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

[Aerion Brightflame]

Hmm.... Hmm is what I say. 

 

Ok, so we started off with plenty of time passing and Erin closing in on herself, which is a lovely and truly believable way for this to happen. That was nice. That was nice. 

 

The scene with Vardus... eh... I mean, I get Vardus's standpoint towards Erin, but honestly he's more the person I'd expect to be compassionate towards Erin. I'll PM you why later if you really want to know. Clove being.... a female dog is a very nice touch because well that's the last thing Erin wants and it makes me think more and more Erin that Erin will drive a sword through her face at some point. 

 

Also Chetema raging when Vardus won was just so weird... And something I really wouldn't have done, or at least would've had Vardus or someone comment on. It was just out of place... 

 

Then the majority of the chapter; Hi Gear! It's nice to see you dueling someone not called Junuro today, or however it was spelt. But neeeeh... 3 1v1 duels is nice, I just don't think you executed it brilliantly. Since you cut across them to much because all of them were right next to each other. Like, Saber when he did something like this in Dead Zone did it well because none of the 3 were near each other, so the duels could be kept distinct. Where as in this it all started to blend together in the last section. I did like the premise behind it (Even though like Ursula is going to keep her word on it) because it's nice to have 1 on 1 time instead of a big complicated 3 way. (If you know what I mean) 

 

I'm also worried you might just create a continuity error here by bringing Ariel along to meet these guys. For if you consider the original. 

 

Also Volcanics.... Raiser by any chance? (Or have I gotten his name wrong?) 

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Hmm.... Hmm is what I say. 

 

Ok, so we started off with plenty of time passing and Erin closing in on herself, which is a lovely and truly believable way for this to happen. That was nice. That was nice. 

 

The scene with Vardus... eh... I mean, I get Vardus's standpoint towards Erin, but honestly he's more the person I'd expect to be compassionate towards Erin. I'll PM you why later if you really want to know. Clove being.... a female dog is a very nice touch because well that's the last thing Erin wants and it makes me think more and more Erin that Erin will drive a sword through her face at some point. 

 

Also Chetema raging when Vardus won was just so weird... And something I really wouldn't have done, or at least would've had Vardus or someone comment on. It was just out of place... 

 

Then the majority of the chapter; Hi Gear! It's nice to see you dueling someone not called Junuro today, or however it was spelt. But neeeeh... 3 1v1 duels is nice, I just don't think you executed it brilliantly. Since you cut across them to much because all of them were right next to each other. Like, Saber when he did something like this in Dead Zone did it well because none of the 3 were near each other, so the duels could be kept distinct. Where as in this it all started to blend together in the last section. I did like the premise behind it (Even though like Ursula is going to keep her word on it) because it's nice to have 1 on 1 time instead of a big complicated 3 way. (If you know what I mean) 

 

I'm also worried you might just create a continuity error here by bringing Ariel along to meet these guys. For if you consider the original. 

 

Also Volcanics.... Raiser by any chance? (Or have I gotten his name wrong?) 

 

Goes away for 3 days...

 

Comes back to one comment...

 

Sigh. Knew I shouldn't have bothered logging on when I was on a roll (which has now just been killed, again)

 

ty for feedback Barty. Glad about how the timeskip was recieved reasonably well as that would usually be advised to be the very start of the arc, but Demon Erin was a way more natural opening and tbh the whole 'story arc' is just over-rated and really isn't a big deal of a concept (even though I've probably made it so) and they're mainly only there as my place marker for my breaks. Chetema's theatrical over-reaction was... overly read into, perhaps? He is repeatedly described as 'a barbarian' who when he speaks doesn't usually do so in an educated kind of way. It was more for my own amusement for someone to flip the table, given the raging reactions on DN to card games sometimes (there are a few sarcastic hints at the ridiculousness of YGO throughout sometimes. Tessera gets a brillant one in later)

 

Yes, Gear is back. Back in a grungy, bitter, depressed kind of way. Still a complete egomaniac. But still very depressed. Hence his using Scraps this time which went surprisingly unnoted. I was honestly braced for a comment from someone along the lines of 'Waah, Gear didn't use Scraps originally, he used Karakuri and that's not keeping in with the original...' and if someone had said that I would have punched them. But then of course that would be expecting people to make comments. <_<

 

(And it was Juruo, by the way. But yeah, that rivalry was a bit overdone/could have been better)

 

Well, it didn't start to blend together. It did blend together rather deliberately in that last turn just to put Clove and Alex on their backsides simultaneously. But if it is genuinely confusing and hard to follow then that's unfortunate/bad writing on my part. I couldn't exactly/didn't want to have them all seperate, due to stuff yet to come and the interactions between them all. Tbh this section was originally come up with as a side-plot just because I wanted to get Gear/Urusula a duel and the rebels more duels when none of these guys were on the card at the time, so I kind of threw them all together and the story was built around to work these duels in. And then actually it started to work into the main story quite neatly (thanks to Dion and some suggestions of his). Yes it's not great having them all duelling together, but like you said it's a hell of a lot better than a six way battle royale. Hopefully it will be okay in the second part and all work out for you.

 

This and all rebel/Demon's group confrontations have had to be worked carefully as for like you said the continuity, but tbh the bigger problem with this has usually been Alpha and Omega. Aerial's not been a huge concern in comparison. As for thoughts on Raesir... well, unless he's on stilts and got some big shoulder pads on, it ain't Raesir. Why would I disguise Raesir and not Gear though? Still, there is a reference in it and Somorrakh's use of Volcanics that you might be able to see.

 

Well, thanks again for commenting. I was originally gonna come on and post the second part of this, but eh. Why? :(

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Sorry for delay. I wanted to post this chapter over the weekend. But can you honestly blame me at the moment? :(
 
I'm gonna put lack of responses down to it being mid-way through a tricky two parter and people not wanting to comment until after part 2 and giving a more full assessment, which I'd understand if that's the case. We'll go with that.
 
Anyway, Chapter 16. Supporting cast development. Bonus scenes. Plot development. And stuff. Plus new characters, see if you can spot the inspiration behind them as well. Look. Comment you...
 
[spoiler=Chapter 16]Chapter 16: The Rogue
 
“I suggest you be patient, and channel your rage. Rise through the ranks in the Resistance until you are in a position of influence and trust. Only then will you be any help me, and remember... Helping me, and taking that leap of faith, is the only way you can help yourself and achieve your desires...”
 
“Erin? Miss Erin.”
 
Erin blinked out of her trance, finding herself not where she thought, but back in Resistance HQ. She was on the duel training platform, and she was safe, although three people were staring at her with puzzled expressions, waiting for her instruction. Apologising hastily but without a reason for her blankness, she took a position at one end of the painted out field and activated her duel shield, leaving them confused, but they followed suit. Over the winter the Resistance had bought in a few new people; steadily building up the Resistance to fight with them against the Empire once they returned to full scale operation. Most of those who’d joined were older than her and the other regulars in his Resistance; old friends of Vardus from his time in command of the army regiment, who he had managed to get in contact with after these years and were delighted to accept his offer to join. These soldiers would provide crucial experience of war and the physical skill with swords and spears to the Resistance. As ever the younger recruits would be doing most of their fighting with duel monster allies; protecting the swordsmen from those on the Emperor’s side fighting using such means. Both sides were reaching a stage where they needed more duel monsters users trained just to fight the enemy’s ones. So here Erin was, under her restrictive and frustrating orders to train this trio in duelling, or else she would end up even further back in her leader’s estimations. They seemed nice enough, but their knowledge of duel monsters was practically nought, so she infuriatingly found herself having to get them up to Vardus’ expectations from the very basics up.
 
So here they went again, for another training duel. The two girls against each other on the next duel field for her to monitor and tutor them from, whilst she faced the boy.
 
“Ok, let’s try this again. I’ll take the first turn so you can all see what I do, so watch me. First I draw” she explained flatly, for the umpteenth time. “Now I can only normal summon once per turn, but there is no limit on other summons ordinarily. It’s important if you use high level monsters to special summon other monsters to give yourself a chance to tribute summon them. For example, I use the Water Hazard spell; so that once a turn I can special summon a water monster if my field is empty. That way I can use it as a tribute for a stronger monster, or summon a second one and enable myself to Synchro Summon. See?”
 
“Synchro Summon?” the young woman opposite asked tentatively. Erin nearly rolled her eyes. Lavender wasn’t a bad duelist, potentially, but lacked the confidence that only tutelage and experience would bring. She was actually older than her, in her early twenties like Alex, and was a timid and rather plain young maiden with braided auburn hair, hazel eyes, and wore an old ribbon-laden dress, although Erin supposed she could look pretty to some. She had been taken in with her niece Rain; the small girl in plain clothes with thin brown hair and quite large teeth stood across from her. Apparently Rain’s father - Lavender’s brother - had fought in the war with Vardus, and had been killed in battle along with his wife. Lavender had looked after Rain since. Erin supposed she should be able to relate to someone from a similar background to herself, and maybe this was Vardus’ thinking as well, but she wasn’t interested in getting to know them. What was the point? They were here to fight with her, not be her friends. Rain was a few months too young to do that right away, but she might as well start training for it now.
 
The only one she considered to be half-competent when they started was the boy opposite. His name was Klasse, and he too was apparently older than her, although she’d never have guessed by looking at him. He was a little shorter than her, although she was tall for her age, but he was thin and lanky and awkward. Klasse adjusted his glasses, a pair so thick they concealed his eyes, and grinned slightly. Erin found him creepy because of this, and the way he slicked his hair in neat curtains and his old and proper attire of a smart buttoned jacket and pressed trousers that looked like a sort of uniform. His appearance made her think he was plotting something. She didn’t know much about his background, and she didn’t intend to.
 
“I’ll come to that” Erin said more irritably than she may have intended. “Tribute summons first. Just watch.” Using Water Hazard, she summoned Shock Troops of the Ice Barrier, who swiftly disappeared to make way for the smiling Blizzard Princess (Lv7, ATK 2600).
 
“What, level seven?” Rain squeaked in surprise. “But Miss Erin, you said monsters of that level needed two tributes... Um... Miss Erin?”
 
“Huh? Oh...” Erin dragged her gaze away from Blizzard Princess as she realised she was being addressed. “Sorry. Blizzard Princess has an effect that lets it be summoned with one tribute, as long as the monster is a spellcaster.” Hastily trying to shake her thoughts out, she placed a card face down. “Okay, you go.”
 
Lavender went first, summoning a hooded man called The Creator Incarnate as Erin showed her, then using its effect to summon her powerful ace; The Creator.  A divine figure in radiant amber plate, the thunder god was the key to the deck she had been given, not that there had been much choice. She seemed happy enough with it though, dispatching another high level monster from her hand to revive the Incarnate warrior, terrifying her young niece. Then it was Klasse.
 
“My turn.” He even spoke in a sneaky, conniving kind of tone as his glasses reflected a glint of malice. “I activate Hand Destruction. This lets me ditch two cards from both our hands, then when Jinzo Returner's effect activates, summoning my other discarded card. Come Jinzo...”
 
Erin blinked as a cold shiver ran through her. It was rising before her. That monster. The scythe wielding executioner and lord of the fiend type, glaring down at her helpless little form with its glowing red eyes, marching towards her with that wicked scythe raised, about to swallow her into darkness, and there was nothing she or her princess could do. And behind it that terrifying, half skeletal man was laughing at her.
 
“If you cannot take the decisive step towards a better world, then there is nothing you can do but be buried hopelessly by the Empire! This monster will force you to make your choice! Dark Highlander...”
 
The scythe dropped. She threw her hands in front of her face and screamed.
 
“Miss Erin!”
 
Slowly she opened her eyes and dropped her hands, and could not see Dark Highlander and Demon in front of her. It was Klasse, looking half bewildered, half shocked, along with his monster Jinzo, who albeit quite frightening looking should not have gotten that reaction. Lavender was looking at her with the same stunned expression, and young Rain, who had produced three little fluffs of whispy cloud from somewhere, was positively terrified. Erin struggled to take it in herself as she tried to recover.
 
“Um... er... I think we’ll end here today. You go and do some fitness with Nataka instead. We’re done.”
 
To the stunned groups amazement she hurried off the platform, disengaging her shield and without a backwards glance making her way as quickly as she could away without breaking into a full out sprint, not until she was out of sight anyway. Then she ran, as fast and as far as she could to the far side of the grand waterway, finding an empty room to dive in, slamming the door behind and pressing against it, finding herself in a sweaty, slightly hyper-ventilating mess. She shut her eyes and tried to breathe.
 
At least she thought the room was empty. As she was trying to recover, a little helmet popped up from behind the walls of sandbags in front of her, followed by a second. There was a giggle, before the first helmet bobbed along, and Mel emerged from behind the bags, grinning broadly as he crept towards her with his little spear, until he was close enough. “Who goes there? You’re trespassing you are!”
 
“What?!” Erin jumped, caught completely unaware and certain she’d nearly had a heart attack. Mel was rolling around on the floor laughing at her, the owner of the second helmet was giggling away from their hiding place. Furious and embarrassed, Erin’s face reddened. “Mel! You almost frightened me to death! And what the hell do you think you’re doing here? How dare you steal our weapons!”
 
“Wait, no big sis, it’s not like that.” Mel stopped laughing and tried to explain, although he couldn’t quite subdue his grin. “Vardus gave us them, honest. He asked us be here. Really Erin... hey, are you alright?”
 
She was not alright. She was seething. “What do you mean he gave you those weapons? Stop treating me like an idiot Mel and stop lying to me! Why the hell would he do that?”
 
“No really, he did” Mel was panicking now as his big sister loomed over him. “I... I just wanted to help you and the others out was all, so I asked Vardus for something to do. He said he’d give me an important job guarding the flood defence stuff, since it’s so out the way and all, and check it all. Chou’s here too.” Indeed Chou peeked out nervously from behind the walls of sandbags, waving nervously. “We didn’t mean any harm; we just wanna help out. Then you came in and I just sorta... thought it’d be... funny...”
 
Erin wasn’t amused. Indeed she was shaking. Partly because of her own temper, but mostly... the sight of Mel in his little helmet, and clutching a little spear that was trembling in his grasp - she couldn’t see how blunted it was. Vardus had okayed this? Suddenly she was shouting. “I don’t want to hear it. You go and put that stuff back, and then you go straight to our room and stay there! I don’t ever want to see you with a weapon again, you understand? You as well Chou! I won’t have it! Out! Out Out OUT!!”
 
Crying fearfully Mel ran, nearly tripping over himself as he burst through the door and ran away. Chou ran to, casting a fearful glance at her before dashing after him, calling for him to stop. Leaving Erin to slump against the door and slide to the floor, cradling her head in her hands. ‘What is wrong with me?’
 
...
 
“What’s wrong honey? Can’t you stand up?” Urusula cackled at the girl lying on her front across the cavern and trying to push herself up (LP 1550). “Oh, poor little thing. Not so smug now are you? And it gets better still. I activate the spell Greed Grado. Because I’ve destroyed a Synchro monster this turn, I can draw two cards.” She snatched at her duel shield and gave them a quick sideways glance, hard to tell given her eyes, but her response to them wasn’t particularly committal either way.
 
“One face down card will do, and I think I’ll also have Cross-Sword Beetle become the target for Spider Lair this turn, meaning any monster you attack it with will be permanently turned to defence mode. Not that I expect you’ll muster that much.” She laughed again as Clove propped herself up on her knee and glared at her. “Come on now, we’re not finished yet. I want some fun with you. Turn end.” (LP 3700)
 
“Come on guys” Aerial called over from his rooted position at his two currently down allies. Not only was Clove down, but Alex was still sat clutching his ribs from where the last round of flaming Volcanics used by the silently watching figure had hit him (LP 800). He wanted to help them up, but his legs felt oddly leaden right now. He hoped he could sound encouraging, but there was no missing his panic. “It’s your turns now; you can turn it around still. You can still fight and come back, right?”
 
Both groaned and struggled to get up, but neither did immediately. Aerial gulped. This was really bad. They were stuck in this best of three contest, and right now his best two hopes of seeing it through and claiming the artefact they were here to find for Vardus were slumped against the side of the room in serious looking pain. They were better duelists than him, and they were getting slaughtered. Still, he had his own set of problems. The mechanically armed Gear was clearly fed up with waiting for him, as he had been doing for a while now, so had decided to take this time to taunt him into action.
 
“Come on kid, you weren’t intimidated by all that were you? They weren’t that bad attacks. Certainly that was nothing as brutal as anything I’ve ever had to endure” he added sourly, holding up his metal arm. Still Aerial was completely paralysed by the racing thoughts in his own head, as Gear’s Scrap Beast made a low growl at him (ATK 1600). “You came in here acting all tough, now why don’t you prove it huh? Come on, don’t be shy tough guy. Why don’t you face up to me and actually do something huh?”
 
“I’m...” Aerial stuttered to a halt immediately as the scrap creature barked at him again.
 
“You’re what? A loser? A coward? A selfish prick?” Gear asked in disgust, waving his bad hand at the fallen allies. “Stop thinking about yourself for a sec and look at them. Don’t you think your friends need you to pull through for them right now and act, instead of you just standing there depending on them carrying you to the Tetragram? Or is the thought of taking on the best damn thing to ever hit turbo duelling too much for you to handle you useless trash! Don’t worry, I promise I’ll be gentle...”
 
One by one the metal fingers slowly clenched into a fist, shaking slightly on formation. “...maybe.”
 
Aerial hung his head. He was shaking slightly, as his empty hand became a fist. He could feel everyone’s eyes on both sides focused on him as he tried to think, Gear’s bitter words ringing in his head. He could barely see his opening hand as he got consumed in his thoughts.
 
‘That guy’s obnoxious, but he’s right. Ever since I stumbled into the Resistance, all I’ve done is stand at the back and let everyone else deal with everything we’ve faced. It’s always been that way every mission; Alex or Clove or Skaro or Dorian... or Erin... I make them do all the work, while I just hang around and fire the odd arrow in there. I... I can’t keep doing that. If I want to make a difference in this war then... I have to do something more. I can’t just stand out the way shooting from a safe distance all the time while the others all put their lives on the... I have to be more assertive now. I can’t be a dead weight on the others backs anymore; I have to step up and do my part now. And maybe... if I do that... then she’ll notice me...’
 
Aerial shook his head to chase that last thought away. It wasn’t the time for that. Right now it was Alex and Clove that needed him. They needed him to beat Gear. He might be some hotshot finalist years ago, but that didn’t make him unbeatable, as long as he drew well. His opening hand was pretty mediocre, he needed something good here. Taking a deep breath, he went for his deck. With a “Finally”, Gear braced himself, rusty metal wrist grinding horribly as Aerial stood up. “Alright, you want it? I’ll bring it. Draw.”
 
He looked at his drawn card in astonishment. ‘Genex Ally Birdman? Awesome! This changes everything.’ Excited by this, suddenly the value of everything in his hand seemed to have improved tremendously. Holding onto Birdman for now, he plucked out a different bird. “Summon. Mist Valley Thunderbird.”
 
Alex and Clove forced themselves to sit up and look as scrawny little bird with shocking yellow and green plumage appeared on the field before him in a panicky flap of feathers, squawking similarly (Lv3, ATK 1100). On the far side of the cave Somorrakh shifted slightly, but Gear almost fell over himself laughing.
 
“What? Dude, really? That chicken’s gonna get roasted.”
 
“That chicken is key to me winning this” Aerial replied simply, picking out another card. “Because by returning it to my hand, I can special summon the tuner monster Genex Ally Birdman from my hand, and because I’m returning a wind monster to my hand in this way, it gains five hundred attack points.” Thunder Bird disappeared in a puff of feathers for a second, to be replaced by a metal bird (Lv3, ATK 1900). It wasn’t gone long though, as it immediately reappeared on the other side of it.
 
“When Thunder Bird is returned to my hand by a card effect, I can special summon him right back to the field, but he can no longer attack this turn. Next I activate the spell One for One; discarding a monster from my hand to special summon a level one monster from my deck. I’ll choose Droll and Lock Bird, and the effect of my discarded monster also activates. Because it was sent straight from my hand to the graveyard, Mist Valley Baby Roc can special summon itself too.”
 
Alex made some appreciative comments as a small child with a pet hawk (Lv1, ATK 0) and a skull headed roc chick (Lv2, ATK 400) appeared in front of him. Gear was not as impressed. “Pfft, so you control four weak little birdies, one of which can’t attack this turn. Big deal.”
 
Aerial winced. ‘Yeah, this doesn’t do much damage as it is. However...’ “These little birds aren’t going to stay little for long. First I’ll tune Baby Roc with Droll and Lock Bird, to summon some real wind power!”
 
“A level three Synchro?” Gear asked suspiciously as the two small creatures rose towards the roof of the cavern in a swirl of rings and stars. “What are you trying to pull?”
 
Aerial grinned back at him with a degree of flickering, growing confidence. “Here, I’ll show you. Spread your wings and take to the sky, Mist Bird Clausolas.”
 
A bird with fine emerald plumage and a long hooked beak and talons spread its fine wings and hovered over Aerial’s head (Lv3, DEF 2300). “Next I’ll play the quick spell Star Changer, to boost Birdman’s level by one (Lv4). Then I’ll tune him with Thunder Bird. Synchro Summon!” The second Synchro monster was much bigger; a goliath muscular creature with heavy wings and armed with a pair of strange silver weapons. Clove and Alex were staggered as the beast hit the floor with a mighty thud, then inhaled and unleashed a mighty roar at Gear, who stepped back a little and narrowed his eyes to the intense wind it caused. “Thunder strikes the limitless sky with untapped power. Mist Valley Thunder Lord!”
 
“Now I’ll activate the effect of Clausolas” he continued confidently. “Once per turn, it can target one monster on the field and negate its effect. Also, its attack points are reduced to zero.” The beast’s growl became a meek whimper as it lost power (ATK 0). “Now Thunder Lord, strike that Scrap down! Attack!”
 
The thunder lord struck with its hammer weapon unimpeded, annihilating the metal beast and throwing up a large cloud of dust across the field. Lost in his excitement, Aerial checked his remaining card. The perfect insurance. “I set one card and end my turn. How’s that hotshot? Not blown away were you?” Indeed the dust was starting to settle a little, revealing Gear. He was still standing, albeit battered by the damage certainly and clutching his good arm, but the cocky smile on his face didn’t seem right...
 
“Oh my word... That was awful!” he cackled, taking Aerial aback in surprise (LP 1400). “I can’t believe you would do something so stupid like that after such little provocation!”
 
“Wh...What do you mean?” he stammered. “I just wiped out your monster and most of your life points.”
 
“Ha, yeah, you wiped out a crappy little monster I didn’t care about. So what? I was hoping you’d have the decency to destroy Scrap Lube and let me recycle a card, but it doesn’t matter. Not when you had to use all your cards to do it, and to do only that much damage? You could never finish me doing that. You even wasted the chance to do more damage to me with Thunder Lord had you paid attention.”
 
Aerial gulped. There was a nastiness in Gear’s voice, as he went to his deck. “Now watch me little bird, as a true duelist shows you how to do it. It doesn’t even matter what I draw, I will defeat you this turn!” It wasn’t the threat, it was the assuredness with which he said it that made Aerial worry as he took the card, and as promised didn’t even look at it as he exchanged it for another. “I don’t need to rely on some ass-pull draw when all my key resources were already recycled through skill. Summon; Scrap Chimera!”
 
A horrific creation of an ancient beast, with the head of a lion, hawk like wings, and a snake of a tail, the abominable beast hit the field (Lv4, ATK 1700). “When Chimera is summoned, its effect lets me call back a Scrap tuner in my grave. So once again Beast is hauled out of the garbage and put back to work. And in that vein, I’ll tune Beast and Chimera to summon the most powerful Synchro of its type! One that really dominates the sky!” There was a horrible scraping of metal as the two clashed, creating a new creature from the broken parts. Great sheet metal wings spread, revealing the new creation. Aerial gulped as a long metal neck craned up, and a pair of bright red eyes flickered into life. With a clang and a screech, the great dragon shook off its spare skin and rose before Gear. “No-one can destroy me except me, and no-one can match my power. So this beast mirrors me. The mighty Scrap Dragon!” (Lv8, ATK 2800)
 
“Ah... ah... I was prepared for that!” Aerial stuttered, trying to ignore the others worried glances. “Trap card, Icarus Attack.  By releasing Clausolas, two cards will get destroyed. I’m going for your dragon, and your face down.” The bird exploded off, feathers ablaze as it lunged for Scrap Dragon’s heart. The metal horror screeched as it burst through, continuing on its suicide dive. Aerial held his breath. If this worked, if this made it, he’d be clear. The dragon was exploding as it fell, throwing up another great cloud of dirt. Aerial had to shield his eyes. When he could see again, he could see Gear, smirking... and an empty field!
 
“What?” he exclaimed, looking around wildly. “What happened? Where’s my Thunder Lord gone?”
 
“To birdie heaven, where else?” Gear sneered, revealing his trap. “I was waiting for you to do something like that. Took you long enough. When you used Icarus, I chained this trap called Widespread Dud. Dud summing you up pretty nicely right now, cuz I used this to target two attacking monsters on the field, namely Scrap Dragon and your... thing. Then when one of them got destroyed, the other two went with. You summoning Clausolas in defence was a pain, but at least you made it easy and got rid of it for me.”
 
“Wait, wait, back up. You wanted me to destroy Scrap Dragon? Why?” Aerial asked as he struggled to keep up, although he had a sinking suspicion he was about to find out, given Gear’s expression.
 
“Cuz idiot; when Scrap Dragon is destroyed because of your card effect, one of its own activates. Upon going to the grave it disassembles itself, and uses its parts to reconstruct one of the other non-Synchro Scrap monsters in my graveyard. You haven’t seen it yet, but now you will very close up as I choose the monster I sent there with Foolish Burial. Scrap Breaker.” A hellish portal opened up, and out came a strange machine, with a cannon arm amongst other weapons, floating eerily over the field (Lv5, ATK 2100). This was bad. Aerial didn’t have any cards left. But as long as Gear... “Despite their appearance, Breaker is one of the few Scrap monsters that actually is a machine-type. So now it’s just a simple matter of activating Limiter Removal; to double its attack for this turn, and this little bird is done.”
 
Aerial gulped as something in the machine burst, letting it go haywire and its strength skyrocket (ATK 4200)! Behind it, Gear clenched his own revolving fist. “Heh, looks like you should’ve stayed out of the firing line after all. This is how you destroy someone in one turn. Breaker, send him to the scrapheap!”
 
Clove and Alex watched helpless and amazed as a volley of high energy rounds tore up one side of the cavern in one blast. Aerial was blown out the smoke, hitting the wall with a nasty thud (LP 0). One-nil.
 
...
 
Back in the capital, and his Supreme Excellency Emperor Nero VIII had fallen asleep on his throne. His stubbly jaw rested on his fist, and a slight dribble of spit from his open mouth trickled into his beard. However at the sound of the guard knocking on the door, the Emperor woke with a start to see one of his inner circle scurry into the room before him. It was Tectum, who bowed and grovelled apologetically for the intrusion, asking some tedious questions about how the Emperor was on this day, before finally after some steering, or rather a few threats, he rambled around to the point of his interruption.
 
“I wanted to see you because I just found out about the court’s verdict” the round noble flustered. “I must say that I do not agree with their verdict, not at all. I find such a conclusion to be very out of the man’s character, yet that is what the judge and jury have decided. I assume you have already been made aware of the decision this morning. What... might I be so bold to ask what you think about it all?”
 
Nero shrugged irritably. “Of course I’m aware; I was informed before the verdict was announced. And although it is none of your business I - for once given how wretched a man you are - agree with you, in so much that I am surprised that he would do such a thing. However having been presented with all the evidence; including the testimony of the best justice minister in the Empire I could sanction, and that of my own doctor, who I trust more than any other, I can see no alternative. It must be as they say, and though he was a trusted member of my court, I must accept that it is so. It is a shame; he was a good man once. I would have never expected him to leave this world in such a cowardly, disgraceful way.”
 
“Sir, I’m shocked at this reaction.” Tectum quailed under the Emperor’s glare, but managed to regroup. “I just... I cannot believe Longinus would do that. Longinus for god’s sake! There’s no way. No, I cannot accept this decision the court has made. It just doesn’t ring true with me. I suppose you just think that way because of that meaningless note they discovered...”
 
“Get out of my sight you roach!!” Tectum ran for it as the Emperor found a goblet beside his throne and threw it at him, just hitting the place he’d been standing a second too late. Cursing Tectum and his own poor form, he slumped back in his throne as the fearful noble scrambled for the door, leaving him on his own to consider the verdict of this season-long investigation in private. There might not have been much in the way of a shred of humanity or decency left inside the black heart of the tyrant - but now, for just a second, Nero was solemn in his thoughts, and for one rare time they weren’t about himself. ‘Longinus...’
 
Then he remembered the note, his temper resurfaced, and he fell back into an irritable sleep.
 
...
 
Alex and Clove exchanged fearful glances as Aerial crumpled against the stone wall, grimacing in pain. Even Urusula and Somorrakh seemed stunned by what had happened. The only person in the room who did not appear surprised was Gear, who simply pulled his long hair out of his face with his good hand as his shield disengaged, the Scrap Breaker fading from existence, before sauntering back to the steps and taking a seat. For the first time since their arrival, he looked genuinely pleased. “Too easy” he smirked, putting his feet up and grinning at his team. “And that’s how you do that. Now you two hurry it up.”
 
“I really don’t like him” Clove muttered to Alex. Given the look on Urusula’s face, it was something the two girls could finally agree on. Her ally however was more concerned about their teammate.
 
“Aerial, you alright?” Alex called over. The young boy winced and shuddered slightly as he tried to move, but failed from the effort. The pain wasn’t overwhelming, but he felt more exhausted by the defeat than anything. The blast had taken too much out of him for now.
 
“Ugh, sorry guys. I screwed up” he admittedly hollowly. “I tried too much and overcommitted. Now I’ve put you two under all the pressure to both win.”
 
“Hey, don’t worry about it. We can still turn it around. We’ll secure the item for us, don’t worry” Alex replied encouragingly, before forcing himself up and pulling Clove up too. “We’re gonna win right?”
 
“Of course” she grimaced. “I know you don’t want to let Vardus down after the big promotion, and I have no intention of doing that either. Alright Aerial, don’t worry. We’ll turn it round.”
 
Turning to their opponents however, the atmosphere amongst them seemed to have changed. Urusula and Gear, who’d been bickering about his attitude, were now in hushed discussion, suddenly very tense. The silent figure was just turning their concealed head to look at their allies, fixed its gaze on them for a moment, and back again. Having been so confident a second ago, they now looked oddly disturbed.
 
It was Gear who spoke next. “So... not that I care or anything, but what do you guys actually want the Tetragram for? Do you even know what it does?” He tried to sound curious and aloof, but Clove saw right through him, she could tell the others were listening very intently.
 
“What? Like I’d tell you that. We got our reasons, as I assume you have yours. Would you tell me if I asked you that? Come on, let’s just fight, then whoever wins the item can do whatever the hell what they want with it. Alex, you ready to show these guys what we can really do?” Her comrade nodded.
 
Gear shrugged, although definitely uneasily. “No, course I wouldn’t tell you. Urusula would probably try to kill me before I had the chance. However, I think it’s fair to warn you that this... thing, you’re fighting so hard to find, it isn’t just some fancy trinket to be sold for profit or added to some rare collection. We have reason to believe it’s an item of real power, way beyond anything you could get your heads round, and could have some serious applications. Just you think about that when you make your moves.”
 
The rebels were stunned. What on earth was with that? Urusula and Somorrakh were waiting still, she was no longer smiling. Clove made a few attempts, and finally got out “Oh well then in that case, aren’t you just the great trustworthy looking sort of people to let have it? I draw!” Alex did as well beside her.

 

Urusula: LP 3700, Hand 1, Field of Grasschopper, Cross Sword Beetle, Spider Lair and a face down

Clove: LP 1550, Hand 3, Field of a face down

 
As Clove bought her fourth card into view, a small furry creature appeared in her hand. ‘Excellent’ she thought, this was just the card she needed right now. With this, she could press on a reversal. “First I summon Naturia Pumpkin to the field.” Simply enough, a small green pumpkin sprouted out of the ground before her, looking quite docile (Lv4, ATK 1400). “Then its effect activates. When Pumpkin is normal summoned while there is a monster on your side of the field, I can special summon Naturia Marron to the field with it. Then I’ll activate my face down card Limit Reverse to summon the other card I discarded with Hand Destruction earlier, the tuner monster Naturia Cosmobeet.”
 
The drawn card, a furry little seed thing, appeared next to the vegetable (Lv3, ATK 1300). It was swiftly followed by another small bulb like creature (Lv2, ATK 1000). Urusula’s eyes narrowed at its appearance, Clove suspected she was preparing a counter. But that wasn’t going to be allowed. The real strength of her deck would reveal itself now. “Alright, now I tune Cosmobeet with Pumpkin. Synchro Summon the great protector of the Naturia forest.” There was a sudden roar behind her as the two plants vanished, and were replaced by a mottled brown dragon, a wingless serpent that snaked through the sky with leaf like scales and a silver underbelly, its long tail curving behind it . “Naturia Barkion!” (Lv6, ATK 2500).
 
“Damn it! Not that one” Urusula swore under her breath as the dragon emerged, making Clove smirk.
 
“Sorry, what was that? Oh, I guess you know what Barkion does? How easily it can negate every trap you activate. Well then since you’re so unhappy about it and I appear to be safe from that card you set, I can start playing with a bit more freedom. I activate the effect of Naturia Marron. By returning Cosmobeet and Beast to the deck, I can draw one card. And because I just activated the effect of a Naturia monster on the field, the effect of the Naturia Hydrangea in my hand now activates, special summoning itself.” A pretty bloom of little flowers sprouted up beside the other forest flora (Lv5, ATK 1900).
 
“Very clever girl” Urusula grumbled begrudgingly. “You might have managed to amass enough to defeat my insects for now, but the damage will be minimal.”
 
“I activate Magic Planter. Because Limit Reverse remained face up on the field after I used Cosmobeet for a Synchro Summon, I can send it to the graveyard to draw twice.” Two more magic cards appeared, giving her a chance. It was a risk, but if this worked. “Then I use Monster Gate. By sending Marron to the graveyard, I can pick up cards from my deck until a monster that can be normal summoned appears. Then it is special summoned, and anything else that got turned up first is sent to the graveyard.”
 
She only needed to turn the top two cards to find one, and her luck couldn’t be better. Not only had her Cosmobeet reappeared again, just the kind she was hoping for, but the card before it was Breakthrough Skill. What a card to mill this way! The bulb tuner replaced Marron. “Next I’ll play the spell Leodrake's Mane. By negating a monster’s effects for the rest of the turn, its attack points become three thousand. Battle Phase; Cosmobeet attacks Grasschopper, and Hydrangea attacks Cross-Sword Beetle!”
 
The super-powered little seedling charged and somehow upset the giant mantis, ramming it in the chest before it could counter, as a scattergun of petals followed up on the beetle and blew it away. Urusula winced as she took the effect of the damage (LP 2950), but it wasn’t over by a long way. She paled as the great dragon loomed over her, snapping at her with its jaws as it begged Clove for release. That was an easy command to make. “Now Barkion attacks you directly!”
 
The dragon hit hard, smashing Urusula across the ribs with its tail whipping through the air at breakneck speed. The force of the attack launched her into the central steps behind her, crashing into them with a heavy impact on her back, Gear and Somorrakh stunned as she cringed and struggled to get up (LP 450).
 
“Grr... you arrogant little brat... is that all you got?” she hissed through gritted teeth.
 
‘In terms of damage, unfortunately I think it is’ Clove thought as she looked at her hand. The only card left in it was Seed of Deception, there was no way she could do more damage to finish it this turn. She’d just have to lock Urusula back down until her next turn and push for victory then. “This will make victory certain. I tune Cosmobeet with Hydrangea to Synchro Summon another mighty defender of all things that aim for peace and tranquillity in the world.”
 
The earth before her shook as the creature appeared, towering over the field. Alex, Gear, Somorrakh, and even the struggling Aerial craned their necks up in amazement as the huge boulder like creature struggled to fit inside the chamber, lowering its mighty head towards the infuriated Urusula as she staggered upright to glare at it and the stoic Clove. “This noble creature represents everything I make my stand for. Naturia Landoise!” The tortoise creature bellowed at Urusula (Lv7, ATK 2350).
 
“I end my turn.” She watched carefully as Urusula struggled to get back up, her ugly face a portrait of absolute fury. Presumably she understood her position. ‘She seemed to know Barkion’s effect and held back her trap, so I assume she knows that by discarding spell cards like I’ve got in my hand, I can use Landoise to negate and destroy her monsters. With these two out, a reversal here is pretty unlikely. I guess it’s all down to Alex now.’
 
She turned to her remaining partner. He’d bought some time by watching her turn to regain his energy, and got caught up in her play, and looked back at her simply awestruck. She gave him a nod for support. He had to be the decisive factor now, the success of their first mission since promotion and Vardus’ faith in them was on the line. But more than that. She couldn’t put a reason to her nagging fear, but she just had this awful feeling they had to win, and do it fast. “You can do it Alex” she said simply. “You can win.”
 
“Right” he replied, turning to his observant opponent. Somorrakh had, as always, watched everything that had happened in silent and unascertainable scrutiny, standing behind their fiery artillery and wall of masking cloth with their arms folded, waiting patiently for his move. “Okay pal, this is the decisive battle now. You’ve thrown everything you can at me and I’ve taken it all, even if I needed a breather given the power of your assault. Now it’s time to throw everything I can back at you. Let’s go!”

 

Alex: LP 800, Hand 4, Field of two face downs

Somorrakh: LP 4000, Hand empty, Field of Volcanic Rocket, Tri-Blaze Accelerator, face down

 
He had drawn his card a while ago, but after the last blast from those two Scattershots he hadn’t had a chance to look. Checking it now, a ferocious beast glared back. ‘Alright. Thanks Khan. Let’s win this.’ “I activate the effect of XX-Saber Gardestrike. Because there are two X-Sabers in my graveyard and my field is empty, I can special summon him.”
 
