Chapter 1 Skill

"And finally, I'll have my scotch spitter and lightning stormkin attack," declared a boy. the boy had messy blond hair, green eyes, an orange and green T-shirt, grey sweat pants, and looked so confident that he would win that he wasn't paying attention to his opponent's hand, "scorch spitter's ability activates and you take an extra point of damage."

"For one white and one other, I cast Gideon's Reproach to kill your stormkin and have my soldier token block your spitter, they both die and I scrape by with three life points," replied the boy's opponent. The boy's opponent was another boy but with black hair, brown eyes, a white T-shirt with jeans, and was known for making winning an art form. "Anything else you want to do?"

"No, I end my turn."

"In that case," the black haired boy said as he drew his card and untapped his lands, "for two red and four others, I summon Lathliss Dragon Queen. Then for two red and four others again, I summon a shivan dragon. this activates my dragon queen's ability, creating a 5/5 red dragon token with flying. Then for three of any, I equip each of my dragons with swiftfoot boots, giving them haste. They all attack for a tot of 16 in the air, and you don't have any creachers with flying or cards in your hand."

The blond haired boy stared in complete shock as in one fell swoop, his 12 life points were reduced to zero.

"Good game Sam, I had fun." the victor said extending his hand.

"wWhatever Nate," Sam said, "you wouldn't be acting so smug if you were the one who lost." Sam then proceeded to pick up his cards and return them to the deck box on his belt. "but a deal's a deal." Sam and then got a small box out of his bag, pulled out a single card, and handed it to Nate.

" finally, Darkuseth, maw of flames, I've been trying to find this card for months!" Nate exclaimed as he put the card in a box of his own, "I'm going to put this in a deck as soon as I get home!"

"Alright everyone," called a deep and commanding but also gentle voice, "I love a good match as much as the next guy, but it's time for you to go home."

"Yes Mr. Decker." all of the high school students said in unison. Mr. Decker was a younger man, about in his early thirties. He liked to wear flannel button-up shirts, jeans, and gray sneakers, fitting for Iowa, he had short black hair and gray eyes too. Mr. Decker was also one of the three study hall teachers in the school as well as the school's magic league coach, all of the students liked and respected him. all the students pack their cards and other supplies, then left to go home.

"Nate, could you come here for a second?" mr. Decker called.

"yeah, sure," Nate said, he knew he hadn't done anything wrong, but being asked by a teacher to stay after class always makes him an easy, "what's up?"

"Nate, your skills are phenomenal and you always win," Mr Decker started. Nate just rolled his eyes, he knew what lecture he was about to get and frankly, he wasn't in the mood. "You should join the League and make a name for yourself."

"I already told you, I only play for fun, I don't want to play just to beat someone."

"I know how you feel about this, but colleges give full ride scholarships for these kinds of things."

"I know, but I'm not going to play just because someone else wants me to."

"Fine, I'll let it go for now, but I'm going to bring this up again."

"And I'll tell you no again." Nate walked to his locker and went home to finish his day in peace, unaware that a certain Dragon was watching his match.

"This 'Nate' has some incredible skill but he may be a problem based on the conversation with his teacher," Nicol Bolas said.

"Perhaps," said the hooded man, "but that's an boy could be useful and his anger makes him easily manipulatable."

"Agreed, and the magic League the teacher speaks of may have more potential soldiers."

"Most likely, but as you said Nate could prove troublesome, we should keep an eye on him just in case."

once he got home, Nate prepared the table in his basement for him and his friends, who were coming over later, to battle on. at about 7, 3 of Nate's friends knocked on the front door. Opening the door, Nate saw his friends all with looks of pure determination to win.

"Hey guys," Nate greeted.

"Hey Nate," send Nate friend Eddie. Eddie is a total Joker with brown hair, blue eyes, jeans, and a black hoodie, his favorite playstyle is rakdos.

"Ready to lose?" said Tom. Tom has red hair, green eyes, glasses, mesh shorts and a solid red t-shirt, his preferred style is orzhov.

"Yeah right, Nate could beat you in his sleep," noted Amy. Amy has long blonde hair, brown eyes, black leggings and a solid blue t-shirt, she plays dimir and is Nate's girlfriend. "so, what deck are you planning to use this time?"

