Timothy and Kate’s black Audi turned sharply towards their townhouse. It took every ounce of strength and reserve for the driver inside to park the car without hitting the other vehicles parked on both sides of him. Edmund was already waiting by the door, holding it open for the fearful Timothy, Kate, and Tessa as they scrambled from the car and towards the house.
“He entered through Tessa’s room,” Edmund reported.
The three of them ran past their butler and up the stairs to the hallway, leaving him to follow them back up as fast as his legs could allow. The audible noise of a gasp was heard from Kate as they looked upon the scene of destruction before them.
“They broke down the door too?” shouted Timothy.
“What happened here?” cried Kate.
“Rarity!” shouted Tessa, running into the middle of her room. “Spike! Where are you?”
“Tess!” shouted Spike from the closet as he repeatedly struck it. “Tess, open the door! It’s locked.”
Tessa let out a sob as she ran to the door and turned both the lock and the knob, one immediately after the other. Throwing the door open, Tessa let out a relieved, but sad huff as Spike ran from the door and into Tessa’s embrace.
“Thank goodness you’re okay, Spike,” she wept. “Where’s Rarity?”
“Rarity?” Spike questioned, coming close to tears himself. “They… they… they took her away!”
Tessa gasped, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks as her cries were becoming impossible to suppress.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Yurik slowly got up to his feet from the top of the WIEN MITTE Mall, facing Keifer with an enraged look in his eyes as streams of smoke rose from parts of his clothes.
================
Yurik:
LP: 3500
Keifer:
LP: 4000
================
Keifer let out a light chuckle as his three monsters looked down Yurik and his feeble attempts to struggle.
Dragma Lizard
DEF: 1200
Lvl.: 3
Dragma Coatl
DEF: 1600
Lvl.: 3
Dragma Wyvern
DEF: 1800
Lvl.: 4
“You might have destroyed my Fire Pony,” growled Yurik, but my Unioncorn of Wind survived and still has its attack.”
Unioncorn of Wind
ATK: 1500
Lvl.: 4
“Now, go!” he commanded. “Unioncorn of Wind, destroy Dragma Lizard! Magic Maelstrom!”
A ball of bright, swirling green energy formed at the tip of the horse’s horn, and pointing it at the center monster, the ball shot out towards its target. The spell hit dead center, destroying the dragon in a burst of sparks that blew into Keifer’s face. The white dragon grunted as he shielded his face from his monster’s fragments.
“Flip effect monsters aren’t usually the strongest monsters in terms of offense,” Yurik spoke, “so I think we’re good right here. I end my turn.”
“Not yet,” interrupted Keifer. “Now the effect of Dragma Coatl and the Singe Counter on it will destroy your monster.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“During the end phase, any non-fire-attribute monster with a Singe Counter on it is destroyed.”
“What?”
Yurik watched with horror as the flame on Unioncorn of Wind’s chest grew out and engulfed it, the terrified screams of the monster making Yurik and his friends behind him shudder in fear. Before long, the flames subsided, leaving no traces of the monster they incinerated.
“Also,” Keifer said, “you must also discard one card from your hand for each monster destroyed by this effect. Looks like that draw of yours will now go to waste.”
Yurik hissed as he took his recently drawn Spell of Banishment card and slipped it into his graveyard.
“And now that’s it,” quipped Keifer.
Status: Hand: 1 Life: 3500 Monsters: 0 Pendulum Zones: 2 Pendulum Scale: 4 – 8 Spells/Traps: 1
“Unbelievable,” Twilight said to herself. “It wasn’t even his turn, and he managed to systematically wipe out his entire field.”
“Don’t talk like that,” Walt whispered, noting Yurik’s anticipating face. “Yurik set only that card during his first turn. I think he’s expecting a direct attack here.”
“You saw what 500 points of damage did to him, Walt. Do you think he can take a direct attack?”
“It’s Yurik, Twilight!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash. “If he can handle Orpheus, he can handle him! Go, Yurik!”
Keifer glanced at Rainbow Dash, his stern demeanor never changing.
“You really think that your friend has a chance of defeating me?” he asked. “I have been trained by one of the greatest duelists who ever lived.”
“How’s that possible?” asked Yurik. “You’re an Equestrian! Duel Monsters does not exist in your world!”
“Then clearly, you know very little of my world.”
Twilight gasped at such news, looking to Keifer with sheer confusion and bewilderment in her eyes.
“You seem not to believe me, Twilight,” he continued. “Tell me, can you say for certain that you know all of Equestria’s deepest secrets?”
“I…” Twilight strained. “I… I can’t say! But how does that still allow you to play a game from another world… and… quite skillfully at that?”
“I thank you for the compliment, but it is moot. My master knows of this game and requires the ponies for her own desires.”
“Her?” questioned Yurik. “So, this person is a she? Who is she?”
“I’m afraid I have said too much. All that you should concern yourself with is defeating me, which I cannot allow to happen, Yurik Clayer.”
Yurik winced as his threat preluded his oncoming turn, as well as Yurik’s oncoming pain.
“My turn!” Keifer yelled, his fingers over his deck. “Draw!”
Keifer looked to his card and without adding it to his hand, he reached towards his two remaining monsters on the field.
“I tribute my Dragma Coatl and my Dragma Wyvern,” he said, swiping both cards from his blade.
The ground underneath the two dragons grew hot and red before it exploded, covering both monsters in a geyser of fire and molten rock. The heat was enough to repel Yurik back two steps as he continued to shield his face
“What is happening?” Yurik grunted as he fought the blistering temperatures.
“Great beast within the ocean of flames,” chanted Keifer, the fountains of lava melding into one through a strong, swirling wind, “ascend from the crust of the earth and leave your foes in ruins!”
