Yu-Gi-Oh! DA, Book One; The Phantom Seal. TEMPORARY HIATUS

[RyanAtlus]

...and John will develop his character the following chapters' date=' before seeking revenge by defeating the card takers!

 

I'm surprised you let the villains use Lightsworns instead of one of the main characters. Nice chapter.

[/quote']

 

you go it ;)

 

but john's too far gone to figure things out on his own. his arrogance is too great. he needs help. you'll be surprised who it is that helps him.

 

A character that has only cameo'd once or twice.

[Ryno Dorcus]

Ha, John lost. He is quite over confident!

[senron]

I just finished reading this and I think it's awesome. I can't wait to see the sacred beasts(my favorite cards in the entire game)

...and John will develop his character the following chapters' date=' before seeking revenge by defeating the card takers!

 

I'm surprised you let the villains use Lightsworns instead of one of the main characters. Nice chapter.

[/quote']

 

you go it ;)

 

but john's too far gone to figure things out on his own. his arrogance is too great. he needs help. you'll be surprised who it is that helps him.

I bet either Gray Eyes(I forget his real name) or Proffesor Sheppard is gonna help him. And, I espacially liked seeing those guys pop John's ego like a balloon. Though, I think I saw that before. Oh yeah. Joey vs. Duke at the very end of season 1(or very begginning of season 2).

[legendhiro]

 

I bet either Gray Eyes(I forget his real name) or Proffesor Sheppard is gonna help him. And' date=' I espacially liked seeing those guys pop John's ego like a balloon. Though, I think I saw that before. Oh yeah. Joey vs. Duke at the very end of season 1(or very begginning of season 2).

[/quote']

 

its not any of the new characters. none of them know him well enough to help him yet.

 

I can't wait to see the sacred beasts(my favorite cards in the entire game)

 

if you like the sacred beasts, then just wait. this book covers what could be called their "origin".

[RyanAtlus]

*please, let it be Shadi*

 

I'm looking forward to the reintroduction of an old character. Pegasus or Kaiba, perhaps?

[legendhiro]

no, its one of my characters. i don't like to use kazuki takahashi's characters any more than i need to to tie the story together.

[RyanAtlus]

no' date=' its one of my characters. i don't like to use kazuki takahashi's characters any more than i need to to tie the story together.

[/quote']

 

Then I guess we won't be seeing any Sacha Cohen references anymore...

[Des ＨＥＲＯ]

This is one of the best fan fic ive seen genius genius genius.

[senron]

 

 

its not any of the new characters. none of them know him well enough to help him yet.

It's gonna be Max I just know it.

if you like the sacred beasts' date=' then just wait. this book covers what could be called their "origin".

[/quote']

Horray!

[legendhiro]

senron wins a cookie.

 

This is one of the best fan fic ive seen genius genius genius.

 

thanks

[legendhiro]

bump. new chapter in the next few days, two if i can manage it.

[RyanAtlus]

bump. new chapter in the next few days' date=' two if i can manage it.

[/quote']

 

Don't push yourself.

[legendhiro]

chapter five is up, finally...

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter Five]

 

Re-evaluation

 

 

“What just happened?” Thomas asked.

 

“John,” Karen asked, “are you okay?”

 

I rose slowly to my full height and answered, “Yeah, I’m fine.” But I wasn’t fine. No matter how hard I tried to convince myself that I was fine, I just wasn’t fine. Ten minutes ago I was better than fine. My life couldn’t have gotten any better. But in the span of only one duel, everything had changed. My life couldn’t get any worse. I’d lost the duel and my favorite card. The only Monster card that had been a part of my deck since I started playing Duel Monsters; ‘The Fiend Megacyber’. And no matter how many times I milled it around in my head, I couldn’t figure out how.

 

My strategy hadn’t been any weaker than it had in my previous duels, and I was sure that my opponent hadn’t cheated. I had no idea what had gone wrong.

 

Karen and Thomas hadn’t moved once since the end of the duel. They seemed as shocked as I was.

 

“John, dude,” said Thomas, “I’m really sorry. If I hadn’t told you about this Card Taker thing, then you’d still have your card.”

 

I shook my head and forced a smile, “It’s alright. It’s just a card. Now come on. We should get back to our rooms. It’s late.”

