AwesomeJohn Writes: Yu-Gi-Oh! DE: The Paths You Choose

Chapter Ten

A Distress Call;
Life and Death Struggle

Greg

“Emperor I presume,” I said as I stood up and faced my assailant.

“The rumors are true,” said Emperor, his voice deep and harsh, “you really are very smart. Too bad for you I’m much smarter than you could ever hope to be. My plan went off without a hitch.”

I’d been trying since I’d first sensed Emperor and the four Duelists that I currently sensed outside of my office to try and piece together how they had managed to get past my defenses. With Emperor’s statement in mind, my suspicions were validated.

“The attack against my brother and Team One,” I said. “It served a dual purpose. You were able to seize a Shadow Millennium Item from us, and you created a reason for me to lower my defenses. You knew that the only reason that I would ever risk lowering my defensive spells would be to rescue my own brother. You waited for my spell to come down, and then you and your men teleported in. I’m not sure how you managed to find this compound in the first place, but by the time I’m finished with you, it won’t matter, because it won’t matter how you did anything ever again. I actually have to thank you for all of this. You coming here saved me the trouble of having to hunt you down. Now I can destroy you right now, with my own hand.”

“Oh but I came here to destroy you, Gregory Hendriks,” Emperor replied, full of swagger, “and I plan to do just that.”

“You can try to kill me all you like,” I replied, “but first, tell me, did my brother at least manage to get the Shadow Key away from you before he died?”

Emperor answered me by spreading his cloak and revealing the Shadow Millennium Key and the Shadow Millennium Pendant hanging around his neck. I made a quick note that the blade that he had attacked me with was actually the lower section of the handle of the Shadow Millennium Rod, which was tucked into his belt.

“I see,” I said. “My brother failed.”

“True,” Emperor replied, “but don’t feel bad. Your Team One put up quite a fight. Of course, in the end, even they were simply pawns in my plan. We left one of them largely unharmed and used some simple misdirection to convince him that your brother managed to send the item away, and that he is still alive, being held captive for interrogation.”

Emperor actually chuckled, marveling at his own scheme.

“We gave him a message for your Team Two that Timothy would be returned if the Key were found and handed over to us. A simple distraction that should keep them away from home long enough for us to finish up here. Not that they would be any threat to our power anyway.”

I nodded my comprehension, “You’re smart, but that won’t save you from my wrath.” I raised my Duel Disk and switched it on, “You’ll pay for ending my brother’s life.”

Emperor sheathed his blade in the handle of the Shadow Rod and switched on his Duel Disk as well, “We’ll see.”

Marcus

“My turn first,” said the taller of my opponents. “I, Spark, will vanquish you with my light.”

I smiled and glanced down at my deck, Not as long as I have my Gaia Knights deck you won’t.

“I summon the ‘Royal Knight’,” Spark began, “and equip him with the Spell card ‘Unstable Evolution’. Now, if my Life Points drop below yours, the attack of my monster will rise to twenty-four hundred.”

A white, mechanical, ceramic knight with crystalline joints appeared, sword in hand (ATK: 1300).

“I set a card and pass the baton to my fearless leader, Zero.”

“Draw,” the short, blue-haired Zero, declared, “and I summon ‘Blizzard Dragon’ and set three cards.”

A blue-gray dragon appeared at Zero’s side (ATK: 1800).

“Your move.”

Serious guy, I thought. I drew and examined my hand. It was perfect.

“I play ‘Hand Destruction’,” I declared, “forcing each player to discard two cards and then draw two cards.”

I did exactly as the card said and scrutinized my new hand.

“Next up, I play ‘Graceful Charity’,” I continued, “to draw three cards and then discard two cards.”

I drew one monster and two non-monsters. I discarded that monster as well as another monster already in my hand, giving me a hand of five.

“I set four cards,” I said, “leaving one card in my hand, and because he’s the only card in my hand, I can summon ‘Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight’!”

An armored, dual-lance-wielding knight appeared at my side aback an armored purple-haired steed (ATK: 2300).

“I attack your ‘Royal Knight’, Spark,” I commanded. I have to take these guys out quick. That means dealing as much damage as I can as early as I can.

“Reveal,” said Zero, “the Trap ‘Ultimate Offering’.”

“It won’t help you,” I insisted, my knight rearing up to charge.

“It will once I play this,” Spark countered. “I reveal ‘Seven Tools of the Bandit’ and pay one-thousand Life Points, negating my allies Trap and decreasing my Life Points below yours, boosting my monster’s Attack (LP: 8000-1000=7000/ATK: 1300 -> 2400).”

