An Orphan's Tale

4 WAY DUEL

SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL THE VIEWS, VOTES, AND COMMENTS! I HAVE GOTTEN SOME MAJOR RANKINGS THIS PAST WEEK! 

#1 IN BOTH #YGO AND #SETOKAIBA AND #3 IN #SETOXOC! 

YOU GUYS ARE THE REASON I CONTINUE TO WRITE AND IT IS SO ENCOURAGING!

Chapter 17:

"Prepare yourselves duelists! The four-way duel is about to begin!" Roland announced breaking my thoughts. Remember the first two duelists to lose all their life points will face each other in the semifinals. It's time to begin. In order to determine which duelist will make the first move..."

"Ladies first right?" I interrupted Roland. It would be courteous and a huge advantage.

"Unfortunately Ms. Magruda, Mr. Kaiba has worked out every detail and rule for this special duel. Now you'll each draw one monster card and the attack points will determine the order of this duel. However, whichever monster you choose cannot be used in this duel."

Well, that makes it hard for me to go first. I will not sacrifice a strong monster. The arsenal of monsters each of my opponents has is much larger than my own. I can't afford the loss of a critical monster. I looked down at my chosen deck and looked at cards I had left out. I chose a middle ground fairy I had left out of my forty-card allotment. It wasn't one of my favorite cards but it would do the trick to keep me from going last.

"It is now time to reveal your cards. Hold them up so all can see." Roland signaled and we each held up our cards. My chosen card, Fairy of Tides (1900/1200), had no special effect that was of use to me in this duel. I could barely see Seto's card since he was directly opposite of me but Roland took note of each.

"The results have been tallied. The order is as follows: First, Mr. Kaiba, Second, Marik, then Ms. Magruda, and fourth Yugi." Seto looked smug with the results but he has so many powerful monsters it wasn't surprising. I looked around one last time as we all drew our opening hands and started our strategy. I let my gaze fall on my cards. Not a bad start.

"Alright! Enough waiting around! Let's start this duel!"

Seto started with a face-down card and his go too monster Vorse Raider. Next, Marik summoned one of his special effect monsters I wasn't familiar with at all but had very low attack points, encouraging someone to attack it. Third, it was my turn and I started off with my Bountiful Artemis. Its effect would prove helpful in this duel hopefully. Then finished my move off with one of my favorite magic cards Sanctuary in the Sky. It helps me give a large percentage of my cards are fairies. I smiled before ending my turn.

From that point on the duel was very odd. Attacks were well rounded. We all had traps and magic cards to go against the others. Seto seemed to be focusing on me while Yugi and Marik focused on Seto, and I focused on Marik. We all picked at each other's life points. We were all sitting around 2500 when Marik decided it was time for one of his rants.

"Well, well, well, this is interesting indeed. The Pharaoh, The Princess, and his High Priest. All to be defeated by me! Soon the world will fall under my control!" Marik laughed before taking his turn.

"Marik! We will never let you win. The three of us may have different motivations to win, but one of us will defeat you! You will not prevail." Yugi chirped back. I rolled my eyes. Honestly, all this talking was getting old.

"Gentleman, enough talk. Let's continue with our duel shall we?" I halted their speeches.

After that, Yugi seemed to be protecting me with his face down cards and sacrificed his own monster once. He must want me to face Seto or him, not Marik, and was defending me now, to ensure that. It was precious but I needed no such services. I am a big girl and will face whomever I must in this round I want to win more than anything and will do whatever is necessary to do so.

"You know Rika, you're brother can't protect you forever. You're out of your league and he knows it. You are from an area that is just starting into dueling, so yes you're a champion there, but over of a bunch of amateurs. This tournament has brought out the best of the best. And to top it off you are the only finalist that doesn't have a God card. Your precious fairies won't protect you from any of them. You won't last past this duel." Seto now was turning his banter towards me. His words were cruel and unnecessary.

"Seto or I guess I should address you as Kaiba now," I saw his eyes widen briefly before returning to his cold cynical glare. Hmm...that hit a nerve. He's never been anything but Seto to me.

"I made it through the preliminaries like you and then wiped the floor with one of your 'Domino' duelists. I know we have our differences but I am a very strong duelist. You're right; I do not have a God card but I have many other strategies and new cards that will help me defeat them. So, do not underestimate me, if you do it is you who is the amateur." I said as I special summoned one of said new cards.

"Boys, meet my new friend Athena, the Fairy Goddess." I smirked. The last turn we had a whirlwind as Yugi attempted to attack Kaiba and all four of us ended up using rebounding traps as each diverted it to another duelist in a cascade. So, he was wide open for attack with no monsters or face down cards remaining.

"Attack Se...Kaiba's life points directly." I smiled as he dropped to 1700, which was just above my own 1800. I know he was beyond pissed now. He grunted as his platform rose up.

His attacks were merciless towards me over the next few turns. Eventually, between Kaiba's assault and Marik's random attacks and effects from his monsters, my points were dropping quickly but, fortunately, Marik reached the top first since Yugi and I had been focusing on him. The nail in the coffin though was when I used my Fairy's Hand Mirror trap card to deflect Kaiba's last attack at Marik in my stead. Marik was threatening me as he rose to the top of the tower, leaving my brother, Kaiba, and me.

Now, I had to do was reach the top next. Kaiba had destroyed my Fairy Goddess during his last productive turn and now I was defenseless until my next turn given I used my last face-down card as well. Yugi didn't want to attack me and it was obvious. It would be the final straw to make me loose and face Marik.

"Yugi, attack me." I commanded my brother. His beast of Gilfer would end this entire duel it in one blast.

"Rika, no." He refused sternly.

"Be a man and trust me Yugi. I am strong enough to take him down. I want to face Marik next; no, I need to face him. After what he did to me that day on the docks, after all he's done to you and your friends; I need to defeat him. Only then will I have peace again."

"Okay." Yugi answered and proceed to call his attack against me. I smiled as my life points dropped to zero and my platform started its ascent to the top.

"Fancy meeting you here. Ready to lose Marik? You're going to pay for everything you've done to me."

"This duel is over! The bouts for the semi-final duels are determined. The first duel will be between Marik Ishtar and Rika Magruda, followed by Mr. Kaiba and Yugi Muto." Roland announced.

"One of us will get pasted to the next round the other goes home a loser." Kaiba was taunting Yugi but his chirping was interrupted as Roland announced for the tower gates to be opened. What does Kaiba have in store next?

"We will now proceed to the next dueling location."

"Prepare to enter the shadows Princess. The Pharaoh nor the Priest will be able to save you!" It was Marik's turn to try to intimidate me.

"Think again you pointy-haired freak! I don't need help from anyone. I will destroy you. Then, you will undo whatever voodoo you have going over the others. I will move on to face Kaiba or my brother to win this tournament!" I countered confidently. I will defeat this freak. He just smirked then let out a very menacing laugh.

"Foolish girl, some things never change." My chance to reply was halted as our platforms shot upward at a very fast pace. I looked up towards the first glimpse of natural light above us as the ceiling opened.

Well, whatever you have in store next Kaiba, I'm ready. 

Hey guys, I know it's not the longest nor the most detailed compared to my usual, but most of the duel is a lot of banter and trash talk. Let's be honest, they're all very talented and evenly matched duelists. Next is the big duel between Rika and Marik!  

Votes and Comments are always welcome and encouraged! 

-B