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

[legendhiro]

yes.

 

new chapters soon. things at home are finally winding down.

[legendhiro]

wow, i gave up on this sight, like, a week ago when i tried for five days to get on and it didn't work. glad its back. new chapter tonight when i get home.

[legendhiro]

well, it's late, but did anyone expect it not to be? really?

 

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter Twenty-Three]

 

The Beasts Attack, Part Three

 

 

I stood with my ‘Fiend Megacyber’ at my side, beside Karen and one of her strongest monsters, against Shin and his ‘Dark Simorgh’. The powerful Winged Beast was weaker than Karen’s monster and only a stone throw above mine in terms of Attack, but that didn’t make me feel much better in light of the incredible dark aura that I felt from it.

 

In short, the monster worried me. I was anxious to learn of it special abilities, on the off chance that doing so might put my anxiety to bed.

 

“It’s like a corrupt version of the monster that your cousin uses,” Karen told me.

 

“Yeah,” I agreed, “but the aura is way different. You can feel that it’s even more powerful than Amanda’s monster.”

 

“My monster is more powerful than you can imagine,” Shin said, interrupting my dialogue with Karen. “Of course that monster,” he continued, gesturing toward ‘Master of Oz’, “still presents a threat, so I’ll play ‘Shrink’ to bring your monster down to a more manageable size.”

 

“I don’t have anything to stop that,” said Karen, sounding frustrated.

 

“Damn,” I said, “neither do I.”

 

As we spoke, the Spell took effect, and the ‘Master of Oz’ shrunk to half his original size, and half his original power (4200/2=2100).

 

“No,” said Karen under her breath, and it hit me that she was in a bad place. Her hand was empty and ‘Master of Oz’ had been her last gambit in a duel riddled with mediocre luck.

 

“’Simorgh’,” Shin commanded, “attack! Black Tornado!”

 

A funnel of violent wind, colored black by the dark energy used to summon it, appeared as ‘Dark Simorgh’ flapped its powerful wings. The tornado poured over the shrunken ‘Master of Oz’ and quickly overwhelmed him, tearing him apart. More of Karen’s arms and torso disappeared into the shadows as her Life decreased even further (3700+2100-2700=3100). I watched her grit her teeth against the pain of Shin’s Shadow Game. That made me mad.

 

“Just because my monster has less Attack than yours,” I told Shin, “don’t expect your monster to stick around. I draw!”

 

I looked over my hand, Bingo!

 

“I set a card,” I said, but as soon as my set card appeared as a hologram on the field, that hologram was blown from the field by a dust devil charged with black energy. The card itself leapt from my Dark Disk, and I caught it.

 

“Sorry,” said Shin mockingly, “but you can’t set any cards in the presence of ‘Dark Simorgh’.”

 

I smiled, “Oh well. It’s not like the card I tried to set was needed to destroy your monster.”

 

“What?” Shin asked, surprised.

 

I ignored him, “I equip my ‘Fiend Megacyber’ with ‘Fusion Sword Murasame Blade’, increasing his attack by eight hundred.”

 

The armor on my monster’s arm stretched out over his hand and extended to become a long, thin, sharp blade (2200+800=3000).

 

“’Megacyber’,” I commanded, “attack! Megacyber Slash!”

 

‘The Fiend Megacyber’ charged his blade with intense black and yellow static energy and lunged at his massive foe.

 

“Let’s see if your ‘almighty’ monster is mightier than this!” I exclaimed, just as my warrior brought his sword down, slashing the giant bird in half from head to talon (6350+2700-3000=6050).

 

“I set a card,” I declared, “and I think this time it’s gonna stick.”

 

“And just because you beat ‘Master of Oz’,” said Karen, “don’t expect me to be out of this. I summon ‘Queen’s Bodyguard’ to attack directly!”

 

The red-coated swordsman appeared and lunged at Shin instantly at his master’s command. As the warrior’s sword passed through Shin’s body, a portion of his torso along the point of dissolved into shadows, and his Life Points fell even further (6050-1700=4350). But Shin didn’t mind. His expression was somewhere between amused and excited.

 

“Very interesting,” Shin said, as if making note of bug’s behavior at his feet. “You two are a bit stronger than I anticipated. Though I guess I should have known you would be trouble. My second duel with you, John, showed you to be quite capable. Still, you have nowhere near won this duel. In fact, you’ve only helped me out.”

 

What? I wondered, but I didn’t have time to contemplate. Shin selected two cards from his hand and pocketed them as he had the two monsters removed from play to summon ‘Dark Simorgh’ in the first place.

 

“I remove another Dark monster and another Wind monster from play,” Shin declared, “this time from my hand, to revive my monster!”

 

The obsidian bird rose again with a shrieking cry as it spread its glistening wings.

 

“And you haven’t even realized my monster’s true purpose, have you?” Shin asked, full of pride, and the significance of his previous words became clear.

 

”In fact, you’ve only helped me out.”

 

Oh no!

 

Shin saw my expression fill with dread, and he laughed, “Finally, you get it! Finally you understand my monster’s power. By removing monsters from play to summon ‘Simorgh’, I’ve set up for the ultimate swift swarm strategy! I pay two thousand Life Points to activate the Spell card ‘Dimension Fusion’, summoning all of the monsters that were removed from play!”

 

More of Shin’s body dissolved (4350-2000=2350), and a ripple appeared in the air overhead. From that ripple descended ‘Harpie Lady 1’ and ‘Dark Valkyria’, alongside two more monsters, a muscular swordsman with white hair and ashen skin, and a taller, more elegant ‘Harpie’, which I recognized as ‘Dark Grepher’ and ‘Harpie Queen’ (ATK: 1700/ATK: 1900).

 

“I follow through with ‘Giant Trunade’,” Shin continued, “removing every Spell and Trap from the field, and clearing a path for my monsters. I also set a card.”

 

Karen’s ‘Toon Kingdom’, my face-down card, and my ‘Fusion Sword’ disappeared from the field, prompted by a gale force wind, and a hologram depicting a face-down card appeared at our opponent’s feet. Karen looked over at me, and her look said it all. She knew Shin could kill either one of us. It was only a matter of which one.

 

I had to make sure he made the right choice.

 

In a very showy manner I started laughing and pointed at Shin’s monsters, “Are those really the best monsters you’ve got? Pathetic! Just like you. You’re just a darker, paler imitation of your other self. Hell, more than half the monsters I’ve seen you play are exactly the same! Just darker, paler copies of other peoples’ cards.”

 

I saw Shin’s nostrils flare. He was fuming mad.

 

“John,” Karen said fearfully, “stop! Do you know what you’re doing?”

 

I ignored her, “I guess your ‘Simorgh’ is pretty impressive, though. My cousin uses a monster a lot like it. Of course she’s a little girl.”

 

Shin’s face twisted, enraged, “I’ve had enough of your insults! ‘Simorgh’, attack!”

 

‘Simorgh’ raised her massive wings, prepared to strike.

 

“Get him for me,” I told Karen under my breath, just loud enough for her to hear. Tears welled up in her eyes.

 

‘Simorgh’ flapped her wings, and the resulting whirlwind tore my ‘Megacyber’ apart (4800+2200-2700=4300). Another portion of my body faded away.

 

I wonder what losing my entire body will feel like.

 

I waited to find out as Shin stood facing us, thinking.

 

Come on, I pleaded silently. You can’t hurt Karen. Please, attack me and ignore her!

 

But either Shin saw the desperation in my eyes, or he decided that seeing Karen die at my side would cause me even greater pain, because his next command was, “My remaining monsters attack the girl.”

 

“No!” I cried. “No, attack me!”

 

“Sorry,” Shin replied unconvincingly, and I had to watch his monsters launch their attacks as one. Karen screamed. She reached for my hand, and I reached for hers, but before our fingers could touch, she dissolved into smoke. She was gone.

 

I’m not sure how long I stared at the spot where she’d been. I think I cried, but to be honest, I was too stunned to remember. Finally, when I recovered from the shock, an idea formed in my head.

 

Without looking up, I focused, and my Soul of Darkness glowed. Its magic confirmed my suspicions.

 

“You aren’t carrying any cards or charms infused with magic, and you don’t have any Shadow Items. Your power to create this Shadow Game comes from the Beasts?”

 

Shin smiled, “Of course. My masters give me everything I need to increase my power!”

 

“Well then,” I said, finally looking again at Shin, fire in my eyes, “if I want to get Karen back, I guess I’m going to have to beat them. Too bad for you, you’re in my way.”

 

I placed my hand on the top card of my deck, and my Soul flared as I called, “Destiny Draw!” I pulled my card, knowing exactly what it would be.

 

“Your ‘Simorgh’ a powerful monster,” I told Shin. “A more powerful monster than I gave it credit for. But it’s still no match for my next card. There’s a long tradition in Duel Monsters of monsters with female counterparts, and my ‘Fiend Megacyber’ is no different.

 

“While you control more monsters than I do,” I explained, determination in my voice, “my next monster can be summoned without tribute.”

