“What exactly are you?”
The metal man tilted its head at Cross’s question.
“I am Training Bot 4, designated ‘Trebor’ by error name missing. It is the duty of a Training Bot to mentor designated students in the art of the game, until they are capable of defeating my highest ranked deck at maximum skill rating or demonstrate the requisite level of skill. Counter query. Where is this.”
It took a moment to recognise the final words as a question from the continuing monotone.
“Ah, here? We don't know the proper name, we just call it the Scrap Heap.”
“Analysing data. Conjecture: previous student failed to learn proper lessons and brute forced earlier decks with differing strategies. Upon facing a deck they were unable to obtain cards to counter, student chose to eliminate Trebor instead. During period of disruption, cards were claimed to diminish capabilities of Trebor and enhance student deck. Theory fits with majority of data. Conclusion: prior employment terminated. Request assistance in locating missing cards and finding employment once more.”
Trebor tilted its head again.
“One additional match owed from wager. Adjusting match parameters.”
“I don't think any of your cards are here,” Cross stated slowly, struggling to follow what the bot was saying thanks to its unchanging tone, glancing around at his friends. “I mean, we've never heard of your archetype before, and us Heapers always end up telling each other what cards we have that don't belong to our archetype.”
“Best way to set up trades and get the missing cards,” Aurora confirmed with a shrug.
“But we should be ready to get out. We've been gathering decks to face the guardian and win the right to free movement between zones for years, and now that I finally have my archetype-”
“I can't do it.”
Cross turned to face Rusty.
“This isn't my deck, I don't… there isn't the same connection. I know some of my cards are in there, those you got back for me, but… it just isn't my deck.”
“Rusty…”
“You can't let him win,” Blanc stated flatly. “Crash… he brought a level X fighter here and baited you into losing your deck to ‘perfect’ his, and use it to lure Cross into another match to take his deck too, to claim a level of false superiority, to keep us trapped here. If you give in now, he gets what he wanted. But if you fight past this, if we make it to the city, you can get back the rest of your deck. You can show Crash how badly he failed.”
“Sometimes the loss of a deck has led to such a loss of confidence that the player feels unable to use their new deck in a match with any stakes,” Trebor stated. “On a non-zero number of instances the player has been forced into a wager and become nearly incapable of playing.”
“First, how do you know this,” Blanc demanded, “and second, do you have any kind of solution to the problem, or are you just stating data?”
“In such cases as it has been possible, a TB unit has been called upon to restore the players abilities through our usual lesson service,” Trebor stated. “Before the case becomes so severe there is a faster and more straightforward solution. A match without stakes to allow the player to connect with their new deck. Do you accept the match.”
“That… you would crush me! Blanc managed a direct attack with her dragon at an above average strength, and you still won! I wouldn't be able to do a thing…”
“Analysis incorrect. At highest skill rating and deck, I came within 2 life of defeat despite lucky draws. If the draws had been less favourable or my skill rating lower, I would have lost. Assumption also incorrect. Lower rated skill level and deck will be used in match. Reminder, no stakes. Whether you win or lose, there will be no consequences. Do you accept these terms.”
“Rusty, go for it,” Aurora encouraged. “We don't want to have to leave you behind to get your cards back, we promised to leave the Heap together didn't we? If there's a chance this will help, you have to try.”
“I… fine, I accept.”
The others quickly moved back, leaving Rusty and Trebor alone in the recently cleared rectangle the new arena was forming in.
“Trebor claims second turn,” the bot stated before its hand could appear before it.
“Okay… draw…”
He considered his hand quickly, not wanting to spend too long on his turns like he had against Crash. He had some usable cards for later, but…
“Summon Legionary Smith and Legionary Medic!”
Legionary Smith
Atk: 0 Def: 4 Life: 4 Level: 1
Passive effect: all ‘Legion’ fighters you control other than Legionary Smith gain 2 Atk and Def
Legionary Medic
Atk: 0 Def: 4 Life: 4 Level: 1
Passive effect: at the end of each turn, each ‘Legion’ fighter heals 1 life
The fighters emerged from their red and blue cards, taking up ready positions.
“Turn end.”
“Cards unfamiliar to opponent,” Trebor seemingly mused out loud. “Draw. Evaluating… zone activation, Supply Lab.”
“Zone..?”
The walls of the arena seemed to shudder, before the half on Trebors side started to change.
Instead of the former translucent green, it took on a more defined appearance, one that Rusty could only see through if he concentrated.
