TerrellGarrett
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Psycho Duel Chapter 31: Fog of War
🕑 Added 2022-11-28 06:36:24 +0000 UTC**Note: Finally back at home from travelling all week. Easier for me to write and post now that things aren't so hectic. Thanks for reading and supporting the story! Enjoy!**
With the conclusion of the Duel came healing.
A pulse of gold light appeared on the Slaynami gauntlet and its strange release of healing properties washed over Walt. The pain from his numerous injuries disappeared. The magical arrow wounds and the Goblin Sniper Bullet entry and exit wounds in his back and chest mended.
He closed his eye and sighed, savoring the warm mending and restoration that soothed his nervous system. One second he had been consumed in a world of pain, and the next it was all being gently washed away.
Walt opened his eyelids and realized his eye had been restored. There was still dried blood around the socket and on his cheek, but he had another eye now. He had been terrified it would be a permanent loss.
Trial Matches Completed...
Trial Match One...Victory...
Trial Match Two...Victory...
Trial Match Three...V I C T O R Y !
Congratulations!
You are now an OFFICIAL PSYCHO SLINGER...
You have gained access to...
[Slaynami Leaderboards]
[Psycho Slinger Duelist Profile]
[Slaynami Shop]
You have been rewarded…
[300 Slaynami Credits]
“You gotta be fucking kidding me,” Walt said. It’s like he had just gained access to the Slaystone Battle Pass or something. “You come to kill me and now you want to try and get me hooked on your Battle Pass offerings and micro-transactions? Unbelievable.”
But he didn’t have time to open the shop up now and see the offerings. Another prompt appeared.
Current Rank...
Numbers flew by on a ticker.
Current Rank...#2,313
Walt didn't know if that was good or bad. How many Psycho Slingers were there left after the first day? His thoughts were interrupted by the flood of achievement notifications.
[Congratulations!]
[Third Slaystone Duel Victory Achievement Unlocked!]
[Become A Psycho Slinger Achievement Unlocked!]
[Won Three Slaystone Duels In A Row Achievement Unlocked!]
[First Boots Of Nemora Flight Unlocked!]
[Defeated A Hero of The Great Hunt Unlocked!]
[Defeated First Twelve Lords of the Hunt Achievement Unlocked!]
[Defeated Second Twelve Lords of the Hunt Achievement Unlocked!]
[Survived Bloodseeker Arrow to the Eye Achievement Unlocked!]
[Survived Myrk's Goblin Sniper Rifle Achievement Unlocked!]
[Accepted Lil Vernon's Load Achievement Unlocked!]
[Heard the Horn of Ligeia and Survived Achievement Unlocked!]
[Grimscale Tasted Your Flesh But You've Lived To Tell The Tale Achievement Unlocked!]
His Psycho Slinger Duelist profile was blinking. He wondered if achievement unlocks yielded any rewards. Sometimes in these games, special perks, cosmetics, benefits or modes could be unlocked if one completed certain achievements.
The notifications continued.
[You have been rewarded Psycho Points!]
[You have won opponent’s Card Deck!]
Duelist: Walter Frank Harmon
Psycho Points: 6
Psycho Points to Qualify for Next Phase: 6/12
Record 3-0-0
He was halfway to meeting the requirements for the next phase. That meant three more duels. He remembered from the Just the BasicsMedia File that if a duelist didn’t acquire enough Psycho Points for the next phase, the gauntlet would explode. Which would at least take off an arm if not a Psycho Slinger’s life. Either way, he didn’t want to come up short to find out.
He blinked, his vision re-centering to the outside world around him. Either it was the effect at staring at his interface for too long, or that he was getting accustomed to seeing the world through two eyes again, but it took him a moment to ready himself.
Jacob’s gauntlet spinning over the Bloodhound’s corpse came into focus. It was right in front of him. The edges of a panel rose.
Slaynami Gauntlet link established to fallen opponent’s gauntlet…
Accept connection Y/N?
Walt accepted the connection. The Bloodhound’s gauntlet was a blood-red hue. He looked down at his own gauntlet. It was matching the same color as it established the link.
The panel slid to the side and a glowing rectangle emerged from his foe’s gauntlet. The glowing deck floated over to his own gauntlet.
Claim Jacob Maseria’s deck of cards Y/N?
Walt accepted the deck. A panel opened, receiving the deck of cards. As it slid shut, the gauntlet returned to the color purple. Text appeared on the display.
Examine new cards?
