Twilight's Duel School of Friendship: Sophomore Year

by k00l

Chapter 29: Shrouded in Darkness

They all finally get to the bottom of the well, and it opens up into a massive cavern. It was so dark that you couldn't see your hoof in front of your face.

"Ugh, I can't see anything," Smolder complained.

"Calm down, I'm on it." Said Starswirl as he used an illumination spell with his horn to light up the area around him.

"That's good for you, but what about the rest of us?" Gallus deadpanned.

"I came prepared for that as well." Said Twilight using her horn to open her saddlebags again. She pulls out 3 unlit torches. "Smolder, can you light these please?"

"Sure headmare." Said Smolder before breathing some fire to light the torches. Twilight then hands one torch to the students with claws and then illuminates her own horn. Now with a decent amount of light, they can see their surroundings. They see that Starswirl is fixated on a wall in front of him. They stepped forward to see what he was looking at and were shocked by what they saw. On the wall was a large engraving, that looked like the Pony of Shadows himself. Some of the students gulp hard and the rest shake.

"This is without a doubt, the home of The Pony of Shadows." Said Starswirl.

"But where is he? Shouldn't he have made his presence known by now?" Asked Twilight.

"He should of, but there is not another soul down here." Said Starswirl while looking around him

"Wrong beardy." Said a voice coming from the wall. They all focus on the wall, when suddenly two dark spots appear slowly, to figures walk through the wall and stand in front of the group. Starswirl glares his eyes as he knows who exactly they are.

"Enigma and Eclipse!" Said Starswirl. Both figures raise their head to look at the group, they have unamused expressions on their face.

"You finally found us, aren't you proud of yourselves?" Enigma asked in a sarcastic tone

"Indeed, since you two are the last Shadow Riders left." Starswirl began to boast.

"Saved the best for last! We are the best tag duelist in Equestria. None of you can beat us." Eclipse began to chuckle.

"Me and Starswirl can! We'll take you on!" Twilight huffed, digging her hoof into the ground.

"The bearers of Magic and Sorcery. This should be fun." Said Enigma

"After we beat you, your master is next." Said Starswirl. Twilight and Starswirl activate their duel disks and Enigma and Eclipse form theirs

"DUEL"

[Starswirl and Twilight Vs. Enigma and Eclipse]

[Harmony 8000/ Shadows 8000]

"I will start us off, I draw my card." Said Twilight. "I activate the spell Ledger of Ledgerdemain! I banish the top three cards of my deck face down. Then on my 3rd turn after activating this card, those cards are added to my hoof. Next, I summon Hermit of Prophecy! {1200atk. 600def. Lv3}. I then activate the Spellbook Organization. The next three cards on my deck are removed. I can look at them and put them in any order I chose and return them to the deck." Twilight organizes her cards and puts them back. "Since I activated a spellbook, my Hermit's effect activates! His level increases by 2 and he gains 300 attack points permanently. Making his level 5 with 1500 attack! I now end."

"My move. I draw." Said Eclipse. "I activate the effect of Junk Forward! Since I control no monsters, I can special summon him. I special summon him in defense mode! {900atk. 1500def. Lv3} Now I set a card face down. I end."

"I draw." Said Starswirl. "I activate the effect of Magicians' Souls in my hoof. I send one level 6 or higher spellcaster from my deck to the grave. I send the Dark Magician to the grave. Now I can discard Magicians' Souls to special summon the Dark Magician from the grave! {2500atk. 2100def. Lv7}. I end by placing a card face down.

"My turn, drawing." Said Enigma. "I activate Dodododraw! I send one dododo monster from my hoof to the grave and I draw 2 cards. I send Dododo Witch to the grave to draw. Then I place a monster face down with two more face down cards and end."

[Twilight 3 cards/ Eclipse 4 cards/ Starswirl 4 cards/ Enigma 3 cards]

"My turn again. I draw." Said Twilight. "I activate the spell Book of Taiyou! This flips your face down monster Enigma, to face up attack position."

"Very well, You flipped summoned my Gagaga Ceasar. {1800atk. 600def. Lv3}" Enigma grunted.

