Vanguard. The word, in military terminology, refers to the advance force of a formation, the one that stands at the forefront, seeks out the enemy, draws them out, fights them head-on.
Even if its original connotations are mostly overlooked in an era where armed conflict is a relic of the distant past, the word itself has become synonymous with one of the most popular subjects worldwide. Cardfight - Vanguard, what started out as a mere Trading Card Game, a long twenty years ago, is now the spearhead and symbol of technological advancement, advertising, and entertainment.
Vanguard's rise in popularity coincided with a huge technological leap, the development of advanced, portable holographic projection. Basing the foundations of its marketing strategy on that technology, Vanguard featured matches on regional and national tournament level that the spectators could enjoy as if they were watching live monsters and warriors battle in front of their eyes. This not only kicked Vanguard to the uncontested top of the entertainment industry, but also caused it to become a staging platform for the new technology.
This situation was maintained for almost eighteen years. A mere year before the beginning of the events described in this story, Vanguard was called forth to, once again, lead the way into a new era. The wildly popular trading card game embraced the next level of technology - virtual reality. Instead of simply watching, fighters and spectators could feel the fight happen in front of them, by projecting themselves into a virtual environment. Inside that field, isolated from our own reality, the Vanguard fight was, for all intents and purposes, actually taking place in a very real manner.
And that is where our story begins.
Author's Corner:
Hello, everyone. This is Desgarroth, also known as Nightmare (VERZ Nightmare) in the Cardfight! Vanguard Byond game, Cardfight Capital. Vanguard: Nightmare Overture will be the first Vanguard story that I will aim to complete (hence my putting it up), and will not be excessively long. It will feature an extensive character cast, and a variety of cardfights. This story will contain elements of adventure, science fiction, and mystery, even horror, generally sticking, however, to what the anime shows us. It will take place many years after the anime, in an utterly new world that has little to do with the world described in the anime, or the world we ourselves live in. You will be exposed to the intricacies of the setting gradually, through the eyes of our protagonists, whom you are about to meet. The card game, Vanguard, around which the story is centered, has developed a lot over the past twenty years. You will find, in this story, many new cards, many new clans, and many more surprises awaiting. Please note that everything you are not already familiar with will be explained and analyzed at the end of each chapter. While I believe I am doing a reasonable job at conveying the rules and mechanics of the game, it is still advisable to have a fair understanding of Vanguard, before attempting to get into this story.
Well, that is all for now. Enjoy ~
RIDE 1: Virtual Reality (1)
The world in 2032 was quite different than what the people of the previous decades experienced. Due to high levels of pollution, transportation throughout cities took place exclusively in sealed vehicles called the Sweepcrafts, that crossed great distances at high speeds by gliding along artificially-created air currents. Young people of sufficient financial standing had a Sweepcraft pass by their houses every morning at 06:00 to deliver them to their Educational Department, a massive building near the center of each city with the capacity to house tens of thousands of students at once. After concluding their daily program at 16:00, they were taken by another Sweepcraft to the Commons, another huge infrastructure with a vast variety of activities one could attend to. At 20:00, the last Sweepcraft would return them to their houses for rest.
Constricting as it might seem at first, this stubbornly regulated life left little to be desired. The Commons were large enough, and had such a vast variety of activities, that one could spend the entire duration of his school life here without getting bored in the slightest. Furthermore, there was one main interest that monopolized their time there. Vanguard.
In a structure as large as the Commons, it was unrealistic to expect transportation on foot to have any kind of efficiency. Smaller, more compact, but slower vehicles that were named Minicrafts were designed for interior relocation. The Minicrafts were almost similar to a large armchair, and equally comfortable. They were made out of hard leather and featured protective glass on the sides, to shield the user from the unlikely impact - the Minicrafts, just as their larger counterparts, were remotely regulated by highly advanced artificial intelligence programs that monitored all traffic in the immediate area. The Minicrafts could only fit one person at a time, but literally thousands of them crisscrossed the busy corridors of the Commons.
