Disclaimer: I do not own Magic: The Gathering, only my OCs.
Chapter 18-Pain and Pleasure, Part 1
"Mira, you need to go hide," said Eva, prying the girl off her.
"Don't leave me!" cried Mira.
"I promise I won't leave you," said Eva, hugging her "You just go hide in a nearby building and don't come out until I come get you. Understand?"
Nodding, the girl ran off and climbed down the rubble, entering a structure across the street.
"I'll begin," said Pain as black mana flared around her. Three black flames separated from her body and collected in front of her. The mana shaped into an enormous dragon with a long, barbed tail. Mounted on the dragon's back was a cloaked figure holding a battle sword in one of its skeletal hands and the reins to the horror it was riding in the other. The dragon gave a chilling screech and, spreading its great, leathery wings, took to the sky, perching on a pile of rubble nearby.
Charles recognized the creature right away: Hypnotic Specter. A 2/2 flyer that made the opponent it damaged discard a card. Evidently, Pain had played a Dark Ritual to gather the necessary mana to summon this creature.
"Eva, you take care of that thing," said Charles. He didn't have enough mana to summon, so he merely tapped into an Island and nodded to Pleasure to signal the end of his turn.
The girl's body merely glowed white faintly before she said, "I am finished."
"I'm on it," said Eva, gathering her mana. Dark clouds assembled overhead and thunder rumbled as, with an ear-splitting crash, a gigantic bolt of electricity shot down and electrocuted the Hypnotic Specter.
"Pah!" said Pain "That was a mere warm up." Suddenly, the entire playing field was bathed in a dark blue light, the sun overhead becoming blurred. Dark, ghostly figures appeared in the air, floating around the field. As one passed by Eva, she shivered at its sight. It was a skeleton with bits of skin still hanging off its limbs. Its long, silky hair floated eerily behind it.
"How do you like the Lake of the Dead?" grinned Pain. "It costs me a swamp, but the price is well worth it."
"It lets you sacrifice a swamp to add four black mana to your mana pool," said Charles.
"Exactly," said Pain "And it also acts as a swamp, so I'll just use the mana to cast another Dark Ritual," The black flames formed into a tri-horned winged creature with a scythe-wielding rider. "To summon Hollow Specter (2/2)!"
"I'm done," said Charles, merely gathering another Island.
Again, Pleasure merely gathered a Plains before ending her turn.
"Looks like I'm taking out the trash again," sighed Eva, gathering a Mountain before sending a torrent of fire to incinerate Pain's creature. As Eva ended her turn, Pleasure's body glowed brightly. "Life Burst," she merely said.
PAIN: 20
CHARLES: 20
PLEASURE: 24
EVA: 20
"My slave knows her place," said Pain as four black flames shot from her body and formed into another winged creature, this one blue and carrying a rider dressed in a red cloak and holding a long lance. "My Abyssal Specter (2/3); isn't it nice?" asked Pain "Next, I'll pump it up a bit." Black mana flared around the creature and it grew larger (4/4). "End turn," she said.
Charles gathered yet another Island before passing his turn.
Pleasure raised her hand to the sky and brought it around in a circular motion. As her arm moved through the air, a red light followed it. As she was about a quarter of the way through her motion, the red light changed to blue and then green as she passed the midway point. It then became black and finally, white as she finished the circle. The multicolored light ring hung in the air for a few seconds before rotating onto its side and hovering above Pleasure's head.
;Shit! Is that what I think it is?;
Gathering his mana, Charles snapped his fingers, the circle of light flickering for a moment before vanishing in an explosion of mana.
"Story Circle," said Charles "Nice try."
"Idiot!" snapped Pain, cuffing pleasure on the side of the head. "You know he's a counter whore!"
"Sorry, Mistress," said Pleasure.
"My turn then," said Eva "Boom!" An explosion rocked the field and all four summoners were thrown to the ground as the blue tint around them disappeared. "No more Lake for you," she grinned, getting back up. Pain glared hatefully at her as she stood. "I'm not done yet," she added, electricity crackling at her fingertips. A bolt of lightning shot from her fingers and hit Pain squarely in the chest. She reeled back and gasped in pain.
PAIN: 17
CHARLES: 20
PLEASURE: 24
EVA: 20
"Mistress!" said Pleasure, for the first time raising her voice. She ran to her side, but Pain merely pushed her away.
"Get off! I'm not weak like you are!" she snarled.
"Y-Yes, Mistress," stammered Pleasure, going back to her spot.
"Little girl," Pain snarled at Eva "You're going to learn what happens when you cross me! I'll cast another Unholy Strength on my Specter (6/5)!" The creature grew even more, towering over the field.
"I don't think so," said Charles, shaking his finger and tut-tuting. "Force Spike!" As quickly as it had grown, the creature deflated back to its previous size.