A wildcat creature in fine armour and a red cape and carrying an enormous sword leapt past, landing deftly on its hind legs (Lv5, ATK 2100). “And now he’s out, I can activate the trap Gottom's Emergency Call to resurrect said two X-Sabers. Pashuul and Boggart Knight return.” The hood cocked slightly as the two knights reappeared, albeit Pashuul only briefly as it started tuning with Gardestrike. There was a flash of steel, as a more human warrior hit the field in their stead, a new Synchro dressed in silver plate emblazoned with the sign of the X, bearing two swords (Lv7, ATK 2500)
 
“I activate the effect of X-Saber Souza” Alex continued. “By releasing Boggart Knight, I can activate one of two effects. I’ll choose the one that prevents him from being destroyed by traps this turn.” That ought to protect him from any Mirror Force related disaster, now to reassemble his forces. “I normal summon X-Saber Airbellum to the field. Then because I now control two X-Sabers again, I can special summon out XX-Saber Faultroll through its own effect. Also his second effect activates. Once per turn, I can summon one level four or lower X-Saber from my graveyard.”
 
Where there had been one monster, suddenly there were four! A snarling wolverine beast with steel claw gauntlets (Lv3, ATK 1600), was followed by a knight in advanced ruby coloured armour, carrying a great two-handed sword (Lv6, ATK 2400) which in turn resurrected Boggart Knight once again (Lv4, ATK 1900). Now it all came down to that face down. “What do you think of that then?” Alex had no idea why, given how he knew he wouldn’t get a verbal answer, but he felt compelled to ask. Somorrakh looked at the army of monsters, and very slowly gave him a simple nod. It appeared almost complimentary.
 
“Er... thanks. Anyway, time to end this. Souza, attack Volcanic Rocket.” The warrior charged and swung at the bird, Alex winced as he waited for the trap to go off. But Somorrakh remained perfectly still, even as the pterodactyl like creature was decapitated and destroyed, flinching only slightly as it exploded in a ball of flame and they took damage (LP 3400). Alex’s heart leapt. He was in now! “Alright, now my three other monsters attack you directly. Between them, they have more than enough to defeat you. Go!”
 
Perhaps being the strongest, Faultroll got there first. The warrior was feet away, sword raised high over their head, when suddenly the cloaked being responded in a blur, flicking open their trap. Alex blinked, it was activating now? The audio description explained:
 
“Firewall: When attacked directly, you can banish one Pyro-type monster from your graveyard to negate that attack. You must pay five hundred life points during your Standby Phase to keep this card in play.”
 
Alex cursed as the audio description read out the effect, as the ghost of one of the Scattershot’s appeared just in front of Somorrakh, intercepting the strike. His chance of victory had gone for now. “Well I’ll just have to empty your graveyard then. Airbellum, Boggart Knight, keep up the pressure.”
 
Airbellum was similarly blocked as a second Scattershot threw itself in the way of the slashing claws, but Alex pressed on, determined to at least whittle away all their resources with Boggart Knight. But to his surprise, no fiery creature came this time. Instead Boggart Knight was allowed through, and Somorrakh met it head on their self, throwing their shield up to his sword at incredible speed. The knights sword struck hard... and stopped dead as it drove into the cloaked figures raised shield, leaving him and the others gobsmacked. Somorrakh held firm, not giving one inch to the beast-warriors attack, completely unmoved as their life dropped (LP 1500). But they held it, until with a push; they thrust forward and shoved his monster back! Alex was amazed his opponent was still standing where they were, powerful and unmovable. Why the hell had they decided to let that attack go through? To intimidate him? Still...
 
“Wow... Ok, that was pretty incredible” he gasped, and again Somorrakh nodded. He didn’t understand his opponent, not one bit. But whoever they were, they didn’t seem anything like Gear and Urusula did. Whoever they were, they demanded his respect, and they had it now. “Guess I better shore up against you then. I place one card face down, then I tune Airbellum and Boggart Knight together. Synchro Summon the next sword in the X-Saber’s arsenal. X-Saber Urbellum.” A lither, smaller warrior with tight fitting armour and a horned helmet sprung forward (Lv7, ATK 2200). “With that I’ll end my turn.”
 
The cloaked figure paused at their deck as they took the cost of Firewall (LP 1000) and calmly, forcefully, drew in a straight motion - one that made Alex flinch. He didn’t know why, but he was nervous. Their field was nothing but that Tri-Blaze launcher, yet his nerves were shredding themselves as the hooded foe glanced at the card. It appeared on the field as a medium sized draconic creature (Lv4, ATK 1700).
 
“Royal Firestorm Guards: When normal summoned; return four Pyro-type monsters to your deck, then draw two cards.”
 
“Oh, that’s why you took that last attack, in case you drew that thing” Alex realised, as Rocket, the third Scattershot, and two other fiery monsters that had been milled; the only four monsters in the graveyard, returned. This was bad, another two draws? He could feel sweat dripping down his neck. Feel Clove’s nerves as she watched, this draw could determine a lot, more than they knew yet. Somorrakh drew...
 
Across the field, the hooded figure looked down at their cards. One was a dark monster of an archetype not of their Volcanic, not in keeping with the deck, but insisted upon by others none the less. It wasn’t important. But the other card, they had not been let down. They appreciated this with a nod, before moving slowly under all the gazes reached down to the audio attachment below the disk hub with their free hand, and switched it off.  It was no longer needed. The figure looked up at the astonished young boy facing them, ignoring all the others, and growled slightly. Alex was stunned as there were some throaty, harsh noises behind the wraps around their face - understandable after an age of silence - before to everyone’s amazement after so many years, it was finally broken.
 
“You... fought... very... bravely...” the voice croaked. It was clear they had not spoken for many years, but that wasn’t the only thing. It was a gruff voice. But the tone, something about it, Alex realised that without a doubt Somorrakh was actually a female. “But not quite... well... enough. By sending... Tri-Blaze Accelerator... to the graveyard..., I can summon... the final weapon... of the Volcanic tribe. Come...”
 
Alex froze as the launcher collapsed, and in its stead appeared a terrible creature. Armoured in black magma, with powerful arms, a long tail, and a plated crown of vicious spikes on its skull like head, the flaming beast rose up and up, towering over his three monsters, spitting black flames (Lv8, ATK 3000).
 
‘Don’t panic Alex, its fine’ he told himself, trying not to glance at his traps. ‘As long as it hasn’t got an effect that destroys my face downs, I’m fine.’ He tried to keep telling himself that, but was not confident.
 
The figure was raising her hand towards him. “Go... Volcanic Doomfire. Destroy... X-Saber Faultroll...”
 
“I... What!?” Alex gasped. He was sure he hadn’t heard right. She was going to attack Faultroll? (LP 800) Desperately he tried to work it out as the lumbering creature marched towards his smaller knight. “But there’s not enough difference in their attacks for you to win. You could finish it if you attack Urbellum.”
 
“And walk... right into... your trap?” she replied. Alex blinked in shock. She knew?! “Poor little male. Ever since you set... I knew it was a Synchro support card. Why else would you summon Hyunlei on your first turn?” It was then he realised his mistake, the obviousness of his play, as Doomfire crushed Faultroll. He roared as flames enveloped him, scorching his leather armour (LP 200). Both his traps were useless now. The other was only Skill Drain, he’d set it as a bluff. He really had nothing. But neither did she, unless...
 
“Doomfire’s effect activates...” the hood continued. It was pitiless, but somehow there was a feeling of... satisfaction. As if she approved. “When she destroys a monster by battle... all others are also destroyed. Then you take... five hundred damage... for each. Thank you... young male warrior... and goodbye.”
 
With a breath of flame, the Doomfire annihilated both X-Saber Synchros. The blast swept over Alex, who roared in agony, through a mixture of heat, pain and exhaustion, before finally he was released and he collapsed (LP 0). Contest over; Somorrakh disarmed her shield as her Doomfire faded away and turned to face the stairs, and into the exultant Gear. “Nice work Somorrakh. You even spoke! Up high!”
 
The towering cloaked figure stared down at the shorter man holding up their good hand, making him sweat, and left him hanging. “Your behaviour disgusts me. My opponent... true male warrior... I respect. Unlike you.” She put a hand against Gear’s metal chest and effortlessly shoved him to the ground.
 
“Bah, whatever! I won and he lost. Try respecting that instead of some stupid honour” he muttered as he dusted himself off. Somorrakh growled threateningly at him, but his attention turned to Urusula, who had ignored them and remained still as a statue where she was. “Come on Urse, we’ve won. Let’s go.”
 
“No!” she snapped, taking him aback as she knocked his hand away. She was shaking violently, ignoring him as she glared at the girl tending to the fallen Alex while her two guardians stood in front of her. Her words were spat with venom. “I’m not finished. I won’t accept this. Not until I grind her into the dirt! Being beaten like this... I won’t be humiliated like this! Hey you!” she cried at Clove, making her look up and flinch. The duel as a contest was over, but not to her. Mad with rage, her face had contorted into something even more twisted and horrible. “Get back here, you’re still not finished with me yet. Draw!”
 
She snatched her card, but barely looked at it before playing the other. “Your little guardians might have locked most of my options down, but I can still use spells without your Beast on the field. I play Dragged Down to the Grave! With this we can both look at each other’s hands, and choose one to discard in exchange for a draw. So you can get rid of that spell you’re obviously sitting on.”
 
Clove frowned as she stood up. It had been obvious she had held one; she just hadn’t expected her to be able to do anything about it, as she watched Urusula reveal Relinquished Spider and throw it away. She begrudgingly discarded her spell, hoping to draw a new one. This time, no luck. ‘Bamboo Shoot! Now?’
 
Worse still, Urusula had got that horrible smirk back. “Looks like someone missed their draw. However unfortunately for you, mine was perfect, and I have you to thank for it!” Clove blinked. What did she mean thanks to her? Scarily, Urusula smiled maliciously at her. “You thought you were so clever trying to make me discard all my monsters first turn and set yourself up didn’t you? Well now that first move is going to come back and hurt you with my last. I summon Beetron, and activate its effect. By sending Spider Lair to the grave, I can summon one insect from my graveyard. Infernity Beetle!”
 
‘Infernity?’Clove’s mind was racing as a small black beetle appeared beside the armoured bee (Lv4, ATK 1600). What the hell was an Infernity monster? Judging from the blonde’s expression, this was bad.
 
“Now I tune my level two Beetle with Beetron, to Synchro Summon my ultimate insect. Now you will see and experience true fear” she was wild with excitement as the monster took the form of a giant black spider, with a female being of horrific looks was merged onto the top of it as a rider, the thing screeched terribly. But it wasn’t as ugly as her enemy. “Tremble before Underground Arachnid!” (Lv6, ATK 2400)
 
“That’s... bah, that can’t do much to my two Naturia Synchros” she retorted defiantly, the two beasts remaining supportive. She had to stay calm and be able to fight. With Alex and Aerial still down, she couldn’t let the same happen to her, or else they’d be at these guys mercy. Urusula cackled hysterically.
 
“Au contraire, my poor helpless little fly. Here, let me show you. Underground Arachnid’s first effect activates. Once per turn, it can snatch away one of your helpless little monsters and take it for itself as an equip card. Now your Landoise is weakened, I’ll be taking Barkion.” Clove was powerless to stop it as a net of spider silk ensnared her dragon, dragging it away from her and absorbing it, horribly, inside the spider. Urusula winked at her mockingly, before activating her last card. “Aw what a shame, now for that hunk of rock. But with the sky snake out the way, that can be done simply with Synchro Ejection. Now Landoise is banished, and although you get to draw a card in exchange, it doesn’t matter now.”

Clove’s heart stopped as the giant tortoise simply vanished, leaving the way clear for the wicked spider to crawl towards her, pincers outstretched towards her paralyzed form as Urusula smirked acidly behind it. “As when my Arachnid attacks, no effects can activate. Now why don’t you taste... my venom...”
 
Clove hit the floor with a thud, dumped on her front as the giant spider faded away, leaving her in a similar state to the spread-eagle lain Alex and the beaten Aerial still slumped against the wall (LP 0). Across the field Urusula danced with delight at her victory, high-fiving Gear as Somorrakh kept separate.
 
“Yes, oh I just love that. I can’t get enough” she gasped to herself in a sort of daze, before returning her focus to the fallen group. Something about this temple had made for a very real physical effect on their victims. All three were laid out, trying to get some breath or energy back. They were defenceless.
 
“You heard her right?” Gear asked in a dark whisper. “She spoke about a Vardus. Can’t be coincidence.”
 
He was giving the group the same look. Urusula frowned, and nodded in agreement. “Right. Let’s do it.”
 
Grinning wickedly, the two started to advance upon the exhausted rebels. They were stopped however by the outstretched hand of their partner, who was silently staring up at the left hand set of stairs.
 
“Hey, what’s the problem?” Gear snapped at Somorrakh.
 
“Trouble” she replied simply, before suddenly sprinting off, up the stairs in great powerful strides and disappearing into the dark. Frustrated, the other two abandoned whatever they had planned for the helpless victims and gave chase, leaving the rebels on their own to recover.
 
“Ugh, that hurt” Alex groaned as he sat up, rubbing his back. “Can’t believe we all lost.”
 
“Forget it, we gotta go after them” Clove winced as she forced herself up, Aerial shakily coming over to her side. Her muscles ached and groaned in protest, her energy sapped by this accursed place, but she forced herself to move. “Didn’t you see the way they ran off? Something’s going on. We gotta catch up.”
 
Alex agreed, and with much struggle against fatigue and soreness they forced themselves up the left set of stairs in pursuit of the other group. The tunnel wasn’t particularly long, even if it was sloped, so they soon caught up with them inside a long treasure room, hiding behind a statue and peeking in. The other three were all stood a few metres away, looking up another set of stairs to a raised platform at the back among the treasure. There was a pedestal upon which rested what from the description they’d be given by Vardus had to be the prize; a small triangular shaped wedge of sparkling white pearl, lined with a gold trim around the edge. And standing behind that pedestal, examining it closely, was a man who was also dressed all in white. Even his short spiky hair and trimmed eyebrows were as white as his fine overcoat, trousers and boots, all as pale as the item before him. He looked quite young and athletic, with flawless tanned skin, and a snide smirk on his thin lips. How he’d got in here was beyond them, but there he was, this mystery man looking down at the infuriated cronies below him with a conceited smirk.
 
“Now this is my kind of object” he crowed, carefully weighing the artefact up. “How long I’ve been searching for you, my little item of such beauty. Bout time I found you instead of those other pieces.”
 
“Hey, get your filthy hands off our item!” Urusula shouted up at him, increasing his amusement.
 
“Your item? Oh dear, does this mean you’re going to fight me for it, just as you were doing outside?” He grinned derisively, spotting the rebels peeking out from their hiding place. “I could hear the ruckus out here, thank you for taking so much time getting caught up fighting each other. You gave me all the time I needed to take care of all the safeguards around this thing. At least I think I got them all. But in any case, I think it would be best if I took this now.” He snatched the piece and held it aloft, gazing up at it. “Just one more left... and the rebirth will begin. The world will be cleansed, and can begin anew...”
 
“Grab him!” Urusula shouted as he stood examining his prize. Gear and Somorrakh rushed the stairs towards him, the powerful Volcanic user surging ahead. The mysterious man in white smiled at them sympathetically, before snatching some sort of device from his hip and firing it into the air, sending a long rope rocketing into the sky. The rope seemed to be a grabbling device, as at a click he was shooting up into the air just as Somorrakh lunged for him, just about avoiding the pedestal. Gear jumped and tried to springboard off her huge back, but his wild grab was way short. The man laughed at their effort as he shot up into a tunnel of some sort in the roof, disappearing from their frustrated glares.
 
“Sorry, but this is mine” he called down. “However, you guys can still have the consolation prize...”
 
“Consolation prize?” Gear asked as Somorrakh pushed against the pedestal. Nobody understood what he meant, but they didn’t have to wonder long, as the treasure room started to shake. “What the...?”
 
A seal in the wall in front of him and Somorrakh opened, revealing a large hole; a tunnel. The rumbling was increasing,
and coming from that tunnel was...
 
“OH MY GOD!!!” everyone shouted, turned and ran, as a huge boulder came crashing out of the tunnel! All injuries and fatigues were quickly forgotten then. The rebels legged it back down the narrow passage, the other group close behind them and the boulder closing in after them, crushing everything in its wake as it gained momentum coming down the slope. Aerial went flying out the exit first, almost choked as Clove grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pulled him over the side into a gap between the stairs, Alex jumping after them. This was a good decision, better than the other guys who sprinted past in blind panic, right into the path of two more boulders that came rumbling out of the other two tunnels to cover all the exits. The rebels covered their ears from the thunderous noise, huddling together as the boulders passed over them. As they emerged, they could just make out the others sprinting down the right hand tunnel, pursued by the original boulder, Urusula screaming her head off as they disappeared.
 
“Aaaaaaah... I don’t wanna be crushed! I hate boulders! I hate these stupid ancients! I hate tombs........!”
 
...
 
The rebels returned late the next day, and told Vardus about everything that had happened to them on their quest. How they explored the ruins, the group they encountered, the man who had snatched the artefact from them, and his ominous message. The leader listened intently with deep concern, as did his senior aides; and the three retired into private afterwards to discuss this troublesome matter in depth.
 
Before they had though; the mysterious man all in white had already returned to the city. With a bow, he presenting the pearl artefact to the man sat before him in the drawing room. “Here it is Lord Tessera. The third piece of the four; as perfect as the day it was made. We’re one step closer to our goal.”
 
Tessera smiled, stood, and took the artefact from his man. The man in white was a little hesitant to let it go, but Tessera took it from him, examining it closely in the fire light. “Very good. Very good indeed. I can understand your attachment to this piece, but soon it must join the others, and then it begins...”
 
“Indeed...” his associate agreed, watching Tessera admire the result of his hard work. No longer needing to bow, he helped himself to something from a fruit bowl on a nearby drawing room table. “While I’m here Tess, I guess I should congratulate you on your own recent success. I heard about the result of the Longinus’ inquest. Verdict of suicide; having been found in his own home, his own sword in his chest, with a note in which he discarded the Empire. I had assumed that you managed to buy off the jury, but the Emperor’s own judge and doctor as well? I’m impressed” he smirked, taking a bite out of his apple.
 
“And yet there are those who refuse to believe the verdict passed by the court of law” Tessera replied sternly, a dark expression flashing across this handsome features. “Particularly those closest to the man. Those knights he valued so highly. I may have convinced those people to join our side, but I’m beginning to get the feeling that our enemies are becoming numerous, and hover around us in tightening circles.”
 
“Yeah, I’ll say” the man in white replied through another apple bite, slumping on a sofa. “When I was in the treasure room, there was a full scale fight going on for the piece between all kinds of weirdoes. It’s not just us looking for them now. Like you said, too many people are getting close for my liking.” Tessera turned and looked distant, seemingly in great thought. “Ah... I know that look. What are thinking Tess?”
 
Tessera continued to think for a minute as he stared into the fireplace. “Hmm... Severus.”
 
The drawing room doors opened, and the butler walked in. “My friends, I think it’s time we held a little get-together for all of my beloved enemies. The greatest night of their wretched, irrelevant lives...”[/spoiler]

[Ren✧]

I apologize for my absence, haven't felt much like reading lately, but I finally got around to reading Chapter 15. Glad to see that Aerial is in a duel...but then we never see him make a move. Sad days for Renegade.

 

In all seriousness, I am eager to see how this duel turns out. Seeing Ursula and Aerial dueling at the same time has me all fired up, and I like this strong and silent guy as well. Not too fond of Volcanics, but his character makes it interesting to watch. Not too fond of watching Clove duel, mainly because I have taken a disliking towards Naturias, but Scraps will be fun as well. I was hoping that Ursula would be using a Spider-centric deck, not just insects in general, but I am still eager to see how it turns out.

 

Onward. I just got to state the thing that was bugging me this entire chapter. You constantly refer to the Tetragram as item or object, and it gets incredibly repetitive. I find those words to be awkward most of the time, especially as many times as it was used this chapter. There were a few times that you switched it up with artefact, but there were more words at your disposal, like relic. You could also have them actually refer to it as the Tetragram, I mean I am sure that Vardus would at least give them the name of the thing, even if he didn't tell them its full potential. Building off of that, you could have them purposely screw up the name, for example, 'the Tetra-thingy'. Just something to think about, I'm sure that if it bothered me, it is bound to bother others. 

 

In addition, I found a lot of the dialogue here to be contrived. Take for instance, when Mr Strong & Silent needs a way to dictate his actions, there really isn't a need for him to turn to Ursula and have her point out that he has the automated dictating device. He could simply switch it on. In my opinion, it makes the scene smoother as well as adds more to the character. Something similar occurred when Aerial and Gear were conversing, so you might just want to look over and clean up the dialogue. Get rid of the excess and whatnot.

 

While we are on the topic of Mr Strong & Silent, the pronouns surrounding the character quite often became confusing. I know that most of it was done in order to maintain anonymity in reference to the character's gender, but I think it creates more problems than it fixes. Perhaps just have Alex mentally assign the character gender after mentally correcting himself a few times or something. I think it would probably allow for more shock value if you are planning to unveil the character as female, as Alex would most likely assign the figure to be male, and if the character does turn out to be male, well there is no harm nor foul.

 

One thing that I did like about this chapter was the setting, this cave belonging to a duel spirit intrigues me, and I am hoping that there is more about the cave's lore and history in the next chapter.  

 

Erin's expose at the beginning was enjoyable as well, seeing her become a detached mess is strangely appealing and the addition to Vardus's character is definitely an improvement. Her new haughty attitude I am finding to like much more than her old self. 

 

All in all, while the chapter did have its highlights, I found it pretty flat. Probably due to the fact that it is a build up chapter for the rest of the duel, but I definitely feel like there are still somethings that could be improved upon. 

 

Currently don't have the motivation to read through chapter 16, but hopefully I get to it more quickly than I did chapter 15

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

[spoiler=Spoilered for space]I apologize for my absence, haven't felt much like reading lately, but I finally got around to reading Chapter 15. Glad to see that Aerial is in a duel...but then we never see him make a move. Sad days for Renegade.

 

In all seriousness, I am eager to see how this duel turns out. Seeing Ursula and Aerial dueling at the same time has me all fired up, and I like this strong and silent guy as well. Not too fond of Volcanics, but his character makes it interesting to watch. Not too fond of watching Clove duel, mainly because I have taken a disliking towards Naturias, but Scraps will be fun as well. I was hoping that Ursula would be using a Spider-centric deck, not just insects in general, but I am still eager to see how it turns out.

 

Onward. I just got to state the thing that was bugging me this entire chapter. You constantly refer to the Tetragram as item or object, and it gets incredibly repetitive. I find those words to be awkward most of the time, especially as many times as it was used this chapter. There were a few times that you switched it up with artefact, but there were more words at your disposal, like relic. You could also have them actually refer to it as the Tetragram, I mean I am sure that Vardus would at least give them the name of the thing, even if he didn't tell them its full potential. Building off of that, you could have them purposely screw up the name, for example, 'the Tetra-thingy'. Just something to think about, I'm sure that if it bothered me, it is bound to bother others. 

 

In addition, I found a lot of the dialogue here to be contrived. Take for instance, when Mr Strong & Silent needs a way to dictate his actions, there really isn't a need for him to turn to Ursula and have her point out that he has the automated dictating device. He could simply switch it on. In my opinion, it makes the scene smoother as well as adds more to the character. Something similar occurred when Aerial and Gear were conversing, so you might just want to look over and clean up the dialogue. Get rid of the excess and whatnot.

 

While we are on the topic of Mr Strong & Silent, the pronouns surrounding the character quite often became confusing. I know that most of it was done in order to maintain anonymity in reference to the character's gender, but I think it creates more problems than it fixes. Perhaps just have Alex mentally assign the character gender after mentally correcting himself a few times or something. I think it would probably allow for more shock value if you are planning to unveil the character as female, as Alex would most likely assign the figure to be male, and if the character does turn out to be male, well there is no harm nor foul.

 

One thing that I did like about this chapter was the setting, this cave belonging to a duel spirit intrigues me, and I am hoping that there is more about the cave's lore and history in the next chapter.  

 

Erin's expose at the beginning was enjoyable as well, seeing her become a detached mess is strangely appealing and the addition to Vardus's character is definitely an improvement. Her new haughty attitude I am finding to like much more than her old self. 

 

All in all, while the chapter did have its highlights, I found it pretty flat. Probably due to the fact that it is a build up chapter for the rest of the duel, but I definitely feel like there are still somethings that could be improved upon. 

 

Currently don't have the motivation to read through chapter 16, but hopefully I get to it more quickly than I did chapter 15[/spoiler]

 

Don't worry about it Renegade, I understand you've been busy and stuff. Thank you for commenting. :)

 

This whole section came about initially as a side-plot to take a break from the main story and give all these characters some added development and a duel, and it's kinda worked into the main plot more than originally planned. In particular at the time Aerial really needed a duel at some stage, and Urusula and the other rebels I just wanted additional duels for. Urusula's deck is more beetle-centric than anything, just how it's worked out in writing rather than any deliberate intention.

 

Regarding general comments about language and writing; fair enough. I didn't notice in my writing and could/should have picked it up. Chapter 16 is already posted, but I'll try having a look at future chapters (although from memory it is more 'Tetragram' from hence forth). Can see your points re Somorrakh as well, that's just a knowledge gap on my part to be picked out and be improved if re-published. Still, nice to have these technical points highlighted and pick up new tips and learn. Somorrakh's audio device debacle was just to show some of their personality, but you're right it was a bit poorly done (although any opportunity to make Urusula over-react should and must be taken! :D)

 

Guess Vector was right about too much talking pre-duel. :(

 

Glad the setting came across okay, as I was worried about it. The duel spirit it is homage to is actually a guest character from the original, although given how long ago the original was I'd be surprised if anyone knew/remembered who she was from the description of the statue.

 

No problem, thank you for the honest feedback and hope 16 sees things pick up, as the duels continue. I'll try and keep things in mind, although some of the points should iron themselves out over the next x chapters as questions are answered. Fingers crossed.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

*sigh*
 
Shortest chapter of story is shortest, so gets shortest post from me.
 
[spoiler=Chapter 17]Chapter 17: The Noble
 
A week after the fiasco in the northern temple with the Tetragram, the senior rebel commanders were out on another excursion into the city streets above. Nataka and Chetema had spent so much of the last year underground in the ancient waterway temple the city was built upon, they were glad to receive any chance of fresh air, a warm sun, and the common interaction with the people of the city and nation that, although neither were originally from it, they were trying to save. They had been topside more often in the winter, mostly trying to secure new lines of supply and recruitment, but as the spring came to pass their utilisation was continued in this vein while the youths kept on training far below them as they walked the cobbled streets. Today they were operating in the inner belt of the city, where the rich lived amongst the baths and the theatres and the parks, putting themselves far enough away from the slums and factories of the outer ring for the privileged favourites of the Emperor to ignore the struggles of the mere mortal peasants. Chetema had to be dressed appropriately for walking these streets and smarten up his dreadlocks with a band, revealing a not unhandsome man when he did himself up in this way, and although he still earned a few odd looks because of his sheer size as he pushed through the crowds of nobles, they did not raise much suspicion. They couldn’t use the kids for this one; they’d stick out in this district even more than he did. As they departed from one shop (Nataka’s long sleeves full with lifted goods of course), they walked down a leafy boulevard, and the barbarian spotted a notice board.
 
“Look” he said simply, walking over to it and examining the posters splashed across the board. All of them were emblazoned with the title ‘Wanted’, and each contained a picture of various members of the Resistance; namely Erin, Alex, Clove, Aerial, Nataka himself, and to the barbarian’s surprise, their leader was also staring back at him, with a more speculative yet ominous statement to the others of ‘Have you seen this man? If so, please report immediately to the royal guard with any information’ along with a much more sizable reward. The latter two were swiftly removed while no-one was looking.
 
Their ‘shopping’ complete, the generals headed back to one of the many safe places they had installed across the city where they could get back underground without detection or risk of being discovered. It was only a short walk from here, and there didn’t seem to be anyone following them. As the two walked back, talking occasionally from a familiar script to re-enforce their illusion of belonging amongst the city’s upper class, they found themselves walking past the gates of a grand estate and stopped. There was a buzz of activity at the front gate.
 
Several carts, all loaded with foods or decorations of many kinds, were queuing up for entry and being checked by various servants, before being granted admission to the estate. Nataka studied the workers closely. As he suspected, most of the servants here in the employ of the house were, judging from their appearances, not born of the capital. This wasn’t surprising; even before the wars the Empire had won over the years; a lot of servants of fallen or defected houses of other nations had come here and ended up in similar servitude. Or to be more accurate in some cases, slavery. The servants wore matching black uniforms, emblazoned with the coat of arms of the house in gold on the lapel - a crown divided into sections, with four points and evenly spaced gemstones, and worked with the same blank expression in silence. They watched the task force check the last cart, before following it through the gates and marching towards the house.
 
“That’s lot of food and fancy items” Chetema grunted as the gates closed. “What you think going on?”
 
“Probably some snooty friend of the Emperor’s wanting to show off their wealth for no good reason” Nataka sniffed, but despite of his indifference they approached the gate for a closer look at the house beyond. The main house was hidden for the most part by the mass of other buildings within the walls enveloping it, including servant quarters and industrial buildings like a wind and lumber mill, all built from the same expensive looking stone irrespective of rank or function, some even towered above the mansion itself. Neither of them could explain why they were like that, or what those tall square towers could possibly be used for. The mansion itself was a magnificent design; a great symmetrical house with pillars and arches and built from golden stone, seemingly in the centre of a little empire all of its own within its walls. It was perhaps possible looking at it from here that you could - within reason - manage a fully functioning populous of a few hundred within it, kind of like they could potentially do in their headquarters in the waterways. But on a much bigger scale here, operating separately from the rest of the city. The only place that was definitely bigger than this was Nero’s own palace, but that was possibly all. Looking across this small citadel within a citadel, both of them shuddered.
 
“I not like this” Chetema muttered darkly, glancing suspiciously from building to building. He felt very small at the gates of it, and also with all those windows, how many eyes were potentially staring back at him from behind the curtains? He had a crawling feeling it was hundreds. “There is a foreboding about this place. Some kind of... evil...”
 
“I agree with you my friend, that there is something very unnatural in the air here” Nataka agreed. The design of the buildings was so uniform, and so out of keeping in style with the others nobles mansions and buildings of the old city. He couldn’t explain why, maybe it was just his and his friend’s old warrior instincts making them paranoid, but something about the estate beyond them made him feel just as apprehensive. As they stood there, another cart approached the gate. Nataka waved it down.
 
“You there, driver. You seem awfully busy today. I’ve just seen no less than eight carts go through here already.”
 
“Yes indeed” said the driver, who seemed an amicable fellow. “The young Lord Tessera, the owner of this estate I hear, is holding a party in honour of the Emperor tomorrow night. Celebration of the anniversary of his ascendancy to the seat of the Empire apparently. He’s been ordering in all sorts. I’ve just got in from Citta del Cascata myself, with all the freshest prawns and bass from our oceans.”
 
“I see...” Nataka said thoughtfully, stroking his beard. “I assume the Emperor himself will be attending?”
 
“I assume so” the driver said as he buzzed the intercom for admittance. “There are all sorts of people coming. Not just from the city, even dignitaries from across the Empire. I ran into a coach containing the Governor of Sennen’Yama on my way here, that’s why I was late. Not that I’ve seen the guest list mind, I just know it’s a big party from my order. It’s all special invitation only, very well-to-do.”
 
For a driver, he seemed very talkative and well-informed.
 
They could see servants re-emerging from the house in the distance to inspect the late arrival, so it was probably best they leave. Retreating a short way from the gate, they watched as it was let through.
 
“So, there’s to be a party here in honour of the Emperor tomorrow night... but surely such an occasion should be held at the Emperor’s palace itself...” Nataka pondered quietly as Chetema continued to look out at the house. “Lord Tessera... where have I read that name recently...? And those servants... What is your opinion on all this, my friend?” he asked.
 
“Bad feeling” Chetema grunted darkly. “Tell Vardus. He know what to do.”
 
Nataka agreed. Something was afoot within the walls of that luxurious estate, something that was more than a mere anniversary party. Something he couldn’t quiet put his finger on despite all his experience. Experience that was telling him, just a hunch of ominous feeling within his warrior’s soul, that there was a void of blackness within all that gold. Chetema could sense it too, and hopefully Vardus could dispel it.
 
...
 
Speaking of Vardus, the Resistance leader was sat in his comfortable office armchair, with a half-drunk glass of red pushed to one side of his desk away from him and a classical record on his antiquated music player gently filling the office with its soft beautiful song, as he poured over the notes he’d just written. A hastily mangled scribble of his incoherent thoughts and aspirations, and the methods to make them come reality, each more outlandish than the next. Vardus frowned, crunched the notes up into a ball and threw the paper back over his shoulder at a waste bin against the wall behind him. He missed the bin full of similarly crumpled papers by a considerable distance. Frowning more, he took a swig of wine.
 
The winter had been a productive spell for the Resistance in their hibernation, as they steadily gathered the resources and equipment with which to re-engage their battle against the Emperor with as much force as they could muster, but the actual amount of fighting against the tyrant had been minimal, and no matter how much he knew it was a necessary period of rebuilding and planning, of a calm before a great gathering storm, a part of him still despised this waning time and yearned for battle. He could sense it in the others around him too, particularly his younger and more headstrong charges, and he felt the same. But he couldn’t afford to take risks. Not after the previous months in which they had started to lose many people, many good people, both directly with them like Dorian and Skaro, or their other allies on the surface who supplied them like Reckage did. He knew that in the city above many people were dying to. The people who they were both trying to protect and release from Nero’s oppression, and who in return were twisted against them by his lies and feared and hated the terrorist group.
 
Nero... that bastard was probably sat up in his throne room right now, immune to the screams for food or shelter or mercy from those beneath him, slowly bleeding them of everything they had. He wondered how pleased he must be feeling with himself right now. No doubt after the drop in their operations Nero would think the Resistance had either be defeated or disbanded, and that it was all down to his genius and unopposed might, and he would be laughing at them as he poured himself another drink. What a change could become a man in such a few short years, even months. He was not the Emperor that he had started working for half a dozen years ago, who was cunning and sharp yes, but benevolent and of good judgment in his rule. Vardus worked happily for that man for four years, before he was sent to the frontline in charge of his own regiment, for a cause he never really believed in.
 
Vardus rubbed his neck uncomfortably, his thick gold embellished hand rubbing against the massive scaring covering that side of his face. Then he had returned to the Empire and Nero’s court, a victorious general, but not a celebrating one. It wasn’t long after that the outlawing of all Duel Monster related activity was passed as treason, and the Purge of all the strongest duelists who might take exception to the law and the maker’s supremacy began. Vardus had picked up the game as a young boy, which was all the rage back then even in his village in the middle of nowhere, for much the same reasons that he enjoyed chess. It had started as just a casual interest in another game of tactics, strategy, and to a small degree luck, or so he thought at the time, at which he got quite good. But he had travelled more since then. Seen more, learned more. Two days into the Purge, and Vardus felt the noose that was soon to be placed around his neck start to tighten, metaphorically anyway, and he knew it was time to disappear. He felt he’d made a good show about that, and had certainly made the poor idiot who had tried to take him down single-handed regret it in the afterlife in the process. He wondered if Nero knew by now that he was still alive, and was the one behind the movement that threatened him, or was merely guessing. The Emperor was paranoid, but he was still no fool. He must have some suspicions by now, if he hadn’t already laughed and drunk them away.
 
Feeling bitter, he picked up today’s journal. Apparently the theatre square in the Uria slums which had been a danger site with all of the city engineers working on it and the gaping chasm that had ripped it in half continuously throughout the winter, endlessly day and night, had been finished in its repair and was now reopen for the residents to return to their homes and businesses. The crevasse that had been opened had been miles deep, but was not wide and did not stretch into another underground cavern under the buildings like his base as was feared, but now the square had been completely restructured and reinforced with a new layer that was perfectly safe. Meaning the tomb was sealed forever...
 
Suddenly, Vardus felt something in the back of his throat. Clutching at it in urgency, he quickly got up and blundered up the backstairs from his office through to his well-appointed quarters, and the en-suite bathroom beyond, where he just about managed to get to in time before he was sick. It was an unusual sensation; Vardus had never often been ill, even in his youth. But now he felt sick. With the Empire. With himself, and his accursed weakness. With everything.
 
...
 
With a clash they locked swords, but the parity was only for a moment. With a shove and some nifty footwork from her foe, Lavender gasped as less than a second after being in a position of matching strength, she was suddenly on her backside, her sword dropped in her fall, and another pointing an inch from her neck. The opponent held it there for a second, before withdrawing it and extending a hand.
 
“Not bad, but as you’ve just seen, a situation can change in a split second if you’re not careful, and one mistake or misfortune can result in death” Erin said, pulling her up as she accepted her hand. “You have to focus on me, but on everything I’m doing. In a real battle there’ll be so much going on around you it’ll be a blur; you won’t keep up with everything  going on so don’t even try. Just focus on everything I’m doing in front of you, any trick I might pull, and don’t focus entirely on my sword like you were just now. But for a start overall, not bad.”
 
She hadn’t meant it maliciously; it was just a blunt statement of the truth about fighting in battle that her fellow rebel would have to get used to. Thankfully Lavender accepted it with a rueful smile and a quiet thanks, and they began again. Indeed the girl was improving in every aspect, and it was thanks to the dedication Erin was putting into training her over the last week. After having received an almighty rollicking from Nataka on Vardus’ behalf about her previous conduct, along with her treatment of Mel and Chou after she exploded at them, she had re-focused her efforts in training the new recruits. They had still been a little afraid of her at first, but eventually she got their trust back and training moved much more smoothly. Since their return the others also got involved with sessions on occasion, although it was mostly in-between duties. According to Chetema it was strictly under her allowance that they help her conduct training, and when he told her that she felt a sudden rush of new belief, and her efforts doubled again. Right now Klasse was being shown how to use a spear by Alex, while Rain was duelling Aerial. Looking between them as she parried away a nonetheless good attack from Lavender, she felt enormously proud of their development. All three of them were steadily coming along with their duelling, physical fighting and fitness. She would have to leave the rest to Vardus and the other seniors to decide on when to put them into real missions, but she felt she had done them, and herself, justice.
 
Besides, if she kept herself busy, maybe she could forget about things, and move on.
 
