Elemental Heroes

The harbor looks incredibly creepy during the night. I look up and saw the light from the lighthouse spinning around like a police car's siren. As I walk closer to the lighthouse, I saw Alexis talking to a male Obelisk Blue student.

They later notice me as Alexis said, "Hey, you're that…" The male student didn't say anything but stares at me. "You're that new student. What's your name again?"

As I was about say my name, the male student interrupts me by saying, "I'll see you later, Alexis." She says her good-byes to the student as they left the harbor without hearing anything what I was about to say.

I decided to leave too, considering how late it is.

It's a beautiful Sunday morning and it has been 5 days since I saw Alexis with the male student. I was walking down the path of the Academy's hot springs. However, I'm not going to the hot springs. I walk up to the cliff that was next to the path and sit down as I stare at the beautiful ocean. As I was admiring the ocean's beauty, I heard some rustling coming from behind.

I turn around to see a black hair Obelisk Blue female student staring at me. She said, "Hi, my name's Mindy. Have you seen Jasmine around?"

Then we heard another rustling as we turn to see a red hair Obelisk Blue female student walking up to the girl, Mindy. "Mindy," she said, "There you are." Then she notices me. "I haven't seen you before. Are you a transfer student? My name's Jasmine and I'm here looking for Mindy. See you later!" She leaves the area with Mindy as they started to chat about some gossip.

I look at their uniform and remember what Brier had said to me before. I remember that he said, *"I'll duel a Slifer Red, but not an Obelisk Blue. I hate them."*

*Why does he hate Obelisk Blue?* I ask myself in concern. I decided to go to Ra Yellow's dorm to find out about Brier's vendetta against Obelisk Blue.

As I was walk closer to the yellow dorm, I saw Bastion walking out of the dorm. I wave at Bastion. "Hey! Bastion!"

Bastion notices me and asks, "Hey, Sora. What are you up to?"

"I just want to ask you something." I said as he listens to what I have to say. "Have you heard a Ra Yellow student who goes by the name Brier?"

"Brier?" Bastion remembers that name. "Yes, I know of a student who goes by that name. Why do you ask?" I told him about Brier had just said to me before our duel 5 days ago. "I guess I understand that you don't know what happened. You see... Brier has been made fun of for his case of stage fright by the Obelisk Blue students. It happened when he started to duel an Obelisk Blue student. Since this is Duel Academy, it's pretty normal for a large gathering to watch a duel; however, for Brier's case, it sort of affected him. Brier is an excellent duelist, but when he duels within a crowd, he stutters and made some bad choices. Since then, most of the Obelisk Blue picks on him by dueling within a crowd, knowing his weakness."

After hearing something about Brier, I started asking him another question. "Do you know anyone else who is also been bullied by any students from Obelisk Blue?"

Bastion shook his head. We say our good-byes as we parted ways. I decided to go do some hiking at the mountain behind the school.

I walk through the forest that was near the mountain. This kind of hiking felt relaxing and it's good to lose some calories. As I walk around, I started to hear voices. I couldn't make out what the voices are saying, so I follow it to a very old well. I look around to see if there's anyone around: I even check inside the well, but the well is too dark for me to see a person.

Just as I try to look a bit closer, I felt someone tapping me on the shoulder. I jump as I turn to see Professor Banner with his cat, Pharaoh. "Hello, Sora," he said with a smile, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, headmaster!" I answer with a bit of nervousness.

He chuckles. "Well, just make sure don't wander off to far or you'll be late for dinner." I watch him and his cat leave the area as I continue more of my hiking until sundown.

It was nighttime and I was studying in my room, until I heard a knock coming from my door. I answer the door and to see Jaden standing in front of me. I wonder what he wants.

"Hey, Sora!" Jaden said as he shows me his deck and duel disk. "I just got my deck together, so you want to throw down?"

I look at the time and notice how late it is. I know I shouldn't duel because I have school tomorrow, but I really want to know Jaden's strength. "Yes, Jaden." I answer, "I would like to throw down." I put on my duel disk and deck.

"Yeah!" Jaden looks happy and excited. "Get your game on!" We walk out of the dorm as we activate our duel disks and start the duel.

Sora's Life Points: 4000

Jaden's Life Points: 4000

Jaden starts the duel as he draws a card from his deck. "I summon Elemental Hero Clayman in defense mode!" A humanoid clay warrior with huge muscles appears in front of him.

Elemental Hero Clayman: Level 4, Earth

ATK: 800 DEF: 2000

"I end my turn by placing two cards face down! Your turn!" Two cards appear behind Jaden's Clayman.

