millenniumdueled

[millenniumdueled]

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[ The main screen of the stream shows an ominous ghostly green skull hovering above Sacramento City. A berth of destruction could be seen around the California Supreme Court, the only intact building in the area. The roars of monsters and cries of people echo through the thoroughly demolished city. A long wurm-like creature wrapped around the ruins of a skyscraper opens its maw towards the building. Light collects and coalesces into an orb within its mouth - its sweltering heat melts the concrete it's next to. It then swings its head back as if to fire - Only for a lance of neon green to nail the wurm's mouth shut, sending both it and the ruined skyscraper into the ground. The world shakes violently as the orb detonates within the creature's mouth - its light overwhelming the camera. Falling dirt rains from the sky with only a large broad crater to mark the creature's death. Hovering where the creature once stood was a man wearing a green hoodie with a skull similar to the one in the sky. His body glowed with an iridescent green. And in his hand was an ornate spear crackling with neon-colored lightning, the same spear that struck the wurm's mouth shut. With glowing eyes, he gives the remains a final look before zipping out of view in a surge of green. The camera moves to follow.

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Boomer-oh (v): Okay. I can't watch anymore. Watching how many times I should've died might actually give me a heart attack before this whole thing is over. Thank you, mysterious green man / duel monster / whatever.

BanditKLives (v): God. You're in the Sacramento shelter too? Ugh. I know exactly how you feel.

KuriBoom (v): I'm telling you I saw the angel of Los Angeles in person. She has these like light wings and woooosh, smashing up all those dragons with her hammer like it's nothing.

LordofTheNight (v): Wait. You think that's impressive? We got a giant vampire defending the city in San Francisco. At least I'm pretty sure it's a vampire. Can't really tell because he moves so fast, but holy shit he's tall like small-building tall.

LordofTheNight (v): Anyway, fucking vampires fighting dragons. Still feels like I'm still dreaming.

[ A in-line video is posted in chat from LordofTheNight. A military installation with tanks could be seen in the background. An incredibly tall figure - almost a story tall - slams a tanbo underneath an even taller two-headed dinosaur's chin. The force of the blow lifts the creature up into the air. Despite the dinosaur's speedy snaps and slashes, the dinosaur fails to hit its elusive target every single time. And then a flurry of blows from the tanbo strikes the creature so quickly it seemed like they were all performed at the same time. A moment later, the creature collapses with broken body and shattered limbs. The moment it hits the ground, it shatters into shards of light. An enormous fireball strikes down where the humanoid figure just was immediately after, his figure still blurry from the speed which he moved. Briefly, the camera loses track of the speedy figure, only to hear the sound of another draconic roar. The roar is cut short with the sound of something cracking. And immediately in front of the camera, a long Eastern dragon falls onto the earth with a earth-rendering thud. It too shatters into light. On top of a broken skyscraper and under the backdrop of stormy skies, the tall gray vampire is seen in all of his glory, only to turn into a blur once more.

SunnyDay (v): You think that's crazy? I've got a literal skeleton army fighting dragons and lizards outside. And a freaky green-wearing necromancer controlling them all.

LordofTheNight (v): Don't necromancers wear black or something? Like they're all emo or shit?

SunnyDay (v): Well, clearly someone didn't get the memo. Besides I think if you own a skeleton army that can beat up a bunch of dragons, I think you can wear anything you fucking want.

[ An in-line video is posted by SunnyDay. It's clear that the video was taken from the BC Stream chat. A coastline and an air strip are seen. After a quick zoom-in, several skeletons wearing various sets of clothes are charging the dragons along the skyline. Colorful beams of light blast through the dragons attempting to make landfall, putting large holes into the creatures and shattering them into motes of light. The dragons retaliate similarly with fiery blazes and icy projectiles. Meanwhile, the apparent green-clad necromancer engages up close and dispatches several of the hostile monsters in a flurry of colorful red chef's knives. Another human-sized skeleton, tall and lanky and wearing an orange sweater, slams its foot straight into a scaly blue dragon diving face-first at it. The large dragon immediately contorts and flattens like a train slamming into an immovable wall with the sound of crunching bone accompanying it. The broken dragon begins to fall out of the sky before it shatters into motes of light. ]

ExodiaTheForgottenOne (v): Are we absolutely sure that it's not KaibaCorp's SolidVision gone haywire? Cause that whole shattering light thing is like SolidVision's thing.

BlueEyesBlondeDragon (v): For the last time, SolidVision is incapable of being physical like this. You should know better since you've been on the Sketchy stream for so long. And also if we're sharing end-of-the-world stories...

BlueEyesBlondeDragon (v): I was in an airplane that was headed back to Japan, but after all the monsters appeared, we tried to U-turn and fly back to California. Except we had a whole bunch of angry monsters after us. I'm pretty sure we got saved by the angel of Los Angeles.

BlueEyesBlondeDragon (v): One second.

[ An in-line video is posted in chat by BlueEyesBlondeDragon. The video is clearly taken from a phone camera. Quiet panicked murmurs and prayers could be heard. The camera is looking out the airplane window and at the plane's right wing. A large blue winged dragon, one that could be recognized as the Winged Dragon of Duel Monsters fame, is diving straight for the aircraft. Screaming could be heard within the airplane cabin as the plane attempts to futilely veer away from the quickly approaching monster. And then a yellow flash crashed straight into the creature, slamming it straight towards the sea. The figure hovers briefly with its bright wings of light, hammer in a two-handed grip. Surrounded by light and with stalwart frame, the redheaded angel of Los Angeles strikes a prominent figure against the stormy skies. Another approaching dragon dives for her but is suddenly struck down in a brilliant flash. Only when the thunder was heard did people realize that it was lightning that smote the dragon down. By the time the camera recovers from the glare, the angel of Los Angeles is gone. "We're saved!" "Praise the lord!" ]

#ooc #arc: what the doma?! #AHHH EVERYBODY IS SO COOL #hell yeah hell yeah hell yeah

[millenniumdueled]

Little kuriboh!⭐⭐

[millenniumdueled]

too late...!! haha i'm glad to talk to my friends again too... hopefully we can talk lots more once i'm hone again

thanks crowley.... we'll do our best. promise!!

@creepy-crowleys

hey meredith!!! we're both okay, really!! it's um.... not exactly over yet, but... we're both back! and so is kaiba! and joey!!!

i'm sorry i worried you.....

#creepy-crowleys

[millenniumdueled]

btw it’s not weird to be nice. it’s not uncool to be thoughtful. you’re not being sappy or cheesy for doing a kind thing

[millenniumdueled]

@creepy-crowleys

hey meredith!!! we're both okay, really!! it's um.... not exactly over yet, but... we're both back! and so is kaiba! and joey!!!

i'm sorry i worried you.....

#creepy-crowleys

[millenniumdueled]

good morning c:

#kiiiind of? #t.

[millenniumdueled]

Wish of Final Effort: part 2

The Other Yugi doesn't let himself look away.

He makes himself watch as the mirror knight forms of his Partner and his best friend are cut down by their legendary counterparts. His eyes meet the hollow, empty stare of the mirrored Yugi.

