"Now we're really cooking! Sean Gregor just showed the crowd an excellent display of Royal Paladin battle tactics, filling the field with ease on top of an impressive attack combo!"

"He's certainly not wasting any time putting on the pressure. Now that it's Buzz's turn, we'll see if he can return the favor, and since he's about to hit grade 3, my money's on 'yes.'"

"I stand and draw," Buzz grumbled. This wasn't going exactly as he planned it. The wimp he was up against was putting up a much stiffer resistance than he thought he would, and with that last turn, he showed that he could go on the offensive just as well. For such a smallfry, he was fighting well. Luckily for him, he was going to hit grade 3 first, and with this hand, he'd be able to corner the punk and cripple any offensive measures the moron had in store. If he could do that and sure up his own hand, the game was his. "That mid-battle call was a cure trick, but that won't save you from the big guns. I'm about to bring out the ultimate avatar of destruction. Nothing can stand up to this unstoppable force!"

Sean tried not to wince. "Here he comes…"

"I ride Planetary Collapse Dragon, Sekwan-Hak!" A massive wall of red, crackling smoke erupted from behind the castle walls, completely obscuring the enemy formation in a thick curtain of otherworldly energy. When the wall of mists dissipated, Gawain and his cohorts were greeted with an unsettling sight- a near skeletal dragon, easily towering over the castle and obscuring the moonlight through sheer size. It's serpentine tail arced and coiled across the battlefield, it's great wings and back spines unfurled slowly, making the air grow frigid and dead. In a final horrific show, it opened it's single eye, glaring over the entire field with a vacant stare. Nothing could escape it- the only way to stop it was to find a way to kill it.

Sekwan-Hak - Grade 3/13000 Power/0 Shield/Force Marker

Buzz grinned. "This is where the real fun starts. I'll start by getting myself a Force II Gift from that ride- this one's going to my RC. Next, I retire Antik-Obzet to make way for this bad boy- City Collapse Horror, Rezuuk-Kiket!" Sekwan-Hak dragged one of its fingers across Antik-Obzet, splitting it in twain like a horrific scythe, without even looking or showing any emotion. In its place emerged another huge entity- a deformed chimera with crab-like legs, a multitude of flail-like tentacles blossoming from it's arm sockets, a rotting swan-like neck, and a skullish head with shards for teeth.

Rezuuk-Kiket - Grade 3/13000 Power/0 Shield/Force Marker

"Those things just keep getting more and more nightmarish," Nat whimpered. "I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep tonight."

"That's, uh, not something you should say out loud," Adam cautioned.

"I'm kinda in the same boat, honestly," Erica said. "Whoever designed those things needs a therapist, badly."

"I'm far more concerned about that unit's ability," Midori cautioned. "With it-"

"Using Rezuuk-Kiket's skill," Buzz continued smugly, "I soul blast one to drain one of your RC. Choosing the front row circle with Cuthbert!" Rezuuk-Kiket gurgled, coughing up a few trickles of sludge from its throat as the air around Cuthbert grew cold and grey, like it did with Rubingal. The veteran knight resisted for a few seconds, shuttering and shivering, before giving out and collapsing to his knees. Gawain let out a worried groan as his ally grew weak, sadly noting that there was nothing he could do right now. "Since I just drained one of my opponent's circles, I can retire Senmash-Monin to activate his recovery skill- I counter charge one and draw a card!"

"This doesn't seem too bad," Adam noted uneasily.

"It's about to get a whole lot worse," Carlos fretted. "Now that Sean's got a drained circle, Buzz can bring out a much bigger threat."

"Now for the real deal," Buzz marched on. "Since you got a drained circle, I can finally call this card from my hand- Leadership Collapse Abomination, Nanom-Asish!" With a different finger, Sekwan-Hak opened a rift with a swipe, allowing for another horrific titan to make its entrance. With a nest of tentacles below its waist, its moldy green body bulged with rippling muscles, abdomen sprouting four massive arms. It roared, opening its mouth to reveal row upon row of teeth and tendrils, eight eyes opening and closing at random intervals.

Nanom-Asish - Grade 3/33000 Power/0 Shield

"Using his on-place skill, I bind two cards from my drop zone face-down to draw two cards! Next, Sekwan-Hak activates his main phase skill- I counter blast one to drain Adair's circle!" Sekwan-Hak flicked two of his fingers, ushering in another wave of cold, greying air. This time, Adair collapsed, weighed down by his hefty armor and weaponry. Gawain shuddered again, feeling like a failed leader for not protecting them, even if he couldn't stop it. "With your font row drained, you won't be activating too many offensive skills next turn! Hope I didn't bust up your strategy too badly!"

"I hate it when he's right," growled Lucas. "Sean's really going to struggle to get anything going next turn with his front row mostly useless."

