Magic The Gathering
Journey for the Truth
This Fan Fiction is based off of the card game Magic: The Gathering, owned by Wizards of the Coast, with a twist of, Yu-Gi-Oh owned by Kazuki Takahashi. I don't own Magic: The Gathering or Yu-Gi-Oh. All card referencing is done from my own personal experience, , or the official Magic: The Gathering rules. Any referencing to Yu-Gi-Oh is minimal. I never read the manga and my only knowledge is from the TV.
So if u can get past this… Sit back… read… and enjoy… ^.^
Ch. 9 Machine Madness
The crowd's attention turned to Sean on the left end of the stage who was having a problem putting his Bracer on. Their eyes then moved to the opposite side where Sean's opponent stepped into place. His bracer was placed perfectly on his right arm over his plaid shirt. He wore baggy pants that drug across the floor and almost completely covered his black shoes. He smiled with a cocky smirk as he flipped his long black hair out of his right eye.
Sean finally managed to put his bracer on and slipped his shuffled deck into the slot. "Sorry, it won't fit," he said as he scratched the back of his head.
"That's what she said!" Ian shouted. The auditorium was full of laughter from everyone except Simon, who kept a straight face.
Simon then stood from his chair, "Then shall we begin?" he asked the two boys on stage.
The referee stood in the middle of the stage and raised his arms up once more. "The 5th match of the tournament will be Sean Herlth against Shane Travton. All the same rules apply. If the two are ready they may begin.
The two boys activated their holo systems and Shane used the coin flip. He called tails and so it was. "I think I'll go first." He said with his creepy smiled as he took the top seven cards of his deck and made a hand out of them. He looked at the cards and chuckled, "And as thought I don't need to mulligan."
Sean glared at him as he looked at his less then promising hand. "Oh look my hand is just as good if not better," Sean said with a loud tone, "Alright we are all set. Take your turn."
Down in his chair Rich crossed his arms and sighed. "Not good, the stress and Shane's cockiness is already getting to Sean."
Mikey nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he's got to keep his cool. Shane looked like he's gonna be playing mind games with him."
"You mean he's gonna screw with Sean's mind?" Jenn asked.
"Yeah," Nessa said, "Mind games are a basic thing in magic. Tricking your opponent into thinking one thing, but in turn doing the opposite, or even just faking them out." Nessa looked to Shane with a disconcerting look. "They way he looked and the way he talks just screams 'I'm gonna screw with you'."
Ian cleared his throat, "The only way to get passed someone who messes with your mind is to mess with them back or just keep your cool.
"Sean is already losing it." Riley said as she let out a deep breath.
Mikey stood up from his chair quickly, "Come on Sean! Focus and keep your head on straight!"
Sean and Shane both looked at Mikey as Jenn and Nessa pulled him back into his seat. Sean smiled, "Thanks Mikey, but I can handle this guy."
Shane chuckled, "If you need encouragement from your peanut gallery down there then you'll never have the skill to beat me."
"Then if you want this to continue I suggest taking your turn slow poke."
Shane cringed angrily at Sean's words and took a card from his hand into his free hand. "Fine, I think I'll toy with you with my toys for a while." Shane put his land into play, but it wasn't like any other the other lands that everyone played. It has a solid red background, but everything else was different. "This is Great Furnace. It's an artifact land that produces red mana."
Sean made a sad express and put his palm against his forehead. "Oh great you have an artifact deck too don't you?
"Too, eh?" Shane remarked with his creepy smile, "I guess this is gonna be more fun then I though." Shane tapped his land and took another card from his hand. "Anywho, I'm gonna play Sunbeam Spellbomb." Shane put the card on the holo table. The red mana was made from Shane's furnace. It hovered in front of him then started to take form. The mana transformed from a ball of transparent red energy into another ball. The white orb was the size of beach ball, and it was covered in yellow spikes and designs. Shane bowed to Sean, "It's your turn my good sir," he said sarcastically.
Sean drew his card from his deck quickly, "Please don't fake pleasantries with me. It's very annoying." Shane nodded in agreement. Sean looked over his hand, scratching his head as he looked.
"It's a land," Shane said with annoyance, "just play one. It's not hard."
Sean glared at Shane as he played an island card on the holo table. "A real Magic player is patient and waits for his opponent.
Shane laughed lightly, "And a real Magic player doesn't take a year to play their first land."
Sean swiftly tapped his land for mana, and took a card from his hand and threw it down, "Just quiet down and play the game!" The blue mana from the island turned into a sphere much like Shane's Sunbeam Spellbomb. In fact it was a spellbomb of his own. It was blue in color, and around it were long spikes. Sean scratched his nose, "A spellbomb of my own. Ætherspellbomb." Sean rested his arms at his sides, "And with that, my turn.
