Rachel is so badass, you guys. She went against Rocky's best and just kinda shrugged it off. That's her front right in the awesome green military-style jacket in the little cover image for these chapters, btw, in case you were wondering.
Chapter Five
The Queen of Beasts
“Are you done yet?” Rachel asked, looking annoyed.
“Not even close,” I said. “You see, my ‘Gadget’ monsters have a purpose besides swarming the field. I’m sure you remember the massive, almost lifeless robot behind me. Well, you see, he’s unable to attack or even counterattack right now because he’s missing three of the gears in his chest. Gears that can be replaced by the gears that make up the main bodies of my ‘Gadgets’.”
As I spoke, the three small robots jumped up and into the three slots in ‘Stronghold’’s chest. A multicolored light shone from the seams in ‘Stronghold’’s armor, and I heard his machinery come to life. He stood up slowly, his joints creaking. He flexed his mechanical arms, his head coming close to scraping the high ceiling (ATK: 3000).
“Like I said,” I declared, “your monsters are strong, but my monsters are stronger. ‘Stronghold’ attacks the ‘Wild-Horn’ with Strong Fist Hammer!”
The massive machine struck, but his fist was blocked by a solid wall of lightning. Rachel was beaming with pride.
“When one of my ‘Phantom Beasts’ battles,” Rachel explained, “I can remove ‘Phantom Beast Thunder-Pegasus’ in my Graveyard from play to negate damage to my monster for the duration of that battle.”
My monster pulled his fist back and stood in position behind me, and the lightning took form, becoming a two-headed horse. One head and one half of its body was red. The other half was black. It had a mane and wings made of rolling lightning. The monster remained for a moment before it disappeared.
“Smart move,” I said, trying to sound as if my confidence hadn’t been shaken. Damn, I thought. I didn’t expect something like that. She still has one more of those monsters left, and she can spring it anytime one of her monsters battles a stronger monster to make the battle invalid.
That’s when I had an idea to get rid of the second monster fast.
“I set a card,” I announced, “and I end my turn.”
Rachel drew and she immediately commanded, “‘Wild-Horn’, attack the ‘Yellow Gadget’.”
“Not as smart,” I said tsk-tskingly. “Reveal face-down card ‘Staunch Defender’, forcing both ‘Cross-Wing’ and ‘Wild-Horn’ to attack this turn, and allowing ‘Stronghold’ to intercept both attacks.”
This had better work, I thought.
‘Wild-Horn’’s sword and ‘Cross-Wing’’s entire body were wreathed in light. Both monsters charged forward to attack. ‘Stronghold’ crushed ‘Cross-Wing’ in his fingers (8000+1900-3000=6900), and then he moved to intercept ‘Wild-Horn’ and strike back with his mighty fist, but his counterattack was interrupted by another wall of lightning.
“My second ‘Thunder-Pegasus’ prevents the destruction of my ‘Wild-Horn’ yet again,” Rachel explained, ‘and because another ‘Cross-Wing’ was sent to the Graveyard, my ‘Wild-Horn’’s power increases even more (2300+300=2600).”
“I accomplished what I wanted,” I said. “I got you to use up your last ‘Thunder-Pegasus’. Now your monster will be vulnerable next turn.”
“Give me your best shot,” Rachel said, goading me. “I set a card. End.”
I drew. “Activate,” I announced, “the Spell card ‘Pot of Greed’ to draw two cards.”
I drew again and smiled.
“Looks like this duel is over,” I said. “I’m about to win.”
I heard the crowd murmuring. They didn’t seem to believe that Rachel was even capable of losing at Duel Monsters.
“I begin my turn,” I said, “by separating my three ‘Gadget’ monsters from ‘Stronghold’,” I declared, “so that I can tribute my ‘Yellow Gadget’ to summon ‘Criosphinx’.”
The monster that replaced the ‘Yellow Gadget’ on the field was beast-like, but his body seemed to be carved of stone. It had a body like a lion’s, with small, green-feathered wings, a humanoid torso, and a head like that of a goat (ATK: 1200).
“But my ‘Criosphinx’ won’t be around for long,” I declared. “I tribute my ‘Criosphinx’ to Special Summon the embodiment of my deck, the shape of my spirit, the face of my Soul! Arise,” the ‘Criosphinx’ was replaced by a massive stone creature, its body colored gold. Its head was carved to resemble the Egyptian-style head dress of the legendary invincible God Card ‘Exodia’. His massive stone fists were connected at the knuckles, and there was a massive gold ring attached to his back, “Exxod, Master of the Guard’ (ATK: 0/DEF: 4000)!”
“Are you kidding?” Rachel demanded condescendingly. “That massive hunk of stone is useless, and now that you’ve tributed a ‘Gadget’, your ‘Stronghold’ is useless as well.” She glanced behind me at the massive robot that sat behind me in a lifeless slump (ATK: 0).
“My monsters might not have any Attack,” I said, “but they do have Defense, and my deck is designed to turn defensive power into a weapon.
“Reveal,” I declared, “the Trap card ‘Inverse Universe’. This Trap card permanently exchanges the Attack and Defense of every Effect Monster on the field, including ones that were summoned from Traps.”
“No!” Rachel exclaimed as her ‘Wild-Horn’’s power was sapped away (1700 -> 900) and my monsters came to life (‘Exxod’: 0 -> 4000/’Stronghold’: 0 -> 2000). ‘Exxod’ pulled his fists apart and flexed his immense arms, and ‘Stronghold’ rose to his feet, mobile once again.
