-PHASE OPEN-

...

‘WHAT ON EARTH!?’

‘HOW!?’

‘HOW IS HE DOING THIS!?’ Faith internalizes these thoughts but does not know where to begin if she were to ask out loud.

But that is fine with Jacques. He can read it off her face.

“...go on. You can ask me anything!” Jacques offers.

Faith glances left and right. ‘The lamps?’

‘Are there glass slides inside?’

‘Small figures for the game characters?’

Faith recalls an exhibition her father took her to see once. There was a box with lights in it that made enormous pictures on the wall out of tiny figurines. Certainly, Jacques is wealthy enough to afford such luxuries…

‘…right?...’

“Nope…” Jacques is many steps ahead of her guesses.

What Faith witnessed was way more advanced anyway. ‘…but still…’

‘Those secret levers might control other machines!’

Although he only pulled one lever from what she noticed...

*Tap* *Tap* Jacques’ leather gloves softly tap the stone. “It might be magic? That empty head of yours probably has plenty of room for imagination…”

Faith glares at him.

“It’s a compliment!” He adjusts his glasses.

*GRRR* “THAT SKELETON WARRIOR! YOUR NIGHTSPADE CARD! I NEVER DREW ANYTHING LIKE THAT!” Faith points at the War Grid.

Jacques is taken aback that the young lady lost her temper! Just the way he likes it.

He puts his hands up. “I did not cheat if that’s what you want to accuse me of! Cross my heart!”

“All of their levels are within the parameters of your game. I just felt inspired to recruit my own team, is all. You should feel grateful your game has this effect on players!”

He flicks one of his cards, then the Spade-style design on the back of all his cards suddenly contorts in an instant. “There we go! See! Now, I will use none of YOUR NIGHTSPADE art.”

The design now resembles the insignia Faith had seen on the Warrior of NightSPADE’s cloak.

Faith grips her fists. “I will call a Range Attack! With my LV.10 BurningHEARTS card!” Her turn isn't over yet, and she presses on!

“Ooooooooh?” Jacques rests his chin on his palm.

“I think Range Strike sounds better!” He critiques.

Faith throws down a 7 and 3 card from her hand to match the 10 total necessary. Next, she scoops over the slightly out-of-reach Range Dice with her fingertip. She rolls it, and...it lands on a 0.

“I figured as much...anything else?” Jacques brushes dust off his sleeve.

If the Range Dice ever lands on a 0, that means automatic failure.

“Phase Close…” Faith ends her turn with no other options.

Jacques waits before drawing a card too soon. “I wish to give you another helpful hint!” He claps.

Stretching his arm forward. “Watch me very closely…”

...

The room goes dim. Jacques is glowing with a black aura. To Faith, it resembles choking smoke. A card with the same smoky aura from Jacques’ deck floats in the air and goes into his other hand.

“I recommend manipulating the cards this way. Put your mind to it, and even YOU can do almost anything!”

He reaches into his coat pocket, and Faith’s eyes widen. Jacques is holding her red ribbon!

“I was wondering why it was on your wrist. It made me wonder if it was the sort of thing people do to make sure they don't forget something…something…important…” Jacques grins.

Faith lets out a small gasp but puts a hand over her mouth. She does not want to cry again. Not now…

“Are you the one who’s forgetting something? Or is someone else forgetting you? Are you someone’s lost puppy? Heh!” He cocks his head.

Jacques clenches the ribbon. A strand is poking out from each side of his hand.

“Come on...MOVE IT…” His eyes challenge Faith’s.

…

Faith copies his motion from before. ‘WOW!’

She felt it. A feeling of vigor! Her arm is glowing a gentle red vapor. Not quite a flame. Jacques can see the rest of her body illuminate the same way. The ribbon shifts slightly. The strands are being pulled in Faith’s direction like a magnet.

Jacques, however, seems disappointed that it is barely reacting to Faith’s effort. He looks at the ribbon. "...It is charming. I took great care when removing it."

“I suppose it is made from a decent enough material…”

“…so delicate…”

“...with a nice smooth texture...smooth just like-”

*POP* *POP* *POP* Jacques perks up after hearing the sounds of several pieces of plastic cracking all at once.

The ribbon *thwips* out of his hand like being sucked up in a twister. Faith is gripping it aggressively and is furious!

Jacques is not disappointed anymore. The smallholders for Faith’s cards must have burst because her cards, too, are floating. Not as neatly as his, but they are still floating nonetheless. Jacques is quite pleased but has a turn to complete and must carry on.

He seizes back the Field Dice at an accelerated speed more than Faith did with her ribbon. He freely spins it in midair and lets it hit the stone. It lands on a 6. Jacques can advance his LV. 8 Warrior of NightSPADE further down the field.

He thinks, ‘I can get closer to her I, II, III, or IV-zone…while pushing her buttons more...’

The Skull Warrior advances to the open III-zone.

