Magic: the Gathering

Chronicles, Volume 32

Kelly was tempted to be frozen in fear and uncertainty, but she knew that she couldn't afford such a delay. Both Devins confronted her and Ashley, and they meant to kill. Both of them flared up their red-green mana auras, and Kelly frowned. Rho can even disguise her mana aura to look like Devin's? Isn't there any way to tell which is the real one?

"Hahaha! Your expression delights me, child!" both Devins gleefully cried in unison, and enhanced by their mana auras, they leaped high into the air like fleas. Both of them came crashing down again, thrusting their arms forward to make an earth-shuddering punch aimed at Kelly and Ashley. Both sisters leaped out of the way, but they were shocked once again by the power that a fully-flared mana aura could grant.

"I didn't even know we could do that! Devin certainly never tried this," Ashley cried over the din, trying to resist coughing from the dust and dirt particles kicked up from both Devins hitting the ground. A yards-wide crater had formed, the earth scorched from the intense mana-enhanced punches.

"If Devin doesn't remember this, then we'll tell him later. For now, we have to subdue him! Both of him!" Kelly barked, and both Devins staggered up to their feet, smiling wildly.

"You dodge well!" one of them complimented.

"But can you dodge this?" the other challenged, and both Devins drew back their hands and charged up new red-green mana on their hands. Kelly was unsure what they were planning, but then the Devins thrust their arms forward, and two massive fireballs raged forth, one from each Devin. Only Kelly's Wall of Bone protected her, the barricade of magic bones absorbing the brunt of the attack. The last of the fires died off, and the Wall stood, albeit damaged.

I didn't know we could do that, either! Kelly thought with increasing frustration. Her own charcoal-black mana aura was up, but she wasn't confident that she could fling her mana around like that. How can Rho know more about us than us? She's green-blue, after all… bodily enchantment and tinkering is her specialty! Her body is her advantage… wait.

Ashley hurried to her bigger sister's side, before the Devins fired their second volley of fire. Ashley's Safe Passage diverted the flames, the holy walls of smoke ensuring that the sisters took no harm. The Devins only laughed and advanced, charging up their mana auras to an even greater extent.

"I'm afraid of hurting them. What about the real Devin?" Ashley voiced her concern. "We're all already worn out from fighting Rho."

Kelly gripped her stack of cards tightly. "Don't worry, Ash. I've got a plan. When the Devins attack again, just keep their attacks away until I carry it out."

"Okay, I –" Ashley started, until both Devins punched the ground, shattering it like an earthquake. Great jagged chunks of dirt and rock broke free of the ground, throwing Ashley and Kelly off their feet and buffeting them about in an earthy storm. Taking advantage of this, the Devins launched their fireballs again, the flames washing over Ashley and Kelly with only their armor-like mana auras to protect them. The mana auras prevented all damage, but Ashley's and Kelly's already waning mana auras were reduced to dangerously low levels by the attack. They couldn't afford to keep this up.

"Now! You die, children!" both Devins cried, leaping forward for one final attack. Ashley's Holy Day slowed down the pair of Devins, and Ashley waited to see what Kelly's plan was. She was shocked when Kelly brandished one of her rarely-used cards, a Consume Spirit. It was a Sorcery which cost X1B and read, "Spend only black mana on X. Consume Spirit deals X damage to target creature or player and you gain X life."

I don't think I've seen Kelly use that card before, Ashley noticed, until she clapped her hands over her mouth in shock when she saw how her sister used that card. Two long, deathly-black spikes of black mana shot out of the card, and each one impaled one of the Devins in the gut in mid-air. Both Devins were stuck on the ends of the mana spikes, blood coming out of their mouths as they twitched uselessly and gaped at their enemy.

"You…!" both Devins gasped.

Ashley scrambled to Kelly's side. "Kelly!" she raged. "The real Devin…!"

"Check the pockets! Of either one of them!" Kelly snapped, wanting to hurry before her spell killed the Devins. Ashley snapped herself out of it and rushed over to the Devins, using some of her blue mana to drift up into the air and take the side of one of the Devins. Kelly used the imp-aspect of her black mana to float into the air as well, checking the other Devin.