A building seemed to appear around Trebor and its side, presumably taking the appearance of whatever a lab was.
“Clarification required. Is opponent unfamiliar with the concept of a zone card?”
“Yes? I've never heard of zones, beyond areas of the world.”
“A zone card grants effects to both players, but each player can typically only have one in play at a time and is unable to replace it until the opponent has found a way to remove it from being in play. While this may seem like giving up a slot in your deck for a card that benefits your opponent as much as you, only the controlling player has built their deck to make maximal use of the effects. Example: Supply Lab adds a non-fighter card to a players hand the first time they summon a fighter each turn. Current deck constructed to benefit from nearly any possible combination of fighter and non-fighter. Explanation clear?”
Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
Rusty nodded slowly. “I think so…”
“Then resuming match. Turn end.”
Rusty blinked.
“You don't have any cards in play. No fighters, no face downs.”
Not to mention it still had seven cards in the hand, compared to the six that Rusty had left over from his turn.
“Current hand contains no fighter at level 2 or lower or other means to summon fighter, and non-fighter cards in deck do not benefit from facedown targetability.”
“If you weren't going to summon a fighter, why activate your zone?”
“Current skill rating enforces less than optimal card choices. Please proceed with your turn.”
“Right, draw.”
It was one of the ‘Legion’ fighters, too high level to play without tributing his Legionaries, so Rusty dismissed it. Instead…
“Summon Legionary Smith.”
A second Smith manifested, boosting the Medics Atk and Def, while a card appeared in his hand through the zones effect.
Blood of the Legion.
Useless right now, and not a card he wanted to play either way.
“Now, summon Shield Legionary.”
Shield Legionary
Atk: 1 Def: 7 Life: 2 Level: 1
Passive effect: all other ‘Legion’ fighters gain 1 Def
About all he knew about his opponents deck is that there were fighters above level 2, his Legionaries needed as much Def as they could get to survive.
“Now, Shield Legionary and Legionary Medic, attack!”
Despite their lack of Atk, his Smiths boosted the damage, reducing Trebor to 91 Life.
Not as good as if one of his friends had been playing against Trebor here, but better than he was used to.
“Turn end.”
“Draw. Summon Subject Gamma. Fighter effect fails to activate. Zone effect activates.”
Subject Gamma
Atk: 8 Def: 4 Life: 24 Level: 3
On summon: you may add any ‘Compound’ from your discard to your hand
The fighter, a wild eyed man in a loose white article of clothing, manifested at the same time as a card appeared in Trebors hand, leaving it at eight cards to Rusty's six, a smaller disadvantage than Rusty was used to at this stage.
“No further ability to play cards. Subject Gamma attack Legionary Smith.”
The fighter lunged forward, landing a punch on one of the Smiths before he could react, before resetting to his earlier position.
“Turn end.”
The Medic worked quickly on the damaged Smith, restoring him from 1 Life to 2.
“Draw,” Rusty declared, as he nearly always had to each turn.
The next card… it had been one of Crash's, but it was a ‘Legionary’ rather than ‘Legion’, and about the only way for him to destroy the ‘Subject’ before Trebor could reinforce it or use whatever support was in its deck.
But Rusty didn't want to rely on someone elses cards.
Nor did he want to just… give up the match.
So…
“Summon Legionary Assassin,” he finally declared, bringing the green backed card into play.
Legionary Assassin
Atk: 20 Def: 0 Life: 4 Level: 2
Passive effect: cannot be targeted while another ‘Legion’ fighter is in play on your side of the arena
With the Smiths, the Assassins Atk rose to 24.
And the zone effect activated again, giving him another card.
One that Rusty played immediately, despite its origins.
“Activate Legionary Raid! Now each time one of my ‘Legion’ fighters destroys a fighter I get to draw a card. And Legionary Assassin, attack.”
The cloaked figure seemed to vanish, before appearing behind the Subject, sticking a dagger in his back. Then, before it could return to its earlier position, Rusty continued.
“Now I activate Forced Advance, tributing Shield Legionary so my Legionary Assassin can attack Subject Gamma a second time!”
He tried to ignore the look of betrayal the Legionary sent him as it shattered, focusing instead on the Assassin sticking its second dagger into the opposing fighter, shattering him and adding another card to Rustys hand by Raids effect, returning him to six cards to eight.
“Now Legionary Medic, attack!”
Trebor remained impassive as its Life dropped below 90.
“Turn end.”