"It's not that bad," Kiki said. "With Auroral Wing, he still has a fighting chance. He just has to make it through this turn…"

"I call!" Buzz continued with the bluster of someone who had already won. "Rekem-Ijis and Obik-Utomas join the fight! And with all this, we're ready to punish! With a boost from Obik-Utomas, Rezuuk-Kiket attacks! With his battle skill, I can bind one of your rearguards on a drained circle and give Rezuuk an extra 10k! Get lost, Cuthbert!" A pitch-black rift opened under the grizzled soldier, swallowing him effortlessly, much to Gawain's horror. Gurgling again, Rezuuk reached back and fired forth a tangle of tendrils, each overlapping into one messy vine swing of an attack.

Strength- 31000

Sean nodded uneasily, rapidly racking his brain for his next defensive moves. These were three huge attacks, and while he could afford to block two of them, choosing which to block and which to let through would be tricky. With a vanguard capable of triple drive, he'd better cobble something together before the potential of multiple triggers. "I guard with Rubingal and Avalonian Trumpeter, Marigold the Fae." The mass of tendrils and tentacles came crashing down, but instead of smashing the castle wall, it rammed into an impromptu golden barrier. Almost immediately, the vine began to fall apart into its individual components, reeling back towards its user in a haphazard jumble.

Marigold the Fae- Grade 0/5000 Power/15000 Shield/Critical Trigger

Defense- 35000

"Let's see you even try to stop this one! With a boost from Rakem-Ijis, Sekwan-Hak comes charging in! Since you have two drained circles, Rakem-Ijis adds 2k to this attack, on top of the 15k from Sekwan-Hak's own skill! Oh, and let's not forget that since you got two drained circles, he gains a crit and drive check too!"

"What?" Adam gaped. "How could a vanguard swing be that...huge?"

"This is bad," Carlos worried. "With triple drive and two base crit, if he gets two critical triggers, the game's over."

"Then he'll have to block it," Nat nodded. "Come on, Sean!"

"Let's go, Sekwan-Hak!" Buzz cried. The dragon let out an airrending shriek, rearing back as each of his fingers began to charge up with a black, crackling energy. Soon, each was coated with the unseen power, making each spindly digit resemble a powerful energy saber from a sci-fi movie. "Extinction Saber Dance!"

Strength- 38000/2 Critical/3 drive

Sean gulped. Even if he guarded this attack, he'd still probably have to deal with some sort of supercharged rearguard thanks to the triple drive. Blocking both attacks would completely drain his hand, so that wasn't an option. He'd have to cross his fingers here and hope he could hold on. "I...don't guard."

"WHAT?" Nat shouted. "What are you thinking?!"

Buzz laughed derisively. "Giving up already? I know your retarded, but even you gotta know that if the triple drive pans out here, you've lost. Whatever, no backsies. Triple drive kicking in...first card...second...is Material Collapse Drone, Tabiz! A critical trigger! Obviously, the crit goes to Sekwan-Hak, and the Power goes to Nanom-Asish!"

"Crap," Lucas groaned. "If the next card is a crit too-"

"It won't be," Kiki asserted. "I mean, given his trigger lineup, it's unlikely. It, it has to be."

"Fingers crossed," Sal murmured.

"Third card," Buzz continued, "is...Stamina Collapse Drone, Tesh-Rak! A heal trigger! I recover one, and give another 10k to Nanom-Asish!" He laughed again. "This'll make the score 2-to-5! Man, this is too easy!" Sekwan-Hak roared again, swinging both arms wildly, sending his fingers raking and slashing all across the Paladin formation and their castle. Towers and turrets collapsed and splintered, chunks of wall were sent flying, and Gawain himself was toppled and had his armor torn to shreds. It was a brutal show of incomprehensible strength.

Sean winced. He was still in it, but barely. "Damage checks...first...second...third...is Muriel, a heal trigger! I recover one." As the dust settled, a heavily damaged castle wall still stood, but barely. Gawain staggered back to his feet, a green light mending his armor the best it could. The Paladins suffered a major blow, but they weren't out yet.

Buzz snickered. "Oh, nice sacking. Too bad I'm still in the lead, and with one more haymaker! But first,I'm using Rakem-Ijis's skill- when his boost is successful, I can move him to my soul to draw a card and bind one of your rearguards on a drained circles! Guess who I'm choosing- Adair!" Another pitch-black portal opened on the wall, this time swallowing the barely conscious Adair. Gawain was in too much pain to react with anything other than a sad look. "To end the game, I'm having Nanom-Asish put Gawain out of his misery!" The last abomination let out his own roar, flexing its arms before beginning its rampage forward.

Strength- 53000/2 Critical

Sean braced himself. It was now or never. "I nullify the attack with Avalonian Blockade Knight, Sunniva the Unmoveable!" Like Rezuuk-Kiket before it, Nanom-Asish found itself smashing headlong into a magic barrier. Despite an initial rebuffing, Nanom-Asish quickly found its footing, pivoting into a full-on pummeling against the shield. However, no matter how many times the monster attacked the barrier, next to nothing happened- no budging, no cracks, no faltering. Letting out a frustrated gargle, Nanom-Asish fell back, its mindless aggression finally matched but its growing exhaustion.

