So fun fact, these decks that the Card Takers (these Card Takers, I just remembered that I called the jerks at the beginning of DF4 the Card Takers, too) use are actually based on decks that my best friends used to use. The characters who use them aren't, but the decks are. It doesn't matter in terms of the story, but I think it's cool.
Chapter SevenThe Spell Counter Army
“It’s my turn again,” my opponent said, drawing his next card.
I smiled a bit and reminded myself, Just because this guy’s confident, it doesn’t mean he’s better than I am. I can’t let him shake me.
“I summon,” my opponent declared, “the sorceress, ‘Magical Exemplar’.” A young woman in a pale green dress appeared, glowing in the light of the magnificent golden ‘Citadel’ (ATK: 1700).
“‘Magical Exemplar’,” my opponent explained, “gains two Spell Counters each time a Spell card is played. So I play ‘Spell Power Grasp’.” He raised his hand up above his head, and a glowing orb appeared in the air above his palm. “This card lets me create a Spell Counter and place it on any card I choose. A card like ‘Magical Citadel’. And because of ‘Citadel’’s and ‘Exemplar’’s effects, three more Spell Counters are created as well.” The original Spell Counter rose into the air and split into four. Two joined the orbs already circling the ‘Citadel’’s tower overhead, and two lowered and hung in the air above ‘Magical Exemplar’. “I also get to add another ‘Spell Power Grasp’ to my hand, even though I can’t activate it this turn.
“Next,” my opponent declared, “I move the second of three Spell Counters from my ‘Pitch-Black Power Stone’ to ‘Exemplar’ as well.”
A black crystal orb emerged from the Trap card and produced another Spell Counter before disappearing back into the Trap card from which it came. This new Spell Counter floated toward ‘Exemplar’, joining the other two.
“Finally,” my opponent declared, “I play ‘Pot of Greed’, letting me draw two cards, and producing three more Spell Counters: one for ‘Citadel’, and two for ‘Exemplar’.”
A third Spell Counter appeared, joining the ones already floating among the runes of light circling the ‘Citadel’. ‘Exemplar’ cupped her hands, and two more Spell Counters appeared in her palms, rising into the air to join the ones circling her as well.
I frowned, This guy’s building Spell Counters for a reason. What is he planning?
It wasn’t long before my silent question was answered.
“By removing five Spell Counters from ‘Exemplar’,” my opponent declared, “I can summon a Spellcaster from my hand whose level equals the number of Spell Counters removed.”
The five Spell Counters that hovered above ‘Exemplar’ came together, blossoming out into an arcane circle.
“Come forth, ‘Magical Disenchanter’!”
From the circle emerged a second sorceress, wearing blue robes, carrying a staff.
“But my ‘Disenchanter’ won’t be around for long. She’s only a sacrifice. Activate ‘Magical Dimension’!”
A coffin-like box appeared, suspended in the air by a series of chains attached to a steel frame. The box opened, and ‘Disenchanter’ floated inside. The coffin closed, and there was a brilliant flash. When the coffin opened again, a new monster appeared, wearing armor resembling a sorcerer’s robes and carrying a sword.
“With the effect of ‘Magical Dimension’,” my opponent declared, “I summon ‘Breaker the Magical Warrior’ (ATK: 1600), and I destroy any one monster.”
‘Breaker’ swung his sword as the coffin and frame faded away. His sword produced a wave of energy that split my ‘Twin-Sword Marauder’ in half.
This can’t be good…
“Now I change my ‘Defender’ to attack mode (ATK: 1600), and I attack,” my opponent declared. “Breaker attacks first. Attack with Magical Slash!”
‘Breaker’ swung his sword, unleashing a wave of light that seemed to cut the air as it powered toward me.
I smiled.
“Time to make your power work for me,” I said. “Reveal, face-down card ‘Mirror Force’, reflecting your attack back to destroy all of your monsters!”