"That little move has incurred you my wrath," sneered Pain. "Attack!"
The creature charged forward, its rider pointing its lance straight at Charles. The Keeper of Blue Mana was sent flying off the edge of the roof by the force of the impact. As gravity took over, Charles managed to pull himself together and Teleported back to the roof, a large cut in his arm and his chest bruised by the blow.
PAIN: 17
CHARLES: 16
PLEASURE: 24
EVA: 20
As he stood there, panting, Charles reeled as he felt a sharp pain lance his mind. It felt as though a piece of his psyche had been torn out.
;Right, the creature's effect: I discard a card;
"What's your response to that, weakling?" taunted Pain.
;She's right. I'm weak. I've hardly dueled at all and Teleport seems to be the only thing I can do. I'm not ready for this;
;Don't doubt yourself so easily, Cannon. You're stronger than you think. Plus, wasn't it you who wanted to train more?;
;I can't do this, Chiburuu;
;Charles, we don't have time for this! Now pull yourself together and continue the duel!;
;What's the use? I'm of no help to Eva;
;OK, that's it, I'm taking over. I have no time for a pessimistic weakling;
"Go," said Chiburuu, a droplet of water appearing on Charles' forehead as he took over, gathering another Island.
"My father?" Arrathir asked in disbelief. "He's alive?"
"Yes," said Tyr "He's been following your progress and is pleased with how your skills have been developing."
"I don't believe this!" yelled Arrathir "He abandons me, doesn't contact me for years, and now that I'm a Keeper of Mana, he wants to patch things up? Well fuck him!"
"Don't be too hard on him, Arrathir," said Tyr "He regrets not being there for you while you were growing up, but he had his reasons for leaving and believe it or not, they were for your sake."
"Why should I even acknowledge his existence?" snarled Arrathir.
"Like it or not, he is your father and you have a blood bond with him," said Tyr "He truly wishes to meet you, Will you at least consider meeting him?"
"I want nothing to do with that bastard," said Arrathir, walking ahead of Tyr. Sighing, Tyr followed through the ruined streets.
As Pleasure cast her spell, the ground around her took a golden hue. She made no further moves, but Chiburuu knew the enchantment she had cast.
;Obviously Aurification;
"Eva, don't attack Pleasure," he warned the Keeper. "Unless you want your creatures turned into golden statues."
"Understood," said Eva. "That Specter's grown too powerful for my liking," she added, pointing at Pain's creature. Extending her right hand towards the creature, she raised her left hand behind her head as her other hand began glowing. Thrusting her left hand forward, she released her spell, a torrent of fire shooting from her right hand and hitting the Specter squarely in the chest, burning a hole in the creature's flesh. The Specter screamed in pain as the fire consumed it and flopped to the ground, writhing in pain before exploding into black mana. Eva winced as the spell's intense heat burned her hand.
PAIN: 17
CHARLES: 16
PLEASURE: 24
EVA: 18
Dark flames surrounded Pain as she cast her third Dark Ritual. The ground shook as an enormous snake burst from a pile of ashes in the streets below. Its jawless mouth was studded with sharp teeth. Its grey skin was burned in many places, exposing its pink flesh. Its two arms hung below its mouth and ended in sharp claws. The creature raised its head up as it slithered to Pain's side and threateningly waved its claws at the Keepers.
"Akuta, Born of Ash (3/1, Haste)," said Pain, stroking the creature's back. "Isn't it lovely?"
"Charming," said Chiburuu sarcastically, shaking his finger in disapproval "It'll have to go." The creature disappeared in a blue flash. "Well, that was impressive," he added. "Done?"
"Fine," said Pain, seething.
"End of your turn, I'm going to be a bit impulsive," said Chiburuu, casting another spell. He saw four images in his mind. One was of a brown-skinned man dressed in wizard's robes. Grinning, Chiburuu focused on the man, imprinting his image in his mind. "I'll just get an Island," he added.
Pleasure gathered another Plain and, collecting her mana, summoned a new creature. The mana formed into three pillars and solidified into three stone statues. The figures had aven faces and their great wings were folded back. Each of them held a lance in their claw-like hands.
"Ageless Sentinels (4/4)," announced Pleasure.
"Right!" said Eva "The best defense is a good offence!" Gathering her mana, she summoned two creatures. The first was a small, yellow, horned spark of energy. Eva almost lost her mana tie to the creature, so great was the thing's energy. The second creature was likewise composed of pure energy and strained in Eva's mental grip, eager to wreak havoc. "Get her, boys!" said Eva, sending her Spark Elemental (3/1, Haste) and Ball Lightning (6/1, Haste) at Pain.
The summoner was thrown back by the force of the impact and lay on the ground for a few seconds, twitching as the creatures' energy coursed through her body. Slowly standing up, she glared hatefully at Eva.