My ‘Gaia’ struck with his lance, but the ‘Royal Knight’ was able to avoid the attack and strike back with his sword, cleaving my knight in half (8000+2300-2400=7900).

“And because my ‘Royal Knight’ destroyed a monster,” Spark explained, “I gain Life Points equal to your monster’s Defense (7000+2100=9100).”

“Increasing your Life Points only makes your monster weaker,” I replied (2400 -> 1300), “and I was prepared for your counterattack. I reveal ‘Pot of Greed’ and ‘Monster Reborn’ to draw two cards and to revive ‘Swift Gaia’.”

A flash of red light shone throughout the dim corridor and my ‘Gaia’ reappeared.

“Finally,” I concluded, “I reveal ‘Metamorphosis’, transforming my ‘Gaia’ into his most powerful form,” ‘Gaia’’s horse transformed into a yellow-tan-colored legless dragon with curved spikes protruding from its chest, head, jaw, and wings, “‘Gaia the Dragon Champion’ (ATK: 2600)!”

“The dragon I plan to summon is even stronger,” said Spark, beginning his second turn. “I’ll prove to you that I’m superior. I set a card and tribute my ‘Royal Knight’ for the ‘Majestic Mech – Goryu’!”

‘Royal Knight’ was replaced by a massive, winged, serpentine dragon made of segments of white ceramic disks connected by golden-yellow crystal. The dragon roared (ATK: 2900).

“Attack!” Spark cried. The dragon breathed a wave of light, which was swallowed up by a swirl of wind and light just before it could hit my monster.

“I cancel your attack with ‘Negate Attack’,” I explained, “and because you summoned your monster with a single tribute, he’s destroyed by his own effect during the End Phase.”

‘Goryu’ shattered.

“You might have defeated Spark’s monster,” said Zero, “but you still have to deal with me. I’m the leader of the Emperor’s Four for a reason. I begin with the Spell card ‘Card of Sanctity’.”

We each refilled our hands.

“Next,” Zero continued, “I play ‘Polymerization’, fusing ‘Elemental Hero Ice Edge’ in my hand with the ‘Blizzard Dragon’ on the field,” the two monsters merged into a tall, cape-wearing warrior in crystal-like white armor, “to summon ‘Elemental Hero Absolute Zero’ (ATK: 2500)!”

Raphael

Ever since I’d made the mistake of succumbing to evil and hate years ago, I’d been repenting for my crimes by fighting to do good. I would fight that fight again today.

“I know what you’re thinking,” said the muscular man who was one of my opponents, “but as strong as you are and as hard as you fight, you can never beat us.”

“You seem very proud of your power,” I replied.

“Brock has reason to be proud,” said the smaller opponent, “as do I, the Great C.D., manipulator of time itself. Let me show you why. I begin with the Spell card ‘Final Countdown’ (8000-2000=6000)! Now, in twenty turns, we win, just like that! I set two cards and a monster, and I end my turn.”

“Making it my move,” said Brock. He drew, and a small flame appeared hovering above us in the air as the ‘Final Countdown’ began.

“I summon ‘Abaki’,” Brock declared, a red-skinned, spiked-club-wielding demon appearing at his side (ATK: 1700), “set a card, and pass.”

“It’s already apparent that your monsters don’t have the power to stand up against mine,” I said, a second flame appearing in the air above me. “I play ‘Armory’,” I declared, “a Spell card that can be equipped with other Spell cards for storage.”

A half-circle of weapon wracks appeared behind me.

“I equip ‘Celestial Sword - Eatos’ to ‘Armory’,” I continued, “allowing me to Special Summon the ‘Guardian Eatos’ and equip her with her blade.”

A silver sword appeared on one of the wracks, and a winged woman wearing a brown dress and eagle headdress appeared, picking up the silver sword (ATK: 2500 +300=2800).

“I play ‘Graceful Charity’,” I declared, drawing three cards and discarding two, and commanded, “Next, ‘Eatos’ attacks ‘Abaki’.”

“And,” Brock countered, “‘Abaki’ overcomes your attack with the Trap card ‘Prideful Roar’. I pay Life Points equal to the difference in our monsters’ Attack strengths (8000-1100=6900) in order to increase the Attack of my monster by that amount plus three hundred (1700 -> 3100).

‘Abaki’’s club almost doubled in size and he swung it with all his might, hitting the oncoming, attacking monster and destroying her (8000+2800-3100=7700), but I didn’t skip a beat.

“When ‘Eatos’ is destroyed,” I countered, “I can summon a new monster.”

Darkness erupted from the ground near my feet. From that darkness emerged my second and infinitely more fearsome ace monster. She was a hulking, demonic version of my fallen ‘Guardian Eatos’.