When with some persistence Lavender finally got around her shield and landed an attack on her hip, bringing the score off of something akin to her early days against Nataka, they took a break and refilled their water-bottles from a nearby tap. Klasse was struggling with the spears, primarily because his thin and gawky build wasn’t made for it like Alex was. Instead they turned their attention to the duel. Aerial’s ace Mist Valley Thunder Lord loomed over the field with its steely weapons, while Rain had just summoned a weak looking Cloudian in attack position, as well as setting one other card. Now it was his turn.
 
“Thunder Lord, attack Ghost Fog!” Erin blinked in surprise as the electrically charged lord lunged for the wispy spectre in front of it with its hammer. Surely even against little Rain it wouldn’t be that easy...
 
“Ghost Fog's effect. When it battles, no damage takes place” Rain squeaked in her small voice. Indeed the smoke dissipated from the blow with no effect. “Also when it’s destroyed, it can spread an amount of Fog Counters among your monsters equal to the level of the one that destroyed it. Your only monster is Thunder Lord, so it takes them all in addition to the one it already had, so now it becomes vulnerable to Diamond Dust Cyclone! This destroys your Lord, and it also lets me draw two cards for its eight Fog Counters.”
 
Aerial looked shot. His whole demeanour visibly sank as his monster did, disappearing in a storm as Rain took her two cards, securing almost certain victory given her already well stocked hand. He didn’t even use his drawn card, simply admitting defeat. Indeed it came, as Tri-Wight Zone revived her three trusty Smoke Balls, and Triangle Power boosted their attacks for a quite emphatic victory. Or rather another emphatic defeat, as two of the smoke balls battered his points away (LP 0). Aerial sank to his knees, looking thoroughly miserable, as Lavender left Erin and ran over to congratulate her exuberant niece.
 
“Well done Rain. That was really good.”
 
“Thanks Lavender” she beamed. “Thanks Aerial. That was fun.”
 
He didn’t reply at first. Instead he just continued to stare at the stone in front of where he was kneeling, mumbling something and trying to not to look utterly embarrassed. Erin felt a pang of awkwardness for him though. This was his first loss to Rain, but not his first defeat to any of the new trio. It was the latest of several, and each time he was getting worse. Ever since his return from the north, he hadn’t been his chirpy light-hearted self at all. He had barely practised archery, instead focusing on duelling. Badly. Erin didn’t know the full details of what had happened; only the brief summary Alex had given her about the people they encountered and their losses. It seemed Aerial’s still plagued him a lot worse than the other two, and whereas they had resolved to get stronger from it, his confidence was in pieces. Erin hoped he would provide a fair level of competition with the others to train, but she hadn’t realised how bad he’d got. With every duel he played more desperately to win, more recklessly, made more mistakes, and lost by bigger and bigger margins as he walked right into the most obvious of traps. She joined the other girls who were still looking at him and tried to usher them over to the spears with Klasse and Alex, making a mental note to withdraw him for now. This wasn’t helping her students, and he was destroying himself.
 
“Aerial.”
 
Her ushering was halted as a voice came from behind them, and all stopped to look around. Clove was stood at the top of the bridge to the training platform, arms folded and a concerned look on her face.
 
“Vardus wants to see you in his office” she said simply. Not in her usual snippy way, just quite flatly, like she felt sorry for him, or what was about to happen to him. Aerial gulped and looked from her to Erin. He looked terrified. Everyone was watching now. She felt she had to say something.
 
“Go on, it’ll be alright” she promised, although she didn’t really convince him or herself. “Um... I’ll come and see you afterwards... if you’d like. We can... hang out.”
 
Aerial nodded slowly, before rising off his knees and running off in the direction of Vardus’ office, passing Clove as she descended from the bridge steps. She looked awkwardly after him as he ran off until the moment he disappeared, before picking up a sword from the rack and focusing on Erin, Lavender and Rain. The two boys watched awkwardly from a distance.
 
“Okay, I’d like to join in the training... as long as it’s alright with Erin” she said in the same awkward tone. “I need the practise too. Let’s see how you newbies do against me.”
 
...
 
Sometime later, and Mia came along to find the six about to restart practice after lunch. Aerial had not reappeared in the canteen, so the time had passed quite uncomfortably, and everyone wanted to get back to training as quickly as possible before she appeared to intervene.
 
“I have instructions for all of you” she stated in her matter-of-fact tone. Mia was always business. “Lavender, Klasse and Rain, you are to join your fellow new recruits in picking up some supplies.”
 
The trio exchanged various looks at this assignment. The older recruits didn’t need to train as often as them and had gone straight into operation, so to be put on something with them, however small, was a clear sign of their progress. “Y...You mean it?” Lavender stammered. “We’re really ready?”
 
“Evidently” Mia replied in her constantly stern tone. “The others think so, although if you disagree...”
 
Lavender hastily retracted that she didn’t, and she and the others fears gave way to their pent up excitement. Erin was happy for them, even if they had been understandably a little nervous at first, and gave them her congratulations. Delighted, the juniors ran off in the direction Mia indicated, leaving the others with the secretary. “You three are to come with me to see Vardus. Please follow me now.”
 
They expected Mia to lead them back to her and Vardus’ offices. However, she led them beyond that, and instead took them, to their slight surprise, to the strategy and war room designed for tactical pre-operation meetings. When Mia showed them in, Vardus was sat waiting for them in his comfy chair at the other end of the round table, studying a map. Nataka and Chetema sat faithfully at his either side as ever, their expressions hard. Clearly they had not been invited here for a catch up about training.
 
“Thank you all for coming” Vardus started warmly enough, but that would be the full extent of the pleasantries. “Sit down everyone.”
 
Once everyone was seated, Vardus began. “I know this is a little short-notice, but circumstances change, and my trusted friends here have discovered something that could be of great importance, a potentially great opportunity for us. As you know, later this week it will be the forty-eight anniversary of Nero’s ascension to Emperor.” They all did, a major event was planned for the weekend and had been awaiting plans of their potential involvement to be announced. “However, while my generals were out in the city earlier today, they discovered there is to be another celebration in honour of our Emperor tomorrow night. A sort of pre-celebration perhaps, if you will. The party is to be held at the private mansion of one of his favourite nobles, and the Emperor is expected to be attendance. By its very nature this event will not be as well guarded as the weekend’s public celebration, this is too good an opportunity to pass up.”
 
“So what’s our intention?” Clove asked, suddenly very intrigued. “To assassinate the Emperor?”
 
Immediately Erin tensed at those words. She wasn’t the only one. Clove looked just as stiff as her, her dark eyes narrow slits, and she could hear Alex’s knuckles cracking next to her. Vardus himself seemed equally tense at the prospect, and needed a second to compose himself. “If the Emperor does indeed attend, and the opportunity presents itself to any of us, then I will hardly object to anyone taking such a chance. That doesn’t give anyone free reign to dive across a banquet table of twenty nobles wielding a cake knife at him or anything stupid like that, but any reasonable attempt will be fully permitted.”
 
Everyone shifted uncomfortably. Erin could understand why. The whole aim of this rebellion was to, at some point, kill the Emperor. That the ultimate prospect could potentially be twenty four hours away from being realised was an irresistible, and yet terrifying prospect. What would happen if one of them got a shot at him, and succeeded? What would the aftermath be like? What would really happen to the Empire in the wake of Nero’s death? Could any of them succeed with such a task? It was entirely if’s and maybe’s right now, best not to dwell on it, especially as Alex was now speaking. “Where is this party to be held exactly? You said one of his favourite nobles was hosting it privately?”
 
Vardus nodded to Nataka, who stood and waved to Mia, who was patiently waiting at the back of the room. At his command she wheeled over a small, old-fashioned projector, pointing it at the only space of wall that wasn’t covered in maps and other diagrams (Clove had to move across a few seats out of the way). Nataka straightened his robes and walked around to this screen, whilst Mia controlled the reel’s progression through its contained files with her remote. The first image was a photograph of a young man in portrait, staring straight back out at them. Erin was surprised by how young and quite feminine he looked with his thin face, fancy jewellery and long hair, but the face that stared back at them all seemed to hold them all in a contempt in its cold glare, even though it was just a photograph. A cocky, snide smirk graced his thin lips.
 
“This is the young man who will be hosting the party. Lord Tessera Katas.” Nataka paused to frown at Chetema, who at the mere mention of a name in connection to a face resulted in a low growl. “Ahem. Lord Tessera is, as Vardus mentioned already, a noble within Nero’s inner circle, and one of his personal favourites at that. They often socialise, I think Nero sees him as some kind of entertaining pet who often organises these kinds of events for him. He has no official capacity or role in Nero’s court besides their friendship however, or any real job of any kind. He is twenty-five years old and is originally from my old country, but came to Sennenki no Toride as a very small boy with his parents, long before war broke out. His father was a skilled industrialist already backed by considerable money, and his mother was a charming and entertaining socialist who got them into all the right circles in high society. The family soon found their way into the Emperor’s upmost favour, and with his backing became one of the most powerful families in the Empire, which is when they moved into the residence that this party is to be held at. As his father began to slow down towards retirement, with the young Tessera still too young and showing little interest in running a vast business empire, most of the family businesses were sold off at large profits, and most have since fallen into difficulty or no longer exist. It seems that the man not only knew when to get into business, but also when to get out.”
 
Nataka nodded to Mia, who flicked through several more photographs of Tessera in profile, in various public photographs, and stopping at one of him that was clearly a lot older than the rest, of him as a teenager. It was taken from a newspaper, running the headline “Empire mourns tragic death of Katas family.” Erin thought that, although Tessera looked glum, there was something hollow about it as he sat in a garden, patiently waiting for the photographer. She thought that if she was to be connected with such a headline, she would look a bit more devastated. Nataka continued. “Tessera has lived alone, except for servants of which he has a great many, since both his parents and younger sister were killed nine years ago in an accident in Citta del Cascata, a great city on the Empire’s south coast where they had a holiday villa. A gas leak from a faulty pipe, which led to an explosion in the upper floors. The autopsies showed the parents would have a suffered a slow and agonising demise from the toxic gas; it probably got them before the place went up and took out the little girl’s room. Her body was barely recognisable. Tessera had taken their boat out that morning with friends and didn’t return til the next day, witnesses confirm this. As the sole survivor of the bloodline and with no official will, he inherited the family’s vast fortune and their estates. It might also be worth noting at this point he has had a succession of lovers amongst the upper classes; often affairs with married women who can’t resist his charms or looks, but he has never settled or married and does not seem to have a current partner that we can find. Now he is just an idle noble with money to burn, a pretty rich playboy who occasionally squanders and shows off his wealth with such extravagant displays.”
 
“I don’t like people like that” Chetema snapped, still glaring at the young man as the reel returned to the original photograph. “People with that much money who know people suffer in poverty all over city... I bet his army of servants on little pay to what he could afford.”
 
“Everything that Nataka has said is mostly true, however there is one detail I’d like to amend” Vardus interrupted, a little more calmly. “In the past, when I was involved in Nero’s court myself, I met Tessera a couple of times on these sorts of special occasions, although I only really spoke to him once. He always seemed very aloof and detached, and occasionally seemed to be in a bit of a trance, like he wasn’t really all there in his focus on the event, which is hardly surprising given his past. You’d talk to him and he’d listen for a bit, but then his attention would seem to wander off and he’d lose all realisation you were even there. However when I talked to him, he mentioned that although he was not into directly running businesses himself like his father, he sometimes sponsored things that intrigued him, acting as a silent partner funding new enterprises for small profits, in relation to his inheritance at least. Some of these ventures have been... not all benevolent, let’s say. You three have all been affected by the Duelist Purge, when Erin’s parents and Alex’s brother were targeted by a specialist task force the Emperor set up, and arrested or killed because of the Emperor’s fear of them uprising against him.”
 
Erin and Alex looked at each other and gulped, both had a horrible feeling where this was going. Vardus nodded, and confirmed it. “I believe Tessera may have financed, and perhaps maybe even assembled, the Extermination Squad that was the driving force of the Purge.”
 
There was a thud, making most of them jump. Alex had punched the table, and was glaring at the photo of Tessera with such pure hatred that it could have burned a hole in the image. Tessera simply smirked back at him with the same impassive gaze. Even Erin couldn’t help, try as she might to keep control, but dart her eyes up to him. Something swelled in her chest; she had to beat it down as Nataka continued.
 
“There is another reason why we have an interest in Tessera. When we walked past his home earlier this morning, his name was mentioned by a driver, and although I knew I’d heard the name somewhere recently, I couldn’t remember where. However when I mentioned this to Vardus, he did.”
 
“A few months ago, at the start of the winter, you will remember that the army’s honorary chief, Lord Longinus, was found dead in his home?” Vardus asked. The teenagers all nodded. They had been made aware of it at the time by Chetema, but at the time it had just meant one less person by Nero’s side that they might have to deal with. Until now. “There was an inquest into his death that lasted a few months, and a verdict of suicide was recently announced” he continued, with a clear steeliness in his voice. “I’ve known Longinus a long time, even if I had not spoken to him since my staged disappearance. I do not believe for one moment that a man like that would even consider suicide. There is simply no way the Longinus I knew would do that. He was a true warrior, men like that don’t die in their living rooms with their own sword in one hand and some bull**** note in the other.”
 
“We went through the records of the trial” Nataka interrupted to give Vardus a chance to calm down. “There were others of the same opinion, especially those closest to him. Tessera was investigated, as it was known that Longinus visited him the night before his death on official duties. However there were witnesses who saw Longinus leave, very much alive, and even the morning after, when he seemed very much well and not like a man about to kill himself. Of course with his money these sources may not be entirely reliable, but Tessera had an alibi for the night in question, in the presence of no less than the Emperor himself. The judge and jury passed a verdict of suicide. However I, like Vardus, do not believe that Longinus would do such a thing, even in the traditional samurai method described by the doctor.”
 
The reel was changed during the conversation, and began flicking through various images of Tessera’s estate. “This is where the party is to be held, at his private mansion. Unfortunately there is not a lot we know about the building in terms of official building records. It is one of the oldest in the city despite its design, no-one knows much about it other than it has been here since the birth of the city, and homed many nobles. It is unknown territory to us. However one thing that does work in our favour is that the party is going to be a masquerade ball. With everyone in masks, it will be a lot easier for us to get inside. Of course the place is going to be securely guarded and is by special invitation only, however...”
 
Vardus produced a golden ticket from his pocket and showed it to the others. “It just so happens that there is a noble I know who is about my build and skin colour, and who just so happens to have had his invitation intercepted, and also who just so happens to have received news of a very sick relative on the other side of the Empire...” He grinned cunningly. “The front door will be the way in for two of us.”
 
“You’re going?” Alex blurted. Everyone sat up a little straighter. Vardus never, ever, went on missions himself. That he would do so now, clearly he saw this as the most important act of the Resistance so far.
 
“Yes, I will be going for two reasons. A chance to get near to the Emperor in such a scenario is too much for me to pass up, but also I want to see Tessera again. I want to know what really happened to Longinus. Now, this invite permits me to bring a plus one of my choosing. Since the noble we relieved it from is currently single, we needn’t worry about any kind of physical match up. I will be taking Erin as my extra.”
 
“Me?” Erin gasped. “Why me?”
 
“Erin!?” Clove snapped simultaneously. “Why her!?”
 
“Well, I had originally asked Mia, since she is more my age and passable as my date” Vardus shrugged, earning himself a furious yet embarrassed look from his secretary. “However she declined and I respect that. She is not here for combat and I will not force any kind of dangerous situation on her. So between the two of you, I chose Erin simply because she looks older and more likely to pass off as a partner, and also because I believe her efforts in the last week have been exceptional and merit reward. How are the new recruits doing by the way? I heard they’ve gone out on their first assignment from Mia and Nataka.”
 
“Oh, very well...” she mumbled in embarrassment, although fully aware at how venomously Clove was glaring into the back of her head and turned to look down furiously at her boots. “Thank you sir...”
 
“Excellent. Now everyone here will be involved in this operation. Unfortunately we haven’t been able to obtain more invites for Nataka and Chetema, so they will try and sneak in during the party itself. Clove and Alex, what we need you two to do is find two of Tessera’s servants, neutralize them, and take their place. This should be relatively simple for you given how many of them there are, there can’t possibly be anyone who would recognise all of their faces, especially when you put your masks on.” Clove grumbled about it, but when challenged she quietened down and did not argue back.
 
“Right then” Vardus settled himself as the projection reel ended and Nataka returned to his seat beside him. “So that’s the gist of it. The six of us will, by one way or another, attend the party being held by Lord Tessera tomorrow night in our various disguises, with the intention of getting close to him to find out the true nature of his role at the Emperor’s side, and of what transpired between him and Longinus the night before the death of my old friend, with abduction a possible desirable outcome. If the opportunity does arise where any one of us does get close to the Emperor himself, then with any luck, or the blessing of the gods, we might even be able to end this war of oppression and suffering tomorrow night. Now, let’s get started...”[/spoiler]

[AGATHODAIMON BANGTAIL COW]

Agh, I forgot to comment about how I didn't expect [acronym='Longinus dying, since I kinda expected him to just stick around until around the end of the story. I guess I should stop expecting people to stay alive, huh.']that one thing.[/acronym], but I can say that this chapter makes me really want to see what happens [acronym='Nero dueling... Tessera maybe?']at the party[/acronym] and what will happen to Aeriel since he's tearing himself up.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Agh, I forgot to comment about how I didn't expect [acronym='Longinus dying, since I kinda expected him to just stick around until around the end of the story. I guess I should stop expecting people to stay alive, huh.']that one thing.[/acronym], but I can say that this chapter makes me really want to see what happens [acronym='Nero dueling... Tessera maybe?']at the party[/acronym] and what will happen to Aeriel since he's tearing himself up.

 

I was going to ask you to clarify what you meant by 'that one thing', but then I discovered there was an acronym function. Who knew?

 

But now it's popped up, so yeah, I'm glad you are looking forward to things that are coming up. Aerial will get some more development on the issue next chapter. Honestly it does mean a lot that I know one or two people are genuinely excited and looking forward to the next part of this story, what with all the crap I've got going on at the moment. Thanks :)

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Thank you Barty for feedback over PM, and ABC for the enthusiasm.
 
Chapter 18. Now I'm sure a few of you may have reservations when you see the title (those of you who make their thoughts known once in a while anyway, no idea about how the silent majority feel about the central character to this chapter), but bear with it okay. This was a suggested inclusion by Vector to allow 1 enormous chapter to be spread out over 3 instead, which allowed things to be paced, built up and enjoyed properly, and the duel was added to the card as a result. I think this was a really good suggestion in hindsight to what it was (even if he insists on nearly doubling the originally intended length of this thing with these suggestions along with my own long-winded writing. Blast you Vector <_<) No seriously he's cool, and been a major help in making this fic as reasonable-good as it is and saving it from dreadfulness in various places.
 
[spoiler=Chapter 18]Chapter 18: The Naturia’s Pride
 
The meeting went on for another hour as fine details were discussed, such as how they could sneak in the weapons and equipment they would need and where to pick them up, the habits and speech that Erin would need to master if she was to blend unnoticed into the crowd of important and noble guests, and similarly for Clove and Alex to behave convincingly as Tessera’s servants, and then the likely points of entry for the other generals and how the fake servants could nab their uniforms. Finally after all they could think of had been discussed and exhausted thoroughly, the trio were granted leave until morning, when they’d all go through the finalised plans. Erin nearly skipped out of the strategy room, while Alex wore a much sterner expression about the task at hand. Ever since the mention of Tessera’s potential sponsorship of the Extermination Squad he’d been tense, lost in world of his own grim resolve. Clove however remained impassive throughout, going through her instructions with a mask of blankness, and she held her poker face right up until the moment the door was closed behind her. Then she let rip it.
 
“I don’t believe it! After everything I’ve done the last year, even after promotion, and then it comes to the big one and I get shunted again! Erin always, always gets the special treatment! This is so unfair!”
 
“It was Vardus’ decision, not mine” Erin protested. She could understand Clove being frustrated, but for once it wasn’t her fault and she was going to stand her ground. “You had your chance to argue back in there and you didn’t, so suck it up.”
 
Clove stopped, looking for a moment like she’d been slapped. She quickly regained momentum though, with a typically snide remark. “Oh really? Well Vardus might treat you like his special little princess cuz you got those newbies to swing a sword a bit, but he’s not seen everything you’ve done has he? He’s not been around you on mission and seen you in action has he, or been there on your other ventures...”
 
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Erin interrupted, glaring back over her shoulder and meeting Clove’s eyes. There was something in them that she couldn’t interpret. She was confused, she had no idea what Clove was talking about, but she felt angry. Really angry. Perhaps sensing this and having already seen them come to blows twice before, Alex stepped between them before they could do so again.
 
“Girls please; it’s no big deal really. I mean, you got to admit Clove, Erin does look older and...”
 
“And why are you taking her side?” Clove might have been a lot shorter than Alex, but she glared at him so venomously that he didn’t dare finishing that sentence.
 
“I’m not taking anyone’s side. I just... I dunno, look I know you two have issues, but can’t you just accept Vardus’ decision and get through the party, please? You heard what he said; this could be the biggest night for the Resistance, and of all our lives. We could defeat the Empire tomorrow if everything goes right. We could get rid of Nero. That’s why we’re here right; to get rid of the oppression and the poverty and the beating down he causes. But if you two are fighting then it could jeopardise our chances. We’re supposed to be a team, but your silly rivalry is going to undermine it all. Don’t you two see that?”
 
“Silly... rivalry...?” Clove whispered. Erin was glaring icily at him with her hands on hips as the shorter girl shook with anger. Alex decided under their combined fearsomeness that he should keep his mouth shut.
 
“Look Clove” Erin started once Alex had backed away. “I don’t want anything to do with this anymore, so I’m just going to come out and say it. This perceived special treatment you think I get simply doesn’t exist. You’ve been getting opportunities ahead of me for all of the last three or four months while I’ve been restricted to training down here. You’ve got the senior ranking ahead of me, which is a decision I accept, and you get more of an allowance than me because of it. In fact as a servant you probably have a better chance of killing Nero tomorrow night than I do. But if you want to throw toys out of your pram because things didn’t go how you wanted this one time, then that’s your problem for you to deal with.”
 
Clove and Alex were taken aback by her outburst, and she was even slightly surprised in herself. But she was sick of this now, and she certainly wasn’t going to be walked all over anymore. Clove looked like she wanted to hit her at this point, and after her rant she anticipated such a lunge now. However she did manage to restrain herself that much, instead choosing a sarcastic tack. “Ugh, why did we ever have to rescue you again? You’ve never contributed to anything since you got here; all you ever seem to do is get into trouble and stuff everything up, and then go off sulk and cry about it. Why are you even here?”
 
“Why...? You know full well why I’m here! I joined this fight to stand up for myself against the Empire, and protect my little brother and make the city a better place for us.” Her temper was rising further with every passing second.
“Oh yeah, I wondered when you’d bring that twerp into it” Clove sniped back in equally unrelenting fashion. “You might try to protect him, but might I remind you that your devotion didn’t extend much further to those who had to help you free him, and it didn’t do my big brother much good did it now?”
 
Erin winced. Clove still blamed her for Skaro’s death, but for the wrong reasons. He had willingly thrown himself into battle against the royal knight and legendary warrior Lady Camilla so that they could escape her relentless pursuit, knowing full well he didn’t stand a chance of escape. But what Clove didn’t know was that only minutes before, Erin had the chance to kill Camilla herself. The knight had even ordered her to do it, but she couldn’t face the task, and the result of her choice had been Skaro’s loss, and the obvious hole it had created in Clove’s life. There was no guarantee things would have been different at all, but she’d had to carry the burden since, constantly in fear of what would happen if Clove found out the truth. Her anger subsided slightly in place of shame. She was responsible, and Clove would no doubt make her pay every single day, and would do even more so if she ever found out. “I’m sorry...”
 
“Humph, no you’re not” Clove sniffed, making her wince again. She wasn’t teary or mad anymore; it was just a cold, dismissive reaction, of someone who had moved on from their grief but had been left bitter and twisted by it. Unless she knew... her heart stopped. “So long as you and your precious brother are alright, nothing and no-one else matters to you, icy-hearted b****. Oh wait, that’s not entirely right...”
 
Her drawl gained a decidedly nasty edge. “There was that other guy you actually did care about here wasn’t there. You’re still crying about him right? After he also paid for your uselessness when you let him down...”
 
The next second and a half passed on auto-pilot - as if her eyes and mind skipped it without record. One second Clove was standing there looking snide and disgusted at her; next she had staggered backwards and was rubbing her jaw. Erin dully realised that she had taken a step forward, and her trembling fist was out in front of her. She had quite without thinking punched Clove in the mouth. In truth it was a rubbish punch, Clove wasn’t really hurt at all, but the message was clear.
 
“That wasn’t called for Clove. And Erin, you should go.” Alex started as he stood between them again before a real brawl could break out, but both ignored him. Erin was paralysed in shock with her fist still stuck out, unable to get her head around what she’d just done, while Clove just stood feeling her mouth looking at her. Taking her hand away, she noticed a little blood with slight surprise.
 
“This might be news to you, but we all cared about Dorian” she said stiffly. “He was the glue who turned us into a real unit and pushed us all forward. He was our brother in arms too. We all miss him as well as you, but this is a revolution and deaths happen, but that doesn’t fit into your selfish little world does it?”
 
Erin still stood there panting as Clove studied her with a scornful look. Eventually she came to a decision. “You know what Alex you’re right; this can’t go on. If this fighting between the two of us continues, then it could hurt our chances of taking down the Emperor tomorrow night. That’s the most important thing here, for us and everyone else in the Empire, and I’m sure as hell not gonna let you screw that up too.” She pointed at Erin accusingly. “After all, your record on mission is pretty dreadful; you can’t be trusted with this. You can’t be trusted at all. So I challenge you to a duel, right here and now. If I beat you, then you’re going to go to Vardus and tell him your withdrawing from the mission, with me taking your place at the spear head. Not to mention he’ll have to treat me better from then, and see what you really are.”
 
The challenge took Erin by surprise at first. Clove had caught her off guard with another dark ominous sounding hint about her that she didn’t understand the meaning of; although she got the distinct feeling the girl was dropping it amongst the ego and the intense dislike of her on purpose. As for the challenge she’d thrown down, it was a ridiculous one. Why the hell should she accept? Still, as Clove glared at her, her simmering temper slowly resurfaced as she finally retracted her fist. “And what will you put up? Will you drop this thing between us when I beat you?”
 
“When? Heh, you’re confident, or conceited rather” Clove scoffed, ignoring Alex’s look. “But fine with me, if that’s all you want me to put up as a token gesture. It’s not like I’ll have to go through with it.”
 
Erin’s fist tightened without warning. “Good. Then I accept your challenge.”
 
...
 
The three walked in silence back to the training ground, Alex keeping himself between them at all times as Clove led the way, Erin with her head down and mind racing at the back. As they arrived at the river surrounded platform and the painted out arena, the only person there at the moment was actually Mel, who was busy tidying up under someone’s orders, after they’d all left earlier in a bit of a rush. Alex may have sensed Clove’s hostility, it was probably best for him to not be around right now. “Buzz off Mel.”
 
Mel was astonished that Alex had ordered him like that, and looked to his sister for defence. She didn’t give him one; instead just nodding with a stern expression as she took her duel shield off the rack by the bridge they’d just crossed and stopped at one end of the field, inserting her deck into it. Clove stomped passed him having took her own shield, glowering at him as she passed before turning to face his big sister. Alex took up a position on a bench that he dragged across so that he could sit exactly on the half-way line, to make his neutrality in all this clear. At once Mel understood and bolted off across the bridge on the other side. Erin watched him go with a pang of guilt. She had attempted to repair her relationship with him after her outburst before, but wasn’t entirely sure of her success yet. But Alex was right and it was probably best if he wasn’t here to be dragged into this. She had to focus quickly though, as Clove’s shield loaded up and shuffled her deck.
 
“You ready for me?” she smirked, holding her shield up. “That is; ready for me and my Naturia to expose what a weak and helpless fraud you really are when we take you apart piece by piece?”
 
“Let’s just get this over with” was her stiff reply.
 
“Heh, for once I agree with you” Clove’s smirk disappeared in place of a grim bloody-minded resolve as the two girls decks finished shuffling, and they snatched their opening hands for their grudge match.

 

“Duel!”

 
...
 
Unfortunately for Alex, Mel had not understood quite as well as he thought. He had left the training field straight away to give them privacy, or so it first appeared. But he wasn’t heading for his room or to look for another job like he’d guessed, and he wasn’t going for long. Instead he ran straight to the canteen; the rest of the Resistance would be starting to prepare for dinner or may just be there hanging out. As he burst inside there indeed was Goro getting his prep in order with the help of Chou, Doyle sat trying to talk to the armourer who was instead burying his head in his paper, and also Lavender, Klasse, Rain, and two of the soldier friends of Vardus’ from his army days who’d joined them (one of the men and the sole woman) who’d all been out retrieving tools earlier and had just got back. Most looked up as the slightly sweaty and panting young boy burst in. “Everyone come quick. Erin’s fighting Clove on the duel field.”
 
There was a pause, then a sudden scramble as the Resistance medic, Chou, Erin’s three young students of course, and even the two soldiers who’d also had their interest sufficiently piqued by the young boy dropped everything. All simultaneously hurried to follow him back out the door, leaving Goro to roll his eyes at his daughter rushing off with a hasty apology and continue his work with only the armourer for company, who acknowledged the sudden exodus only with an extra vigorous ruffle of his newspaper.
 
...
 
The randomisers on their shield’s central hubs flashed green and red intermittently, before jolting to opposing stops that determined the turn order. “Looks like I’ve got the first advantage” Clove smirked as she took the sixth card offered to her. “I draw, and I think I’ll start with the spell card Cup of Ace.”
 
“You’ll do what?” Erin was startled, as Clove took a coin from her pocket. Such a reckless kind of card, and right off the bat? That didn’t seem in keeping with Clove.
 
“Oh, you actually know what this one does?” she asked sarcastically. “Well why not get it out of the way rather than rely on it later and seeing it go wrong? Anyway, I flip a coin, and if it lands on heads then I get to draw two cards. Tails; and you draw two.”
 
She threw the coin spinning through the air halfway across the arena, landing somewhere near Alex. The results were automatically shown up on the small displays on their duel shields. The result was a heads. “The result lands in my favour, so I’ll be taking two new cards.” Her attention turned to the two cards she drew with a sideways glance, nodding approvingly as she added one to her hand and kept the other to use next. Erin already didn’t like where this was going...
 
“I summon the tuner monster Naturia Rosewhip to the field, and I’ll immediately follow that with the spell card Seed of Deception to summon the level two Naturia Eggplant as well. Giving me everything I need to start taking you apart.” Erin winced as the small rose like creature and strange bulbous plant sprouted briefly before her, before shooting skywards in a swirl of earthy brown rings and stars. “I tune Rosewhip with Eggplant to Synchro Summon the guardian of the forest and bane of all spell users. Roar Naturia Beast!”
 
The emerald green cat landed with a thud and snarled impressively, making Erin flinch despite herself. This she did not want to see, and Clove knew it (Lv5, ATK 2200).
 
“So, feeling uncomfortable yet? Your Ice Barriers are so dreadfully slow despite their reliance on heavy field presence. They’re going to be pretty helpless now you can’t use any spell cards to help you aren’t they? Just like you are without Vardus’ or the others continuous help” She was enjoying making her squirm just a little too much. “Eggplant’s effect also activates; returning Rosewhip back to my hand. Then I’ll... huh?”
 
There was a commotion behind her, as a stampede of bodies came into sight. Erin groaned at the sight of it. Mel was leading the pack with seven other Resistance folk in tow, and all came running down the side path, over the far bridge behind the clearly agitated Clove with Mel gasping out the odd “Wait a... wait a second...” before they all carried on around and deposited themselves on either sides of the bench and the apocalyptically maddened Alex.
 
“Mel, what the heck are you doing?” he groaned as the young boy practically jumped into him as he reached the bench, Lavender and Rain sitting on his other side. “Why did you go and get all these guys?”
 
“Because that’s what you wanted me to do. To buzz off and fetch everyone to watch my big sister in an exciting duel. Er... wasn’t it?” Mel blinked in a confused way at him.
 
“...No!”
 
“Ugh, fine, forget it Alex.” The eldest and youngest Resistance boys blinked as Clove interrupted their disagreement. She looked frustrated by the sudden arrival of this audience at first, but she’d recovered faster than Erin. “They can stay. I suppose it would be good for the newbies to see how an actual duelist fights for the Resistance, and it will be an education for him as well. If he wants to hang around and watch his idolised sister fail miserably again and see what an absolute joke she is, then let him.”
 
“Hey, you can’t talk about my big sister like that!” Mel rounded defensively. “She’s...”
 
“Be quiet Mel I’ll deal with her” Erin interrupted with a wave for silence, glaring at her opponent all the time and making Mel recoil. It was the first time in a very long time that he’d stood up for her, since the day before she had become a Resistance member in fact, but she’d already interrupted him. ‘This is my battle. I... I don’t want you to get involved.’ “I’m your opponent Clove. Leave him alone.”
 
“Really? Or you’ll do what exactly?” Clove taunted. “Soon there won’t be much you can do to stop me from doing anything once my field is complete, and then I promise you won’t be doing anything for the Resistance for a long time either, when Vardus finally sees what’s been blindingly obvious to me ever since you got here.”
 
She might have said more, but the attendance of the others made her keep her behaviour in check. “I set two cards face down, and with that I’ll end my turn. Go on then, so what are you going to do?”
 
“Wow, I had detected there was a rivalry, but those two really don’t like each other at all do they?” Klasse observed as he sat next to Doyle and Chou, adjusting his glasses slightly as he observed the field, oblivious to the dirty look Alex was giving him. “This should be fascinating. I’d like to see how she plans to counter that Beast.”
 
“Huh, which beast are you talking about?” Mel muttered darkly, quickly ducking as Alex raised an arm and swung a back fist at him, but he stopped halfway through the motion. Clearly keeping several impressionable and impulsive young people under control was going to impossible; best to give up now and just watch this stupid fight and deal with whatever aftermath it resulted in later.
 
Back in the fray on the field, Erin looked from the snarling emerald beast to her hand with a similarly savage look of frustration. Two spell cards sat among them - Premature Burial and Magic Triangle of the Ice Barrier - along with three of the Ice Barrier tribe required to use the later in her Strategist, the tuner Cryomancer, and a powerful dark skinned warrior she hadn’t had the fortune of drawing for some time. This was unbelievable! In any other circumstances it was an absurdly powerful hand before she even drew at her turn’s start, which could decimate most opponents there and then. The best opening hand possible for her... if it wasn’t for that flaming forest cat and its effect stuffing it up completely! Irritably she drew, and thankfully her deck was kind enough to produce a quick solution.
 
“I summon the tuner monster Deep Sea Diva” she announced, as a bubbly portal opened to her left for the pink scaled mermaid songstress to swim through and land on the field (Lv2, ATK 400).
 
“In response, I’ll activate a monster effect” Clove’s eyes narrowed as she interrupted suddenly and made Erin jump again. She what? What monster effect? “When my opponent normal summons, I can special summon Naturia Cosmobeet from my hand.” A small bulb with little hands and feet and wide eyes suddenly rolled out of its own earthly gateway and sprang out beside the beast (Lv2, ATK 1000).
 
“Er... right?” Erin muttered, baffled. Why use such an effect to summon a weak monster now that could easily be dispensed with? Or was she already trying to get her pieces assembled for her next turn? “Regardless, Diva’s effect activates when normal summoned; summoning a level three or lower Sea-Serpent type monster from my deck. I call out Mermaid Archer.”
 
A mermaid riding a giant turtle swam onto the field on her other side (Lv3, ATK 1200). “Now I’ll tune Deep Sea Diva with Mermaid Archer to perform a Synchro Summon myself.” Erin held her hand up as the two aquatic creatures rose up together and joined forces, their spirits combining to create a new powerful force not of the ice, but of the sea. “Rise from the deep, and unleash your sealed power. Sea Dragon Lord Gishilnodon!”
 
The waterway behind her erupted, and the audience gasped in wonder as from the canal rose a great dragon whose entire body made was entirely made up of water, held in shape by some magical power and glistening in the artificial lighting as it beat its wings, sending little droplets cascading across the arena (Lv5, ATK 2300). If Clove was frightened of this mighty sea dragon, she didn’t show it.
 
“Battle!” Erin announced fearlessly despite the audience gasps. They might have feared consequences to such a move, but she knew better. She didn’t know all of Clove’s deck, but she knew it was just like hers; a mashed up assortment of whatever cards they could obtain. It wasn’t like fighting the guard or Nero’s other allies who you could bet were armed to the teeth with the rarest and most powerful cards, the chances of running into the likes of Mirror Force or Dimensional Prison were much less here on their equal standing. Of course that meant those set cards could literally be anything, but still that Beast could not be allowed to survive. “Gishilnodon, sweep away Naturia Beast!”
 
The dragon lord craned its neck back, summoning up a great pulse of water in its throat.
 
“Don’t tell me you thought it would be that easy? Trap activate” Clove retaliated, and Erin was stunned to see what it was that opened in response. Urgent Tuning? But that meant she...? “By using this trap during the battle phase, I can send the monsters on my field to the graveyard to perform a Synchro Summon right now! I tune Cosmobeet with Beast to bring out a bigger Naturia. Much bigger...”
 
The Beast snarled at her before it disappeared with the bulb and shot upwards above Clove’s outstretched hand to many amazed gasps. “Come out and crush her Naturia Landoise!”
 
The earth shook as the giant tortoise materialised before them, its mighty frame crashing down, half on the platform, and having to put its back feet in the canal behind it, the channel only just wide enough for the giant to fit them in either side of the bridge. Landoise bellowed impressively as it glared disdainfully down on the sea dragon lord, not at all its usual peaceful and benign self, and now the strongest thing on the field, albeit just (Lv7, ATK 2350). “What do you think of him?” Clove asked. “Powerful isn’t he?”
 
“I think you’re naive” Erin snapped. “You just cost yourself two monsters for the price of one, as you’ve triggered Gishilnodon’s effect! Because the low level monster Cosmobeet was sent to the graveyard, my sea dragon’s attack points become exactly three thousand until the end of the turn.” The great dragon screeched as its impending attack was briefly stalled before taking an even bigger gulp (ATK 3000).
 
