Have no Fear – Leap 006

"Now, my Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, attack that fool Key-Keeper's Elemental Hero Tempest with your Molten Fire Blast!"

The serpentine dragon of darkness heeded his master's call and stretched his jaw wide, hissing noises coming forth from its mouth as reddish-purple flames built up in its glistening maw. Once a spherical conglomeration of fire had been given enough time to adequately coalesce into a dangerous weapon, the terrifying creature of the shadows launched the infernal attack at the seemingly helpless winged warrior.

Jaden, however, was not one to sit idly by and watch transfixed as a comrade he trusted to watch his back was incinerated by some unfriendly wyrm. "I activate my face-down trap card!" he declared. "Negate Attack!" A card flipped face-up between the dragon and warrior holograms, a picture of a vortex 'printed' upon it. "This negates your attack, and immediately ends the battle phase, meaning my Tempest is safe."

"Is he," queried Nightshroud, "is he really? I would assume to think differently, Key-Keeper. But, alas, I no longer feel the desire to continue my turn, so I will end it and give you a feeble chance to attempt to reclaim victory."

Jaden SC: 8

"I'm not so sure about feeble, Nightshroud, as my Quick Wroughtweiler might have something different to say about that." A sleek, metallic hound barked happily as it leapt into view between Jaden and Nightshroud. Taking a guarded stance, the dog growled softly, its synthetic voice catching the wind and reaching both duelists' ears.

"Easy, boy," murmured Jaden, "we'll get the bad man, don't worry." Speaking louder, he continued, "I switch my Elemental Hero Tempest into defense position as well. I end my turn, Shadow Rider."

NIghtshroud SC: 3

"I'm in no mood to prolong things any further, Key-Keeper, so I'll summon my little friend, 'Dragonic Servant of the Dark Dimension' to the field. Then, I can banish both him and my face-up 'Escape from the Dark Dimension' to gain 800 life points. Next, my metallic red-eyed friend will allow me the honor of special summoning Lancer Dragonute to the field."

A green humanoid shaped dragon appeared, ready to do battle, between the two larger black dragons its master controlled. Slashing the air several times with its axe, the dragon snarled, content in the knowledge that it was ready to fight should its master require that action of it.

"That Quick Wroughtweiler," said Nightshroud, "I've heard of it before. It prevents you monsters from being destroyed by card effects due to Speed Spells, correct? However, that does not protect your trap cards, so when I activate this handy little Speed Spell, namely 'High Speed Crash', your 'Speedworld Forces' is no more, meaning it'll be that much harder for you to Fusion Summon your precious Elemental Heroes. Well, that and your precious little Tempest no longer has any protection from being destroyed anymore."

The image of Jaden's trap card shattered in to thousands of fragments, impaling themselves in his Duel Runner and his motorcycle jacket. "Well then," said Jaden in a calm voice, "are you going to attack me, or are you finally going to let me go back to kicking your butt?"

Nightshroud sneered, "Do not worry yourself, o' impatient Key-Keeper. I fully intend to attack you." His voice rising to a rage, the shadow duelist called out to his creatures, "Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, incinerate him!"

"Good show Jaden!" shouted Professor Banner excitedly. "You show him what for!"

Midori, not nearly as excited as her fellow professor, glanced at the male dorm head of the Slifer Dorm. "What are you so excited about, Lyman? Jaden is going to get hit with at least 1 direct attack this turn, and if I had to guess, that would be by that metal monstrosity, which will reduce Jaden's life points to 0, and end the duel in his loss."

Lyman Banner smiled mischievously at his co-worker, "Ah-ah-ah, seems like someone wasn't paying attention earlier when Jaden activated 'Speed Spell - Faster than Doom'."

"I know he discarded a card," Midori replied hesitantly, "but I don't see how…Oh."

Upon the view screen they were both watching, supplementary data was being shown due to the link with the duel-disk systems, which allowed the system to display not only the pure visual dual, but also to literally show the data being ran through the machines. For example: the screen put up a display of a card that Jaden had banished from his graveyard, one that went by the name of Necro Gardna.

…"And due to Necro Gardna's effect, the attack from your Darkness Dragon is now negated. Nice tray, Nightshroud," Jaden said as both of the turbo duelists began passing over the Slifer Red dorm.

"It doesn't matter," said Nightshroud with a touch of arrogance, "for my Darkness Metal Dragon will destroy your Elemental Hero Tempest utterly and completely. Now, do your thing me dragon! Attack with Metallic Molten Fire Blast!"

A trumpeting noise seemed to blare, before a stream of searing plasma enveloped the winged warrior on Jaden's side of the field, the sheer force of that powerful blast shattering the monster into thousands of pieces.

