Episode 13. - Seal of the Dark Dragon Breaks

Yodaz's last duel had made him a little grumpy. Not only had the odd woman teased him and left, she had drawn enough attention to their duel that every duelist in the place now had a fairly good idea of what his deck was about. It would notgenerally matter, but it would change the situation with regards to those who had never dueled him before. Now, he was wandering the room, scouting for any competition. After watching Libra be edged out of a victory by another deck much like his, he decided that this particular act was pointless, and that regardless of what came, it would all end the same way.

Now, he was watching the raindrops run down the windowpane of the hobby center in rivulets as it drizzled outside. He stretched a bit, trying to loosen the slight tension in his neck, and in doing so, spied someone out of the corner of his left eye that he was somehow sure he had met before. The dark haired one wore a white dress shirt and black jeans, an odd combination to say the least. Yodaz squinted slightly as he scrutinized the person, his dim memory of them struggling to make it to the fore. When it finally did, his eyes shot wide open and he marched over to the figure.

"You! I know you!" Yodaz hissed. He was scowling now and his voice deadly serious. The other duelist turned slightly and regarded him with a blank stare. Yodaz felt the Kaijudo of the other spike for a fraction of a second before the answer.

"I'm sorry, have we met?"

Yodaz's expression darkened further.
"You know very well who I am, so don't play games with me. My mind is nowhere near as weak as you and your cousins seemed to think it was, when you left me in that garbage heap. I don't remember your name, but I do remember you!"

Shu Lon sighed. He should have foreseen that the lock he had mentally placed on Yodaz's memories of their encounter would break amongst all this Kaijudo. The effort he had put into it was nowhere near his maximum, but he had assumed at the time that it would have been enough. An assumption that was now proving itself to be clearly incorrect.

"Very well, champion. What do you want? Do you want a 'rematch'? If so, can it wait? My cousin is dueling someone and I wish to face the same person if he loses, so that we can all go home together."

Yodaz stuttered for a moment, unsure of how to express the odd seething fury he was feeling. Dueling this person would bring him no satisfaction unless he could crush them, and somehow he doubted that Shu would react in that way. He was also concerned for the safety of those around. Shu's Kaijudo was immense, and were they to go at it full power, someone around could end up hallucinating or worse. Finally, he decided to avert the conversation from his own emotions, and focus solely on the events of the day.

"Both you and your cousin have lost already? You expect that whoever defeats him can defeat you too? What about your other cousin?"

Shu made a strange groaning sound as he, too stretched. Yodaz shuddered. Darkness duelists could sometimes be so utterly creepy.
"Pai did not come to this. He did not think himself ready for this level of competition. Ieri and I have both already lost one duel, yes. He lost to something much like yours, and was quite displeased. I unfortunately faced someone with too many Aeris in their deck for me to escape. I only hope I do not encounter that one again, Quite unpleasant... all that shining Kaijudo. Made my head hurt."

"That's your fault. Having a deck with such an obvious weakness. That's why you could never rise to the top. You're too easy to counterdeck."

Shu sighed. He was about to try to explain to Yodaz why exactly that did not matter to him when, from the middle of the room, came a giant spike of Kaijudo and a triumphant cry of:
"Rothus, todomeda!"

Shu whirled. The yelp of the defeated duelist was quite obviously that of his cousin, Ieri. So she had been able to back up her boasts after all. He moved quickly to Ieri's side, almost seeming to glide across the floor in controlled haste. Ieri waived off Shu's helpful support with a gesture of his hand.
"I'm fine. She was as strong as she said, and her Kaijudo easily causes a loss of equilibrium. Be careful, Shu."

Shu nodded and stood up, regarding the duelist who was exuberantly celebrating her victory. Yodaz walked up a few moments later. The second duelist needed no introduction to him, nor was there any hazy cloud covering his memories of his meeting with her. Taimi caught sight of Yodaz, and winked at him. She had known since the beginning that he was here, of course, but she had stayed out of his sight for most of the day.

"Nice to see you again, champ!" she greeted, "You missed one of my better performances, but I guess that's the way it goes sometimes. Maybe you can watch my next match, eh?"

Yodaz gave her a small smile in response.
"I have a feeling I will be doing just that."

Shu Lon seemed fascinated by this beautiful creature that had bested his cousin. Her demeanour was not that of a serious Kaijudo duelist at all, yet she had managed to hold her own against the second darkness dragon. Shu took a deep breath to settle himself, then said calmly to her...
"Kettou da."

