This isn't as dramatic as in the anime when Raphael unleashes his dark power against Yugi, but I think it still comes off as pretty impressive.
Chapter Fourteen
The Warrior Falls;
The Guardian’s Overwhelming Power
“Excellent,” I said trying my best to sound all cool and dramatic, “with these cards I bring about your defeat, War Ruler. I summon the ‘Raging Flame Sprite’!” A fairy-like creature in a pointed hat appeared, fire dancing in its hands (ATK: 100 +600=700).
“My monster might be weak now,” I explained, “but this feisty fairy gains one thousand Attack every time it deals you damage. And I’m not done, either. Activate the Spell card ‘Double Attack’! I discard a monster from my hand that has more Level stars than ‘Raging Flame Sprite’, like my ‘Inferno’, and my ‘Raging Flame Sprite’ gains the ability to attack twice this turn. Oh, and the 'Sprite' can attack directly.”
This has got to work, I thought. I was confident. Cocky, even. I looked over War Ruler’s field. He had few visible defenses, but I forgot to properly account for what defenses he did have, or for the involvement of his partner, Guardian Ruler, who had done nothing for most of the duel.
“’Flame Sprite’, attack now, Raging Blaze!” My monster flared up the sparks of fire dancing in its hands, and formed a pair of fireballs. He threw them at War Ruler, smiling all the while, but seconds before the flames would have hit, they were blocked by a glowing ring of light.
The ring pushed through the fire and ensnared my monster, which was frozen in place. “Reveal,” said Guard, “my face-down ‘Spellbinding Circle’, canceling your monster’s attack.”
“Leaving it open for my next card,” declared War. “Activate ‘Magical Detonation’. I send ‘Spellbinding Circle’ on the field and ‘Warrior Dai Grepher’ in my hand to the Graveyard to destroy ‘Raging Flame Sprite’.” The magic circle exploded, taking my monster with it.
Great combo, I thought, chastising myself. Using ‘Spellbinding Circle’ to block my attack and then using it to fuel their Trap. I'm not surprised that I didn't see that coming. But I should have realized that they had some plan. I got overconfident. Winning this duel will be harder than I thought.
“My move,” said Guard as he drew his next card. His Shadow Soul glowed again. “I play ‘Twin Swords of Flashing Light – Tryce’ on ‘Armory’ and sacrifice ‘Guardian Elma’ to summon ‘Guardian Tryce’.”
The lightning-speed guardian appeared, replacing the wind guardian, picking up and brandished his twin blades (ATK: 1900-500=1400). “And because ‘Butterfly Dagger’ was destroyed when ‘Elma’ left the field,” War explained, “it returns to my hand. I equip it to ‘Tryce’ as well.”
The ‘Butterfly Dagger’ appeared again in a sheath on ‘Tryce’’s waist (ATK: 1400+300=1700).
“Now,” said Guard, “I attack ‘The Immortal Fire’.” ‘Tryce’ slashed, and the fire creature dispersed, but as soon as the ‘Guardian’’s attack was over, the fire creature returned in a shower of sparks, completely unharmed.
“Sorry,” I explained, “but whenever my ‘Immortal Fire’ is destroyed, it returns.”
“And if you’re done,” said Sarah, “I’ll take my turn, thank you very much. I activate ‘Graceful Charity’, drawing three cards and discarding two cards. Then I activate the Spell card salvage, adding ‘Cannonball Spear Shellfish’ and ‘Fenrir’ in my Graveyard to my hand. Now, finally, I reveal ‘Cursed Waters Level 3’, letting me summon monsters whose total levels equal three. Because of the effect of my ‘A Legendary Ocean’, the total Levels of ‘Torpedo Fish’ and ‘Cannonball Spear Shellfish’ in my hand equals, yep, you guessed it, three!”
In the launcher on ‘Orca’’s belly appeared a large fish shaped like a torpedo. In one of the launchers on the ‘Orca’’s back appeared the cannonball-shaped clam with the drill on its head, the ‘Cannonball Spear Shellfish’.
“Being experts at this game,” Sarah said confidently, “I’m sure you know what this means.” She smiled, “I Sacrifice my ‘Torpedo Fish’ and my ‘Spear Shellfish’ to activate my ‘Orca’’s effects!”
‘Orca Mega-Fortress’ fired the ‘Torpedo Fish’ like a missile, destroying ‘Obnoxious Celtic Guard’, and fired the ‘Shellfish’ from the launcher on its back, destroying Guard’s face-down card.
“Next,” said Sarah, “I remove two Water monsters in my Graveyard from play to Special Summon ‘Fenrir’ from my hand.”
I watched as a patch of water in front of Sarah seemed to come together, taking the form of a growling blue-furred wolf (ATK: 1600). “When ‘Fenrir’ destroys a monster as a result of battle, that monster’s owner gets his deck frozen for a turn, preventing him from drawing a card.”