"What are spellbombs?" Jenn asked Mikey as they both watched the game, "They seem important."
As he tapped his chin in curiosity, Mikey thought of the best way to explain them. "Spellbombs are artifacts. They really aren't that special. There are five different bombs. Each have two different effects. One of the effects deals with one specific color, and the other lets them draw one card. Though to use the effect of the spellbomb the owner must sacrifice it."
Jenn pondered for a moment. "So the spellbombs are a one time use thing?"
"Yeah," Nessa said shrugging her shoulders, "they are common cards.
Ian wiggled his finger at Nessa, "Remember Nessa even the most common cards can win a battle.
The group began to laugh. Rich came up from behind the two couples, "Yeah, but common cards need rare cards to be really effective."
Jenn looked puzzling at Mikey once again, "Rare and commons, those are types of cards right?"
"Yep," Mikey said to Jenn, "There are three rarities. There's common, uncommon, and rare. I'm sure they are self-explanatory."
Ian tapped Mikey on the shoulder, "What about the other rarity?"
"Mythic rare?"
Everyone looked at Mikey and Ian with a weird look. Rich finally was the first to ask, "Mythic rare? What's that?"
Harley poked her head in, "Aren't those the new super rare cards?"
The two boys looked back to everyone. "Well," Mikey started, "it's said that they are very rare, not seen to often. Only way to get them is in booster packs."
"But they are said to be very powerful." Cleo chimed in.
Riley nodded, "Sounds like they are really important."
Sean called down from the stage, "You know I could use some support."
The group looked up from their conversation. The battle had continued on. Shane had three lands in play. He had a second Great Furnace and a regular plains. On the field Shane had assembled even more spellbombs. A second Sunbeam Spellbomb flowed near the first. The other two that were in play had a different look to them. One was red and jagged, and the other was black and pointy. Sean had just started his third turn as he played a plains. Last turn he played the artifact land Vault of Whispers, which is the equivalent of a swamp. Next to his Ætherspellbomb Sean had played a creature. The creature was an artifact creature. Its shiny, metal body was thin, but still had a strong hold. The spot where its eye seemed to be and around parts of its body glowed blue.
Sean tapped his three lands and his creature at the same time. "Alright," he began pulling two cards from his hand, "I'll play Gold Myr and another Silver Myr!"
Sean put his to cards on the holo table. Mana was pulled from Sean's lands and his myr. The mana branched off into two sets and transformed. One set turned into another one of the robot like creatures already in play, and the other set of mana turned into a creature similar to the other two. This one, instead of glowing blue, glowed a golden color.
"Awesome," Mikey said clenching his hands in excitement, "Sean finished it!"
Ian looked at Mikey in puzzlement, "What is this deck? It's different from his enchantment deck."
"That's right," Nessa said as she nodded, "he did tell me earlier that he finished play testing a deck."
"What kind of deck did he make?" Rich asked.
Mikey turned in his seat so he could talk to everyone. "It's a deck bassed around myrs."
"What's a Myr?" Jenn asked after easing herself closer to Mikey.
"Myrs are artifact creatures. Some are weak, but they serve a bigger purpose."
"Myrs are usually used to produce mana or do some kind of secondary effect," Rich said, "but for the most part they are fodder."
Riley laughed, "Even fodder is important."
Mikey turned forward to Sean, "This deck better work out otherwise you owe me 10 bucks!
On the stage Sean nodded to Mikey, and then turned to Shane. "I'll end my turn."
Shane took his next card. "Looks like your friends really believe in you," He said with a menacing grin.
Sean's body tensed up and smiled back at Shane, "Yeah, my friends are my biggest fans."
Shane laughed loudly. He played a Vault of Whispers himself, "Friends are for the weak. To excel in this tournament you need to be ruthless and cunning!" Shane pointed at Sean as if he were pointing out a criminal in a line up, "Besides, what will happen when you have to fight your friends in another match?"
Sean paused for a moment. He looked at his friends who looked back at him with solemn looks, but after a moment in unison they all smiled. Sean looked back at Shane with a smile of his own. "I'll… just have to beat them too."
Shane looked back at Sean with a bewildered look, "What? But they are your friends."
Sean nodded, "That's right, but it's like Riley said, 'the point is that when we play each other we don't treat it as a friendly competition. We give each other one-hundred percent'. The whole point is that someone wins the tournament and the prize. I'm fighting so that I can get to the top. And even if I fight one of my friends, then I will hope that we do our best. Cuz ya see… a real friend is one you know will always give you one-hundred-percent, even in battle."
"Damn right Sean!" Mikey yelled to him. Everyone in the group cheered for Sean. They cheered for his victory. They cheered because Sean was getting a level head again.
