Chapter 18: The Finals Begin
The day that the whole island had been waiting for had finally arrived, the first day of the Astraea Star Cup finals. Students and teachers from all three schools had packed the Miator stadium to see the event. And those who were unable to get in crowded around any monitor they could find to watch the action. Meanwhile, the finalists began to gather at the stadium. Jaden, Jessie, Striker, Clive, and Chikaru all met up beneath the stage.
“Why are we all here in the basement?” Clive asked as he surveyed the dim and rather dismal surroundings. “You’d think we’d get a more glamorous waiting room.”
“This is where we as the eight finalists will make our entrance on stage.” A voice suddenly said, getting the group’s attention. They turned to see that it was Tamao. Jane and Tomoyo were with her. “We shall each rise up through the floor as we’re announced.”
Jaden, Jessie, and Chikaru all glared at the newly arrived finalists. The air was filled with a heavy tension.
“So, uh, I’m guessing we each stand on one of those eight platforms then?” Striker asked in an attempt to break the awkward silence.
“That’s correct.” Tamao replied with a smile that was far too innocent. “And I suggest we do so right now. They’ll be announcing us any minute now.”
With that, each member of the group got on one of the small platforms that would take them to the stage. Back up top the crowed was waiting anxiously. After a few moments Hikari and Amane walked up on stage. Both of them had a microphone in their hand.
“Welcome everyone to the Astraea Star Cup Tournament finals!” Amane announced into the microphone. “Now before we begin, let’s meet our eight finalists.”
“First up is visiting pro duelist Jason Morgan.” Hikari announced.
With that, Striker rose up on the platform through a trap door that had opened up on stage. Striker waved at the crowed as they gave him a cheer.
“Next up is Miator student council member Jane Hawthorn.” Amane announced.
Jane rose up through another trap door next to Striker. A cold expression was on her face. Most of the crowd was silent as she appeared.
“Our next finalist is visiting pro duelist Jessie Anderson.” Hikari announced.
Much of the crowd cheered as Jessie rose up through the floor. Their loud cheers were mainly due to the fact that Jessie was known as one of the duelists who defeated the Etolie.
“Up next is visiting pro duelist Clive Winston.” Amane announced.
There were a few cheers as Clive rose through the trap door, but not many. This was due to the fact that Clive had hit on a good number of the older students before he realized that they would never be interested in him.
“Next we have Miator student council member Tomoyo Mikage.” Hikari announced.
Once again the crowd was more or less silent as Tomoyo appeared on stage.
“And next is Miator student council president Tamao Suzumi.” Amane announced.
There were a few cheers as Tamao appeared on stage. Tamao gave a friendly smile and little wave to the audience.
“And now, please give a hand for our next finalist, visiting pro duelist Jaden Yuki!” Hikari announced.
The crowd erupted with applause as Jaden appeared on stage. Jaden was a little overwhelmed, but not surprised considering his reputation on the island. Jaden gave the audience a wave.
“Finaly, our last finalist is Lilum student council president Chikaru Minamoto.” Amane announced.
The Lilum students in the audience all cheered loudly as Chikaru appeared on stage. A few of the student from Spica cheered loudly as well.
“Okay, now that our eight finalists are here, it’s time to select the participants for the first duel.” Amane announced. “The match ups for the first round of the finals will be decided by random chance, so please turn you attention to the monitor.”
The large screen hanging from the ceiling of the stadium began flashing through pictures of the eight finalists on the left side. It began to slow down until it stopped on Jaden’s picture.
“The first participant in round one is Jaden Yuki.” Hikari announced, prompting the audience to cheer. “Now it’s time to decide who he’ll be facing.”
The right side of the screen began flashing through pictures of the other seven finalists. Jaden found himself hoping to go up against Tamao so he could end the madness once and for all. At last the pictures began to slow down until stopping on Tomoyo’s picture.
“Okay then, the first duel of the finals will be fought between Jaden Yuki and Tomoyo Mikage!” Amane announced. “Both duelists please take your positions on stage.”
With that, Jaden and Tomoyo took opposite positions on stage. The rest of the group got off and waited by the stands. Jessie, Striker, Clive, and Chikaru went to one side of the stadium, while Tamao and Jane went to the other. Mika and Hiyori were down there waiting for them. Hikari and Amane waited on the far side of the stage.
“Jaden Yuki!” Tomoyo called from her side of the stage. “Know that the last time we faced each other I was being merciful. This time I shall so you no mercy.”
“Game on!” Jaden responded.
“By the decision of the coin toss, Tomoyo Mikage has first turn.” Amane announced. “Let the duel… begin!”
With their life points set to 4000, the duel began. Tomoyo had the first draw.
“First I play the Spell card, Gravekeeper’s Servant!” Tomoyo announced. “Now each time you attack you must send a card from the top of your deck to the Graveyard. I set one monster on the field and end my turn!”
Jaden knew that Tomoyo’s strategy was to destroy his deck rather than his life points. Unfortunately his opening hand didn’t have Polymerization or any possible fusions. Nor did he have any cards that could rid the field of Gravekeeper’s Servant. Jaden hoped that his first draw would be of more help. After drawing he found that he had gotten The Eye of Timaeus.
“Listen carefully Jaden Yuki.” Timaeus said as he suddenly appeared next to Jaden in his knight form. “You must wait to use me when the time is right. Now is not the proper time.”
“And just when is the right time?” Jaden asked.
“You will know when the right card is drawn.” Timaeus answered. “For now you must have patience.”
