Chapter 13: Silence through the Mirror (2)

Chapter 13 “Silence through the Mirror.(2)”

Rontaro – 250 / Laughter Mask – 500 / Anger Mask – 750 / Emotionless Mask – 2400

“Now I have both my Illusive Mirror Mage – Athayena back on the field and Mirror Order Knight to back them up,” Rontaro raised his head and revealed his eyes to be glowing with white energy. “There is no way you can stop me.”

But you have no cards to discard to summon forth another Mirror Guardian Token, Emotionless Mask noted in a private talk to Rontaro. And according to your Crest of the Mirror Ascendancy, you need to tribute a Mirror Guardian Token to keep your Ritual Monsters in play.

“Not exactly,” Rontaro’s graveyard glowed. “Card effect from the graveyard. Mirror Binder. This card also activates from the graveyard. I draw one card from my deck for every Mirror monster I control. However the setback is that I must destroy all non Ritual Monsters at the end phase.”

“Great.”

“Not that I can do a lot about it, since you filled my final monster zone with a Torment Token,” Rontaro finished his turn. “By Crest of the Mirror Ascendancy I tribute one Mirror Guardian Token to keep my Mages into play. I end my turn.”

“Hahahaha,” Laughter Mask laughed as next to his monsters appeared another Torment Token.

And my Torment Token keep being on the field, Emotionless Mask’s eyes, which were visible through the mask he wore over his face, eyed one particular card in his hand. We are still in this game.

“Why is your voice so cold?”

“I summon Fake Cannon (500/500) in attack mode,” Laughter Mask cut in and he slammed the card on his duel disk. “Now by removing one Clown monster from play and reducing the power of this card to zero, I can deal 500 points of damage to one of you!”

''Do it! Hit him!''

“I do not think so,” Laughter Mask stopped laughing and pointed at Emotionless Mask. “This is way to serious to laugh about.”

Emotionless Mask – 2400 -> 1900

“However since I removed Devil Clown from play, I can summon this!” A new clown like monster took the field in the place of Devil Clown. “Come forth, Thousand Knive Clown (0/0)!” The demonic clown held two hands full of daggers.

“Another monster with zero attack points,” Rontaro concluded.

“Yes, hahaha, but by discarding the top card from my deck, I can deal 500 points of damage to you!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Wait what?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“That is right!” Laughter Mask pointed at Rontaro. “You lose!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">However instead the blast went for Emotionless Mask, who was taken by surprise. As he was knocked back, Rontaro breathed a sign of relief. Emotionless Mask stood up again. Anger Mask looked at Laughter Mask.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Emotionless Mask – 1900 -> 1400

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“So you too realize that you are each here in this alone?” Rontaro smirked and he balled his fist.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Don’t flatten yourself,” Laughter Mask added and he set a card. “I end my turn with this card face down.”

''You dare betray me? You actually dared betray me?''<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask’s voice was no longer calm, but raging and cold. Yes, we are in this together but we have a common enemy, him.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“And so will I defeat him,” Anger Mask pulled the new card from his deck. “Tribute Anchor Knight!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Excuse me?” Rontaro looked at the armored knight. “You tributed your only monster?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Yes,” Anger Mask placed a new monster card on his duel disk. “If anyone is going to win this duel, than it will be me. Not you or him, or our so-called common enemy, me! Summon forth! Shock Chain Golem (1900/1400)!”

That was not in your deck…<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask noted. That card goes against the strategies we discussed.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“I am not done,” Anger Mask pointed at his new monster, which was a huge machine made of chains and rotating wheels, with various energy pylums sticking out. “Once per turn, by increasing the life points of one of my opponents by 1000, Shock Chain Golem can attack directly.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Good,” Laughter Mask smirked and he pointed at himself. “Good, heal me. Hahahahaha, Anger Mask heal me and together we can take them both on!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“You,” Anger Mask pointed to Rontaro. “You gain this extraordinary gift!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Rontaro – 250 -> 1250

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Wait what?!” Laughter Mask could not help but laugh, but he realized the dire of the situation. “Why?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“I am sick of your laughing game,” Anger Mask sounded really angry by now. “Shock Chain Golem, attack him directly!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“ Negate Attack<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">!” Laughter Mask countered. “This is not over!”

