Yu-Gi-Oh! Armageddon - Birth of the Ice Queen

[AGATHODAIMON BANGTAIL COW]

Every time I see Camilla duel, I keep expecting her to Summon [url=http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Tytannial]the princess of Camellias[/url].

 

I've been meaning to ask this for a while, and now that I remembered to and have the courage to post here, I'll ask it now: Given how the characters all play with casual Decks, how will you deal with the... er... more powerful kinds of Decks out there (like Gogogo Zombies, Bujins, etc.)? Since they're obviously much more powerful than Ice Barriers, Black Garden, or Random Warriors ft. Gearfried.dek, I'm wondering if those users will be better duelists in the story or if their Deck will be intentionally built badly so that they won't curbstomp the Empire's highest personnel. Or if there's another option that you've been planning to go for.

[Brinolovania]

Apparently, I only feel inspired to comment on even-numbered chapters. I'll try to actually comment after every one in the future.

 

Anyway. Chapters, yush. Both were good (I don't think there's been a chapter of this or 24 where I haven't said that...), although I have to agree that the Resistance only having 12 members was a bit "wut". Three was a good chapter in general, though, the description 'n stuff was great. No real problems I see in four. Out of curiosity though, when are more villains gonna be introduced? Heck, even more heroes who actually play card games. All three duels so far have been Erin vs Gaius/Camilla. I mean, I know the story's just starting out, but still.

 

On a side note, I'm on chapter 59 of the original Armageddon. I've been liking that, although you can certainly tell that it was your first fic on here...

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Responses to responses

 

Haha at least you get a consistent 2 or 3 every time lmao
I very rarely get one -.-

 

Yeah I know, I should be thankful for what I get really.

 

Every time I see Camilla duel, I keep expecting her to Summon the princess of Camellias.

 

I've been meaning to ask this for a while, and now that I remembered to and have the courage to post here, I'll ask it now: Given how the characters all play with casual Decks, how will you deal with the... er... more powerful kinds of Decks out there (like Gogogo Zombies, Bujins, etc.)? Since they're obviously much more powerful than Ice Barriers, Black Garden, or Random Warriors ft. Gearfried.dek, I'm wondering if those users will be better duelists in the story or if their Deck will be intentionally built badly so that they won't curbstomp the Empire's highest personnel. Or if there's another option that you've been planning to go for.

 

Oh hello, look who dropped in with a post (just teasing, thank you for reading and hope you're enjoying it :))

 

Well give it chance, she might. Certainly she would/should have it in a plant deck.

 

Regarding decks: can't remember if you read the original Armageddon or not. But this is a prequel to a Synchro era fic, where the main decks used in the first story were Dragunity, AoJ, Lightsworn, Fabled, Ice Barrier, Flamvell, Karakuri, Demise, and that sort of thing. So the chances of anything modern meta like Bujins, Ghostrick, etc have no real place here in its timeline and most decks will be this era-YGO/strength, sometimes more or less than those seen so far. Which is kinda gutting for me as there's been a lot of decks come out recently I'd like to write duels for (Bujin/Duston/Ghostrick/etc), but maybe another time :(

 

Hope you enjoy carrying on the story and hope to see you from time to time.

 

Apparently, I only feel inspired to comment on even-numbered chapters. I'll try to actually comment after every one in the future.

 

Anyway. Chapters, yush. Both were good (I don't think there's been a chapter of this or 24 where I haven't said that...), although I have to agree that the Resistance only having 12 members was a bit "wut". Three was a good chapter in general, though, the description 'n stuff was great. No real problems I see in four. Out of curiosity though, when are more villains gonna be introduced? Heck, even more heroes who actually play card games. All three duels so far have been Erin vs Gaius/Camilla. I mean, I know the story's just starting out, but still.

 

On a side note, I'm on chapter 59 of the original Armageddon. I've been liking that, although you can certainly tell that it was your first fic on here...

 

A good word is still always appreciated :)

 

Yeah, it was a thing I thought about, but decided to go with sticking with these rivalries early on rather than spreading out to much, and will expand out more soon. Originally this wasn't meant to be a very long story at all... and now it's kind of... grown. :mellow:

 

More will come in time, not that long in fact, once this issue with Erin Camilla and Mel is resolved.

 

Sidenote: Wow, you read that quick. It was terribad wasn't it? I hope you reading that doesn't spoiler stuff for this story and your enjoyment of it, but I'm glad you enjoyed it too.

[AGATHODAIMON BANGTAIL COW]

 

Oh hello, look who dropped in with a post (just teasing, thank you for reading and hope you're enjoying it :))

 

Well give it chance, she might. Certainly she would/should have it in a plant deck.

 

Regarding decks: can't remember if you read the original Armageddon or not. But this is a prequel to a Synchro era fic, where the main decks used in the first story were Dragunity, AoJ, Lightsworn, Fabled, Ice Barrier, Flamvell, Karakuri, Demise, and that sort of thing. So the chances of anything modern meta like Bujins, Ghostrick, etc have no real place here in its timeline and most decks will be this era-YGO/strength, sometimes more or less than those seen so far. Which is kinda gutting for me as there's been a lot of decks come out recently I'd like to write duels for (Bujin/Duston/Ghostrick/etc), but maybe another time :(

 

Hope you enjoy carrying on the story and hope to see you from time to time.

Well, I've read 24, though I didn't remember that you weren't using the more modern cards. But still, I guess that the question still applies, just with a different meta. So, instead of Bujins and stuff, the Decks more appropriate for that question would be the likes of Lightsworns, Zombies, and Synchroncity or whatever as they're stronger than Ice Barriers and AoJs.

 

And don't worry, I'll keep reading. I probably won't comment frequently, but I'll try to make sure I don't comment just once and stay silent forever.

[Blake]

"Eventually the demons of the night decided they’d had enough for now and released her from her sleep, leaving her bleary eyed and very sick. She was surprised to learn it wasn’t as early as she had expected it to be, and that Skaro and Clove had left a while ago, but were yet to return. They expected them to do so shortly. Erin tried to escape the medical bay and find the entrance they’d most likely return through; to get the answer as soon as she could. But the doctor, who she’d learnt now whose name was Doyle and had been watching over her that night, was gently insistent that they would be back soon enough and she couldn’t make a difference to the result (the phrase still made her shudder as it reminded her of Sister Joanne’s stern face). In the meantime she would be better off freshening herself up and rebuilding the strength the trials of yesterday had taken out of her. Doyle still had to frogmarch her down to the communal showers and barricade her in. The waiting enraged her, but she knew she could use a shower really, and once she’d seen and used the nice soaps and things that were provided in these post-training baths, she begrudgingly admitted that she did feel a little better."
 
@Bold: The parentheses just make it more obvious, but this is the kind of thing that should be left to thought. You're giving a bit too much of Erin's mind from the narrator, and it kinda alienates other characters while making Erin seem more like... Well, a character on a sheet of paper as opposed to a person. When someone's reading a story, the characters should be made to be as real as possible, and things like this make them seem more like a puppet, if you will.
 
@Italics: You also skim over what could have easily been a conversation when she awoke that could have been used to develop Doyle a bit, instead of just making him a name. Even if he's just a small-time one-shot character, a little bit of fleshing out still wouldn't hurt.
 
While too much dialogue is bad and too much embellishment becomes plain whimsical overkill, you feel like you're trying to avoid going over things that just develop a world or characters, and just speed on to the story. A strong story and motivation to continue it is good, but if you lose the characters on the wayside as you go, no plot is strong enough to make up for it.
 
Anyways, on to the general chapter stuff...
 
The duel was... predictable. The whole Raigeki/Dandy thing again just took me out of the experience a bit. The Rose Tentacle thing was fine, but even so, for only 3 turns of a duel... Everything felt predictable. even Rose Tentacle. I was hoping to see Tytannial off of Lonefire, or one of the other Princesses, but seeing Queen Angel again was eh.
 
General writing stuff covered earlier.
 
I really do not trust Dorian... Something about him rubs me the wrong way.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Well, I've read 24, though I didn't remember that you weren't using the more modern cards. But still, I guess that the question still applies, just with a different meta. So, instead of Bujins and stuff, the Decks more appropriate for that question would be the likes of Lightsworns, Zombies, and Synchroncity or whatever as they're stronger than Ice Barriers and AoJs.

 

And don't worry, I'll keep reading. I probably won't comment frequently, but I'll try to make sure I don't comment just once and stay silent forever.

 

Well....

 

... you'll find out :)

 

"Eventually the demons of the night decided they’d had enough for now and released her from her sleep, leaving her bleary eyed and very sick. She was surprised to learn it wasn’t as early as she had expected it to be, and that Skaro and Clove had left a while ago, but were yet to return. They expected them to do so shortly. Erin tried to escape the medical bay and find the entrance they’d most likely return through; to get the answer as soon as she could. But the doctor, who she’d learnt now whose name was Doyle and had been watching over her that night, was gently insistent that they would be back soon enough and she couldn’t make a difference to the result (the phrase still made her shudder as it reminded her of Sister Joanne’s stern face). In the meantime she would be better off freshening herself up and rebuilding the strength the trials of yesterday had taken out of her. Doyle still had to frogmarch her down to the communal showers and barricade her in. The waiting enraged her, but she knew she could use a shower really, and once she’d seen and used the nice soaps and things that were provided in these post-training baths, she begrudgingly admitted that she did feel a little better."
 
@Bold: The parentheses just make it more obvious, but this is the kind of thing that should be left to thought. You're giving a bit too much of Erin's mind from the narrator, and it kinda alienates other characters while making Erin seem more like... Well, a character on a sheet of paper as opposed to a person. When someone's reading a story, the characters should be made to be as real as possible, and things like this make them seem more like a puppet, if you will.
 
@Italics: You also skim over what could have easily been a conversation when she awoke that could have been used to develop Doyle a bit, instead of just making him a name. Even if he's just a small-time one-shot character, a little bit of fleshing out still wouldn't hurt.
 
While too much dialogue is bad and too much embellishment becomes plain whimsical overkill, you feel like you're trying to avoid going over things that just develop a world or characters, and just speed on to the story. A strong story and motivation to continue it is good, but if you lose the characters on the wayside as you go, no plot is strong enough to make up for it.
 
Anyways, on to the general chapter stuff...
 
The duel was... predictable. The whole Raigeki/Dandy thing again just took me out of the experience a bit. The Rose Tentacle thing was fine, but even so, for only 3 turns of a duel... Everything felt predictable. even Rose Tentacle. I was hoping to see Tytannial off of Lonefire, or one of the other Princesses, but seeing Queen Angel again was eh.
 
General writing stuff covered earlier.
 
I really do not trust Dorian... Something about him rubs me the wrong way.

 

Ah, I see now. Thank you for that Black, now I can see an actual example I can see exactly what you mean now, so it's much appreciated. I've always felt my characters were stronger points than my plots ever have been, so to have my eyes opened to restictions being placed on character development is definitely something to work on. :)

 

Admittedly I'm not gonna completely overhaul Chapter 5 right now as I want to get that out tomorrow and this part of the story resolved (spoilers...?) and everything settled, but then during my holiday this week I think I'll put writing any new content on hold for now and go back and amend the other chapters and see if I can work on what you've said a bit. I've got quite a long way into the story now so there's no rush, and we'll be at a more natural break to do it anyway then. (Plus I will use that week to catch up on Noblesse/SCG/etc)

 

Yeah... I expected that comment was coming tbh. Think I was rusty doing these early duels after a long time away from it and was really struggling to get them to work/in a mess with them. One of the things me and Dion discussed in early stages of this was duelling not being the be and end all in this story, and... I dunno, depends on the views of readers, but hopefully the balance (and plays) will improve during the editing. In the original I was too far the other way and people had used about 40 different cards in 4 duels all appearing once, so guess the pendulum swung too far over. :( *shot for lame excuses*

 

Interesting reaction...

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

I don't like double posting. :(
 
Well, hopefully this will provoke some more responses and boost this fic from the 'quite good/enjoyable' level its seemed to be at so far up a few notchs. Hopefully anyway.
 
Enjoy/like/comment/ignore/delete as applicable
 
[spoiler=Chapter 5]Chapter 5: The Thorn
 
As the battles raged on in and around the prison, three other figures were on the move across the slums, darting through the dark alleyways with their hoods concealing their faces. Ducking out of the way of a patrol squad of guards that came jogging past them, all had weapons brandished and ready. Once they were sure the Emperors soldiers had passed, the shortest of the group turned to her elders.
 
“Remind me why we are following them?”
 
“Because Vardus told us too” one of the boys replied, casting around to make sure no-one was eavesdropping. “Situation might not be great, but we might as well take the chance to make good of it and get something more out of it all.”
 
“And what do we get out of this?” the girl retorted sarcastically. “Her?”
 
“Vardus believes she could be important to us” the taller boy replied. “But she has given us another opportunity. One that we can use. You need to calm down about her. We need all the help we can get, and I believe she will be a great help.”
 
“Well I don’t” the girl snapped, folding her arms and not making much effort to hide her displeasure. “She’s nothing special. We’ve been with him from the start and done everything he’s asked, and she’s just swanned in; not even that - given we rescued her from the guards once already, but now she just goes around making demands and conditions like she owns the place. But he just lets her get away with it! Why does he favour her?” She frowned up at her taller comrade, who just shook his head and sighed.
 
“Please sister. He sees some potential in her, that’s good enough for me, and should be for the rest of us. I believe in Vardus, and if he thinks this girl has something about her, then I’ll believe in her too. Now enough arguing. We need to get a move on after them. Last night, we made a sign. Tonight, we make a statement. Let’s move.”
 
The leader set off, quickly followed by the other boy. The girl scowled and shook her head once more, before reluctantly taking off after them.
 
...
 
Back in the prison block, and Dorian and Aerial were powerless to help Erin who was still sat down after a barrage of glancing blows (LP 2800), now being lined up by the two powerful monsters that the army general Lady Camilla controlled; Rose Tentacles (ATK 1100) and Queen Angel of Roses (ATK 2400), both waiting for the command to attack her directly. Camilla was standing behind them, unharmed and mocking Erin’s pathetic resistance. They weren’t in much position to help themselves either, locked with the still silent Melanc in the stairwell connecting the top prison floor up to the roof behind a lattice iron door. Aerial tried to use the distraction to line another arrow shot at Camilla, but the bars and the angle worked against him.
 
“Can’t get a convincing shot, she’s on her own” he informed Dorian in dismay.
 
“Yeah, that’s what worries me” the team leader replied. The way he spoke, and was leaning against the bars and staring out at the battlefield in a lazy fashion, annoyed the young archer. “Doesn’t look good for us right now do it?”
 
“She’ll win...” Aerial muttered. “We have to believe in her. Or at the least try and bust ourselves out of here while she keeps Camilla busy and give her once less thing to worry about.” Aerial looked down at the little boy they had come to rescue, who was just clutching the bars and looking down at the floor with a hollow expression, before turning his attention to the lock. “Damn, it’s too far for me to reach. You think we could summon one of our own monsters to smash down the door?”
 
“Yeah, that’s a great plan. You think I wouldn’t have thought of that if it was an option?” Dorian rolled his eyes as his partner indicated his duel disk. “Duel monsters can’t physically affect inanimate objects airhead, or at least they don’t appear to. They only seem to affect humans.”
 
“But... but I saw her monster put Gaius through the wall of her orphanage?” Aerial protested.
 
“Brionac didn’t go through the rickety wooden wall. Gaius did, with all his own weight. Brionac just gave him a push.” Aerial was still looking at him hopefully, which annoyed him. “Look, do I look like an expert in abstract otherworldly theory? Cuz I’m not. Besides, we’re locked in a stairwell that’s what; three wide, seven high and curving around? Do you really want me to summon my big guns in this space?”
 
Aerial shook his head. “Yeah that’s what I thought, I feel claustrophobic enough as it is too.” Point made, Dorian slumped back into his lounging pose and turned back to the duel taking place before them. “We need her to get us out, and before the guards outside regroup too. You provide moral support if you want. But unless she can turn this around soon, I might as well get comfortable behind these things.”
 
Perhaps fortunately Erin hadn’t been listening to anything that was said behind her. Her attention was a bit more focused on the monstrous rose creature and the scarlet dressed angel swordswoman that were looming over her.  Camilla smirked as she swept her blonde hair out of her eyes, glinting with malice in the little light, before punching towards her.
 
“You think those first attacks hurt? You’ve tasted nothing yet. Rose Tentacles, attack her directly!”
 
The demon plant screeched and pulled back its thorny vine arms for another attack. Erin gulped and glanced at her one remaining face down.
 
‘The card I have set is Defence Draw, which will zero the damage from one attack. I should take Rose Tentacles attack and save it for Queen of Roses, but it would be an all or nothing defence that wouldn’t activate until the last possible second. If something were to stop it, then it would be over and we’d all be helpless...’ That was an absurd thought; there was nothing on the field that could stop it. But Camilla had outdone her so many times already. She shivered. The vines were shooting towards her; she had to make a decision now. ‘No, something’s not right. I don’t like this...’
 
“I activate my trap, Defence Draw” she screamed as the branches lashed into her. “This reduces battle damage to zero, and lets me draw a card.”
 
“Predictable!” Camilla scoffed, responding instantly. “I activate the effect of Rose Archer from my hand. By discarding it, the effect of your trap card is negated.” A rosewood arrow pierced the trap just as it revealed itself, blowing it to smithereens, and Erin screamed as the branches whipped and smashed into her body, knocking her down again. She shuddered as she sat up, she could feel her whole body was covered in scratches and cuts (LP 1500). Across the field, Camilla sneered with contempt.
 
“Well this was disappointing. Oh well, I guess I’ll just take my easy victory for now and hope your other friends put up more of a fight when you tell me how to find them. Queen Angel of Roses, finish her off!”
 
The petal winged swordswoman swooped down, rapier held high to crash down over her head and knock all the remaining strength out of her. Aerial clasped his mouth in horror, Dorian pinched his eyes and groaned in frustration, and Mel... still didn’t really react much, as the angel came crashing down on his terrified sister who was frantically scrambling backwards and flailing for her duel disk.
 
“No! Help me!”
 
Camilla and the hostages blinked as at the last second, help emerged. The spectre of a ghostly warrior, with long white hair and cursed armour that all glowed with green light, rose through the ground and stood between them; the angels sword smashed into him and abruptly stopped. Crouching behind her defender, Erin sighed with relief. “You might be able to activate cards from your hand, but I can do the same with my graveyard. By banishing Necro Gardna, I can negate this attack.”
 
Eventually the angel conceded defeat for now and floated back, allowing the ghostly shield to dissipate. Camilla scowled at the rebel’s unlikely survival, shaking the remaining card in her hand.
 
“So you got lucky this time. Not that it really matters. I can afford a little more time to this, unlike you and your friends. For now, I guess I’d better shore things up. I activate the spell Fragrance Storm. By destroying Rose Tentacles, I can draw a card.” Erin was relieved to see the fanged monster engulfed in a flurry of flower heads as Camilla performed the exchange, but for some reason revealed it. “And by revealing that I drew the plant monster Regenerating Rose, I’m also allowed to draw one more card.”
 
She did so, looked at it, and frowned again. “I’ll set one card face down and end my turn. Come on, you think you can at least try to give me something vaguely worth calling resistance.”
 
Erin grimaced as she forced herself up. ‘Smug cow, you know full well I’m stuck as long as Black Garden is on the field crippling anything I summon. Sure I could just set things in defence to avoid it and Queen Angel, but I need to do more than that if I’m to get us out of here and she knows it.’ She glanced back to see how the others were doing. They were unable to fashion their own escape, but they didn’t seem to be coming to further harm. At least Aerial was trying to look supportive for the three of them with the thumbs up, while Dorian was just looking so goddamn cool and uninterested. Still at least he was looking at her; Mel glanced up at her for a second, before glumly going back to a spot on the floor. ‘Why won’t Mel look at me? He’s been so hollow ever since we found him. What did they do to him?’
 
She’d have to figure that out after they were out of here. Right now she needed to handle Camilla and a way out of this place. “Alright, I draw.”

Bringing her card to hand, the image of a marble palace half buried in ocean appeared before her. ‘Yes.’
 
“I activate my own field spell!” Camilla blinked as the little upstart girl who looked beaten a second ago suddenly found a new lease of life, standing and throwing a card into the separate field card slot of her disk. “Lemuria the Forgotten City!”
 
The thick barrier of jungle vines were blown to smithereens as her field was destroyed, crushed by an over-pouring of crystal clear water from the tops of the walls, soon giving them all the impression they were standing ankle deep in it. As the cascades subsided, a new near lifelike projection replaced the grim prison walls with pillars and stone of pure white, with exotic hanging baskets and gold decorum here and there. The arena change was not only a blow to her strategy, however inconvenient, but it also seemed to revitalise Erin, as she continued with her play.
 
“As long as Lemuria is face-up on the field, all water monsters will gain two hundred attack points” she explained. “But more importantly I’m now free from the shackles of your garden and its black flowers.  So I’ll go ahead and start summoning normally. Come out Strategist of the Ice Barrier!” The elder statesman of the ice tribe materialised before her, resplendent as ever (Lv4, ATK 1800).
 
“Next I activate Strategist’s effect; discarding an Ice Barrier monster to draw a new card. This sets me up to activate the equip spell Premature Burial; giving up eight hundred of my life points to resurrect the discarded monster. The tuner Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier.” She quickly noted her draw, but winced as the bald shaman rose at the expense of her already waning strength (L2, ATK 1500). She staggered slightly (LP 700), but was heartened that his appearance got some rallied support from Aerial, and even Dorian looked half interested. Well if he was getting his hopes up now, he’d seen nothing yet, as the two warriors rose and burst into icy stars and rings of crystal. “Now I tune Cryomancer with Strategist to summon a more powerful creature of pure ice. Synchro summon; Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!”
 
With a powerful wing beat, the great crystal serpent burst through and shattered the portal, landing between the two girls with a crash and a deafening screech (Lv6, ATK 2500). Erin smiled as Camilla grimaced, unable to stop herself from taking a step back from the breath-taking creature.
 
“Now I activate the effect of Brionac! By discarding a card from my hand, one card on the field is returned to the player’s hand.” This was a critical decision as to what to target, as she didn’t want to discard her entire hand, but although she could overpower Queen Angel anyway, she chose it as her target. The scarlet woman cried and thrashed as the dragon’s icy breath slowly enveloped her, before turning to nothingness. Hopefully it would be harder for Camilla to re-summon from her hand, and she had to take the chance for damage now. With any luck it might be enough.  Camilla certainly was looking more frustrated than she usually did as Erin punched towards her. “Now Brionac, attack her directly.”
 
Camilla shrieked as a second icy breath enveloped her, unable to do anything to shake the attack off. Slowly drained of her energy by the bitter cold, she slumped backwards in a heap (LP 1500). Sensing a chance, Erin ran to the guys trapped in the stairwell. “Hurry. You got any more idea of a way out?”
 
“Can you see the lock? We can’t from here” Dorian instructed her calmly. She checked.
 
“Um... no key slot. It looks like an automated spring mechanism of some sort.”
 
“Here, take this.” Aerial had undone one of his braids, and held out a heavy looking clip to her, along with a knife. “See if you can jam the spring shut and pry it open.”
 
“Ok.” She was breathless from the toll of Camilla’s attacks, but took the items and started frantically working away. The clip was strong, but so was the spring. It took an effort to force and clamp the thing down, allowing her to fiddle through the gap with the point of the knife. She was sweating and panting and cursing as milliseconds of work seemed to drag on and on under the pressure, and drain more and more of effort out of her. “Come on, come on open you b...”
 
“Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Erin gasped as something flew through the air and ducked just in time, as a second knife came flying at her, crashing into the wall near where her head had been. She could only assume, as Camilla shakily approached her with shield raised, one hand going for a second knife, and a look of renewed fury on her face, that she was only still alive because Brionac’s attack had affected her aim. “Leaving so soon brat? We’re not finished yet!”
 