 

There was a burst of white, yellow and black light a female figure appeared. As the light faded, her appearance became clear. She wore white armor decorated with yellow and black, and a visor over her eyes. The armor on her legs resembled blades, and she held her right leg up in a ready position, prepared to strike. She had long yellow hair, and blade-like “wings” hung from her back. She was a vision of grace, deadly and precise.

 

“Shin,” I announced, “meet my ‘Megacyber Girl’ (ATK: 2000).

 

 

“Next,” I continued, “I play ‘Graceful Charity’.”

 

I drew three cards, and I discarded two, including the ‘Mirror Force’ returned to my hand earlier by Shin’s ‘Giant Trunade’ Spell. I felt my own energy permeate my cards yet again as I drew.

 

“I equip my monster with two cards,” I told Shin, “the Spell cards ‘Assault Armor’ and ‘Fusion Sword Murasame Blade’.”

 

The blade on my monster’s raised leg grew longer and sharper, and she was surrounded by a burning aura (2000+800+300=3100).

 

“I release the ‘Assault Armor’,” I declared, “to allow my monster to attack twice during this turn.”

 

The aura shattered, and my monster shot forward and spun, kicking, and slashing ‘Harpie Lady 1’ and ‘Dark Grepher’ across the chest, destroying them both in an instant (2350+1600+1700-2800-2800=50).

 

“Ha!” Shin chided. “Your attack was impressive, but you came up short! I’ve survived, and by next turn, I’ll have beaten you.”

 

I smiled, “Don’t count on it, because I still have one more card to play! Activate ‘Against Overwhelming Odds’. When my ‘Megacyber’ monster is left alone facing multiple monsters, I can activate this Spell by paying half of my life (4300/2=2150). A ‘Megacyber’ of my choice can attack you one more time!”

 

 

My monster was once again surrounded by an aura, and she jumped up from below ‘Simorgh’’s head, kicking and slicing clear through it.

 

“Shin,” I declared, “you lose (50-100=0).”

 

“This is impossible!” Shin cried in disbelief. “My masters promised my power. Power greater than you two. Power greater than everything!”

 

“You don’t seem to get it, you moron! I replied, as Shin’s body faded before my eyes. The Beasts were afraid of me and Karen. Why would they give you a power greater than the power they feared? Think on that while the darkness grips your soul.”

 

And with a look of realization finally reaching my opponent’s face, he faded into oblivion.

 

I turned toward the school, the darkness around me falling away, ready to press forward no matter the cost.

 

 

Sheppard

 

 

I stood facing the Sacred Beast known as ‘Raviel’, my weakened and then powered up ‘Cyber Ogre’ at my side. Even with its strength boosted beyond the original level (ATK: 3100), my ‘Ogre’ was no match for the demon that loomed over us (ATK: 4000). I looked to my left, at Thomas and Ria. They were both determined, despite the fact that their monsters were even further from ‘Raviel’’s level of power than mine.

 

I was still looking at them as vulnerable, inexperienced students. It had never occurred to me that they were Duelists of a high caliber as well, and that they were each busy hatching their own plan to bring about the demon’s downfall.

 

Or at least trying to…

 

“It’s my turn,” said Thomas, a fire in his eyes, “and I’m gonna even up the odds a bit. Your Sacred Beast cards are parallels of the Egyptian God cards,” he reasoned, “which makes them level ten monsters. That means that my Continuous Spell card ‘Burden of the Mighty’ will reduce its Attack power by a full one thousand!”

 

Raviel roared and slumped, as if he were holding up an invisible force that only weighed him down more the more he struggled (ATK: 4000-1000=3000).

 

“’Raviel’ is still more than a match for you,” Armityle told Thomas, “no matter how much you weaken him.”

 

“I’m not planning to stop at weakening him,” Thomas replied sharply. “I plan to destroy him, with this! I activate ‘Reverse Trap’, inverting the affects of ‘Burden of the Mighty’ during this turn, giving your monster more power!”

 

The Sacred Beast’s burden became an aura that burned around him (ATK: 3000 -> 5000).

 

“And I reveal my final face-down card,” Thomas concluded, “’Overworked’, destroying every monster on the field with more that its original attack!”

 

He looked over at me, “Sorry, Prof.”

 

But I was too impressed to worry that my monster would be destroyed as well, because if Thomas’ Trap succeeded, he would have succeeded in destroying one of the most powerful monsters in the game!

 

Of course I should have realized that a Duelist as powerful as my friend, Kagemaru, would be prepared for such a contingency, leaving Armityle prepared as well.

 

Energy began drawing from the aura around ‘Raviel’, forming an energy orb in the air above ‘Raviel’ which threatened to explode. But before it could, the orb was dispersed.

 

“Reveal,” Armityle declared, “the Trap card ‘Dark Bribe’. You draw a card, but your ‘Overworked’ card is negated.”

 

Thomas frowned, “Then I change my ‘Ignis’ to defense mode and I end my turn.”

 

‘Ignis’ assumed a defensive posture, and the Beast’s power fell once again (ATK: 3000).

 

“Good try, Tommy,” said Ria, drawing her next card, “now let me take it from here. Because ‘Monk Fighter’ is the only monster I control, I can reveal ‘Lone Wolf’, the ultimate card to be used with a solitary fighter with no options left!”

 

An aura burned to life around ‘Monk Fighter’, and I understood Ria’s purpose for summoning such an insignificant monster.

 

“This card prevents my ‘Monk Fighter’ from being destroyed,” Ria explained, “and because ‘Monk Fighter’ has the power to meet an enemy attack with his entire being, I won’t take any more damage than he will when he attacks your Sacred Beast with ‘Kaminote Blow’!”

 

Ria played the Spell referred to by many as the “God’s Hand Attack”, ‘Kaminote Blow’, and I saw a flash of real fear in my friend’s eyes as Armityle realized what I already had; that Thomas and Ria were a threat to him as well.

 

“’Kaminote Blow’ destroys any monster that battles with my ‘Monk’ this turn!” said Ria, and she declared, “’Monk Fighter’, attack!”

 

But before the ‘Monk’’s energized fist could reach the demon, a strange standing device with a large lens on it appeared, a beam from the lens swept over ‘Raviel’, and the demon disappeared.

 

“Reveal,” said Armityle defiantly, “the ‘Interdimensional Matter Transporter’, moving my monster forward in time to the end of the turn.”

 

“Then my ‘Monk Fighter’ will attack directly instead,” Ria declared, switching gears without missing a beat. The ‘Monk Fighter’ lunged at Armityle and struck with his powerful fist, slamming him in the chest (7300-1300=6000).

 

“At this rate,” Ria mocked, “you won’t last much longer. I end my turn.”

 

“And I begin mine,” I said. “Your monster returns, but it is still affected by ‘Burden of the Mighty’, leaving it vulnerable to the attack of my ‘Ogre’.”

 

‘Raviel’ returned and met my ‘Ogre’ with a defiant roar.

 

“Your ‘Raviel’’s reign over the field has ended,” I told Armityle with equal defiance. “’Cyber Ogre’, attack!”

 

My machine raised its claws and charged. I was confident that my attack would succeed, but as soon as I saw the look of confidence return to my opponent’s face I knew that I’d been wrong. Inches from the demon ‘Raviel’, my ‘Cyber Ogre’ was swallowed by a hole in space itself.

 

“Your monster fell into the trap of my ‘Dimensional Prison’ Trap card,” Armityle explained, quite proud of himself for being so completely prepared.

 

Of course he was prepared, I thought. He’s been prepared for everything that we’ve thrown at him so far. I would expect nothing less from a Duelist using Kagemaru’s deck. I should have waited.

 

“I’m not through with you yet,” I told Armityle. “I discard another card from the top of my deck to Special Summon another ‘Cyber Mite’.”

 

The insect-like robot appeared.

 

“I tribute ‘Cyber Mite’,” I continued, “to summon one of my most powerful cards, the ‘Cyberdark Magician’!”

 

The ‘Mite’ disappeared and was replaced by a black-clad version of the ‘Dark Magician’ made famous by the King of Games, Yugi Muto. He had white hair, glowing green eyes, and visible circuits attached to different places on his body.

 

[spoiler=Effect]

This card's Type is also treated as Machine. You can Tribute Summon this monster by tributing 1 "Cyber" monster. When another Spellcaster-Type "Cyber" monster is Special Summoned, return one Spell or Trap card on your opponent's side of the field to its owner's hand. Your opponent cannot activate Spell cards during the Battle Phase.

 

He crouched down and raised his staff defensively (DEF: 2100).

 

“When your monster is Normal Summoned,” said Armityle, “’Raviel’ summons a ‘Phantasm Token’ to his side.” A smaller demon resembling ‘Raviel’ appeared (ATK: 1000).

 

“I draw,” Armityle continued, “and I begin with ‘Enemy Controller’ on the ‘Flame Spirit Ignis’.”

 

Prompted by the giant game controller, ‘Enemy Controller’, ‘Ignis’ readied himself to battle (ATK: 1500).

 

“Next,” Armityle declared, “I tribute ‘Phantasm Token’ to summon the ‘Doom Shaman’.”

 

A horned demon with a combination of fur and scales covering its body, a long tail, and a golden staff in hand replaced the ‘Phantasm’ (ATK: 2400-600=1800).

