Soul of the Dragon

Chapter 44: A Friendly Bother Part 2

Lise: 3700

Akiza: 4000

"You're gonna regret interfering in my life, E-K, because once I remove my Evil Thorn from play, my dragon's special ability reduces the power of your Alchemy Carrier and forces it into attack mode! Go Black Rose Gale!"

Lise's expression didn't change as Black Rose's thorny vines ensnared her monster. Flame Alchemy Carrier's attack and defense points dropped to zero.

"And now that Flame Alchemy Carrier is helpless, Black Rose Dragon attack!"

"I play my facedown trap The Fire Within! This trap makes all my battle damage this turn go to zero as long as I send one card on my field to the graveyard. I choose my other facedown card," Lise countered.

"So what?! There's still gonna be an attack!"

"What's the point in that? We both know Thorn of Malice doesn't allow you to destroy a monster in battle, and my monster has no attack points."

"Doesn't matter! Black Rose Dragon attack!" Akiza didn't care. Black Rose Dragon slashed at Lise's monster. "You may have spared your monster, but now Thorn of Malice really kicks in."

Flame Alchemy Carrier's defense points dropped down to 1200.

"Uh oh," Leo whimpered.

"This doesn't look good," Luna observed.

"I end my turn," the redhead said. "Don't think I'm gonna make this quick for old times' sake, E-K. I'm going to enjoy watching you squirm."

"But Akiza!" Lise persisted.

"Don't bother, E-K," Akiza scowled stubbornly, spitting out Lise's old nickname like it was venom. "Stop trying to reach me. I get it; you want to save me. But you can't, no one can, not now. Only one person really got me, really tried to help me. Only one person understood what it was like to be me. Dad doesn't, Mayoko didn't, Fish doesn't, you don't, just Sayer, and he's," Akiza clenched her fist at the unwelcome memory. Lise did too, but her whole body shook with silent rage. "With him missing, there's no place left that I can call home. It's just me, and I don't feel like talking about it!"

"Don't you know how lucky you are? Your family is here, and they're trying! That's more than my dad EVER did! That's more than Fish's parents ever did! They want to try again! They're your family! They want to try to be your family and your home!" Lise shouted back at her friend.

"So you're saying I should go home and play house with those people over there? The ones who sent me away cuz they thought I was a monster?! I don't think so!" The psychic ripped the metal coil out of her hair and tossed it to the ground. "My real family is gone! There is nowhere left for me!" A huge wind current picked up, broken glass and shattered equipment flew in all directions.

"Akiza!" Hideo called out to his daughter.

Lise looked back at all her friends. She winced when pieces of shrapnel cut across her face. She didn't have to put her finger to the cuts to know she was bleeding. This is really bad! She just keeps getting more and more pissed off! With all that power going haywire, there's no guarantee she and the others will be safe, but there's no going back now. "All righty then, it's my move!" Lise quipped. Dammit, I don't have what I need yet! Oh well, here goes nothing. "I play the spell Putting Out The Fire! By destroying my Flame Alchemy Carrier, and paying 1000 lifepoints, I can draw two additional cards from my deck!"

Lise: 2700

Akiza: 4000

"What's she doing?" Leo asked. "Is she trying to lose?!"