 

Without another word, I turned toward the distant High Dorm and started walking.

 

Karen knew that the last thing I needed was someone talking to me, but Thomas didn’t know me as well as Karen, and the kid really did feel like my current situation was his fault.

 

“I really am sorry,” Thomas repeated. “You fought great though. That guy just got lucky is-.”

 

“Thomas-,” Karen began.

 

“Thomas, really,” I said, “it’s okay. It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I was weaker than my opponent. I deserved to lose.”

 

“Come on John,” said Karen, “this isn’t a big deal. You’ll get ‘Megacyber’ back.”

 

“How?” I snapped, stopping abruptly and clenching my fists. “If I couldn’t win with ‘The Fiend Megacyber’ in my deck, how can I win without him?”

 

I forced myself to relax, and I started walking again. “Seriously,” I said, “I’m fine. Now can we please drop this?”

 

“Yeah,” said Karen, “sure.”

 

Thomas didn’t answer. He seemed deep in thought.

 

We walked together in silence until Thomas had to break off and head for Mid Dorm. We said goodnight and continued on our way.

 

“You really okay?” Karen asked.

 

“No,” I answered, “but it’s okay.” I shot her a smile that I hoped didn’t look as false as it was. “Don’t worry, I’ll figure this out. I always do.”

 

We walked the rest of the way to High Dorm in relative silence, making sure to make our way into the building as quietly as possible. If we were caught out of bed so late at night, we would be facing detention at the very least. We did have the shadowy powers of the Soul of Darkness to conceal up if anyone came close to seeing us, but, thankfully, we didn’t need it.

 

We said our goodnights to each other. Karen kissed me, but I barely noticed. Then we split off and headed into our own rooms. Despite the late hour, I knew I wouldn’t sleep. I laid back in bed and stared at the ceiling, still dwelling on my loss.

 

I really wish Hiro were still around, I thought. He’d be able to help me. But he’s long gone. It’s all up to me now. And from what I experienced tonight, I’m just not up for any of this. Maybe it would be better if I gave up now and went home.

 

 

I spent the night lying there, the same thoughts running through my mind again and again. I waited until the sun had been out for an hour or so, and then I got up, got dressed, and grabbed my things, heading for the school. I sat out in front, on the base of a stone depicting ‘M-Warrior #1’, until other students started to arrive. It was about then that I realized that class wasn’t really what I needed. I decided to skip class and take a walk in the woods instead, and I slipped away carefully, making sure not to be seen.

 

I wandered along the edge of the forest for a couple hours before I noticed that it was already getting dark. I scowled. I had been in enough shadow games to recognize when one was beginning. I hadn’t been paying attention, and now someone with a Shadow Item had trapped me in the edge of the Shadows. I barely noticed that this time felt a little different than most.

 

I transformed my black Academy Disk into the Neo Dark Disk and prepared to draw my blade if needed. All the while, I probed the Shadows around me for any weaknesses through which I could escape. Per usual, there were none. Whoever was attacking was strong.

 

That’s when I saw him. He was standing in the deep shadows. All I could make out was a dark silhouette. He was wearing some kind of cloak.

 

“You’re feeling sorry for yourself,” the figure said in a gruff monotone. “That makes you weak. Don’t you realize that, as a Soul Guardian, you aren’t aloud to show weakness? It makes it so much easier for interested parties to take the Soul from you.”

 

“Who are you,” I demanded, “and what do you want?”

 

“I want to duel,” he replied. “If I win, the Soul of Darkness is mine.”

 

“What if I refuse?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

 

He answered, confirming my fears, “If you refuse, you die.”

 

I shrugged, “Fair enough. I accept your challenge. Make your move.”

 

“Gladly,” The figure said. He drew a sickle-shaped Duel Disk from behind his back, beneath his cloak, and strapped it to his wrist. What little light there was glinted off of its golden edge. “I begin by summoning ‘Zombie Master’ in attack mode. ‘Zombie Master’ battles using fallen spirits as weapons.”

 

A white-skinned young man with black eyes appeared, wearing tattered gray garbs and a tattered black cape. He raised his hand, and purple energy strands fell from his fingertips, plunging into the ground. Out of the ground rose a fearsome skeleton, attached to the strings like a puppet (ATK: 1800).