*What is he planning?* I thought to myself as I look at his two face down cards. "My turn! Draw!" I draw a card from my deck. "I activate the spell card, Shield Crush! This card allows me to destroy your defense position monster!" A yellow beam comes out of the card and hits Clayman, thus destroys him. "Next, I summon Speed Warrior in attack mode!" Speed Warrior appears in front of me.

Speed Warrior: Level 2, Wind

ATK: 900 DEF: 400

"Battle phase!" I shouted, "Speed Warrior attacks your life points directly!" Speed Warrior jumps up in the air and did a diving kick towards Jaden. "I activate Speed Warrior's special ability. His attack points double during the turn that he was normal summon onto the field."

Speed Warrior: ATK: 900 + 900 = 1800

Jaden activates one of his face down cards. "I activate A Hero Emerges! You have to pick a card from my hand and if it turns out to be a monster, I can get to summon it." I pick the card in the middle of his hand and he smiles. "Sweet! I summon Elemental Hero Bladedge in attack mode!" A gold armored warrior with blades on both of his arms appears out from the sky and landed in front of Jaden.

Elemental Hero Bladedge: Level 7, Earth

ATK: 2600 DEF: 1800

"Not bad," I said as I smile, "but I activate the quick-play spell, Ego Boost! This card allows me to increase Speed Warrior's attack points by 1000 until the end of the battle phase." Jaden gasps as Speed Warrior glows in a green aura.

Speed Warrior: ATK: 1800 + 1000 = 2800

Speed Warrior uses his diving kick to strike and defeat Bladedge as Bladedge explodes.

Jaden's Life Points: 4000 – 200 = 3800

Jaden smiles out of excitement. "That was sweet! Nice move, Sora! However, I activate my other face down, Hero Signal!" A signal light with a huge H up in the air appears out from his card. "If my monster was destroy in battle, Hero Signal allows me to special summon another Elemental Hero monster from my hand or deck. I special summon Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in attack mode." A lady in a red outfit appears in flames and in front of Jaden as she glares at me.

Elemental Hero Burstinatrix: Level 3, Fire

ATK: 1200 DEF: 800

I smile and I said, "I end my turn by placing one card facedown. Your move!" A card appears behind Speed Warrior as he glows a red aura, which signals us that his attack points reverted back to normal.

Speed Warrior: ATK: 2800 – 1900 = 900

"Alright!" Jaden fist pumps in the air as students from our dorm, including Syrus, come out of their rooms and watch our duel. "I draw! I use the spell card, Pot of Greed! This spell allows me to draw two more cards." He draws those two cards from his deck and smiles. "I summon Elemental Hero Sparkman in attack mode!" A warrior in blue and yellow armor and wears a blue mask that covers his face stands next to Burstinatrix.

Elemental Hero Sparkman: Level 4, Light

ATK: 1600 DEF: 1400

Jaden orders Burstinatrix to attack Speed Warrior. Burstinatrix summons fireballs out of her hands and tosses them into Speed Warrior, which causes him to be consume in fire and dies.

Sora's Life Points: 4000 – 300 = 3700

"You're wide-open! Sparkman attacks your life points directly!" Sparkman flies towards and gives me lightning punch at my gut.

I smile as I said, "Thanks, Jaden. I activate my trap card, Defense Draw! This trap only works during the damage step of your battle phase. This trap makes the battle damage that I was supposed to receive into zero and I get to draw one card."

"I end my turn," he said and it doesn't seem like he wants to put a facedown. I wonder what he's planning.

"My turn! Draw!" I look at my four cards as I try to figure out how to take out Jaden's two monsters. "I summon the tuner monster, Junk Synchron in attack mode!" Junk Synchron appears in front of me.

Junk Synchron: Level 3, Dark

ATK: 1300 DEF: 500

"I activate Junk Synchron's ability! When he was summon onto the field, I can revive a level 2 or below monster from my graveyard and onto the field. Come out, Speed Warrior!" Speed Warrior jumps out of the ground and stands next to Junk Synchron. "Now I tuned my level 3, Junk Synchron with my level 2, Speed Warrior in order to synchro summon one of my favorites!" My two monsters jump up in the air as Junk Synchron becomes three green rings and Speed Warrior becomes two stars in those rings. "Let's rev it up! Fight by my side, Junk Warrior!" A bright light shines through the rings as a purple robot with a long white scarf, a huge right arm, and small plane wings on its back flies out of the light and stands in front of me.

