Prologue 4/5

Light vs Black

By Jaysnow-Silverblaze


Battle Four: Izzet vs Dimir

The gym of the school had been closed for weeks, something to do with a septic leak or something of the sort. The boy who stood leaning against the podium didn't seem to care. He was a normal looking boy at first sight; seventeen, medium length brown hair, green eyes. Then, looking closer it was obvious that he wasn't normal. He had four bandanas around his neck, two were shades of red while the other two were shades of blue. His jean jacket came down only to his ribs and the sleeves almost fell over his hands. He was wearing a black muscle shirt under the jacket but it was covered in stitches, like he had sewn the thing together himself, though in reality he just liked how it looked.

A soft sound was heard and he looked up at the entrance to see a girl entering the room quietly. She wore black all over except for the vibrant blue streaks in her long dark hair. The hair itself was in bun held together with what looked like either senbon or chopsticks. She wore what looked like traditional ninja garb, none of her showing except for her rather telling hair and a pair of shimmering blue eyes that were probably covered with contacts.

He raised a hand and she nodded in response. He stood up straighter, cracking his back, "Name's Light. What's yours?"

She flexed her hand, ignoring him for a moment before pulling down the face-mask. She had porcelain skin and cherry red lips underneath. "They call me the Black Widow. You may call me Black." Light shrugged.

"Sure whatever. Let's get this duel started, I'm gonna be late for the movie with my sister if this takes too long." Black blinked at his attitude before shrugging and pulling out her deck.

"Game Start!"

Light 20/ Black 20

"I'll go first then." Light said, drawing his seven cards. "I'll play Izzet Guildgate." A huge towering cliff face rose behind him, the opening chasm ringed with blue and red toned rock. "And that'll be all for now."

Light 20/ Black 20

"I see. I draw." She tilted her head to the side demurely, "I will play Underground River." A craggy tunnel seemed to surround her, the water trickling through stronger than it appeared. "And that is all I can do for now so I end my turn."

Light 20/ Black 20

"Good, easy start." He muttered, "I draw." He looked at a few cards with a frown before laying a red card down. "I'll play a mountain." The red mountain that rose up was barely distinguishable from the guidgate behind him. "Then I'll tap my guildgate and the mountain for Nivix Guildmage." A man looking to be wearing red full-body spandex or the like appeared, fiddling with a gizmo.

Nivix Guildmage: 2 PWR/ 2 TGH

"And in case you didn't know, he has two activated abilities. One lets me draw and discard a card if I don't like one and the other lets me copy a sorcery or enchantment that I played."

"You are oddly forthcoming. Usually I have to beat the card abilities out of people." Black answered monotonously and Light scratched his hair, revealing a blue and red flame-like amulet clipped into it. An explosion brought his attention in front of him. The Nivix mage was looking sheepish, the gizmo having exploded on the floor in front of him.

"I really didn't mean for that to happen." The mage offered, sounding mostly sincere.

Light waved him off, "Whatever." He turned back to Black, "And I don't see why I shouldn't tell you. It's too much of a hassle to explain it when you attack." Black was looking at the mage with her head tilted to the side though and Light let out a bigger sigh, "Yes, he talked; he's been doing that a lot recently. They all have."

"I see." Light snorted.

"Whatever. Your turn."

Light 20/ Black 20

"Very well. I draw." She ignored the card she drew entirely, "Then I will play a swamp." The tunnel seemed to grow thick with sludge. "And play the creature Tavern Swindler." A busty woman with wavy white hair and heavy make-up appeared, beckoning Light with glowing coins and cards.

Tavern Swindler 2 PWR/ 2 TGH

"And since I cannot do anything else, I will end my turn."

Light 20/ Black 20

"You're just a bucket of emotions aren't you?" He muttered. "I draw and untap." He skimmed the card before shrugging, "I'll play another mountain and tap the two of them and my guildgate for Goblin Flectomancer." A small goblin with spectacles appeared, his head weighed down with a strange machine. He tapped it with his spyglasses irritably.

Goblin Flectomancer: 2 PWR/ 2 TGH

"Then I'll attack with my Nivix Guildmage." The mage looked affronted, pointing at the even power levels with silent outrage. "Oh hush and attack already."

"I suppose I will block with my Tavern Swindler."

"See! This is why you should let us decide when to attack!" the mage complained right before the two cards shattered.

Light scrunched up his nose, "He's always so mouthy. But I'm done." Black nodded.

