While I make it very clear here that the previous book's villains, Karen, Monty, and Lawrence, are holding back against the new Duel Force members Amanda, Kimi, and Rocky, I don't necessarily mean to imply that if they weren't, Amanda, Kimi, and Rocky wouldn't be able to win. They do very very well here because of the fact that their opponents are weakened, but if all were equal, the new Duel Force members would still have a chance of winning over the course of three much longer and more complex duels, much like the original four in the climax of book one.
Chapter NineThe New Duel Force
vs.
The Duelists of the Order
John
I got the entire team together the following weekend to go with me to the tournament. We arrived at the park less than ten minutes from the start of the first round, which I knew was cutting it close, but that was okay. Like the tournament the week before at the Game Center, we were pretty much guaranteed spots. I led the others over to the sign-up table, and just as I was about to sign my name, getting us started, I felt something through the Soul of Darkness, something that left me unsettled.
“Uh oh guys, we may have a problem,” I said. “Follow me.”
I led the way, following the feeling emanating from the Soul, until we reached a deserted area of the park where hardly anybody ever went anymore, known as The Old Park. It was incredibly run-down and there wasn’t much there, just a walking track that led to an old gazebo, some benches, a half basketball court, and Karen, Monty, and Lawrence of the Duelists of the Order, waiting for us.
“Didn’t we already beat you three?” Sarah asked dismissively.
“That’s why we’re here,” said the slender and beautiful brown-haired, brown-eyed Karen. “Our master has given us one more chance to defeat you and redeem ourselves in his eyes.”
“You were lucky that the Souls appeared when they did during our last confrontation,” added Monty, who had spiky dark brown hair, and was the only member of the trio who even seemed remotely reasonable.
“Because if things had kept going the way they were,” Lawrence added, his lips curled into a wicked smirk, his amber-colored eyes flashing hungrily behind the bangs of his semi-short sand-colored hair, “you all would have died.”
“There’s no point in trying to escape,” said Karen. “The Shadow Game has already begun. Just by following your Soul to us you accepted our challenge.”
I looked around. Everything was darker than usual. I reached out with my Soul. She was right. We were trapped.
I turned to Tucker, Jen and Sarah and said, “Alright guys, let’s make this quick. After all, we have other problems right now.”
“Wait John,” said Amanda. She, Rocky, and Kimi stood between us and the trio from the Order.
“You’ve been going through a lot lately, John,” said Rocky, “and I owe you one anyway. Leave this to us.”
“Can’t you feel it?” Kimi asked, smiling, her Soul glowing faintly. “These guys are no match for us. We can handle these three.”
“You don’t get it guys,” said Tucker. “These are the big leagues. They’re on a whole other level.”
But while he spoke I was still stuck on something that Kimi had said, that Karen and her goon squad felt weak. I summoned the power of the Soul of Darkness, and I felt what she felt, that Karen and the others were holding back. It was almost like the inner aspects of their personalities were fighting against each other within their minds, dividing their attention. In fact, when I concentrated, I could almost see it happening. Although I didn’t know what this meant at the time, I could tell that they were in no shape to duel.
“Hold on Tuck,” I said, perhaps a bit irresponsibly, “let’s give them a chance. I want to see what happens.” I turned to the Order and said, “You’re opponents will be these three,” I gestured toward Amanda, Rocky, and Kimi. “When they win, we go free.”
“And when we win,” Karen said, “your Souls are ours.”
I hesitated for just a moment. What if our feelings were wrong? What if the trio were somehow tricking our magic senses? I looked Karen right in the eyes, and in a moment of clarity, I could see the turmoil there, like it was a physical thing, right in front of me, and I knew our feelings were real.
“Agreed,” I replied.
As Karen and I spoke, Kimi moved to face Monty, Rocky moved to face Lawrence, and Amanda moved to face Karen. I was worried about them, sure, but more than anything, I was curious as to why their opponents were so conflicted, why they seemed only to be operating at half strength. As I watched with an intense and somewhat selfish interest, six voices rang out across the otherwise deserted Old Park, “Duel!”
Amanda
“So I guess you’re Karen?” I asked. “You don’t look like a bad guy, and you’re pretty, just like my cousin said. Anyway, I’m gonna go first. I set two cards face-down and summon ‘Harpie Girl’ in defense mode.”
My monster, a young girl wearing a black jumpsuit with pink feathers running down her arms and talons for hands and feet appeared, crouched down into a defensive posture (DEF: 500).
