Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Lady of Dragons ❯ Ashford, Lord of the Dead ( Chapter 17 )

Editor's note: There is a sequence in this chapter wherein we take artistic license with a specific card. We apologize.

 

Francine (Gaylen Ross): They're still here.
Stephen (David Emge): They're after us. They know we're still in here.
Peter (Ken Foree): They're after the place. They don't know why, they just remember. Remember that they want to be in here.
Francine Parker: What the hell are they?
Peter: They're us, that's all, when there's no more room in hell.
Stephen: What?
Peter: Something my grand-dad used to tell us. You know Mucumba? Voodoo. My grand-dad was a priest in Trinidad. He used to tell us, "when there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth."

- Dawn of the Dead, 1974 version, screenplay by George A. Romero

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: ASHFORD CLIVE

LORD OF THE DEAD

For the first time in his life, Seto Kaiba was more scared then he cared to admit. In all of his early adventures, he had always seen himself coming out victorious, but there was no fooling himself this time. Kaiba knew full well what he was up against. The worst part of it was that it wasn't even him who was fighting this time; it was his daughter. Kaiba was now at his wit's end. The third match of the finals was long overdue to begin, but he couldn't bring himself to announce it, not after what had just happened.

A hand on the CEO's shoulder brought him back to a reality with a jump. "Just like old times, isn't it," Yugi tried to say comfortingly as the shadowy figure of Yami leaned up against the wall.

Kaiba had to disagree, "In all of our early tournament fiascos, Yugi, I don't remember anyone dying."

"Well, there was Noa, who held back Gozaburo while the main computer shut down," Yami offered. "His mind was erased from existence. Isn't that the same thing?"

Kaiba grunted disapprovingly. Noa was a subject that he had tried to push far from his mind.

"I know," Yugi suggested, "how about a duel ourselves? It would be a great way to get you back into the fighting spirit."

"I will not let my guard down and do anything reckless Yugi. I need to be on my full alert to make sure that everyone else gets off this ship alive." Or at least mentally intact, Kaiba reminded himself.

Then Yugi did something that Seto Kaiba had never seen him do; he let the chain of his puzzle clink to the table as Yami retreated for a time. "We can duel fair this time then, you without your dragons, and me without my Puzzle. Sound good?"

Kaiba wanted to say no, but then again, what harm could it do? "All right," Kaiba said, accepting, and even more out of character he added, "You go first."

That stopped Yugi in his tracks. He had never known Kaiba to play second in any duel. Still, he pulled his deck out of his hip pouch and began.

Yugi surveyed his opening hand and already found Slypher within it, among other very useful cards. He grinned and set up the strategy that had brought out his God Card all those years ago. "I summon Queen's Knight in Attack Mode. (1500/1600) Then I set two cards and end my turn." Yugi knew that Kaiba was not likely to fall for the same trick twice, but maybe he could bluff Kaiba into taking out Chain Destruction instead of Soul Rope. 

Kaiba looked at the opening hand of his own and smiled. "First up is Card of Demise to let me draw five cards, even though it costs me my entire hand as soon as my turn ends." Yugi knew that Kaiba must have something good to risk losing his cards on only the first turn, but like all of Seto Kaiba's strange plays, this one had a purpose. "Perfect," Kaiba confidently declared. "I now have all of the components needed for a painful combination, Yugi. Let's start by activating another magic card, Final Destiny, to wipe your playing field clean with its destructive power!"

Yugi could not place Kaiba's attitude, and he tried to imagine the effects of the card in holographic form while sweeping his cards to the side. Kaiba had already admitted that his three trademark Blue-Eyes were no longer in his possession, so what was Yugi's greatest rival planning?

There was no point in guessing, as Kaiba himself made it clear. He had discarded the five cards necessary to activate the Final Destiny card, and it just so happened that they all were monsters. "Now, to continue, I activate Soul Release to remove my Blade Knight, (1600/1000) Kaiser Glider, (2400/2200) Y-Dragon Head, (1500/1600) Vampire Lord, (2000/1500) and Armed Ninja (300/300) in my own graveyard from the game."

