Chapter 4: The Egyptian Monarch Feud

Chapter 4 “The Egyptian Monarch Feud!”

“Mobius, attack him directly! Ice Spear!”

The spear made of ice flung towards an opponent. The controller of the Monarch was Dragen Kando of course, the champion of the tournament earlier that day. He was wearing his navy blue jacket. Not only had he  Mobius the Frost Monarch on the field, he also had  All-Out Attacks and  Blind Destruction activated.

Dragen - 2700 Opponent - 2600 -> 200

“I am not done yet,” his opponent yelled. He had  Coffin Seller,  Curse of Darkness and  Des Counterblow. “ Des Counterblowactivates! I destroy the monster that attacked me directly!” Mobius was blown up.

“And your  Coffin Seller activates,” Dragen realized as his lifepoints dropped.

Dragen - 2700 -> 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;">“I end my turn,” Dragen let his duel disk rest at his side as he scouted the surroundings. Illian, Dyllan and a few of his other friends were standing in the crowd watching the duel. He noticed a black haired girl standing behind Illian and she was watching him. He seemed intrigued by her sudden appearance there. He had not noticed her before.

<span style="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 summon  Archfiend Soldier<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> (1900/1200) in attack mode!” His opponent’s monster was a hideous monster. “However I am not done yet. I equip my  Archfiend Soldier<span style="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  7 Completed<span style="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: 1900 -> 2600). Now  Archfiend Soldier<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">, 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;">“I am afraid that is too easy,” Dragen flipped a card from his graveyard and pocketed it. “I remove  Necro Gardna<span style="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 negate your attack!” The spirit of the red-black fiend appeared shortly.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Unfortunately for you, my  Des Counterblow<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> does not activate now, so you will have to deal with my powered up  Archfiend Soldier<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">first.” The opponent sounded quiet confident. Dragen shakes his head. “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;">“You already know it will end next turn,” Dragen pointed out. “You haven’t realized it yet though.”

<span style="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,” the opponent looked quite proudly to his  Archfiend Soldier<span style="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. 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,” Dragen picked a new card from his deck and then pointed to  Blind Destruction<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">. “ Blind Destruction<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> activates. Once per turn I roll a six sided dice. Now the chance is there that I might not make this. Roll!” The dice rolled and ended into a five.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Haha!” The opponent danced around. “It missed its point!”

<span style="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,” Dragen flipped up his other face down card he had. “ Dice Re-Roll<span style="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 negate the dice roll and roll again!” The same red dice was flipped again, and this time it did end up on a four.

<span style="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;">“Now I activate my final card,  Monster Reborn<span style="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 famous and yet overused card in the dueling competitions appeared. “Return to me, magnificent Monarch of the Frozen Land,  Mobius the Frost Monarch<span style="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;">“Alright!” Dyllan sounded excited.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Mobius, attack him directly! Ice Spear!” The ice monarch formed a spear of ice in his hand and threw it at the opponent.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Opponent - 200 -> 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;">“You dueled well,” spoke Dragen against the opponent and the opponent shrugged it off. “No really, of course your tactics could use some work, but you played a good game.”

<span style="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,” the opponent spoke and extended his hand. “Please, can I offer you a drink?”

<span style="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, I am afraid I have to leave now,” Dragen shook the opponent’s hand. “My friends are waiting over there. I’ll take you up on your offer next time we meet.”

<span style="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 bet we will meet,” the opponent pledged. “I would like to duel you again.” The opponent left the square as Dragen went over to his friends. The girl he had seen standing near Illian previously had 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;">“That was a good game, Dragen!” Dyllan congratulated Dragen on his win. Dragen smirked and nodded. “I don’t want to face you soon, my B.E.S./Satellite deck is far from ready to face 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;">“Oh, give it a rest Dyllan.” Dragen picked a bottle of water from the bag he had on the side. “Come on, let’s get back to the house.”

<span style="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;">Lean and his friends had left the boat and were on their way in a cab towards the hotel they would be staying in. He and a friend were discussing cards and tactics and another girl, sitting opposite of them, was playing on her guitar.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“If you had used your Wolf Soul card in conjunction with Zen-Aku, you would have gotten an early edge on him and you would even have won, I think.” The friend was pretty serious about the game, Lean was like he did not really care what he could have done if he had drawn the right 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;">“Are you even listening to anything Thomas tells you, Lean?” the girl with the guitar asked Lean.