A pair of wings made entirely of the swirling pillar of fire, Yurik managing to see a body inside of it.
“Arise,” he shouted, “lord of the mountain of fire! Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon!”
The fire parted aside to reveal a massive bipedal dragon with thick red scales and a muscular golden-colored underbelly. Its fire-laden wings took shape until their features appeared more defined, fire still rolling off them constantly. Its eyes were just two pools of black that stared straight at Yurik, nothing able to defend him.
Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon
ATK: 3000
Lvl.: 8
“Obsidian-Eyes…” muttered Yurik, weakened by his awe, “Magmal Dragon…”
Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Walt too stared up at Keifer’s ace, shuddering at its presence.
“And now there is nothing protecting you from my dragon’s attack,” Keifer spoke. “You shall now taste the full unbridled fury of our combined strength! Battle!”
With a flap of the dragon’s wings, they lost their form, becoming two large shapes of bright-yellow fire.
“Magmal Dragon! Attack Yurik Clayer directly! Pyroclastic Pillar of Obliteration!”
Damn, thought Yurik. Here it comes…
Keifer’s dragon, reeled its head back as the inside of his mouth went alight. Throwing its head forwards, a wide beam of hot ash and fire blasted out towards Yurik. Yurik covered his eyes with his forearms and leaned forwards as the flames collided into him. While his body was pushed back and his body remained upright, Yurik cried in anguish as he resisted the battering on his body.
Yurik’s Life Points: 3500 -> 500
“Yurik!” shouted Walt.
The blast struck the ground and broke off into several streams that snaked around Walt, Yurik, and Twilight. The three of them screamed as they too felt the intense heat from the fire. Once the blast had ended, Yurik’s body swooned to and fro, smoke rising from nearly every inch. Twilight and Walt looked off to see Yurik in his weakened state.
“Yurik!” yelled Twilight.
Falling to his knees, he managed to lean his body back and sit upon the back of his calves, breathing steadily as he waited for his strength to be restored.
“You your body seems to be quite taxed, Yurik Clayer,” said Keifer. “Do you intend to stop here?”
“No,” Yurik growled, standing up to his feet in a wide stance, “I’ve still got much more fight in me. I activate my trap, Wicked Windfall.”
Yurik motioned to the center of his field, where a purple card with the demonic shadow handing two cards to a fallen warrior flipped up.
“When I take battle damage from a direct attack,” he explained, “I can draw cards for every thousand points of damage I took.”
“3000 damage,” spat Keifer. “That’s three cards.”
“But that’s not all, Keifer. I chain the effect of Pegassist of Water.”
Yurik revealed his card before he placed it onto the leftmost zone of his right blade.
“When I take battle damage,” he continued, “I can special summon this card from my hand.”
A blue portal opened up on the ground, and flying out from it was Yurik’s furless pegasus with the webbed wings and kelpy mane and tail.
Pegassist of Water
ATK: 1500
Lvl.: 4
“When Pegassist of Water is special summoned by this effect,” said Yurik, “I gain life points equal to half the damage I took.”
The pegasus turned to Yurik and delivered a strong fanning of its wings, blowing mist onto both him and his friends behind them, relieving them slightly of their pain.
Yurik’s Life Points: 500 -> 2000
Keifer gasped, impressed by the brave strategy.
I see, he thought. That first turn, he wanted me to attack him. Because not only does he replenish his life points…
“And then, Wicked Windfall’s effect,” finished Yurik, drawing three cards from the top of his deck.
…he too replenishes his hand.
Yurik looked up to his new hand, seeing his own ace card, Twilight Alicorn, amongst them. With a huff, he successfully suppressed the urge to smile.
“Look at him go,” sighed Twilight, enamored by Yurik’s will and strength.
“Now,” spoke Yurik, “what can you do here? Not much I imagine.”
“Hmph,” Keifer responded, “not much indeed.”
He grabbed the last two cards in his hand and placed them into the leftmost slot of his disk, both backings appearing in front of him on his field.
“I place two cards face down and end my turn,” he said.
Status: Hand: 0 Life: 4000 Monsters: 1 Pendulum Zones: 0 Pendulum Scale: – Spells/Traps: 3
Yurik glanced to his hand, a far calmer smile on his face. His hand contained his Twilight Alicorn, Unioncorn of Light, as well as Horn of Reborn hidden beneath them.
Keifer’s in big trouble now, Yurik thought. Even with the new cards I’m about to get, this should be all I need to gain a victory right here and now!
“You look quite joyful,” commented Keifer. “Do you think you have something that can defeat me?”
“Think?” chuckled Yurik. “I know this will defeat you.”
Keifer strengthened his scowl, unsure what Yurik had in store.
“Do you think you can take my friends as you please and allow me to take it easy on you?” he asked.
“I would never expect anything less,” spoke Keifer, “but I need these ponies just as badly as you do.”
Yurik growled at his opponent’s callous and cold tone.
“Tell me honestly,” requested Keifer, “how many of the ponies, other than the ones behind you have you managed to find?”
“What’s it to you?” shouted Walt.
“Yeah, none of your beeswax, buster!” added Rainbow Dash.
Yurik smiled at his friends’ support, continuing to look to Keifer.
“Are they safe?” asked Rarity’s voice.
The humans and other ponies gasped upon hearing her speak, each of them looking into her tearing eyes as she looked at Twilight’s bound horn and Rainbow Dash’s limp wings.
“If you won’t tell him,” she demanded, “tell me. Twilight, how are the others?”
Twilight could clearly see Rarity’s despair fill her face as hope drained from it. Twilight grimaced as she prepared to relent.
“We have the rest of them,” Twilight spoke. “Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy are safe at home with us.”
Rarity let out a slight smile and a shaky, but relieved breath, wiping her eyes.
