Duel Lyceum

Fighting Graves (2)

'You monster!' Emily said, picking up Miriam's cold body. Thankfully, she was still alive.

'Look,' Graves said, 'this game is about winning, not playing fair.'

Without another word he walked away.

'No!' Emily said, 'duel me!' She was ready to put herself back into that cold world with Graves. 'Duel me, Graves!'

'I thought you would have learned the first time.'

'It's going to be different this time.' Blood pumped through her veins and despite the cold, she had never felt more alive.

'Different? How so? You'll just give up like last time.'

Emily clenched her fist and gritted her teeth. 'I, Emily Hardrow, challenge you to a duel!'

'Very well.'

'Duel!'

It was still night when Lyder woke up to the sound of a duel. His body ached and he wanted to turn around and fall back to sleep again. Something clung at his heart and he felt worried for Emily and Miriam. The idea that some misfortune had befallen them gripped at his mind. He wiped sweat from his brow. He turned to Jones and found that his eyes were open.

'How long until period one?' Jones asked, thumbing through his deck.

'I think I might start paying attention to class after this,' Lyder said, 'I'm going to find what's the commotion. Oh, Varnyard is gone.'

Jones jumped to his feet. 'No more time for reminiscing. We need to focus.' They peered outside the room and found Varnyard in the middle of a duel. His opponent had unruly and unkempt hair, looking as though he had not slept in a long time.

'My Draw Limiter activates,' Varnyard said, 'you drew two cards, so you take four points of damage.'

His opponent appeared undisturbed by the damage.

'Oh, hey Lyder. Hey Jones,' Varnyard said. 'This here is the guy I told you to watch out for.'

'Can you put away your counter deck for just one duel?' The man's voice was comprised of snarls and growls. 'Every goddamn duel you insist on never using your real deck. Duel me properly!'

'I don't want to lose, Luck.' Varnyard grinned as though the situation was humorous to him. Varnyard had no monsters on the field while Luck had three high level monsters.

'I end my turn,' Luck said. 'I really hoped by now that you would have some strand of honour to your duelling.'

'You're the one chasing people down like dogs. You probably froth at the mouth whenever you duel.'

'I do?' Luck wiped his mouth. 'No I don't. Stop lying.'

'Anyway, draw. I sacrifice five life points to play Hand Lock. I choose one card in your hand and prevent you from playing it. As you only have one card in your hand, I choose that card. I set a card and end my turn.'

Luck cursed under his breath. 'Draw. I play The Gnasher in attack mode.'

'Rune card, Monster Lock. I choose one monster on your field and prevent it from attacking. However, you are allowed to draw a card at your end phase.'

'Screw you. I end my turn.'

'Draw Limiter activates, you take two points of damage due to drawing from an effect.'