It occurs to me that I write a lot about my characters utterly failing to do anything useful, and still calling them really strong. I wonder if it comes across to the reader that they only fail so completely in some of these situations because the opponent is just so strong that most anyone would fail just as well, or if I should go back and rewrite some stuff. Oh well, I probably won't.
Chapter NineBlackheart vs. The Duel Force Round One;
The Modified Deck of Darkness
“Since I’ll be dueling at a disadvantage,” said Blackheart, “you will each start with half Life Points, and my Life Points will begin at a full eight thousand. But I’m sure that Duelists as great as yourselves already figured that out.”
“Cut the crap,” I said. “We’ll play with whatever terms you want, as long as you understand our terms. When we win, you release your host and disappear.”
“That’s if you win,” Blackheart corrected, smiling happily. He knew we were afraid, and he was enjoying it.
“Of course I’ll uphold my end of the bargain,” said Blackheart, “after all, I’m a villain of my word. But if I win, I’m going to want something from you, obviously.”
I scowled, “We know.”
“Well then,” said Blackheart, drawing five cards, “I guess we don’t have anything left to talk about. Let’s get started.”
As Blackheart spoke, darkness began to swirl around us and the Shadow Game began, “You two can go first.”
I smiled just as wickedly as Blackheart himself, “It’s your funeral.” I drew my opening hand (LP: 4000). “I start out with my ‘Blood Sucker’, defense mode, and a face-down card.”
I looked at my monster, thinking back to an hour earlier, as Kris and I were walking.
“Hey Max,” Kris had said.
“Yeah?” I’d answered, worried that she was about to confide something in me. I don’t do well with the feely stuff.
“I was just thinking, I don’t think we can win against Blackheart, even two against one.”
I remember frowning at that, “Yeah, neither do I.”
“Do you think Karen feels the same way?” Kris had asked. I remember I marveled at her perception. Normally the girl seemed spacey and it was hard to take her seriously, but every once in a while she showed that she was easily as smart as any of us.
“Yeah,” I’d told her, “I think she does.
“She just needs us to buy some time, huh.”
“Yeah.”
“I was thinking,” Kris had continued, “just because we’re going to lose it doesn’t mean we can’t try something. John’s seen both of us duel, so it’s a good bet that Blackheart knows our best cards, but I know I’ve got some backup combos in my deck, in case my main cards fail. I bet you do too.”
I nodded, “Yeah?”
“Well, John hasn’t seen our backup combos, which means Blackheart hasn’t either. Maybe if we focus on our backup strategies we can throw him off.”
I’d frowned at that, and then shrugged, “It’s worth a shot.”
Kris was confident, but I’m a practical person. I knew we were going to lose, and I knew we couldn’t do anything about it.
Of course, that didn’t mean I couldn’t try, and my vampire monsters, including the red man-bat, ‘Blood Sucker’, were just the monsters to help me do it (DEF: 800).
“My turn next,” said Kris, far more hopeful than I was. “I summon ‘Roboyarou’ in defense mode,” a robotic man in blue armor appeared, “and activate ‘Double Summon’ to sacrifice ‘Roboyarou’ for ‘Metal Shooter’.” A hovering robot probe appeared, its two stubby arms ending in laser cannons (ATK: 800).
“When ‘Metal Shooter’ appears,” Kris explained, “it summons two “Metal Shooter Counters. Each of these counters contributes another eight hundred Attack power (800 +(800x2)=2400).”
As Kris spoke, two more of the robots appeared alongside the first. They were a slightly different color and they hovered around the core monster protectively.
Blackheart laughed, “So you’re using cards that this host hasn’t seen you use in order to try and throw me off, huh? Well I don’t just have knowledge of your decks through this body. I have my host’s knowledge of the cards in this game. Your plan was clever, but not clever enough.”
“I’m not done yet,” Kris insisted. “I place two cards face-down, and end my turn.”
“Finally,” said Blackheart, checking his fingernails for dirt absentmindedly, making it clear how high we were on his list. “I was starting to get bored waiting.” He drew, “I summon my ‘Bowganian’ in attack mode.”
A metal sphere appeared. Two panels opened in its sides and two arms emerged. In one of its hands it carried a collapsible one-handed crossbow. The front of the sphere opened, revealing a robotic eye (ATK: 1300).
“Bowganian is a delightful monster,” Blackheart explained. “I just love it! It’s weak in terms of a typical Duel Monsters card, but it has the potential to cause so much pain.
“‘Bowganian’,” Blackheart commanded, “attack ‘Bloodsucker’ with Optibeam.”
‘Bowganian’’s eye began to glow as the monster prepared to fire. “I don’t think so,” said Kris. “Reveal the Trap card ‘Security Orb’, changing your monster to defense mode!”
A floating metal sphere appeared next to Kris’ monster. It had a lens in the front and two swivel-mounted arms. “Go,” Kris commanded, the machine’s lens glowing green, “use Suppression Field.” A beam from the orb’s lens engulfed ‘Bowganian’ and the light in its eye faded (DEF: 600). The orb disappeared.