“And what about Spike?” asked Twilight. “Is he safe too?”
Rarity looked up at Keifer as he looked down at her, awaiting her answer.
“Yes,” she said. “He’s alright too.”
Twilight let out a sigh of relief as well, a small smile on her face as well.
“Interesting,” Keifer said. “If what you say is true, then you have the remaining three ponies in your possession. That will only make my job that much easier.”
“Shut up!” Yurik shouted, regaining Keifer’s surprised attention. “I can’t let you complete your job if it involves treating these ponies like prisoners. I won’t allow it! My turn! Draw!”
Yurik immediately added the card to his hand. He then plucked one from his hand and rested his arm at his side. The sky turned dark blue as the outline of the multi-pointed star returned.
“With Armored Unioncorn and Unioncorn of Night in my pendulum zones,” exclaimed Yurik, “I can special summon monsters from both my hand or extra deck whose levels are 4 through 8. Pendulum summon!”
A single card ejected from Yurik’s extra deck face-up, allowing him to grab it with the one in his hand and wind his arm back. In a single swipe, Yurik placed his two cards upon three open zones on his blades. Beneath the star in the sky, the red portal opened up, a green and magenta colored aura shooting from it and landing on the ground on both sides of Pegassist of Water.
“Come to me,” called Yurik, “Unioncorn of Wind! Twilight Alicorn!”
As the dust settled, Keifer looked upon Yurik’s field to see the revived green unicorn and his magenta alicorn.
Unioncorn of Wind
ATK: 1500
Lvl.: 4
Twilight Alicorn
ATK: 2500
Lvl.: 7
Twilight herself smirked as Yurik’s field filled itself up. Keifer, on the other hand, vehemently glanced between Twilight and the monster that shared her resemblance, his eyes blinking in sheer disbelief.
Impossible! he thought. Why is his monster’s appearance so similar to the alicorn behind him?
“And since both monsters pendulum summoned were pendulum monsters,” spoke Yurik, reaching for his deck, “I can draw one card for each with Unioncorn of Night’s pendulum effect, which is two!”
Yurik threw his arm out, two cards in his hand coming with it, much to the annoyance and chagrin of Keifer. Yurik added the cards to his sizable hand and pointed out to the center of his field.
“Next,” he declared, “I will overlay my level 4 Unioncorn of Wind and Pegassist of Water!”
The two monsters morphed into long streams of green and blue light that spiraled around in the air, a red portal forming before Yurik’s two other monsters.
“With these two monsters,” he resumed, “I construct the overlay network! Xyz summon!”
The two auras flew into the portal, causing it to explode in a bright light. Flying forth from it was Yurik’s green alicorn with black stripes and the windy, swirling mane and tail.
“Come on,” beckoned Yurik, “Allicorn of Typhoons!”
Yurik’s monster set itself directly to the right of Twilight Alicorn and adopted its companion’s offensive position, its two xyz materials orbiting around it.
Allicorn of Typhoons
ATK: 2300
Rnk.: 4
“I’m not done!,” continued Yurik. “I activate the effect of Twilight Alicorn, allowing me to special summon two monsters inside my pendulum zones, and I choose my Armored Unicorn and Unioncorn of Night!”
“He has that ability?” Keifer stammered.
“Go! Summon Shine!”
Twilight Alicorn’s horn glowed as its magic glow covered the two monsters on both sides of the field. With two bursts of light, the two monsters simultaneously disappeared and then reappeared on the last two available monster zones on the field
Armored Unioncorn
ATK: 2100
Lvl.: 6
Unioncorn of Night
ATK: 2000
DEF: 4
Twilight and Rainbow Dash stared with pursed lips at Yurik’s nearly-full field. Walt smiled warmly fully confident in his friend’s abilities.
Either way, mused Keifer with a smirk.
“I activate my trap,” he proclaimed, “Grand Sublimation!”
The trap flipped itself up, showing a long chain of volcanic mountains rising out of the sea to a dark and clouded sky.
“When this card is activated while I have no cards in my hand, and my opponent controls more monsters than me, I can draw cards equal to the difference between your monsters and mine.”
“Four monsters to his one?” spoke Walt behind the shocked gasps of the others. “That’s three cards!”
Keifer let out a small chuckle as his cards were taken from the top of his deck and fanned into his left hand.
I guess that settles that, concluded Yurik.
“I activate the effect of Allicorn of Typhoons,” he shouted, removing a card from underneath his monster and putting in into his graveyard slot. “By detaching one xyz material from this card, I can destroy one spell or trap card my opponent controls.”
One of the light orbs melded into the alicorn’s horn, making it shine bright.
“Alright!” Twilight cheered. “Now there will be nothing left to protect his monsters.
“I choose your only face-down card!” exclaimed Yurik.
Allicorn of Typhoons lunged at Keifer with its wings out, and with a swing of its lower body forwards, it hurled its spell at Keifer’s set card.
“I won’t let you,” Keifer responded. “I chain my quick-play spell card Molten Revival!”
As said, a green card with a lightning icon and art of a single draconic backside in a pool of lava with a shining green outline flipped up to Yurik’s sight.
“This card allows me to special summon a Dragma monster from my graveyard in face-down defense position, and the one I choose is…”
A single card ejected itself from a slot in between Keifer’s deck and his spell and trap slot. He then took it out and revealed it to Yurik.
“…Dragma Wyvern!”
With a hard slam, the monster was placed beside Keifer’s other card. Likewise, a large, sideways card backing appeared to the right of Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon.
Damn! cursed Yurik. I thought I had it there. Regardless…
Yurik took out another card from his hand.
“I normal summon Unioncorn of Light!” he declared.
Placing the card onto his only open monster zone left on his duel disk, a blue portal opened up in the respective space on the field, allowing the white unicorn with the mane and tail made from light to appear from it.