 

“I tribute ‘Doom Shaman’ to activate ‘Raviel’’s effect,” Armityle explained, “Increasing his Attack by twenty-four hundred during this turn (3000+2400=5400), and I attack ‘Ignis’!”

 

I looked desperately at Thomas. What could I do? Thomas looked afraid, and yet he stood strong as ‘Raviel’ Absorbed ‘Doom Shaman’ into its claws and them raised those claws to strike.

 

“I reveal-,” Ria began, obviously meaning to use at least one of her two traps to save Thomas at the expense of her strategy, but Thomas wouldn’t have it.

 

“No,” he interrupted. “Save it and get this guy next turn.” Ria looked at him like she was on the verge of crying, but she nodded.

 

“Reveal,” Thomas called, “the Trap card ‘Spiritual Fire Art – Kurenai’!”

 

‘Raviel’ thrust his claws, but they passed right through ‘Ignis’ as his body turned to living flames. The claw attack hit Thomas instead (2500-5400=0).

 

“Alright ‘Ignis’, buddy,” said Thomas to the living flame at his side, as his body faded away, “one last attack.”

 

The last of Thomas’ body disappeared. ‘Ignis’, enraged by the loss of his master, burst forward, passing through the outstretched arm of ‘Raviel’ and hit Armityle, engulfing him in fire. He cried out (6000-1500=4500).

 

Thomas was gone, but he’d achieved what I realized had been his goal. He’d remained brave in the face of possible death, and he’d given his last breath to hand us the one thing that we didn’t know we had anymore.

 

He’d given us hope.

 

[spoiler=Card of the Day]

A card powerful enough to return hope to a hopeless situation, but at what cost?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Chapter The Beasts Attack, Part Four

 

A conclusion is reached, but what will it be? Will Sheppard and Ria defeat Armityle, or will it be up to John to defeat him alone?

[Stigma_Horrizone]

Meh, late or not, it rocks, BTW, I think John will be the one that defeats it(common sense)

[legendhiro]

...I think John will be the one that defeats it(common sense)

true. not to mention it fits the pattern of yugioh storytelling.

 

thanks for the comment. new chapter this week.

[legendhiro]

The next chapter is up below. The duel between Ria and Sheppard and the demonic intelligence called Armityle comes to an end. How will it end, and if it ends badly, what will that mean for John, the only Duelist left to oppose Armityle. After all, according to Sheppard, no one can defeat the Sacred Beasts alone...

 

 

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter Twenty-Four]

 

The Beasts Attack, Part Four

 

 

Ria had tears in her eyes as she cried out, “You’ll pay for that, you Diablo! Your monster is gonna die, right here, right now!”

 

“That doesn’t really seem possible to me,” Armityle responded arrogantly, “especially now that the annoying boy’s ‘Burden of the Mighty’ is out of play. With it gone, my ‘Raviel’ regains his original, overwhelming strength (ATK: 4000).”

 

“Do you think I’m joking?” Ria demanded. “Do you?! Well I’m not! I discard ‘Combo Fighter’ and ‘Combo Master’ to activate two copies of the Trap card ‘Rising Energy’. This boosts the Attack of my ‘Monk Fighter’ by three thousand!”

 

‘Monk Fighter’’s eyes filled with a rage uncharacteristic of a monk, and more characteristic of his master, and an aura burned around him like fire. His muscles filled out, and he balled his hands into fists (1300+3000=4300).

 

I see,I thought. Ria has been planning this combo to take down the next Sacred Beast to battle her monster. When Thomas was about to die, Ria almost sacrificed this combo to save his Life, an action that would save Thomas, but leave ‘Raviel’ alive as well. Seeing this, Thomas told Ria to stop. He sacrificed himself so that Ria could defeat the Beast this turn!

 

I smiled, Thomas, you were far more brave than you ever realized.

 

“’Monk Fighter’,” Ria commanded, “destroy the demon with your undeniable fist!”

 

‘Monk Fighter’ jumped at the massive demon, an insignificant-looking figure alongside one more massive. But when he punched, when his fist connected with the demon’s armor-like flesh, the impact was severe enough to shake the ground beneath the demon’s feet so hard that the school shook with it. ‘Monk Fighter’ spun in mid air and heel kicked the demon in the side of the head, pushed off of the demon’s with his foot, and spun again. ‘Monk Fighter’ summoned all of his energy into his aura, and propelled himself through the demon’s chest. ‘Raviel’ seemed to cry out, though it was hard to tell. He may have been roaring. Either way, in mere moments, the Beast was gone (4500+4000-4300=4200).

 

“That’s impossible!” Armityle exclaimed. “No regular monster can defeat one of my devil gods!”

 

“Apparently that’s not true,” I said, “because one just did. Now it’s my turn, and I think it’s safe to say that things are going to become even more unpleasant for you very shortly. I draw, and I discard ‘Cyberdark Magician Girl’

 

 

To activate ‘Monster Reincarnation’, returning ‘Cyber Ogre’ from my Graveyard to my hand.”

 

A card ejected from my Duel Disk’s Graveyard slot.

 

“I follow up with ‘Polymerization’,” I continued, “fusing ‘Cyber Ogre’ in my hand with ‘Cyberdark Magician’ on the field to summon,” ‘Cyber Ogre’ appeared alongside my magician and roared. ‘Cyberdark Magician’ became smoke charged with magical energy. The smoke poured around ‘Cyber Ogre’, forming a huge, muscular torso with a machine panel in its forehead. His right eye glowed faintly green, “’Cyber Magical Ogre’ (ATK: 2900)!”

 

 

[spoiler=Effect]

"Cyber Ogre" + "Cyberdark Magician"

This card's Type is also treated as Spellcaster. If this card attacks, your opponent cannot activate any Spell or Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step. When this card attacks, return 1 Spell or Trap Card on your opponent's side of the field to its owner's hand at the end of the Damage Step.

 

“My monster attacks, with Magi-Static Blast!”

 

‘Cyber Magical Ogre’ summoned a ball of combined electricity and magic into his palm, and released it, hitting Armityle directly. He cried out in pain as my monster’s considerable power washed over him (4200-29001=1300).

 

“My turn’s over,” I spat, “you monster.”

 

Armityle waited, catching his breath and allowing the pain to subside. Then he continued the duel with the beginning of his turn.

 

“You humans are truly an amusingly stubborn species,” Armityle announced, “but frankly I’ve grown tired of you. Of your voices. Of your faces. If I didn’t need this human body at the moment to hold my essence while I achieve my full power, I’d gladly destroy it along with the rest of you.”

 

He sighed.

 

“Oh well, I’ll just destroy this body later. You two, however, I will destroy now. I play ‘Card of Sanctity’.”

 

He drew six new cards and examined them with interest.

 

“Next,” Armityle declared, “I play ‘Heavy Storm’ to destroy the annoying ‘Lone Wolf’ Trap card.”

 

“No!” said Ria as her Trap was torn by a powerful gust of air.

 

“I’ll also play the Continuous Spell ‘Triangle Force’, which lets me play two more ‘Triangle Force’ cards from my deck. And because I control three Continuous Spells, I can send all three of them to the Graveyard to summon the second great Devil God, ‘Hammon, Lord of Striking Thunder’!”

 

Lightning struck the ground outside, and took form, becoming a second massive creature, yellow in color, with huge, transparent, fan-like wings, long, brutish arms, short legs, and a bird-like beak for a snout. Electricity lanced between his wings and his claws as he let out a piercing roar (ATK: 4000).

 

“I also play ‘Sacred Revival’,” Armityle declared, “to summon back my fallen Beast!”

 

 

‘Raviel’ appeared once again from a bright flash of golden light.

 

“Live again, ‘Raviel, Lord of Phantasms’!”

 

The so-called strongest Sacred Beast roared, the second Beast roaring as well, shaking the building under our feet.

 

“Go ahead and attack me,” I told Armityle defiantly. “My ‘Ogre’ and I aren’t afraid of your Beasts!”

 

“No,” said Ria, “he’s not after you. He’s gonna attack me. After all, I’m the one who killed his strongest card with a low level monster and humiliated him. Right?”

 

I looked over at her. She was putting up a tough front, but I could see her knees shaking, and there was terror in her eyes.

 

“That’s right, girl,” Armityle replied, a vengeful fire flickering in his stolen eyes. “’Raviel’, seize your revenge and attack the ‘Monk Fighter’!”

 

“As I explained before,” Ria countered defiantly, “’Monk Fighter’ meets your attack with his entire being, preventing any damage to my Life!”

 

As she spoke, the ‘Monk Fighter’ lunged at the swiping claws of the demon ‘Raviel’, and was obliterated.

 

“’Hammon’,” Armityle continued, “finish it. Destroy her with your invincible lightning!”

 

Electricity lanced from ‘Hammon’’s wings, striking Ria from many directions at once. She received the full force of the attack, and I heard her cry out in agony, even over the crackling of lightning. The attack ended, and Ria fell to her knees in tears. She looked over at me as the rest of her body began to fade away, pleading silently for me to save her from her fate, but there was nothing I could do. In another instant she was gone.

