Episode 73. - Swift Assault! No Fire Power!

"Next up, duelists twenty one and one twenty three!"

Those duelists turned out to be Maze Damarona and Eugene Pradian, respectively. Pradian nodded to her. Maze smirked and nodded back, chuckling to herself about finally facing an opponent who was actually around her own height. The judges decided that Pradian would go first. To let Maze do so would be far too much of an advantage to her.

He placed Tanzanyte, the Awakener, as his first mana card. Maze drew her sixth card, and sighed with relief. It was exactly what she needed. Her "Miracle Gro" had not let her down.

"Enchanted Soil to mana. Summon Sniper Mosquito. End turn."
As usual, Maze's Kaijudo was off to an instant start. Pradian did not respond much directly, until he had charged Fire mana and summoned his own creature. His avatar. Smash Warrior Stagrandu. He ended his turn with that.

"Dimension Gate to mana. Summon Poisonous Mushroom, and place Muscle Charger to mana. Sniper Mosquito, ikei, and reclaim my Dimension Gate!"
Pradian winced as Maze's power grew swiftly, the scent of her forest filling his mind. The image of the giant insect sucking sap out of one of the trees before zipping off to break his shield, did not make him any calmer. The shield did not trigger. Pradian charged darkness mana and summoned an Aqua Hulcus.

"Stagrandu, ikei. Destroy Poisonous Mushroom."
Those who knew Pradian's deck were surprised at this move. Those who truly knew Pradian, understood completely. He could not afford to wait too long for his Simian Warrior, especially since he had already placed one of them into his mana zone. Stagrandu would have to deal with the growing threats immediately. Both the Mushroom and the Armorloid fell after the battle, and Maze began her next turn.

"Dimension Gate to mana, summon Bronze-Arm Tribe."
The Tribe's effect spread her forest more, with another Bronze-Arm Tribe card. The Sniper Mosquito's attack gave her that card back. Pradian's second shield did not trigger.

"Smash Warrior Stagrandu to mana. Summon Simian Warrior Grash. Hulcus, attack the Mosquito. Ikei!"
The Liquid one sank into the ground, then burst up from beneath the giant insect, lancing right through it, and being covered in the Mosquito's gastric juices at the same time. The effect of this was fatal for the Aqua Hulcus as well, but Pradian had managed to slow her down still more. With any luck it would be enough.

Maze charged mana. A Poisonous Mushroom, then summoned a Bronze-Arm Tribe, charging a Mana Nexus by its effect, and summoning a Torcon as well. Pradian groaned. The shield the Bronze-Arm Tribe hit this time, triggered. A Zombie Carnival...

"Good. I'm ready to go again. She's fast, but this should be just enough to handle her."

Pradian sent another Aqua Hulcus to mana, and demonstrated the level to which his deck was refined. Even against this level of speed he still had weapons. His Tornado Flame erupted around the Torcon, removing the threat of a swift final attack. Grash took care of the Bronze-Arm Tribe that had attacked.

Maze's next draw brought with it the surge of energy that signified an avatar, but those who knew her were surprised at the difference. Something seemed off. This was not the calm, sedate leadership resonance of the Silver Axe. This power was boisterous and bold, much more like Maze herself. In a moment, when she summoned the creature, they could see why.

"Cavern Raider! End turn."

Pradian simply charged Fire mana and destroyed Maze's avatar in Tornado Flame as well, wondering why she had not attacked, considering that such a plan seemed to be her primary goal. Now, she demonstrated why. Green light illuminated her Bronze-Arm Tribe, and the power of evolution showed the second change to her deck's powers. Barkwhip, the Smasher.

The Beast Folk warrior charged in, breaking the shield with no hesitation. Pradian charged more Fire mana, cast Energy Stream, then summoned a second Simian Warrior Grash. Each one tinkered a bit with the other, and then one moved in to attack Barkwhip. The Beast Folk was surprised by the attempt, but fought powerfully against the Armorloid, finally defeating it and being thrown back in the explosion. One mana card gone from Maze's world.

Her next card showed that such an event had occurred more or less just in time. She could not play the Natural Snare now, and could only put it to mana and send Barkwhip in to break the final shield. The energy of the crowd indicated that they expected her to be able to quickly win, but Maze knew better.

What she was not expecting was the Terror Pit that now triggered, dragging Barkwhip into darkness. Things were going to be far more difficult now...

"Harsh... I think he's got us now. We're fast, but we're not that fast. He's built up his speed now too. Keep pushing though, we might be able to..."

"Summon Tanzanyte, the Awakener!" Pradian declared. Maze sighed and dropped a Freezing Icehammer on the powerful Spirit Quartz, but that was only a temporary solution.