Unioncorn of Light
ATK: 1900
Lvl.: 4
“Finally,” he stated, “I activate the effect of Armored Unioncorn, equipping it to a monster I control and having it gain 600 ATK!”
“Oh,” sighed Keifer indifferently, “I see.”
“I equip Armored Unioncorn to Twilight Alicorn!”
The unicorn hopped up into the air a vanished in a burst of light, leaving its armor behind. The armor then floated itself onto Twilight Alicorn and fitted itself upon her.
ATK: 2500 -> 3100
Keifer huffed with a smile, seeing the fruits of Yurik’s planning.
“It was a nice move,” Keifer said, “but with my Magmal Dragon’s effect, you can’t attack it as long as I control a face-down monster.”
“Really?” Yurik replied with canned surprise. “It’s pointless anyway! My monsters have enough strength to perform a one turn kill.”
Keifer stared blankly at Yurik and his monsters, his eyes requesting him to go on with his turn.
“Go!” shouted Yurik. “Unioncorn of Light, destroy Keifer’s face-down Dragma Wyvern! Lustrous Lance!
The unicorn charged its horn and shot a bright bolt from it, which went straight at the face down card that Keifer had set. The card flipped up and the wyvern appeared on top of it, ready to intercept the attack.
Dragma Wyvern
DEF: 1800
Lvl.: 4
“Perfect,” huffed Yurik with a victoriously clenched fist.
The bolt struck Dragma Wyvern and blasted it into gold sparks that flew into Keifer’s face. Keifer stood steadfast in the wake of the fragments of his destroyed monster.
“Dragma Wyvern’s flip effect allows me to draw one card,” Keifer said as he drew a card out from his deck.
It doesn’t matter,” spoke Yurik. “Now that you have no other monsters, I can attack that dragon of yours. Twilight Alicorn, attack Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon! Bright Burst Magic!”
Twilight Alicorn charged its horn and cast a powerful beam at the monster, striking it in the chest. With a loud roar, the monster too disintegrated due to the force. However, the sparks blowing into Keifer stung, making him grunt in irritation.
Keifer’s Life Points: 4000 -> 3900
“Awesome!” shouted Twilight. “Yurik’s still got two more monsters that can attack!”
“And combined,” summarized Walt, “they have more ATK than Keifer has life points!”
“Yurik’s going to win!” Rainbow Dash cried happily. “Yurik’s going to win!”
“Unioncorn of Night,” commanded Yurik, his outstretched hand pointed at his draconic opponent, “attack Keifer directly! Curse of Shadow!”
Unioncorn of Night whinnied loudly as its eyes glowed and a stream of dark-purple mist flew from its horn and at Keifer. The spell washed over Keifer, making him groan in anguish as he felt it afflict his body.
Keifer’s Life Points: 3900 -> 1900
“This will do it!” Yurik cried out. “Allicorn of Typhoons, attack Keifer directly! Horrorcane!”
Charging up its horn and lifting itself off its front two hooves, Keifer widened his stance and prepared to intercept the finishing blow. It’s hooves landing back down, a massive wave of water rose from the ground and threatened to wipe Keifer away and Rarity. Rarity held her breath, covered her head, and shut her eyes tight.
Keifer smirked as he took a card from his hand and placed it face-up and sideways onto the monster zone to the right of the center one. The wave swamped Keifer while avoiding Rarity, much to her surprise, as Yurik and the others chuckled at Yurik’s accomplishment.
“He did it!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “He won!”
“We can go back home now!” spoke Twilight happily.
As the ponies behind him celebrated, Yurik breathed out calmly. Upon hearing the sound of sizzling water, he looked up to see a pillar of steam rise in the air as the water began to die down. Yurik and the others then gasped loudly as he saw a red bipedal dragon with long blonde hair and a feminine face stand before Keifer, its wings held out in front of it like a shield.
Keifer’s Life Points: 1900
“How?” Yurik asked. “How did you summon a monster?”
“The effect of my Dragma Saint Helen,” said Keifer. “When a monster would declare a direct attack, I can special summon this card from my hand in defense position.”
Dragma St. Helen
DEF: 1900
Lvl.: 5
“Of course,” Keifer added, “my monster intercepted the attack, so it is now destroyed.”
Once the last of the water had been absorbed by the ground, the dragon vanished as it lightly fell apart as a collection of sparks. Yurik hissed tightly, his chance of victory squandered.
“It was a valiant attempt, no doubt,” Keifer said, “but it still wasn’t quite enough. Now, is that all you can do?”
Yurik grunted again in anger, furrowing his brow as tightly as he could.
“No,” he yelled, “I’m not done! I now overly my level 4 Unioncorn of Night and Unioncorn of Light!”
Keifer’s eyes widened slightly as Yurik’s weaker two monsters transformed into a purple and yellow beam of light that flew around over yet another red portal forming on the ground.
“With these two monsters,” he resumed, “I construct the overlay network! Xyz summon!”
The two beams flew into the portal, making it blow up with light. Floating out from the portal was a brightly-colored alicorn with orange hooves and legs that slowly faded into a royal-blue body.
“Arise!” called Yurik. “Allicorn of Dawn!”
The monster, its wings stretched out, floated back down to the other side of Twilight Alicorn, gracefully folding its wings back in once it landed.
Allicorn of Dawn
ATK: 2200
Rnk.: 4
Yurik, satisfied with his monsters’ positions, grabbed two cards in his hand and slipped them both into the spell and trap slot of his duel disk, both cards’ backings appearing behind his monsters.
“I place two cards face down and end my turn,” he concluded.