<span style="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 Jen, but that is something he knows himself all too well,” Lean picked a soda from his bag and opened it. “I could have won but I lost. It is the choices that we make through the duel that define our strategy.”

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

<span style="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 it or not,” Lean responded and he patted his deck. “It is true.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Anyway where are we going to stay anyway?” Jen wondered and she turned to Lean. “I thought you were the one who made reservations.”

<span style="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 forgot?” Thomas asked Lean after hearing nothing at first.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Of course I did,” Lean smirked. “Due to Jen’s good contacts, due to her band, I managed to book us two rooms in the Valbert Royal Hotel. I believe it is a four star hotel.” He sat back smiling and looking out of the window.

<span style="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;">“Jackie!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Illian was walking back from the school building in Hisehade City when he had noticed a girl walking not far ahead from them. The girl was wearing a normal girl school uniform, a red skirt with a dark blue jacket and a white shirt underneath. She had long brown waving hair. She turned around, but her expression turned into one of a negative fashion when she saw who was following her.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Hey Jackie!” Illian called again and Jackie paid no attention, so he sped up. “Wait 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;">“Go away Illian.” The girl spoke softly, but still had not turned back to him. “I have nothing to say against 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 know I let you down yesterday night,” Illian spoke and she stopped in her tracks. “Please give me a chance to make it up 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;">“You broke your promise,” Jackie explained to Illian. “I have been waiting for you for about two hours and you did not show 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;">“I arrived!”

<span style="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,” Dragen walked up to them, carrying a heavy back pack and his duel disk. “Two hours and fifteen minutes past the time you were supposed to be 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;">“What are you doing 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;">“Realized I had to pick something up on school,” Dragen explained and he looked at Jackie. “Hey Jackie, how are you doing?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Hey Dragen,” Jackie leaned forward and gave Dragen a kiss on both cheeks. “I was gone after two hours.”

<span style="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 was busy!” Illian explained. “I had to do some research for a college project of mine.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Whatever,” Jackie countered and she took her bag and turned around. “See you tomorrow at college, both 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;">“Say hi to Julia for me,” Dragen called after her but she did not respond. After a questioning look from Illian. “Oh come on, you know I dig her girlfriend.”

<span style="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 have been trying to get a date with her for about three months now and you still have not succeeded. What does that tell you?” Illian responded, clearly irritated.

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

<span style="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;">“Dad?”

<span style="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 an office door and looked inside. The office was on the top floor of the McFlinn Main Tower, the headquarters of McFlinn Corp, after Industrial Illusions and Kaiba Corp the biggest player on the Duel Monsters market. His father had a real luxury office. It had two floors and was created by a round design, which was handy because he could overlook the entire city from 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;">“I am afraid your father is not here now,” the voice of Kamon’s secretary, a lovely young girl, spoke behind them. “He is out visiting an old friend.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Anderson or Aiken?” Kamon asked the secretary, to whom the secretary nodded. “Oh well, I am going to stay in the Valbert Royal Hotel tonight, in the penthouse. Sara, do you want to join me or are you going home to Melody and your mother?”

<span style="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 think I will join you,” Sara tells Kamon and Kamon nodded. “Mom and Mel won’t be in the city until tomorrow. Were visiting an aunt.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Okay,” Kamon picked his cellphone from his pocket and looked at it. There were no new messages, although he had expected at least one. “Were there any other messages?”

<span style="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,” the secretary told Kamon and she stood right up handing him a note. “Your father got a call from Mrs. Doyle, it seems your cousins are still waiting on an official invite for that local tournament next year.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Did you tell them it is next year not this year?”

<span style="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;">“All right, I’ll call Nyssa and David as soon as we are in the hotel.” Kamon looked around in the office and turned around again, Sara following him. “Tell dad, we’ll come by tomorrow or we will meet him in the mansion.”

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

<span style="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 and Sara went to the elevator and Kamon opened it, pressing the ground floor button and the doors closed. Sara looked at him and Kamon at her and he smiled. Sara shook her head and looked 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;">“I thought your father did not like Mr. Aiken?”

