Disclaimer: I do not own Magic: The Gathering.
Eva's next opponent was a young boy, about thirteen or fourteen.
"Hi," he said "I'm Kimihiro."
"I'm Eva," said Eva, rolling a 15 on her D20. Kimihiro rolled a 10.
"I'll go first then," said Eva, drawing her hand. "I play a Mountain and summon Akki Avalanchers (1/1). Your turn."
"Draw!" said Kimihiro "And I play a swamp, tapping it to summon Bile Urchin (1/1). Go."
"I play an Island," said Eva "And I summon Battle-Mad Ronin (1/1, Bushido 2). End turn."
"I play a Plains," said Kimihiro "And I summon Kuro's Taken (1/1, Bushido 1). Your turn."
(This is getting boring. Let's kick it up a notch.)
"I play a Mountain and play Honden of Infinite Rage. At the beginning of my upkeep, this enchantment deals damage to target player or creature equal to the number of shrines I control. Now I attack with Battle-Mad Ronin."
"I block with Bile Urchin," said Kimihiro "And sack him before he dies to make you loose one life."
KIMIHIRO: 20
EVA: 19
"End turn."
"I play a Swamp and summon Nezumi Cutthroat (2/1, Fear). I attack with Kuro's Taken."
"I block with Akki Avalanchers," said Eva.
"End turn."
"At the beginning of my upkeep," said Eva "Honden of the Infinite Rage deals one damage to your Nezumi Cutthroat. Next, I play an Island and play Eye of Nowhere on your Kuro's Taken, returning it to your hand. Then I summon Ember-Fist Zubera (1/2) and attack with Battle-Mad Ronin. End turn."
KIMIHIRO: 19
EVA: 19
"I play a Plains and play Rend Flesh on your Battle-Mad Ronin," said Kimihiro "Destroying it. Next, I summon Wicked Akuba (2/2). Your turn."
KIMIHIRO: 18
EVA: 19
"I summon River Kaijin (1/4)," said Eva "And I end my turn."
"I play a Plains and summon Eiganjo Free-Riders (3/4, Flying)," said Kimihiro "End turn."
KIMIHIRO: 17
EVA: 19
"I play Phantom Wings on my River Kaijin," said Eva "Giving it flying. Next I play Council of the Soratami, drawing two cards. End turn."
"I summon Gibbering Kami (2/2, Flying)," said Kimihiro "End turn."
KIMIHIRO: 16
EVA: 19
"I play an Island and summon Akki Raider (2/1)," said Eva "And I end my turn."
"I attack with Gibbering Kami and Eiganjo Free-Riders," said Kimihiro.
"I block your Riders with my River Kaijin," said Eva "And I'll take the two from your Kami."
"Except I play my Ninjutsu card from my hand!" said Kimihiro "I put Throat Slitter (2/2) into play! When this creature deals damage to a player, I may destroy a creature that player controls so I'll destroy your River Kaijin."
"I sack Phantom Wings to bring him back to my hand in response," said Eva.
"End turn."
KIMIHIRO: 15
EVA: 17
"I play a Mountain and summon Glitterfang (1/1, Haste)," said Eva "And I attack with Glitterfang, Akki Raider, and Ember-Fist Zubera."
"I block your Glitterfang with Wicked Akuba," said Kimihiro.
"You're not the only one with ninjas," said Eva "Go, Mistblade Shinobi (1/1)! When this creature deals damage to you, I may return a creature you control to your hand so I'll return your Eiganjo Free-Riders."
KIMIHIRO: 14
EVA: 17
"End turn."
"I summon Eiganjo-Free Riders," said Kimihiro "End turn."
KIMIHIRO: 13
EVA: 17
"I play a Mountain. Now things are going to get a little complicated. I tap four Mountains and one Island. Of this mana, I use two red to cast Mana Seism. I sack all six lands I have to add six colorless mana to my mana pool, so I have a total of six colorless mana, two red mana, and one blue mana. Now, when a land goes into my graveyard, my Akki Raider gets +1+0, so he's an 8/1. Next, I use my two red mana along with five of my colorless mana to cast Blazing Shoal on my Raider, giving him +5+0, making him 13/1 Finally, I use my last two mana to cast Veil of Secrecy on my Raider, making him unblockable and immune to spells and abilities. Finally, I attack with him."
KIMIHIRO: 0
EVA: 17
"Wow," said Kimihiro "Great combo!"
