Okay, so I do an interesting thing in this chapter. As a sort of happy medium between the anime/manga version of a duel where two people fight on the same team, where they have different fields, but can tribute each others' monsters, and otherwise use them for stuff, and the "official" version (used for tag duels in the video games) where they share a field and full control of each others' cards, I give the heroes the ability to pass monsters between each other once per turn, for tributes or for defense. Only the owner can attack with one of their monsters, though. This was necessary to show off just how much Max is supporting Karen, in preparation for Max's narration and inner dialogue next chapter.
Chapter Seventeen
Last Stand;
Karen and Max vs. The Immortal Archfiends
Karen
“Tucker’s lost,” I said quietly to Max, careful not to let anyone else in the waiting room hear what I was saying.
“We’d better get going then,” said Max. “We don’t want to do this too close to the building. Hang on.”
We stood, and Max grasped my wrist. He led me behind a large potted plant in the corner, careful not to let anyone see. His amber-colored Soul of Life flashed, and we were wreathed in ghastly dark smoke that carried us through the wall of the building like ghosts. In a mere two or three seconds we were outside roughly fifty yards from the approaching enemy. He kept walking toward us, stopping twenty yards away. “You must be the last remnants of the Duel Force,” he said. “I’m Archfiend Ruler, the most powerful force either of you has ever faced.”
This is better than I thought, I realized. The others managed to defeat all but the leader. Against only one opponent, even this one, Max and I might actually stand a chance.
“Powerful or not,” I said, “you’re facing two of the Duel Force’s strongest Duelists. You can’t beat us both, it’s simply not possible.”
“We’ll see,” said Fiend with a sharp laugh.
“We will,” I continued, trying to be convincing. “You should just give up now and go, before we beat you and win back the spirits and the Duelist’s Souls that you’ve taken."
“I never surrender,” Fiend countered as he stepped closer to the two of us and drew his opening hand. “Get ready, because I’ve already started (LP: 8000). I summon ‘Vilepawn Archfiend’, attack mode.” Fiend’s first Archfiend appeared (ATK: 1200). “I also place three cards face-down and end my turn. Hurry up, I want to really get things started.”
“Okay,” I said, groaning inwardly at the type of deck that our opponent was using, “but I warned you. I start with the Spell card ‘Graceful Charity’. This lets me draw three cards and then discard two. I follow up by paying one thousand Life Points to activate ‘Toon World’ (8000-1000=7000). While this magic book is on the field, I can summon Toon monsters from within the book to my side to fight for me.”
A giant green book appeared behind me, hovering in the air. It fell open, and pink smoke began pouring from its pages.
“From within the magical book,” I declared, “I summon ‘Toon Mermaid’ as a Toon Summon, and I sacrifice her for my ‘Toon Summoned Skull’.” The pink smoke cleared, and a cartoon mermaid appeared, lying in an oyster shell, carrying a bow (ATK: 1400). She was sucked back into the book, and a large black skeletal torso with thick arms, and clawed hands, rose out of the pages, cackling wildly, lightning dancing between its claws (ATK: 2500).
“That makes it my move,” said Max, assuming correctly that my turn was through. “I start with the Spell card ‘Call of the Mummy’, letting me Special Summon a zombie once per turn, if I control no other monsters. I summon ‘Spirit Reaper’, and then I summon ‘The Dark – Hexed-Sealed Fusion’. By sacrificing ‘The Dark’ and ‘Spirit Reaper’ I can summon a Fusion monster that lists ‘Spirit Reaper’ as a Fusion Material monster. A Fusion monster like my ‘Reaper on the Nightmare’.”
A jumble of darkness appeared alongside Max’s signature card, a grim reaper in a gold-trimmed purple cloak, that hung in the air, floating on a cloud of dark smoke. The mass of Darkness, ‘The Dark – Hexed-Sealed Fusion’, blossomed out into black void. ‘Spirit Reaper’ was swallowed up in the void, which closed and disappeared with a pop. In its place floated Max's new monster, which, in appearance, was just the ‘Spirit Reaper’ sitting aback a ghostly mummified horse (ATK: 800), but I knew that, despite his unimpressive appearance, this monster was one of the strongest in the game.
“I set one card,” Max continued, “and I use my ‘Reaper’’s ability to attack you directly.” ‘Reaper’ galloped on air past the ‘Vilepawn’ and slashed Fiend with his scythe. It had to have hurt, but Fiend completely ignored my partner’s attack, acting as if it hadn’t even happened.
“When my ‘Reaper on the Nightmare’ deals you damage,” Max explained, “you have to discard a card from your hand.” Fiend ditched his card, but seemed not to mind. In fact it almost seemed as if he had expected it and was counting on it (8000-800=7200).
“You two are strong, as strong as I expected,” Fiend said offhandedly as he activated a face-down card, "just as I expected from two of my master's strongest former soldiers."
As his card flipped up, he said, “As good as you are, though, I’m still very clearly better. Reveal ‘Archfiend’s Roar’ paying five hundred Life Points (7200-500=6700) to summon back the monster that you just discarded, the ‘Terrorking Archfiend’.”