A reflective barrier appeared ahead of me. It caught and dispersed ‘Breaker’’s attack, three bolts of light pouring from it toward my opponent’s three monsters.
“I can protect my monsters too,” my opponent said. As he spoke, the jewel embedded in defender’s shield flashed, and a barrier appeared around each of his monsters. “When I played ‘Magical Dimension’,” my opponent explained, “two new Spell Counters were given to ‘Exemplar’, and another Spell Counter was added to my ‘Citadel’, giving it six. I remove the two Counters from ‘Exemplar’ and the last Counter from my ‘Power Stone’, destroying ‘Power Stone’, to activate ‘Defender’’s effect and protect all three of my monsters.”
“No way,” I said as the reflected attacks were reflected once again by the barriers, veering downward and hitting the ground, “I didn’t know ‘Defender’’s effect could be used like that!” I smiled, “This duel is starting to get interesting.”
“Glad I could entertain you,” my opponent said, smiling as well.
My opponent’s enjoying himself just as much as I am, I thought. Even more interesting.
“You may have prevented one of my attacks,” my opponent said, “but I have two monsters left. I’ll skip the formalities and attack with both.”
‘Defender’ ran forward and slashed me with his dagger (8000-1600=6400). Moments later, ‘Exemplar’ summoned a green light into her hands and fired it at me, hitting me in the chest (6400-1700=4700).
Finally my opponent said, “I end my turn.”
I looked up at the ribbons of symbols swirling overhead, carrying six Spell Counters like driftwood in a river rapid.
Come on John, I thought, think. This guy is building up Spell Counters. Why?
I scowled, I can’t be sure of his strategy, except that his Spell Counters are important to it. I have to force him to use them up.
“I draw,” I declared. I looked at my newest card, Perfect! “I discard ‘D.D. Warrior Lady’ to activate ‘Lightning Vortex’, destroying all of your face-up monsters.”
Now he’ll be forced to use up three more Counters saving his monsters.
But to my surprise, my opponent said, “No problem.” A moment later three bolts of lightning fell from the sky, vaporizing his monster. I was shocked, to say the least.
My opponent chuckled, saying, “Sorry, but I won’t let you get rid of my Spell Counters that easily. And don’t forget that your Spell gives my ‘Citadel’ another Spell Counter, for a grand total of seven.”
“Seven Spell Counters or not,” I said, “you have no monsters and no face-down cards. I summon ‘Stygian Street Patrol’.”
The demon appeared riding his white and black motorcycle (ATK: 1600).
“‘Stygian Street Patrol’ attacks,” I declared, and the headlights on the motorcycle flashed, emitting beams that sliced my opponent along the torso (7200-1600=5600).
“That ends my turn. Now show me what you’ve been planning.”
“Not yet,” my opponent said. “I plan on beating you before I have to reveal my full strategy.”
“It won’t be easy,” I replied.
My opponent smiled and raised an eyebrow, “Maybe. Maybe not. Either way I activate my second ‘Spell Power Grasp’, placing two more Spell Counters on my ‘Citadel’.”
My opponent held his hand up above his head, and two more Spell Counters formed, rising into the air to join the rest, making a total of nine.
“I search my deck for my third and final copy of ‘Spell Power Grasp’,” my opponent said, fanning out his deck and choosing a card. “Next I activate ‘Monster Reborn’, summoning ‘Breaker the Magical Warrior’ back from the Graveyard.”
A glowing red ankh appeared, blossoming out and becoming the armored ‘Breaker’.
“I tribute ‘Breaker’,” my opponent continued, “to summon my favorite card.”
‘Breaker’ glowed with a bright red light. He faded away, but the light didn’t. Within that light appeared a figure wearing angular crimson armor with golden trim on his shoulders, over crimson robes. He wore a golden armor helm, and he had a Spell-Counter-like crystal in the armor of each shoulder. In his right hand he carried a golden wizard’s staff with a crimson hook on the end, a red crystal suspended within it.
“Rise up,” my opponent said, “my ‘Dark Red Enchanter’!
