Dayum, Tucker is badASS! He just punched a guy, as a move in a card game! Granted he gets himself so worked up that he almost knocks himself out, but still, holy cow!
Chapter Fifteen
The Attacking Guardian;
Guardian Ruler vs. Pyro Tucker
I struggled to stand upright as Guard's aura continued to wash over me. At my side, Sarah struggled to get back to her feel, settling for taking a knee instead. After another minute or so, the aura flared once more, and then died down a bit, just enough that we were no longer in danger of being knocked to the ground. Still, Guard's aura was incredible, more so than anything that I'd ever felt before. I hadn't expected to see any of the Dark Duel Force react so strongly to one of their allies being beaten. They didn't seem to actually care about each other. Were War Ruler and Guardian Ruler different?
Not that I really had time to think about that at the time.
“I begin my turn,” said Guard, his dark aura still burning visibly around him, “with a face-down card, and the Continuous Spell card ‘Morale Boost’. Now each time I play an Equip Spell card I gain one thousand Life Points, and each time one of my Equip Spell cards is destroyed I lose one thousand Life Points. Next I activate ‘Card of Sanctity’, allowing all players to draw until they hold six cards.” All three of us drew. My hand was good, but in the face of such raw power, I had no way of even guessing if it would be good enough.
“Now,” Guard continued, “I flip-summon my ‘Arsenal Summoner’.” A man in violet blue robes appeared (ATK: 1600), “which allows me to add any ‘Guardian' monster in my deck to my hand.”
The robes man chanted under his breath, his body glowing faintly. Guard fanned out his deck, revealing that 'Guardian Grarl' wasn't the only heavily worn card within it, and picked a card.
“Next I activate ‘Pot of Greed’ to draw two cards,” Guard announced, and he drew, “and I play ‘Wicked-Breaking Flamberge – Baou’ on the ‘Armory’, discarding one card to do so, activating ‘Morale Boost’ (4000+1000=5000), and allowing me to summon the Avenging Guardian, ‘Guardian Baou’.”
A six foot long greatsword fell from the sky and plunged tip first into the ground in the center of the ‘Armory’ floor, burning with a dark aura very much like Guard's own. Out of that aura emerged a seven foot tall black-skinned fiend with long hair that fluttered around his head, two long horns, and a cape of darkness that spread out behind him like wings. He picked up the ‘Flamberge’ in one hand despite its size and rose into the air (ATK: 800+500=1300).
“My monster can negate the effect of any monster he destroys in battle,” Guard explained, “and each time he kills a monster, his Attack points increase by one thousand, and I’m not even finished yet. I activate ‘Giant Trunade’, returning all Spell and Trap cards on the field to their owners’ hands.”
A massive updraft came out of nowhere, blowing every Spell and Trap away, including Sarah’s Field (‘Orca’: 2500-200=2300/’Fenrir’: 1600-200=1400) and Guard’s Equip Spells, ‘Armory’ and ‘Moral Boost’ card (‘Tryce’: 1400+500=1900). The ocean around us faded away, and we found ourselves back in the parking lot of the hospital, the sun having already set, the sky strewn with stars that barely managed to peek through the darkness that still hung like a fog all around us.
“Now,” said Guard, “I replay ‘Moral Boost’ and ‘Armory’, and I discard ‘Twin Swords of Flashing Light – Tryce’ to re-equip ‘Wicked-Breaking Flamberge – Baou’. Then I go further and equip ‘Baou’ with ‘Gravity Axe – Grarl’ and two copies of ‘Butterfly Dagger – Elma’.”
Darkness poured from ‘Baou’’s sides and two more arms formed. In his upper hands he grasped ‘Grarl’’s axe as well as his own body-length sword. In his lower hands he grasped two of the daggers with the decorated butterfly hilts (LP: 5000 -> 9000/ ‘Baou’: 800 -> 2400).
“Finally,” Guard announced as his Guardian raised his weapons, preparing to strike, “I destroy ‘Fenrir’ with my monster’s attack, Avenge Assault!”
‘Baou’ flew toward the wolf and brought his ‘Flamberge’ down on him, splitting him in half from head to tail (4000+1400-2400=3000/‘Baou’: 2400+1000=3400).
Guard glared from Sarah, to me, and back again, “End turn.”
“My move,” said Sarah, shaken by the sudden loss of her monster. “I summon ‘Amazon of the Seas’ in defense mode,” a mermaid appeared at Sarah’s side (DEF: 1400), “I’ll change my ‘Orca Mega-Fortress’ to defense mode (DEF: 1200), and I re-activate my Field Spell, ending my turn.”
We were instantly returned to the depths of the ocean.