Trap Stun!<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask sprung his card. Very good, this is the end for you.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“No…”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">The chains of Shock Chain Golem crashed into Laughter Mask, chaining him to the ground and shocking him, making him call names and cry. As his life points dissipated, he was being surrounded by golden aura.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Laughter Mask – 500 -> 0

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Hahaha … ha … ha … you…,” Laughter Mask spoke with his final breaths. “You … will pay … dearly for this.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">With those words the golden aura took him away, destroying him into light particles. Assassino who was still watching the duel from above, clapped his hands and the crowd around them cheered for the duel to continue.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">‘ Great now they are murdering each other,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’ Rontaro oversaw the situation. ‘ I might actually have a chance.<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“For now,” Anger Mask eyed Rontaro and then Emotionless Mask. “I am done. That’s it, I have taken care of the weakest of us. Now you will both feel my power in this contest of power!”

Don’t be to sure about that,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask pointed out. ''By Silent Dreams’ effect, I can gain one Torment Token. However I think I am done with those Tokens.''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Excuse me?”

Activate,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask held up a spell card. ''Token Merging. This card is specifically built for fusions created by merging Tokens. Now I use my Torment Token on my field, with the Torment Tokens on your field, which currently is three…''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Wait what?” Rontaro wasn’t following it entirely. “A card has been created specifically for Tokens to fuse?”

Yes,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask nodded and he looked at the spell card. I merge the four Torment Tokens together to Fusion Summon my Torment Titan (?/?)!<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> A new monster took the field, being even larger then Shock Chain Golem.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Undefined attack and defense! This is going to be easy.”

''Wrong. Torment Titan gains 600 attack and defense points for every Torment Token (ATK/DEF: ?/? -> 2400/2400)! However lucky as both of you are Torment Titan cannot attack during the turn it was summoned,''<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask placed a card in his duel disk. Now I set this and end my turn.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Rontaro – 1250 / Laughter Mask – 0 / Anger Mask – 750 / Emotionless Mask – 1400

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">--

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Where are they taking us?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Kamon, Dragen, Dyllan and Illian were being escorted by the  Woodland Archer<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> company and the  Doom Shaman<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> in front of the group through the remaining woods. Being completely new in this world resulted in them getting captured, in a desperate search for Sara.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Like I know,” Kamon whispered to Illian. “As long as we stick together, we’ll be fine, I am sure.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Well I hope you are right,” Illian whispered back. “This place gives me the creeps. No wonder other people can’t reach this place. Where did you come from? Where did you enter this dimension?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“I am sure you’ve heard of the dimensional distortion on KaibaCorp’s Duel Academy?” Dragen came into the conversation. “That is where we entered. That is where they managed to open the portal long enough for us and stabilize it to let us go through.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Uhm,” Illian thought out loud. “You do realize, right, that is the same place as where Jaden Yuki and his friends went through six years ago?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Yeah.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“And you do know, right, that Jaden Yuki never came back?” Illian showed a worried look on his face. “His friends came back, but he never came back.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Yeah,” Kamon nodded and he looked around. “I know, I know. But I am planning on getting back to our world.” He followed the Woodland Archer<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> in front of him. The  Doom Shaman<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> was being protected by four additional  Woodland Archer<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">As they proceeded through the forest, Dragen noticed the road widening and the trees getting further from each other. He believed they might be exiting the forest and he followed quietly, looking at their protectors around them, but knowing they have hold over their duel disks now, there was nothing they could do to free themselves.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">As they were lead out of the forest, they approached a fence, a high fence and behind it were various barracks and Monster Spirits walking around. There was no way out, as far as they could see, except for the way they just came in. However that was closed off as two heavy gates slid in front of the opening.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">--

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Aaaahhhh…”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Lean was still bound on the platform and various needles were surrounding him. He was being watched over by  Kozaky<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> and two Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">. Kozaky<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> simply watched him as he was standing in front of two screens. One detailed the vital signs of Lean, the other the lab he worked in, the one with all the tubes.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Now,”  Kozaky<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> directly asked Lean. “What can you tell us more then your friends could?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“What did they tell you?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Push it,”  Kozaky<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> ordered one of the Skull Knights and the  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> undertook action, pressing some buttons and Lean was being shocked by needle-like devices. “Turn up the volume the moment he gives no satisfactory answers.”

