Elias Voss—Alex inside, stumbled down the stone steps of the Gremlin Pits coliseum, legs still shaky from the adrenaline crash.
The crowd's roar faded behind him, replaced by the muffled clamor of the under-arena tunnels: bookies shouting odds, vendors hawking fried gremlin skewers, drunk nobles arguing over replays on scrying orbs.
His victory chest floated beside him like an obedient puppy, golden bands pulsing softly. Every few steps it bumped his hip, as if impatient.
A thin, reedy voice cut through the din. "Young Master Elias! By the Crown, you actually won?"
Giles, the family's ancient butler, hurried up in his stiff black livery. His face was a war between shock and disapproval. Shock was winning.
Alex grinned. "Disappointed I didn't lose spectacularly this time?"
Giles adjusted his monocle, buying time. "Merely… surprised. The household ledger had already allocated funds for your post-duel medical bills."
"Classic Voss efficiency," Alex muttered. "Bet on me to fail, then profit when I do."
They emerged into the late-afternoon sun. A modest carriage waited, peeling paint, one wheel slightly crooked. No crest on the door anymore; Father had pawned the enchanted one years ago.
Inside, Alex finally sat and let the chest settle on the opposite seat. He flicked it open with a thought.
Common gold coins spilled out first—enough for a few card upgrades. A handful of glowing scrolls (level-up materials). And front and center: the new card.
Boar Vanguard.
The card shimmered as he lifted it.
A massive black war boar filled the frame, tusks capped in iron, bristled hide scarred from countless charges. Its rider was a broad-shouldered woman in tribal leathers, braided hair whipping back, war hammer raised high.
The boar's red eyes glowed with barely contained fury; steam snorted from its nostrils even in stillness.
A low, rumbling voice echoed in Alex's mind the moment his fingers touched the card—female, gravelly, amused.
"Finally, a rider with spine. You smell like fresh blood and old rage. Good."
Alex blinked. "Uh… thanks?"
The rider's lips curled on the card image. "Name's Kora. This boar's Grimgut. We don't do defense. We smash faces and take towers. You point, we charge. Deal?"
"Deal," Alex said without hesitation. A real win condition. Finally.
Giles cleared his throat from the front bench. "The household awaits your return, young master. Your brothers… requested your immediate presence."
Alex leaned back, closing his eyes as the carriage rattled over cobblestones. "Let me guess. Victor wants to remind me I'm still trash, and Roland wants to duel me for 'practice'."
"Master Roland has prepared the private arena," Giles confirmed. "He has reached Bone Wastes tier. His new Brute Stone-Shadow Summoner combination is… formidable."
Alex smirked.
Shadow Summoner? Ohh that combo. Classic 2017 meta. Adorable.
The Voss estate was more crumbling manor than noble house now—ivy choking the walls, windows boarded on the east wing. Servants scattered as he entered the main hall.
Two figures waited beneath the faded family portrait.
Victor, eldest brother, tall and sneering in velvet robes. Roland, second son, broader, already holding his glowing deck with barely contained excitement.
Victor spoke first, voice dripping honeyed venom. "The family embarrassment returns victorious. One fluke win against a Cole cousin. How inspiring."
Roland cracked his knuckles. "I've been practicing a new deck, little brother. Care to test it in the family ring? Loser donates all chest rewards to the winner."
Alex felt Elias's old fear try to rise, memories of countless losses, public humiliations, Father's cold disappointment. He crushed it.
"Stakes sound fun," Alex said, stepping forward. "But let's make it interesting. If I win, you both shut up about my 'trash' status for a full month. And Victor gives me his spare Epic scroll hoard."
Victor laughed sharply. "And when you lose?"
Alex shrugged. "I'll publicly admit I got lucky today and go back to being the family doormat."
Roland's eyes lit up. "Deal!"
The private arena was smaller than the Pits—sunken marble circle in the overgrown garden, two King Towers on opposite sides, three Crown Towers each. Family banners hung limp in the still air.
They took positions. A neutral scrying orb floated overhead to record.
Roland grinned across the lane. "Ready to eat dirt, Elias?"
Alex fanned his cards. Same starter deck, plus the fresh Boar Vanguard. Avg cost now 3.5—still low, but the boar changed everything.
"Start the clock," Alex said calmly.
3:00
Roland opened strong—classic beatdown.
