Chapter 5

Kasper crossed the room, taking a seat across from the goth girl Winter. Just a few spots down Rylee and Alder were beginning their match for first place. Shuffling his deck, Kasper wondered about Winter's deck.

Darryl had called it Vampire Ladder, he said they get benefits when they dealt damage. Kasper wished that he had put in more defensive cards, but he was an aggressive deck.

“This will be fast for us.” Winter said, presenting her deck to be cut. “We both play relatively attack focused decks.”

“Oh is that so?” Kasper said, presenting his own deck.

“Yep, I just like swinging a lot, nice and easy. I used to play a bit of Venus when I started in the game, but moved to Pluto pretty quickly.” Winter said with a smile. Kasper felt like he misjudged her, she seemed nicer then he thought when he first saw her.

Winter won the die roll and chose to go first. She flipped her gate and gate master. The gate was Pluto, and her Gate Master was a wolf.

Azazoth, Lost History. A powerful Limit 3 that could be summoned from the hand when another Vampire dealt damage.

Kasper realized what Darryl had meant. With a large enough energy reserve then Azazoth could be played any number of times a turn. He would have to stop Winter from hitting him as much as possible.

Once they finished mulligans Kasper began his turn. His hand was 2 Thornys, 2 Sapphire Scales, 1 Soul Sword, 1 Orion’s Clothesline. It was a good looking hand assuming he could draw some Burnova.

The draw was Dragons Campfire, he choose to Energize that for another card. He equipt the Soul Sword and swung, bringing Winter down to 18. Winter started her turn with an Energize.

“Right, I play Vampire Librarian to the right.” Winter said. “When it enters the field you get 2 energy and take 2 damage.” Bringing her to 16 life. “Next I'll play Vampire Duo, Isabel to the left.” Isabel had a named ability, Midnight Waltz, when It enters the field if you had taken damage this turn draw a card and gain 2 life.

“Woh, so pretty much you gained a 2 energy and drew a card for no negative effects.” Kasper said, reading the cards.

“Yep, I take a lot of damage but I make up for it with some life gain.” Winter said. “Attack Phase?”

“I'll activate Orion's Clothesline, destroying Isabel.” Kasper declared, dropping the spell for 1 energy.

“Tragic.” Winter said. “Anyways, Librarian attack for 2.”

“I cast Sapphire Scale to stop that and gain a Energy.” Kasper declared.

“Turn.” Winter said.

“Stand and Draw.” Kasper declared. Another Dragon Campfire. This time Kasper Energized a Thorny. It was an El Caliente. “Thorny to the left.” Energize and draw, giving him another El Caliente in hand. Kasper thought about it, as things stood he couldn't destroy the Librarian unless he played an El Caliente, but then he would be leaving himself with less attacks later, was it better to play it now to destroy the Librarian now or hold it for later?

“Attack phase.” Kasper said. He decided it was best to hold back for now, he just would have to defend when Winter went into the ladder. With 2 swings Kasper dealt 4 damage, putting her at 14 damage. “I end the turn.”

“Stand, Draw, Energize.” Winter clicked her tongue as she looked over her hand. “I'll enter the attack phase, attack with Librarian.”

“I take 2.” Kasper said, expecting something crazy. He had 16 life left.

“I summon my Gate Master.” Winter said, placing Azazoth on the center, putting Librarian into the drop with 3 energy. “Gate Master ability, you take 4 damage.” This put Kasper at 12. “Now, we both drop 5 cards from our decks with the summon skill of Azazoth. For each unit revealed, I will gain a Life.”

Winter flipped hers, only 1 Unit was revealed. Kasper flipped his, this time there were 2 Units. Winter gained 3 life total. With that one move, Winter gained a huge advantage over Kasper.

“Azazoth attacks for 4.”

“Sapphire Scales!”

“I end my turn.”

His draw was a Soul Sword, he charged it away, drawing a Venus Energy. That could help him shut down some of Winter’s summon combos if she attacks a Unit. “I play Thorny to the right.” Kasper said, gaining the Nova Gift. The draw was another Venus Energy. “Attack Phase, Thorny attacks Azazoth with Venus Energy. This will give him enough power to take him out!”

“I'll fizzle the attack with the Form of a Shadow.” Winter said, casting a counter spell from her hand.

“Link attack with Thorny and Soul sword, restanding the first Thorny.”