Memories came flooding back into Yugi's mind as he now realized what Kaiba was planning.

His opponent responded with the very card he was anticipating. "To finish the job, I play Dimension Fusion, draining two thousand of my life points, but in turn summoning every monster I just removed from play."

Yugi did a very quick math equation in his head and barely sighed in relief. Kaiba was still two hundred points off from finishing him completely. He then looked up to meet Kaiba straight in the eye and realized that he may have overestimated his luck.

Sure enough, Kaiba didn't even bother to move all of his monsters to the field, but slapped down Obelisk the Tormentor (4000/4000) next to his Glider and now-stronger Blade Knight. "I win," Kaiba stated, not even officially declaring the attack.

 Kaiba looked into his opponent's eyes and missed a glint of pondering behind his eyes. It only lasted the briefest of seconds though, and before he could be sure of what he was seeing, Yugi had already extended the "good game" handshake.

"Not bad.  Short, but not bad," Yugi observed.

It finally seemed to have dawned on Kaiba exactly who he was being comforted by and he uncomfortably rose to leave. "Come on, I need to watch my daughter pound the stuffing out of Seskera."

Yugi took note, but was not exactly surprised. "You don't think that Montgomery was him, do you." It was not a question; they both knew in the back of their minds that it was the truth.

"No," Kaiba said flatly, "I don't." Both minds were now just as troubled as when the duel had first begun.

Yugi threw his dueling hand down on the table and picked up a nearby phone to call Tea. If Kaiba would have been a little less emotional at the time, he just might have noticed the Kuriboh.

0000000

Derik knew that it was off limits to watch another finalist dueling, but he couldn't pass up the chance to see how tough his competition was going to be. Frowning, he realized that Isis must be using the other entrance and turned to leave.

He met with a pair of eyes that one never forgets - icy blue and blank of any emotion. The boy froze in terror, and he barely registered the word "Marina" forming on his lips.

Before another word could be spoken, Ashford stepped between them on the stairs. Marina followed close behind.

Derik dashed to tell his dad and Mr. Kaiba what he had seen. As he bolted as fast as his legs could carry him, he swore he could hear the icy words follow him from up the stairs. "You're next."

0000000

Downstairs, the shadow energy being emitted by Odion grew in potency. The final tumbler had just opened, and he was amazed by how little effort he had used. He was exhausted, but not damaged. The prisoner wondered how much power he had used, and then hoped it would be enough to keep his master at bay.

0000000

Isis had been on top of the blimp for ten minutes when her father finally arrived, looking pale as a ghost. Apparently Derik had found him. Kaiba made a mental note to keep his eye on Marina as she walked through the door to his left, but Ashford was nowhere in sight.

Not knowing the circumstances, the arbiter began to make the opening statements. "Battle City Quarterfinals Round Three, Isis Kaiba versus Ashford Clive, is about to begin!"

"Is that my cue?"

Kaiba groaned as Ashford meekly crept through the door. "I've never made an entrance without my pyrotechnics before," the duelist apologized.

Once the older duelist was in position, the arbiter cleared his throat and shouted, “Duelists, select your Deck Masters!”

It took Isis less than a second to choose hers.  “Kaiser Seahorse is mine!”  The fishman hovered behind her, spear at the ready.

Ashford took just as little time.  “Mine shall be the Castle of Dark Illusions,” he declared, and the Castle floated into view behind him.

The arbiter finished with, “Castle of Dark Illusions is weaker than the Kaiser Seahorse, and so Ashford Clive will have the first move!  Let the duel begin!”

"I'm so glad I get to begin this duel," Ashford spoke. His voice seemed to match the ice crystals forming from the clouds, freezing at the high altitude. "I set a monster facedown, and then set two cards to keep you in suspense." There was no visible change on Ashford's side of the field. His ice-blue eyes stared back at Isis through the thick cloud of darkness.

