((Collab -- Rethel34 & StarInaBox))
"Of course," Gale replied, heading toward the hallway after Korbin. "What course are you in?"
Korbin's face screwed itself up in to an expression of annoyance. This one is a talker, isn't she? "I'm part of the Xyz Summoning class," he responded, choosing not to say anything afterwards.
When they stopped, Gale activated her Duel Disk. "I'll let you go first, if you'd like," she said as the Disk ejected her hand.
"That would be nice." Korbin nodded, accepting the offer of going first. He raised his arm, the disk spreading out after being activated.
(Turn 1: [Korbin 4000] / [Gale 4000])
Korbin reached for his deck, drawing five cards from it accordingly. He scrutinized each card, coming up with a strategy for them. It wasn't a very good hand, but he could do something with it. "First, I activate 'The Sanctuary in the Sky'," Korbin announced flatly, placing the card in his Field Spell Zone. His side of the field suddenly morphed from the normal hallway tile to that of a stone temple, clear blue sky and clouds circling the edge. "Next, I set two cards face down to end my turn."
(Turn 2: [Korbin 4000] / [Gale 4000])
"My turn; draw!" Gale said. Her hand wasn't perfect, but, within the right number of turns, she could use a really nice combo. "I'll start things off with a Ritual Spell Card: 'Advanced Ritual Art'! This allows me to send 'Neo Aqua Madoor' from my Deck to the Grave as a Tribute for the Ritual Summon of my Level Six 'Cyber Angel - Idaten'!" The magenta creature leapt into existence on Gale's field in Attack Position.
Korbin crossed his arms. "Ah, so that's a Ritual Summon," he said, not the least bit impressed. So you get a free monster with 1600 ATK. Big deal. "I chain to your Ritual Summon my face-down, 'Mystical Space Typhoon'." The card flipped up, a tornado beginning to take shape. "I target my other face-down card, 'Artifact Caduceus'." The tornado grew suddenly, shooting up in the air before coming down on "Artifact Caduceus", shattering it in to glowing pieces.
"Why would he do something like destroy his other card?" Gale wondered aloud, baffled by the seemingly insane maneuver.
Korbin smirked. "I thought you might ask. See, when 'Artifact Caduceus' is destroyed on your turn in the Spell and Trap Card Zone, it can Special Summon itself from the graveyard right after. Before it Special Summons, I activate the card 'Artifact Labrys' from my hand. Whenever an Artifact I control is destroyed, except in the Damage Step, I can Special Summon it from my hand in attack position." Korbin placed the card down, and in front of him, a shadowy sillhouette of a human rose out of the ground, gripping a double-bit axe, the axe being "Labrys". "Now that 'Artifact Labrys' is summoned, it's time for 'Artifact Caduceus' to do the same from my Graveyard." Beside "Artifact Labrys", another sillhouette appeared, this one orange, holding a staff with a beautifully decorated top.
"Regardless of that, the effect of 'Idaten' allows me to add one Spell Card from my Graveyard to my hand after she's been Special Summoned, so I return 'Advanced Ritual Art'," Gale explained. "My turn's not even halfway done, yet. I still haven't Normal Summoned, so with that done, I Tribute 'Idaten' in order to Tribute Summon the Level Six . . . 'Trance the Magic Swordsman'!"
"Idaten" became a sphere of light that entered a portal. Moments later, the swordsman emerge from the same portal, his ATK registering at 2600, one thousand more than what Idaten had been.
"Now everything's been taken care of. I enter my Battle Phase; 'Trance', Attack 'Artifact Labrys'!" Gale exclaimed, feeling she had been successful with her first turn. The swordsman leapt into the air, his blade colliding with that of 'Labrys'. At the collision, the axe shattered into gold pixels, spraying out and signifying its destruction.
"I think that covers it," Gale said. "I end my turn here."
(Turn 3: [Korbin 4000] / [Gale 4000])
Korbin narrowed his eyes, a bit more attention being focused on the duel. I'll admit, that was unexpected. "Alright then. Draw," Korbin exclaimed, reaching for his deck and picking up the top card. He looked at it carefully, sighing once he realized he had not a lot to do for the turn. "I set two cards face down, one a monster, before ending my turn."