"What, you mean me?" Taimi asked, posing slightly and pouting, "You can't be serious. You're with this other guy, aren't you? That's not gonna help you."

Shu was already laying out his shields. He did not answer her. She scoffed at him, and did the same. Yodaz looked at the two of them, wondering which of them was truly in the greater danger here. After a few moments of consideration, his mind was interrupted by something very akin to a blast of classical music. Reeling from the effect, he found himself caught in a powerful vision. A giant humanoid black dragon facing a powerful looking deep purple wolf which licked its chops and growled at the dragon that flapped menacingly above it. Yodaz realized right then that the people in the most danger were not the duelists at all. This would be beyond anything he had ever seen or experienced himself. His duel with Shu had been a matter of calculations, with Corile leading the show. The raw animal instinct that Taimi would use to duel, however, would clash with the dark dragon far differently. Possibly with devastating effect.

"All right, kid. Let's get this over with. Your friend there did pretty good. I didn't manage to spook him. I hope for your sake you're just as hard to scare..."
Taimi gave a devilish smile, and with a flourish of her hand, charged her first mana card. Fire. Shu closed his eyes for a moment, collecting himself before he drew his sixth card. He calmly charged Darkness mana. Yodaz, of course, knew he would. It was, after all, all he had.

"So, you're another one? Dark mono, I'll bet? You may have mastered one Civilization, but I have mastered five," Taimi taunted, "So get ready. Nature mana! End turn..."

Shu drew his card again. Calm. So calm, in fact that his influence began to bend the other Kaijudo in the room, in his direction. He charged mana, and summoned Junkatz, Rabid Doll. His smallest creature. Yodaz remembered clearly the explanation of how this deck was built, and how fortunate Shu was, to already have that creature. Shu ended his turn, his dark Kaijudo beginning its effect already...

Taimi sneered contemptuously at the dark creature, and charged water mana now, to summon an Aqua Hulcus. She drew another card, and chuckled slightly to herself. This wasn't going to be hard. The two creatures faced each other blankly, neither seeming to acknowledge the existence of the other. Shu drew his card, and charged mana.

"I summon... Gigazoul. End turn."

"Eww..." Taimi laughed, "I'm as big a fan of darkness as the next guy, but Chimeras? Disgusting. Let's see what I can do about that, hm?"
She charged light mana now, and summoned Rothus, the Traveler. The Armorloid's machine-guns locked onto their target, and the Aqua Hulcus rushed forward to grab the Gigazoul. The Rabid Doll leapt into the way, and, whilst it was locked in a struggle with the Hulcus, Rothus opened fire on them both. The mental sequence got the attention of nearly everyone in the room. Only a few with powerful Kaijudo understood how Rothus' effect would be visualized, and the others stood in awe now at the imagery they had never seen before. Junkatz and the Aqua Hulcus were placed in their owners' graveyards, and Taimi ended her turn.

"Death comes to everything, I suppose," Shu mused, charging mana, "To some, earlier than others. I cast Proclamation of Death..."

Taimi pouted, drawing attention to her lips as she glared at her opponent across the psychic battlefield. Nothing she could do would prevent the Armorloid from rapidly aging, rusting, and falling into a heap of scrap. She placed the card into her graveyard and awaited Shu's attack. He did not declare any, instead, gestured that he was ending his turn. She drew her card, looked at it a moment, and charged her own Proclamation of Death in her mana zone instead of casting it.

"I summon Aqua Hulcus. End turn."

Shu nodded. Her strategy was both sound, and necessary. With no dark mana to cast the spell anyway, it implied to him that she had no other darkness cards in her hand. He drew his card, and charged more mana.

"I summon Shadow Moon, Cursed Shade... and cast Slime Veil..."

One of the girls in the audience gasped in shock as the darkness covered the eyes of the Aqua Hulcus. As it was now, the creature would attack the next turn regardless of Taimi's wishes. Shu took his strategy a step further by not attacking with his Gigazoul. Taimi would have to attack his shields, and replenish his dwindling resources in hand.

"Fine," she snarled, charging her darkness mana now, "But you will not be using that power bonus of yours against me for long. I cast Natural Snare on your Shadow Moon."

Shu seemed torn at this point. Happy to have more mana, but well aware that he had no way of reviving anything sent to his mana zone.

"Hulcus. Ikei..."

