Episode 64. - With Draw, A Lesser Symptom

Roland Saives' prediction had come true. He had managed to get through the ranks of opponents in the tournament with relative ease. With both Harriet and Suzanne having been eliminated by other duelists, duelists that Roland himself had little or no trouble against in the drawn out duels that had occurred...

He had emerged the clear tournament winner. He now watched, smiling, as Tom took his seat in the chair across from him.

"A day of dueling always makes one feel so much better," Roland smiled. Tom's eyes narrowed, as he observed the dark Kaijudo pulsing, absorbing and assimilating the energy drained from the last opponent. It made him think of a swamp.

"I don't think your opponents enjoy the experience as much as you do..." Tom remarked, shuffling his deck.

"Unfortunate, that..." Roland smirked, deploying his shields. Tom felt the man's energy slowly encircle him. He also found that at this point, as he deployed his shields and prepared for the duel, there was no way of pushing it back.

"Has it become stronger since earlier?"

"Locomotiver to mana. End turn."
The swamplike energy now bubbled around Tom, oozing and receding at different times, almost as if trying to sneak up on him. Tom countered the effect by charging a Natural Snare to his mana zone, doing the same as Roland was, interacting with his opponent's Kaijudo rather than pressing against it.

Roland drew his next card, and chuckled to himself. A good start. He was about to make his opponent relatively uncomfortable.
"Charmilia, the Enticer, to mana. Summon Essence Elf."

The psychic energy of the older man rippled around Tom now, in the mindspace, and the younger duelist found himself floating over exactly the form of swamp he had expected. Black tendrils rose up around him, writhing. Tom's avatar appeared, blocking those that attempted to latch on, slashing them away, as Charmilia watched from not far away. Tom noted that Roland's form in this space appeared far healthier than the man did truly. Finally, the writhing tendrils stopped rising out of the putrid mist, and Roland's turn officially ended.

The onlookers could only watch in amazement as Tom easily did what none of them had been able to. Charging a Vizier of Magnetism to his mana zone, he drove back the mist, and summoned Ballas, Vizier of Electrons. The energy sparks around the Initiate signified Tom's ease of control of such a situation. Roland's expression changed from one of mirth, to one of slight annoyance.

"Bloody Squito, to mana. Summon Crow Winger..."
The warped Beast Folk warrior now rose up out of the blackness alongside the Essence Elf. Roland ended his turn. He was not one to attack much, and waiting for Tom to do so would be much more to his advantage.

"Aqua Surfer to mana. Cast Energy Stream. Ballas, ikei."
The shield provided no trigger nor defense. In fact, Roland cringed when he realized what it actually was. Another Crow Winger. Not much help unless Tom were to actually summon a water creature. He placed it into his mana zone and summoned Trixo, Wicked Doll. As it floated there, he smiled. Tom would have no way of dealing with such a thing quickly enough to stop it from having its effect at least once. Things were back on track. The darkness rose around Tom Rogers again, and the Crystal Paladin drove it back with shield and blade.

"What's going on? Is he holding back?" Reusol now asked Corile. The entire mindspace seemed to be made only of Roland's swamp, with no clear influence from Tom's mana at all, save the illumination that let the Paladin slash away the parasitic wriggling darkness that attempted, time and time again, to latch onto Rogers.

"I... don't think so. Something is strange. What is this creature doing? I've never met a Charmilia like this one..."
Corile referred to the strange grin the Snow Fairy's face displayed. Most Charmilia smiled only slightly. This one outright grinned, showing rows of pointy teeth that made one think of a shark. Roland smiled similarly, watching the Paladin defend its human half.

The energy from each slash seemed to fall into the swamp as well, tiny droplets of power slowly going from the Paladin into the murky liquid, and sinking into it, the blue light from them dying as they vanished. Tom knew exactly what this was. He had met one duelist like this before.

"We can waste no time! Finish him quickly!" the Crystal Paladin realized. Tom sent a Rumbling Terahorn to his mana zone, strengthening his own Kaijudo against that of the swamp, and summoned a Bronze-Arm Tribe.