“Damn it! Guess I’ll have to put you down a bit more permanently.” Erin scowled as she looked at the last card in her hand. Hopefully she already had the match suitably reversed and in hand now, but she couldn’t take the chance. Brionac wrapped itself around her protectively as she retook her battle position. “I’ll set one card and end my turn.”
 
“Good luck” the warrior scoffed as she drew. “I assure you that is all that last attack was. Your moves are amateurish at best, and you have one powerful dragon to protect you. But not for long. I activate the spell Dark World Dealings. This lets both of us draw a card, but then we have to discard one too.” Erin scowled as she just immediately discarded her draw regardless, but Camilla was just bluffing. She knew what the monsters in her hand where; both too high level to summon and neither that useful if she even did, although granted one of them would probably be dropped now. Camilla performed her own exchange, before to her horror that familiar serene, confident smile slowly lit up her face once again.
 
“Humph, got it. And now, little girl, you are going to feel the true force of this deck, that I have trained with to serve the Emperor and stop anarchist traitors like you who use these things as weapons of lawlessness and want to destabilise our growing Empire, and you will realise why people call me the heroine The Black Thorn. By banishing two level seven plant monsters - Queen Angel of Roses from my hand and Regenerating Rose from my graveyard - I can special summon the most magnificent angel of roses.” The rebels gasped as a whirlwind picked up between the two, swirling rosebuds around the field and up towards the ceiling, in which a portal was opening. Through it descended an angelic being; on two wings of red and two of black, naked bar a few white robes and golden greaves and bracers. The angel was expressionless as it fully emerged above Camilla and looked down at Erin, an emotionless omnipresent judge. “With pure beauty yet devastating power, this will strangle your resistance once and for all! My true ace descends! Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel!” (Lv8, ATK 2900)
 
“Nearly three thousand attack points, just like that?” Erin exclaimed, glancing up at the suddenly outmatched Brionac in panic.
 
“Not just that. Rosaria’s effect activates. For the rest of the turn, the effect of every other card that is face up on the field right now is negated for the rest of the turn!” The angel beat its wings, releasing a blast that shook the arena, unsettling the prisoners trapped to the side of them further. Brionac’s attack dipped slightly (ATK 2300). Camilla cried out to her creature over the increasing din. “Now Rosaria, shatter that thing with your divine might!”
 
Another wing blast, and a hurricane force smashed through the screaming dragon, helpless as its body shattered into a million little snowflakes. Erin was flattened by the gust, needing to take deep rapid breathes as it knocked her to the brink of her remaining energy (LP 100). Now wild with fury, Camilla went for the finishing blow. “Now I activate my trap, Blossom Bombardment! When my plant type monster destroys yours by battle, you take damage equal to the attack of the destroyed monster. I’m sure you did your best little girl, but you couldn’t match up against the Empire. This ends now!”
 
Rosaria floated forward, her silent executioner, a sphere of floral energy growing and swirling in its open palm. The angel would release it, down on her, and her fight would be over already...
 
“I... no, I won’t let it end yet!” Erin cried in desperation as the energy ball grew to maximum size and was released. “Not here and now. I activate...!” Everyone blinked and shielded their eyes as the sphere of energy exploded, engulfing everything in bright light for a second. When they could all see again, to their disbelief, Erin was on her feet again, hunched over and breathing heavily, looking defiantly up to meet Camilla’s stunned expression. She was battered, but was unharmed by the blast (LP 100).
 
“...my face down... Damage Polarizer... This negates the effect damage of a card effect, and lets both of us draw once...”
 
Camilla seemed to need a moment to take it in, that the stubborn little brat had hung on again, but she shook it off with another irritated scowl. “Well you’re persistent, I’ll give you that. But like you said, I get a card too. One that I’ll set now.  I’ll get you eventually. You can’t have many miracle escapes left; you can’t dance out of my clutches forever.”
 
‘Oh shut up’ Erin thought, too breathless to tell her to do so. She glanced over at the guys, Aerial and Dorian looked extremely worried. Even Mel was looking at her at last, but immediately looked away again once she saw him watching her. Exhausted by the strain of the last assault, she looked at the card she’d got. ‘Magicians Circle. Well that sure doesn’t help. I’ll need something better than that, and I really need it now. They really need me to do it now. I’ve just got... I’ve just got to try... come on, one last try...’
 
“I draw” she gasped, huffing as she whipped the card out in a sweeping arc. The image of a monster, not an ice barrier this time, but a mermaid, answered her prayers.
 
‘Thank you...’ “I summon the monster Deep Sea Diva to the field.”
 
An aquatic humanoid songstress with a scaly pink lower body ending in a delicate tailfin swam delicately onto the field (Lv2, ATK 400). “And when she’s summoned normally, her effect activates, letting me summon a level three or lower sea serpent type monster straight from my deck. I’ll be using this to summon Caravan of the Ice Barrier.” A second portal opened at the Diva’s command, and a small dragon laden with many saddlebags and a cloaked merchant sat just behind its long neck emerged from it (Lv1, ATK 700). “Then I’ll activate Caravan’s effect. By returning Cryomancer and Strategist of the Ice Barrier to my deck, we both draw a card.”
 
“I can’t see how this helps you” Camilla scowled as she matched her enemy’s confident action. “Those two monsters are very weak, that monster effect only strengthens my position, and for what? You hope for another miraculous draw? I already told you, you don’t have any great escapes left.”
 
“Actually, it doesn’t matter what I drew...” Camilla blinked as Erin smiled, and revealed Shock Troops to prove she wasn’t that fussed about it. “Or what you got, unless it was something very special. You won’t get to use it. I’m ending this fight now; by using the other effect of Lemuria the Forgotten City. Once during my turn, I can increase the levels of all water monsters I control, by a number equal to the amount of them I have out. So now the levels of Caravan of the Ice Barrier and Deep Sea Diva increase to three and four respectively, and did I forget to mention my Diva is also a tuner monster?” Camilla gasped as the two monsters suddenly grew in strength, before once more shattering into a set of snowy rings and stars before Erin.
 
“I tune Deep Sea Diva with Caravan to summon a new creature from the depths of the frozen world. One with more power and fury than the last.” The portal widened and a large red eye looked through, before something roared from behind the veil. The gateway burst open, and all present gasped as with a mighty crash the second dragon of the ice barrier landed heavily between them. Broader and bulkier than her sister dragon, covered in spiked ice armour and armed with curved claws, its scales so thick yet clear crystal. The dragon craned its long neck and spread its huge wings, scraping the marble ceiling as it couldn’t make it to full height, and released another horrific piercing roar at the angel and the general behind it. “I Synchro summon; Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!” (Lv7, ATK 2700)
 
“What the... Bah, so what?” Camilla tried to regain her composure. “It doesn’t have enough strength to take down Rosaria, even with your field spell.”
 
“Not directly” Erin agreed, but that detail wasn’t stopping the huge Gungnir taking a deep icy breath. “But it does outmatch it with its effect. By discarding the last two cards in my hand, two cards on your side of the field are destroyed.”
 
Gungnir released the blast, two identical beams of ice shooting forward and piercing through their targets. The first ice beam went straight into Rosaria’s stomach; the angel clutched and thrashed for a second, before exploding into a thousand petals. The face down card, Wall of Thorns, was pierced and also exploded. Camilla just stood there in shock, similarly frozen in disbelief, as the dragon craned down to bring its head level with her, transfixing her in place with its blood red eyes and snarling at her. She was, for the first time the warrioress Black Thorn, was too scared to even cry out. Somewhere far away she could faintly hear Erin shout “Finish it Gungnir!” before the dragon opened its great maw for a second icy blast...
 
The blast knocked the general backwards, smashing into the far wall and slumping to the floor with a groan (LP 0). Gungnir stood up again, roaring victoriously, before it faded away into the ether, as did the projected image of marble and water that returned to cold stone and grime. Leaving Erin stood there, panting and taking in what had happened.
 
“Hey, wake up Erin!” She snapped to alertness as Dorian shouted at her. Aerial was looking awestruck at her and cheering her victory. The leader was remaining focused though and urging her towards him, but he couldn’t completely restrain a smile. Something that was... nice. “Great work. Now get us out of here please.”
 
“Oh... oh yes, sorry.” Hastily Erin returned to the lock, and with a bit of a struggle and some renewed force, she finally got to spring open. Pushing the door open, the guys were free, along with Mel, who still didn’t look as happy as she had expected him to be after she had won as he continued to look anywhere but at her. Dorian rolled his neck and quickly sprang into action.
 
“Thanks. Now let’s hurry up and get out of here; I can’t imagine the guards failed to notice the racket that great bloody thing makes, no matter how disorganised. But we can’t go up as the lock is on the outside for the other end, so we’ll just have to hope she was arrogant enough not to close the doors behind her and we can find a back way out somewhere below before they get here. Come on.”
 
Quickly he set off for the other stairwell, dragging the stiff-legged Mel with him, past where Camilla was hunched over and disappearing down the stairwell. Aerial glanced at Erin as he set off, smiling shyly at her as he did, before he went off in hot pursuit. She herself really needed a rest, to get some breath back, but she knew there was no time and she had to force herself to move. Digging deep for energy she gave chase after the boys, towards the stairwell.
 
“Wait...”
 
She had just reached the steps when the wheezy voice reached her. Camilla had regained consciousness and was sat up just along the wall, clutching her waist and panting heavily, too exhausted to stop them. She was struggling to look up at her, but she did, and she looked very different now. Like she was... scared?
 
“Where are you going? ...You’re not finished with me yet.”
 
“What... are you talking about?” she answered slowly. She didn’t understand, of course they were finished. Camilla was just lying there, too drained to move much more than just flop her shield arm off of her, opening up her body. She was defenceless...
 
“You beat me... so finish it...” she puffed. She seemed very subdued, but very stern even still, as she just stared straight up at her, and pointed to the sword exposed by her pulled back cloak. “Kill me.”
 
“What?!” Erin gasped. Camilla continued to sit and just stare at her. That... that was a nonsensical order! Why the hell would this woman say such a thing?
 
“I have failed the Emperor. I have let you escape” Camilla panted; she must have guessed her thoughts. “Well, not escape. You won’t escape. The rest of the guards will not let you leave this place, not now. But that doesn’t make up for the fact I let you get that far and couldn’t stop you myself. Losing to some little slum girl... it’s a disgrace, don’t you understand that? I can’t live with it! Now finish me!” Still Erin didn’t move. Something wild and desperate was creeping into Camilla’s eyes and voice now. “Do you at least understand that I have failed the Emperor twice now? Do you know what he’s going to do to me? Please! I’m ordering you... oh don’t make me say it... alright I’m begging you, please! Just kill me!”
 
Erin stood there, staring at the distressed swordswoman. She was just laying there, one of Nero’s most powerful warriors who had done much to the city and its people in his name, now lying there helpless, even willing her to do it. For her to kill her. She couldn’t breathe. Unconsciously her hand went to her sword. This was a huge chance. This would be a huge victory for the Resistance. And for her... after this woman had attacked and tormented her. After the guard did so much to her. To everyone. She could strike back. She could take something back from them in one of their own, and what a one. She could kill...
 
Erin shook herself, and pushed the sword back into its hilt. What the hell was she thinking? She backed off, shaking her head. “No...”
 
All the colour drained out of Camilla’s face. “What? No... Please...”
 
“No... No I won’t...” Erin backed into the stairwell. “I’m not... I’m not like that. I can’t...”
 
Camilla paused in stunned disbelief, and lost it. “You b****! You selfish, cowardly, stupid girl! You make a complete disgrace of me! You can’t just leave me to the Emperor’s mercy like this! I demand that you kill me!” Camilla continued to scream and shout at her furiously, but Erin just backed away. She couldn’t kill her. She’d have to leave Camilla’s fate in the hands of the Emperor. With one last glance, she hurried down the stairs after the guys, the stream of abuse following after her. Cursing and shaking, Camilla took a deep breath, and tried to push herself up against the wall...
 
...
 
As Dorian burst out onto the third floor, he was shocked to see a pack of six guards were already halfway across the foyer coming towards him. Shoving a stunned Melanc back into the steps he continued without stopping, sword drawn and ready to engage, shouting a battle cry as he went and crashed into the first two. The first attack went straight into shields and he was forced back, quickly having to block some retaliatory swings with a sweeping parry with his sword. The motion opened up the haste of one guard who’d lunged in too far, leaving a wide gap for him to reverse the dual blades motion and drive it back through his neck. He went down clutching his throat with a horrible gurgling noise, blood spurting out of his mouth. Still five more were stepping around the fallen comrade and coming at him. Swinging the sword in a blur Dorian needed everything he had just to defend himself as they hacked at him, managing to catch a second guard with what was only a fluke of a slash he hadn’t intended. Aerial came crashing out of the stairwell, saw the fight and immediately loosened a prepped arrow into the crowd. One man choked, spat blood, and went down. Before the soldiers had realised what had happened to him Aerial had already reloaded and shot again, the second arrow going straight into someone’s eye. Dorian made use of the man’s distraction to finish him off. “Thanks” he shouted.
 
“Claiming two all” Aerial nodded, loading up a third shot as one of the remaining guards ran at him. With Dorian now fighting on even ground, the pair proceeded to take one more scalp each.
 
“Bah, two all indeed? Blatantly four-two” Dorian grinned as he wiped his sword on a dead soldier’s tunic. Aerial shrugged as he pulled a screaming Melanc out with him and joined him in the foyer. Erin came running down just behind them, panting heavily. “Oh hello, what happened to you?”
 
“I was... it’s nothing” she wheezed as she leaned down against her knees, feeling just about spent. “What happened to you?”
 
“Yeah, as expected, you drew some unwanted attention with that great big stomping screaming dragon. Excuse me a moment” Dorian replied, pointing the end of his bloody sword towards Mel’s face. The shock had the desired effect of making him stop crying. Their respite was short lived, as a second set of guards came piling out of the stairs on the other side. “Oh hell, speaking of. Erin if you wouldn’t mind?”
 
“What? Oh right” Erin was taken aback at first, but realised when Dorian looked at her that she was being a bit naive.  They couldn’t fight the entire force off hand to hand, this was their best defence. As the soldiers charged, Erin pushed the card into her rearmed duel disk. “Gungnir, please help us.”
 
The soldiers panicked as the giant ice dragon suddenly appeared before them, screeching down and sweeping at them with its wicked ice claws, forcing them back. Aerial made use of the blockade to loosen off a few more shots at anyone who came into his path, bringing down a few more bodies. Dorian went round the other side, fighting off one brave soul who had dodged around Gungnirs mighty bulk as it continued to slash and sweep away at the tiny humans before it. Erin stood behind her, clutching the crying Mel and trying to see a way out. Camilla was right. As terrified these men were of duel monsters, they weren’t just going to let them go without a fight. They’d try to bring Gungnir down somehow and she’d run out of energy to remain here fighting eventually, and she certainly couldn’t follow them down the stairwells and protect them there. What if the guards locked them all in another trap again? What if the soldiers on the roof came down and surrounded them? The high ranking army general had already been waiting for them, what if more extreme measures were already arriving? Struggling to see a way out as Gungnir suddenly roared in pain - archers had started to emerge from the stairwell and were firing up into its face, before diving out of the way of the retaliation blast of ice - she tried to look for a way out. Glancing around, something caught her eye, she looked out of one of the windows... and gasped as some...thing... a large golden eye squinted back at her.
 
“What on earth...?” she mouthed, before something else hit the window, something that looked like...
 
Instinctively she ducked and dived on top of Mel, shielding him before she knew what was going to happen did and shouting at the others to take cover, as the launched bundle of dynamite went off...
 
The soldiers were caught off guard as the wall to their left exploded, stone and clay peppering the crowd and thick dust enveloped them. As they coughed and flailed around blindly, Aerial and Dorian ducked and staggered their way over to the siblings and pulled them to the gaping hole that had been blown in the wall. Down on the ground there was a huge fight going on, there were more guards and still some civilians, both sides running around in panic and shouting for help and archers. Because towering in the middle among them was a monstrous alien creature, many limbed and powerful, its golden hide dripping with slime and its top half beating its chest and roaring, whilst the bottom half... ugh, a second set of eyes and toothy mouth in the things stomach was spitting something like acid at the retreating guards. Erin recognised the monstrosity as the duel monster Worm King, the ruler of its kind. As the king continued to cause chaos, there was a shout below them. Looking down, there was a cloaked figure looking up at them; the thin, patterned face and misty eyed gaze of Skaro, waving up at them with a stick of dynamite on a lasso in hand. Dorian waved back and turned to Aerial. “Time to go.”
 
“Righto.” The archer flicked back his cloak and pulled out a heavy tipped arrow, with a long rope attached to it. Taking aim, there was a set of posts for tying horses to a little further out which he shot at, the rope trailing after it, the arrow digging in to the posts with a thud. He gave it a tug, while Dorian quickly ran off with the other end and tied it around the bars. The rope was touching the floor and would have to be climbed down onto, but the zip-line was secure. “Alright, see you at the bottom...” Aerial swallowed nervously, before lowering himself onto the rope and swinging over, using his bow to hang from, and whizzing down into the battle below. Dorian nodded to Erin.
 
“You next. Use your cloak over one end of your sword to slide. You think you can take your brother?”
 
Erin swallowed and shook her head. She didn’t think she could. There was a roar, the dust had mostly settled and the guards were recovering from the blast, trying to get to them, but the ice dragon had immediately re-engaged and was furiously blocking their path. Looking at them trying to pass her Erin realised something; if she went next, then the dragon might... “You take him. Me and Gungnir will cover you.”
 
“Okay” Dorian didn’t argue as he stood on the ledge. “Kid, grab hold on me.”
 
Unsurprisingly when he saw the drop, Mel refused. Which resulted in Dorian shouting “Kid, grab hold of me, or I will throw you out!” Instinctively Erin swore in her head at him for daring to treat Mel like that, but she realised when he glanced up at her, just for a split second, he had to get him to move and fast, by whatever means it took. Whimpering slightly, Mel wrapped his arms around the boy’s waist, looking like he was going to faint as Dorian teetered on the edge. “Alright. Get ready to come right after us Erin. We’ll cover your descent. Geronimo!” With that he jumped off the edge, the screaming Melanc dragged over with him as they fell past the rope, Erin’s heart in her mouth as he just hooked the swords handle over the line at the last second and grabbed it, and with a joyous “Yahoo!” they shot into the darkness.
 
“You...!! Ok... okay deep breath. I can do this.” Erin forced the words out in the hope that she might believe them as she undid and wrapped the thick hood of the cloak around the end of her sword, and sat herself beside the rope, dangling her feet over the edge. Another deep breath as she looked down. She could hear Gungnir screaming in pain; she wouldn’t hold out for much longer as more, now fire-tipped arrows went into her icy hide. She could see Dorian and Aerial had reached the bottom safely and moving for cover in the retreating crowd, the men on the ground to busy with the rampant Worm King to notice them. Another deep breath... she placed the flat of the sword on the line and reached under for the handle, she could do it...
 
Just as she leaned forward to swing herself off another noise, coming from her other side, distracted her. Glancing up, she froze as Camilla lumbered out of the stairwell off towards the side, for a moment taken in by the scene of the fading Gungnir being finally exhausted of energy, and then locking eyes with her. She was astonished for a second, but her look turned murderous, and she started to move towards her. Erin gasped in terror, and almost fell as she swung sideways, nearly losing grip of her weapon as her weight went into nothingness, the line jerked horribly...
 
And then the rush of wind took her. She caught her breath as she found herself sailing through the air, flying across the prison grounds along this line towards the city below. The exhilaration lasted barely a second though as the line jerked more violently, and glancing back she was horrified to still see Camilla’s scowling hate-filled glare just behind her, the army general had forced herself through the pain barrier to leap after her and just hook her plated arm over the line, rushing a few metres behind her. In panic Erin tried to go faster. The ground was coming closer at a rapid pace, she had to be ready to land and immediately run as soon as she did. She dared not look behind her at Camilla, so she didn’t see her grab the razor sharp silver sword at her hilt with her free hand and slash at the rope...
 
Erin screamed as the fine blade cut through, the line snapped, and she suddenly fell forward.
 
The drop was only a few feet, but it was enough. She landed hard on her front, just about throwing her hands in front of her face as she hit the ground, jolting horribly, the world spinning upside down as she bounced away before finally out of momentum and coming to rest. Groaning, she felt dizzy. There was blood in her mouth, and cuts elsewhere she was sure, as she tried to get some air back in her lungs and roll onto her side. Looking at the prison, she gulped as she saw Camilla had clung onto the other end of the rope and swung with it to the ground to land more steadily on her feet, and had now regained her balance and was coming doggedly, driven, possessed by her rage, coming towards her, sword in hand...
 
In panic Erin cried for help. No sound came. No others came. They must be fighting other guards. She went for her sword. She realised she’d dropped it somewhere between falling and impact. She looked at her duel disk; Brionac might save her. To her horror she saw the thing was buckled and bent, it had bore the weight of her fall as she’d landed on top of it, damaged beyond use. She had no weapons left at all, and was still too dazed and winded to run. Helplessly she scrambled backwards to try and get away from this woman who was forcing herself towards her, who wouldn’t give up, who was glaring at her.
 
“Help! Anyone please!”
 
A roar answered, as from out of nowhere a giant emerald green tiger leapt over her, snarling as it went, charging at the general. Camilla was so focused on Erin she was taken by surprise by the cat’s arrival for a moment, before with a savage hatred engaged with the beast. Bewildered, Erin forced herself to turn and try to crawl away, towards the cloaked figures running towards her from the rows of houses.
 
“Clove? Alex?”
 
“It’s alright Erin. We got you.” Oh mercy it was them, as the bigger person kneeled beside her and revealed himself as the blonde warrior. He pulled her to her feet, but she fell straight into him. She couldn’t support herself without help for now. The two managed to hold her up together, the tripod dragging its way back towards the city streets and hopefully safety amongst them. There was panting to their left, and Dorian joined them. He was equally exhausted, and covered in fresh blood.
 
“I’m sorry Erin. I got engaged with another couple of soldiers, there’s more closing in. Aerial’s taken your brother and heading for a safe-house near here for them to get underground. We need to do likewise, before they regroup and reinforcements arrive. I’ve got a way for us, it’s not far. Alex can carry you.”
 
“Wait Dorian, we’re not...” Clove started, before a roar behind them made them all turn.
 
Naturia Beast’s spirit was fading into ether, revealing the scarlet floral figure of Queen Angel of Roses stood behind it, sword outstretched. Camilla was stood near it in a similar pose, breathing heavily and staring straight at them, shaking her head in disgust.
 
“Not that easy. You’re not getting away from me. None of you!”
 
“Damn it, she just won’t go down” Dorian groaned, preparing himself for battle with sword and duel disk. “You guys go ahead; I’ll catch up with you.” The offer of him stepping forward horrified the group, and Camilla must have caught the gist of his offer as she glowered at them.
 
“You’re insane Dorian. She’s the Black Thorn, you can’t take her...” Alex began to argue.
 
“I’ll be fine Alex. After all, Erin just beat her.” Dorian grinned at her as the pair looked at her broken figure in shock. “Maybe I’ll take her as inspiration to do the same. Or maybe Camilla’s not really that tough...”
 
“Yeah, maybe... but even if you did beat her, the reinforcements...” Alex’s argument was ignored as Dorian turned his back on them and took a step towards Camilla, activating his duel disk. She did likewise, the two prepared to engage...
 