He barely noticed his Smith getting healed to 3 Life.
“Draw. Summon Subject Beta.”
Subject Beta
Atk: 15 Def: 13 Life: 8 Level: 3
On summon: you may add any ‘Subject’ fighter other than a ‘Subject Beta’ from your discard to your hand
The fighter looked much like a human wearing the same type of clothing as Trebors previous, but his skin looked wrong, too rough and solid.
“Subject Gamma returns to hand and card added from deck. Now, activate Compound Glagol. Tribute Subject Beta to summon Mutant Weaver.”
A glass cylinder with a spike appeared, sticking the spiked end into the Subject and apparently draining a purple liquid into him.
The Subject shuddered, appearing to silently scream in pain before giant spider legs burst from his back, soon followed by dark brown hairs sprouted from the rest of his body as it seemed to shrink on itself, soon leaving him as some kind of spider human hybrid.
Mutant Weaver
Atk: 8 Def: 20 Life: 20 Level: 5
Passive effect: can only be summoned by the effect of a 'Compound’ card
On summon: choose one opposing fighter. While this card remains in play, that fighter has its effects negated, cannot attack and cannot be tributed
“Mutant Weaver, suppress Legionary Assassin.”
The fighter lunged forward faster than Rusty could follow, wrapping the Assassin in silk thread from its mouth.
“Mutant Weaver attack Legionary Smith.”
The creature once again spat silk threads at one of Rusty's fighters, this time using them to cut through the smiths body once he was surrounded, destroying the fighter.
“Turn end.”
“Draw,” Rusty responded, ignoring his remaining Smith being healed to full life.
He had another one of Crash's cards, one just about perfect for the current situation.
“Summon Shield Legion!”
Shield Legion
Atk: 2 Def: 14 Life: 4 Level: 1
Passive effects: this card max Life is equal to the number of fighters you control. This cards base Def is always triple its current Life. While in the front row, this card prevents your opponent targeting fighters behind it for attack
The unit of shieldbearers took their place before his other fighters while a new card appeared to maintain his hand of seven cards to nine.
Another of those Crash had used, Emergency Shield Wall.
It would work well to support the Legion, make sure he couldn't have any more fighters destroyed the same turn as they lost their protection, but judging by the levels of Trebors cards so far, he didn't need to worry just yet.
“Summon Spear Legionary,” he called instead, playing the red backed card.
Spear Legionary
Atk: 9 Def: 3 Life: 2 Level: 1
Passive effect: all other ‘Legion’ fighters gain 1 Atk
With the extra fighter the Shield Legion was boosted to 5 life and 17 def, double what he needed to block the Mutant if it attacked.
“And turn end.”
“Draw. Analysing…”
Trebor considered the ten cards in its hand.
“One face down declared, and turn end.”
“Draw.”
Rusty looked at his hand.
Seven cards, with no way to get enough power to destroy the Weaver unless he used the Blood of the Legion from Crash, but while he might be willing to use some of the cards he'd received, one that cleared his fighters from the discard was a step too far.
And without the Shield Legion to protect them, the Weaver would be able to destroy another of his fighters, so…
“I activate Emergency Shield Wall,” he declared, the card Crash had used to beat him now set to become his greatest defence.
Instead of the card activating properly, the arena shattered as the card faded to grey.
“What..?”
Rusty looked around in confusion, at the way the match had seemingly ended suddenly without a proper conclusion.
“Current outcome matches records of usage of illegitimate card,” Trebor reported. “Query, where did you acquire ‘Emergency Shield Wall’.”
“From… this deck was won for me from the guy who claimed my deck after claiming a victory… thanks to Emergency Shield Wall,” Rusty snarled, anger building within him. “That… he cheated! If he hadn't used an illegitimate card, I would have won!”
“Addendum, without using that same illegitimate card, it is likely you would have beaten me. Hand at time of match cancellation unsuited to clearing Shield Legion,” Trebor noted. “The extra turns to obtain such a card would benefit you more than me, given the nature of the Legionary archetype. Do you still feel unready to face whoever beat you?”
“Only in that I don't know the contents of my deck, only that there are at most fifty one valid cards!”
Rusty hesitated.
“Can you help me identify any other illegitimate cards in my deck?”
“All TB units have a self contained connection to the card archives, confirming valid deck design is a lesser but nonetheless valid role for us.”
Taking the response as agreement, Rusty took the deck from his pocket to start the check.
TB-4 Trebor