Shu picked up the card, blinked at it in surprise, then decided not to trigger it. Taimi ended her turn, her countenance dark and her stance displaying slight frustration. Shu drew his card, but took no action. No mana, no summon, no spell. Merely the soft instruction.
"Gigazoul. Devour the Hulcus. Ikei."

Taimi was visibly a bit more upset now. This kid was creepy. He did not seem to have any particular plan, nor a driving desire to do anything. She turned her attention to the top of her deck, when he ended his turn, and drew her card. This would have to do.

"I summon Pyrofighter Magnus! Magnus, destroy Gigazoul! Ikei!"

The dragonoid charged right into the Chimera, and the Gigazoul seemed to engulf it. There was the sound of a weapon cleaving bone, gunfire, and then muffled explosions. Then silence. The Gigazoul lay dead. The Pyrofighter was still entombed within the body of the Chimera. One of the more squeamish younger duelists in the back chose that moment to lose their lunch. The Kaijudo clash between the two duelists intensified, increasing the dizzying feeling Yodaz was getting. He wondered if Taimi was safe now that the Chimera had been removed.

Shu drew his card, and summoned a Gigastand, ending his turn. Another one.

"She doesn't know... what's coming. She has to have guessed by now, though," Yodaz thought to himself. He watched her draw her card, and charge more light mana.

"I summon Earthstomp Giant! End turn."

"Giants are never a match for the Darkness..." Shu intoned, as he drew his card. Taimi shrunk back slightly. The boy was so eerily patient.
"Proclamation of Death."

Taimi could only fume in exasperation as her Giant aged into dust. Shu ended his turn, again without any attack. The Gigastand remained on his side, a silent sentinel against any onslaught she might bring. Taimi growled. Her hand was depleted, and even with her considerable manapool, there was little she could do if she did not draw what she needed. She smirked when she did draw her card, however.

"Who would have expected to see another one?" she laughed. The melodic chilling sound Yodaz remembered so well was accompanied by a rush of prismatic Kaijudo. Shu barely stopped himself from instinctively shielding his eyes. Before him now was Syforce, Aurora Elemental. She had put the first to mana. The second now glared down at his Gigastand.
"End turn," she smirked smugly.

Shu sighed as if pitying her, and drew his card.
"Those who dislike the light such as I turn to the darkness, and the darkness has many ways of blotting out your annoying light. Death Smoke. End turn."

Taimi gasped, choked by the surge of Shu's Kaijudo. The powerful pulling effect it was now having could be felt by everyone in the room. Some were backing away now, to find chairs to sit, to find something to lean against, or just to escape the dark well of Shu's influence. Taimi resisted still, however, drawing her card.

"I summon Senatine Jade Tree, and Pyrofighter Magnus. Magnus, break his shield! Ikei!"

"Shield Trigger. Critical Blade."

Taimi seemed to take the strike herself, as the Jade Tree was destroyed. The shockwave rippled through the room, causing two other duelists to collapse. Yodaz looked around, very slightly worried. This was going to get worse, and already it was greatly affecting those around.

Composing herself, the dueling bombshell returned her Pyrofighter to her hand, and ended her turn. As long as she could keep this up, he would not be able to stop her from ripping through at least most of his shields.

"Your dragonoid is annoying. He will have to be destroyed. I am sorry," Shu calmly apologized. Taimi knew better than to ask what he meant. She merely braced herself as Shu drew his card.
"I summon Bloody Squito... and evolve Gigazoul into--"

Yodaz instantly shielded his own mind, and let out a mental warning cry to anyone around who would hopefully understand that they should do the same.

Shu's voice changed now as he finished his declaration, becoming menacing and rasping cold; "Phantasmal Horror Gigazald! Gigazald, devour her Pyrofighter Magnus!"

He tapped the card, and the evolved Chimera seemed to inhale the spirit of the dragonoid that threatened him. He laughed slightly, and ended his turn.
"Now we will see how quickly you can draw a card to kill the Horror before you..."

Taimi was no stranger to the concept of an avatar creature, or when her opponent placed theirs into play before hers, but this was different. Shu was overwhelming. She hadn't even noticed the mass collapse of people around her when he summoned it. She knew only that she had to push back equally strongly with her own Kaijudo. She drew a Locomotiver, and summoned it instantly, knowing how pointless keeping it could be, then ended her turn. Shu drew a card also, and played a card Yodaz had never seen him have before.

