All The Skills

Once again, Arthur was torn by a choice.

Marion knew – or at least strongly suspected – Arthur had stolen his card. And it was a very good card.

He didn’t have to stand back. He just had to be a few steps too slow.

Then the mother weasel would have access to a Legendary time card.

More importantly, Arthur thought Marion could be a friend. He missed Horatio. Cressida was great, but he missed having a guy-friend, and he thought Marion could be that… if he didn’t blow up at Arthur for stealing his card.

More importantly, Arthur wasn’t going to sit back and allow someone to die on his watch. He’d already made that choice when he saved Penn.

But even with all of Arthur’s good intentions, he had no hope of taking on the mother weasel by himself.

All of this flashed in his mind in a moment. It felt like he was standing still, like he had accessed the frozen-time in his Personal Space. But it was only adrenaline.

Marion suddenly jerked around to face the oncoming scourgeling, even though he had no hope of seeing it through the illusionary fog.

Arthur knew what he had to do.

“Marion, its coming at you to the left!” he yelled, knowing Marion had already heard his voice in the future.

Then Arthur pelted to Penn who had picked himself up and was looking frantically around in all directions with his hand on his sword. Arthur was the only one who could see through the fog. He would have to guide him.

Even as he raced to Penn, he saw he would be too slow.

The mother-weasel had barreled forward and was only a few strides away. It opened its jaws in anticipation, teeth sticking out at all angles from its muzzle like a hedgehog has quills. These weren’t jaws for chewing and swallowing. The scourgelings weren’t real animals – they killed and they “ate” cards.

Marion stepped to the side, unprompted. The scourgeling barreled past several steps before it turned to whip around. Marion followed its movements to keep back behind its flank. The scourgeling twisted, and he did as well, moving along with it as if they were part of the same choreographed dance.

As if he could see what the scourgeling was about to do a moment before it did it.

Seeing the future bought Marion time to dodge the creature, but it was a stalling tactic at best. Arthur had taken his combative card.

Arthur reached Penn who visibly startled at his ‘appearance’.

“Come on.” Forgoing all dignity, Arthur grabbed Penn’s free hand and dragged his cousin behind him. He wasn’t going to risk Penn getting lost in the fog. “Follow me. It’s after Marion.”

“Where’s Echo? Doesn’t she have a bow?” Penn demanded but followed Arthur. In fact, if not for Arthur’s Running enhancement boost, Penn’s longer legs would have allowed him to overtake him.

“She hasn’t gotten up. I think she was knocked out.” At least, he hoped that was only it. Everyone had tumbled end over end in that blast of wind. It was possible she hit her head on something.

Speaking of wind, the mother-weasel had quickly become frustrated with Marion’s antics. It aimed a blast of wind at Marion's direction, but the prince leaped away out of the direct cone of destruction.

The wind blast seemed to be a range-focused spell. It missed Marion completely and was angled wrong to threaten Arthur and Penn – but it was enough to knock over three trees standing at the edge of the field. It must have gotten stronger the further it was caster.

As the trees toppled over, Arthur spared a glance up to the sky. Surely some dragons or their riders had seen that?

The skies directly above were completely empty. Not a dragon wing or a claw to be seen. No ariel scourgelings either, but considering they were in the middle of an eruption it was eerie.

He didn’t have time to think about it. Arthur and Penn were nearly at the battle.

He knew the moment they were close enough for Penn to see because he sped up, overtaking Arthur’s stride. With a kick off the ground, he jumped higher than Arthur would have thought possible – was that a combat skill or was the man that athletic? – and brought his sword down to slice deep across the scourgeling’s haunch.

The scourgeling whistled a sound that made Arthur’s ears want to bleed. It whipped around to face the new threat, swiping a claw.

Penn flicked his blade. Sparks flew as the sword met claws, and the scourgeling’s paw was knocked aside. Penn followed it up with a kick to its face which forced it back a step.

Arthur stepped to Marion who had bent to rest his hands on his knees.

“That was close,” Marion said. “Another few seconds and…”

“It’s not over yet,” Arthur said grimly.

Marion waved toward the battle. “Really?”

Penn was… standing on top of the scourgeling, somehow maintaining his balance and stabbing down while the creature flung itself back and forth to try to shake him off. And since it had modeled itself after a weasel, it was extremely flexible.

In desperation it threw its head back and tried to wind-blast Penn off. Penn slashed a quick backhand swipe at it, nearly taking off the end of its nose. The blast went wild.

“You might have a point,” Arthur conceded.

Marion frowned. “Where’s my sis—Oh. Never mind.”

A moment later a silver arrow seemed to erupt out of the scourgeling’s eye and out the other side. It dropped like a stone, finally pitching Penn off.

Echo stood not far away with her bow raised, looking dirty and bloody. She had clearly gotten the worst of the first wind blast.

“Hey!” Penn complained. “I had it. I didn’t need help.”

“That thing made me get blood in my beard!” The girl stomped over and kicked the dead scourgeling. One of her eyes was half shut, caked with blood.

“What does it matter?” Marion asked. “It’ll heal once you return to your body.”

“I don’t have the mana to switch back and forth again. That means I have to stay like this, all gross!” She kicked the body again – rather viciously.

Penn rolled his eyes but returned to business. “Kane, do you see anything else about to come at us?”

“No. Nothing.” Arthur frowned. “Nothing in the skies, either. I don’t see any dragon riders nearby.”

Their were some in the distance, clustered around the still erupting cone. But… not as many as he would have expected.

He looked at the others who frowned or shrugged back at him.

Penn bent to harvest from the dead scourgeling. He stood up grinning. “Two cards.”

“Ohhh.” Echo clapped her hands in delight. “Are they good?”

“Decent. They’re Uncommon. One is a plant growth power – I bet it got that from a farmer,” Penn said without a trace of sympathy. “Second is that raged wind attack.” He frowned and then to Arthur’s complete shock, extended the card out to him. “You ought to have it.”

“Me? Why?” Was this some sort of a trick?

Echo seemed to have the same thought. “Why him? I thought we were keeping the loot to show we’re a good team.”

“He’s the only one without a strong offensive card. Plus,” Penn added, “it unlocks mana.”

Marion didn’t say anything but watched the byplay with narrowed eyes.

He thinks this is suspicious too, Arthur thought but reached to take the card anyway.

Wind Release

Charm

Uncommon

The wielder of this card will be able to direct a powerful blast of wind at will. Blast strength is dependent on heart deck mana usage.

Ah, there was the catch.

“I’d have to add this to my heart deck,” Arthur said.

Penn shrugged. “An Uncommon or two shouldn’t be a problem. It’s not a bad power.” Pause. “You have plenty of room in your heart deck, right?”

Like Arthur was going to rise to the bait that easily. “That’s not the point.”

“You should think carefully before adding anything to your heart,” Marion said. “But that’s not a bad card to have up your sleeve.”

Arthur frowned down at the card, wondering if he was being stupid. He did need a good combat card. Yes, this was unlike any of his others but that didn’t mean it was a bad thing. Did he really expect the Legendary dragon hatchling to be impressed by a budding utility specialist?

Especially when there was someone like Penn who could effortlessly win every fight?