"What are we looking for?" Ashley trembled, aware that both Devins were rapidly dying.

Kelly reached into the pockets of her Devin. "Rho imitated Devin's body, personality, and even his mana aura," she stated. She rummaged in her Devin's pockets, and pulled out his cards. "But can she imitate his cards correctly? I bet not. Check."

"U-um…" Ashley hesitated, until she realized what her sister was on to. She slipped her hand into her Devin's pockets, and her hand encountered his stack of twenty or so cards. She pulled the stack out, and looked over to Kelly. "Should these cards look strange or anything?"

Kelly looked over her Devin's cards and saw that they were completely normal. Her face brightened. "Yes, they should," she said. Ashley inspected her Devin's cards, and gasped as she realized that the cards she held were blank white. They were the right size and thickness, but had no graphics on them. Ashley glanced in fear at the Devin she had taken the cards from. This one is Rho! She voiced her findings.

"I knew it!" Kelly cried in triumph, waving a hand to dispel the mana spike that had impaled the real Devin. He started to fall, until Ashley drifted over and caught him in her arms. She settled to the ground, gently laying Devin on the grass and getting out her Holy Day card again. Poor Devin. He's always the one getting hurt the most when we fight, she lamented, allowing her holy white magic to start mending Devin's wounds. He lay there passively, almost as though asleep. Get better soon.

Kelly, too, was immensely relieved that the real Devin had been located and treated, but she has unsettled business. She confronted the fake Devin, who looked up at Kelly with a look of fury.

"You foul little witch!" the Devin hissed, his voice changing back to Rho's, a strange sound coming from Devin's body. "How dare you…"

"Oh, hush," Kelly grinned, and Rho's body transformed back into her own, but she was still impaled on the Consume Spirit spike. Rho smiled, and Kelly frowned at the sight.

"You fool! You little fool!" Rho cried. Globs of green flesh with blue veins started to cover her body, mending its injuries. "I cannot die! My body is my greatest weapon, and you will never take it from me! You're too weak to continue resisting me, anyway."

"I don't think so," Kelly retorted, seeing that Rho's forehead emerald was glowing bright, a sign that she was using up most of her mana just to heal. "Time to take you out!"

Kelly made good on her promise: she devoted the last of her black mana to one final spell, a super-charged Vicious Hunger. The raging storm of ravenous black mana hit Rho like a tidal wave, blasting its furious energy and consuming the Hunter. Rho's cry of anguish and defeat was soon overtaken by the mana storm, but Kelly rapidly felt herself weaken from the exertion. With her sight growing fuzzy, she fell to her knees, too weak to continue standing. Her patience paid off, however, and after one final pulse of mana, Rho's body exploded in a shower of blue and green mana.

The regular effect of Vicious Hunger meant that some of Rho's mana was transferred to Kelly, giving her the strength she needed to stay conscious and stand up, as well as dispel the Consume Spirit spike. As the clouds of Vicious Hunger parted, Kelly saw that nothing was left of Rho: except for her forehead emerald, which had been flung high into the air and was starting to fall again.

I have to catch it! Kelly thought, and was about to cast a tiny Sengir Vampire to fly up and catch it before a purple and black portal appeared in the air near the emerald. Kelly recognized the portal as one of Elena's, and dread filled her. A single Bird creature, with feathers of green and black, emerged from that portal and swooped upon the airborne emerald. Kelly could only watch as the Bird took the emerald in its talons and flew back through the portal, vanishing from sight as the portal faded away. Kelly, now on the ground, slumped to her knees from a renewed sense of exhaustion. I let it get away. Curse it! At least Rho is gone. Is Devin okay?

Kelly hurried over to Ashley and Devin, making sure not to overexert herself as she ran. She knelt by Devin's side, and he sat up suddenly.