“Zone Locked!” Jacques says.

The Warrior exits the card, kneels on the III numbered hexagon tile, and disappears. In its place, a swirling black vortex rips open from the tile. Jacques orders another card to guard his I-zone.

He floats two cards. “I may not have a 7 and a 3, but I have two 5s.”

“I discard two 5’s to call a 10 STRIKE of my own!” Those two cards vanish from his hand, and the Range Dice rolls. It lands on a 4.

Faith interjects, “I give up an 8 card from my hand to counter that roll!”

“Sure, go right ahead…” Jacques huffs.

The 8 card disappears from Faith’s hand, and she pulls the Range Dice towards her. It dips in the air as it hobbles along. She is getting a little better at this.

Faith re-rolls the Range Dice. ‘I know I can roll higher than that 4.’

*clack* But alas, it lands on a 0.

“Your own game defies you once more!” Jacques laughs.

His side of the war grid begins to rumble…a black blob rockets into the air! It ripples! Boney wings spread open, shaking the rest of the tar off like rain to the grid below.

*GRAAAAAAAAAW*

“LV. 10 Dragon of NightSPADE!” Jacques presents his royal ally.

The skeleton dragon flaps its wings with no grace. It has horns and a bloody 10 smeared on its forehead. The vicious predator scornfully observes Faith from the skies…

Jacques analyzes Faith's side of the grid. “Hmm, let's try….OH! There!”

He snaps his fingers. “SOUL STREEEAAAM!”

Two gray flames are seeping through the sides of the Dragon's razor-sharp fangs. Rattling its face as it wrenches its jaws open like a beartrap, the hoary flames ramp up! Intense pressure is building! When fully opened, a single focused stream suddenly blasts across the grid!

The target is a card on Faith's side that spins around to reveal itself. A muscular figure with long locks and fiery facial hair makes his appearance known. Hands resting on the broadsword of a matchless general. The top of his head is home to a crown worthy of a King! A true ROYAL leader.

The intrepid King accepts the heat from the blast. Long spectral faces filled with agony make up the Soul Stream that collides with The King’s tile. The gray flames eventually subside, but The King’s stance remained firm! Scowling at the Dragon like it is no more than a pest!

This is the LV. 13 King of BurningHEARTS, after all! You will need fire hotter than that sad display to take him down! The Skull Dragon lets out another *GRAW* then erratically crashes back down to its hidden location. One of its wings even breaks off from the impact!

…

Splatters pelt The King’s shoulder, a few tiles ahead, and some of Jacques' cards. It is blood that Faith is spitting up. She feels overwhelmed and is hyperventilating. Faith cannot calm down as her left-hand shakes uncontrollably.

“I got it! It just came to me! We can call this your Soul Four-Ce! It fits the game theme!” Jacques feels like a genius.

He rubs his chin. “Let’s see…your King would now go down from 4 to 3 Soul Four-Ce since he resisted my Dragon’s assault…”

“If we both started the game with 10 Soul Four-Ce, then this means you now have-”

“MY BROTHER! DEACON! WHERE IS HE!?” Faith smacks her hand on the stone. Still shaking. Hissing blood between her teeth.

Jacques finishes, “...9 Soul Four-Ce left. Hmph. No need to be rude!”

Faith wipes her mouth with her sleeve and is unwilling to wait long for an answer…

Jacques leans to the side of the stone slab, squinting his eyes. “Ah!”

“There he is! Right behind you!”

*SNARL* It makes Faith want to jump right out of her seat if she could....

She feels and smells nasty horrid breath on the back of her neck. Then, right in front of her, Faith now sees Dee's body dangling high in the air. A bulky, hairy forearm is holding him up by the shirt collar. Jacques gestures gently with his hands, then Dee is carefully dropped to the floor. Faith observes the arm again...it's ghoulish.

Jacques says, “I had Hobbes bring him with us! He took extra special care when tending to the poor boy's wound! Didn't you?”

THE THING SNARLS MORE HEAVILY! Faith's cards in her hand almost go soaring, but she clutches them close to her chest.

Jacques smiles. "Hobbes loves games too! He insisted on watching us, and I didn't want to say no!"

"You'll think this is funny! One time when a guest saw him like this, they had a heart attack, right on the spot! Their game had a complicated setup too!”

“GEEZ! All that effort just to drop D-E-A-D!" Jacques bursts out laughing.

...

“But, even if we can’t play games, I can still give Hobbes his toys…”

Faith does not move...she feels it glaring at her...

Jacques claps. “The young lady's turn is next. Please leave us to it. Give the poor baby her space. Be a good boy!”

The creature backs away, to Faith's relief. She looks to Dee and then to Jacques.

He adjusts his glasses again. “I gave the boy medicine to ensure he stays quiet during our game.”

“Damn brat, had he fiddled around with a few more books, he might have found this place ahead of schedule…”

“Anyway, Phase Close, you're up!”