“Interesting card,” said Blackheart. “Another card that my host has never seen you use, and one that he would not have expected to see in your deck. But I’m not him. Maybe such a simple trick would have thrown my host off of his game, but I am a far superior being. It will take more than tricks to beat me.”
He laughed wickedly, “To finish my turn I place two cards face-down.”
“Then it’s my move,” I said, putting on a good show, “draw!” I looked at my newest card. It wasn’t the strongest monster in the game, or even the strongest card in my deck, but it might buy me enough time to think of something smart.
“I sacrifice ‘Bloodsucker’ to summon another vampire,” I declared, “my ‘Vampire Lord’.”
‘Bloodsucker’ disappeared and was replaced by a suave vampire with pale blue skin wearing a cape. He threw his cape back and it became wings that carried him into the air. He flew back and collapsed his wings back into a cape, landing firmly at my side (ATK: 2000).
“’Vampire Lord’,” I commanded, “attack ‘Bowganian’ with Vampiric Wave!”
‘Vampire Lord’ flourished his cape, unleashing a red energy wave at the bow-wielding machine.
His monster may not have many Attack Points, I thought, but its effect could be trouble. I have to kill it now.
“Sorry,” said Blackheart, laughing under his breath, “but you won’t get rid of ‘Bowganian’ that easily. Reveal ‘Mirror Force’, reversing your attack.” A reflective barrier appeared around my opponent. He crossed his arms and smiled confidently. The vampire’s attack hit the barrier and turned back on the source. My monster was destroyed, but I was unconcerned.
“End turn.”
“I draw!” said Kris. “’Metal Shooter’, attack!” The three machines aimed their guns at the ‘Bowganian’, but when they fired, the blasts exploded, threatening to destroy the main monster. Just before the main monster would have been destroyed, one of the drones flew into position to absorb the blast. In the end the ‘Shooter’ survived, only losing some Attack (ATK: 2400-800=1600).
“Reveal,” said Blackheart, “the Trap card ‘Blast Held by a Tribute’, destroying an attacking monster and dealing its controller one thousand damage.”
Kris was wreathed in a dark aura and her Life Points fell (4000-1000=3000). She gasped as she was overcome with the pain of the Shadow Game.
“Your attempt to destroy my monster failed,” said Blackheart.
“True,” I agreed smugly.
“But,” Kris added just as smugly, “our attempt to rid the field of your face-down cards succeeded. In case you didn’t notice, my monster survived.”
“And my monster,” I said, “was ‘Vampire Lord’. He’ll return as soon as my next turn begins.”
“Maybe so,” Blackheart agreed, “but for now it’s my turn. I draw, and the effect of ‘Bowganian’ deals you each six hundred points of very painful direct damage.” As he spoke the machine fired two arrows in rapid succession, one at each of us. The arrows hit us and exploded (4000-600=3400/3000-600=2400). This time we both gasped, and I saw Kris clutch the point of impact.
“Now,” Blackheart continued, “I sacrifice ‘Bowganian’ to summon a much stronger monster. You may know him. He’s my host’s favorite monster, and his Ka.”
I was taken aback, I thought he was using a new deck entirely, but now I get it. He’s using John’s deck, modified into something unrecognizable. That means the monster he’s summoning could only be one thing.
The ‘Bowganian’ disappeared in a swirl of darkness, and Blackheart placed his card on the Dark Disk. Energy crackled, reaching out and blossoming into a warrior in yellow armor, tinted almost gray. The warrior hung his head, casting a shadow over his eyes, hiding what I sensed was a pained expression (ATK: 2200).
Blackheart smiled triumphantly. “‘Fiend Megacyber’ is stronger than your monster,” he said to Kris, “So I activate ‘Mystical Space Typhoon’, destroying your face-down card.”
A burst of wind swept over Kris’ card, and another ‘Security Orb’ appeared.
“Your card,” said Kris, “destroyed my second ‘Security Orb’. When ‘Security Orb’ is destroyed it self-destructs, taking a monster in play along with it.”
‘Security Orb’ flew toward ‘Fiend Megacyber’, its lens flashing red, and grabbed onto the dark warrior. The rate of flashing increased, and the ‘Orb’ exploded, destroying the warrior as well.
“I won’t let you use that monster,” said Kris. “My cousin’s heart is in that card. You don’t deserve to use its power.”
Blackheart looked confused, “What power? I only kept this useless card in here because it can summon itself pretty easily, but it’s just one more semi-useful monster card, and not even a very good one.”
He threw ‘The Fiend Megacyber’ to the ground and lifted his foot, meaning to stomp on it. He was surprised, I’m sure, when I stepped forward, grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
“If you think it’s such a worthless card,” I said, picking my friend’s card up off of the ground, “then I’ll take it.” I walked back to my side of the field, “now let’s get back to the duel if you don’t mind. I’m starting to get bored of you.”
Blackheart was pissed, I could tell. Maybe he doesn’t like being touched. He wanted to strike out at us with the power of the Soul of Darkness, but he knew better. If he attacked us now, he would forfeit the Shadow Game and we would get to enact any penalty on him that we chose, something that not even he could escape. So he did the next best thing; he kept dueling.