"Schuka, Duke of Amnesia. End turn."

Taimi drew her next card, and smirked.
"Earthstomp Giant!"

"Hm. That could be a problem," Shu admitted, drawing his card, "Oh wait... no it isn't. Terror Pit."

Taimi's eyes seemed fearful now, but only because this had become a contest of luck of the draw, and she knew that a Darkness deck nearly always had the advantage there.

"Schuka, break her shield. Ikei."

"Shield Trigger! Kolon, the Oracle. Kolon, get that Bloody Squito!"
The Light Bringer immobilized the Brainjacker easily, and Shu noted his situation. He could not afford to attack again, so he merely ended his turn, and attempted to swarm Taimi's mind with hopelessness. She was not so easily deterred, however. She drew her card, and played it. Spiral Gate, to return the Phantasmal Horror to Shu's hand.

"Kolon. Take down that Squito! Ikei. Locomotiver, break his shield. Ikei!"

Shu placed his Squito into his graveyard and picked up the shield she had broken. He had two left. She still had four. He did not seem concerned. Neither did she, at least not on the surface. He drew his card and charged more mana for the first time in awhile.

"I summon Gigastand... and another Gigastand. Schuka, destroy the Locomotiver. Ikei. End turn."

Taimi drew her card. Another Spiral Gate. She used this one on Schuka as she tried almost desperately to return to her balanced state of normal Kaijudo. Shu paid no attention to her, drawing his card and playing the Dark Reversal to regain his lost Squito, as well as returning his Phantasmal Horror to the battlefield.
"Horror. Ikei."

"Shield Trigger. Mana Nexus. Proclamation of Death to shield zone."

Taimi's Kaijudo was almost in focus again when Shu calmly continued:
"Gigastand, ikei."
He was indicating the shield she had just played. It triggered, of course, and Shu smiled.
"I offer my Bloody Squito now, in order to allow my Gigastand to escape death... End turn."
He returned the card to his hand, placing the Squito into the grave for the second time so far, this duel. His Kaijudo was again dominant. Only the Phantasmal Horror remained on the field. Taimi drew her card and surged her psychic force against his yet again.

"It doesn't matter! Haha!" Taimi exclaimed triumphantly, "I've escaped your twisted trap. I cast another Proclamation of Death, to destroy your Phantasmal Horror!"

She had expected Shu to reel, but his psychic barrier held quite well, which was more than could be said for those around them. The constant shift in dominance was affecting the other duelists more and more. Shu merely drew his card, and summoned the Gigastand. Taimi drew hers, and summoned a Bronze-Arm Tribe. Its effect generated mana, but it also caused her to falter. Daidalos... She steeled herself to continue. The creature was no use with an empty hand. She ended her turn, and Shu took it upon himself to draw his card, summoning a Shadow Moon and casting Death Smoke on her Bronze-Arm also.

"Gigastand, ikei."

"Shield Trigger. Tornado Flame. Goodbye, Shadow Moon!"

Yodaz cursed under his breath. The constant flip-flopping of their Kaijudo was giving him a massive headache. Taimi's next move, a Rothus summon, did not help either. Shu offered up Schuka this time, to keep his Gigastand, and resummoned it next turn along with the Gigazoul he drew. By now, their every action was like a howling roar in the minds of those around, who, as bystanders, could only brace themselves and hold on for the ride.

"Proclamation of Death!" Taimi exclaimed now. Shu placed the Gigazoul in his graveyard, and drew his card, no longer needing to wait for her to officially end her turns. He summoned another Shadow Moon, and attacked her with the Gigastand.

Taimi's heartbeat resonated in her ears... in her head... in the minds of those around her, as she summoned her Jade Tree. Shu drew his card, and summoned a Bloody Squito, attacking her yet again with the Gigastand. Taimi waited the second it took him to end his turn, then snatched up her card, summoned another Jade Tree, and ended her turn. Her chest heaved with her rapid, ragged breathing. The strain of the lengthy duel had taken its toll on her endurance. Shu drew his card, and bowed courteously to her.

"Your effort was commendable. Do you wish to remember this duel?"

Taimi gave him a confused look, then threw open her arms and laughed.
"Hit it as hard as you can, baby! I'm no wimp. Do it!"

Shu smiled at her and nodded.
"I cast... Terror Pit... Gigastand, ikei... Shadow Moon... TODOMEDA!"

Taimi's eyes shot open, then everything went dark for her.