//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: Old Allies, New Enemies // Story: Dueling is Magic! Many Futures // by Wolfgang //------------------------------// Dueling is Magic! Many Futures Chapter Eleven Old Allies, New Enemies /*********************\ Twilight stared up at the mysterious portrait, gazing into violet eyes that seemed childishly kind and humble, but held back an inferno of determination. “Is this the human I met outside the palace?” Twilight muttered. “Or maybe they’re related... but who is-” “TWILIGHT!” Twilight jumped, startled, and whirled around. Leo was racing toward between the aisles of shelves. “Twilight, run!” Leo shouted. “Leo! What’s going on?’ she asked. Leo slid to a halt in front of her and pointed his flashlight behind him. Two humans, a tall woman and a hulking man, were running after him. “That’s going on!” said Leo. “Run!” “But who-?” “Talk later!” said Leo as he pushed her. “Run now!” Leo and Twilight ran as fast as they could for the stairs. Twilight heard footsteps behind her and saw the woman turn sharply after them. The hulking figure behind her slammed into the wall but seemed not to have noticed as he also kept pace. She and Leo reached the stairs and began running up them as fast as possible. Halfway up, Twilight stopped and turned around. Her horn was glowing. “Twilight, what are you doing?!” shouted Leo. “Come on!” Twilight ignored him. A moment later, a pale pink barrier had formed in the narrow stairway. Twilight turned and ran back to Leo’s side. “Force field,” she said. “It should hold them long enough for us to get outside.” Twilight heard a deep yell and looked behind her. The huge man was punching at the forcefield. “...but under that kind of stress, we might have a little less time,” Twilight said. “Come on!” She and Leo ran and made it to the top of the stairs when she heard the sound of glass shattering. The enormous man grinned behind his outstretched fist. Twilight gulped as the man ran toward them. Leo wrapped his arms around Twilight, picked her up and started running. “L-Leo! What-” Twilight stammered. “We’ve gotta keep moving, Twilight!” said Leo. He dropped her to her hooves as soon as they were out the front doors. “Oh no,” said Leo. “My D-Wheel!” A strange energy had wrapped itself around the wheels of his vehicle. “Great,” said Leo. “Looks like we’ll have to deal with those two.” “Leo, who were those people?” Twilight asked. “Sherry LeBlanc and Aporia,” Leo answered. “Sherry used to be a friend of ours. Aporia... I thought he was-” “Dead?” the man interrupted. Leo and Twilight spun around. “The Aporia you met is very much dead.” “Then who are you?” Leo asked. “I am Aporia,” the hulking man replied. “Leo, why were we running from them?” Twilight asked. “They’re working for the Black King,” Leo said through gritted teeth. Twilight gasped. “The boy is correct,” Aporia replied. “I was reconstructed by my new master. Miss LeBlanc here joined our ranks shortly after another of my comrades found her.” “Sherry?” Leo said. “Why? I thought you were our ally!” “I was, little boy,” said the woman. “However, zat has changed.” “You will not be getting out of here so easily this time, little boy,” said Aporia. “But we will give you a sporting chance to escape. Duel us, and your victory shall ensure your safe departure.” “And if we lose?” Leo asked. “You will come with us to meet the Black King.” Leo snorted. “Fine. Twilight, you up for this?” Twilight’s horn lit up and her Duel Disk appeared before her. “You bet, Leo,” she said. Sherry’s Duel Disk activated, a plain white board with a circular base. Aporia reached his left hand over his right shoulder and grasped the golden ring that hovered behind him. As he pulled it over his shoulder it bent and slid into place before him, forming a semicircle in front of his middle. Green light danced across the edge and between the gold rods that hovered in front of its edge. The massive red gem on Aporia’s right wrist slid back and up, revealing a deck of cards that was shuffled by the machinery within. “DUEL!” the four of them shouted. Life Point Count Aporia: 4000 Twilight: 4000 Sherry: 4000 Leo: 4000 “The rules will be Battle Royale,” said Aporia. “All players are your opponents. However, I expect you and the unicorn will team up to defeat us. We shall do the same against you.” “Fair enough,” said Leo. “Do you know the Battle Royale rules, Twilight?” he asked the lavender unicorn. “Yeah, I saw Yusei in one once,” she said. “Nobody can attack on the first turn, and everyone is technically your opponent.” Leo nodded. “I will take the first move,” said Aporia. His massive left hand reached up, and with surprising