Kozaky<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> left again through the only door that this chamber had and Lean watched as the  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> turned up the volume of shocks on the console. From the corner of his eye, he could see one of the screens, detailing another chamber. Two large boards were placed there, with two decks of cards stalled out.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">‘ What decks are they holding there?<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“What…” the  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> began as the other  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> held his hand by the button. “… do you know about any friends of yours invading this camp to get you and the girls out of here?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“I know nothing of any attempt to break us out of here,” Lean decided it was best to play dumb, to make the possibility of them getting out bigger. “And besides that what the girls were talking about, those friends are not my friends.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Then what are they?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Well one was my enemy. He fought me in a duel,” Lean explained, laughing in himself. The  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> seemed less amused and he pushed the button, resulting in Lean recieving shocks again. “Oh come on, I am telling you the truth!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“We will see about that,” the  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> closest to him spoke and Lean eyed his duel disk that was on the table. “Aaah, you have seen your duel disk. What? Would you like to take a swing at it?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“No,” Lean smirked. “I am just imagining how I will break free and take you down.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Hahaha.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">As the  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> at the console pushed the button again, Lean screamed in pain with the shocks going through him. The shocks were pretty hard, making the table drop on the ground and Lean had his head hanging.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Put him back in his place,” the  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> at the console commanded and the other  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> complied, placing Lean back up.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Lean however had managed to take a nail that was lying on the ground in his hand. It was hard enough for him to try and attempt to pick the cuffs he was placed inside and thus, when the  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> questioning him was not looking, he attempted to break open the cuffs’ lock.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">-

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Where are we now?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Kamon, Dragen, Dyllan and Illian were placed inside a hut inside the village and their cuffs and other strains were removed from their hands. When the guards, which were in fact humans but dressed in armor, exited and locked the door, Kamon was the first to speak or at least make a move to do anything.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“How the hell did they know we were there?” Dyllan wondered and he looked as Kamon made his round around the hut. “How the hell did we end up here?

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“How were we caught of guard?” Illian put in. “How the hell are we supposed to escape from here?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“We are here to get our friend out of here,” Kamon concluded and he looked around the hut. “We don’t know where we are, or how far we are away now from the Prison. We don’t even know where Sara is.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“They mentioned friends,” Illian told Kamon and Kamon nodded. “You have more friends here who are caught?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Well except for our cards,” Dragen sighed and he looked at his duel disk. “I am not sure. They didn’t mention anything about that in front of us.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Our cards right,” Kamon did not forget about the stolen part of his deck. “No, we must get Sara out there first. She is in danger.” Illian and Dragen looked at him and then around the hut.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Well,” Illian pushed against the hut’s wall. “That is gonna be hard. This is not exactly easy to break.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“We’ll have to find a different way,” Kamon decided and then saw shadows approaching in the distance. “We’ve got company.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">The hut was entered by two duel monster spirits. Two similarly dressed monsters, both spellcasters, holding up their staffs, being surrounded by purple aura. They were  Skilled White Magician<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> and  Skilled Dark Magician<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“You are in the Domain of The Nameless One,” both spoke at the same time. “He has been expecting you.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Dragen looked at Kamon.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“I told you so…”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">-

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Rontaro – 1250 / Laughter Mask – 0 / Anger Mask – 750 / Emotionless Mask – 1400

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">‘ ''They are slaughtering each other, why? What goal does it serve?''<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’ Rontaro observed the two remaining opponents in the arena. ‘ ''Maybe they have an honest debate within themselves as to which side they choose. Emotionless Mask seems to me to be the most difficult one to push to the other side. Anger Mask though, despite his anger, seems to fear the faith he may suffer if he loses like Laughter Mask.''<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’

''Play your cards right. My Torment Titan is ready for you,''<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask asserted in their heads. It has the power to attack twice during the battle phase.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Draw card,” Rontaro placed a new card from his deck in his hand.

Silent Dreams provides you still with a Torment Token (600/0).

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Yeah,” Rontaro sighed as the blob appeared on his field. “However, I play a second copy of  Preparation of Rites<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">. Now I can add one Ritual Monster from my deck to my hand.” He shifted through his deck and choose a card.