“When ‘Enchanter’ is summoned,” my opponent continued, “he gains two Spell Counters, and for each Spell Counter, he gains three hundred Attack.”
Two Spell Counters appeared, absorbing into the crystals in ‘Dark Red’’s shoulders (ATK: 1700+600=2300).
“‘Dark Red Enchanter’ attacks ‘Stygian Street Patrol’,” my opponent declared, “Crimson Magic Attack!”
Waves of red light poured from ‘Dark Red’’s staff-tip, slicing my monster to pieces (4700+1600-2300=4000).
“Now,” my opponent said, “I activate my ‘Dark Red Enchanter’’s effect, removing two Spell Counters from my ‘Citadel’ to pay the cost, destroying the last card in your hand.”
‘Dark Red’’s staff flared, and a hologram of the card in my hand appeared in the air ahead of me and was destroyed. I discarded my card, leaving me with absolutely nothing.
“Remember,” my opponent said, “even if you do manage to draw a good card, you can’t summon a monster stronger than ‘Dark Red’ without the use of a Spell card, and every Spell card played only makes him stronger.” He was smiling, his face full of confidence. His monster stood looking down at me, his arms crossed and his face stern.
This could be my last turn, I thought. This guy’s just as good as me. I’m forced to leave this entire duel up to chance. And if I lose again, my life as a Duelist is over! That’s something I can’t let happen!
I realized that despite my situation, I was smiling. I was enjoying the challenge. It was something that the overconfident me had forgotten how to do. I’d become the kind of Duelist that I hated. The kind who would say that he enjoyed dueling, when he really only wanted to keep dueling to make himself look better in the eyes of others. Any duel that couldn’t help me achieve my goal seemed boring and pointless.
I looked over my shoulder at Karen and Thomas. Even Thomas seemed excited. They were both swept up in the exhilaration that came from going head to head against a skilled opponent.
This was what made dueling different from other games. This was what made dueling worthwhile. This was what I’d allowed myself to forget by becoming someone that I wasn’t.
But that was then. Now, I was myself again. I was a real Duelist, and I would continue to fight as a Duelist, even if it meant my defeat.
“I draw,” I declared, and as my card left its place atop my deck, I smiled. My will had been to continue fighting, and remarkably enough, my deck provided me with the means to do so.
“Let’s see if my luck has turned around as much as I think it has,” I said. “I play the Spell card ‘Card of Sanctity’. You may get a couple more Spell Counters and a few more cards (Enchanter’s ATK: 2300+300=2600), but I get a whole new hand, and a second chance.”
I drew, and I knew then that the duel was just beginning.
“I remove ‘Stygian Street Patrol’ in my Graveyard from play,” I declared, “to Special Summon a Fiend. A Fiend like ‘Djinn Presider of Rituals’.”
A bulbous-bodied fiend warrior in blue armor that didn’t cover nearly enough of his body to offer any protection appeared, carrying a short sword and a buckler (ATK: 1800).
“I tribute ‘Presider’,” I announced, “to summon my most powerful monster. The monster that defeated Yami. Arise,” ‘Presider’ melted into smoke, which reformed into the brown, skeletal demon with the spheres in his shoulders and his forehead, “the ‘Great Maju Garzett’! My monster has Attack equal to twice the Attack of the tributed monster (ATK: 1800x2=3600)!
“‘Great Maju’,” I commanded, “destroy the ‘Dark Red Enchanter’ with Vile Energy Blast!”
‘Great Maju Garzett’ released a wave of dark energy that spread across the field. When the darkness faded, ‘Dark Red Enchanter’ was gone (5600+2600-3600=4600).
“This is a whole new game,” I said defiantly. “I place one card face-down, and I end my turn.”
Card of the Day:
Dark Red Enchanter
Played by: The Second Card Taker
This is mostly here because it's my friend Jeremy's favorite monster. It's also here because it's badass, but mostly the other thing.
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