"Dude. What the hell happened?" he asked with a grin, clutching his head with his only hand. "I feel fine, but…"

He was cut off as both sisters lunged on him in a tight hug of relief. "We destroyed Rho," Ashley told him, tears in her eyes. "And we're glad you're okay. You were possessed, and then injured…"

"Wow. Just business as usual, huh?" Devin said with humor, accepting both hugs. "Thank you, Kelly and Ashley, for this. I kind of pooped out halfway through, but oyu both finished the job."

"That's right," Kelly said with a weak smile. "Both of us."

"But you lost the emerald, didn't ya? Didn't ya, butterfingers?" a voice taunted Kelly, and Gerbie emerged from Ashley's jeans pocket like a dragon from its denim lair.

"Gerbie!" Ashley admonished her Simic pet.

"What's that about the emerald? Did we lose Rho's forehead emerald?" Devin asked. Kelly nodded.

"I was too exhausted to get it. One of Elena's Enslaved creatures, a bird, got it first and took it away. I'm very sorry."

"Could we have even used its power?" Devin wondered.

Ashley shook her head. "No, Devin. We can't use the emeralds ourselves; we just try to secure them so the other Hunters can't absorb their power, the way Epsilon absorbed Gamma's emerald."

"Oh, yeah. Epsilon's a good guy, so it's okay for him," Devin grinned, then his face fell. "But now one of the other Hunters can absorb Rho's emerald and gain her powers?"

"Most likely. But you can handle it, can't you, big boy?" Gerbie said confidently, and everyone agreed.

*o*o*o*o*

Viktor realized that he had made a foolish mistake. Already, he was standing atop his mammoth Simic Sky Swallower, a 6/6 monster that required a serious investment in his green-blue mana reserves to cast. Then, there was his 8/8 Khalni Hydra standing on the ground, desperately trying to fend off It That Betrays. A Fighting Drake hovered in the air over Viktor, but its mana cost was negligible. The problem was trying to maintain a Simic Sky Swallower, a Khalni Hydra, and an Ulamog's Crusher all at the same time.

"Viktor!" Makoto yelped in shock, seeing his friend fall to his knees and struggle to stay upright as he held up the Ulamog's Crusher card. Viktor squinted against the blinding mana light of the Eldrazi being cast, and felt his strength dwindling at a frightening pace. Damn it. I got carried away and tried to cast one too many big creatures! Gotta fix…

"Ah hahaha! Not feeling so good?" Sigma shouted, leaping an astonishing length from the ground to the top of It That Betrays' head. He pointed at Viktor. "Kill him, my pet!"

Makoto's Cage of Hands helped delay the It That Betrays, with a swarm of ethereal hands encasing the Eldrazi's head and restraining it, making the Eldrazi hesitate against attacking. Viktor took his chance; his Ulamog's Crusher was only partway out of its card, with its head, shoulders, and an arm fully developed. Viktor lacked the mana to cast the rest of it, but he got an idea once he saw his injured Khalni Hydra nip at It That Betrays' arms.

"You've done enough, big guy," Viktor told the Hydra, and he held up its card in his other hand. While It That Betrays strained against its Cage of Hands prison and started to break it, Viktor recalled the Khalni Hydra to its card. The huge, green Hydra melted into vivid green mana that rushed back into the card like a horizontal waterfall, and Viktor's eyes widened as his mana reserves shot back up to a comfortable level. The Ulamog's Crusher resumed the casting process, and its other thick arm came out of the card, too.

"Too late! Kill everything!" Sigma shouted angrily, and his Little Clock Rocket gave It That Betrays the boost it needed to break through the Cage of Hands and resume the attack at high speed. Makoto frantically cast a Silverstorm Samurai to take the brunt of It That Betrays' Annihilator, with the fox samurai vanishing into clouds of ash. It That Betrays' hands swung to destroy the Simic Sky Swallower and its passengers, but its hands were blocked by those of Ulamog's Crusher.