"Just to make it interesting though," Ashford reconsidered, "I think I'll activate the card of my own design, a useful field card by the name of Stygian Crypts." A dark cloud of water wet the feet of both players as a black river that seemed almost alive spread across the arena. "This card's special power takes time to be revealed, but I assure you it will be well worth the wait."

Isis quickly tried to analyze the situation, but still had no clue as to her opponent's strategy. Deciding to take no risks as she drew her card, the Kaiba heiress set a magic card into play. "I activate the Swords of Revealing Light, stopping your monsters for three turns, but more importantly bringing your hidden creature into the light."

The holograms sprung to life, creating a more grotesque version of the card then Kaibacorp had ever used in the past. The swords of energy pinned themselves to the monsters on the field, skewering them into place. Isis was vaguely surprised to see a pathetic looking Egyptian mummy taking the sting of her magic card. (900/0)

“Ergh… my Pharaoh's Servant looks more pathetic than usual…” Ashford grumbled.

Isis, however, grinned at the opportunity to inflict some real pain on her opponent. One of Isis's favorite combinations looked back from her dueling hand, and she played it with pinpoint accuracy. "I summon Gradius in attack mode, and wipe out a chunk of your life points by equipping it with the Cyclon Laser. Now attack with P-Shot!" (1500/800)

The rainbow colored cannon charged up and shot a brilliant particle beam at the meek creature it was targeting.

Ashford was not one to go unprepared, however, revealing one of his cards. "Not so fast, miss pretty-pants. Reveal Reverse Trap, changing the three hundred point increase in your monster's power to a decrease!" A vile looking witch doctoress appeared and began to juggle a red and a green energy ball between her hands.

Surprisingly, both monsters shattered on contact, much to Marina's delight, and Isis's rage. "I don't know who you think you're kidding, but even nine hundred points beats a measly zero!" the young girl yelled.

Ashford closed his eyes in thought, savoring the moment. "Whoever said my monster was in defense mode?"

Even as he said it, Isis felt a dawning comprehension.

"That is the special power of my Castle of Dark Illusions, the Shroud of Shadow!” Ashford continued. “The impenetrable darkness it emits will conceal the form of my creatures, no matter what position they are in."

Isis had nothing more that could help her at the moment, but she knew her swords would stall for a while. She was just beginning to relax when Ashford revealed another trick up his sleeve.

"Before you end your turn,” the corpse-faced man declared, “I'll trigger another trap card with the ability to bring forth another monster, The First Sarcophagus!"

Kaiba gave an interested hum. That card worked so much like the Destiny Board that he had witnessed in the very first Battle City quarterfinal.

A large golden box split the current of the river Ashford had created, very plain and uninteresting… but as Isis passed control to her opponent, the lid began to shift.

"What's happening?" Isis asked, very happy to not be in that box herself.

Ashford finished flipping through his deck and looked at the girl to answer the question. "Simply put, you ended your turn. My beast has been ritually buried within three of my Sarcophagus cards. These seals take time to be broken, but at the end of your next turn, my creature will be unleashed. But for now, I simply set another monster and end my turn."

"Aren't you even going to tell me what mode it's in?" Isis pleaded as blackness from the floating castle obscured her view.

Ashford shook his head and dismissed it with a brief, "Nope."

The largest box had vanished leaving behind an ornate gold coffin. Isis could only wonder what was in there.

Isis knew that she only had one turn to draw that magic-destroyer that would put her back in control. Unfortunately, she drew her first Blue-Eyes. That wasn't bad by itself, but with no monster to sacrifice it might as well have been a Salamandra in a water deck. She had four cards in her hand, but it was a rare occasion that she had all monsters. And two of them were useless. Not having another alternative, she summoned her last useful card. "Neo the Magic Swordsman in attack mode." (1700/1000) She still had another turn before her swords wore off, and if Ashford had a tribute monster in his hand she would have to fend off two powerful monsters instead of one.