"Hm, I will now activate the spell Spellbook of Knowledge. I discard the spellbook of Eternity from my hoof to draw two cards. Now my Hermit is level 7 with 1800 attack. He will attack your Ceasar." Twilight commanded, pointing at Enigma's monster.

"They will both be destroyed." Warned Enigma narrowing his eyes.

"I know, Hermit attack!" Twilight continued her command. Both monsters fire a powerful beam from their staffs. The beam collides and explodes, destroying both monsters. "One down, Now I will use my Partner's dark Magician to attack your monster Eclipse!" Dark Magician points his staff at Junk Forward and the colors go negative. Junk Forward is then destroyed and the colors go back to normal. "I now end."

"I'll make you pay for destroying my monster Element! Draw!" Said Eclipse. "I activate the spell Synchronized Realm! Now every time I synchro summon a monster, You are dealt 500 points of damage! Now I summon Junk Charger! {1500atk. 900def. Lv3 Tuner.} Now I will activate the effect of Boost Warrior in my hoof. Since I have a Tuner on the field, He is special summoned {300atk. 200def. lv1}. Now I will activate my Charger's effect, Making my Boost Warrior's level go up by one, making him Level 3! Now I Tune for 5, Synchro Summoning Junk Speeder! {1800atk. 1000def. Lv5 Synchro.}" Synchronized Realm then shocks both Twilight and Starswirl for 500 points for the Synchro summon.

"I'm not done yet Elements, because Junk Speeder has an effect! Since she was Synchro Summoned, I can special summon up to 4 more Synchron Monsters from my deck! But I will only need one. I special summon Sattelite Synchron! {700atk. 100def. Lv2 Tuner.} Now I will Tune for 7, Synchro summoning Seven Swords Warrior! {2300atk. 1800def. Lv7 Synchro}" Twilight and Starswirl get shocked again for 500, "For now, that is all I can do."

"My my, What a powerful turn that was Eclipse. You handle your synchro monster like a true master." Remarked Enigma. Eclipse Smirks at him.

"Of course, when it gets to your turn, show them your true power with your Xyzs." Eclipse quipped back to his partner.

"Stay focused Twilight. Their chatter is simply to throw us off our game." Starswirl warned, giving Twilight a side-eye

"Right, I'm ready for anything," Twilight reassured.

[Twilight 3 cards/ Eclipse 2 cards]

[Harmony 7000/ Shadows 8000]

"Allow me to show you what a master of sorcery can do! I draw." Said Starswirl. "I activate the continuous Spell card, Dark Magical Circle! Now I look at the top three cards of my deck, I select one that is either the Dark Magician or mentions the Dark Magician and reveal it. I then add it to my hoof and the other two are set in any order I chose." A Magical circle surrounds Starswirl and Twilight. "I reveal Eternal Soul! It mentions the Dark Magician in its text so I keep it. I now set a card, Now my Dark Magician will attack your Seven Sword Warrior!"

"Sorry, Beardy! But I activate my face down, Scrap Iron Scare Crow! Your attack is negated and I can set this card back face down!" Eclipse began to chuckle.

"I promise you, that is the last time you call me that!" Starswirl huffed, as his breath was seen coming out of his nose. "I activate the spell Dedication Through Light and Darkness! I tribute my Dark Magician to upgrade him to the Dark Magician of Chaos! {2800atk. 2600def. Lv8}" The Dark Magician had a dark shroud cast all over him, turning him into the Dark Magician of Chaos. "Since we are sharing a graveyard Twilight, I will use my Magician's effect to add the Book of Taiyou spell card to my hoof. Now I will end."

"Heh, for a pony who fights for the light, you sure do have a lot of monsters with 'dark' in their name Starswirl." Said Eclipse. That comment caused the students to widen their eyes. It was true that Starswirl had an unusual amount of 'Dark' cards in his deck.

"Without darkness, there is no light. My monsters have pledged their allegiance to me and will fight for my causes." Starswirl narrowed his eyes at the Shadows.