“Activate,” Blackheart continued, “the Spell card ‘Painful Choice’. I select five cards from my deck and show them to you. Then you add one to my hand and I discard the rest.”
He fanned out his deck, picking five cards, showing them to me. They were ‘Red-Eyes Back Dragon’, ‘Dark Ruler Ha Des’, two more ‘Bowganians’, and the God card, the card that made him untouchable to both Kris and I together, ‘Sky Dragon of Osiris’.
“Add the two-sacrifice ‘Red-Eyes’ to your hand,” I said, making the smart move. Blackheart did as he was told, a smile on his face the entire time, and then discarded the remaining monsters.
“One card face-down,” said Blackheart, “and I end my turn.”
“Good,” I said, feigning confidence that I just didn’t have. “Now I can start taking you apart, literally. I draw, and in my Standby Phase my ‘Vampire Lord’ revives.” The ‘Vampire’ reappeared at my side, smiling wickedly (ATK: 2000).
“Attack,” I commanded, “Vampiric Wave!”
‘Vampire Lord’ fired his attack. “Reveal,” said Blackheart, “the Continuous Trap card ‘Skull Lair’.”
“You don’t have enough monsters to destroy my ‘Vampire’,” I said.
Blackheart laughed, “I know. I remove five monsters from play to destroy, the ‘Metal Shooter’.”
An energy ball fired from the darkness surrounding us, aimed at the ‘Shooter’, destroying another “Counter” (1600-800=800). At the same time my monster’s attack hit (8000-2000=6000).
“Reveal,” I said, “the Trap card ‘Robin’ Zombie’. Its effect combined with the effect of my ‘Vampire Lord’ means that you discard two cards from the top of your deck.”
Blackheart discarded his two cards, his smile never fading. It was about then that it hit me what he had planned.
“I draw,” said Kris, “and summon ‘Heavy Mech Support Platform’, combining it with my ‘Metal Shooter’.” A red and white flying mechanical platform appeared, transforming into a gun-toting harness and attaching to the back of her monster, becoming supplementary weapons and a rocket pack (800+500=1300). Kris gestured aggressively at Blackheart, “Attack!”
‘Metal Shooter’ fired its own guns along with the two guns contributed by ‘Heavy Mech’, taking away another chunk of Blackheart’s Life (6000-1300=4700).
“We’ve got you,” said Kris, beaming with confidence.
Blackheart chuckled wickedly. “Not yet,” he said. “I draw, and I activate ‘Pot of Greed’ to draw two cards.” The Soul of Darkness’ flashed, and he drew his cards. I knew then what was about to happen. I knew then that it was over.
“Activate,” Blackheart declared, “‘Card of Sanctity’, letting me draw until I hold six cards. Next I pay two thousand Life Points to open up the dimensions with the Spell card ‘Dimension Fusion’, summoning every one of my monsters that are removed from play.”
A rip appeared in the dimensional wall, and through the rip five monsters emerged. Three ‘Bowganians’, ‘Dark Ruler Ha Des’, and the massive God dragon, who roared from both mouths at once (ATK: 5000).
I sighed and looked over at Kris, resigned to what I knew was coming, what I knew I couldn’t change. Kris was surprised, and quite afraid. Blackheart’s strength was no longer an unknown, and clearly, we never stood a chance.
“Well,” I said, “at least we tried.”
Monty
Sarah and I were close during Max and Kris’ duel against the monster, Blackheart, though we didn’t know it at the time. We’d barely spoken since we’d set out nearly three hours prior. Sarah and I are Duelists who respect each other, but our relationship doesn’t go much deeper than that, so it was surprising when Sarah broke the silence.
“Monty look,” said Sarah, pointing up at the sky. I followed her gaze and there it was; ‘Sky Dragon of Osiris’.
Without a word we ran as fast as we could, ready to jump into battle, but by the time we found Max and Kris they were on the ground, unconscious, the Shadows still falling away from them, the last remnants of the Shadow Game that they had just endured. Their Souls were cracked, and both Souls had gone completely dark.
Sarah looked like she was going to be sick as she spoke, “Looks like Blackheart was here.”
“They come to me like lambs to the slaughter.”
I turned toward the voice that had spoken, the voice that was so like that of our group leader, and yet so different. Behind us, Blackheart stepped from the darkness and stood to face us.
I put on my best confident face, “You’ve made a mistake taking on the Duel Force, Blackheart because one of us will take you down. It may not be us, but it will be someone.”
Blackheart laughed, “Funny, but I don’t have time for jokes.”
Darkness began to swirl around us and Blackheart continued, “Now, let the next stage of our little game begin!”
Card of the Day:
Security Orb
Played by: Kris
To distinguish Kris' deck from the others, I even try to give her Spell and Trap cards a mechanical feel to them (save for three, but we'll see that eventually), and so finding good Spell/Trap support for her can be challenging, and I don't want to make original cards unless I have a really good or fun idea. It is for this reason that this card, which is one of the most versatile Normal Traps, is such a godsend.
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