“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”
 
Everyone jumped as a horrible, gurgling, snarling roar shook the battlefield. Somehow forgotten about with all that was going on despite its horrific appearance, the Worm King had stomped across the street and was risen to full height behind the general, the beast flexing all four arms as it snarled battle and came crashing down, pummelling the queen angel with everything. The floral warrior was driven into the earth and disappeared immediately. And from somewhere down by the monsters side, Skaro was charging in, sword and shield drawn, running at Camilla and shouting at them.
 
“You guys run! I’ll take care of this!”
 
Erin flopped to one side as Clove let her go. The boy’s younger sister was starting to panic. “What?! Skaro no!”
 
Too late, he’d already reached and swung for her. Frustrated but still able to fight, Camilla blocked it easily and swung back. Even in her tired state her military trained body was more than strong enough for a lanky rebel teenager hand to hand; Skaro just about blocked the blow, but was forcibly knocked back. Given the chance by his stagger, Camilla pulled another card from her shield, and Erin swallowed as the angel Rosaria reappeared before them. She knew already there was only one winner here. Clove could sense it too, and was going to join in the fray with another monster as she went for her deck as Camilla relentlessly went for him again. Skaro managed to block again, but staggered backwards away from them again, he just had time to turn to them for a second. “I said run! Get outta here you lot; that’s an order! Alex... look after Clove...”
 
Alex mutely nodded an understood, and Erin sank forward as he let her go and grabbed Clove. The girl desperately kicked and yelled red in the face “No! Skaro!” as he pulled her back and lifted her over his shoulder. Exhausted as he was Dorian forced himself to lift Erin over his shoulders in a fireman’s carry and run for the building cover, Alex following close behind him as they ran for the hopefully empty streets and somewhere to hide, Clove dangling backwards over his shoulder and still reaching out as Rosaria blasted the alien ruler, pleading as the thrashing and screaming Worm King faded away, crying at her now on his knees brother as he got further and further away from her. “Skaro! SKARO!”
 
They were in the streets. They darted into a back alley. He was out of sight. He was gone.
 
...
 
Puffing and panting, Camilla stood before the kneeling youth. The rest of the group had already gone, unless their reinforcements picked them up quickly on route they would soon lose themselves amongst the back-alleys and places, and she was too exhausted to give further chase. She ordered some of her re-gathering men to go after the group, others to arrest any remaining rioters, some more to get back in the prison to re-secure it and anyone loose inside, while the rest surrounded her and the rebel boy.
 
“I want to assure you... that your sacrifice means nothing; to me or to them. We will find and arrest your resistance friends in the end, and the only way you might get any mercy out of me towards your own situation is if you help me find them and your group’s leaders. You’re going to help me find them, aren’t you young man?” The boy looked up at her with those peculiar eyes of his and held his gaze for a while, looking blankly up at her as the offer held in the air.
 
Then the look became more apparent as disgust as he spat at her, before he lurched forward and a spurt of blood came out after, as he drove a concealed dagger through his ribs. The blood and spit splattered against her armour as he sank at her feet and started to choke. No living capture; that would be the last straw in a bad night’s report to make to the Emperor. Her frustration snapped, as did the dying boy’s neck as she drove her sword through it, finishing him instantly. Ignoring the other soldier’s reactions she ordered them away, leaving her beside the dead rebel to stare out into the streets after the rest.
 
“Damn you all. You might enjoy having beaten me tonight, but make the most of it. I might fall, but the Emperor never will. The Empire will find you Resistance, and it will crush you.”
 

--END OF ARC ONE--

[/spoiler]

 

....

 

[spoiler=Read after the chapter]Yes, I assume some of you are now going "Er whut? End of Arc One after five chapters?". As I've already mentioned, this was originally meant to be a much shorter story than it's turning out, and arcs have got progressively longer as I've gone along. Just consider this a... introductionary arc.

 

But I guess this would be a good opportunity for some to reflect on the story so far as a whole, but maybe that's being optimistic. Still, fingers crossed for good words from all :)[/spoiler]

[Fusion X. Denver]

Sorry I'm late in commenting, busy couple of days. I haven't read 5 yet, but I should be able to do so after my next class.

So for 4, I was good with it by the end. I feel like there were a lot more huge paragraphs than normal though, and that made me take a couple breaks before finishing the chapter. I'm not sure if that could have been avoided really, but just throwing that out there.

 

I liked Dorian at first since he was cocky, but in that fun, teasing way. Then he became kinda off-putting/rude during the prison raid. But whatevs.

 

I was gonna say something about the low number of duelists too, but good to hear that'll be addressed soon.

[Aerion Brightflame]

So I've felt like I've neglected the fic up till now.

 

How interesting... I missed commenting on a chapter.

 

So for starters we have a new player. Dorian... Well oddly enough I can't take him seriously for a couple of reasons: One he has gray hair, which just makes me think of the obvious to much (I know it's a silly thing, but I really can't seem to get past that =?) Then there's... His arrogant nature. I mean, he really annoys me with that. Arrogance in a character is always something that tickles me. I feel like it has to be done in moderation (And that you creeped just beyond that line). I don't know, it was more impactful in the second of the two chapters.

 

Otherwise I share Blacks thing about the duels... It's just not enough variety since it's been the same 3 characters for the duels, making all similar plays. Whilst the Original over did the amount of decks and such it showed, this hasn't done it well enough because you could guess all of the plays essentially. But yeah there was that.

 

Otherwise I thought it was all well written, up until the ending piece.

 

I just... it felt wrong as an arc ender, because not enough feels like has happened for me to think of the arc as being over. I know that obviously this is meant to be a shorter fic, and the arcs probably will be not immediately following each other. But the issue was... it lack the sense of build up to it I think. It was out of the blue which made it feel less impactful than otherwise.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Hmmm...

 

Sorry I'm late in commenting, busy couple of days. I haven't read 5 yet, but I should be able to do so after my next class.

So for 4, I was good with it by the end. I feel like there were a lot more huge paragraphs than normal though, and that made me take a couple breaks before finishing the chapter. I'm not sure if that could have been avoided really, but just throwing that out there.

 

I liked Dorian at first since he was cocky, but in that fun, teasing way. Then he became kinda off-putting/rude during the prison raid. But whatevs.

 

I was gonna say something about the low number of duelists too, but good to hear that'll be addressed soon.

 

No problem. I know I need to get over lack of comments, you all have other things to do. But glad when people do.

 

My writing is getting disturbingly long winded. Going to be editing future chapters in the next few days to try and get into portraying more by speech than narration which should help, and shortern some bits of unneccessary overdescription in general. Hopefully will clear this stuff up.

 

Well, I'd have thought being in such a situation, trying to spring someone from prison against a clock and them being such a bloody nuisance to move, would justifiably make you a bit testy :) Lol, assuming that was one of the rude and offputting comments.

 

So I've felt like I've neglected the fic up till now.

 

How interesting... I missed commenting on a chapter.

 

So for starters we have a new player. Dorian... Well oddly enough I can't take him seriously for a couple of reasons: One he has gray hair, which just makes me think of the obvious to much (I know it's a silly thing, but I really can't seem to get past that =?) Then there's... His arrogant nature. I mean, he really annoys me with that. Arrogance in a character is always something that tickles me. I feel like it has to be done in moderation (And that you creeped just beyond that line). I don't know, it was more impactful in the second of the two chapters.

 

Otherwise I share Blacks thing about the duels... It's just not enough variety since it's been the same 3 characters for the duels, making all similar plays. Whilst the Original over did the amount of decks and such it showed, this hasn't done it well enough because you could guess all of the plays essentially. But yeah there was that.

 

Otherwise I thought it was all well written, up until the ending piece.

 

I just... it felt wrong as an arc ender, because not enough feels like has happened for me to think of the arc as being over. I know that obviously this is meant to be a shorter fic, and the arcs probably will be not immediately following each other. But the issue was... it lack the sense of build up to it I think. It was out of the blue which made it feel less impactful than otherwise.

 

No worries, I know you're good for comments and always do so I'm not worried (honest...)

 

What's the obvious? :huh: Spoiler or PM me please, just curious. Hmm... bad impactful/got worse 2nd chapter you mean? Yeah... I want him to be fairly arrogant and aloof and borderline - I smiled a little at Black's initial reaction as was sort of what I'd hoped for as an ambiguous role - but not too overly so that seems to be the concensus so far in that he's getting outright dislikable =/

 

I must say though I really wasn't expecting that sort of reaction to his entrance, or lack of reaction, especially from those who read the...

 

Hmmm... I've skirted too close to the anime it seems in having ace monsters reappear too consistently, it would seem. Bother. Was almost certainly very avoidable, but as long as you enjoyed the end scene...

 

....

 

.... s***?
 

The Resistance making its first/second big statement against the Empire, and a character being ruthlessly killed/sacrificing himself (in chapter 5) not an appropriate place to end an arc? That really doesn't do it for you? I was quite happy with it ending here and thought it would be quite a good/fair place to leave it for a bit now the scene of the world is set and many characters introduced now :o I mean to be honest I do take issue with this "...it lack the sense of build up to it I think. It was out of the blue which made it feel less impactful than otherwise." Usually with really uniform arc lengths and me always advertising it in the past as 'arc ends in 2 chapters' or whatever, allows you guys to build yourself up to it with my/your own hype, so tbh I'm going to dismiss this largely as me not telling you in advance this was the arc's closing chapter (not even gonna call it a finale as it doesn't merit it) as having something to do with that feeling of anti-climax, no offence or anything. If I get a deluge of comments saying it wasn't a place to end an arc then I'll reconsider that opinion, but I'm not doing filler for the sake of filler.

 

Right I'm getting annoyed with myself and my own tone now, but despite my mini-rant thank you for reading and commenting, even if for once I completely disagree with you on one issue, but if that's how you felt reading it. Summary of characters and decklists will be up at some time in the week, and hopefully once a few more people signal they are caught up and ready arc two will begin. In the mean time, edits to chapters and responses to comments.

[Aerion Brightflame]

)

 

What's the obvious? :huh: Spoiler or PM me please, just curious.

The Resistance making its first/second big statement against the Empire, and a character being ruthlessly killed/sacrificing himself (in chapter 5) not an appropriate place to end an arc? That really doesn't do it for you? I was quite happy with it ending here and thought it would be quite a good/fair place to leave it for a bit now the scene of the world is set and many characters introduced now :o I mean to be honest I do take issue with this "...it lack the sense of build up to it I think. It was out of the blue which made it feel less impactful than otherwise." Usually with really uniform arc lengths and me always advertising it in the past as 'arc ends in 2 chapters' or whatever, allows you guys to build yourself up to it with my/your own hype, so tbh I'm going to dismiss this largely as me not telling you in advance this was the arc's closing chapter (not even gonna call it a finale as it doesn't merit it) as having something to do with that feeling of anti-climax, no offence or anything. If I get a deluge of comments saying it wasn't a place to end an arc then I'll reconsider that opinion, but I'm not doing filler for the sake of filler.

 

Right I'm getting annoyed with myself and my own tone now, but despite my mini-rant thank you for reading and commenting, even if for once I completely disagree with you on one issue, but if that's how you felt reading it. Summary of characters and decklists will be up at some time in the week, and hopefully once a few more people signal they are caught up and ready arc two will begin. In the mean time, edits to chapters and responses to comments.

 

[spoiler='The Obvious']Why Dorian Grey of course. Which is a bad thing to get into my head. [/spoiler]

 

The issue is... Timing.

 

If you think about it, there's been no time for this to settle, for us to get an emotional connection to anyone but Erin, and without that connection well... The sacrifice doesn't feel anything like it's meant to. I mean, best example:

 

Spoiler removed at Matt's request.

 

I mean, Skaro's sacrifice yeah, it's meant to be emotional, or dramatic. But where in the 5 chapters were we meant to get connected to him emotionally? He's not in two of them. In chapter 4, he doesn't really do much other than serve as a means of informing Erin of anything. By making the arc 5 chapters, you've essentially just introduced to major players, and expected us to have this connection to some of them when we've barely known them.

 

And hell, there's not even been just time to pause and reflect if you think about it: Since, first two chapters were really busy. The third was slower, and let us get a break, then the last two which have primarily been the prison breakthrough. And in all of these chapters but the last one you've introduced new characters.

 

Explain to me where the emotional connection was? We barely know anything about Skaro, which makes his sacrifice less impacting than I think you thought it was.

 

I suppose saying it's not felt enough like an end of arc is more a comment on how... There's not been any time to sit around almost and just expand on characters (Even if you still develop the story line, you could've still had something to make this feel less like jumping from one event to the other and ending just far to soon in my eyes. Like instead of them finding the prison so earlier, you've could developed a character as he was looking for the prison, and get some more interactions between everyone to start with, it might not expand things out as fast, but I feel it would've worked.)

 

So yeah, I suppose it's not that the arc ending itself was bad, simply that it doesn't feel like an entire arc, and that everything's happened extremely quickly, and that's taken some of the... connection from it.

 

I mean hell, thinking about it now: Erin's known Skaro for two days essentially? (Unless I missed a big time gap) and she's acting like she's lost her brother? No, she's barely got a connection to him. Would you act like that over a person you've barely known for two days? Either way, there's just not been the pace, or the connection that made this arc ending as dramatic as you'd like. (Even if story wise it demands it, when I was reading I didn't get that impression)

 

So sorry if it grates Matt, but a five chapter arc like this... I just don't feel it worked as well as you intended it.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

The issue is... Timing.

 

If you think about it, there's been no time for this to settle, for us to get an emotional connection to anyone but Erin, and without that connection well... The sacrifice doesn't feel anything like it's meant to. I mean, best example:

 

I mean, Skaro's sacrifice yeah, it's meant to be emotional, or dramatic. But where in the 5 chapters were we meant to get connected to him emotionally? He's not in two of them. In chapter 4, he doesn't really do much other than serve as a means of informing Erin of anything. By making the arc 5 chapters, you've essentially just introduced to major players, and expected us to have this connection to some of them when we've barely known them.

 

And hell, there's not even been just time to pause and reflect if you think about it: Since, first two chapters were really busy. The third was slower, and let us get a break, then the last two which have primarily been the prison breakthrough. And in all of these chapters but the last one you've introduced new characters.

 

Explain to me where the emotional connection was? We barely know anything about Skaro, which makes his sacrifice less impacting than I think you thought it was.

 

I suppose saying it's not felt enough like an end of arc is more a comment on how... There's not been any time to sit around almost and just expand on characters (Even if you still develop the story line, you could've still had something to make this feel less like jumping from one event to the other and ending just far to soon in my eyes. Like instead of them finding the prison so earlier, you've could developed a character as he was looking for the prison, and get some more interactions between everyone to start with, it might not expand things out as fast, but I feel it would've worked.)

 

So yeah, I suppose it's not that the arc ending itself was bad, simply that it doesn't feel like an entire arc, and that everything's happened extremely quickly, and that's taken some of the... connection from it.

 

I mean hell, thinking about it now: Erin's known Skaro for two days essentially? (Unless I missed a big time gap) and she's acting like she's lost her brother? No, she's barely got a connection to him. Would you act like that over a person you've barely known for two days? Either way, there's just not been the pace, or the connection that made this arc ending as dramatic as you'd like. (Even if story wise it demands it, when I was reading I didn't get that impression)

 

So sorry if it grates Matt, but a five chapter arc like this... I just don't feel it worked as well as you intended it.

 

If we could remove the second spoiler please, cuz that's just too big a one to have exist in this thread. I've seen it and get your point. Please get rid of it before someone reads it by accident <_<

 

Edit: Thank you.

 

Explain to me where I said you should be going into three days of mourning for Skaro? It's not meant to be that tragic, but I had at least hoped for a little reaction other than 'eh he's dead' given how it went down. Not out of deep emotional attachment obviously, but I'd hoped enough through shock and how it all happened. The guy's a redshirt; he was literally, and I mean literally, only created to die here. No Erin hasn't lost a brother (and didn't act like it). Clove did, but Erin will have good reason to be shaken by what happened that you've overlooked and will be covered extensively later, but it shouldn't be too difficult to spot. So basically what you're saying is; all hero characters should have immunity to death until the second half of the story when you're sufficiently emotionally attached? Or that you'd have liked something akin to episodes 27-30 of Zexal perhaps? How hard is it to find a big prison in this city, it's not like Glamisery was in the original is it? Yeah there's a time and place for heartbreaking deaths of loved characters obviously, but that was never the intention here and I'm not going "Why aren't you all bemoaning the heroic fallen character?" for a moment. I'm just annoyed because this is like critising someone being killed five minutes into a Saw movie! 'Oh but I haven't had time to form a connection to him yet.' Christ Dion was more right than he knew when he made that comment. <_<

 

Of course I wouldn't expect you to reacting in the same way Clove did in the chapter, but... I dunno, I'm sorry it's a pissy angry reaction and Jack Witt clause and all that. But I just get the feeling that if I went back in time, changed nothing to the chapter, but just put 'Chapter Finale. Chapter Finale' at the top in big red letters, the reaction would be different. Because you'd know something was coming and build yourself up for it yourself, rather than relaxing into 'It's only Chapter 5, they'll be fine, what's the worst that could happen to the heroes this early...?'

[Aerion Brightflame]

If we could remove the second spoiler please, cuz that's just too big a one to have exist in this thread. I've seen it and get your point. Please get rid of it before someone reads it by accident <_<

 

Explain to me where I said you should be going into three days of mourning for Skaro? It's not meant to be that tragic, but I had at least hoped for a little reaction other than 'eh he's dead' given how it went down. Not out of deep emotional attachment obviously, but I'd hoped enough through shock and how it all happened. The guy's a redshirt; he was literally, and I mean literally, only created to die here. No Erin hasn't lost a brother (and didn't act like it). Clove did, but Erin will have good reason to be shaken by what happened that you've overlooked and will be covered extensively later, but it shouldn't be too difficult to spot. So basically what you're saying is; all hero characters should have immunity to death until the second half of the story when you're sufficiently emotionally attached? Or that you'd have liked something akin to episodes 27-30 of Zexal perhaps? How hard is it to find a big prison in this city, it's not like Glamisery was in the original is it? Yeah there's a time and place for heartbreaking deaths of loved characters obviously, but that was never the intention here and I'm not going "Why aren't you all bemoaning the heroic fallen character?" for a moment. I'm just annoyed because this is like critising someone being killed five minutes into a Saw movie! 'Oh but I haven't had time to form a connection to him yet.' Christ Dion was more right than he knew when he made that comment. <_<

 

Of course I wouldn't expect you to reacting in the same way Clove did in the chapter, but... I dunno, I'm sorry it's a pissy angry reaction and Jack Witt clause and all that. But I just get the feeling that if I went back in time, changed nothing to the chapter, but just put 'Chapter Finale. Chapter Finale' at the top in big red letters, the reaction would be different. Because you'd know something was coming and build yourself up for it yourself, rather than relaxing into 'It's only Chapter 5, they'll be fine, what's the worst that could happen to the heroes this early...?'

 

Removed. It was essentially the best example I could think of.

 

Huh, I misread it twice then. Since I was rereading it looking for who reacted like that, and I got the impression Erin did =? Apologies on that one then....

 

No don't twist my meaning Matt (Or make a really lousy Saw analogy). I'm just saying that having a character with no development make a Heroic sacrafice makes leaves almost no impact on me. Why should I care about him if I've got nothing to go on about him? And why write it as a Heroic sacrifice then if he's just a redshirt. Because you might as well have just had random members of the riot get in the way it would mean as much.

 

No, Heroes aren't immune for that long (As a fan of RR Martin, of course they aren't). You can kill them off however you'd like. I'm just saying that writing something that is a heroic sacrifice with a character who we have no reason to care about is bad. It's the fact you wrote as the sacrifice that is my issue here. Because the reason to do that would to be create emotions of respect, or make the reader sad for what happened, but the latters not going to happen when you barely know the character, and the former well... It kinda did, but it was the overshadowed part here, because it works best in combination with the first.

 

If you'd written it as any other way than a heroic sacrafice I'd probably care about this less, but it was what you seemed to be intending the scene to be. And it didn't work, because it felt flawed, because there's been no exposition really on most of the characters you've introduced this arc. (Not criticizing that, just saying it)

 

Yeah, my reaction would probably be different if you had done that. But it wouldn't have changed all of it.

 

I don't know. It's probably more an issue with personal taste than anything else. Apologies if it's come across harshly.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

You missed a third reason to do it, and that's simply advancing the plot. Which is the main reason for it, along with creating future sub-plots, along with simply hell why should the Resistance get away scot free a second time? The Empire that's supposed to be all powerful and who so far have been getting kicked around the tiny twelve person Resistance need a tick in their win column! But nevermind, if you didn't like it you didn't like. I'm sorry if I snapped a bit yesterday I'm just frustrated. :(

 

Think I'll put the Arc One character profiles/decklists up now and point out that this story is having a (fairly short hopefully) break to allow me to catch up with writing (I am a mile ahead, but have struggled to a crawl last few days and want to pick up a head of steam again before priniting more for confidence really) and people to catch up with reading since I know a few people are reading but behind. If people can let me know when they've caught up to Chapter 5 and how they've found everything so far in terms et all, that would be great, and once everyone's more or less up to speed we can start Arc 2 (which is longer than five chapters). Totally not blackmailing you all comments for new chapters, not like that at all :D

 

Arc One Characters

 

[spoiler=Erin Kazoku]‘There is nothing I can do...’

 

Age and Occupation: 16, Resistance Member

Family: Melanc (brother)

A teenager going through late puberty, tall and slim, very pale skin, long light-blue hair and blue eyes

Clothing: White top and jumper and blue trousers and work shoes, standard issue Resistance cloak

 

Orphaned two years ago by the Emperor Nero’s order of the extermination of powerful duelists who he feared might lead an uprising against him - a time known as the Duelist Purge - Erin grew up and worked in an orphanage, looking after her young brother and the other kids along with the sisterhood. One day, unable to take the Empire’s extortion and the guard’s bullying any more when Gaius lashed out at Mel, she launched an offensive on the guards using the ‘weapons’ that the Emperor had decreed as treason to possess. Her recklessness landed her in a world of trouble; she was almost executed for her actions, had it not been for the last minute intervention of a Resistance movement rescuing her with the hope of recruiting her. However she would only accept their offer if they helped her rescue Mel, who they had left behind and been captured by the guard hoping to exploit her relationship. Erin is shy, defensive, doubtful and often naive, but her cool exterior belies a ferocious temper when pushed.

 

Deck: Erin’s deck is an Ice Barrier-Spellcaster variant; focusing on keeping up a regimented defence, with the Ice Barrier tribe combining their effects to maintain a wall against attacks, before she is pushed into Synchro Summoning the deck’s ace monsters and blowing the enemy away.

 

Main Deck (20):

Monsters: Caravan of the Ice Barrier, Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier, Dai-Sojo of the Ice Barrier, Deep Sea Diva, Mother Grizzly, Necro Gardna, Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier, Shock Troops of the Ice Barrier, Strategist of the Ice Barrier

Spells: Lemuria the Forgotten City, Premature Burial, Salvage, Shrink, Surface, Water Hazard

Traps: Damage Polarizer, Defence Draw, Graceful Revival, Magicians Circle, Torrential Tribute

Extra Deck (2):

Synchro Monsters: Brionac Dragon of the Ice Barrier, Gungnir Dragon of the Ice Barrier

 

(Outside of her duels, Erin is seen to use Cold Wave to attack Gaius, and during the duel against him she regretted not adding Dewdark of the Ice Barrier to her hand, thus they could also be considered part of her deck)

Record: Gaius (win), Gaius & Camilla (no result), Camilla (win)[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Melanc Kazoku]“No Erin, please don’t go! You can’t leave me like this! This isn’t fair!”

 

Age and Occupation: 7, none

Family: Erin (sister)

Small for age, puny even, with similar hair and eye colour to his older sibling.

Clothing: White and red T-shirt and long green shorts.