(Turn 4: [Gale 4000] / [Korbin 4000])
Gale wasn't sure what to take of her opponent going defensive. It wasnt every day something like this happened. "Alright. I draw," she said. "Hmm . . . not quite yet. I'll now have my 'Trance' attack your 'Caduceus'!"
"Trance the Magic Swordsman" jumped up, descending toward the staff, the sword passing through it like butter. Like the other "Artifact", it burst in a shower of gold dust, finalizing its removal from the field.
"Next, I Set one card and end my turn," Gale finished.
(Turn 5: [Korbin 4000] / [Gale 4000])
Korbin was leery as soon as the face-down appeared on the field. He knew the back row was a dangerous place, and that card was probably no exception. "I draw." He nodded appreciatively before setting the card in the Spell/Trap Zone. "I set a card and end my turn." This was getting dangerous. Hopefully this next turn Korbin would get something a little more useful.
(Turn 6: [Gale 4000] / [Korbin 4000])
Gale, for one of the first times in her Dueling career truly felt that nothing would go wrong in this Duel. This never happened to such a degree. She had felt confident a few times before, but nothing like this. "Draw," she declared, not looking at the card immediately. If it was a monster, she had her signature monster out, and it likely wouldn't be going anywhere. That's perfect, she thought as she zeroed in on the card: "Queen's Knight".
"I activate the Ritual Spell Card: 'Ritual of Grace', from my hand! This allows me to Tribute 'Trance the Magic Swordsman' from my field, and 'Queen's Knight' from my hand. Now I Ritual Summon the Level Seven . . . 'Divine Grace - Northwemko'!" As Gale spoke, her field was set into action. A bright flame surrounded "Trance the Magic Swordsman" and a translucent "Queen's Knight". When it dispersed, "Northwemko" stood in their place.
"I now target 'Sanctuary in the Sky'!" Gale declared. "With the effect of 'Divine Grace', she can't be destroyed by card effects while it remains face-up on the field. Battle Phase! 'Divine Grace', attack the face-down monster!"
As the attack was announced, the card flipped up, reavealing it to be "Absorbing Jar". "About time," Korbin murmurred. "Since you attacked 'Absorbing Jar', its Flip Effect activates, destroying all Set Spell and Trap cards on the field. We also draw the same amount of cards as the cards destroyed by 'Absorbing Jar', as long as we controlled them." "Absorbing Jar" sucked all of the face-down cards in to it's opening, spewing out cards to each duelist from their decks: one to Gale, and two to Korbin.
There goes 'Magic Cylinder', Gale thought as she drew her next card.
Korbin reached for his deck, drawing two cards. He didn't bother to look at them yet. "Also, an 'Artifact' was destroyed by 'Absorb Jar's' effect, so I'll go ahead and Summon the destroyed card, 'Artifact Chakram', in Defense-position." A red sillhouette appeared next to the "Absorbing Jar", holding a pair of circular throwing devices with four sharp spearheads on four sides of it. After "Chakram: was summoned, "Divine Grace" continued her attack; a swing of her staff sent a shimmering wind in the direction of "Absorbing Jar", destroying it.
"I guess I end my turn," Gale said, hoping that the next turn would not see the Summon of a monster too powerful for "Divine Grace" to handle.
(Turn 7: [Korbin 4000] / [Gale 4000])
Korbin could feel the tides shift in his favor after "Absorbing Jar" let him draw two cards the previous turn. After looking them over, it was just what he needed to begin his counter-strike. "First, I draw," he said, picking up the top card of his deck with a swipe. He looked over the card before making his next move. "Next, I Set three cards face-down, ending my turn."
(Turn 8: [Gale 4000] / [Korbin 4000])
"My move, then. Draw," Gale said. It wasn't a bad card, but she couldn't play it yet. "I'll once again jump to my Battle Phase. 'Northwemko', attack his monster!" Once again, "Northwemko" swung her staff, but unfortunately, Korbin had plans other than Gale's.