I feel great power.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“It is my soul,” Rontaro reacted, but realized to late no-one had asked. “It is my soul and ace of the deck.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Who cares about it being your ace?” Anger Mask reacted angrily.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“I activate  Samsara<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">. Which allows me to return all monsters tributed for Ritual Summoning a monster back to the deck.” The spell card took the field. “Now I activate Ritual of Whills again, using my Mirror Order Knight and a Mirror Guardian Token.” The card of Mirror Order Knight returned to the deck of Rontaro.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“A level eleven ritual summon?” Anger Mask wondered and he looked at Rontaro. “There are not many level eleven ritual monsters.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“This is not a level eleven,” Rontaro placed the Ritual Monster on his duel disk. “My soul come forward! Ice Mirror Queen Dragon (3300/2500)! The offerings have been accepted!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">From the ground a large dragon appeared. The dragon’s armor, the dragon entirely consisted of solid ice was a crossing between ice and mirrors. On its chest it held the crest that the Mirror Order Knight also carried. The dragon had a long neck and a large head with three rows of teeth. Its glaring red eyes were a beacon, beaming warm light over the  Surface<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">. The eyes went over the field until it settled itself upon the two Lords of Emotions.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“I am not done yet,” Rontaro revealed and looked at his newly summoned dragon. “Now since I used my Mirror Order Knight as one of the tributes, Ice Mirror Queen Dragon gains an additional 700 attack points (ATK: 3300 -> 4000)!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Oh no…”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Additionally by tributing my Ritual of Whills spell card, I can once per turn by Ice Mirror Queen Dragon’s effect deal 200 points of damage times the number of Ritual Monsters in my graveyard to you as damage!” Rontaro smirked as the crest on the belly of the dragon glowed and two strikes of lightning both hit Anger Mask and Emotionless Mask.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Anger Mask – 750 -> 150 <span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Emotionless Mask – 1400 -> 800

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Now to end you once and for all,” Rontaro pointed at Emotionless Mask. “No longer will your silence disrupt our dreams and lands again. Ice Mirror Queen Dragon, destroy his Torment Titan!”

Afraid not,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask dropped a card from his hand in his graveyard slot. ''Power Frame activate! I can now equip this card to Torment Titan and increase its power by the difference. Plus I can negate the attack.''<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> (ATK: 2400 -> 4000)

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Great,” Rontaro sighed and he looked at his hand. “I end my turn.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Draw!” Anger Mask pulled off a card from his deck.

And a Torment Token appears on your side.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Summon Anchor Knight (1500/600)!” Anger Mask slammed a new card on his duel disk and again a knight with an anchor on its hands. “Activate effect of Anchor Knight. I discard one card to deal you 600 points of damage!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Rontaro – 1250 -> 650

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“And since I can use this effect more, I discard another card from my hand to deal 600 points of damage to you,” Anger Mask furiously pointed to Emotionless Mask.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Emotionless Mask – 800 -> 200

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">‘ Aha,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’ Rontaro looked at his opponents. ‘ ''So I was right. They are fighting each other. And I like it.''<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Now since there is not much I can do,” Anger Mask dropped his duel disk to his side and looked at Rontaro. “I end my turn.”

Turn start,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask began his turn and his voice spread a chilling feeling. Like at the very instance he was everywhere, which of course he was with his voice, inside the head of all participants. ''Silence Mask activate. By tributing one Silent spell or trap card I control, my graveyard is treated as only having Silent Pain in my graveyard.''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Oh great,” Rontaro looked at Emotionless Mask’s graveyard which was glowing. ‘ Now he can deal us 1000 points of damage again.<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’

The face down card I tributed was Silent Dummy, which forces you two to discard your entire hand,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask’s laugh shred through their minds. Then you both lose 200 life points times the number of cards discarded!

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“You did what?!” Anger Mask’s body twinched and glowed with anger. “Then … then … I lose as well!”

Yes.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Rontaro discarded his hand, that had three cards and Anger Mask discarded his hand, which had four cards. As he dropped his cards and duel disk his body was surrounded by golden aura.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Rontaro – 650 -> 50 <span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Anger Mask – 150 -> 0

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“No!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">The body of Anger Mask slowly vaporated in light particles. Emotionless Mask did not even turn towards the decaying and disappearing body as in the end only the mask remained behind.

And now to take care of you,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask shifted his focus to Rontaro. I activate Silent Pain’s effect to destroy your Ice Mirror Queen Dragon and defeat you once and for all!