<span style="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 did like him, it was even an old friend of my father. But Ji-Ken Aiken got himself into business that my father did not want to go into. Underground dueling and stuff. Mr. Aiken saw that as a profitable cause to spent money on, my father did not,” Kamon explained and looked at Sara. “Uhm Sara, you’ve got a…”

<span style="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?”

<span style="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 leave in your hair,” Kamon picked a green leave out of her hair and smirked. “I am going to take a shower when we get to the hotel.” Sara demonstratively sniffed a few times.

<span style="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 idea.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Hey, you don’t have to press 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;">“Why did you have to get a kiss from her?”

<span style="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?” Dragen turned to Illian who had asked him the question, acting dumb founded. “What are you talking about?”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“She kissed you,” Illian repeated. “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;">“Because that is a way people greet, at least in most cases a boy and a girl.” Dragen pulled a soda out of the fridge in the apartment where he lived. “I am not interested in Jackie, for all I care go ahead and take her.”

<span style="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 I will,” Illian decided. “I will make it up to her.”

<span style="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, good luck with that. It seemed to me as she did not really want to have anything to do with you anymore,” Dragen turned around and sat down in one of the chairs. “You failed for the hundredth time already to turn up on time. And you find lame excuses every 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;">“Don’t push me, Dragen,” Illian seemed a little angry. “I know I should have showed up on time like it should be and thereby my chances of getting back with Jackie are pretty much slim, but you don’t have to lecture me, if you are kissing her.”

<span style="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 was a friendly kiss!”

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

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Seriously, do I need to use force to make you see?” Dragen sighed and Illian balled his fist and Dragen shook his head. “Anyway, I heard Kamon McFlinn is back in town, care to check up the McFlinn local stores 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;">“Don’t change the subject!” Illian seemed really angry. “You kissed her.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Listen dude,” Dragen started to get annoyed by Illian’s childish reaction. “You made a mistake and you have the emotional level of a five year old. You are no cry baby, you are my good friend.”

<span style="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 friends don’t kiss each other’s girlfriends.”

<span style="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 many times do I have to say this?” Dragen slammed his fist on the nearest table. “I gave her a friendly kiss!”

<span style="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, I know, and you are only interested in her girlfriend,” Illian sighed and he slammed a door shut.

<span style="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’s enough,” Dragen pulled his duel disk out of his bag. “Let us solve this in the right way, we duel for 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;">“Seriously, we need to play a trading card game for every time we are in a dispute?”

<span style="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 worked the last time,” Dragen sighed. Illian equipped himself with a duel disk as well and followed Dragen outside. “This is just a friendly game between you and me and for me a chance to show you what I mean.”

<span style="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 not going to kiss me now are 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;">“Shut up,” Dragen handed Illian his deck when they arrived at the place outside the apartment. Illian shuffled it as Dragen shuffled Illian’s deck. They handed them back to the original owners and inserted them in their duel disks. They positioned themselves opposite of each other and drew their five first 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 sure you want to do this?” Dragen asked Illian.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Shut up and duel,” Illian grumbled and they activated their duel disks.

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

<span style="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 - 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;">Illian - 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;">“First turn goes to me!” Dragen shifts of a new card from his deck. “I summon this monster in defense mode and set two cards face down.” A brown backed horizontal placed card appeared in front of him and two vertically similar brown backed cards appeared behind it. “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;">“I draw,” Illian pulled his next card from his deck and smirked.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Activate trap cards,” Dragen shifted his gaze from the card Illian had drawn to the cards he had set. “ Solemn Wishes<span style="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 Trigger Happy!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Interesting combo, I must say.” Illian started to see the strategy. “I place three cards face down and activate the field spell card, Temple of the Kings<span style="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 area was surrounded by a giant temple and the ancient hieroglyphics in 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;">“You still fall back on those 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;">“Girls dig it when you work with this kind of stuff.”

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

<span style="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 this I end my turn.” Illian held two more cards from his hand. “Oh darn it, I should have set this card 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;">“Little nervous?” Dragen teased Illian while he drew a new card. “I can understand 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;">Dragen - 4000 -> 4500

<span style="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 tribute my face down monster to summon forth my  Raiza the Storm Monarch<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> (2400/1000)!” Dragen swapped his monster from his deck to the graveyard and smirked as the green titanic king appeared. “Now effect activates, I return one card to the deck. I choose one of your three face down cards.” The wind took the card with and revealed it to be a trap 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;">“ Embodiment of Apophis<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">,” Illian alluded to Dragen who nodded in response. “You have seen me duel to many times.”