"Yes! Just in time," Makoto cheered, and even Epsilon was in awe of the massive 8/8 Eldrazi that stood up to It That Betrays in order to protect its master. The creature stood on the ground right in front of It That Betrays, and instead of legs, a mass of smooth, thick tentacles sprouted from the Crusher's torso. The Eldrazi's torso was man-like except that it was hairless and had subdued gray and purple tones, and its face was like a featureless skull mask. The Crushers' humanoid hands gripped It That Betrays' arms, stopping its attack cold.

"That won't save you forever! Raaaaah!" Sigma shouted in anger, and Viktor watched him display a new power: shooting bright purple fire streams from his hands, not unlike those that Beta used to employ. The fire raged toward the Crusher's head, until Epsilon leaped into action. He threw his plant warriors into the fire's path and used his Freezing Attack Level 2 on the fire to blunt its damage to the plants.

"I didn't even know you could use the Freezing Attack that way," Viktor commented.

"Yes! It's an innovation of my own. Now hurry!" Epsilon cried as Sigma intensified his fire stream. "I can't keep him for long."

Viktor and Makoto took their cue. With an Indomitable Will and Oakenform enhancing Viktor's Ulamog's Crusher, It That Betrays was the one in trouble now. Ulamog's Crusher was encased in armor-like wood, making up for the power/toughness deficit between itself and It That Betrays. Fueled further by Makoto's Indomitable Will, the Crusher lurched forward for the attack. It swept an arm for Annihilator 2, and for the first time Viktor was glad to see that horrific power in effect. It That Betrays rumbled in defiance and raised its multiple arms to cover its face, but its forearms were starting to get dissolved by the Crusher's Annihilator. Determined not to lose the advantage, Sigma called off his purple fire and cast a Little Clock Slug to slow down the Crusher and give It That Betrays a chance to hit back.

Viktor was ready for this. "Cancel!" he shouted, and his blue spell fizzled out the Little Clock Slug right in Sigma's hand. However, Sigma used up another bottled counter-spell in his arm attachment, and the Little Clock Slug crept back into existence, with the Cancel's effect countered in turn. However, Sigma was not expecting Viktor to use Cancel again, and his second cancel vaporized Sigma's bottled counter, which allowed the first Cancel to go into effect, and stop the Little Clock Slug for good.

"Get them, Crusher!" Viktor shouted at his Eldrazi, and the Crusher rumbled its acknowledgement and hunger, rushing forward to attack again. The Crusher's Annihilator 2 went into effect again, but It That Betrays had counterattacked at the same time, and both Eldrazis' Annihilator powers clashed in midair, forming a thick screen of dark gray mana that seethed with intense heat. Within seconds, however, the cloud vanished, and It That Betrays lunged forth and punched the Crusher on its torso with two arms, sending the Crusher staggering back. The Crusher's armor had been destroyed where the fists had hit, but the Crusher's body was unharmed, protected by the Oakenform armor.

At Viktor's further encouragement, the Crusher rumbled its anger and charged again, swinging its fist and catching It That Betrays with a mighty blow. The 11/11 Eldrazi's head was snapped to the side, and one of its horns was broken off. Sigma swayed from the force on top of It That Betrays' head, having difficulty keeping balance. The Crusher turned to look over it s shoulder at Viktor with its featureless face, and Viktor nodded. The Crusher moved to finish off It That Betrays, with Simic Sky Swallower moving forward to assist its Eldrazi friend.

"Man. You ought to call it 'Viktor's Crusher'," Makoto joked, watching Ulamog's Crusher take orders from relatively tiny Viktor. Viktor laughed, shaking his head. "Let's just hope that it doesn't turn against us; it's a trigger-happy creature, after all; it has to attack with every chance it gets. That's the downside to being an 8/8 Annihilator 2 for only 8 colorless mana."

"I guess you're right," Makoto had to agree, turning to witness the huge-creature brawl. "Mind if I have some input? I've got to help out, too."

"I'll be in reserve in case anything happens," Epsilon added. "Sigma is a man of many tricks."