Winter sighed. “Alright, I cast No Pain No Gain, destroying my Azazoth to gain 2 energy and 2 life.”

“Thorny attack for 2.”

“I'm at 17 life.” Winter said.

Kasper was making no real progress. He thought that, till he saw her hand size, it was small, and he had the field advantage. He could win this!

“Stand, Draw, Energize.” Winter said. “I equip Relic Fang.” It was a 4k power, 2 crit item that gave Winter a life point every time she attacks. “I play Librarian to the right.” another 2 energy and she took 2 life, putting her to 15. “Now I activate the ability of my Vampire Duo, Klaus.” she pulled out a unit from her drop zone, the one she dropped from Azazoth’s skill.

“Twilight Return, if this card is in the drop zone I may drop the top 3 cards of my deck and take 2 damage, if I do I can summon Klaus to my left.” Winter explained, dropping 3 cards and going to 13 life. It was a Limit 1 unit with strong attack, but only 1 Crit.

“Attack phase.” Winter said. “Klaus attacks your Thorny on the left.”

“Venus Energy, destroy Klaus.” Kasper pumps his fist, the plan with Venus Energy worked!

“Pain.” Winter said, begrudgingly putting Klaus into the drop. “Librarian attacks Thorny, then my item attacks the other, gaining me a life.”

Kasper couldn't stop it, his board was cleared minus his item, and Winter could summon Klaus again next turn if she wanted to. He stood, drew, and charged a Solar Breath that he just drew. He now had 3 El Caliente and 1 Dragon Campfire in hand. That Dragon Campfire would be great if he took a bit more damage. He played two El Caliente to the left and right, then moved Librarian to the center.

“I link attack with my full team and item.” Kasper said, it was desperate but he had to do what he had to do.

“I cast Amanda and Jewel.” Winter said. “For 2 energy I can take 1 damage and destroy an enemy unit, let's destroy. I don't know, El Caliente on the left.”

That stopped his attack in its tracks, so Kasper ended his turn.

“Stand, Draw.” Winter said. “No Charge, attack phase, Librarian attacks you for 2.”

“I go to 10.” Kasper said, he had to take the damage unfortunately.

“Azazoth Lost History to the left.” Winter said. Her boss unit was back! Kasper noticed she didn't play Klaus, why? Winter got to gain another 5 Life from the skill of Azazoth after both players dropped 5 cards from their decks.

“I attack for 2, gaining 1 life from my item.” Winter said.

“I’ve got 8 life left.” Kasper said.

“Azazoth attacks for 4.” Winter said.

“I’m down to 4 life points.” Kasper said.

Winter smiled. “I cast Vampire Slasher! For 1 energy I deal 2 damage to you, then if you have 10 or more cards in your drop, deal 2 more damage.”

Kasper looked at the stack of cards in his drop zone, he counted 24 cards. “That's a game.” Kasper says with a sigh.

Winter leaned back in her seat, clearly relieved to win.

“Alright, I'll go second.” Kasper said, gathering his cards. He understood what was happening now, he just needed to hit harder. He didn't get his big cards, it happens, but now he knew what to expect from Winter. He COULD win the next game! Going second let him get more attacks sooner, but it also forced Winter to only attack once. This would keep her from getting her extra summons and attacks.

“Draw, Energize.” Winter said. “I'll just equip a Relic Fang and swing for 2, gaining 1.”

“I'm at 16.” Kasper said. “Draw, Energize.” He drew a Dragon Campfire, choosing to charge it now. He figured if he hit 10 life he was good as beat, plus he had one already. “I pay 2 life for Burnova to the right, and Melty Chef to the left.” This time, he had his ace unit. Kasper felt like the game was already his to win.

Kasper had noticed something about Winter’s Fizzle card last game, it only stops attacks if they aren't link attacks. “I link attack, Melty and Burnova.” Melty gave Kasper 1 life and 1 energy.

Winter swore under her breath. “I take 5.”

Kasper triggered Burnova’s skill and looked at top 3 cards of his deck, adding a Thorny to hand.

“My turn.” Winter said. “Ah man, this is rough, I cast Vampire Slasher, dealing you 2 damage for 1 energy. I had to use an Energy, sad I didn't get full value.” Kasper went down to a 13.

“But why?” Kasper asked.