 

I looked at Armityle, hatred flashing in my eyes, “You’ll pay for this. All of this!”

 

“I’m not too sure of that,” Armityle replied confidently and arrogantly, “but I am sure of one thing; this duel is finally down to you and me. You see, this human that I currently inhabit has faith in your ability to save him. I look forward to crushing that faith completely.

 

“I want you to show me what Duel Academy’s number one professor can do, so that I may prove my superiority once and for all! But first, I close out my turn with the Spell card ‘Trap Reincarnation’, discarding ‘Dual Gate’ to return a Trap card in my Graveyard to my hand. I set that card, ending my turn. As powerful as your ‘Cyber Magical Ogre’ is, it is no match for my Sacred Beasts!”

 

“I guess it’s lucky for me then,” I countered, “that ‘Cyber Magical Ogre’ isn’t my strongest monster. My next monster is a match for your Devil Gods, and is more than powerful enough to finish you off this turn!

 

“Activate, the Spell card ‘De-Fusion’, separating my ‘Cyber Magical Ogre’ into ‘Cyber Ogre’ and ‘Cyberdark Magician’,” the magical smoke separated from the ‘Cyber Ogre’ at its core and reformed into the Spellcaster. He stood alongside ‘Cyber Ogre’, ready to offer whatever support he could.

 

“Next,” I continued, “I play ‘Polymerization’, fusing ‘Cyber Ogre’ with a second ‘Cyber Ogre’ in my hand!”

 

My two ‘Ogres’ merged in a flash of light. A figure emerged from that light. It was a more streamlined, more advanced-looking ‘Cyber Ogre’ with a legless, serpentine body from the waist down, and fixed metal wings on its back.

 

“This is my strongest monster,” I exclaimed, “’Cyber Ogre 2’ (ATK: 2600)! I increase his power with the Spell card ‘Rare Metal Soul’.”

 

My monster’s fixed wings extended, becoming forms of light with full range of motion (2600+1000=3600).

 

“My monster attacks ‘Raviel’,” I commanded.

 

Armityle laughed, “I think maybe you’ve miscounted.”

 

“Not quite,” I replied as my machine spread his new wings and flew straight at the massive figure looming before him. “When my ‘Cyber Ogre 2’ attacks a monster, he gains Attack equal to half the Attack of the monster he’s fighting!”

 

My monster was bathed in a deadly-looking red light (3600+2000=5600).

 

I looked at my hand, at the ‘Shield Sphere’ card that would protect my monster if the Trap that Armityle had set was something to destroy it, and I said, “In case you’ve miscounted, you only have thirteen hundred Life. You won’t survive my attack!”

 

Armityle looked shocked, and I saw him mouth the word “no”. Then he regained his composure and ordered, “’Raviel’ won’t fall so easily. ‘Raviel’, meet his attack head on!”

 

The demon reached out his massive claws to intercept the outstretched metallic claws of my ‘Ogre’, and the machine tore right through the demon’s claws, up his arm, and pierced him right through the chest. The demon’s body broke apart and erupted into smoke and fire at it was incinerated by my monster’s aura. Smoke filled the room, pouring out through the gap in the wall and into the sky. I let out a sigh of relief.

 

I did it. I actually won. With Armityle’s spell broken, the others should return-.

 

But my internal dialogue was cut short by the sound of laughter. I looked, shocked, into the cloud of smoke as it began to clear. ‘Hammon’ was still hanging in the air outside, the ‘Cyber Ogre 2’ was at my side, and the others were still nowhere to be seen. Worst of all, Armityle still stood before me, in the body of my friend. He laughed, and I realized that he’d never been worried at all. It had all been a show for my benefit.

 

As the smoke faded entirely, I saw why Armityle had survived. Three orbs floated in a triangular formation between me and my opponent. An energy barrier spread between them. I was horrified, How could I have been so stupid?! I assumed he would retrieve a Trap capable of destroying my monster, but I completely forgot about his most dangerous Trap, the ‘Delta Barrier’, a card that I sent to his Graveyard myself!

 

“In case you missed it,” Armityle declared, “I revealed my ‘Delta Barrier’, allowing me to play two more ‘Delta Barriers’ from my Graveyard. And while I control three ‘Delta Barriers’, I can protect myself from damage from one attack per turn.

 

I looked at my hand desperately, and I saw one last chance.

 

“I set a card,” I said, “and end my turn.”

 

Come on, let this work…

 

“Good,” said Armityle, “because I don’t feel like waiting any longer to kill you. You actually managed to destroy one of my lesser forms, and that cannot be forgiven.

 

“I draw,” Armityle announced, “and I send three copies of ‘Delta Barrier’ to the Graveyard to summon the third and final of the Sacred Beasts.”

 

I scowled, I thought so. I really wish I’d been wrong.

 

Flames burst from the ground far behind Armityle, forming a fiery pillar. That pillar became red energy, which stretched, curled, and took the form of a huge, red, serpentine dragon, over one hundred yards long, with four relatively stubby legs, and wide, transparent bat-like wings.

 

“Cower in fear,” Armityle taunted, “before ‘Uria, Lord of Searing Flames’! This monster has Attack power of one thousand times the number of Continuous Traps in my Graveyard (ATK: 3000), and he can destroy any one of your Spell or Trap cards per turn!”

 

I knew right then that the duel was over. I had failed.

 

‘Uria’ launched flames from his throat, incinerating the ‘Mirror Force’ card that had been my last line of defense. Some of the flames splashed up, some of them burning me, and some of them passing through the large gaps in my faded body.

 

“Now, my Sacred Beasts,” Armityle continued, speaking calmly, satisfaction showing in his prideful smile, “destroy him.”

 

I stood, defeated, as ‘Hammon’ rained lightning, and Uria rained fire, their attacks washing over me and my monster as one. ‘Cyber Ogre 2’ was vaporized, and the remaining power from the attack struck me with a force too intense to describe. What remained of my body turned to smoke, and I was gone.

 

 

John

 

 

The shadows that had surrounded my duel with Shin fell away completely just in time for me to see two massive figures in the distance fade away, revealing a ruined school building behind them. I looked closely, and I saw a lone figure standing in the midst of the destruction. That figure turned to face me, sneering cruelly. Kagemaru, but not Kagemaru.

 

The Sacred Beasts. They were waiting for me in the frail body of an old man, wielding powers that rivaled any I’d seen.

 

Fine, I thought, if you want me, you’ve got me.

 

My Soul of Darkness flashed, and I dissolved into the shadows.

 

[spoiler=Card of the Day]

Many cards played a big part in the duel this chapter, and at least four were in the running for this place of honor. However, i think the only card played with the power to actually defeat a Sacred Beast in single combat is most deserving. I personally love this card. I wish we'd gotten to see more of it in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. I never really thought about it, but that's probably a part of why I included Sheppard in this fanfic to begin with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Chapter John vs. The Demon of Flames

 

John faces Armityle and his first demon, 'Uria'. Can John stand up to this powerful foe, and will his first hand knowledge of the Beasts' counterparts, the Egyptian God Cards, help him to stay alive?

[Stigma_Horrizone]

does john still have the Egyptian gods? i kinda forgot about the ending of DF and i cant find it anymore

[legendhiro]

no, he doesn't i have one of the characters mention at some point that he got rid of them, since not only are they not really his to use (technically), and they are so incredibly dangerous.

 

as for the end of DF, i'm pretty sure there is a link to the DF thread in the first post of this thread. i'll also include a direct link to the start of Book Five (the last book containing the Egyptian Gods) here, the special book featuring the Egyptian Gods here, the the start of the last book here.

 

hope that helps!

[Stigma_Horrizone]

thanks^^ it does help

[legendhiro]

so, all one of you have surely noticed that my updates have become few and far between. i am going through some personal stuff lately that i havent really been able to admit to myself until just this weekend. i am, unfortunately, putting this fic on hold until i have everything sorted out, if i ever do. this may be my last update.

 

thanks to everyone who has read my work now and in the past. thank you for giving me even a small amount of your time. i really do appreciate it more than you know. i just hope enough people even read this for it to matter that i posted it at all.

[legendhiro]

so i wanted to let everyone know that i'm back from the oblivion that is moderate to severe depression. i've put of posting on all of my series for so long that i know that many have lost interest. that is why i will be reposting Yu-Gi-Oh! DF as Yu-Gi-Oh! DF Extended. i know i recently tried to do the same thing with my old Digimon fanfic, but this one i am serious about completing. after all, there isn't a very big audience for Digimon fics on this sight.

 

i know many of you who still read my stuff will be upset by this, as you want new content, but let me assure you, there will be new content. I've added so much to the mythos of DF now that i never intended that i feel i need to go back and bring the lighthearted story written in my youth up to my current standards. the tone will still be the same, as will the overall story, but i plan to add little tidbits here and there that will connect future events to past ones, and serve to further flesh out characters that i feel are underdeveloped (which is almost everyone). don't feel let down if there is filler added every so often, because every new addition will have a purpose overall.

 

of course my other reason for doing this is to attract more readers. i appreciate the readers i have more than i can express, but i know that there are potential readers on this site who would enjoy my fanfic, but are intimidated by its length. i think that giving them a chance to start over with me will make them more comfortable with reading what i have written.