nimbleness, took a card from the top of his deck. “My turn! I activate the Spell Card ‘Piri Reis Map’, which lets me add a monster with zero Attack Points from my deck to my hand. However, if I Summon it this turn, my Life Points will be halved.” “What do you think he’s getting?” Twilight asked. “I can think of a few things,” Leo said uneasily. “I add ‘Sky Core’ to my hand,” said Aporia. “Next, I summon ‘Meklord Army of Skiel’ in Attack Mode.” A blue mechanical creature emerged from a bright blue portal in front of Aporia. Steel wings reached out from its back, straight as boards. Thin arms hung beneath the wing joints of the machine. Red markings appeared on the black face of its head, creating a sinister face. Meklord Army of Skiel ATK/1200 LV 4 “I Set two cards and end my turn,” said Aporia. “My turn,” said Twilight. Pink magic wrapped itself around the top card of her deck and slid it into the air to join the other five floating in front of her. “I summon ‘Defender, the Magical Knight’ in Defense Mode.” A stout warrior holding a short sword and a tower shield appeared His blue armor was styled after the many other magicians in Twilight’s deck. Defender, the Magical Knight DEF/2000 LV 4 “When Defender is Normal Summoned, he gains a Spell Counter,” said Twilight. The large red jewel at the center of the shield began to glow. “I end my turn,” Twilight said. “My turn,” said Sherry as she drew a card. “I summon ‘Noble Knight Shield Bearer’ in Defense Mode and Set one card. Your move, Leo.” A warrior in gray steel armor appeared from the blue portal. He held in front of him a blue Y-shaped shield. Noble Knight Shield Bearer DEF/1300 LV 4 Leo drew. “I Summon ‘Morphtronic Boarden’ in Defense mode and Set one card,” he said. A wheeled board blasted out of the portal, propelled by two rockets on its back. It squealed to a halt in front of Leo. A giant card appeared face-down behind it. Morphtronic Boarden DEF/1800 LV 4 “Back to you, Aporia,” said Leo. “My turn!” said Aporia. “I summon ‘Absurd Stealer’ in Attack Mode!” Emerging from the portal was a machine, T-shaped and armored in purple and gold. On either side of the thing were spinning electrical rods. At the bottom was a circular blue jewel, and at the top was a larger red one. Absurd Stealer ATK/100 LV 1 “Absurd Stealer’s effect activates,” said Aporia. “When it is Normal summoned, it reduces the Attack Points of one monster in play to zero, then its own Attack Points become equal to that monster’s Defense Points.” Twilight’s monster, Defender, cried out as its sword was struck by electrical bolts. The blue knight dropped it, then raised its shield to better defend itself. Defender, the Magical Knight ATK/0 DEF/2000 LV 4 Absurd Stealer ATK/2000 LV 1 “Battle! Absurd Stealer, attack Morphtronic Boarden!” Aporia ordered. The purple machine flipped upside down and fire a blue beam from the gem of the same color at Leo’s monster. The rocket-powered skateboard exploded a moment later. “I set a third card and end my turn,” said Aporia. “My turn!” said Twilight. “I summon the Tuner monster ‘Arcane Apprentice’.” A short humanoid wrapped in purple robes covered in brown leather emerged onto the field. His head was completely covered by his pointed hood, only revealing two glowing red eyes in the shadows covering his face. In his left hand he held an ornate violet rod. Apprentice Magician ATK/1000 LV 2 “Oh no,” said Leo. “Twilight! Don’t-” “Apprentice Magician, tune with Defender, the Magical Knight!” said Twilight. The magician changed to an orange outline that was stripped away as its two stars shot up into the sky and formed green Synchro rings above Defender. Defender vanished as well and his four stars lined up inside the rings, and all were engulfed in a pillar of light. “The magic of fire and light combine in an explosion that shakes the earth! Synchro Summon! Erupt into battle, ‘Explosive Magician’!” “Twilight, no!” shouted Leo. A tall human dressed in white and gold robes emerged from the pillar of light. A chain of flares connected by bolts of lightning erupted from the center of the wide-tipped staff he held in his hand. Explosive Magician ATK/2500 LV 6 “Twilight, you shouldn’t have done that!” said Leo. “Why not?” Twilight asked. “Aporia has Sky Core in his hand! He plans to summon a Meklord Emperor, and then it’ll devour your Synchro Monster!” “Oh...” said Twilight. “Well, it’s too late now. Let’s just roll with it. Arcane Apprentice’s effect activates. When it’s used as Synchro Material, I can add ‘Assault Mode Activate’ from my deck to my hand.” Assault Mode Activate? thought Leo. Maybe she can play around the Meklord Emperor’s effect! But I don’t think