“When my ‘Guardian Dreadscythe’ is summoned,” I explained, "I equip her with her weapon automatically. Behold,” an immense long-handled sickle appeared in my monster’s hands, “the ‘Reaper Scythe – Dreadscythe’ (ATK: 2500).

“Next I activate ‘Hand Destruction’,” I declared, sending two monsters from my hand to the Graveyard and drawing two cards. My opponents each discarded two cards and drew two cards as well.

“Now,” I explained, “because I have three monsters in my Graveyard, my monster gains fifteen hundred Attack due to the effect of her scythe (ATK: 2500+1500=4000). I attack ‘Abaki’!”

With a single sweep of her scythe, ‘Dreadscythe’ cleaved the red-skinned demon in half (6900+3100-4000=6000). Less than a second later, the two halves exploded.

“When ‘Abaki’ is destroyed,” Brock explained, “each player receives eight hundred points of damage (6000-800=5200/6000-800=5200/7700-800=6900).”

“It doesn’t matter,” I said dismissively. “My monster outclasses almost every monster in the game, and I have plenty of other powerful cards at my disposal.”

“You won’t get a chance to use any of them,” said C.D., “because I’m gonna finish you off right now, and you can’t do anything about it!”

Greg

I drew my sixth card. I was angry, and I was determined to end this war and make Emperor pay all at once, right now.

“I summon,” I declared, “the shield monster ‘Gladiator Beast Hiplomus’ in defense mode.”

A rhinoceros-like monster with a massive, strong-looking humanoid torso and arms appeared between me and my opponent. He wore armor and a ring of hexagonal plates hung in the air, surrounding him protectively (DEF: 2000).

“I place a card face-down,” I concluded, “and I equip my monster with ‘Gladiator Beast’s Archfiend Shield’.”

A broad, wicked-looking shield appeared floating just outside of the monster’s protective ring.

“A Gladiator Beast deck,” said Emperor. “No wonder you are so feared. With a deck like that, you probably don’t lose very often. But my deck contains many powerful cards as well. Allow me to demonstrate. I play ‘Double Summon’, a Spell which allows me to make two Normal Summons this turn instead of one. Next I summon ‘Samsara Kaiser’,” a humanoid warrior appeared, wearing a cape, his entire body protected by a suite of armor that included a flat-topped dome helmet with two small eye holes cut into it, “and I tribute my monster to summon ‘Granmarg the Rock Monarch’!”

A stone warrior with massive arms appeared, flexing those arms, his armor grinding loudly (ATK: 2400).

“When ‘Granmarg’ is Normal Summoned,” Emperor continued, “he summons a seismic wave with earth-shaking force to destroy one face-down card.”

‘Granmarg’ punched the ground, sending an energy wave through it, crushing my face-down ‘Defensive Formation’ trap card. I stifled a smile. My face-down card had been nothing more than a decoy to direct attention away from my monster.

“Additionally,” Emperor explained, “because ‘Samsara Kaiser’ was sent to the Graveyard as a result of a Tribute Summon, he returns to my hand.”

‘Samsara Kaiser’ ejected from Emperor’s Graveyard, and I realized what type of deck he was using.

“Interesting,” I said. “You use an easy Tribute Summon deck, a deck designed with the power to summon high level monsters instantly.”

“I’m afraid that you’re much worse off than that,” Emperor replied. “My deck isn’t just a Tribute Summon deck. It’s a Monarch monster Tribute Summon deck. I can summon most any one of the feared Monarch monsters that I want as often as I want. That means that I have access to every one of their powerful effects!”

This time I did allow myself to smile, if only for a second, I know how I’m going to beat you, Emperor. And the best part is, you handed me the answer.

“Now,” Emperor commanded, “ Granmarg’, attack ‘Hiplomus’!”

‘Granmarg’ raised his massive right hand and made a fist, and he took a swing at my monster, but his attack was interrupted when the ‘Gladiator Beast’s Archfiend Shield’ rose up and absorbed the blow. The shield shattered, but my monster remained unharmed.

“Because my monster was involved in a battle,” I declared, “I have the option of activating his effect. I have him ‘tag out’ and return to my deck. This allows me to ‘tag in’ a new ‘Gladiator Beast’ monster, like my ‘Gladiator Beast Murmillo’!”

‘Hiplomus’ disappeared, and in his place appeared an amphibious creature with blue skin, wearing armor and carrying twin shell-cannons on his shoulders.

“When ‘Murmillo’ is tapped in,” I explained “his special attack is activated. Go, Murmillo Cannon!”