 

i thank everyone who has stayed with me for so long and put up with my crap, i hope you are all as excited by this as i am, and i hope to see you in the new thread once it begins!

 

oh, and don't worry, DA will still be completed shortly.

[senron]

Woohoo, my computer IT'S ALIVE!!! Nice to see you're back Legend, as am I. My stupid computer got messed up and I haven't been able to get on in weeks. I was able to use my laptop for some things but this site didn't work on it. But I am back. The last few chapters have been sad, with characters dropping like flies. But, we all know John's gonna win. Woohoo. Maybe you should kill someone off for real. Now, normally I don't like killing characters, but I think it might be necessary. But, you're the writer so do whatever you want.

[legendhiro]

Woohoo, my computer IT'S ALIVE!!! Nice to see you're back Legend, as am I. My stupid computer got messed up and I haven't been able to get on in weeks. I was able to use my laptop for some things but this site didn't work on it. But I am back. The last few chapters have been sad, with characters dropping like flies. But, we all know John's gonna win. Woohoo. Maybe you should kill someone off for real. Now, normally I don't like killing characters, but I think it might be necessary. But, you're the writer so do whatever you want.

i have considered killing characters off in this fic, but john's storylines have never been meant to be tragic in that way. the tragedy in john's stories has always been his skirting the line of his own dark nature (like when he killed Exodus, or when he fought Dark Divine Dragon and realized it came from inside him), or with his desperation to hold on to what he has. this is why he is truly arrogant; because he is afraid. that probably hasn't come across as much as i wanted it to. the real tragedy for john is to come in DFE, though, and again, it will not have anything to do with the loss of a person, but the loss of something else that john has always wanted. i will give you two hints that should allow one with your wisdom to piece it together. think of what the forgotten duelist had to give up to seal away blackheart in the past, and remember that john wants to be a famous pro duelist.

 

also, a notice to everyone, i have decided to condense monty and lawrence's story, Yu-Gi-Oh! Reaper, and Yu-Gi-Oh! DFE all into one super book, which will retain the title of the latter. this will make it my longest and most complex single book, with multiple storylines that develop all of my characters, as well as doing what i promised; changing everything forever.

[legendhiro]

so i haven't been able to get on the site in a couple of days, i am dirt tired at the moment, and i have work and a date (hurray!) tomorrow, so that DA update that i've been promising, and the update in DF Extended will be coming probably friday.

[legendhiro]

so, my computer crashed, again. yeah. so i got it back today. i'll try to get an update up for my readers tomorrow. thanks for the patience.

[legendhiro]

here it finally is, the new chapter!

 

 

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter Twenty-Five]

 

John vs. The Demon of Flames

 

 

I reformed from the darkness in what was left of Kagemaru’s office, where the Beasts stood in Kagemaru’s body.

 

“I’ve been waiting for you,” the Beasts said in Kagemaru’s voice, still looking out the gaping hole created by their duel with my friends. “So ignorant, you humans. This building is coming apart, and not even one of the humans on this island has noticed. I find that truly astounding. It’s one of the reasons that, once I’ve achieved my full power once again, I plan to exterminate you all.”

 

“You keep saying ‘I’,” I replied. “I thought there were three creatures in there. The demons named ‘Sacred Beasts’.”

 

“I am,” the Beasts said, “and at the same time I am not. I am three in one, and one in three. I am the best aspects of each Sacred Beast merged into one powerful, unrivaled mind. I am Armityle!”

 

I wanted more information. I was curious, not to mention the fact that I was going to have to fight this thing. As far as I was concerned, I needed all the info I could get.

 

I’m gonna press it, I decided, and see what I can get out of it.

 

“I don’t understand,” I said, only half lying. I had a good idea of what this strange foe was talking about.

 

“In that case,” Armityle replied, “allow me to explain. Since you will die today anyway, I might as well. The demons that you humans have named ‘Sacred Beasts’, like the three great God Monsters, are little more than three facets of one powerful being, though you probably didn’t know that. Anyway, when those facets act separately, they are acting as the Sacred Beasts. They are little more than a blunt weapon, guided by my underlying personality. But when they come together to act as one, they become me. Of course, either way, it is my intelligence that governs their actions. I aim the barrel of the gun that is the Beasts themselves.”

 

“I see,” I replied carefully. This isn’t good. This thing isn’t at all like anything I’ve ever fought before.

 

“I’ll be honest,” Armityle continued, “I need to duel you to increase my own power so that I can return to my true, supreme form.”

 

“Then why the hell would I duel you?” I asked.

 

“Heh heh,” Armityle replied, “you already know the answer to that. They Shadow spells placed on your friends and allies when I defeated them, and the spell placed on the girl when she was struck down by my proxy, will not end until I am defeated in a Shadow Game. Now to mention that fact that I am still strong, and I will continue to grow stronger with or without dueling you. Eventually I will become powerful enough to carry out my plans, and it will be too late to oppose me. But if you duel me now, you might be able to stop me here and now.”

 

I gritted my teeth, frustrated, “Then I guess I don’t really have a choice.” I gestured and my Neo Dark Disk activated.

 

“I’m glad you see it my way,” Armityle replied. He turned to face me, and activated the Academy Duel Disk strapped to the headmaster’s arm. A Duel Disk that contained Kagemaru’s deck, a deck that many consider to be invincible.

 

“Against your little friends,” Armityle explained, “I was still much weaker than I am now. You don’t have that luxury. I play ‘Gold Sarcophagus’ to remove the strongest card in my deck from play. In two turns, the ‘Sarcophagus’ opens, and that card is moved to my hand. Just so you know,” he said, smiling tauntingly, “it’s one of the Sacred Beast cards. Next, I play ‘Painful Choice’, which allows me to-.”

 

“I know what it does,” I interrupted impatiently.

 

“Well,” said Armityle, “I’ll save us some time and skip to the end.” As he spoke he fanned out Kagemaru’s deck and chose five cards, placing them in his five empty Monster Card Zones. Images of his cards appeared in the swirling, deepening shadows, showing me three copies of the Trap card ‘Delta Barrier’, and two copies of the Spell card ‘Dual Gate’

 

I have to beat this guy fast, I decided. Giving him a ‘Delta Barrier’ and putting two more ‘Delta Barrier’ cards into his Graveyard all at once wouldn’t be very conducive to that.

 

“Keep ‘Dual Gate’,” I said, wondering what exactly my opponent might have planned. I was forcing myself to remain aware of everything around me, even more so than usual, for Karen’s sake. I was aware of the arrogance in my opponent’s eyes. The complete confidence. I was aware of the Shadow Game settling over us, its intensity almost overwhelming. I was aware of my opponent fingering a card in his hand in anticipation. I would not let this guy get the drop on me.

 

“In that case,” Armityle declared, “I activate the ‘Dual Gate’ that was just put in my hand, removing it and one ‘Dual Gate’ in my Graveyard from play to draw two cards.”

 

He drew, smiling arrogantly all the while.

 

“Next,” said Armityle, “I discard ‘Makyu the Magical Mist’ to play ‘Trap Reincarnation’!”

 

He played the card that he’d been fingering earlier, and discarded a card.

 

“This lets me move one of the three discarded ‘Delta Barrier’ cards to my hand.”

 

I winced, Dammit!

 

“I set a card and a monster,” Armityle concluded, “and end my turn.”

 

That face-down card must be ‘Delta Barrier’, I decided. Once he activates it, as long as he controls a monster, he’ll be able to prevent damage to his Life Points from one attack per turn. I need to get rid of his monster and then deal damage.

 

I looked over my hand, And I might have just the monster to do the job!

 

“I summon,” I began, “the monster card ‘Twin-Sword Marauder’.”

 

A warrior wearing padding for armor, with a three-pronged sword strapped to each forearm appeared at my side (ATK: 1600).

 

“Whenever my monster battles a defense position monster,” I explained, “he deals piercing damage, and then he can attack once more in a row. Attack with Double Blade Slash!”

 

My monster rushed Armityle’s monster, which was hidden in the darkness of our Shadow Game. The darkness parted, revealing a demonic form in metal bonds.

 

Aw crap!

 

“I reveal ‘Delta Barrier’,” Armityle declared, “to prevent the piercing damage.”

 

Three floating orbs appeared, representing the three ‘Delta Barrier’ Traps, projecting a triangular barrier between them that protected the form of my foe. My monster cut Armityle’s monster in half with a single strike.

 

Armityle chucked condescendingly, “And in case you missed it, you just destroyed ‘Newdoria’, which kills your monster, too.”

 

The two halves of ‘Newdoria’ came together, blossoming out to become a vortex of dark energy that sucked my ‘Marauder’ in and destroyed him.

 

“Then all I can do,” I said, “is set a card and pass.”

 

“I was hoping that you would put up more of a fight, even this early into the duel,” said Armityle mockingly. “Oh well, I was going to win anyway.

 

“I send three Continuous Traps to the Graveyard,” Armityle began, and I felt my eyes go wide, surprised, “to Special Summon the first of the Sacred Beasts!”

 

What? No way!

