Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Lady of Dragons ❯ Logos,Fractured Mind ( Chapter 16 )

“I'm knitting with only one needle
Unravelling fast, it's true
I'm driving on only three wheels these days
But my dear, how about you?”

 

- Queen, “I'm Going Slightly Mad”

 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: LOGOS, FRACTURED MIND

 

The announcement rang out over the airship's speakers… “Derik Motoh, Logos, report to the arena as soon as possible. Your duel is set to begin.”

 

A few moments later, there was the familiar sound of the elevators going up. A few moments after that, the doors opened, and both duelists walked out (preceded by the arbiter of the duels, who had slept in).

 

Derik took his position, glancing across the arena at his opponent. He had left his created card in the nightstand back in his room… It wouldn't have helped in this match, anyway. He could see his father out of the corner of his eye, taking up a position on the sidelines.

 

The first person out of the other elevator, to no one's surprise, was Dr. William Montgomery, dressed in a pristine white coat, under which was a black suit; in one hand he carried a leather case. After he was out, Logos stumbled into view, still bound in the straitjacket and other restraints. Derik's eyes flicked to the silver pin on Dr. Montgomery's collar. It was an eye…

 

“The second duel of the Battle City Finals will now-“ The announcement was brought to a halt as Seto Kaiba stalked across the arena, over to the twitching Logos… and then past him, to where Dr. Montgomery was retrieving a Duel Disk from his case.

 

“What sort of sick joke are you playing, Montgomery?” the CEO hissed, glaring into the therapist's eyes. “It's obvious Logos couldn't duel if he wanted to! As the organizer of the Battle City tournament, I don't have any choice but to eject your sorry excuse for a `duelist' from the finals!”

 

Somewhere in Derik's mind, a slight indignation came to life. He could just imagine what Isis would say…

 

Despite being the target of a gaze that could probably bring down a bull elephant, Dr. Montgomery merely smiled, moving to undo the restraints on his patient. “I assure you,” he said, “that Logos, while he may be suffering from schizophrenia, is perfectly capable of dueling.” The straitjacket fell, as did a pair of handcuffs and mesh gloves. “It is, in fact, the one thing he is capable of doing himself. Watch.” Leaning in, Dr. Montgomery whispered into Logos's ear. “Time to duel, Logos.”

 

There was an inexplicable change in the air. The madman blinked, then suddenly rose from the stoop he'd had since arriving on the ship. One arm thrust out, at which point Dr. Montgomery strapped the Duel Disk on it. Logos shifted his position, crouching slightly and bending over his disk. A few seconds passed, and then he spoke, his voice thin and somewhat strained with effort. “Then… let's duel.”

 

The therapist grinned at Seto Kaiba, who took an expression of utmost fury and stomped back to the sidelines. Following a moment of stunned silence, the arbiter pushed his shades back up and announced, “The second duel of the Battle City Finals will now begin! Duelists, choose your Deck Master!”

 

Derik had a brief moment of hesitation. If he chose the Dark Magician, he would have a very useful ability to fall back on, but… His pondering ceased as he found the card Sage had given up. “I choose the Chaos Command Magician!” he shouted, as the monster settled into place behind him.

 

The mental patient on the other side scratched his bare chest, pulled on the blue side of his hair, and then snapped a card from his deck (which Dr. Montgomery had loaded in the Duel Disk for him). “Union Rider… will be… mine.” The monster flipped backwards from the Duel Disk and landed in midair, hovering behind its owner.

 

The enhancers rose, and after a quick explanation of how they worked (namely, making physical certain effects), the arbiter announced, “Begin the duel!”

 

(D-8000 L-8000)

 

Logos was given the first turn, and quickly drew his card. “Summon… Dark Blade… attack mode.” The warrior spun twice, then stopped, giant sword in position before him. (1800/1500) Two holographic cards floated into view behind it, as Logos added, “End turn.”

 

Studying the position even as he drew his first card, Derik decided to go with the cautious maneuver. “One monster in Defense mode, one card facedown. Go.”