“I’m naive? Ha!” Clove taunted, making Erin stop for a second with her confidence as she discarded a card from her hand. “I know Gishilnodon’s effect and that it activates automatically. That’s why I called out my Landoise to counter it. By sending a spell card to the graveyard, it can negate the activation of any monsters effect. Then that monster is destroyed!”
 
Erin gasped as Landoise raised a front leg and bough it smashing down right on her sea dragon’s head before it could unleash its watery pulse, crushing it as it stomped through its body and reduced it to a billion drops of water. Irritating, but not unrecoverable, Erin responded without let up. “Tsk, well whatever. You seem to have forgotten that now your mangy cat is gone, I’m free to use spells again. I activate Magic Triangle of the Ice Barrier. By revealing three Ice Barrier monsters in my hand, your monster is getting destroyed anyway. Then I can summon one of the revealed monsters.”
 
“I see” Clove cast a dark look at the three monsters Erin showed her. “So you’re going for that monster that can actually give you some field advantage huh? Unfortunately for you though, I forgot nothing! I activate my counter trap Barkion's Bark to negate that effect? You must be pretty confident I don’t have any traps to stop your attack then, unless of course...” Clove winced. Viewing cards sent to the graveyard of the opponent was permissible at any time, on their duel shield models the information would flash up on a small reel at the time or be viewed later in full detail. So Erin had actually been looking down at that? Her grin broadened. “It was your only spell, wasn’t it? Your Landoise might have stopped Geomancer’s effect from activating, but it didn’t stop the cost, and that’s all I really wanted from it. Well, that and you to take the bait.”
 
Clove physically stepped back as Erin selected and held up another card she’d mulled over. “And there you were saying I was predictable. Did you even look at what I discarded with Geomancer’s effect? Well don’t worry, I’ll show him to you now. I activate the spell card Surface. This summons a level three or lower fish, aqua, or sea-serpent type monster from my grave in defence mode. Aid my fight, Prior of the Ice Barrier!”
 
There was a splash from the watery portal that opened before her, and from it rose a bearded man in a hooded robe, clutching a long staff (Lv2, DEF 400). Clove cringed. “And? What’s so good about this guy?”
 
“What’s so good about him is his effect” Erin explained. “I can tribute Prior of the Ice Barrier to target any other Ice Barrier monster in my graveyard, and special summon them without restrict. Unless I’m way off the mark and you do have another spell in your hand, I’ll be doing that now...” The bearded wise man cast out a hand, opening a watery portal for it to sink through, and Clove’s eyes widened. She couldn’t stop this. “... to special summon General Gantala of the Ice Barrier!”
 
In the Prior’s stead rose a powerful dark skinned man with a bare torso and long trousers decorated with several sashes. The ice barrier symbol was tattooed into his forehead, and his gloved hands were encrusted with frost, glistening slightly with the magical will over ice of a powerful cryomancer (Lv7, ATK 2700). Mel, Rain and Chou cheered from the tiny stand, as Erin gave the command. “Gantala, attack Landoise!” The brave general put his hands together and fired an icy beam right into the face of the great tortoise before it could counterattack. Clove watched in horror as the thing swayed, toppled in a terrifying way to one side, disappearing back into its own world before it landed on anything, barely aware in the slight dip in her life points (LP 3650).
 
“I place one card face down, and end my turn, at which time Gantala’s effect activates” Erin announced coldly. It was a start, but she was far from out of the woods yet. She toyed with the idea of bringing back Cryomancer or Prior from her graveyard. One of those would probably be the best choice from what was available. However, some gut instinct told her not. The icy elder Strategist rose instead, kneeling slightly in defence (Lv4, DEF 1600). “So what do you think? Do you have anything left?”
 
Her sarcastic mimicking was childish, but it ticked Clove off. She drew, and very noticeably cringed at the result. Erin guessed she’d drawn badly. Was it over then? But she was glaring at her, with a heated look of more than petty rivalry; there was an utter hatred in those eyes. Slowly, Clove chose her other card.
 
“I summon Gale Dogra.”
 
“What?!” gasped a handful of the younger or new people watching from the side, completely thrown by the absence of the word Naturia from that sentence. Erin was stunned too, as a small wasp like creature with horrid green skin floated across the field, looking extremely eerie (Lv2, ATK 650). What was that thing all about? She glanced at the others for answers, and picked out Alex and Doyle. They were just as surprised as the rest, but in a different way. They knew what was coming. She suspected it would be bad for her. Across the field from her Clove was almost shaking in anger. “I activate the effect of Gale Dogra. By sacrificing three thousand life points, one monster is sent to the graveyard from my extra deck.”
 
The cost, even in this low key duel without interferences like they had suffered in the past, looked very intense to suffer as Clove was enveloped in a purple aura that drained her of a huge amount of her life (LP 650). Behind her, the ghostly spectre of Naturia Barkion appeared briefly, clearly staring right at her despite its lack of detail in form such was the unnaturalness of its presence, before it vanished. Erin was starting to panic, she didn’t understand. Such a huge cost for such a bizarre effect? What on earth was Clove doing with such a ridiculous move? She got her answer though as Clove revealed her drawn card and Erin gulped, it was one she recognised... “Then I activate the spell card Miracle Synchro Fusion. By banishing the Synchro monsters Naturia Beast and Naturia Barkion from my graveyard, I can Fusion Summon the ultimate guardian of the forest. Appear my earthly sword and shield. Naturia Exterio!”
 
Erin had already had a kind of preview, but nothing prepared her for this. From the swirling vortex of fused souls sprang a huge cat; twice the size and power of the original Beast, and encased entirely in an armour of hard brown dragon scale, covering its powerful limbs and extending to a tapering tail, and finished with a helmet in the shape of the dragons head, the cat’s snarling face emerging between the open visor of Barkion’s toothy jaws. The great defender of nature Exterio roared, it was like the sound of the mightiest cannon, with enough force to make the kids watching it in terror fall over from the wall of noise that hit them (Lv10, ATK 2800).
 
Clove hadn’t reacted much to this magnificent yet deadly creature’s emergence. She stayed fixed as she was, grimly looking at Erin. The burning passion was still there in her eyes, but it was slowly starting to go out. “I guess... I may not be able to... but I can still choose to do this. Exterio, attack Gantala!” With another thunderous howl the cat lunged at incredible speed.
 
“Ah, quick-spell activate; Shrink!” Erin countered desperately. “This cuts the attack of one monster...”
 
She hadn’t even finished her sentence when the cat changed direction and sprang past the general for the opening counter spell, swatting aside with its mighty paw like it was nothing. Erin watched helplessly as it exploded without effect, and Exterio spun around to recommence its original attack. Gantala tried to use the distraction to fire its ice beam at it, but it was merely deflected harmlessly off the helmet as Exterio went for the kill, slashing through the general’s exposed waist without breaking its huge stride. Erin barely noticed the slight dip in her life, she was too utterly mesmerised by the creature’s incredible strength (LP 350). Exterio returned to Clove’s side. She looked across at her, scowled slightly, but she looked mostly dejected now.
 
“You’ve already seen me use Exterio’s Fang in this duel. You should at least have been able to guess his effect would be the same; which negates any spell or traps for a similar combination of costs to its fused parts” she explained bitterly. “I... I end my turn...”
 
This announcement was greeted by a murmur amongst the spectators. Erin could understand why. Her Strategist was still on the field, and despite the overpowering presence of Exterio, that Gale Dogra thing Clove had used to get it out still sat there in attack mode, completely unprotected. Her hand was empty; she had nothing left to play. She checked her panel, there was nothing lurking in her graveyard either. That was... really it? No, it couldn’t be. Not taking her eyes off Clove for a second, she drew tentatively. “I draw... Salvage... which lets me add two water monsters from my graveyard to my hand...”
 
Clove shrugged, so slightly it was barely noticeable, and waved at Exterio to let the guardian swipe through the air. Immediately the enlarged image of the spell card that had been projected onto the field shattered, and Erin slowly threw it away. So this was it then. They both knew it, and it seemed Clove had known it the moment she’d drawn Miracle Synchro Fusion. It needn’t have been, but she had decided...
 
“What are you waiting for?” Erin snapped back into the room to see Clove looking straight at her. It was a begrudging look that seemed to accept inevitable defeat, although the simmering disgust still lingered slightly behind it. “Get on with it and take the easy way out, it’s all you ever do. You know you can’t beat Exterio. So sneak out of it with a cheap win, and prove to all those people watching what you really are.”
 
“And what will it prove?” Erin asked despite herself, but for once Clove refused to tell her. Led by a will not of her own but grimly proceeding anyway, a feeling similar to someone walking up to a gallows and sticking their head in a noose without any guard forcing them to, she switched Strategist to attack. For a moment she considered not taking Clove’s bait and ending her turn, or quitting the duel there and then, but guessed it would only enrage her into calling her worse things if she did. She was damned no matter what she did. Regretfully, she gave the order. “Have it your way. Strategist, attack Gale Dogra.”
 
The attack passed briefly and with minimal fanfare as without interference from the mighty beast beside it the insect was frozen by the elder, and as Clove’s remaining score was gently erased with it so much that she barely moved in response (LP 0) the duel ended in about the most anti-climactic way possible. The two girls deactivated their duel shields, Clove did so without comment as she looked down at her feet, but as it simply faded away from existence her Exterio made one last low rumbling growl at Erin before it vanished. It made the message clear; little had been resolved by this. Neither duelist moved, spoke, or reacted at all to the duel’s end. The two older soldiers wandered off right away, followed by Doyle who made some muttered excuses. The kids and her younger rebel students remained where they were on the bench, exchanging strange looks. Only Alex got up, and ignoring Erin walked straight to Clove, gently patting her on the shoulder. Strangely for her, she let him do so without protest. Erin couldn’t tell what his thoughts were, although when he did look up at her he didn’t look hostile towards her, but he didn’t give away any more than that. She had no idea how to react to any of this.
 
“Um... So Clove, like we agreed. You’re going to leave me alone now?”
 
Clove still didn’t look at her, she simply shrugged. She was wrong; nothing had been resolved by this.
 
“Hey Erin” Alex finally found his voice again with some awkwardness. “Didn’t you promise Aerial you were going to go see him earlier? Maybe now would be a good time.”
 
“Oh yeah” Erin remembered her promise to Aerial, and hesitantly thanked him. “Yes Alex. I’ll do that.”
 
She had barely turned and taken two steps when Clove found her voice again, and shouted at the back of her. “Oh what, so now you’re going to go and bat your lashes at him and apologise for destroying his confidence, and his chances of being on this mission?”
 
“What now?” she groaned. “You have a problem with me asking him to train with us? He asked to duel; I didn’t know he was going to suffer such a rut like he is. I was going to withdraw him when I knew.”
 
“Oh were you really? Now he’s made your trainees and you look good, you’re done with using him. Cuz that’s what you do isn’t it? You just used him, even though it was obvious he was struggling. You really have no idea about Aerial do you? You haven’t got a clue about what he’s going through! You selfish...”
 
She was about to go back and argue/fight with Clove, but Alex held the scrappy girl back and firmly told her to go away, so reluctantly she did for his sake and left him to calm Clove down. Ignoring the rest of the crowd watching her go; students friends and brother alike, she crossed the bridge and marched off, dejected and baffled. She had won and not had to go through with her promise, at least there was that, but otherwise the duel left a bitter taste in her mouth. It was not exactly a great win, with her having no answer to Clove’s ace monster, and if she hadn’t gone with an irrational gut feeling to revive Strategist it wouldn’t even been that. She accepted Clove didn’t like her, and that feeling was fairly mutual by now, but she had absolutely no idea what she was referring to at times; either with her ambiguous comments ever since they left the strategy room, or those last views about Aerial. The whole thing unnerved her.
 
She decided to leave it half an hour before visiting Aerial, using the time to take a shower and cool off before smartening up to go see him. He was based down one side of the grand hall, towards a corner near the flood defences store where Erin had shouted at Mel and Chou last week. The front door was decorated with a feathery wreath. She knocked nervously, and got no reply. He might have been elsewhere, but she decided to check and pushed the door open.
 
The room was decorated similarly to the door, with many decorations hanging from the ceiling on lines, made up of either feathery items, or in a few cases little wooden ornaments that dangled down, she had to brush past a few to enter. She noticed on his desk were a few more blocks of wood that were halfway carved, along with a small knife. Aerial was lying face down on his bed, not looking up as she entered. As she looked at him lying there, burying his face into his pillow, she was suddenly overcome by an intense fear; an inexplicable feeling that she wanted to hide the knife lying on the desk. She half-moved towards the desk with this weird feeling in mind when Aerial’s head darted up and he looked at her. He was a mess and very red, and had clearly been crying for some time.
 
“Oh, you did come...” he croaked, as if scarcely able to believe it. “I know what you’re thinking, but please don’t take that. I’m not that bad. I need it for my carvings. I need summit to take my mind off...”
 
Off what exactly he didn’t say, as he trailed off and stared back into his pillow. Nervously Erin walked over and sat on the side of the bed. She didn’t know whether to touch him or not, so she just kind of sat there in awkward silence until he wanted to speak again. “You must think I’m pathetic...”
 
“Aerial, why would I think that?” she asked, shocked by his sudden outburst. “I think you’re very brave, and you are one of my best friends down here. This is totally not something I’d expect from you. Why are you feeling like this?”
 
“Cuz... um...” he started awkwardly, looked at her for a second with wide, panicky eyes, and then back at his pillow. “I’m useless here, aren’t I? I realised that when we went north to find that old artefact for Vardus, after I got so totally beaten down by that mechanical armed guy so easily. After I let Clove and Alex down so badly; first by being such a scaredy-cat, and then being a reckless idiot. What’s been happening in training the last week just confirms it. I don’t belong here.”
 
“Of course you belong here” Erin insisted, trying desperately to think of a way to talk him round. “Are you even listening to yourself? Everyone here likes you, and you don’t let anyone down at all. And I certainly wouldn’t call your skill with a bow and arrow useless. We need someone with that sort of expertise. Vardus must have known that when he identified and asked you to join...”
 
“Ha, identified and asked me to join” Aerial snorted through the tears into his pillow, making her blink. He looked at her briefly with a forced grimace. “I wasn’t recruited like the others; I got here by a freak accident. I was running away from the guards after I got caught stealing food, and hid down here. I was blundering around trying to find a way out when I set off all of Vardus’ detection systems. Suddenly I was upside down in a net with all these people pointing weapons at me. At first they were gonna wipe by memory and take me home, but Vardus noticed I had my bow and arrows with me and asked to see me shoot, and offered to let me join after that. I just got here by a fluke really... cuz I’m such a klutz...”
 
Erin was staggered by this revelation, but made herself recover quickly. “Well... nevertheless, you displayed a talent and he asked you to join because of it. That proves you belong here. You could use work on some other areas maybe yes, but then you really just need your confidence back somehow...”
 
She hesitated. She had been about to say something, but then it would be just like Clove said. ‘You’re going to bat your lashes at him and apologise for destroying his confidence, and his chances of being on this mission.’ Was she right? Was she responsible? And was she just going to do as Clove said and try to pass it off at no consequence to her. No, she wouldn’t do that. She would never dream of treating Aerial so carelessly. “Um... I’m sorry about how things went in training. I hoped you’d beat them and it would restore your confidence a bit. I didn’t realise... I should have realised you were struggling sooner...”
 
Aerial choked a little bit and she trailed off. He eventually picked it back up again. “... I know there’s going to be a mission tomorrow night. You know I’m not gonna be involved right?” ‘Um... kind of...’ “Vardus has told me I need time off. I’m not gonna be on active missions ‘for the foreseeable future’, until I get my head sorted out. Told you, he thinks I’m useless.”
 
“And I’m telling you you’re not” Erin replied a little more forcefully. Patience was not one of her better virtues, she rarely had tolerance for Mel when he cried about anything small, she certainly wasn’t going to tolerate a boy nearly twice his age for long as she crossed her legs and tapped the floor irritably. “Has he asked you to leave?” “No”, was the muffled noise from the pillow. “Have you asked to leave?” “No...” “Good, because I don’t want that and neither does anyone else. You’re part of this family...”
 
There was a pause as she swallowed, and Aerial sat up dramatically, making a strangled and slightly terrified way. They exchanged a look. The word ‘family’ in connection to their Resistance group... that phrase was not hers to use. She looked at her feet in slight shame.
 
Aerial returned to his original position, looking away from her. “You should go. You need to get ready for tomorrow. You don’t need to be thinking about me right now...”
 
“Aerial...” she started, but he refused to look at her. His mind was made up for now. Clove was right, she didn’t know anything about him or how he felt, a lot more so than she knew. Now wasn’t the time she’d find out. She went to pat him on the back, hesitated, and slowly withdrew instead, standing to leave. “If that’s what you want. Just... look after yourself okay? I’ll come see you after we get back, if you like?”
 
He gave her no response. Erin sighed, and slowly closed the door on her way out. Despite her loathing of cry-babies, she found she felt strangely angry at herself for leaving him in a prison of his own mind. But not as much as Aerial, who stared at the door for a long time after she’d gone, hated himself for not taking the key to it while it was there, to tell her everything he was really most upset about how he felt.
 
...
 
“Well that didn’t appear to go all that well.”
 
Doyle and Klasse were sat together in what was often referred to as ‘The Common Room’, a fairly small room with comfy chairs, books, board games and the likes where some members of the group, mainly the older ones, preferred to spend their free time. The talk about the duel had spread. Doyle guessed Vardus and the others knew by now about it too, and didn’t know how he would react. He cleaned his glasses in an agitated fashion as he and the younger recruit sat and whiled away the time idly. “For such a thing to happen before a big mission tomorrow as well, he won’t like it” the doctor added nervously. News of the mission at the mansion tomorrow was also fairly common knowledge.
 
The door opened behind them, and both looked round to see Alex walk in. He looked drained, and deep in troubled thoughts as he flopped into the armchair next to them. “How is she?” Doyle asked nervously.
 
“Same as ever” Alex replied stiffly. Rather kindly Doyle offered the spare mug he always bought with him when he made a pot of tea, and the junior commander poured himself a strong one. It took a few moments (and swigs) before he voiced the opinion they’d secretly been waiting for. “That was stupid. Really stupid. Huge mission tomorrow, and those two are gonna undo it all with their infighting. Stupid.”
 
“I’m sure they’ll put it behind them and carry their orders out tomorrow professionally” Doyle tried to ensure him, but Klasse wasn’t offering him much support in that line. Alex huffed and shook his head, muttering something under his breath. “Try and forget it Alex. You can’t let it affect you.”
 
“I don’t want it to, but those two and their actions both have an effect on me don’t they? Especially...”
 
He caught himself, grumbled something, and drained the rest of his mug, ignoring how boiling hot it was as the liquid ran down his throat. His expression soured, and it wasn’t because of the drink. “I dunno you guys. I don’t like this at all, on top of everything. I just got a bad feeling about tomorrow...”
 
...
 
‘Seven’... *clap*... ‘eight’... *clap*...
 
Clove blinked the sweat out of her eyes as her bandage wrapped hands pressed against the floor of her room once again. Her whole semi-naked body was sticky with sweat, her face scrunched up in pain as she tried to force herself into a ninth advanced press-up. She would do ten. Then she would do another ten after that. And then another, if that’s what it took. Working out all alone in her room by the dull light of the hot arc lamp sat next to her, alone in the semi-dark with no stopping or resting, she slowly forced her body up and completed the ninth of the set. ‘Good... now ten...’
 
She struggled as she held her plank position for a long couple of seconds, her body shaking violently...
 
Her knees buckled to the floor. She drove her bandaged fist into the dirt, and screamed into the darkness.[/spoiler]
 
Also, points to anyone who can guess where Lavender Klasse and Rain's names have come from (amongst others that haven't been guessed at).
 
Seriously please comment on this guys. I'm dying here :(

[Ren✧]

Alright, I don't want to get your hopes up when you see a comment, but alas I must...

 

I just want to let you know that I am still reading, just a little behind. I've only got about three weeks left at school this year and my teachers are piling on the work on top of finals. Plus, going through some personal crap and I am not finding much time to do anything else. Just wanted to make sure you don't lose heart.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Alright, I don't want to get your hopes up when you see a comment, but alas I must...

 

I just want to let you know that I am still reading, just a little behind. I've only got about three weeks left at school this year and my teachers are piling on the work on top of finals. Plus, going through some personal crap and I am not finding much time to do anything else. Just wanted to make sure you don't lose heart.

 

Okay. I've put off looking at this sudden reply out of nowhere after a week out of... well, yeah. Finally caved in.

 

To be honest mate, they weren't up. :(

 

I understand people like you and Fusion who have dropped off because of real life and issues. I myself am not writing much due to the rather more pressing matter of my rather desperate job-hunting, or being too tired to get in the mood to write, and being really down in general. I know you're not keeping up with the Pen & Sword either and I understand, and it's not a massive deal if you can't comment on every single chapter.

 

It's others I don't understand.

 

It's... kinda already gone mate. But thanks... and hope you've liked what you have got up to... I guess. Good luck in your finals.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Okay. Against all my better judgement and rationale, I'm posting Chapter 19. Something I am only doing because ABC posted to say how much he was looking forward to it, and I apologise to you ABC for having to wait so long for it.

 

However I know ABC isn't making up the 200+ views there have been of this thing since Chapter 18 went up single handedly. I shouldn't have to say it, but apparently I do, that I am getting royally f***ing pissed off with this section and some of you people reading this. I have seen you in this thread; the same people who whinge and b**** about how this section is dying on its arse, and yet you all sit and wonder why that is in silence while someone who is trying to do something here - someone who might I remind you is the only person to ever complete two stories on this forum from the two I've started - is made to feel like s***. Now I know I'm not the best writer on this site by any means, past or present. But I am the most consistent, and I am the most stubbornly determined, so if even I'm getting to the point of getting fed up and giving up and shoving off, then clearly something is pretty f***ing rotten around here. The feeling that I'm wasting my time spending two hours a week talking to a brick wall kinda does that, surprise surprise. A wall which is giving back no help, no encouragement, no praise, no constructive critisism, and no response of any kind. Well no actually I might if I'm very lucky get some feedback from one or two of you... as long as there is a dip and a chapter has a lot to critisise about it of course. Cuz the occasional good chapters that do get most of things right, pfft, obviously they don't deserve any sort of mention or pat on the back. What a ludicrous idea that would be. Now this isn't directed at ABC, or at Renegade who I understand; people have exams and real life and s*** to deal with. Well surprise news for you. I have a real life too, and my own s*** to deal with, that's a lot more important than posting here. Now I do want to keep going with the story, I really do, because I (was) really enjoying writing it. But what I'm not enjoying is spending hours rewriting and proofreading and posting it to this level of no interest.

 

Okay, rant over... for now. Chapter 19.

 

Oh yes, forgot to mention: not one, but two uncredited guest cameo appearances to spot here for the 2 people reading this after the original Armageddon. Good luck. (Hint: They appear together)

 

[spoiler=Chapter 19]Chapter 19: The Masquerade

 

The night sky was a cloudless one, exposing a million stars amongst the fireworks exploding into a vivid kaleidoscope of more colours than she ever knew existed, each one took Erin’s breath away. She was walking arm in arm with Vardus through the open gates of Tessera’s estate, servants bowing to them as Vardus flashed his ticket, and up the illuminated golden pathway marked by the amazing decorations. Jugglers, fire-breathers, acrobats, and many more performers lined the path who the lavish young lord had put on to greet his illustrious guests, the line of nobles and dignitaries in front of them gasping and laughing and pointing as they made their way towards the golden house rising above them.

 

Erin had never, ever experienced anything like this. She was dressed in a powder-blue silk dress that was modest and elegant, cut at the shoulders far from showing her breasts and flowing all down her slender legs to just cover her short heeled shoes with enough of a gap to not trail on the floor, with some silver bracelets to decorate her otherwise bare arms and hands, a fluffy white shawl wrapped over her small shoulders, and finished with a small blue mask covering a little of her eyes and cheekbones like a bandit. Her hair had been a problem, with its telltale light blue colour, so kindly Lavender had helped her colour it silver and straightened it for her, and she also gave her a little silver tiara to complete her look before wishing her luck. Lastly she’d added her mother’s necklace, the one she always wore concealed inside her jumper, now freely resting on top of her breasts. She was comfortable no-one would recognise it; it was always safely tucked away before. Admittedly the whole process of being dressed up for a party had made her slightly giddy and she’d got herself lost in the occasion for a few moments. The armourer had apparently made her dress from materials he’d procured, and she was so absolutely ecstatic to receive it earlier that evening; it was just one of the most beautiful things she had ever been given and she had been desperate to thank him, but there’d been too much mission preparation left to do. However, it wasn’t just an item of pleasure that had been made. It was designed to cleverly conceal her regular trousers and lightly armoured leggings without bulking out, and a light leather breastplate protected her chest and lower back. Shoulder and neck protection would be smuggled in with weapons.

 

Vardus walked slowly to enable her to keep up with him given the disparity in their stride. He was in his element here. Tonight he was dressed in a splendid crimson outfit with a long jacket, clean white ruffled shirt fanning out under the collar like a ruff under his neat beard, black belt, fine red trousers and heavy black boots, and finished off with a large hat with a magnificent plumage of feathers sticking out of it, with a black cloth bandana with holes for eyes tied around the top half of his head and finishing just at his nose. As ever, his jewellery was prevalent in all places, adding to his illusion of belonging. To Erin he looked somewhat like a pirate from a fantasy book she had when she was young. He even came with a golden rapier dangling freely from his waist that he rested a silky gloved hand on as they walked. She knew it was no pretend sword.

 

As they approached the front steps of the house, leading up to the colossal oak doors that the party lay behind, a red carpet had been rolled down to them. Trumpeters were stood either side in a guard of honour that announced everyone’s arrival. There was a short line at the base of the steps, as the guests were stopped at a little podium by the doorman checking their invitations against his guest list. Vardus and Erin joined the queue, which moved forward at a fair pace, Erin watching the fireworks that seemed to her to go off in time with the trumpeters as another couple was admitted up the steps to the party, until they reached the front of the line. The doorman was tall, even taller than Vardus but thinner, and was of similar black skin, although not quite as dark as her partner for the evening. He was dressed in a smart velvet lilac suit with a flowery lapel and a top hat that had a flowing blond wig attached to it that went down the back of the man’s neck, and a horned and thoroughly more flamboyantly styled design of mask to Erin’s simple version of the sort, that kept his wide shaven jaw and solid chin on display. The doorman peered down at them with his dark eyes squinting through the holes in his mask.

 

“Ticket please, sir?” he said gruffly.

 

“Certainly my good man” Vardus replied pleasantly, passing the ticket to the doorman to examine. “I hope this evening finds you and our host well, and that the clarets are in good stock.”

 

The doorman did not pass comment straight away, presumably under strict orders to scrutinise the tickets for their authenticity. When he was sure of it though, he broke into a smile despite himself. “Thank you Lord Marcellus, my master is delighted that you could attend this evening, and I assure you that no expense has been spared ensuring the very best clarets are plentiful.”

 

Vardus and the doorman exchanged a few more hearty pleasantries, ignoring Erin who nervously keep her head down but listened very intently to how he built such a rapport with the man so quickly, before he had to get back to the queue forming behind him. “Ha ha, certainly sir. Now go left inside and follow along, the main ballroom is there, but you really can’t miss it.” The men bowed to each other as Vardus thanked him. “I hope your Lordship, and your young lady friend, have a pleasurable evening.”

 

Erin nearly gasped as she was addressed and looked up to see the tall man looking down at her, smiling pleasantly and tipping his hat slightly as he bowed to her as well, giving away the blonde hair indeed was a wig and that he was actually bald, before Vardus steered her up the steps. She looked back at the man for a few seconds, but he was busy greeting the next couple, and a nudge in the ribs focused her back to the front door where it should be as they climbed, the trumpets and fireworks heralding their arrival as they reached the top, passed through the oak doors, and into the grand marble reception hall beyond.

 

The doorman might have been busy, but that didn’t stop him keeping one dark eye on the couple as they made their way up the steps and through the front door. As soon as they went inside, he waved to one of the servants standing nearby who was assisting a fire-breather as an elderly couple presented their ticket. “Ah, please excuse me for one moment Lord Octavian. There is a matter I must attend to.”

 

Leaving his subordinate with the queue of guests, the man turned his back to them and nipped around the corner, concealing himself behind the wall of the stone stairs as he pulled at an antenna concealed within his label, the flower hiding the bulky transmitter in the pocket behind it. “Lord Tessera. They’re here, as expected. You see the man in the feathery red hat and suit, and the girl in blue with him?”

 

On the other end of the call, Tessera was stood holding a similar transmission device, watching from one of his private rooms as a couple of screens played various images in front of him. These were taken by his very unique security systems concealed high in the ceilings. Not even the Emperor had this sort of thing in his palace. But then Tessera wasn’t the Emperor. He picked out the people his man described walking through the front reception, the big dark skinned man talking to the young girl about something in great detail, and smiled to himself. “Yes, I see them. They just couldn’t resist could they? Just as expected... Continue your role as you were as if nothing happened. We have many guests left to arrive.”

 

“Yes Lord Tessera” the man replied, and the receiver was closed down. Pulling himself up an armchair, Tessera rested his chin on his interlocked fingers and watched as the couple his man had indicated went through the long corridor and moved into where the party was situated for the most part. ‘Tonight will be an evening they never forget...’

 

...

 

If the walk up to and the outside of the mansion had taken Erin’s breath away, the inside fought for every little bit that was left. Resplendent in marble, the main ballroom in the centre of the mansions left wing was cavernous, its high ceiling supported by great white pillars with a large glass skylight over the middle of the dance-floor that the fireworks could still be seen through, although the room was well-lit, by two grand chandeliers of course. The ballroom was two-story; with a wide balcony that ringed all the way around the room from the second floor for a better view of any dancing competition that had been held here in the past on the huge floor, filled now with noble guests laughing and greeting each other. Glass fountains had been bought in and placed in the corners where guests could top themselves up. Plant decorations were also prevalent, with tropical palm like plants that she’d never seen before placed at the base of each pillar. A string orchestra was playing from the far side of the room (Vardus waggled his finger in time to the music in approval). Buffet tables laid richly with every food imaginable and more were placed at the opposite end, and uniformed servants weaved through the crowd carrying drinks and other items. Erin looked for Clove and Alex, but didn’t see them. There was no chance of her doing so, they’d been gone since midday with their instructions to lynch two servants, steal their uniforms and get themselves inside. All the servants wore matching white suits with black trousers, gloves and masks. The variety of masks amongst the guests was impressive, ranging from a simple eye covering like hers to full face masks, some fancier than others, and everyone looked to be having a great time. Vardus beckoned a servant who was passing by with large glasses of some flavoured red wine and took one, and ordered a slightly weaker white for Erin which arrived instantly. This part she was nervous about. She had never drunk alcohol of any kind before and had no idea how quickly it might affect her, and tonight didn’t seem to be the ideal night to start. Vardus had insisted though that it was necessary she should be seen to be drinking a little to look natural in this society, but relaxed her by telling her he would order her the weakest wine on order, something from the northern peaks of the Empire’s reach apparently, and to try and nurse it as slowly as she could. Their glasses chinked, and she took a tiny sip. Immediately bubbles tingled in her nose, she resisted the urge to sneeze but the wine was delicious, and she felt a little flush.

 

“Let’s mingle and see what we can find out. Shall we dear?” Vardus grinned in a playful but nonetheless charming way as he bowed slightly to her and indicated the dance-floor. She very nearly giggled, but just about held it inside and allowed him to steer her through the crowd. It wasn’t overly full, although plenty of people had been invited, she guessed maybe two hundred and fifty guests were here and more were arriving, but the great hall could comfortably hold them all. Few people gave them a second glance as they made their way through, Vardus trying to catch the odd piece of people’s conversations as they made their way through and keeping eyes peeled for their persons of special interest amongst the range of masks. As they made to the centre of the floor, Erin caught a snatch of conversation behind her and turned her head to the source. Stood near her talking was a large, round, balding man with the most magnificent handlebar moustache under his purple mask that matched his fine official looking attire, beer in hand, talking to a young looking man all in gold, official army best, a robe that matched the ponytail that poked over the knot of the wrapped around bandana that covered his eyes.

 

“Thank you for your congratulations Governor. I hope I can live up to the Emperor’s expectations.”

 

“I’m sure you will m’boy, you seem a fine lad” the moustached man guffawed brusquely. “Speaking of, where is old Nero? He must have a good disguise, I haven’t seen him yet.”

 

“Ah, I’m afraid to say Governor that...”

 

She tried to hear more, but the pair disappeared behind a wall of masks and fancy dresses. She tried to get back to them, fighting against Vardus, but it was no good, he was too focused on whatever he was looking at. “V... Marcellus. Marcellus!” she uttered under her breath to try and get his attention, daring when that didn’t work to jab him in the back. However, he wasn’t paying her attention.

 

Someone had recognised them...

 

“Marcellus” somebody else exclaimed with cheer. Erin peered around from behind her partner to see a rather short, middle-aged man scurrying towards them, waving and nearly tripping over his rather old and well worn suit and tails, having to readjust his ill-fitting beak-shaped black mask as he came over.

 

“Ah, Tectum” Vardus replied, dragging Erin with him to meet the noble. They shook hands, or rather Vardus shook Tectum. “Good to see you tonight, having fun? Dear, this is Tectum, the minister for public shelter management. Tectum, this is Aurelia, my date for the evening.”

 

“Charmed” the minister smiled shakily, taking both of Erin’s hands in his despite her holding a nearly full wine glass and shaking them. He seemed a very twitchy sort of fellow, but nice enough.

 

“Um... likewise” she replied just as nervously before retreating to take another sip of wine. Now she was being introduced to people, she was starting to feel very out of her depth. She let Vardus do the talking.

 

“So Tectum, it seems everyone who is anyone in the Empire is here tonight. But I am yet to see the man of the hour himself. Has our beloved Emperor not arrived yet?” Erin tried to look as uninterested as she could, but every fibre inside her body tensed. Tectum sighed.

 

“Ah, I’m afraid not...” Both Vardus and Erin tried to stop their faces falling quite so noticeably as the short little noble shook his head gravely. What? He wasn’t here? “I’m afraid that his Excellency suddenly came down with some kind of flu over yesterday. His doctor has seen to him and given him things, but nothing’s seemed to work in clearing it up in time to attend tonight. In the end he’s had to order him to bed rest. It is extremely unlike the Emperor to ever fall ill despite his age, he has always remained the embodiment of good health, and the timing is most unfortunate in this week of his ruling anniversary. Regrettable, but I guess these things happen.”

 

Tectum shrugged as Vardus stood silently over him. Erin could sense his frustration. However he masked it well in front of the little minister. “I see. Yes, that is most unfortunate. Well, what about our host?” he asked, looking around “I haven’t seen young Tessera anywhere. Is he greeting his guests? He should be.”

 

“Um... I have seen him around somewhere” Tectum thought. “He was making his way about earlier on, but I think he’s had to go off for a while to organise some parts of the event.”

 

Vardus thanked him and excused them, and took Erin off through the rest of the crowd. Occasionally he said hello to another friendly face, all of whom he greeted by name and seemed to know intimately, and all recognised him by his cover of Marcellus as he chatted to them. Erin politely chipping in when asked, but was otherwise silent. She wondered as Vardus talked; how many of these people were close friends of his from when he was employed in the high society of the Emperor with whom he fitted in so comfortably, laughing and joking and making merry with these people who were all so alien to her? How many of them had been friends and admirers of his, now all under the belief that he was long dead? How did Vardus feel talking to such people like this, unable to tell his friends - if they were so - the truth, instead having to hide behind his mask and his bravado as the effervescent Marcellus? Was it eating him up inside, or was he happy and satisfied with his lot? She kept her thoughts to herself; Vardus wouldn’t want her worrying about him. So she continued to smile politely and answer the questions asked of her occasionally, refusing any more or stronger wine offered her by the servants and, with the Emperor’s absence confirmed by this illness, trying to at least be convincing and enjoy the party.

 

After a while of this, Vardus pulled her over to one side away from any potential prying ears, leaned down a bit and whispered in her ear. “I’m going to have to leave you on your own for a little bit. I’m going to have a poke around the place, and see if I can find our good friend Tessera. I doubt you’ll be bothered too much, most of these people are far too interested in themselves to give you trouble.”

 

“Um, okay” Erin replied nervously. “Is there anything I can do while you’re gone?”

 

“Stay here” he replied firmly. “Try and listen in to everyone around us and pick up any little nuggets of information you can. Whether it be about the Emperor or tonight or anything that might help us going forward long term, see if you can pick something up.” He smiled as he straightened up; making sure no one was paying them much attention before he went to leave. “I’ll be back for you and the others soon. In the meantime maybe have something to eat; it’ll probably be a long night after all. Just don’t get too attached to the southern goose. I have a limited budget you know!”

 

He chuckled at his little joke and quickly disappeared into the sea of fancy dress, leaving her on her own.

 

The first thing Erin did try to do was down the rest of her wine she’d carried through this far, but having found it too much to do, discreetly tipped it into the pot of the nearest plant. Then she decided that she would get out from the area of the dance-floor where the dancing and the bravado was starting to get a little more merry with alcohol and made, whether Vardus had been serious in his suggestion or not, for the buffet table. She was hungry now and the food, most of it on offer for the first and likely only chance of her life to sample, looked too good to pass up. She did at least resist the goose Vardus mentioned, a huge great thing in the centre of one table covered in a rich plum sauce, but she allowed herself to fill her plate with a polite portion of various fish, fruits and other finger bites on offer and, after observing one or two of the other ladies and how they ate in this society, which seemed absolutely minimally, she thought ‘screw it’ and tucked in. She got a disapproving glare of one aloof old noble for her ‘outrageous’ appetite, but she ignored him and was otherwise left in peace. All the while she kept her ears open to the conversations of people who passed her by, but nothing of real interest turned up.

 

A servant of Tessera’s offered her another drink, and she begrudgingly realised she was expected to take it. However the encounter gave her an idea. Wandering around the edge of the room with her wine that she had no intent of drinking, she quickly came across the person she was looking for serving cocktails. He had a good mask on like all the other servants; a black full face covering thing encrusted with onyx stones that only had a forked gap for his nose and mouth, but he was so noticeably broader than the rest of the servants she’d seen, and with the blonde hair and little tuft of neck hair, it had to be. At least she hoped so. As the servant emptied his tray and wound his way back to wherever he had to go to top it up, Erin nudged him in the back as discreetly as possible. “Oh, excuse me?”