The Tribe appeared and immediately began to lend assistance to the Crystal Paladin, slashing the writhing liquid to keep it away from Tom. The mindspace was illuminated again as the Bronze-Arm Tribe's effect added a Dava Torey to Tom's mana.

"Summon Ballas, Vizier of Electrons!"
The new Initiate joined the first, but they did not float there together for long. Tom did not hesitate for an instant to send the first Ballas in for another attack. The shield sparked as the lightning burst struck it, but the effect was not a sign of it triggering. The attack simply shattered it normally.

Roland smiled as Tom's turn ended. He knew exactly what would happen now, as far as he was concerned, and it would be what he needed to happen, down to the very last detail.

"But I need to charge mana... Very well, Proclamation of Death to mana, and cast Death Smoke on your untapped Ballas..."
The mist became a living blackness now yet again, this time, not going for Tom, but for the Vizier of Electrons he had just summoned. The sparks of electrical discharge slowly faded into the blackness, and Ballas was gone.

"Trixo, break his shield. Ikei."
The Wicked Doll let out a laughing screech as it did so, and as the shield shattered, it seemed to telekinetically control the fragments, sending them directly at Tom. The Bronze-Arm Tribe took the assault, blocking it from reaching the duelist. Tom smirked. Roland had made his ultimate error.

"You truly thought that was the better play?" Tom laughed, "That was a little shortsighted."

Roland narrowed his eyes at his opponent, not quite understanding what Tom referred to. The only way to stop Trixo at this point would be to attack it or use some removal ability. He had already seen one such possibility, but an Aqua Surfer would not only let Trixo return, but would make the Crow Winger able to defeat Ballas.

"You have a simple way out of this? Show me, then."

"Gladly. Aqua Hulcus to mana. Ballas, evolve into Craze Valkyrie, the Drastic!"
Roland shuddered in shock as the Vizier of Electrons was engulfed in bright light and transformed before his eyes. The whips of light lashed out, immobilizing his Essence Elf and Crow Winger, but neither was the target of the Valkyrie's attack. It rushed forward towards the Wicked Doll, cleaving Trixo in half and dissipating the darkness creature into nothingness.

"Ah, I see..." Roland said, as Tom smirked at him, then motioned to signal the end of his turn.

"But don't you think that was, itself, a shortsighted play? I could just as easily have been setting you up similarly. This is exactly the sort of duel I am used to. And I am very good at conserving my resources, just as you are good at getting them."

"Why don't you just show me what you intend to do, then?" Tom laughed, the Valkyrie's energy alone driving back the dark tendrils. Each one that rose up was splattered back down by an equal tendril of light. The Craze Valkyrie had enough control over its magnificent power to stop even a drop of it from being stolen by the dark swamp.

"A formidable creature indeed, but death equalizes nearly all creatures. Terror Pit."
The grin of Charmilia increased as the darkness beneath the Valkyrie erupted with new power. The Essence Elf's chant allowed Roland to cast this spell without charging more mana, and now the black tendrils surged too quickly for even the Valkyrie. The Crystal Paladin flew quickly to the Drastic's aid, even though it was so clear that it would be no good. Tom watched as his Evolution was dragged into the blackness of the swamp, its light finally extinguished. Roland seemed to inhale deeply as this event occurred, and his eyes lit up for a moment. He exhaled in a satisfied sigh.

"End... turn."

Tom did not charge mana this time. He did not need to, for the next summon. Splashing hooves, and a disdainful snort. A Rumbling Terahorn. With it, came the essence of Dava Torey, Seeker of Clouds. Any attempt to discard his cards would result in trouble for Roland. Tom shuffled his deck, and ended his turn, the Terahorn his lone creature. Roland laughed.

"Your dueling is truly interesting. I wonder if you can move as quickly as your power seems to suggest..."
He drew his card, looked at it, and then placed it into his mana zone. Stinger Horn, the Delver. He had no need to bring his own Horned Beast to his side. The Essence Elf had managed to give him just enough time, to set up his next play.

"Summon Bloody Squito! And Charmilia, the Enticer!"
The burst of power from the actual materializing of Roland's avatar made even the other nearby duelists shrink back. The event did not appear to be so much a 'summon' as merely Charmilia's form shifting from its phantom state into the mindspace's reality, next to Roland. The grin was still just as pronounced, making the creature seem far more sinister than it did normally in any other duel.

