Deckard glanced at his opponent. Even though he couldn't see her play, he could still read her expression.
She was torn—caught between awe and excitement. Awe, because she was facing someone whose very first move had been to drop a Legendary. Excitement, because she had a solid board presence: two creatures down and a trap armed and ready.
Deckard, on the other hand, had only a Landmark in play.
She’s definitely going to pile on the offense, Deckard thought, adjusting his spectacles.
The Reveal Phase of Round 2 began.
Deckard’s card was the first to be revealed.
A rumble issued from beneath the virtual board. A dark shape clawed its way up from the earth.
Crab Bulwark ??
Type: Creature
Rarity: Uncommon
Cost: 2
Points: 1
Effect: If on the defending lane, summon two [Fortified Shells]
Synergy: Gain 1 when a token is destroyed.
The crab settled firmly into the defending lane. Two [Fortified Shells] manifested beside it, as if the game were layering extra armor onto its carapace. The shells clattered into place, each with a satisfying thunk. The dull reverberation rolled across the board like the closing of iron gates.
Across the field, FireFox’s face-down card flipped over.
Luminescent Flare ?
Rarity: Common
Type: Trap
Affinity: Fire
Cost: 1
Points: 1
Effect: The next enemy creature played here loses 1 for each of your ally creatures, for one turn.
Light burst forth like a flare—blinding and sudden. The Crab Bulwark recoiled. As the brilliance faded, the number above it shifted, dropping from 1 to -1. It groaned and slumped deeper into its pit, dazed.
Across the table, FireFox smirked, savoring her trap’s success. With the trap resolved, the card she’d played this turn revealed itself.
Another creature.
Firebug ??
Rarity: Common
Type: Creature
Affinity: ??
Cost: 1
Points: 0
Effect: Burn. +1 if on attacking lane.
A crimson beetle zipped into view in her attacking lane. She had sacrificed health points to play it, and the flames already raging in her castle flared brighter and hotter, bringing her HP down to 5.
The girl’s expression flickered with determination—she clearly thought the sacrifice was worth it.
The second it appeared, [Cinder Firefly] chittered, and its point count ticked up by one.
The point totals in the lane adjusted. FireFox had 5 points. Deckard: -1.
He was down—not just on points, but momentum. But despite the glaring gap, Deckard didn’t flinch. Nothing was getting through this turn, and he knew it.
Arms crossed, he waited as the Counting Phase began.
The fireflies surged forward—three glowing points of light spiraling toward Deckard’s castle. But the Crab Bulwark raised its massive pincers and blocked the assault.
The Fortified Shells shattered one by one.
The crab glowed briefly with a metallic sheen, gaining one point for each shell destroyed.
Deckard had loved this card the moment he saw it, but the Synergy effect made it even better. After the crab absorbed the damage, its point count climbed—one for each token lost. Since [Fortified Shell] was a token, he gained 2 points.
Both castles now stood at 5 HP.
Round 3 began.
Deckard drew two cards, bringing his hand to three. He was still behind—one point down on the defending lane.
He tapped his fingers thoughtfully, gauging his options, then selected a single card and slid it onto the field.
Then he waited.
As the fog lifted, he saw his opponent had played yet another card in her attacking lane, clearly looking to press the advantage.
Deckard’s card was unveiled first. A flash of mist swirled upward, forming a protective bubble around the board as a squat, armored figure emerged, crawling slowly.
Sturdy Turtle ??
Rarity: Common
Type: Creature
Affinity: ??
Cost: 1
Points: 0
Effect: +2 if on the defending lane.
The turtle nestled into position beside the crab. As its shell locked into place, its point value ticked up to 2, bringing Deckard’s total defending lane strength to 5.
Then came the girl’s reveal.
A fire card ignited across the board, casting a flare of embers like a brushfire sweeping through dry grass.
Cinder Flight ??
Rarity: Uncommon
Type: Skill
Affinity: ??