And he swears he sees his Partner smile, before his form disintegrates in a pixelated cloud of glitter under the knight's sword. As the cards in his hand shake, a single tear slips down his cheek, drips off his chin, onto the Millennium Puzzle that hangs heavy around his neck.

But the Pharaoh rights himself. He grabs the chain of the Puzzle in his free hand and takes a deep breath. As Timaeus and Hermos return to his side, he narrows his eyes on his opponent and the immortal serpent

and ends his turn.

Dartz laughs again. Quiet at first, but slowly growing into a maniacal cachinnation.

"Is that it?" he asks. "You waited 10,000 years to delay your death by one turn?" He narrows his heterochromatic eyes at the Other Yugi with a venomous glare. It costs him 10 cards to order Geh to attack, but the sacrifice is nothing to Dartz.

This is the last turn, after all.

He orders the divine serpent Geh to attack, targeting the knight Timaeus.

But Critias looks over his shoulder, his familiar, intense stare boring into the Other Yugi's eyes. The Pharaoh nods, and the knight raises his sword.

The serpent lunges at its prey.

The Duelists are blinded by two flashes of dazzling white light in quick succession. The first, as a beam shoots from the knight's raised blade. It expands in an instant, taking form in a wide, arced wall of glittering light.

The second as the serpent Geh crashes into it.

It sounds as if a bomb goes off. The powerful shockwave ripples through the temple, knocking both Duelists off their feet and causing the ancient stone walls to shake and crack. As the dust clears, both Dartz and the Other Yugi push themselves to their knees to assesss the outcome.

The three legendary knights stand, tall, strong, and unharmed. The only sign left of the divine serpent Geh, with all its infinite attack points, is a glowing, teal hole in the fabric of reality itself.

For a moment, time stands still, and neither Duelists dares to breathe.

"How..." Dartz gawks.

"The only thing that can destroy infinity, is itself. Your serpent hit a wall and ate its own tail," Critias explains flatly.

"Critias's effect lets him use the power of one trap in my graveyard, and I chose Mirror Force," the Other Yugi explains. "And since you bet all of your Lifepoints on that snake... You lose, Dartz."

Dartz takes a step back as sweat drips down his back. He stares into the glowing rift with wide eyes. "You don't understand--!" he gasps, somewhere between exasperation and frustration. "It's too late! My god only needed one more powerful soul. The Leviathan will still--!!"

It happens in just a blink of an eye.

Dartz is cut off mid sentence as a massive serpent, far bigger than the divine Geh, strikes from the rift in reality. Its mighty jaws close around its loyal servant, and the beast disappears.

The Other Yugi holds his breath. And the seconds tick by.

Finally, the guards relax their stances, first Timaeus, then Hermos and Critias. As they turn to the Pharaoh, he can finally let himself breathe.

"Is it over...?" he asks the knights.

As if on cue, the ocean floor trembles far below the island temple, nearly knocking him off his feet once again. He catches himself, looks up just to see Timaeus shake his head.

"I'm afraid not.... Dartz is defeated, but the Leviathan still rises," the knight explains. "And we can no longer help you from here on. However..."

He looks to the compatriots at his sides, and they both nod. All three lift a hand toward the rift, and in unison, they order the souls of the Chosen Duelists to return to this world.

The Other Yugi's eyes go wide.

Are they really--

He watches in wonder as three golden orbs float from the rift. They seem to struggle at first, as if being pulled back by the teal light that radiates beyond reality, but once free, they drift and bob like bubbles on the wind. One floats past him to sink into Seto Kaiba's chest, another rises and dances its way into a wall that it easily passes through.

The third slowly bobs over to the Other Yugi, where it comes to rest in his hands. It's an odd sensation, holding a soul in his hands. Weightless, without any tangible surface, and yet a definite form in his palms. The golden light it emanates is soft and comforting, warm and familiar.

Like holding sunlight.

The Pharaoh takes a deep, deep breath, failing to hold back his tears as he brings his arms around the light, hugging it into his chest with a smile.

"Welcome home, Partner."

#ooc #plot #LOL I accidentally posted this too early #and then I forgot to post it at all #ANYWAY #WE'RE ALMOST THERE #arc: what the doma?!

[millenniumdueled]

Wish of Final Effort: part 1

A great darkness begins to engulf the entire Earth, that band of shadow widening until the stars disappear. Far away from the battle, Duke and Rebecca watch anxiously as lightning flashes against that pitch black sky.

And under the ocean, the Great Leviathan roars.

"Do you hear it?" Dartz asks as the temple and the island it sits on shake. "With Seto's sacrifice, my god is almost ready."

"tell your dumb lizard to spit out my brother, you genocidal freak!!!" Mokuba snaps from his place beside his fallen brother, tears raining freely from his stormy grey eyes. "kill him, Yugi!!!!!"

Dartz rolls his mismatched eyes. "I think we've heard enough from the peanut gallery." As he speaks, an eye appears in the Seal behind him. The Seal pulsates, sending a shockwave of energy rippling through the room that knocks the spectators back, off their feet and to the floor.

Somehow, Mokuba manages to crawl back to his brother before he collapses, unconscious beside his lifeless form, one hand clinging to Seto's arm.

"There! No more distractions," Dartz laughs.

The Other Yugi gasps as he glances behind himself at his friends, crumpled on the floor beside each other. "What did you do to them?!" he demands. His hands shake.

"Don't worry, they're only sleeping. My god has no appetite for their weak and pathetic souls." Dartz's aloof demeanor changes, back to that bloodlust he radiated before, as he fixes his blue and gold eyes on his opponent. "Now it's only you and me, Nameless Pharaoh. Some quality time."

Other Yugi growls as he tears his focus away from his unconscious friends and back to the battle at hand.

Yugi and Joey stare back at him from their Mirror Knight forms, their eyes blank. Still, the Other Yugi can feel something in them, feel his Partner pleading silently with him to head the few words he had managed to utter against Dartz's control.

The Other Yugi takes a deep breath.

Thanks to Kaiba's Wish of Final Effort, he has a second chance, and 4300 Lifepoints. But across the field, Dartz is protected by an unbeatable serpent, the legendary Geh with infinite attack points.

He draws for his turn, plays Pot of Greed to draw two more cards. The first is Obnoxious Celtic Guardian, a familiar and well played monster. But the second makes his eyes widen. The nameless card given to him by the Dark Magician Girl the night he had freed Timaeus! Except now, it isn't blank. Now, the image of three knights, swords raised and crossed, appears to him clear as day, along with the name: Legend of Heart.

He can feel its power radiate inside his heart. His eyes meet his Partner's across the field, he swears he sees Yugi smile and he knows.

This is the card that will save the world.

He summons his Celtic Guardian, just to tribute the elf, as well as 1000 of his Lifepoints, to activate this new card's effect. All three legendary dragons, Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos, appear on the field at once. They let out a mighty roar as they all leap into the air, flying up, up, up into the shadows of the temple's high ceiling, until a burst of bright, white light blinds the Duelists far below.

"After ten millennia in captivity, our time has finally come again, Dartz!" booms a voice that echoes through the chamber.

When the Other Yugi's vision returns, he finds three knights, the spitting image of himself, Joey, and Kaiba, on his side of the field where the dragons had stood seconds before.

