Dueling is Magic!
Many Futures

Chapter Fourteen
Take Down the Sky Emperor - Evolve, Life Stream Dragon!

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“I activate ‘Floral Shield’!” said Sherry. Her lone face-down card flipped up. “Zis negates your attack and lets me draw a card from my deck!” A whirlwind of white flower petals shot out of the card’s artwork. The petals surrounded Twilight just before the energy blast from the Meklord Emperor reached her. The blast struck the petals and went no further, and soon died away. Sherry smiled as she drew her card.

“My treachery began sooner zen zat Trap Card’s activation,” said Sherry. “When you absorbed Chevalier de Fleur, zee ‘Black Pendant’ Equip Card was sent to ze Graveyard, inflicting five hundred points of damage to you, Aporia.”

“With gusto!” Twilight replied. “I activate Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode’s effect! By removing two Spell Counters from him, he can destroy all cards my opponent controls. Kiss your Meklord Emperor goodbye, Aporia! Go, Arcane Explosion!”

All of the green gems in the magician’s armor grew brighter and brighter. Bright beams of light burst out of the gems. He threw his arms out wide as every gem flashed. A torrent of light raced toward Aporia’s field.

“Wasteful and useless,” said Aporia. “I activate the Trap Card ‘Infinity Wall’. If I control a ‘Meklord Emperor’ monster, all effects that would destroy cards on my field are negated during this turn.” The infinity symbol in the chest of the Meklord flashed. A much larger mobius made of green light appeared in front of it. The light pushed against it and slid off and around its edges. When the light faded, the mobius vanished.

“I know,” she said. She looked at the one card she held in her magical grasp. “Leo... do you trust me?”

“Thanks,” Twilight said. “I play the Spell Card ‘Card of Sanctity’! Everybody draws until we’re all holding six cards.”

Six new cards floated out of Twilight’s deck. Leo and Aporia also drew six cards. Sherry drew only four cards.

“I activate ‘Spell Power Grasp’, which places a Spell Counter on my Arcanite Magician,” said Twilight, “then lets me add another copy of itself to my hand. I Set a card face-down and end my turn.” One of the green jewels on the magician’s armor lit up.

“My turn!” said Sherry. “I Set two cards and switch Apprentice Knight to Defense Mode. Your turn, Leo.” The woman knight planted the blade of her sword in the ground and knelt beside it.

“My turn!” said Leo as he drew a card. “I summon the Tuner monster ‘Morphtronic Lantron’!”

A lantern-flashlight appeared and quickly began to shape-shift. Arms pushed themselves out of the sides as the body of the light unfolded into legs while the bulb became the robot’s chest. A robotic head emerged from above the light.

“Morphtronic Lantron, tune with Power Tool Dragon!” said Leo. Lantron spun around and turned the light in its chest on, shining it onto Power Tool Dragon. Lantron’s body vanished and three stars appeared in its place, drawing green rings around the mechanical dragon.

“The courage and power to protect the future of the planet is a revolution! Synchro Summon!” shouted Leo. Fire consumed the metal plating of Power Tool Dragon The body of a real dragon began to break through. Arms, legs, wings, tail, head, all burst out of the armor that hid them. “Evolve, ‘Life Stream Dragon’!”

‘Life Stream Dragon,” said Sherry. “Zat is one of ze cards Yusei used to defeat Z-one!”

“And it’ll help us beat Aporia,” said Leo. “Life Stream Dragon’s effect activates. When it’s Synchro Summoned, if a player’s Life Points are below two thousand, those players’ Life Points become two thousand.” Soft light emanated from the leathery wings of the golden dragon. A Life Point counter appeared next to Sherry.

“If you’re fighting with us, then I gotta help you out,” said Leo. “I Set a card face-down and end my turn!”

The squeal of a D-Wheel echoed in the distance. All four duelists turned to see a blue and white D-Wheel approaching them.

“What do you think you’re doing coming out here by yourself?!” he yelled. “Have you not noticed that we’re at war with the shadows themselves?”

“And you! You don’t have the slightest shred of military experience! What makes you think that the two of you alone could-”

“JACK!” shouted Leo. “I get that you’re angry we went out on our own, but now’s not the time! We’re in the middle of a duel. And it’s against Aporia!”

“A-Aporia?” said Jack. He turned and saw the familiar hulk standing across the duel field, a blue Meklord Emperor hovering above him.