Sunniva the Unmoveable- Grade 0/5000 Power/0 Shield/Draw Trigger

Defense- Perfect Guard

Buzz scoffed. "Looks like you'll hang on just long enough to get to grade 3 after all. Whatever, I'll just shut you down then put you back in your place. Take your last turn."

End of Turn 5

Hand Count- Buzz 8, Sean 3

Damage Count- Buzz 2, Sean 4

"Now that's what I call an offensive push! With only one attack, Buzz has put Sean on the backfoot, while scoring card after card for his hand! Let's hope his opponent has an answer, because if he doesn't, this turn'll be a formality!"

"Let's not forget that Sean has his two frontrow RC drained. Without access to two of his rearguards' skills, it'd be a lot harder to mount a solid comeback. But given what he searched at the beginning of the game...well, I don't want to spoil it."

"Please spoil it," Nat whimpered, "because I don't see a single way to come back from this."

"What did Sean search for at the beginning of the game?" Adam asked. "Announcer guy says that's the key here."

"Auroral Wing Dragon," Erica answered. "Sean's really proud of that one. He calls it his 'secret weapon,' and I don't blame him."

"Let's pray that 'secret weapon' can live up to the expectations," Midori sighed. "Otherwise, Sean won't be able to even scratch his opposition."

"I stand and draw," Sean stated as neutrally as he could. He had to admit to himself, he was in an impossibly tough spot. Buzz's offense had nearly overwhelmed him, pushing him to the breaking point while scoring a heal trigger to make the score even more lopsided. This was on top of having a useless front row- even with his best cards, he couldn't do much with no skills. He looked at the grade 3 that had been taking up space in his hand since the first turn. It's all on you, but first thing's first.

"Just give up," Buzz chided. "You couldn't possibly have anything worth spit in that sorry hand of yours. And even if you did," he flaunted his fan of cards, "you're not breaking through eight cards worth of defense. Honestly, I almost wouldn't blame you if you started crying."

Sean resisted the urge to yell back, knowing it would only encourage the brute. "King of the light, shine bright enough to see us through. I ride Avalonian Lord, Uther the Magnificent." A beam of light struck Gawain, leaving the knight behind to pave way for his overlord. The riding drake perched its front claws onto the castle wall like a gargoyle, joining its rider in staring down the massive monstrosity in front of them. Even when flanked by two spots of graying, cold air, and atop a nearly ruined wall, there was a seething determination eaking out from the high lord. The fight would continue to a man.

Uther the Magnificent- Grade 3/13000 Power/0 Shield/Force Marker

"By riding him, I get a Force I Gift for my rearguard."

"Force I," Lucas murmured. "Looks like he's trying to get Bummer to try and shed more cards to guard. Let's hope it works…"

"Using Uther's skill, I counter blast one and discard a card to superior call two Avalonian units from my deck. I superior call...Gawain and... Avalonian Archsage, Merlinus the Wise." Uther etched a magic circle with the tip of his longsword, then cut it in twain with a powerful cut. On command, two more pillars of light struck the castle wall, summoning the two beckoned warriors. Neither looked particularly ready to fight with the greying light sapping their strength, but they knew better than to let the interlopers through, and thus mustered enough strength to stand.

Merlinus the Wise- Grade 3/13000 Power/0 Shield/Force Marker

Buzz guffawed arrogantly. "Thinning your deck isn't going to do much when those cards can't do squat. Seriously, this is sad."

Sean began to crack, grimacing a bit. He still refrained from saying anything, but even he was starting to run out of patience. "I call Hildred, and with her support, Merlinus takes aim at Sekwan-Hak." Merlinus opened to a random page in his tome, saving his strength for the spell. With a few raspy incantations, his staff began to crackle with electricity, and using what physical strength he could muster, he thrust it forward, spitting out a thin but searing lightning bolt.

Strength- 21000

"Speaking of sad, that attack sucks. Guarding with Senmash-Monin." The bolt did find a target, but it was several meters away from the abominable dragon. A dryad-like monstrosity was fried instead, allowing the dragon to keep on in its state of invincible unliving. Merlinus collapsed to his knees, that simple spell draining him far more than usual.

Defense- 23000

Sean expected as much. "With a boost from Saphrigal, Gawain swings at Sekwan-Hak. The Force marker gives him an extra 10000 Power." Grunting to bring his sword up, Gawain took one giant swing, sending another energy wave at his prime opponent. The drainage may have burned his muscles and rattled his bones, but he knew he had to fight.

Strength- 28000

Buzz scoffed. "Attacking with the vanguard last? Guess you've got another cute after-battle trick coming. Too bad it won't help at all- anyway, guarding this with Tesh-Rak." The energy wave faired about as well as the bolt before it, destroying another randomly appearing alien, but scratching their leader.

Tesh-Rak - Grade 0/5000 Power/20000 Shield/Heal Trigger

"This is it," Erica said in anticipation. "Sean has to pull out Auroral Wing or it's all over."

