Chapter 3: Well Structure Duels

"Come on, there must be some thing to help me get home…"

Bastion trudged down the dirt road, searching for any kind of clue to his location. He had up late last night preparing to work under Professor Eisenstein and had passed out. When he had woken up, he was in on the edge of a cliff, which he immediately backed away from. Hoping to find help, he had set off in search of a way home. So far, all he had found was a fortuneteller's tent, and the only advice she had was "stay on the path, and your destiny shall become clear."

"Destiny, please. Jaden and the others may believe in that nonsense, but I only believe in science. And even if I did, this path has gotten me nowhere! I mean its not like the minute I walk over this hill there's going to be some kind of…"

Sure enough, as he reached the top of the hill, he spotted it. A large, ancient colosseum sat at the bottom of the canyon, towering over anything around it.

"On the other hand, perhaps believing in nonsense can be beneficial on occasion."

Within 10 minutes he had reached the structure. The entrance was being watched by two warrior women, Amazoness Warrior and Amazoness Fighter, who barred his way.

"And who do you think you are? This land is property of the Amazoness tribe."

"If I were you, boy, I would turn away now. You have no business being here."

Bastion held his arms up in surrender, not wishing to get on their bad side.

"Please, I'm only trying to find my way home. I come in peace."

"Yeah right, like we haven't heard that before."

"Just wait until our leader gets her hands on you."

"Until I get my hands on what?"

The two guards turned to see Amazoness Paladin coming down the tunnel and bowed to her. Bastion thought she was beautiful, but wisely averted his gaze as not to anger her or her underlings. The Paladin eyed Bastion up and down, sizing him up. At last, she spoke.

"You're not from around here, are you?"

Bastion was taken aback, surprised that she could figure that out.

"How do you know?"

"I can sense your duelist spirit, and its not like any I've seen in this world."

"Well, you're correct. I don't know how I wound up here, but if you could help me find my way back to my world, I'd appreciate it."

Amazoness Paladin smiled raising her Duel Disk.

"I'll help you, but first you must beat me in a duel. Win, and you may rest here. Lose, and you must leave and never come back."

Realizing this may be his only chance to get home, Bastion nodded.

"Very well, just allow me to pick out a deck…"

"No need, for in this Colosseum you do not duel using your own cards. Maria, show him to the deck room."

Nodding, the Swordswoman shoved Bastion into the Colosseum, prodding him with her sword until he was led into a massive room containing shelves upon shelves of decks, each with their own labels.

"Pick one of these decks to duel with. Mistress will pick one as well. Your duel is in 10 minutes, and don't try to run. My sisters and I will find you, and you won't like it."

With that, the door closed behind him, leaving Bastion in the room alone. He began scanning the decks, reading the labels to find one that would suit him best. Their names provided some insight into what they held, such as Dragon's Roar or Invincible Fortress. At last, he found one that he believed would work.

"She won't know what hit her."

Five minutes later, the swordswoman marched him to the battlefield and threw him in, Amazoness Paladin already there waiting for him. From the stands surrounding the, the rest of the tribe either jeered at him or cheered for his opponent, much to Bastion's frustration.

"Fans of yours, I assume?"

"Just ignore them. Its rare that we have visitors, and usually this is just used as a place to settle disputes. Trust me, its much worse when they're divided."

Nodding, Bastion turned his Duel Disk on, as did his opponent.

"Are you ready, Bastion?"

"Ready to win."

GAME ON!

Bastion: 8000

Amazoness Paladin: 8000

"You may take the first turn."

"Very well, then. I draw!"

When Bastion saw what card he had drawn, a large grin spread across his face.

Perfect, He thought.

"To start, I summon Royal Magical Library (0/2000) in defense mode. I then set two cards face down and end my turn.

"Not much of an opening move. I draw! First, I play Red Eyes Black Chick (800/500)."

A smaller, younger version of Joey Wheeler's famous monster appeared, peeking out from his egg. Bastion knew better than to underestimate it, however, having seen it used by Atticus.

"But he won't be cute forever, because I tribute him to Special Summon the one, the only Red Eyes Black Dragon (2400/2000) in attack mode!"