I took a deep breath. It was my turn. I had several good cards, but not all of the right cards for my finishing combo, and against Guardian Ruler’s new power, nothing else would do. I would just have to wait and hope that Sarah and I could hold out.
“For my turn,” I said, “I set a monster in defense mode and place one card face-down. Go ahead and take your next turn. And make it count, because I plan to make it your last.”
I was scared, but I wasn’t going to let my partner or my opponent see. Sarah was nervous enough already. Nothing good could come from me adding to her worries with my own.
Guard’s magical power was incredible. Maybe as great as one of our powers. The Souls were supposed to be the most powerful Shadow Magic artifacts around. That fact had always given me a sense of confidence, and made me feel strong, but now I had to face the fact that I’d met someone with a power that rivaled mine, and that either Sarah or I was very likely about to lose our spirit to Yami.
Guardian Ruler drew his next card. He looked from me to Sarah again. I found myself watching her out of the corner of my eye, and I was surprised to find that it bothered me more to think of her losing than it did myself. I looked back at Guard, and he smiled, “I think I’ll kill the water Duelist first.”
No! I thought. I looked over at my partner, “Sarah, you got anything?”
She looked straight ahead, staring right into our opponent’s eyes, and shook her head, “But it’s okay. Even if he does kill me this turn, you’ll still be here to tie up any loose ends. Unless you screw up.”
She was acting strong, but I knew better. She was terrified. I think that’s the first time that I realized just how brave Sarah really is, deep down. The though of her suddenly not being there made my chest hurt.
“I begin,” said Guard, “with ‘Stop Defense’, changing the ‘Orca’ to attack mode (ATK: 2500). Next I summon a new monster, my ‘Guardian Statue’.” A massive stone warrior appeared flexing really big solid stone arms (ATK: 800).
“’Baou’, attack with Avenge Assault!” Guard commanded, and ‘Baou’ sliced with all of his weapons, releasing a wave of energy that sliced through the waters of the magical ocean and split Sarah’s ‘Orca’ in half (3000+2500-3400=2100).
“I destroy your ‘Amazon’ with my ‘Arsenal Summoner’," Guard concluded, "and I attack directly with ‘Guardian Statue’ and ‘Guardian Tryce’!”
‘Arsenal Summoner’ fired a spell at Sarah’s mermaid and she was vaporized. ‘Guardian Statue’ punched, knocking Sarah through the air. She landed hard on her back (2100-800=1300). She sat up, just as the ‘Guardian Tryce’ leaped past her, his palm charged with lightning. As he passed by her, he unleashed an electric attack that hit her at point blank range. She screamed, as ‘Tryce’ leaped back, landing at his master’s side (1300-1900=0).
I watched, helpless, as Sarah’s eyes become completely lifeless, as her spirit was stripped away from her. The water of her Field Spell disappeared, and yet I felt a chill run up my spine, like I'd been dipped in cold water. I was horrified, but I knew there was nothing I could do. Nothing, except defeat the person who’d done this to her, and make it hurt as much as I could in the process.
It had come down to the final move. The ‘Guardian Baou’ gained even more Attack (3400+1000=4400), and I was finally alone. Well, I thought, we knew this would happen. Ever since she felt the power that these guys had, Karen knew that fighting them would do little more than buy us time. She never said it, but I know it's the truth. I know how to size somebody up.
Even knowing that, and knowing that I had put up more of a fight than I ever could have hoped to in such a bad situation, I was mad. These guys had treated us like we were doing something wrong by defending ourselves and defending our friend, and I wouldn’t have it anymore. He’d already killed three of my friends. I simply would not let him hurt anyone else, ever.
“You’re going to pay, Guard,” I said, absolutely serious. “You’re going to pay for everything you’ve done to us today, and you’re going to pay right now!”
My soul flashed, and energy began to build within me. “I begin,” I said, “by Flip Summoning my ‘Magician of Faith’. Then I’ll follow up with the Spell card that I returned to my hand from the Graveyard using her effect, my ‘Pot of Greed’.” I drew two more cards as my monster, a beautiful sorceress carrying a staff ending in a golden crescent, appeared at my side (ATK: 300).
“Now,” I announced, “I sacrifice my ‘Magician of Faith’ to summon my favorite monster, ‘Mr. Volcano’ (ATK: 2100)!” a suave gentleman wearing a white shirt and a green vest with blazing red hair appeared, summoning fire into his hands.
“Next,” I continued, “I sacrifice my ‘Tyrant Dragon’ for the effect of ‘Gift of the Martyr’,” the dragon disappeared in a burst of fire, “increasing the Attack power of my ‘Mr. Volcano’ by an amount equal to the dragon's Attack."