Faith draws a card. "Phase Open!" Her face shows she drew a good card!

She looks to the King of BurningHEARTS. He is concerned like a father to a daughter. Faith notices one of the previously lit wicks above the word King on her side of the stone has indeed gone out.

‘Jacques is keeping track of the stats after all…’

These wicks accurately represent the Hit Points (HP) and Range Points (RP) of the Royal Rank cards. The King of BurningHEARTS may have gone down from 4 HP/4 RP to 3 HP/RP, but that is still plenty to work with! Faith can persevere!

She rolls the Field Dice. It is a 5! Faith then glides a card with her aura off to the right of the grid.

Then revealing a Queen card from her hand that disappears with a twinkle. “I’d be happy to call it a Range Strike too!”

Faith gracefully takes in the Range Dice with her left hand. She lets it orbit behind her with an aura, around the right shoulder and back to the grid. Now she is getting into it!

The dice lands on an 8. Jacques lets it stay and passes without attempting to counter that roll.

Faith points ahead. “Show ’em whut ya got~!” She is ecstatic to see this upcoming heroine in action.

A figure leaves the card, giving Faith a high-five, orbiting around the same way the Range Dice did. Faith watches it all with a huge smile! When the figure flies to the middle of the grid, it pirouettes as it stops.

Wearing a skirt with a Number 12 and a confident smile, the haughty lady pushes up her witch’s hat with one hand and grips her scepter with the other. An elegant jewel-encrusted crown lines the brim that covers well-brushed lush hair! Well, save for a single stray strand.

This is the LV. 12 Queen of BurningHEARTS!

Faith swings her arm. “Ya won’ be hidin’ from us~!” Her embarrassing accent keeps slipping out. It tends to happen when she gets this excited, and with this Queen around, that’s no surprise.

Jacques, all the while, is stupefied by Faith's sudden glee.

The Queen generates a fireball and chucks it into the air with an attitude! *HAAAAAAAA*

Spinning the scepter gracefully before she points it again at the fireball. The ardent orb above swells up and glistens like a radiant ruby.

*HMPH* The sassy Queen makes her mark and prepares to hurl that sucker…but she pauses when she remembers Faith hasn’t made a full command yet…

The Queen turns to face Faith while poking her fingers together. Feeling a lil’ ashamed.

Faith winks at her. “Don cha’ worry. I think we have the same idea…”

They grin together mischievously. Jacques looks on, curious and impatient. He raises an eyebrow.

“Scarlet Split-Flame~♥” Faith waves at Jacques, then gives a thumbs down.

The Queen gives her own accompanying thumbs down, and the hot heap above is finally slung towards Nightfall Swamp. On the way, the fireball splits into two, one much larger than the other! Homing in on two cards at Jacques' front row…

“A +1 fireball here!”

*BOOM* A Skull Warrior ignites and perishes!

“Another +2 fireball here!”

The Dragon of NightSPADE has been caught! It climbs out, trembling in fear as the bright flame casts a long shadow as it draws ever nearer. The boney buffoon has every right to be afraid!

*BOOOOOOOOM* The Dragon explodes into dust with a weighty flurry that biffs Jacques’ face.

Jacques coughs as he waves it off.

“Minus one Soul Four-Ce for ya!” Faith sticks her tongue out at him!

Jacques bleeds from the side of his mouth. ‘Damn, losing two cards at once…’

“Wait a sec!” Faith starts fiddling with her hair…

“Oh~kay. Ready when you are! Phase Close!” Her ribbon is back on.

Jacques draws his card. Rolls the Field Dice. It lands on a 2.

He moves a card onto his II-zone. “…Phase Close…” With no fanfare, his turn is over.

“Phase Open~!” Faith draws her card.

Spinning the Field Dice and playing around with it, she rolls it. It lands on a 3.

Faith raises her arm dramatically. “My LV. ACE Knight of BurningHEARTS is coming for that I-zone!”

“Burning Blade!” She slashes the air.

The courageous Knight charges at the card occupying its objective, scorching sword in hand! At full speed, it clashes with a timid Skull Warrior of a lower level. However, rather than sully the sharp end of its blade, the Knight prefers to swat away the pitifully weak thing with the flat side!

*WHACK* That Skull Warrior might as well have been weightless!

The Knight reaches its goal. It triumphantly thrusts its blade deep into the I-zone and graciously enters a crimson vortex.

‘Damn…had I Field Clashed with that ACE Knight on my turn, I wouldn’t have lost my Warrior…’ Jacques bites his thumb.

“Zone Locked!” Faith folds her arms with a big grin.

‘Cheeky brat…’ A tiny bead of sweat rolls down Jacques’ forehead.

They both exchange an intense gaze. The battle of experts begins NOW!

…

-CHAPTER END-

With all your HEART!

-PHASE CLOSE-