Pradian charged another copy of his avatar card, summoning an Aqua Hulcus, and Rothus, the Traveler. Rothus rolled into Maze's territory and self destructed...

Maze ignored the destruction of her mana. She could keep Pradian on the defensive enough now. His resources were being stretched a bit thin. She summoned yet another Bronze-Arm Tribe, repairing the damage Rothus had done.

"Smash Warrior Stagrandu, and Searing Wave!"

Maze sent an Enchanted Soil to her mana zone, and summoned yet another of her new cards. Vreemah, Freaky Mojo Totem. Pradian acted swiftly. A Zombie Carnival, to revive Grash and Rothus, then Rothus rumbled into Vreemah, and exploded, destroying the Enchanted Soil.

A new Sniper Mosquito now buzzed forth, but it was too late. The tide of the duel had turned. Pradian summoned his second Simian and another Rothus. This explosion was much larger than the last. Maze drew a Natural Snare and sent it to mana. Pradian played a third Simian Warrior, and an Energy Stream. Just in time to get the Terror Pit which he used on the next Mosquito she summoned. Finally, he attacked with his Aqua Hulcus.

Maze sighed with relief at this, since her next card had been Muscle Charger and not a creature at all. The shield, had been a Quixotic Hero, which she now summoned. Pradian dealt with the situation easily. He did not summon. His three Simian Warriors tinkered with Stagrandu, loading the smaller Armorloid with explosives. When the battle between it and Swine Snout had ended, the explosion took out a large chunk of Maze's world.

She did not summon the Torcon that she drew this time. Pradian had no blockers. Barkwhip could end it, and the duel had stretched out just long enough for that to be a possibility. Pradian discarded the card with a Locomotiver, ending her hopes, and summoned an Hourglass Mutant.

Another Muscle Charger was no help to Maze. Pradian summoned an Aqua Surfer, returning his own Hulcus, summoning it again and drawing a new card. Maze simply charged mana. A Freezing Icehammer.

"Good grief... thank goodness this is over..." Pradian sighed, "Aqua Surfer, ikei! Simian Warrior, ikei! Locomotiver, ikei!" --a Dimension Gate triggered-- "Grash, ikei!" --and now a Mana Nexus-- "Hourglass, ikei!" --the Natural Snare from the Mana Nexus captured the Aqua Hulcus-- "Simian Warrior! Todomeda!"

Pradian's Kaijudo overwhelmed Maze now, the peak of her own long since past. She weathered the effect without fainting, though she felt as if she was very close to doing so. Finally, Pradian shook her hand.

"That was so close... Good game, miss!"
She nodded, smiling, then made room for the next duelist...

"Will duelists twelve and sixty two please begin their duel now?" came Juliet's voice. Duelist twelve was Shinji Nykahrii. His opponent was Arumisa Tel'Unbra.

Shinji was granted first turn, and he charged a Holy Awe. Arumisa placed the expected darkness mana. Her Shadow of Panic. Shinji added a Diamond Cutter to his mana zone, and Arumisa charged a Hydro Hurricane, summoning Melnia, the Aqua Shadow, immediately. The dark storm on her side of the mindspace did not bother Shinji at all. He was far more concerned with the odd sequence of his cards. He placed another Diamond Cutter to mana, and summoned his Senatine Jade Tree...

"Chains of Sacrifice to mana. Summon Bat Doctor, Shadow of Undeath! Melnia, ikei!"
The shield broke, of course, as the Jade Tree was unable to stop Melnia at all. Shinji summoned a Shrine Guardian, and his StarLight Tree finally caught up with the Aqua Shadow, destroying it, but losing its self-awareness in the process, crashing into Arumisa's dark waters with a great splash.

She drew her card and smiled. Her Kaijudo surged immediately. Shinji braced himself. Not only was her avatar coming, he could feel that it was coming with quite the entrance...

"I summon Lone Tear, Shadow of Solitude, and evolve it into Jack Viper, Shadow of Doom!"
The great dark ghost surged forward at Shinji's shields immediately, and Nykahrii did not block. He charged Water mana on his turn and summoned his Mist Rias, Sonic Guardian.

"Wisp Howler, Shadow of Tears, to mana... summon... Ice Vapor, Shadow of Anguish..."
Arumisa found herself cringing slightly. As useful as the Ice Vapor was, it was not quite what she felt she needed at that point. Jack grinned evilly, and moved forward to break another shield. This time, the Shrine Guardian intercepted the Ghost. Jack brought down the aircraft easily, but Shinji's shield had been protected.