Winter pointed at the card she pulled out of the Energy. Klaus. “I use Klaus’ ability from drop, to summon him. Then I summon Isabel to the left, letting me gain 2 and draw a card.” Winter had managed to pull off another combo by dealing herself damage. Winter was now ready to attack Kasper.

Kasper looked at the attacks, so far he was looking at 6 damage, not a good place to be in.

“I attack for 3 with Isabel.” Winter explained.

“I cast Orion's Clothesline to destroy Isabel.” Kasper said.

“In that case, I'll cast No Pain No Gain, destroying my own Isabel to gain 2 energy and 2 life.”

Kasper bit his lip, that made it where Kasper used a hand card and an Energy, luckily it did stop 3 damage.

“My item attacks for 2, gaining me 1.”

“I go to 11.” Kasper said.

“Klaus for 1.”

“10.” Kasper’s was planning on holding his one fizzle in hand for when a big attack came his way.

“I summon Azazoth, Consuming Essence.” Winter explained. “For 1 energy and destroying my Klaus I can play him when Klaus dealt damage. I summon him to my left.” This version of Azazoth was a Mist Vampire with a massive 6 Crit! “I attack with Azazoth.”

“Sapphire Scales!” Kasper declared.

“I end my turn.” Winter said.

Kasper drew an El Caliente, then charged a Venus Energy, drawing another Venus Energy. “I use the ability of my gate, spending 1 energy to move Azazoth to the center. Then I drop Melty and play Hitokage! His ability let’s me destroy your Azazoth!” Kasper was ecstatic at being able to clear off Winter’s biggest threat with a combo of his own.

“Attack phase, link attack with Burnova and Hitokakge.”

“I activate Amanda and Jewel, Destroying Burnova.” Winter declared. She took Hitokage’s 2 damage, putting her at 17.

“That is my turn.” Kasper said. He was feeling far less confident with his Burnova getting destroyed.

“Stand, Draw, Charge.” Winter said. “Alright, Let's play Klaus again. Attack Phase.”

Kaspers only defense was Venus Energy, and that only would help if she attacked Hitokage. “Alright.”

“I attack 2 with my item.”

8 life.

“Klaus 1.”

7

“Azazoth, Consuming Essence, destroying Klaus and attacking for 6.”

1

“Vampire Slasher.”

Kasper let out a sigh, she was still so high on life. “Man, that was rough, I'm not sure I could have done much of anything to deal with that.”

“What you mean?” Winter questioned. “There are actually a lot of cards that have been coming out that were pretty much designed to counter my deck. You also should consider having some more defensive cards like Emerald Scales at least in the side board for these types of match ups, and any other life gain you can get.”

“True, if I was running more fizzle attacks I think I would have been better off.” Kasper said. “Sorry, I guess I was just a little upset about the loss.”

Darryl chimed in from nearby. “Saltiness happens man, no worries.”

Winter glared at him. “I would have said that ya know.”

“Yep I just beat you to it.” Darryl said with a laugh, returning to his game.

Winter smiled at Kasper. “Don't take it too hard, it's your first time facing the deck, next time you'll beat it for sure, just gotta make some small tweaks.”

“Yeah, Rylee and Elijah said they would help me upgrade my deck this week.” Kasper said.

“Nice, that means that you'll be winning next week for sure.” Winter explained, then she looked towards the end of the table.

“Alright, game 2.” Rylee said.

Kasper felt his jaw go slack. “Did she say game 2?”

“Control decks are crazy.” Winter sighed. “Wanna go watch?”

Kasper smiled, then nodded as the two gathered their things, reported their scores, then went to watch the finals.

Today's Card Spotlight is Azazoth, Lost History. This size 3 Vampire/Mist unit has 14k power, 4 crit, 6k Defense, and Gate Master Skill of -4 life. It costs 3 energy and for you to drop a Vampire unit. When this card hits the field both players drop 5 cards from their deck and you gain 1 life for each unit dropped by this effect, then your opponent drops 2 more cards. This card can also be played at counter speed if you hit your opponent with a vampire unit. Pair this Azazoth with the other or any of the other powerful vampire cards like Klaus and you have a deadly threat that will make your opponent second guess every attack. You can pick up your own copy of this card as well as other powerful Pluto cards in System Gate Booster Set 3-A: Darkside Masquerade, and you can enhance the deck with System Gate Booster Set 6: Apex Battle. Speedrobo games!