PAIN: 8
CHIBURUU: 16
PLEASURE: 24
EVA: 18
"You'll pay for that, you little bitch," she spat.
"Come get me," laughed Eva. "If you can get past Chiburuu's counter-spells, that is."
"I'll find a chink in his defense," said Pain, summoning another Hypnotic Specter (2/2). "For now, this will do."
"Ah, ah, ah," said Chiburuu as Pain was about to end her turn. "Not so fast. It is time to bring out an old friend." Chiburuu brought out his hands and, calling upon his mana, cast his spell. A brown-skinned man dressed in white robes with a sleeveless blue tunic over top. He wore a large purple sash around his waist with a smaller, gold-trimmed blue sash around it, this one held together by a golden buckle. In each of his hands, he held an oddly-shaped club with a golden tip. As his summoning finished, the man turned to the blue Keeper.
"Who summons me?" he asked.
"I am Chiburuu, Keeper of Blue Mana," said the spirit "Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, I require you aid. Will you serve me?"
"The Keeper of Blue Mana?" asked Teferi "I have no knowledge of such a being, but to have summoned me you must possess great power."
"Indeed I do," said Chiburuu "I humbly ask you to aid me in this battle."
"So be it, Keeper," said Teferi "I will lend you my aid."
"Mistress," said Pleasure, trembling slightly "He just summoned a legend…"
"Shut up, slave," snarled Pain. "His legend is no match for mine!"
"Teferi is more than capable of defeating your abomination," said Chiburuu, gathering another Island. "Now, time to increase my mana stores. Sol Ring!" A blazing ring of fire appeared in front of the spirit. "This artifact can be tapped for two colorless mana, which I shall do now." The fire blazed brightly as two white flames shot into Chiburuu's body. "Now, Eye of the Storm!"
A swirling blue vortex appeared behind Chiburuu, at the center of which was a red, lidless eye. The eye stared unblinkingly out from the whirling maelstrom.
"Now, this enchantment's effect is a bit tricky, so stay with me," said Chiburuu "Whenever someone plays an instant or sorcery, the spell is sucked into the vortex before it resolves. However, after that the enchantment allows whoever cast the spell to cast all the spells that were previously removed by the Eye."
"I do not like the sound of that. Slave, deal with it!" ordered Pain.
"Yes, Mistress," said Pleasure as a snow-white unicorn appeared on the field. "I offer my Ronom Unicorn to destroy the enchantment." The unicorn reared up and charged at the Eye of the Storm. As its horn pierced the red eye, a piercing shriek echoed in the air as the unicorn was sucked into the vortex, which then diminished, leaving only the eye floating in mid-air. The eye then closed, vanishing from existence.
"Next, I shall summon four Martyr of the Sands (1/1)," said Pleasure as four old women with long white hair appeared before her. They were dressed in brown furn robes with a white, spotted collar.
"Time to bring out the big guns," said Eva. "I sacrifice two mountains for Scorched Ruins, which is ironic given our location." The ground around Eva became blackened with soot. "Fire is a powerful ally. It destroys life, but also begins new life, allowing me to draw mana from the ruined earth. However, since the ground has been ravaged by the fire, the mana is colorless. Now, I summon my legend! Come forth, Ryusei, the Falling Star (5/5, Flying)!"
The sky grew dark as black clouds blotted out the sun. Fire shot out from the ground around Eva as an enormous, wingless dragon with scales made of hot coals and a fiery mane burst from the skies with a loud roar. Its long, snakelike body undulated as it flew over the playing field, sparks flying from its body. It screeched at Eva in defiance, seeming to demand who dared to summon it.
"I am Eva, Keeper of Red Mana," she said "I have called upon you to aid me, Ancient One." The dragon gave another roar, seemingly agreeing to Eva's request.
Arrathir and Tyr had been wandering the streets for a while now. The search was not going successfully as they had not yet found any survivors. As Arrathir sat down on a pile of rubble to rest, he happened to glance toward the sky and froze at what he saw: an enormous red dragon was flying over the city.
"Tyr!" he called out, pointing to the sky. "What is going on?"
"It would seem the Keeper of Red Mana is partaking in a duel," said Tyr, seeing the dragon.
"WHAT?" yelled Arrathir, jumping to his feet. "I knew I should have gone with her!" He took off running towards the dragon.
"Arrathir! You must let her fight her own battles!" said Tyr. "That boy has not patience," he muttered as Arrathir disappeared among the rubble. "If he continues to grow more possessive of his mate, I fear for their relationship."
To be continued…
Author's Note: Well, first duel of Twilight. About damn time too! I'm starting my job this week (yay!) so that'll definitely cut into my writing time, but hopefully I can get the second part done soon. Props to Cannon (Lu Chao) who planned out the whole duel.