“A Wind deck huh?” said Karen. “Better finish you fast. If I let you get going it could spell real trouble, even for me. I play ‘Toon World’, paying one thousand Life Points to do so (8000-1000=7000).”
A giant green book appeared, falling open and floating in the air beside Karen.
“That sounds important,” I said. Anything that costs a thousand points has to be important, right? “I think I’ll get rid of it,” I announced. “Reveal ‘Dust Tornado’!”
A powerful dust devil picked up, ripping the book to shreds.
“If that’s the case,” said Karen, looking truly confounded, as if she should have seen my move coming but didn’t, but that she was trying to hide it, “I set a monster and end my turn.”
Kimi
“You’re the one that uses Spellcasters, right?” I asked. John, Sarah, Jen and Tucker had told us a little about these three from the Order, and I found myself wishing that they had told us more. I like to think of the glass as half full, but I was truly worried this time around. I wasn’t confident enough in my training. I wouldn’t show it, but I was afraid that I would lose.
“Yes,” Monty replied, “I use magicians, and by the color of your Soul crystal, I’m going to guess that you use Light monsters.”
“You’re right,” I replied, impressed by my opponent’s observational skills. “Your prize is watching me go first.”
I drew, “I summon my ‘Agent of Creation - Venus’.”
My angel descended to the ground at my side (ATK: 1600).
“I also place two cards face-down,” I concluded, making sure to cover all of my bases, “and end my turn.”
“Draw,” said Monty. He paused and closed his eyes for a moment, like he was struggling to remain focused. Then he regained his composure and said, “Summon, ‘Skilled Dark Magician’.”
A robed sorcerer carrying a staff tipped by a spherical crystal appeared, three more crystals gleaming on the collar of his cloak (ATK: 1900).
“‘Skilled Dark Magician’, Dark Flash Attack!” Monty commanded. The sorcerer twirled his staff, aimed at ‘Venus’, and fired a burst of dark energy. The spell was moments from the target when it was deflected by a transparent dome-shaped barrier that surrounded me and my monster.
“I discard ‘Marie the Fallen One’,” I declared, “to activate my ‘Hallowed Life Barrier’, protecting me and my monsters from all damage this turn.”
“In that case,” said Monty, looking more frustrated than I would have expected, “I end my turn with one face-down card.”
Rocky
“I move first,” I said, trying my best to sound confident. “I summon ‘Stone Statue of the Aztecs’ in defense mode,” a stone face and hands appeared, made of colored bricks (DEF: 2000), “place three cards face-down, and end my turn.”
“I’ve dueled your type before,” said Lawrence with a wicked grin, intimidating me more than I should have allowed, if just for the second that it took for me to regain my composure, “and I’ve taught them all the same lesson; you can’t win by defending! I’ll prove it by gaining complete field advantage in just the first turn. Then, of course, I’m going to kill you, but yeah. Anyway, I summon ‘Lord of Dragons’, and I combine him with two of the magical ‘Flute of Summoning Dagon’ Spell cards to call three dragons from my hand!”
On Lawrence’s field appeared the emerald-skinned ‘Luster Dragon #2’, the diamond-skinned ‘Hyozanryu’, and the armless, legless, four-winged ‘Different Dimension Dragon’. The three dragons roared (ATK: 2400 / ATK: 2100 / ATK: 1200). My monster and I were equally un-fazed. After all, I don’t appreciate threats.
“Now, attack and destroy the ‘Statue’, and hit the Duelist directly!”
The three dragons roared again. As far as they and their master could tell, I was completely at their mercy.
I smiled, Won’t they be surprised.
Amanda
“I’m gonna assume that your set monster has an effect,” I told Karen, having absolutely no idea what her monster could be and not really caring, “so I’ll set another card, to be safe, and summon my ‘Harpie Lady 2’, attack mode.”
A monster that looked like it could be the adult version of my ‘Harpie Girl, with long orange hair, appeared beside me (ATK: 1300).
“Next I change ‘Harpie Girl’ to attack mode (ATK: 500),” I said, “and I attack with ‘Harpie Lady 2’. When she destroys a monster, its effect is negated. Go, Scratch Attack.”
My ‘Harpie’ flew forward with a battle-hungry smile on her face and slashed the face-down monster to bits with her claws. It was a woman with a staff wearing a purple gown. John uses her. I think she’s called ‘Magician of Faith’.