“And I have been rebuilt,” Aporia said. “If your little interruption of a tantrum is finished, I have a duel to win. My turn!” Aporia drew. “Meklord Emperor Skiel Infinity, feast on Life Stream Dragon!”

“I play the Trap ‘Synchro Back’!” said Leo. “This returns Life Stream Dragon to my Extra Deck, and it’ll be Special Summoned back to the field during my next Standby Phase.”

“Skiel Top Three’s effect!” Aporia continued. “Leo, you will take three hundred points of damage! Pinpoint Cutter!” The mechanical bird’s mouth opened and fired its thin blue laser at Leo. It sliced through the arm of his riding suit and drew blood.

“I activate Skiel Guard Three’s effect as well,” Aporia continued. “Sherry, you will not interfere here! The card on your left is paralyzed!” The four blades on Skiel’s tail rocketed away and pierced one of Sherry’s cards, pinning it to the ground. Sherry remained stoic.

“Your end is at hand. I Release Skiel Attack, Guard, Carrier, and Top Three in order to Special Summon ‘Skiel Attack Five’, ‘Skiel Guard Five’, ‘Skiel Carrier Five’, and ‘Skiel Top Five’ from my hand!”

The four extremities of the Meklord Emperor vanished, consumed by swirling balls of color. From within these rainbow spheres emerged four new machines.

The first of these new monsters resembled a giant ant with a tiny butterfly’s head. Its back end curled forward and folded itself beneath its thorax, revealing another large gun barrel within, and its six legs wrapped around it. The insect’s head withdrew into the body like a turtle. the whole thing then attached itself to Skiel’s underside.

The second machine seemed curled into a ball, contained by four curved, blue blades attached to golden cylinders and holding a blue orb in place. The blades turned and released the orb as the tail itself began to unfurl and straighten. It a long, segmented machine, each section curving up and down into long, jagged spikes. The four golden cylinders rested on each side close to the end, and blue blades stood atop each one, each one turned slightly upward. The machine attached itself to the rear of the Meklord Emperor.

The third machine resembled a blue, mechanical squid. Its tentacles seemed to be made of bright white light. Curved, gray fins rested on the sides of its pointed head. The tentacles withdrew into the body as the pointed head split in two and opened. The two halves of the beaked head extended outward on silver cables and attached themselves to the Meklord’s body, the squid’s own halved body forming its wings.

The final machine appeared as a winged creature. Its head was almost identical to Skiel Top 3’s, but was longer and had three crests instead of two. The silver line that ran up the center of the beak still split into two and ran up to the tips of the outer crests. A gold line appeared in the fork of the silver lines and ran to the base of the middle crest. It glowed and a bright yellow dot appeared in the center. The short wings of the bird slid forward along the neck and then folded upwards as it attached itself to the Meklord’s body.

“Zis is bad,” said Sherry. “Even wizout my Chevalier de Fleur equipped to it, Meklord Emperor Skiel still has forty-two hundred Attack Points!”

“If we can’t destroy it by battle,” said Twilight, “then we’ll have to find another way around it!”

“You will not get that chance, Twilight,” said Aporia, “because I will end you here and now! I activate Skiel Top Five’s effect! Once per turn, I can destroy one Spell or Trap on the field! Say goodbye to your Set card, Twilight!”

Skiel lowered its head. The bright spot in the gold line on its head slid up to the crest, pointing it downward. A beam of energy shot out of the entire line and struck Twilight’s card, setting it ablaze and destroying it.

“You fell for it,” said Twilight with a grin. “The card you destroyed was ‘Miracle Synchro Fusion’, and if it’s destroyed by an opponent’s effect while face-down, I draw one card!”

“Skiel Top Five’s effect continues!” said Aporia. “By discarding a card from my hand, I can destroy an additional Spell or Trap on the field!” Skiel turned its head, dragging the beam across the ground to Twilight’s other card.

“Skiel Attack Five’s effect allows all ‘Infinity’ monsters I control to attack directly,” said Aporia. “Meklord Emperor Skiel Infinity, attack Twilight!”

“No!” shouted Sherry. “I play ze Trap ‘Staunch Defender’! During zis turn, you can only attack my Apprentice Knight!”

“Your struggling is useless,” Aporia said. “Skiel Top Five allows my Meklord Emperor to inflict piercing Battle Damage!”