 

A fourth card found its way into Logos's hand as the madman grinned. “Summon… Pitch-Black Dragon.” The dragon flew out and handed on Logos's other side from the Dark Blade, snorting smoke. (800/500) “Union… Dark Blade… Pitch-Black Dragon…”

 

The Dark Blade leapt into the air and landed atop the Pitch-Black Dragon, raising his sword and shouting. (2200/1500)

 

“Union… Pitch-Black Dragon… becomes equipment… Turns Dark Blade into Pitch-Black Dragon Rider…”

 

Before Seto Kaiba could say a word, Dr. Montgomery told him, “He knows full well that it isn't a different monster. It's just his habit.”

 

“Pitch-Black Dragon Rider… Dark Breath attack!” Logos said, pointing to Derik's face-down monster. The dragon inhaled, and when the Dark Blade thrust out his sword, it unleashed its hellish fog onto the monster. A Royal Magic Library (0/2000) appeared briefly, but then melted. “End turn.”

 

Once he ceased coughing, Derik glanced to his Life Points, and was shocked to see them lower. He then remembered that Dark Blade not only gained an attack bonus, but dealt damage even if its victim was in Defense Mode.

 

(D-7800 L-8000)

 

Yugi watched the proceedings and grimaced. Union decks were rare because of the time requirement needed to get out their key combos, but they could be tough to stop, as any Union monster needed to be destroyed twice - their equipped monster was destroyed the first time.

 

Adding a fifth card to his hand, Derik cursed his luck. He didn't have anything strong enough to defeat the Dark Blade outright and none of his Magic cards would help. Even a monster in Defense mode wouldn't save his Life Points, although it would soften the blow. “I play a card facedown and set one monster in Defense mode…”

 

“Activate trap,” Logos interrupted, turning one of his two facedown cards over, “Shadow… of Eyes.”

 

Derik winced, as his Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer was surrounded by pink smoke and stood up, stunned. (1800/700) “I end my turn,” he said as he glared at the mental patient.

 

“Very… well…” Four cards now adorned Logos's hand as he tilted his head, choosing one specific card. “Play magic card… Frontline Base… permits Special Summoning of… low-level Union monster… once per turn. Use its effect… summon Des Dendle.”

 

A tangle of vines sprouted in front of Logos. (100/2000)

 

“Summon… Vampire Orchis…” An evil tree grew next to the vines. (1700/400)

 

Derik knew what was coming, and he wasn't disappointed, as Logos announced, “Union Des Dendle and Vampire Orchis… create Death Vine…” The weeds engulfed the tree, turning it into a long and wicked vine that wrapped around Logos's arm. “Pitch-Black Dragon Rider… attack with Dark Breath!”

 

Another wave of fog crossed the field, engulfing Kycoo and causing him to fall, choking, before he exploded into triangles.

 

(D-7400 L-8000)

 

Derik was so busy choking that he didn't notice Logos's sudden full-body twitch, as the schizophrenic babbled to himself. Logos managed to get hold of himself, and then uttered, “End turn.”

 

Now four cards were in Derik's hand, but he wasn't sure what to do. Noting that Logos had nearly filled his Magic and Trap Zones, he decided to go with an attack. After all, only one card was face-down… “I summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode, and I attack the Death Vine!” (1900/1700)

 

A cloud of smoke filled the air, and the monster appeared from nowhere. Pointing its staff, the Skilled Dark Magician barked three incoherent words, causing a beam of dark magic to course across the field at the vine on Logos's arm.

 

The madman merely pressed a button, and the vine vanished, leaving the Vampire Orchis and Des Dendle in its wake. “Formation Union… trap card… separates my monster… into two…”

 

The Vampire Orchis was hit, and briefly caught fire before exploding into triangles.

 

(D-7400 L-7800)

 

Derik cursed his luck. The Des Dendle (100/2000) was still out, and he couldn't destroy it as easily as the Vampire Orchis. “I end my turn.”

 

Logos grinned, his hand now two cards strong. “Switch Des Dendle into Defense Mode…” The weeds bunched together. “Attack… Pitch-Black Dragon Rider…”

 

As the dragon inhaled, Derik hastily pressed a button on his Duel Disk. “Negate Attack!” The fog was sucked into the resulting barrier of energy and dissolved into nothingness. An aggravated Logos waved for Derik to take his turn.