The knights stare Dartz down with 10,000 years of resentment in their eyes as they face their enemy. Each knight announces his name, Sir Timaeus, Sir Hermos, Sir Critias, and they raise their swords, crossing them overhead as the art on the card the Pharaoh had played.

"In the name of Atlantis, we have been reborn to defeat you," they announce as one. Their swords strike the ground, and the three layers of Dartz's Seal of Orichalcos are destroyed.

But despite that, Dartz still laughs. "How good to see you all again. But that's some confidence you've got! Have you forgotten our last battle?"

Timaeus raises his free hand to touch his right eye, scarred over. "How could I forget? We have a score to settle, here and now."

Dartz hardly seems shaken by the knight's threats.

But the Other Yugi hesitates. Even if these knights have some effect that can destroy the immortal Geh, those two mirror knights, wearing the souls of his Partner and best friend, stand in the way. Kaiba had destroyed Mai and Rex without hesitation. But how can the Pharaoh attack the people most precious to him...?

His eyes meet Yugi's across the field again and the seconds tick by.

The knight Timaeus looks back at the Duelist who summoned him. His perplexed expression softens as he realizes what's holding the Other Yugi back. "It's okay," he assures his Duelist. "Attacking the mirror knights won't hurt them. You'll only break the spell he holds over your friends' souls."

The Other Yugi searches Timaeus's single blue eye for the truth. Finally, he nods in understanding. His chest hurts, but he orders his knights to attack the ones that shield Dartz and his serpent.

Timaeus and Hermos ready their swords.

#ooc #I really wanted this to be just 1 part long but #then everything went wrong and I had to rewrite things #twice #and now it's longer! #and better in some ways #and #worse in other ways #part 2 will not be as long I prommy #but this felt like the right place to leave off for dramatic effect #ANYWAY #plot #arc: what the doma?!

[millenniumdueled]

Duel for the World! Finale!

Darkness spreads across the Dueling stage, roiling in thick clouds like the serpent that ate the sun of Atlantis. And what comes from that fog is exactly that:

Divine Serpent Geh (∞/∞)

A massive, monstrous serpent, mostly obscured by a portal into the void it came from. Dartz's LP are 0, he has no cards in hand, but as long as this monster is on the field, he can't lose no matter what.

Seto feels some sweat run down his back.

Dartz holds both hands out, as if supplicating to and showing off this new, horrible monster to his opponents.

"You see now, Nameless Pharaoh, Seto? When Orichalcos Shunoros is defeated, it summons my Divine Serpent-" Yugi thinks to himself that Joey would make a double entendre about that comment, then feels a renewed strength to fight, just a little- "And as long as my Divine Serpent exists on my field, I am guaranteed to have your souls as sacrifice! With infinite attack and defense, there is nothing either of you can do against it!"

Yugi and Seto stare down the emotionless Mirror Knights wearing the faces of Yugi's friends, and the monstrous serpent.

"...You are exceptionally lucky I cannot attack with it the turn it is summoned."

The Mirror Knights stare back, with Yugi's eyebrows struggling to lift into an expression. Before he can do anything, it's Seto's turn.

Pot of Greed. Well... it gets him a couple more options, but not much! He sets a spell and summons Different Dimension Dragon, keeping his LP safe from the Knights, for now... but not from Geh. He hopes Yugi has a bright idea.

Trying to clear the field, Seto has his dragons attack the Knights, jeering confidently to Dartz, "These may have the faces of Yugi's friends, but I know they're not real. You can't fool me with reprogrammed holograms- I invented this technology!"

Dartz would have let him, too, interested to see what happens to the souls inhabiting his Knights- but Yugi shouts to his Duel partner, "NO!!" and activates a trap: Soul Shield. It halves his LP to end the Battle Phase immediately. How uninteresting. Dartz pouts at the Duelists having their quarrel, crossing his arms.

"Too afraid to see what destiny has in store for your friends, Pharaoh? I would be, too- if I didn't know you all will be in the same place, in the end."

Seto glares at Yugi and passes his turn. Yugi draws, hand shaking.

Magical Space Typhoon. He can at least get the annoying Centaur out of play and keep Seto's monsters alive for one more round. The marble statue shatters into dust in the wake of the Typhoon, and Dartz is only getting less and less impressed. He taps his foot.

When his turn comes again, Dartz draws- but he has no real need. First, to destroy Seto's monsters--

"Go, my Mirror Knights! Remove their defenses, that my Serpent may devour their souls!"

The Knight wearing Mai's face leaps toward Seto's dragons, and is summarily executed by them... but the other two, Joey and Yugi, don't move. They struggle against their direction from Dartz, which is finally something interesting.

"Oh?" Dartz's tone drips with irony. "Well, if you won't attack, I'll have my Serpent end him right here-!"

This time, the Knights can move, and they move to block the great Serpent in its wormhole. Dartz can't order it to attack his own monsters, despite everything else he can do... Finally, a little sweat appears on his brow, as well.

"What...? Get out of the damn way!"

The Knights, with their outstretched arms, don't move an inch. Yugi turns his head to look over his shoulder at the Other Yugi.

"my... other me..." he manages to choke out around the restraints from the Card he's trapped in, and the Nameless Pharaoh's attention is instantly on nothing but his Partner. "we can't... hold it back forever... please, remember that card...!"

Yami Yugi's face is etched with confusion and anguish well beyond its years. "Aibou..." That Card?

"Tch." Dartz passes his turn. "Just one more useless turn to try and deny destiny. You're wasting your time, Chosen Duelists."

"Destiny can kiss my ass," replies Seto, as he draws. Then he laughs again. "Hahahaha! Speaking of Chosen Duelists...!"

The legendary dragon Critias rises from behind his Duelist, though Seto has very few options with which to fuse it... He decides on his unused Reflect Energy- surely, direct damage from a Legendary Dragon will somehow pierce through his loss prevention effect...?

Alas, it doesn't. Seto is down to Kaiser Glider and Critias, having had to sacrifice Different Dimension Dragon to Relay Soul's effect. "Damn it... Yugi...!"

Dartz laughs at them. It echoes around the hall of souls, even causing the flames to flicker in time.

"You call that a final move? It's your funeral, Seto Kaiba!"

Yugi has sweat dripping down his brow as he draws again, praying for something that will turn this duel around. All he can do is place a card and hope that his Partner and best friend can hold the snake at bay for a little longer...!

On his draw, Dartz grins, and raises the card above his head with the most drama yet. "This is the end! Truly! The final level of the Seal: Orichalcos Tritos!"

"It can get even more powerful...?" Yami gasps out, barely loud enough for Dartz to hear.

"Oh yes, Nameless Pharaoh- you are dealing with a force greater than the darkest shadows, and older than time itself."

The seal grows another layer, and Dartz gains another 2000 LP from Deuteros's effect, but he doesn't need it. Because he owns Tritos, his traps and spells still work, so he can activate the card he set at the very beginning of the duel: Martyr's Curse!

Seto's Legendary Dragon is dragged forward by the impossible snake's head, lashing out in an instant to grab it over the Mirror Knights, and crushing it in its jaws in a shower of hard-light dust.