“Attack!” shouted Aporia. The massive cannon on Skiel’s underside fired a blue-white beam at Sherry’s monster. It vanished in the light and Sherry was knocked to the ground.

“My attack is not finished,” said Aporia. “When a monster I control destroys a monster in battle, Skiel Carrier Five inflicts three hundred points of damage to my opponent. Since Life Stream Dragon is currently gone, I shall have that damage inflicted to you, Leo.” Skiel turned its massive wings, revealing huge jets on their backs. White fire shot out of them, blasting at Leo.

“My turn!” said Twilight. “I activate Spell Power Grasp, placing a second Spell Counter on Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode and adding another Spell Power Grasp to my hand.” A second green gem on the wizard’s armor lit up.

“I activate his effect,” said Twilight. “I remove both Spell Counters to destroy all cards you control!”

“That won’t work, my dear,” said Aporia. “I activate ‘Infinity Guard Formation’! When a card-destroying effect is activated, this Trap first negates the effects of my monsters, then negates that destruction effect. But in addition to that, Skiel Guard Five protects all ‘Infinity’ monsters I control from the effects of Trap Cards, so Skiel Infinity’s effects are not negated!”

“Not again!” groaned Twilight. “Alright, no more Miss Nice Unicorn! I activate ‘Magical Stone Excavation’, discarding two cards from my hand to add ‘Miracle Synchro Fusion’ to my hand,” Twilight continued. “Next I activate ‘Miracle Synchro Fusion’, combining the ‘Arcanite Magician’ Synchro Monster in my Graveyard with its Assault Mode on my field! Delving into arts new and old and combining them with the works of the arcane, my servant grows even stronger, becoming the ultimate wizard! I Fusion Summon the 'Supreme Arcanite Magician'!”

Orange and emerald fire consumed Twilight’s lone monster, completely hiding it from view. The fires shifted to the same lavender hue as her coat. A green staff emerged from the fires and they died away almost instantly, blown away by powerful winds. The armor the magician wore now mimicked the flames it had emerged from. Glowing green gems were embedded throughout its armor.

“Now’s our chance!” said Leo. “If you can take out the core, the whole thing will go down! You attack him after that, and then I’ll finish him when Life Stream Dragon comes back on my turn!”

“Sorry, Leo, but he’s mine,” said Twilight. “I activate ‘Diffusion Wave-Motion’! By paying one thousand Life Points and targeting a Spellcaster I control of Level Seven or above, that Spellcaster can attack all monsters you control once each.”

“I can negate three of your attacks, little unicorn,” said Aporia. “Skiel Carrier Five can negate one attack, and Skiel Guard Five can negate two!”

“Speaking of negation, didn’t you negate those monsters’ effects?” Twilight said with a sneer. Aporia gasped.

“Supreme Arcanite Magician gains a thousand Attack Points for every Spell Counter he has. And he gains two Spell Counters when he’s Special Summoned.”

“Supreme Arcanite Magician, attack Skiel Top, Attack, Guard, and Carrier, then finish off the Meklord Emperor!” Twilight shouted. “Spell of Supremacy - Wave-Motion Ultima!”

“I play the Trap ‘Infinity Shield Formation’!” said Aporia. “This changes the Battle Positions of all monsters I control other than ‘Infinity’ monsters! And during the End Phase of this turn, I gain 600 Life Points for each monster I controlled that was destroyed this turn. In addition to that, I can banish this Trap from my Graveyard during any player’s turn to Special Summon a ‘Meklord Emperor’ monster from my Graveyard and make it immune to destruction by battle!”

Purple rings of runes appeared above the magician and on the ground beneath him as the green jewels on his armor all lit up. The rings began to move toward each other. The runes turned upright, interlocking with each other and rotating around the magician. He held his staff out in front of him, pointing the jewel and the pen-like tip at Meklord Emperor Skiel. The runes gained speed, moving faster and faster. Rays of light stood from the jewels on the armor, then bent down to the jewel on his staff. The rays of light and the spinning runes disappeared into the jewel and it glowed with a blinding light. The light faded, but soon after, hundreds of thin strings of purple magic shot from the jewel, each one piercing the extremities of the Meklord Emperor and destroying them. Several more shot for the core itself and tore it apart.

Aporia fell to one knee. “I am still in this duel! On Leo’s turn, I shall revive my Meklord Emperor to shield myself, and then I will take his dragon and destroy you both!”