The applause continued until Shane began to laugh. The cheering stopped along with Shane's evil chuckles. "You are indeed a fool Sean." Shane tapped one of his furnaces, his plains, and his vault, and produced the three mana. "I'll show you how a real man wins this game." He pointed to his red spellbomb, "I'll sacrifice my Pyrite Spellbomb, and activate it's special ability to deal 2 damage to you!"
The red mana that Shane had made levitated to his pyrite spellbomb. The spellbomb absorbed the energy, and began to glow red. It began to move closer to Sean. It made it to Sean and hovered in front of him for a moment. Soon it began to crack all over the spellbomb. In just a few seconds the spellbomb exploded onto Sean. Sean, unprepared for the blast, fell back on his butt while covering his torso with his arms. The life count for Sean dropped to 18.
Shane laughed like a hyena, then pointed to his Sunbeam Spellbomb. "Now to put salt on the wound. I'll sacrifice this spellbomb to gain 5 life."
The white mana the bomb need was absorbed. The bomb moved closer to Shane. As it moved closer it began to crack. The spellbomb exploded into a flash of light. This light was different from the pyrite spellbomb. It covered Shane is a yellow aura for a second. His life total went up to 25.
Shane pointed to his last spellbomb. "Lastly I'll use my Necrogen Spellbomb's second effect to draw a card."
His black mana traveled over to the spellbomb. This time the mana changed to a clear energy instead of any of the other colors. It was absorbed by the black spellbomb. Instead of exploding, this spellbomb turned to dust. The dust, however wisped around Shane's bracer. The next card of his deck glowed, and he drew it.
He tapped his last land and played the card he drew, "I'll summon my Myr Moonvessel with my last land."
The land made the clear mana, and began to glow bright. It turned into a Myr. Like the others that Sean had summoned it had a small, robotic body. Unlike the others it was a very bright Myr that glowed with a white light. Shane took another look at his hand, "Well that's all I can do for now, so I'll end my turn."
Sean, who was a bit shaky after the explosion, stood tall on his feet. "So what, didn't feel like making me discard with that last bomb?"
"You weren't worth it." Shane said with his eyes shut and his arms crossed.
"Alright." Sean said as he drew his next card, "no more Mr. Nice guy." He drew his next card and quickly put it into play. "I'll play Academy Ruins!" The land popped up behind him. The card looked like the sunken city of Atlantis. "Academy Ruins is a special land that taps for blue mana, but also allows me to return an artifact from my graveyard to the top of my library."
"Useless to you now. You have nothing in your graveyard."
Sean tapped his tapped all but his Academy Ruins, "I'll show you useless!" He took two cards from his hand and played them on the field. They were identical cards called Myr Enforcer. Two of the three mana spheres combined to become one of the Enforcers, but then only the last remaining mana became the other. The Enforcers were large myrs that stood twice was tall as a regular myr. There bodies were bulky, and looked to be strong.
Jenn looked at the creatures with concern. "Wait, those are the exact same card. How did one cost 2 mana then the other cost 1?
Nessa turned to Jenn, "It's an ability called Affinity."
"What's that?"
Harley poked her head in from behind Jenn, "Affinity is an effect that makes the card cost less for the number of something you have in play."
"Yea," Cleo said in her soft voice, "The Myr Enforcers have Affinity for Artifacts. Sean already had 5 artifacts in play, and it costs 7 to play one."
Riley nodded along with Cleo's explanation, "And once the first enforcer came into play there were 6 artifacts. Meaning that the second one's cost was only 1 to play."
Jenn smiled, "That's an awesome ability," she turned to Mikey, "don't you think so?"
Though she was sitting right next to him, Mikey, along with the three other boys, had tuned out the whole conversation that the girls were having. Jenn sighed and turned back to the group of females. "Well I guess these guys are too taken in by the game."
The girls chucked at the boys, but the boys didn't move a muscle. They were too interested in the game. Sean had ended his turn with nothing else to do, and Shane had begun his turn with his draw and playing a regular plains. He smiled widely, "Now things get fun." Sean looked at him with a straight face trying not to show emotion. Shane didn't care, he tapped all his lands producing a storm of mana from behind him. He took two cards from his hand and placed them on the table. The mana parted. The solo black mana went off on it's own and transformed into a grey, thin man draped in black clothes. The rest of the mana combined together and turned into a tall white man draped in white clothes.
Shane pointed to the man in black, "That is the disciple of the vault. It's weak, but his ability isn't. Whenever an artifact goes to the graveyard I can have target player lose one life." Shane then pointed to the man in white, "This is Auriok Salvagers. Stronger then the disciple, but with an even better ability. For a little mana I can return to my hand an artifact that costs 1 or less."