“And I attack with ‘Harpie Girl’, Youthful Scratch!” The girl flew forward with even more enthusiasm than her elder counterpart and scratched Karen in the face before returning to my side, giggling (7000-500=6500).
“And I guess I’ll set one more card,” I said, “even though it only leaves one card in my hand. End turn.”
“I think I’ve let you play enough,” said Karen. She seemed mad that I’d killed her monster. “It’s time I finished this. I initiate the ‘Black Illusion Ritual’, offering ‘Thousand-Eyes Idol’ to summon the God of Assimilation, the mighty ‘Relinquished’!”
A monster too weird to accurately describe (Google Image it if you wanna know) appeared in a burst of black fire, its body opening up like two flaps so that it could suck my ‘Harpie Lady 2’ inside. The flaps lowered, and my monster half emerged from the ‘Relinquished’’s flesh, and the Ritual monster’s Attack points went up (ATK: 0 -> 1300).
“‘Relinquished’,” Karen commanded, “attack ‘Harpie Girl’, Scratch Attack!”
The weird monster slid forward, hanging in the air, until it reached my other monster. The absorbed ‘Harpie’ stretched out from the creature’s body, preparing to strike.
“Reveal,” I said, “the Trap card ‘Fairy Box’.” A box with holes like a whack-a-mole game appeared around my ‘Harpie Girl’. She stuck her head out of the hole, and ‘Harpie’/’Relinquished’ reached. ‘Harpie Girl’ ducked inside, and the absorbed ‘Harpie’ overexerted herself (ATK: 1300 -> 0). Then ‘Harpie Girl’ shot up out of the hole and slashed the older ‘Harpie’, destroying her. My opponent and I both took the hit to our Life Points (8000-500=7500/6500-500=6000), which really surprised me, though I shrugged it off.
“Now,” I said, “if I’m right, your ‘Relinquished’ is defenseless. But that’s not the worst of it, at least as far as you’re concerned. I discard ‘Harpie’s Pet Dragon’, the only card in my hand, to activate ‘Rope of Life’, returning my ‘Harpie Lady 2’ destroyed in battle this turn to the field with an extra 800 Attack Points.”
The orange-haired bird woman returned (ATK: 1300+800=2100).
“I protect my monster,” said Karen, “with one of my most powerful combos. Three face-down cards. End turn.”
“I don’t think so,” I said, unconcerned. “Reveal ‘Giant Trunade’, returning all Spells and Traps to our hands.” A wind picked up, lifting Karen’s cards into the air, revealing them as ‘Physical Double’, ‘Stanch Defender’, and ‘Rush Recklessly’. John had told me about that combo. I was glad that she hadn’t been able to use it.
“Activate three more Spells,” I said, “‘Monster Reborn’ and two copies of ‘Elegant Egotist’, reviving ‘Harpie’s Pet Dragon’ and summoning ‘Harpie Lady 1’ and ‘Harpie Lady 3’ from my deck.”
A large red dragon wearing an elegant necklace, and two more ‘Harpies’, one with red hair, and one with blue hair, appeared on my side of the field. The dragon gained Attack for every ‘Harpie’ that I controlled (ATK: 2000+900=2900 / ATK: 1300 (each)).
“Next all of my monsters gain three hundred Attack and Defense from the effect of ‘Harpie Lady 1’,” I explained, my monsters becoming even stronger before my eyes (2900+300=3200 / 2100+300=2400 / 1300+300=1600 (each) / 500+300=800).
“I attack with ‘Harpie Girl’,” My favorite monster flew forward and slashed the bizarre ‘Relinquished’ apart (6000+0-800=5200), “and I finish you with Pet Flame and Triangle Ecstasy Spark!”
The dragon breathed fire, and the three ‘Harpie Ladies’ released a wave of energy, hitting Karen and dropping her to her knees (5200-3200-5000=0).
I looked down at my defeated opponent, “Wow, I didn’t even know what any of your cards did, and that was still one of the most boring duels I’ve ever fought."
Rocky
“I reveal,” I told my arrogant ass of an opponent, “all three of my face-down cards, ‘Staunch Defender’, ‘The Reliable Guardian’, and ‘Cross Counter’. ‘Staunch Defender’ draws all of your attacks toward my monster, and ‘The Reliable Guardian’ raises the ‘Statues’’s Defense by seven hundred points (2000+700+2700).”