 

“I set two cards,” my opponent said, “and I pass.”

 

“Then here goes,” I said. I was prepared to draw my cards, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Come on! I said to myself. This is no time to have a crisis. I have to fight, no matter what!

 

“I draw,” I declared, finally pulling my cards, looking at my hand. Okay, I thought, I can do this. “I summon ‘Giant Orc’ in attack mode, and I attack your ‘Zombie Master’ with club slam.”

 

A giant goblin carrying a bone club appeared (ATK: 2200). He raised his club and charged the other monster.

 

“Reveal,” my opponent declared, “the Trap card ‘Attack Reaping’,

cutting the Attack of your monster in half.”

 

A hooded, ghostly grim reaper shot from the face of my opponent’s Trap, slashing my goblin (ATK: 2200/2=1100). ‘Zombie Master’ compelled the skeleton to attack. It crushed ‘Orc’’s club and then sliced him in half with its bony fingers (8000+1100-1800=7300).

 

“You’re not half bad,” I said, feigning control.

 

“Interesting,” my opponent replied. “If only I could say the same of you. I’d heard good things. I guess what I heard was wrong.

 

“I draw,” my opponent said, beginning his second turn, “and I summon the ‘Goblin Zombie’.” A somewhat insect-like, brown-skinned, bipedal creature appeared, carrying a sword (ATK: 1100). “When ‘Goblin Zombie’ deals you damage, you have to discard the top card of your deck. ‘Goblin Zombie’, ‘Zombie Master’, attack!”

 

Both monsters struck (7300-1800-1100=4400). I discarded the top card of my deck without even looking.

 

This is ridiculous, I thought. I’m losing again. First I lost my favorite card, and now I’m gonna lose my Soul of Darkness, and maybe my life!

 

I drew, “I set a monster.” I looked over my hand. It was a collection of cards that were completely useless in this situation. “I end my turn.”

 

“Draw,” my opponent said. “I begin by tributing both of my monsters to summon ‘Despair from the Dark’.” His two monsters disappeared and were replaced by a massive shadowy torso with massive claws. “Next I reveal my face-down card, ‘Tribute to the Doomed’, discarding one card from my hand to destroy my own ‘Despair’, letting me activate ‘A Deal with Dark Ruler’, summoning my ‘Berserk Dragon’.”

 

The shadow monster reformed, becoming a skeletal brown dragon with tufts of hair coming off of the back of its head (ATK: 3500). It launched a fireball at my face-down monster. The monster was revealed as the green-skinned, pike-wielding motorcyclist ‘Chaosrider Gustaph’, just before it was destroyed.

 

“My turn ends,” my opponent declared, “and my monster is drained of five hundred Attack (3500-500=3000). If you were ever going to turn this around, it would be now.”

 

I drew a card; the Spell card ‘Monster Reborn’. I looked over the rest of my hand. All I had left was ‘Dimension Fusion’, ‘Summoned Skull’, ‘Return from the Different Dimension’, and ‘Polymerization’.

 

It’s over, I thought. I’ve lost again.

 

“Is this really it?” my opponent asked. “I thought you were supposed to be powerful. Able to fight at the level of any other Duelist. What happened? So you lost one duel. Big deal. Push through it and suck it up! There are bigger things in the world than losing one game of cards! Think, and maybe you’ll actually find a way to survive the next turn.”

 

Suddenly, it was like something in the back of my mind snapped into place. I realized that if my opponent could see how messed up I was, I should be able to see it too, and then I could! Things that had been hazy were suddenly clear. Nothing had changed, except my perception. I’d been so full of myself for so long that I’d started to make a habit of not noticing what was going on all around me! For one thing, even though the cards in my hand hadn’t changed either, a single previously-missed detail would be the key to turning this duel around in my favor. I checked the cards in my Graveyard, and I smiled.

 

“Sorry, but my luck’s about to change. It’s thanks to you, really. When you attacked with your ‘Goblin Zombie’, you sent my ‘Red-Eyes Black Dragon’ to the Graveyard.

 

“I activate ‘Monster Reborn’,” I declared, “to call my dragon back from the dead, and onto the field.”