 

The servant turned, looked at her for a second, then made the connection. “Erin?” he whispered so no-one else would hear. She nodded once, and he did so in return. “I thought it was you. You look great.” She smiled. “I’ve seen bits of you around over the night, but I wasn’t sure with your hair. That and it’s been really busy. We’ll have to be quick before your peers or the head servants spot us. How’s it gone?”

 

“Hard to say” Erin tried to reply as discreetly as possible. “I guess you know by now the... er... guest of honour, isn’t here?” Alex nodded again, not hiding his own disappointment. The other guests were all ignoring this oddity of one of their own talking to a servant, too lost in their evenings to notice them, but she kept it safe and spoke in code. “I’m on my own at the minute; my date went off a little while ago. So I’m just sort of, mingling, I guess. How’s your night going? You two picking up much either?”

 

“Bits and pieces of nothing really, but we’re alright” Alex replied, nodding at something behind over her shoulder. She looked back, and spotted a shorter girl with dark, cropped back hair clearing some scraps and disposable plates off the buffet table in a refuse sack amongst a few other servants. She was looking at them, her expression hidden, and slowly nodded once. Erin replied likewise, but inside she squirmed; there Clove was clearing the nobles waste while she was wandering around in her glamorous dress with wine in hand. Her opinion of her must be plummeting even further.

 

“Don’t worry about her, she’s been alright today” Alex seemed to have read her mind. “She’s focused on what we have to do right now, I think yesterday might actually have got it out of her system a little. She has her pride, but despite your experiences she’ll always put the team before herself.”

 

“That’s good” Erin replied, as Clove left with the plates cleared. One of the men she’d been working with suddenly looked up at them, and what could be seen of his expression seemed very angry. He pointed in the direction Alex had previously been heading furiously, then left. Alex gulped slightly, and suddenly Erin felt a little bit afraid. “Oh no, I kept you too long. You’re not going to get into trouble are you?”

 

“I dunno. I should be alright, but I had better get back to it now before the guy supervising finds me. Then we might be in real trouble.” He shuddered and turned to leave, but he remembered one more thing he wanted to say to her. “Tell you what though. One thing we’ve noticed; the servants around here aren’t half weird.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean they seem so... blank” Alex paused, trying to think of the right words. “I mean first there’s so many of them, which doesn’t help, but they all just seem a bit detached of anything. Ever since we got inside and slipped among them, they’ve just stuck to their tasks like mindless zombies, it’s kinda eerie. You’d think servants might have a chat or a joke between themselves in private, lord knows we do at N and C’s expense. But they don’t interact at all, except a few higher up. But beside the odd order even they only talk to each other in hushed whispers. They’re like some mass, ultra regimented task force. It’s made it easier to blend in sure, but it’s creeping us the hell out. Sooner we leave, the happier I’ll be.”

 

“I see” Erin made a note to tell Vardus when he returned. It might be nothing except extreme discipline on the part of the young lord, but it seemed the sort of thing he might want to know. “I’ll pass it on.”

 

“Right” Alex nodded, before ducking as he spotted one of the servants-in-chief wander their way. “Better go. See you later. Best of luck.”

Before she could respond he quickly disappeared into the crowd.

 

Well, hopefully he’d be alright and his brief absence would go unnoticed. Although given what she’d just learnt, she had a nagging feeling there might be trouble. If the servants really were as disciplined as Alex suggested, what if the guy in charge questioned Alex and suspected he wasn’t one of their number, or worse yet challenged him to remove his mask? However after a few moments she saw him re-emerge from a servant’s door with a fresh tray of cocktails, very visibly breathing a sigh of relief to himself. He must have been yelled at, but otherwise safe. At least he and Clove were alright and had remained undiscovered. She turned to have a wander elsewhere and see if she could find anything else of interest.

 

She did so straight away, but it was not the interest she’d been hoping for as she bumped into the back of someone, who turned to face her. Fear gripped her suddenly, as she realised she’d walked straight into the back of her worst nightmares.

 

“Good evening young lady. You look a little lost?” the man towering over her smiled tentatively, and winked down at her through his bronze mask that covered his eye line and one side of his face. But it left one heavily scarred cheek and nose very exposed; easily revealing who it was if the size, pointy goatee and general aura of intimidation hadn’t already. Erin froze completely. She was standing less than six inches away from and staring right into the face of Gaius of the Royal Guard! Ignoring everything else about him, she stared transfixed at his face. He smiled mockingly at her in her eyes, and continued to chatter. “Surely you aren’t here on your own tonight, such a lovely lady as you appear to be? I think you could do a bit better than that servant boy you were just flirting with a few moments ago though. There are much more affluent men here to choose from whom would be very happy for your company...”

 

Erin was speechless. Her whole body was locked in place under his gaze; her racing heart leapt up and blockaded her throat, muting her completely. This was the enemy, talking to her in such a tone, and she was defenceless and couldn’t be more terrified. Gaius continued to smile awkwardly at her. She could smell a little wine on his breath, but he didn’t look or seem drunk.

 

“Oh, you’re quite a shy young lady” he stuttered when she offered him no reply. “I apologise if I’ve been a bit forthright. It’s just not often I attend these sorts of fancy to do’s, or meet such pretty...”

 

“That’s enough Gaius. You’ve got a date for the night, remember?”

 

Gaius grimaced and turned, and the heart that had felt like it was blocking Erin’s throat a second ago plummeted at equal speed as the situation worsened tenfold. Standing just behind him with her hands on her slender hips and a frown clearly evident from her expression behind her mask was Lady Camilla! Erin’s mind was going into overdrive. Both of them here, right in front of her? This was a disaster! How did they know? She was at their mercy! Camilla ignored her for the moment though, instead focused on the abashed looking Gaius. Erin wanted to run, but her legs had stopped functioning. Instead she could only stand paralyzed in wait for the inevitable as Camilla stood watching them with an intense frown.

 

“Ah-ha, sorry” Gaius started tentatively, rubbing the back of his neck and cracking an embarrassed smile. Camilla raised a heavily styled eyebrow at him. Erin’s rose higher. “I just... you see um... the young lady here just looked a little lost and lonely was all. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

 

Camilla turned her attention to the girl he’d indicated, and her frown intensified. Erin knew the end was now; she was going to recognise her. She was going to be arrested. Clove, Alex and Vardus were all in danger as well. She tried to make her body respond, ready to run if she went to grab her as she tried to evade Camilla’s piercing glare. She held it for a few seconds. Surely she knew...

 

“For god’s sake Gaius, she looks about ten years younger than you.” Erin’s lungs emptied as she released the breath she’d been holding in bewilderment as she turned back to her partner. “I turn my back to you for one minute and you immediately start flirting with the youngest most vulnerable looking thing here. And badly too. You quickly forget Handsome; you already have company tonight, as she probably does.”

 

What? Erin’s fear was still great, but confusion was starting to slowly take over. Gaius and Camilla were here as guests, and as partners?! Gaius looked down under her fierce gaze and mumbled some excuse. This was just bizarre! She quickly put that thought aside when Camilla turned back to her with the same glare. “Hmm... you look familiar. Have we met?”

 

Erin gulped and slowly shook her head. “Um... no. I’m Aurelia” she croaked. She felt very unconvincingly. Camilla was frowned at her, surely she’d see right through her in seconds...

 

However to her sheer disbelief, Camilla’s frown softened and she shrugged. “Hmmm, sorry, my mistake. It’s just your hair I guess, I just thought I’d seen it somewhere before. I like it though, and your dress. It’s very pretty.” Erin blushed. This wasn’t real. She was chatting with Camilla of the Guard, in the midst of a fancy party, comparing dresses and getting compliments of her? And Gaius had been flirting with her?! What the hell was going on? Unperturbed by her lack of response, Camilla continued. “I apologise for my partner Gaius, he forgets himself. And that he has a date already, apparently. I’m Camilla. Pleased to meet you.”

 

To Erin’s amazement, she offered her a hand. Tentatively she took it, although quickly withdrew.

 

Gaius mumbled an embarrassed apology, and Camilla offered to get her a drink to replace the one she hadn’t even realised she’d dropped in her fear. Now that was subsiding a little bit, she was able to notice more about the pair of knights she’d been too scared to before. Gaius was dressed in an inexpensive looking suit that was a similar colour to his trademark bronze armour, and had slicked and combed his black hair neatly down in a side parting. Like he said, he didn’t look like some-one who did this sort of thing often, and certainly looked out of place next to his so-called date. Camilla had gone all out for the occasion. She was wearing a bright jade green dress that fitted tightly to her elegant bustier, adorned with a trail of red roses along a vine that wrapped around the dress in a coil, and her mask was crimson and covered in glistening sequins, and butterfly shaped. Her platinum blonde hair flowed down her bare back and was adorned with a similar flower, as were the necklaces that were dangling over her much less moderately concealed breasts. Her intoxicating rose perfume was evident as ever. Erin noticed a lot of the older nobles were casting lustful gazes of longing her way, and dark envious scowls at the lucky bastard who had somehow got the pleasure of her company despite his cheap look, although they quickly looked away if they thought Gaius was looking back. To get a compliment from her about her dress, Erin felt a little embarrassed and proud at the same time.

 

“So, who are you hear with?” Camilla asked idly as a servant gave Erin her replacement drink and started clearing up the glass she’d dropped.

 

“Um... Lord Marcellus” Erin was still trembling, but forced herself to hide it. Camilla nodded.

 

“Oh yes, he’s a nice enough man, as well as a shrewd politician. I didn’t realise he was seeing someone at the moment. He might be a keeper if you ask me darling, even if he does look a little older... no, it’s not right of me to cast such a judgement. I apologise.”

 

“No it’s alright” Erin found herself saying without thinking, carried away by the surreal situation. “Um... you two seem a nice couple though. You... er, you are both in charge of the Emperor’s army right? If I could say, I’d have thought it would have been major news... you becoming a couple...”

 

“Oh, well, you see...” Gaius started to say. He looked very tense. In fact he had done so from the second Erin had bumped into him. Camilla elbowed his in the ribs.

 

“There’s no real story in it to gossip about. We’ve both recently... lost our high ranking status in the army, shall we say? So such a rubbish article wouldn’t get so much coverage anyway. But really we were just both invited and are both single, so it made sense for us to come together. Besides, it keeps some of the less creditable lords off my back” she added, as one such bearded old man cowered under her gaze.

 

“Our host seems to have invited a lot of people” Erin ventured, looking around the room. “I hear there are people from all across the Empire here tonight.”

 

“Yes, there are...” Gaius muttered suddenly very darkly. “Everyone I can think of in a position of any kind of power or influence across the length of the Empire is here tonight, save the Emperor himself due to circumstance. I’ve spoken to at least two guys who’ve never even met Tessera at all, and for us to get invites to one of his do’s is a first...”

 

He winced as Camilla elbowed him again. “Gaius, maybe we can go somewhere more private?”

 

Clearly she didn’t want privacy for the reasons any of the other men might have hoped for, given the worried look on Gaius’ face. He made his regards to Erin, and wandered off towards a side door. Camilla watched him go for a second, before turning back to her. “Please ignore him dear; he is a blabbermouth who’s had too much to drink. But let’s just say that we both have our reasons for being here tonight. I suppose you must have yours as well.” Erin gasped, as Camilla’s emerald green eyes locked in with hers and fixed her in place. “Anyway, it was a pleasure meeting you, Miss... Aurelia...”

Was it just her not thinking straight, or did Camilla just incline her head to her, just the tiniest inch?

 

The moment passed, and the blonde warrioress was stalking after Gaius and out of sight. Erin stood dumbstruck for a second, until her breath and body caught up with her. She needed to sit down. She quickly made her way to the side of the room to where no-one else was standing, pulled up a chair and flopped into it, exhausted. Gaius and Camilla were here, as guests of a party that they’d never usually be invited to, and had just talked to her for a good five minutes fully willing to believe she was a girlfriend of a noble politician? That was too much in itself. And then that last comment when Camilla had spoken to her alone, it seemed so deliberate. What the hell had all that been about? Shaking, she downed the glass of wine that Camilla had got her in one go. She immediately regretted it and wanted to be sick. ‘I hope Vardus comes back soon, and we can go. I don’t want to be here anymore. Something’s not right.’

 

“Excuse me Miss.” She barely looked up from the floor as someone approached her to her right. “Might I have a word?”

 

Her fried (and now tipsy) brain was too slow and frazzled to remind her where she was and who she was with before her temper and mouth had already responded. “Get lost creep!”

 

She cursed herself the second she realised; what a stupid thing to say. Now she would get in trouble. However the speaker, whoever he was, simply chuckled softly in an eerie kind of way. “Ah yes, he said you were a spunky one. But Miss, I would advise you that this isn’t a request you should say no to...”

 

Her anger flashed. She sprang to her feet and spun to face the guy standing over her, drawing her fist holding her glass back to drive into his face if she needed to defend herself, but as she came face to mask with her antagonist she suddenly stopped.

 

A pair of black soulless eyes stared back at her, dark empty slits on a mask of white that covered all his facial features where only those eyes and a mouth upturned in delirious mocking laughter were shown, now a few inches from her face. The man had leant down to get so close, being taller than her, which seemed needlessly creepy. The man was dressed in a smart white suit and tie, and had waist length silvery white hair that flowed straight down his back. He and Erin stood in silence for a second, her frozen in a creeping terror as this unknown man stared at her through his grinning mask. What he was thinking she had no idea, but it couldn’t be good.

 

“Miss Erin, please follow me. I have been instructed to bring you to my master.”

 

Erin gulped. She didn’t know who this man was, but he somehow knew how she was, and following him was probably the last thing she wanted to do. She took a tentative step back to turn and run into the crowd. “Sorry, I’m... you’ve got the wrong person... I have to go find my partner...”

 

She turned quickly, and sharply caught her breath as she walked straight into another man stood right behind her who’d snuck up silently to block her path. This man was shorter than her and dressed in a black suit and tails, with a matching mask that contrasted the other goon’s theatre mask, being a mask of deathly despair. A mess of scruffy black hair flopped down in all directions. Erin gulped and tried to step around him, but he smoothly blocked her off. They were both careful not to do anything outright aggressive that would gain unwanted attention, but the intimidation in their trapping her was enough.

 

“Our master’s wishes are not negotiable Miss Erin” the second man said darkly. She was starting to panic now, so gripped by fear and the graphic visions of what these two and their master might do to her playing on fast forward in her eyes. The dark man nodded behind her, indicating a set of pavilion doors. Just on the porch outside, someone dressed all in black and wearing a red devil mask that covered most of his face was waving at her. This wasn’t a scenario she’d been expecting in her terror vision, but the pair didn’t give her time to react to it. “Enough talk. Now come with us.”

 

The goon’s shepherded her through the pavilion doors and into the garden beyond. It was cold out now, and devoid of food and drink, which was probably why the gardens were empty except for the one man the pair were steering her towards, standing on a corner of the paved area admiring the fine hedges and wide sweeping garden that separated the mansion from the other estates buildings beyond. Erin was presented to this master (or rather pushed to, giving her reluctance). The man put his drink down and grinned at her, as his thin mouth and pale chin was all that was exposed through the open mouth of the snarling devil, making her shift uncomfortably. “Hello Erin. We meet again.”

 

Erin took a back-step as she realised who she was speaking too. It should have been obvious, given how he seemingly wasn’t bothered about the occasion and dressed exactly the same as he’d been when she first met him. She blamed her turbulent state of mind. A pit opened in her stomach. “...Demon?” The man nodded and grinned again. Feeling rather foolish for not realising sooner and annoyed at this sort of treatment as the goons stood on guard either side of them, she pouted at the guy in frustration. “Bah, I should have known. Don’t you ever wear anything different and less creepy for your big royal parties?”

 

“Meh, why change what works?” Demon shrugged. “You can hardly talk, given your repetitive colour scheme. Nice dress by the way.” Erin blushed uncomfortably.

 

“What do you want? And why’d you have to get these two jokers to drag me out here?” The two masked men behind her growled at her insult. Demon scoffed it off.

 

“Relax. I was hoping you and your Resistance friends would be here tonight so that we could have a little catch-up. It’s been a few months since we first introduced ourselves to each other; I wanted to see how you were. Besides, it gives me something to enjoy at this wretched party of Tessera’s. God I hate having to come to these things.” His expression soured briefly, but passed. “But I digress, how are you? Keeping busy with your little Resistance games? Working hard? I see you took my advice on keeping quiet over the winter after all, which made both of our lives much easier. Thanks for that.”

 

“Bah. We have been busy, not that I should tell you anything” Erin scowled, crossing her arms and turning away from him slightly. “Our lack of activity in the city was nothing to do with me; it was the decision of those in charge to take stock and rebuild ourselves after... events. But we’re not staying quiet for much longer. Our presence here should tell you we’re coming back in a big way.”

 

“Of course you are” Demon smirked, stirring his drink absentmindedly. “How is Vardus by the way?”

 

All the blood in Erin’s veins froze. Demon knew about Vardus? All the little colour drained from her face as her attention snapped very fully back to the man who’d just hit a new height on the scale of terrifying as he casually leaned against a little wall against the hedge and sipped his blood coloured drink nonchalantly, making the distress his offhand remark had created obvious. Demon shrugged. “Yes, I know all about Vardus, let’s not beat around that particular bush. More than you can imagine in fact...”

 

Demon pulled a face as he swallowed his drink. Whatever it was he clearly hadn’t enjoyed it, and poured the rest into the hedge. “Blargh, although what did I expect? Anyway, so tell me, did Vardus finally grow a spine and emerge from the hole he’s been hiding away in yet? Has he graced us mere mortals with his omnipresence tonight even? This is more his kind of thing than mine after all. Go on, don’t be shy.”

 

“I... I...” Erin stammered as Demon studied her calmly. “Bah, why should I tell you anything?”

 

“Because I’d like us to be friends remember?” Demon shrugged. “Stop worrying. I’m not gonna do anything to him. Not unless he does something ridiculously stupid anyway. Which Vardus being Vardus I suppose is... well very likely actually. Anyway, I can guess from that incredulous expression on your face that he has indeed come for a grand night out. Sigh, always was unable to resist a good party. Show off. I assume from this then that the ‘big comeback’ you said you all had planned was designed on the basis of the Emperor’s expected attendance tonight then?”

 

“Well yes, seeing as you already seem to bloody well know everything anyway, it was!” Erin snapped as she lost her temper. “Well you don’t have to worry about Vardus doing anything stupid, because Nero’s not here is he?”

 

“Oh yes, our poor friend the Emperor” Demon sighed, taking a moment to remove his mask. He was the same as last time, gaunt and pale, and now she could see those colourless sunken eyes, Erin shivered. “Bed-ridden on his big weekend with a terrible and strangely incurable bout of flu. How unfortunate...” Demon grinned wickedly and wiggled his eyebrows at her, making her recoil slightly in surprise.

 

“Wait. That was your doing?” Demon nodded at her.

 

“Of course. It would hardly do to have you and Vardus knocking over the buffet table with your swords waving wildly trying to get him. Although it would make this thing a bit entertaining at least” he enjoyed her stunned look. “It’s not just about you though. The less time Nero is able to spend with his favourite pet Tessera the better things are for me. In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t particularly like our gracious host. He monopolises the Emperor’s time, gets in his ear, and is a general nuisance. And that’s supposed to be my job.” Demon grumbled bitterly for a moment.

 

“Oh really?” Erin asked with increasing venom. “And I don’t suppose you want to suggest to him that he should spend less time stealing from and oppressing his subjects and more on rebuilding the lives he’s slowly crushed. You say you want him gone as well, but you hardly act like it. Why should I trust you? If you could make him ill, why not do us all a favour and bump him off entirely?”

 

“And that would achieve what exactly?” Demon drawled in a bored way. Erin didn’t understand what he meant. “We’d all only end up in the same position eventually, just with a different face at the helm. Vardus’ probably, if he had his way. This is the narrow minded end you seek with your Resistance right? The Emperor is killed, and then what? Sorry, but I have a much better and more long term secure plan for us all in the pipeline than that. It’s more ambitious and fuelled with risk obviously, but hey - no risk no reward, right?”

 

Erin had no idea what he was talking about, but she felt that it was linked to something he’d suggested when they’d last met. Either way, he didn’t seem to want to elaborate on the full details of this grand plan with her yet. She was still Vardus’ girl after all. Suddenly Demon shivered and pulled another face. “Alpha...”

 

The man in the white suit checked the coast was clear, before idly waving a gloved hand back over his shoulder. Erin was amazed as a light aura enveloped Demon for a few seconds and his pained expression eased, before the aura faded.

 

“Yeah, I... have some health issues” he explained evasively. “My mind might be brilliant, but it does still suffer, and my body is, despite what I assure is a fine-looking physique under all this packaging, actually quite wretched. It’s worst when I’m under extreme stress of either kind, which simply being anywhere near that damned fop in there seems to incur” he growled in displeasure. “I’ve been like it since birth, but Alpha knows advanced white magic that aids me during such moments and acts as a painkiller.”

 

“I see...” Erin tried to sound pleasant, but really just felt even more unnerved. There was a moment of awkward silence. “What do you want from me?” she asked reluctantly.

 

“It depends” Demon replied, studying her with a critical expression. It wasn’t nasty or anything, he seemed genuine enough. “On whether I think you can help me, and of course if you believe I can help you get what you want. I believe we can be good mutual friends and achieve a shared ambition of peace and happiness for all in a world free from the Empire, as well as freeing ourselves from our own horrors. I understand your reluctance, that’s why I wanted to have this little chat with you to see how you were.”

 

“And how can you help me?” Erin retorted. “You don’t know me. You can’t help me!”

 

“If you say so, then that’s your decision” Demon shrugged. “But I can see you are a little bit interested, given you’ve stayed with me. Otherwise you’d have walked straight back through that massive gap my associates have left free for you to do so at any time and back to the party as soon as you saw me...”

 

Erin blinked and looked back in the direction Demon had indicated back towards the pavilion doors. He was right; his two henchmen had stood very far apart, certainly not able to block her path if she stormed off despite their initial hostility. She had really been free to leave? She wasn’t so sure about that. Well anyway, she was free to leave now. But she didn’t move. She could see the happy party beyond, where somewhere inside her friends would be. ‘I want to go. I don’t want anything to do with this... do I?’ Still even thinking that, as she tried to drag herself back towards the doors, she still hung back, reluctant to go. Tentatively she rocked on the spot as she juggled between the two. ‘Why don’t I go though? This guy is mad, totally mad. But these things he says, they sound so perfect. It’s too good to be true right? He’s just telling me what I want to hear, to lure me into whatever he wants from me. I can’t trust this guy...’

 

She looked back at Demon. He hadn’t moved, just patiently waiting for her decision as he leaned against the wall, watching her with those dead eyes, but there was something veiled behind them. Something she couldn’t decipher. She tried to see anything, any cunning or malevolence or ill-intent for her given away there, she searched desperately for some absolute giveaway that she should do the sane thing and run like hell from him, just like she’d wanted to in every bad dream he’d appeared in since they met. But there was nothing, just a solemn look that seemed to be settle for whatever she decided. ‘I... no, don’t be stupid. You’re in a good place now, with all your friends in the Resistance. Everything has got better again now. You don’t need his empty lies. Just run while you can.’

 

“No...” she said slowly, steadily backing away from him, to which Demon merely raised an eyebrow. “I don’t want anything more to do with you. I’m sorry... I’m not in the same place I was when we first met. I’m in a better place now, with Vardus and my friends. I won’t leave them to join whatever it is you’re trying to do with me.”

 

“I see” Demon frowned despite his supposed indifference. “Well if that’s how you feel right now. If you ever change your mind though, I’ll make myself available to be found if you want to search...”

 

“No!” Erin shouted over him, backing off more quickly now between the two masked henchmen. “No, I won’t ever change my mind now.... I want nothing more to do with you. Just... stay away from me!”

 

With that she turned and fled back across the pavilion, inside the double doors and into the crowd, quickly disappearing. Demon watched her go all the way until she was gone with a puzzled frown, as Alpha and Omega joined his side. “Well that didn’t go as well as we expected” the latter commented.

 

“Regrettable” Demon agreed. “But I’m not forcing people to join. They have to want Utopia, in order to stand a chance of making it a reality. She has decided she doesn’t. It’s no skin off my nose.”

 

As the three stood there, another servant came out. If he could sense the three glares focused hatefully on him, he didn’t show it. “Please could you come inside for a moment gentleman? His Lordship wishes to address all the guests.”

 

“Oh does he? Well goodie” Demon snapped, standing up and shoving the servant aside as his two allies followed him back in, the servant merely dusted himself off before following them to the doors and closing it behind them.

 

...

 

Erin was stood with her back pressed against the nearest pillar, trembling and trying desperately not to cry. She was furious for being in such a state that she couldn’t really explain, other than seeing Demon again had perhaps shaken her up more than she first realised. He was a creep and a liar and she hated him fiercely, but yet she couldn’t shake him from her mind. Now she’d had enough. This outing has achieved nothing, unless Vardus who was still absent after all this time had found something more out that would actually make this a success for them, but with the Emperor absent and nothing else going on, she wanted to go home. All around her, she noticed that the rest of the busy crowd was starting to gather around on the main dance-floor with an excited clamour. She noticed the music had stopped, and perked her head up out of curiosity. She spotted Clove and Alex stood attentively to one side with some other servants. The two knights stood out in the crowd, both looking up at a gap that had been made on the second tier directly above the orchestra; Camilla’s expression was particularly sour. This also unfortunately meant she saw Demon and his cohorts return from the garden, but whether he had noticed her or not he thankfully ignored her, as he too looked up at the ringed balcony from the back of the room. The drummer of the orchestra built up the tension as a set of doors slowly swung open, and their delightful host - resplendent in his finest gold - emerged to greet the cheering crowd.

 

“Good evening ladies and gentleman, my fine friends one and all. I’m so glad that you could all be in attendance tonight to celebrate with me on this momentous night, in honour of our lord and protector Emperor Nero” Tessera said with a broad welcoming smile beneath his small gold mask and his arms spread wide. His voice was soft and charming, enhanced by a small head piece with an attached microphone, so he didn’t have to shout over the appreciative murmurs and mild applause from the crowd. “It is unfortunate that our honoured leader couldn’t be with us tonight, but we shall all wish him a speedy recovery and can drink deeply in his honour. I’ll also take this time to apologise for my own absence throughout the night, but as you can imagine I have had my hands full running what I hope has been a fabulous party so far, and I assure you that the best is yet to come.”

 

Someone shouted ‘Hear Hear, three cheers for Lord Tessera’ as the young man leaned forward against the balcony rail, his thin fingers tightened around it as he looked down at the expectant crowd. “Now, I am fully aware that there are a good number amongst our esteemed guests here tonight who absolutely despise me and everything I stand for, and probably wish to do me all manner of harm...”

 

In a second the atmosphere changed, the merry grins turned to puzzled looks of concern and worried whispers ran around the room as people looked up at the young lord smiling calmly down at them. Erin looked around; Camilla’s expression noticeably tensed, and she noticed Tessera glance, just for a split second, at the man in the devil mask at the back who was glaring up at him, although he was concealing his loathing well. Tessera looked untroubled by the reaction and smiled pleasantly. “Well, to those of you out there, I simply wish that tonight will give me a chance to quell any hostile misgivings that you may have about me and prove that my intentions are pure, and for you all to see the man I truly am.”

 

There was movement over Tessera’s shoulder. Erin watched as another man of similar build and dress to Tessera, although maybe slightly older and certainly more tanned skin that conflicted against his white coat and mask, strolled out behind him. At the side of the room, Alex pointed and whispered in Clove’s ear as she looked up at the man with the same realisation, before they unexpectedly found a queue of moving bodies pushing against them as one of the head servants quietly motioned for all those standing by to return to back of house. The mystery man in white approached Tessera and similarly whispered in his ear for a moment. The young lord nodded; whatever the message was he didn’t look too troubled, but he still released his grip on the rail. His smile flickered as his colleague stepped back.

 

“Alas. I must apologise to you all again; something has come up that requires my attention” he smiled warmly. Or at least Erin thought, attempted to. “It is a small matter and nothing to be concerned about, so please continue to indulge yourselves in these beautiful surroundings and make merry, for we should all celebrate this most glorious night while we still can.”

 

Tessera turned to follow his companion out, and uttered darkly to himself and the silent crowd behind him. “And please, try not to make a mess on your way out...”

 

The doors slammed shut behind him, leading to an awful hush across the now very tense crowd. The band had not resumed playing and the entertainers had stopped, all of them were just as stunned as the guests and all were still fixated on the spot Tessera had been, and only a few hushed whispers broke the awkward silence. People were starting to notice now that all the servants had left the room. Erin didn’t know why, but she found herself shuddering. One old noble across the room muttered something like “What is this, a bloody funeral? Start the bloody band up and get the waiters back out here”, then about having had too much to drink and he expected everyone to be partying again by the time he got back from the gents as he staggered to the door. He tried it, and it didn’t open. Cursing he shoved against it with all his weight. It didn’t budge.

 

“Oh hell, this blasted thing is stuck as well. Somebody give me a hand.”

 

Before anyone could move to help the old boy, there was a sudden hissing noise from above that made them all freeze. Everyone looked up, and there were gasps as people noticed and pointed out the source of the ominous noise, one woman screamed in terror so all but the most drunk lord could understand. Shoots of air could be seen being sprayed into the room from decoratively disguised pipes running down the pillars and from the two chandeliers, the air above them was starting to thicken and cloud and descend on them like a smothering blanket, as the giant ballroom was beginning to turn into the world’s most lavish mass grave, quickly filling with what there was no doubt was very poisonous gas...[/spoiler]

 

There we go. Now if you want Chapter 20, you can pull your fingers out and post for it. Cuz I won't post to no feedback again.

[Ren✧]

I finished chapter 16 about a day or two ago, and had a nice little review done, but then my god damned computer decided to restart before I could post...so I will go through the highlights.

 

Things I enjoyed:

I really enjoyed getting to see Aerial's deck and the element of something new really kept me interested as a whole. Also, I really liked that Mr. Strong and Silent, turned out to be Ms. Strong and Silent. Remaining gender neutral for so long kinda pointed me towards it, but still didn't take away from the satisfaction. I have to say though that I thought the reveal was a bit premature. I would have thought that there would have been a mini-mini arc that led up to such an event, but alas there was not. Also, introduction of another faction and some more wild cards was interesting.

 

Things I didn't like:

I thought a lot of things throughout this chapter were just incredibly abrupt. The duels all ended in a more or less fatal swoop that left the readers, or at least me, dissatisfied. I had more specifics written down before, but that was the biggest thing that I really felt needed worked on. I thought the duels deserved at least another round or two before discovering an end. Also, having one of the rebels win would have been nice.

 

Hoping to get through another chapter tonight. I wish I could help you out some more with this major lull in comments. Hopefully things pick back up once school is out for Summer break.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

I finished chapter 16 about a day or two ago, and had a nice little review done, but then my god damned computer decided to restart before I could post...so I will go through the highlights.

 

Things I enjoyed:

I really enjoyed getting to see Aerial's deck and the element of something new really kept me interested as a whole. Also, I really liked that Mr. Strong and Silent, turned out to be Ms. Strong and Silent. Remaining gender neutral for so long kinda pointed me towards it, but still didn't take away from the satisfaction. I have to say though that I thought the reveal was a bit premature. I would have thought that there would have been a mini-mini arc that led up to such an event, but alas there was not. Also, introduction of another faction and some more wild cards was interesting.

 

Things I didn't like:

I thought a lot of things throughout this chapter were just incredibly abrupt. The duels all ended in a more or less fatal swoop that left the readers, or at least me, dissatisfied. I had more specifics written down before, but that was the biggest thing that I really felt needed worked on. I thought the duels deserved at least another round or two before discovering an end. Also, having one of the rebels win would have been nice.

 

Hoping to get through another chapter tonight. I wish I could help you out some more with this major lull in comments. Hopefully things pick back up once school is out for Summer break.

 

Thanks man. I know you and a few others were looking forward to Urusula and Aerial duelling, so hoped they'd do alright.

 

My computer does that with YCM if I take more than 5 seconds to type a post, my Internet just goes nope when I post. Have to copy and paste and stuff for a bit until it gets over it.

 

Anyway; comments:

 

The Good - You're right in hindsight about the way Somorrakh was written as he/her throughout which was distracting and probably gave it away, but glad you enjoyed it and it didn't detract much in the end. I don't think I get what you mean by a mini mini arc though. Aerial commented himself he's been on the backburner a bit recently, and he gets more development in Chapters 17-18 to look forward to.

 

The Bad - That the overall result of the contest was decided and then Urusula and Clove keeping going probably made that effect. The chapters were pretty long already, having initially been planned as a one chapter thing (lol, all this in one chapter. That's happened a few times in this thing) but the duels were planned very carefully so that, although all the rebels lost, if you look closely you can determine an order of strength among them:

 

Clove - Lasted 5 turns, reduced Urusula to 550LP and she had to use every card

Alex - Lasted 4 turns, reduced Somorrakh to 1000LP, she had one spare card left

Aerial - Lasted 3 turns, reduced Gear to 1400LP, he had two spare cards left

 

This was all very carefully planned and deliberate, even though it would have been hard to spot.

 

The Ugly? - So, how did Gear and Urusula do for you might I ask?

 

Yeah, summer break will hopefully help. Obviously if people reading this have exams then I should say they are more important to focus on right now... (although given straight A student here can't buy a job at the minute, I'm more inclined to say grades don't mean s***)... "Stay in school kids" *gives thumbs-ub and glances nervously at guy holding shotgun against my head* Study breaks are important too though y'all :D 

 

You can only give your feedback as and when you can and that's all I can ask. Chapter 17 is the shortest of the story, so you might have an easier time fitting it in.

[Ren✧]

Thanks man. I know you and a few others were looking forward to Urusula and Aerial duelling, so hoped they'd do alright.

 

My computer does that with YCM if I take more than 5 seconds to type a post, my Internet just goes nope when I post. Have to copy and paste and stuff for a bit until it gets over it.

 

Anyway; comments:

 

The Good - You're right in hindsight about the way Somorrakh was written as he/her throughout which was distracting and probably gave it away, but glad you enjoyed it and it didn't detract much in the end. I don't think I get what you mean by a mini mini arc though. Aerial commented himself he's been on the backburner a bit recently, and he gets more development in Chapters 17-18 to look forward to.

 

The Bad - That the overall result of the contest was decided and then Urusula and Clove keeping going probably made that effect. The chapters were pretty long already, having initially been planned as a one chapter thing (lol, all this in one chapter. That's happened a few times in this thing) but the duels were planned very carefully so that, although all the rebels lost, if you look closely you can determine an order of strength among them:

 

Clove - Lasted 5 turns, reduced Urusula to 550LP and she had to use every card

Alex - Lasted 4 turns, reduced Somorrakh to 1000LP, she had one spare card left

Aerial - Lasted 3 turns, reduced Gear to 1400LP, he had two spare cards left

 

This was all very carefully planned and deliberate, even though it would have been hard to spot.

 

The Ugly? - So, how did Gear and Urusula do for you might I ask?

 

Yeah, summer break will hopefully help. Obviously if people reading this have exams then I should say they are more important to focus on right now... (although given straight A student here can't buy a job at the minute, I'm more inclined to say grades don't mean s***)... "Stay in school kids" *gives thumbs-ub and glances nervously at guy holding shotgun against my head* Study breaks are important too though y'all :D

 

You can only give your feedback as and when you can and that's all I can ask. Chapter 17 is the shortest of the story, so you might have an easier time fitting it in.

 

Clarification:

What I meant through a mini-mini arc was that we would start to see more and more of Somorrakh until finally we see him(or rather her) faced up against a particularly difficult duel and finally reveals him(her)self to be a woman and the entire audience is shocked because they have spent the majority of Arc 3 believing Somorrakh to be a male. But that is just mean, what you did was by no means bad.

 

The Ugly

I think I prefer Ursula taking people out with her swarm instead of a duelist. I was hoping to see some interesting plays with Insect Queen or Great Moth, possibly. I guess that is the nostalgia in me kicking in. As a duelist she wasn't bad, but I definitely much more enjoy her character when she is off wreaking havoc outside of card games. 

 

I did thoroughly enjoy Gear, though. His backstory was definitely interesting and I like that we get a clear motive and reasoning for his thoughts and actions. Most villains, up to this point, have remained ominous and more or less hide their motives in the shadows. Gear, on the other hand, fully blabbed his story and gave a really nice foundation. 

[AGATHODAIMON BANGTAIL COW]

Finally, I can read this chapter. Blasted project.

 

The entire party was a real delight to read. Imagining Aurelia Erin speaking with Marcellus Vardus, Alex, Gaius, and Camilla created this tingling happy feeling (no, not THAT kind, get your head out of the gutter), and it was enjoyable to see the characters actually enjoying themselves after nearly two dozen chapters of death and despair. It's interesting to see that both Demon, and apparently Tessera, knew that the Resistance would sneak their way in, and I kinda anticipate Tessera to explain how he knows these things when the big reveal that he's evil comes around (if the cliffhanger wasn't enough).

 

Speaking of the cliffhanger, it sure is ominous. Vardus is nowhere to be seen, while Erin, Demon, Camilla, and Gaius among various background characters are trapped in what may be their own demise. As much as you wish that you wish there were more comments, it could be the end of this story (if someone else doesn't become the new main character), I fear. I know that I'm not everybody you want to have comment, but still, there are so many parts that I look forward to reading.

 

Even though by now I should not expect that character names do not give them plot armor, with the deaths of all of the named characters that have taken place so far, I'm rooting for Camilla and Gaius to make it out alive.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Clarification:
What I meant through a mini-mini arc was that we would start to see more and more of Somorrakh until finally we see him(or rather her) faced up against a particularly difficult duel and finally reveals him(her)self to be a woman and the entire audience is shocked because they have spent the majority of Arc 3 believing Somorrakh to be a male. But that is just mean, what you did was by no means bad.
 
The Ugly
I think I prefer Ursula taking people out with her swarm instead of a duelist. I was hoping to see some interesting plays with Insect Queen or Great Moth, possibly. I guess that is the nostalgia in me kicking in. As a duelist she wasn't bad, but I definitely much more enjoy her character when she is off wreaking havoc outside of card games. 
 