Junk Warrior: Level 5, Earth

ATK: 2300 DEF: 1300

Everyone awes at my synchro-summon as Jaden said, "That was sweet! I didn't know you could summon a monster like that!"

"Junk Warrior! Attack Jaden's Sparkman with Scrap-Iron Fist!" I shouted as Junk Warrior uses its huge right arm to punch Sparkman, which causes Sparkman to be sent into the graveyard.

Jaden's Life Points: 3800 – 700 = 3100

I finish my turn by placing a facedown card in my spell/trap zone. Jaden and I look at each other and we both know what we're thinking. We think that this duel is fun and that we have found a worthy challenger.

"Hey, Jaden," I said as my eyes are burning with excitement. "This duel is fun and I finally feel like I'm enjoying it. Jaden… I'm declaring you my rival!" Everyone gasps when I say that out loud.

Jaden scratches his nose with a smile as he said, "That's sweet! I'm declaring you my rival as well!" He draws a card from his deck. "I activate the field spell card, Skyscraper!"

The ground starts to shake as buildings comes out of the ground and stretches up to the sky. I look around and become slightly blinded by the lights from streetlights, streetlamps, neon lights, and lights from the certain places in the buildings. I feel like I'm in the big city like Manhattan, minus the large crowd of people. I remember about Skyscraper's effect; this field gives Jaden's Elemental Heroes 1000 increase in their attack points just as long as they have lesser attack points than the opposing monster and they're the ones attacking instead of being attacked.

"I also activate the spell card, Polymerization! I fuse Burstinatrix with Avian from my hand in order to summon Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!" A green hero with bird-like wings flies with Burstinatrix into a portal and a green hero with one angel wing on its left and a red dragon's head as his right arm appears out of the portal and stands atop of the tallest building on the field.

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman: Level 6, Wind

ATK: 2100 DEF: 1200

"Flame Wingman attacks Junk Warrior and with the help of Skyscraper, Wingman's attack points increase by 1000!"

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman: ATK: 2100 + 1000 = 3100

Flame Wingman jumps from his spot and did a diving punch towards Junk Warrior. I shouted, "I won't let your attack connect! I activate my facedown card, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow! This card negates your Flame Wingman's attack!" A metal scarecrow appears in front of Junk Warrior and takes the attack.

Jaden puts on a serious face and said, "I put down one face down and turn ended. Your move."

I draw a card from my hand and I look at the card and smile. "I activate the spell card, Pot of Greed!" Everyone gasps as I draw two more cards from my deck. "Next, I summon Queen's Knight in attack mode!" Queen's Knight appears next to Junk Warrior.

Queen's Knight: Level 4, Light

ATK: 1500 DEF: 1600

"I'm not done yet! I activate Double Summon! This spell card allows me to summon a monster one more time. Now I summon King's Knight in attack mode!" A blonde hair man in gold armor wielding a sword and gold shield appears beside Queen's Knight.

King's Knight: Level 4, Light

ATK: 1600 DEF: 1400

"King's Knight's ability activates!" I shouted. "If I summon him when Queen's Knight is still in play, I can search my deck for Jack's Knight and summon him onto the field." My deck glows as a blonde hair man in blue armor wielding a sword and blue shield appears next to Junk Warrior.

Jack's Knight: Level 5, Light

ATK: 1900 DEF: 1000

After seeing my play, Jaden jumps around like a little kid. "Sora!" He calls out. "Nice play!"

"Thanks, Jaden." I nodded. "But… my turn's not over yet! I activate the spell card, Polymerization! With this card, I can fuse together my three knights in order to summon Arcana Knight Joker!" King's Knight, Queen's Knight, and Jack's Knight fly up in the air and into a portal as a raven hair man in gold and black armor wielding a sword comes out of the portal and landed next to Junk Warrior.

Arcana Knight Joker: Level 9, Light

ATK: 3800 DEF: 2500

Everyone gasps in shock to see a powerful monster on the field. I could even hear Syrus saying, "That monster is too powerful."

"Arcana Knight Joker attacks you Flame Wingman!" I said as my knight jumps up in the air.

Just as I was thinking that it's over for Jaden, he was able to pull something off. "I activate my face down card, De-Fusion!" he said and I gasp because I know what he's planning. "Now I can de-fuse my Flame Wingman into the two monsters that were used to summon him! So I'm bringing back both Burstinatrix and Avian onto the field in defense mode!" Flame Wingman splits apart into the two monsters as my knight slices up the green hero, only to leave Burstinatrix as Jaden's last defense.

"Not bad," I commented as I let Junk Warrior to take down Burstinatrix and I end my turn for there.