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Hahaha,” Rontaro smirked as his dragon was surrounded by the icy light of the spell card from Emotionless Mask’s graveyard, but it disappeared. “By removing one Mirror Ritual Monster from my graveyard from play, I can negate the source of damage and destruction and make Ice Mirror Queen Dragon gain half of the damage as attack power (ATK: 4000 -> 4500).”

End turn,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask dropped his duel disk to his side when he looked at the two masks around him, lying on the ground, their owners having disappeared.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Draw card,” Rontaro looked at his newly drawn card. ‘ ''Great I have a super powered dragon until the end of this turn, but what effects does this Torment Titan have? More to support his other cards?''<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’

You’ll only know when you try.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">‘ Oh right, he can read my mind too…<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’ Rontaro looked at his hand. ‘ No thinking of cards, no thinking of cards, no thinking of cards.<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’

I may be unable now to see what cards you hold, but I can feel your emotions, I can experience your emotions,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask just stood there, clearly facing towards Rontaro. Your emotions betray you.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">‘ I need to control my emotions,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’ Rontaro picked his card from his hand. “And this is where it starts.”

Very good.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“I first use  Pot of Greed<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">,” Rontaro revealed and drew two more cards. “Then I activate  Cards from the Sky<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">,” Rontaro revealed his spell card. “This card, by discarding one Fairy-type monster from my hand, allows me to draw two cards. However I cannot special summon or conduct my battle phase this turn.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">His hand glowed and Rontaro picked a card from it, turning it around, revealing a monster card of an angel with its arms spread out.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Summon Aurora Angel (1400/500)!” Rontaro revealed as an angel took the field. “Now to follow up on that, by removing a copy of Aurora Angel from play, which so happens I have discarded one by  Cards from the Sky<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">, I can normal summon an Aurora Angel additionally.” A second Aurora Angel appeared, this one however had a slightly different robe then the other Aurora Angel existing on Rontaro’s field.

Weak, easy to squat fairies…

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Additionally, both my Aurora Angels gain 200 attack points because I control a Ritual Monster (2x ATK = 1400 -> 1600),” Rontaro looked at his deck, which by now glowed. “Now for my final set up, when I control two Aurora Angel, I can send one Aurora Cerberus from my deck to my graveyard.” One card went directly to his graveyard slot. “Now I end my turn.”

Turn start,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask laughed as his graveyard lit up. ''Your set up has led to nothing! Silent Pain activate! I destroy all monsters by its effect! This is all over now, Rontaro! You cannot get away from this!''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">The strings of Silent Pain were however vaporated by a light coming from Rontaro’s duel disk.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“I am sorry, but I have to cut that party short,” Rontaro revealed as a distant roar was heard. “Aurora Cerberus’ effect activates!”

You cannot special summon due to your own cards.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“That is not what I was getting at. When Aurora Cerberus is in the graveyard, Ritual and Aurora monsters cannot be affected by card effects from the graveyard. So bye bye Silent Pain!” Rontaro snarled and Emotionless Mask stepped back.

Haha,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask laughed as he pointed to his humongous titan monster. ''Torment Titan, show him what we mean! Tormenting Blast!''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Aurora Cerberus’ second effect,” Rontaro kicked in and the soul of Aurora Cerberus entered Aurora Angel’s body. “When an Aurora or a Ritual Monster is selected as an Attack Target, that monster gains 800 attack points. And it so happens they now both have 2400 attack points, so both are destroyed!”

I can negate Torment Titan’s destruction by reducing its attack and defense power by 600 instead (ATK/DEF: 2400/2400 -> 1800/1800),<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask revealed and he looked at Rontaro. ''I am not done yet. I still have life points left.''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“We’ll see about that during the next turn.”