 

0000000

 

In the brig of Kaibacraft 7, Odion watched as the guards turned their attention to the passers-by, as the ship fully woke up. They weren't paying any attention to their prisoner, and for that Seto Kaiba would surely fire them.

 

This was the perfect opening. A few muttered words later, a quick spell lashed out and put both guards into a deep, sleep-like trance. That taken care of, the Tomb-keeper looked to the lock of his cell.

 

He began the chant, watching a slight aura of energy build around the lock. “Normal” people wouldn't be able to see it… but in the name of caution, he would have to take a while. Not that it mattered. As long as that lock broke without the guards sensing it, he would have his goal.

 

0000000

 

Studying his hand, Derik decided to go for the attack. “I play Gather Your Mind, which allows me to search my deck for another Gather Your Mind!” He did so, noticing Logos's snicker at the apparently worthless move. However, what Logos hadn't noticed was that the Skilled Dark Magician had one of its gems flickering. “And now, I use the power of my Deck Master - I can lower its attack power by 300 points to create a spell counter, and I'll use that power twice to gain two more spell counters on my Skilled Dark Magician!”

 

A white stream of power broke from the Chaos Command Magician's hands and flowed into the gems on the Skilled Dark Magician, causing them to glow brightly. (1800/1900) Logos stopped snickering, and stared across the field. Out of the corner of his eye, the madman could see Dr. Montgomery wince.

 

“And now,” Derik announced, “I use the special ability of the Skilled Dark Magician - with three spell counters on it, I can sacrifice it to Special Summon my Dark Magician!”

 

The Skilled Dark Magician quite simply exploded, leaving a cloud of darkness in its place. This darkness rose into the sky, and took on human form, which crashed to the ground as the Dark Magician. (2500/2100)

 

“I set one monster in Defense Mode,” Derik concluded, “and I'll attack Pitch-Black Dragon Rider with the Dark Magician's Dark Magic Attack!”

 

A strobe light went off, causing the dark magic to seem even more arcane than it already was. Dark Blade leapt from its mount, which was promptly obliterated.

 

(D-7400 L-7500)

 

Derik nodded, ending his turn.

 

Logos closed his blue eye, his green eye sweeping the field. Derik had a single card facedown, as did he. And he had a very powerful card in his hand… “One monster… facedown… Defense Mode… One card… facedown… Dark Blade… into Defense Mode…” Each change took place as Logos said them. He then waved for Derik to take his turn.

 

Without even looking at his new card (which made his hand four), Derik announced, “I switch Gemini Elf into Attack Mode!” The elves stood up and stretched. (1900/400) “And now, Dark Magician, attack Des Dendle!”

 

But even as the mage swung his staff around, Logos held out one hand. His facedown card swung around, as he shouted, “Fool! Trap… Dark Spirit of the Silent… Stop Dark Magician… and force Gemini Elf… to attack!”

 

The ghost from the trap shot through the Dark Magician, paralyzing him, before turning and engulfing the Gemini Elf, forcing them to fire their rose beam at the weeds. The beam was absorbed and launched back, flooring them.

 

(D-7300 L-7500)

 

With a huff, Derik lamely finished, “End turn.”

Drawing his next card, Logos cackled insanely, holding up a very specific card. Yugi gasped, and Derik shuddered as he remembered his father's story…

 

“Black… Illusion… Ritual.” The devilish pot rose from the floor, the eyes upon it glowing golden. “One star… sacrifice… need… Offer Des Dendle…” The weeds were sucked from the field into the pot, which flashed white and began to shudder. “Summon forth… Relinquished!”

 

And then the pot cracked, the central eye pushing forward and growing a neck, as two armored wings split out from its sides. Now came the arms, and finally the torso swelled. Before Derik could wrap his mind around it, the hideous beast known as Relinquished glared down at him. (0/0)

 

“Now…” Logos cackled, fingers twitching… “Relinquished… Absorb… Dark Magician…” The monster's maw opened, and it sucked in all around it, dragging Derik forward a few inches; more importantly, however, the Dark Magician lost his footing and tumbled headlong into the maw, engulfed by the nightmarish creature. (Relinquished 2500/2100)

 

Yugi could see it already, as if he had fallen into the past. Even as Logos spoke the words, he could hear Pegasus say them as well: “Relinquished, Pilfered Power attack!”