The various fire and beam attacks launched by the dragons were pulled toward the ‘Statue’, and were caught by a red light barrier that he summoned from his eyes, and compressed into a swirling ball of light and fire.
“My ‘Stone Statue of the Aztecs’ already doubles the battle damage that you take from attacking it,” I explained, “but thanks to ‘Cross Counter’, your attacks are reversed and the damage is doubled again.”
“That’s not possible,” said Lawrence dismissively. “That would mean that you deal me-.”
“That’s right,” I said confidently, “fifteen thousand six hundred damage.”
Lawrence swallowed nervously, “Are you serious?”
“Why don’t you find out?”
My ‘Statues’’s eyes flashed, and the energy from the attacks erupted out, engulfing Lawrence’s field, destroying his monsters and knocking him forcefully onto his back. I walked over to him as he pushed himself up into a sitting position, groaning indignantly.
“That,” I said, “is how you win a duel.”
Kimi
“I begin my turn,” I said, “with the effect of ‘Marie the Fallen One’. Each turn that she remains in the Graveyard, I gain two hundred Life Points (8000+200=8200). And I follow up with the Spell card ‘Mystical Space Typhoon’, destroying your face-down card.”
A burst of wind ripped Monty’s card in half. “You managed to disarm my ‘Spellbinding Circle’,” Monty said. “Good move.”
“Thank you,” I replied cordially. “Next, I pay fifteen hundred Life Points to summon three ‘Mystic Shine Balls’ to the field.” Three of the colorful glass orbs appeared, circling my angel’s head (ATK: 500 (each)).
“Next I reveal ‘Solar Ray’, allowing each of my monsters to attack you for six hundred points of burn damage,” I declared. My four monsters fired beams of light that hit Monty directly (8000-1600=5600).
“Now,” I said, “I sacrifice two ‘Shine Balls’ to summon my ‘Wingweaver’,” two of the orbs gave way to the six-winged angel, “and equip her with ‘Cestus of Dagla’, increasing her Attack.”
In each of ‘Wingweaver’’s outstretched hands appeared a curved blade (ATK: 2750+500 =3250).
“Every Life Point that my ‘Wingweaver’ takes from you using these swords is transferred to me,” I explained. “I attack with all three of my monsters.”
‘Wingweaver’ slashed the ‘Skilled Dark Magician’ in half, and ‘Shine Ball’ and ‘Venus’ hit Monty with waves of light (5600+1900-3250-500-1600=2150/6700+ 1350=8050).
“You made a good move,” said Monty, “but I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. I pay eight hundred Life Points (2150-800=1350) to activate ‘Premature Burial’ and summon ‘Skilled Dark Magician’ from the Graveyard. Next the activation of ‘Premature Burial’ resolves, and my monster gains a Spell Counter.” One of the three crystals on the ‘Magician’’s robe lit up.
“Next I activate ‘Pot of Greed’ and chain ‘Serial Spell’. Essentially I throw out my hand and draw four cards. But, more importantly, my ‘Skilled Dark Magician’ gains another two counters,” the other two crystals lit up as well.
“Now,” Monty declared, “I sacrifice ‘Skilled Dark Magician’ bearing three Spell Counters to summon ‘Dark Magician’ from my Graveyard.” The ‘Skilled Dark Magician’ disappeared, and in a swirl of light the most famous Spellcaster, the purple-clad, staff-wielding ‘Dark Magician’, took his place (ATK: 2500).
“Equip ‘Dark Magician’ with the Spell card ‘Magic Formula’,” a book appeared in the ‘Magician’’s free hand, “and I disarm you ‘Wingweaver’ with the Spell card ‘Dark Magic Attack’.”
‘Dark Magician’ launched a beam of dark light that hit the twin swords and my face-down card.
“Chain,” I countered, “a second ‘Solar Ray’, allowing my monsters to counter-attack for six hundred points of damage apiece, just like before.”
“Brilliant,” said Monty, and I got the sense that he was genuinely impressed. As he spoke my three monsters rose up above the blast from the ‘Dark Magic Attack’ and released their light, erasing the ‘Dark Magician’ and hitting my opponent, wiping him out of the duel.
Card of the Day:
Harpie Girl
Played by: Amanda
In honor of Amanda's first duel of the series (the first of very few) it is her favorite monster which is awarded this slot. It doesn't hurt that this monster, as weak as it is, is the monster which destroys Karen's "Relinquished".
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