At a nod from Nightshroud, the Lancer Dragonute also leapt in order to attack one of Jaden's monsters. Slicing the metallic hound in two, it was quick to leap back to its masters side, as the symmetrical remnants of the robotic dog combusted and transformed the immediate area into a blazing mess of fire, shrapnel, and ash, before the image of the destruction shattered into nothingness.

"Thanks to you destroying my loyal pup, I'm now allowed to add 1 Speed Fusion and 1 Elemental Hero from my graveyard to my hand," Jaden said as he winced at the life point damage he received from that attack. (Jaden Life Points: 400)

Jaden SC: 9

"I summon my Elemental Hero Wildheart," said Jaden.

"And I," countered Nightshroud, "activate my banished Dragonic Templar's effect, allowing me to send Lancer Dragonute to the graveyard immediately, boosting my Darkness Dragon's attack power all the way to 4500!"

"Well then," said Jaden, "I suppose it's high time I once again bring out my A-game and activate 'Speed Spell – Speed Fusion'! I fuse Elemental Hero Wildheart with Elemental Hero Blade Edge in order to form Elemental Hero WildEdge!"

A thunderous shout resounded throughout Duel Academy Island as a warrior garbed in golden armor appeared and stood guard beside the duelist who summoned him. "But I'm not done there, Nightshroud, as I activate the effect of my 'Speed Spell - Team up from the D. Dimension ' to equip my Wildedge with an appropriately banished Union monster, like my very own banished 'Spirit of Terra'. But before we skip to the pleasantries, Nightshroud, I do believe my monster's effect needs to give yours a little present, namely giving your Metal Dragon a boost so that it matches the attack strength of your Darkness Dragon."

Nightshroud laughed hysterically. "What was the point of that, Key-Keeper? So near to your own demise that you can't even properly duel me?"

Jaden smirked. "Not quite, Shadow Rider. You see, by doing that, my Wildedge now gets to double his own attack power, bringing him all the way up to 5200 in terms of attack power. And since my good friend here has the nice ability of being able to attack all of your monsters, I get to slay both your dragons. "

Jaden pointed a finger at the sky, "Go, Wildedge, attack both of his Darkness Dragons!" he shouted in as loud a voice as he could muster. Wasting no time, Wildedge obliged, using the boomerang like blades on one arm to slice apart the Metal Dragon while his great broadsword was used to cleave the original Darkness Dragon in two.

(Nightshroud Life Points: 1300 – 700 = 600. 600 – 700 = 0)

(Nightshroud defeated)

"No!" Nightshroud raged as his duel runner skidded to a halt on the mystical pavement of the magically constructed Dark Highway.

"So, the human woman has at last arrived," spoke a large, muscled man with thick gray hair. "It took her long enough."

"Now Exil," said a lithe woman with long, and equally gray, hair, "we have waited thousands of years for this day. What is but a few more minutes before we crush this girl and claim our rightful place in reality?"

Exil huffed silently, before grudgingly replying, "I suppose not, Lupu. You are always right about these things."

Lupu growled appreciatively and lightly patted Exil's cheek. "There's a good lad, knowing just how to sweet talk a woman." Smirking somewhat, she turned to where Reggie Mackenzie now stood within the room forged as a result of the fusion of her mind with the dark entities' minds. "Wouldn't you agree with that assessment, miss Mackenzie?"

"What do you two want?" Reggie asked tersely. "And more importantly, why are you in my mind?"

"It was not our decision, but the decision of the creature that inhabits the body of the man you love, the one called Nightshroud," replied Exil.

"And as for what we want," continued Lupu, "we simply wish to duel you, right here and now, in order to determine whether it is us, or you, whom the fates have decreed worthy of surviving this day."

"Surely," said a voice suspiciously like Reggie's own, "you two didn't seriously think you could duel my greater half two against one, did you? That's not very fair, you know."

Glancing sharply to her left, Reggie raised an eyebrow at the almost identical doppelganger. And by almost, it means that the doppelganger still had those strange tattoos on her face, and wore slightly different attire, such as an ebony choker around her neck. "You are the one I just dueled."

The tattoed doppelganger gave a little curtsy towards the main portion of the psyche she was born from. "I am known as Doubt, milady Reggie. I am a persona your inner psyche developed in order for you to overcome your insecurities."

Reggie chuckled slightly as she activate her duel disk. "What better way to overcome my insecurities than a talking, walking version of my insecurities, eh?"

Doubt activated her duel disk as well, the gray haired pair across from them doing likewise. "It's just the way your personality works, milady."

"Enough chatter," snarled Exil, "let us get this duel under way. I draw!" Glancing at the card he drew, he wasted no time in setting it in face-down defense position.