"Hmph." Korbin flipped over a face-down card, revealing it to be "Artifact Movement". "I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card 'Artifact Movement'. This allows me to destroy a Spell or Trap card on the field. I'll select my own face-down, 'Artifact Failnaught'."
The face-down card was shattered in a shower of glowing pixels. Then, as soon as the card was destroyed, a green sillhouette appeared next to "Artifact Chakram", holding a bow and arrow. "When 'Artifact Failnaught' is Summoned, I can Set an Artifact card from my graveyard. I set 'Artifact Labrys'. But that's not all. Artifact Movement also allows me to set an Artifact card from my deck." A card partially ejected from Korbin's deck, which he set accordingly. "I'm not done yet. I activate the Trap card 'Theosophy of the Artifacts'. This card allows me to Special Summon an Artifact monster from my deck. I choose 'Artifact Beagalltach'!"
Korbin was starting to get fired up as he grabbed the next partially ejected card from his deck and summoning it. This one was a red sillhouette, grasping an absurdly broad sword. "'Artifact Beagalltach' allows me to destroy my own Set card. I'll do that now." The sillhouette swung 'Artifact Beagalltach' through Korbin's face-down card, 'Artifact Achilleshield'. After its destruction, a purple sillhouette appeared on the field, grasping a large shield. "'Artifact Achilleshield's' effect makes it so you can't target 'Artifact' monsters for an attack. I suppose that ends the Battle Phase, considering there's nothing but 'Artifacts' on my side of the field."
Gale stood baffled. Through a long chain of effects, her "Divine Grace's" attack had been negated. Her hand lacked the cards she needed to stop what had just happened, to add to the difficulty.
"I guess . . . I end my turn," Gale said, her mind still swimming over what had happened.
(Turn 9: [Korbin 4000] / [Gale 4000])
"It's my turn. Draw!" Korbin drew the card, not bothering to look at it. "With four Level five monsters on the field, I can Xyz Summon two Rank five monsters. I'll do that now, if you don't mind. With 'Artifact Failnaught' and 'Artifact Moralltach', I construct the Overlay Network to Xyz Summon 'Constellar Pleiades'. And with 'Artifact Beagalltach' and 'Artifact Chakram', I construct the Overlay Network for the Xyz Summon of 'Artifact Durendal'!"
All four of Korbin's monsters suddenly turned a hue of gold before shooting into a swirling cloud of dust akin in appearance to the night sky. Then, two new monsters appeared on Korbin's side of the field: One being a warrior-like humanoid, donned in gold and white armor, holding an intricate sword in his hand, "Constellar Pleidas." The other being a giant, imposing broad sword held by a shimmering white sillhouette, "Artifact Durendal."
"After Summoning 'Constellar Pleidas', I activate it's effect: By detatching one Xyz material from him, I can send one card on the field back to it's owners hand. I target 'Divine Grace - Northwemko." "Constellar Pleidas" raised it's sword, a lightning strike hitting "Northwemko", shrinking it in to a ball of light, the ball shooting back to Gale's hand. "Next, I'll go to my Battle Phase. 'Constellar Pleidas', attack Gale directly!"
"Constellar Pleidas" raised his sword, slashing at Gale with all of it's might, depleting Gale's Life Points to 1500.
"Let's get this over with, shall we?" Korbin remarked. "My 'Durendal', attack Gale directly! Ancient's Slash!" The sillhouette jumped forward, slashing at Gale ruthlessly with Artifact Durendal, depleting her Life Points to zero.
(Duel End: Korbin wins)
Gale fell backward at the double-collision. For a moment, she didn't even bother to get up; she was too stunned that such a comeback had been made. When at last she rose to her feet, she shook her head and said to Korbin, "That was impressive. Nice job."
Korbin grunted dismissively. "Hmph. If that's what a Ritual Summoning deck looks like, then you should really rethink the course you're taking." He gathered his cards and placed them back into his deck box, deactivating his Duel Disk. "Truly, I've seen better from a Fusion duelist." He sighed and grabbed his bag, packing up and leaving. "But that's to be expected from someone with a 35% win record."