I did thoroughly enjoy Gear, though. His backstory was definitely interesting and I like that we get a clear motive and reasoning for his thoughts and actions. Most villains, up to this point, have remained ominous and more or less hide their motives in the shadows. Gear, on the other hand, fully blabbed his story and gave a really nice foundation.

 
Ah, I see. Well, Somorrakh won't feature again for a while, but she'll come back into things later. Something hopefully to look forward to.
 
Noted about Urusula.
 
Glad Gear did okay. There were concerns he was getting a lot more exposure than the other two and was repeating a lot of already known information from Armageddon, but given there's so few people reading this who've read Armageddon it's not as repetitive, and his mood atm is a bit different (although not much).
 
Ps: Scraps > Karakuri. Like, seriously. Although maybe it was more me than them at the time and I wouldn't be so bad at scripting duels with them now as I was then.
 

Finally, I can read this chapter. Blasted project.
 
The entire party was a real delight to read. Imagining Aurelia Erin speaking with Marcellus Vardus, Alex, Gaius, and Camilla created this tingling happy feeling (no, not THAT kind, get your head out of the gutter), and it was enjoyable to see the characters actually enjoying themselves after nearly two dozen chapters of death and despair. It's interesting to see that both Demon, and apparently Tessera, knew that the Resistance would sneak their way in, and I kinda anticipate Tessera to explain how he knows these things when the big reveal that he's evil comes around (if the cliffhanger wasn't enough).
 
Speaking of the cliffhanger, it sure is ominous. Vardus is nowhere to be seen, while Erin, Demon, Camilla, and Gaius among various background characters are trapped in what may be their own demise. As much as you wish that you wish there were more comments, it could be the end of this story (if someone else doesn't become the new main character), I fear. I know that I'm not everybody you want to have comment, but still, there are so many parts that I look forward to reading.
 
Even though by now I should not expect that character names do not give them plot armor, with the deaths of all of the named characters that have taken place so far, I'm rooting for Camilla and Gaius to make it out alive.

 
Not a problem dude. Glad you enjoyed a much more relaxed and fun chapter; glad in hindsight of Vector's suggestion to split the Tessera backstory and the party into 2 chapters with Clove's in the middle to give it the detail and atmosphere it deserved. It was fun to write about Erin pigging into the buffet and annoying the lords and ladies and getting awkwardly chatted up by Gaius and everything. Demon was also a lot of fun to write here :D
 
My head was never in the gutter. Not until Arc 4 anyway <_<
 
Noted. Camilla and Gaius, as you probably suspect, are right back on the frontline of the plot now, and there will be hints as to what's coming during the below chapter.
 
Now, some of you may be aware, I've finally got a new job, and start that in mid-June and get away from bloody nights in my current place. Thank god. Hopefully this will make me much happier and have a knock on effect, although obviously when I start my new job my 100% focus will have to be on learning that and impressing them during probation period and so on, so expect inconsistent updates to be more inconsistent. I've got 3 more weeks before that though, so.... we'll see how far we get.
 
I'm in a good mood, and to celebrate I'm thinking hang it and posting an update. Also, for those of you reading both stories and have somehow not noticed, there is a massive penultimate update to Dead Zone. Please give Vector the love he deserves after all the time and effort that huge story has taken from him.
 
As for this story, chapter title says it all really.
 
[spoiler=Chapter 20]Chapter 20: The Man in White
 
Instantly the ballroom descended into a frenzy of chaos. Erin, lost and panic-stricken, was shoved and caught in a crush of bodies that ran for every exit they could in stumbling hysterical madness, shouting and hammering against the heavy locks doors. People fell to the floor, those too drunk struggled to get up and no-one was helping them, so desperate to save their own skins from the descending toxic cloud. Already the many people on the top balcony were starting to cough and choke violently, some dropping to their knees and clutching their throats as they struggled for breath fighting to get out. Some were starting to pass out and faint, the bodies on the floor twitched and contorted horribly. The members of the orchestra were smashing at the doors with their heavy instruments in desperation. But every door resisted every desperate effort. Someone even threw a large pot at a patio window in the hope it would smash. The pot did, against the specially reinforced glass. They were trapped. Erin realised that as she hauled herself out of the press of bodies and climbed to some safety against a pillar, trying to see a way out across the carnage; Tessera had planned all of this. Some three, maybe four hundred people, all the most powerful and influential people across the Empire. Along with a few specially selected enemies, they had been gathered here so easily, and now they were all going to die here in this grand tomb. The people on the top floor were slowly, agonisingly starting to die. Desperately she tried to see a way out.
 
“Out of my way!” Demon snapped as he yanked aside one hysterical woman by the back of the collar as he stomped towards a bathroom door, flanked by his masked associates. Even these escapes turned out to be locked. He cursed, had a look around the room for a space, and turned to the men either side of him. “Blasted Tessera, I knew he was trouble. Time to go gentlemen. Over there; in that empty corner.”
 
“Demon! Wait!” The man turned and frowned to see Erin, her mask lost and clearly in a state of wild panic, push her way through the crowd and towards him, stumbling over an unconscious body and falling into him at the last second, having to hang onto his cloak to stay up. She had tears in her eyes and desperation in her voice as she stared helplessly up at him. “Please, you have to do something.”
 
“I thought you wanted me to stay away from you?” Demon asked unsympathetically and went to turn away from her. Erin clung on to him grimly. “I am going to do something, and that’s leave. Goodbye.”
 
“No please! I’m sorry” she begged. Alpha and Omega were marching over towards an empty corner of the room behind an upturned buffet table, where a small portal leading to a distant room was opening at their command. He was going to leave them all to die at Tessera’s hand, her included. But then there was Alex and Clove; she hadn’t seen them in the chaos. Where were they? Had they been found and trapped in here too? Had Vardus returned, and was he also caught in the melee, or was he elsewhere in the house, completely oblivious to what was happening?  She had to do something. Anything. Again she tried to pull Demon back, but was dragged along after him. She only had one choice. “I take it back. I’ll do anything you want. Is that what you want me to say? Please, Tessera is going to kill all these people. You can stop it. I know you can. Please help these people and I’ll do whatever you want.”
 
“Pfft, course I could, but I’m not going to” Demon sniffed. “Why should I save these people? Besides you made it clear you don’t want to be part of my cause. I don’t need people joining for the wrong reasons.”
 
“Please Demon, I’m begging you” Erin was crying now. “You’re the only one who can do something. You know you can. My friends are trapped in here, along with a lot of innocent people who haven’t done anything wrong. I thought you weren’t like the Emperor. You can’t just let them die like this!”
 
Demon pretended to think about it. “Hmmm... Yeah I can.” He grabbed and pulled her off of him as he continued along, making her cry more. The expression that could be seen under his mask was gaunt, without mercy. “You had your chance and you refused it. I have nothing for you now. You can’t expect me to take you in on promises made because your life now depends on you sucking up.”
 
He stalked off towards the portal his companions had opened, unnoticed by the other guests in their wild panic and slow choking deaths. She herself was starting to cough now as the gas floated down and ate up the oxygen, although Demon seemed unaffected so far. So that was it. Well, maybe not. Maybe she could run and jump through the portal ahead of them, and try to deal with whatever trouble she landed in when she got there. She’d survive, but she couldn’t leave these people like this. Especially if her friends were in here. She couldn’t abandon them to die, choking in slow agony, while she escaped with her life. But capable as he was, Demon refused to help out of human compassion. She only had one chance left. One last thing she could think of to try to make him respond, as she lunged and grabbed him again, digging her heels in to hold him back and ignoring his growling. “Wait... you hate Tessera right? Listen, he’s clearly doing this with something else in mind, something he wants you, me and everyone else here out the way for. You realise that right? If you run away now, then who knows what he might be planning. Can you at least see that you need to do something about him?”
 
She pushed herself in front of him as he suddenly stopped, ignoring the glaring from the duo in theatre masks as they insisted they had to go soon. He looked at her teary face with a curious expression. “Look around you. He must be planning something really terrible to do this. Something that affects everyone, including even you and your ambitions. You don’t want that do you? You don’t want to let him win, or get the better of you like this. Don’t do it for me then, or these people, just do it for you. I’ll do anything you say and want if you want me as a bonus as well, just please do this one kind thing and... and... I’ll...”
 
She petered out under Demon’s gaze, unable to hold eye contact. To save these people; hundreds of lords and ladies she’d never even met, but also possibly her friends, what would the price be? Could she offer herself for them? She couldn’t think clearly, the air was too thick. It was too late now anyway. As she looked away, Demon looked at her face; at her pleading eyes messy with tears and coughing more from the gas slowly poisoning her. He glanced at his waiting associates, sighed, and made his decision.
 
“Close it.” Erin cried as he tightly grabbed her wrist and steered her after him, past his two stunned servants as the room in the swirl disappeared instantly and he passed them, giving them a nod as he pulled Erin away towards the quiet corner. He didn’t look back at them or at her as he spoke while walking ahead of her, each word ice cold with disdainful, malicious venom. “Now I’m going to make this very clear to you. I don’t want your pathetic selfish offer of yourself to me just now. I’m only doing this because you’re right about Tessera. Now gentleman, extraction please.”
 
“We understand master” Alpha nodded as the order was barked back at them, conjuring a duel monster card from somewhere hidden on his person and holding it aloft. The lack of a duel disk mechanism was apparently not relevant for the pair, as the dark clad Omega did the same. “Come to me, white of the void of chaos, Light End Dragon!”
 
“Do my bidding” Omega growled as the air around them started to swirl. “Black of the maelstrom of chaos. Dark End Dragon!”
 
There was a flash, everyone inside threw their arms up, and choked as two deafening screeches shook the ballroom. Suddenly there were two huge dragons appearing through opening black and white portals, a huge white serpent with gold armour and feathered wings and a sinister battle-torn black creature with horns and spikes, floating eerily above them in the middle of the grand chamber.
 
“Hey, aren’t those the...?!” Erin gasped, recognising them both with a horrible pang in her stomach, but was coughing and struggling too much to do anything but watch them. The rest of the crowd, alarmed as it was, pressed against the walls and cowered away in panic. The two dragons each took a breath, and fired contrasting black and white beams of energy from the jaws upwards towards the glass skylight in the roof. The skylight exploded into a million shards of glass, falling around the dragons like rain onto the dance floor littered with a few bodies that were already beyond saving. Both dragons then took a few mighty wing beats, and the gas cloud was blown up and out through the open hole, and Erin took a deep breath of blessed oxygen, trying to cough out any lingering gas in her lungs. She and the amazed party goers watched in awe as the two dragons cried in unison, and work done, faded out of existence.
 
There was an awful silence in their wake. In the dragon’s departures, people looked around in horror for the source of where they’d come from. The two men standing back to back nearest the dance floor were easily picked out as the culprits. There were two halves to the murmur that went around the room, and neither sounded particularly appreciative towards their saviours. Half of the people were fearful of the duo they’d realised had summoned those two terrible monsters. The others, drunk and equally scared no doubt, angry. A few men who felt a bit braver picked up anything nearby that could potentially be used as a weapon and slowly advanced towards the duo in a circle. This seemed to amuse them.
 
“Well well. It appears that Nero’s brainwashing has a truly iron grip on these fools” Alpha smirked, appearing to be quite relaxed about the mob slowly tightening the circle around them. “It doesn’t look like they’re going to thank us for saving their miserable lives does it?”
 
“Ungrateful worms” grunted Omega. “But what can you expect from these wretched vermin?”
 
The terrified lynch mob attacked, and Erin gasped as without warning something went off around them, throwing up two clouds of black and white smoke that engulfed the pair and made the men stop and back off, the only thing penetrating the fog being the extreme high and low pitched cackles of the duo. The smoke cleared quickly, leaving to gasps of horror absolutely no trace of them. They had vanished.
 
This sparked everyone into full-scale riot. Everyone was hammering at the doors again, and they were finally starting to give. Quickly the use of heavy and hard decorations as battering rams was made. There was some banging as stone crashed against oak again and again, a lot of horrible crunching as the doors started to buckle under the strain, and finally with a great splitting wrench of wood two of them gave way. Immediately the guests who were still alive and able made a break for it. Erin was still trying to recover in the little corner she’d been pulled out of the way to. She felt sick. “What now Demon...?”
 
She turned to where he had been standing a second ago, but now there was just thin air. She swore; he must have slipped off as well during the commotion and left her. Shakily she staggered towards one of the exits trying to find him. She couldn’t see him anywhere. She couldn’t see the others either. But she thought she caught, in the corner of her eye across the room, what looked like the bulk of someone in a bronze suit forcing his way through the other door, with a flash of blonde following after before quickly disappearing. Before she could take a second look to be sure, she was caught in the stampede of people fleeing. Unable to push back against the tide she was quickly swept away by the pressing bodies fleeing from the mansion, joining along with the rush of survivors, and leaving the dead or dying behind...
 
The jam-packed corridors were chaos at first, but thankfully people were able to disperse into more passages quite quickly and thin out, blindly taking any route they could to escape. Erin joined the back of one crowd of about seven or eight people, trying to keep up with them as they bolted along noisily, taking her who knew where. Away from the ballroom but deeper inside for all she could work out; her mind was a disjointed mess at the minute and she was just following in the hope of being led to safety. However as they thundered along, people appeared from a crossing corridor at the end. All were in the matching servants uniforms and masks, and to Erin and the others horror, all were armed with swords.
 
It seemed Tessera had accommodated a backup plan.
 
The servants were on top of them quickly, and they were merciless. Erin, who was back far enough away from the group, backed away in horror as they cut the pleading men and women down, hacking away despite every scream, easily knocking away any form of feeble defence, immune to the pool of blood they were standing in and that sprayed against their faceless masks. She backed away around the corner she’d just come around, trying not to be noticed as they kept their focus on finishing off those dying at their feet. As she crept back and around the corner out of their sight, suddenly someone grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth and grabbing her arm to stop her screaming or fighting back.
 
“Erin stop, it’s me, Clove” the person said quickly, instantly letting Erin go to spin around to see indeed it was the feisty girl rebel. She still had her disguise on, but removed her mask to confirm it was truly her. She looked just as scared, but was managing it better. “Erin, this place has gone crazy. We got ushered out of the ballroom while Tessera was speaking, then we got these weapons shoved in our hands and were told to surround the room. They’re gonna kill everyone they see.”
 
“I know. Oh thank god it’s you Clove” Erin gasped as she recovered, suddenly and impulsively hugging her stunned fellow rebel. She was so relieved to see Clove now. Thankfully when she withdrew the other servants had moved on, leaving a heap of bodies where they were. She felt sick again. “We have to find Vardus and get out of here. Where’s Alex?” Clove shook her head, still a little distrustful after the hug.
 
“We got separated. Don’t worry, he’ll be alright. Where’s Vardus?”
 
“I dunno, he went off to investigate” Erin panted. “We have to find him. Are our weapons still safe?”
 
Clove nodded, and led the way. Stealthily as they could, the two girls made their way towards where their gear had been smuggled in and hidden. Erin hoped they wouldn’t encounter any trouble. She hoped Alex was alright, and Vardus. She hoped Demon was doing something useful like he said. Too many hopes and prayers. All she had to rely on now was Clove. But now she was sure she could do that.
 
...
 
On the other side of the mansion, another younger looking servant of Tessera’s in his black uniform and mask was wandering around on his patrol, the sword he’d been issued with by his superior dangling lazily by his side. He was casually checking this side of the building; just on the off chance any guests had not been in the ballroom at the time and strayed over here, not that they should have. Opening a door to the upper floor of the master’s extensive library, his face suddenly fell as he found himself staring at a colossal black man in a vivid scarlet costume, standing right in front of him evidently just about to come out of the same door, casually reading an old book in his massive right palm, on the corresponding arm of which was a massive jewel-encrusted golden shield. The man glanced up at him without immediate expression, not even seeming to react in the least at the sight of the sword in his hand.
 
“Ah... excuse me, I was just looking for the bathroom” Vardus smiled sheepishly. “Is it through here?”
 
The young boy opened and closed his mouth several times as he tried to take in what was right in front of him, before finally regaining himself and memory of his orders. No sooner had he steeled himself and taken a proper grip of his sword than his head snapped violently backwards; the man’s fist connected with him so blindingly fast and so hard he collapsed straight backwards, only the lush carpet prevented his head from cracking open on contact as he hit the ground. Vardus gently shook out his fist as he stood over the servant with a disdainful expression, before picking him up and hoisting him inside, casually depositing the unconscious boy where his body would be hidden behind the opened door if anyone else came this way, and dismissing the oddness of what just happened carried on his way as intended, still engrossed in his book. He’d found it half open on a writing desk in the library, something Tessera had been lazy to leave out if it contained anything important. The book was a study about ancient god’s and goddess’, most of whom were thousands of years old, and the tribes that worshipped them. It made for fascinating reading, even if full of nonsense about witchcraft and rituals of the most barbaric sort, and it didn’t immediately seem relevant to anything, although he did think that for someone like Tessera to be reading this sort of material seemed fairly disturbing in itself. But reading it Tessera was, and clearly with great interest. There were handwritten scribbles on many pages, in particular around one graphic drawing of a number of what looked like sacrifices being made to some kind of unholy deity, although they were in a language that, for once in his life, Vardus didn’t know. Hopefully Nataka or Doyle would be able to shed some light on them. Either that or he could find the lord of the house and ask him for an explanation personally.
 
Since he had left Erin and the main party nearly an hour ago, Vardus had collected his shield and other items from the place Alex and Clove had hidden them, and then spent most of the time making his way across the mansion, trying to remain as unseen as possible, and generally sticking his nose in room to room looking for the absent host he wanted to meet, or anything else that might be of interest. There were things he wanted to know as the leader of the Resistance, and also some things as the friend of a man who had died within a day of coming here, who he did not believe for one second had committed suicide as had been ruled by a court. He knew he wasn’t the only person who held that view, given the other guests he’d noticed back in the ballroom. He’d spent the last twenty minutes in the library, and when he’d went in all seemed quiet and empty. Now he had emerged... he heard shouts in the corridor ahead. Quickly taking the nearest door and leaving it open a crack, he watched in surprise as two fellow guests came hurtling past, covered in blood and screaming for help, and then swiftly in pursuit of them were six more of Tessera’s servants who were each wielding swords like the one he’d encountered a minute ago. The chase went past around a corner and out of sight, but he’d seen enough to quickly draw the right conclusions. He was not shaken by what he’d seen, but he was certainly disturbed.
 
‘So that was your intention for this night Tessera. To commit mass murder of all those invited, including all of the Empire’s most powerful figures, and the Emperor himself had circumstances not intervened I’d wager.’ The weight of that realisation hit him suddenly and hard. Was Tessera’s aim really to murder the Emperor? Suddenly the curious interest in finding the young noble became upmost important to him. If Tessera really wanted to kill the Emperor, he doubtlessly had unlimited opportunities to do so, although it would be harder to get away with doing it in the sovereign’s palace. He stayed where he was hidden and thought about it hard. Maybe he didn’t want to kill Nero then, and the Emperor’s absence was not coincidental. Was it truly a stroke of fate, or was it Tessera’s doing, or someone else’s? Someone who was just as suspicious about the man and this party as he had been? Well whatever the case with him, clearly Tessera wanted everyone else he had invited here dead. ‘But the question is why? What are all these powerful people in the way of him doing? And does it have anything to do with this strange book?’
 
Checking the coast was clearly and that his own sword was primed and ready, he quickly made his way out of his hiding place and back towards the ballroom. He realised something must have happened to trigger this slaughter, and it would have started there. He thought about his young accomplices, Clove and Alex disguised amongst the servants carrying out these deadly orders, and young Erin as his escort. He shuddered, but quickly composed himself. All three were trained well, and hopefully once they had avoided the beginning of the planned massacre and recovered their gear, they should be more than able to handle themselves against Tessera’s servants given the mob he’d seen. It was just the sheer amount of them that worried him. Speaking of which as he turned one corner, he saw four more of them further down the way, surrounding an elderly lady who was on her knees and clearly begging for her life, which given the body beside her clearly wouldn’t be spared. He cursed, knowing there was no chance he could stop their cruel execution in time, and that although doubtless capable of dealing with them - needlessly risking himself would be foolish. Instead he slipped away into a side-room before he was spotted.
 
He found himself in what looked to be some sort of trophy room. It was spacious, with marble walls and floor, although they were covered in portraits and tapestries, with an open space in the middle of many pedestals and glass cabinets that housed an endless amount of rare and valuable antiques that put his own collection rather to shame. The amount of gold in here was simply uncountable.  But as he pressed against the slightly ajar door, listening for the group coming back towards him, Vardus shuddered.
 
He was not alone in here.
 
Standing across the other side of the room with his back to him was another man, whose attention was so absorbed in the cabinet he was emptying out that he hadn’t noticed the arrival of a guest. He was tall and looked fairly well built, although possibly his shoulders were padded out by the long collared jacket he was wearing that came down to the back of his knees, brushing the top of his large heavy boots. But the odd thing was all his clothes were the palest white. Unable to leave, Vardus held his breath as the man continued to search and muttered to himself under his breath.
 
“Come on, come on... where are they? They’ve got to be here somewhere... behind a secret panel or... bah, what the hell has Tessera done with them? Gotta find them. I’ll never get a better chance to...”
 
A crash sounded through the door ajar behind Vardus, as one of the mob of servants unfortunately chose that moment to knock something over in the corridor behind him. The man across the room immediately jumped with a nervous cry and spun to face the noise with a panicked expression. “Tes...”
 
Vardus remained unmoved as the man’s wide eyes blinked upon the sight of him, taking him in. He was tanned and had quite a handsome unblemished look, but everything else about his person matched his attire. His hair was short, spiky, and of course white, as was his styled eyebrows (if the man had a mask, it had been discarded). The only thing of a different colour was some gold eyebrow piercings and a little other jewellery. The mystery man stared at Vardus for a good few seconds taking him in; he seemed to be extremely tense in his opinion. However his edginess faded as he settled down, but he still regarded him with suspicion. “Oh... so some of you are still alive?” he sniffed offhandedly. “Who are you?”
 
“I could ask you the very same question, but I doubt you’d tell me either...” Vardus started bluntly as he eased the door shut before the mob overheard, but then he remembered something. He’d never seen this man before, but he’d had someone of this very distinctive look described to him, and not all that long ago. It couldn’t be a coincidence. “Wait, I’ve heard of you. Some of my associates ran into you in an ancient duel monster temple in the north a few weeks ago. So you work for Tessera then?”
 
“Hmm? How the hell would you... oh...” the man cottoned on, and immediately relaxed. Now that he’d realised the guy facing him wasn’t who he’d originally thought it was, a cocky swagger crept in to his voice as he leaned against the cabinet behind him. “So you know some of those guys? Well in that case from looking at you, I’d guess that you must be the leader of that little Resistance movement in the city. Vardus Jackson isn’t it?” Vardus made no move to confirm or deny this, but his mind was racing. “I see. Tessera was expecting you to show up tonight. Intended for it even, making sure the invite you’ve stolen was easy for you to obtain. Yes, you seem a very slippery little man Vardus, having disappeared during the Purge years ago only to resurface from the depths tonight, and then you evaded his little trap too.”
 
“Trap? What trap?” Vardus demanded. All his senses were on heightened alert. The servants might still be patrolling outside, so he couldn’t leave without causing a ruckus, plus that would leave this guy free to sound an alarm. No doubt he would have to silence him before he had a chance to. But he could use information, and this guy seemed talkative. “You know a lot about me, but I know little about you.”
 
The man in white shrugged. “My name is Armonia, not that that will mean anything to you. I’m not from around these disgusting parts. As for the trap, what I mean is that the glitzy ballroom where all the rich snobs were getting drunk out of their heads has recently turned into a rather toxic burial chamber, or would have if not for...someone’s interference...”
 
He grinned. “Not that I’m complaining. Whoever it was did me a favour. With all the rich liars and fakes running around on the loose it’s given me quite a nice opportunity I was hoping for. I guess you came in here to avoid the cleanup his taskforce is doing around the place right, or were you just snooping?”
 
“I’m just having a look around. I rather like old houses like this” Vardus replied candidly, as though their encounter wasn’t remotely hostile, although inside he was livid with himself. Tessera had played him for a predictable fool, and he’d blundered straight into his web, and worse he’d endangered the kids in the process! However with the situation spiralling by the second, he knew that in his stupid recklessness he had by chance stumbled onto something big. Very big, and very troubling. But maybe this Armonia fellow would have the answers to his questions. “So then, now that we’ve stumbled upon each other in a grand room like this, where it seems neither of us should be, what shall we do about it?”
 
The man calling himself Armonia smirked at him. “Oh, I bet even you haven’t seen a house like this one before Vardus Jackson. Yes, I know all about you. Tessera has been very diligent. Nothing has been left unchecked, not even you. But do you really think I have no permission to be in here?”
 
“Given the way you nearly soiled your nice white trousers a moment ago, I’d guess not” Vardus said. The man scowled at him, making him grin childishly. “Come on; let us not be so cagey with each other. When my friends ran into you before, you stole an artefact that I freely admit to being interested in having. But your interest in the item seemed a lot more serious, and then there was something they told me you’d said to them. Something about needing one more piece, and then let’s see... ‘The rebirth will begin, and the world will be cleansed’. Now what was that about? What are you and Tessera planning here?”
 
His memory was exemplary; he couldn’t forget that conversation. The expression on Armonia’s face was getting uglier by the second. Vardus paused; he wasn’t directly staring at him. He was staring at...
 
Something clicked, as if a few jigsaw pieces suddenly connected. He gasped and pulled out the book that was poking out of his pocket, that Armonia had been looking at with such a horrified expression, flicked to the last drawing he’d stopped at, and turned the page. There it was. Four parts of an artefact; just like in his own book back at headquarters. Each matching in shape and design, although differing in shading in this black and white drawing. One of the pieces was so blank it was obviously supposed to be made of a white material, just like the one his charges had seen be snatched by this man. More illegible scribbles surrounded the diagram of the four pieces of the Tetragram. Both men exchanged terrified glances.
 
“What... what is this?” Vardus croaked. “What... are you planning to do?”
 
“Oh... S***” Armonia gulped as he slowly rose from his lazy stance, a nerve twitching in his temple. His fingers flexed nervously. “You really are a nosey guy aren’t you? Well I think your little poking around has gone far enough. You know what happens to curious cats.”
 
Vardus braced himself as Armonia reached into his pocket, tightening his grip on the sword on his hilt and springing forward across the distance towards him to make the first attack. Armonia rolled out of the way just in time, the golden sword driving into the glass cabinet and smashing it. Vardus whipped round with his shield readily raised to the counter, but the man in white had instead produced a small item from his pocket, it looked like a flat square plate with a gold edge and framing and pearl white in the gaps. Armonia threw the thing into the air, and to his shock the thing crackled with static electricity and expanded into a full duel disk shaped device. Vardus attacked again, but Armonia was ready as the device slotted down onto his raised arm, blocking the slash with a dull clang of metal and matching him strength for strength as they shoved, trying to force up a nasty looking serrated edge towards Vardus’ throat. Vardus rebuffed the man with a shunt from his large shield and moved back as his opponent staggered backwards into a pillar and knocked over a vase. He felt no doubt stronger, but this man was quicker. Armonia glowered at him, then raised the duel disk weapon and inserted a deck of cards from his other pocket into the hub. “Bah, you think you can take me on with brute force? Foolish, but go ahead and try it. No-one can match me for pure power. I promise you your demise will be painful.”
 
...
 
Tessera was sat in his control room elsewhere in the mansion, a small smile on his lips as he watched the various feeds from his personally designed security systems, and the carnage playing out before him. His original plan might have been thwarted, somehow, but his army of servants - as they appeared to be to the fleeing guests - were carrying out their contingency orders well. Most of the invited guests were dead now, and as far as he could see no-one had managed to get out and fully escape the boundaries of his estate yet. Behind him, a tall dark skinned figure in a purple suit and top hat approached.
 
“Men have been placed on the perimeter should anyone get that far” he stated bluntly.
 
“Good” Tessera replied calmly, and sighed. “I’m disappointed with myself that this was allowed to go this far at all. I made an oversight not enforcing the skylight, but I never expected anyone to do that. I underestimated that pesky vizier. He really has been such a pest ever he since he arrived in the capital.”
 
“Where is he now?” the man asked stiffly, tightening a fist. “Do you want me to take care of him?”
 
“Oh? No no my friend, that won’t be necessary” Tessera laughed softly as he examined the screens. “I’d imagine he’s still here somewhere, but there is no need to trouble yourself; we have our army to bring him down with.” Tessera gave the screens another look over for any sign of that troublesome man, but something else, or rather two someone else’s, caught his eye... ‘Hmmm...’
 
“I’m going to my drawing room now.” The tall dark skinned man blinked as Tessera gently rose from his seat and walked around him. “I am expecting company and I shall entertain them there. You and our good lady are more than capable of managing the rest of the clean up without me.”
 
And without a further word of explanation he left.
 
...
 
As his enemy stood waiting for him with his strange duel disk contraption armed, Vardus considered the situation carefully. The decision the man had taken to instigate a duel as a way of defending himself and silencing him seemed strange. He must have some way, he’d have thought so at least, of summoning a bunch of those sword-wielding servants in here at a moment’s notice to try and overwhelm him, rather than risking doing it. No, there was only one possible explanation he could think of why he hadn’t taken the more sensible option; for some reason he was not meant to be in here either, and didn’t want to be found himself. He needed to silence him for another reason than just Tessera’s orders. Given his actions so far, he must be up to something that he didn’t want his master to know about. He didn’t see how the guy could think to take care of him using this method though, strange as his disk was. He smiled slightly.
 
“Very well, I will accept this interesting proposal” Vardus activated the mechanism on the inside of his magnificent shield, his own trusted deck shuffling as he faced off against his shifty and arrogant young adversary. “I will get answers from you young man. Let’s see just how powerful you really are.”

 

“Duel!”

 
“Ha. More than enough to trample on you! Draw!” Armonia sniped as he drew from his strange gold and pearl device, glancing at his sixth card. The sight of it made him smirk visibly. ‘Excellent’. “I’ll start by activating the spell card Future Fusion!”
 
Vardus eyes narrowed as a bluish lightening-forked vortex inside a large mechanical device appeared behind the smug looking Armonia. “When this card is activated, a Fusion monster from my extra deck is targeted, and the materials that make up the summon of that monster are sent directly from my deck to the graveyard. Then during my second standby phase after this card’s activation, that fusion monster will be summoned, providing this spell card stays in play. I’ll be sending five dragon type monsters to the graveyard now...” The shapes of five creatures flew into the vortex, and Armonia’s grin grew even more conceited as he regarded Vardus pitifully. “Do you realise from this Vardus, what monster is going to be appearing in two turns? What kind of terrible demise is coming towards you?”
 
“I do” Vardus said simply. He knew full well that the monster Armonia was attempting to call on was the legendary Five-Headed Dragon; a monster of immense strength, but far from undefeatable. So he used a dragon deck, interesting. He checked his hand. He wasn’t ready yet, but he would have some time before the godly dragon reached the field, if he hadn’t already beaten this upstart by then. “Proceed.”
 
“Well, aren’t you calm in the face of your doom?” Armonia smirked. “At least now you know the means of your death, you can prepare your soul adequately for the afterlife. Now as part of the effect of Future Fusion, I sent three copies of Eclipse Wyvern to the graveyard, so their effects all activate. When they hit the grave via any means, I can banish one high level light or dark attribute dragon from my deck for each. I’ll place four cards face down and end my turn.” Almost all of Armonia’s hand appeared either side of the active continuous spell, a hidden minefield of unknown pitfalls. “Make your move Vardus.”
 
Vardus drew calmly and without comment, studying his hand carefully. His drawn card was no good to him yet. But what did Armonia expect him to do this turn? Summon just anything he had and attack in a blind panic to defeat him before Five-Headed Dragon arrived, and blunder straight into the full back row he’d so recklessly committed everything to? ‘Foolish youth’ he thought. For someone who claimed to know all about him, he really didn’t know as much as he thought.
 
“I set one monster, and one face down card” he declared simply, the reverses of a concealed horizontal monster and a regular face down appeared one behind the other. “Turn end.”
 
Armonia gawped at him in a way that someone might react to their opponent growing a second head.
 
“Whuuuuuuuuut?” he drawled in a childish tone. “That’s it, seriously? The great Vardus Jackson, soon to be in the line of fire of the most powerful beast in all duel monsters, and he can only set two lame face downs in response? Well colour me disappointed, but at least this should be quick. I draw, and remind you that Future Fusion is now a step closer to releasing its power.” On cue the vortex machine reacted violently in response, as Armonia held up the card that he’d drawn last turn with a delighted expression. “But why wait that long, when I can activate the fusing spell Dragon's Mirror? Now by taking the five dragons I’d previously sent to the graveyard and banishing them from play entirely, I can fusion summon an appropriate dragon-type monster immediately. Now behold the means of your demise Vardus, as I Fusion Summon the most powerful monster ever born. Descend, FIVE-HEADED DRAGON!”
 
Another swirl opened overhead, and from it descended a monstrosity, an abominable creation. The amalgamated being of five terrible dragons of the differing elements; snapping heads and long necks representing fire, the sea, the mountain, metal, and pure evil darkness respectively, sticking out of one huge ugly body with cumbersome leathery wings as it slowly floated down, landing beside Armonia with a heavy crash. Each head shrieked in a fierce chorus of destruction (Lv12, ATK 5000).
 
“Scared yet?” Armonia asked smugly.
 
“Not even remotely” Vardus shrugged. He wasn’t bluffing either. “Your monster may have plenty of attack points, but it has no protection from destruction, save from its mediocre and mostly redundant effect. It will not last long.” Armonia appeared insulted by the lack of fear and respect.
 
“Oh really Vardus? How naive. Well then I guess I’ll just have to bring out some more power in order to knock you off that high horse. The second effect of my three Eclipse Wyverns activates when banished; adding the three dragons they had banished earlier straight to my hand. Then I’ll activate three copies of the trap card Reckless Greed, to sacrifice my next two draw phases to immediately take two cards for each. Unfortunately for you only the second part of that effect stacks, not that this will go another turn.”
 
Armonia laughed as his hand suddenly jumped from one to ten. He must’ve been in need of something to force his push, and evidently he’d got it. A small electric blue baby dragon appeared, dwarfed by the enormous Five-Headed Dragon beside it. It looked most unhappy to be here (Lv2, ATK 300). “I summon Decoy Dragon to the field, but this pathetic weakling won’t be here long, because by banishing it from play as well, I can summon another fearsome dragon. Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!”
 
A towering pitch-black metal dragon appeared, making a terrible screeching din (Lv10, ATK 2800). “His effect activates. Once per turn, I can summon any dragon from either my hand or graveyard. Since my graveyard is empty, I’ll summon another dragon I added to my hand. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon!”
 
Another mythical creature of renowned, a pure white dragon with a bluish tint to its scaly hide that matched its piercing crystal blue eyes hit the field, screaming powerfully (Lv8, ATK 3000). Three of the most powerful dragons in history all ready to attack Vardus at the whim of the egotistical master stood beneath them laughing at him.
 
“So Vardus, I hope your soul is prepared now. Because on my field rests over ten thousand points of tooth and claw in the shape of the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon, the ultimate potential of the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, and the unstoppable might of the Five-Headed Dragon. Now it’s time to put them to use on you and crush your feeble resistance. Blue-Eyes; annihilate his face down monster!”
 
The huge white dragon took a deep breath, an energy ball of static white lightning forming within its open maw before firing down upon the face down monster.
 
“Reckless” Vardus sniffed dismissively as he reacted. “Trap activate. Mirror Force obliterates all of your attack position monsters.” A shining barrier materialised in front of his face down card, Armonia recoiled in shock as the white lightening bounced off of it and rocketed back towards his three dragons.
 
“What?! Bah, I’ll activate the quick spell Forbidden Lance from my hand. By targeting a monster on my field and dropping its attack by eight hundred, it becomes immune to the effects of all other spell and trap cards for this turn.” Vardus was surprised that rather than saving the much more useful Red-Eyes, it was the Five Headed Dragon (ATK 4200) that was spared as white lightning was dispersed either side of it and obliterated the two smaller dragons. “Grr, well in any case, I’ve still got my strongest dragon ready to rip through you and you’ve got no more protection left, so let’s try this again! Attack!”
 
Five streams came crashing down in a spectrum of multiple hues, easily eradicating the small toy robot that emerged from the reversed card. Vardus sighed in disappointment. “Another impulsive move that only benefits me. My destroyed monster is Card Trooper and its effect activates at this time, letting me draw one card.” Another trap appeared in his hand. Armonia twitched and made a frustrated noise.
 
“Ugh, I guess I’ll end my turn here. You wormed out of it this time, but it don’t matter. You’re still gonna get crushed.” Without playing anything else, Five-Headed Dragon’s attack was restored to normal. “I don’t care if you are some big-shot former pal of that pompous buffoon Emperor, or if you’re in charge of your own little devoted army, they can’t save you from this. It can’t match our forces. You’re just like every other stupid, repulsive person invited here tonight, and you’re gonna die here just like them!”
 
“I don’t think so” Vardus smiled politely as he placed his hand to his deck. “We have very differing styles to our duel. You are fast and aggressive, but your blind dependence on pure brute strength will be your undoing, especially against me. I do not make the same mistakes as you. If your entire duel is so reckless and short-sighted, and blinded by your need for power to the point of all else, then you have no chance of defeating me.” He drew and glanced at his card, and nodded as the final piece he needed to ascertain victory, his keystone, came to hand.
 
It was time.
 
“Let’s begin. I summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands” he declared grandly. A blue skinned demon creature with thousands of arms sprouted from every part of its strange body appeared before him, its many red eyes glaring at the opponent (Lv4, ATK 1400).
 
“When summoned, Manju enables me to add one card to my hand, in the form I choose of a ritual spell. I also activate Preparation of Rites to add one level seven or lower Ritual monster from my deck to my hand, and then if one exists a ritual spell from my grave, but no such spell is there right now.” Vardus revealed the two cards to Armonia, before immediately activating the spell. “I activate the ritual spell Advanced Ritual Art. By sending normal monsters from my deck to the graveyard, I can summon any Ritual monster in my hand whose level is equal to the sum of the levels of the monsters sacrificed. I send one level three monster to the graveyard to summon this divine creature. Elemental Mistress Doriado, grace us with your holy presence.”
 