The monster seemed to know Isis's command - “Attack!” - before it was even stated, and sent a swishing arc of blue magic from his sword, cleaving the monster in half. (900/0)

Ashford chuckled. "I didn't think you would fall for the same trick twice, so it's a good thing I put my Pharonic Protector in defense mode this time, isn't it?"

Isis reluctantly ended her turn, realizing her predicament as the golden coffin began to open.

Ashford had already searched his deck for two cards, and now set his The Third Sarcophagus card into place. "Now the fun begins," the punk stated with venom in his voice. "Now watch as the final piece is set in place and my creature rises from the depths of death itself!"

The coffin was now completely open, revealing a tightly wrapped mummy with a glowing force stirring from inside its bandages. All at once the wrappings burst apart in a flash of violet light, revealing a formidable masked Egyptian warrior, the Spirit of the Pharaoh. (2500/2000)

The ground began to crumble as the wrappings at the monster's feet began to take form and spawned the images of Ashford's two fallen monsters. "I forgot to mention perhaps, but my Spirit has the power to resurrect lost souls, regenerating up to four zombie-monsters with a level lower than three," Ashford continued.  He drew a third card to his hand and looked at it lovingly. "I hope that you weren't staking the duel on those swords, by the way, because with my De-Spell card, they will be shattered one turn early!"

Nowadays De-Spell was all but unheard of with all of the more effective magic removal in the game, but Isis simply watched as green smoke formed a lock and key forged into her Swords of Light. With a simple turn the light was shattered, leaving Isis to face the gloom of Ashford's dark castle.

"And don't think I'm done either," Ashford cooed. "I now tribute my weak Pharaoh's Servant for my Great Dezard." (1900/2300)

Kaiba was surprised by the appearance of a spellcaster in a zombie deck, especially one so weak for its level. Marina, however, just smiled and watched the fun, apparently knowing what was about to happen.

Isis was now facing a swamp of monsters with absolutely no defense. Trying to stay calm, she simply waited for the offensive to commence, crossing her fingers.

Ashford took his sweet time, but knew when to get down to business. "I now attack, with Great Dezard!"

A-8000 I-7800

It struck Isis as no surprise that Neo fell under the attack, but as the Egyptian priest crushed her monster, a strange new aura surrounded the attacker.

Ashford seemed to delight in explaining as he elaborated on the new condition. "My monster grows stronger with every opponent he destroys. With one, he becomes immune to all targeting effects. If you get careless enough to let him destroy another it will prove disastrous. In the meantime, I have so many Life Points to destroy and so little time. So without further babble, Spirit of the Pharaoh and Pharonic Protector, attack her Life Points directly!”

Isis cringed as her duelist stand realized the damage she was taking. The poor girl held her breath as more than three thousand points of damage was shoved down her throat.

A-8000 I-4400

Isis bit her lip, realizing that she was now almost at half her score. Then she realized that this was what she wanted to happen. Her best monster had just become accessible. Grinning, Isis looked at the Fairy's Hand Mirror she had just drawn. It was no good for now, but Isis had already planned her move. "First," she explained, "I use my two fallen monsters to power my Soul of Purity and Light. (2000/1800) Then, as per the special power of the Kaiser Seahorse, I can sacrifice it for my first Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" (3000/2500)

The girl is wise, Ashford noted. If she had moved her deck master to the field to tribute, she would have put herself in danger. The duelist simply waited behind his veil of darkness for the attack to come. He wasn't wrong, as the crackle of white lightning incinerated his weakest monster.

A-5900 I-4400

Ashford was not concerned as he drew another card. His plan was working perfectly; he just needed a bit more time. Now was the time to set his last card, along with the new one he had drawn. "You seem to have me at a loss," he bluffed, giving Marina a wink out of the corner of his clear eye. "I have no choice but to set two cards and switch my Spirit of the Pharaoh into defense mode. Back to you..."

