Under A Steller Sky - Part II: Enter The Rare Hunter
"I'm tired, my imagination is just doing some overtime." Preston tried to convince himself, even as his heart was beating so hard it was almost painful.
Preston stopped in his tracks. He realized that a misty fog has descended on the district, and he after looking around at the strange shops and buildings around him, he realized he couldn't see more than 10 meters ahead of him and had no idea where he was (or going).
"Damn it, I don't need this" muttered as he reached for his cell phone. Despite that lack of signal, he frantically carried on punching in numbers. Anything, just anything, to keep him focused away from this creeping fear that was surrounding him like the thick mist before him.
Then, he heard it. A hysterical laugh, that sounded more like a high-pitch scream. The sound pierced his ears like a sharp needle, forcing him to tilt his head away. It also pierced his soul like a sharp, icicle. Preston soon realized he wasn't breathing, and collapsed on all fours on the concrete beneath him, panting.
"Get up you, or I will strike you down where you are, like the dog you are pretending to be" came the dry, raspy voice. It echoed all around him, not allowing Preston to isolate its exact location. Preston forced himself to stand up, and wildly look around him, desperate to identify the source of his almost intolerable distress.
"Show yourself! Or will continue to hide in the shadows like some kind of rat?" shouted Preston, trying (inconvincibly) to show he was not afraid.
"HAAAA, HAHAHAHA" came the insane laughter.
"Is it me your trying to persuade you aren't scared to death, or yourself?"
Suddenly, Preston noticed two burning lights up ahead. They burned like two tiny suns, scorching the air Preston realized as he felt a sudden heat wave rush past him. The mist evaporated as quickly as it appeared, and Preston saw a shadowy outline appear before him. The red dots died down to give way to malicious dark eyes, full of violent intent mixed with a kind of inner peace only brought by the whispers of a deep insanity. Before him stood a tall figure, hidden away by long, black cloak. The face was shrouded in shadow from the black hood, only the eyes shone through with a blasphemous glowing intensity.
"Greetings Preston D'Arcy. I've been expecting you." Laughed the figure.
"Your one of those ridiculous Rare Hunters, aren't you? How do you know me?" demanded Preston.
"I know many things Mr D'Arcy. Like I know that your Chaos Emperor Dragon would be a useful addition to my deck."
"Your ideas are even more ridiculous than you look. Why would I give you my prized card?" smiled D'Arcy as his confidence slowly returned to him.
"HAAAAAHAHAHA" laughed the figure, "You won't have a choice Mr D'Arcy.
"You don't scare me. You Rare Hunters are a joke. You were once so feared, until the Battle City tournament 4 years ago where you all got the living daylight beaten out of you and disappeared without a trace".
"You will find that things aplenty have changed since Master Marik released me." Smiled the hunter.
"Do you recognize this sigil?" mocked the hunter, as he threw a piece of cloth at Preston's feet.
Preston looked down at it. The rag had the logo of the Angels of Anarchy; a logo notorious on international news. The Angels were the terrorist organization that was credited by the US government with stealing millions of dollars worth of Duel Monsters hologram technology from KaibaCorp, Microsoft and MaxiDeck Ltd.
They were also wanted for a string of kidnappings of Duel Monster players who possessed rare cards that were sold on the black market for thousands. Players including Bjorn Nystorm "“ the Scandinavian Duel Monster's Champion, who is still missing. Disturbingly violent stories have been circulating about what the Angels did to their hostages. Stories of not only of selling cards on the black market, but also body organs"¦ Even those who were found unharmed, were found in a permanent comatose, and died soon after from heart failure.
Preston looked around him, and realized he was in the main industrial quarter of the city. No one would be around for at least 5 miles. Only the dark factory walls, and the hissing pipes would bear witness to his current predicament. Preston turned around and started to run. He didn't know where he running to but anywhere would be better than here.
"There is nowhere to go Mr D'Arcy" said the figure, with a sudden cold, collected seriousness. Preston turned around; the instantaneous change in tone of the figure caught him off guard. The figure took out a hexagonal, jewel-studded stone and held it up above his head.
"MANI-SOLERA, NEFILOS DAMENA!!" screamed the hunter, as a crackling light flickered on the stone.
Preston suddenly lost his balance, as a bizarre pressure drop caused all the blood in his to drain from his head"¦ as if he had just gotten on an elevator that just dropped 60 floors. Staggering, he clutched his head with his hands as intense pressure rained down on his head. Forcing his eyes open, looked around with some disbelief"¦ and much horror. The industrial surrounding faded into a strange purple mist. A faint groaning came from the mist around him, the groaning of a thousand disembodied voices. Evil shadows were cast on the ground, shadows of even more horrific beings that inhabited the darkness around him.
"Welcome to The Shadow Realm Mr D'Arcy" giggled the Rare Hunter.
"Get comfortable, because you're never goingto leave!!".
TO BE CONTINUED...
----------------
Preston D'Arcy (Chaos-Burn deck) vs The Rare Hunter (Cyber Dragon deck). Under A Stellar Sky conclusion coming soon!