Seto's eyes go wide as the Serpent strikes at him, next. Its massive fangs feel like they really pierce through him, and he chokes, stumbling back against the Seal's barrier. Dartz smirks, all teeth.

"Your soul will feed my God wonderfully, Seto Kaiba..."

Yugi rushes to Seto to catch him before his legs give out, only to see him still on his feet, barely holding up a hand to activate a set card: Wish of Final Effort. He had had a nagging thought in the back of his mind while they were building their decks together: what if he lost? What if Yugi, with his stupid protagonist syndrome, managed to outlast him and be their last hope? How could he ensure victory?

Kaiser Glider swirls into glitter on the wind, landing in Yugi's Duel Disk and bringing his LP back up to something manageable.

"don't screw up now, Yugi... the only thing either of us owes now, is to save the world from this lunatic...! make sure the revenge in my name is painful..."

Yugi catches Seto's body as his soul is captured by the Seal. The throng watch as it bounces around the room and lands in one of the two empty slots set aside for the final Chosen Duelists, standing strong and stuck about to pound on the face of his prison.

Dartz chuckles at the Nameless Pharaoh. "It seems you're the "soul" survivor, Pharaoh! But your ally has served his purpose, so I have no use for the chaff he left behind." He flicks a finger, lifting Seto's body out of Yugi's arms and against the portal; it shudders and twitches against the force of the magic, but Dartz forces it through, leaving Mokuba Kaiba to catch his big brother's (effective) corpse.

#ooc #morning reblog

[millenniumdueled]

Duel for the World! Finale!

Darkness spreads across the Dueling stage, roiling in thick clouds like the serpent that ate the sun of Atlantis. And what comes from that fog is exactly that:

Divine Serpent Geh (∞/∞)

A massive, monstrous serpent, mostly obscured by a portal into the void it came from. Dartz's LP are 0, he has no cards in hand, but as long as this monster is on the field, he can't lose no matter what.

Seto feels some sweat run down his back.

Dartz holds both hands out, as if supplicating to and showing off this new, horrible monster to his opponents.

"You see now, Nameless Pharaoh, Seto? When Orichalcos Shunoros is defeated, it summons my Divine Serpent-" Yugi thinks to himself that Joey would make a double entendre about that comment, then feels a renewed strength to fight, just a little- "And as long as my Divine Serpent exists on my field, I am guaranteed to have your souls as sacrifice! With infinite attack and defense, there is nothing either of you can do against it!"

Yugi and Seto stare down the emotionless Mirror Knights wearing the faces of Yugi's friends, and the monstrous serpent.

"...You are exceptionally lucky I cannot attack with it the turn it is summoned."

The Mirror Knights stare back, with Yugi's eyebrows struggling to lift into an expression. Before he can do anything, it's Seto's turn.

Pot of Greed. Well... it gets him a couple more options, but not much! He sets a spell and summons Different Dimension Dragon, keeping his LP safe from the Knights, for now... but not from Geh. He hopes Yugi has a bright idea.

Trying to clear the field, Seto has his dragons attack the Knights, jeering confidently to Dartz, "These may have the faces of Yugi's friends, but I know they're not real. You can't fool me with reprogrammed holograms- I invented this technology!"

Dartz would have let him, too, interested to see what happens to the souls inhabiting his Knights- but Yugi shouts to his Duel partner, "NO!!" and activates a trap: Soul Shield. It halves his LP to end the Battle Phase immediately. How uninteresting. Dartz pouts at the Duelists having their quarrel, crossing his arms.

"Too afraid to see what destiny has in store for your friends, Pharaoh? I would be, too- if I didn't know you all will be in the same place, in the end."

Seto glares at Yugi and passes his turn. Yugi draws, hand shaking.

Magical Space Typhoon. He can at least get the annoying Centaur out of play and keep Seto's monsters alive for one more round. The marble statue shatters into dust in the wake of the Typhoon, and Dartz is only getting less and less impressed. He taps his foot.

When his turn comes again, Dartz draws- but he has no real need. First, to destroy Seto's monsters--

"Go, my Mirror Knights! Remove their defenses, that my Serpent may devour their souls!"

The Knight wearing Mai's face leaps toward Seto's dragons, and is summarily executed by them... but the other two, Joey and Yugi, don't move. They struggle against their direction from Dartz, which is finally something interesting.

"Oh?" Dartz's tone drips with irony. "Well, if you won't attack, I'll have my Serpent end him right here-!"

This time, the Knights can move, and they move to block the great Serpent in its wormhole. Dartz can't order it to attack his own monsters, despite everything else he can do... Finally, a little sweat appears on his brow, as well.

"What...? Get out of the damn way!"

The Knights, with their outstretched arms, don't move an inch. Yugi turns his head to look over his shoulder at the Other Yugi.

"my... other me..." he manages to choke out around the restraints from the Card he's trapped in, and the Nameless Pharaoh's attention is instantly on nothing but his Partner. "we can't... hold it back forever... please, remember that card...!"

Yami Yugi's face is etched with confusion and anguish well beyond its years. "Aibou..." That Card?

"Tch." Dartz passes his turn. "Just one more useless turn to try and deny destiny. You're wasting your time, Chosen Duelists."

"Destiny can kiss my ass," replies Seto, as he draws. Then he laughs again. "Hahahaha! Speaking of Chosen Duelists...!"

The legendary dragon Critias rises from behind his Duelist, though Seto has very few options with which to fuse it... He decides on his unused Reflect Energy- surely, direct damage from a Legendary Dragon will somehow pierce through his loss prevention effect...?

Alas, it doesn't. Seto is down to Kaiser Glider and Critias, having had to sacrifice Different Dimension Dragon to Relay Soul's effect. "Damn it... Yugi...!"

Dartz laughs at them. It echoes around the hall of souls, even causing the flames to flicker in time.

"You call that a final move? It's your funeral, Seto Kaiba!"

Yugi has sweat dripping down his brow as he draws again, praying for something that will turn this duel around. All he can do is place a card and hope that his Partner and best friend can hold the snake at bay for a little longer...!

On his draw, Dartz grins, and raises the card above his head with the most drama yet. "This is the end! Truly! The final level of the Seal: Orichalcos Tritos!"

"It can get even more powerful...?" Yami gasps out, barely loud enough for Dartz to hear.

"Oh yes, Nameless Pharaoh- you are dealing with a force greater than the darkest shadows, and older than time itself."

The seal grows another layer, and Dartz gains another 2000 LP from Deuteros's effect, but he doesn't need it. Because he owns Tritos, his traps and spells still work, so he can activate the card he set at the very beginning of the duel: Martyr's Curse!

Seto's Legendary Dragon is dragged forward by the impossible snake's head, lashing out in an instant to grab it over the Mirror Knights, and crushing it in its jaws in a shower of hard-light dust.

Seto's eyes go wide as the Serpent strikes at him, next. Its massive fangs feel like they really pierce through him, and he chokes, stumbling back against the Seal's barrier. Dartz smirks, all teeth.

"Your soul will feed my God wonderfully, Seto Kaiba..."

Yugi rushes to Seto to catch him before his legs give out, only to see him still on his feet, barely holding up a hand to activate a set card: Wish of Final Effort. He had had a nagging thought in the back of his mind while they were building their decks together: what if he lost? What if Yugi, with his stupid protagonist syndrome, managed to outlast him and be their last hope? How could he ensure victory?