<span style="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 many times to know what to expect from you,” Dragen shook his head. “Now Raiza, 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;">Illian - 4000 -> 1600

<span style="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 set this card and end my turn,” Dragen smirked as a card came from his graveyard. “By now I activate the effect of my Helix Soldier (1500/1200).” A blue armored warrior appeared on his field. “By selecting one monster on my field, I can discard a monster of the same level to Special Summon this card to the field.” He picked a card from his deck and inserted it into the 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;">“You still own these Helix 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;">“They come in pretty handy,” Dragen admitted and he looked at Illian. “I end my turn, you can have your go 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;">“My turn than again,” Illian picks up his next card and looks at it. His two face down cards flipped up. “I activate my other two Embodiment of Apophis<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> trap cards, which both become Trap Monsters (1600/1800).” Two snake like warriors appeared on the field, each wielding a long blade.

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

<span style="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 activate the continuous spell card Seal of Serket.” The card appeared on the field, revealing a stone round object appearing in front of the temple. “With this on the field, I can activate one Cup of Sealed Soul from my hand.” A stone cup appeared on the field. “With these two on the field, I summon forth Mystical Beast Serket (2500/2000)!”

<span style="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 gigantic scorpion like beast appeared from the temple. It had a big mouth with many rows of teeth. Illian gloated over the field and smirked.

<span style="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 Mystical Beast Serket, attack his Raiza!” The scorpion went for the titanic monarch, ripping it apart with his claws while the millennium eye on top glowed.

<span style="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 - 4500 -> 4400

<span style="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 you know of course that my Mystical Beast Serket gains half of its strength (ATK: 2500 -> 3700 / 2000 -> 2500),” Illian laughed. He looked at his hand, having no cards in it. ‘ Oh well, I have a strong enough monster for 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;">’

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

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Yup, 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 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;">Dragen - 4400 -> 4900

<span style="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 Helix Soldier’s effect, paying 800 lifepoints to select a monster in my graveyard and activate it’s effect as if it is Helix Soldier’s effect. I select Raiza!” Dragen smirked as his warrior held up both its hands and winds started to strike Illian. “Now you must return 1 card to the top of your owner’s 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;">Dragen - 4900 -> 4100

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Activate spell card,” Illian kicked in, flipping up his face down card he had set during the previous turn. “Valley of Death. By paying 500 lifepoints, I can tribute one card on my field to draw one card. I tribute my  Embodiment of Apophis<span style="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 I would have send to 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;">Illian - 1600 -> 1100

<span style="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 cleverly ignored my card’s effect,” Dragen lifted a card from his hand and smirked as his face down card flipped up. “Emperor’s Surge. When an effect of a Monarch has been negated, you lose 500 lifepoints. Since Helix Soldier gained the effect of my Raiza, he is also treated as 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;">Illian - 1100 -> 600

<span style="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 now activate my continuous spell card, Surging Fusion. At the cost of 1000 lifepoints, I can once per turn remove one fusion material monster listed on a fusion monster. When all are removed I can Special Summon that Fusion Monster.” The Spell Card appeared on his field. “I remove a second copy of Helix Soldier from play.”

<span style="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 - 4100 -> 3100

<span style="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 haven’t seen him play that before!<span style="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;">“Next I summon forth my  Phantom Skyblaster<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> (1100/800)!” The green skinned blue armored fiend appeared on his field. “I set one card, but I activate its effects. I special summon Skyblaster Tokens (500/500) to the field. Now I can deal you 300 points for every Skyblaster monster I have on the field, which 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;">Illian - 1100 -> 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;">“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;">‘ ''Impending doom. No matter what next turn it is over if I don’t do anything about that Skyblaster.''<span style="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 up to his Mystical Beast Serket (3700/2500). ‘ It should do, but Dragen is powerful enough to have something on his sleeve.<span style="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;">“Second doubting your decision to battle 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;">“No,” Illian pulled his next card. “I activate the spell card Isis’ Blessing. By returning a spell card from my graveyard to my deck I gain 1000 lifepoints.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Illian - 200 -> 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;">“Now Mystic Beast Serket, attack his Skyblaster Token!” Illian smelled the sense of victory already.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Activate set card, Frozen Monarch!” Dragen had a face down card and he used it. “This card is activated when a monster is destroyed, the Damage is negated. I can Special Summon 1  Mobius the Frost Monarch<span style="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 the field, without activating its effect.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Phew,” Illian rested already before he heard Dragen’s laugh.