Explosive Magician has an Assault Mode, does it? “Battle!” shouted Twilight. “Explosive Magician, attack Absurd Stealer with Chain Flare!” The white-robed magician aimed his staff at at the odd machine. The jewels at the end began to glow. “I activate the Trap Card ‘Excess Summon’,” said Aporia. “When a monster I control is attacked, this card returns it to my hand and allows me to summon a weaker monster to the field. I Summon ‘Sky Core’!” Absurd Stealer vanished from the field, but was then replaced by a large blue egg-shaped object. The egg opened, revealing a multifaceted core surrounded by a ring of bright blue crystals. Sky Core ATK/0 LV 1 “Twilight, destroy it!” said Leo. “If it’s destroyed by an effect, it’ll summon a Meklord Emperor!” “On it,” said Twilight. “Explosive Magician, redirect and attack Sky Core!” “Trap Card, ‘Spark Breaker’!” said Aporia. “This destroys one monster I control and all monsters on the field with the same name. I destroy Sky Core!” “Oh no,” said Leo. “Oh no no no!” “When Sky Core is destroyed by an effect, it first destroys all monsters on my field.” A blue shockwave erupted from the core of blue egg. It struck Meklord Army of Skiel and it exploded shortly after. “Next, it summons to my field five monsters: ‘Meklord Emperor Skiel Infinity’, ‘Skiel Attack’, ‘Skiel Guard’, ‘Skiel Carrier’, and ‘Skiel Top’ from my hand, deck or Graveyard.” A massive blue ring appeared above Aporia, and five cards appeared within, silhouetted by the light. From each one emerged strange mechanical constructs of varying shapes and sizes. One was round and shaped like the head of a bird with large, closed eyes. Another was also shaped like a bird’s head, but more elongated. The next had six legs like an insect, but its front curled around underneath its body and came out from the back. After that came a strange machine that had several wiry protrusions emerging from its back, almost like tentacles. The final construct seemed to be nothing more than a frame. “Well, they don’t look so tough,” said Twilight. “Then let me show you their true power,” Aporia replied. “Meklord Emperor Skiel Infinity gains the Attack Points of the Meklord Parts that it has combined with. Now, combine!” The “eyes” of the round bird’s head flashed suddenly opened, but there were no eyes beneath its lids. Instead there was only a hollow cavity, pitch black inside save for a spinning green object orbited by two green rings. The elongated bird’s head attached itself to the top of the first machine, while the thin frame split in two and attached to the sides, forming a pair of wings. The six-legged machine unfolded its tail from beneath its body and spun around, attaching to the back of the round center. The final machine withdrew its tentacles and attached itself to the underside, a large weapon barrel folding upward out of its frame. Skiel Attack ATK/1000 LV 1 Skiel Guard ATK/200 LV 1 Skiel Carrier ATK/400 LV 1 Skiel Top ATK/600 LV 1 Meklord Emperor Skiel ∞ ATK/2200 LV 1 The machine’s blue exterior gleamed in the sunlight. It let loose a bird-like shriek. Aporia smiled. /*********************\ Next time on Dueling is Magic! Many Futures Aporia has successfully summoned Meklord Emperor Skiel Infinity. Though Twilight remains unimpressed with the machine, Leo remembers the horrors it unleashed upon him and his sister and tries desperately to convince Twilight of the looming danger! Will he convince the young unicorn to be cautious, or will she play right into Aporia’s hands? Chapter 12 Trust Me! /*********************\ Featured Card Skiel Attack WIND Level 1 Machine/Effect If you do not control a face-up "∞" monster, destroy this card. ATK/1000 DEF/0 Skiel Guard WIND Level 1 Machine/Effect If you do not control a face-up "∞" monster, destroy this card. Once per turn, when a monster you control is targeted for an attack: You can target the attacking monster; negate that attack. ATK/200 DEF/300 Skiel Carrier WIND Level 1 Machine/Effect If you do not control a face-up "∞" monster, destroy this card. ATK/400 DEF/0 Skiel Top WIND Level 1 Machine/Effect If you do not control a face-up "∞" monster, destroy this card. ATK/600 DEF/0 Meklord Emperor Skiel ∞ WIND Level 1 Machine/Effect Other monsters you control cannot attack. Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up Synchro Monster your opponent controls; equip that target to this card. This card gains ATK equal to the original ATK of all Synchro Monsters equipped to this card by this effect. This card gains ATK and DEF equal to the ATK of all other "Wisel", "Skiel" and "Granel" monsters you control. When this card is destroyed: Destroy all monsters you control. ATK/0 DEF/0