Kaiser Glider swirls into glitter on the wind, landing in Yugi's Duel Disk and bringing his LP back up to something manageable.

"don't screw up now, Yugi... the only thing either of us owes now, is to save the world from this lunatic...! make sure the revenge in my name is painful..."

Yugi catches Seto's body as his soul is captured by the Seal. The throng watch as it bounces around the room and lands in one of the two empty slots set aside for the final Chosen Duelists, standing strong and stuck about to pound on the face of his prison.

Dartz chuckles at the Nameless Pharaoh. "It seems you're the "soul" survivor, Pharaoh! But your ally has served his purpose, so I have no use for the chaff he left behind." He flicks a finger, lifting Seto's body out of Yugi's arms and against the portal; it shudders and twitches against the force of the magic, but Dartz forces it through, leaving Mokuba Kaiba to catch his big brother's (effective) corpse.

#ooc #plot #arc: what the doma?! #THIS IS SO SO SO GOOD #sin you knocked it out of the ballpark

[millenniumdueled]

Duel for the World! Part 2

...and Dartz reveals the ability of his mysterious monster in the back: Orichalcos Kyutora absorbs the damage that Dartz would have taken to his LP. It would have made him immortal... if not for Seto's keen strategizing.

Unfortunately for the Duelists, it also has another effect: When Orichalcos Kyutora is destroyed, it summons another monster...

"I hadn't planned for it to be destroyed so soon," comments Dartz, frowning, "But this only hastens your defeat."

Orichalcos Shunoros (2100/2100) rises from the field, a massive doll made of Orichalcos. Then, its arms detach and move forward as their own monsters. Orichalcos Dexia will have an ATK score equal to the attacking monster's ATK + 300, and Orichalcos Aristeros will have a DEF in the same fashion- but all attacks will be redirected to Aristeros as long as it is on the field. Dartz explains that whenever Aristeros or Dexia battle, the ATK and DEF points they gain are subtracted from Shunoros's scores.

Dartz laughs at Seto and Yugi's shock from this new monster, but it's Yugi's turn next, not his, and Seto's turn isn't over yet. Seto orders his classic-flavor Blue-Eyes to attack Aristeros, dealing Seto 300 LP of damage, but bringing Shunoros's DEF to 0- then he sets a card, and passes his turn to Yugi.

Yugi draws, but finds himself with few options in the face of Shunoros... for his own sake, Yugi plays Big Shield Gardna in DEF position, and sets one of his cards: de-fusion. Surely, Dartz will have some means to disable Seto's Twin-Burst Dragon; De-Fusion is just insurance. However, Yugi doesn't attack. Dartz is amused by this as Yugi passes his turn to him.

"Oh? Are you too afraid of my great monsters to attack, now?" He draws. "Then you'll love what comes next!"

Dartz proceeds to play a spell: Orichalcos Mirror. He discards a monster in order to summon another: Mirror Knight Calling. This monster is played in the back, in DEF mode, and when it comes to the field it summons four Mirror Knight Tokens.

The grand, medieval knights take up the rest of Dartz's front row of monsters and one spot in the back, shields made of mirror coalescing from light onto their off-hands. The blue-haired heterochromatic man explains their effect being that they reflect the ATK or DEF scores of whatever they are targeting, meeting them with equal strength! The Seal of Orichalcos raises each Knight from 0 to 500 ATK, at base.

Then, Dartz raises one card into the air: another Seal!

"Finally, I'll enhance the power of the Seal with this spell: Orichalcos Deuteros!"

Waves of power wash out from the center of the seal, creating a new ring outside of the first.

Dartz forewent reviving Orichalcos Gigas because he knew Shunoros would be more useful, as well as allowing him to continue drawing; he may have started with everything he needs to win, but drawing reinforcements never hurts. Orichalcos Deuteros has a few effects... one of which being that Dartz gains 500 LP for each monster on his field at the start of every turn, and when he plays the spell for the first time. His LP skyrocket.

The mirror knights then attack Blue-Eyes and Black Luster Soldier, with Dexia attacking Gardna in order to overcome its defense and deal Yugi 300 LP of damage. The Mirror Knights lose their shields rather than being destroyed by the equal damage, with Mirror Knight Calling restoring their tokens after each Damage Phase. Dartz grins at them.

"So, you see now that I cannot be beaten! Give up now, Chosen Duelists, and allow my God to remake the world in the light."

"As if," Seto snaps to him, as the turn passes and he draws, playing the monster and emptying his hand again. He attacks with Twin-Burst again, intending to use its Banishing effect to disable Shunoros for good- but Dartz counters with Deuteros's secondary effect, sacrificing one of his Mirror Knights in order to destroy Twin-Burst Dragon instead!

Yugi quickly activates his De-Fusion to save Twin-Burst, unfusing the dragons so that the target of Deuteros no longer exists to destroy. Kaiba is left with two Blue-Eyes on his field and a lot of frustration.

When the Mirror Knight is sacrificed, its armor breaks apart and reveals the face of the monster: Rex Raptor! For the faintest moment his blank eyes and face contort in fear, but then they're gone, disintegrated by the monster destruction visual effect. Yugi stares at where he stood with great conflict in his face.

Who are the rest of the Knights, then...?

Seto isn't phased at all, huffing to subtly express his frustration as he passes his turn to Yugi.

Yugi doesn't want to hurt his friends, but he can't leave himself defenseless, either. He uses the Polymerization in his hand to bring Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon onto his side of the field, and she roars again, vengeful against Dartz and his dark monsters. But he's too scared to attack his remaining friends. He sets a card, then passes his turn to Dartz again.

Dartz smirks. "So, you leave your ally without his most powerful monsters in order to protect your own life points... cowardly, Nameless Pharaoh. I expected better of you. But that's why your soul will feed my God so well."

Dartz attacks Seto, destroying his monster and taking down his LP to demonstrate to Yugi the consequences of his selfishness. Seto stumbles, but straightens after he catches his breath from the Solid Vision blows, nodding to Yugi to reassure him that he'll be fine. It's his turn, anyway.

The card Seto draws is fortuitous, refilling his hand for basically no cost at all except his having to discard his entire hand after 5 turns have passed. He doesn't think the game will last that long. One card is set beside his first, still untouched since his first turn, and he resurrects Blade Knight in order to summon in Kaiser Glider. At the very least, Kaiser Glider will protect him from the Mirror Knights, but it doesn't give him anything viable to attack Shunoros or its auxiliaries for now. The turn passes to Yugi.

And after Yugi draws, he smirks, showing Kaiba his card: Mirror Force. If they can get Dartz to attack (which he surely will, trying to kill Seto), all of his attack-position monsters will be destroyed. Seto smirks, too, as Yugi sets the trap, then passes to Dartz.

"Oh? So confident now, hmm?" Dartz teases, drawing again. "Whatever it is you've drawn, it won't win you this game. You haven't seen anything yet!"

Dartz plays the spell card Orichalcos Twin Centaur, targeting one of his Mirror Knights and Twin-Burst Dragon. Unfortunately for Yugi, Twin-Burst is destroyed... and he's taken down to 700 LP.