Kaiba, however, was clearly not fooled. He could in no way interfere with the duel, but those cards Ashford was holding were deadly. Isis was a complicated duelist, great at getting herself out of tight spots, but impulsive and in a rush for victory. In the back of his mind, Kaiba thought that she would walk into this man's trap.

Isis pulled another monster out of her deck, realizing that she was dangerously low on magical defense at the moment. Not seeing the need to worry, the girl smirked at her opponent. "Now do you really think I wouldn't notice?"

That a girl, Kaiba internally whispered.

"You forgot to switch your Great Dezard into defense mode. Now a whole lot of damage is coming your way. Blue-Eyes White Dragon, White Lightning!"

Kaiba almost groaned as Ashford secretly activated a card from within his shroud of darkness. "Sorry, but I warned you not to underestimate my Dezard. I plan to protect him with this, Bark of Dark Ruler, weakening your monster for each point I pay upon its activation. Let's see, carry the one… four minus two…”  He counted on his fingers a moment, and then concluded, “I think twelve hundred Life Points will be satisfactory."

A-3200 I-4400

Ha Des himself made a personal appearance, accompanied by a river of souls flooding from the demon king's mouth. Ashford, with his rock and roll background, seemed to revel in the effects and the piercing howl that the amplifiers were creating. The mighty dragon was already crumbled mostly to dust after fighting the swarm of spirits; it stumbled past it, only to crumble at the Great Dezard's feet with its dying breath.

A-3200 I-4300

Isis was horrorstruck. She had just let her father's prized beast die in his presence. She was now extremely pleased that she didn't use her summon for the turn.

Ashford cut her off, "Did I say I was done? I have another card facedown, one that bears a very familiar face. With your dragon's destruction, I now make A Deal with Dark Ruler."

From the shadows rose the ugly face of the Dark Ruler Ha Des once again, and he said in a booming voice, “What shall be thy offering?”

“I offer her Blue-Eyes White Dragon,” Ashford said with a wave of his hand.  Judging by Ha Des's sinister laugh, the offering was accepted.

Isis watched as her own dragon appeared on the field, and kept a stone gaze as the flesh peeled from its bones. (3500/0)

Ashford looked thoroughly pleased. "My Berserk Dragon, my lady. A wonderful sight isn't it? Not only is this monster more powerful than the original dragon, but it also has the ability to clear the field in a single turn."

Isis barely registered the fact that she had set her monster along with another card. She was now facing a monster that only the very toughest of beasts could conquer.

Ashford drew a card into his empty hand and smiled. "I owe you more thanks than you know. You have allowed me to unlock two of my greatest zombies in a single attack. I told you a while back that my Dezard had another ability. Now witness as I sacrifice it for another undead titan, Fushioh Richie!"

Isis watched as the priest's face melted to form the black horror of a skull. As the elegant robes lost their form, she truly believed she was staring into the face of death itself. (2600/2900)

Marina was now openly cheering, although no one really understood the words. The undead army that Ashford had so skillfully put together captivated them.

"Now," Ashford boasted, "I return my Spirit of the Pharaoh to attack mode, and with this last card I can wipe out the last of your defenses. I activate Offerings to the Doomed!"

Isis remembered this card from her duel with Chef Whatever-His-Name-Was, but this time the card seemed much more menacing. Four canonic jars rose out of the ground, each with a different representation of an Egyptian god.

Isis broke from her panic just in time to remember what she had on the field. "I refuse to lose to a punk rocker with ABSOLUTELY NO TASTE IN HAIR GEL! Activate Fairy's Hand Mirror!"

The jars all opened in sync, various colors of smoke combined to form a sinister looking hand. At that instant, the mirror formed and reflected the image of a monster across the field. The hand, reaching forward for its target, was caught in the fairy magic of the mirror, turning and sealing various pieces of Ashford's Spirit of the Pharaoh within the jars, hopefully never to return.