A warrior in brown hooded clothes and holding a sword appeared briefly, before it disappeared in a column of white light. A small wind whipped up around the treasure room, and from the fading column emerged a woman in a plain blue dress with some padding in the shoulders and breast, and crowned with a red headdress over her long golden hair, her hands united in prayer as she gently touched onto the field. The woman opened her eyes, and smiled slightly at the incredulous Armonia (Lv3, ATK 1200).
 
“You’re kidding me right? That woman is your big move who’s going to overcome my dragon somehow? She’s pathetic.”

“I wouldn’t talk to her like that you insufferable man” Vardus tutted, wagging a finger disapprovingly yet maintaining his calm exterior. “After all, you’re about to get very well acquainted with her. I activate the spell Creature Swap. Each of us must choose one monster on our side of the field, and then give it to the other. Currently you only have one monster, so you have no choice. Mine will be Doriado.”
 
Armonia baulked as the priestess and his mighty dragon instantly disappeared, and then reappeared just as suddenly on opposing sides of the field. Suddenly he was the one being faced by those five vicious, snarling, bloodthirsty heads leering indiscriminately down at him. Sweat trickled down the back of his neck. “Why you cheap, unhanded rat bastard! How dare you, that’s my dragon!”
 
“Five-Headed Dragon is mine now, and I will command it to attack Doriado” Vardus ordered, ignoring the upstarts ranting. All five heads took deep breaths, charging their simultaneous onslaught of attacks. Armonia’s temple bulged, before he reluctantly went for his duel mechanism.
 
“Grr, I activate the trap Dimensional Prison. The attacking monster is banished from play.”
 
“Very well, then I will choose not to declare any further attacks.” Vardus sighed as the gigantic dragon was sucked into an otherworldly dimension and vanished without trace. He had expected such a move; not even a complete idiot such as this would have failed to set some kind of protection on his first turn. That was why he had waited until now, for this card to arrive. He placed two of his remaining cards face down and held the last aloft, it flashed as it was placed upon his duel shield. “I activate my field spell card. One that illuminates the oppressing darkness in pursuit of the ideal, pure world. Clear World!”
 
Armonia blinked several times as he shielded his eyes, for above the battlefield exactly between them and floating high above rose a brilliant radiant crystal, one gigantic in size. Every shadow in the room was instantly erased; there was no hiding place from the crystals gentle, omnipotent glow. It took a moment for him to adjust, but Vardus was completely unaffected by it. “My hand is empty now, so I will end my turn. At which time Clear World’s effect dictates that I pay five hundred life points to keep it in play (LP 3500). However it is a price worth paying, as you will soon discover.”
 
“Bah, that crystal’s not going to save you” Armonia snapped, getting more ruffled by the second as an edginess crept back into his voice. “It’s my turn, and I think you’ve overlooked one small detail about what’s going to happen this turn. You might have a few sneaky tricks and cheap tactics, but your cards are weak, and my disaster dragons will crush you. This ‘clear world’ you seek; it is a fraud that cannot become reality. Your world is gonna end Vardus, in more ways than you know. This will soon be over.”
 
“Oh but that’s where you are wrong my deluded peroxide friend” Vardus smiled calmly. Everything was or just about to come into place for the cunning tactician. His strategy was almost complete, and his poor power-obsessed boy was about to walk right into his master plan. “This has only just begun...”
 
...
 
Poking her head out of the gap in the door, she could see and hear no-one in either direction. Cautiously Erin stepped out, sword and shield at the ready, now with her armoured top on over her dress. Clove followed her, similarly equipped with leather padding and gauntlets, and together they stealthily made their way along. They were still on the ground floor; somewhere in the middle and back of the building where there were mostly spice stores, cold rooms, servant’s quarters and the place’s general rooms of operation. As they made their way along, alert to even the slightest sound or movement, they came to a crossroads. They could turn right, past the remains of two dead lords and down a similarly grand looking corridor, carry on straight for another fifty metres, or go up a spiral set of stairs to the left to the upper floors. Erin glanced from side to side, and poked her head quickly to look up the stairs, feeling exposed in this slightly open space. No sounds, no movements, and no presence of any sort she could detect.
 
“What do you reckon?” Clove panted, anxiously glancing over her shoulder for pursuers.
 
“I... I don’t know” Erin stuttered truthfully. “Up maybe?” The thought of what they might find or run into any second was shredding her nerves, and she could tell Clove was just as scared, as much as she tried to hide it. Her partner nodded, so they cautiously started up the steps. They ascended slowly, and as they reached the top they found themselves coming up to another deserted corridor. “What now?”
 
“The heck should I know?” Clove snapped as she crept onto the top step, tentatively peering out in each direction as the corridor ran left and right. The corridors didn’t stretch too far in either direction before forking off at each end. “This place is just one big damn maze to me.”
 
“I hope we find Vardus soon” Erin sighed, Clove tutted at her dreamy wishful remark. “This place scares me Clove. Maybe it’s just what I saw happen in that ballroom, seeing all those people suffer and die like that. But this place just has wrongness in the air here, you know? It’s so unnatural.”
 
“You’re paranoid, but I can’t say I blame you” Clove remarked, taking a step forward, then immediately back as it creaked slightly. “How did you break out the ballroom anyway?” she asked. “Doors were pretty secure. I hoped, but wasn’t sure you’d break them in time when I realised what was going on.”
 
“Um...” Erin gulped and looked evasive. She wasn’t sure how to explain that. She settled on the no-details version of the truth. “One of the other guests was a duelist. They summoned a monster and smashed the skylight to get rid of the poison gas.” Clove looked at her suspiciously, making her feel very uncomfortable. “No I don’t know how it worked either, but it did and I’m just thankful for it, even if the stupid lords and ladies weren’t. Now come on, we have to go. We can’t stay exposed in this stairwell.”
 
Erin passed Clove, who followed her onto the passageway. She still didn’t know whether to go left or right. “I wish Vardus was here. He’d make it all better. He’d know what to do...”
 
Clove rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath. “Yeah, well if we don’t find him I guess we could always go ask your friend in the black for help instead...”
 
Erin froze. Slowly she turned to look at Clove, who didn’t notice her reaction as she was looking at a few doors along the corridor and their signs. Erin didn’t notice how she was shaking. “What did you say?”
 
Clove glanced up at her, looking puzzled. “What? Oh.” She realised after a second, and her expression turned suddenly very evasive. “Oh, nothing. I didn’t... It was nothing. Let’s go this way.”
 
“No. What did you say?”
 
Clove stopped as Erin held her ground, and bit her lip. She could feel Erin’s gaze in the back of her head, before turning back to face her again.
 
“Alright. If you really want to know right now of all times, then fine; I’ll ask. Who was that dude in the black hooded cloak and jacket you were talking to during the party, the guy with the devil mask? What did he want with you earlier?”
 
For a second, Erin didn’t breathe as Clove continued to stare at her; expecting, demanding an answer. She struggled to get words out to explain. “Wh... I don’t... You were watching me?”
 
“Well obviously” Clove insisted, crossing her arms and moving a step closer towards the stammering girl, eyeing her with increasing puzzlement and suspicion. “We gotta keep an eye on each other here haven’t we? So yeah, I saw you going out into the garden with two black and white dressed guys, and then you were talking to some guy in a devil mask. Who was he?”
 
“He was... he was...” Erin tried to think fast. “He was just an old lord; he wanted to ask me out. That was all. I’ve been getting all the wrong attention all night since Vardus left me.” Clove didn’t seem to buy it.
 
“Oh really? Well maybe, but he must be pretty persistent to be doing that. It looked to me like the same guy I’ve seen you with before, the day you stormed out of base after Dorian died.” All of the little colour ran out of Erin’s face, unable to say anything. Clove blinked in disbelief. “Oh my god... I came to look for you, and I found you in an alley talking to some sinister guy all in black. It was the same guy, wasn’t it?”
 
Erin couldn’t speak at all. She just stared right through the shorter girl as if in a trance. She stammered, but nothing of substance came out. Clove was starting to get anxious now, and was shaking her a little bit. “Erin, what is going on with you and him? Who is this guy? Why are you lying to me?”
 
“I’m... I’m not lying...” Erin found herself speaking without even thinking. She didn’t know what she was saying, or even feel in control of her own voice. “He’s nobody. You don’t understand Clove.”
 
“What don’t I understand Erin?” Clove demanded anxiously. Erin fell silent and still again under her pleading look. “Because it looks pretty damn dodgy from where I am. I want things to work out Erin; I really do. For the Resistance’s sake. That’s why I didn’t say anything to you or Vardus yet. But I need to be able to trust you. You’ve got to tell me, you’ve been acting weird for ages. Please tell me, what’s going on with you and that guy?”
 
Erin paused for a moment. No sounds, no movements. The whole world was in standstill around them as they looked into each other’s eyes. Now Erin understood at last. The comments Clove made during the previous day when she challenged her. She had been alluding to seeing her encounter with Demon. But she couldn’t do anything to her. She could explain everything, she hadn’t done anything wrong. But she felt extremely afraid. She trembled. ‘Clove saw me with Demon that time? He knows all about Vardus, what if Vardus knows about him? About his position in Nero’s court? What will he think about me talking to the enemy? And then she saw me again with those two masked guys of his. Those guys who used the same cards as the Princesses. What if they were their… oh my god, those guys killed Dorian!’
 
Suddenly it all made horrible sense. Clove disappeared as the two masked men, Demon, Vardus, and Dorian swam before her eyes. ‘Those guys are responsible for everything. They created those… things, that killed Dorian.’ She swayed as Clove starting speaking again, but she didn’t hear her. ‘If Clove tells Vardus, and he knows Demon and his allies and makes the wrong connection, and if they really are the ones who set up the situation that led to that… what will they all think? What will Vardus do to me if he knows I’ve spoken to them? But I wasn’t… I didn’t… Clove has to believe me. Vardus could kick me out... or worse. He could turn me into the guard. He could kill me. What if he punishes Mel too? But I haven’t…’
 
“Clove...I’m not lying. Please... you have to believe me, he’s nobody. Please I’m begging you.” She reached forward to touch Clove by the shoulder, but the girl stepped back. “Please... don’t tell Vardus.”
 
Clove looked at her for what felt like a long, tense moment, then sadly shook her head.
 
“Sorry, but I don’t believe you. I don’t know what I saw going on tonight, or those months ago, but that guy looked dodgy to me. Maybe it’s nothing and when we find Vardus you can explain it to him instead of me.” Erin just stood in front of her, frozen in panic, her mind racing. Clove shrugged and turned to take the right hand path of the corridor. “Look, I didn’t mean to bring it up or anything, but can we at least leave this for now and move before any of those servants com...”
 
Suddenly Clove lurched violently and made a shocked, mangled, wretching noise; her throat suddenly filled with hot blood that spurted out of her mouth as she swayed sideways. Erin held her upright with one arm wrapped around her neck as she pressed up just behind her, her entire body trembling as Clove sagged, blinking as her world returned to the focus it had lost for a split second, the focus Clove was losing in her vision as everything lost slight clarity in her eyes and her knees buckled. Realising what she’d just done as she slowly pulled her sword out of the gap it had found between Clove’s back-plates and driven through her ribs, all the way through her stomach, leaving a bloody great stab wound.
 
As soon as Erin pulled the sword out Clove collapsed forward, dropping her weapon as she did and started coughing up more blood, trying desperately to suck in oxygen. Erin came back to her senses in a panic, dropping to her knees and helping her roll over. “Clove!” she gasped, as the girl whose mouth was filling with blood and was trembling awfully looked into her eyes again. The look was so terrible, so full of shock and disbelief, and of pain, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away. She felt the wound; Clove winced and coughed in pain. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I don’t know what I... I didn’t mean to! I swear!”
 
“Ack... cack... yes you did. Of course you meant it!” Clove spat more blood at her, eyes bulging with intense hatred towards her as each blood splattered word came out full of quivering anger and venom. She choked again and leaned back. Her senses were fading quickly. Erin’s stab must have penetrated a lot of vitals. She groaned, but resisted screaming as her body tensed.
 
“No, no I didn’t! I swear I didn’t!” Erin insisted, looking around for anything to help. She couldn’t shout for help. “Just hold on. I’ll find a bandage for it. I can fix it. Please, just hold on.”
 
“No...”
 
Erin gasped as Clove grabbed her wrist. The fight was faded from her voice. The light was already going out of her eyes, which were welling up with tears. Erin’s were too. She knew. Gently she tried to hold Clove’s hand. She resisted and snatched it back at first, continuing to glare at her, but when overcome by a grimace of pain she relented and sought her hand back out, moaning as she choked on the blood in her throat. Her voice was shaky once she’d cleared it. “This can’t... not like this. I knew... it might happen...” she sniffed between shudders and coughs. “But I thought... I’d see it out. I... I just wanted to stop all this... y’know? Get revenge on Nero... for what he’s done. Revenge for dad... For Skaro... I knew we couldn’t, but I thought we’d all get to the end... and see a better day. All together like...”
 
She grimaced and groaned more painfully, her wound spurting more blood by the second. Her eyes darted around wildly; as if she could see demons surrounding them, waiting all around to take her, such was the fear in her eyes as she sobbed. “...I don’t wanna die...”
 
“Please Clove, you can’t...” Erin repeated. She couldn’t, she couldn’t believe this was happening. She had to explain. She hadn’t meant to... she’d lost herself... “I don’t know what happened. I didn’t mean to. I’m so sorry.” Clove rolled her head over to look at her directly. She was barely able to keep her eyes open.
 
“... No, Erin... you’re not sorry at all. I was... was wrong about you...” she whispered with all the effort she could make. As Erin met her gaze, she saw everything in Clove’s soul that made her who she was slowly disappear. The fight. The determination to succeed. The strength of will. The hard, spiky attitude. The commitment to the cause for what was right. All parts of her spirit slowly fading and being replaced by fear, and whatever Clove could make of her through her dying eyes, that held her in a terror that matched that of the impeding end.
 
“You’re not a jinx... are you...? You’re a curse! That’s... what you are... Erin. You’re a curse on everyone around you...”
 
Her breath rattled as her teary eyes rolled back into her head, then closed as she shuddered slightly with one final breath. The grip around Erin’s hand immediately loosened. Clove was gone.[/spoiler]

[Ren✧]

Whew! Thought I'd get to it sooner, but I finally got to read through Chapter 17 and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a safe bit of writing, nothing too out there or experimentally outlandish, which was nice after having a chapter with the three freaks dueling, not that I don't enjoy them, but sometimes having a more down to Earth chapter is needed. 

 

I have really enjoyed getting to see these new recruits as well as Aerial's downward spiral. Interesting dynamics at work and I can't wait to see how they work out. Plus, the ending of the chapter was phenomenal, nice build up! 

 

There really isn't too much more to say other than good job. I apologize for the short review, but when it is a short chapter with little mistakes, there really isn't much I can say. 

 

Glad to hear that you got the job! Hope that it will bring about the desired effect! :D

[AGATHODAIMON BANGTAIL COW]

[spoiler='Time to hide things']There's even more to look forward to now: What people will think/do about Tessera now that he has had his evil massacre, whether or not Erin will join up with Demon now that she knows he is responsible for Dorian's death, and how badly the Resistance is going to react when/if they find out that Erin killed Clove. With the whole "You are a curse" speech Clove put up in her final moments, it starts to look like Erin might ditch her friends, even if they never figure out the truth. While introducing the potential new teammates that she will have sounds like something to look forward to, I still want to find out what goes on with Alex, Aerial, Vardus, and the other Resistance members.

The duel felt really, really... uh gimmicky? with both Vardus and Armonia being able to play combos that are normally very inconsistent. Armonia's starting hand was especially jacked up to 11, though with the cards Vardus has played so far, it's like his Deck was built around that one combo he pulled off.

Anyways, R.I.P. Clove, yet another character who wore less plot armor than I expected. I guess I'm still getting used to the dark side of... well... dark stories.[/spoiler]

 

And since you mentioned it, I suppose I could venture out into more of what CW has to offer and read Dead Zone.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Whew! Thought I'd get to it sooner, but I finally got to read through Chapter 17 and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a safe bit of writing, nothing too out there or experimentally outlandish, which was nice after having a chapter with the three freaks dueling, not that I don't enjoy them, but sometimes having a more down to Earth chapter is needed. 

 

I have really enjoyed getting to see these new recruits as well as Aerial's downward spiral. Interesting dynamics at work and I can't wait to see how they work out. Plus, the ending of the chapter was phenomenal, nice build up! 

 

There really isn't too much more to say other than good job. I apologize for the short review, but when it is a short chapter with little mistakes, there really isn't much I can say. 

 

Glad to hear that you got the job! Hope that it will bring about the desired effect! :D

 

Not a problem sir, don't worry about short comments, it's nice to have anything. Glad you liked where it was left (Vector's suggestion), I didn't think it was that phenomenal and was just a steady place for steady transition chapter.

 

Aerial will get more exposure in Chapter 18, and the others as things go along.

 

Thanks. Hope so too :D

 

[spoiler='Time to hide things']There's even more to look forward to now: What people will think/do about Tessera now that he has had his evil massacre, whether or not Erin will join up with Demon now that she knows he is responsible for Dorian's death, and how badly the Resistance is going to react when/if they find out that Erin killed Clove. With the whole "You are a curse" speech Clove put up in her final moments, it starts to look like Erin might ditch her friends, even if they never figure out the truth. While introducing the potential new teammates that she will have sounds like something to look forward to, I still want to find out what goes on with Alex, Aerial, Vardus, and the other Resistance members.

The duel felt really, really... uh gimmicky? with both Vardus and Armonia being able to play combos that are normally very inconsistent. Armonia's starting hand was especially jacked up to 11, though with the cards Vardus has played so far, it's like his Deck was built around that one combo he pulled off.

Anyways, R.I.P. Clove, yet another character who wore less plot armor than I expected. I guess I'm still getting used to the dark side of... well... dark stories.[/spoiler]

 

And since you mentioned it, I suppose I could venture out into more of what CW has to offer and read Dead Zone.

 

[spoiler=More questions than answers]There's a lot going on huh? All these dilemmas... Exciting :D
 

That whole scene was really difficult to write, but really emotional to do and I hope people felt for the girl, even if she was prickly and not the most likeable character, she was still strong and everything, so I hope people were upset by her death :(

 

The Armonia Vardus duel is meant to show Vardus as a fairly slow, methodical player at this moment in time, and Armonia's personality comes across a lot throughout. It was a very hard duel to get right, and is actually a rip-off nod to one of my favourite duel's in Dead Zone where another character plays a troll Clear World deck. Vector told me it was a nightmare for him to do and I refused to listen... and this was a nightmare to write at times :D Still, it's a fun duel in places[/spoiler]

 

And yes, you should. It's awesome.

[Ren✧]

Woah! Chapter 18's ending was powerful! I guess I'll start from the end of the chapter and work my way to the start. 

 

So Clove's ending scene in the room had quite the impact on me. I'm not sure why, because I just don't have the same mentality that she does, but man, there was just something that connected. My only guess at a reason was I understand her character so well because of your portrayal of her situation. There were quite a few things that had happened in the earlier arcs that I had pushed to the back of mind and this chapter really brought those things back up to the front. Very nice, my friend.

 

Aerial and Erin's scene, in all honesty I found it 'meh', until it alluded at something more to Aerial's behavior. Is there romance to be had here? Something else? It got my mind thinking that there is something more to our little friend with a bow and arrow.

 

The duel! I enjoyed it for the most part, I thought Clove putting herself up to intentionally lose just for the sake of bringing out her big baddie was a bit over the top, but that is probably just me. Including Gale Dogra was an interesting choice, though. 

 

The argument! I think this was probably the highlight of the chapter. Throughout the entire ordeal I found myself continuously changing sides when each comment was made, and to this point I am not sure who won that argument or which side I personally stand. I assume that is what you were going for, so well done, well done indeed. 

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Sigh... stuff that happens in Chapter 20 happens, and still only ABC comments. Even the happy news about the new job, and still only Rene with the congrats. Thanks jerks <_<
 

Woah! Chapter 18's ending was powerful! I guess I'll start from the end of the chapter and work my way to the start. 
 
So Clove's ending scene in the room had quite the impact on me. I'm not sure why, because I just don't have the same mentality that she does, but man, there was just something that connected. My only guess at a reason was I understand her character so well because of your portrayal of her situation. There were quite a few things that had happened in the earlier arcs that I had pushed to the back of mind and this chapter really brought those things back up to the front. Very nice, my friend.
 
Aerial and Erin's scene, in all honesty I found it 'meh', until it alluded at something more to Aerial's behavior. Is there romance to be had here? Something else? It got my mind thinking that there is something more to our little friend with a bow and arrow.
 
The duel! I enjoyed it for the most part, I thought Clove putting herself up to intentionally lose just for the sake of bringing out her big baddie was a bit over the top, but that is probably just me. Including Gale Dogra was an interesting choice, though. 
 
The argument! I think this was probably the highlight of the chapter. Throughout the entire ordeal I found myself continuously changing sides when each comment was made, and to this point I am not sure who won that argument or which side I personally stand. I assume that is what you were going for, so well done, well done indeed.

 
Vector will be happy and feel appreciated (I hope anyway), as Clove vs Erin was his very good suggestion :D
 
Clove has been continually portrayed (or at least attempted to be) as one of the strongest of the rebel duelists, so she presumably realised with a hand of Gale Dogra and drawing Miracle Synchro Fusion and faced with Gantala she was on a slippery slope to defeat just defending with little chance of turning it around with any draws she might have got, and just wanted to make a statement that Erin would find no way of defeating her Exterio and would have to slip out the cowardly way. We've seen before (Chapter 10, the exercise scene) Clove is relentlessly determined to push herself to be the strongest she can in order to ensure the Resistance's success and hates weakness. I'm glad it was powerful, as Clove hasn't been popular because of her attitude and because of her use of Naturia - which will hopefully start to become more justified over this and the next few chapters - and I want people to warm towards her/have more empathy for her.
 
There's suggestions towards Aerial's feeling, made since Chapter 15 and even before, and they may be developed further in the distant future.
 
That's good, and I'm glad you really enjoyed this chapter and took the time to give such positive feedback. :) My favourite parts were the interactions of poor Alex caught in the crossfire, and Melanc being amusing.
 
Mentally busy week ahead, so putting up Chapter 21 now as will have limited chance later. Something that Rene and ABC have been looking forward to for a while - and I'm really looking forward to - as the duelling action steps up, and some popular characters attempting to right the wrongs against them come face to face with a madman...
 
[spoiler=Chapter 21]Chapter 21: The Justice
 
“Wait, are you absolutely sure?”
 
“I couldn’t be more positive” Camilla replied in answer to her partner’s question. They were marching straight along the second floor, swords and shields equipped and ready over their party dress, making a direct path to their destination without detour, and nothing would get in their way.
 
“But if you were right and that was her, why didn’t you challenge her? I can’t believe I was about to...” Gaius insisted, but just then another bunch of servants, six of them looking savage and with swords up, came bursting out of a room ahead of them.
 
“Hold that thought” the tall knight grumbled. “Charge!”
 
Quailed by Gaius’ battle cry, the first masked man froze and was easily dispatched. The knights quickly cut through the mob; with enormous strength and fierceness Gaius overwhelmed them with his mighty broadsword, crushing through any feeble defence they put up, while Camilla effortlessly deflected and slashed past two attackers before they could even blink. Both stopped for a second, then collapsed over dead at the same time, leaving her to wipe the blood of her sword. “Because she is not our enemy here Gaius” she answered dismissively at the end of the fight. “Don’t lose sight of what’s important here.”
 
Gaius grumbled his understanding, before the knights marched on towards their target.
 
...
 
Elsewhere, Demon peeked into the empty corridor, before quietly leaving the room he’d just looked in. He’d just been in the quarters of the head servant; a small stuffy office with a desk and many cabinets of files, all of which contained nothing of value. He was aware of the decrepit old man who was Tessera’s main valet; a man called Severus. Presumably it was his office. He had imagined the manager of such an army of manpower would have had something of note down here, but all he found was a series of badly scribbled notes and little of real interest. Dissatisfied, he left to investigate elsewhere.
 
No sooner had he turned one way then he sensed movement behind him. Turning back on himself, he saw a vague outline of dark blue, but two very angry swordsmen who hadn’t been there before caught his attention more. ‘Oh for goodness sake’ he sighed, rolling his eyes and waving a hand in their vague direction once back and forth. Both men gasped and fell to the ground, clutching their throats.
 
Nonchalantly the dark vizier stepped over the two suffocating men and looked for the blue thing he swore he’d seen further behind them, and just caught the tail of a dress disappear round the far corner before they vanished. Whoever that was, they had run away, and he didn’t have time to give chase. After a quick rummage through the dead men’s pockets, he left to find somewhere else to look.
 
...
 
Erin knelt by Clove’s side for a long time, unable to move. Her whole body felt numb, her mind a dizzy heavy stupor, her heart beating very faintly. Clove’s body lay still, covered in blood all around her mouth and chin, the stab wound through the gap under her armour staining her green shirt and soaking it wet, all her life drained away through the fatal wound. The wound that she had inflicted. Tears slowly rolled down Erin’s face as she knelt over her comrade, unable to move a muscle. It felt as if a black hole had opened up in her breast, absorbing any good inside of her. A dark hole that would stay for eternity...
 
There was a scream from down the staircase. Like a bell the sound woke her up and forced her to act. Grabbing Clove’s body and hauling her over her shoulder, she looked wildly for escape as people below her started to charge up the stairs. She bolted left; forgetting the sword Clove had dropped and dashed blindly away to hide. Left, then right, and by a blind miracle saw no-one as she fled through the corridors and burst into a room with no thought of what she might find. She landed in a linen store. Dropping the body behind a row of warm bed sheets, she flopped down across from it, and burst into tears.
 
By joining the Resistance, there was one thing they all knew would be an inevitable part of fighting a war but no amount of training could prepare you for. It was handling the fact you would kill people, and Erin had no idea of how to deal with it. Despite being in the group for nearly six months, and despite being in many situations it might happen, Erin had only killed once before; the two guards she had encountered just before she first met Demon. Then she had been in such an emotionally unstable state of mind, still grieving over Dorian’s death, that she had attacked them in such a blind rage that she didn’t think about what she’d done until later, when she got back to the Resistance. When what she’d done caught up with her she was sick all night, but she eventually got over it and scolded herself. Killing guards and Nero’s other charges was part of what she’d signed up for and was a consequence of war. They wouldn’t cry over killing her. But this... there was no way of dealing with this. She rocked back and forth, unable to see Clove through the wall of tears, breathing raggedly between sobs, her head pressed into her hands. She had no idea if the servants who’d been behind her were near and looking close by. She didn’t care.
 
‘I... I... oh god... oh god... oh god. What have I done? What are the others going to say when they find out? I didn’t mean it, it was an accident. I swear it was an accident. I wasn’t even thinking. I just... I just... I don’t know what happened. She was just accusing me of things and I couldn’t explain and... Oh my god this is insane! I don’t... I didn’t... I just lost my head. Oh god what am I going to do? I can’t do this.’
 
She looked at her hands, and made a strangled cry to see them covered with blood from carrying Clove. Her blood was all over her face, her clothes, and was now getting all over Tessera’s airing bed sheets. She wailed and continued to rock. Minutes passed, and slowly her thoughts calmed down.
 
‘Erin... Erin! Calm down and think. It was an accident. You know you didn’t mean to do it, and you can’t change it now. And you can’t stay here. I... I just have to carry on. I have to calm down and find Vardus. I have to get out of here with the others. And... I have to try harder to keep control of myself. Forget about that Demon, forget everything else and focus on what I signed up for. It was an accident. That’s all it was, nothing more. Just a really unfortunate, tragic, accident...’
 
Marshalling her breath, she wiped away her lingering tears, smearing bloody face paint under her eyes, and shakily stood up and crept to the door. Peeking out, there was nobody outside. Taking a few deep breathes to compose herself, she cast a long look back through the gap in the sheets at her dead friend, slumped ungracefully against some bedding. It was the worst possible final resting place for her, leaving her body here, but she could take her no further. She couldn’t bear to.
 
“Goodbye Clove...” she whispered, welling up slightly again as she slipped out. “I’m so sorry...”
 
She quietly closed the door behind her, leaving her behind. Then she scampered off to find Vardus. And a bathroom on the way, to get try and scrub off some of the blood that would stain her forever.
 
...
 
“It’s my turn!” Armonia snarled, glaring at his infuriatingly amused opponent. Both men had a monster each under their control; neither particularly strong, which given his monster was the woman that the rebel leader had Creature Swapped him wasn’t his fault. He didn’t care about that. He didn’t care that he had no draw phase this turn or next. He especially didn’t care about the huge shining crystal floating above the field between them. All he cared about was that this turn he was going to overwhelm that pompous man with supreme power and stomp all over him, and he had something ready to do just that.
 
“Due to the effect of Reckless Greed, I can’t draw a card this turn” he said reluctantly. “But that doesn’t matter, because I’ve already got a monster on the way. It’s been two turns now, so now Future Fusion takes full effect. Now it’s time for the Fusion Summon I warned you about to take place. My second Five Headed Dragon is summoned!”
 
No sooner had one five headed monstrosity been banished then another arrived in its stead, screaming vengeance at the little man beneath it. Vardus stared right back up at it completely unmoved, but the smallest flicker flashed across his lips. Armonia didn’t notice. He was too busy laughing maniacally.
 
“You fool Vardus. You really thought you’d be able to defeat me with a cheap trick like stealing my own monster? How arrogant you are to dismiss me like that. Or did you simply think I only had one of these things? Well now you’re going to pay for your mistake, because my dragon is going to blow your weak Manju away, and then you’re going to be the one finished off by your own monster!”
 
“You are confident of this outcome, despite that I have two face downs?” Vardus said calmly, indicating the two set cards. “I’ve already destroyed your dragons once. Surely not even you are so reckless to let it happen again?” He grinned as his eyes darted up. ‘Not that you can do anything about it.’
 
“Grr... I’ll take my chances you’re bluffing” Armonia tried to sound confident, although he noticeably tensed. Perhaps he was starting to realise the folly of his dependence on that monster at last, Vardus thought. “You deserve this Vardus. Everything that happens, everything that is going to happen, is all just something that you and your kind bought upon yourself.”
 
“And what is going to happen?” Vardus asked with an unfazed expression. “You speak as if you and I are entirely different species with such all-sweeping statements. So tell me then, what is it you and Tessera are plotting? What are you trying to do that you need every powerful figure in the Empire out the way for? It has something to do with the contents of this book that Tessera so carelessly left lying around, and the pictures of the Tetragram that it contains and you have been searching for?” He assumed that it must be that, given the link he’d made after Armonia’s horrified reaction to seeing the book he had in his pocket. “You might as well tell me, considering you’re so certain I’m going to be dead in a minute anyway. You could at least satisfy a doomed man’s curiosity?”
 
“Of course it has, the Tetra... wait a second...” Armonia stopped himself. “How stupid do you think I am? I’m not just going to tell you everything like that. Whenever people say stuff like that, they always have a trick up their sleeve to escape. What do you think this is; some damn fantasy spy book or something?”
 
Vardus smirked at the enraged man who glared at him vehemently. “All you need to know is that I’m nothing like you. I don’t care for our kind. The way the human race has developed and what it’s become, and what it has turned this world into in its image. The way it’s polluted and decayed the world, slowly killing it with wars and conquests and oppressions. The only way to stop this rot and save this planet is to cleanse it and start again, and get it right on a second attempt with a better race. People like you; a slaughterer of men, a hoarder of treasures, a thief, an assassin, a womanizer, a spreader of lies and filth and disease and death, will be gone. You don’t get to see this new world, or be a part of it.”
 
“Uh-huh” Vardus said slowly. “And this is coming from you?”
 
Armonia riled predictably easily. “Hey, don’t think you can judge me and tar me with the same brush. We’re not the same. I may have committed as many murders, but mine are justified. I will be forgiven at the critical moment. Everything I do is for our cause, and it’s all for the greater good that we have been divinely charged with. We are the chosen ones of her will, and I will be rewarded for what I’ve done in the eyes of her. I’m sick of waiting for Tessera to get his act together and finish the job. All this nonsense about being cautious and acting carefully; no-one can stop us even if they knew. But now I know where the last piece is hidden and how to initiate the rebirth, I will do it myself. Then I will be rewarded above all others in the new world. And for that cause, you will be erased now. Five-Headed Dragon...”
 
He raised a hand towards the great abomination, its five heads rumbled ominously as it clenched his fist. “Crush him...”
 
...Nothing happened.
 
There was an awkward pause. Armonia stared, feeling increasingly edgy, at his enemy standing across the room from him completely relaxed, smiling in amusement at some hidden joke, and not taking any remotely defensive action despite the gigantic creature before him. Expectantly, angrily he looked back up at his dragon, demanding it to start the attack. But it just sat there, completely unresponsive. “What the hell? I don’t under...” he asked, and snapped his glare back to Vardus. “Alright, what did you pull?”
 
“I haven’t pulled anything” Vardus replied with infuriating innocence. “The situation of you being unable to attack is entirely your own doing, although I did slightly adjust my tactics accordingly to your strategy in order to tip the situation to my advantage.” Armonia looked baffled, so Vardus explained by pointing up at the crystal. “You see, the reason you cannot attack at this time is due to one of the many effects of my ‘Clear World’ field spell. While it is on the field, both players receive certain handicaps, depending on the attributes of the monsters they possess, thus usually acting as a direct counter to each attributes traditional focuses and strengths. For example, because you control the dark attribute Five-Headed Dragon, along with another monster, you cannot conduct any attacks.”
 
“What?!” Armonia baulked in disbelief, but Vardus held up a hand for calm.
 
“Sorry, but I had assumed you were aware of Clear World’s effects, or would at least take a moment to study it if you didn’t. But clearly you were far too arrogant in your abilities to do that. Now then, since my little ruse has been discovered, I will take this opportunity to activate a face down, Mind Crush. This card lets me declare one card name, and then examine your hand. Any copies of the card I declare will be discarded immediately, but if I am wrong I must discard a card.”
 
“So you’re taking a free crap-shoot at my hand, so what? The chance of you getting anything is remote, even if you have nothing to discard” Armonia sneered, eyeing Vardus’ empty hand. Vardus simply shook his head and chuckled to himself. This boy still did not understand, he simply wouldn’t learn.
 
“Oh? Ha, my dear boy, you still don’t even try to understand. You act like such a spoiled naive little child. Defeating you won’t feel like much of an accomplishment unless you change your attitude. Now seeing as you are too impudent to even look for yourself, a second effect of Clear World is that when a player is in control of a light monster, as both Manju and Doriado are, their hand is continuously revealed. So...”
 
Vardus ignored Armonia’s reaction as he looked back up at the crystal, which now reflected enlarged images of the cards in his opponent’s hand. There was Dark Armed Dragon, presumably the third high level dragon he’d added to his hand via Eclipse Wyvern and currently useless, along with a low level fire based dragon who would only serve to tangle Armonia further however he used it. There was the trap Waboku, then finished with three spells, which given how many monsters the man had thinned his deck through was perhaps understandable. He didn’t recognise one, oddly, but the others were Dark Hole and Advance Draw. They were the two problem cards. He might be able to get rid of both of them, but that would require some luck. Vardus didn’t do things by luck. “Dark Hole can be discarded.”
 
Begrudgingly Armonia threw the card away. “You rat... you won’t get away with this...”
 
“Looking at the rest of your hand, I’d say you’re going to struggle to stop me” Vardus sniffed. “I suppose now is when one might put it that the... ‘jig is up’ in terms of my strategy, and would be the right time to be honourable and explain the graveness of your situation. The effect of Elemental Mistress Doriado is that as well as being a light monster; it is also considered to be fire, water, wind and earth attribute...”
 
A chill crept down Armonia’s neck as the meaning of those words sank in. “Thus you are in control of monsters of all six of the elements, and thus crippled by every single effect that Clear World inflicts! All your power will be stripped away and turned against you, and slowly but surely you will slip into defeat, powerless to prevent it. This is the strategy of Clear World; to fight against my mighty adversary and the insurmountable odds they set, and level the playing field for everyone. It is my goal to lead this nation to a brighter future, to this ideal world. Now you have two choices. You can forfeit and talk now, or you can struggle to inevitable defeat and let me beat the truth out of you. So young pup, what will it be?”
 
...
 
When the drawing room doors burst open and Gaius and Camilla marched in (the two guards outside could be seen slumping dead to the floor behind them), they found their target was waiting for them. Tessera looked up from the drink he was sipping and smiled warmly at his guests.
 
“Ah, Sir Gaius and Lady Camilla. What a pleasant surprise. May I offer you tea?”
 
“T... cut the crap Tessera!” Camilla snapped incredulously as the young lord offered her a cup that was placed on the table beside the armchair he was casually sat in, pointing her sword at his neck. This got little reaction other than a dull blink, and he didn’t move other than to rest his tea in his lap as the two knights stood with their weapons brandished at him in their party dress, not even breaking his smile. “Get up, slowly. You’re coming with us. You’ve got a lot to answer for you murdering bastard, and that was even before we came here tonight and witnessed this atrocity you’ve tried to pull.”

Tessera paused, and then slowly placed his teacup and saucer on the side table before returning his attention to the knights with his superior smile, resting his fingertips together in a pose and speaking in a deliberately slow, sarcastic tone of feigned confusion. “Why Lady Camilla, whatever do you mean?”
 
“You know full well what we mean you piece of scum” Gaius growled, spitting slightly as he quivered in rage at the lords behaviour, his sword shaking in his hand. “You killed our mentor... Admit it damn you!”
 
Tessera blinked. “You mean Longinus? Oh my dear sir knight, I am sorry for you. It must be hard for you both to have lost such a fatherly figure in your lives in such a tragic way. But we were all there in court that day when the jury ruled a verdict of suicide in that mystery death. I admitted then I saw him the day before the tragedy, and I understand the pain you must no doubt be suffering in your hearts, but to take my invitation to a fun party just to make such accusations at me is something I find very bewildering...”
 