'Tyrant Dragon' became a form of flames, and he was absorbed into 'Mr. Volcano''s palm. The flames there flared up and surrounding his entire body (2100+2900=4000).
“On to the action," I declared. "‘Mr. Volcano’, attack the ‘Arsenal Summoner’, Volcano Burst!” ‘Mr. Volcano’ snapped his fingers and the robed ‘Arsenal Summoner’, burst into flames, burning to ash (9000+1600-4000=6400).
“And finally,” I said, my voice harsh, my eyes dark, heat pouring from my body, “I strike the final blow. Spell card activate; ‘Incandescent Ordeal’! I sacrifice the level five ‘Mr. Volcano’ and the level two ‘The Immortal Fire’ to summon a level seven Ritual Monster, the Embodiment of my Duelist’s Soul, the ‘Legendary Flame Lord’!”
My monster stood six feet tall, with red hair. He wore a leather tunic and pants. Over the tunic he wore a coat and cape made of flames. On his head he wore a blue armor crown, and he wore matching armor plates over his arms and lower legs. In his left hand he carried a jagged dagger with a blue hilt. In his right hand he carried a metal staff with a glass sphere on the end. His eyes glowed brightly with an intense, white-hot fire (ATK: 2400).
“I follow up with the Spell card ‘Meteor of Destruction’," I announced, "dealing you one thousand points of damage,” a swirling fireball appeared in the air above me and shot toward my opponent, hitting him dead on, scorching his cloths and his hair (6400-1000=5400).
“I also activate a second Spell card, ‘Graceful Charity’, letting me draw three more cards and then discard two cards,” I pulled my cards as the fire around my ‘Legendary Flame Lord’ flared up, reaching into the sky.
"I play a final spell," I declared, “the Spell card, ‘Burst of Inferno’! I remove ‘Spirit of Flames’, ‘The Immortal Fire’, and ‘Mr. Volcano’ in my Graveyard from play to activate its effect, allowing me to do five hundred damage to you once this turn for every monster that I removed from play.”
The 'Flame Lord''s fire flared outward now, eclipsing Guard's aura, and nearly knocking him down.
“My Spell resolves," I explained, "and ‘Legendary Flame Lord’ has three Spell Counters now, which means I’ve unlocked his ultimate attack. This monster represents all of my inner fire. All of my fighting spirit. The very fire of my Soul! I remove the three Spell Counters from my monster,” I declared, “to destroy every other monster on the field. My monster and I attack together. Go, Incinerating Shockwave!”
The fire that surrounded my monster coalesced into a sphere at the tip of his staff. He flung the sphere at Guard’s field. It spread out, incinerating all of his monsters.
“Now,” I said, “in case you forgot, you lose one thousand Life Points now for every Equip Spell card that was destroyed.” An orange aura flared up around my opponent, sapping his strength away (5400-(1000x4)=1400).
It looked painful.
But even as those flames died down, I raised my fist, and an intense fire built around it. Transparent spirits of my removed monsters appeared and were absorbed into my body, and the fire grew larger and more intense.
I ran straight at Guardian Ruler, pushing through the lingering flames left by my monsters attack, straining to force my way through his still-intense aura, and I punched him in the gut. He coughed a bit of blood, and collapsed to the ground. My monster and the fire around my fist disappeared as the duel ended (Guard’s LP: 1400-1500=0).
I cracked my knuckles, bracing myself against my knees, my whole body shaking. I was breathing hard, having been almost completely drained of strength. The asphalt beneath me and beneath the spot where I’d stood during the duel was scorched. My Soul gives me so much power, I thought, both in and out of a duel. But it drains me almost to the breaking point. But none of that matters right now. I have to ignore it, because I still have one more enemy to beat!
I looked up at Spiky Hair. John needs me to hold these guys back as long as I can, and that’s just what I’m gonna do, drained or not.
“Alright, Spike,” I said, straightening up to my full height, fighting to keep my legs from wobbling, “get ready ‘cause you’re about to meet the same fate as your friends.”
“I, Archfiend Ruler, have no friends,” he replied. “Those Duelists were only tools to be used and tossed aside. Thanks to them I now know all of your best cards. I also know, without a shadow of a doubt, that you cannot possibly defeat me.”
Normally I would have come back with something about big talk, but standing there, my leg's shaking and my vision blurring as I looked into my enemies smug, confident face. I knew that he was right.
Card of the Day:
Guardian Baou
Played by: Guardian Ruler
Yeah, Tucker's original card there at the end was great, but this monster clearly made its presence felt for the majority of this chapter.
Original Cards in This Chapter:
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