 

“Come forth,” Armityle cried, “the mighty Demon God, ‘Uria, Lord of Searing Flames’!”

 

A pillar of fire rose up from the ground far behind my opponent, wrapping around itself, and forming a gigantic, long, serpentine dragon with demonic features and broad, semi-transparent demonic wings.

 

I gasped at the sight of the beast before me, It looks like ‘Osiris’!

 

Armityle laughed, having correctly interpreted the recognition in my eyes, and the subsequent involuntary fear, “I see that you are familiar with this form, particularly the God Monster that shares it. Yes, human, just this one single aspect of my being is as powerful as a God!”

 

Despite everything, Armityle’s taunting words didn’t make me feel any worse. In fact, they actually served to snap me out of my stupor.

 

“Oh, Armityle,” I said, giving him the smug face, “you just made your first mistake. See, I’ve fought the God Monster ‘Sky Dragon of Osiris’, and I’ve defeated him. Comparing your false god to ‘Osiris’, as far as I’m concerned it’s the same this as challenging me to defeat him, and I never fail to complete a challenge.”

 

“We’ll see about that,” Armityle replied, not at all intimidated. “Until then, let’s move right along. My monster’s Attack equals one thousand times the number of Continuous Traps in my Graveyard (ATK: 3000), and he has another effect as well. Once per turn, he can summon a fire to destroy one Spell or Trap in play, giving you no chance to counter his effect!”

 

A flame appeared beneath my ‘Enemy Controller’, burning it to ash in an instant, before I even had a chance to begin to react.

 

“And ‘Uria’ attacks!” Armityle declared. ‘Uria’ formed a fireball in the back of his throat, prepared to strike.

 

’Osiris’ and the other Egyptian Gods have magical attacks so powerful that a single hit in a Shadow Game can kill! I thought. I have to assume that ‘Uria’ is just as powerful. Acting out of desperation, I gestured, and the Shadows sprung up and swirled around me protectively. ‘Uria’ launched his fireball attack, blasting my shadow shield apart, but never actually hitting me. Only my Life Points took a hit (8000-3000=5000).

 

“Now do you see the power of my Beast?” Armityle asked. “Do you see that you have no greater chance against him that you would against God himself?”

 

“Actually,” I said, smiling with confidence, “you showed me that exactly that is untrue. You described your monster’s ‘effect’, which means, aside from its power to gain Attack points, it only has one power. The same power that I’ve already seen. Not to mention the fact that your monster’s effect itself proves that your monster is vulnerable to the effects of Traps, and likely Spells as well. The God cards are immune to Traps, and some Spells, and all other Spells only affect them for a turn.”

 

I pointed threateningly at Armityle, and said, “Your monster is no God. It’s just a pale imitation of a power so great that not even you could possibly imagine, and claiming anything else is an insult!”

 

Armityle looked shocked, if only for a moment. “You’ve come to a great realization,” he said, visibly shaken for the first time during our encounter, “but that doesn’t change the fact that my monster has incredible power beyond that of a normal monster, and that I still have two more Sacred Beasts to summon.”

 

“True,” I said, “but it’s my turn, and I have plenty of powerful cards of my own to play.”

 

“Play any card you want,” Armityle replied, a bit wickedly, “but first I place two cards face-down, and I activate ‘Phantasmal Martyrs’, throwing out the rest of my hand to summon three ‘Phantasm Tokens’.”

 

Three small, roughly humanoid demons appeared, their disproportionately long arms folded across their chests, held close to their bodies (DEF: 1000).

 

This guy’s been controlling this duel for far too long, I decided. Time to turn things around.

 

“I draw!”

 

I looked over my hand, Yeah, that’ll work! I can kill it now!

 

“I Special Summon,” I declared, “my favorite card, ‘The Fiend Megacyber’!”

 

My warrior appeared, accompanied by a burst of yellow and black lightning.

 

“I discard ‘Red-Eyes Black Dragon’ and ‘Stygian Street Patrol’,” I continued, “to transform my monster into his most supreme form!”

 

My monster was saturated by white, black and yellow light so bright that I had to look away. When I finally looked back, I had fire in my eyes, ignited by my monster’s presence. He fell slowly to the ground at my side, energy rolling off of him like water in a storm.

 

“Behold, Armityle, the card created by the hand of the girl that your minion destroyed, and the card that will help me restore her, ‘The Fiend Omegacyber’ (ATK: 3000)!

 

“During the turn that I summon my monster,” I explained, “you can’t activate any Spells or Traps.”

 

“But your monster is only as strong as mine,” Armityle replied. “Would your sacrifice your monster, just to destroy mine?”

 

“No,” I replied frankly.

 

“Then I’ve already won,” Armityle announced with absolute confidence. “I’m willing to make any sacrifice required to gain victory. If you’re not, then you cannot defeat me!”

 

“You’re wrong,” I said calmly. “I won’t sacrifice my monster because I have faith, and because I have faith, my deck has provided me with exactly what I need to defeat your demon false-god. I combine the Spell card ‘Soul Absorption’ with ‘Soul Release’. Via the effect of the latter, I remove your ‘Makyu’, ‘Trap Reincarnation’, and three ‘Delta Barriers’ from play to gain twenty-five hundred Life (5000+2500=7500)!”

 

“No!” Armityle exclaimed.

 

“Oh yes,” I insisted, my hatred for my demon opponent leaking into my voice, if only for a moment, “with no Traps left in your Graveyard, your monster’s Attack is zero!”

 

‘Uria’ roared painfully as his energy literally drained away, falling in wisps from the demon’s body (ATK: 3000 -> 0).

 

“My monster attacks,” I declared, and ‘The Fiend Omegacyber’ shot forward an almost imperceptibly high speed, his fists overflowing with power. He struck, his energy flowing over the weakened ‘Uria’, ripping him to shreds, “Omegacyber Impact!”

 

The remains of the massive creature fell to the ground, burning up as they fell (8000+0-3000=5000).

 

“You’ll never defeat me,” I explained, “because I possess the greatest power of all. The power that comes from being trusted by others. From having friends whom you can lean on, and who feel that they can lean on you. The ultimate power of unity!”

 

I was sure of myself, and I expected that to worry my foe, but Armityle seemed little more than amused by what I’d said.

 

“Stupid human,” he told me, “you have no idea what power is!”

 

He drew a card, and a golden box appeared, and opened.

 

[spoiler=Card of the Day]

This one doesn't really need explained, does it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Chapter The Enemy's True Form; The Chaos Phantom!

 

John fights the Sacred Beasts to a standstill, but unluckily for him, Armityle himself is ready to get into the game!

[Stigma_Horrizone]

wow, Armityle on the next chapter? Already?

[legendhiro]

wow, Armityle on the next chapter? Already?

yeah. John's duel with Armityle is shorter than some of my duels, but not unexciting. and it is in no way the most important duel in this book. that duel comes next, and is much better in my opinion.

[legendhiro]

the next update is already here. i hadn't planned to type it up yet, but i decided to make some changes to it, and decided that, if i was taking some time to work on it, i might as well take some more.

 

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter Twenty-Six]

 

The Enemy’s True Form; The Chaos Phantom!

 

 

“My ultimate card is finally here, finally on hand,” said Armityle, “and I already have everything in place to summon him. I tribute three Fiend-Type ‘Martyr Tokens’,” the small demons dissolved into shadows and melded together, forming a massive blue demonic figure with broad fan-like wings with transparent membranes, and ridiculously long, sharp claws, “to summon ‘Raviel, Lord of Phantasms’!”

 

The blue Beast let out a terrible roar (ATK: 4000).

 

“So first it was a pale copy of ‘Osiris’,” I taunted, “and now it’s a pale copy of ‘Obelisk the Tormentor’? Wanna try something original for a change?”

 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” said Armityle. “You beat ‘Uria’ pretty easily, but ‘Raviel’ Is much stronger than ‘Uria’. And in case you forgot, I have one more Demon God to play!”

 

I frowned, That doesn’t sound good.

 

“I reveal ‘Card of Sanctity’, to refill my hand,” Armityle continued, looking over his cards even as he drew them. “Next I activate the Continuous Spell card ‘Triangle Force’, which lets me play two more ‘Triangle Force’ cards from my deck. And I send these three Spells to the Graveyard,” Armityle declared, the Spells disappearing from the field as quickly as they had appeared, “to summon the final Demon God, ‘Hammon, Lord of Striking Thunder’!”

 

Lightning rained from the sky and struck the ground outside. Clouds built in the sky. From them descended a giant yellow demon with a beak-like snout and similar fan-like transparent wings to the others(ATK: 4000). But despite its demonic features, its nature was clear.

 

“And ‘The Winged Dragon of Ra’’s Mirror Universe counterpart joins the party,” I said. “Two Sacred Beasts at once. This should be interesting.”

 

But as I spoke, I was calculating moves in my head. I came to a conclusion, One of these things was easy enough, but these two are more powerful, and they’re out together, complimenting each other. I can’t determine a way to defeat them until I know their effects.

 

This could be tricky.

 

“You won’t find anything ‘interesting’ soon enough,” said Armityle. “’Hammon’, attack the warrior stupid enough to stand against we Gods!”