"That was unexpected indeed..." Arumisa remarked as Shinji charged a Mist Rias to mana, summoning his Senatine Jade Tree. The Sonic Guardian's power glowed, and he drew a new card. An Essence Elf now appeared also, and yet again, the Guardian glowed. Another new card. He ended his turn.

"What was?" he asked, as she summoned another Melnia. Again, the Guardian glowed. Again, Shinji drew a card.

"Letting your Snork La fall..." she replied, as he now charged water mana.

"Yeah... something told me to do it. I wasn't going to initially, but your deck seems a bit... creepy..." he said, his tone making it clear that he meant no offense, "Summon Essence Elf, draw, summon Petrova, Channeler of Suns... end turn."

The solar energy was absorbed by Shinji's Tree Folk, strengthening all his Elves. Arumisa simply summoned the card she now drew. Wailing Shadow Belbetphlo. Shinji drew yet another new card. Melnia and the Bat Doctor seemed to look across at Jack...

"Go. Break them."
The two Ghosts immediately moved in. Melnia slipped past the Jade Tree. The Bat Doctor did not, but it did not matter. The battle with the Jade Tree meant nothing. Jack seemed contemplative, deciding whether or not the Bat Doctor, or the first fallen Melnia, should be the force that returned to Arumisa. Finally, the Bat Doctor was chosen, and it did not fade.

Shinji drew his next card, and sighed with relief, then charged Light mana, and said, mostly to himself...
"Oh, how my deck has missed you. Miele, Vizier of Lightning!"

The electric rings trapped Arumisa's avatar, even as Shinji drew yet another card. He summoned a Senatine Jade Tree, and drew another card for that as well. Finally, his Essence Elf's power struck down the Shadow of Doom, and yet another Jade Tree fell, robbed of life by a battle with an Aqua Shadow.

"Creepy... perhaps. You must do something every turn. It is the essence of us. You cannot falter, you cannot wait. You must always act, or we will destroy you..."
She summoned the Bat Doctor again now, causing Shinji to draw yet another card, then sent her Wailing Shadow in to attack. The second Jade Tree intercepted it, and suffered the same fate as the first. She ended her turn.

"Seems I have to keep your hurricane calm. Stained Glass, to mana. Summon Snork La, Shrine Guardian, draw, and summon Aqua Hulcus... draw two. Now, another Aqua Hulcus, to draw two more. End turn."

Each summon had surged the silver haired duelist's energy higher, flooding the mindspace. Now, Arumisa summoned her Shadow Moon, causing Shinji to draw yet another card, and her Bat Doctor attacked.

"A good thing that I'm prepared for this..." Shinji noted, triggering the Crystal Memory. Before the spell could do much for him, Ice Vapor's power sucked away a Holy Awe from his hand. The Ghost's second effect was halted by the power of the Shrine Guardian. Ice Vapor attacked now instead, breaking Shinji's final shield.

"You're right. I must do something. Elf-X to mana. Summon Elf-X... draw. Summon Miele, Vizier of Lightning, to tap your Shadow Moon... draw. Summon Petrova, Channeler of Suns, to increase the power of my Initiates. Essence Elf, attack Ice Vapor! Miele, destroy Shadow Moon! Petrova, destroy the Bat Doctor!"

Arumisa smirked. There was still a tiny chance. The Bat Doctor faded away, but its dying power returned a card from her graveyard to her. Jack...

"It seems you were faster than I, in the end. Summon Wisp Howler, Shadow of Tears, and cast Ghost Touch."
Shinji lost a Flood Valve from his hand of cards. For Arumisa, this was too little, too late.

"You play interestingly, milady. Sword of Benevolent Life, to mana. Cast Enchanted Soil--"
The power of his Essence Elves made the spell cost just as much as it granted him. Shinji continued, by using their power to cast a Spiral Gate, returning his own Miele to his hand. Then, a new Elf-X appeared, partly through the power of the first. Together, they allowed him to bring back Miele, and the lightning rings trapped the Wisp Howler. Their power brought forth Phal Eega as well, and Phal returned the Enchanted Soil to Shinji yet again. He recast it, increasing his mana yet again, and finally, the last of his power summoned a new Sonic Guardian. The crowd, by now, was in an uproar of cheering for him.

"Aqua Hulcus, attack Wisp Howler. Ikei!"
This was the last attack that was not directed at shields. Somehow, Shinji knew exactly what to do, and he broke them in a sequence that would have made any duelist whimper. The last shield to be broken was a triggering Terror Pit...

"Petrova, todomeda!"

"Congratulations to duelist number twelve. Now duelist number three and duelist number eighty nine, please continue the tournament."