Light 20/ Black 20

"I untap and draw." She pulled a card from her hand, "Then I will play an island and tap all three to play Harbor Bandit." A set of rope-pullies like someone would see on a dock appeared. A man dressed in tight armor and long flowing fabrics perched on them, a dagger in his hand.

"Someone giving you trouble Black Widow?" She looked at him blankly for a few seconds then pointed at Light.

"Hey! Don't point that thing at me!" Light protested immediately, looking mildly affronted.

Harbor Bandit: 2 PWR/ 2 TGH

"In the spirit of fairness I should inform you that he gains +1/+1 as long as I control an island." Black said, "And I end my turn."

Light 20/ Black 20

Light watched the bandit warily, the man giving him dangerous grins every few seconds. "I untap and draw." He made at face at his cards. "I guess I'll just play Steam Vents and end my turn." Machinery sprouted up around him, steam pouring out of them, obscuring him slightly.

Light 20/ Black 20

"If that is all." She responded fairly, "Then I will untap and draw." She placed a card down on her field, tapping her mana, "I play the Aura Enchantment, Curse of the Bloody Tome on you." Light winced as a floating book hovers over his side of the field, the pages dripping blood.

"What does it do?"

"At the beginning of your upkeep you have to discard the top two cards of your library." Light blinked, straightening marginally.

"Wait seriously?" Black didn't grace that with an answer, just nodding.

"And I will attack you with Harbor Bandit." She added.

"On it." The man replied, leaping off of the ropes and jumping towards Light. The boy took the damage, the goblin still fiddling with the little parts of his hat.

"I am done."

Light 17/ Black 20

"Ouch." Light complained blandly, rubbing at his shoulder where he felt the knife slice into him. He sighed, "I guess I'll go. I untap and draw."

Black shook her head. "First you must discard the top two cards." Light groaned but did as told.

"Now I draw." He tapped his chin. "I'll play Caldera Lake." At the top of the guildgate there was suddenly a lake that appeared moments from boiling. "Then I will tap an island and two others to play the sorcery Arm with Æther." His goblin was suddenly holding a long glowing blue rod.

"This sorcery gives my monster 'Whenever this creature deals damage to an opponent, you may return target creature that player controls to its owner's hand.' Now attack, Goblin Flectomancer. And since you attacked last turn you can't block with Harbor Bandit so I have a direct hit to your life points." Black frowned icily at the goblin but it appeared completely enamored with its new toy and barely noticed. It sliced across her body and she gasped, not expecting it to hurt as bad as it did.

"Now I choose your Harbor Bandit to return to your hand." Black dutifully returned the card to her hand, still rubbing her chest. "And I'm done." The goblin made a sound of outrage as the æther weapon dissolved. Light raised his hands defensively as it rounded on him. "Hey! That's how it works!" The goblin turned back to Black, grumbling darkly.

Light 17/ Black 18

"I will untap and draw." She looked down at her pitiful three mana, "Then I will play Harbor Bandit again." The man reappeared next to her.

"Thought you got rid of me that quickly?" He asked, grinning maliciously at Light.

Harbor Bandit 2 PWR/ 2 TGH

"No, it was just wishful thinking." Light deadpanned to the creature.

"I am done." Black reported.

Light 17/ Black 18

"Right. Then I'll untap, discard the top cards of my library, and draw." He flicked though his cards, "Then I'll play a- holy Avacyn what is that doing in my deck?" He was staring at the card he had just drawn with wide eyes. "Well no reason not to play it. I play an Island then tap all of my land and play Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind." A roar echoed around the gym and Black blinked, the bandit moving to stand in front of her more fully. Then a huge dragon appeared behind Light.

Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind: 4 PWR/ 4 TGH

"How did you get Niv-Mizzet?" Black asked, sounding a mite shaken.

"I have no clue." Light answered, a lopsided grin on his face usually bland.

"You got me because I willed it." The dragon snorted, shaking its head irritably. Light looked up at him.

"If you say so."

"More respect if you would." The dragon said testily, his tail lashing. "You are part of my guild after all."

Light ignored him. "Your turn."

Light 17/ Black 18

"I untap and draw." She placed a card down in her mana zone, "I play a swamp and play the Aura, Tricks of the Trade on Harbor Bandit, giving him +2/+0 and making him unblockable." She gestured to Light, "Attack him Harbor Bandit."

"With pleasure." The man replied, using the new ropes and other gadgets he had been given to deftly avoid the two creatures Light had. He slashed out with his knife and Light let out a small shout.

"Ouch! What the heck!?" Light blurted out, "Why did that hurt?"