"With a boost from Rubingal, Uther leads the charge," Sean stated. "Uther's passive grants him 3000 Power for each of my rearguards, along with one extra Critical since I have five.' The riding drake launched itself off the wall at full force, soaring through the night sky despite lacking wings. Uther readied his sword, ready to finally deal some damage to the invader causing all this havoc.

Strength- 36000/2 Critical

Buzz shrugged mockingly. "So you got one more attack in the works? Big deal, I can take one more. Still, better stop the only decent attack you got. With Momentum Collapse Drone, Hizet-Kunak, I nullify this attack!" Sekwan-Hak literally coughed up a new defender- a blackish-purple colored arachnid with a horizontally craning neck, no eyes, and a multitude of mouths stingers. The new defender retched a column of toxic smoke from each mouth, using its stingers to fan it towards Uther. Inexplicably, the gases spiraled into a solid shield-like barrier, strong enough to deflect Uther's mighty blade. In a show of instinct, Uther's mount used the barrier as a wall to kick off, leaping its way back towards the castle and his ailing warriors.

Hizet-Kunak - Grade 0/5000 Power/0 Shield/Draw Trigger

Defense- Perfect Guard

Sean nodded. Perfect. "Twin drive...first...Sunniva, a draw trigger! I give the Power bonus to Merlinus, and draw a card!" Merlinus propped himself up on his staff, wiping some blood from his chin, still not at full strength but now in a fighting mood. "Second...Avalonian Companion, Beissgal! That's a critical trigger, and all effects go to Gawain!" Like Merlinus, Gawain used his weapon to prop himself up to his feet.

"Looks like all the thinning finally worked," Adam remarked. "Too bad he's out of attacks."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Erica said. "It's Auroral Wing time."

Buzz laughed again. "Double triggers? Man, your timing is as bad as you are! Hopefully your next trick is worth it, because this is a waste of my time!"

This is it. Sean breathed in, ready for the true game-changer. "I'm activating Auroral Wing Dragon's battle skill from my hand. If my grade 3 vanguard's attack doesn't hit my opponent, I can counter blast one and discard another card to ride him from my hand in the standing position."

Buzz's bravado waded almost immediately. "You can do that?"

Nat blinked. "He can do that?"

Erica nodded. "He can do that."

"Glorious guardian of all that's holy and righteous," Sean said, "descend and scatter all shadows. I superior ride Avalonian Guardian Dragon, Auroral Wing Dragon!" As Uther raised his sword to the night sky, the battlefield became blanketed with a blistering, pearl-white light. As the flash faded, a new, enormous dragon came soaring down. Scales forming an armor-like coating of azure blue and ivory white, it resembled a heavenly warrior, holding heavily ornate pikes in its silver hands. It unfurled seven great wings, each a different color of the rainbow, spreading light and vibrant colors across the field. It landed its feet on the castle wall, and through the magic it spread, the wall and its towers began to reassemble itself to its previous imposing state. It was an amazing sight.

Auroral Wing Dragon- Grade 3/13000 Power/0 Shield/Force Marker

Buzz sputtered. "Big deal, you get an extra vanguard swing this turn. So what? You only got one more attack, and you've locked yourself into Force I! Even if you sacked two crits, you won't be able to win!"

"That's not all Auroral Wing has to offer. Since his superior ride resolved, not only do I get a Force I Gift for my vanguard circle, I can stand a rearguard of each grade. I restand Merlinus, Gawain, and Hildred!"

"What? That's some serious bull-"

"Activating Auroral Wing's other skill. When placed, I can soul blast a grade 3 card to give my entire front row 10000 Power each!" Auroral Wing spread its wings and weapons, letting out a spirited roar. A shower of light and stardust sprinkled itself all over the Royal Paladin formation, causing each soldier to glow in a silver light, even piercing the greying air brought by the invaders.

"You're kidding!" shouted Buzz, rapidly losing his own composure. His hand could have easily held off another vanguard swing, but another full round of attacks, even bigger than anything thrown at him earlier? "How is any of that legal?!"

"YEAH!" Lucas cheered. "Sean's on a freaking roll! That combo is amazing!"

"He just squeezed out three more big attacks, after his opponent already used his best defensive cards," Sal awed. "That's...ridiculous."

"He might be able to win it this turn!" Kiki exclaimed. "Come on, Sean, keep pushing."

"Time for round two," Sean continued. For the first time in this fight, rather than feeling grated against by his opponent, he felt ascendant. Buoyed by the massive boost brought by Auroral Wing, he was ready to end things on his terms. "With a boost from Hildred, Merlinus takes another shot at Sekwan-Hak!" Merlinus again opened his tome, this time actually flipping through the pages for the proper attack spell. After a few seconds of searching, he waved his staff, collecting large spears of ice from the cool air around him. After assembling at least a dozen large skewers of ice, along with many other smaller ice chunks, he thrusted his staff forward, sending the salvo towards his opponent with all haste.