 

Losing his parents and put in an orphanage aged five, Mel grew up under the tutelage of his sister and the nuns. He is seen to have found this existence now comfortable, or at least accustomed to, as he had developed an attachment to the orphanage and was reluctant to leave after Erin told him they needed to flee. He stuck up for his sister when Gaius intimidated her, and begged her not to face him when the guard staged her execution, crying desperately not to be left alone in a way similar to their parents loss. But after the Resistance escaped and Erin found the guard had taken him, and holding him as a lure for her, they found the little boy quietened and dispirited, unable even to look at his sister anymore...

 

Deck: Mel is known to have a deck, but it is not confirmed what or even where it currently is.[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Vardus Jackson]“My name is Vardus Jackson, and I am the leader of The Resistance against the Empire. Come with me.”

 

Age and Occupation: 32, Leader of the Resistance

Family: Known to have two brothers. Associates: Nataka, Chetema, and rest of his Resistance ‘family’

Powerful dark skinned man, his body is covered in tattoos and his face has a horrific scar down the side.

Clothing: Open purple coat, smart green trousers, adorned with many gold rings and jewels

 

The mysterious and enigmatic leader of the Resistance, an underground movement that aims to bring down the Empire and end Nero’s reign of tyranny, Vardus orchestrates a rescue of Erin when he learns of her potential talent as a rebel duelist fighter, having defeated Gaius. Taking her in, he is immediately frustrated by her insistence of rescuing her little brother and reluctant to risk his allies for the cause of little benefit, but eventually concedes it would be detrimental not to grant Erin her request. Given the reactions of Clove and Skaro, he doesn’t seem like a man who caves in to other people’s wills often. Not much is known about him, other than he has suggested that he was once part of Nero’s inner circle and was also involved on the frontline in the war in some official capacity. He is however known to be much travelled and learned, having a great passion for ancient history and legends as well as technology.

 

Deck: Vardus is known to have a deck, but it is not confirmed what it is.[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Nataka and Chetema]“Chetema was the one who charged in and carried you out of there earlier, in an operation Nataka orchestrated most astutely.”

 

Age and Occupation: 61 and 31, Senior Resistance Figures

Associates: Vardus, Resistance youths

Nataka: An ancient warrior with a long white beard and bushy eyebrows, dressed in ceremonial robes

Chetema: A grizzly, dreadlocked warrior who wears minimal clothing over his massive dark bulk

 

Nataka and Chetema are Vardus’ second and third in command, both powerful warriors of foreign lands now consumed by the Empire in its march across the continent. Indeed Nataka met Vardus on the field of battle in the war two years ago, whereas he encountered Chetema years before that on his travels around the world. When Vardus decided to form the Resistance, these were the first two men he contacted to help him. Nataka is in charge of strategic mission details and training of the young recruits, while Chetema maintains and even crafts some of the group’s weapons.

 

Decks: Nataka uses a deck centred on the ‘Six Samurai’ archetype, a warrior clan who can quickly swarm in great numbers and can take apart most enemy strategies with cunning and strength. Chetema uses the ‘Gladiator Beasts’ archetype, fierce animals who ‘tag’ in and out of the deck after battle to activate various effects, and calling out their most powerful beasts via the power of fusion.

 

Nataka’s Extra Deck (1):

Six Samurai - Shi En

Record: Clove (win)

 

Chetema’s Extra Deck (1):

Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz

Record: Alex (win)[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Dorian]“Pleasure to meet you, Erin. I look forward to taking on the Emperor and his accursed cronies alongside you.”

 

Age and Occupation: 19, Resistance Member

Family: Unknown. Associates: Vardus, Clove, Skaro, Alex, Aerial

A handsome teenage boy with longish dark grey hair, matching eyes, and a charming smile.

Clothing: Dark red shirt, and black trousers and boots.

 

A young man from the city, Dorian was Vardus’ first recruit into the Resistance when it was originally formed. Not much is known about him at present, although Vardus has hinted that he comes from a background involving various misdeeds and troubles with the guards in his past. He is an authoritative taker of action and fully in support of Vardus’ fight against the Empire for his own reasons, and although he can be sarcastic and reckless at times, he helps Erin in her quest with genuine empathy and gusto.

 

Deck: Dorian is known to have a deck, but it is not confirmed what it is.[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Skaro]“Get outta here you lot; that’s an order! Alex... look after Clove...”

 

Age and Occupation: 23, Resistance Member

Family: Clove (sister). Associates: Vardus, Erin, Dorian, Alex, Aerial

A lanky boy with tanned skin which is covered in strange marks. Has a thin face and misty eyes.

Clothing: Plain brown and gold clothes, although mostly covered up by the standard Resistance cloak.

 

An early recruit of Vardus in his underground campaign, Skaro is a respected young man in the ranks of the Resistance who fights with the others on their topside operations, such as the sabotage of Erin’s live execution and her rescue from the orphanage. When on assignment in the absence of any of the three main leaders, he is seen to take charge, being perhaps of a senior rank to the others and akin to Dorian. As Erin Dorian and Aerial found themselves trapped inside the prison and overwhelmed by guards, Skaro and the others arrived in time to help’ with the young man blowing up a wall with a custom dynamite launcher while his monster Worm King ran a distraction. As the rebels tried to escape the relentless pursuit of Camilla he, to the other’s horror and particularly his sister Clove, threw himself at the knight to give the others chance to escape, knowing that he would not do so himself. He was defeated, but rather than be held captive and tortured for information, he fatally stabbed himself.

 

Deck: Skaro uses the Worm archetype, an alien race of reptile types that often utilize hidden flip effects, and summon their ace monsters via tribute.

 

Main Deck (1):

Worm King[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Clove]“We’ve been with him from the start and done everything he’s asked... but now she just goes around making demands and conditions like she owns the place”

 

Age and Occupation: 17, Resistance Member

Family: Skaro (brother). Associates: Erin, Dorian, Alex, Aerial

Shorter than Erin, with a slightly pinched face and flat nose, cropped black hair, and brown eyes

Clothing: A light green shirt and loose brown trousers, with standard Resistance cloak.

 

Younger sister of Skaro, Clove joined the Resistance at the same time as him and Alex. She appears to be very dedicated to Vardus’ cause, completing assignments he gives her such as her probable involvement in Erin’s rescue, albeit she seems to have some reluctance when it comes to matters surrounding the new girl, complaining to Skaro and Alex that she has come in and having a destabilising effect on their group. However she still fights with the others as the rescue group’s reinforcements on the night of the prison break, her Naturia Beast coming to Erin’s rescue and attacking Camilla. She watched, screaming in despair, as her brother sacrificed himself so that she and the others could get away safely.

 

Deck: In her training duel against Nataka, Clove is seen to use the Naturia archetype; a series made up of various woodland creatures and plants.

 

Extra Deck (1):

Naturia Beast

Record: Nataka (loss)[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Alexander]“It’s alright Erin. We got you.”

 

Age and Occupation: 21, Resistance Member

Family: Unknown. Associates: Erin, Dorian, Clove, Skaro, Aerial

Tall and broad shouldered, short blonde hair and light stubbly beard

Clothing: Leather armour covering smart if tight fitting shirt and tunic

 

Another one of Vardus’ young recruits, Alex appears to be a cheerful and enthusiastic young man, as well as powerful swordsman, who prefers to wield two swords simultaneously. He gladly greets Erin into the Resistance group and helps the siblings train her in handling weapons, as well as being part of the backup team that appeared to rescue her, Dorian and Aerial from their jailbreak mission, having presumably been involved in her initial rescue from the orphanage as well.

 

Deck: Alexander is seen to use X-Saber monsters in his training duel against Chetema; a tribe of human and beast like warriors.

 

Extra Deck (1):

X-Saber Hyunlei

Record: Chetema (loss)[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Aerial]“I thought I could help with this... like I did last time. I hope... that’s alright...”

 

Age and Occupation: 15, Resistance Member

Family: Unknown. Associates: Erin, Dorian, Clove, Skaro, Alex

Shortest of the group, thin and athletic, has long green braided hair and emerald eyes

Clothing: Loose ill-fitting tunic, emerald green and brown

 

The newest recruit to the Resistance, prior to Erin’s arrival, Aerial is a shy young boy who works with the rest of the group for Vardus. He has a real talent for archery; Vardus having mentioned he was the one who fired the gas-containing canisters at the guards to help Erin escape, and he also accompanies her and Dorian in their attempt to free Mel from Camilla’s clutches believing his skill could be of help, as it turned out when he was able to launch a zip line out of the prison after Skaro blew the wall down. Not much else is known about him in particular yet.

 

Deck: Aerial is known to have a deck, but it is not confirmed what it is.[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Emperor Nero VIII]“You come back to my throne room, and you dare to tell me... that you failed me?”

 

Age and Occupation: 68, His Supreme Excellency Lord Emperor of the Empire

Family: Unknown. Associates: Longinus, Tectum, and other nobles

Powerful and relatively athletic build for age, dark skin, and white hair and beard. See Imperial Order.

Clothing: Wears royal robes of mostly velvet lilac and scarlet

 

His Excellency has been on the seat of the Empire for the most part of forty eight years, building an ever growing and strengthening nation. After his Empire won the war against the other great nation and took control of the continent, he declared the Duelist Purge to eliminate all powerful duelists who he feared may turn against him and steal his throne, having seen their power as soldiers in the war. Association with duel monsters was made an act of treason and hanging offence. Since then he has driven much of the population of the capital Sen’nenki no Toride into poverty and suffering. He is greedy, calculating, cruel, and does not tolerate the failures around him well. And those are his good points! According to Vardus, who seems to know him on a more personal level, he did not always use to be this way.

 

Deck: Two years ago, Nero outlawed all duel-related aspects. Of course he doesn’t have a deck... right?[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Gaius fon Rausenberg]“Face it little girl. You’ve lost. And when I defeat you next turn, you’re going to lose everything.”

 

Age and Occupation: 30, General of the Royal Guard

Family: Unknown. Associates: Longinus, Camilla

Very tall and broad, scarred face, black ponytail and pointy goatee beard

Clothing: Wears heavy bronze armour, and carries a large two-handed sword and a large bronze shield

 

A high-ranking general in Nero’s army, since the war ended he serves in the city doing the Emperors dirty work such as collecting outstanding taxes, as well as generally enforcing law and order as Nero sees fit. On one standard visit to an outstanding debtor, he was surprised but not unprepared to run into an angry young slum girl who decided to fight back. He was defeated, and humiliated by the experience went to prepare himself for a rematch against her. He sort of got his request, taking part in a staged execution of the girl as dictated by Nero, which doubled as a chance to lure a suspected Resistance movement out of hiding. After that also went badly, he was bought to Nero’s throne room to answer to the Emperor’s wrath, and has not been seen since that meeting...

 

Deck: Gaius uses an “Equip Warrior Gearfried” deck. It is entirely comprised of warrior type monsters and many sword based equip spells; the use of which trigger the effects of his most legendary fighters. His deck also contains more staple cards than the rebels can salvage, having access to a hidden vault for the guards use for fighting them, and in a sneaky preparation for his revenge match, one of these equip swords also happened to be an anti-water card, which was added specifically to help him defeat Erin.

 

Main Deck (12):

Gearfried the Iron Knight, Gearfried the Swordmaster, Gilford the Legend, Marauding Captain

Divine Sword - Phoenix Blade, Lightning Blade, Monster Reborn, Reinforcement of Army, Release Restraint, Shield Crush

Dark Bribe, Mirror Force

 

Record: Erin (loss), Erin (w/Camilla; no result)[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Camilla fon Rallis]“The Empire will never fall. The Emperor’s might will never fail. This is a glorious age for our nation, and I’ll be damned if wretched usurpers like you are going to ruin it.”

 

Age and Occupation: 28, General of the Royal Guard

Family: Unknown. Associates: Longinus, Gaius

A slim, blonde beauty with a thin face, piercing emerald eyes and highly styled features

Clothing: Fine silver armour with red robes underneath, armed with a silver sword and shield

 

A legendary and feared veteran of the war by the capital’s citizens, Camilla is known for her exploits in battle and her stunning beauty. She is a high ranking general in Nero’s force, possibly higher than Gaius given their respective colours, and now works in the city during the peacetime era as the army focuses on its role as the city guard, keeping the peace with his strong arm means. Such means include the execution of anyone consorting with duel monsters. Camilla partnered with Gaius against Erin at Nero’s insistence to punish her and lure out the Resistance, but the guard were surprised by their organisation and sudden sneak attack. Determined to get revenge at Erin and earn back her favour with the Emperor, she tried to trap her and her rebel friends using Melanc as bait, but failed again. After being defeated, she begged Erin to kill her, fearful of what the Emperor would do to her for her disgraceful failure. Erin refused, and so enraged she gave pursuit despite her battered condition, ending up finishing off Skaro.

 

Deck: Camilla utilises a “Crippling Rose Token” strategy. Using cards like Black Garden, her deck aims to weaken her opponent’s monsters and destroy them with her ace Queen Angel of Roses, summoned and protected via the summoned tokens and paving the way for direct attacks. Her deck also features heavy draw power, several burn strategies, and the all-powerful Rosaria as an easily summonable alternative.

 

Main Deck (15):

Dandylion, Lonefire Blossom, Queen Angel of Roses, Regenerating Rose, Rosaria the Stately Fallen Angel, Rose Archer, Rose Fairy, Rose Tentacles

Black Garden, Dark World Dealings, Fragrance Storm, Sacred Sword of Seven Stars

Blossom Bombardment, Raigeki Break, Wall of Thorms

 

Record: Erin (w/ Gaius, no result), Erin (loss)[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Longinus]“If they are the best the army can produce under your tutelage, then perhaps you are the core reason for their inadequacy!”

 

Age and Occupation: 64, Honorary Chief General of the Royal Army

Family: Unknown. Associates: Nero, Gaius, Camilla

Old and respectable warrior, still in decent health if gone slightly to seed in age, long hair and bearded

Clothing: Ceremonial dress robes and warriors tunic, usually navy blue

 

Longinus is a semi-retired soldier of great renown, who still holds a position in charge of the army and city guard as well as being Nero’s advisor in military and law enforcing matters. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem that Nero listens too much to his advice. He is a disciplined and honourable old man, and is having to spend most of his time at the moment sticking up for two of his generals and defend their failures.

 

Deck: Longinus does not use a deck or duel in any way.[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Sister Joanne]“I pray for you, and ask the lord to forgive your wickedness. Now I must try to ask the guards that they will be merciful.”

 

Age and Occupation: 85, Head of Saint Alexis’ Orphanage

Family: The Sisterhood of St. Alexis’ and its children, including Erin and Mel

Decrepit and withered old woman, with knotty hands and hunched back. Still plenty fearsome though.

Clothing: Typical nun-wear, with the simple clothes and hood and such

 

Joanne is the head of the sisterhood of nuns that take care of children at the Orphanage of Saint Alexis. She is not an unkind woman, but strict and stubborn. She devoutly places her faith in prayer and mercy of god... and the guards, to protect her and the children in her care, even when it is obvious to others such as Erin that mercy will not come. When she argues more drastic action is needed and that they must all run, Joanne asks her where can they go or hide; knowing that she cannot answer. There is nowhere. She accepts the Empire’s control is total and cannot be fought against, and believes that by giving into them is the only way to survive Erin’s actions. Such is the effect of Nero’s reign on the people.

 

Deck: Sister Joanne believes in the Empire and upholds its laws.[/spoiler]

 

(As you can see, inserting many spoilers into a post is difficult and glitchy as hell! :()

 

So yeah, comments please. Now to get back to writing... *groan*

[Blake]

I have to agree with Barty about Skaro. I don't really feel anything, it just feels like he came in, said hi, and walked out. I read the spoiler before (I'm not very good at not reading the end of a book when i have the opportunity), and I still feel that way. It felt kinda rushed, and as if we didn't have reason to care outside of Erin's care in the situation.

[Ren✧]

Well it seems to me that the feeling about Skaro is a trend. I never felt any attachment to him, so when he died I was surprised by the fact you decided to kill off a character so early, but other than that I didn't feel much emotion. However, it isn't like I expected you to get me attached to 12 characters in five chapters, so I'm not putting much stock into that. Anyway, needless to say, I have finally caught up. As a whole, I enjoyed this introductory arc and can't wait for us to get the chance to dive into thick plot of the story that is inevitably coming our way. 

 

As I read three chapters back-to-back-to-back, I can't really offer any specific thoughts or corrections as things kinda just melded together for me, but I will offer you some praise. I must say that I'm in love with Camilla. The calm collected villains with a hot streak that do actually believe they are fighting for good and don't just do things for evil's sake have always been my favorites, as have been plant decks, so here are my kudos on her character. I can't wait to see more of her. 

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Page 3 and nearly 1,000 views. Success? Well given that works out at about 125 veiws per reader that I know of, I'd say I have a hardcore little following if nothing else :huh:

 

I have to agree with Barty about Skaro. I don't really feel anything, it just feels like he came in, said hi, and walked out. I read the spoiler before (I'm not very good at not reading the end of a book when i have the opportunity), and I still feel that way. It felt kinda rushed, and as if we didn't have reason to care outside of Erin's care in the situation.

 

Well, that sort of is what he did, so.... ok. Guess it's one of those where I'd written myself into a situation where I was damned whatever I did to resolve it and no matter what happened there would have been something unsatisfying. Certainly the idea of the whole Resistance getting away didn't sit well with me; like I said the Empire needed some kind of a score on the board having had the Resistance do them over twice. Maybe it could have been written with Skaro trying to run/catch up after them, getting caught and stabbed in the back by Camilla, that might have worked better for some, although I personally don't like that either. Well, it's done now. It's not really intended to be the big Musafa style death at this stage....... They come much later! :D

 

Still, glad for readers/commentors and will, try to get better I guess. I've spent most of the last week proofreading/editing Arc Two rather than on any new material, and taking some of your advice on board there are some scenes (particularly something in Chapter 10) that have benefitted from making more characters speak their feelings than me narrating in big chunks (although I have changed everything to a back and forth conversation). So hopefully all will be good :)

 

Well it seems to me that the feeling about Skaro is a trend. I never felt any attachment to him, so when he died I was surprised by the fact you decided to kill off a character so early, but other than that I didn't feel much emotion. However, it isn't like I expected you to get me attached to 12 characters in five chapters, so I'm not putting much stock into that. Anyway, needless to say, I have finally caught up. As a whole, I enjoyed this introductory arc and can't wait for us to get the chance to dive into thick plot of the story that is inevitably coming our way. 

 

As I read three chapters back-to-back-to-back, I can't really offer any specific thoughts or corrections as things kinda just melded together for me, but I will offer you some praise. I must say that I'm in love with Camilla. The calm collected villains with a hot streak that do actually believe they are fighting for good and don't just do things for evil's sake have always been my favorites, as have been plant decks, so here are my kudos on her character. I can't wait to see more of her. 

 

Heheheh... you don't know me very well... :D

 

Hooray!

 

That's fine, just nice to have encouraging comments now and again and glad you enjoying it so far. Arcs will get progressively longer and more diverse in focus from now on, so hopefully despite this being a predominantly Erin focused story everyone will get their spotlight in turn (and a duel as well. Spoiler: Erin only duels once in the next arc...) And it's fine, picking out the odd bit and piece is enough, like you have with Camilla. Glad she came across well for you and you connected with her. You... might have to wait a little while though, I'm not certain the Emperor is going to be very pleased with her latest failure... :(

 

Today I'm going to proofread the last 2 chapters of arc 2, then this week write (hopefully) the last 2 chapters of arc 3. Will start publishing again once I know more or less everyone is up to speed (so like I said, no pressure to comment or anything people... :P) But seriously it would be lovely.

[The Warden]

You've been, wait for it.... HEART BROKEN!

[Fusion X. Denver]

Finally read chapter 5.

 

Probably a moot point by now, but I didn't feel much from Skaro's death and everyone pretty much summed up their feelings on the issue and I feel like you got the gist and learned, all's good.

The action towards the end was sudden, but that was a pleasant surprise for me. And I thought Worm King would be fighting Gungnir until lo and behold, it was on their side. 

Which is fine, I feel like all the gross monsters stereotypically side with the bad guys. Nice change of pace.

I'm trying to remember Mel's character from Armageddon, think I liked him more there than in this fic, but his behavior's understandable given what he's been through.

 

I was thinking, I know you've been vague about the duel monsters being there but not really before and it's kind of late to fit in an alternate explanation for it, but I think it would've been cool if manifesting one's monsters and spell/traps was a sort of latent ability. Not everyone has it, OR everyone has it, but needs to train and hone it, then they use that latent power to give their cards physical form. And Erin being able to use that would justify Vardus' interest in her and why Camilla and Gaius are formidable in particular.

 

Looking forward to arc 2!

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Hey everyone. Hope you're all well. And looking forward to this stories continuation after a two week break (which I took to proofread/spell check et al Arc 2, and then finish writing the last two chapters of Arc 3. Yes I am that far ahead). I'm happy (no really, I actually am happy) with the level of response so far given the section/site in general and the feedback has been really good, even if it's mostly been "good but not great" so far. Which is probably fair. Obviously more comments are appreciated when people can (in fact a new comment was made while I was constructing this post, god these take a long time :P), but as long as people are enjoying reading it, then awesome. Hopefully this story's advancement will start to really push on now as we start to discover more of Erin's life in the Resistance and the stories of those around her in this longer arc, and the world gets built up more :)
 
Not wanting to give too much away; but (puts on best Lemony Snicket voice): Those who persist in continuing to read this tale of woe and despair (at terrible duels) of Erin's past, will have to cope with the horrors of: Mysterious Assassins, Red Wine, a Swarm of Deadly Hornets, a Supply Caravan, Press Ups, a Pair of Magical Twins, a Disused Range of Motorcycles, and duels that believe it or not don't actually have Erin in!
 
Speaking of which; the last of those things starts right now...
 
Enjoy, and comments as ever please :)
 
[spoiler=Chapter 6]Chapter 6: The Dual Warrior
 
The mood inside the Resistances underground base was grim that night. Vardus and his senior advisors were waiting at the entrance as the young rebels returned; their enigmatic leader’s smile slowly fading as the group of only four emerged from the tunnels. No words were spoken, Clove’s distraught sobbing and a sad shake of the head from Dorian was enough. The seniors were all shocked.
 
It took Vardus a few attempts to speak. “Wh... What happened...?” he croaked.
 
Dorian explained. Eventually he managed to delegate tasks; asking Dorian to come to his office to fully detail him on everything that had taken place and led to Skaro’s death. Although none of them had seen it for sure, those who’d been with the Resistance long enough all knew the drill in event of capture, and even if Skaro hadn’t had the chance himself, the Empire soldiers would have done it for him. He wanted Erin to come as well, but she was so physically and emotionally drained - they all were - she doubted she could face reliving the night again. Thankfully Dorian asked that he leave her and everyone else until the morning, give them all time. Alex carried the weeping Clove straight to her room, Nataka went to find Doyle to look after her for the night, while Chetema helped Erin to her quarters. According to him, Aerial had arrived back safely with her brother a while ago and he was now in their room. Aerial had told them about their fight to get out, but still they had confidently believed then that their young charges would all return safely. Making a note to thank Aerial for everything he’d done for them later as Chetema unlocked the door to the room they’d been given, she was half carried, half-staggered, into her dorm.
 
Mel was sat on the lower of two bunks, much like he had been when they found him back in the prison, with his hands in his lap and staring emptily at the floor, barely reacting as his sister stumbled in front of him and the dreadlocked barbarian stuck his head in and said goodnight, before locking the door behind him, which was odd. This left the two of them alone together for the first time since they had woke up the morning before. A morning that had seemed like any other, back then. It seemed like a whole other lifetime ago now. Erin paused for a moment, waiting for Melanc to say something. For a while, he didn’t.
 
“Hey Erin” he finally said, hollowly.
 