Cost: 2
Effect: +1 to all fire creatures here this turn.
A pulse of heat surged across her attacking lane. The fireflies sparked brighter, their point totals ticking upward.
Her attacking lane rose to 7 points. Her lips curled into a grin as the flames surged higher, convinced she had him cornered.
Then, something shimmered.
The Graveyard on Deckard’s side lit up, and a card floated upward, drifting toward his attacking lane.
Cushion Starfish ?
Rarity: Common
Type: Creature
Affinity: ??
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Cost: 3
Points: 1
Effect: Regeneration. +1 if there’s another starfish here.
It reformed midair in a spiraling current of water energy, then splashed down with a gentle thud onto Deckard’s attacking lane. It didn’t look like much—just a small, reddish creature—but the regeneration mechanic had pulled it to the field without cost.
And it meant damage.
The Counting Phase began.
On defense, the combined might of Crab Bulwark and Sturdy Turtle—5 points in total—pushed back against the blaze.
But it wasn’t enough.
FireFox’s 7 points overpowered his defense by 2, slipping through the cracks and slamming into Deckard’s castle. Fragments scattered across the battlefield before dissolving into ash, the health marker dimming by two.
But on the other lane, the little starfish surged forward—spinning like a flying shuriken—and slammed into FireFox’s castle.
Her HP dropped from 5 to 4. FireFox winced, as if she’d felt the sting herself.
The game was 3 to 4. She still had the upper hand.
But not by much.
And the sudden appearance of a Starfish on her defending lane had her sweating.
The next round’s Draw Phase began. He placed a single card in the defending lane, discarding two others. For the first time since the game began, he was out of cards.
He adjusted his spectacles and waited, eyes steady, as the Reveal Phase loomed.
The field shimmered as cards were unveiled.
Deckard’s next summon burst onto the field in a flash of vibrant blue and yellow feathers.
Blue Macaw ??
Rarity: Common
Type: Creature
Affinity: ??
Cost: 2
Points: 1
Effect: +2 if a player played a creature here this turn.
It puffed its chest and gave a sharp, echoing caw—its point value ticked up to 3, raising Deckard’s total defense to 8. She had played a creature in the same lane, triggering the macaw’s effect.
Her reveal followed—a crackle of volatile flame split the air.
Fusefly ??
Rarity: Uncommon
Type: Creature
Affinity: ??
Cost: 4
Points: 3
Effect: Burn. This card’s burn is delayed: suffer one damage at the beginning of your next four turns.
The insect’s wings gave off a shrill whine, each beat sparking with red-hot cinders as if it might detonate at any second. The Cinder Firefly reacted to the play, and its point count ticked up by one.
It was the fourth creature in her attacking lane. All the slots in the lane were filled now.
FireFox looked confident—convinced this would be the turn she broke through Deckard’s line.
Then, the Blue Macaw tilted its head and let out another piercing call.
This time, a second cry echoed in response—from within Deckard’s deck.
A scarlet silhouette began to form on the battlefield.
Red Macaw ?? (Epic)
Type: Creature
Affinity: ??
Cost: 1
Points: 5
Effect: Start each game at the bottom of your deck. After both players have played a creature on the same lane on three separate turns, summon it to that lane.
Synergy: Or if you play a creature in a losing lane.
The Synergy effect had triggered for the third time after Deckard played a creature on a losing lane—an alternate condition that made this card easier to bring into play. He didn’t need to match her play that same turn. It only mattered that the lane was losing.
The Red Macaw flared its wings with a burst of wind. His defending lane surged to 13 points.
The girl gasped. “Wait—what?” She paled, confidence draining as she stared at the impossible swing in momentum.
Then came the final surprise.
From Deckard’s Graveyard, a glow spread outward. A card shimmered—one of the first he’d discarded to summon Crab Bulwark—and reformed midair.
Another starfish.
It spun once in the air, then landed in his attacking lane beside its sibling.