"Of course," Gale replied, heading toward the hallway after Korbin. "What course are you in?"
Korbin's face screwed itself up in to an expression of annoyance. This one is a talker, isn't she? "I'm part of the Xyz Summoning class," he responded, choosing not to say anything afterwards.
When they stopped, Gale activated her Duel Disk. "I'll let you go first, if you'd like," she said as the Disk ejected her hand.
"That would be nice." Korbin nodded, accepting the offer of going first. He raised his arm, the disk spreading out after being activated.
(Turn 1: [Korbin 4000] / [Gale 4000])
Korbin reached for his deck, drawing five cards from it accordingly. He scrutinized each card, coming up with a strategy for them. It wasn't a very good hand, but he could do something with it. "First, I activate 'The Sanctuary in the Sky'," Korbin announced flatly, placing the card in his Field Spell Zone. His side of the field suddenly morphed from the normal hallway tile to that of a stone temple, clear blue sky and clouds circling the edge. "Next, I set two cards face down to end my turn."
(Turn 2: [Korbin 4000] / [Gale 4000])
"My turn; draw!" Gale said. Her hand wasn't perfect, but, within the right number of turns, she could use a really nice combo. "I'll start things off with a Ritual Spell Card: 'Advanced Ritual Art'! This allows me to send 'Neo Aqua Madoor' from my Deck to the Grave as a Tribute for the Ritual Summon of my Level Six 'Cyber Angel - Idaten'!" The magenta creature leapt into existence on Gale's field in Attack Position.
Korbin crossed his arms. "Ah, so that's a Ritual Summon," he said, not the least bit impressed. So you get a free monster with 1600 ATK. Big deal. "I chain to your Ritual Summon my face-down, 'Mystical Space Typhoon'." The card flipped up, a tornado beginning to take shape. "I target my other face-down card, 'Artifact Caduceus'." The tornado grew suddenly, shooting up in the air before coming down on "Artifact Caduceus", shattering it in to glowing pieces.
"Why would he do something like destroy his other card?" Gale wondered aloud, baffled by the seemingly insane maneuver.
Korbin smirked. "I thought you might ask. See, when 'Artifact Caduceus' is destroyed on your turn in the Spell and Trap Card Zone, it can Special Summon itself from the graveyard right after. Before it Special Summons, I activate the card 'Artifact Labrys' from my hand. Whenever an Artifact I control is destroyed, except in the Damage Step, I can Special Summon it from my hand in attack position." Korbin placed the card down, and in front of him, a shadowy sillhouette of a human rose out of the ground, gripping a double-bit axe, the axe being "Labrys". "Now that 'Artifact Labrys' is summoned, it's time for 'Artifact Caduceus' to do the same from my Graveyard." Beside "Artifact Labrys", another sillhouette appeared, this one orange, holding a staff with a beautifully decorated top.
"Regardless of that, the effect of 'Idaten' allows me to add one Spell Card from my Graveyard to my hand after she's been Special Summoned, so I return 'Advanced Ritual Art'," Gale explained. "My turn's not even halfway done, yet. I still haven't Normal Summoned, so with that done, I Tribute 'Idaten' in order to Tribute Summon the Level Six . . . 'Trance the Magic Swordsman'!"
"Idaten" became a sphere of light that entered a portal. Moments later, the swordsman emerge from the same portal, his ATK registering at 2600, one thousand more than what Idaten had been.
"Now everything's been taken care of. I enter my Battle Phase; 'Trance', Attack 'Artifact Labrys'!" Gale exclaimed, feeling she had been successful with her first turn. The swordsman leapt into the air, his blade colliding with that of 'Labrys'. At the collision, the axe shattered into gold pixels, spraying out and signifying its destruction.
"I think that covers it," Gale said. "I end my turn here."
(Turn 3: [Korbin 4000] / [Gale 4000])
Korbin narrowed his eyes, a bit more attention being focused on the duel. I'll admit, that was unexpected. "Alright then. Draw," Korbin exclaimed, reaching for his deck and picking up the top card. He looked at it carefully, sighing once he realized he had not a lot to do for the turn. "I set two cards face down, one a monster, before ending my turn."