"It hurt because these games are not all games anymore." Niv-Mizzet responded, his voice rumbling. The two players narrowed their eyebrows. "I will reveal all when the game is finished."

"Very well. I end my turn."

Light 12/ Black 18

"I do all my start of turn stuff." Light said negligently, "Then I'll play another Izzet Guildgate and tap all my mana to play Invoke the Firemind, dealing 3 damage to you and drawing 3 cards." A fireball flew towards Black and she cringed, the smell of burning hair all that was left. "Then, since I drew 3 cards I deal you 3 damage due to Niv-Mizzet's ability that whenever I draw a card I deal 1 damage to you, and I'll attack with both Niv-Mizzet and my Goblin Flectomancer."

Light 12/ Black 6

"That was actually slightly frightening." Black reported, her voice still monotone though if Light had paid attention a little closer he would hear it was filled with pain. "I draw and untap." She blinked at her card. "I find this slightly unhelpful though still slightly ironic."

"What do you mean?"

"See for yourself. I tap two islands and two swamps, dealing myself one damage since I used the Underground River as an island, and play Lazav, Dimir Mastermind." A man, or at least what appeared to be a man, appeared next to the Harbor Bandit, who bowed low to the newcomer.

Lazav, Dimir Mastermind: 3 PWR/ 3 TGH

"I see you have chosen, Lazav." Niv-Mizzet sounded dry, as though he had already known.

Lazav did not react physically. "Yes. You seem to have chosen as well."

"Can we get on with the game?" Light asked, seeming bored of the whole thing.

"Insolent boy!" Lazav thundered but Niv-Mizzet curled his tail around Light protectively.

"Insolent he may be. But he is still my chosen. Let the game progress."

"Then I suppose I will attack with my Harbor Bandit." Black said after a moment of silence. The bandit shook his head, knowing they had already lost but did as asked anyways. Light cringed again at the attack.

"It is your turn now." Black said, seeming unconcerned at her impending loss.

Light 7/ Black 5

"I discard two cards, untap and draw." He shrugged, "Since I drew I deal you another damage. Then I'll play another Steam Vents and play Izzet Guildmage." A strange looking man with strange fluorescent goggles and shocked white hair appeared.

Izzet Guildmage: 2 PWR/ 2 TGH

"Then I'll attack with Niv Mizzet, taking away your last 4 life." Light said. Niv-Mizzet lashed out with his tail, over Lazav and the Harbor Bandit and out of their reach. Hitting her painfully. She coughed, a fleck of blood appearing on her hand. She clenched her fist and held her head high, starting to gather her cards.

"Not that I'm not glad you're still here… but why are you still here?" She looked up to see Niv-Mizzet still curled up behind Light. Lazav was standing with his arms crossed next to her as well.

"There is much we need to tell you. No doubt the other guild-masters are informing their chosen of this information as well. There is a great darkness coming; a power that you must have felt during the battle." He turned his eyes onto Black. "You are injured." Lazav turned to her as well when she nodded, "And yet the battle has ended. Magic is no longer a game for you and there is a group that has recently appeared that is using this power for ill. We need you to stop them."

"Why?" Black asked, wincing and pressing a hand against her side, blinking when it came away wet. Ignoring her own question she peeled up her shirt to see a slice wound that she must have gotten some time during the battle, bleeding freely.

"Because we are only cards, magic or no, and though we might know things we cannot affect them." Lazav revealed, looking irritated at the thought. "We must go now though. The magic from the game is dissipating." He took the black scarf from around Black's neck and she paused, looking at him. "Though you may play me at any time you wish." He said, so only she could hear, tying the scarf tight enough around her middle that it would stop the bleeding. He took a step back and nodded, disappearing into dust a moment later. Niv-Mizzet soon followed and Light and Black were left alone in the gym.

"See…" Light started, "I guess I understand the whole 'one chosen one from each guild' idea but… how are we supposed to know who the chosen ones from the other guilds are?" Black just shook her head, inspecting herself for more wounds. Light sighed. "Whatever. I have a movie to get to." He stuck his hands in his pockets and left the room, leaving Black alone.

Black looked down at the Lazav card in her hand, "I think we will know them when we see them." But Light wasn't there to hear and she packed the card into the deck and into her pocket.


A/N: Look at this mastery, posting two chapters in two days! Somehow I think I'm just setting myself up to get writer's block. Eh, I'll deal with it. Yay legendaries! And woot! I got another reviewer ^^ Thanks htffan951 for adding to my list.

Update 5/23/14: Grammar and STR TGH interjections.

Update: 12/11/14: replacing STR with PWR (I should know better)