‘Murmillos’’s shell-cannons charged with energy, discharging bursts of red light that blasted the much larger and stronger ‘Granmarg’ apart with ease.

“Now it’s my turn, Emperor,” I declared. “I begin by playing ‘Pot of Greed’ to draw two cards. Now, it’s time for me to display the true power of my deck. I summon the ‘Gladiator Beast Laquari’!”

A tiger warrior, armored, with a metal ring burning with fire floating in the air above him appeared at my side, growling (ATK: 1800).

“I follow up with ‘Quick Summon’,” I continued, “allowing me to play a second monster, like my ‘Gladiator Beast Andul’!”

An armored bear with huge claws appeared at my side, standing on his hind legs (ATK: 1900).

“I initiate a Contact Fusion,” I declared, “returning my monster cards to my deck to combine my monsters into the ultimate Gladiator Beast!”

My three monsters merged in a flash of light. They became a vaguely humanoid amalgamation of beasts with a feline head and the body of a dinosaur from the waist down. His armor was made up of various different types of armor layered together. He carried a shield of honeycombed plates, like those that had made up ‘Hiplomus’’ defensive ring. Two small cannons were visible, fixed to the top of his shield. He carried an axe made of various blades joined together, and a pair of transparent green wings extended from his back.

“Introducing,” I announced, “the most powerful of the ‘Gladiator Beasts’, the ‘Gladiator Beast Heraklinos’!”

My monster roared at the utterance of his name (ATK: 3000).

“My monster can negate a Spell or Trap at the cost of a card in my hand. Of course, this does nothing to protect him from your Monarch effects, so I play ‘Roar of Heraklinos’, a Continuous Spell that cannot be destroyed while ‘Heraklinos’ is in play, which allows me to discard a card to negate the effect of any card that specifically targets a monster. While I control this, my monster is invincible!

“Now, ‘Heraklinos’,” I commanded, “attack!”

My monster swung his axe-like blade. Emperor avoided the blade expertly, but his Life Points still suffered (8000-3000=5000).

“I finish my turn with the Spell card ‘Card of Demise’,” I concluded, “allowing me to draw until I hold five cards, giving me fuel for my effects, and putting me even further from your reach.”

Marcus

“Reveal,” said Zero, “the Trap card ‘Shock Wave’! I destroy my own ‘Absolute Zero’, dealing each player damage equal to his Attack and activating his effect (Spark: 6400-2500=3900/Marcus: 8000-2500=5500/Zero: 7000-2500=4500).”

As ‘Absolute Zero’ exploded his effect activated, a gust of icy wind pouring from him, freezing everything on my field until my monster turned brittle. ‘Gaia’ shattered before my eyes.

“Next,” said Zero, “I play ‘Monster Reborn’ to revive my ‘Absolute Zero’.”

“And I,” said Spark, “reveal ‘Call of the Haunted’ to revive the ‘Majestic Mech – Goryu’.”

“I equip ‘Scroll of Bewitchment’ to ‘Goryu’,” Zero continued, “changing its Attribute to Water, and for each other Water monster on the field, the Attack of ‘Absolute Zero’ rises by five hundred points (2500+500=3000). I equip my monster with the Spell card ‘Megamorph’,” Zero declared, and I knew then that I’d lost. “This double’s my monster’s original Attack.”

A glowing ring appeared below his monster, and its size and power increased (ATK: 3000 -> 5500).

“Raph,” I said to my friend, “don’t let them through!”

“I attack directly,” Zero commanded, “with ‘Elemental Hero Absolute Zero’.”

‘Absolute Zero’ spread his cape and summoned an icy wind that struck me with incredible force, and everything faded away.

Raphael

C.D. drew, and a third flame appeared overhead.

“Reveal,” said C.D., “the Trap cards ‘Pyro Clock of Destiny’ and ‘Pyro Clock of the Future’. I discard two cards for the effect of ‘Pyro Clock of the Future’: ‘Clock Magician’ and ‘Magician’s Valkyria’. This moves the turn count forward by a total of three.”

Three more flames appeared.

“Next,” C.D. declared, wearing a wicked smile, “I remove two copies of ‘Clock Magician’ in my Graveyard from play, advancing the turn count forward another four.”

Four more flames appeared.

“And I finish,” said C.D., “with the Spell card ‘Turn Jump’, advancing the Turn Count forward three for each player.”

And I was struck with realization as nine more flames appeared, for a grand total of nineteen.

No, I thought, I’ve failed!

“I end my turn,” C.D. concluded.

“I draw,” said Brock, “and you lose.”

A twentieth flame appeared, and all twenty flames fell on me at once.

Card of the Day:

Final Countdown

Played by: C.D.