It stood to reason that the programs responsible for controlling the Minicrafts could be easily customized to accord to individual preference. Therefore, when the young man by the name of Alexei Sorbett leapt out of the Sweepcraft and into the first Minicraft that entered his field of vision, following the millisecond requirement to identify him via the ID Clause implanted in his brain, it instantly projected a list of his favorite destinations, according to both Alexei's own settings, and previous travel history. It was without hesitation that the youngster pointed at the top of the list, which set the Minicraft to nimbly lift a few inches to the air, and begin hovering nimbly towards the Vanguard Stadium.
Alexei Sorbett, or Alex to his friends, was born in January 8th, 2017, under the name of George H. Marcel. He changed his name, as had become customary, upon entering the Educational Department, following the general tendency of modernization of naming, and abolishment of hereditary naming traditions. Alex sported blue, tall spiky hair, which had been modelled for himself after his personal request. His eyes were clear silver. He was sufficiently athletic, as he did not shy away from the alloted time at the Gymnastics Center, standing at a one-eighty five meters with a sturdy physique. Currently, he was clad in the black nylon standard-issue shirt, obligatory in the Education Center, and matching pants and sneakers of the same material. Around his wristband, his personal, black color-coded Informer was attached, a device which addressed all of the necessary functions that were once performed by cumbersome portable computers and PDAs, and then some.
Alex was filled to the brim with excitement. Today, a special fight would be featured in the Vanguard Stadium. Janhaus Vexter, a Regional Tournament champion, would be taking on Herley Johansen, a member of the team that had come out on top of the city's regional qualifiers. Since the Regional Tournament featured sixteen teams from at least half a dozen different Commons, it was to be expected that Janhaus would be playing on a totally different level than Herley, whose team hadn't made it past the first round of the previous Regionals. However, it would still be a terribly thrilling match.
It was difficult to definitively answer why Vanguard's top players were idolized. Rather cynical analysts suggested that, with the average intellect level vastly reduced from the previous decades, possessing high skill at a game such as Vanguard in an era where chess was considered an elite academic subject that only the cream of the crop even bothered to touch, suggested great mental prowess. But, it was more than that. A mere strategist, however intelligent, would not be able to consistently withstand the pressure and thrill of such high-profile games. Sooner or later, they'd make a fatal flaw, and fall. No, the ones who truly rose to the top had the makings of superstars - able to handle themselves in the spotlight, they were the modern day pop idols of the new generation. Brain, fortitude, focus, cunning. The traits of a pro-level Vanguard fighter.
When Alex arrived at the Stadium, it was already full of people, fussing around in preparation of the much-anticipated fight. The central area, the Grand Arena, was clear, waiting for the combatants to enter the stage. Noone even bothered to begin a match in such a situation - the atmosphere was so tense, it felt almost electrified. Alex snuck his way through the crowd, edging as close to the center as possible. Such an effot was unnecessary as the Grand Arena was elevated, clearly visible from even the farthest corner of the place - which was quite far, since the Stadium was massive.
"You're late." A female voice was heard from somewhere behind him. Alex turned around to see two of his friends standing nearby. They had approached him unnoticed, apparently also present in order to observe the match. Katherine Trisvere, the girl who had spoken, was tall, almost as tall as Alex himself. They attended many classes in the Educational Department together. Katherine, or Kathy to friends, had bright green hair and pink eyes, tied up in two ponytails that flew over the sides of her head. She was clad in the female version of the outfit Alex was wearing, a black skirt that reached up a little higher than her knees, and a plain black blouse with a blue tie. Her Informer was pink in color. The third person of the small group was called Raynold Davran, usually referred to as Ray. He was leaner than Alex, about the same height, and clad in the same outfit. He sported silver, unkempt short hair, and his eyes were an unnaturally deep blue. His Informer's color was teal. He was also the same age as Alex and Kathy, and attended many of the same subjects.
These sorts of looks would be considered ridiculous, almost alien, a decade ago, before all sorts of widely-available appearance modifications entered the market. Now, changing the color of your eyes and hair to anything you desired was the least one could do with their body. The Educational Department, despite its rather strict dress code, did not dissuade students from choosing any desired appearance. The only area that was out-of-bounds were various enlargement modifications, which were prohibited to anyone below the required age limit of eighteen. Therefore, even more outrageous appearances could be seen commonly, especially amongst such a large and diverse crowd as the one that had assembled in the Vanguard Stadium.