I end my turn.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Rontaro – 50 / Laughter Mask – 0 / Anger Mask – 0 / Emotionless Mask – 200

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Dr. Eisenstein!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">A helicopter had landed on the helipad outside Duel Academy. From the helicopter a man stepped, wearing a white doctor’s coat with blue trimmings. He was much younger then the man who approached him, the legendary Dr. Eisenstein and his assistants. Dr. Eisenstein had shortened his hair a bit.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">The doctor that had stepped out of the helicopter was carrying a steel suitcase with a code slot. He had long hair that came down to his waist, but held together by various straps. As he stepped away from the helicopter he reached out his hand to the elderly Dr. Eisenstein, who approached him likewise and shook it.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Dr. Galen Renner, welcome to Duel Academy,” Dr. Eisenstein welcome the newcomer. “I was very pleased when you were willing to join us here.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Not a problem,” Dr. Renner walked with him, away from the helipad. “So has there been any reaction from the other side of the portal?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“None,” Dr. Eisenstein recalled. “It has been eight hours after insertion. Due to your experience with inter dimensional travel and your work with the various existing dimensions around ours, we thought it was important for you to see the latest read-outs.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Let me stop you right there, doctor. I am no personal expert in interdimensional traveling. I have designed the stability ring of this part of the portal yes, but further no more,” Dr. Renner continued and he looked rather guilty. “I am sorry.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“No excuses needed, doctor. We can still use your expertise for when they attempt to make contact,” Dr. Eisenstein spoke and Dr. Renner nodded, while following Eisenstein down the path. “Duel Academy is the place where all and everything comes together, the past, the present and the future.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Not just that,” Dr. Renner followed up. “This is the culminating point of all negative and positive energies flowing from all the dimensions. There are only a few of these points in the world.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Four to be exact right? So possibly they could create a portal at any of these points? Where are the points?” Dr. Eisenstein asked his colleague. “I know about Duel Academy and Domino City, where are the other two?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Send teams to Hisehade City. The last one is still unknown sofar. The last point has been moving from place to place. Unless they possess a different technology wherever they are. How did they convince you to open the portal for them anyway?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“One of them, Kamon McFlinn, is the son of Glenn McFlinn, who together with KaibaCorp finances the research. Mr. McFlinn immediately alerted us that his son and a friend would be coming to go through the portal. Despite our best advice against it, he pushed it through, believing his son to be good enough to do this besides, his son wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Dr. Eisenstein pointed to a cabin further down the road. “There you can set up.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Thank you.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Dr. Renner and Dr. Eisenstein entered the cabin and closed the door behind them as other scientists returned to work on their various consoles and screen detailing various actions and data from around the island. From the cabin the two doctors were in, they could oversee the entire place.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">--

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Tell us more,” the  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> near Lean told him. “Tell us more and the pain stops.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">The  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> at the controls smirked and pushed the buttons, releasing a barrage of lightning onto Lean. Lean screamed and shivered, but quieted down soon after it. The Skull Knights checked him for vitals.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“He is still alive,” the  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> the closest to Lean said and he looked at Lean. “Now let us try this again.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">‘ Stay calm, the moment will be there when it presents itself,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’ Lean spoke to himself in his thoughts. ‘ ''You will be loose in no time. Just hope that what they say about Duel Spirits is true and that they can truely help me.''<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Tell us!”  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> punched the button again and Lean recieved another volly of shocks. “We want answers now. Why do they come here? When will they be here?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Well I suppose they are here because you apparently kidnapped one of their friends and I assume they will come here, kick your asses around and get out of here,” Lean tried to push his arms out of the straints. “Other then that, why are you so interested? Don’t you have like methods to track them or to get them?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“We do,”  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> punched the buttons and Lean recieved another set of shocks. “Now…”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“You know,” Lean finally got his left hand free. Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> moved closer. “If you … they will … come for you.”  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> moved closer and then Lean made his move. He knocked back  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> by surprise and managed to free his other hand and had to dodge the weapon of a  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">, before rolling of the bed.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">He then went for the duel disk lying nearby and he was in time to grab it before the two  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> approached him. He placed his duel deck in it and swapped off the top card, placing it on the duel disk. A black armored warrior appeared on the field. Its head was a wolf’s head with a large horn on it. He had a long steel sword on his back.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Zen-Aku!” Lean ordered and the warrior jumped between the two  Skull Knight<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">, knocking them down and plowing his sword in them both, making them explode in light particles.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">‘ Go!<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’ Zen-Aku warned Lean as Lean rushed for the double doors while Zen-Aku kept watching his back. Lean did not bother to see if Zen-Aku could keep up as he punched the doors’ panel on the side and the door opened.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“No-one to see,” Lean warned Zen-Aku and he went to the right, down the stairs. Zen-Aku easily kept up with him as they continued on, towards a heavily enforced door at the end of the hallway.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Rontaro – 50 / Laughter Mask – 0 / Anger Mask – 0 / Emotionless Mask – 200

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Draw card,” Rontaro picked a new card from his deck. ‘ ''Darn, I don’t have another continuous spell or trap card on the field for my Ice Mirror Queen Dragon. But I do have this thanks to the previous drawn card.''<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’

Play it then!