"Do it," Viktor encouraged Makoto. "And yes, we all have to watch out. I bet Sigma still has more powers ready to use; maybe even an enhanced Clock attack. Those are Little Clock Rocket and Little Clock Slug. Think there's a bigger clock waiting for us?"

"Gonna risk it," Makoto said, and he held up a new card. "Yosei, the Morning Star!"

Viktor was impressed by the enormous white Dragon Spirit that erupted from the card, its serpentine body coiling in the sky to save room. Since Yosei was cast here on Zendikar instead of Kamigawa, there would be no legendary creature conflict; there was already a Yosei guarding what remained of Eiganjo Castle, but here there was no problem. The 5/5 flying dragon roared its rage and bloodlust, and its almost ethereal body seeming to glow. At Makoto's command, Yosei charged into the fray to assist the Simic Sky Swallower and Ulamog's Crusher.

It That Betrays couldn't handle the three-pronged attack. The Sky Swallower head-butted the 11/11 Eldrazi, its teeth and sheer bulk driving back its target. Then, Ulamog's Crusher swung both of its arms, forcing It That Betrays to block with its own arms, and its torso started to dissolve from the Crusher's Annihilator 2. Then, Yosei took advantage of this opening and charged at It That Betrays' exposed chest, closing its jaws around the Eldrazi's chest.

"Damn you all! Damn you all, foul creatures!" Sigma roared his rage, casting a Little Clock Slug to slow down the attackers. However, Viktor once again cast his Cancel to stop the Clock, and the three creatures all attacked again, all at the same time. The combined attack struck It That Betrays and destroyed it at last, the Eldrazi's defeated body crumbling to ashes and leaving Sigma with nothing to stand on. Sigma landed on the ground with a heavy thud, aware of the Simic Sky Swallower, Ulamog's Crusher, and Yosei, the Morning Star all above him.

"Spawnsires! All my minions! Get over here, would you? Let's return some fire!" Sigma called out, and both Spawnsire of Ulamogs dragged themselves forward, eager to assist their master. The mob of Eldrazi Drones also scurried forth, entering the battlefield from all sides and numbering in the hundreds. Viktor saw countless Emrakul's Hatchers, Kozilek's Predators, and Dread Drones swarming around the three card-creatures. He doubted that even those three could fend off all those Drones, both Spawnsires, and Sigma himself.

"Let's move on to the next stage, huh? Yeah!" Sigma cackled, rubbing his hands together and smiling widely as both of his Spawnsires lurched into position on either side of him. "Time to show you what I can really do! Ha, 'time' to tell you? Ah hahaha!"

Sigma once again placed his fists on his hips and started to dance in place, whistling his rapid and erratic tune. Viktor only stared down from his vantage point on the Simic Sky Swallower, and Epsilon had had enough. He brandished his ivory sword.

"Do not mock us, beast! Your giant Eldrazi pet is dead! Now you will follow!"

"Wait a second!" Viktor shouted at his hasty Hunter friend, but he was too late. All of Epsilon's plants joined their master on his descent, all of them headed for Sigma in the middle of the Eldrazi Drone crowd. Ulamog's Crusher, Yosei, and Simic Sky Swallower all backed up to make room, afraid to make a move of their own. Then, Sigma made his move: he looked up and stopped dancing, raising his arms wide to make a human T.

"Giant Clock Twister!" Sigma bellowed with glee, and at once, the whole world seemed to become distorted. A vast ghostly clock face appeared, over half a mile wide and big enough to encompass the entire battlefield and every creature in it. The usual CLANK-TOCK! CLANK-TOCK! sound throbbed in Viktor's ears, but there was another issue: each hand on the clock face went opposite directions, passing each other as they spun. Viktor didn't know what to make of that; would this Giant Clock Twister slow down all time or speed it up? He backed away from the Simic Sky Swallower's haunch just to be sure, keeping himself from being exposed.