Royal Starfish ?
Rarity: Common
Type: Creature
Affinity: ??
Cost: 2
Points: 1
Effect: Regeneration.
The Counting Phase began.
Her firefly swarm flew—explosive bursts and ember trails clashing against Deckard’s defenses—but they couldn’t break through. The wall was too strong. Crab Bulwark, Sturdy Turtle, Blue Macaw, and the towering Red Macaw held their ground, unshaken.
Then came the counterstrike. Deckard’s two starfish surged across the scorched battlefield, weaving through the fading flames. FireFox’s castle HP dropped to 2.
A new round began. As it did, her HP ticked down—self-inflicted damage from Fusefly’s delayed burn—bringing her down to just one point.
Deckard didn’t play any cards this round. His defenses were solid, and with only two cards left in her hand and no HP remaining to burn, he doubted FireFox could push through. When the fog cleared and the field came into view, his guess was confirmed—she hadn’t played anything.
The final Counting Phase began. Deckard’s starfish advanced together—one last glide across the burning field.
FireFox’s castle shattered.
StubbornTiger wins!
The board dimmed. The floating pot of cards hovered toward Deckard’s side.
He reached out and drew the reward card, holding it up with a flick of his wrist. “Cool. My first card with Burn.”
Across the arena, FireFox was practically bouncing with excitement. She clapped her hands together, sparks of excitement in her eyes as if the fire affinity carried over into her personality.
“Wow! That game was amazing! I couldn’t believe it—I got a perfect draw and still couldn’t beat you! You have a Legendary and an Epic? You must be rich! Can I add you as a friend?”
Deckard blinked, caught off guard. He took a half-step back, startled by the sheer force of her enthusiasm.
“Sorry,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’d rather… not.”
Her smile dipped for only a moment before bouncing back.
“Aaaawww. That’s too bad. But will you at least let me try a rematch?”
Deckard chuckled. “Now that—I can do.”
*
Before Deckard realized it, he’d been down here for a couple of hours.
The faint hum of the arena, the flicker of holographic cards, the low murmur of players trading banter—it all blurred into background noise, the kind he could lose himself in.
It felt like slipping back into his element—like a fish finding water again. This was where he belonged. He was back at his job. He was home.
After a handful of matches, he began to notice patterns. The players wagering common cards generally fell into two categories.
First, there were the curious newbies. They'd happened to have 20 cards, enough to make a deck, and jumped into a match just to see what the fuss was about. Their decks were jumbled messes with zero synergy, and their gameplay reflected it. They were easy wins.
Then there were the grinders. The ones who came prepared with decks that had cohesion and a clear win condition. Players like the girl with the burn-aggro build—she’d been one of the stronger opponents, but not the only one. These players weren’t just here to pass the time. They were aiming for the rankings.
Against them, every turn felt like walking a tightrope. One slip, and their win condition snapped shut like a bear trap.
He also began to notice recurring cards, the same water-affinity creatures popping up across multiple decks. There were snakes, lizards, otters, puffins and sea crabs. They were likely drops from local dungeons.
He'd lost track of how many he'd played. He’d dropped a few, sure, but he’d won plenty more. His league point total was already up to 23.
And this game was going well, too.
He slapped down Triple Psionic Pulse. Three violet rings pulsed outward in perfect sync, shredding his opponent’s board presence like paper set alight. Three of the opponent’s four creatures dissolved into flashes of light and were yanked back to their owner’s hand.
That cleared the way. The board went quiet for half a breath before the system declared his victory.
StubbornTiger wins!
You've reached a 7-Win Streak. Please see one of our staff members.
“Good game,” his opponent offered.
“Thanks! Likewise,” Deckard replied, already half-turned toward the kiosk.
This was the first time the system had flagged a win streak like that. He frowned slightly.
Why do they want me to talk to staff?
The question lingered as he swept up the pot. He grabbed the cards from the pot and headed toward the nearest kiosk.
