Aarikku
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Chapter 7 - The Blood QueenAuthor's Note: The following chapter contains things that have to do with Christianity. If you're one of those hardcore 'If you mention Jesus' name, you die!' kind of religious people, you may want to skip this chapter.
Just throwing that out there. I don't think this should offend anyone.
Shmod
Chapter Seven
“That was amazing, Kyle!” Kevin congratulated, patting his rival on the back. “You’ve got me all worked up for our rematch!”
“Where did you get those cards?” Tyson wondered. “Tetra Dragon, yeah, that was from Luke. He told me. That twerp.” He muttered the last word. “But Tetra Force? Fog Element? Tetra Magnet 2? Those are just as rare.”
“As I said, there were some good traders around today.” Kyle smiled. “I’ve been building up quite a collection; I guess it came through for me today.”
“Sounds to me like you’re avoiding the question!” Linlan chuckled. “Did Pharaoh trade you them?”
“One card game together and they’re already making up pet names!” Cassandra laughed.
“Nicknames. Nick.” Kyle corrected, though his red face just made the girls laugh harder.
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“Look at them.” Zywen hissed to Sebastian, her spiky goth-boots resting on the table. “They’re so happy for Kyle.”
“They don’t have time for celebration. They should be preparing Tyson.” Sebastian agreed. “He’s the one we want.”
“Incidentally, I don’t see how you failed to beat him. I lent you one of my most powerful decks.” Zywen turned, suddenly angry.
“Skeletal Chimera is a very risky card.” Sebastian stammered. “But, of course, you will have your own shot at him.”
“Assuming he manages to make it that far.” Zywen seemed to forget her anger. “Remember, he has to get past our finalist.”
“Indeed. His new cards should make it hard for Tyson.” Sebastian paused.
“I’ll ask the spirits.” Zywen reached into her pocket and produced a set of tarot cards. “A single card should be enough.” She shuffled them, spread them on the table and shuffled them once more. Then she drew the first card. “Well, well.” She revealed it to Sebastian. “Death.”
“The next game will be…” The shopkeep began. Zywen quickly shuffled the tarot cards and placed two face up.
“Reverse Devil, symbolizing true evil…” Zywen observed. “That’s me, of course.”
“Zywen Lotus, the blood queen versus…” The shopkeeper announced.
“And, the Magician.” Sebastian pointed out. “If I recall, that represents creativity, risk-taking and wit.”
“Kevin Anderson, the frog sage!” Kevin leapt at this sound. The crowd cheered, remembering Kevin’s previous game. The two approached the main table.
“Zywen Lotus. We meet at last.” Kevin shuffled his deck.
“The self-proclaimed frog sage.” Zywen cleared her throat. “Pride is a sin.”
“Maybe so, but I’m an atheist. So I can be proud all I like.” Kevin smiled. Rock-paper-scissors determined he would go first. “Alright. I charge Woods Tadpole, and tap it to play Fat Tadpole in Defence mode!”
“2000 Defence. Nice play.” Kyle noted.
“Now you’re the analyst? I forgot – Kevin’s your rival, eh?” Cassandra looked over at him.
“Not exactly.” Kyle replied. “He’s just one of the many people who always seems to be a step ahead of me.”
Zywen drew. “I charge Vampire’s Servant, and tap it to play Vampire Princess! On defence.” (1400/0)
“Ah. Vampire deck.” Kevin nodded. “I should’ve guessed from… well, you look like a vampire.” He chuckled, but Zywen’s lips remained straight. “Uh… no offence.”
“None taken. Your move.”
“Still, playing a 0-DEF monster in Defence mode is kinda stupid. Anyway – I charge Orange-Striped Tadpole. Next, I’ll tap one, since I have a Tadpole in play, for Frog Pond! And now, I evolve my Fat Tadpole to create… Goliath Frog!” This new frog was just as fat as its larval state, but – according to the card’s art – it was big enough to swallow a person whole. It croaked loudly on the screen. “At 2300, it’s enough to beat Vampire Princess. So I will!” The frog whipped its tongue at the armoured lady, swallowing it. “Now for the awesome part. My frog gains ATK equal to the level of its food, times 400. Your Princess was only a snack, but my frog still gains 400 points!”
“Gluttony.” Zywen scowled.
“Eh?”
“Since one of your monsters increased its ATK, I can play the first of seven Sin Demons. Ba’al of Gluttony!” The screen turned dark as two pudgy arms ripped a hole through the virtual ground. Pillars of fire erupted from the holes as a fat demon leapt out of the ground. It was short, plump and had stubby limbs – but it had a dark aura, many spikes, two large bat-like wings and a wicked bladed tail.