Strength- 41000

Buzz twitched and snarled. This was beyond unfair- just a few moves ago, he had this wannabe on the ropes, and now he was the one hanging on for dear life. He was unlikely to lose this turn, but he was counting on scraping by with minimal casualties, then finishing in style. Now, he could really only block one of these attacks at best, meaning he'd have to pray like hell that the loser couldn't pull another critical trigger. "I guard with Tabiz and Ikun-Isok! I don't think I have to remind you that Ikun-Isok gets 5k Shield for each of your drained circles!" Sekwan-Hak breathlessly exhaled a red mist from it's decaying maw. The breath absorbed each shot from Merlinus's mighty spell, leaving not even a trace of vapor from the barrage left. "Don't think for a second I'm going down without a fight!"

Tabiz- Grade 0/5000 Power/15000 Shield/Critical Trigger

Defense- 43000

Sean wasn't phased. At this point, Buzz must have used all of his good defensive cards, meaning the next two attacks would break through without issue. "Activating Hildred's skill- moving her to my soul to draw a card and give Gawain 3000 extra Power. Now it's time for Auroral Wing's attack." The dragon began it's effortless ascent, soaring upward until it was directly behind the moon itself. Spreading its wings, it crossed it's pikes as they began to accumulate multicolored light. "This is it- Bifrost Volley!" After spinning both weapons, Auroral Wing flung both weapons at Sekwan-Hak, each leaving a trail behind them that would have rivaled the Aurora Borealis.

Strength- 33000

Buzz growled again. "N-no guard." All he could do at this point was hope his opponent's luck had already been spent with the last twin drive.

"Twin drive, first...no trigger. Second...Muriel, a heal trigger! I give the 10000 Power bonus to Gawain, and recover one!" Each pike sailed through Sekwan-Hak, skewering the otherworldly abomination with prejudicial magic. With a flick of both wrists, Auroral Wing dragged the pikes back to its hands with a magical force, passing through Sekwan-Hak once again. Both times, the monstrous dragon let out a piercing wail, writhing for the first time in the battle. The sight brought a massive morale boost to the battered Paladin ranks.

"Damage check...Hizet-Kunak, a draw trigger! I pump Sekwan-Hak up by 10k and draw a card!"

"Heh," Nat chuckled derivesely. "It's going to take a lot more than that to stop Gawain at this point."

"No kidding," Carlos awed. "And I bet the other guy is fresh out of cards with good defense Shields. Sean isn't going to end it, but he sure is going to corner him."

"Go Sean!" Adam cheered. "Clinch it!"

"Last but not least," Sean continued, "Gawain will cap us off! He's heading straight for Sekwan-Hak!" Gawain readied his blade as Auroral Wing came back down to perch on the castle wall. His weapon absorbed light from the dragon's wings, coating it with shining energy. With a pivot and heavy swing, the knight sent a serrated energy wave towards the enemy vanguard, aiming for its right shoulder.

Strength- 43000/2 Critical

Buzz gnashed his teeth. Even with the damage trigger and fresh card, his hand wouldn't be nearly enough to stop this. He'd have to start the next turn at a severe damage disadvantage. "I don't guard." Gawain's attack went through without resistance, Slashing past Sekwan-Hak's shoulder blade with ease. The blow cleanly sliced off the dragon's arm, the parts literally crumbling like dried clay, fading into nothingness. Buzz tried to concentrate as his ace writhed like a pained snake. "Damage checks...first...second...n-nothing."

Sean exhaled. He wasn't able to end it, but with as much headway as he made, all he had to do was hang on a little longer. "I end my turn." Once again, the color and warmth returned to his formation, Gawain and Merlinus now able to function without significant magical investment.

End of Turn 6

Hand Count- Buzz 3, Sean 5

Damage Count- Buzz 5, Sean 3

"Now that's what I call a runback! Just when it looked like Sean Gregor couldn't recover from having his front row crippled, he pulled out the ultimate superior ride to completely swing the game! This really is a match worthy of the finals!"

"He might not have been able to seal the deal, but with a comfortable lead, we may not see a comeback at this point. Let's hope Sean can play defense as well as offense."

Buzz seethed. "How the hell do they think he is?" he thought aloud. "He's a weakling, not some goddamn rockstar!" He gnashed his teeth like a junkyard dog. "Screw all this! I'm here to win, dammit!"

Sean blinked, caught off guard by this budding meltdown. He figured Buzz had no impulse control- picking fights with near everyone and mercilessly taunting his opponents- but for him to be this fragile too? "Uh-"

"You think you're so strong, huh? Thought that little superior ride could save your ass? Well, newsflash, Sherlock, I'm still here!" His anger ebbed a bit, paving way for a vengeful grin. "Congrats, shithead. You've pissed me off. And no one who's done that walks away scot-free. I've got all I need to catapult all the way to the Spring Circuit winner's circle! I stand and draw!" Without even looking at his new draw, Buzz sprang right into action. "I ride a new Sekwan-Hak on top of my old one!" This dramatic announcement sparked a literal tidal wave of red mists and crackling lightning to wash over the Collapse formation. Through the thick upkick of energy, the Paladins could see Sekwan-Hak miraculously mend itself, forging a new arm out of nothing. When the wave ceded, Sekwan-Hak fixed its haunting gaze squarely on Auroral Wing, glaring with emotion not felt from it in the entire game.