 

A glowing red ankh appeared, blossoming out and becoming the black dragon (ATK: 2400).

 

“Next,” I continued, “I activate ‘Polymerization’, fusing ‘Red-Eyes’ on the field with ‘Summoned Skull’ in my hand.” The skull demon appeared, merging with the mighty dragon, becoming a dragon with a thick, muscular, solid, skeletal-armored body and piercing red eyes. “Form,” I commanded, “the ‘Black Skull Dragon’ (ATK: 3200)!

 

“’Black Skull Dragon’,” I commanded, “destroy ‘Berserk Dragon’ with Black Fire Meteor!”

 

‘Black Skull Dragon’ breathed a barrage of fireballs that blew the enemy monster away (7500+3000-3200=7800).

 

“Enough,” I said. I deactivated my Duel Disk, and my monster disappeared with a roar, becoming wisps of thick, black smoke. “You might as well show me your face. I know it’s you, Max.”

 

My surroundings grew brighter as the Shadow Game ended, if it had ever really been a shadow game to begin with. One of my biggest fears since losing to the Card Takers was that someone would force me into a shadow game before I could recover. Max has the power to make people’s fears come to life. The light hit my opponent, revealing his appearance as he stepped toward me. He was wearing a dark gray, almost black long sleeve t-shirt, black cargo pants, and a black cloak. He wore a cloth mask over his mouth and nose. The cloak was fastened around his neck by a golden clasp. Embedded in the clasp was the amber-colored Soul of Life.

 

He lowered his hood and pulled his mask from his face. His blond hair was shorter than it had been the last time I'd seen him, and it showed signs of having been self cut. But otherwise, he hadn’t changed at all.

 

“Do you know now why you lost?” Max asked.

 

“Yeah,” I replied, “thanks. But how did you know?”

 

“Well,” Max answered, “I figured that I still owed you my life. When I heard that you were going to be attending a school filled with Duelists, I decided to come by. With so many Duelists around, something was bound to happen at some point that would give me an opportunity to repay my debt. In case you were wondering, we’re even now.”

 

“You sticking around?”

 

“No,” Max replied. Then we smiled and gave me a slight wave. “Say ‘hi’ to Karen for me,” he said, and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

 

I was filled with new purpose. I knew what was wrong, and I knew what I could do to fix it. I turned around, and I ran for the school.

 

 

I didn’t have a chance to meet up with Karen until after school, and despite the fact that I was the one looking for her, it was Karen that found me. I was looking around near the entrance to High Dorm as the twilight sunk in.

 

“Where were you?” I asked. “It’s getting dark. I was worried.”

 

“I was doing some work after class,” Karen answered. “I want to get ahead early-.”

 

“Wait a minute, okay?” I cut in. “I have something important to say. I know what I did wrong now. I was arrogant, and it was changing me. I forgot how to respect my opponents and enjoy the game, and I lost because of it. But I’m back, and I’m gonna get my card back.”

 

“That’s great,” said Karen, “but if you’d let me finish, you’d know that, after class, as I was heading back here, I ran into Thomas. He was going on about feeling responsible for you loosing your monster, and he said that he was going himself to get it back for you! I knew I couldn’t do anything to stop him, so I came to find you.”

 

No, I thought, that idiot! I told him it wasn’t his fault!

 

“We have to stop him. He’s too worked up. The Card Takers will tear him apart!”

 

I broke into a run, heading strait for the bridge. But I knew I wouldn’t make it. I was already behind, and I could see the flashes of light from various attacks in the distance, shining through the trees. The duel had already begun.

 

I wrestled for a moment with the possibility of using the Soul of Darkness to take me right to Thomas, but I was too distracted to make sure no one was watching. I couldn’t let anyone I didn’t trust see the Soul in action. So instead, I ran faster, Karen at my heels.

 

We ran past Low Dorm, the sunlight growing dimmer, and the bridge coming into sight. We arrived at the bridge, just in time to see the Lightsworn Duelist summon ‘Judgment Dragon’ and attack for the win.

 

Thomas saw us, turned sorrowfully toward me and said, “Sorry John. I tried to get your card back, but I wasn’t strong enough.”