There was no time to examine the cards now. The blue battleboard barrier of Richard's duel was still active. He took Jacob’s gauntlet. Then he equipped the Boots of Nemora and took to the air, racing back to see if he could help Richard in any way.
If the old man wasn't already close to death.
#
As Walt flew through the air, feeling the wind on his face, he allowed himself to experience some of the exhilaration of flight now that he wasn’t on death’s door. If this was the end of the world, at least he was getting to experience a few perks during these last days.
Battleboard Barrier Closing…
The Blue Barrier Matrix surrounding half of the rest area and surrounding land disappeared. He flew through where the border was, exiting the territory where he fought the Bloodhound.
No longer a Battleboard Zone…
But Richard’s blue grid was still up. Which meant the duel was still in progress. Which meant Richard must still be alive.
Walt reached the edge of the grid and swerved, following the barrier. He flew parallel to the duel barrier, searching for Richard.
“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon,” Walt said, scanning the woods within.
He finally found them. They had never left the rest area. In fact, part of it was destroyed. Scorched wood and bricks littered the ground. Water sprayed into the air from holes in the ground that used to be covered by toilets.
Portions of the rest area green were torn asunder and rearranged to look like something had tunneled through the dirt, creating a series of scrunched bumps. Churned soil and uprooted trees marked the trail of the duel to the vacant parking lot.
Walt’s delivery vehicle was lying on its side. There was a huge slash from hood to rear bumper on one of the sides, like a blade or a talon had ripped it open. Fluid leaked from the ruined bottom.
“Christ, Richard,” Walt said, following the destruction. “There goes our ride.”
Richard and the Silentblade woman fought underneath the sodium burn of a parking lot light pole. Blood, which Walt quickly figured out was Richard’s, was pooling on the pavement.
But, to Walt’s relief, Richard was standing without the help of a minion. His Goblin Rocket Boots were equipped and he was armed with his Falcata sword. He was turning in circles, sword raised, one of the lenses of his glasses completely smeared with blood.
The old man was breathing heavily and as cantankerous as ever. “Show yourself, madam! Face me like you’ve got some spine! Or are you too much of a coward to look an old man in the eye?!”
The Silentblade de-stealthed across from Richard. She was standing outside of the edge of the light’s glow. “You think I enjoy making a senior citizen bleed? Do you think I asked for this?”
Walt examined her. Her information came up on his interface.
Psycho Slinger. Aimee Smith. Silentblade. aka Quiet.
“You had no problem killing my minion,” Richard said.
“You were threatening my ally,” the Silentblade said.
“Fine company you keep.”
“Sometimes we must do things we don’t want to do out of necessity.”
“The soul is sold not at all at once, but piece by piece in thousands of transactions until nothing is left but regret.”
“How dare you judge me. You have no idea what I’ve sacrificed.”
“I just call ‘em like I see ‘em, sweetheart.”
Apparently, she didn’t like to be called sweetheart. She grabbed one of her yellow cards out of the air.
[Examine]
[Blackdew Ichor]
Blackdew Ichor. Poison. Set: Nom's Poisons & Delectable Venoms. Rarity: Legendary. Derived from one of the many sphincters of Dewabraxus, an offshoot cousin of the Hound of Tindalos, and syncretized and activated by the mysterious master poisoner, Nom of Crenula.
Coats your blade with Blackdew Ichor, adding +7 Attack to an edged weapon.
Cost: 3 Vigor Stones
The card transformed into a teardrop-shaped vial containing the black poison. She cracked it against her combat dagger and the weapon flared with a blue-black imbue.
Then she snarled and flew at Richard, clutching her blade and drawing another card with her free hand.
[Examine]
[Shred]
Shred. Spell. Set: The Shadowed Blade. Rarity: Rare. Master the art of The Shadowed Blade and deliver a succession of armed strikes so swift your opponent won't even see them coming.
Activates a rapid succession of 4 blade strikes. Each strike deals 3 Damage.
Cost: 4 Vigor Stones
She danced around Richard, striking and slashing out with her blade, fast as a ghost. She moved in a blur, but Walt got the sense that she was twisting and changing the direction and angle of her attack with each strike.
Richard gasped and stumbled, blood pouring the creases in his armor. But he still held onto his sword and stayed upright.
He had just been burst for forty points of Health. The old man only had ten Health Points left.
“Aw fuck,” Walt said. He cursed. The retired widower probably hadn’t taken his advice to hold back on his attacks or recovery cards.