The expression on Sean's face changed from unhappy to deeply upset. "I see what your getting at."
"Aww man." Mikey said as his hand covered his face in dispair.
"What? What just happened." Jenn asked looking to all of her friends with a questioning look.
Nessa sighed, "Now that Shane has that white creature out he can bring his spellbombs back from the graveyard and sacrifice them again.
"Not only that," Ian followed up, "but whenever an artifact goes to the graveyard Sean will take 1 point of damage from the black one."
Rich scratched his head, "Wow. So does this mean Sean is done for?"
"No," Riley said holding the chair in front of her with a hard grip, "it just means that Sean is on a clock and if he doesn't fight back fast enough he'll lose."
Rich turned to Riley, "So he's doomed?"
"No," Harley said making everyone turn around.
"Do you know something we don't?" Jenn asked Harley.
"No," she said again, "but I do know he wont give up. Just trust him. He'll win."
Everyone was surprised at Harley. She did not make any sexual puns or remarks. She was genuinely supporting Sean. Mikey turned to the stage again. He pointed his hand at Sean like a gun, "And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon, Little boy blue and the man on the moon."
Sean turned from the game and looked down to Mikey. Everyone else chimed in behind him. "When you comin' home dad? I don't know when, but we'll get together then son, You know we'll have a good time then."
Sean closed his eyes and remembered that moment. It was just a few months prior to the tournament. Mikey and Sean were playing a friendly game of Magic waiting for both Ian and Rich for their "Manly Man Time", which was the night when the guys would get together, play magic, and talk about what every other teenage boy talks about. Girls.
Sean played an island from his hand, "So you think this deck is good?" he asked Mikey.
"It's pretty good," he said scratching his chin, "though myrs seem really weak."
Laughing at Mikey's comment, Sean pointed his hand like a gun at Mikey. "And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon, Little boy blue and the man on the moon," he took a card from his hand and placed it on the table where they played, "When you comin' home dad? I don't know when, but we'll get together then son, You know we'll have a good time then."
"Wow," Mikey said in surprise, "looks like I was wrong."
"It's not the strongest creatures that win, but the creatures that can adapt to what you give them."
The two boys laughed together. Mikey stopped for a moment, "Wait, why did you sing 'Cat's in the Cradle'?"
Sean continued to laugh. "Well ya see. I always think of how cool it would be to be an archer sitting in a tree. Having your target in sight, then singing that song as you finish them off."
"Okay," Mikey said with a confused tone, "but why that song?"
"It's a sad fucking song," Sean waved his arms around to convey his emotions, "the dad talking about his son growing up without him, but becoming like him. It's really sad."
Mikey shook his head, "I don't know if it's funny or if it's weird."
"Both is expectable."
"True enough."
Sean looked back at his card then back to Mikey, "You know you love it."
"Every heart filled second of it Sean. Everyone second."
Sean's mind returned to the stage where the battle still continued. He took the next card of his deck and added to his hand. "It's funny," Sean said looking at his card, "weak cards do have some great effects," He looked at Shane directly in the eyes, "but some times you can't beat brute force." He tapped one of his islands and threw the card he drew into play. "I play Thoughtcast!" The card appeared from the mana. It displayed a blue creature that was surrounded by sphere. The mana cost was a total of 5, 4 colorless and one blue mana, but the card had Affinity for artifacts which reduced the cost. "Thoughtcast lets me draw two cards, which will help draw the card I need to destroy you!" He drew his two cards.
As he laughed Shane looked at Sean as if Sean had gone crazy. "Destroy me eh? Cute, but I'm afraid cuteness only works for babies and hookers."
Sean looked towards his friends, then back to Shane. "Like Harley?" he asked as he pointed to Harley with his thumb.
Harley sprung from her seat like a jack-in-the-box, "I am not a whore you jerk! I'm just a little aloof."
Sean rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I meant you whine like a baby. You are the one who just called yourself a whore."
With her face beat red Harley sat back in her seat. Jenn turned back to her, "And he technically called you cute. So you shot down two complements."
Harley turned her head from Jenn, still blushing, "Just watch the game."
The crowd held their breath as Sean looked over his two new cards. He smiled and tapped the rest of his lands, his Gold, and his Silver Myr. The mana flowed from his sources and spiraled around him. He took the card he wanted to play and held it in front of him. Sean asked, "Remember how I talked about the difference between weak and strong creatures?" Shane, his eyes narrow, responded with a nod. Sean raised his card in the air, "Well how about making weaker creatures strong!" He placed the card from his hand onto the table, "I play the Myr Matrix!"
