It's mostly just action for a while now. I mean, there's emotional stuff for sure, and even a really rough couple of scenes that I hate to read, and I wrote them. Anyway, I'll check back in in a few chapters.
Chapter Twelve
The Emperor’s Four, Part One
Marco
This is my first time ever writing anything, so bear with me.
Anyway, I walked through the corridor. Don’t ask me which corridor. I picked at random and can’t remember. But the number from the right of the corridor I chose doesn’t matter. What does matter is that after walking for only a few minutes I encountered a member of Emperor’s Four.
“I was wondering when I’d see a member of the illustrious Team Two,” the figure before me stated.
“Who are you?” I asked simply, trying to look determined.
That’s so cute, the other me said from his usual place within my mind, you’re trying to sound like me!
Shut up.
I’m just sayin’.
“I’m Spark,” said the cloaked figure, and even in the dim light of the corridor, I could see a grin flash behind the hood of his cloak.
Ego much I thought.
“If you’re Order,” I said, “it doesn’t really matter to me who you are. I’m gonna beat you. I’m gonna beat every Order member that gets in my way until I and the other me get to Emperor, and then we’ll beat him too.”
“You won’t beat Emperor,” said Spark, “because you won’t even beat me. I’m a superior Duelist presented by fate with the task of acquiring great power and using it to reshape the world. I cannot be defeated, because my task is not yet complete!”
And that’s when he started in with the maniacal laughter. No joke.
Ego much is right, the other me agreed.
“If you’re so strong,” I said, “then prove it.” I felt the other me’s power flow through me, reacting with the magic that my opponent wielded, and I activated my Duel Disk as the Shadow Game began.
“If that’s really what you want,” said Spark, “then let’s begin the last duel of your insignificant little life.”
Prof
I walked for a while in silence. There was nothing remarkable about the corridor. It was seemingly Egyptian, though I couldn’t be completely sure of its origins since it was devoid of any kind of writing or otherwise distinguishing marks. In fact, Emperor could do well to invest in an interior designer.
I sighed. I was bored. Then again, I think long, dull corridors bore most people. Plus the dim lighting made it so I had to squint. I don't like to squint. It gives me a headache.
Luckily, things got much more exciting relatively quickly when I came across a man of very large stature wearing a dark cloak.
“You’re one of Emperor’s men,” I said. It was a statement, not a question, but like so many stupid people, the large man didn’t realize that, and he answered anyway.
“I am,” the man said. “My name’s Brock. I crush anyone I meet using my superior raw power!”
“I don't have time for posturing,” I said. I flourished my hand and Brock and I were locked in by the Shadows. “Let’s get this over with.”
Rocky
I walked through my chosen corridor in silence. As I walked I reached out with my Soul. I wasn't all too experienced yet with using my Earth Sense, but it still bothered me that I couldn’t “see” the end of the corridors and beyond. It was a sign of powerful magic, targeted at keeping my specific powers, or ones like them, at bay. It was unsettling. As far as I could tell, though, my Earth Sense was the only one of my powers being disrupted, which meant that maybe whatever magic was at play was geared toward disrupting any extrasensory perception, instead of mine alone, which made me feel a teeny tiny bit better.
After a few minutes of twisting and turning I came across my opponent. When I’d seen exactly four corridors, I’d known immediately that there would be a member of Emperor’s Four waiting in each one. Still knowing it didn’t mean I liked it.
“So, you’re my opponent then?” I asked.
“Yep,” my opponent answered, an edge of anticipation in his voice. “I’m C.D., and your time’s up.”
Rachel
I was angry. As I walked, that was all that kept churning through my head. I was angry at a lot of things, but mostly, without a doubt, I was angry at Emperor. I was as angry at Emperor as I'd been at the men who’d killed my parents all those years ago, because Emperor too had taken my loved ones from me.
But I wasn’t just angry. I don’t tell people this often, so listen up: when I’m mad, I’m usually just trying to hide from myself the fact that I’m hurt, or sad, or lonely, or even scared. But today my anger was busy shielding me from something that I wasn’t used to feeling. I felt confused, which is odd since I’m usually very sure of everything. What had me so confused? Well, no matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn’t figure out why Rocky and the others were so willing to help me. I’m a jerk. I know it.
Still, as much as I didn’t know why they were helping, I was glad that they were. I’d only ever been so detached from those around me because it was the only true way to protect them, and maybe myself. I’d always been sure that it was the best way to prevent any emotional pain, but almost miraculously since Rocky had shown up, I’d been wondering if maybe I was wrong.
Anyway, to say that I was conflicted at the time would be an understatement, and on the rare occasion that I am conflicted, I like to hit things (or people, whatever) until I forget that I’m conflicted. And of course, if hitting isn’t really an option, dueling usually works about as well.
That’s when I saw him. He was a few inches shorter than me, with blue hair peeking from under his hood.
“I’m Zero,” he announced, “the leader of the Emperor’s Four. If you want to advance, you’ll have to defeat me first.”