With that, Timaeus vanished. Jaden decided that for the moment he would follow Timaeus’s advise and do what he could with what he had.
“First I summon Elemental Hero Wildheart!” Jaden announced. The jungle hero appeared on the field. “Now I send one card from the top of my deck to the Graveyard to attack! Wildheart, attack Tomoyo’s set monster with Wild Slash!”
Wildheart charged forward with his sword raised. Just as the hero approached, Tomoyo’s monster was revealed to be a giant brown caterpillar-like creature with a spike on the end of what was presumably its head. Wildheart slashed the creature in two with his sword.
“Since you flipped Needle Worm face up when you attacked it, you must now send the top five cards from the deck to the Graveyard.” Tomoyo announced. Reluctantly, Jaden placed the five cards in the Graveyard slot of his duel disk.
“I’ll lay down a couple of facedowns and end my turn!” Jaden announced. Tomoyo drew her next card.
“I set one monster on the field and end my turn!” Tomoyo announced. Jaden drew his next card.
“I send another card from my deck to the Graveyard to attack!” Jaden announced. “Wildheart, attack with Wild Slash!”
Wildheart’s target was revealed to be another giant caterpillar-like creature identical to the first. The jungle hero’s sword slashed the creature in half.
“Because you flipped up another Needle Worm, you must send five more cards from the top of your deck to the Graveyard.” Tomoyo announced.
Jaden placed five more cards in his Graveyard slot. Back down on the sidelines, Jessie and the others were watching the duel with concern.
“So Tomoyo’s strategy is deck destruction.” Striker observed. “That’s a pretty nasty way to take down an opponent.”
“She probably has one of those weird Orichalcos Ritual monsters too.” Clive guessed.
“She does, Jaden told me about it a few days ago.” Jessie informed them. “It forces the opponent to send cards from the deck to the Graveyard each time it inflicts battle damage.”
“Aw man, Jaden better find a way to beat Tomoyo fast, or he’s out of the tournament.” Striker said with a grave expression.
“He’ll find a way.” Chikaru said reassuringly.
“I end my turn!” Jaden announced. Tomoyo drew her next card.
“I summon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode!” Tomoyo announced.
Appearing on the field was a pair of elf women. One had red hair and wore a short purple dress. The other was blond and wore a short blue dress with gloves.
“Gemini Elf, attack Wildheart!” Tomoyo commanded. “Rose Petal Storm!”
The two elves fired a blast of red rose petals at Wildheart that tore the wilderness hero to pieces. Jaden’s life points fell to 3600.
“I activate my Trap, Hero Signal!” Jaden announced. “Since Wildheart was destroyed, I can summon another Elemental Hero from my deck in Attack Mode. So now I summon Elemental Hero Stratos!”
The sky hero with his mechanical wings appeared on the field where Wildheart once stood.
“Now I activate the effect of Stratos!” Jaden announced. “Since Stratos was summoned, I can destroy a Spell or Trap card for each Hero monster I control! So now I destroy Gravekeeper’s Servant!”
The propellers in Stratos’s wings spun and blasted the large representation of Tomoyo’s Spell card with a pair of twisters, shattering the card into triangles of gold light.
“I set one card on the field and end my turn!” Tomoyo announced. Jaden drew his next card and smiled.
“First I lay down a facedown!” Jaden announced. “And then I play The Fang of Critias!”
Critias roared onto the field in his dragon form.
“I combine Critias with the facedown card I just played, Mirror Gate!” Jaden announced. “By doing this I summon Trick Mirror Dragon in Attack Mode!”
The large version of Jaden’s Trap card on the field was absorbed into Critias. In a flash of white light Critias transformed into a dragon with scales like polished chrome. Its large wings were like polished glass.
“I end my turn!” Jaden announced. Tomoyo drew her next card.
“Your dragon has zero ATK points, correct?” Tomoyo asked as she narrowed her eyes at the dragon.
“That’s right.” Jaden confirmed. “Plus he can’t be destroyed in battle.”
Back on the sidelines Jessie and the others were quite surprised by Jaden’s last move.
“Why did Jaden play a monster with zero ATK points in Attack Mode?” a very confused Striker asked.
“Since that thing was created using one of those weird dragon cards the Fusion Master has, it probably has a killer effect.” Clive guessed. “The problem is that Tomoyo has probably figured that out too. She’ll probably avoid attacking it.”
“Then again, Jaden’s probably already thought of that.” Jessie assumed.
Back in the duel, Tomoyo drew her next card. Again she narrowed her eyes at Trick Mirror Dragon.
“Gemini Elf, attack Stratos!” Tomoyo commanded. “Rose Petal Storm!”
The elf sisters fired off another blast of rose petals. In that moment, Jaden smirked.
“I activate my Trap, Staunch Defender!” Jaden announced. “This turn all of my opponent’s monsters have to attack a monster of my choosing! And the monster I choose is Trick Mirror Dragon!”
The dragon then began glowing with a purple aura, causing the rose petals to be drawn towards it. The dragon then folded its mirrored wings around itself, showing Gemini Elf’s reflection. The attack bounced back at the elf sisters, cutting them to shreds. Jaden’s friends on the sidelines were very surprised and confused.
“What just happened?” a very shocked Striker asked.
“Trick Mirror Dragon gains the ATK of whatever monster attacks it.” Jaden explained.
“I see, well played.” Tomoyo commented. “I set one card on the field and end my turn!”
“Tomoyo, I don’t know why you and Tamao want to destroy the world, but one way or another I will stop you!” Jaden proclaimed.