"That's not good," Carlos gulped. "He's building his soul back up, and he gets another-"

"That ride gives me another Force II Gift for my rearguard! Hope you're ready for a whole front row full of double damage!"

"Yeah, that's bad," Adam nodded. "But what's this about the soul?"

"It has to do with Sekwan-Hak's battle skill," Midori explained. "If there are three drained circles, the player with Sekwan-Hak as their vanguard can soul blast two cards to remove a Gift Marker from hand or field."

"Sean's counting on those," Carlos agreed. "Without them, he'll struggle to seal the deal."

"But the loudmouth still needs to drain three RC," Nat offered. "Last time the best he could muster was two."

"Well, the guy's going berserk down there," Erica said. "I don't think he's going to pass up that chance."

"Get ready, 'cuz I'm about to beat you so bad you'll never cardfight again!" Buzz cried. "Activating Rezuuk-Kiket's skill- I soul blast one to drain Merlinus's circle!" Just like before, Merlinus's surroundings began to grey and decay, the sage once again falling to his knees. "Now I activate Sekwan-Hak's main phase skill- I counter blast one to drain Gawain's circle!" The same misfortunes unfolded for Gawain, who saved himself from crumpling by hanging onto his weapon. "And now I activate Obik-Utomas's skill- I counter blast one and retire it to drain Rubingal's circle!" With that stroke, Auroral Wing was now surrounded by a curtain of dead light and cold air. "And that makes three! I'm all set up now!"

"Oh," Nat said, color draining from his own face. "That...that makes three alright."

"Those are some good spots to shut down," Sal noted. "No front row skills, and no special boosts for rearguards supporting the vanguard. He's got a big lock on Sean's field."

"And now Sekwan-Hak can charge in at full strength," Lucas nodded. "Barney isn't going down without a fight."

"Then Sean will have to drag him down kicking and screaming. With three damage, he's not going to lose like this."

"Right," Kiki agreed. "Even with all that, it's unlikely he can win with sheer brute force."

"Let's get the beatdown started!" Buzz shot his hand forward. "Rezuuk-Kiket goes for the jugular! Activating his battle skill to bind Merlinus and gain 10k Power! Don't forget that this attack is critical thanks to my Force marker!" As Merlinus sank into a black abyss beneath him, Rezuuk-Kiket let out a gurgling roar, launching each of his tangles of tentacles towards Auroral Wing.

Strength- 23000/2 Critical

Sean looked at his hand. This was an easy attack to block, but with each attack thrown at him dealing at least two damage, he couldn't be careless. Given that the other two attacks were far more powerful, and given that he'd still be hanging on even if he took this attack. "I don't guard." Each tentacle struck Auroral Wing, piercing it's scales and even severing two of its wings with a forceful push. Even the majestic Auroral Wing couldn't stop itself from yowling in pain. "Damage checks...first...second...no triggers this time."

Buzz cackled triumphantly. "Got you on the ropes already? Come on, at least try to guard! Don't tell me you've given up when your superior ride didn't work out!" He leaned forward. "Well, I'm ready to finish this anyway! Sekwan-Hak swings in with the deathblow, and since you have three drained circles, I can soul blast two cards to remove the Force I marker on your VC!" Sekwan-Hak let out a rippling roar, spreading all its fingers to once again gather dark energy around them. "One more time- Extinction Saber Dance!" Sekwan-Hak roared again, rampaging forward to finally sate it's endless bloodlust.

Strength- 28000/2 Critical/3 drive

This is it. "I nullify the attack with Sunniva!"

"What?!" The second Sekwan-Hak started swinging his blades, they scraped into a mysterious shining barrier. Like a berserker, the dragon kept hacking away, but none of his attacks were able to do any lasting damage. "Again?! How many do you have?!"

Defense- Perfect Guard

"Shut. Down." Erica smiled. "So much for that."

"Don't celebrate yet," Midori cautioned. "With triple drive, Buzz might be able to enhance his last rearguard to beyond blockable levels. If he gets more than one trigger, it's all over."

Buzz groaned gutterally. "Bull. Shit." He looked at his deck. "Come on, triple drive. First...nothing, f-" He breathed in. "Second...finally! Bravery Collapse Drone, Yobuk, a critical trigger!" He grinned. "All effects go to Nanom-Asish! One more, and you're finished!"

Sean gulped. I hate it when he's right...

"Third...n-no trigger?! You're kidding!" Sekwan-Hak's onslaught continued until the last drops of dark energy faded from its fingertips, but it had nothing to show for it. The barrier was still in one piece, not even scratched, and even the godlike dragon couldn't muster enough energy to continue the assault. With an uncharacteristic show of disappointment and humiliation, Sekwan-Hak slithered back in formation. "Whatever! Nanom-Asish is still plenty strong! And here comes his knockout punch!" The last cosmic horror let out his own battlecry, surging forward in a show of primal, unrecognized fury. "I'm winning this!"