 

A beam of dark magic fired from the eye, wiping Gemini Elf off the field.

 

(D-6700 L-7500) With that done, Logos shook spastically and uttered, “End turn.”

 

Things were not looking good for the young duelist at that point. One of his most powerful monsters was in the clutches of his opponent's Relinquished, his facedown card (Call of the Haunted, he reminded himself) wasn't much help at this point, and he didn't have- Wait, he did have a few good cards. He kicked himself for having rushed earlier… “I set a card facedown, and place one monster in Defense Mode - end turn!”

 

The madman took a pose that, Yugi realized to his annoyance, was a parody of his own dueling stance. “Heart… of cards… not helping… is it? Set one monster… in Defense Mode… and switch Dark Blade to Attack Mode. Relinquished… attack facedown monster!”

 

The nightmare aimed its eye at the facedown monster and charged up its blast. However, when it fired, the beam hit a wall… and bounced back, splitting into two beams. The resulting impact incinerated Relinquished and Dark Blade.

 

Dr. Montgomery, Logos, Kaiba, and Derik said the words simultaneously: “Mirror Force!” Logos, however, was the only one to go into a spasm after saying it. Once he was over it, he waved for Derik to move.

 

The boy was only too glad to. Drawing a card, he smiled and announced, “Monster Reborn, to bring back the Dark Magician!” The mage leapt up, none the worse for wear. “One card facedown, and Dark Magician, destroy his earlier facedown monster!”

 

Once again, a blast of dark magic crossed the field. However, when it hit home, the result was not a rain of triangular shards - instead, it was a cloud of metal fragments. The fragments launched themselves across the field, digging into the Dark Magician.

 

“You… destroy… tournament card… Metal Splinter…” Logos explained, shaking a bit between words. “When… destroyed… facedown… it possesses enemy… makes it a Union monster… attaches to monster I control… and flips it to Attack Mode…”

 

The Dark Magician was now a shriveled joke of a creature, barely recognizable. On Logos's field, the other monster flipped into Attack Mode - the Decayed Commander (1000/1500). It whistled, and the possessed Dark Magician flew to it, locking around the creature. The Commander's sword flared to life, engulfed by dark magic. “Unioned monster… gains statistics… of possessed monster…” (3500/3600)

 

Suddenly, Logos's eyes narrowed, and he looked across at Derik. “Why… your… created card… not used yet? Duel… long enough… for you to get it.”

 

Derik didn't know what to say. He was still recovering from Logos's maneuver, and kicking himself for not stopping it.

 

“I think… created card… not in your deck,” the madman continued. “Which means…” And suddenly he burst into laughter, holding his hands towards the sky. “You… WASTED your chance! You made… useless card!”

 

The accusation stung, and before Derik had a chance to defend himself, Logos went on, “This game… not a vanity project! You should have… created a powerful… strategy aid! Like… my Metal Splinter! Not… some worthless… trophy!”

 

The boy shuddered under the weight of Logos's rant, and it was all he could do to end his turn. He did note that Logos had gained some coherency during his outburst.

 

“I… show you… true… dueling!” The insane duelist drew his next card, giving him one card, and hissed, “Decayed Commander… Zombie Wakazashi!”

 

Even as the monster attacked, Seto Kaiba found himself impressed that someone like Logos could pronounce “wakazashi”.

 

The zombie drew its sword back, causing the air to ripple as it charged, then stepped forward and swung, sending a current of dark energy through the ground at Derik. Thanks to the Dark Magician on its back, the Decayed Commander's attack was gigantic, and it burned along the field…

 

…and was sucked into a tube. The tube spun, powering up its return attack. Derik smiled as he said, “I activate Magic Cylinder!”

 

The return blast knocked Logos to his knees.

 

(D-6700 L-4000)

 

Gibbering, he stamped his foot and waved for Derik to go.