"Thanks," said Eva "Ready for game two?"
"You bet!" said Kimihiro.
Back at Arrathir's duel, things finally seemed to be going his way. He had won the dice roll and had a fairly good hand.
"I'll start," he said "I play a Forest and say go."
"I play a Plains and summon Devoted Retainer (1/1, Bushido 1)," said his opponent, a teen named Yuki "Your turn."
"Swamp," said Arrathir "And I summon Sakura-Tribe Elder (1/1). End turn!"
"I play another Plains and attack with Devoted Retainer," said Yuki.
"Block with my Elder and sack him off before he dies, searching my deck for a Mountain and putting it into play tapped," said Arrathir.
"End turn."
"Second Forest," said Arrathir "And I summon Brutal Deceiver (2/2)."
Turn three and I'm already up to four mana!
"Your move."
"I play an Island and play Otherworldly Journey on my Retainer, removing him from play until end of turn, at which point he returns with a +1+1 counter. I'll Splice Spiritual Visit on Otherworldly Journey, putting a 1/1 Spirit token into play. End turn."
Arrathir smiled at his next card: Glacial ray. He already had Lava Spike in his hand, so if he could get another Mountain, he could shove five points of damage down his opponent's throat.
"Tap three and summon Villainous Ogre (3/2)," he said, "End turn."
"I summon Teardrop Kami (1/1) and I attack with Devoted Retainer (2/2)."
"I'll take it," said Arrathir.
YUKI: 20
ARRATHIR: 18
"End turn."
"I summon Orochi Sustainer (1/2)," said Arrathir "And I attack with Villainous Ogre."
"Block with Teardrop Kami," said Yuki "Sack him off before he dies to tap your Brutal Deceiver."
"End turn."
"I play an Island and summon Shinen of Stars' Light (2/1, First Strike)," said Yuki "Now I attack with Devoted Retainer."
"Take it," said Arrathir.
YUKI: 20
ARRATHIR: 16
"End turn."
"I tap out to summon Harbinger of Spring (2/1, Pro non-spirit, Soulshift 4) and end my turn," said Arrathir.
"I play a Plains and attack with Devoted Retainer and Shinen of Stars' Light," said Yuki.
"Block the Retainer with Harbinger of Spring," said Arrathir "And block Shinen with Brutal Deceiver."
"End turn."
Arrathir felt a sudden surge of mana as he drew his next card: Jugan.
"I tap out to summon Jugan, the Rising Star (5/5, Flying). Now I'll attack with Villainous Ogre."
"I play Candle's Glow," said Yuki "Preventing the three damage your Ogre would deal and gaining that much life. As well, I Splice Spiritual Visit onto Candle's glow, putting another 1/1 Spirit token into play."
YUKI: 23
ARRATHIR: 16
"End turn."
"I play Reach Through Mists, drawing a card," said Erik "And I summon Soratami Mirror-Guard (3/1, Flying). End turn."
"I play Lava Spike," said Arrathir "Splicing Glacial Ray onto it to deal you three damage and your Mirror-Guard two."
YUKI: 20
ARRATHIR: 16
"Now I attack with Jugan!"
YUKI: 15
ARRATHIR: 16
"End turn."
"I summon Soratami Cloudskater (1/1, Flying) and attack with Devoted Retainer and Shinen of Stars' Light," said Yuki.
"I block your Retainer with Harbinger of Spring and take the two from your Shinen," said Arrathir "I return Brutal Deceiver to my hand."
YUKI: 15
ARRATHIR: 14
"End turn."
"I'll summon Brutal Deceiver (2/2) and Nezumi Cutthroat (2/1, Fear)," said Arrathir "Next, I'll Glacial Ray your Cloudskater and attack with Jugan and Villainous Ogre."
"Block the Ogre with one of my Spirit tokens," said Yuki.
YUKI: 10
ARRATHIR: 14
"End turn."
"I summon Sensei Golden-Tail (2/1, Bushido 1) and I attack with Devoted Retainer."
"Take it," said Arrathir.
YUKI: 10
ARRATHIR: 12
"End turn."
"I play Uncontrollable Anger on my Cutthroat, making him a 4/3 and attack with Jugan and Cutthroat."
"I play Cut the Earthly Bond on your Cutthroat," said Yuki "This card returns an enchanted permanent to your hand. I'll also Splice Spiritual Visit to put a 1/1 Spirit token into play."
YUKI: 5
ARRATHIR: 12
"End turn."