Ashford cursed at wasting his next draw for nothing, and with his empty hand, he needed to keep his monsters in check. Suddenly, Ashford realized the obvious. His newest addition could summon a zombie from his graveyard whenever it was flipped face up. The zombie duelist grinned at his cleverness, and prepared for the rest of his onslaught. "I don't need a card next turn to finish you. I still have two of the mightiest zombies in the game. And, it's only a matter of time before I reap the benefits of my Stygian Crypts field card. But for now, Berserk Dragon, attack the girl's facedown monster with Necrotizing Firestorm!"

Five separate pale violet fireballs erupted from the zombified dragon's throat. All five converged on a single target, Isis's facedown Magician of Faith." (300/400)

Within his cold heart, the zombie duelist felt the rush of impending victory.  He paused to sneak a wink at Marina on the sidelines - for once, it didn't offend her. "Now, with no monsters, my Fushioh Richie can attack your Life Points directly. Fushioh Richie, start sending her to the afterlife with your Cenobite Claw!"

Isis kept a loathing stare at her opponent even as the hellish monster ran its rusty red claws across her flesh.

A-3200 I-1700

Ashford prepared for the coup-de-gras as he flipped his Fushioh Richie into face-down defense mode.

Isis drew a third card into her hand and smiled that smile of a duelist with a huge turn-around just waiting to be played. "So, you managed to get out three of your strongest monsters onto the field at the same time. I admit I'm impressed. Using special summoning powers instead of tributes makes it go faster. But you've overlooked a summoning ability of my own - my deck master."

Ashford still couldn't comprehend how a child could do anything to him in a single turn, but he felt there was no way she could stop him in time.

Isis then made her first move: "First, I use this Swords of Revealing Light that I recovered from the graveyard."

Ashford's heart stopped in his throat. His Berserk Dragon was already five hundred points weaker due to its effect. Three turns was too much time.

"Now, I move my deck master to the field,” Isis went on, “and due to the newest additions to the deck master format, I can sacrifice it once and not lose as long as the new monster stays in play." The Kaiser Seahorse leapt to the girl's front lines and knelt, preparing to make the ultimate sacrifice for his mistress's victory. "I now summon my second Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" (3000/2500)

Ashford could only stare as his monsters were locked in place. It seemed as if the light itself was defeating him. The second effect of the swords revealed his Richie and grounded it to the spot, but as it was still flipped up, Ashford quickly plundered his graveyard for another defense.

There was a time for power, and a time for psychological warfare, and Ashford realized without a doubt that now was a time for the latter. "My Fushioh Richie has the power to bridge the two worlds of life and death, bringing a zombie back from the grave when it is flipped face up.”  He turned his darkest look on Isis.  “Before you try something you might regret, remember the power of my Shroud of Shadows. You have no idea what monster I've revived, or even what mode it's in, so attack me if you dare."

Isis thought about it for a moment, and then looked into her father's eyes. Finally she made up her mind. "I dare." The dragon fired its blinding stream of electricity and incinerated the Fushioh Richie guarding the path to her opponent.

Ashford was in a world of trouble and he knew it. Without another card to protect him, he was a sitting duck. He had no choice but to wait. Out of fear of losing more life points, he changed his dragon to defense mode, but he needed another tactic.

Ashford passed regrettably and Isis picked up the duel with a flourish. Seeing a new addition to her deck, she decided to take it for a test drive. "I summon White Magical Hat in attack mode." (1000/700)

Kaiba looked on as he knew that this duel was beginning its final stage: someone was about to lose, and it didn't look like it would be Isis.

The Kaiba youngster felt herself be drawn into that victory rush again as she prepared for the final blow next turn. "Now I attack your defenseless dragon with my White Magical Hat, and finish your final monster with my Blue Eyes."

The once-menacing Berserk Dragon crumbled at the aftershock of the Hat's swishing cape. The Dragon's attack was slightly more impressive, wiping out the unsuspecting Spirit of the Pharaoh, which, to Ashford's relief, was in defense mode.