“Mel... I’m so relieved you’re alright.” The impending tidal wave that had been building up and up inside of her and been forced to stay down finally broke for freedom as she knelt down and hugged him tightly. Hugging him so tight; as if he might disappear again if she let her grip go for even a second. Despite this, Melanc didn’t return the hug in any way. He just sat there limp and unresponsive in her arms. “You... are alright aren’t you? The guards didn’t hurt you did they?”
 
“...........no...”
 
“Mel...” The deadness was starting to unnerve her as she looked at him. Still he didn’t meet her gaze. “Mel, what’s wrong? Please talk to me, tell me what happened to you. What did the guards do to you?”
 
“No... they didn’t do anything” he insisted. “They just stuffed in me in a cell was all. Gave me summit to eat and told me to be quiet and not be a nuisance. I just did what I was told, and they left me alone.”
 
There was a distinct edge to that last part. Something... she didn’t really know, she couldn’t work it out. He just sat there, examining the surroundings of the fairly basic room they were in, such as the bench and dresser, looking anywhere and everywhere else he could other than at her. “Erin, where are we? Who are these people keeping me in here?”
 
“They’re... they’re friends Mel. They helped me get away from Camilla and Gaius, and bought me here to safety. They’re fighting the guards.” Maybe if she explained, if she could get excited in telling him where they were, he might understand and get some life back in him too. “These people are fighting the Empire Mel. They’re fighting the Emperor for people like us, for everyone who he has abused and taken everything away from. They’re standing up to him and... and they want me to do it with them. I agreed, but then I thought about you and found out where you were, and I couldn’t do it, not until you were safe. I wanted you here in safety with me. So they helped me again to get you out of that place. Do you... do you understand Mel?”
 
He had gone back to staring down at his feet again, something that was making her more and more stressed as she tried to get his eye, but he just wouldn’t meet her. Desperately she shook him a little, trying just to shake some life into him. “Don’t you see Mel? This is the safe place I was telling you about. Where we can have friends who look after us, and we’re all going to work together to try to end the Emperor’s terrible reign. We’re going to try to make the Empire a better place, just like I promised...”
 
Mel just sat there, looking down and hopeless. So hopeless that she couldn’t help but try hugging him again, hoping it would make them both feel better somehow. She was so overwhelmed, so relieved to have him back, surely he should be just as emotional as she was. This was the first time they’d hugged since Gaius, Camilla and the guards called her out for her staged execution; when he’d clung so tightly and desperately to her, pleading with her not to go... and she had to ask the nuns to take him away...
 
Slowly she broke from the embrace as Mel pulled back, as she let go he lay down and curled himself up on the bed with his back to her. “I’m too tired. Night Erin.”
 
Within a moment he was asleep, leaving her knelt there with his back to her, feeling more alone than she had been the night before.
 
...
 
The next morning, and it was time for the Emperor to take in and react to the events that had transpired last night in the slums. He had been to bed early the night before, instructing not to be disturbed and that if there were any developments in his generals plan, the details of its success were to be reported to him in the morning. No-one was going to dare defy that instruction, especially with bad news. So now here he was, sat on his throne in his darkened chamber, taking in all he had just been told. Stood below him down from the elevated throne was the bowed figure of the guard’s chief general Longinus, with his head down and hands clasped in his lap, along with a couple of fretful guards who had been present at the prison last night and had finished reporting the riots and total arrests, and total escapes. They’d just witnessed him go off once already, now they were just waiting for the inevitable...
 
“The failures of your supposed best are beginning to frustrate me Longinus” Nero drawled slowly, glaring down at the aged official. “Failure is not something I am accustomed to.”
 
“My lord, I can only beg for your forgiveness” Longinus started. He was still, like the Emperor himself, quite powerful and healthy despite his age, there was still a well maintained body under the ceremonial soldier’s garb that signified his honourable title, although obviously some of his once legendary strength had faded with age. “Please give them another chance. The world has changed, the threats we face have changed. They are still adapting to them and this change in policy in how they deal with...”
 
“I don’t have time for them to ‘adapt’ or learn” Nero roared furiously. “I want results, I want them now, and I want them from people who can deal with these threats at least half-competently! No... They can stay where they are for now. And why are you two still here?” The two guards jumped as he rounded on them, quickly bowing and making their hasty retreat at his dismissal before they received the same fate as the first messenger whose report they’d had to come in and finish, after Nero’s enraged reaction to the bad news. He’d considered punishing them to, but decided they weren’t worth the effort. It was her decisions, her actions, and her failure. It was her brunt to bear.
 
“I will make a decision on what to do with the Lady and her comrade in the near future” Nero growled as he settled back into his chair and resting his head on interlocked fingers, greatly irritated by it all. “When the full consequences of letting this little... ‘Resistance’... out of their grasp become clear. In the meantime you will need to perhaps promote someone into their positions, someone a bit better trained and competent enough to actually fulfil my instructions when asked. You could probably advertise the promotion as full time, but do not worry your soldiers that might be put off by what has happened to their beloved general; they will not be placed in direct control of this matter anymore like she was.”
 
“My lord, I’m afraid I do not follow” Longinus started, slightly confused. “It is the sworn duty of the guard to protect you, and then all your citizens of the city and Empire. We will find the radicals behind these crimes and dispense justice in your name. You only have to give us the command.”
 
The Emperor paused for thought, but to the chiefs bewilderment shook his head. “That command will not be coming your way anymore. I have had enough of your failure. Your soldiers are clearly not up to dealing with this group, not leading the hunt for and facing them directly at their little games anyway. I must treat them more seriously from now on, and put more specialised people on the case of finding and destroying them before they become a truly powerful threat.”
 
“But sir, who else is there who can do this?” Longinus continued to protest. “Two years ago you ordered those who might start anarchy after the war; the duel monsters users who wielded the power that could destroy the Empire’s new age if they acted against you to be taken care of, and the Extermination Squad did that for you along with the army’s might. We succeeded with the Duelist Purge then. But the squad are gone, at your own orders, and we bought them in for you as well. We have proved our success in the past and can do so again. But if you do not use our loyal guard, then who?” The Emperor paused again...
 
“Advisor...”
 
Longinus blinked as a patch of darkness somewhere behind Nero appeared to move, as if the air had rippled slightly. Surely he was mistaken, but to his amazement from the darkness a figure suddenly emerged. Draped in a hooded coat all in black, the figure stepped around the throne and stood with his arms folded, waiting, only a little of his very pale face visible underneath the low covering. Had he been there in the darkness the whole time, or had he just appeared from somewhere upon summons from the Emperor? Longinus shook himself. That was a silly thought; he couldn’t have just appeared from thin air. The others ignored him as the hooded man turned to the Emperor.
 
“You rang...?” he drawled.
 
“You have been following the events of the past two days recounted here right?” Nero snapped impatiently. The hooded man nodded. “Somewhere in my city is the seed of an extremist movement starting to grow, using those accursed duel monsters as weapons. Sympathisers with those wretched demons, or being controlled by them in an attempt to cause catastrophe in my land no doubt. They are getting bolder and more public, and they seem to have found a few figureheads for their campaign, like that girl who defeated Longinus’ generals. This seed must be crushed and wiped out completely before it takes too deep a root if we are to establish peace and my eternal rule. Well, what about it? You are full of dark tricks and secrets. There must be something you can do?”
 
“Indeed sir” the man smiled slightly and bowed. “I have gathered the situation from what your generals have said to you, and share your views on this threat.  It is minor now, but it will not stay that way for long if not dealt with. However as you know, there is no-one better equipped to deal with it than me.”
 
“Bah. You seem awfully cheerful about it all” Nero spat. “And how do you intend to go about it?”
 
“Sir, just leave everything to me” the man replied sweetly and bowed again. “I am just happy to be given this chance to prove myself. I know you still remain a little sceptical about my abilities even now, so let this be an excellent chance for me to show my skills and my loyalty to you. Please just sit back, and have a little faith; I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with the results.”
 
“I severely hope so” the Emperor huffed. “Alright, I want you drop your current assignment for now; I will leave dealing with this group to you as a priority instead. Longinus, if my advisor needs anything to complete his task, be it weapons or personnel, you are to give it to him, understood?” Longinus nodded. He understood alright; he just didn’t like it. The hooded man turned to him and smiled slightly, which he supposed could be interpreted either way as to whether he had plans to use him or not at all. At the other end of the room the doors opened and the guard announced the arrival of another guest.
 
“What? He’s here already? Hmm, must be later than I thought... You two are dismissed, I have another engagement. I need to decide on my response to the emergence of this group, and in particular this girl they have elevated to lead their campaign.” The two men bowed and turned to leave as Nero waved in for the new arrival to enter. “Ah, Tessera, come in."
 
The army chief and hooded man flanked either side of the new arrival as they passed, each taking a glancing look at him. Another noble of Nero’s court, a young-looking man with a thin and pretty, almost feminine face; what with the styled eyebrows, long flowing silver hair, and a few earrings and necklaces that dangled out the front of his expensive looking golden outfit, a garb that matched his dark yellowy eye colour. The man paid neither of them any attention as he airily drifted between them, instead looking straight up at the Emperor and smiling serenely as he passed. Longinus looked at the shady man. Was it just him, or had there been the flicker of a frown underneath his hood for just a moment?
 
If it had, the moment passed instantly. The noble reached the Emperor just as the two passed over the threshold of the throne room, the sentries closing the doors behind them and leaving them to go their separate ways. As Longinus exited the chamber he felt the air behind him move. He turned, and gasped as he realised the hooded stranger following him was gone, disappeared as quickly and mysteriously as he’d come, leaving him alone in the chambers of the upper palace, and with much to think about.
 
...
 
Erin was sat in the reception-like quarters of Vardus’ personal assistant, waiting for permission to enter his office. She had been summoned here by the lady, whose name she’d learnt was Mia, and she’d been waiting for him to finish some other matter he needed to attend to. She had been in her room with Mel at the time, still tentatively trying to get him to open up, and failing, but as much as she wasn’t getting anywhere with him she wanted to keep trying and not be disturbed. Again she had noticed Mia lock him in after them, and had refused to answer her questions as to why. So now she was sat here, and she was nervous. Vardus would want her count of events last night, events which had visited her in her sleep. ‘The Rose monsters relentless attacks. Camilla bearing down with her sword. Skaro diving in to save her and being run through by the swordswoman in her stead. The first time anyway...’ She blinked out of her trance and shivered. She’d woken at least twice in the night, breathless and covered in sweat, like rising suddenly out of the blackest lake to find herself back into the waking world, just before she was lost...
 
So lost in thought, she didn’t realise Chetema had come out of the thick oak door to the left of her and passed her, and only stirred when Mia shook her and told her to go in. She seemed a stern woman, but kind enough. Swallowing hard, Erin went in and the door closed behind her.
 
She was taken aback to find Vardus’ office was just as magnificent as the underground cavern, although in a different sort of way. The circular room was filled with crammed bookshelves, fine art covered the walls, various artefacts and relics were strewn everywhere they could be put - not that there were enough places for so many; bones and jewels and swords and stone busts and more littered shelves and pedestals or the desk or were just on the floor out the way. A large wooden globe was placed on one side, along with an old music player further along. A couple of chairs were placed in front of a desk strewn with many papers, and behind it in a much more luxurious armchair sat Vardus, etching away at a stone tablet in his lap. He smiled sadly up at her and indicated a seat, before revealing what he was doing. The tablet had the title ‘In memory of those fallen’ across the top, then the date October 28^th in the top left, followed by Skaro’s name.
 
“We all knew when we started the Resistance, that one day we would lose a friend in battle for the first time” Vardus said solemnly, placing the tablet down beside him. “But that doesn’t make it any easier now it has. I can only pray that I don’t have to carve too many names and dates into this stone, and that those whose names are on here do not appear so in vain. It is my gravest responsibility to you all.” The big man sighed, before attempting to move on for the moment to other matters. “How is your brother?”
 
“Hmmm... I think he’ll be okay” Erin lied. “In time.”
 
“Of course” Vardus replied diplomatically, perhaps having seen through her. “In time I hope we can stop locking him in your room. He tried to attack young Aerial and escape as soon as he arrived down here.” Yep, he knew, but at least that explained the other senior’s actions. “Dorian has told me everything. About the breaking in, everything that transpired with Camilla’s trap and your duel, how you escaped, and what happened thereafter. I want you to know that for your first operation, you did very well. You followed his instructions, you used your own initiative when appropriate, and you fought well against one of the Empire’s strongest soldiers. He was very impressed with you, and said he’d be happy to go with you on further assignments, after you’ve had some more training of course. I just wanted to see how you were and discuss where to go from here, however looking at you now...”
He paused; Erin was looking down at her knees, clearly on the verge of tears. “It’s alright, let it out. What is it that is bothering you?”
 
“It’s... It’s not alright... It’s my fault Skaro died!” Erin blurted, finally releasing what she’d been feeling all night and breaking down in tears. Vardus was shocked by her announcement. “When we were... when we were in the prison... after the duel and the others were free... Camilla was just lying there, and she gave me the chance to kill her. Aerial and Dorian had already gone downstairs... She just lay there, she even told me to do it. But I didn’t... I couldn’t do it. Then she came after us... and Skaro sacrificed himself so we could get away... and that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been so scared and weak... and I’m so sorry Vardus. It’s all my fault...” she sobbed.
 
“I see...” Vardus slowly replied after a pause. She was certain then that she was done for. That he was going to imprison or execute her or something, for costing him one of his first allies with her selfishness. Instead he just sat there and waited for her to finish crying, before carefully continuing. “Erin... you are responsible in so much as insisting on a necessity to rescue your brother, the merits of whether that was worth risking acting upon can be argued. But I made my choice to agree to it, and to send the others after you to aid your escape and cause a public scene of the prisons fall, as a shot across the bows of the Emperor and an open sign of rebellion. Skaro made his choice to fight Camilla, and give the rest of you a chance to escape. You made your choice before that to spare her. A choice which I find, although the consequences have been grave... completely understandable in your position.”
 
Erin gasped. He... he understood? Vardus nodded gravely. “It is easy to kill someone in the heat of battle or war, when they are coming at you with a sword. It is a lot harder when they are defenceless in front of you and you have time to think about your actions. We all say how much we hate the Empire and its soldiers in our anger and suffering, and some often say what they’d like to do to them given the chance. But when we’re actually given the chance to do so? I should know; I’ve done both. I have fought many men and have killed many of them, and it is a hard and terrible thing to live with. For someone who’s never been in that position, who’s never had to do such an awful thing before, of course at that moment you realised you were afraid. I do not blame you.”
 
The calm and restraint in his voice made Erin choke back the tears. This man had every reason to be livid with her, but he wasn’t. He was calm and rational and understanding. He was... at that moment, she felt she would do anything for him. “Thank you Vardus. I... I want you to know though, that I want to join your Resistance, and I will do everything you say from now on. I won’t disobey you again. I promise.”
 
“Thank you. I’m very grateful, and we are delighted to have you.” Vardus stood, taking the stone tablet and placing it on a mantelpiece, before sitting back down with one of his many books - something about trepanning or some subject. “As a new Resistance member, your first week will be spent solely down here in training with weapons and fitness. Nataka is in charge of that. Comply with his regimes without question and you’ll soon be operation ready. We will defeat the Emperor Erin, remember that. That is all for now. Oh actually, one more thing...”
 
Erin was stood to leave when Vardus called her back, looking over the reading glasses he’d just put on. “Do not misjudge my persona when I say this, but I think it would probably be best for everyone if we kept that last detail of your encounter with Camilla between us. I’m sure you can imagine what poor Clove is going through right now, and I won’t lie in saying that she does blame you for her brother’s death as it is. That is something you two will have to work out at some time, but don’t make it harder.”
 
“Um... yes, you’re probably right” Erin found herself bowing as she remembered her just taken pledge. At that moment there was a knock on the door, and upon Vardus’ permission Doyle, the Resistance doctor, burst in. He looked like he’d been running flat out, and when he looked at Erin, his expression was so panicky and distraught, she already could tell bad news was coming...
 
“I’m sorry if I’m interrupting Vardus, but Mia said you two were in here and it’s urgent. I need to tell you both... I was top-side getting supplies when it happened... and rushed back to find you...” Vardus was stood now as the doc turned to Erin, fighting for breath and words. She got the feeling she was going to need to sit down and brace for this, as slowly, horribly, they came. “The orphanage... your orphanage...”
 
She was going faint before he got to the end.
 
“...It’s on fire. They’ve burned it down.”
 
...
 
The smouldering remains of the main hall were engulfed with memories, of once happier times that still lingered in the smoky air and scorched wood. Combined, they were a numbing sensation that froze her in place in the middle of the wreckage. Beside the collapsed wall, the one that Gaius had been blasted through a few days ago that had now completely fallen apart and half of the room above had collapsed on top of, Dorian waited quietly for as long as she needed. He had accompanied her to the remains of the orphanage at Vardus’ request, now a day on from the blaze, as she needed to see it for herself. They doubted they’d find any trouble; this wasn’t another setup by the Emperor. Just a statement of intent.
 
“Did Doyle find out any more about how it happened?” she eventually asked.
 
“The news channel said it was an accident. Kitchen fire that got out of hand or some other story” Dorian replied. As he approached white ash kicked up with every step, unsettling some of the powered dust of the little remains lying around them. “Supposedly city firemen raced to the scene to help, but the blaze was too strong. Structures like this, with this build quality, it enveloped them too quickly for anyone to escape. Course I’d be surprised if any of that were true. I’d have thought his party mouthpieces would try to pin it on us instead; I guess they don’t want to admit a resistance even exists yet. Definitely gave them a story to gloss over the Raviel prison incident though. I’m... so sorry Erin. Nobody made it.”
 
“You have nothing to be sorry about” she replied, staring down at her feet. There were the last remains of a small body, burned to death, unbearable agony permanently locked on what remained of his little face. One of the sisters lay nearby. The undertakers were busy, with so many bodies they had to go in relays, they only had a little time before they came back to put the rest in the cart. Looking down at the bodies, Erin’s fists clenched. “It’s the guard who need to be sorry. The Emperor who will be sorry.”
 
Dorian gently put a hand on her shoulder. “We will make him sorry Erin. Stuff like this is too far, but it’s going to happen to anyone who crosses him. He’s going to keep destroying people’s lives, and he’ll keep reacting like this against us if we fight. But we have to do something to stop it; otherwise it’ll just go on.”
 
“If not us, then it’ll be other innocent people.” She thought that was what he wanted to hear, but it was half-hearted. These deaths were on her, as much as the Emperor. All those kids she’d grown up with, all the sisters who’d raised her. All gone, because of her actions. Dorian must have sensed her feelings.
 
“This isn’t your fault Erin. It’s Nero’s fault. He’s to blame for all of this.”
 
‘You trying to use what I said back on me isn’t going to make me feel better’ she thought sadly. “You’re right, Nero did this. I can’t be put off by this, that won’t bring them back. Hopefully if I keep fighting him, now there is nothing more he can take away, and defeat him, they’ll forgive me.”
 
“That’s not what I... oh alright, that’s good enough” Dorian conceded, looking back into the courtyard. He could hear the hooves of a drawn cart approaching. “We have to go now.”
 
“One minute. I just need to find something first.” Erin took off through the wreckage, and made her way to the back playroom. This was where the kids had been put when the guards surrounded the place, and Mel had been put in with them when she’d fought the generals. Thankfully the bodies had already been taken out of here. Routing around the remains of a small climbing frame half buried in fallen timbers as instructed, she just hoped it was still there and hadn’t been pinched. As she cleared the debris away, a pack back was revealed, and pulling it free, she found all of the contents were thankfully untouched.
 
“Got it.” Dorian understood, now they needed to get out of here. They left the back way, evading the returning undertakers, as they did Erin took one last look at her old home, gone forever, and a part of her felt like it was gone with it. ...
 
An hour later, and they were safely back in the waterways and returned to the grand ancient chamber. In the central training area, Doyle was waiting for them, along with Melanc.
 
“I’m glad you’re back safe” the doctor smiled. “I thought the young lad could do with getting out of your room for a bit and having a walk about, and his behaviour has been good.”
 
“Thanks for looking after him Doyle” Erin smiled as she took off the pack, before turning to her brother. He was stood there looking down, arms folded, despondent as ever. Cautiously she offered him the bag. “Here Mel. I got it. It still has everything in it.”
 
Mel looked at it, but didn’t take it. “I wanted to come with you to get it.”
 
Erin shuddered. As far as Mel was concerned, she’d just visited their old and still very much intact home. With the way he was, finding out something like that might make him worse. She knew she’d have to tell him eventually, something she was dreading and knew delaying could make worse, but now was definitely not the time. “Please take it Mel. It’s got your toys in. I just want you to happy, so I thought maybe if I got you some of your things for our room, you might feel a bit better. Oh please.”
 
“What? You think you can bribe me with toys or summit?” Erin was stunned as he retorted with an edge of bitterness. “They’re not going to make this place home. I want to go back home.”
 
Erin swallowed. She could feel the other’s tension. “You know we can’t do that Mel.”
 
“Yeah, and why is that again?”
 
She froze, had he found out somehow? No, she was sure Doyle wouldn’t have said anything. “Because... it’s not safe to do that. While we’re fighting against the Emperor, we have to stay here where it’s safe - with our new friends. This is our home now Mel. You’ll be safe down here while I’m fighting for you.” Something that she’d said seemed to hit a nerve, because Mel scoffed and turned towards one of the bridges and began to walk off. Feeling that she was losing him and desperate, she rummaged through the bag for another item. One that she was sure to bring him round, as you pulled out a sealed pack of cards. “Look Mel. Don’t you at least want these back? The set daddy gave you for your birthday.”
 
“That? Why the hell would I want them anymore!?” That got a reaction, but not what she was expecting as Mel rounded, and for the first time in days looked straight at her. In his eyes were a mixture of anger, and hurt, and pain welling up, as he started yelling at her. “Why would I want them after seeing all the trouble you’ve got into with mom’s set? They got taken away because of them, and now the guard are trying to take you away too because you attacked Gaius! You keep saying you’re doing things for me and promising stuff, but you’re lying! You abandoned me! You put everyone else in danger and for what, to protect me? What am I supposed to do if they take you away as well?!”
 
Stunned by his outburst Erin tried to reply, but he just shouted over her. “You’re just being selfish. We were okay how we were; everything at our home was okay. But you threw all that away, and you left me behind! We’ve already lost mom and dad, and now you’re going to leave me all alone with your stupid fight. This isn’t our home. These aren’t our friends. Yours maybe. It’s all about you isn’t it! I hate you!”
 
Erin wilted, verging on tears as Mel stormed off. Doyle put an arm around her as she looked about to faint, whereas the teenage rebel beside her - who’d watched this exchange in silence - was seething.
 
“Now that’s enough you brat!” Mel spun around as Dorian shouted at him, both glaring at each other with differing furies. “You think she’s selfish? I’ll tell you; your sister is bloody well brave to do what she has, and absolutely selfless. How selfish are you to have a go at her after all she’s done to try protecting you? Yeah I don’t know all your history, but its damned obvious she cares about you, so much so that she’ll leap into any danger for you without hesitation, like the other night, and you treat her like that?”
 
“Huh... oh yeah? And why was I in that prison huh?” Mel fired back. “Because of her leaving me behind with the guards having run off with you lot, to join your hopeless fight. So she came and found me, so what? So you lock me up down here instead? It’s like I’m right back in that prison anyway. I wish I was!”
 
“Why you...!!!”
 
The last remark sent Dorian over the edge. He looked so angry he looked like he wanted to hit the kid, but knew better of it. Flailing around for some release, he spotted the deck in Erin’s hands and his eyes widened. To her shock he approached her, snatched it, and threw the pack at Melanc - so forcefully it hit him in the forehead - before taking a flame red duel shield off a nearby rack. When he spoke his voice quivered with explosive anger. “I’ve had enough of this. I risked my life to get you out of that prison, and I’ll have you know a good friend of mine lost his!” Mel baulked at that revelation, but it didn’t make Dorian back down. “Then you turn around and say that! How dare you punk! Defend yourself!”
 