“Does this mean that I’m going the right way?” I asked. “Is Timothy at the end of this corridor?”
“Sorry,” said Zero in a monotone that I took as a sign of boredom, “but I can’t tell you that.”
I thought for a second. “He must be,” I decided. “Emperor will be watching over Tim personally, and there’s no way that he'd allow himself to be left open. He’d place his strongest lackey in a position to defend him, and no one else. That means he’s just ahead. Once I beat you, I’ll be practically at his doorstep.”
“You won’t get past me,” said Zero. “Nothing can beat my Subzero Army deck.”
“An ice deck, huh?” I replied. “Let’s see which shatters first, your ice or my spear.” I activated my Duel Disk and channeled all of my anger and conviction into my Necklace. It shone brightly, and a ring of shadows surrounded us, locking us into a Shadow Duel of deadly consequences. A Shadow Duel that I wasn’t sure I would escape with my life.
“I start,” I declared, pulling all six of my opening cards from my deck at once, “with the Spell card ‘Fusion Sage’. This allows me to search my deck for a copy of the Spell card ‘Polymerization’.”
I fanned out my deck, chose a card, showed it, shuffled, and replaced my deck.
“Next,” I continued, “I place two cards face-down, and summon my ‘Phantom Beast Cross-Wing’.”
My six-winged bird appeared at my side, hovering in the air, his upper and lower wings beating in an alternating pattern (ATK: 1300).
“Since ‘Cross-Wing’ increases the Attack of other Phantom Beasts while in the Graveyard,” Zero reasoned calmly, “destroying it could be a mistake. However, it is far more likely that your face-down cards are the more serious threat. In fact, I’d be willing to wager that at least one of your cards is in place to cleverly discard a second ‘Cross-Wing’ from your hand or deck when I attack, increasing the Attack of your monster unexpectedly. So I’ll play ‘Cold Wave’.”
I scowled as my face-down cards froze over, This guy already understands my deck. He knows cards, and well. I have to tread carefully.
“Next,” Zero continued, “I summon ‘Blizzard Warrior’.”
A man in icy blue armor appeared, carrying a dual-bladed sword (ATK: 1400).
“Attack,” my opponent commanded, and Zero’s monster slashed my ‘Cross-Wing’ to pieces (8000+1300-1400=7900).
“When my ‘Blizzard Warrior’ deals damage,” Zero explained, “I get to see the top card of your deck and choose to either replace it on the top or the bottom of your deck.”
I scowled again and showed him my card, my ‘Monster Reborn’.
“Place your card on the bottom of your deck,” Zero said, and I reluctantly did as I was told. Zero concluded his turn with a single, simple word, “End.”
Marco
“I start things off,” I said quickly. I was anxious. I wanted to finish the duel fast and move on to the big fish. “I summon ‘Troop Dragon’,” I declared, and a small group of relatively short green dragons appeared, wearing armor and carrying an assortment of weapons (DEF: 900).
“I place three cards face-down,” I concluded, “and I end my turn.”
“No problem,” said Spark. “Prepare to be defeated through divine intervention! I summon ‘Light Effigy’!”
A swirling cloud of light appeared at Spark’s side, hovering in the air at shoulder height (ATK: 1500).
“I attack ‘Troop Dragon’,” Spark declared, and the light bore down on my monster, burning him up.
“When my ‘Troop Dragon’ is destroyed,” I announced, “I get to summon another ‘Troop Dragon’ in attack mode (ATK: 700).”
“What a coincidence,” said Spark mockingly, “I’m not done summoning either. I play ‘Quick Summon’ and tribute ‘Light Effigy’ to summon,” ‘Light Effigy’ split into two clouds of light, which disappeared, their essence sacrificed to create a massive ceramic dragon with amber-yellow crystals for joints and a white, segmented body, “my ‘Majestic Mech – Goryu’ (ATK: 2900)! My ‘Mech’ attacks, wave of light!”
“Reveal,” I countered, “the Spell card ‘Dragonic Phalanx’, allowing me to summon one ‘Troop Dragon’ from each my deck and Graveyard.”
Two more groups of the small dragons appeared (DEF: 900).
“Then I’ll target the ‘Troop Dragon’ in attack mode!” Spark commanded. His monster struck (8000+700-2900=5800).
“I activate ‘Sanctuary in the Sky’,” Spark continued, and suddenly is appeared as if we were outside, standing on a floating cloud in front of a roman-style temple, “and I set a card. I end my turn.”
Prof
“I set two cards,” I began, “and summon ‘Gagagigo’.”
A humanoid lizard in padded armor with long claws and spikes appeared standing tall at my side (ATK: 1850).
“Now hurry up and ‘overpower’ me big guy,” I mocked.
“Don’t mind if I do!” Brock picked a card from his hand, “I play ‘Double Summon’, allowing me to summon two ‘Abaki’ cards.”
Two of the red-skinned, spiked-club-wielding demons appeared (ATK: 1700).