“Finally,” I continued, “I tribute ‘Red Gadget’ and ‘Green Gadget’, using the effect of ‘Ultimate Offering’ (4600-500=4100), to summon my newest heavy hitter.”
‘Red Gadget’ and ‘Green Gadget’ disappeared and were replaced by the legless, armless, mechanical dragon made of irregular, ancient-looking pieces, “I summon, my ‘Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon’ (ATK: 3000).”
“Activate,” I announced, “the Spell card ‘Limiter Removal’, doubling the Attack of my two machine monsters, and destroying them at the End Phase of the turn. I attack! This duel is over.”
‘Gadjiltron Dragon’ (ATK: 6000) breathed a beam of light, and ‘Stronghold’ (ATK: 4000) and ‘Exxod’ swung their mighty fists, but all three attacks were repelled by a barrier. I watched, surprised, as three priests in blue robes appeared within the barrier, chanting a prayer, and I realized what had happened.
“I was ready for an attack like that one,” Rachel said, prideful. “I activate my Trap card, ‘Waboku’, to negate all battle damage to my monsters and myself this turn.”
I scowled, “Then I end.” As I spoke ‘Gadjiltron’ and ‘Stronghold’ fell to pieces, destroyed. The pieces faded away. I regained my composure, “You still can’t touch me. Not while I control ‘Exxod’, a monster that rivals even the Egyptian Gods.”
Rachel smiled what I was beginning to realize was her trademark, devious smile, “You’re not the only one who commands a monster with incredible strength. But where your monster is the ultimate shield, mine is the ultimate lance.
“I begin my turn by placing one card face-down,” Rachel announced, a card hologram appearing at her feet. “Next I activate ‘Card of Sanctity’, letting us both draw until we hold six cards.”
Rachel drew four cards. I drew six. I smiled upon seeing my new hand, Come next turn, I’ll win. With these cards, there won’t be anything at all that she can do!
“Now I play ‘Polymerization’, fusing ‘Berfomet’ and ‘Gazelle’ in my hand into the ultimate ‘Phantom Beast’,” Rachel continued, a four-armed demon with goat horns, and a lion with a single horn on its head appearing side by side and merging together into a two-headed beast with both ‘Berfomet’’s and ‘Gazelle’’s heads on the body on a lion, with white wings and a snake for a tail, “‘Chimera, the Flying Mythical Beast (ATK: 2100+ (300x3)=3000)!”
“It still can’t defeat my ‘Exxod’,” I said, though I had a bad feeling.
“I didn’t expect it to,” Rachel replied. “Just like everything that I’ve done up to this point, this monster is just a stepping stone toward something greater.
“From my hand, I activate the Spell card ‘De-Fusion’, separating my monster,” Rachel’s ‘Chimera’ split into ‘Berfomet’ and ‘Gazelle’ (ATK: 1400/ATK: 1500). “Now I have three monsters on the field,” Rachel declared. “I tribute all three to summon my most powerful card, which also rivals the Egyptian Gods: ‘Beast King Barbaros’!”
‘Wild-Horn’, ‘Berfomet’, and ‘Gazelle’ disappeared and were replaced by a mighty warrior beast. His power radiated from him. I could feel it. It was almost tangible. He had the body of a black lion, the torso of a man, and the face of a lion, with long blond hair and a blond beard, like a mane. His face and waste were ringed by golden spines, spread out like rays of light. There was a round, blue shield strapped to his left arm, and he carried a red lance in his right hand (ATK: 3000).
“When my monster is summoned using three tributes,” Rachel explained, “my monster’s greatest power is released. Go, Deadly Legion!”
The monster thrust his spear, and waves of power spread from his body. The air itself shook, and ‘Barbaros’’ power blew over my side of the field like a great wind. Before my eyes, every card on my field, including ‘Exxod’ himself, was shattered, destroyed.
“Now,” said Rachel, “I finish it with the Spell card ‘Wild Nature’s Release’, increasing the Attack of my monster by an amount equal to his Defense for one turn.”
‘Barbaros’ was surrounded by a rolling, fiery red aura (ATK: 3000+1200=4200).
“End this, God Lance!”
‘Barbaros’ roared and thrust his lance, spearing me in the chest. The impact caused my entire body to vibrate, and I was thrown backward, falling onto my back.
Rachel’s monster faded away, and she moved to stand over me.
“I won,” said Rachel as I rose to my feet. “Now, tell me who you are.”
I smiled, not sure what to say. I’d never known someone who was so strong, so confident, and yet so damaged to their very core. This girl needed someone to reach out to her, not people to avoid her, fear her, or even admire her.
She needed a friend.
Being someone who can’t help but save everyone he can, I did the only thing that I could do. I reached out to her.
I offered Rachel my hand, smiling politely, and said, “Hi, I’m your new team-mate Rocky Stone.”
She didn’t accept my hand, and instead she turned away from me, as if I didn’t matter, but as she turned, I saw her smile. It was more a gesture of respect than one of friendship, but it was a smile nonetheless, and that was something.
Card of the Day:
Exxod, Master of the Guard
Played by: Rocky
I almost put "Barbaros" here, but he'll get more chances later, and "Exxod" has been in the story a few times now and never been featured here, so here goes. "Exxod" is a wall tough enough to stop an attack from "Obelisk the Tormentor", and yet it can still strike back with its effect, and has the potential to be a huge offensive asset as well. It is Rocky in a nutshell.
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