Our heroes are in a tight spot!

Dartz then swings on Seto, fully intending to leave both Duelists defenseless so that he can win easily with his other monsters--

But just as he orders Dexia to attack Kaiser Glider, Yugi activates his Mirror Force. At the same time, Seto activates Ring of Destruction! Orichalcos Shunoros is destroyed, and with it, Dexia and Aristeros- and the Knights' shields shatter, no longer renewable without Mirror Knight Calling. Dartz gasps.

"NO! This wasn't supposed to happen yet! You have to suffer more before you're ripe enough to sacrifice!"

Alas, this would be Dartz's only chance to summon his ace monster for free. He pays all of his bountiful Life Points and discards his hand.

Dark clouds manifest on the field, red and teal lightning sparking through them.

#ooc #arc: what the doma?! #I said *I* wouldnt write another full duel #I didn't say my friends wouldn't #thank you sinnnnnnn

[millenniumdueled]

Duel for the World! Yugi & Kaiba vs. Dartz! Part 1

Seto and Yugi had the good fortune to draw extremely powerful opening hands, making their first turns give them a strong start: Seto already has one Blue-Eyes on his field, and the other two are already in his hand; Yugi was able to summon his equally powerful Black Luster Soldier. Facing down both mighty creatures, Dartz doesn't seem remotely intimidated. He draws, and plays his Seal, that ominous blue-green symbol encompassing their Duel and changing Dartz from a gracious host

to a sharp-eyed predator.

Dartz wears a wicked grin as he continues his turn, playing two monsters that seem useless and weak to Seto; Yugi warns him of one's ability to come back stronger every time it's destroyed, but Seto isn't concerned. Dartz doesn't play anything else; clearly, Seto thinks, this man doesn't know who he's dealing with.

Seto's next draw confirms this. He lets out a hearty laugh- Polymerization! Absolutely perfect.

Seto had intended to use all three of his dragons to create Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon... but looking at Dartz's field, why should he summon a Fusion Monster with no abilities, when, objectively, Blue-Eyes Twin Burst dragon has fantastic abilities that will allow him to clear the board, leaving Dartz completely defenseless against Yugi's Black Luster Soldier? Even if Dragon Master Knight is powerful enough to finish this Duel immediately, Seto doesn't know Dartz's deck- he could have any number of counters to their powerful monster, or one of these monsters could have a trick to it that he doesn't know. After all, Seto doesn't have every Duel Monsters card memorized. Kris had suggested well; Twin-Burst would come in handy.

Kaiba reveals his Polymerization and the two Blue-Eyes in his hand, discarding all three in order to summon his great Twin Burst. Its heads rise and roar at the temple's interior, briefly joined by the solo Blue-Eyes next to them, who, to Seto's intuition, seems a little disappointed not to be included. But she's grateful to be here and fighting beside her sisters, which is more than enough for them.

With Twin-Burst on the field, Seto orders her to attack both of Dartz's Orichalcos monsters- but suddenly, the Seal flares with light and closes Yugi and Seto off from their supporting friends, casting a beam of cyan light high into the clouds.

Seto and Yugi recoil, shielding their eyes from the light- and when it fades, they find themselves on the Seal, high above the clouds. It's not long until Dartz appears with them.

Seto rushes forward to grab the man's collar, lifting his feet off of the ground with one arm. "What sort of party trick are you pulling now, bastard?! I won't be fooled by any more illusions!"

Dartz smiles at him, patting his forearm with all of the condescension one might show a small child throwing a tantrum. "Don't worry, Seto; the Seal is reacting to your powerful attack. It's showing us a memory held within the Orichalcos."

Seto scoffs and tosses Dartz to the floor. "We don't care about your dark memories, Dartz- we're here to end you."

Dartz shrugs. "I have no control over what the Orichalcos does in this capacity."

The clouds beneath the Seal reveal a grand city, alight with electric lighting and seated upon an island. Dartz stands, brushing off his robes, while the two Duelists gaze down at the sight.

What follows is a ten-minute exposition dump about Dartz's past, as the ruler of Atlantis. How the Orichalcos came from their volcano, along with the serpent of darkness that blotted out the sun. They used the stones to bring their society into a grand age of prosperity.

However, the stones also slowly corrupted people with darkness in their hearts. Eventually, it tested their wills- and turned those with great darkness inside, into monsters. When Dartz was given a piece of the Orichalcos, he was also told his purpose: to start the world anew, and create one without darkness.

He has Orichalcos Soldiers descend upon Atlantis and tells them to kill the unpure, taking their souls to revive their God! And in response, an aurora shines across the sky, bringing the Legendary Dragons out of their slumber to combat Dartz and the Orichalcos. The fight ended in a draw, with the Dragons sealed by Dartz's magic and Dartz leaving his ruined kingdom.

After his spiel and show, the Duelists are returned to themselves on the field, the light of the Seal fading back to normal. Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon destroys Orichalcos Gigas, then Orichalcos Kyutora...

#ooc #arc: what the doma?! #THANK YOU SIN

[millenniumdueled]

Emergency Alert System :: FEMA Emergency Action Notification

[ This is an Emergency Action Notification. ]

[ We interrupt our program at the request of the White House. This is a national emergency. The President of the United States or his designated representative will appear shortly over the Emergency Broadcast System. ]

[ The president of the United States appears on screen. The usual White House office is not visible, and a more dimly lit area without windows is identified. ]

"This nation has come under attack by unknown creatures, mostly reptilian in apperance. They are incredibly hostile to all human beings and seek to kill whoever they attack. The creatures come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from the size of an average human to a small building. Some of them even have fantastical appearances such as dragons and dinosaurs. This may all seem unreal, but that is currently what is happening right now."

"The attacks are occurring worldwide. We do not know what the purpose is, only that the creatures are determined to eradicate humans. The military has been deployed to fight back against these creatures. However, their sudden attack and numbers make it difficult to mount an effective counterassault.

"Once again, these creatures are highly dangerous. It is advised that if you are already indoors to find the lowest level and stay there. Do not go near the windows. Do not appear visibly present from the outside. These creatures will attempt to break in if they notice you.

"If you are outside, it is advised to go indoors immediately. If you are travelling via public transportation or car, it is advised you stop and do your best to hide if no buildings are available."

"We will get through this. Our great nation will fight for its people. We will do our best to keep everyone safe. Thank you."

[ This concludes our Emergency Action Notification. The message will be repeated in the following languages... ]

----

Los Angeles City Hall - Revision: Town Hall Website

To those that still alive and can read this, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Los Angeles is a safe haven from the monster attacks. We have an angel here from god here that is combatting the monsters with all her strength, delivering justice with her mighty hammer and smiting these devils.

Many are currently taking refuge at the aquarium. Before our angel appeared, we are not sure why it has been left undamaged. Maybe it is because this is a holy place that hides us from the monsters' senses.

I repeat, if you are in the surrounding areas looking for shelter, head to the Aquarium of the Pacific if you can safely do so. Otherwise, stay where you are.

----

Honolulu Capital City Hall Website

All fights to and from Hawaii are grounded until further notice.

There has been severe disruptions to public transit and internet architecture.