Status: Hand: 1 Life: 2000 Monsters: 3 Pendulum Zones: 0 Pendulum Scale: – Spells/Traps: 2
Just try and attack me now, Keifer, begged Yurik with a smile. Even if you’re able to pendulum summon your Magmal Dragon from your extra deck, it won’t be any match for my monster. If you attack, I’ll just activate its effect to detach one xyz material to shuffle the monster back into your deck.
Keifer examined his opponent, noting his cocky façade and fortified field. He then looked down to his hand to see the newest cards that he had been given, which included two pendulum cards.
I must thank you, Yurik Clayer, he mused. With that wildly impressive strategy of yours, I too have replenished much of my hand. And I still haven’t even drawn yet.
“Don’t let that guy bother you!” cheered Rainbow Dash. “You still got this!”
Yurik merely smirked and without looking, cast his index and middle finger into a V at her. Keifer couldn’t help but grumble at their proud nature.
“My turn,” he announced, his fingers upon his deck. “Draw!”
Keifer quickly added his newest card to his hand and took out his two pendulum monsters, revealing them both to Yurik.
“I set the pendulum scale with the scale 1 Dragma Pompeii and the scale 9 Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon,” he stated.
Everyone before him gasped in amazement.
“He’s got another copy of that card?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
“And he’s going to use it to pendulum summon?” Yurik questioned.
Keifer placed both monsters onto the very outer zones of his blade with one swipe of his hand. Two pools of bubbling lava sprouted from the ground on both sides of Keifer’s field. Rising from the pools were two blue pillars of light, followed by both Keifer’s ace dragon as well as a large, grey dragon with glowing red scars all over its body. While a number 1 and a number 9 appeared over both monsters, the ground before Keifer began to glow red as well.
Dragma Pompeii
Pendulum Scale: 1
Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon
Pendulum Scale: 9
“Also,” added Keifer, “with Magmal Dragon’s pendulum effect, I can pendulum summon monsters in face-down defense position.”
“What?” shouted Yurik.
“And now, I can special summon monsters from my hand or extra deck whose levels are 2 through 8. Pendulum summon!”
Keifer took the remaining two cards from his hand, and revealed them only enough for Yurik to see a level 3 and a level 5 monster. He then placed them both face down and turned to the left upon the zones right and left of the center zone. Two streams of lava gushed out from the ground, making Yurik shield his face from the sudden heat.
Once the lava made its way back to the ground, Yurik could see that there were now two face down cards having appeared. Keifer then looked to his graveyard slot to see his first copy of Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon eject itself face up from it.
“And then there’s the one from my extra deck,” he said, showing Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon fully.
Keifer then placed his card face down upon the center zone, another geyser of molten rock preluding its appearance. Yurik hissed as he looked down at the three new monsters on the field.
I still can’t believe it, he thought. A card that allows him to pendulum summon monsters face-down…
“Finally,” spoke Keifer, “I activate the pendulum effect of Dragma Pompeii. Once per turn, I can destroy one face-up spell or trap card I control.”
“Huh?” Yurik gasped.
Keifer’s dragon turned to the face-up Molten Submergence card.
“That card…” spoke Yurik.
With a massive exhale, a blast of ash came from the dragon’s mouth and coated it. Yurik watched in amazement as the now useless card fell to the ground with a heavy bang.
“Then,” resumed Keifer, “I can add one continuous spell or trap card from my deck to my hand.”
Keifer’s deck shuffled inside its slot as a single card ejected from the top of it. Grabbing it, he revealed the trap card before placing it in the leftmost slot of his duel disk’s body. The ashen spell card shone a hot red before the coating broke away, revealing a new card in its place.
“I place one card face down and end my turn,” he said.
Status: Hand: 0 Life: 1900 Monsters: 3 Pendulum Zones: 2 Pendulum Scale: 2 – 8 Spells/Traps: 1
Yurik looked out over Keifer’s field, studying it intently.
I have to be careful about finding the right monsters to attack, he thought. I would have to imagine that a level 5 flip effect monster would have high DEF, or at the very least, a powerful effect. Still…
He then looked at the screen of his iPad D and noticed his two set cards.
…I still have plenty of protection against this guy, and I doubt he’s going to let me take my next turn without a fight.
“Come on, Yurik,” whispered Walt.
Twilight and Rainbow Dash, as well as Rarity beside Keifer looked to Yurik as their last hope, their eyes shimmering and lips quivering. Yurik managed to look behind himself to the crippled Rainbow Dash and the disabled Twilight, then turning forward to see Rarity, equally incapacitated.
“You’re deck is impressive,” Yurik said to Keifer, gaining his attention, “but I still won’t let its strength beat mine! My turn! Draw!”
“I activate my continuous trap,” declared Keifer quickly, “Pahoehoe Blow!”
Yurik gasped, his concentration broken as he watched Keifer’s card flip up, revealing a fiery dragon burst forth from a ropy surface of black rock.
“This card lets me target a face down monster I control, flip it into face-up defense position, and then equip this card to that monster,” he explained, “and I choose my Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon!”
The center card in Keifer’s monster zones glowed brightly and expanded like a bubble before bursting, unveiling Keifer’s ace monster kneeling down and crossing its arms over its chest.
Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon
DEF: 2500
Lvl.: 8
“Next,” Keifer said, “Magmal Dragon’s flip effect activates, targeting one monster my opponent controls and destroying it!”
Yurik hissed as he prepared for the effect.
“I will destroy your Twilight Alicorn! Go! Sweltering Wing!”
Two large flames shot out of Keifer’s monster’s back, forming into the shape of wings. One wing lashed forwards, throwing a fireball at Twilight Alicorn’s direction. Yurik kept up his brave face, even as his monster’s destruction came closer.
“I activate the effect of Twilight Alicorn!” Yurik shouted. “Once per turn, I can place it on an unused pendulum zone I control.”