(Turn 4: [Gale 4000] / [Korbin 4000])
Gale wasn't sure what to take of her opponent going defensive. It wasnt every day something like this happened. "Alright. I draw," she said. "Hmm . . . not quite yet. I'll now have my 'Trance' attack your 'Caduceus'!"
"Trance the Magic Swordsman" jumped up, descending toward the staff, the sword passing through it like butter. Like the other "Artifact", it burst in a shower of gold dust, finalizing its removal from the field.
"Next, I Set one card and end my turn," Gale finished.
(Turn 5: [Korbin 4000] / [Gale 4000])
Korbin was leery as soon as the face-down appeared on the field. He knew the back row was a dangerous place, and that card was probably no exception. "I draw." He nodded appreciatively before setting the card in the Spell/Trap Zone. "I set a card and end my turn." This was getting dangerous. Hopefully this next turn Korbin would get something a little more useful.
(Turn 6: [Gale 4000] / [Korbin 4000])
Gale, for one of the first times in her Dueling career truly felt that nothing would go wrong in this Duel. This never happened to such a degree. She had felt confident a few times before, but nothing like this. "Draw," she declared, not looking at the card immediately. If it was a monster, she had her signature monster out, and it likely wouldn't be going anywhere. That's perfect, she thought as she zeroed in on the card: "Queen's Knight".
"I activate the Ritual Spell Card: 'Ritual of Grace', from my hand! This allows me to Tribute 'Trance the Magic Swordsman' from my field, and 'Queen's Knight' from my hand. Now I Ritual Summon the Level Seven . . . 'Divine Grace - Northwemko'!" As Gale spoke, her field was set into action. A bright flame surrounded "Trance the Magic Swordsman" and a translucent "Queen's Knight". When it dispersed, "Northwemko" stood in their place.
"I now target 'Sanctuary in the Sky'!" Gale declared. "With the effect of 'Divine Grace', she can't be destroyed by card effects while it remains face-up on the field. Battle Phase! 'Divine Grace', attack the face-down monster!"
As the attack was announced, the card flipped up, reavealing it to be "Absorbing Jar". "About time," Korbin murmurred. "Since you attacked 'Absorbing Jar', its Flip Effect activates, destroying all Set Spell and Trap cards on the field. We also draw the same amount of cards as the cards destroyed by 'Absorbing Jar', as long as we controlled them." "Absorbing Jar" sucked all of the face-down cards in to it's opening, spewing out cards to each duelist from their decks: one to Gale, and two to Korbin.
There goes 'Magic Cylinder', Gale thought as she drew her next card.
Korbin reached for his deck, drawing two cards. He didn't bother to look at them yet. "Also, an 'Artifact' was destroyed by 'Absorb Jar's' effect, so I'll go ahead and Summon the destroyed card, 'Artifact Chakram', in Defense-position." A red sillhouette appeared next to the "Absorbing Jar", holding a pair of circular throwing devices with four sharp spearheads on four sides of it. After "Chakram: was summoned, "Divine Grace" continued her attack; a swing of her staff sent a shimmering wind in the direction of "Absorbing Jar", destroying it.
"I guess I end my turn," Gale said, hoping that the next turn would not see the Summon of a monster too powerful for "Divine Grace" to handle.
(Turn 7: [Korbin 4000] / [Gale 4000])
Korbin could feel the tides shift in his favor after "Absorbing Jar" let him draw two cards the previous turn. After looking them over, it was just what he needed to begin his counter-strike. "First, I draw," he said, picking up the top card of his deck with a swipe. He looked over the card before making his next move. "Next, I Set three cards face-down, ending my turn."
(Turn 8: [Gale 4000] / [Korbin 4000])
"My move, then. Draw," Gale said. It wasn't a bad card, but she couldn't play it yet. "I'll once again jump to my Battle Phase. 'Northwemko', attack his monster!" Once again, "Northwemko" swung her staff, but unfortunately, Korbin had plans other than Gale's.