Suzanne shuddered slightly. She would have trouble viewing her own Charmilia the same way ever again. The swarm of Squito buzzed around now, providing the necessary protection, from any charge of the Terahorn, if Roland desired it. He did not attack on this turn either. Seemingly confident in his ability to control any situation Tom could throw at him.

With Charmilia actually present, the swamp became even more alive than before. Tom wasted no time restoring the balance between his power and that of his parasitic opponent.

"Bronze-Arm Tribe to mana. Summon Aqua Hulcus, and evolve it into Crystal Paladin!"
Just as Charmilia had shifted into reality when Roland had placed the card into the battle zone, so too now did the Paladin. The flood of psychic force that now filled the room was equivalent to the wave that rippled through the swamp as the Paladin's hooves splashed into it. The creature then stepped up onto the surface, freezing it into ice and standing there, safe from any effect Roland could provide. The wave had driven away the Bloody Squito. It was time to move.

"Crystal Paladin, break shield. Ikei!"
The frozen one reared up, and charged across the surface of the swamp at high speed, each hoof freezing the liquid instantly to provide running space, until he reached the opposing line of shields, and with a mighty slash, shattered one. Nothing came of it, and the Paladin reared up again, running past, to circle back towards Tom, whilst the Terahorn charged in also, its weight cracking the ice upon which it ran, until it, too, reached the shields.

This one, sparked with the power of Shield Trigger, and for an instant, Tom actually cringed. But it was neither Proclamation of Death nor Terror Pit. Merely a Mana Crisis. Roland selected the Aqua Surfer in Tom's mana zone, wishing that the spell had hit one turn earlier, to stop the onslaught of the Paladin.

Charmilia's grin lessened, and she finally spoke.
"You're a horrid little boy."

Her soft statement, in the wake of everything Roland had done, seemed to take all those present, that were aware of it, by surprise. Tom moreso than any others. He actually seemed to do a double-take.

"Pardon me?"

"You heard me. You're a horrid little boy. Spoiling my fun unexpectedly all the time. How am I supposed to fight back properly if you keep on doing just the right thing constantly?"

Tom now laughed aloud, but from the energy Roland now gave off, in tandem with his avatar, it was clear that Charmilia was completely serious. Realizing this now, the Paladin gave his response quite clearly.

"That is a matter of my skill. Don't tell me you are complaining simply because my skill surpasses yours. What kind of attitude is that for even one such as you?"

No one around seemed to understand the Snow Fairy's point either, if she was actually making one. Roland drew his next card, and summoned a Bloody Squito, casting a Proclamation of Death as well. The energy moved toward Tom, and the Terahorn charged into it, seeming to suffocate instantly and crashing into the swamp, then sinking slowly into the sludge. Roland again took a deep breath.

"Summon Bloody Squito. Tap Charmilia."
The Snow Fairy now spun, atop her snowflake, and waved her wand over the swamp. Beneath Roland's feet, the sludge bubbled, and suddenly erupted upwards as the phantom form of Trixo, Wicked Doll, appeared, with a cackling laugh. It faded into Roland. Now, the only thing left to do was hope that nothing was enough outright, to get the Paladin through.

Roland's hand of cards contained two more Death Smoke. Whatever was summoned alongside the Paladin would be destroyed. This was what he was counting on. Charmilia's continued ability to bring new defenses, and increase the chances of him drawing spells that could hold off the charging forces.

Tom drew his card, and cast his spell, dashing any such hope. Natural Snare. The vines writhed, spreading out amongst the buzzing Brainjacker swarm, capturing them and digesting them into the swamp. Nothing Roland could have now, besides a spell to kill that Paladin, would help him.

Charmilia's expression devolved all the way into a pout as the Paladin charged forward again, ignoring her completely, running over the surface of the swamp to the final shield. He raised his sword and looked back at her. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"I hope it triggers and you die!" she yelled. The Paladin scoffed at her pettiness, and brought down his blade to cleave the shield. It shattered, sending the essence of a Crow Winger to Roland. No trigger. Now no chance unless the next card would bring death to the shining Paladin.