 

This isn’t good, I thought. ‘Hammon’ rained lightning down on my warrior, vaporizing him. Lighting rebounded from the dying warrior to me, making me jump, singing my clothes (7500+3000-4000=6500).

 

“’Hammon,” Armityle commanded, “activate your effect, Wicked Lightning!”

 

Lightning lanced down from ‘Hammon’’s wingtips and struck me. I was caught off guard. I screamed as my body was heaved from the ground. I was tossed backward and collapsed. When I finally rose back up to my feet, my clothes were smoking, and Armityle was laughing.

 

“When ‘Hammon’ destroys a monster,” Armityle explained, “he deals you an additional one thousand damage (6500-1000=5500).”

 

“Now you tell me,” I complained.

 

“And the best is yet to come!” Armityle continued. “’Raviel’, attack directly!”

 

‘Raviel’ swung his mighty claws.

 

He could kill me right now, I realized, if those claws are as realistic as that lightning!

 

I forced my tired, stiff, aching body to move, and I dodged to the side, avoiding all but a glancing blow to my left shoulder. A glancing blow that that still knocked me fifteen feet into the wall behind me, tore open my shoulder, and knocked my shoulder out of its socket. My arm went limp midway through the air, and I dropped my cards. Blood ran from the wound in my arm, soaking my shirt. I sat there, against Kagemaru’s wall, for several minutes. Just sat, and allowed myself to recover, until finally I decided two things; I needed to stop bleeding, and I needed to relocate my shoulder. So I gritted my teeth and summoned two shadow tendrils. One wrapped around my arm and became a black bandage that held my wound closed. The other gripped my arm and, in one sharp motion that was nearly as painful as the wound itself, thrust my shoulder joint back into place.

 

I stood up carefully and tested my arm. It moved very uncomfortably, “Well, that was unpleasant.”

 

I looked down at my Life Point display, Fifteen hundred Life. Only fifteen hundred.

 

“I draw,” I declared, facing my astonished opponent yet again. I drew my newest card, and then I bent over, picking up the cards I’d dropped and putting them all together. I hadn’t really looked at my hand since last turn, when I’d drawn cards for the effect of my opponent’s ‘Card of Sanctity’.

 

“Would you look at that,” I said, “it looks like I’m gonna destroy another of your Sacred Beasts this turn.”

 

“Impossible,” Armityle objected, but he didn’t look as confident as he sounded.

 

I ignored him, shifting my Duel Disk and wincing at the pain in my shoulder, “I remove ‘Stygian Street Patrol’ in my Graveyard from play to recover five hundred Life Points (1500+500=2000), and to Special Summon a Fiend from my hand. The Fiend I Special Summon is ‘Djinn Presider of Rituals’.”

 

The stout, portly, scantily-armored demon swordsman appeared (ATK: 1800).

 

“I tribute ‘Djinn Presider of Rituals’ to summon the ‘Summoned Skull’!”

 

The ‘Djinn’ was enveloped in lightning, and promptly replaced by the skeletal demon, lightning rolling down his body, lancing between his massive claws (ATK: 2500).

 

“Activate,” I continued, “the Spell card ‘Quick Summon’, tributing ‘Summoned Skull’ for the ‘Great Maju Garzett’!”

 

‘Summoned Skull’ dissolved into smoke, which reformed into the brown-skinned demon, the orbs in his shoulders and forehead gleaming with power. The demonic Sacred Beasts loomed over him, an inescapable force of pure power, but my demon stood before them, as his full height of twenty feet, completely unafraid. He flexed his claws threateningly, and roared.

 

“Let’s see which is stronger,” I said, “your Demon Gods, or mine (ATK: 5000).

 

“You Normal Summoned two monsters,” said Armityle, unshaken in the face of my demon, “so my ‘Raviel’ responds by summoning two ‘Phantasm Tokens’ to his side.”

 

Two smaller, human-sized demons resembling ‘Raviel’ appeared to either side of the blue demon, hanging in the air, unmoving (ATK: 1000 (each)).

 

“And because your ‘Raviel’ resembles ‘Obelisk’,” I said, finishing my opponent’s thought, “he will have the ability to absorb the power of him servants, increasing his own power. Well no thanks. I equip ‘Great Maju Garzett’ with the Spell card ‘Sword of Dark Rites’.”

 

An evil-looking sword appeared in my monster’s claws (ATK: 5000+400=5400).

 

“‘Great Maju’,” I commanded, “make ‘Raviel’ your target before he can attack you, Vile Energy Blast!”

 

‘Great Maju’ summoned dark energy to his palm and released it, firing a wide beam of pure shadows. The beam passed over ‘Raviel’, sheering him in half (5000+4000-5400=3600).

 

“In my next turn,” I said, “your ‘Hammon’ will fall, your Beasts will be defeated, and you’ll have lost.”

 

“No,” said Armityle frankly, “you’re wrong. My Beasts may have failed to defeat you separately, but together they will triumph!”

 

And that’s when I finally understood the nature of my opponent. But if I’m right, then there may be nothing I can do!

 

I looked over my hand, I only really have one move left.

 

“I set a card and end my turn,” I declared. I really hope this works!

 

“I draw,” said Armityle, “and I begin with the Spell card ‘Sacred Revival’!”

 

There was a flash of golden light, and ‘Raviel’ reappeared, as good as new.

 

“Next,” Armityle continued, “I summon the ‘Phantom of Chaos’. This formless creature can take on the form of any one effect monster in my Graveyard!”

 

A cloud of living smoke appeared, billowing out, stretching until it was long and thin. It solidified into a paler-looking version of ‘Uria’, the third Sacred Beast.

 

“And now,” Armityle declared, his voice filling with excitement, “because all three Sacred Beasts exist on the field at once, I can merge them, body and mind, into their most supreme form.

 

“I can merge them into me!”

 

I smiled, I thought so.

 

I didn’t quite get it when you were explaining yourself earlier,” I said, “but I understand now. You are the mind of the Sacred Beasts in their fused form, and up until recently, you didn’t have the power to merge them together in a duel. But now you do, and you need to. You need to fuse them into your true form and win a duel to regain the power to achieve that form outside of one. Until you do, all that you can do is command the power of the individual Beasts, who have no real minds of their own.”

 

“Exactly,” Armityle replied, his voice growing deep and fierce, growing beastly, “but knowing that won’t save you! I remove my Demon God cards from play to merge the Demon Gods on the field!”

 

Wisps of violet energy poured from Kagemaru’s mouth, into the three enormous monsters behind him, and Kagemaru’s eyes grew blank, his voice echoing in his open mouth. The three Beasts moved closer together, and in a flash of light, they merged into one.

 

I stared, awestruck, at the figure before me. It had the humanoid body of ‘Raviel’, its chest colored violet, and his sides colored red, like ‘Uria’. Its body from the waist down was ‘Uria’’s, with a violet underbelly rather than the usual black one. It had ‘Raviel’’s head, and ‘Hammon’’s broad, yellow wings. Its right arm was a regular, humanoid arm, colored violet. Its left arm was made up of the neck and head of ‘Uria’. Its two heads roared in unison.

 

“This is my true form,” said Armityle, his harsh voice echoing from both the throat of his human host, and from the ‘Uria’ head on the monster’s left arm, “’Armityle the Chaos Phantom’! In terms of your little game, I have no attack points, but I am also so far above all other monsters that I cannot be destroyed in battle, and once per turn, I can attack any target on the field for ten thousand points of Battle Damage! You may have recovered two thousand Life Points this turn through the effect of you ‘Soul Absorption’ (2000+2000=4000), but I am still powerful enough to destroy you with a single strike!”

 

He raised his more normal-looking right arm up over the head, and summoned up a massive black and violet orb is swirling, churning energy.

 

“Die, human,” he called, his tone echoing with the taste of victory, “Transmigration Wave!!”

 

He threw the orb (ATK: 10,000). ‘Great Maju’ rose up, his hand outstretched, catching the oncoming attack. He strained, holding it back, just long enough for me to execute my plan, and then he was ripped apart, reduced to ashes.

 

“Reveal, the Trap card ‘Skull Lair’. I can remove a number of monsters in my Graveyard from play to destroy monsters of the same level. But since I can’t destroy your Phantom, I’ll remove ‘Summoned Skull’ and ‘Red-Eyes’ to destroy your ‘Tokens’!”

 

Two dark orbs launched from my Trap, destroying his ‘Phantasms’, and my Life Points rose (4000+1000=5000), just before I was hit by the ‘Phantom’’s flashing orb (5000+5400-10,000=400). The Shadows moved to protect me, but I was still sent flying, painfully. I managed not to fall, or to drop my cards, but I was still hurt. The air had been knocked out of me, and I was breathing hard, trying to recover.

 

“I’m not out of this yet!” I exclaimed.

 

“You survived?!” Armityle roared.

 

“I’ll always survive,” I said, choking on my pain momentarily. “I’ll always survive, until I defeat you!”

 

Armityle let out a low, fierce growl. “Then I set one card,” Kagemaru, his face still blank and lifeless, placed a card on the Duel Disk on his wrist, “and pass.”