Duelist number three was someone few would have expected to make it this far. Gene Kirricort himself. Duelist number eighty nine was Mughees Drynn. The duel was going to be a battle of wits, or at least, that was the prediction.

Mughees began the duel with a Holy Awe to his mana zone. Gene smiled. That was, at least for him, a good sign. He placed Light mana of his own. Yuluk, the Oracle, and summoned his newest card. The baby of his deck. Tulk. Mughees raised an eyebrow, but did not seem too concerned. He placed an Aqua Surfer in his own mana zone and summoned Sol Galla, Halo Guardian. Gene made the same summon on his next turn.

"Aqua Hulcus. End turn," Mughees declared, watching carefully as Gene's Kaijudo rose. Gene charged another Yuluk to mana and summoned Bex, the Oracle, ending his turn. He would not be able to attack swiftly against this opponent. As much as Gene was prepared to attack, Mughees had come to the Grand Tournament prepared to defend.

Mughees now charged more mana and cast Energy Stream, but did nothing more. Gene began to feel his own nervousness setting in. He drew a card, and sighed with a bit of relief. At this speed, he might be able to overwhelm Mughees before anything much could happen. He summoned Wyn, the Oracle, and another Tulk.

"Five already..." Mughees noted, as Bex spun in to break his shield. Mughees then charged Water mana, casting Spiral Gate on Gene's Sol Galla, Crimson Hammer on Wyn, and finally, with his own Sol Galla, now shimmering with the power from the spells, he attacked Bex.

The Oracle spun and lashed out, but to no avail against the augmented Halo Guardian. Gene cringed at the speed with which his team had been reduced, but he charged more mana and summoned two Sol Galla, ending his turn again.

Mughees summoned his own Sol Galla yet again, and an Emeral. Gene sighed, slightly exasperated, and finally spoke.

"You seem to be quite prepared. What makes you use such creatures yet not attack? Cast Glory Snow."
The spell put Bex and a Moonlight Flash into Gene's mana zone, and Mughees continued by simply playing an Aqua Skydiver. Gene scratched his head, charged Light mana, and again did nothing, leaving Mughees perfectly capable of casting Energy Stream, and then Crimson Hammer, on his Tulk. He did not use the increased power of his Halo Guardians, as there was nothing for them to fight.

"Chilias, the Oracle. End turn."
Gene now watched as Mughees built his resources yet again, through the summon of an Aqua Hulcus. Another Crimson Hammer laid waste to yet another of his Tulk.

"You are a tricky one. Lunar Charger, on my two Halo Guardians. Sol, ikei!"
Mughees blocked with his own Halo Guardian, and they began a swift dogfight in the sky, both of them having been boosted by the power of the spell Gene had cast. The second Halo Guardian took its chance to break another shield, as the first two crashed into the ground.

Mughees' Kaijudo rippled calmly. He cast Eureka Charger, drew a card, and summoned Emeral, activating its effect, increasing his defenses still further. Gene frowned. This person was slowly shutting down every option. He drew his next card, and cast the spell instantly.

"Screaming Sunburst. Sol Galla, attack Aqua Hulcus. Ikei!"
Gene was not at all surprised to find that Mughees' own Halo Guardian got in the way of this, and just as before, their dogfight resulted in both Guardians crashing into the waves of the Dark Sword's mind. Chilias, on the other hand, was stopped by Mughees' Aqua Skydiver. A moment later, that Skydiver returned, along with a Pyrofighter Magnus, which defeated Chilias, causing Gene to return the card to his hand.

"Hmph. You're simply too persistent to deal with normally, aren't you?" Gene muttered now, summoning Chilias again and ending his turn. Finally, Mughees' Kaijudo surged unexpectedly. All his time of calmly defending had paid off, and his offense power was fully available to him now. He sent a Holy Awe to mana...

"I summon Twin-Cannon Skyterror! Double break! Ikei!"
The first shield did not trigger. The second was Kolon, the Oracle. The Light Bringer stopped the Aqua Skydiver, but the two Emeral and two Hulcus were quick to move, breaking the remaining shields and allowing Mughees to claim the match. Gene rocked slightly with the strain of resisting the energy surge, and wondered what, if anything, he had done wrong...

"Victory goes to duelist number eighty nine!" Juliet announced. Yodaz watched as Gene walked away from the table.

"Not bad... not bad at all..." Corile 'smirked' to Reusol.

Gene's expression seemed to cheer up. It was quite difficult to 'lie' between Kaijudo users when they were communicating with the skill, so Yodaz's avatar's thoughts meant a lot to him. Now, he would watch... and learn...