Alex, Kathy and Ray were average teenagers of their generation. Their world was limited to the Cluster, which contained their homes, the Educational Department, and the Commons. And why wouldn't it, when the only other places one could explore were the Adult Region, which they would not be allowed to enter for another three years, and the Industrial Tower - by far larger than the Commons and the Educational Department put together, and housing every single one of the city's industries. Needless to say, the children were far from eager to get there. It would be incorrect to call them immature or shallow for seeking excitement in such a thing as Vanguard, because in this world, it was the extent to which they could reach.
Even if the Commons were mostly a place for young people, as most of the adults were busy during the day in the Industrial Tower, or preferred the escapedes available in the Adult Region, quite a few of them, especially those with children, did not shy away from the entertainment available in the Commons. Vanguard especially attracted people from many ages, and a large portion of the crowd in the Stadium had quite a few years on the three youngsters. They all, however, were similarly excited when a man stepped up to the Arena. Such a high-profile match virtually required the presence of a Master of Ceremonies, the Stadium's very own MC Falcon.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" The MC shouted over the roar of applause. He was taller than two meters and towered over the crowd, with wild spiky green hair and wearing shades, though there was obviously no sun in the interior of the Commons. "I, MC Falcon, for those unaware, welcome you to this unique event! Today's exhibition battle will feature two of the highest caliber players we have to offer! Hailing from the city of New Albion, an illustrious member of Team Redeagle, Regional finalists, I give to you, Janhaus Vexter!" The crowd went wild as a player stepped up on the arena. Janhaus was taller than Alex, though not as tall as the MC. He sported relatively mundane black hair, and serious, focused blue eyes. Compared to what could be seen on average, barring the students featuring the Educational Department's dress style, he was clad in a rather conservative outfit - light blue denim jeans, a white t-shirt with a golden crown crossed by a crimson eagle painted on it - the emblem of Team Redeagle - and a dark green, sleeveless vest over it. Janhaus acknowledged the applause with a raised hand, but otherwise retained a neutral expression.
"Challenging this behemoth, from our very own Glassvein city, member of Team Stormdrive, which unfortunately failed to make it past the first round of the previous Regionals, I present - Herley Johansen!" The appearance of the second player yielded at least as much applause. Despite the fact that Herley's achievements were less overwhelming, the fact that he was a native to this city earned him quite a few points. Herley was a bit taller than Janhaus, clad in pitch-black pants and a red blazer. His hair was brown and flew wildly around his face, carefully maintained to look as unkempt as possible. His eyes were tinted red and shone under the bright lights that had showevered the Grand Arena. He sported a nose ring, and several large earrings. He was wearing an arrogant smirk, and raised both hands, roaring enthusiastically to the crowd's cheers, which sent them in an even greater uproar.
"So, we can all agree that Janhaus wins this, right?" Alex stated confidently, observing the two fighters as they took their positions on opposite sides of the Grand Arena.
"It's hard to say." Ray said skeptically. "Janhaus has higher specs, true enough, but Herley's fighting on home ground. That may be enough to provide him with the edge he needs." Theoretically, only a small table was needed to play Vanguard. However, the Grand Arena was an entire stadium with enough room to project all the needed holograms to make the fight as realistic as possible. Of course, everyone here had not come merely to see holograms. They knew what was coming. Before each player, a small console rose from the ground, featuring a Vanguard playmat. This was an old feature hailing back from the days when holograms were first introduced in the world of Vanguard, and had long been replaced in the Regionals and Nationals tournaments - but for a place such as the Stadium, it was good enough. This console featured an auto-shuffler, careful card counters and extensive records to completely prevent illegal moves, and unbeatable anti-cheating mechanics. Many a player had thought to test their cunning versus this providence against dishonest plays - and all had been brutally destroyed by the system. Janhaus and Herley placed their decks on the appropriate slot, where they were shuffled, and then drew their opening hands. After a quick overview, Janhaus replaced two cards on top of his deck, while Herley returned one. The decks reshuffled and produced an equal number of cards for each player to return their total count to five. Everyone held their breath. A small pause until the integrated randomizer assigned the first turn to Janhaus. And then -
"Ladies and gentlemen, IT HAS BEGUN!"
"Stand up, Vanguard!" Everyone went wild as those three words were shouted.
"Durengal." Janhaus said calmly. A black, mechanical dog-like creature took form before him. The beast roared in challenge (5000).