Placed a Stone Brute behind his King Tower: a hulking mass of cracked granite and mossy vines, lumbering forward with earth-shaking steps, club dragging furrows in the dirt.
Followed immediately by Shadow Summoner: a hooded crone with glowing purple eyes, cackling as she conjured skeletal pups from swirling shadows, their bony claws scraping stone.
Alex cycled cheap: Spear Throwers in the back, then Ward Post center when the push crossed river.
Roland trash-talked early. "Predictable defense. Same trash you've always used."
Alex didn't reply. He waited. Watched aether.
Roland added Longshot Ranger behind the Witch for splash support: a tall figure in feathered hat and leather coat, loading a ornate musket with crackling energy rounds, aiming with cold precision.
Alex: "There it is."
He dropped Shieldbearer to tank the Stone Brute, then Ravager on the exposed Longshot Ranger and Shadow Summoner.
The masked berserker roared into existence, axes whirling like deadly fans, pancaking the ranger in two brutal hits—her musket clattering uselessly—before turning on the crone with a savage leap.
Roland panicked, dropping his own Flame Burst to save the push.
Alex had saved his own spell. Perfect prediction. Bhwahahaha...
The Ravager survived on sliver health, locking onto the Stone Brute, axes chipping away at granite flesh.
Meanwhile, opposite lane: Alex punished with his first-ever Boar Vanguard at the bridge.
Grimgut thundered into being—massive boar charging full speed, Kora whooping atop its back, hammer swinging. The ground shook with each hoofbeat. It leapt the river in one bound, tusks lowered, straight for Roland's untouched Crown Tower.
Roland spun. "What the—"
He scrambled a Shieldbearer of his own to intercept—a mirror of Alex's knight, but shinier armor glinting in the sun, but the boar's momentum was unstoppable.
It slammed the knight aside, hammer cracking armor with a resonant clang, and crashed into the tower—stone exploding in chunks.
Tower health dropped to 60% in seconds.
Roland: "How is that thing so fast?!"
Alex, voice casual: "Maybe because I didn't dump all my aether on one slow push. Ever heard of cycle decks, big bro?"
Crowd of servants watching from the balconies gasped.
Roland rebuilt frantically—another Stone Brute-Witch.
Alex defended minimally: Ward Post + Gust Burst reset on the skeletons. Ravager cleaned up again.
Aether lead: +4.
Double elixir hit at 1:00.
Alex went full aggression.
Boar Vanguard left lane.
Gremlin Horde right lane.
Six manic little green gremlins burst onto the bridge in a giggling swarm, knives flashing as they sprinted forward.
Shieldbearer + Spear Throwers center chip. The grizzled armored warrior materialized with shield raised, boots planted firm, while three wiry javelin-hurlers behind him loosed quick volleys toward Roland's tower.
Split pressure nightmare.
Roland defended the boar with everything—tower took heavy damage anyway. Gremlins chipped the other side to 40%.
Roland finally took Alex's left Crown Tower, but at massive cost.
Timer: 0:10.
Both King Towers exposed.
Alex had 10 Aether. One card in hand: Flame Burst.
Roland's troops clumped perfectly defending the gremlins.
Alex dropped the spell dead center.
Phoenix flames bloomed again—skeletons vaporized, Shadow Summoner melted in purple smoke, Stone Brute left burning and crumbling.
Boar Vanguard, respawned from cycle—charged the King Tower unopposed.
Kora's laugh echoed across the garden as Grimgut smashed the final stone.
Victory! Elias Voss wins!
Silence.
Then Victor's face twisted like he'd swallowed a lemon.
Roland stared at his empty arena side, mouth open.
Alex walked forward, chest floating behind him again—this one bigger, silver-banded.
He stopped in front of his brothers.
"One month of silence," he reminded cheerfully. "And Victor? Those Epic scrolls. Cough 'em up."
Victor hissed but tossed a small pouch. Inside: three glowing Epic upgrade scrolls.
Alex turned to leave, then paused.
"Oh, and Roland? Next time, maybe don't telegraph your Shadown Summoner every single push. Makes it too easy."
He whistled as he walked away, Boar Vanguard card in hand.
Kora's voice rumbled approval. "Good smash. More towers soon?"
"Soon," Alex promised.
Behind him, the Voss household dynamics had just shifted forever.
And he was only getting started.