Sarah, beaming with pride, pointed straight at War Ruler’s ‘Marauding Captain’. “’Fenrir’,” she commanded, “attack the ‘Captain’ with Feral Ice Claw!”
‘Fenrir’ lunged at the ‘Captain’, his claws raised, but was stopped dead by the appearance of three priests in blue robes. “A ‘Waboku’ card?” Sarah asked. “How?”
“Easy,” Guard answered. “‘Waboku’ was the face-down card that you destroyed with the effect of your ‘Orca Mega-Fortress’. Before it was destroyed, I activated it, protecting myself and my monsters until the end of the turn.”
Sarah was getting more frustrated by the minute, but she was still holding on. Of course in Sarah's case, frustrated is preferable to worried and scared, so this was an improvement, really.
“Alright,” she said, “if that’s how you wanna play, I place a card face-down and end my turn. Go ahead, make your next move.”
War Ruler, still cool and collected, drew his next card, still looking at us with intrigue. “I place a card of my own face-down," He declared, "and I summon my spirit. On dark winds gallop, ‘Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight’!”
A knight appeared in blue armor, riding aback an armored purple steed, carrying two red lances, one in each hand (ATK: 2300). “Next I activate ‘Metamorphosis’, trading the level seven ‘Swift Gaia’ for ‘Gaia’’s most powerful form, ‘Gaia the Dragon Champion’!”
‘Gaia’’s horse disappeared, and a yellow spiked dragon appeared in its place. War’s new monster rose up, and his mount let out a roar. Gaia raised his lances, ready to attack (ATK: 2600).
“Reveal,” continued War Ruler, “’Gaia’’s attack in Spell form, ‘Spiral Spear Strike’. While this card remains on the field, my ‘Gaia the Dragon Champion’ is a Piercing monster, and each time he deals damage to your Life Points, I draw two cards and then discard one.
‘Gaia the Dragon Champion’, attack ‘The Immortal Fire’!” War commanded, and ‘Gaia’ swooped and stabbed my monster with his lance. A spiral burst of wind spread out from the impact point, hitting me in the chest, slicing my shirt and my skin underneath (4000+800-2600 =2200). War drew two cards and then discarded one. I couldn’t see what it was. My ‘Immortal Fire’ reformed at my side.
“Sorry to say it War,” I said, “but as strong as your ‘Champion’ is, I’m still stronger. I know I keep saying that, but it's true, and it's time for me to show you why! I remove my ‘Inferno’ in my Graveyard from play to Special Summon ‘Spirit of Flames’, and I sacrifice my ‘Spirit of Flames’ and my ‘Essence of Fire’ to summon the mighty ‘Tyrant Dragon’!”
‘Spirit of Flames’, a red skinned demon man with long, curved horns, appeared at my side. He and the red-haired girl disappeared and were replaced by a massive bronze-skinned dragon with a crystal in his forehead and broad, tattered wings. He was an intimidating sight, even here under water (ATK: 2900).
“Now,” I announced, “I activate the Spell card ‘Shien’s Spy’, giving you control of my ‘Immortal Fire’ (ATK: 100) until the end of the turn.” My fire bird monster flew over to War Ruler’s side.
War’s eyes grew wide as he realized my plan. “No,” he said, “you can’t.”
“Yes,” I said smiling confidently, “I can. ‘Tyrant Dragon’, attack ‘The Immortal Fire’, Tyrant Burst!”
‘Tyrant Dragon’ breathed flames so hot that they made the water boil forward, rolling over the living flame. The boiling water continued forward, hit War Ruler, and exploded outward, knocking War Ruler clear out of the boundaries of the Field Spell (1000+100-2900=0). As he fell forward, unmoving, his soul having left his body, I thought I saw a smile on his face, but I ignored it. My ‘Immortal Fire’ reformed at my side (DEF: 200) as my first opponent’s last remaining monsters faded away.
I looked over at Guard as he began what I hoped would be his last turn. He had a darkness in his eyes that shone through even behind his dark glasses. His Shadow Item flared up, and he was surrounded by a fierce aura. He emanated a pressure that knocked Sarah over, and nearly brought me to my knees. For the first time in a long time, I was really, honestly afraid of another person. In a deep and booming voice Guardian Ruler cried out, “You’ve made your last mistake. War Ruler was my last real friend. I will have my revenge!”
Card of the Day:
Tyrant Dragon
Played by: Tucker
Tucker's "Legendary Flame Lord" is great if you like big, heavy-investment magical fireworks and the like, but when you need some good old fashioned killin' done, few things beat a great big dragon like this guy here, a fact which Tucker understands completely.
Original Cards in This Chapter:
Original Cards in This Chapter:
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