Chapter 1 - The Masked GirlThis is a bit different. For anyone who grew up watching Yugio or like trading card games.
I was just a normal highschool girl, enjoying my very normal life, then everything changed. You see our society is ruled over by the ‘Lord of Games’, the very best player of the Shame-Monsters card game. For most people Shame Monsters was just a pass time, a simple fun distraction for solving arguments or problems. A game played with cardboard trading cards. However, some chosen few are blessed (or cursed) with the ’Soul of the Cards’, a special energy that allows the game to come to life giving you real power and status in our world. I used to be a normal girl with few problems… that was before I was blessed.
It was almost time for the Grand Tournament, an event that happens every four years to decide the new Lord of Games when my life took a surprising turn. I was in a shallow sleep when I heard the crash in the next room, my heart exploded as this was followed by a half scream from my sister. The fact she had been silenced mid-cry terrified me. I was out of bed and running before I even knew what I was doing. A surge of energy, fear and adrenaline burst in my chest as I dashed through the warm house.
There was my little sister, eyes wide in fear being lifted off the floor by an eerie pink light. She was pale, skinny and dressed in only a childish little nightgown. Even with the odd glow in the dark room I could see her blush as her nighty rode up exposing her legs to the invader. She was always so shy and modest I had never seen my sister so terrified.
The mysterious figure was black robed and hid their face behind a white theater mask, the kind with half comedy, half tragedy. My own words caught in my throat as their gaze quickly turned towards me as I entered the open door. Terror flushed through me, chilling me despite the warm night. They were gifted, a playing card glowing in the same light as my sister floated near the figure activating its effect in the real world.
A youthful feminine voice surprised me from the intruder, “Daughters of Alicia Lovegood, I am here to avenge my family's disgrace” she spoke her words full of spite and barely suppressed rage.
“I don’t understand” I stuttered, the pressure from the young woman intensified, making me shake, this was why us normal people were ruled by the gifted. I felt small, weak and insignificant before her.
Her annoyance cracked through her icy voice. “Alicia Lovegood defeated my Mother, robbing her of the promised destiny of our family!”
I fell to my knees. “My Mother is dead '' I cried. I knew little of my mothers past, she had passed away when I was very young and Hope was still a baby.
“I know this. My mother was robbed of her revenge, a shell of a woman now forever disgraced” the powerful figure spoke again, even her words made me feel weaker as she stepped forward.
Just then however, while I sank into an even deeper despair, I felt a spark, a small swelling of energy within me, reacting to the raging torrent that was this mystery girl's power.
“Is that it? This is your inheritance? Your power?” The girl laughed bitterly, amused but upset. She could feel the newly awakened power within me and was not impressed. A glowing card span in front of her as she stared at me ready to strike.
“No this would be no victory; kicking a cub is not the same as defeating a wolf” The girl seemed to pause for a moment, the pressure of her power eased off.
“I will face you at the ‘Lord of Games’ or you will never see your sweet, little, sister again”
“What?” I cried in shock and confusion. That was impossible, I wasn’t even ranked in the top 100 of my school, nevermind being able to qualify for the national tournament.
“You will find a way, grow strong and face me or your sister will be my little plaything forever” The girl reached up and bruised my sister's tearful cheek. I had heard stories of just how cruel the gifted could be, no one would come to my aid even if I knew who this masked figure was.
I tried to stand, burning the small amount of power I could muster, but it was too late. The masked figure activated a second card and in a flash of pink light they vanished. I could only scream staggering forward as the nightgown and a yellow pair of knickers fell to the ground where my sister had been floating moments before. She was alone and I quickly realised now naked, somewhere at the mercy of some powerful gifted.
I sobbed into the nighty engulfed in my little sisters scent.