"My turn," said Doubt. "I activate Sub-Space Card Destruction. By banishing 5 cards in my hand, I am allowed to draw 5 cards from my deck, at a cost of 100 life points for each."

(Team Mackenzie LP: 3500)

"I set two cards face-down," she declared, "and summon 'Adar – Seren the Last Flicker'. I end my turn."

"My turn now, little sweeties," said Lupu as she drew a card from her deck. "And if you don't mind, I think I'll summon a friend of mind, namely 'Engel, Staubkrieg Priest'." A well built man in monk's attire stood at the ready beside his mistress, his twin daggers poised to attack. "I will also set 1 card face-down, and end my turn."

"I draw!" exclaimed Reggie, but before she could continue on with her turn, Exil activated one of his face-down cards.

"I activate Trap Dustshoot," he declared. "Now then, let's take a look at your hand, shall we?" Making a motion with his hand, six card images appeared in the air in front of him. Smiling softly, he pointed to one card. "That one, Consecrated Light, will return to your deck. You may keep the others."

"Thanks," Reggie bit out sarcastically, "you're so generous. Now then, continuing on where I left off from before, I summon Victoria to the field."

"I think not, miss Mackenzie," stated Lupu. "I activate my trap card, Force Back. Your normal summon is negated, and that monster is returned to your hand."

"Doubt," Reggie inquired darkly, "would you kindly do me the honors?"

Doubt smiled charmingly at her counterpart. "Of course, milady, it would be my pleasure. I activate Fusion's Testament, allowing either myself or my partner to Fusion Summon this turn without the need for Polymerization. Take it away, miss Reggie."

"Gladly," said Reggie as she quickly deposited two monsters in her hand into her graveyard. "I send Marie the Fallen One and The Forgiving Maiden from my hand to the graveyard in order to Fusion Summon from my Extra Deck the exemplary warrior whose devotion to her cause gained her the blessing of the Light, the one and only St. Joan!"

A woman with short orange hair seemed to descend from up on high onto the playing field, her sword held in front of her, her eyes closed as if in prayer. "St. Joan, attack Engel, Staubkrieg Priest!". St. Joan's eyes snapped open, and with a mighty yell she struck the defending priest with her terrible sword.

"Due to Engel's effect, I am allowed to banish 1 monster with 0 ATK from my Deck," said Lupu.

(Team Exil Lupu LP: 2500)

"I then set two cards face-down and end my turn," said Reggie.

"I do believe it is my turn then, and during my standby phase I reveal 1 Staubkrieg monster in my hand, Geryon, Lord of Staubkrieg, in order to special summon the monster banished by Engel's effect, Erhard, Staubkrieg's Pilgrim. And since he was special summoned due to the effect of a Staubkrieg card, I get to select 1 Earth Fiend or Fire Fairy in my or Lupu's graveyard; Erhard's Attack and Defense are now equal to that monster's original values. But, to be honest, that's not what is important. For I now activate my face-down trap card, Full Moon's Requiem. By tributing 1 face-down and 1 face-up Staubkrieg monster each, I am allowed to special summon from both of our decks "Exil – Herald of the Bite" and "Lupu – Guardian of Midnight". In other words, ourselves."

Both Exil and Lupu leapt forward onto the playing field, their teeth sharpening into fangs. "Due to my own effect, I am allowed to reveal the top five cards of my deck. If one of them is a Field-Spell, I get to play it, and the rest are sent to the graveyard. If none are, 20 cards are sent from my deck to the grave."

5 cards appeared in the air, 3 monsters, 1 trap, and 1 Field Spell. "I now activate the Field Spell "Moon's Radiance". This allows us to activate Lupu's effect now."

"And that effect is," Lupu said with supreme confidence, "is to tribute both myself and Exil in order to Tribute Summon a Level 10 monster from the deck, namely the Earthbound Immortal Exil Lupu!"

The grass beneath their feet, projected on the field due to 'Moon's Radiance', began to sway with increased intensity as the two gray duel spirits disappeared into thin air. A stone heart, marked by glowing runes appeared. It beat once, as if searching for an energy source. The moon high in the sky shifted as if in answer, and a shaft of intense moonlight beamed down on the stone structure floating in the sky. A wave of darkness suddenly shot up from what seemed to be the earth's core, before quickly taking the form of a shadowy wolf with white lines across its body.

Wasting no time, the Earthbound Immortal Exil Lupu attack the St. Joan card on Reggie's side of the field. The sainted warrior woman screamed in pain as her image shattered into infinitesimal pieces. Two cards that were banished earlier by Doubt's spell card were then shuffled into her deck, and an additional 200 damage was dealt to both duelists for each card returned.