“I play ‘Yami’ to surround us in darkness,” Brock explained. Suddenly we were surrounded by a rolling black fog, and the ‘Abakis’ powered up (1700+200=1900).
“Chain,” I called, “the Trap card ‘Level Conversion Lab’. I show you a monster from my hand, and my Trap generates a level from one to six. The revealed monster gains that level until the end of the turn.”
I showed Brock my ‘Gogiga Gagagigo’, and a pedestal appeared with a screen on top. Numbers flashed quickly on the screen, finally slowing and settling on five, “My monster becomes a level five for this turn.”
“It won’t help you,” said Brock. “‘Abaki’ demons, attack!”
“Reveal,” I countered, “the ‘Ultimate Offering’ Trap, paying five hundred Life (8000-500=7500) and tributing my monster for ‘Gogiga Gagagigo’!”
‘Gagagigo’ grew larger, becoming clad in metallic armor. His skin turned red, and his claws and spikes grew longer and sharper. The monster roared (ATK: 2950).
Brock scowled, “I cancel my attack.”
The charging demons stopped cold.
“Two face-downs,” Brock concluded, “and I end my turn.”
Rocky
“No, C.D.,” I countered, “my time isn’t up, yours is.” I brandished my Shield Disk, sealing the Shadow Game between me and my opponent, “I play the Spell card ‘Miracle Rupture’, allowing me to discard a Rock-Type monster, like my ‘Hieracosphinx’, from my deck in order to draw a card.”
A card ejected from my deck, and I added it to my Graveyard before I drew again, though really I was more interested in the discard than the draw.
“Now I remove my ‘Sphinx’ from play,” I declared, “to summon ‘Gigantes’.”
The earth ahead of me rose up and shaped itself into the form of a giant, savage man with granite skin (ATK: 1900).
“I’ll also summon ‘Giant Soldier of Stone’,” I announced, and a second giant sculpted from stone appeared, his massive arms crossed over his chest (DEF: 2000).
“I set a card,” the hologram of my face-down card appeared, “and end my turn.”
“Then the countdown to your death begins!” C.D. nearly sang. “I start with ‘Hand Destruction’. We each discard two cards and then draw two cards. I discard ‘Dimension Caster’ and ‘Clock Magician’.”
He fed his cards into his Graveyard and drew. I discarded ‘Destruction Punch’ and ‘Crioshinx’, and I drew as well.
“Now I play ‘Monster Reborn’,” said C.D., “and combo with ‘Inferno Reckless Summon’ to summon three copies of ‘Dimension Caster’.”
Three robed, staff-wielding sorcerers appeared in a flash of red light, each taking up a defensive stance around C.D. (DEF: 300).
“I set a card of my own,” he concluded, “and pass.”
Rachel
“Since I still can’t play Spell or Trap cards,” I said, “I simply summon my ‘Phantom Beast Thunder-Pegasus’ in defense mode.”
A two-headed, two-colored horse with a mane and wings of lightning appeared at my side, bucking proudly (DEF: 2000).
“I’m assuming you're finished,” said Zero. He drew, and my cards that had been affected by his ‘Cold Wave’ thawed out, “I tribute ‘Blizzard Warrior’ to activate the effect of ‘Ice Summoner’, Special Summoning her to the field.”
An attractive young woman in a blue dress appeared, surrounded by lingering frost and carrying a curling horn made of ice in her right hand (ATK: 300).
“One per turn ‘Ice Summoner’ creates an ‘Ice Spirit Token’,” Frost explained, and some of the frost lingering around the monster condensed into a ghostly ice spirit no larger than a house cat (ATK: 100).
“Now I tribute both of my monsters to summon ‘Medium of the Ice Barrier’!” a woman in a long silky blue dress with long silky blue hair appeared. She wore a golden pendant and had golden markings on her face (ATK: 2200).
“My sorceress attacks your ‘Pegasus’,” Zero commanded, and something caught my ear. The sorceress summoned up an icy breeze that threatened to turn my monster into an equestrian ice pop.
“Reveal,” I countered, “the Trap card ‘Next to be Lost’ to discard a second copy of ‘Thunder-Pegasus’ from my deck, which I remove from play to block your attack.”
A wall of lightning formed, holding the attack back until the ice sorceress gave up and returned to her master’s side. Then the lightning took the form of the second ‘Thunder-Pegasus’ moments before it faded away completely.
“I end my turn,” my opponent said simply, sounding no different that he had since I’d met him, but I’d heard his voice crack. I’d heard his solemn tone, and I knew.
My opponent didn’t really want to fight.
Card of the Day:
Dragonic Knight
Played by: Marco
Four Emperor's Four, four dueling main characters, four duels spread out over four chapters. Because the four duels are spread out so much, I'll choosing the Cards of the Day from all four chapters as if they are one. First is "Dragonic Knight" from Marco's deck, which has a warrior dragon theme.
Original Cards in This Chapter:
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