Strength- 43000/3 Critical

Sean nodded. "Fine, then I'll guard with Muriel and Beissgal." Once again, the abomination slammed into a magic shield. In a serious case of deja vu, it again began to pummel away at the barrier, only to find itself unable to break through. Crying out in frustration, Nanom-Asish had to be pulled back with Sekwan-Hak's gangly hand to prevent itself from exhausting itself to oblivion.

Beissgal- Grade 0/5000 Power/15000 Shield/Critical Trigger

Defense- 48000

Buzz slammed his fist on his console. "Goddammit!" He exhaled a sharp huff, growling. "Fine, my turn's over! Just get it over with so I can wipe you out next turn!"

End of Turn 7

Hand Count- Buzz 6, Sean 1

Damage Count- Buzz 5, Sean 5

"Even at full strength, Buzz was unable to finish the job! With that, this becomes anyone's game! We're at a fever pitch- it's do or die for both players, and this next move determines it all!"

"It all comes down to if Sean can muster enough raw Power to clinch it. If he has a grade 3 with a Force marker on it, he shouldn't have a problem. If not, we might see Buzz win through sheer grit. It's tense."

"It's tense, alright," Lucas grumbled. "I thought Auroral Wing would pin that tryhard down, but that last turn brought Sean to the brink."

"Shows what you know," Sal smirked. "Sean's got this in the bag no matter what."

"I agree," Kiki nodded. "I-I wouldn't put it quite like that, but he just has to deal one damage to his opponent, and it's very unlikely he won't have the cards to do so. Just...have faith."

"Yeah, L, put some trust in your biggest fan."

Sean breathed in. Come on, sink or swim. Buckle down… "I stand and draw." He looked at the new card. Sunniva? Well, that just leaves one in the deck. Not that I need it. I got the big guns right here. "I start my turn by riding Avalonian Lord, Uther the Magnificent." The wounded Auroral Wing, despite lacking a full set of its namesake, took flight, soaring upwards until it was fully swallowed by the night sky. When it was fully out of sight, a javelin of light brought forth the Paladin's old leader, riding triumphantly atop his loyal mount.

"You're kidding!" snapped Buzz. "How the hell did you hang onto that?!"

Pay attention to drive checks next time. Well, now or never. "First, I gain a Force I Gift for my rearguard circle. Next, I activate Uther's main phase skill- I counter blast one and discard a card to call two different Avalonians from my deck."

"But that's the last card in Sean's hand," Nat noticed. "And...it's Sunniva! He just discarded a Perfect Guard!"

"Meaning the gloves are coming off," Adam grinned. "We're about to witness a no-holds-barred beatdown!"

"He's risking everything on this play," Midori marveled. "And given his position, I'd wager it will lead to a spectacular victory."

"Come on, Sean!" Erica cheered.

"I superior call Merlinus and Adair," Sean continued. Two more pillars of light struck the castle walls, fully filling the Paladin ranks. Even when surrounded by dead air, the knights and their lord stood valiantly, ready to finally destroy their opponents. "Merlinus may not be able to use his skill, but Adair is- during the turn a card was placed by an effect, he gains 3000 Power."

Buzz sputtered. "Son of a bitch. It's not supposed to be this close…"

"For my first attack, I'm having Saphrigal boost Gawain! Using Saphrigal's battle skill, I counter blast one to prevent you from guarding with normal units in this battle!" Yet again, Gawain readied his blade, gathering light for another energy wave attack. This time, he wagered, he'd finally be able to purge Cray of these monstrosities.

Strength- 28000

Buzz snarled. "Whatever, don't need 'em for this! I guard with Yobuk and Nokhi!" Gawain sent his rippling energy wave towards Sekwan-Hak. The dragon, seemingly unphased, horked up two defenders- one was the mosquito-like beast from before, and a new one who resembled a crucified, corpse-like scarecrow. Neither withstood the might of Gawain's attack, but it didn't matter. Both sacrificed themselves to maintain Sekwan-Hak's wellbeing (not that it noticed), and thus Gawain's final thrust was a failure.

Yobuk- Grade 0/5000 Power/15000 Shield/Critical Trigger

Defense- 33000

Sean continued, an unfamiliar confidence swelling in his chest. "W-With a boost from Rubingal, Uther charges! His battle skill gives him 5000 Power for each other Avalonian unit, and since there are five, he goes critical!" Uther readied his blade, pointing it squarely at Sekwan-Hak's gigantic cyclopean eye. With a mighty bound, his mount leapt off the wall, galloping across the night sky atop a road of magic stardust.

