In this chapter we have our first casualty of the conflict with the Dark Duel Force. Thankfully for our heroes, the Shadow Game that the DDF is playing isn't immediately lethal.
Also, this is the chapter where it finally hits John that Keeper is leading him in circles. From this point forward, he takes the duel more seriously.
Chapter FiveJen is Defeated?!
John vs. the Perilous Desert Deck
John
“My move,” Keeper declared as he drew, “and I begin with the Monster card ‘Cobraman Sakuzy’,” a snake man sporting old Egyptian style weapons and armor appeared across from me and my ‘Ninja’ (ATK: 600). “Next I change my ‘Giant Axe Mummy’ to attack mode,” the massive mummy raised his axe, resting it on his shoulder (ATK: 1700).
“Activate,” Keeper declared, “the Spell card ‘Pyramid Energy’, and I attack with my ‘Axe Mummy’ against your ‘Ninja’.” The ‘Mummy’ rushed and swung his axe (ATK: 1900), splitting my ‘Ninja’ in half (7700+1700-1900=7500).
“Next,” said Keeper, “my ‘Cobraman’ attacks you directly.” At its master’s command the snake man ran straight at me, slashing with his sword (7500-800=6700).
“And, finally,” said Keeper, “to finish my turn, I play the Continuous Spell card ‘Shifting Shadows’. I use the effects of my two monsters, flipping them into face-down defense position, and I pay three hundred Life Points to activate ‘Shifting Shadows’, shrouding my field in darkness. Now if you attack one of my face-down monsters, you have to choose which one to attack at random (8000-300=7700).”
Shadows settled over Keepers field like a black mist. Once again Keeper had hidden his card to preserve his strategy. I knew in that moment that I had two options: either I could determine the correct location of his monsters, or I could summon a monster stronger than his ‘Mummy’. I also knew that if I failed to do so very soon, I’d already lost.
Jen
“My move,” said Beast as he drew his card. “I activate ‘Card of Sanctity’, allowing each of us to refill our hands,” all three of us drew cards, and I wondered, not for the first time since the duel had begun, if Beast could possibly be as reckless as he seemed and yet still be so strong. After all, the duel was two against one and he’d just given us back our hand advantage. It was a weakness, one that I had to find a way to exploit if possible.
“Next,” Beast continued, actually snarling, “I summon ‘Blade Rabbit’ in attack mode (ATK: 300), and activate ‘Block Attack’, changing it to defense mode (DEF: 400).”
“Why not just summon it in defense mode?” Kris asked as the tiny rabbit appeared, baring its knife-like teeth.
“Because,” Beast answered cockily, “whenever ‘Blade Rabbit’ changes from Attack mode to Defense mode, I can destroy any monster on the field.” The ‘Rabbit’ jumped at the ‘Metal Armored Bug’, tearing straight through it like something from Monty Python. I feigned a lack of concern, as if I’d allowed my monster to be destroyed, but in truth there was nothing I could have done.
“Now,” said Beast, laughing, “I think it’s time I squashed you. Like a bug!”
John
“I draw,” I declared, pulling the top card from my deck, happy with the result, “and I begin with my face-down card. Reveal the Continuous Trap card ‘Type-Zero Magic Crusher’. I discard ‘Darkness Approaches’ to deal you five hundred damage."
A machine appeared at my side, absorbing my Spell, and converting it into an energy wave which hit Keeper directly (7700-500=7200).
"Next I summon," I declared, "my ‘Chaosrider Gustaph’, removing two Spell cards in my Graveyard from play to increase my monster’s Attack by six hundred until my next turn.”
My monster, a horned fiend riding a motorcycle, appeared carrying a pike weapon, revving his engine (1400+600 =2000). His body was wreathed in a green aura. “Attack now,” I commanded, “with Battle Pike!”
‘Chaosrider’ charged my opponent’s field and raised his pike, stabbing into the darkness, hitting a monster. It was revealed as the ‘Cobraman Sakuzy’, just before it was destroyed. ‘Gustaph’ kicked off of the ground, rotating on his hind wheel, and rode back to my side of the field where he turned and settled at my side.