The Silentblade somersaulted backwards, flinging another card towards Richard.
[Examine]
[Quiet Blade]
Quiet Blade. Spell. Set: The Whispering Blade. Rarity: Rare. A projectile attack for those proficient in the ways of The Whispering Blade.
Flings a dagger at opponent that deals 10 Damage.
Cost: 1 Vigor Stone
Walt wanted to turn away. He didn’t want to see this old man die. Sure, they had just met. But this was hard to watch.
The Quiet Blade card transformed into a kunai and hit Richard in his chest. There was the sound of pointed steel punching through metal and a grunt.
To Walt’s and the Silentblade’s surprise, Richard didn’t fall. Instead, he stood staring at the kunai in his chest.
Then his armor glowed around him and his Health Points froze.
Steelclad
Health Points: 1
There was the sound of a hammer hitting an anvil and another number appeared next to Richard.
Armor: 10
The kunai disappeared and Richard was still alive. His Health Points reaching zero had triggered a card he had played earlier. Walt examined the spirals of light spinning around his armored friend.
[Examine]
[Pale Armor Kit]
Pale Armor Kit. Object. Set: Blacksmith of Ages. Rarity: Epic. A portable armor buff to apply to your helm, suit or shield. Protects you when you need it the most!
Adds 10 Armor. Triggers when Health Pool reaches 1 Health Point.
Cost: 2 Vigor Stones
The Silentblade’s expression indicated that she didn’t believe what she was seeing. Her mouth fell open in disbelief.
Not only had the old man survived her combo, but he had manipulated her into playing into it.
Now, as it was Richard’s turn. He played his cards. The first one he threw turned into a spinning shield. A huge armored form appeared behind it.
[Examine]
[Glynn Blackshield]
Glynn Blackshield. Minion. Set: The Way Of Steel. Rarity: Rare. Shield Bearer and Protector of General Beranzan, who both fell defending the Fortress of Melbone. Although gravely outnumbered, the corpses of the invading army far outweighed those of the defenders.
When summoned, add 12 Armor to Hero.
Death Cry: Add 5 Armor to Hero
Shield Bash: 8 Attack, Cooldown: 10 seconds
Health Points: 15
Cost: 5 Vigor Stones
Glynn beat his shield, standing in front of Richard. Then he flew forward, shield-bashing the Silentblade. There was the crunch of metal on flesh and she went tumbling across the parking lot.
Then Richard used his Hero Ability for his remaining Vigor Stones, enraging and gaining even more armor. The old man grew at least two feet and he even developed some muscle. A red glow surrounded him and angry red veins pulsed underneath his skin.
Steelclad
Armor: 32
Health Points: 1
The old dude had listened to Walt after all. He had baited out the combo, replenished his armor to protect his lone health point and now he was in the process of establishing board control.
And what he said next surprised everyone even more.
Richard approached the Silentblade, who was scrambling backwards. The enraged senior citizen raised his Falcata sword. Menacing. “Do you concede?”
The Silentblade blinked. “What?”
“I am giving you the chance to concede,” Richard said.
Walt couldn’t stand by this. “What?! Richard! No!”
Richard and Walt spun to see Walt, who was pacing back and forth on the other side of the barrier.
“Are you crazy?” Walt said. “You’ll only be creating an enemy for lat –“
“I concede,” the Silentblade said. She had blurted it out. “Yes, I concede.”
At that moment, a gong sounded and the Silentblade froze.
Concession in progress…
It was as if the system had put a pause on the Silentblade. But Richard could still move.
He turned, examining Walt. "You don't approve?"
"You gave up her gauntlet and most of her deck for what?" Walt said.
"We can question her."
“And not to mention she’ll probably come back for you. For us!”
"Don't you get it? There will be time for collecting decks later. Right now we need answers. We can find out about her world. Get information on Slaynami. We can finally get some answers about what exactly we're dealing with."
Walt stopped arguing. He looked at the frozen girl.
Richard was right. They could learn about the Psycho Slingers and the world they came from. If they could get her to talk.
“How did she not know about your armor kit that procced when you were brought down to one Health Point?” Walt said. “Seems like a huge misplay.”
Richard held up a card, smiling.
[Examine]
[Fog of War]
Fog of War. Spell. Set: The Way of Steel. Rarity: Common. Call upon a fog of war to float over the battleboard to hide information from your opponent.
Conceals the next card you play.
Cost: 2 Vigor Stones
“She had no idea it was equipped,” Richard said.