"Whoa! What…?" Viktor cried, his body suddenly feeling as though he moved underwater. Even his voice seemed to deepen and slow down, his words stretched out in the air like rubber. He quickly brought his hand up to his face, but his arm responded sluggishly, taking twice as much time to move as Viktor expected. He turned his head as fast as his sluggish body could handle, and Makoto was staring at him, backing away in slow-motion horror.

"Yooouuu'rrrreee moooovvvinnngg sllloooowwwwwllly!" Makoto's slow voice said in subdued shock, his eyes wide.

"Yoooooouuuu toooooooooo!" Viktor told him, alarmed by how his jaw moved slowly, his words only casually drifting through the air. He scrambled back to the edge of the Sky Swallower, and saw Epsilon falling toward Sigma in slow motion, his sword still held high for the attack. The plants were falling slowly as well, unable to help their master.

"Ah hahaha! Someone is slow on the uptake!" Sigma laughed, then raised his left arm at the descending Epsilon. "Let me drill some speed into you!"

Viktor watched, and took note that Sigma seemed to move even faster than normal, clearly benefiting from the Giant Clock Twister while he, Makoto, and Epsilon were slowed down by it. Sigma's arm attachment produced a new weapon: a giant drill that covered his hand and started to spin, making a high-pitched whirr. Epsilon was helpless against the attack, being unable to react in time. As soon as Epsilon was close, Sigma jumped up into the air and thrust his giant drill into Epsilon's gut, tearing into the renegade Hunter's gut.

No! Epsilon! Viktor raged in his head, frustrated that he couldn't help. Down near the ground, Epsilon's eyes widened as Sigma's drill gored him, and blood flew from his gaping mouth from the injury. Sigma withdrew the drill and mightily kicked him, sending Epsilon flying away and crashing into the side of the mountain in a cloud of dust and debris.

"Daaaaaaamn it!" Viktor cursed, and his Ulamog's Crusher picked up on his anger. Unable to keep itself from attacking, the Crusher lurched after Sigma, moving as slowly as its master. Sigma turned to see the 8/8 Eldrazi moving in for the kill, and jumped high into the air to counter it. Sigma's drill burrowed deep into the Crusher's featureless face, making it stagger back and cover its face with its hands, rumbling in agony. Not even Yosei, the Morning Star could help.

"Weeeeee've gooot toooo doooo sooomethiiiiiing!" Makoto frantically told Viktor as fast as the time warp effect would allow. Viktor was recalling the Crusher back into its card, hoping to recharge his mana reserves instead of squandering them in a doomed Eldrazi. He agreed with Makoto, but didn't have any cards to deal with the Giant Clock Twister, not even any blue cards with alternate effects. He searched his card stack, frustrated when he re-affirmed that he had nothing, and neither did Makoto. I'd have to somehow change one of my cards into a Time Warp or something, but I can't… can I?

Then, Viktor saw his Cytoshape card near the bottom of his card stack.

"You're next up there!" Sigma shouted up to Makoto and Viktor on the Simic Sky Swallower, but Viktor had already set to work. He held his Cytoshape and Twiddle cards together, pouring every ounce of his flared green-blue mana aura into the two cards. Sigma, meanwhile, jumped into the air, shooting upwards as though he had been launched from a cannon. He landed on the side of the mountain and then jumped again, getting even higher up and closer to the Simic Sky Swallower. The Leviathan drifted higher into the air to escape Sigma, but its slowness made sure that the speedy Hunter wouldn't be delayed for long.

"Whaaaaat aaaaaare yooooouuuuu…" Makoto started to ask Viktor, until he motioned for silence to concentrate. Viktor felt his limbs weakening and sweat running down his body from the effort, shocked by how much mana this process was taking. All this to change one card! Well, it's a pretty big deal. Cards are all unique in their effects and whatnot, so changing them is… a serious effort! The Twiddle card was contorting, its surface graphics twisting into new shapes and colors from the glowing Cytoshape card. Blue organic plasma clung to the underside of the Twiddle.

"Watcha doing? Shouldn't you try to defend yourselves from me?" Sigma taunted them, landing on the opposite end of the Simic Sky Swallower and pointing with his drill hand. "Oh, that's right. You can't! Ah hahaha!"