"Hmph." Korbin flipped over a face-down card, revealing it to be "Artifact Movement". "I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card 'Artifact Movement'. This allows me to destroy a Spell or Trap card on the field. I'll select my own face-down, 'Artifact Failnaught'."
The face-down card was shattered in a shower of glowing pixels. Then, as soon as the card was destroyed, a green sillhouette appeared next to "Artifact Chakram", holding a bow and arrow. "When 'Artifact Failnaught' is Summoned, I can Set an Artifact card from my graveyard. I set 'Artifact Labrys'. But that's not all. Artifact Movement also allows me to set an Artifact card from my deck." A card partially ejected from Korbin's deck, which he set accordingly. "I'm not done yet. I activate the Trap card 'Theosophy of the Artifacts'. This card allows me to Special Summon an Artifact monster from my deck. I choose 'Artifact Beagalltach'!"
Korbin was starting to get fired up as he grabbed the next partially ejected card from his deck and summoning it. This one was a red sillhouette, grasping an absurdly broad sword. "'Artifact Beagalltach' allows me to destroy my own Set card. I'll do that now." The sillhouette swung 'Artifact Beagalltach' through Korbin's face-down card, 'Artifact Achilleshield'. After its destruction, a purple sillhouette appeared on the field, grasping a large shield. "'Artifact Achilleshield's' effect makes it so you can't target 'Artifact' monsters for an attack. I suppose that ends the Battle Phase, considering there's nothing but 'Artifacts' on my side of the field."
Gale stood baffled. Through a long chain of effects, her "Divine Grace's" attack had been negated. Her hand lacked the cards she needed to stop what had just happened, to add to the difficulty.
"I guess . . . I end my turn," Gale said, her mind still swimming over what had happened.
(Turn 9: [Korbin 4000] / [Gale 4000])
"It's my turn. Draw!" Korbin drew the card, not bothering to look at it. "With four Level five monsters on the field, I can Xyz Summon two Rank five monsters. I'll do that now, if you don't mind. With 'Artifact Failnaught' and 'Artifact Moralltach', I construct the Overlay Network to Xyz Summon 'Constellar Pleiades'. And with 'Artifact Beagalltach' and 'Artifact Chakram', I construct the Overlay Network for the Xyz Summon of 'Artifact Durendal'!"
All four of Korbin's monsters suddenly turned a hue of gold before shooting into a swirling cloud of dust akin in appearance to the night sky. Then, two new monsters appeared on Korbin's side of the field: One being a warrior-like humanoid, donned in gold and white armor, holding an intricate sword in his hand, "Constellar Pleidas." The other being a giant, imposing broad sword held by a shimmering white sillhouette, "Artifact Durendal."
"After Summoning 'Constellar Pleidas', I activate it's effect: By detatching one Xyz material from him, I can send one card on the field back to it's owners hand. I target 'Divine Grace - Northwemko." "Constellar Pleidas" raised it's sword, a lightning strike hitting "Northwemko", shrinking it in to a ball of light, the ball shooting back to Gale's hand. "Next, I'll go to my Battle Phase. 'Constellar Pleidas', attack Gale directly!"
"Constellar Pleidas" raised his sword, slashing at Gale with all of it's might, depleting Gale's Life Points to 1500.
"Let's get this over with, shall we?" Korbin remarked. "My 'Durendal', attack Gale directly! Ancient's Slash!" The sillhouette jumped forward, slashing at Gale ruthlessly with Artifact Durendal, depleting her Life Points to zero.
(Duel End: Korbin wins)
Gale fell backward at the double-collision. For a moment, she didn't even bother to get up; she was too stunned that such a comeback had been made. When at last she rose to her feet, she shook her head and said to Korbin, "That was impressive. Nice job."
Korbin grunted dismissively. "Hmph. If that's what a Ritual Summoning deck looks like, then you should really rethink the course you're taking." He gathered his cards and placed them back into his deck box, deactivating his Duel Disk. "Truly, I've seen better from a Fusion duelist." He sighed and grabbed his bag, packing up and leaving. "But that's to be expected from someone with a 35% win record."