[Starswirl 2 cards]

"Now, it is my turn. I draw." Said Enigma. "I now summon Gagaga Magician! {1500atk. 1000def. Lv4} I want him to remain at the level that he is, because I also activate the spell Gagagawind! I can special summon a Gagaga monster from my hoof as a level 4 monster. I summon Gagaga Sister! {200atk. 800def. Lv2 -> Lv4}. Now I build the Overlay Network to Xyz summon Number 39: Utopia! {2500atk. 2000def. Lv4 Xyz}" When Utopia is summoned to the field, his presence alone commands authority and he stares down the Magician in front of him. "Now watch Starswirl as I activate the effect of my face-down card, Xyz Effect! When I Xyz summon a monster, I destroy one card on your field, I destroy your magician!"

"No!" Said Starswirl. The trap card fires a powerful beam and strikes down his Magician. "Gah!.... When my magician of Chaos leaves the field, he is banished."

"I'm not done Starswirl, now it's time for you both to face our monster's wrath! Utopia, Attack the old man, and Seven Sword Warriors attack the mare!" Commanded Enigma.
"Not so fast! I activate my face down, Eternal Soul!" Yells Starswirl proudly. "This is a continuous trap card, and when activated I can special summon Dark Magician from the Graveyard!" Engima scowls at Starswirl, he doesn't want to lose his Utopia just yet.

"Our monsters are evenly matched, so I will hold off my attack and end. You lucked out Starswirl." Enigma huffs in frustration.

[Enigma 1 card]

"Great save Starswirl." Said Twilight, she looked a little shaken as that attack would have been devastating.

"I gave you some breathing room, take advantage of it." Starswirl looked her in the eyes as he spoke.

"I will, I draw." Said Twilight. "I activate the spell Spell Spellbook of Secrets! I can add one Spellbook from my deck to my hoof, I add the Spellbook of Fate! Now I summon Temperance of Prophecy! {1000atk. 1000def. Lv3}. Since I activated a spellbook earlier on this turn, I can activate his effect, I can tribute him to special summon a Dark or a light Spellcaster monster from my deck! I tribute him to summon my ace card, High Priestess of Prophecy! {2500atk. 2100def. Lv7}." High Priestess stands next to the Dark Magician majestically. She then looks over at Twilight and smiles, causing Twilight to smile back. Both monsters have their backs to each other while staring down their enemies with their arms crossed.

"I now activate her effect, once per turn I can banish one spellbook from my graveyard to destroy one card on your side of the field. I banish Spellbook of Knowledge to destroy your Scrap-Iron Scarecrow Eclipse!" Eclipse scowls at her as High Priestess uses magic to levitate the book she is holding and from it, a beam of magic fires out and destroys the trap. "Now my Priestess will attack Seven Sword Warrior!"

"Oh no you don't!" Yelled Enigma. "I activate the effect of Utopia! By removing one Xyz material your attack is negated!"

"Fine, then Dark Magician will attack!" Said Twilight.

"I will remove the second one to spare my partner's monster!" Said Enigma.

"Since that was all I could have done, I end." Said Twilight.

[Twilight 3 cards]

"Dude, this is the duel of the century!" Said Gallus, watching in pure amazement.

"Both teams are so evenly matched! This might be the best duel I have ever watched." Sandbar said with his eyes still glued to the duel.

"I know they are the enemy, but the Eclipse and Enigma have mastered their decks, they are on par with our Headmare and Starswirl." Ocellus pointed out.

"At this point, it is anyone's game." Said Silverstream.

"Yona and friends must keep faith that Headpony and Bearded Pony will win." Said Yona

"My move, Draw!" Said Eclipse. He was shaking hard as he drew.

"What is the matter Eclipse?" Asked Enigma looking at his partner.

"Nothing important, except this is the funniest duel I have ever been in!" Said Eclipse while smirking and his adrenaline pumping.

"We are not dueling for fun! We are dueling for the master." Said Enigma sternly.

"Yeah yeah yeah, anyway." Said Eclipse turning his attention back to Twilight and Starswirl. "I activate the Equip Spell Synchro Boost! My Seven Swords' level goes up by one, and his attack by 500, making him Level 8 with 2800 attack! Not only that, his effect activates. When he is equipped with an equip card, you lose 800 life points!" Both Twilight and Starswirl were zapped again. "Now for his attack, destroy his Dark Magician!" Seven Sword Warrior Charges Dark Magician and stabs him. Dark Magician groans loudly before being destroyed. "Before the attack continues, I will now activate seven sword Warrior's effect, I can destroy the equip card attached to him to destroy one of your monsters, say goodbye to your priestess as well!"