 

I started to reply, but it was at that moment that the Lightsworn Duelist stepped up to Thomas and said, “I think you have something of mine.”

 

Thomas held out his card, the ‘Flame Spirit Ignis’, but I swatted his hand down before the Lightsworn Duelist could take it. I stepped between Thomas and his opponent.

 

“Don’t bother,” I said. “If you take his card, it’ll just mean you’ll have to give it back later. I’m challenging you to a rematch.” I looked over the first figure’s shoulder at the second figure. “I’m challenging both of you, for mine and Thomas’ cards, and every other card that you’ve won.”

 

“We already have your favorite card,” the second figure stated. “What will you ante?”

 

I smiled, “Something you can’t resist. I ante every single Duel Monsters card I own.”

 

“What?” Thomas asked, surprised.

 

“John,” said Karen, “you can’t be serious!”

 

I smiled, “I am.”

 

“In that case,” said the Lightsworn Duelist, “let the rematch begin.”

 

[spoiler=Card of the Day]

This monster's effect nearly destroyed John, but ended up saving him, sort of.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Chapter The Rematch

 

john fights the card takers again, putting everything on the line.

[LuffyLaxer]

I liked it. It's very good how you got the character to change throughout the story.

 

So far 9/10. great

[legendhiro]

thanks. keep reading. it gets better.

[RyanAtlus]

Lemme guess; he's back to normal now?

Cause I really liked John when he was a bit arrogant ^^

[legendhiro]

he'll remain a bit arrogant. i like him that way too. but now he'll keep it in check. and arrogance isn't the only issue he needs to work out.

[Ryno Dorcus]

Chapter Five was really nice, Can't wait for Chapter 6 as I believe John has a fight on his hands.

[legendhiro]

bump. new chapter soon.

[legendhiro]

finally, i finished it. it could be awhile before the next one is ready. i want to tweak it some, and i still have my other fic to worry about too.

 

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter Six]

 

The Rematch

 

 

“I’ll start us off,” my opponent said. “I activate ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’, sending the top three cards of my deck to the Graveyard,” he discarded ‘Realm of Light’, ‘Jain, Lightsworn Paladin’, and ‘Lightsworn Barrier’, “to move a ‘Lightsworn’ monster from my deck to my hand,” he sifted through his desk and chose a card. “Next,” he continued, “I activate ‘Graceful Charity’, drawing three cards and then discarding two.” He discarded ‘Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner’ and ‘Wolf, Lightsworn Beast’.

 

“I end my turn,” my opponent concluded, “by summoning ‘Jenis, Lightsworn Mender’ in defense mode.”

 

A young woman wearing a bright, lavish dress appeared, shielding her body with a barrier (DEF: 2100).

 

This is when I made my mistake last time, I thought. I did what one of a dozen amateurs might do. I only saw his monsters for what they were at face value. If I had taken into account that his true goal might have been to summon a trump card, I would have looked closer. Then I would have realized that there was actually a purpose for him discarding so many of his own cards, and I would have used the ‘Soul Release’ card that I had in my hand to remove his discarded cards from play.

 

But this time around, I already know what’s coming, and I’ll be ready. This time I really do have this duel in the bag.

 

“I draw,” I declared, “and for my turn, I activate the Spell card ‘One for One’, discarding ‘Red-Eyes Black Dragon’ to summon ‘Level Stealer’ from my deck.”

 

The level-star-backed beetle appeared (ATK: 300).

 

“Now I tribute ‘Level Stealer’ to summon the ‘Summoned Skull’!”

 

The beetle was vaporized in a bolt of lightning that spread out, becoming a massive skeletal demon with wings and huge claws. Lightning danced along his body (ATK: 2500).

 

“I attack with ‘Summoned Skull’,” I declared, “Lightning Strike!”

 

Lightning struck my monster and jumped from him to the target, shattering her barrier and vaporizing her.

 

“I set a card,” I said. This is it. This is the moment of truth.

 

“It looks like my plan worked,” my opponent said. “By destroying ‘Jenis’ you placed a fourth ‘Lightsworn’ into my Graveyard, and with four ‘Lightsworn’ monsters in the Graveyard, I can summon my ultimate card. Show yourself, ‘Judgment Dragon’!”