“I’m not through with you yet, Aporia!” said Twilight. “I activate ‘Magical Blast’! You take two hundred points of damage for each Spellcaster-Type monster I control.”

Twilight’s horn glowed. A wide circle of energy formed in front of her. She yelled and pushed it forward. It rushed at Aporia and knocked him backward into the ground.

“It’s a simple explanation, really,” said Aporia as he dusted himself off. “I was rebuilt by the Black King.”

“You will believe it soon enough. All of you will.” Aporia turned around. A white circle appeared before him and he walked through it. The portal closed behind him.

“Sherry LeBlanc?” Jack said when he noticed the woman. “What are you doing here?”

“I was... I was originally here with Aporia,” she said. “But I refuse to work for zee Black King any longer. I wish to join your cause!”

“You were working for the Black King?” said Jack. “How do I know we can trust you?”

“She sacrificed herself to save me in the duel,” said Twilight. “She doesn’t even know me!”

“It’s true, Jack!” said Leo. “Aporia turned on her and fed her Synchro Monster to his Meklord Emperor, so she started fighting on our side!”

Jack snorted. “I still don’t trust you,” he said. “...but that might change. Follow us to our base. Once there, you and your D-Wheel will be put under lockdown.”

“I am prepared to do whatever it takes to earn your trust, Jack,” said Sherry. “Aporia may have come here by portal, but I have always preferred zee road. Zose portals of his make me sick. Ze Sturm und Drang is just outside zee estate’s perimeter.”

“I’ll go with you to get it,” said Jack. “Twilight, Leo’s D-Wheel seems to still be pinned down. Help him get it loose.”

“Will do,” said Twilight. She looked over to Leo. His head hung down. “Leo?” she asked. “Are you okay?”

*****

"...something happened in the duel. Sherry played a card, one that I don't believe she had in her deck."

Next time on Dueling is Magic! Many FuturesSherry LeBlanc has abandoned the dark armies of the Black King and joined the Resistance! Jack, however, is distrustful and puts her through intense interrogations. Meanwhile, Twilight and Leo return to the underground library, this time with several engineers ready to to set up lights and make the information search easier. During their search, Spike discovers a strange, black book...

Chapter 15

The Black Tome

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Featured Card

Skiel Guard 5
WIND
Level 5
Machine/Effect
Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) by Tributing 1 face-up "Skiel Top 3" you control, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. If you do not control a face-up "∞" monster, destroy this card. Twice per turn, when your opponent's monster declares an attack: You can negate that attack, and if you do, inflict 300 damage to your opponent. "∞" monsters you control are unaffected by Trap effects.
ATK/800
DEF/900

Skiel Top 5
WIND
Level 5
Machine/Effect
Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) by Tributing 1 face-up "Skiel Top 3" you control, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. If you do not control a face-up "∞" monster, destroy this card. Once per turn: You can target 1 Spell/Trap Card on the field; destroy it, and if you do, inflict 300 damage to its controller, then you can discard one card, and if you do, destroy 1 additional Spell/Trap Card on the field, and if you do, inflict 300 damage to its controller. When an "∞" monster you control attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing Battle Damage to your opponent.
ATK/1200
DEF/0

Skiel Attack 5
WIND
Level 5
Machine/Effect
Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) by Tributing 1 face-up "Skiel Attack 3" you control, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. If you do not control a face-up "∞" monster, destroy this card. All monsters you control can attack your opponent directly.
ATK/1400
DEF/0

Skiel Carrier 5
WIND
Level 5
Machine/Effect
Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) by Tributing 1 face-up "Skiel Attack 3" you control, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. If you do not control a face-up "∞" monster, destroy this card.
Once per turn, when a monster you control is targeted for an attack: You can target the attacking monster; negate that attack. When a monster you control destroys an opponent's monster by battle: Inflict 300 damage to your opponent.
ATK/800
DEF/400

Infinity Shield Formation
TRAP
Trap Card
Change the battle positions of all non-"∞" monsters you control. During the End Phase, gain 600 Life Points for each monster you controlled that was destroyed by your opponent's card (either by battle or by card effect) this turn. During either player's turn, except the turn this card was sent to the Graveyard: You can banish this card from your Graveyard to target 1 "Meklord Emperor" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target. It cannot be destroyed by battle.

Dueling is Magic! Many Futures

by Wolfgang

Chapter 14: Take Down the Sky Emperor - Evolve, Life Stream Dragon!