 

Derik quickly drew another card and played it… “Mystical Space Typhoon, to destroy the unioned Dark Magician!” The gust of wind blew Logos's hair even more haphazard, as the splinters fell out and the Dark Magician shattered. “Now I summon another Skilled Black Magician, and attack Decayed Commander!”

 

The mage leapt up, and after a quick chant, blew away the zombie.

 

(D-6700 L-3100)

 

Derik smiled (possibly a little overconfident, Yugi thought), and ended his turn.

 

There was a pause, as Logos took a deep breath, followed by another, and then another. The arbiter was on the verge of calling for action when the unstable man smiled, and drew his card. “Pot of Greed…” Three cards now sat in his hand, and Logos smiled wider. “This… is the endgame… I never… lose endgames…” He held up one hand. “Call upon power of… Deck Master… pay 1000 Life Points… Special Summon any Union Monster in my hand…”

 

Union Rider now rose into the air above them and made several quick hand gestures, causing a portal to open on the field before them.

 

(D-6700 L-2100)

 

And from it emerged… a paper airplane.

 

“I Special Summon… Koitsu!” (200/100) A small blue man climbed out of the paper airplane, doing a handstand. Derik proceeded to burst out laughing, as did Yugi and Kaiba. Even the arbiter had to bite his lip to keep from joining.

 

Only Dr. Montgomery, watching from behind his patient, didn't laugh. He did crack a smile, but for a different reason. He knew the true power behind Koitsu.

 

“Now… I use Frontline Base… Special Summon… Pitch-Black Dragon…” The dragon appeared and managed a roar before Logos continued, “Tribute it… for Aitsu!” The dragon exploded, and its fragments became another paper airplane. On this one was a small red man, who looked around in confusion.

 

Derik raised an eyebrow and asked, “That guy?” Then he noticed how alike they were… and gasped.

 

“You… catch on,” Logos said, and then he laughed before announcing, “Aitsu… Koitsu… UNION! Become… Aitsu-Koitsu!”

 

The two small men joined hands, and their bodies vibrated, before they quite simply melted. Their paper airplanes melted with them. The puddles blurred together, turning into a deep purple. From the puddle, however, a shape began to rise. It was much, much larger than either Aitsu or Koitsu, and it was red on one side, blue on the other. The giant clenched its fists. (3100/3100)

 

Even as Derik pondered how such a thing would attack, he saw Aitsu-Koitsu draw back one fist. It then punched out at Logos's command, and a ball of energy slammed into the Skilled Dark Magician, dissolving it like living sugar.

 

(D-5500 L-2100)

 

The madman was twitching as he pointed to Derik, challenging the boy to take his turn.

 

Not moving, Derik stared at his hand. He had three cards, and one of them (Gather Your Mind) was useless at this point. The other two were Buster Blader and one other card that wouldn't help… At least he had something in Defense. “One card facedown, and I end my turn.”

 

Every muscle in Logos's body tensed as he cackled wildly, explaining, “Other power… of Aitsu-Koitsu… is the power to… trample… Aitsu-Koitsu, attack!”

 

The bizarre giant held out one hand, creating a paper airplane from nothing. Derik's eyes sprang wide as he realized what was about to happen, at which point the airplane crashed headlong into his Goddess of the Third Eye.

 

(D-3900 L-2100)

 

This is his last chance, Yugi thought to himself, biting into one lip. If he can't draw something…

 

He's finished, Dr. Montgomery thought, finishing the chain of thought that was in everyone's mind.

 

As Derik prepared to draw the card that could seal his fate, he heard Logos's mocking laugh in his mind, along with the words, “Heart… of Cards… not helping, is it?”

 

And then he drew, and he knew the game was his.

 

“Graceful Charity!” he shouted, drawing three cards and discarding Gather Your Mind, along with a Giant Soldier of Stone he had drawn. “Now, Pot of Greed!”

 

Both Dr. Montgomery and Logos stared, wondering what the child had in mind.

 

“First, I summon Skilled White Magician,” Derik began. The mage rose onto his field, staff across his chest. (1700/1900) “Now I'll use Chaos Command Magician's ability, paying 900 of his Attack Points for three spell counters…” The Deck Master looked very weary indeed as his power drained. (900/1900)

 

Yugi's eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen. Kaiba merely snorted and crossed Logos off his mental list of finalists.