Mel grimaced as he picked up the set of cards he’d rejected a minute ago, looking for the world like he wanted to chuck them in one of the canals surrounded the training area to spite Erin, but he was too angry and childishly stubborn to back down. Glancing around he noticed the training area had a couple of spare duel disks on another rack nearby. He stomped over and equipped one, which was a struggle, but he didn’t want help and no-one was offering it. Erin weakly pleaded with Dorian to calm down, but he wasn’t listening. Eventually Mel got the thing going, loaded up his automatically shuffled deck, and the two raging kids went to bash heads with them as they drew.

 

“Duel!”

 
“I’ve got the green light to go first” Mel declared as the randomizer gave him the choice, grinning as he saw his opening hand. ‘Neat start.’ “I draw, and activate the continuous magic card Toon World!”
 
A giant comic book rose before the small boy, opening and rifling through the pages to reveal and a dark and twisted toon town. Behind it Mel winced slightly, but once recovered looked rather cocky (LP 3000). “I have to give up a thousand of my points to use this card, which might seem odd given it has no other effect of its own. But now that it’s on the field, it lets me get up to all sorts of antics. For example, I can summon Toon Goblin Attack Force!”
 
From the book sprang a group of round green imp creatures carrying clubs, comically bashing each other over the head with them (Lv4, ATK 2300). “Ha, good luck outmatching them” Mel scoffed. “My toons are a special sub-type of monster; all of them are super powerful. But just to make sure, I’m gonna activate another continuous spell called Vengeful Bog Spirit. While it’s on the field, no monster can attack the turn that it’s summoned. Not something that bothers my toons. Just try and get through this defence.”
 
Across the field, Dorian’s temper had simmered a little, much to the relief of Erin who was stood on the halfway line of the field with the doctor. Taking the card offered in a wide arc, his expression changed to a confident smirk at the deluded child. “Heh, you’re calling that a defence? Sorry kid. You’ve got some interesting monsters, but so have I. And mine will rip through that comic!” Mel blinked as Dorian held up his drawn card. “First I activate a continuous magic card of my own, the card Herculean Power! Once a turn, while you have monsters on the field and I don’t, I’m allowed to use this card to special summon my own special kind of monster. The Gemini monster Blazewing Butterfly!”
 
Across the field burst forth a large insect, its giant beating wings ablaze with pure flame (Lv4, ATK 1500). At first its appearance made Mel snigger. “Heh, butterfly. Sissy.”
 
“Heh, laugh while you can” Dorian grinned at his ignorance. “However you won’t be laughing once you find out what my pretty little butterfly can do. First off, like your toons, my butterfly is one of a special sub-type of monster. So now I use my normal summon for this turn to Gemini Summon Blazewing.”

“What?!” Mel jumped, looking around expecting to see a second butterfly. However none emerged. Instead, a burst of light appeared underneath the one on the field, seemingly instilling it with some kind of power. Even Erin looked confused. She’d never heard of this type of monster before. Dorian smirked.
 
“Let me explain. When a Gemini monster first appears on the field, or while it’s in the graveyard, it is treated as a normal monster without any real power. However by normal ‘summoning’ it for a second time, then it gets interesting, as it gains an effect more powerful than other monsters of that level.” Mel swallowed as he tried to think what this might mean, as Dorian revealed another spell. “I activate Foolish Burial, sending a monster from my deck to the graveyard. So now I can activate the powered up and ready effect of my Blazewing. By sending it to the grave, I can summon the Gemini monster I just sent there in its place. Rise from the dead with a cyclone of fury, Darkstorm Dragon!”
 
The flaming butterfly dissolved, sending a ripple of fire across the arena, and from the blaze shot up a black hurricane, whipping across the field. A skeletal black dragon rose through the top, raising its torn wings, screeching furiously at the small boy before it (Lv8, ATK 2700). Both siblings gulped as Dorian reached out to his dragon.
 
“Oh and by the way, a monster summoned by the effect of Blazewing Butterfly gains its effect right off the bat, so I’ll activate that too. By sending Herculean Power to the graveyard, every other spell and trap card on the field is destroyed. And unlike you, ignorant child, I know full well about your cards, such as the fact that when Toon World is destroyed, your monster goes down with it.” Indeed Melanc jumped as the twisters smashed his cards to bits, and without the floating comic book the troop of goblins faded away. Suddenly he was defenceless, and that dragon was looking just as murderous as its master below it. “Now with that pitiful defence out of the way, Darkstorm, attack the kid directly!”
 
“No!” Erin shouted as another forceful hurricane ripped across the field, smashing into her petrified brother. Mel screamed as the winds whipped around him, picking him up and slamming him back into the floor. The attack subsided, allowing Mel to prop himself up on his side, shivering and snivelling a little as he did (LP 300). Dorian was unsympathetic as he looked down at him.
 
“Grow up kid. You trash talk your sister and put down my friend, you think I’d go easy on you after that? I know none of your big monsters can attack me now your life points are so low. Just... oh for god’s sake you’re not gonna cry are you?” Indeed Mel was snivelling away rather pathetically, and Erin was glaring at him so venomously it made him shudder. “Oh come on, I didn’t mean... I just... But he...”
 
“So what did you mean then?” Erin snapped. “What’s the point of doing that to my brother? I know you’re upset about what happened to Skaro, we all are, and he didn’t mean what he said alright? You think you’ll feel better about things beating him up?”
 
“That’s not... oh alright, I’m sorry” the boy grumbled and swept his hair out of his face, setting a card face down. Mel hadn’t even moved or drew his card when he decided to go ahead with it anyway. “I’ll use Heroic Gift. Because your life points are under a thousand, I can reset them to their starting value, in exchange for drawing two cards myself.” The siblings blinked as a light aura enveloped Mel, healing him of all the battle damage (LP 4000) whilst a shamefaced Dorian took two more cards. “There, happy now? Look just... do what you want kid. Just go easy on your sister and give us half a chance alright? It’s just gonna be awkward us all living together otherwise you know.”
 
Indeed his initial temper seemed to have genuinely softened in a begrudging way, something that took Mel aback. Looking between the guy and his sister, he was struggling to make up his mind on what to do. ‘That guy is weird. No, he’s just a jerk, just like my sis is too. I hate her now, remember.’ “I... er... whatever. I draw.” Not there was anything he could do with his hand without something good here. But this card would help, he thought. “Awe-some. I activate Pot of Duplicity. By returning the three cards in my graveyard to my deck and giving up my battle phase for the turn, I can draw two cards.”

He’d just put his hand to his deck and was about to draw when, to his surprise, Dorian face-palmed. “What? What did I do?”
 
“Read the card again kid” Dorian said simply. Erin was sadly shaking her head at him too. Panicked and confused he did as he was told, Dorian confirming what he feared as he re-read the effect in full. “You have to return three different monsters to your deck to activate that card, not any cards. Sorry kid.”
 
“What?!” Mel started. Reading the card, he understood his mistake now. This was horrible. With this card being useless, he couldn’t do anything at all. “But I can’t... there’s nothing I can... oooooooh...” He slumped on his bum and started moping again. Across the field, Dorian looked awkwardly at Erin.
 
“I kind of assumed he knew what...” Perhaps it would be better for his case if he didn’t complete that sentence, as the despondent Erin just shook her head. “I see. Ugh... alright kid. You know what, forget about it. Go ahead.”
 
“Huh?” Mel gulped, as indeed Erin looked surprised by his sudden offer. “You don’t mind?”
 
“Nah I don’t. It was an honest mistake” he shrugged. “Just draw the cards anyway.”
 
Mel wiped his nose a bit as he got up again. “Ummm... okay... I draw two cards then.” Taking the two on offer, he forced out another comic book based card and a low level monster, and his heart bounced. He’d got exactly what he needed. Well, not exactly. There was a problem with it. But looking between his cards, and his now seemingly quite-generous opponent, he got an idea. An idea on how he might be able to beat this guy... “I activate the spell Toon Table of Contents. This adds any card with Toon or Manga in its name to my hand, and I’ll be choosing Toon World and reactivating it at the cost of a thousand life points again (LP 3000). Then I summon Dandylion.”
 
The small cat creature with flower petals for a mane appeared before him (Lv3, ATK 300). “Now because Toon World is on the field again, I can use Dandylion as tribute for the special summon of another toon monster right away. Spring forth Toon Summoned Skull!” A demonic skeletal sprang out of the pages of the comic book as the Danylion disappeared, eyeballs spinning and cackling hysterically (Lv6, ATK 2500). Either side of it, two dandelion spores appeared. “And because Dandylion was sent to the graveyard for his summon, two fluff tokens appear on my side of the field. So now I’ll tribute those too, to special summon another toon monster that can come out with my book on the field. Manga Ryu-Ran!”
 
“Mel!” Erin was shocked, rounding on her little brother as a large baby dragon bounced out of the toon town, still half in its egg and grinning maliciously at Dorian (Lv7, ATK 2200). He himself blinked, but instead of correcting the boy a second time he just flicked his hair out of his eyes and huffed.
 
“I’m saying nothing...”
 
“Yeah! Now you got two of my most powerful toon monsters to deal with, even if neither of them can attack this turn” Mel continued without hesitation or appearing to notice as he held up the last card in his hand. “I end my turn with a face down. Now let’s see what your cool monsters can do.”
 
As Dorian stood there and thought about what he could do, Mel revelled in his own brilliance. ‘Heh, I know what you’re thinking. You’re gonna use Darkstorm Dragon again to destroy my face down and Toon World, and take my monsters with it. But what you don’t know is my face down is the trap The Huge Revolution is Over. When he goes to destroy my cards, I can activate it to stop the effect, and his dragon will get banished. He-he, I’m so brilliant. You’ll be sorry when I beat him Erin!’ Because he really wanted to beat this guy. Beating this guy would make him feel better. It would make his dumb sister look stupid for ruining their life by going off with these people and doing dumb stuff like fighting people like Gaius. That would make her sorry. ‘Hey... maybe she’ll quit. And if she quits, then maybe the guards would leave us alone, and then we could go back to our real home. So what if I made another ‘mistake’ in order to beat this guy? I don’t care about him. After he threatened me, pushed me around and locked me up down here. He’ll be sorry too.’
 
In his head, it all seemed perfect.
 
Around the pathways surrounding the training area, other resistance members were starting to gather and see what was going on. Watching as Dorian had a look at the field, frowned, and drew his card.
 
“My. Turn. I activate the spell card Polymerization.”
 
“What?” The siblings, Doyle, and the new spectators all reacted differently as a vortex appeared behind the spindly dragon, and sucked it in. Behind it, Dorian reached for his extra deck. “By sending my dragon and another Gemini monster in my hand to the graveyard as materials for this spell, I perform a Fusion Summon! Come my mighty amalgamated creation; Superalloy Beast Raptinus!”
 
The ground shook as an abominable creature emerged from the vortex and landed between them. A large dragon of many different colours and features, like the melded pieces of many foul creatures, crawling across the stone platform on its belly and all fours, two giant wings sprouted out of its back as it dragged towards Mel, roaring terribly (Lv8, ATK 2200).
 
“Next I activate the spell Swing of Memories. This summons a normal monster in my graveyard, which like I already said includes Gemini’s. So I’ll summon the other monster I used to create Raptinus, Future Samurai appears.” A swordsman in turquoise robes and carrying a sword rose through a hellish portal in the ground (Lv4, ATK 1600). “But when Raptinus is on the field, all Gemini monsters immediately gain their effects, so I’ll use Future Samurai’s. By removing a monster from the grave, one of yours is destroyed.”
 
Mel jumped as the agile swordsman swept under his Skull’s guard and drove his sword through it, the demon creature screaming as it was obliterated. Still, he was still okay. “Don’t matter. Our monsters are still tied in strength, and mine don’t need to attack yours.” Dorian seemed unaffected by this.
 
“I summon Tuned Magician.” A tall wizard in green and white robes appeared beside the samurai (Lv4, ATK 1800). “And because his effect is active, he becomes a tuner monster. So now I’ll tune him with my Samurai to perform a Synchro Summon!” Erin and Mel gasped as the two monsters spirits rose as stars and rings, combining to form... “Break through the barriers with devastating power. Black Brutdrago!”
 
The earth blasted apart as a towering black hided dragon emerged, a beast covered in spikes all over its powerful body and with claws that could rip through steel, and a thick plated head with horns and many teeth ready to go, concealed the embers of dark fire within (Lv8, ATK 3000). Erin was scared for Mel, he was trying to keep a straight face as he did the maths, trying to look unworried, that he was prepared, but he wasn’t very convincing. Certainly there was no chance Dorian was going to buy it as he stood between his two mighty beasts, looking down at him, mean and moody despite his inevitable victory.
 
“Brutdrago’s effect. By discarding a Gemini monster in my hand, he can eradicate one spell or trap on the field. I don’t need to take the chance. Your face down can go.” Mel’s set Huge Revolution is Over card was revealed, before a stream of dark crimson fire engulfed it. Dorian shrugged at the revelation. “I see. Regardless, now there is definitely nothing to defend you, and I will not be so generous a second time. Brutdrago, show that childish hatchling what a real dragon can do!”
 
The bull dragon charged; ramming its head into the cartoon dragons exposed stomach and driving it into the stone. The dragon cried as its body shattered under the weight of force of the attack. Dorian was just as merciless. “Now Raptinus, direct attack!”
 
Mel barely reacted as the breath of lightning washed over him, simply sinking to his knees in defeat (LP 0). With the duel’s end, the two powerful creatures beside Dorian faded away, leaving him to disarm his shield and casually sweep his hair back again, still frowning down at his beaten little form. Erin and Doyle ran over and tried to help him up, but as soon as she kneeled beside him he shoved her off. His eyes were welling up as he wriggled away. He was humiliated.
 
“Stop it; I don’t want to hear it. Just... Just... Just leave me alone!”
 
With that he turned and sprinted away from the gathered crowd, trying to hide his face and get away from them laughing at him further. Indeed the other young rebels, the general Chetema, and the little girl she’d met before were all watching him go, but they didn’t look remotely like laughing at him, not that he’d seen it like that. Erin just knelt there numbly watching him go, unable to speak. Doyle said something and went jogging after him in her stead. As he gave chase, another hand on her shoulder made her jump up. It was Dorian. He looked grim and moody about what had happened.
 
“Please don’t hate me for that. I didn’t wish for it to happen, I’m not some bully or anything. I just lost my temper and wanted to put him in his place for what he said, and I think a part of me wanted to try and get it out of his system. I’m sorry if I just made things worse between the two of you.”
 
Erin shook her head. “I don’t think things could be worse between us. Well, except when I have to tell him about what really happened to the orphanage. Then he’ll hate me even more.”
 
“If it happens then it happens” Dorian shrugged. “You’ll have to tell him eventually. Just don’t beat yourself up if he reacts badly and keeps on playing up. He’ll be alright in time. Don’t let it get to you.”
 
Erin glumly accepted this. Hopefully he was right. “I’m sorry about his behaviour. To everyone. And I’m sorry about his duelling. We rarely got chance to play at our home. He just makes mistakes when he gets excited or when he panics, but he shouldn’t blatantly cheat like that.”
 
Again Dorian shrugged. “Eh, don’t worry about it. To be honest if I was really that worried about winning or losing or anything like that, I’d have used Swing of Memories first turn.” Erin blinked at his admission. “But that would make me a jerk. I dunno what I was thinking; whether I wanted to help or whether that was my temper. I’m like that sometimes. Sorry, guess that’s something else you’re going to have to get used to down here.”
 
With that he turned to leave, leaving her stunned. But something bothered her, as the crowd dispersed and Dorian walked off. There was something about his many conflicting moods, and something else. “Why do you care about me and Mel so much, to do what you do? It’s my problem; you could just stay away from it if you wanted. Why would you get yourself involved?”
 
Dorian stopped. “Because we’re a family down here. All of us together, looking after each other as we fight the Empire, like the families Nero has taken away from us. And like I said, my life will be a lot more comfortable down here without a screaming sulking kid running around. No offence.” He paused, then looked back over his shoulder at her, his tone and expression as straight and blunt as ever. “Besides, you’re cute.”
 
This time he did leave her stunned, walking off without saying a further word.[/spoiler]

[Ren✧]

THE ROMANTIC TENSION!!!!!!...sorry...bit of a sucker for romance...

Well as a whole, I enjoyed the chapter(I bet you're a bit tired of me saying that...but then again who doesn't love praise?) I love that Melanc used Toons, some of my favorite cards...even if they are sorrowly out dated. Geminis are also a personal favorite of mine, so I loved seeing the duel play out. I also like how you hi-light Mel's lacking ability at Duel Monsters, a lot of writers would have made the duel a struggle for both sides so I appreciate that you point out how one sided it was. 

 

Unfortunately, with the praise, must come the critiques...but from what I gather you love those. So let's continue. The first thing that I picked up while reading is extremely minor, but it just stuck out to me for some reason. When you are describing Vardus' office, you note that he has "artefacts" on his shelves. I had thought it was spelled "artifacts"...but since my spell-check didn't pick anything up on "artefacts" I am now assuming that is a British spelling of the word. Moving on. 

 

Mel's diction seemed a little off to me. He seemed to talk high above his age level and formulate thoughts that you wouldn't expect to hear from such a young child. I wouldn't think that such abandonment issues would manifest themselves so quickly in a person. My original image of Mel was a seven year old(you probably stated his age at the beginning of the fic, but I can't remember now), but by the diction he was using I would say that he was much older. That might be something that you want to look into. Another thing is the way that Mel acts when he is rescued. I didn't bring it up in the last chapter, because I thought some reason might be given for it, but I am now beginning to believe that he acted 'out of it' solely because he thought Erin had abandoned him. Again, I wouldn't think that such a young child would have that sort of reaction to being saved from the people he had been made to think evil his entire life. I mean he did just step in to save his sister from the evil general Gaius which started this whole mess. I would think that his long embedded hatred of the empire would override any spark of abandonment issues. But, I guess that is really just my personal opinion and you may want to get others' thoughts on it before you monkey around with the story. You could also be planning to further explain why he acted like he did in the coming chapters, so if that is the case, please disregard.

 

The only other thing that I had a problem with was how the duel started. I totally get that Dorian would be pissed at the sniveling brat, heck I find that I too was a bit fed up with Mel's attitude, but the start of the duel over all seemed awkward. The main reason I can see of this is that you state that the pack of cards that Mel uses is sealed. I would assume this to me that they are unopened. So did Mel just open up this untouched deck and start playing with a type of card that is obviously quite rare? Also, this 'sealed' pack of cards conflicts with some earlier statements about how Mel and Erin dueled in secret at the orphanage. What did Mel use to duel if his pack of cards were sealed?

Overall, these are minor errors that could just very well be the result of my opinions finding too much leverage in my review, but I hope something helps you out. Loving the story, can't wait to read more :D

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Well this is... abysmal. :(

 

Sigh... I have got to start putting the chapter number in the actual title so it's easier to see. But still, no wonder I was barely inclined to come on this week (even if that was originally for other IRL reasons, so sorry for slow responses.)

 

Finally read chapter 5.

 

Probably a moot point by now, but I didn't feel much from Skaro's death and everyone pretty much summed up their feelings on the issue and I feel like you got the gist and learned, all's good.

The action towards the end was sudden, but that was a pleasant surprise for me. And I thought Worm King would be fighting Gungnir until lo and behold, it was on their side. 

Which is fine, I feel like all the gross monsters stereotypically side with the bad guys. Nice change of pace.

I'm trying to remember Mel's character from Armageddon, think I liked him more there than in this fic, but his behavior's understandable given what he's been through.

 

I was thinking, I know you've been vague about the duel monsters being there but not really before and it's kind of late to fit in an alternate explanation for it, but I think it would've been cool if manifesting one's monsters and spell/traps was a sort of latent ability. Not everyone has it, OR everyone has it, but needs to train and hone it, then they use that latent power to give their cards physical form. And Erin being able to use that would justify Vardus' interest in her and why Camilla and Gaius are formidable in particular.

 

Looking forward to arc 2!

 

Hey Fusion.

 

See Chapter 6 for Mel development.

 

That theory sounds... kind of like Final Fantasy XIII-2 (no idea if you've played that, but sounds like the 'everyone has latent magical powers inside them and some of them had theirs unlocked cuz event') I just thought it seemed similar. I guess it... might have worked, althought it seems a little cliche.

 

THE ROMANTIC TENSION!!!!!!...sorry...bit of a sucker for romance...

Well as a whole, I enjoyed the chapter(I bet you're a bit tired of me saying that...but then again who doesn't love praise?) I love that Melanc used Toons, some of my favorite cards...even if they are sorrowly out dated. Geminis are also a personal favorite of mine, so I loved seeing the duel play out. I also like how you hi-light Mel's lacking ability at Duel Monsters, a lot of writers would have made the duel a struggle for both sides so I appreciate that you point out how one sided it was. 

 

Unfortunately, with the praise, must come the critiques...but from what I gather you love those. So let's continue. The first thing that I picked up while reading is extremely minor, but it just stuck out to me for some reason. When you are describing Vardus' office, you note that he has "artefacts" on his shelves. I had thought it was spelled "artifacts"...but since my spell-check didn't pick anything up on "artefacts" I am now assuming that is a British spelling of the word. Moving on. 

 

Mel's diction seemed a little off to me. He seemed to talk high above his age level and formulate thoughts that you wouldn't expect to hear from such a young child. I wouldn't think that such abandonment issues would manifest themselves so quickly in a person. My original image of Mel was a seven year old(you probably stated his age at the beginning of the fic, but I can't remember now), but by the diction he was using I would say that he was much older. That might be something that you want to look into. Another thing is the way that Mel acts when he is rescued. I didn't bring it up in the last chapter, because I thought some reason might be given for it, but I am now beginning to believe that he acted 'out of it' solely because he thought Erin had abandoned him. Again, I wouldn't think that such a young child would have that sort of reaction to being saved from the people he had been made to think evil his entire life. I mean he did just step in to save his sister from the evil general Gaius which started this whole mess. I would think that his long embedded hatred of the empire would override any spark of abandonment issues. But, I guess that is really just my personal opinion and you may want to get others' thoughts on it before you monkey around with the story. You could also be planning to further explain why he acted like he did in the coming chapters, so if that is the case, please disregard.

 

The only other thing that I had a problem with was how the duel started. I totally get that Dorian would be pissed at the sniveling brat, heck I find that I too was a bit fed up with Mel's attitude, but the start of the duel over all seemed awkward. The main reason I can see of this is that you state that the pack of cards that Mel uses is sealed. I would assume this to me that they are unopened. So did Mel just open up this untouched deck and start playing with a type of card that is obviously quite rare? Also, this 'sealed' pack of cards conflicts with some earlier statements about how Mel and Erin dueled in secret at the orphanage. What did Mel use to duel if his pack of cards were sealed?

Overall, these are minor errors that could just very well be the result of my opinions finding too much leverage in my review, but I hope something helps you out. Loving the story, can't wait to read more :D

 

Well, at least there was one. Thanks Rene.

 

No, I'm more than happy for people to say they like this story. It's happening that infrequently and I'm finding it deeply concerning :mellow: There was a long discussion about what Dorian would use, since I didn't wanna go archetype for him necessarily and sub-type seemed to make him a bit more special. There are... other reasons... and does lead to some fun duels stuff. He, as I'm sure you've guessed, will get more coverage as we go along.