(Team Mackenzie LP: 100) (2800 reduced to 0 by banishing all cards in grave, so 3000 damage plus 400 more due to return to deck effect)

"My turn then," said Doubt, "I suppose. You're not very talkative now, are you? I activate Pot of Greed, this allows me to draw 2 more cards. Next, I activate Crashbug Road. This allows us to both select 1 level 4 or lower monster on our side of the field and special summon one monster in our hand with an equal level as it. I special summon 'Adar – Cadfael the War Shimmer' from my hand. Then, I activate my face-down 'The Unheard Cry'. I special summon my banished 'Adar – Llinos the Solar Flare', which inflicts 800 damage to you, but I, or miss Reggie, has to return 1 card in our hand to the deck."

"And I choose to do so," said Reggie.

"Thank you milady," said Doubt with a nod, "for that now lets me activate the last card in my hand, 'Voiding Flare'. By banishing 1 level 4 psychic-type Adar monster I control, I'm allowed to special summon 'Adar – Haf the Longest Day'. Now then, I will overlay my 3 Adar monsters in order to Xyz Summon out the mighty 'Adar – Rhiannon the Quelled Supernova'!"

A fierce explosion seemed to occur high up in the stars, past the image of the moon, even. The energy then descended quickly onto the surface of the earth, before taking the shape of a dark-haired woman who seemed to radiate power itself.

"But we're not done here, Earthbound Immortal," said Reggie, "For I activate Call of the Haunted to special summon St. Joan from my graveyard."

"And now," said Doubt with a snap of her fingers, "I return St. Joan and Rhiannon to our respective Extra Decks, in order to summon 'Titaia the Supremacy'." There was a flash of light that blinded all who looked upon it for but an instant, and when it had cleared a woman, made entirely of what appeared to be star matter, appeared on the side of the field opposite the Earthboudn Immortal.

"During the Battle Phase," declared Doubt with confidence, "I can banish 3 Adar monsters in my graveyard, and since I had to have 3 Xyz Materials for my Rhiannon I have everything I need. By doing this, you, the Earthbound Immortal, now have your effects negated until the End Phase. This includes, of course, your ability to not be able to be selected as an attack target, but more importantly, it means your effect of gaining 300 ATK and DEF for each of your levels is now negated. So, Titaia, would you please do us the honors of destroying that pesky little overgrown pup? He's become an eyesore."

(Team Exil Lupu LP: 0)

(Winner: Team Mackenzie)

"No!" screamed the voices inside of Reggie's body. "This cannot be! We will escape! We will plunge this world into darkness yet!"

Reggie's body seemed to shudder, before an overgrown wolf made of shadows seemed to leap right out of her head. Growling at Aporia, it attempted to lunge at his throat, but Aporia swiftly dodged out of the way. Before the creature could attack again, however, an explosion rang out across Duel Academy Island.

"It seems that Jaden as defeated Nightshroud after all," said Aporia quietly to himself. "That's quite the shame, don't you think, Earthbound Immortal?"

The Earthbound Immortal, however, didn't answer, as it had begun to try and run away from the island.

There was a mighty thunderclap as the sky flashed red. A stone monolith emerged from the ground, and a beam of light emerged from it to hit the running form of the Exil Lupu. The beast was then stopped in its tracks by some unseen force and lifted into the air.

The creature struggled against its invisible bonds with a ferocity truly befitting that of a caged animal, which in many respects was quite the accurate description. Snarling and raging, it was too preoccupied with trying to free itself to notice the serpentine shape that began to coalesce behind it, until it was too late, and the red-skinned Beast was glaring hungrily at the Immortal wolf.

"I see," said Aporia, "so this is what you meant, Z-One."

Indeed. The Comrade System has injected so much raw Duel Energy into this area that Uria is now capable, if even for a short time, to manifest itself in order to enjoy a late-night "snack", as it were

Earthbound Immortal Exil Lupu turned around and howled in defiance at one of the 3 Sacred Beasts, Uria the Lord of Searing Flames.

Uria made one, swift, lethal movement, and at that moment an Earthbound Immortal was no more.

TBC

AN: Been a while, but mostly due to me being very picky with how I wanted this Leap's duels to go (mostly the inner Exil Lupu fight though, as the Turbo Duel has been mostly planned from the beginning of this fic).

Well, now that the Nightshroud and Reggie Inner duels are done, it's time for us to move on. First, to some emotional loose ends being tied up next chapter (there's a reason there's a Atticus and Reggie character tag to this fic, ya know), and then we get to once more be graced by the 'humble' presence of "The Chazz".