 

“I'll sacrifice my Skilled White Magician to summon Buster Blader!” The dragon-hunting warrior burst into view, charging up with power. (3600/2300)

 

Logos's eyes narrowed as he did some quick mental math. He didn't have any dragons out… Then he gasped, remembering the Pitch-Black Dragons in his graveyard.

 

“But now I play Premature Burial, paying 800 Life Points to raise my Dark Magician from the dead…” The red light shone as the Dark Magician climbed from his grave.

 

(D-3100 L-2100)

 

“And finally, Polymerization, to create the Dark Paladin from my Dark Magician and Buster Blader!”

 

The two fused together, a blinding light (aided by spotlights on the sides of the arena) shining into Logos's eyes. When the light faded, the Dark Paladin stared down the edge of his blade, glaring at the madman. (3900/2100)

 

“Attack, Dark Paladin!” As Derik said it, he barely kept from screaming the words.

 

The mystic warrior rushed across the field, blade slicing through Aitsu-Koitsu and leaving a vacuum through the center of the giant.

 

The resulting explosion coated the field in blue goop, as Aitsu still stood there, dazed.

 

(D-3100 L-1300)

 

Only then did Derik remember that destroying a Unioned monster only destroyed the equipped monster.

 

“Nice… try…” Logos cackled once more, only to see Derik's facedown card turn.

 

It was De-Fusion. The schizophrenic screamed in what sounded like two voices simultaneously.

 

“Dark Paladin, divide into Dark Magician and Buster Blader!” Derik commanded, watching the swordsman vanish and become its components once more. “And now… Dark Magician, attack Aitsu - Dark Magic Attack!”

 

The smell of ozone filled the air, before the dark magic fired, engulfing Aitsu as it tried to flee. When the smoke cleared, nothing was left.

 

(D-3100 L-0000)

 

A moment passed, and then the arbiter announced, “The winner of this round of the Battle City Quarter-Finals is Derik Motoh!”

 

Dr. Montgomery sighed, then crossed the blimp to where Derik was stepping down from his platform. Offering a hand, the therapist began, “I extend congratulations to you, Mr. Motoh, on defeating my patient in this difficult duel. Although it pains my heart that Logos has lost, it will be noted that he handled himself remark-”

 

“LIES!”

 

All eyes snapped to where Logos had thrown himself from the platform. The madman inched his way across the ground, past a stunned Yugi, before hurling himself at Dr. Montgomery. They crashed to the floor, Logos ripping the silver pin off of the doctor's coat.

 

“Liar!” Logos hissed, hands gripping Dr. Montgomery's throat. “You said I… would never lose… That my deck… was unstoppable…” The madman's voice raised in volume until he was screeching in the therapist's face. “You said victory… would clear my mind! That the Master would… make me WHOLE! You lied! All of it was LIES!”

 

CRACK!

 

Dr. Montgomery's head twisted, flopping at an unnatural angle over Logos's hand. Pulling his hands back, Logos stumbled off of the corpse and collapsed, eyes still wide open but not moving.

 

Seto Kaiba had called for security as soon as Logos had made the final pounce. The guards arrived, and one of them took out a flashlight, shining it into Logos's eyes for a moment before shaking his head. “He's catatonic,” the guard reported. “I don't think he'll be coming back anytime soon.”

 

“Damn it,” the CEO muttered. “It seems having him arrested wouldn't do too much. Take him back to his room, we'll drop him off at the hospital after the finals.”

 

Still in shock at having seen a man die, Derik wandered out of the arena and back into the elevator, one hand wrapped around the pin that Logos had ripped from Dr. Montgomery's collar.

 

All Yugi could do was wrap one arm around his son. As horrible as the scene was, he couldn't shake one thought, one possibility… that the world might have been rid of Seskera forever.

 

Coming next chapter: Ever fear the embrace of the grave? Isis hasn't, but she may have to. In order to progress any further, she'll have to fend off a man who makes the dead dance to his beat, and he's a master at what he does. Will our little girl be able to survive her waltz with the deceased? Find out in Chapter 17, “Ashford, Lord of the Dead”…