 

A massive wave of light erupted from the ground behind my opponent, and the immense, beastly dragon emerged (ATK: 3000).

 

“Don’t think that your monster or your Trap will stand in the way of my monster,” my opponent announced. “Nothing can save you from my final judgment. At the cost of one thousand Life Points (8000-1000=7000), I can banish every other card on the field. ‘Judgment Dragon’, Banishing Light!”

 

Light began building around the monster, threatening to explode outward. I smiled, “I thought so. I figured that a monster as powerful as ‘Judgment Dragon’ would have some kind of devastating effect designed to protect it from Trap cards. That’s why I was ready with this. Go, ‘Divine Wrath’!”

 

“No way!”

 

“I discard ‘Dark Master – Zorc’,” I continued, “to negate Banishing Light and destroy your monster.” I discarded my card, and an intense bolt of lightning fell from the sky, blowing the dragon away.

 

“I set two card,” I opponent declared, frustration in his voice. “Just because I lost my dragon, it doesn’t mean I’ve lost the duel.”

 

I smiled, “We’ll see.

 

“I draw,” I said, “and I activate the Spell card ‘Card of Sanctity’, letting us each draw until we hold six cards.”

 

I drew five card from my deck, Bingo!

 

“Activate ‘Heavy Storm’, destroying every Spell and Trap card on the field.” My opponent’s two face-down cards were swept away. I never saw what they were. “Next I tribute ‘Summoned Skull’ to summon ‘Great Maju Garzett’, a monster with twice the Attack of the sacrificed monster!”

 

The ‘Summoned Skull’ became smoke, which reformed into a massive brown skeletal demon, even larger than the last, with a crystal sphere in each shoulder, and a third in his forehead (ATK: 5000).

 

“I’ll also activate ‘Double Summon’, letting me summon my ‘Chaosrider Gustaph’ from my hand.”

 

A green-skinned demon in red armor padding appeared, riding a mean-looking motorcycle, a pike in his hand (ATK: 1400).

 

“I remove two Spell cards in my Graveyard from play to increase my ‘Chaosrider’’s Attack by three hundred per card.”

 

A green aura flared up around my monster (ATK: 1400+600=2000).

 

“Attack,” I commanded, “with Battle Pike!”

 

‘Chaosrider’ revved his engine and shot right past my opponent, slashing with his pike (7000-2000=5000). He circled around and rode back to my side.

 

“And I finish it,” I said, “with the attack of my ‘Great Maju Garzett’, Vile Energy!”

 

‘Great Maju Garzett’ unleashed a black beam from his palm, overwhelming my opponent and bringing his Life Points to zero.

 

“Yeah,” I cried triumphantly, “I’m back!”

 

“Don’t get too confident,” the second figure said, trading places with his associate. “You still have to defeat me too. And at this point, I’ve seen enough of your deck to understand your strategy. I know that you don’t have what it takes to win.”

 

“If you’re so sure,” I said, “then why don’t you make the first move?”

 

“Don’t mind if I do. And I think I’ll start big with a Field Spell card, and possibly the most powerful card in my deck, the ‘Magical Citadel of Endymion’.”

 

Our surroundings changed. Suddenly my opponent, our friends and I were in a gleaming golden city, arcane symbols formed of light swimming through the air along paths like ribbons. Behind my opponent, a massive golden tower formed from nothing. I examined the city in awe. I’d heard of this card, but I’d never actually seen it in action before.

 

“I’ll also summon,” my opponent declared, “’Defender the Magical Knight’ in defense mode.” A wizard knight in blue armor, shaped like robes appeared. He carried a large rectangular shield, strapped to his left arm, a jewel embedded in the center. He carried a dagger in his right hand. He raised his shield in a defensive pose (DEF: 2000).

 

“When my monster is Normal Summoned he gains a Spell Counter.”

 

The crystal in ‘Defender’’s shield lit up.

 

“I set two cards,” my opponent said, “and end my move.”

 

“Then here I go,” I said. “I draw, and I place a card face-down. Then I summon my ‘Twin-Sword Marauder’.” The duel-bladed warrior appeared, holding his blades up, ready to strike (ATK: 1600). “I equip ‘Marauder’ with ‘Fusion Sword Murasame Blade’, raising his attack strength by eight hundred.” The three-pointed blade on my monster’s right arm remolded into a longer, single-pointed blade, extending until it was the length of his arm (ATK: 1600+800=2400).