The mana pooled together and morphed into a large blue mushroom type thing. It was covered in piles and had orange orbs throughout its mass. The matrix itself was double the size of Sean and quadruple the size of his small myrs. It took its place next to Sean. As it sat there it began to start operating. The gears inside of it turned making the countless machines inside of it work. It seem to let off an energy all on it's own onto the myrs in play. Sean pointed to his large machine, "The Myr Matrix is an indestructible artifact that gives all myrs a +1/+1 boost." Sean then pointed to Shane who was now less talkative. "I think my Enforcers want a little bit of blood so I'll attack with them." The enforcers began to move from their stand still position. "And remember the boost, so now my two creatures are 5/5's."
The Enforcers stomped across the stage with their large feet. Shane shrugged his arms and laughed, "Well I guess I'll just take the damage." The Enforcers, with nothing in their path, slammed their robotic arms into Shane. The holograms phased through Shane as he stood their still as a stone. The Enforcers retracted their arms and returned to Sean. Shane's life count dropped to 15.
"Yeah," Rich said gritting his hand in excitement, "Sean just took Shane's life down by a hell of a lot."
Harley nodded, "Yeah, two more attacks like that will end this game."
"Don't get to excited," Ian said to the two behind him.
Rich and Harley looked at Ian with odd looks on their faces. Cleo nodded with what Ian said, "Remember that creature Shane has lets him return artifacts that cost 1 or less from his grave to his hand."
"Crap." Harley said biting the tip of her thumb.
"So he can bring back his Sunbeam Spellbomb and gain the life back?" Riley asked Ian.
"Yeah. He's probably gonna try and stall out Sean until he can get his main combo."
"What do you think his combo will be?" Nessa asked Ian.
"Probably something that uses artifacts to be sacrificed and deal damage right to Sean."
"True," Mikey said to Ian, "but look at his lands." Everyone looked at Shane's lands that were starting to untap because of his turn starting. "He has only two sources of white mana right now. His creature's effect needs one white and one colorless mana to return a artifact to his hand. Not to mention his spellbomb needs white mana to let him gain life."
Jenn looked at Mikey intently, "So Shane is limited on how much he can do during a turn?"
"Excellent!" Nessa said energetically, "Sean still can win this yet."
Shane looked down at Nessa and laughed at her, "That's funny." He drew his next card, "Like I wouldn't be ready for something like this," tapped his Vault, took the card already in his hand, and put it on the field, "lucky for me I have this. Chromatic Sphere." The mana turned into a small gold disk that had five smaller orbs inside of it that matched the five colors of mana. "With this I can filter one mana into any color of my choosing."
"That's stupid," Sean said from across the stage, "you already paid one mana for it to be played then another for the use. You'll only have 4 mana no matter what you do now."
Laughing creepily Shane looked back at Sean, "the chromatic sphere also let's me draw a card. So let's hope for your sake I don't get a land I need." Sean stood their quietly and a scolding look. Shane tapped one of his great furnaces, "Now I'll sacrifice my chromatic sphere to turn this mana into white mana!" The mana was aborbed into the sphere. It shattered and out came a white mana sphere. "Now I get to draw my card." Shane looked at his new card and began laughing loudly again. "Sucks to be you," He revealed that he had drawn an Ancient Den. He put in it right into the battlefield.
"Now things get fun." Shane pointed to his Disciple of the Vault, "My sphere went to the graveyard meaning you lose 1 life." The disciple clapped his hands together and then pointed his palms towards Sean. Sean glowed with a black aura. The black energy flashed making Sean flinch. His life count lowered to 17. Shane's grin was as wide as ever. He tapped the rest of his lands. Three white mana came from his Ancient Den and two plains, and one red from his Great Furnace. Including the white mana that Shane's Chromatic Sphere made brought the total mana in his mana pool to five.
Jenn counted with her fingers, "So if the effect to bring them back needs two mana, one being white, one mana to play, and he wants to gain life, then he can bring it back only once and sacrifice it once."
"Yeah," Mikey said with his arms crossed, "but the bad thing is that he'll be back up to 20 life, then the turn after that he'll be able to stall Sean out by bringing himself up to 20 life after each of Sean's attacks." Mikey looked at Shane's evil smile, "He's waiting for something. What is the question."
Shane's laugh began to annoy everyone in the room, but he didn't care. "Now I'll bring back my spellbomb, play, and sacrifice it to gain 5 life." One white mana and the red mana Shane had produced was sucked up by the Auriok Salvagers. The Salvager turned to Shane and shot energy at Shane's graveyard. The Sunbeam Spellbomb come out of Shane's grave, he pulled it out, and played it with one white mana. Then he used other the white to sacrifice it and gain 5 life. His life total became 20. Sean was then covered in the black aura again. His life count went down to 16.