"NO!" both Twilight and Starswirl say at the same time, but it is too late. Priestess slowly doubles over like she is in pain. she moans softly before being destroyed as well.

"And we still have one more monster left to attack!" Eclipse boasted.

"Right, Utopia, attack them directly!" Said Enigma. Utopia lifts his sword high and then swings it hard onto both Twilight and Starswirl, greatly hurting them.

"Oh yeah! That's my turn!" Said Eclipse smirking wider.

[Harmony 3400/ Shadows 8000]

[Eclipse 2 cards]

"You guys just had to jinx them didn't you!" Said Smolder sharply.

"Wait a second Smolder, look at them!" Said Ocellus pointing. As the dust cleared from the attack, both Starswirl and Twilight still stood strong and were not knocked back by the attack. They had pained, but determined expressions on their faces.

"Try as you might Shadows, but you will not knock us down!" Said Starswirl. The students started to cheer for them as Eclipse and Engima stared at them, staying silent.

"Now, it's time for my move. I draw." Said Starswirl. "As Eternal soul is still face up on my side of the field, I resummon back my Dark Magician! Now I normal summon the Skilled Dark Magician. {1900atk. 1700def. Lv4}. However, he will not stay, as I activate the spell Magical Dimension! While I control a spellcaster, I tribute one of my monsters to special summon the last monster in my hoof, the Dark Magician Girl! {2000atk. 1700def. Lv6}. Now for the final effect of Magical Dimension. When this effect resolves, I can destroy one of your monsters, I destroy your Seven Sword Warrior Eclipse." The Dark Magician girl points her staff at the warrior and destroys him with a powerful blast.

"Gah! No!" Said Eclipse.

"Now Enigma, I will attack Utopia." Said Starswirl with a smirk. Engima Scowls at him.

"You knew didn't you?" Enigma growled.

"Oh course I knew, Utopia is instantly destroyed when targeted for an attack while he has no Xyz Material." Said Starswirl. As Utopia destroys himself, the Dark Magician smirks at Starswirl. "Now since you are both Monsterless, this will be a magic onslaught! Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, Attack Enigma, and Eclipse Directly!" Dark Magician spins his staff behind him and Dark Magician Girl smiles and then winks At Eclipse. Then in unison, Both Magicians point their staffs at each one of them and fire a large magical blast from them. Both Enigma and Eclipse call out as they are attacked.

[Harmony 3400/ Shadows 3500]

[Starswirl 0 cards]

Eclipse and Enigma were on their knees. They both angrily look up at Starswirl, who has his Magicians on each side of him.

"That evened up the points quite well." Boasted Starswirl. "You two are going to learn the hard way of what happens to you when you accept the Shadows into you."

"GRRRR!!! You're finished, old man!" Yelled Enigma as he drew for his turn. "I summon Utopic Onomatopoeia {1500atk. 1500def. Lv4} This card is also treated as a Gagaga, Gogogo, Dododo, and a Zubaba monster, and I can special summon one of each of those monsters from my hoof this turn. I just so happen to have one more monster in my hoof, the Gogogo Golem! {1800atk. 1500def. Lv4}. Now the only special summon I can perform from my extra deck from the rest of my turn can only be Xyz, which I am! I build the Overlay Network to Xyz Summon Number 55: Gogogo Goliath! {2400atk. 1200def. Lv4 Xyz} A huge monster the size of a fortress takes the field. "While on the field, Gogogo Goliath gives all monsters on our side of the field 800 extra attack, including himself, Making him 3200! Gogogo Goliath, attack his Dark Magician Girl!" Goliath lifts his fist into the air and brings it down hard. Dark Magician girl tries to protect herself but is ultimately crushed by Goliath.

"No! Dark Magician Girl!" Starswirl cried out.

"I now end. Good luck getting past my Goliath!" Said Enigma.

[Harmony 2200/ Shadows 3500]

[Enigma 0 cards]

Starswirl grits his teeth. He looks at the ground. It appears he was panicking. He had no cards in his hoof, and All he had was his Dark Magician. It appeared he was trying to calculate a strategy to win, but was having a hard time thinking.