Strength- 36000/2 Critical

Buzz sputtered again. It was beginning to sink in- even if he blocked this attack, which was unlikely given how strong it was and how much the twerp thinned his deck, he would still be staring down another huge one. His only hope was for his opponent to whiff the twin drive, and hope he'd check a heal trigger during his damage check- in other words, he was just about finished. "I-I guard," he responded, panic finally overriding his posturing aggression, "with Tesh-Rak, Antik-Obzet, and Kuyas-Nakor!" Sekwan-Hak again coughed up a crowd of defenders- a trio of the ugliest, most abominable terrors imaginable. They crowded around the starlight road, ready to knock Uther off his steed.

Defense- 43000

"If that's the best he can do," Carlos calculated, eyes widening, "then a single trigger means Sean wins!"

"Let's go!" Adam shouted. "Get a crit! Get a crit!"

Sean nodded. Come one, twin drive… "I check for drive triggers. First...no trigger." He breathed in. Something has to be here, I know it. "Second...Marigold, a critical trigger!" The crowd began to go nuts, and from Sean's spot, he could hear Nat's and Adam's voices on top of them. "I give all the effects to Uther!"

"NO!" Buzz wailed. Uther's mount galloped ahead at full speed, his master dispatching each of the defending aliens with a swing of his blade, cutting through each like they were paper mache. With a final leap of his mount, Uther flew so close to Sekwan-Hak that he could feel the cold air around the dragon. Uther let out a warcry, and with a mighty thrust, he drove his holy blade straight into the dragon's singular eye. It continued to pierce Sekwan-Hak until the very hilt was touching the retina. The dragon let a garbled, mangled wail of pain, and as Uther pulled his blade from the socket, the eye began to bubble and dissolve into a loamy smoke, tumbling out of the skull.

"D-d-damage checks…" Buzz stammered. There was no more anger or disbelief, just sheer self-pity and crashing realizations. "No trigger. I lost? I lost…" As Uther retreated, Sekwan-Hak's body began to fade from a skeletal white to a papyrus-brown color, crackling like a bone under a fire. Chunks of its body splintered and came bursting off, each chunk quickly unraveling and fading into nothing. As the master abomination continued being erased from existence, his subordinates began a similar process, bodies turning into red smoke and slowly fading away into the wind. All traces of Sekwan-Hak continued to fade from reality until all that was left was its skull, which shook violently until it exploded in a cloud of dust and bone fragments, heralding the end of a long tournament.

End of Turn 8

Hand Count- Buzz 1, Sean 2

Damage Count- Buzz 6, Sean 5

Sean wins

"HE DID IT!" Nat leapt from his seat, clasping his hair. "WE WON! VILLAGER WON!"

"THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" Adam joined in, grabbing his cohort in a bear hug. "WE'RE NUMBER OOOOONE!"

Midori laughed. "For once, I understand your excitement. That was an excellent accomplishment, winning that match."

"'Winning' is an understatement," Carlos practically squealed. "That was a landslide victory right there!"

"Sean really rocked it, alright!" Erica stood up and gave a sharp whistle. "Way to go!"

Back on the floor, Sean was still in a daze. He wasn't exactly unused to winning games, even games with some stakes, but the weight of his victory was coming crashing down, smothering with an unknown type of pride. The crowds were going absolutely wild, cheering not only about the intense cardfight, but for him, for his team. He stepped up to the plate, and he won. There was no way to describe this- he was equal parts bewilderment and sheer elation. He felt a small smile spread across his face.

"YOU DID IT!" He heard Lucas's booming adulation from behind him, followed quickly by a trample of footsteps. Next thing he knew, he was in a headlock, his energetic friend laughing boisterous. "Holy shit, man, that was AMAZING!"

Sean heard Sal laugh. "I'll let that slide, because yeah, that was epic. You really showed that douche how it's done."

"Amazing!" Kiki agreed. "W-we won! You," she smiled, "you really did come through for us."

"No kidding. You flattened that guy. Where were you hiding skills like that, man?"

Sean chuckled. "P-practice, I guess. Sorry, it's a little hard to think while in a vice."

"Good point. Let our little champ go, L."

"Heh, alright," Lucas let go, only to rope him back into a hug. "Guess I'll have to settle for a little of this. Come on, guys, you too!" Sal rolled her eyes, but compiled, still smiling. Kiki wasn't much more eager, but joined in anyway. "We're moving on up, baby!"

Sean laughed. He hadn't seen Lucas this happy in months. "Moving up?"

"Hell yeah! Team Villager is going straight to Spring Circuit!" He finally relinquished the group hug. "Whaddya say? Next stop, winners' circle?"

"Sounds good," said Sal, dusting herself off. "But first things first," she motioned to the stands, where Nat and Adam were singing We Are the Champions loudly and offkey, "let's go meet our adoring public."

"Sounds good," Sean chuckled. He looked back at his cards, still trying to wrap his head around what just happened. Guess this is really happening. He looked back to his teammates, who were once again being wrapped up in a group hug by Lucas. Not complaining at all. Team Villager is going places...

A/N: And with that, Season 2 is drawing to a close. Expect to see a Season 2 Epilogue and Season 3 prologue, since there's a quite a bit of setup needed for Season 3. Details and lore to follow soon!