Now Sigma put away the drill attachment and produced the sword extension, running down the length of the Sky Swallower's back with frightening speed. Just as he got close, however, Viktor held up his new card with every bit of his remaining strength that he could muster. "Time Warp!"

The mythic rare M10 card cost 1UU to give the user another turn, but Viktor had a different idea on how to use it. Sigma screeched to a halt, hardly believing what he was seeing, wearing a look of amazement on his face. The Giant Clock Twister on the ground slowed down, the two clock hands slowing to a halt and the world seemed to contort again. Viktor felt his body's movements speed up, and the thick feeling of slow-time vanished.

"You…! You ruined my Giant Clock Twister!" Sigma howled. "Again, you ruin my plans! Now you die for defying me!"

Sigma leaped at Viktor with all the speed he could muster, until a green-white form flashed into existence between the Hunter and Viktor. The shape resolved into Epsilon, who had used a fastwalk to get in the way in time. He held his ivory sword up to Sigma's neck.

"H-how did you get here? Your injuries…" Makoto sputtered. Then, both he and Viktor saw the light green plants that clung to Epsilon's chest, giving off puffs of bright blue pollen from their flowers as they worked.

"I am green-white at my core, after all," Epsilon explained, pointing at the plants. "I am still badly hurt, but this will delay my wounds' adverse effects long enough for me to finish the job. With your help, of course."

"Don't count on it!" Sigma raged, and his sword attachment came up to knock away Epsilon's ivory blade. The two Hunters engaged in a furious sword duel, clashing their blades with inhuman intensity. However, Epsilon found an opening in Sigma's guard and kicked him, sending him flying through the air. A Little Clock Slug made sure that Sigma fell slowly, to give him time to arrange a safe landing. That was just what Epsilon needed.

"Freezing Attack Level 3!" Epsilon shouted, and a huge bolt of blue-white mana shot out of his hand and struck the slowly-falling Sigma, encasing him. The blue-red Hunter froze in mid-air, unable to move or use any abilities from where he was. Epsilon sank to the surface of the Sky Swallower's back, gasping and panting.

"Hey! Are you okay?" Viktor cried, rushing to the Hunter's side.

"Y-yeah. I'll be all right," Epsilon wheezed, looking at the trapped Sigma with triumph. "I think you've seen this attack before, right?"

That was true; Viktor had defeated his first Hunter with this attack, when Jace had turned Gamma's own Freezing Attack Level 3 against him. Sigma would be trapped there for 24 hours, easy game.

"Then let's end it," Viktor said, and he commanded the Sky Swallower to lurch forward. Makoto's Yosei joined it, and they positioned themselves at opposite sides of the trapped Sigma. They both rushed at him, intending to crush him between their bodies and jaws.

"Till next time!" Sigma shouted, and then both the Sky Swallower and Yosei collided with Sigma, destroying him. He exploded in a rush of blue-red mana, and shards of it flew everywhere like a firework. More importantly, Viktor saw the tiny green form of Sigma's forehead emerald flying through the air, as though in slow motion. He was just about to cast a Fighting Drake to go retrieve it when a tiny purple-black portal opened in the sky, near the emerald.

"Wh-what?" Viktor sputtered, not expecting this. He could do nothing but watch as a black Bug creature buzzed out of the portal and seized the forehead emerald in its legs, then flew back through the portal with its prize. The portal closed behind it.

Viktor lowered the Simic Sky Swallower to the ground, and the assembled Eldrazi all scattered and departed, now that their master was gone; they'd rather terrorize the rest of Zendikar than pick on two kids and a Hunter. All the card-creatures were unsummoned, and Viktor and Makoto helped Epsilon to his feet.

"Well, Sigma is gone. That was the best we could do," the Hunter grinned in spite of the loss of the forehead emerald. "Just Alpha and Elena left to go, now. I can't wait to see the look on Elena's face when we destroy her and her dreams of domination."

Viktor nodded. "Neither can I."