“Wait – it’s a Level Three with 3000 ATK! You can’t play it for free!”
“My deck punishes those who try to take advantage of the Seven Deadly Sins. For example, Ba’al negates the effect of any ATK increases while it’s in play. But it also reduces the ATK of any offenders to 0.” Kevin’s frog tried to croak, but it released no sound. “Now, my turn! I charge Pairogeist. Though I can’t tap it this turn, when I do, it counts as 2 Dark Mana. I will, however, attack with Ba’al!” (Kevin: 4 Life)
“Kevin!” Cassandra cried. “Don’t give up. But try not to commit any more Sins.”
“I don’t believe in demons!” Kevin argued. He drew. “I charge Slimy Salamander, tap one for Spectre Tadpole, and evolve it into Ghost Frog, on defence.”
“Halt! I send Amon of Pride from my hand to the Graveyard. Your Tadpole shouldn’t be so proud, as shouldn’t you. You see, any monster that thinks of itself so highly as to transform commits the act of Pride. Ghost Frog is destroyed.”
“No way! Judge!”
“Sorry, Kevin. Her cards are legit, and she’s using them exactly as she should.” The shopkeeper shrugged.
“Ma-an. At least I get to tap one for Ghost Frog’s other effect. When it’s destroyed, I can play it next turn.”
“Shouldn’t something holy like resurrection destroy a Sin?” Tyson asked needlessly.
It was Zywen’s move. “I charge Replenish, and tap three – well, Pairogeist and Replenish – to play Asmodeus of Lust!”
“Oh, come on! I have not lusted this game!”
“True. That’s why I activate Repent with my other Mana. I tribute a Sin and Scrap one from my deck, and you can choose to either allow me to draw two cards or discard two cards. I tribute Asmodeus and Scrap Belphegor of Sloth from my deck. Now choose to help your opponent or be punished.”
“Go for it. Draw your cards. You know, you could’ve just played Replenish to do that.”
“I have my reasons. Now! Ba’al will attack you directly!” (Kevin: 3 Life)
If I don’t destroy that demon… Kevin shuddered. “Welcome back, Ghost Frog. In defence mode! Next, I tap one for Mechanical Tadpole. Next, it evolves into Robo-Frog!” A silver, blocky amphibian appeared – its legs attached via gears. Its back contained a massive rocket. “Here’s how it works. Its 1500 ATK doubles if Frog Pond is in play. Also, once, I can destroy one of your monsters and inflict its Level to you as damage! Now! FIRE!” The virtual frog did no less, launching its rocket. “Destroy Ba’al!” (Zywen: 2 Life) “And I attack!” (Zywen: 1 Life)
“Impressive.” Zywen hissed. “However, not nearly good enough.”
“Not good enough? I took you out except for 1 Life!” Kevin protested. “Oh. I see.”
“Had he have put Ghost Frog in attack mode, he would’ve won.” Tyson observed.
“He’s battling demons.” Luke noted with a shiver. “I’d be scared too.”
Zywen drew. “It’s time to die. I activate Hell Mulligan. Now, I discard Mammon of Greed, Gaap of Wrath and Leviathan of Envy. Good work not enacting any of those three Sins. But you will still pay for the Sins committed by humanity.”
“Why? Why not the Sins committed by frogs?” Kevin pleaded. “Gluttony and Sloth. Two! That’s it!”
“Not only are you a human, but frogs also commit Lust, Wrath and Envy.”
“Lust is part of an animal’s nature!” Kevin argued. “But Wrath? Envy?”
“Frogs eat other frogs, even some of the same species. Frogs also have no special enhancements; they watch birds with wings, snakes with fangs, they even envy turtles’ shells.” She continued before Kevin could argue. “Next, I draw four cards from Hell Mulligan – three for my discards and one extra. Magnificent. I activate Fiery Pentacle! This creates one Mana for each Sin in my Graveyard, but these Tokens are destroyed at the End Phase.”
“Interesting.” Kevin stroked his chin.
“And I tap all seven in order to summon the most powerful card the world has ever seen!” The seven Sin cards appeared on the screen, and burst into black fire. “Committing Sins… will be your deathly mistake. Behold – Lucior! The Seven-Headed Damnation!” Each ball of black fire formed into a horned head, somewhat of a cross between a human and a dragon.