 

’Twin-Sword Marauder’ crossed his swords and shot forward, toward the enemy monster. He swung his two swords in tandem.

 

“I remove the Spell Counter from my monster,” my opponent announced, “to prevent his destruction.”

 

The red crystal in the monster’s shield went dark, and a purple, transparent energy barrier appeared, deflecting my monster’s blades.

 

“Whether I destroyed your monster or not,” I said, “I still deal piercing damage (8000+2000-2400=7600). And when my monster attacks a defense mode monster, it can attack again.”

 

The shield faded away, and my monster wasn’t finished.

 

“Attack,” I commanded, “with Double Blade! This time your monster can’t save itself.”

 

My opponent didn’t flinch. “Reveal,” he said, “the Continuous Trap card ‘Pitch-Black Power Stone’, creating three new Spell Counters.”

 

“Nice try,” but I know that your ‘Defender’’s effect can only be used once per turn.”

 

“I didn’t plan on using his effect. Reveal, ‘Radiant Defense’.

I remove a Spell Counter from a card that I control to prevent my monster’s destruction and draw a card.”

 

As he drew a card, a spherical Spell Counter emerged from the hologram of my opponent’s Trap, blossoming out into a spiral of light that surrounded his monster, deflecting my monster’s blades (7600+2000-2400=7200).

 

But more importantly, the swirling light lit up my opponent’s face. For the first time, I got a good look at my opponent’s eyes. They were fierce and confident. Completely unfaltering. It was then that I realized just how much trouble I was in.

 

[spoiler=Card of the Day]

 

 

This monster is an integral part of John's enemy's strategy. A strategy that even the best Duelists should fear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Chapter The Spell Counter Army

 

 

the second Card Taker's power is shown. can John defeat his frighteningly strong Spell Counter deck?

[LuffyLaxer]

Cool chapter six dude.

I can't wait for chapter 7

[Nexev]

Gaasp, magician guy is... a Lawrence knock off!

 

Duh, duh, duuuuhhhhh.

 

The problem with this dilema is that those duelists weren't even strong enough to make it int tt dark duel force thingey. So how can they hope to beat a guy who beat the super duelist of legendary awesomeness (who by the way, CHEATED on one of the duels)?

 

Plus it's not like John lost his magical cheating powers. He just won't use them in an honorable duel of friendship.

 

Which this isn't.

[legendhiro]

hey, just because they weren't all that good before, it doesn't mean they didn't get better. Besides, the dark duel force was only made of people who were willingly following yami. these guys weren't.

 

and don't form too many opinions about the card takers. they're jerks, but there's more too them than we've seen.

 

...how can they hope to beat a guy who beat the super duelist of legendary awesomeness (who by the way' date=' CHEATED on one of the duels)?

 

[/quote']

 

which one are you talking about? i'm not being contrary, i really don't know which duel you mean.

 

 

also, i loved the little rant. very cool.

[Nexev]

Hiro had that magical drawing power that let him cheat and beat the light duelist in the tournament.

 

Plus don't Hiro and John have the same power incase they use the magical soul of chaos?

 

Thus John has the power to cheat (or the power of the heart of the cards, different wording same result).

 

I don't assume that the card takers are evil, their too polite but the other card taker would lose but he is convinced he won't.

 

Lawernce is always full of himself but I can only remember one game he actually won. Since both always loose but still think otherwise they are alike.

 

Then again you have to wonder.

 

5 times the evil villian relied on a children's card game to take over the world.

 

Not only that but none of them even consider cheating besides Pegasus.

 

Also, why doesn't anyone ever seem to use checkers?

 

I liked checkers...

[legendhiro]

ah, so you refer to destiny draw. yeah, there is that. john did vow not to use that anymore though. besides, at least he has to choose to use it consciously. with atem in the anime, it happened whenever he was in a bad spot.

 

and lawrence wins a lot of duels. they're like mai's duels. they happen off screen and they're never against anyone important.

 

 

and yeah, checkers is awesome.