 

I swallowed, nervously, and struggled to lift my Dark Disk. I pulled a card, my vision blurring momentarily. I pulled my card, ’Pot of Greed’. This will come in handy.

 

“This is where you lose, Armityle,” I said. “I play ‘Pot of Greed’ to draw two cards.”

 

I drew, but I couldn’t bring myself to look. I’d tried to call on the power of the Soul of Darkness to summon up a Destiny Draw, but I hadn’t had the strength.

 

These cards could be anything, I though, but I believe in my deck. I have to believe that it’s given me what I needed.

 

I turned the cards over in my hand, and smiled, Bingo!

 

“I play,” I declared, “the Spell card ‘Namesake Summon’, removing ‘The Fiend Megacyber’ in my Graveyard from play (400+500=900) to revive ‘The Fiend Omegacyber’!”

 

The white warrior descended from a portal formed in the air above me. His feet touched the ground beside me, his arms crossed defiantly, and I felt his power spread out from him, washing over me, and I felt my wound begin to heal. I flexed my arm. Only a dull pain remained. I even felt my energy returning. I removed my bandages. All that remained of the claw mark was a long, ugly scar.

 

Revitalized, I smiled and selected a card from my hand, “I equip ‘Omegacyber’ with ‘Fusion Sword Murasame Blade’,” the warriors armor stretched out over his hand, becoming a long, strong blade (ATK: 3000+800=3800). “You only have thirty six hundred Life Points. This attack will finish you off!”

 

My monster began to strike, but before he could make his move, a long black cord embedded itself in his chest, and he stopped cold.

 

“I reveal my ‘Enemy Controller’,” Armityle announced, a giant game controller appearing on the cord’s other end, “to change your monster to defense mode and prevent your attack.”

 

“Then,” I countered, “I activate my last card, the Spell card ‘Guard Penalty’, targeting my ‘Omegacyber’, allowing me to draw one last card.”

 

I placed my hand on my deck, prepared to draw, but I hesitated. I couldn’t think of a single card left that could win me the duel this turn. To summon any more monsters, I’d have to end the Battle Phase. There was just nothing I could do. It was hopeless. In theory, my own ‘Enemy Controller’ could have saved me, but it had already been destroyed by ‘Uria’, and any Traps I set would be useless, since ‘Armityle’’s ability to deal ten thousand points of damage once per turn isn’t an attack.

 

And for the first time, I really wanted to give up. I really wanted it all to end. Until, suddenly, I felt something, coming from my Soul, and from the card, and I knew, I knew that I would win.

 

I drew, and I turned over the card. At first it was nothing, just a blank slate, and then its face took form, becoming an Effect Monster with a golden border. In that moment, without reading even a word of the card’s text, I knew exactly what it was, and what it could do.

 

“During my Battle Phase,” I declared, my characteristic smugness returning, “I can tribute ‘The Fiend Megacyber’ to summon him in his most powerful form, as the ultimate speed summon monster!”

 

‘Omegacyber’ rose into the air, glowing bright white. His armor shattered, exploding outward in every direction A white jumpsuit spread up his body, covering from the neck down, and a white helmet with a darkened visor and a golden arrowhead-like crest on the forehead appeared, concealing his face. He shot up into the air in a burst of light, did a flip, and landed at my side, his arms crossed in his characteristic gesture of defiance.

 

“Introducing,” I said, “’The Fiend Megacyber – Advanced’ (ATK: 2200)!

My monster can’t attack directly during a turn in which he is Special Summoned during the Battle Phase, but as you pointed out earlier, your monster doesn’t have any Attack power, and my ‘Fiend Megacyber – Advanced’ gains three hundred Attack times the Level of any monster he attacks!”

 

“No!” Armityle roared.

 

“Oh yes,” I replied. “End this, with Megacyber Flash!”

 

My monster shot forward, faster than I could follow, and tackled the massive phantom demon. There was a flash of yellow and black static (ATK: 2200+(300x12)=5800), and both ‘Megacyber’ and the demon shot high into the air. Inertia carried the demon high into the air, where he threw open his wings and hung in the air, right above the possessed form of Kagemaru, with my monster between them. He discharged more energy, creating a pillar on light that struck the demon, as well as its master far below, and the demon was destroyed (3600+0-5800=0). My monster, and the card that had summoned him, disappeared.

 

I watched as Kagemaru fell to his knees. Armityle’s essence poured back into him, and he looked up at me angrily. The darkness swirled around us, expectantly.

 

“You’ve threatened countless lives,” I told Armityle. “You have no right to exist, but sadly your nature prevents me from destroying you completely. All I can do is give you a fitting penalty, one so severe that you will never threaten anyone again.

 

“Penalty Game,” I declared aiming my palm at the villain’s stolen form, “Mind of an Animal. I destroy your intelligence, and split your remaining psyche amongst the three Beasts. Never again will the Beasts act on their own, at urging of the powerful mind of which you are so proud, and never again will the Beasts form the ‘Chaos Phantom’ under their own power.”

 

As I spoke, the essence of Armityle poured from Kagemaru, joining with the shadows all around us, and Kagemaru collapsed into my arms, unconscious. I lowered him gently to the ground. Then I noticed the Sacred Beast cards hanging slightly out of his pocket, where he’d placed them when they were removed from play. I picked them up, and I felt strong magic emanating within them.

 

Even without Armityle’s intelligence controlling them, they still have so much power, I realized. I can’t destroy them, and I can’t let anyone hold on to them either. Not even me. They won’t be able to act on their own anymore, but if they can ever manage to work their way into a Duelist’s mind again, they could manipulate him into acting in Armityle’s place. They have to be hidden away.

 

The shadows of our game faded completely, Thomas, Ria, and Professor Sheppard appearing from them, still dazed. Sheppard looked up at me and asked, “You beat them?”

 

“Yeah,” I answered, turning to face him. “I’m glad you’re awake, Professor. We have a lot to talk about. But first we should get out of this building before it collapses on top of us.”

 

My Soul flashed, the Shadows wrapped around the five of us, and we were gone.

 

[spoiler=Card of the Day]

Of course John's "Advanced" monster was a strong contender for this slot, but in the end, I decided on this card instead. My version of "Armityle" uses, more or less, his effect from the anime, but the real-world version of the card is pretty strong as well. Its summoning him that sucks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Chapter Aftermath

 

John and the others (mostly John) clean up the mess made by Armityle, Maxamillion Pegasus shows up on the island, and a long awaited duel begins.

 

 

And a bonus, a couple of original cards designed for John's student, Jenna Rein:

 

[spoiler=Effect]

"Aitsu" + "Koitsu + "Soitsu" + "Doitsu"

This card can only be Special Summoned from your Extra Deck by removing from play the above cards you control. (You do not use "Polymerization".) When this card destroys a monster as a result of battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict damage to your opponent equal to this card's DEF.

 

 

[spoiler=Effect]

Select 2 Monsters in your Graveyard with 500 or less ATK and DEF. Special Summon those monsters in face-up Defense Position. They cannot change their Battle Position or be used as a Tribute.

 

[Stigma_Horrizone]

yeah. John's duel with Armityle is shorter than some of my duels, but not unexciting. and it is in no way the most important duel in this book. that duel comes next, and is much better in my opinion.

 

Just found your post on the Fan-fic Wiki, and i knew exactly what you meant ;) , but I'm not spoiling

[legendhiro]

Just found your post on the Fan-fic Wiki, and i knew exactly what you meant ;) , but I'm not spoiling

'bout time somebody found that thing ;)

i spend a lot of time on it, and there is stuff there that isn't ever really explained in the main storyline (mostly answers to questions my friends asked me about the story, but still...)

[senron]

Sorry I didn't get on earlier Legend, I've been busy *cough*again*cough*.

Also I figured out what you're gonna do to John. One word stuck out.

[spoiler=Spoiler] That word was FAMOUS. The Legendary Hero erased his name from history to seal away Blackheart (for a little while). So, John is probably gonna have to do the same. Thus, he won't become famous. It'll be the exact opposite. Even his loved ones won't remember his name. Pretty harsh, especially because it will almost certainly be self imposed.

 

[legendhiro]

good guess as usual my friend! you are very close, but also a bit off. since it is you, i spoil it a bit for you.

 

in the next storyline, John and the others must indeed make a similar decision to the Forgotten Duelist, but because there are twelve of them, they share the burden equally. Max is forgotten by everyone except his closest friends, but he likes it that way. the others lose their histories as Duelists, allowing only a select few to remember them, but none of them can draw any real attention to themselves, so while John can remain a pro Duelist, he can never allow himself to remain in the spotlight. even his short-held world championship is forgotten by the world. most importantly, all memory of the Duel Force disappears. this immediately sets John back, but allows Sarah to build her own Duel Force without having to worry about living up to her brother, and without anyone knowing of her connection to the Souls. you will learn more about the future of this Duel Force in my upcoming series "Yu-Gi-Oh! DFR"

 

[senron]

Ah, that makes sense. Just didn't think about it that way.

Is it just me or are all the spoilers made before the mantinence broken?

[legendhiro]

they should be fixed by now, but you may have to go into anything of yours with spoilers, click edit, and then click save to refresh the thread's settings.