my Light Dragon Giver! When a LIGHT "Dragon" Synchro Monster I control has it's Attack Points increased by one of my cards, it will double the power Judgement already received!" The white dragon roared and glowed gold while powering up even further.
(Splendid Celestial Dragon, Judgment's ATK: 4600 x 2 = 9200)
"Now Michael's dragon is even stronger than Jacks!" Carly said in alarm.
"What's more, if my opponent controls a DARK Monster when my LIGHT dragon gains this power, that DARK Monster is forced to attack mine!" Michael smiled wildly and pointed at Jack. "How ironic Jack! The Monster you just gained will now be your undoing! It is all over for you!" He gloated with more maniacal laughter. Michael stopped laughing when he saw Jack smiling.
"It is over alright… for you." He replied confidently. "Once per turn, when my opponent either has a Monster attack or activated a Monster Effect, I can banish Scar-Red Supernova Dragon… along with all cards you control!" Jack's dragon disappeared in a burst of dark red fire.
"YOU WHAT?!" Michael screamed in terror. He watched helplessly as the same fiery blast removed all of Michael's cards too. "NO! NOT MY JUDGMENT DRAGON!"
"After being banished by its own Effect, Scar-Red Supernova Dragon returns to the Field during my next End Phase! However, I am not patient enough to wait that long to defeat you! Trap card open, Return from the Different Dimension! By paying half of my Life Points, I can Special Summon as many of my banished Monsters as possible, but they will be banished once more during the End Phase! That includes Scar-Red Nova Dragon, Soul Resonator (FIRE; Level 3; ATK: 500; DEF: 200), Scar-Red Familiar (DARK; Level 4; ATK: 1600; DEF: 0), and of course… Scar-Red Supernova Dragon!" Jack's previously banished dragon showed itself, angry at Michael for what he did earlier. Soul Resonator was like the rest of its brethren, except it had an orange mallet. Scar-Red Familiar was a small fire-like creature dressed like an emperor. It actually resembled a little imp Jack dueled and defeated in the past.
(Jack: 200 / 2 = 100)
"Yes! Jack's got him now!" Carly commented with a fist pump.
Michael took a few steps back, unable to comprehend his situation. "No. No… this wasn't how it was supposed to be. I was meant to purify everything here! The humans must be purged!"
Jack gave the trembling Elite Psychic a look of pure disgust. "You have lost faith in humanity's capacity to be better than they are! You are the one that needs to be "purged"! Allow me to do so now!" Jack pointed at his enemy. "This ends now Michael! BATTLE! SCAR-RED SUPERNOVA DRAGON! DIRECT ATTACK! SUPER BURNING SOUL!" After folding in its arms and legs, the dragon immersed itself in its hell-like fire and streaked at the madman that tried to kill its master. The loud and painful scream filled the night sky along with a fantastic blast of fire.
(Michael: 0)
The force of the explosion sent Michael flying off the roof. In mid-flight, he gave self satisfied smirk. 'Arrogant fool! I may have lost the Duel, but I will still win! I'll just reactivate my Duel Disk, Summon one of my Monsters, and have it carry me up to the sky! When I am high enough, I will finish my mission with my Holy Light to incinerate all within! Jack Atlas fought in vain! Hahahaha!' As he moved to turn on his Disk again, his confidence turned into confusion… followed by tremendous fear. His Duel Disk was burned and melted through. It would not function at all. 'NO! MY DISK! NOT MY DUEL DISK! HOW…?!' Michael realized the truth far too late. The attack from Jack's dragon had somehow damaged his Duel Disk beyond repair. Michael's last hope faded when he started his long descent to the ground below. "NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The deranged Elite Psychic screamed loud and long as he fell.
Back on the roof, Jack and Carly stood and listened to Michael's drawn out screaming. It faded as the evil man fell more and more… until they heard no more. Though they thought they heard a soft "thump" just then. Having better eyesight at the moment, Carly moved to the edge of the roof and gazed down where Michael had fallen. The ground was too far down to make out anything definite, but with Carly's camera, she zoomed as much as she could. What she saw made her cringe. 'Ugh… That's NOT a really pretty sight.'
"Carly, can you see Michael down there?" Jack asked.
Carly hesitated before giving her answer. "Uh… Well, sorta. Let's just say all that white he was wearing… now he has a ton of red on it."
Jack didn't need any further confirmation than that. "Say no more then." He rubbed his eyes after he took off Carly's sunglasses. "Dammit. That light really did a number on my sight. I still can't see too well."
Carly ran back over to Jack and grabbed his arm. "Hang in there. Let's get you back inside and have your eyes checked out, along with your other injuries."
"Agreed." Jack then turned to her as they walked to the elevator. "Thank you Carly." The reporter nodded with a smile.
"Hey. You just saved not just me, but this hospital. I should be thanking you. Plus, I'm here for you when you need me. Just like that one other time during the whole Dark Signer fiasco." Jack smiled while chucking to himself. He remembered that event.
"Indeed." Jack started to think maybe having Carly around may not be so bad after all. And perhaps not just as a friend…
As they got in the elevator, Carly recalled her bizarre encounter with Misty earlier. Perhaps her mentioning that past incident reminded her of it. "Hey Jack. Speaking of said fiasco, something happened with Misty I think you should know about."
"I heard about her collapse today. Has she regained consciousness?" Jack asked.
"Not… exactly." Carly told him about Misty grabbing her arm and telling her that cryptic warning.
Jack was both perplexed and concerned. 'Whatever Misty was warning Carly about, no good come from it. Also, how is her brother involved? Last I heard, Tobi was dead. What does it all mean?' "Have you told anyone else about this?" He questioned. Carly shook her head.
"No, just you." She said. Jack nodded.
"Keep it to yourself." Carly nodded back, understanding perfectly. While riding down the elevator, Jack decided that he had to tell Yusei, Aki, and the others about Misty's words when he met up with them. He also hoped they would be able to do something about it while there was still time.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"So this is where she lives?" Salazar asked while staring at the huge mansion before him.
Divine nodded as he stood next to him. "It is indeed, young Salazar. The home of Aki Izayoi." They hid behind some nearby trees near the mansion gate without alerting the many Security officers on patrol. Divine glanced behind him. "Are you two ready?"
Behind Divine and Salazar stood two cloaked figures. One was a black skull mask wearing form of Skeleton Knight. The other was Warlord with his red demon mask. They both nodded.
"Give the command, Master Divine, and it shall be done." Said Skeleton Knight in a creepy old voice.
"Please Master Divine! Just say it! I'm ready to spill some blood!" Warlord said impatiently.
Divine checked his watch. It had just turned midnight. He gave an evil smile. "Very well… Let's go pay Aki and her family a visit."
To be continued.