"I'm tired, my imagination is just doing some overtime." Preston tried to convince himself, even as his heart was beating so hard it was almost painful.
Preston stopped in his tracks. He realized that a misty fog has descended on the district, and he after looking around at the strange shops and buildings around him, he realized he couldn't see more than 10 meters ahead of him and had no idea where he was (or going).
"Damn it, I don't need this" muttered as he reached for his cell phone. Despite that lack of signal, he frantically carried on punching in numbers. Anything, just anything, to keep him focused away from this creeping fear that was surrounding him like the thick mist before him.
Then, he heard it. A hysterical laugh, that sounded more like a high-pitch scream. The sound pierced his ears like a sharp needle, forcing him to tilt his head away. It also pierced his soul like a sharp, icicle. Preston soon realized he wasn't breathing, and collapsed on all fours on the concrete beneath him, panting.
"Get up you, or I will strike you down where you are, like the dog you are pretending to be" came the dry, raspy voice. It echoed all around him, not allowing Preston to isolate its exact location. Preston forced himself to stand up, and wildly look around him, desperate to identify the source of his almost intolerable distress.
"Show yourself! Or will continue to hide in the shadows like some kind of rat?" shouted Preston, trying (inconvincibly) to show he was not afraid.
"HAAAA, HAHAHAHA" came the insane laughter.
"Is it me your trying to persuade you aren't scared to death, or yourself?"
Suddenly, Preston noticed two burning lights up ahead. They burned like two tiny suns, scorching the air Preston realized as he felt a sudden heat wave rush past him. The mist evaporated as quickly as it appeared, and Preston saw a shadowy outline appear before him. The red dots died down to give way to malicious dark eyes, full of violent intent mixed with a kind of inner peace only brought by the whispers of a deep insanity. Before him stood a tall figure, hidden away by long, black cloak. The face was shrouded in shadow from the black hood, only the eyes shone through with a blasphemous glowing intensity.
"Greetings Preston D'Arcy. I've been expecting you." Laughed the figure.
"Your one of those ridiculous Rare Hunters, aren't you? How do you know me?" demanded Preston.
"I know many things Mr D'Arcy. Like I know that your Chaos Emperor Dragon would be a useful addition to my deck."
"Your ideas are even more ridiculous than you look. Why would I give you my prized card?" smiled D'Arcy as his confidence slowly returned to him.
"HAAAAAHAHAHA" laughed the figure, "You won't have a choice Mr D'Arcy.
"You don't scare me. You Rare Hunters are a joke. You were once so feared, until the Battle City tournament 4 years ago where you all got the living daylight beaten out of you and disappeared without a trace".
"You will find that things aplenty have changed since Master Marik released me." Smiled the hunter.
"Do you recognize this sigil?" mocked the hunter, as he threw a piece of cloth at Preston's feet.
Preston looked down at it. The rag had the logo of the Angels of Anarchy; a logo notorious on international news. The Angels were the terrorist organization that was credited by the US government with stealing millions of dollars worth of Duel Monsters hologram technology from KaibaCorp, Microsoft and MaxiDeck Ltd.
They were also wanted for a string of kidnappings of Duel Monster players who possessed rare cards that were sold on the black market for thousands. Players including Bjorn Nystorm "“ the Scandinavian Duel Monster's Champion, who is still missing. Disturbingly violent stories have been circulating about what the Angels did to their hostages. Stories of not only of selling cards on the black market, but also body organs"¦ Even those who were found unharmed, were found in a permanent comatose, and died soon after from heart failure.
Preston looked around him, and realized he was in the main industrial quarter of the city. No one would be around for at least 5 miles. Only the dark factory walls, and the hissing pipes would bear witness to his current predicament. Preston turned around and started to run. He didn't know where he running to but anywhere would be better than here.
"There is nowhere to go Mr D'Arcy" said the figure, with a sudden cold, collected seriousness. Preston turned around; the instantaneous change in tone of the figure caught him off guard. The figure took out a hexagonal, jewel-studded stone and held it up above his head.
"MANI-SOLERA, NEFILOS DAMENA!!" screamed the hunter, as a crackling light flickered on the stone.
Preston suddenly lost his balance, as a bizarre pressure drop caused all the blood in his to drain from his head"¦ as if he had just gotten on an elevator that just dropped 60 floors. Staggering, he clutched his head with his hands as intense pressure rained down on his head. Forcing his eyes open, looked around with some disbelief"¦ and much horror. The industrial surrounding faded into a strange purple mist. A faint groaning came from the mist around him, the groaning of a thousand disembodied voices. Evil shadows were cast on the ground, shadows of even more horrific beings that inhabited the darkness around him.
"Welcome to The Shadow Realm Mr D'Arcy" giggled the Rare Hunter.
"Get comfortable, because you're never goingto leave!!".
TO BE CONTINUED...
----------------
Preston D'Arcy (Chaos-Burn deck) vs The Rare Hunter (Cyber Dragon deck). Under A Stellar Sky conclusion coming soon!