"I play Consuming Vortex to return your Jugan to your hand," said Yuki "And I use Sensei to put a training counter on one of my Spirit tokens, giving it Bushido 1. I attack with Devoted Retainer, Shinen Stars' Light, and my Spirit token."
"I'll use Brutal Deceiver's ability to reveal the top card of my library." It was a Mountain. "So that means my Brutal Deceiver gets +1+0 and has first strike, so I'll block your Devoted Retainer with Brutal Deceiver and take the rest."
YUKI: 5
ARRATHIR: 9
"End turn."
"I summon Jugan," Arrathir started, but Yuki interrupted him.
"And I play Hinder, countering your spell. However, it goes on the bottom of your library instead of your graveyard."
"Then I'll use my last two mana to summon Nezumi Cutthroat (2/1, Fear) and I attack with Villainous Ogre and Brutal Deceiver.
"I block your Ogre and Deceiver with my two last Spirit tokens."
"End turn."
"Let me introduce you to my dragon legend," said Yuki "Go, Yosei, the Morning Star (5/5, Flying). End turn."
"I attack full out," said Arrathir.
"Fine," said Yuki "I block your Ogre with my dragon and your Deceiver with Sensei Golden-Tail, so I take three."
"Wrong!" said Arrathir "I play Path of Anger's Flame, giving all my creatures +2+0 until end of turn, meaning you take seven!"
YUKI: 0
ARRATHIR: 9
Meanwhile, Eva was trouncing Kimihiro. She had Walker of Secret Ways (1/2), which allowed her to return a ninja to her hand as well as Higure, the Still Wind (3/4) which allowed her to make a target ninja unblockable.
"My turn," said Kimihiro after suffering another attack that brought him down to six life while Eva was at fifteen. "I summon Nezumi Shadow-Watcher (1/1) and sack him to destroy your Higure. Next, I summon Akuta, Born of Ash (3/2, Haste) and I attack with him!"
"I block with Walker of Secret Ways," said Eva.
"Your turn."
"I summon Battle-Mad Ronin (1/1, Bushido 2)," said Eva "Your move."
"I play a Plains and play Day of Destiny. Legendary creatures I control get +2+2. Then I play Rend Flesh to destroy your Ronin and I attack with Akuta (5/4)."
KIMIHIRO: 6
EVA: 10
"I summon Glitterfang (1/1, Haste) and Akki Avalanchers (1/1)," said Eva "I attack with Glitterfang."
KIMIHIRO: 5
EVA: 10
"I play a Swamp and summon Scourge of Numai (4/4)," said Kimihiro "If at the beginning of my upkeep I don't control an ogre, it deals two damage to me. Then I'll summon Raving Oni-Slave (3/3) and attack with Akuta."
"Block with Akki Avalanchers," said Eva.
"End turn."
"I'm going to defeat you using your own creatures," said Eva "I play Yamabushi's Flame on your Scourge of Numai and play Crushing Pain on it, dealing it six more damage. Next, I play Barrel Down Sokenzan, returning two Mountains to my hand to kill off your Raving Oni-Slave. As per his effect, since you don't control an Ogre, you loose three life."
KIMIHIRO: 2
EVA: 10
"End turn."
"I summon Akki Drillmaster (2/2)," said Kimihiro "And I attack with Akuta."
KIMIHIRO: 2
EVA: 5
"End turn."
"Now I play Twisted Allegiance," said Eva "We exchange control of the creatures we control and they untap and gain haste. I attack you full out."
KIMIHIRO: 0
EVA: 5
Arrathir was in deep shit. Yuki had Burning-Eye Zubera (3/3) and Sokenzan Renegade (3/3) in play. He was down to five life; Arrathir two.
There's only one card that can save me now.
"Ha!" said Arrathir, drawing just the card he needed "I summon Jugan, the Rising Star (5/5, Flying) and play Unnatural Speed, giving him haste! I attack!"
YUKI: 0
ARRATHIR: 2
As he left the table, Arrathir felt Chikuro stirring.
So, how'd we do?
Well, I lost in the first round, but won in the second.
WHAT? Did you at least loose in three?
No, two.
You know, I'm this close to taking over…
Relax, Chikuro. I'm sure that first round was just a fluke and all I need is to get used to this deck, that's all.
It had better be…
To be continued…
Author's Note: OK, OK. I'm eight minutes over midnight, but I'm still good! No rant tonight, too tired. This thing is killing me!