“Shut up and drop the act” Camilla demanded, but stepped in front of Gaius as he swore and took a step to charge and run the smug lord through where he sat. Instead she made a motion with her sword and nodded to him. Gaius understood, and reached into his jacket pocket, producing from it a small black book. He threw it at Tessera, who blinked as he caught it. “This is all the evidence that proves the jury was wrong. Statements, details of illicit payments, pictures. As much as anyone would need to convict you of Longinus’ murder.” Tessera looked critically at it before opening and reading inside. “It took a few months to find the witnesses and convince them to speak against you, but we got it in the end. We even found a few more skeletons in your closet as we searched, not that we need anything else in that book now. The murder of our mentor is just a small after note compared to what we’ve seen here tonight.”
 
“Right, so get up traitor” Gaius growled, jabbing at Tessera with his sword again as he continued to flick through the book detailing their findings. “You might have been Nero’s favourite, but no amount of favour is going to get you out of this. You’re going to pay dearly for everything you’ve done.”
 
Tessera ignored him and continued reading. “And I assume you have a motive for these allegations?”
 
“Admittedly no. That’s the one thing we haven’t worked out. Although I’d bet Longinus must have found something when he came here, something you wanted silenced...” Camilla’s voice was shaky as she took a step forward with her sword drawn. Gaius removed a pair of light metal shackles from another pocket. “Tessera Katas, you’re under arrest for bribery of state officials, blackmail of state officials, attempted murder..., and murder. You will be taken from here to a place of holding to await trial and sentence, and then you will be taken to be a place of execution... and god help you at that point...”
 
She verged on, but held off tears as she finished. “...I will make sure you suffer for what you did.”
 
Tessera was no longer smiling. Now he cut a most disdainful expression. Inside she imagined he must be beside himself with rage, but he didn’t express a flicker of such. Slowly he placed the book down by his unfinished tea and lifted himself out of the chair, stood, ruffling his jacket and meticulously rolling his neck. “I see” he said, simply and calmly. “Well then, I suppose - in light of events - that it will not come as any great surprise to you when I announce that I do not intend to go with you quietly, and shall attempt to resist arrest instead. Being that I am a master criminal and murderer and all that stuff.”
 
“Oh really?” Gaius snorted, waving the shackles mockingly. Tessera didn’t flinch at all. “And how is a fancy ponce like you going to do that?”
 
“Why Gaius, of course you should expect me to have my means, you insufferable oaf. I intend to defend myself in the customary method used in this ridiculous society, a way even you two understand” he said with a sudden nasty edge, and went to his jacket pocket. Both knights reacted instinctively, expecting a weapon. Instead he pulled out a flat plate like object made entirely out of gold. The knights watched in amazement as he lazily threw it up in an arching loop, and the thing crackled with static as it expanded and took the shape of a duel disk of more traditional design, with a slot underneath that clamped to his arm as it fell perfectly into place. He enjoyed their reaction.
 
“This is a custom device of my design, which can be kept discreetly on one’s person at all times without detection, along with some other... individual features. Pretty neat don’t you think? So then, I see that you came prepared for my little party and have your duel mechanisms attached to your shields, so it seems that you do actually have some brain cells to share between the two of you. I also know you are familiar with duelling in a handicap setting, given how I watched that televised debacle you despicable bullies set up against that poor girl from the slums a few months ago. Let’s see you try that against me.”
 
Gaius wasn’t falling for that, or playing this game. He scowled and took a step forward, but in a flash Tessera inserted his deck and produced a monster from it. The shadow of... something, a creature Gaius didn’t recognise, shifted behind the young lord, glaring and growling at him. Before he could try to identify it the shadow was gone, but the message was clear. Tessera would fight, and although any of them could just draw on monsters freely, that could potentially end up a violent free-for-all from which no-one might emerge particularly intact. “What do you think we should do?” he asked Camilla.
 
She frowned, but armed her duel disk. “I think something’s amiss, but we might have to play along with it. Ok Tessera, we’ll accept. We’ll beat you down and drag what’s left of you out of here.” Gaius nodded and activated his own duel device. “Besides, now we will get to make you pay personally. For Longinus.”
 
“Ha!” Tessera clicked his fingers. Immediately the chair and table behind him shot backwards from the centre of the room, as if pulled by invisible strings or unseen wheels, towards the back wall. It was then too late that they noticed all the other furniture in the room had already been pushed back against the walls. To make room. They shuddered as they realised it; Tessera had been waiting for them. For this confrontation. Still it was too late to back out, but neither would have anyway. The doors very noisily swung shut and locked themselves behind them, sealing them in as each of them drew from their decks.

 

“Duel!”

 
...
 
“I... bah... I’ll never talk. You’re supposed to be the royal scholar and historian anyway. You work it out!” Armonia snapped irritably. “However I will take you up on your offer to examine this pesky crystal of yours. It shouldn’t be too difficult to smash.” The man gave a part of his strange duel device a quick look, presumably at an informative panel. Vardus knew there wasn’t much he could do with that current hand, but he might be able to do something with Advance Draw and get lucky, or at least he’d be able to remove the thing stopping him from attacking, albeit at a cost.
 
“Ah... I got it. I’ll switch Elemental Mistress Doriado into defence mode.” The maiden crossed her arms and knelt into a defensive position (D 1400). Vardus could see what he was trying to achieve. Armonia also seemed similarly braced for impact, as he set the trap card in his hand. “Then I’ll place one card face down and end my turn.”
 
“Then at this time, two more of Clear World’s effects activate” Vardus interrupted. “Because Doriado is considered as both fire and water, you must discard another card, and also take one thousand points of damage.” Armonia grunted as he took the hit, but the Dark Armed Dragon was at least sensibly ditched.

 

Armonia: LP 3000, Hand 3, Field of Five Headed Dragon, Doriado, a face down and Future Fusion

Vardus: LP 3500, Hand empty, Field of Manju, Clear World, and a face down

 
“Bah, however because now it’s in defence, it will be destroyed by Clear World’s earth-based effect next turn” Armonia grimaced. “And once she’s gone, my almighty dragon will be free to tear you to shreds.”
 
“That’s a poor strategy” Vardus commented. “All I have to do is turn Manju‘s position to defend myself, and you won’t be able to summon anything to follow up with a direct attack because of Clear World. Are you truly that obsessed about pure strength that you can’t even see that? I assume from your persona that is all your ambition is in this scheme of Tessera’s extents to, whatever it may be. A new world order under your command in place of the Emperors perhaps, am I correct? Or is it more, since you seem to be going about that in a rather over-elaborate way.”
 
“Bah... so many questions you have, when you are truly just as blind as the rest” his opponent grimaced. “Power is everything; it is what I was born for. As a prince, I was to rule over my devoted subjects. It was my destiny. My right of birth and purpose in this world. But this world is wretched and spoiled by those who steal power that isn’t theirs, like your friend Emperor Nero did. That man you served, who you even helped, took all of it away from me on his conquests across the world; taking my nation, my inheritance, for his own. My home meant everything to me, but it was just a prize to him, treating us like a trophy. Nero has had control over too many for too long, but I will have revenge on him, and all the people here who helped and continue to help him keep that grip on the world. Now it will be my world to control!”
 
Despite himself Vardus shivered slightly as Armonia’s tone and expression took a turn to the slightly deranged. “Even if no-one else is in it at first, I don’t care! That just means they’ll be no-one to steal it from me again, until a more perfect race of subjects is established in time. A clean, purer race of humans to start again, with me as ruler of all, thanks to Tessera’s plan. But it’s about time I took charge of it.”
 
“So it’s simple” Vardus concluded. “You are a bitter young fool who has been taken in and manipulated by Tessera’s mad schemes and empty promises, based on what? The contents of this book? I was wrong about one thing then. I thought it was careless of Tessera to leave something that might be so important lying around on such a night, but given your reactions and your reckless demeanour; I assume you are the one who has been reading up on subjects without his knowledge, in preparation for your late coup?”
 
Armonia made no attempt to deny this except to scowl. Vardus shook his head and went to his deck. “I tire of trying to reason with you. Clearly you are a lunatic, as well as an abysmal excuse for a duelist, and on top of that a willing mass-murderer. I will take pleasure in bleeding you out. Draw!”
 
It was all well and good saying that. His immediate problem was ensuring Doriado stayed on the field, but when he looked at his drawn card he rolled his eyes at his luck. This monster was excellent in itself, but would have been a lot better had he used his remaining face down to destroy what he already knew was Waboku last turn. Had he known he was going to draw this and done so, victory would have been practically certain now. As it was though there was no way he could have known, and would have to improvise and hope for better fortune. He showed the monster to Armonia.
 
“Because Manju is a light monster, I must reveal my drawn card, but it doesn’t matter much as I intend to summon it anyway via its effect. Despite being a level seven monster, I can tribute summon it with only one monster tribute as you are in control of a monster. Appear Clear Vicious Knight.”
 
Manju disappeared, and in its stead rose up a crystal similar to that on the field, encasing the monster. The crystal shone and burst from the power of the light within, and from the shattered remains came a knight covered in sinful black armour, its face obscured by a fearsome helmet. A wicked serrated blade was attached to its gauntlet (Lv7, ATK 2300).
 
“I should explain that although it says on the card that my knight is dark attribute, while it is on the field, my Clear monsters are considered to not have an attribute at all, thus I take no restrictions from Clear World when using them” Vardus explained, before changing to the battle phase. He already knew this wouldn’t work, but at least he’d whittle away another card of Armonia’s. “Vicious Knight’s other effect. When it initiates battle while alone on the field, it can increase its attack by the strength of the most powerful monster you control for the duration of the turn. Knight, attack Five Headed Dragon!”
 
Armonia almost choked as the knight leapt up above the huge dragon with surprising agility, lining up its sword as its strength skyrocketed (ATK 7300). He reacted just in time. “I activate Waboku. This turn my monsters won’t be destroyed by battle, and I take no battle damage.” The dragon was surrounded by a holy barrier that the knight struck, leaving it unharmed. As expected. Vardus looked at his face down and flinched. He’d have to chance it and have faith in his draw.
 
“I activate the trap Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan. Because the attributes fire, water, wind and earth are all present on the field, I can activate any one of four various effects. I will... draw two cards.” He hesitated before making his choice for just a second, before snatching two cards. His faith in his deck was greeted with a relieved sigh. “I place one face down, then activate the equip spell Heart of Clear Water. This can only be equipped to a monster with less than thirteen hundred attack, such as Doriado. Once more I pay five hundred points to keep Clear World in play during the end phase (LP 3000). With that I end my turn.”
 
“Bout time, now I can finally get out of this mess and rid myself of this woman hanging a weight round my neck” Armonia snapped, once more having to forgo his draw phase. “During my standby phase, because I have an earth monster on the field, Clear World destroys one defence position monster. So now that bind is getting smoked, then you will be too.”
 
“However, that destructive effect is one that targets” Vardus interrupted smoothly. “And a monster that is equipped with Clear Water cannot be destroyed by card effects that target.” Armonia gaped in sheer disbelief as although the fairy priestess was struck by a bolt of energy from the crystal, she emerged unharmed. His eye twitched slightly.
 
‘I... don’t believe this. This guy is just one step ahead of me all the time. Everything I try, he just gets the better of it and turns it against me like it’s nothing. This is... this isn’t right. Being turned into and treated like a helpless baby... just like Nero treated us when he took over my home and took everything away... this is unacceptable. Am... Am I really this weak after all?’ He looked powerlessly up at his restrained dragon. There was something he could do as he looked at his remaining hand, but that meant doing the impossible. The unthinkable. ‘I can’t give up my dragon. A monster of this much power, it is the ultimate. It represents everything that I stand for. I mean... I can still wait a few turns before Clear World wipes me out through the burn effect. I can still... I can hold on to it. I must hold onto this power. I can’t let it go...’
 
Two years ago, Armonia was prince of a small island nation in the southern seas of the world. After the war had finished between the two major nations, and the Empire had emerged victorious, it was only a matter of time before they picked off the remaining small and independent countries, and the sea was a trivial barrier. His affluent, idyllic, but mostly unarmed homeland was an easy target. Armonia fought Nero’s forces on his own when the invasion began, using his dragons to slay countless troop soldiers and defend the capital single-handed. He believed he could do it alone, he had the power to do it alone. But he was tricked by the Empire. A family friend stayed one night at the palace after another successful defence, but he had been bribed by the Empire, and stole Armonia’s dragons and duel disk. The prince pursued, but by the time he caught up with and killed the traitor, he already knew what had happened; that the city would have been taken while he was gone. Unable to bear his failure and weakness he fled. He learned later that his parents had been executed, unable to agree to the peace terms offered, as was always intended by Nero of course. For a time he wandered lost and aimlessly, training to increase his power, before arriving on the Empire’s shores with one purpose in mind; revenge. It was then that he met Tessera, someone he found a connection with. He confided in his new friend what he wanted, and then Tessera sold to him what he wanted to hear; a plan that would destroy the Empire. Immediately he signed up and became his right-hand man, enforcer, and generally did the legwork of the plan until now.
 
But now he was faced by this man Tessera had told him might be a problem, and he was unable to do anything at all. Vardus was toying with him in a humiliating way. He had the most powerful monster he possessed, that even existed, and yet it played into the hands of his opponent who had served the same Emperor who ruined his life. A spoiled and haughty life, but it was his only world. A world where one day he would have absolute power as his father taught him. Power was everything. Control was everything. You either rule and control everything, or someone will rule and control you. ‘Now here I am, putting everything I believe into winning this duel, and yet I am powerless. He is in control over me. Just like his master Nero.’ Maybe Tessera had been controlling him all along too, although he liked to think they had an allegiance of equal standing. At least til now, when his nature led to his idea of taking the lead in all this. Glumly he looked at his hand again. No matter how much he tried to ignore it, one card stood out.
 
‘Seeking absolute power all the time, was that really the wrong path? All my life I’ve wanted power, and used it to the maximum, and yet I couldn’t defend my home, and now I can’t beat this guy. I... I can’t be undone by such cheap dirty tricks again, not like before. But I can’t give up my dragon...’ His conflicting thoughts were agonising for him, it went against everything he stood for, but then he remembered what had happened in Vardus’ last turn. ‘He put his faith in his draw, and his deck came good for him. If he can do it, then surely I can do it too. I... I have no choice. I have to sacrifice power and evolve...’
 
“Spell card... Advance Draw” he declared slowly, Vardus raised an eyebrow in response. “Because I control a wind monster in Doriado, Clear World makes me pay five hundred life points to activate a spell. Then by releasing Five-Headed Dragon, I can draw two cards...” (LP 2500)
 
Vardus sighed. He knew this could happen, but he’d dismissed the idea the young man would give up his dragon in this way despite the situation. ‘Looks like he finally saw sense’ he thought, as the man took the two cards offered, revealing both of them by Clear World’s effect. Both of them gasped at the result.
 
Armonia stared at them for a moment, his hand shaking slightly as he looked at the small, weak dragon and the spell he had drawn in utter disbelief. Then he slowly relaxed, and his confident smile returned.
 
“At the cost of another five hundred life points, I activate another spell. But I won’t be paying that cost again. Field spell Dragon Ravine” he drawled as a special slot in the device on his arm opened. Vardus growled as his crystal was shattered in the most innocuous way, and the trophy room was now lit up by a setting sun, reflecting a large, dusty canyon. Now free from all his binds, Armonia rolled his neck and continued his move (LP 2000). “Next I summon the tuner monster Influence Dragon.”
 
A green dragon with a thin body appeared beside Doriado (Lv3, ATK 300). “Influence Dragon’s effect” Armonia continued. “This lets me target Doriado, and changes its type to dragon until the end phase.”
 
“I won’t let this proceed” Vardus snapped. “Trap card, Curse of the Circle! This continuous trap targets a monster, and while it remains that monster cannot be used as tribute or Synchro material.”
 
“Yes! I was hoping you’d do something like that!” Armonia responded with sudden glee as the trap opened and a magic circle encompassed Doriado, making Vardus recoil in shock as he responded instantly with the one card he hadn’t recognised. “I activate Transmodify. By sending, not tributing, one monster on my field to the graveyard, I can then summon any monster which is the same attribute and type to that monster, but one level higher, from my deck in its place. Appear Bright Star Dragon.”
 
Another small dragon with a gold body appeared. Now exposed Vardus could only watch, and as he did he noticed something. The white panels that comprised the monster and back row slots of Armonia’s duel disk were starting to glow, very gently at first, with a pale aura. What was that all about? Armonia raised his hand and laughed. “Now I tune Influence Dragon and Bright Star Dragon. Synchro Summon!” The dragons rose, and the aura around the disk intensified. “I wonder what’ll be louder; the roar of the destructive dragon, or you screaming? Descend on wings blazing with hell fire; Exploder Dragonwing!”
 
The rings exploded, and from them emerged an ugly, mutilated looking dragon whose body had been deformed by the excessive power stored within it, resulting in a humped back that its disjointed wings sprouted from. It had repulsive purple skin, a thin waist and gangly limbs ending in terrible talons, and a long tail snapped around as the beast landed heavily on the ground, shaking the room. It glared at him with a glint in its burning violet eyes (Lv7, ATK 2400).
 
“Exploder Dragonwing attacks, and its effect activates immediately” Armonia declared. “When it attacks a monster with attack lower than or equal to its own, it can destroy that monster with its effect before damage calculation takes place.” The dragon screeched and engulfed the cursed knight with black flame. Flame that incinerated it, and continued to engulf Vardus, and he roared in pain. He was in real pain! He could feel his skin burning and blistering, his mind exploding as it was engulfed by the sensation every fibre in his body was sending to it transmitting excruciating agony. Desperately he ducked beneath his great gold shield to try and block some of the intense flame, but it didn’t seem to make any difference. Somewhere that seemed like a mile away, Armonia shouted in delight over the roar of the fire. “Oh and there’s more. You also take damage equal to the attack of that monster as effect damage!”
 
The dragon screeched and let the rest of the flame go with one last powerful burst, blasting Vardus off his feet and launching him spinning through the air like a top, landing on his front and bouncing into a glass cabinet behind him. Lying buried in the smashed remains and the treasures within, Vardus groaned as he struggled to get up, his thoughts in his fried mind trying to piece together again and what had just happened as the man in white and his dragon loomed over him like the shadow of death (LP 700).
 
‘What... was that? The power of that Synchro..., it does real damage to the body, far beyond its capacity. It is enhanced somehow to inflict real damage. How is that... no, not now. For now I must defeat this man before he can attack like that again. I don’t think... I could go through that again. I must stand up.’
 
He tried to move, but his body failed to respond. He could hear Armonia laughing. ‘No! I must... stand...’
 
...
 
“I shall go first” Tessera declared calmly as he faced the two knights, having made room for them all to duel in this spacious but not by any means enormous drawing room. “Since we are duelling under the same two against one handicap rules as I’ve seen you use before on TV, I think it’s only fair I should get the chance to set my defences.” He smiled as he drew, and studied his hand in an exaggerated way.
 
“Bah, I don’t believe for one second that this will be the same” Gaius snarled. “You’ve got something sneaky planned up your sleeve. But know that whatever it is, I will smash through it. Justice will prevail.”
 
“Justice?” Tessera asked suddenly with a curious expression. “You really think you or your friend can talk about justice, given how you enforce Nero’s rule? You who steal from and put down the common folk of the city at the whim of your Emperor, you call that just? Or are you trying to validate your own bloodlust for vengeance on behalf of that nosey oaf Longinus as a just cause, like an eye for an eye?”
 
He shook his head and laughed. “Ha ha ha, only an utter buffoon like you could look upon their acts and describe themselves as just. But do whatever you like. Attack me with any conviction you wish to believe in; I’m not going to judge you for it. You’re all the same to me, and you will all end the same way too.”
 
Gaius looked about to explode out of his suit, but Camilla put a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t. Don’t let him rattle you” she said firmly, before turning to Tessera. “He’s right though. You can’t believe you can take us both on at such a disadvantage, yet you challenge anyway. What’s the catch?” Tessera smirked.
 
“Hmm? Well, I might have a counterweight to balance the scales implemented somewhere. Maybe. I’ll let you know if it comes up as and when, but it might not do, and even so with a situation where you have double the cards, battle phases and life points to me, you should still easily defeat a... ‘fancy ponce’, as you so eloquently put it, no matter what slight leveller I might add to help me a little...”
 
The knights frowned at him, trying to read some tell as to what this hinted leveller might be. He gave them nothing though, other than a teasing, knowing smile and shrug as he went back to examining his hand, before finally picking a few cards out.
 
“I think I’d better start by setting one monster in defence mode” he said calmly, the reverse of a card appearing horizontally close in front of him. “Then I will set two more cards face down, and that will be all. Please, it is your turns now. Feel free to act in the name of your so called justice as you believe.”
 
“All face downs... what do you think?” Gaius muttered to his partner. “You find out anything about what he might use here? Any sort of previous history of duelling he’s ever used?”
 
“No. I looked, but there was nothing” she replied with a scowl. “But as someone who sponsored, and even assembled parts of the Elimination Squad during the Purge, I’d expect him at least to have studied and be a little competent at this game.” She stepped forward, but Gaius blocked her with a giant hand.
 
“No, let me go first.”
 
“You sure?” she asked, but he nodded grimly and prepped his duel disk. He was determined to go first. But she didn’t know, as she stepped aside and he put his hand to his deck, glaring at the damned lord across him, just how determined, and why. ‘I know he’s going to pull something fishy here. If I go first, I can take it, whatever it is, and spring his traps. That way you’ll be... If I can clear the field for your turn.’
 
“I draw” he declared, and his eyes widened. It was Release Restraint. He looked at this hand. There was his trusted enforcer, Gearfried, along with two equip cards. One stood out in particular right now. ‘If he doesn’t have anything set, then I might be able to... I must try. I must succeed. For Longinus.’ “You are going to pay for your crimes. I summon Gearfried the Iron Knight to the field!”
 
The black iron encased warrior appeared, glaring at Tessera (Lv4, ATK 1800). He didn’t look surprised to see it. “Ah, your key monster already. I guess from the look in your eyes that you must have drawn that spell card that will unlock his full potential too. Well if that is the case, I suppose I should give you your warning.” Suddenly he moved and Gaius flinched as a permanent trap revealed itself, but it was not one he or the astonished Camilla expected, as the image of a grim horned spectre leered at them with dead eyes, beckoning them with a rotten hand. “I activate the trap Skull Invitation, ironic as it may be on this night. Every time a card is sent to the graveyard from any other position of play, its owner will take three hundred points of damage for each.”
 
The explanation would seem underwhelming normally, but not here, and not with this guy. Tessera cut a sadistic smirk as he left him to ponder his choice. “So what will you do I wonder? But I’m giving you fair warning here Gaius; consider your next move very carefully. Your actions will have consequences...”
 
“You...” Gaius stuttered, but quickly gathered himself. “You think something like that is going to stop me? I activate Release Restraint, releasing Gearfried to special summon from my deck his true form. Gearfried the Swordmaster, come forth and wield the sword of justice against him!”
 
The imprisoning black armour of the knight shattered, revealing the tall semi-naked sword master (Lv7, ATK 2600). Tessera looked up at it with a flicker of amusement before turning back to the knight. “You are a stupid fool. I tried to warn you, but you insisted on your brutal charge. Now you will suffer for it... more than you realise. Skull Invitation activates, and you now take six hundred points of damage!”
 
A black spark shot out of the trap card toward Gaius, and he threw his shield out to deflect it. The shield did nothing. The beam went right through it, lancing him in his unprotected chest and pouring the black energy through him. He found himself paralysed by pain, engulfed in a black aura that bound him to the cursed card and shocking him like a thunderbolt of evil energy. His perception of all things went haywire for the seconds it lasted, every one of them excruciating as it bound him in place, until he was released. He was shocked to find himself slightly bent and taking deep, heavy breaths. For six hundred points of damage, it felt like a lot more, and unnervingly real (LP 3400). “What... the hell...? What was that?”
 
“Another little side-effect of my custom creation” Tessera shrugged, raising his hand again. “And that’s not the worst part at all yet...”
 
Gaius froze as he saw another bolt of black energy suddenly launched out of the card, and there was a piercing scream to his left. He could only watch in terror as Camilla was trapped inside the same black aura, shaking and contorting with pain that filled her body just like his, before she too was released. She buckled over, panting and wincing (LP 3400). “Hey, what gives!” he demanded. “How dare you attack...”
 
“How dare I?” Tessera asked incredulously, smiling sickly. “You waltz in here with the nerve to think two people like you can take down someone like me, and you ask how I dare? No, this is simply my leveller. In this duel, any effect damage that either one of you takes, your partner will take the same damage as well.” He clenched his fist. “I warned you Gaius. Every action you and your cohorts have taken in this city upholding the law in Nero’s name and for your ‘justice’ has caused misery to everyone below you. Well consider this your comeuppance. You two wish to fight together, then you will suffer and die together!”
 
“Huff... puff... since when did rich playboys like you... start caring about people like those in the slums?” Gaius panted. “Are you supposed to be some kind of hero to them or something?”
 
“Ha! Don’t be stupid, of course I don’t care about them either” Tessera scoffed lazily. “I don’t care about anyone except me, and a few associates who share my beliefs. The common sheep are just as much of a plague, but like I said, that’s all any of you are to me. They will be purged soon as well. But you first.”
 
“Ugh... damn it!” Gaius growled. For a minor blow, he felt drained. “Camilla, are you alright?”
 
She looked no better, but she shook her head. “I’m fine... don’t worry about me. Just... get him!”
 
“Alright” Gaius nodded and stood up straight, selecting the equip card that had stood out before. He had to end this quickly, before Tessera could do any more damage. “I equip Gearfried with the spell Assault Armour, activating its effect. Your monster is destroyed!” Tessera’s face down monster was lanced by a lightning bolt that produced from the warrior’s fist, the creature hidden within emerging for a split second to reveal a strange ring shaped body and wings before it disappeared. Gaius frowned with suspicion at its appearance, but it disappeared without effect. “Hey wasn’t that a... no, can’t have been. Anyway, now that monster has gone to the grave, Skull Invitation now activates against you!”
 
Tessera grimaced, before a third black lance of energy shot out of the card and into him. Gaius watched carefully as the young lord shuddered and twitched, and emerged from the assault with a slight tremble (LP 3700). It appeared at least then that this duel wasn’t rigged completely against them, and the cursed card would slaughter them all indiscriminately. “Next I will activate the effect of Assault Armour. By sending it to the graveyard, the equipped Gearfried can attack twice this turn.”
 
Tessera frowned. “Hmm. So even knowing what will happen to you, and your friend as well, you still go through with the action that will harm her as well? How selfish, how disgusting... and how depressingly predictable. But now you’ve sent that card to the graveyard, you will both take another three hundred points of damage.”
 
Two sparks of black energy shot out of the card and into the knights once again, both yelled and writhed with pain as a thousand evil energies invaded every fibre (LP 3100). The effect passed and both of them emerged sweaty and breathless, but both still standing. “Alright... but that’s the last time you’ll do that. Gearfried now has two clear attacks at you. Strike him down and bring him to book Swordmaster!”
 
The knight lunged towards the open noble, fists raised to beat him down, but he instantly countered. “You really thought it would be that easy Gaius? I activate my other continuous trap card, Powerful Rebirth. This summons a level four or lower monster from my graveyard, with both its attack and defence bolstered by one hundred points and its level by one.” It appeared Tessera had prepared for a breach of his defence as the winged ring shaped angel rose up again (Lv5, DEF 900). Gearfried continued towards it and smashed it in the head, sending it straight back.
 
“My resurrected monster is Nova Summoner, which when destroyed by battle can summon one fairy type monster from my deck with less than fifteen hundred attack points, including another copy of itself.” A second angelic herald appeared (DEF 800). “Too bad. Looks like you won’t get me this turn.”
 
“So it was a fairy then” Gaius grumbled, his attempted one turn kill thwarted by its second appearance. “But at least you will take another six hundred points of damage now those two cards have been sent to the grave, and another three hundred on top after that after Gearfried destroys your second herald!” Tessera didn’t hold out so well against the second wave of the piercing black aura that engulfed him, barely managing to suppress screaming out and shaking more violently as his life dipped (LP 2800). A third Nova Summoner appeared in the stead of the second one. Gaius checked his hand again. Maybe...
 
“I set one card face down” he said, a reverse card appearing behind his monster. “Guess that’s the best I could do for now. But you can rest assured you’ll get yours soon Tessera. I don’t care how many of those fairies you bring out to hide behind or cheap tricks you use, you won’t get away with this. With both our combined strengths, we’ll bring you down and whatever it is you’re planning with your army of killers.”
 
“Exactly. But if you’re done with that uplifting speech now Gaius, it’s my turn!” Camilla drew her card in a wide arc. “I activate Dark World Dealings. Every player discards one card, and then draws one.”
 
“Ha ha, you are both so careless with each other’s lives. You must really despise me” Tessera laughed as she ditched a card. One that might be useful in the graveyard later. Everyone followed suit, and took the pain together as four cards, including the activated spell, all went to the grave (Tessera LP 2500, Knights LP 2200). Tessera emerged looking quite ill. “Heh... people are so full of hate and malice, it’s like poison. A poison that spreads and infects and destroys everything around them. But soon it will all go away...”
 
“Enough of your mad ravings” Camilla interrupted shakily, revealing her draw. “The effect of Rose Fairy activates. As it was just added to my hand by a card effect, it is immediately special summoned. Then by releasing one plant type monster, I can summon Queen Angel of Roses.” The pink fairy disappeared as soon as it hit the field to release the scarlet clad angel (Lv7, ATK 2400) and Camilla winced as they took another bolt of black energy each (LP 1900). It wasn’t much, but it was all she could do. “Now... I will...”
 
“Now, face down!” Camilla gasped, and Tessera also reacted in surprise as Gaius suddenly interrupted, revealing his card. “My set quick-play spell activates; Swords at Dawn. This targets one equip spell in my graveyard and one monster on the field it can be equipped to, and equips it, although the spell will be destroyed during the end phase and the player who activated it can’t special summon this turn. I will equip Gearfried with Assault Armour once more, and you know what that means.”
 
Given his expression, he did. Once more a shockwave shot out from Gearfried’s enhancement, obliterating the remaining Nova Summoner. As both monster and spell hit the graveyard, more bolts of black energy came flying out of the skull card, shocking Tessera, and two more aiming towards them. Camilla threw her shield up that would be no help, her whole body tensed as she shut her eyes.
 
But this time no pain came, and there was a grunt in front of her. Slowly she blinked her eyes open, and was shocked to find Gaius stood in front of her. Although not for long, as he slumped forward onto his hands and knees. Clearly he had taken both bolts, and from his laboured breath and frazzled skin he had paid for it, although her life points dipped as well as his (LP 1600). He shook his head, trying to clear his vision. Horrified Camilla went to grab him, tell him what a stupid jerk he was trying to protect her, and treating her like such a weakling. She’d barely moved then he waved her off and spoke in a croaky voice.
 
“Forget it. He’s... open now... and his life is low enough... Finish it.”
 
“Huh, you’re right” she noticed that Tessera was wide open, with an empty field thanks to the specifics of Nova Summoner’s effect. Gaius had broken through, and done enough damage in the process for her (LP 2200). She could finish it now. Her fists shook. “Alright Tessera, now you will pay for killing our mentor. This is for you Longinus. Queen Angel of Roses, direct attack!”
 
The angel swooped in a flurry of red petals, rapier raised to strike true with vengeance into the heart of the staggered lord who was backing off with an anxious expression.
 
“Bah, this might actually be tougher than I thought” he grimaced, before quickly reversing a card in his hand. “Or not! I activate the effect of a card in my hand called Rainbow Kuriboh. When I’m attacked, I can equip this card from my hand to your monster, and thus it can no longer attack.” Camilla gasped as a little round creature appeared from nowhere, frowning at her underneath its shining rainbow crest. The fiend shot at to the Angel quick as a flash and latched onto her face, her monster flailed and clawed at it to try and pull it off as its light spread over her body. In the end she succumbed to the rainbow light and fell paralysed into a dull motionless stupor.
 
“How unfortunate for you” Tessera grinned smugly. “Did you actually think you’d got me there?”
 
‘Damn, there’s got to be a way’ Camilla scowled reluctantly. She feared this, she wanted it done this turn, without letting him get another turn to inflict any more damage to her and her partner with his tampered mechanics. She studied her hand for a way to win this turn. Unfortunately there wasn’t one.
 
“I’ll set two cards, and then at this time, Assault Armour is destroyed” she muttered dejectedly, unable to meet her partners gaze as Gearfried was disarmed, and once again the force of the Skull Invitation card hit them both hard (LP 1300). “Hggh... I... end my turn...”
 
“Oh my, is that all?” Tessera drawled, reaching gently for his deck. Both the knights shuddered. Despite no evident reason, they felt a sudden dread as he sneered at them. “Two chances; and still you couldn’t finish me off? How disappointing. But I suppose if that’s the best you can do, I will put you down now.”
 
Tessera drew his card, and tilted it to look at it. The reveal resulted in a sly smile.
 
“Here it is at last. Now my dear knights, allow me to show you my full force. First I activate the field card Sanctuary in the Sky. Then I summon The Agent of Mystery - Earth!”
 
The room, bright and marble as it was, didn’t change much to reflect the image of the spell card around them, other than an omnipresent radiance and the removal of the ceiling to open up an endless heaven. From the sky emerged an agent of the planets, an angelic child with long blue and emerald wings floated down to meet them (Lv2, ATK 1000). “When this monster is summoned, I can add another Agent to my deck. However because Sanctuary of the Sky is in play, I can choose to add instead a very different angel to my hand. One that I will show you now... By banishing Earth from play, I special summon this ultimate being of the divine. Descend with righteous rage for glorious destruction! Master Hyperion!”
 
The illusion of sky overhead exploded, and Camilla and Gaius gulped as somewhere high above a sun exploded and died, and a huge sentient being came to descend from the ashes. A great messenger of destructive judgement was coming, at the will and command of the rich madman and murderer who was laughing maniacally at them. An agent of total destruction.[/spoiler]

So... yeah... anyone got any questions or need anything clearing up?

[spoiler=Notes about Vardus Duel]Due to this duel being a real pig and getting really messy during the planning and into draw card after draw, a few slight card edits have been made, primarily Clear Vicious Knight only being able to gain ATK during his own turn.[/spoiler]

[Brinolovania]

Well, it took almost 8 hours since I said I would, but I'm here now!

 

First off, sorry again for not commenting ever even though I said I was going to after, like, chapter 3. It's mainly been due to a combination of me being really lazy, feeling like I don't have in-depth comments/criticisms like other people, and thinking you actually care if I have in-depth comments/concerns like other people. So yeah, done with that. I will comment on every chapter after this (seriously this time), even if all I have to say is "this good. i like this."

 

[spoiler=Comment!!!!!!]

I don't really remember details on the 15+ chapters before the last 2, but I read those recently enough to say something about. I really was not expecting the end of 20. It felt a bit sudden, but it was really well executed. Erin's goin' crazy, man.

 

The Vardus Armonia duel has been good. The whole "DRAGONS DRAGONS DRAGONS DRAGONS RAWR" vs "Clear World lol" strength vs strategy thing is nice. Armonia's inner monologue about evolving beyond strength seemed like really fast development for a character that was just introduced, but I guess it's fine if he's just a one-shot character who's only in a couple chapters.

 

Teressa vs Gaius and Camilla is starting off well. Gotta love sadistic random damage to everyone! 

 

One minor nitpick: When Erin left the room where she dropped off Clove's body, you said she "scampered away". Scampered seems like too...playful? Fun? Basically, it didn't seem to fit the "I just left the body of the friend I killed in a fit of madness" schtick.

[/spoiler]

 

Lastly, sorry again for being a silent stalker. I WILL actually get off my ass and post now.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Well, it took almost 8 hours since I said I would, but I'm here now!

 

First off, sorry again for not commenting ever even though I said I was going to after, like, chapter 3. It's mainly been due to a combination of me being really lazy, feeling like I don't have in-depth comments/criticisms like other people, and thinking you actually care if I have in-depth comments/concerns like other people. So yeah, done with that. I will comment on every chapter after this (seriously this time), even if all I have to say is "this good. i like this."

 

[spoiler=Comment!!!!!!]

I don't really remember details on the 15+ chapters before the last 2, but I read those recently enough to say something about. I really was not expecting the end of 20. It felt a bit sudden, but it was really well executed. Erin's goin' crazy, man.

 

The Vardus Armonia duel has been good. The whole "DRAGONS DRAGONS DRAGONS DRAGONS RAWR" vs "Clear World lol" strength vs strategy thing is nice. Armonia's inner monologue about evolving beyond strength seemed like really fast development for a character that was just introduced, but I guess it's fine if he's just a one-shot character who's only in a couple chapters.

 

Teressa vs Gaius and Camilla is starting off well. Gotta love sadistic random damage to everyone! 

 

One minor nitpick: When Erin left the room where she dropped off Clove's body, you said she "scampered away". Scampered seems like too...playful? Fun? Basically, it didn't seem to fit the "I just left the body of the friend I killed in a fit of madness" schtick.

[/spoiler]

 

Lastly, sorry again for being a silent stalker. I WILL actually get off my ass and post now.

 

Hey Pac.

 

No worries, just glad you're here now. Okay, most of this is already written and I admit I'm not going to make mass/wholescale changes to the plot to cater people's whims/suggestions etc, but I can still tweak things that need it or include extra bits that people don't think are getting explained enough if people do. It's just writer's here do need the encouragement you know? Any comment is a good comment and greatly appreciated, really. I was prepared to kill for "This good. Me like" for the vast majority of this arc. :)

 

[spoiler=Theres spoilers be spoilers]Not a problem. Yep, Erin's been going slightly crazy for a while now.

 

That's pretty much it. Yes Armonia's strategy change was a bit quick, but sacrificing 5HD with Advance Draw was literally the only sensible thing he could do at that point and he was beyond dumb/stubborn to not do it earlier. I'll be honest; Armonia's not as good a duelist as he thinks he is and has defeated most of his enemies through pure power and the other duelists in his kingdom up to this point in probably much the same way as the pharoah dude from GX..., but that's kinda the point. =/

 

Yes, we all know I love the sadism :D

 

Oops, did I? *checks* Assuming that was meant to be scarppered. Thanks for the pickup and would appreciate further. But I see what you mean.[/spoiler]

 

Again, thanks for comments man and appreciate it massively.

 

Can't remember so please just remind me; did you read the original Armageddon?

[Brinolovania]

 

Can't remember so please just remind me; did you read the original Armageddon?

I went back and read it not long after you started this.