“What was that?” yelled Keifer.
Twilight Alicorn charged up its horn, and with a magical pop of a magenta colored bubble, it disappeared leaving the armor behind. As the armor was incinerated by the fireball, Twilight Alicorn appeared on Yurik’s right side of the field, much to the relief of the ponies.
Twilight Alicorn
Pendulum Scale: 6
Keifer, once shocked, realized his situation and smiled.
“Do you think that little effect your monster has intimidates me?” he asked. “Now that you’ve removed your Twilight Alicorn has left the field, it is no longer equipped with Armored Unioncorn, so now you no longer control any monsters that have higher ATK than my monster’s DEF.”
Yurik intensified the sternness of his face as Keifer continued to explain the situation.
“Even if you did, you can’t even get to my monster without going through my other face down monsters. Also, with Pahoehoe Blow’s effect, if you do attack it, whichever monster attacked it will be destroyed.”
“I see,” spoke Yurik, “so you had this all planned from the beginning.”
“On my last turn, more or less.”
“It’s a shame that you forgot about my other monsters! I now activate the effect of Allicorn of Typhoons, detaching an xyz material to destroy one spell or trap card you control.”
Once Yurik detached the final xyz material from his monster, the last orb circling the alicorn melded into its horn.
“And I will choose your Pahoehoe Blow!” he decided.
Allicorn of Typhoons flew out and blasted its ball of magic wind at the upright trap card, blowing it to smithereens.
“Also,” added Yurik, “I wasn’t able to show you last turn, but when Allicorn of Typhoons destroys a spell or trap card by its own effect, it gains 500 ATK.”
Keifer growled angrily. He then watched as the alicorn’s horn continued to glow as the light spread over its body, strengthening it.
ATK: 2300 -> 2800
“Awesome!” Rainbow Dash cried out. “Now it’s stronger than his dragon!”
“Calm down, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight warned. “Yurik still needs to destroy his other two face down monsters if he wants to take out Magmal Dragon.”
“Oh, darn it!”
It’s okay, Rainbow Dash, thought Yurik. I’ve got a plan.
He then looked to his hand, which still contained his Horn of Reborn, a monster card named Water Pony, featuring a blue horse with webbings on the back of his hooves, and another spell card, Shield Shattering.
I can use Horn of Reborn this turn and be able to inflict some major damage, he planned, but I don’t have any monsters in my graveyard strong enough to finish him off. Besides, once he brings back his Magmal Dragon, he’ll just attack it, and if he manages to get around my Allicorn of Dawn’s effect, that will be some serious damage I’ll be taking.
However, if I use this other spell card, I’ll inflict even more damage and still have a field comprised of strong monsters to protect me. Well, looks like my decision is made up…
“I activate the effect of Twilight Alicorn,” shouted Yurik, pointing at his monster with his hand, “allowing me to special summon it from my pendulum zone!”
“And it can come back?” Keifer asked in a furious tone.
Twilight Alicorn charged its horn and disappeared in a lustrous pop, reappearing at the center of the field with Yurik’s other two monsters.
Twilight Alicorn
ATK: 2500
Lvl.: 7
“Next,” Yurik continued, revealing a spell card in his hand before throwing it in his spell and trap slot, “I activate the spell card Shield Shattering!”
Yurik then fanned his hand in and placed both cards into the graveyard slot, each card going in one by one.
“By sending two cards from my hand to the graveyard,” he said, “all monsters I currently control gain the ability of piercing damage.”
“Piercing damage?” roared Keifer.
“I finally found a weakness in your deck, Keifer! And now, I’m going to break you down with it! Now, Allicorn of Dawn, attack the monster to the right of Magmal Dragon! Rising Sun Sheen!”
Yurik’s blue-and-orange union corn shone a bright ray of light at Keifer’s monster, the card flipping up and materializing a skinny red dragon with scythe-like blades coming from its forearms.
Dragma Pele
DEF: 1400
Lvl.: 3
The dragon screamed out as the light burned its body, prepared to be destroyed.
“And with Shield Shattering,” reminded Yurik, “you take the piercing battle damage.”
Keifer groaned as the light shone upon him as well, groaning as his arm and upper body sizzled.
Keifer’s Life Points: 1900 -> 1100
“Dragma Pele’s flip effect now activates!” he cried out. “I can now destroy one spell or trap card on the field, and I will choose your center card!”
Dragma Pele, in its final moments, slashed its arm out at Yurik’s field, a crescent-shaped fired flying out from its blade before bursting into sparks. Twilight and Walt both gasped as it grew closer.
“I activate my counter trap, Rapid Restrict,” he shouted, a trap card flipping up beside the center zone to show a wizard blocking a green energy ball heading towards a small female magician from the right with a blue magic ball. “When a card effect would destroy a spell or trap card I control, I can negate that effect!”
Keifer watched with both amazement and ferocity as a blue beam shot from the trap card and collided into his fallen monster’s fire crescent, destroying them both.
“I now attack the monster on Magmal Dragon’s left with Twilight Alicorn!” he resumed. “Go! Bright Burst Magic!”
Twilight Alicorn charged its horn and launched its magenta beam at the space on Keifer’s dragon’s left. The card flipped up and brought forth a dark-red wingless dragon whose body appeared completely porous.
Dragma Pumice
DEF: 2000
Lvl.: 5
The beam struck the monster, making it roar as it tried to withstand the monster’s spell.
“Take even more damage!” laughed Yurik.
The blast continued onto Keifer, making him yell loudly as he too felt the raw strength of Yurik’s ace monster.
Keifer’s Life Points: 1100 -> 600
“Dragma Pumice’s flip effect now activates,” wailed Keifer as the beam began to die down, “returning the attacking monster to the hand!”