"Starswirl." Said Twilight. Starswirl looks over at her. "It'll be ok, I promise. It's my turn now and I will guarantee our victory." Twilight smiles at him. Starswirl takes a moment but slowly nods and then stands up straight.

"It's my move, I draw!" Said Twilight. "And now it has been three of my turns since I activated Ledger of Ledgerdemain, the three cards I banished are now brought into my hoof. Twilight smiles at the 7 cards she has in her hoof. "First I activate the spell, Spellbook of Life. I banish my Hermit in my graveyard and reveal a spellbook in my hoof, I reveal the Spellbook of Fate. Now I special summon one Spellcaster from the Grave, I summon back my High Priestess of Prophecy!" Priestess returns to the field elegantly and glares at Goliath. "She is now treated as a Level 10 monster because I banished my Hermit, but that effect is not important to me. Because Now I activate the Spellbook of Fate! This card has three effects that I can activate, but I can only activate one. The effect that will activate depends on the number of Spellbooks I banish from my graveyard. I can banish up to three, which I do! I banish Spellbook of Secrets, Eternity, and Organization! Now the third effect activates, Your Goliath is banished from the duel!"

"WHAT!?" Eclipse and Enigma yell at the same time. Goliath slowly dissipates, as he was never there, leaving the two shadows wide open.

"Starswirl, Are you ready to end this?" Asked Twilight. Starswirl stood tall and was smirking.

"Indeed I am." Said Starswirl.

"High Priestess of Prophecy!" Said Twilight.

"Dark Magician!" Said Starswirl.

"Attack them directly!" They both said at the same time. Dark Magician points his staff while Priestess opens her book, and both fire a large powerful beam of Magic that strikes the Shadows and finally beats them.

[Starswirl and Twilight Vs. Enigma and Eclipse]

"They did it! They won! No more Shadow Riders!" Yelled Ocellus excitedly. The others cheer loudly as well as Twilight and Starswirl stand there triumphantly.

"You have all been beaten. It is time we seal you and your master away for all eternity." Said Starswirl. But to his and Twilight's surprise. Enigma and Eclipse slowly get back up to their hooves. They chuckle a little before finally raising their head and begin laughing manically.

"You won! Big deal!" Said Eclipse.

"Our souls will be taken by our master, and with all the souls he has collected, there will be no stopping him! You may have won the duel Elements, but even a loss is still a victory for us! Every single one!" Said Enigma. The wall with the engraving of the Pony of Shadows has two large tendrils of Shadows come out and wrap themselves around Eclipse and Enigma. They are both pulled towards the wall while the two continue to laugh, they laugh and laugh till they are finally pulled inside. There was a low rumble inside the cavern, causing all the ponies to take a few steps back. Slowly, out of the wall, a large black mass slowly emerges from it, crawling out like a zombie crawling out of a tomb. Eventually, it stands tall, revealing itself to be, The Pony of Shadows himself. He too starts laughing Maniacally. He was 3 times as big compared to the last time they saw him at Ponehendge almost 6 months ago.

"MUHAHAHAHA!!! You two dueled well Eclipse and Enigma, but not good enough and your souls are mine!" Said The Pony of Shadows before looking down at the group. "Ahhh, Starswirl, I knew you'd still be among the ones who would still have their soul!"

"I am!" Said Starswirl Proudly. "Now Duel me, Shadow Fiend! You cannot fully enshroud our world in darkness till all elements bearers are gone!

"If you wish to duel me, then you'll have to catch me!" Said The Pony Of Shadows. He turns into a formless mass of Shadows and quickly darts up the well. As he did, the whole cavern appeared to start to collapse.

"Get close to me everypony!" Yelled Twilight. Everyone huddles up next to Twilight as huge rocks fall all around them. Her horn glows bright and she quickly teleports them out of there.

End of Chapter 8

Author's Note:

Organization, eternity, secrets

Comments

[nightshroud96]

That was a pretty good tag duel.

Honestly still extremely nervous about what happened with Spike afterwards(on if he got off-screened or something since its pretty clear that was a trap last chapter)