"Now I don't want that last mana to go to waste," Shane took his last card in his hand and played it, "I'll play another Sunbeam Spellbomb." The last mana Shane had turned into another one of his spellbombs. "That will end my turn."
"Wait," Jenn said, "why didn't Shane keep his mana and use it next turn?"
"Because mana drains at the end of each phase out of the mana pool." Nessa said to Jenn. "Mana in the pool can only stay in the pool for one phase then it disappears."
Jenn nodded, "Oh I see." She looked up at Sean "Sean will make it, right?"
Mikey sighed, "He has time, but I don't know what his deck has, so I can't answer."
The stage was quiet for a moment. The crowd didn't make a sound. They only watched as Sean drew his next card. Sean looked at Shane. His face was full of anger. He pointed to Shane and declared his attack. The enforcers attacked as they did the turn prior. Shane's life dropped to 10. Sean ended his turn.
Shane drew his next card. He looked at it in shock. He pondered for a moment. He laughed. "Ok, I think ill change my plan from what it was before." Sean looked at him with disgust. Shane tapped all his lands. Shane played his card, "I'll play Salvaging Station!" The mana he made swirled into one. The machine he made was large like Sean's Myr Matrix. It was a bunch of mechanical claws that stood over a pit of scrap metal. Shane tapped his new card, "I can use Salvaging station to bring back a noncreature artifact card from my graveyard directly to play. I think ill bring the Sunbeam Spellbomb in my graveyard back." The Salvaging Station activated. The arms moved through the pile of scraps. They pulled out a card from the scraps. It was the spellbomb. The card turned into the orb and took its place next to other spellbomb. "I'll end my turn there."
Sean tapped his lands and his gold myr, "Before I untap my lands I'll active my Myr Matrix's ability," the mana was drawn from their sources and taken in by the Matrix. The Myr Matrix rumbled and hummed. A small chunk of metal popped out of the matrix and onto the field. The metal started to move and take form. It was a myr. It looked like the myrs that were already out, but without a glow. "The myr matrix can make 1/1 myr token creatures for 5 mana. Which gets a boost from the matrix itself."
After taking a deep breath Sean untapped his cards. "The same thing, I'll attack with my two Myr Enforcers!" The enforcers attacked once more. If both creatures made contact with Shane the game would be over, but Shane would not let that happen. He put his own myr up to block one of the enforcers. The enforcer's arm smashed through the smaller myr moonvessel while the other enforcer dealt it's 5 damage to Shane, bringing him down to 5.
"Perfect." Shane said scratching his nose with his thumb, "now it's like nothing happened."
Sean Looked at Shane with a curious look, "What do you mean?"
Just as Sean finished his words Shane's Salvaging Station became to move. "When a creature is put into the graveyard my salvaging station untaps so you can use it again." Not only was the station active but a clear mana sphere appeared where Shane's myr had fallen. "Oh and Myr Moonvessel has an effect too. When it goes to the graveyard from the field I add one colorless mana to my pool." Shane's grin was wide once more, "now I'll use my salvaging station to bring back my cromatic sphere. Then I'll use the sphere to make one white mana, and sacrifice one of my spellbombs to gain back the life you took."
In a flash the salvaging station took the chromatic sphere card from the junk pile and brought it to the field. The mana made from the moonvessel was put into the sphere to make white mana. Then the white mana was used on the sunbeam spellbomb so that Shane would get his life back to 10. With three artifacts gone to the graveyard the diciple of the vault used his power bring Sean's life to 13.
Sean stumbled back a few steps. He looked sharply at Shane. And it's still my turn. Damn he's good.
"So can I take my turn?" Shane said laughing.
Sean tapped all his lands, "Go to suck on myr you bastard!" Sean screamed as he played two cards from hand. Both were artifacts. The first was called Talisman of Dominance which was just a small disk used to produce mana. The second was a card called Etherium Sculptor which made Sean's artifact spells cost 1 less.
Mikey looked at Sean with dismay, "Shit, he's losing his focus. He should have played the sculptor first. It would have made his Talisman cost one less and he would have saved one mana."
"Come on Sean," Ian yelled to him, "stay calm and focus!"
Sean snapped back to his normal self. "Okay, I'm okay."
"You're far from okay!" Shane said drawing his card from the chromatic sphere's effect. "Just end your turn so I can take mine."
Sean breathed deeply, "Okay. Let's watch you hide behind your bombs and see you stall me out some more."
Shane's grin turned to a frown, "Brat, I'll show you the power of these artifacts!"
"Is Sean trying to mess with Shane?" Riley asked.
"Looks to be that way," Rich said, "though with Shane's defense I'm sure Sean won't be messing with his mind."