“No…” Kevin tried to say, but his voice failed him. The dragon/demon continued to rise, eight spiked, clawed legs making their way to the ground. Three sets of wings flapped, and each head let out a roar so monstrous and horrifying that the entire crowd watching the game clapped their hands over their ears. The force of the roar sent gale-force winds that nearly blew away Kevin’s frogs. Twin spaded tails swirled at the end of the dragon. Finally, the numbers 7000/7000 appeared underneath the dragon/demon’s picture. Kevin shook his head helplessly. “Can’t… be…”
“Now for my demon’s effect. First, I equip it with all seven Sin cards. These represent its heads. Every time that Lucior would be destroyed, only one of its heads falls.”
“How…” Cassandra gaped. “How can Kevin kill that thing seven times?”
“He,” Tyson swallowed. “can’t.”
“Lucior! Destroy Robo-Frog!” All the damnation did was glance at the mechanical amphibian to make the life drain from it. (Kevin: 2 Life) “Also, my Damnation can attack up to seven times against monsters.” The spiritual frog also withered, but Kevin’s life points were spared.
Kevin stared at his feet. How? How?! I had heard of every card in the game. Every card! From Noble Dragon to Linlan’s Pandas… even Jeff’s Ramen cards. How did she… who would make these? Kevin pounded his fist on the table.
“Kevin!” Cassandra cried. “Don’t give up! You’ve always been able to pull through any scrape. Find a way to kill that… thing! Protect the rest of your frogs!”
“I can’t.” Kevin said quietly. “I’m not strong enough.”
“Then do it to face me!” Kyle called. “We have our rematch planned. Beat that dragon and we can fight in the Semi’s. Besides, it can’t even hit your Life! You don’t have to protect your frogs – Ghost Frog’s protecting you!”
Kevin’s eyes widened. Kyle’s right. “I have another turn to figure out how to beat that… yeah, thing. I tap one Mana for Ghost Frog’s revival!” And he smiled, starting his turn. “You ready, Ghost Frog?” He asked the screen, and amazingly, the spiritual amphibian nodded. “Wow. Didn’t see that coming.”
“He’s back.” Cassandra wiped a tear from her eye, as Kevin’s closed eyes raced back and forth. “He’s coming up with something.”
“Got it.” Kevin said, finally. The crowd roared with applause. “I will win next turn. For now, I tap one for Giant Tadpole on defence. Now it’s your turn, Zywen. Bring it on!”
Zywen laughed – it was more of a cackle. “A frog? Standing in the way of a card that’s not only a Dragon, but also a Demon and a Deity?”
“I’m sure you know that if I tap one Mana, Ghost Frog – and all other frogs – can’t be attacked. Do your worst.”
“You don’t know the definition of worst. I tap two to play the field card Satanic Temple.” The screen showed a dark church, illuminated only by a pentacle of torches. “Now, all non-Demon monsters lose their effects and are forced into attack mode.” Zywen grinned – a twisted smile. “You must be afraid.”
“Fear? From what? Your ugly lizard? I’m not afraid to lose.”
“Good. Lucior, destroy.” The dragon glared at Ghost Frog, and it exploded, as well as Giant Tadpole. But still Kevin smiled.
“Play you later.” He said.
“There’s no point.” Zywen returned her cards to her deck. “You won’t win. People don’t change – they don’t become stronger just because they want to. Otherwise your precious frogs would have fangs.”
“Of course people change! People improve!” Kevin protested. “People start out as mindless babies, and grow up to help society. How can you sit there and say people don’t change? You were probably not an emo at some point.”
Zywen smiled. A scary smile, but a smile nonetheless. She got up and left.
“Weird girl.” Cassandra shook her head.
“Damn good at card games.” Kevin returned his cards to his deck. “She probably would’ve removed my deck from play if I summoned Wicked Frog, eh?” He chuckled, and it escalated into a laugh.
“What are you so happy about?” Cassandra asked, eyebrow raised.
“What shouldn’t I be happy about? That was an awesome game.” Kevin looked at Ghost Frog. “The only thing I didn’t like was the outcome.”
Kyle was the one who looked unhappy. That… that’s the power of Zywen?
Card of the Chapter is Lucior – the Seven-Headed Damnation
[7] Lucior, the Seven-Headed Damnation (Dark)
Demon · Dragon · Deity
This card can only be played while there are 7 different Sin Demons in your Graveyard. When you play this card, equip 7 different Sin Demons to this card from your Graveyard. By sending 1 equipped Sin Demon to the Graveyard, and lowering this card’s ATK by 1000, you can negate the destruction of this card. This card can attack your opponent’s monsters up to seven times.
ATK/ 7000 DEF/ 7000
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Naardaas
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Hnuhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
This card represents the most powerful of all that is evil and unholy. I shall say that this game ws one I enjoyed very much. Now then, I shall have to find some purpose for Lucior in my series.
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Aarikku
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Figured you'd like this chapter.
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