If you are reading this, a safe zone has been established at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. We are however currently in the middle of a conflict between the sea monsters in the area and an unknown number of skeletal creatures. It is unclear whether these skeleton creatures are hostile to humans, though their actions have benefits us by combatting the definitively hostile sea monsters.

We advise to avoid the sea and air routes in the area until further notice.

----

Alameda Naval Air Station - San Francisco, CA - Military Orders

Memo: Golden Gate Bridge has fallen. Make appropriate accomodations.

A safe zone has been established at the Transamerica Pyramid. We have teams Metalhead, Seabound, and Crisis manning the defensive line. Reinforcements have been delayed due to the collapse of Golden Gate Bridge.

Small caliber firearms are ineffective against most creatures. Artillery and explosion munitions are required against medium-to-large monsters. Close combat is not advised.

There is currently an unknown entity that does not match the description of the reptilian creatures we are fighting. Allegiance unknown, and those who play the game Duel Monsters here are unfamiliar with the humanoid entity. As of right now, the entity's actions are benefiting us as they seem capable to take down a number of creatures solo. Do not engage if seen in the area and only assist if the entity appears to be in dire straits. If this entity's actions become hostile, let Baseplate know immediately.

----

Sacramento City Hall Website

The primary emergency shelter, the California State Capital, has been destroyed in the fighting. The secondary emergency shelter, the California Supreme Court, is currently full and cannot accomodate more people.

If you are in the Sacramento area, please stay put inside the building you are in. On top of the fighting between the military and monsters, there is an unknown green-glowing Duel Monster that is combating the monsters. A floating green skull marks his location. Avoid the area if you are currently in a safe place.

----

Domino City Museum || Domino City Hall

If you are reading this, there are designated safe zones established in Domino City. If you are close to either area, please either head for the Domino City Museum or the Kame Game Shop. Preferably the Domino City Museum given the lack of space at the Kame Game Shop.

Praise be to the King of Games.

#ooc #arc: what the doma?! #AMAZING AS ALWAYS HIKA OMGGGGG #thank you #especially for the mental image of a million people trying to cram into kame for shelter LOL poor gramps

[millenniumdueled]

Into the Storm

Storms berrate the helicopter as it draws near, towering waterspouts reaching into the dark clouds like pillars of the Parthenon. Rain swirls around them, flashes of lightning threten to blind the pilots, all while something darker than the clouds snakes throughout the sky.

The chopper shakes with turbulence, but the Other Yugi pays it little mind as he sits with his rival. In a rare moment of cooperation, they compare their decks, discuss their strategies, try to form a battle plan to save the world.

Finally, a geat tower appears through the wall of dark clouds and rain, a spire of white stone rising from the black, tumultuous sea. Mokuba, hanging on to the back of Isono's co-pilot seat, gasps as it comes in to view. He calls out for Seto to look, finally daring to interrupt the Duelists' conversation.

Somehow, the pilots manage to brave the winds and land atop that massive structure, before an intricate and ornate temple.

Without hesitation, Seto Kaiba and the Other Yugi exit the helicopter and approach that temple, both determined to bring this Armageddon to an end. Though Tristan and Téa both hesitate at the entrance, Mokuba marches in right behind his brother.

The temple feels ancient and brand new all at once, with all its long, stone hallways and intricately carved snake motifs, and not a speck of dust. It almost feels unreal, like a sophisticated movie set, or something in a theme park. But the oppressive feeling that permeates the air in this place is very real, making Mokuba's hair stand on end and his chest feel tight.

Seto tells him to stay close, and Mokuba wishes he could laugh. As if he could stay any closer. No, he doesn't plan to fall more than a step behind.

The group enters a massive chamber, dimly lit by standing torches but otherwise empty. The walls, floor, and ceiling of this room are carved in thousands upon thousands of perfect rectangles, each filled with the image of a different human being.

Téa gasps as she realizes what these tiles depict.

Mokuba feels his stomach sink.

The walls of this chamber stretch up, up, up into shadow, to a peaked ceiling too dark to see. And every inch of those walls is tiled in trapped, human souls.

So this is what made the air feel so heavy with dread.

Out of the rows and rows and rows of poor, unfortunate souls, somehow the Other Yugi finds that one in particular almost immediately. His eyes widen as he calls out for his Partner and races ahead impulsively, and the rest really have no choice but to follow.

Until an echoing voice stops them in their tracks as they reach the center of the expansive hall.

"You've kept me waiting, Nameless Pharaoh, Seto."

Who is this guy to use his first name, anyway?

"Still, my god feels blessed that those with strong souls have finally arrived. And you brought your friends for dessert, too. Good. My god is very hungry."

The torches flare, flooding the room with bright light. Finally, Dartz shows himself, appearing from the dim shadows as if by magic. Or some cheap parlor trick, as Seto would say.

Mokuba steps closer to his brother.

Yugi starts to argue with Dartz, to launch some speech about the value of these lives and souls, but Seto cuts him off. "You know there's no point to arguing with him, Yugi. You know what we came here for." Straight to the point, as always. Unwavering and confident as he readies his DuelDisk.

Mokuba feels a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon," Téa urges him away from his spot at Seto's side. He glances back up at his brother, with his own determined glare fixed on his enemy. Reluctantly, Mokuba follows the cheerleaders to the sidelines.

He had told Crowley he preferred his role as support. But when there's no computer to hack, no plane to save, nothing to sabotage or investigate or DO except watch and cheer, he feels helpless. Maybe if he played Duel Monsters more, he could fight too. Maybe if he wasn't so afraid of being the hero, he could have taken that Claw of Hermos when Joey fell. Maybe he could be helpful. Useful.

The Duel begins, and Seto goes first. By the end of his turn, he already has one Blue Eyes White Dragon on the field, and Mokuba feels his spirits lift a little. Yugi's first turn ends with Black Luster Soldier at the ready, and the teenager cheers.

And then Dartz begins his turn. Unfortunately, he had a fortunate opening hand as well.

He activates the Seal of Orichalcos.

A gust of wind snuffs the torches, leaving the chamber illuminated only by the teal light of the Seal of Orichalcos. The air, already thick with the anguish of countless trapped souls, feels suffocating. The temperature drops.

Across the playing field, the expression on Dartz's face changes, his lips curling back in a snarling grin. His mismatched eyes narrowed, fixating on the Duelist's with what could only be described as bloodlust.

Mokuba feels that hope fade as quickly as his brother had summoned his first dragon.

#ooc #plot #I was having trouble getting this started and was dreading writing another duel #and then also the actual final battle after this #until I was rewatching the ep and saw the way Mokuba like runs to walk in right beside Kaiba like he's actually gonna do smth lol #and I was like #hey #what if I write it from the perspective of sb who doesnt give a shit about dueling #THEN Sin had the idea to rewrite the entire duel bc the way yami and kaiba play in the beginning is kind of reckless to the point of ooc #SO #I'm using this as set up/filler in the meantime #and so I can say I wrote today and nobody needs to punch me directly in the face tonight #also #reblogging here since mokuba has like 6 followers lol #arc: what the doma?!