The chick glowed growing bigger and stronger until the original red eyes was in its place.

"Red Eyes, attack his Library with Inferno Fire Blast!"

The dragon opened its mouth and unleashed a fire ball, heading right for Bastion's monster. Bastion was prepared, however.

"Not so fast! I activate the spell card Magical Dimension, allowing me to tribute my Library."

A mystical coffin rose up from the ground, sucking Bastion's monster into it.

"Now I can special summon a Spellcaster from my hand, and I can think of none better than the ultimate wizard himself: The Dark Magician!"

The crowd gasped as Yugi's famous Magician emerged in a cloud of smoke, twirling his staff and striking a pose.

"Lastly, my spell card lets me destroy one monster on the field, so I choose your Dragon!"

The still open coffin began to suck the dragon into it. Red Eyes tried to escape in vain and was sucked in, the coffin closing and burying itself once more. The Amazoness Paladin smirked.

"Well played. I set two cards face down and end my turn."

"Then it my turn. I draw!"

Her face downs are obviously luring me into a trap, Bastion thought to himself. Unfortunately for her, I have the perfect cards in my hand to deal with them.

"I activate Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your card on the right."

A small tornado swept up the face down, revealing it to be Interdimensional Matter Transporter.

"Next, I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior (1600/1000) in attack mode. And when my warrior is summoned, he gains a spell counter (SP: 1) (1600-1900). But his boost won't last long, because I remove the spell counter so that I can destroy your last face down."

The orb on Breaker's shield went dark, the power going to his sword which he used to send a wave of energy across the field, destroying her opponent's face down Call of the Haunted.

"Now my monsters, attack her directly!"

Amazoness Paladin had to shield herself from a magic blast and a sword slash, bringing her down to half her life points.

Amazoness Paladin: 3900

Bastion smirked, seeing that he had the lead.

"I think I've done enough damage for one turn, so I'll end it there."

The tribal leader dusted herself off before drawing her card.

"You duel like a true warrior, but I'm not done yet. To start, I summon Armed Dragon Lv. 3 (1200/900) in attack mode. Next, I activate the spell card Swords of Revealing Light!"

Bastion raised an eyebrow as the swords rained down from the sky, preventing his monsters from moving.

"Now that my Dragon is safe, I'll set one card face down and end my turn. Your move."

Bastioned hummed to himself as he drew his card. He already knew he was going to win, but he didn't want her to know what he had planned.

"I activate my face down, Pitch Black Power Stone. When its activated, it automatically gains 3 Spell Counters (PBPS: 3 SC). Then I activate its other effect to transfer one of its Spell Counters to another card like my Breaker (PBPS: 3-2 SC) (BTMW: 0-1 SC) (1600-1900).

Realizing what Bastion was planning, his opponent gasped.

"No…"

"Yes. I use Breaker's effect to destroy your Swords of Revealing Light!"

With a single swipe of her sword, the swords shattered like glass. Bastion relished in his opponent's look of defeat before playing his final card.

"I summon Gemini Elf (1900/900) in attack mode. Dark Magician, attack her Armed Dragon!"

Realizing she had been beaten, Amazoness Paladin played her last card, hoping to do some damage before she went down.

"I activate the trap card, Ceasefire! For every effect monster on the field, you lose 500 life points!"

Bastion barely flinched as the flames licked his skin.

Bastion: 6500

"It matters not, because this duel is over!"

The field briefly inverted as Dark Magician cast his attack, shattering the Armed Dragon.

Amazoness Paladin: 2600

"Now my lovely assistants will finish you off!"

Amazoness Paladin stood firm, taking the attacks head on as her life points depleted.

Amazoness Paladin: 0000

Bastion wins!

The crowd cheered, enthralled by the exciting duel. Bastion and Amazoness Paladin shook hands in the middle.

"A deal is a deal. You may rest here, and we shall help you find your way home."

"Much obliged."

"Of course, I don't know how much rest. It looks like my tribe wants to test your mantle."

Bastion turned to see the rest of the Amazoness Warriors linin up to fight him fire in their eyes. He only smirked.

"Bring it on."