"Guerilla Tiger!" Herley roared. In front of him, a black tiger, much bulkier than usual and sporting various pieces of armor and firearms, came into view (5000).
"The starting Vanguards have been revealed!" MC Falcon shouted into his microphone. "For Janhaus, Durengal, he is using his famous Royal Paladin deck from the United Sanctuary! For Herley, Guerilla Tiger, of the Phoenix Colosseum that belongs to the Dragon Empire! Keep your eyes glued, folks!"
"My turn, draw." Janhaus said. "Durengal's skill activates, checking the top five cards of the deck. If I find Knight of Quests, Galahad amongst them, I can Superior Ride it." The holograms of five cards, their backs turned to Herley and the audience appeared in front of him. The second from the left glowed, reversing to reveal itself. Durengal howled, and bright light exploded it around it. When the glowing pillar subsided, there was only the shillouette of the faithful dog, slowly dissolving, replaced by a stocky, muscular knight with flowing silver hair, clad in tight plate armor and brandishing a large broadsword (7000). "Turn end."
"As we've come to expect, a neutral, but still efficient move from Janhaus!" MC Falcon declared. "Without wasting a single card from his hand, he proceeds to the next Grade, all the while preparing for the big plays later! How will Herley respond?"
"Draw!" Herley growled. "I ride Assault Fighter • Brute Edge!" A brutal ogre, its bare chest swelling with muscles, brandishing a spiked club as it materialized, replaced his starting Vanguard (6000). "Thanks to its effect, Guerilla Tiger moves to the Rear Guard circle." The tiger appeared next to the ogre. "And now I call Spike Trampler behind it!" A centaur whose lower feet had been altered to feature great spikes, wielding a huge circular serrated blade from a handle that crossed its center, materialized behind Guerilla Tiger (8000). "Here goes! Assault Fighter • Brute Edge attacks! And when Brute Edge attacks a Grade 1 or lower Unit, it gains plus 3000 Power!" (6000-9000)
Everyone held their breath as the hologram began to move. The lights dimmed, until only those directly above the arena remained.
"Ladies and gentlemen..." MC Falcon breathed solemnly in the half-light.
"ITS! SHOWTIME!"
It was as if a ripple passed through the entire Stadium. The very next instant, they were not standing in the middle of a crowded store. They were observing, from somewhere deep inside their minds, a fictional location similar to an ancient Roman colosseum, featuring the two opposing teams of Units on each side. The ogre launched itself across the battlefield at the knight.
"This is it!" Kathy gasped.
"Virtual Reality..." Ray muttered, entranced.
"This is beyond amazing." Alex whispered. "We're just spectating, and this is..." He could feel it. The aura of battle, the scorching, dust-bringing wind that swept the field of contest, the smell of sweat and blood that permeated the colosseum. The grinding noise of spikes against sword as Herley's Vanguard landed a decisive hit on Janhaus, scoring first blood. Galahad stumbled backwards, his shoulder plate broken where the mace had hit him, blood flowing between his fingers as he clutched his wound. The ogre smirked, and retreated.
Suddenly, the virtual arena scattered. All spectators found themselves in their former places, a little disoriented. There was quiet for a moment, as a display overhead demonstrated the Units that had been Drive and Damage checked - these included no triggers. And then, everyone started yelling and shouting, cheering and gasping. This experience was unique - it was amazing. To these people who had led lives so locked inside the ordinary, to experience something like this first-hand was beyond their wildest dreams.
If either of the two fighters shared the crowd's sentiments, they did not show. They weighed each other with calculating eyes. Finally, Herley moved his hand on the table.
"Boosted by Spike Trampler, Guerilla Tiger attacks!" Everyone froze in excited anticipation, waiting for the next journey into the glorious virtual reality - but nothing happened, and the two holograms simply moved forward in unison, clashing with the knight who cringed slightly under their hits. MC Falcon cleared his throat.
"Ehm, we're terribly sorry, but for now, the virtual reality system is only programmed to activate during battles between the Vanguards as a result of its high cost... please bear with it - " His plea was drowned by a wave of complaints.
"Damage trigger, check." The cool voice of Janhaus cut through the noise. "Get. Draw trigger. Galahad gains plus 5000 Power, and then I draw once." He added a seventh card to his hand.