The King of Archfiends appeared, and was instantly destroyed. “The effect of ‘Archfiend's Roar’," Archfiend Ruler explained, "destroys the monster it summoned at the End Phase of the turn.”
“Well that made no sense,” said Max insultingly, but I understood.
“All will become clear,” Fiend said. “When ‘Terrorking Archfiend’ is destroyed, even by my own card’s effect, I can discard ‘Desrook Archfiend’ to revive him.”
Fiend sent a card from his hand to the Graveyard, and the ‘Terrorking’ returned, rising up into the air and bellowing loudly (ATK: 2000).
“Now,” said Fiend, “I draw and reveal ‘Battle-Scarred’. While I control this card, whenever I pay Life Points to my Archfiends to satiate their bloodlust, you both pay the same amount.”
My entire body burned, like my life was being stripped away, and Max didn't look much better off, but once again our opponent didn't seem to feel it as the Archfiends opened their mouths, and inhaled a portion of our life forces (7000 -> 5700/ 8000 -> 6700/6700 -> 5400).
“I have to admit," Fiend said, almost gleefully, "that I've known about the two of you for a long time, and I've wanted to fight both of you for almost as long, but Master wouldn't let me. He said that he had plans for you. But I anticipated that we would meet in battle, and so I built a strategy into my deck that could defeat you despite the fact that both of your decks are nearly as invulnerable as mine. This is that strategy, one that bypasses 'Spirit Reaper' and 'Spirit Barrier', and an endless army of Toons.
"I reveal ‘Life-Absorbing Machine’,” Fiend continued, “Now each turn I gain back half of the Life Points that I paid during my previous turn. You lose huge amounts of Life Points each turn to pay a cost that you can't avoid, but I only pay half as much! Next I play ‘Falling Down’, giving me control of one of your monsters at the cost of eight hundred Life Points per turn, for as long as I control an Archfiend. With my Spell card’s effect, I take control your ‘Toon Summoned Skull’, and I pay five hundred Life Points to have him attack his former master!”
My ‘Toon Summoned Skull’, the strongest monster on the field, stepped out of 'Toon World' and moved to my opponent’s field. He raised his claws, and lightning rained down on me, nearly bringing me to my knees (5700-2500=3200/5400-500=4900).
“And now,” Fiend commanded, “I attack with my remaining monsters and finish you off!”
‘Vilepawn’ slashed me with his bladed arm (3200-1200=2000), and ‘Terrorking’ moved in to strike the final blow, but was cut off by Max’s ‘Reaper’. Max stood with his arms crossed. “I give my monster to Karen to absorb some of the damage to her Life Points (2000+800-2000=800)."
I looked over at Max. He smiled a wicked smile, and I couldn’t help but smile as well. This was the kid who, just a few months ago, had been one of my greatest enemies, and now he and I were fighting side by side. It really was remarkable.
“It’s my turn again,” I said. “I start out by giving the ‘Reaper’ back to my partner.” The reaper monster became smoke and moved over to Max’s side where it reformed.
“Next I activate ‘Swords of Revealing Light’, preventing all of your attacks for the next three turns,” massive swords made of light rained from the sky and stuck into the ground all around my opponent.
“Now, finally,” I concluded, “I summon ‘Toon Alligator’ in defense mode.” A tiny green alligator appeared, holding an axe (DEF: 1600). “That ends my turn.”
I looked over at Max and nodded. He nodded back. We were confident, even despite our opponent's ability to deal us huge damage each turn, but to be fair that was before we realized that we’d already lost.
John
My ‘Red-Eyes’ completed his attack, my opponent protected by his Trap. Damn! I thought. I’m really starting to run out of plays over here. “I place one card face-down,” I said, “and end my turn.”
“Then it’s my turn,” said Keeper gleefully. “I begin with my ‘Ghost of Egypt’’s ability of direct attack.” The ‘Ghost of Egypt’ flew straight at my monster, phasing right through him, punched me in the chest (5600-900=4700), and then retreated back to the opponent’s field. Great. Now what am I supposed to do?
Karen
“Draw,” said Max. He was far more confident than even I was at the time, but that’s who he is. Where such overconfidence would leave most people at a disadvantage, Max is different. Despite his great confidence I knew that Max would be working nonstop to find a way to overcome his opponent, as would I. We just had different ways of going about it.
“I activate ‘Pot of Greed’,” Max declared, “letting me draw two extra cards. Then I activate ‘Soul Release’ to remove the three cards in my Graveyard from play, and I summon ‘Chaosrider Gustaph’, using his effect to remove the ‘Soul Release’ in my Graveyard from play, raising his Attack to seventeen hundred.”
The fiend motorcyclist appeared at Max's side, pike in hand.
“And now,” Max continued, “because I have no cards in my Graveyard and four cards removed from play, I can activate ‘Chaos Greed’ to draw two more cards.” He drew, picked a card from his hand, and continued his turn.