 

Regarding critisism, I hoped that wouldn't come up about Mel but feared it might. So much for my going back and proofreading everything for that to happen. You'd think having already done one major character in that age bracket before I'd have got the hang of it (although she was a super intelligent six year old...) So that's annoying. As for the start of the duel being awkward, well, maybe because Dorian himself started to feel awkward after he'd actually cooled off and hit Mel, that might have come across as well? Sealed just meant packaged/boxed/whatever as opposed to unopened, probably in hindsight not the best choice of words when I could have just said pack and they'd obviously been in something anyway to stop them spilling everywhere. My bad. He has used his toons since he was given them, although only against Erin, and knew full well what he was doing when he made his 'mistake' using Dandylion.

 

So, anyway, I guess I might as well put Chapter 7 up while I'm here. Since... it's already written... and all. Any thoughts good/bad/indifferent? It would be nice, seriously. I mean if this one doesn't get comments I'll be mildly irritated, given who is entering this story properly now...

 

Lots of new characters throughout, some more introduced (or reintroduced) than others. I wonder if anyone will spot them all... Well, I guess all will be revealed. By me. In time. If someone spots something that they find... hidden, I have some ideas on some more interactive stuff.

 

[spoiler=Chapter 7]Chapter 7: The Arms Dealer

 

Somewhere far away to the south of the capital, in a dark and foreboding castle hidden high up in a cluster of mountains at the very centre of the Empire’s domain, the hooded figure was idly sat on his own throne. It was a macabre structure of spikes and bones, slightly raised and placed at the edge of a large circular room at the back of the castle inside the mountain itself, lit only by a little sunlight that came in through an open hole in the roof. The room’s only other noticeable feature was a large rune-covered archway half buried into the rock opposite him...

 

The figure lounged back into his chair with a heavy boot rested on one knee, chin on his skeletal white knuckles as he leaned sideways, a miserable look of frustration on his face as he stared through the arch in front of him, and thought about his problem. About why after years of jumping through hoops that that ignorant, pig-headed, self-obsessed, fearful, bad-mannered and generally wretched old coot Nero presented him with, and having met every single one of his silly trivial demands, having given him every little thing he wanted from him, why the blasted despot still wouldn’t give him what he wanted in return. Still he couldn’t get his complete trust and loyalty in order to move forward with his plans. It was getting infuriating. Maybe he should do himself a favour and just kill him already? Nah, that wouldn’t help. Force him to bend to his will then? No, the Emperor was best left to his own devices there. It was too much of an effort to spend all his time physically manipulating Nero’s every single move when he was doing such a good job at being an oppressive madman on his own anyway, keeping everyone busy hating and distracted fighting him, when he had his own plans to look after.

 

He groaned as the reality set in. Nero was useful, needed even, or at least he would be once he gave him his full trust and a freer room to operate, and was more open to his more subtle manipulations. He was needed as he was, even if he was a pain in the ass right now. He’d spent too much time getting himself this far into his court, placed as his royal vizier and advisor, too much effort influencing the change in the Emperor by preying on his dark desires, to throw it away and start again. So he had to play along with the honourable servant routine, again. And waste more of his own precious time rooting out this little ‘Resistance’ movement Nero wouldn’t admit he was so obviously terrified of, and that his guard were too incompetent to deal with without his help. Still, if he dealt with them, then maybe Nero would finally give in and place him above all others in his court. He groaned again. Who was he kidding?

 

‘Bah, if there’s one thing about the apocalypse I’m looking forward to, it’s being rid of that old fool’ he thought. ‘ As long as people like that damned Lord Fancy-Pants and all his other nobles are around and in his ear too, I’m gonna struggle to get my needs across without interference. I swear that guy disagrees with me just for the sake of being a pain. And just murdering the lot of them won’t look at all suspicious.’ Frustrated with his predicament, the man stood up, ran his hands through his thick swooping black hair, and stepped down towards the centre of the room and the circle of dim evening light seeping through.

 

“Alright, let’s get on with it. Everyone in.”

 

At the command, several more cloaked figures emerged from a passage leading back into the castle proper. The figures were all of different shapes and sizes and types, coming out of the passage where they had been waiting for the summons in files of two by two. The first two were polar opposites; one tall and dressed all in white robes, the other stout and all in black. The only similarity between them was that both were masked, although those too were contrasting. Behind them followed a blonde woman, staring unblinking at the sinister man, and a tall figure whose features were completely hidden by their dark cloak and hood pulled up and wrapped tightly around them. Two more male recruits bought up the back of the train. Walking towards him in their regimented formation, they paired off and fanned out in a circle whilst he stood waiting with his arms folded. This was his group; a collection of misfits and freaks just like him, who’d he found and assembled from every corner of the Empire over the last few years. They were his loyal followers, people who shared his vision and would do anything to help him pursue his goal, and the only people he might call ‘friends’. Once the last two figures; a shorter, flabby looking man with large bulging eyes and a younger man with long unkempt brown hair and stubbly jaw took their positions opposite him and completed the circle, he began his briefing.

 

“Alright. As you may be aware already, our good buddy Nero has a new problem, and once again he’s come crying to me to take time from our schedule and sort it out for him.”

 

“Ugh, what is it this time?” the blonde woman groaned, blinking for the first time. The two unmasked recruits flinched, as her eyelids closed over her pitch black pupils from the sides in an inhuman way. “He’s so demanding, and his orders are never even any fun anymore. Not like the good times of the purge. I liked that. Why can’t we go out and do something like that again?”

 

“Patience my dear lady, you might actually be pleased to know that we might be doing something like that again after all.” The blonde woman looked beside herself with ecstasy at his suggestion, laughing and breaking into a sadistic grin. As she did so, something crawled across her neckline from under the folds of her cloak. “Over the last few days, his so called elite guard have been fighting with a group of protestors in the early signs of a small rebel movement in the capital, and you won’t be at all surprised to learn that they’ve been losing. Apparently this group rescued someone they were going to convict for treason and publically execute - in an extremely vulgar and hypocritical manner of course - and they also attacked one of his prisons, did some damage and sprung someone important to them, or something. I tend to tune out when that buffoon Longinus is talking” the man gesticulated as he talked to them. “But you get the gist. The Emperor feels sufficiently threatened by this ‘Resistance’, what with them using the duel monsters he fears so much, and he wants me to waste my time finding them and nullify their threat to his precious Empire and that throne he clings so miserly to, on top of everything else he wants.”

 

“I thought he wanted you to work on a way to make him immortal?” the young unshaven man asked.

 

“Well this is higher priority apparently” the sinister man shrugged. “Still, I guess it gives me an excuse to not give him anything in that line for a while. Anyway, he wants this rabble taken care of, and I’ve got enough on my plate as it is here with our plans. So I’m going to have to send some of you to the city to take care of his problem, then hopefully that will shut him up and we can get on with things in peace.”

 

“Fair enough” the younger man shrugged, adjusting his garb. As he did, the cold grey fingers of a metal right hand were briefly visible, the wrist spinning a full rotation as the fingers clenched into a fist. “I guess I could do with getting out of here for a bit too, and maybe going hunting a few amateur duelist wannabes again as well might help improve my mood. So, what do you know about this group so far?”

 

“I’ve suspected that a resistance movement would start up in the city for some time. With Nero’s radical change in leadership during and since the war it was inevitable, and there are a few potential leads to explore.” The leader grinned at the prospect he imagined. He had indeed predicted something like this would happen, ever since that day a few years ago. He had witnessed an event, concerning one man in particular, that suggested a fight would come. All the signs pointed to him. It was a small world after all, as well as miserable. “Since I got into the Emperor’s court I have seen a few things that suggest who is leading the group. If my suspicions are correct, which they usually are, then it could be quite interesting; as the man is not to be underestimated. A man by the name of Vardus Jackson. He is clever, powerful; but predictable and fallible. If I know him at all, he won’t be just holed up in some dingy little hideout, oh no. He is learned in history and ruins, and he is infatuated with all things of grandeur. I’m certain he will have found himself a very grand and famous home to use as his base, much like I have for us here. There are a few places in Sen’nenki I can think of that would appeal to him, and given his past deeds he is likely to be aware of most of them. As for his group and its other members, they have started moving publically in the last few days, so it’s hard to estimate their numbers. They are probably still small, but Vardus does have a persuasive nature about him. The majority of their number appear to be young from the city who have lost family or been orphaned by Nero’s actions, easy pickings for him to use.”

 

“So this Vardus plans to fight the Emperor with street kids?” the blonde woman found this increasingly hysterical. “He will need more than a few kids to take down an entire nation, before he even knew he was faced with us hiding behind the veil.”

 

“Do not be so arrogant as to belittle his abilities” the woman fell silent as the leader rounded on her. “They might be kids, but they have already pulled off some audacious moves, and they have also fought directly against Nero’s generals and defeated them. He will train them well. Besides, he will have more than a few kids. Vardus is very well connected, very well researched. He will have allies and helpers crawling all over the city supplying him undercover with everything he needs to fuel his revolution.”

 

“You make this man sound very powerful Master” the shorter man croaked. He was in his mid-twenties, although it was hard to tell given his appearance. He had flabby cheeks and loose neck skin which wobbled when he spoke, in fact the whole of his pale skin just looked slimy, and his bulging eyes slid in and out of focus and gave him a really strange look. His tongue slipped in and out as he continued. “Perhaps if he were to fall, then the group would collapse like dominoes without him?”

 

“Oh gee Gawp, aren’t you a genius?” the man rolled his eyes sarcastically, although it was pretty hard to tell, given how his eyes were also gradually getting less and less coloured, and more and more veiled over time. The flabby ‘Gawp’ took the putdown with some genuine hurt and embarrassment.

 

“I’ve told you, don’t call me that” he whined.

 

“What? It’s not like I call you a genius very often now is it?” Gawp fell despondent at the second remark, croaking quietly to himself. The master ignored him. “It is a valid point, however obvious. If Vardus were to fall, I imagine the resistance would crumble to bits without him. He’s resourceful and meticulous, but I doubt he would allow his own pride to let him make any kind of contingency plan for his own death. However that would be a difficult way to go about it and assumes too much about the thought process of the man I know. We still need to operate in shadows ourselves when we do this, and this is a good opportunity for me to gain the Emperor’s full favour. Succeeding where his guard could not, plus the chance to make him look good, as much as I hate doing that, this is too good an opportunity to waste.”

 

“Indeed Master” the masked man in all white robes spoke for the first time, the permanent smile of his ceramic theatre mask unmoved as his high pitched voice slide knifelike through the air. “You must play the loyal vizier until all is ready for your plan to go ahead, and we are able to proceed freely. As for this Resistance though, do you not think perhaps that it might be to our benefit if the Empire struggled with them, creating blessed pandemonium for us to move unhindered to the stage and our grand finale?”

 

“The thought did cross my mind” he reluctantly agreed. “I would have liked to see how it played out as well. However like you said, I have to prove my loyalty and power for now if I’m to appease him, and he’s ordered the resistance be crushed, so that’s what we’ll have to do. If we have need for this kind of struggle further down the line when we are more ready, I’m sure we can whip something up ourselves.”

 

“If that is what you wish, then their deaths can be arranged” the gruff low voice of the shorter robed man said, a permanent look of absolute sorrow on his black mask. “All characters must know their part, and do their end justice. If you wish their part to die for your ascension, you have only command it so.”

 

“Heh heh heh” the leader couldn’t help but laugh at nature of the offer. However his mood darkened when he turned to the bulk of the fully concealed figure, the tallest person here ahead of the masked man in white and himself, and broad shouldered as well, who up until now had remained silent. “Well, what are your thoughts on it? You have anything to contribute?”

 

The concealed figure simply stood there with his or her arms folded and shrugged, prompting another irritable scowl.

 

“Ugh, why do I even ask you?” he muttered, before committing himself to a plan of action. Looking around the group, his grin returned as he decided. “Alpha...”

 

The laughing masked man in white on his right stepped forward. “Omega.”

 

So did the crying man in black on the other side. “I’m going to leave you two in charge of this. I’m giving you free reign on how you go about it, all I’d suggest is that you be stealthy, at least while you’re finding out what you’re facing and how you wish to deal with the problem. As discussed, if you can bring them down in a way that improves the Emperor’s standing with the population, or if it’s more fun, in a way that terrifies them all so much into never questioning him in this way again, it may help somewhat with my standing with him. Take Jeremiah with you, he seems keen.” The boggle-eyed man slid into a sick smile at his reprieve, his tongue sticking out again as his throat bulged. However the other recruits didn’t seem as thrilled with this. Indeed the blonde woman protested.

 

“What?! Gawp gets to go killing people and I don’t!? That’s not fair, I wanna go.”

 

“My dear lady, please control yourself. As former members of Nero’s Extermination Squad who he ordered be put to death, after we made a great show to him at the end of which you appeared to be dead, I can’t exactly have you popping up in his city being alive all of a sudden. That will lead to some awkward questions. I need you and Gear to stay with me for that reason, along with ‘I’m so cool and silent’ over there who clearly couldn’t be less interested in going.” A low, threatening noise came from within the folds of the concealed figure mentioned, but the blonde continued to beg in protest.

 

“Oh please my Lord. I can’t help who I am. I need to get out of this castle for a break and have some fun. I am eternally grateful for you giving me the chance to join your noble cause, but I have needs to. You know how good I am at this sort of work just because of my time with the squad; I’ve proven my skills in that line. Certainly I’m more likely to succeed than Gawp is.”

 

“Hey!” the flabby man next to her stamped in protest, eyes swivelling madly. “Firstly, I said don’t call me that. It’s Jeremiah! And second, I can be just as skilled an assassin as you are!”

 

“Bah, don’t make me laugh” the blonde woman rounded on her associate, staring back at him. There was something frightening about that look; about the pulsing veins that stretched under her tinted skin, about her vicious snarl, and the something that was definitely moving in her dress. Something in her dark eyes... no, something else underneath her eyes... Jeremiah Gawp shuddered, but didn’t back down.

 

“Oh really? Well how about I prove it? I’ll take down this Vardus, or whoever it is leading this group.” The lady blurted in laughter at his sudden boast. “Then you’ll have to respect me!”

 

“Oh I’d love to see that. You’re out of your tiny little mind if you think...”

 

“Children please!!” Everyone feel silent as the leader shouted over them. The two arguing associates still grumbled under their breath, but another deadly look made them fall silent. “Thank you. Now then, let’s get this settled. Gawp; personally, I don’t think you can meet this boast, but since you’ve made it and I’ll be so utterly delighted if you prove me wrong, I will give you a shot at him. I have a few ideas from my knowledge of the capital where you can look into finding their potential base.” Gawp smirked up at the blonde woman, but her attention was focused on her lord looking at her. “You think you can keep a lid on things, and the fact you’re still alive under wraps?”

 

“Absolutely without question” she answered confidently. He turned to the masked men.

 

“You guys want to use her?” The masks both nodded. “Alright then, you’re in.”

 

The woman was so ecstatic at his approval she stepped towards him; almost going to smother him with kisses, but just about restrained her joy in time. “Oh thank you my sweet Lord. You won’t regret this.”

 

“For the umpteenth time, don’t call me lord” he groaned, making her blush with embarrassment. “All the big city nobles are Lord this and Lord that, and they disgust me. I don’t want to be tarred with their title. I have my own. As for you two” he pointed at the despondent young man and the silent figure. “You stay here and continue your assignments. Alpha and Omega; you know what you’re going to do?”

 

“Absolutely Master” the laughing mask cackled with glee. “We promise you will not be disappointed with this, it will be a spectacular performance. We have just the show in store.”

 

“We will lure them out, under the guillotine, and then it shall fall upon them” the dark mask growled. “Slowly bleed them dry, bleed them of everything. And when they emerge to fight, crush them.”

 

The dark man laughed again as the four assigned followers gathered together and the two masked men each raised a hand, a swirling portal opening behind them with their combined strength as they did, an image of the capital appearing within. Gawp and the blonde were still glaring at each other with anger and amusement respectively. “Good, I look forward to seeing this show. Just make sure there are results to go with it.” The foursome turned to him and saluted in unison.

 

“Of course Master Demon. We won’t fail you.”

 

...

 

“Come on Erin, defend yourself.”

 

She was trying. Ducking as the samurai sword whipped narrowly over her head, she still couldn’t help but back off as the senior figure training her, the old bearded warrior Nataka, went on the attack again. They’d been doing this for a week now, and her swordsmanship was improving a little, but she was still much to his frustration going into her shell when put under sustained pressure. He was still getting far too many regular hits on her, even though he was only using maybe a tenth of his skill and experience, simply through her panicking and being on the back-foot for too long, letting him have strike after strike as she tried to protect herself. “You’re too fast” she cried as the sword cut back instantly and smashed into her ribs. Thankfully it was only a wooden training one this time.

 

“You’re making it too easy” Nataka huffed impatiently. “You can’t just hide behind your shield forever and let me attack you. You have to attack me, force me to defend myself. Thus I won’t be able to put you under such a barrage of pressure, you see? Now, again.”

 

This time she did as she was told. Parrying away the first shot she instantly jabbed with a counter. Nataka swerved to avoid it, but only just, and she sensed a chance. Desperate to get a point she lunged, missed wildly, and a sudden pain in her back sent her crashing face first into the floor, the old warrior having jabbed her with the pommel right in her spine. With that, the humiliation of a 10-0 defeat in record quick time was complete.

 

“Well that was a better mindset at least, even if it was uncontrolled” the samurai examined his weapon as she rolled over, rubbing her back. “I still have to beat this ultra defensiveness out of you, but I will.”

 

“Oh come on, this is impossible!” Erin protested. “No-one gets a point on you!”

 

“Alex managed it... once.” Nataka grinned at the look she gave him. “Vardus gets points on me regularly when we spar. We have very close contests, although regrettably not as often as we once did.”

 

“Yeah? Um... how did you guys meet each other anyway?” Erin couldn’t help but ask. To give herself recovery time as much as curiosity. “Vardus mentioned you met in the war. That you were from the Eastern nation the Empire defeated.” The old warrior nodded.

 

“Indeed. We met at the royal palace of my home city. At that time I was a protector, and Vardus was an invader, for the Empire, each in command of our own opposing soldiers. We faced each other on the roof of the palace, in one of the best contests I have ever fought. Although my defeat would be another blow to the rapidly deteriorating defence of my homeland, I would have been honoured and at peace to have died in that battle, and I know Vardus felt the same. However our fight did not reach a satisfactory conclusion, as the palace suddenly exploded and started to fall. I lost my footing in surprise, and fell.”

 

Erin gasped. “You fell from the roof? But I saw pictures of the palace; it was huge! What happened?”

 

“Just as I fell over the edge, as I prepared for death, someone grabbed my arm and I was saved. When I looked up, it was Vardus who had grabbed me.” Her surprise made him smile again. “He pulled me to safety, but I saw the battlefield below. The Empire had already taken the city. That should have meant death for me, but Vardus didn’t want to kill me after that. He didn’t want to fight anymore. Instead we started talking. I knew what I was fighting for, the preservation of my country, but he didn’t know what he was fighting for, only that he had to. His faith in the Emperor was fading. So he helped me escape, and we kept in touch. He started to aid us from his position, with the utmost stealth, and even though we lost the war, the information he gave us saved many lives. I was eternally grateful for his efforts. When he came to me with an offer to unite, against the Empire together, I willingly accepted...”

 

Nataka’s bushy eyebrows narrowed as he realised Erin’s previously rapt attention had just become distracted by something behind him. Looking round, he could see Aerial and Dorian had just started practising on the archery range. Annoyed, he brandished his sword and struck the ground in front of her, making her yell and jump up. “Right then, let’s see if we can get a quick round in before lunch. Begin!”

 

Once she had suffered the wrath of the samurai beating his record a second time, Erin hobbled her way to the mess hall for lunch. Inside the small room, most of the rest of the Resistance were already tucking in. Sat on his own in a corner was the smith, who she’d only seen once, briefly. He worked with Chetema on maintaining weapons and armour for them. Sat talking to Doyle was the cook himself; a big, balding and heavily tattooed man called Goro. Along the bench from them was Mel, who looked down at his plate as soon as she entered, sat next to the little girl she’d met several times who she’d since learned was called Chou. She was Goro’s daughter, and had come down here to live with him, although neither her nor Mel could become full active members at their ages. She was making an effort to befriend Mel, which Erin hoped might help him, although he was still being stubborn. Alex and Clove were nearby, and the blonde boy waved her over to join them once she’d served herself a portion of beef and potatoes, although his friend seemed less than pleased with this, sniffing disdainfully as she sat down.

 

“I saw your training with Nataka” Alex grinned. “I’m still leading against him then.”

 

“I’ll get stronger” Erin blushed in shame. There would probably be a long period of mocking for this.

 

“Humph. You better” Clove sniped. “Everyone has to get stronger if we want to go on more important assignments from Vardus. Especially if we intend to get through them smoothly and without loss...”

 

Alex looked about to reprimand her, but her venomous glaring gave him second thoughts. So the meal continued in awkward silence until the other two boys came in and joined them. Aerial looked particularly satisfied about something, whereas his older colleague did not.

 

“Beaten again” he muttered, dumping his portion of sweet potatoes and greens on Aerial’s plate as public acknowledgement of his defeat and the price to be paid.

 

“You’re a bad influence Dorian” Clove seemed to be taking turns at firing on everyone today. “Vardus wouldn’t be happy if he finds out you’re still betting on training exercises.”

 

“I use it as an aid, it makes people push harder” he shrugged. “It would be a lot more fun if I could win a bit more often. We’re doing something other than archery next time.” Aerial simply smirked at him as he tucked into his winnings, darkening his mood.

 

“Does you good to lose occasionally” Alex chuckled, getting himself another furious look. “Oh, speaking of Vardus, I have a message for you Erin. He wants to see you once you’ve finished this morning’s training.”

 

“Oh really?” She hadn’t seen much of Vardus since their meeting the day after the prison break and she had been assigned to training. Apparently he too had been very busy. “Do you know what about?”

 

“Eh, no idea” the fair-haired boy shrugged. “We usually only find things out on a need to know basis. Risk of capture and all that you understand? Go talk to him yourself.”

 

“Alright, I’ll go now. Thank you.” She finished up and made her way out. She intended to speak to Mel before she went, but as soon as she got up he was straight off and out the door and gone, Chou giving a rather worried looking chase after him. She’d have to try talking to him tonight. In the meantime she quickly made her way over to Vardus’ office, got the go ahead to go in from the secretary, and entered to find the leader sat at his desk, just as cluttered as ever, patiently waiting and smiling broadly as she entered.

 

“Ah, welcome Erin. How has everything been going this week? Training hard?”

 

“Sore” she admitted nervously. “It’s going okay I think.”

 

“On the contrary, Nataka was most encouraging in what he had to say about you” Vardus beamed. This surprised her; she couldn’t have imagined the warrior being that impressed with her shoddy skills at all. “Obviously you have a long way to go, but the early gains you’ve made are good, as is your attitude to the hard work. I believe, with his recommendation, you are ready for your first official field assignment.”

 

“Really?” she gasped. The prospect of an actual mission for the Resistance against the Empire was something she’d wanted ever since she had committed herself to the cause, but still the idea now proposed was suddenly nerve-racking. “You really think I’m ready to go out there?”

 

“Don’t worry; it’s not a massive job. Nothing like fighting through a guarded fortress armed with Empire soldiers” Vardus was quick to dispel her fears. “All I’m asking you to do is run an errand for me, to meet with one of my old contacts in the city. I hear he’s been working on something interesting, and I want you to place an order for some items for me. Do you think you can manage it?”

