Page 126 of Light Leech

I speared my hand into his throat. I couldn’t take the sick freak any longer. It was people like him who confirmed my hatred of the pleasure-driven elite.

But was I any better? I was also pleasure-driven.

I followed that drive and ripped out every remaining tooth in Kell’s mouth. I had spotted a pond on the way to wash up before returning, so I let this be as bloody as possible. Retribution and hunger collided in a chaotic symphony of gore and teeth as I ripped apart his mouth in a vampiric feast.

Chapter nineteen

It’s time to D-D-D-Duel

“You’re zegged if anyone knows how to play well. I love you, Pet, but–”

“You really think that low of me?”

“I just–Look, I love yah, babe, but experience here–”

“Experience here doesn’t matter. Our Gui are piloting our decks, right? Isn’t that what you just said? I’d bet on an ancient spirit’s wisdom over some try-hard shac who thinks he can win just because he beats his coworkers, you plug?”

“That’s what I was looking for!”

“So you believed in me this whole time?”

“Well…”

“Come on, Ral.”

“I just wanted you to realize that you should trust your Gui before relying on your wisdom.”

“Of course.”

“Not everyone is as great as I am.”

“Use Sha, too. We’re too close to the end to wager everything on your confidence.”

“After the end, do you think–”

“I don’t want to think right now. Any guesses we make will probably be wrong. Just teach me how to play.”

“Right. So, your legends deck consists of twelve legend cards–did they mention that already?”

“I don’t know. I probably forgot, so just keep talking.”

“Legends are the creatures or characters, like the ones made for our Gui. You can play up to four at a time and sometimes their position on the field matters based on their abilities or ability cards. Each round you have fifty health points but subtract from your total for every ability card you add to your deck, depending on the ability card’s cost. Eliminate the opponent’s health and you win, but you often have to defeat their legends before attacking the player themself. Every legend has its own health and damage remains after your turn ends. The game ends when you eliminate all twelve legends in your opponent’s deck or when you bring their health to zero. There is no right way to form a deck. I prefer to play a thirty-health deck, but that doesn’t mean the legends they are giving us are optimal for that kind of deck. I’ve played against people who use a tank build with all their focus on legend synergy, using no ability cards, and others who focus on manipulation by having a ten-health deck. That being said, there are certain ability cards that cost more health than others. I’ve seen some that cost anywhere from ten to twenty. I assume we’ll be able to choose the ability cards or at least the amount before the battles start, but assumptions haven’t been helpful so far. Is this all clicking?”

“Yeah, I think I got it.”

“I wish I could give you pointers, but it’s hard to tell you how to play based on one card. Win the first game and you should be able to grasp the strategy of your deck for the next round.”

“What are these numbers below the image? One through four what?”

“Legend charges or abilities, if it’s easier to see it that way. Each turn you have ten lumens to spend. That is subject to change based on abilities and on you and your opponents’ charges, attacks, and so forth. Notice that there are four options, each ascending number is stronger than the lower. Typically you spend four on one legend, three on another, two on another, then one on the last. Oh, and you need to pay a certain amount of lumens to play each legend, so you want to be strategic with your expensive and cheap cards… but you don’t have any freedom in this Test, so work with what you have, I guess. That is basic play, but often you’ll use four for two of them or two on all to use your energy on something else like the gamble deck.”

“And now you want me to ask what that is?”

“Just making sure you’re paying attention.”

“No matter how interested I am, I have to pay attention.”

“Doesn’t it sound fun though?”