“Now, I activate ‘Dimension Distortion’,” Max declared, “to return my removed from play ‘Spirit Reaper’ to the field in defense mode,” the original ‘Reaper’ returned (DEF: 200), “and I attack directly with ‘Reaper on the Nightmare’ and attack your ‘Vilepawn’ with ‘Chaosrider Gustaph’.”
The ‘Reaper on the Nightmare’ bypassed Fiend’s monsters to hit him directly, and ‘Gustaph’ slashed the ‘Vilepawn’ in half with his pike (5200+1200-1700-800=3900).
Max and I watched Archfiend Ruler, but he still didn’t react. “Oh come on,” I said tauntingly. “You’re losing. Bad. Show some sign that you care!”
“I would care,” Fiend replied, “if I were actually losing.”
“Fine,” said Max, “if that’s how you wanna play this, I end my turn with a face-down card. If you’re so sure you can still defeat us both then give us your best shot and actually prove it.”
“My pleasure,” said Fiend, an eager fire suddenly flashing in his eyes. “To keep things interesting," he announced, "I prefer to pick off my weaker opponents first in battle.
"In this case, that would be you,” he said, pointing right at me. “I start by paying for my Archfiends, and thanks to ‘Battle-Scarred’ any opponent who can pay must pay as well (3900 -> 2300/6700 -> 5100).
“My ‘Life-Absorbing Machine’ activates this Phase as well,” Fiend explained as his Life Points increased (2300+650=2950), “and also in my Standby Phase, I activate ‘Curse of Fiend’, forcing ‘Toon Alligator’ into attack mode (ATK: 800). I play ‘Mystical Space Typhoon’, destroying the ‘Swords of Revealing Light’.” A burst of wind shredded my Spell card and the swords made of light flickered away. “Now,” said Fiend, “I’m clear to attack.
“I summon my next monster, the ‘Infernalqueen Archfiend’," he declared, "and activate her ability to increase the Attack of my ‘Terrorking’ by one thousand (2000+1000=3000). Now ‘Terrorking’ will attack the ‘Alligator’ and kill you. Checkmate Slash!”
Well, I thought, closing my eyes, I guess that’s it. I lost. But when I heard the ‘Alligator’ die but felt no pain I opened my eyes. I was okay, my Life Points unharmed.
“Did you really think I’d let you do that?” max asked. “This duel is interesting, but nothing more. I won’t let an enemy as insignificant as you defeat me or my ally."
He laughed, "You should have seen this coming. You even mentioned this card earlier. Reveal ‘Spirit Barrier’. While this card is in play, neither one of us who controls a monster can be damaged in battle.”
“But your partner doesn’t have any monsters left,” said Fiend. “That means she’s wide open. I pay five hundred Life Points (2950-500=2450) to attack directly with ‘Toon Summoned Skull’’s Demon Lightning!”
‘Toon Summoned Skull’ summoned electricity down from the sky, but before it could hit me, ‘Reaper on the Nightmare’ flew in the way of the attack once again. It was vaporized, becoming smoke that soon reformed, completely unharmed.
“Heh,” laughed Max, “looks like she has a monster now.”
“Then I’ll simply set a card,” said Fiend, “and end my turn.”
He wasn’t surprised. He wasn’t worried. He’d expected us to use a strategy like this from the start. That’s why he’d spent most of his time so far focusing on my monsters: he knew that he’d be able to spread our resources more efficiently this way. He'd correctly identified me as the weakest link.
“My go,” I said, working hard to display a level of confidence that I just didn't feel, in the face of someone who seemed to always be one step ahead of us.. “Let’s see if we can turn this thing around. I start with the Spell card ‘Card of Sanctity’, letting each player in the duel draw until they hold six cards. Next I play one of the cards I just drew, my ‘Spell Absorption’, so that I gain five hundred Life Points each time a Spell card is played, followed by ‘Spell Economics’, a card that lowers the Life Point cost of my Spell cards to zero (800+500=1300).
“Finally,” I declared, “I summon my ‘Toon Mermaid’ in defense mode (DEF: 1500) and place two cards face-down, passing the turn, and the ‘Nightmare Reaper’, back to my partner.”
“Thank you Karen,” said Max smugly, still acting as if he were actually in control of the game.
“I begin and end my turn with a direct attack from my ‘Reaper’,” Max commanded, “destroying another of the cards in your hand with his effect (2450-800=1650). Using 'Battle-Scarred' to weaken us was smart, but once our Life Points get low enough that we can't pay anymore, we'll stop being hurt by its effect, and thanks to my ‘Reaper’ and my ‘Spirit Barrier’, we’re otherwise invincible. It was a good try, but it didn't work.”
Fiend smiled a wide, wicked smile, “We’ll see about that, won’t we.”
Card of the Day:
Spirit Reaper
Played by: Max
Poor "Spirit Reaper" pulls literally all of the weight in this duel. He deserves this spot. Granted he isn't "Spirit Reaper" the whole time, but I already used "Reaper on the Nightmare"...
Original Cards in This Chapter:
Original Cards in This Chapter:
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