<span style="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,” Dragen pointed at his Trigger Happy card. “Trigger Happy is on the field. It still activates, which means I can destroy two spell or trap cards on the field.” Temple of Kings crippled along with another  Embodiment of Apophis<span style="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;">“And without my Temple of Kings…”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Mystical Beast Serket cannot exist on the field.”

<span style="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 giant red scorpion with the millennium eye shrieked as it turned to dust. Illian looked in horror as he looked at his hand. He realized with his best monster gone, he would have a hell of a fight against Dragen.

<span style="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 now remove my two Embodiment of Opophis cards from my graveyard,” Illian smirked as he held up a monster card. A skeleton fiend appeared on the field. “This card is a favorite of mine. Appear! Bone Snapper (2000/1500)!” A new monster appeared on the field having skulls on its back. “Now Bone Snapper attack his Mobius!”

<span style="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 - 3100 -> 2300

<span style="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?”

<span style="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 forgot to tell you,” Illian smirked and he pointed at his Bone Snapper. “When Bone Snapper attacks, I can halve the monster’s attack power. I set this card 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;">“My turn again!” Dragen shifted off his next card from his deck. “Your Bone Snapper may be powerful but I am not done yet. I remove another monster by the effect of Surging Fusion. However, I don’t think I need the monster anymore. I play  Monster Reborn<span style="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;">“And you bring back your 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;">“And I bring back  Mobius the Frost Monarch<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> (2400/1000)!” Next his  Phantom Skyblaster<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;"> started to glow. “Now I deal you damage equal to the number of Skyblaster monsters on the field.”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Illian - 1200 -> 300

<span style="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 by Trigger Happy, I destroy your face down card and your last  Embodiment of Apophis<span style="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 Mobius’ effect.” Dragen looked victoriously at Illian. “Now it is done! Mobius, attack him directly! Ice Spear!”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">Illian - 300 -> 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;">“I told you I would be better then you,” Dragen helped up Illian who looked at him. “Now will you let it 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;">“I don’t like you being kissed on both cheeks by Jackie…”

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Darn man, I told you, it was a friendly kiss,” Dragen countered and he really seemed tired of Illian. He had deactivated his duel disk. Illian did the same. “Get over it. I dig her girlfriend, Julia, not her. You can take her for all I care.”

<span style="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 are not mad?”

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

<span style="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, it would be weird to go on a double date with girls we both liked,” Illian assumed and he smirked.

<span style="color:rgb(225,228,242);font-family:verdana,geneva,lucida,'lucidagrande',arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;text-align:left;">“Dude,” Dragen slapped him on the head. “Jackie is over you, get over 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;">Kamon and Sara checked into the Valbert Royal Hotel, where unbeknownst to them, Lean and his friends, including Jen, had checked in as well. As they moved into the elevator, a duo of men was watching them carefully.

<span style="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 down the girl first,” spoke the left man. “She is the weak link to 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;">“Who will take care of the others?”

<span style="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 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;">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;">Bone Snapper is based on the Egyptian Spirit Monster used by Thief Bakura. Illian’s deck was based on the Egyptian stuff, so Bone Snapper made an appearance. I might use his alternate name, Skeleton Fiend, for another 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;">I realize the Illian character is new for a few of you, but I wanted to make new characters appear in the rewritten Season 1. Especially since a lot will change. Illian is one of them, and he might reappear in Season 4. Two new characters for Season 4 have been mentioned already in Season 1.

<span style="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 original outline, we would have gotten to know about a mysterious duelist called Mysterio and he would have battled four Quartoldon at once, beating them. Mysterio would go to play a vital role in the original first season. Don’t worry Mysterio will appear, definitely because Mysterio plays a small role in Season 2 and 3.

<span style="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 Turn 5 next week!