“One card face-down,” I concluded, disappointed that I’d been unable to learn the location of the more serious threat, “and I end my turn.”
Jen
“I begin my finishing move,” said Beast, “with a Spell card, ‘Poison Fangs’. As long as it remains on the field, you take five hundred damage from ‘Poison Fang’ each time a Beast deals you battle damage. Next I activate ‘Wild Nature’s Release’, raising the attack of my ‘Behemoth’ by an amount equal to its Defense!”
The creature grew even larger, it’s claws and teeth growing longer and sharper (ATK; 2700+1500=4200). “Attack,” Beast commanded, and ‘Behemoth’ raised his claws, reaching toward me, “and I activate ‘Rush Recklessly’ and ‘The Big March of Animals’, raising the attack of my monster by another eleven hundred (4200+1100=5300)!”
“No, Jen!” my sister cried as the ‘Behemoth’ struck. Despite her often-spacey demeanor, she was still capable of performing simple math. As were the others. I heard their shocked gasps behind me.
I was hit. I gasped at the pain. It was so extreme that I almost didn't feel it, like my body had been overloaded. I looked down. I was actually wounded, though not as seriously as I would have been if the monster were real, and not a shadow creature, and I was thankful for that.
"Bravo, Beast," I said, "I grossly underestimated the gap in our strength."
“There’s nothing I can do," Kris said desperately as my Life Points fell (5600-5300-500=0).
As I felt my spirit leave my body, I turned to my sister, “Yes you can. You can beat him. You can beat him for me.”
Kris
I nodded, blinking back tears as my sister fell limp to the ground. Even as I cried and Beast Ruler laughed, I felt my pain turn to anger, and to a desire for revenge.
“Because my ‘Wild Nature’s Release’ destroys my monster at the end of the turn, I have to summon a new monster to take its place,” Beast explained, beaming with pride in his accomplishment. “I Reveal ‘Beast Soul Swap’, returning a Beast monster on my field to my hand to summon a Beast of the same level. Well, I guess it would technically be the same monster, since the level seven monster I’m summoning to replace my dying ‘Behemoth’, is the level seven ‘Behemoth the King of All Animals’!”
The powered up ‘Behemoth’ disappeared, and then reappeared in its original form, roaring loudly (ATK: 2700). Beast had one card left in his hand. What could I do? How could I win if not even Jen could?
Beast laughed a snarly laugh and said, "If you're going to do anything, do it fast. If your sister is left without her spirit for too long, she'll die!"
John
“I draw,” said Keeper, “and I’m sorry to say that your Trap won’t be enough to protect you.”
As the thick layer of darkness on his side of the field cleared away, he selected a card from his hand, “Activate ‘Mystical Space Typhoon’, destroying your face-down card.”
A powerful gust of wind tore through the image of my hidden Trap card ‘Mirror Force’, ripping it to shreds.
“Next,” Keeper announced, “I sacrifice my ‘Giant Axe Mummy’ to summon the Master of the Afterlife, ‘The End of Anubis’!” Keeper’s mummy disappeared into the darkness of the Burial, and his new monster, a twenty foot tall blue skinned fiend with the body of a man and the head of a jackal, stepped onto the field from the same darkness, it’s teeth bared, growling (ATK: 2500).
“While my ‘Anubis’ is face-up on the field, effects cannot target the Graveyard,” Keeper explained, “and of course, my monster is perfectly capable of attacking.” ‘End of Anubis’ roared, producing sound waves that tore my ‘Chaosrider’ apart, taking with it a chunk of my Life (6700+2000-2500=6200).
“You are strong,” said Keeper, “but you’ll never defeat the Perilous Desert Deck!”
Card of the Day:
Chaosrider Gustaph
Played by: John
Originally a Max card, this monster just fit so much better in John's deck that I couldn't help adding it. It doesn't fit his typical attribute scheme, but it still manages to remain a part of John's deck for a very long time.
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