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Ritual Sanctuary activate,” Rontaro placed the card in his field spell card slot. “By discarding one spell card from my hand I can add one Ritual Spell Card from my deck to my hand.”

And you have exactly one card in your hand…

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“I discard my spell card, which is Altar of Restoration, to my graveyard to add a spell card from my deck to my hand,” Rontaro shifted a card from his deck and added it to his hand. “Next I activate it. Another Ritual of Whills!”

Another one?

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Yes,” Rontaro placed the card in his duel disk. “I however do not need this card to be in my hand to be Ritual Summoned. By tributing my Aurora Angel to Ritual of Whills, I can call my Aurora Templar (1400/500) from my deck!” The aura of the new monster surrounded all monsters on Rontaro’s field.

This is getting weird.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Aurora Templar causes my other Ritual Monsters to lose half of their attack points.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Ice Mirror Queen Dragon – ATK: 4500 -> 2250

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“However now they cannot be destroy by battle or affected by spell or trap cards,” Rontaro concluded his turn. “And now I can attack your Torment Titan! Ice Mirror Queen Dragon, annihilate his Torment Titan!”

I have one last saving trick,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask revealed and the aura around him disappeared. ''I remove Silent Dreams from play to negate the damage. And Torment Titan is not destroyed because of its effect, reducing its power by another 600 (ATK: 1800 -> 1200)!''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Then fortunately for you my Aurora Templar cannot attack during the same turn it activated its effect,” Rontaro concluded his turn. ‘ Darn I had him…<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">’ He looked at the field and sighed. “I end my turn.”

Turn start,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask looked at his hand. ''It is no use whatever you do, this duel was only the beginning. The true terror is to be awakened.''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“What terror?”

You will see, your Human Realm is doomed sooner then you think,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask expressed himself to Rontaro. ''He will make sure of it. He will allow none to stand in His way.''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Who are you talking about? The Dark Sorceress? Him?” Rontaro was left clueless. “What is haunting this world?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Enough!” The voice of Pamadala boomed through the arena from above. “Finish this duel. Only one can stand in the end and only one will be allowed to leave this arena alive. You will fight till one of you has been send away or his potential sucked out of him by Him!”

Tribute Torment Titan,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask picked a card from his hand and slammed it on the duel disk. ''This card can only be summoned by Tributing one Torment Titan. Torment Gigantes (?/?) appear!''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Undefined attack and defense score…”

Torment Gigantes’ power is defined by double the score of Torment Titan (ATK/DEF: 1200/1200 -> TG = ?/? -> 2400/2400).<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Emotionless Mask seemed to have trouble keeping straight. ''Torment Gigantes! Attack his Ice Mirror Queen Dragon! End this!''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“No!” Rontaro kicked in and Aurora Templar disappeared. “By the effect of Aurora Cerberus my Ice Mirror Queen Dragon gains 800 points (ATK: 2250 -> 3050)!”

No!<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Emotionless Mask’s voice had changed, now having a rather panicking tone in it. No! No! No! This can’t be happening!

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Finish it!” Rontaro boomed and the dragon fired up a blast. “Destroy him and end this once and for all!”

Noooooooooo

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Rontaro – 50 / Laughter Mask – 0 / Anger Mask – 0 / Emotionless Mask – 0

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">As Rontaro was able to free himself, Emotionless Mask was surrounded by golden aura as the dueling field disappeared. Rontaro rushed over to the fallen Emotionless Mask as guards entered the arena to escort Rontaro back to his cell.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Tell me!” Rontaro demanded as he shook Emotionless Mask’s body. “Tell me who’s behind this!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">No response came as the guards managed to snatch Rontaro and drag him away from Emotionless Mask. Assassino and Pamadala had disappeared again as Rontaro struggled to get back to Emotionless Mask. Finally he saw how Emotionless Mask exploded into a rain of light particles and disappeared.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Just as he was dragged outside the arena’s gate, he heard a fiend whisper. It was the voice of Emotionless Mask, that was for sure.

