"Gem-Knight Lapis is the healer of our Gem-Knight order."
As Lapis slowly raised her hand, manipulating the puppet strings to draw a card, Captain Crystal began to explain.
"Usually, after our battles with other Spirit factions, she handles the healing. Damn it! It must've been when I got infected! She must have tracked me through the dimensions to heal me, and that's when these bastards captured her!"
Amagi Hikaru could feel the frustration and guilt clinging to Captain Crystal's spirit.
He had already been deeply remorseful upon realizing that his Shaddoll infection had been exploited by others. But seeing his fellow order's healer Spirit turned into this... it was unbearable.
Fortunately, Hikaru hadn't arrived too late.
If Lapis had fully transformed into El Shaddoll Grysta, Tierra might have gained complete control over her, but Captain Crystal would probably never forgive himself.
After all, Spirits are Spirits, once transformed, they almost never revert.
In her current state, she resembled a sort of pseudo "Gem-Knight Grysta."
Lapis silently activated her puppet strings to begin her turn.
The first card.
A massive card fell from the sky, slamming into the ground and flipping upright.
"Brilliant Fusion?" Tierra chuckled. "Hikaru, looks like you're about to get hit by your own card."
Hikaru said nothing. Once he recognized that this was a fully transformed Lapis, he braced himself.
Two cards glowed with a sizzling noise.
"Fusion Materials are Gem-Knight Lapis and Gem-Knight Sapphire?" Hikaru observed closely.
With a twisted distortion, a Fusion Monster dangling by strings appeared on her field.
[Gem-Knight Aquamarine] Level 6│EARTH│Aqua│2600 DEF
"Ah, Brilliant Fusion activates."
While Brilliant Fusion allows Fusion Summons using monsters from the Deck, the summoned monster's Attack and Defense become 0.
[Gem-Knight Aquamarine, DEF: 0]
"Aquamarine on first turn, huh?" Tierra nodded. "Not bad for a defense play, it can bounce a card."
Lapis then set two cards and ended her turn.
Hikaru drew a card and glanced down, raising a brow.
'Yikes—'
'This hand… is a bit of a mess.'
He looked toward Tierra. She turned her head sharply away.
"What? You think I tampered with your hand? Me?"
'…Fair.' Hikaru nodded.
"Sorry, instinct."
So it's a natural draw.
In that case.
"I activate the Spell Card, Shaddoll Fusion!"
"This Spell is a Fusion Spell exclusive to Shaddoll monsters. Normally, you send materials from hand or field to the GY. But if your opponent controls a monster Special Summoned from the Extra Deck;"
"You can also use monsters from your Deck as Fusion Material."
"I send Shaddoll Falco and Elemental HERO Avian from the Deck to the GY to Fusion Summon!"
"Fusion Materials: a Shaddoll monster and a WIND monster!"
"Fusion Summon, El Shaddoll Wendigo!"
CRACKLE
With metallic creaks, a mechanical dolphin emerged from the darkened earth, threads strung across its body. Before it, a pale, bloodless mechanical girl holding a black staff rose stiffly.
[El Shaddoll Wendigo] Level 6│WIND│Psychic│200 ATK
"Shaddoll Falco's effect, if sent to the GY by a card effect, Special Summon it face-down in Defense Position!"
With a screech, a mechanical falcon, still tangled in puppet strings, rose from the GY and was set face-down in a haze of black mist.
"Battle! Wendigo, attack directly!"
"Whoa, even 200 ATK can attack now, huh?" Tierra laughed.
The opponent only had 0 DEF—might as well.
Wendigo wobbled, raising its staff—the dolphin leapt and crashed into Aquamarine's shield.
Lapis visibly hesitated, confused by the current field, yet instinctively didn't stop the destruction.
Once Aquamarine was destroyed, its sword and shield spun into a spiral and struck one of Hikaru's set cards. Then the dark, misty rock that was Falco flickered—and returned to Hikaru's hand.
[Gem-Knight Aquamarine's effect: If sent from the field to the GY, target 1 card your opponent controls; return it to the hand.]
Hikaru didn't react. He didn't care which card got bounced. The whole point was to trade off Aquamarine's bounce.
"End of Battle Phase. Main Phase 2. I set a monster."
Hikaru summoned another black-misted, face-down monster before he set a couple of Spell/Traps.
"Then I set two more cards and end my turn."
"Ah—"
Lapis opened her mouth, emitting a noise somewhere between a cry and a haunting melody.
As her voice rang out, the entire Fractured Dimension shook violently. Spirits tangled in her puppet strings roared in agony. The mechanized, puppetized humans screamed as if having their life force drained.
"Lapis! No—Lord Amagi!"
Though he detested those humans, Captain Crystal couldn't bear to see Lapis doing this. As the order's healer, she should never stoop to this. But more than that, he couldn't bear to see her in such pain.
"Quiet already—ugh, this is unbearable." Tierra frowned. "You're nothing like him. Not just Hikaru. You're nothing like the real Captain Crystal."
She was clearly annoyed. And, even though defeating Lapis meant Tierra would gain massive Shaddoll power, she was visibly unhappy.
"You don't think Hikaru will lose, do you?"
"No! That's not it!" Captain Crystal blurted. "I believe in Lord Amagi! He will save Lapis!"
"Then shut up and watch. Or—"
Tierra glanced at Hikaru, her emerald eyes briefly flashing red. Her gaze pierced through him to Captain Crystal's soul, stunning him into silence.
"Make your choice."
...
Bonus @500 PS
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