The zombie duelist drew his next card, and realized that he couldn't use it at the moment; still, it might just be his saving grace if this worked. "It seems that I am at a major disadvantage, Miss Kaiba. Even if I could summon a monster, your swords would be in effect for one more turn. Just do me the honor of being defeated by the legendary Blue-Eyes, and let me leave with some dignity."

The ploy worked perfectly and Isis fell for it. Drawing her card, she played it at once. “Okay, then, I activate Graceful Charity to draw three and discard two." Isis set aside the Gradius's Option that had been sitting lifeless in her hand throughout the entire duel, as well as Light of Intervention. "Now I use the card that I made for this tournament myself. I bring forth the Lady of Dragons!" (1500/1000)

A headdress in the shape of a dragon claw framed a dark face with shining green eyes. This monster wore no cape, but an elegant emerald train tumbled to her feet. Ashford recognized the face immediately; it was the perfect resemblance of Isis herself.

"This creature has two effects,” Isis elaborated, “the first being that you may only attack my dragon-type monsters if I have any in play. Now I set one card facedown, and attack directly with my White Magical Hat!”

A-2200 I-1700

As soon as the attack hit, an eerie glow cast itself around the field. Something was very wrong. Isis felt her fear of claustrophobia take her again and focused her attention somewhere else, on her opponent. "What's happening?" the girl asked, not well hiding her fear.

A smile crossed Ashford's face, and he spoke: "As a zombie duelist, I have many thoughts about the concept of death. Most people fear it, while others try to understand it. And let me tell you something, princess… Some things want to die."

The ground beneath the duelist's feet gave a lurch as shadow itself seemed to force itself up from the ground. It took Isis a moment to realize, that the shadow was actually taking form. It was shifting into a huge behemoth that crouched behind a set of gravestones.

Ashford let out a cruel, maniacal laugh as he saw the young girl cower in obvious fear. "By discarding it from my hand you helped me unleash its great power. Behold Despair from the Dark!" (2800/3000)

Isis almost hyperventilated on the spot. Even her dragon could only tie that monster's defense power. The girl ended her turn and watched to see what her opponent would do.

Ashford drew what he knew would be his final card and looked at it for a moment, smiling. "Prepare to lose your deck master, girl. I've drawn the card I need, but first, I use the power of my Stygian Crypts. I think you will be presently surprised."

The girl was surprised, all right, but it was not at all pleasant. A skiff with a skeleton gondolier loomed out of the darkness and fog that had been created by the first card played in this duel. If it were not for the movement, Isis would have missed it entirely, but out of the corner of her eye she saw six grave markers slowly sink into the ground.

"It was good that I played this so early," Ashford remarked. “Each time one of my monsters is destroyed in battle, a grave counter is added to my field card. Then, at any time, I can remove any number of counters to resurrect a monster from my graveyard with that number of stars. I had six, so I once again revive my Spirit of the Pharaoh." (2500/2000)

The small boat finally reached the shore, beckoning the large mummy-like monster to step off.

"Now,” Ashford added, “I use my trump card here in my hand, Axe of Despair, giving my Spirit another thousand attack points. Even if you manage to save your monster, my creature's attack power is too high… but just for fun, I'll switch my Despair from the Dark into attack mode. Now, Spirit, attack the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

Isis knew that she had to time this just right as the dark weapon of death lunged at her monster. The mighty dragon was cleaved in half. Isis waited for the shadowy reflection of her Kaiser Seahorse to appear, and then hit the button with so much force she hurt her finger.  “Activate Spell Textbooks!”  A series of books swirled around her, as Isis went on, “When I activate this card, I draw and discard cards until I reach a magic card, which I can then activate as a quick-play!” 

One card turned over from her deck and plummeted into her graveyard.  This repeated four times, Isis's heart beating faster with each one, until finally it hit a magic card - just the one she needed.