"The first round of battle ends thus!" MC Falcon declared, trying to wave away the dissatisfied atmosphere. "The action is back to Janhaus! Let's have it, folks! What kind of turnabout awaits us?"
Janhaus
• Hand: 7
• Soul: 1 [Durengal]
• Damage: 2 [? (U) | Margal (U)]
• Drop: 0
• Field:
(R) N/A - N/A
(V) Knight of Quests, Galahad (7000) - N/A
(R) N/A - N/A
Herley
• Hand: 5
• Soul: 0
• Damage: 0
• Drop: 0
• Field:
(R) Guerilla Tiger (5000) - Spike Trampler (8000)
(V) Assault Fighter • Brute Edge (6000) - N/A
(R) N/A - N/A
Custom Cards:
Guerilla Tiger
Grade 0 | Boost
Dragon Empire | Phoenix Colosseum | War Beast
5000 | 10000 | 1
• [Auto] (V): When you Ride another Phoenix Colosseum, call this Unit as a Rear Guard.
• [Activate] (R) (Retire this Unit): Target 2 of your opponent's Rear Guards Circles in the same column. Any Unit in each of those Circles moves to the other targeted Circle.
Assault Fighter • Brute Edge
Grade 1 | Boost
Dragon Empire | Phoenix Colosseum | Ogre
6000 | 5000 | 1
• [Auto] (V/R): When this Unit attacks a Grade 1 or lower Unit, for that battle, this Unit gains +3000 Power.
Spike Trampler
Grade 1 | Boost
Dragon Empire | Phoenix Colosseum | Centaur
8000 | 5000 | 1
Clan Profile: Phoenix Colosseum (Dragon Empire)
To outsiders, the Phoenix Colosseum might just seem like another spectacle, brutal fights between combatants for the purposes of entertaining the audience. However, for the warriors of the Dragon Empire, the Colosseum represents the ultimate challenge in their military career. Fighters from all over the Empire assemble at the arena to test their mettle, practice their abilities, and earn honor, glory and riches. It is more than just a training stage, a step before the army. It is a way of life, a neverending quest for dominion that enthralls aspiring adventurers and war veterans equally. To conquer the Colosseum means to be recognized as a world-class master of combat - but it also means that your blood might end up nurturing the hard sand under the warriors' feet.
This clan's main focus is the formation of Units - both your own, and your opponent's. They have skills that allow them to move their own Rear Guards, even between different columns. You can use these skills to optimize your own formation, as there are a several bonuses to be had when specific Rear Guards exist in a specific formation. Conversely, they have skills that enable them to disrupt their opponent's formation by moving their Units around. To emphasize on that, they also have skills that benefit them if your opponent's formation becomes abnormal, such as being able to stand after defeating a G1 or lower Unit by battle.
Character Section:
Name: Alexei Sorbett (Alex)
Occupation: Student
Age: 15
Height: 1.85m
Weight: 88kg
Eye Color: Silver
Hair Color: Blue
Hair Style: Wild, Spiky
Physique: Athletic
Deck: ?
Name: Katherine Trisvere (Kathy)
Occupation: Student
Age: 15
Height: 1.72m
Weight: 69kg
Eye Color: Pink
Hair Color: Green
Hair Style: Twin Ponytails
Physique: Petite
Deck: ?
Name: Raynold Davran (Ray)
Occupation: Student
Age: 15
Height: 1.82m
Weight: 76kg
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Silver
Hair Style: Unkempt, short
Physique: Regular
Deck: ?
Name: Janhaus Vexter
Occupation: Vanguard fighter
Age: 21
Height: 1.88m
Weight: 86kg
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Black
Hair Style: Short, flat
Physique: Athletic
Deck: Royal Paladin
Name: Herley Johansen
Occupation: Vanguard fighter
Age: 20
Height: 1.93m
Weight: 89kg
Eye Color: Red
Hair Color: Light Brown
Hair Style: Wild, unkempt
Physique: Athletic
Deck: Phoenix Colosseum
Name: "MC Falcon"
Occupation: Master of Ceremonies
Age: 29
Height: 2.13m
Weight: 95kg
Eye Color: ?
Hair Color: Green
Hair Style: Wild
Physique: Regular
Deck: ?