Mikey turned around to his friends, "Sean doesn't need to mess with Shane. He just needs a good draw."
After untapping and drawing his cards Shane looked at his hand. "Looks like things are gonna be getting even more fun." Shane used his station to bring back his spellbomb he had lost last turn back to the field. He sacrificed both of them to bring his life total to 20 again. As the two went to the graveyard Sean lost 2 life from the disciple bringing him down to 11. Shane used his Auriok Salvagers to bring his Myr Moonvessel back from the graveyard and then played it. This left him with two lands, both were his great furnaces. It was as Mikey and Ian said, Shane was stalling Sean, but now Sean had less time then they thought.
"Tell ya what," Shane said grinning his creepy smile, "I wont gain life as long as you don't attack me ok?"
Sean looked at Shane. He knew that Shane would keep to his word because he was that cocky, but what would he do in return. No matter what it was Sean needed more time. "Fine, anything for you sweetie pie."
Shane crossed his arms and left his turn at that. Sean began his next turn with a draw. He took a deep breath, "Okay, let's do this right." He tapped three lands to make colorless mana. "I'll summon Lodestone Myr!" The myr appeared from the mana that Sean made. This myr was different from the rest of them. It had a body like a turtle that stood on its back legs. It's body was a copper color with a large green gem in it's chest.
Sean tapped another land to play another Myr. Like his Gold and Silver Myrs it was like them, but it had a black glow to it. "I'll play leaden Myr and end my turn."
"Tisk tisk Sean." Shane said wiggling his finger at Sean with displeasure, "That's a naughty Myr for attacking. What about our agreement?"
"We agreed I wouldn't attack, but I needed to play something. My hand was getting crowded."
"Well then," Shane said taking a card from his hand, "I guess I should follow that too." He tapped his two furnaces and played the card in his hand. The card appeared and it was a picture of an explosion from some kind of machine. "Shrapnel Blast requires me to sacrifice an artifact, but it deals a nice 5 damage to you or a creature you control." Shane pointed at Sean then his Lodestone Myr, "Eanie Meanie Minie," he pointed his finger to Sean, "you, and I think ill just sacrifice my Myr." The Shrapnel Blast card sent out a bolt of lightning to his myr. The myr started to glow red as if it were heating up. The card launched the Myr at Sean who put his arms up to block the virtual blast. The Myr exploded on Sean bringing his life down to 6. With Shane's Myr gone to the graveyard The Salvaging station was active again and the disciple dealt one more damage to Sean bring him down to 5. Shane tapped the station to bring back one of his Sunbeam Spellbombs. "I do have the one colorless mana made from the Myr Moonvessel, but I'd much rather not use it."
Sean brought his arms down from their tensed up position. The shock waves from the fake blast were still enough to make his heart race. "Only a myr sucker would go against his word," Sean said with deep breaths.
Shane's creepily expression turned angry, "Stop calling me that!"
"Why," Sean said regaining his composer, "its not like you can actually do anything to fictional creatures." Shane looked away from Sean with a blush look on his cheeks. Sean's eyes grew wide and his smile finally began to appear, "You're a furry aren't you?"
"I am no such thing!" Shane said outraged by Sean's accusations.
"Oh excuse me," Sean said with his smile growing as wide as Shane's had, "Myrs don't have fur, so that makes you a 'Chromaticy'."
As he drew his card Shane became angrier with Sean, "Quiet you! I don't have to explain myself to you."
Laughter broke out from the audience. Even Simon had begun to laugh a little. Sean laughed making Shane's beat red face even more red. "What you do behind closed doors is fine Shane, but I'm sure skin doesn't fit well with metal holes."
The crowd laughed even harder at Sean's remarks and Shane got more and more furious. Shane yelled at the top of his lungs, "Quiet all of you!"
Sean pointed at Shane, "You stay quiet Screw Fucker! You've been bad mouthing me this whole match. Now I'll pay you in spades."
His friends looked at him with great joy. Sean had finally gained his cool back. He forgot that a game of Magic was supposed to be fun and not stressful. Shane was feeling the stress that he had put on Sean. Everyone was looking at him. Judging him. He knew they were. Shane tapped his station to return his other spellbomb to the field and used his Auriok Salvagers to return his myr to his hand. Then he brought the myr back to the field. He had a plains and his furnaces left untapped again. He let out a long sigh, "Remember I'm the one with 20 life and you're the one at 5. So go ahead and take your turn 'cause it might be your last."