Jaden draws a card; he looks at it and smiles. "I summon Winged Kuriboh in defense mode." A brown fur ball of a monster with cute, big eyes, green claws, and white angel wings appears in front of him.

Winged Kuriboh: Level 1, Light

ATK: 300 DEF: 200

He ends his turn without placing a facedown. *Now what is he up to?* I ask myself. I know Winged Kuriboh's ability is to reduce any damage that Jaden receives into zero, but that only works if Kuriboh is destroy by battle, spells, traps, or monster's effect. I look at my hand and notice my two cards, Brain Control and Turbo Rocket. Brain Control is a spell that allows me to take over my opponent's monster just as long as I pay 800 of my life points and Turbo Rocket is a tuner monster.

I smile as if I know what I must do. "Alright… I draw! And I end my turn."

Jaden tilted his head. "Why aren't you attacking?"

"Don't worry," I said with a tone of confidence, "it's all a part of my plan."

He shrugs as he draws a card. "Sweet!" he exclaims. "I activate the spell card, Monster Reborn! With this, I can revive any monster in our graveyards. So I'm reviving Elemental Hero Bladedge in attack mode!" Bladedge comes out of the ground and stands atop of the tallest building just like Flame Wingman. "I'm not done yet! I activate the spell, H-Heated Heart! This spell card increases my Bladedge's attack points by 500." Bladedge glows a red aura.

Elemental Hero Bladedge: ATK 2600 + 500 = 3100

"Bladedge attacks your Arcana Knight Joker! Don't forget that Skyscraper is still in play; Bladedge's attack points increase by 1000."

Elemental Hero Bladedge: ATK: 3100 + 1000 = 4100

Jaden smirks, but I decided to rain down on his parade by activating Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, which negates Bladedge's attack. He gasps and asks why my trap isn't in the graveyard just like all trap cards do. I explain to him that after using Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, instead of going into the graveyard, my trap goes back facedown.

"So it's like a permanent trap card?" He asks.

I nod my head. "Yes, except it goes face down." Jaden ended his turn as Bladedge's attack point returns to normal.

Elemental Hero Bladedge: ATK: 4100 – 1500 = 2600

I draw a card. "I pay 800 of my life points in order to activate the spell, Brain Control!"

Sora's Life Points: 3700 – 800 = 2900

"Brain Control allows me to take control one of your monsters and the monster that I pick is Winged Kuriboh." A pair of ghoul hands comes out of the card and kidnaps Winged Kuriboh and places him next to Junk Warrior. Jaden gasps in horror to see that his own monster becomes a part of my side. "Next, I summon the tuner monster, Turbo Rocket in attack mode!" A small, pink robot with two pink rockets for arms appears next to Winged Kuriboh.

Turbo Rocket: Level 2, Wind

ATK: 0 DEF: 0

"Now I tuned your Winged Kuriboh with my Turbo Rocket, so I can synchro summon Turbo Cannon!" Turbo Rocket becomes two rings as Winged Kuriboh flies into the rings as he transforms into a star. A beam of light shoots out and a small, white robot with cannons for arms appears next to Arcana Knight Joker.

Turbo Cannon: Level 3, Fire

ATK: 0 DEF: 0

"I activate Turbo Cannon's ability!" I shouted and everyone gasps. "Once per turn, I can destroy one monster on the field and the owner of that destroyed monster takes damage equal to half of that monster's attack points!" Jaden is shock as we saw Turbo Cannon charging for a shot. I order Turbo Cannon to destroy Jaden's Bladedge and it did by firing a blue beam of energy at Bladedge, killing him instantly as Jaden receives damage.

Jaden's Life Points: 3100 – 1300 = 1800

"Uh-oh!" He gasps as he saw Junk Warrior giving him a punch, which resulted the end of the duel.

Jaden's Life Points: 1800 – 2300 = 0

Jaden sits on the ground and laughs. "I lost." He said, "But man. That was a sweet duel! Let's duel again sometime!" He does his signature point, which I thought that he only uses that point when he's winning.

I did the same thing as Jaden did. "Sure." I nodded, "Let's duel again next time!" All of the Slifer students walk back into their rooms as Syrus walks up to us.

"You two perform a great duel!" Syrus said and he sounded really happy.

I watch Jaden walking back to his room with Syrus as they started a conversation. I look up the night sky to see the waning moon and admire its beauty. Then I heard a small voice as I turned and see nothing. *I must be going crazy*, I thought, *but I could've sworn that I heard Winged Kuriboh's voice*. I shrug it off and walk back to my room.