"I activate Flute of Summoning Dragon and combine it with my Lady of Dragon's second ability!" Isis announced.  Ashford was about to protest, but the flute was already at the monster's lips. Instead of a single note of a horn, the flute sounded more like a trumpet, repeating the same six notes. "Like the Lord of Dragons, my creation can play this magical flute. However, instead of raising two dragons from my hand, they come from the graveyard. My Blue-Eyes is still on the field, so I'm still in the game!"

I-1200 A-2200

Twin roars struck fear into Ashford's heart as two mighty beasts rose to aid she who had summoned them. Ashford was no longer sure that he could take on both of these titans at once.

Isis wasn't even going to let him try. "Now," Isis knew that the wrong card could put her back to where she started, but as it often happened, destiny handed her the card she needed. "Shine Castle strengthens the power of one of my dragons by seven hundred points. Now, let's show him how a true duelist works - Double White Lightning attack!”

Feeling the power of the magical fortress flowing through it, the first dragon directed its attack at the armed Spirit of the Pharaoh. The next dispersed Ashford's Despair from the Dark, shaving four hundred life points off of Ashford's score.

A-1800 I-1200

Isis wasted no time following through with her other two monsters, knocking Ashford to the ground.

I-200 A-0

As the holograms lifted, Ashford appeared to be unconscious; two White Lightnings in a row was a lot to take.

Kaiba grunted as Marina rushed to Ashford's side. "Just once I want a final's match without needing to vacate a hospital bed." Kaiba started towards the fallen duelist, but Marina suddenly leapt in his way, "Keep away from him," she screeched.

Kaiba didn't have time for this. "Look, I know you think it's my fault for making the holograms so powerful, but he's just knocked out. He'll be…"

"He's not just unconscious, you idiot!" the woman yelled, beginning to go into full-blown panic.

A heavily-accented voice broke in.  "I'll be the judge of that." Kaiba turned to see Shadi, apparently early for his own match, stepping out of the stairwell.

Carefully, the robed man pressed his Millennium Key against Ashford's forehead.  After a moment, he shook his head. "Barer then the scraps left for a jackal," Shadi sighed.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kaiba demanded.

"It means Seskera has already punished his servant for losing. This is getting worse then I feared."

"Wait a minute!" Kaiba interjected, pointing to Marina. "I was told that this girl is a proven Order of Ammit member. If this isn't Seskera, then that means…"

0000000

Down in the last guest bedroom, Thoth sat preparing for his own duel.  “Thank goodness I didn't have to watch that one,” he muttered to himself.  “I cannot stand zombies…”

He quickly shoved the remains of a torn card into his pocket and threw on the thickest shirt he could find to hide the burn mark that ran down his shoulder.

STYGIAN CRYPTS
Type: Field Magic Card
Image: The River Styx, a river of black water, flowing through a valley of tombstones and crypts.
Effect: Whenever a monster you control is destroyed in battle, place a grave counter on this card.  During your Main Phase, you may remove any number of counters from this card.  If you do, you may Special Summon a Zombie-type monster from your Graveyard with level stars equal to the number of counters removed.

LADY OF DRAGONS
Type: Effect Monster
Statistics: Lv. 4,  ATK: 1500, D: 1500, LIGHT/Spellcaster
Image: A young woman in a dress that looks much like the Lord of Dragon's outfit, but with an emerald train instead of his cape.
Effect: When this monster is face-up on the field, your opponent may only attack Dragon-type monsters on your field if you have any.  You may play "Flute of Summoning Dragon" if this monster is face-up.  If "Flute of Summoning Dragon" is played, you must Special Summon the monsters from your Graveyard.

Coming next chapter: Seskera's cover is gone, and it's his turn to duel.  Shadi steps forward to confront him, and their battle spills over into the Shadow Realm.  Can the spirit overwhelm the head of the Order of Ammit?  This question will be answered in Chapter Eighteen, "Shadi, Spirit of Vengence"...