With a light chuckle, Sean began his turn. "Even if I lose at least I'm not a Myr sucker." Before Shane could comment on Sean's remark Sean tapped everything he had that could produce mana except his Academy Ruins and one of his Silver myrs. The 7 mana that was made flashed around the stage lighting up every part. "See the bad thing about your deck is that you also allow your opponent to set up," Sean took one of the three cards from his hand and held it above his head, "It might of looked like I've been just sitting here doing nothing, but I've been assembling enough cards to make it so you never win."
In a flash Sean played the card he held, "I summon the Filigree Angel!" The mana swarmed into one mass. The mass grew wings. The wings were sharp as steel, in fact they were steel. The body took form and attached to the wings was a woman cloaked in a silver veil. Her arms and legs were suited in armor and she wielded a long stave. "Filigree Angel is a 4/4 artifact creature with flying and a rather unique effect." Sean's smile was wide, but not sinister as Shane's was, "When it comes into play I gain 3 life for each artifact I control." Sean looked at his army of artifacts and artifact creatures, "I count 12. I'm no math wiz, but I'm sure 12 times 3 is 36."
Shane took a card from his hand. He looked at Sean with his eyes full of worry and frustration, "Remember you're creature is a spell before it comes into play. Which means it goes on the stack." He tapped his two artifact lands and played another Shrapnel Blast, "So I can play an instant to deal the 5 damage to you before you gain the life. And once your life reaches 0 I'll win!"
Everyone looked at Sean, waiting with baited breath for his response and staring at Shane's Shrapnel Blast which held his Myr Moonvessel in its deadly red aura. Sean laughed, "Guess I can't do anything.
At that moment Shane laughed louder then he ever had, and everyone sighed in disappointment. "Now say goodbye to your life points!" Shane's Shrapnel Blast charged and launched towards Sean. As the ready to explode myr reached Sean and large blue man like being appeared in front of the Shrapnel Blast. Its whole body was armored in a bluish purple suit. It held up two of it's four arms in front of the blast. It's hands glowed bright almost white blue. They myr which had started to explode had begun to become smaller and smaller until it disappeared. Shane looked in awe at the red fragment that were left behind from his Shrapnel Blast. "What…. What did you do?"
Sean laughed and pulled the card up from the table that he played, "Remember when I said I couldn't do anything. Yeah I lied cuz I'm an ass." The card had a picture of the blue mana that had stopped the blast, "This is called Assert Authority. It counters a spell and removes it from the game."
The crowd sighed with relief as Sean's life went up to 40. It would have been 41 but the Myr that Shane sacrificed still went to the graveyard making Sean lose 1 life. Shane looked at the floor in shock, "You… you were holding on to that the whole game weren't you?"
"Yea," Sean said nodding, "I could have used it to get rid of your Salvaging Station, but I figured it would hurt you more if I counted something that would have won you the game."
Shane looked at Sean, his face was twitching with anger. "You cocky bastard."
Sean tapped his Myr enforcers and sent them in to attack, "I'll attack with these creatures." Shane just stood there as the enforcers attacked him, bringing his life to 10. The Myr Enforcers came back, "Guess I'll end my turn with that." Shane drew his next card. He looked at it with a sad look on his face then waved his hand at Sean saying that he passes his turn. Sean untapped and drew his card. "Now for some salt on the wound. I'll use my Æther spellbomb to return my angel to my hand. Then I'll play her again." Sean did just as he said. Because of his own spellbomb going to the graveyard he lost a life, but he gained 33 more bring his life total to 72.
Readying his attackers one last time Sean looked gently at Shane. "Shane don't be sad. It's okay. You know why?"
Shane smiled lightly at Sean, "Why?" he said hopping for a joyful response.
Sean's smiled, "You're use to taking it up the butt from Myrs." Sean tapped his Myrs and dealt the final 10 damage to Shane. His life total dropped to 0.
The holograms faded and the referee appeared from the back, "Shane's life total has reached 0. The winner of this match is Sean Herlth."
Sean jumped up in the air with joy, "Bitches, I won!"
Everyone clapped and cheered for Sean's victory. Shane slumped off the stage in disappointment. Sean jumped off the stage and walked back to his friends. "So, you like the new deck?"
Mikey nodded, "It was a good idea when you showed it to me and it's even better with it's first victory."
Harley climbed over Mikey to get to Sean. She gave him a hug, "That was an awesome match!"
Sean pushed her over him, "I know woman. Now don't touch me again with your STD hands."
Harley turned from Sean and pouted, "Geez fine. I was just trying to be nice.
Everyone else hugged Sean and congratulated him on his amazing victory. Simon announced another ten minute break so everyone could stretch their legs, though all Sean wanted to do was sit down. The match made him exhausted. The ten minutes flew by like it wasn't even there. The next match was set and Simon called the next two to the stage. "Rich Syro and Ella Gretler please prepare your decks and holo bracers. Your match is next."