 

She nodded. She wanted to prove herself, and this sounded simple enough to start with. “Good, now I shall give you the details. The man I want you to meet is an old mechanic who works in the Uria slums on the eastern outskirts of the city. His name is Reckage. He works on the Empire’s cargo vehicles, but that’s his public front, he’s really on our side. We go way back. He is a little odd, but I have a long history with him providing various equipments for me and I trust him, so don’t do anything to embarrass me.  You’ll go to his workshop and place an order for ‘five hydraulic engines and ten wagon wheels’. He will question the order, but that’s just part of the code-phrase. When he returns the question, tell him it’s an order for the chief of public maintenance. You should be alright from there. Tell him I want to know about his new wares and if they look satisfactory, haggle down an estimate price and when we’ll be able to collect them. I’m thinking in the area of three or four hundred, depending on the quality. Alright?”

 

“Er, I think so” she replied, albeit confused. “But this all sounds more important than you make out. Are you sure you want me to go?”

 

“I think it’s important you start to get experience. Reckage knows me, which carries a significant weight anyway, but I think you will be able to negotiate better with him in my stead than Alex or Dorian would.” She didn’t understand what he meant, but he seemed to be finished discussing the matter. “Be sure to get every detail you can, I want a full spec on them. Report straight to me when you get back.”

 

“Um... sure. I’ll do my best.” A bit unsure what to do at this point she kind of half-heartedly saluted, which made Vardus chuckle and her blush. “...by the way... Vardus, did you meet this guy when working for the Empire?”

 

“Oh?” Who told you I worked for the Empire?” He seemed surprised by her knowing that, so she explained her discussion with Nataka. The explanation made him ease up. “Ah I see. Yes, I was once highly placed in Nero’s court. Right up close enough for a first hand view of his transformation, into his maddening descent. When I first came to the capital he was a benign ruler, so at first I tried to believe in his actions as we went to war, we all did. But over the time and battles I began to doubt him and myself. For the first time in my life I stopped. I found I had blinded myself with misplaced faith, submitting unquestioning to the orders of other people. That was something I’d thought I’d never allow, I was betraying myself. After the war, I decided I’d had enough of it. I disappeared shortly after.”

 

“That’s where I’d heard of you before” Erin exclaimed as a very faint memory that had been nagging at the back of her mind suddenly clicked. “I remember my father mentioning your name being in the news, just before the purge started. He said you were dead.”

 

“Obviously, rumours of my death were greatly exaggerated...” Vardus stopped and thought about what he’d said; that seemed like a good line to remember for later use. “Anyway, that was the deception I intended. But enough chitchat; you have your orders, now be off with you. Give Reckage my regards.”

 

...

 

A few hours later, and Erin was stood outside a large barn-conversion workshop for industrial vehicles. As was usually the case with the slums the building was sandwiched into the narrow streets and rickety houses, and this building looked little different to them beyond its size, and the large courtyard attached to the barn where a few horses were tethered, and heaps of salvage and junk were piled at random. She had been advised to arrive close to shutting up time, when there should not be many customers around. Taking a deep breath and pulling her hood further down over her face she made her way inside. The workshop was full of carts and carriages, prison wagons and cooler transport for meat destined only for the Emperor’s table, all under various stages of build or repair. Two drivers were in discussion with a young apprentice nearby; she ducked out of their way, and made her way through the shop. At the back was an office, and inside was an older, wrinkled man with receding hair and in shabby overalls, studying some accounts. Nervously she knocked and made her way inside. “Excuse me? Are you Reckage?”

 

“Eh? Who wants to know?” the old man blinked as he looked up at her over his glasses. When he saw her face his aggression instantly dissipated. Indeed there was something else there instead. “Hmmmm... indeed I am. Bah! Still, this ain’t no place for pretty ladies, what’d ye want? We’re closing. Go on, git!”

 

“Excuse me?” She was incensed at being spoken to like this, and the way he was leering at her as well, but then she remembered her orders. “Um... I mean, I’d like to make an order. It’s for five hydraulic engines, and ten wagon wheels...” She swatted irritably at a fly that had followed her in. “Please.”

The old man blinked in surprise, looking quizzically at her. “That seems a strange order for a pretty young lady like you to be making. Who’s it for?”

That must be the return question. She hoped so anyway. “The chief of public maintenance.”

 

The man scoffed, and put down his accounts. “So, you work for ol’ Vardus eh? Shoulda known. I take it this is a business call then, rather than... pleasure...”

 

“Yes.” This guy’s attitude was making her temper rise, she was starting to see what Vardus meant by ‘odd’. Still, she had to keep a lid on it and not say anything. “He said you had something interesting you were working on and wants to make an order, if they are to his liking and the price is right of course.”

 

“Of course” the man rolled his eyes. “Not much gets by that man. Well, guess I’d better show you the items in question if he wants the details eh?” Reckage got up and checked outside to make sure no-one was watching, closing the blinds and locking the door, making Erin shiver. Then he went back to his desk, pushed a button concealed under it, and to her shock a cabinet nearby shuddered to the side, revealing a concealed set of stairs. Ignoring her reaction, the old man made his way down. “This way please miss.”

 

Feeling like she’d rather do anything than follow the old man down there, but she had no choice given he had the only key out. Praying that Vardus’ faith was as well placed as he thought she went down the steps after him. Underground she found a small workshop with a lot more hi-tech looking pieces of spec lying around and half assembled. Various kinds of fired weapons were piled to one side. But it was in the middle of the room she was most amazed to see a row of five once sleek bodies of two wheeled vehicles, all of which were rusty and badly dented, or in need of new engines, but they were...

 

“Are these... are those actual duel runners?” she asked in astonishment.

 

“Well ain’t you clued up young lady?” Reckage retorted sarcastically as he waved away the persistent insect that had come down with them and took a dust cover of the nearest one in the row, which looked more or less fully restored. “Taken me a long time to salvage these converted old war machines, and dangerous too of course. I hope Vardus understands that they ain’t going cheap.”

 

“He has a price in mind” Erin replied vaguely, her attention was more focused on the bikes. “Depending on how well you’ve restored them, and when you’ll be finished doing so.” She had genuinely no idea how much these would really be worth; she had only seen them as a child as very exclusive vehicles, and until today she thought they’d all been destroyed. Worryingly, the old man seemed genuinely hurt.

 

“You doubting me skills girl? Vardus knows the quality of my work. These things were custom-built for long journeys and heavy battle impact for the war, but they can go in excess of triple figure speeds when pushed in a sprint. The engines generate their own power, I’m sure you wouldn’t understand the full complexities, but trust me when I say they’re the best you’ll find anywhere today. You can also put your duel..., well I suppose you have a duel shield now if you’re with them?” She had; she had been given a new shield which was hilted to her belt, with a new duel disk attached to replace her once trusted, now broken model. Reckage didn’t continue; insistent on showing her where the shield slotted in, which was awkward for her to remove from under her cloak and give to him without him ogling her too much. He still did, she made a mental note to kill Vardus for this later. “Good... Now, this slots in there, see? Then you can summon your duel monsters on the move. I’m also going to fit them with some more traditional weaponry as well. I assume Vardus wants the five; he want each equipped different or all the same?”

 

“Um... I don’t know yet, but I’m sure he’ll take them all” she stammered. “If you give me a full list of things you can put on them along with the spec list, he can get back to you with a decision. When do you think you’ll have them all repaired and ready to go?”

 

“Probably by the end of the month, six weeks tops” Reckage replied stiffly. “I have the parts, it’s just time now. You’re collecting them though; don’t expect me to get them to you undercover somehow. That’s what worries me.” He indicated a slipway they could get them out of his underground garage from, presumably coming out in the courtyard. “So, what’s your offer? I’m thinking four figures...”

 

“Four figures?! What do you think we are, princes?” she exclaimed. Indeed, no-one outside of the uppermost classes made anything like that sum. “You’ll have to come a long way down from there, the figure Vardus gave me was under half that!”

 

Reckage almost fainted at her counter-offer. “What?! You can’t be serious! You honestly expect me to go through all this risk and expense for pittance!”

Erin didn’t know what to do. She had no idea how to negotiate, her one attempt with Vardus had been an emotional based tug, and she fluked that one. She couldn’t afford to upset the old man and lose Vardus his services, but she couldn’t promise that sort of money either. She studied the runner and thought about it. Still, Vardus had sent her to do this because he believed she could, if she thought...

 

“...I can imagine the expense in restoring these so expertly, and of course the danger you’re putting yourself in doing so. Vardus... We all thank you sincerely” she started as flatteringly as she could. “But I can’t imagine you have many clients looking at these. You want what we want from these machines, for them to be used to bring down the Emperor, right?” Reckage blinked, and nodded slowly. Maybe this guy wasn’t that hard-boiled after all. “It’s not about money. You built these out of love of machines and seeing them used, didn’t you? Surely the greatest payment we can give you is freedom from him, to build machines like this without fear, right? Please let us use these as you intended. Vardus will make everything alright for you. We will pay you money, but also in freedom.”

 

She waited as the conflicted Reckage fought with himself for about a minute, unsure whether she’d judged him right. Eventually he gave up and resigned himself with a sigh. “Fine, I’m sure we can come to some agreement. I do owe a lot to Vardus, and I do want him to succeed in his aims. Let him know they’ll be finished within six weeks, and that I’m open to negotiate on a price whenever he wants them.”

 

Amazed at her persuasive skills, although Reckage probably wasn’t a hard nut to crack, Erin thanked the old mechanic, and together they covered the runner back up and went back up to his office. He gave her a list of specifications on the runners, making sure it was safely concealed, and making sure no-one was around discreetly showed her the way out. He sincerely hoped to see her when the group came to pick up the order, which made her wince, but she promised she would. With that she was out of the shop and on her way back to the Resistance, sure that Vardus would be pleased with her. What a coup to secure; their own fleet of prohibited vehicles to use against the Emperor!

 

She was so happy with herself that she didn’t notice what was behind her. They had made sure no-one was watching when she left, and the streets had been empty now, nobody had seen them. But the fly that had picked her up outside the shop and had been present throughout the meeting had followed her back out, following her for a bit before another fly joined it, a replacement on her tail, as it buzzed off ahead across the city in a rather focused way. Returning to the dark forest that was a few streets ahead of where Erin was walking towards, flying a little way inside, coming back to the blonde woman in a low cut muddy green dress and black lace gloves and stockings sat on a tree stump - waiting in an almost meditation like state. The fly landed on her finger, which she raised to her ear for it to crawl inside. Her black eyes opened as the fly told her what it had seen, and she broke into a sick smile.

 

“How interesting... my spies picked up something” she said, turning to the masked man dressed all in black sat opposite her. “It seems that the little girl who Nero’s guards have had so much difficulty with has been meeting an ally near here, someone with an interesting collection of war vehicles for sale.”

 

“Duel runners? Excellent” Omega drawled. This was indeed something they could use. His associate was still looking at him expectantly though. Apparently another of the swarm was still trailing the girl; it might lead them to their hideout. But then that wasn’t really necessary now. “I suppose the girl’s use has expired, at least in her current state of breathing. You want your fun now?” Like a dog offered a stick the woman perked up, wild excitement in her eyes. “Alright Urusula, go ahead.”

 

The woman started cackling wildly. As she did, another noise started to merge with it. The cackling became mixed with buzzing... as more insects came crawling out and spewing out of her open mouth...

 

...

 

Walking through the empty dusk lit backstreets to the place she could safely re-enter the underground, Erin noticed the noise long before she saw the source. A weird droning noise, so faint at first she was surprised she’d noticed it, but definitely growing louder with each passing second. She looked around for the source, but she couldn’t see anything, it was all mostly abandoned industrial buildings and warehouses. No-one was here. Either way, the sound was unsettling, probably best to hurry up. She began to jog, glancing around, as the noise started to get louder and closer...

 

Turning into the next street, she looked up, and gasped as a massive swarm of hornets came flying over the roof of the nearest warehouse, spotting her, and as one solid mass dive-bombed towards her.

 

“What the hell!?” Panicked by the swarm she turned and flat out ran, closely followed by the attacking insects. She had no idea what these things were, but she didn’t want to find out what would happen if they caught up, and gaining they were. She swerved down the first alley she came to, but the swarm moved and cornered just as fast. She tried to spot an opening into a building, but everything looked locked. Blinded by panic she hurtled on, trying to lose the swarm in a random criss-cross of street changes, but they were relentless, and were now a few feet behind her. They’d be right on her in seconds. Desperate to try something she fiddled with the ties of her cloak as she ran, her sweaty fingers struggled to undo the clasp as the first hornets were inches away and had stingers poised and ready loaded to deliver the fatal venom, taking aim at any exposed skin, millimetres away, when finally the coat released. The cloth smothered the first wave as they flew into the heavy clothing, buzzing furiously as it fell on them.

 

“What the... in the... are these...?” Erin panted as she ran on. The second wave was still behind her, probably being a bit more cautious and tactical in its attack, but now without the coat she was more exposed to the stings. Flying around another corner and she was out of the streets, into an open area between the buildings and the edge of a forest encased within the city walls, separated only by a river, desperate now she whipped her duel shield from her belt just as the swarm flew out a second after her. There they stopped as she armed it, as if threatened by this move. It was only a brief respite, as the swarm started to fan out in an arc around her, blocking each route back into the city streets. The move filled Erin with a new kind of dread, wild and crazy thoughts and fears that weren’t possible, but were the only explanation. ‘The way they’re chasing me, are they... intelligent? Controlled? But how?’

 

She looked around, there was still no-one in sight. But the swarm was definitely trying to surround her; the only way she could keep running was into the forest. Somehow they seemed like a bad plan. But she couldn’t let them attack from all sides; she’d certainly be in trouble if she didn’t do something. With no idea of what else to do she snatched at the first five cards available from her deck and slammed them all into the disk, just as the swarm converged. “Hope these things don’t like the cold. Help me!”

 

Five portals opened and Strategist, Cryomancer, Shock Troops, Dai-Sojo and the purple garbed ninja ‘Dewdark of the Ice Barrier’ came flying out into the melee, casting icy magic or swinging with weapons as she ducked out of the way. The insects scattered out of the way of the barrage, buzzing furiously, before coming back for a second attack. Many fell as they were encased in ice, falling to the ground and dead on impact, but the sheet weight of numbers bore out. The sickle bearing warrior and masked ninja fell down as the storm of stingers drove through them, their poisoned bodies shattering into snowflakes. The three spell users carried futilely on as she staggered backwards, trying to find a way out during the distraction, but the hornets that had evaded her Ice Barriers were already converging, lining her up with the deadly stingers now. As she staggered towards the edge of the riverbank, she looked back. It was deep and fast moving in the early winter. ‘Okay... So do I want to die by freak insect attack, or drown?’ Cryomancer ahead of her had just fallen, the sight made her hesitantly edge back a little further.

 

The decision was made for her. As she edged back, a tree root she hadn’t noticed sticking out of the ground tripped her up and she fell screaming backwards, just avoiding hitting her head as she bounced down the bank and crashed into the river just before the charging insects got to her, the horde juddered to a halt just before the water. Erin was under for a long few seconds, remerging flailing and spluttering to find herself already carried a fair distance away from the stationary hornets. Whatever they were, they didn’t seem able to swim any better than she could. A few gave chase when they spotted her, but gave up the cause as she went under again. Carried away by the current, the river curved around the edge of the wood and the horde was soon out of sight, abandoning her to her fate as she bobbed along, thrashing helplessly and swallowing a big mouthful of water as the raging waters took her away.

 

Defeated, the swarm reluctantly returned to the darkened forest. Standing camouflaged by the darkness of the tree line were the masked Omega, expression as permanent as ever, and the frowning Urusula. Ignoring the swarming assassins as they settled and disappeared into her hair or crawled under her dress, she stared down the river. “Well that doesn’t happen very often. Maybe Nero’s guards weren’t just incompetent buffoons after all .But what the heck happened to make her trip like that?”

 

“Doesn’t matter” Omega replied gruffly. “I’d have rather had the corpse to lure out her friends, but her missing body will do the same job, if they’re not too busy with our friend that is. Release something to go and confirm the body for us to collect another time; we have another tragic scene to move onto for now.” Urusula nodded and went to the riverbank, dropping down and stretching out a hand; allowing a couple of water boatmen to emerge from under her lace-netted gloves and drop into the water after the girl before following after the masked figure leaving the forest. Still she couldn’t help take one last look back down the rushing water.

 

“If I were you girl, you better hope that you’re dead.”

 

With that they left, although neither noticing the pair of large glowing yellow eyes staring out from the deeper confines of the thick trees after them. The eyes blinked, before the silent observer turned and lumbered away, returning to the darkest depths of the forest where they belonged.

 

...

 

Meanwhile, in the waterways underneath the city flowing through the grand ruins, another set of eyes were emerging from the canal. These were a pair of bulging swilling eyes, the owner of which stuck his head out of the water and looked around the impressive caverns. The figure slid his tongue around his grin as he spotted the office he was looking for, before slipping back into the watery depths to wait...[/spoiler]

 

Oh yeah, spoiler for Black, Renegade, Sunkist, and any other new readers who haven't read the original, since I can guess your reaction:

 

[spoiler=Can be read before or after the first scene]Yes, they really are called Demon, Alpha, and Omega. Yes, 20 year old me sucks. Yes, I'm sorry (sort of)[/spoiler]

[Aerion Brightflame]

Apologies on not commenting earlier. I've had the tab open for days, I just couldn't think of how to quite phrase things.

 

So the lasting suspicion I'm getting is that Dorian is going to wind up being evil is getting more substance and basis than just in paranoia. Since... someone is bound to do it at some point

 

As for the rest of it:

 

Well, hurrah for a not Erin Duel, even if I disliked the circumstances. Well really I disliked Mel, he's... irritating me this fic. I get that the intention is for that to happen, but it's still sticking wrong with me because... Well the world he grew up in. Plus the cheating (I get he first mistake happening, I disliked the outright cheating, and Dorian not doing anything because... there's a difference between letting him ignore a mistake, not ignoring blatant cheating. It felt to out of place given how he'd been acting just before.

 

Mel's been acting like a real brat this arc, and it irritates me. Mostly because even six year olds aren't that dumb, and he wouldn't act... that out of place with Erin unless something horrible had happened to him I feel. But that's probably a personal niggle.

 

I'll comment on chapeter 7 at some point in the future of course

[Ren✧]

HOORAY FOR CLICHE NAMES! :D

 

Alright, so no duel. Slightly disappointed by that, but I do understand the necessity of not cramming a duel into every single chapter. On to the chapter itself. The opening scene was a bit dull. I found myself wishing it to move on more than I did enjoying the look into a new sinister antagonist. The detail put into that scene I feel might have been a bit excessive, which is probably the biggest reason I had trouble getting through that first part. 

 

Once we moved away from that, I feel like the chapter went smoothly. I especially liked the new bug-lady...and by liked I mean she totally freaks the HELL out of me. I have an idea of what kind of deck she is going to use, well two ideas really, it will be interesting to see if my predictions come true.

 

Over all, the chapter was interesting as we got to learn more about this Demon guy, but I just can't get past my hang up on how difficult it was to get past that first section.

 

OH, and I predict that Dorian has a twin that works for the Empire

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

110 views; one comment on Chapter 6, one on Chapter 7... Sigh... :(

 

Apologies on not commenting earlier. I've had the tab open for days, I just couldn't think of how to quite phrase things.

 

So the lasting suspicion I'm getting is that Dorian is going to wind up being evil is getting more substance and basis than just in paranoia. Since... someone is bound to do it at some point

 

As for the rest of it:

 

Well, hurrah for a not Erin Duel, even if I disliked the circumstances. Well really I disliked Mel, he's... irritating me this fic. I get that the intention is for that to happen, but it's still sticking wrong with me because... Well the world he grew up in. Plus the cheating (I get he first mistake happening, I disliked the outright cheating, and Dorian not doing anything because... there's a difference between letting him ignore a mistake, not ignoring blatant cheating. It felt to out of place given how he'd been acting just before.

 

Mel's been acting like a real brat this arc, and it irritates me. Mostly because even six year olds aren't that dumb, and he wouldn't act... that out of place with Erin unless something horrible had happened to him I feel. But that's probably a personal niggle.

 

I'll comment on chapeter 7 at some point in the future of course

 

Don't worry, you're alright mate, if you want to get a comment about something specific right and get it across right that's cool (and understandable after the whole Chapter 5 rant. Sorry about that again).

 

Well, yeah I guess. Mel is meant to be playing up for her at the moment and his behaviour is gonna irritate people by its very nature, especially if they find it unnatural reaction to events like you do. The horrible thing that happened to him and he has a problem with is Erin's (percieved) abandonment of him; destabalising his okay far from perfect but at least settled life. People don't like change, let alone at his age, and tbh his anger might be more grown out fear of losing her as well and being alone. Yes to some his perception of events is going to seem idiotic, I dunno. There's no way anybody would no how they'd react in his shoes, so I just went with what I wanted to write about and how I percieved he might have come out from it. Mel's got his own development to go through from here to Armageddon Melanc, so we'll see how it goes I guess.

 

As for him cheating and the mistake, well, Mel is supposed to be inexperienced (obviously) but why wouldn't he cheat? Chance to show up his sister and beat this other guy he doesn't like and he might get away with it, it doesn't seem that out of the question does it? Your objection to Dorian's reaction is more understandable, because he might have said something. Dorian's a pretty mixed up bipolar sort of guy, which might be a horrible thing to read as readers, and tbh he knew he was going to win next turn anyway and would rather just say 'yeah, fine, cheat, whatever. I'm gonna stuff the crap out of you next turn anyway, so give me an excuse' than whinge and get into an argument about it. I think anyway (his draw for his last turn was simply another Gemini for Brutdrago's effect, which he didn't need). And also partly in this duel I wanted to poke fun at myself for the hineous amount of errors/card edits/mistakes/etc in the original :D

 

Thanks for commenting though and look forward to it.

 

HOORAY FOR CLICHE NAMES! :D

 

Alright, so no duel. Slightly disappointed by that, but I do understand the necessity of not cramming a duel into every single chapter. On to the chapter itself. The opening scene was a bit dull. I found myself wishing it to move on more than I did enjoying the look into a new sinister antagonist. The detail put into that scene I feel might have been a bit excessive, which is probably the biggest reason I had trouble getting through that first part. 

 

Once we moved away from that, I feel like the chapter went smoothly. I especially liked the new bug-lady...and by liked I mean she totally freaks the HELL out of me. I have an idea of what kind of deck she is going to use, well two ideas really, it will be interesting to see if my predictions come true.

 

Over all, the chapter was interesting as we got to learn more about this Demon guy, but I just can't get past my hang up on how difficult it was to get past that first section.

 

OH, and I predict that Dorian has a twin that works for the Empire

 

Oh yes, the original was littered with all sorts of terrible ones :D

 

Can't have duelling in every chapter. There is one in most, more than I originally thought they would. But yeah, one of the things is that duelling isn't supposed/going to be the be-all and end-all in this fic and people might occasionally remember they have swords, bow and arrows, etc, etc that might occasionally work better (see Chapter 9). Hence Urusula's involvement, which moves me on nicely to her...

 

Glad you liked her and she freaked you out. Urusula is one of my favourite underdeveloped characters from the original (spoiler). She came in late to Armageddon after she just randomly popped into my head one day, and in a fit of excitement decided to give Demon an extra henchlady, but because of that she could never really get build up going and was shoved into cliche scenarios that seemed cool at the time. One of the reasons I'm enjoying writing this is going back to characters like her who never got much in the original and doing them justice. Urusula will get a duel or two in the story, and will generally pop up from time to time.

 

As for the opening scene, hmmm.... okay. I wrote it in a blur and really got into it, but just me it seems. I guess there's a lot of exposition in there to give a quick review for old readers and summary to new about his relationship to the Emperor, roles, issues, gang, and doing a scene trying to get 6 out of 7 people a little introduction. So I suppose it might not have been riveting reading neccessarily, but hopefully it might stand you in good stead going forward. Can't have deadly card games 100% of the time I'm afraid :lol: Am trying to cut length/unneccessary chit chat in places throughout, must try harder.

 

Interesting predictions.