The evolved Liquid one circled back around to Tom. The Death Smoke would not be able to catch it now. Charmilia's pout still had not left her. Roland did not delay his own defeat, quickly drawing his next card, to make it clear to himself one way or the other.

"Locomotiver."
It was simply a statement. Roland was not summoning the dark train, in fact, he was not doing anything at all. Charmilia shook her wand angrily at the Crystal Paladin.

"End turn," Roland nodded, bracing himself for the final attack. Tom did not disappoint. The Paladin charged in to deliver the final blow with its icy blade, showing no mercy for the monstrous apparition that Roland Saives himself had become in their minds, as the duel had progressed to its conclusion.

"Todomeda."

The slash seemed to separate Roland from his mind for a moment. The energy of the swamp receded suddenly, then it erupted upwards, almost like black blood, all the stolen power of the day now flooding back out into the room. Roland croaked, exhaling in what appeared to be a painful manner. In their mindspace, Charmilia floated, zipping around her human half, almost in a panic.

"Mean mean little boy!" she chastised, shaking her wand furiously at Tom and the Crystal Paladin yet again. Roland's mental form now sank into the swamp and vanished, leaving Charmilia to float just above the surface of the murk, with a worried look on her face.

Physically, the duelist's eyes had been closed ever since the energy flood had reversed itself. His breathing was shallow and erratic, and often seemed as if it were going to stop altogether. Harriet placed her hand on his shoulder to shake him, but withdrew it immediately as if something had stung her.

"What is it?" Tom asked, noting her reaction.

"It was as if... I was being pulled into him..." she replied, not seeming to care how odd such a claim sounded. Gene looked concerned. Roland still had not moved, nor indicated that he was even currently conscious anymore.

"Everyone? Just a little bit? Please? If everyone gives just a little..."
This odd statement was the Snow Fairy's plea in their minds.

Gene was the first to respond, stepping forward, and placing his hand on Roland's shoulder for a moment. The feeling jolted him, and he pulled away rather quickly, but Charmilia seemed thankful. Suzanne was as confused as ever, but she followed suit, and reacted similarly. Harriet gingerly extended her hand again, touching the back of Roland's hand, the hand that held the rest of his cards. She was subjected to another apparently unpleasant jolt, and pulled away just as quickly, but Charmilia's expression now changed from one of despondency to hope.

"Yes! Please! Just like that! Only a little bit is needed!"

"What... is he?" Tom wondered aloud, doing his part, stretching over the table to shake Roland's hand. This made the man's body twitch, and his eyes flutter open for a moment. Another nearby duelist, apparently an 'Angel Command', placed her hand on his forehead, as if checking for a fever.

The jolt seemed to affect her less, but she still looked at her hand in surprise and confusion when she pulled it away. Far from a fever, his skin was cold and clammy now. His eyes had fluttered open again when she touched him, and the next duelist to make skin contact with him brought him to the point where he groaned and opened his eyes.

"That's enough... we don't need more. Just let us rest now..."

Roland now breathed heavily. He rolled up one sleeve and began to scratch part of his upper forearm absently. Harriet noticed the dark marks there, and gasped slightly.

"Excuse me... Roland, is it? Just how old are you, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I'm... thirty-seven..." he managed to answer, "W-why?"

Suzanne seemed shocked. She now realized, though, that he did not exactly look older. Just a lot less healthy than a person should be, and as such, gave the impression of being older.

He scratched at the marks a bit more, then, realizing what he was doing, rolled his sleeve quickly back down and looked very embarrassed.

"Ohh... I see..." Harriet realized, "But does it... actually work for you? Is dueling really enough to replace it?"

"Not... by itself..." Roland apologized. He seemed like quite a different person at the moment. He sighed and continued, "I need to do some things I don't exactly like, in order to fill the void, if you know what I mean... but they're so young and usually have so much energy to spare anyway... it just seems much better than..."

Harriet nodded in understanding, "And if you lose, you can't just escape... you have to face what happens when you can't get enough, right?

"Yes..." Roland nodded, "Someday, I hope I am strong enough... to need neither one."