Yurik tensed up, knowing exactly what this meant.
“Your monster’s used up its effect,” chuckled Keifer. “It can’t save itself now!”
The holey dragon forcefully clapped its hands once, making it finally destruct. At the same time, a small rumbling could be felt beneath Yurik’s field as a large piece of pumice quickly rose from the ground and launched the magenta alicorn up.
The monster whinnied in surprise as it glowed a bright white, its form morphing into a stream that flew back into Yurik’s hand as a card. Keifer grinned as he watched Yurik’s slightly-beaten face, only to be shocked upon the human returning to a serious demeanor.
“I activate my trap, Super Swing,” he declared, another trap appearing with the image of a golden machine with a purple-crystal bottom flying out in a downward arc. “When a pendulum monster I control is sent to the hand or to my extra deck, I can special summon that monster.”
“What did you say?” Keifer shrieked.
“I now bring back my deck’s true strength,” he announced, slamming the card back onto his center zone, “Twilight Alicorn!”
From a blue portal forming on the ground, Yurik’s monster flew up from out of it and landed in the center of the field between Yurik’s other monsters.
Twilight Alicorn
ATK: 2500
Lvl.: 7
“Lucky for you,” spoke Yurik, “the monster special summoned by this effect cannot declare an attack for the rest of the turn. However, I still have one more monster to deal with, and with your other monsters gone, your Magmal Dragon is all mine once again!”
Keifer squeezed both of his fists in sheer wrath.
“Allicorn of Typhoons,” cried Yurik, “attack Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon! Horrorcane!”
The monster’s horn grew brightly as a small pool of water rose from Yurik’s field. With an even brighter glow, another wall of water appeared and rushed towards Keifer’s dragon. The wave slammed into the dragon, destroying it instantly in an explosion of steam and sparks.
“And then the piercing damage!” Yurik continued to exclaim.
The strength of the wave was far too much for Keifer to handle once it struck him, blowing him off his feet and tumbling further down the roof, gurgling as he tried to both hold his breath and fight the water.
Keifer’s Life Points: 600 -> 300
The waters finally receded, allowing Keifer to stand back onto his feet and make his way back to his field, Yurik watching him contently as he panted and coughed.
“I didn’t get you this turn,” said Yurik, “but something tells me next turn that I will. During the end phase, Allicorn of Typhoon’s ATK goes back to normal.”
The green-and-black alicorn lit up slightly as its extra strength was slowly reducing.
ATK: 2800 -> 2300
“I end my turn,” Yurik concluded with confidence.
Status: Hand: 0 Life: 2000 Monsters: 3 Pendulum Zones: 0 Pendulum Scale: – Spells/Traps: 0
Yurik calmed himself as the sounds of his cheering friends sounded off behind him.
“You got this in the bag, Yurik!” called Walt.
“You can do this!” cried Rainbow Dash.
“We believe in you!” shouted Twilight.
Rarity, overcome by the emotions her friends were feeling, managed to stand herself to her hooves.
“Yes, Yurik,” she shouted. “We all believe in you!”
Keifer groaned loudly, bringing everyone’s attention to him and silencing them.
“You reduced me down to 300 life points,” he spoke. “So what? All that leaves me is another turn; another chance to defeat you.”
“How do you expect to do that?” asked Yurik. “You have no monsters on your field and no cards in your hand. What chance do you expect to come from that?”
“It’s quite simple, actually. You clearly weren’t planning on me special summoning that one monster two of my turns ago with my Molten Revival. That’s why you normal summoned your Unioncorn of Light as opposed to including it in your pendulum summon. You could have drawn an extra card with Unioncorn of Night’s effect and had that monster card in your hand to spare after activating your Shield Shattering card. It only needed to be at least 300 ATK.”
Yurik bit his lip, trying to fight the pain from what he was realizing was a fatal mistake on his part.
“Shut up, Keifer!” defended Twilight. “There was no way he could have prepared for that!”
“I had two set cards that turn,” he responded condescendingly. “How many more did I need to set to make myself appear more of a threat?”
Yurik felt his arms loosen and his legs wobble, his error eating him from the inside out.
“You got cocky with that turn, Yurik Clayer,” Keifer said, “and now, it’s given me a chance that you could have prevented and saved your friends with.”
“Just shut your mouth and take your turn if you think it’s going to matter!” demanded Yurik, shaking his fist at him as he tried to steady his body.
“For your sake, you better hope it doesn’t. My turn! Draw!”
Keifer looked to the card in his hand, seeing his third and last copy of Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon. With a sigh through his nose and a closing of his eyes, Yurik let out a smile, reading his face as an expression of failure.
“How ironic how one card can mean the difference between winning and losing,” Keifer sighed.
Yurik’s smile went away, unsure of the meaning of his words
“I activate the effect of Dragma Pompeii!” Keifer suddenly shouted, frightening Yurik and his friends behind him. “Destroying a face-up spell or trap card and adding a continuous spell or trap card to my hand!”
“But where?” Yurik exclaimed in a fluster. “There are no… No, wait!”
“I destroy my Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon in my pendulum zone!”
Keifer’s left-side dragon turned to Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon and breathed a plume of ashes at it. Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon curled itself into a fetal position as the ash coated its body and rendered it immobile. At that moment, Keifer’s deck shuffled and ejected a card from the top of his duel disk, allowing Keifer to add it into his hand. He then grabbed his third Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon and revealed it to Yurik.
“I set the pendulum scale with the scale 9 Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon!” he declared.
“No way!” shouted Rainbow Dash.
“He had a third one?” asked Walt.
Placing it on the right pendulum zone, another pool of lava formed on the ground where the ashen Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon lied and then promptly sunk. Another Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon rose from the pool and took its place on the field.
Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon
Pendulum Scale: 9
Blue pillars enveloped around it and Dragma Pompeii as a 1 and a 9 appeared above their heads.
“I can now special summon monsters from my hand or extra deck whose levels are 4 through 8!” he spoke.
“I see!” Yurik gasped. “That means–”
“Pendulum summon! Now return! My two Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragons!”
Two blasts of lava shot up on Keifer’s field, granting the appearance of two of Keifer’s ace monsters, standing and awaiting their next command.
Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon
ATK: 3000
Lvl.: 8
Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon
ATK: 3000
Lvl.: 8
“Two of them…” stammered Yurik. “He now has two of them…”
“And now,” Keifer said, grabbing the last card in his hand, “the card that will seal your fate! I activate the continuous spell card Magmal Razing!”
Keifer threw his card inside his spell and trap slot, the card appearing on the field showing three Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragons as they breathed their fiery breath upon a small village.
“When this card is activated,” explained Keifer, “I special summon an Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon from my pendulum zone! Now, appear! Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon!”
The dragon leapt from its pendulum zone and landed beside the dragon in the center monster zone, all three of them now staring at one of Yurik’s monsters each.
Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon
ATK: 3000
Lvl.: 8
“Three of them now!” cried Rainbow Dash.
It’s pointless thought, Yurik mused. I can just use Allicorn of Dawn’s effect if he even thinks about touching my monsters!
“Then,” spoke Keifer , “I can target cards on the field up to the number of Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragons I control and negate their effects.”
“What?” screamed Yurik. “Impossible!”
“Furthermore, cards and effects cannot be activated in response to this effect, so your Twilight Alicorn cannot run away!”
“No! NO, NO, NO!”
“The effects of your monsters will now be negated, Yurik Clayer!”
A pair of fiery wings shot out from the backs of all three of the dragons and fanned themselves at Yurik’s monsters, producing a hot, wispy wave. The heat went over Yurik and his monsters, making them all gag in pain. The two Allicorns lied down, too weak to stand, while Twilight Alicorn was forced to only one knee. Yurik’s eyes bled tears as he saw his monsters reduced to this state.
“And with your monsters’ ATKs,” Keifer exclaimed, “you will not have enough life points to survive! Now, battle! Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon, attack Allicorn of Dawn! Pyroclastic Pillar of Obliteration!”
The dragon on the right breathed in and then blew out a blast of fire and ash that struck Yurik’s monster, destroying it instantly. Yurik screamed as he felt the flames and rock collide into him.
Yurik’s Life Points: 2000 -> 1200
“Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon,” commanded Keifer, “attack Allicorn of Typhoons! Pyroclastic Pillar of Obliteration!”
The left dragon let out a similar beam of rock and fire, destroying the alicorn and striking Yurik as well, his crying out never ceasing as his voice grew hoarse.
Yurik’s Life Points: 1200 -> 500
“This is it,” Keifer finally spoke in a calm voice. “Now, end this! Obsidian-Eyes Magmal Dragon, attack Twilight Alicorn! Pyroclastic Pillar of Obliteration!”
Yurik stared blankly at his soon to be destroyed monster as it turned back to look at him with a touch of sadness and disappointment. The center dragon hurled its fire breath at Twilight Alicorn and blasted it away. Yurik, too weak and demoralized to scream, felt his body blasted backwards towards his shocked and terrified friends.
Yurik’s Life Points: 500 -> 0
Keifer wins.
Yurik looked behind him as his vision clouded and faded to black. With the little strength he had left, he reached to Twilight, only for his body to flip backwards, unable to see his friend before he completely blacked out. Yurik’s chest hit the ground, leaving his abdomen and legs to swing down and crash down next. Walt shuddered as his friend’s body refused to move.
“Yurik!” he shouted, running to him and sliding to his side and rolling him over to his back. “Yurik! Yurik! Get up! Come on, man, get up!”
Keifer smirked as the ponies too ran to his aid, raising his arm and hand with his claws glowing. Twilight and Rainbow Dash suddenly found themselves lifted off their feet and floating above Yurik and Walt.
“Sorry,” Keifer insincerely remarked, “but they belong to me now…”
With a click of his claws, Rainbow Dash and Twilight were pulled towards Keifer. Rainbow Dash was sent faster with a scared yelp while Twilight’s went much slower, allowing Walt to hop up and grab hold of Twilight’s hoof with both hands.
“Twilight!” shouted Walt.
“Walt!” cried Twilight.
“I’m not letting go!”
“Yes, you are!” exclaimed Keifer with a yank of his arm.
Twilight screamed as her hoof slipped from Walt’s grasp and her body went towards Keifer, both her and Rainbow Dash now floating on both sides of him.
“Your friend put up a valiant fight,” Keifer said as his the blade of his duel disk receded inside and the disk affixing itself onto the side of his sleeve, “but that mistake of his has cost him his friends.”
“Damn you!” shouted Walt, kneeling back down to cradle Yurik’s body. “You damned bastard!”
Keifer squatted down and picked up Rarity, who was too frightened and weak to fight him.
“Don’t worry,” Keifer said. “I’ll be coming back to pick up the others.”
Walt contorted his face as tightly as his anger would allow. Keifer merely looked at the unconscious Yurik, ignoring Walt’s emotions.
“Farewell, Yurik Clayer,” he bid.
“No!” shouted Walt, setting his friend down and running out at him. “Get back here!”
Keifer raised his wings up and thrust them down, suddenly shooting up into the sky at an impossible speed, disappearing into an overhead cloud with Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity in tow, their screams quickly disappearing.
Walt pressed squeezed his fists until they ached profusely. He then threw his arms out and leaned up into the sky, yelling as loudly as his voice possible could. On the ground, Yurik’s face was frozen in sadness as two tears rolled down from his eyes and down the sides of his cheeks.