The Nameless One

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">The whisper had discontinued after those three words, but a chill ran down Rontaro’s spine. Despite not knowing who the “The Nameless One” was, Rontaro felt such a  Shift<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> in the dimension’s surroundings, indicating Emotionless Mask spoke the truth.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">-

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">As Lean had opened the double doors, he was met by an astonishing sight. It was the Vault where Pamadala and Assassino previously were, with all the people that had been kidnapped and brought into this dimension, in the egg like containers with liquid inside them. Tubes were running along the walls.

I have never seen something like this,<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> the Duel Spirit of Zen-Aku spoke to Lean and Lean turned to the wolf warrior. ''It is almost like a factory. A factory to harvest … people. What do they want with them?''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“I don’t know,” Lean spoke against the wolf lord. “And why do you pop up all of the time? You are not my Duel Spirit!”

''You know I am. And you know what I can do. I saved your life now, I saved your life before. That was not done by Leanbroww,''<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Zen-Aku spoke and he looked at Lean. And you know I am right.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Well yeah, you saved me okay,” Lean gave in and as he and the wolf lord continued to walk, they were amazed by the thousands of rows and containers around them. “This can’t be good. Whatever brought them here, they did it with a reason. Time for me to go.”

''Yes, time for us to go. Time for us to leave them behind and worry about getting out of here. Your friends are still in the cages.''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“There is only one friend in that cage, the other one is a friend of my enemy.”

A boy you had only just met?<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> Zen-Aku looked amused. ''I don’t get you humans. How can a first impression be bad?''

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“It can be like that!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Just then they heard noises from at the other side of the Vault. The ground was shaking and Lean rolled behind a container. Large beasts marched between the lines of containers. They were all armored large beasts with large horns.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Great,” Lean sighed. “How the hell am I supposed to get out of here now?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Lean watched the beasts march past, but failed to notice one large beast approaching him from behind…

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Get up!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Kamon opened his eyes as a  Woodland Archer<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> grabbed him by the collars of his jacket.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“I said,” the  Woodland Archer<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> repeated. “Get up!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Fine, fine.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Kamon was cuffed by the  Woodland Archer<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">, while two Gravekeeper’s Spear Soldier kept guard inside the tent.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Where are you taking me?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Out,” the  Woodland Archer<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> repeated and Kamon’s friends woke up by the noise and movement. “Take them too.” The two Spear Soldier took Dragen, Illian and Dyllan with them as well.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Where are we going?” Illian asked this time.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“You are going to meet them,” the  Woodland Archer<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> told them and once outside the tent, Kamon had to get used to the sudden sunlight. The  Woodland Archer<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> handed him his duel disk.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“What am I supposed to do now?” Kamon asked the  Woodland Archer<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“You will …”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">The voice came from the other side of the place they were now. There was a circular spot left open but guarded by various Duel Monsters Spirits. However there were two outstanding spirits, two similarly dressed monsters, both spellcasters in the game of Duel Monsters. It was the  Skilled Dark Magician<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> and the  Skilled White Magician<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“ … take part in our test.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">To be continued…

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">RANDOM DARK DUELIST TRIVIA:

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Finally I finished this chapter. It has been lying around for to long now. Rontaro’s deck has gone through quiet a few changes. At first I decided I would keep his old deck, the Goddess Rider deck of the old version of TDDS, however I ditched that idea after seeing as very few people actually use a character in their fanfic with a Ritual Monster based deck. Therefore I introduced the deck of Rontaro, mostly working around the Mirror Ritual Monsters and the ace Ice Mirror Queen Dragon and support in the form of Aurora monsters.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Also the duel spirit Lean mentioned in this chapter is Leanbroww. Originally he would have used a card version of that spirit in the first duel of the series. Now it is a more conflicting one, since Leanbroww is actually a Light Attribute monster, rivalling Zen-Aku, but less powerful. It would not fit in with the Dark Attribute Warrior deck Lean now handles. Which reminds me to tell you, Lean will duel once more in this season.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Also be on the look-out for a sneak peak into Season 2 and a preview for an OVA I am going to create soon. I think I am at the point now that I can safely say I have planned far enough to do it.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">See you for 14!