[millenniumdueled]

The Case of Akazawa Shiho (DMGBeloved) - Pt. 2 (( Alt Title: Other Yugi Gets a Cult in His Lack of Name ))

--

Domino City was a ghost town; not a single person could be seen. Empty vehicles were left on the streets, doors wide open. Dropped food and bags abandoned everywhere. And yet compared to the subway station, there was actually few signs of death and mayhem.

Maybe a splatter of red here or a limb there, but compared to the bloody carnage underground, the streets were practically peaceful.

Did people get away somehow?

It was hard to believe that everyone was consumed without a trace, not when the monsters below proved themselves to be very messy eaters. Maybe because it was the subway where they were all summoned from? It was hard to tell.

The few monsters she found ended up wandering elsewhere. Those that could fly did. Where they wandered to, she doesn't know, but Japan would likely be facing more misery in the near future.

Whatever kept her and the stray dog she's following invisible continued to work its magic. Sadly, it didn't help the pain from her broken foot, the adrenaline from minutes ago wearing off. Even the walking stick she found didn't help much, but luckily the stray didn't have her walk for long.

The dog started climbing the access ramp of an empty building...

Domino Museum.

Why come here?

She took a step forwar-

Her vision blurred. She blinked several times as what was previously an empty museum suddenly became populated with people. Armed police officers were guarding the perimeter, dressed up in helmets and body flak - hell, she's never seen a pistol in Japan before, much less the rifles she's seeing now. The few families that lingered outside were crying and hugging each other, probably in reunion. The ticketing and reception booth nearby was transformed into a medical center, seeing as that's where people with scrapes and missing limbs were going - she'll probably have to make a visit for her foot later.

There were also many well-groomed dogs here who clearly stuck to their families. Other dogs - the strays - simply ran out again including the one she was following.

Thanks, doggie.

No one noticed her and her cosplay witch's hat in the bustle of the crowd - whether that was the weird invisible thing she got going on or their preoccupation, she didn't know.

...Huh. There's a commotion going on inside the museum.

Given she seemed to still have the advantage of being invisible, it couldn't hurt taking a look first before getting her foot checked.

-----

The Domino Exhibit was still here.

The tablet with the scratched out cartouche.

The Tablet of the Nameless Pharoah.

She had visited the Nameless Pharoah exhibit before, since there were rumors that Maximillian Pegasus was inspired by Egyptian myths to create Duel Monsters.

And then Kaiba announced his tournament.

“Come to the place where the ancient duelists and their cards slumber in the stones.”

She's pretty sure almost every duelist in Battle City had visited this place at one point. And everyone including her thought this whole exhibit was a KaibaCorp publicity stunt for Battle City.

Really, what sort of ancient pharaoh would have the King of Games's hairdo - and the guy with the blue eyes white dragon that looked suspiciously like Kaiba? Ha.

To see it here again though covered in crystal that looked like ice - right here and now - was rather surreal.

However, it's the newest addition to the exhibit that was incredibly peculiar.

A small stone altar filled with money offerings is seen in front of the tablet. Carved into the altar is a strange symbol that looks like a spiky crescent moon surrounding a star.

In front was a passionate middle-aged man wearing a Duel Disk and loudly preaching to a large crowd. The people around him were quietly hanging on to his every word.

"Do you see? It is the Nameless Pharoah that protects us all! He has delivered us from the evil monsters! Pray and leave offerings to our Pharoah - as symbolized by the trinity of Ra, Slifer, and Obelisk - the Sun, the Moon, and the Star!"

He punctuates his point by vigorously waving his hands towards the ceiling.

"Sir! Do you think the Nameless Pharoah will save the world?" said a child. One of the kid's parents was also notably wearing a Duel Disk.

"Of course!" the zealous man said, "The King of Games has clearly reincarnated after millennia to duel this evil! And have joined forces with the King of Dragons - the Blue Eyes King - as well!" He points at the tablet depicting the Pharoah and High Priest. "Why else would this museum become a sanctuary? Why else would the dogs - the agents of Anubis - bring us here?"

"Do not doubt his deliverance!" he announced to the crowd, his smile kindly.

"And now behold the miracle of the offering!"

The man places an apple onto the money-filled basin on the altar.

Immediately, a young girl with long black hair, no older than 10, popped out from behind the altar and snatched the apple, sending some of the bills flying. The girl in rags quickly started chomping on the apple to the gasps of the crowd.

"See! Our mortal money has no use in the Underworld. The best way to show our gratitude is through food and drink, so the gods too may feast!"

Wait what? Wasn't it just a girl eating an apple?

Chomp chomp chomp.

What was a little surprising was that the young girl devoured the apple completely. Didn't even leave the core or stem behind. But that didn't constitute anything spe-

The girl suddenly locked eyes with her, and her breath immediately caught in her throat. The gaze wasn't hostile, more curious than anything else. But it carried a sense of growing pressure. Bearable at first.

And then others - many that she couldn't see but rather felt - joined it.

Her knees buckled underneath that enormous weight, like getting crushed by the sky itself.

She wanted to take a breath, but the pressure on her chest was too great. She wanted to scream for help, but nothing would come out. Her body, her consciousness - her everything - felt like it was being constricted from all sides. And just as everything began to get dar-

Riinng.

A familiar tone.

The feeling of being squeezed out of existence stopped, and color returned to her vision. Her breaths came out in ragged gasps as she was allowed to breath again. Something in her phone buzzed weakly, but she ignored it in favor of the very dangerous creature in front of her.

The figure now staring at her...

Her heart dropped into her stomach. She can't remember what it looked like - just like one of those internet creepypastas.

In its place was a dark shadowy silhouette shaped like a girl.

Even without a face of its own - it definitely did have a face before - she could tell it is still staring at her curiously. However, its attention is quickly redirected to the banana that was placed on the altar.

A second silhouette immediately popped out from the altar itself - like a fish hopping out of the water. It eats the banana, skin and all, in one bite to the gasps of the crowd. It stops to look at her briefly when it lands before sinking into the altar again. The first one - she gets a sense it's a bit miffed - also disappears into the altar.

"Bear witness to our offerings descending to where the gods lie!" continued the man, face red with fervor. "For the Nameless Pharoah!

The crowd cheered on.

"For the Nameless Pharoah!"

"For the Pharoah!"

"For the King of Games!"

"Save us Nameless Pharoah!"

No one can see the creatures she's seeing, could they? Otherwise there'd definitely be more of a panic here. Otherworldly creatures - in their supposed safe spot - would probably not go very well right now.

She's also certain that whatever is protecting them right now is not the Nameless Pharoah.

After all, that sound...

Wait, didn't her phone buzz before?

She opened up her phone.

...A notification from the Stream chat.

[ You have been made Unknowable. ] - 17 min ago [ You are no longer Unknowable. ] - 12 seconds ago.

#ooc #arc: what the doma?!

[millenniumdueled]

(( Also for those people that are from Outside defending Yugi's world from getting nom nom'd by monsters.

Send me a message as to what you're doing or a reply! So I can run news articles and possible commentary. ))

#ooc

[millenniumdueled]

thanks to everybody who sent asks yesterday, that was a really fun little aside c: now back to our previously scheduled armageddon

#ooc #tbd #i s2g today I will at least write the first half of this final duel #feel free to come to indiana and punch me directly in the face if I don't