"Dunnow, kind of want to play my Chandra deck," Nate said contemplating his many options.

"All right then," Tom said clapping his hands once, " let's get started!" everyone headed down to Nate's basement to start their match.

Nick's basement is fairly large with shag carpeting, a pool table, and air hockey table, a 60 inch flat screen with a two-person couch and several bean bags in front of it, a table about 3ft by 3ft, two sliding glass doors that lead to the backyard, and still plenty of room for about 20 more people.

once everyone was set up they roll dice to see who got to go first. the result was Nate going clockwise ( Nate, Eddie, Tom, Amy).

"To start I play a mountain and use it to summon a Scorch spitter," Nate said, " then I end my turn."

"My turn then," Eddie said drawing a card, "I will also play a mountain and end my turn."

"Then I'll draw and Play an Orzhov guildgate," Tom said, "that's all for now."

"About time," Amy said as she Drew her card, "I'll play an island and end my turn."

"Back to me already?" Nate asked sarcastically, "Then let's play with fire, but first, untap and draw. I'll play another Mountain then for one red and one other I summon a pact Mastiff, then I'll send my Scorch spitter to attack... Tommy Boy."

"Bro, why me?" Tom complained.

"Does ready to lose ring a bell?" Nate said frankly.

"Touche."

"You take one damage from Scorch spitter's ability and one damage from the Scorch spitter itself for a total of 2." Tom then reluctantly put his HP down to 18. "I end my turn."

"Sweet," Eddie said as he drew his card, "I'll play a mountain and then use both of them to summon a Smelt-Ward Ignus, then I end my turn."

"I'm going to get you for that damage you did to me," Tom said as he took care of his field, "but not this turn, I play another Orzhov guildgate and end my turn."

"My turn," Amy said drawing her card, "I'll play a dimir guildgate and end my turn."

"Let's go," Nate said, " I'll play another mountain and summon another pack Mastiff. Then I will have my Scorch spitter and one of my Mastiff attack Tom again, you lose for life."

"Ugh, fine," Tom said, his life total now at 14 while everyone else was still full at 20.

"I end my turn," Nate finished.

"then I will put down another mountain and summon another Ignus," Eddie said, "and since Tom lost life this turn, I can cast skewer the critics for one red instead of one and two others, and I will Target... Nate."

"Oof, ok," Nate said taking three damage, putting him down to 17.

"and finally, I will have one of my Ignuses has attack Amy for 2."

" I have no blockers, so I will take the damage," Amy sighed.

"I end my turn," Eddie said smugly.

"I still can't summon anything yet," Tom said playing his third Orzhov guildgate, "I end."

" well sucks to be you because I can finally summon something," Amy said playing Another dimir guildgate, " for a blue and black, I summon a dimir spybug and end my turn."

"My turn again. For one red and one other I activate my Mastiff's ability making both of them 3/2s instead of 2/2s. then I have all three of my creatures attack Tom."

"Why are you targeting me?" Tom yelled.

"Because you have no creatures," Eddie said.

" you are an easy target right now," Amy added.

"Whatever, I take the eight damage putting me down to six."

"I end my turn, putting my Mastiffs back to 2/2s," Nate said.

"Dude, it hasn't even been five turns," Eddie said as he took care of his field.

"Yeah yeah," Tom sighed.

" anyways, I have both of my Ignuses has attack Tom, Eddy declared.

"Of course," Tom said rolling his eyes, "now I'm down to two life."

"I end my turn," Eddie said giving Tom a chance to play.

"Alright let's see here, I'll play a plains, and for one white and three others, I will summon a Syndicate messenger," Tom said relieved that he finally had a creature on the field, "I end my turn."

"I'll start by playing a swamp," Amy said, "then, four blue and three others, I will summon a murmuring Mystic. Then I will have my spy bug attack you Eddie."

"All right, I can afford one damage," Eddie said.

"Then I end my turn."

"Let's see if I can pull another land... Hey I did!" Nate said, "turn four to red and two others, I activate both of my Mastiffs' abilities making them both for tues. My Scorch spitter and one of my Mastiffs will attack Tom and the other Mastiff will attack Eddie."

"Ouch," Eddie said taking the for damage.

"Bro, you just killed me!" Tom complained, "I'll have my bird kill your dog first though."

"Fair enough, I end my turn." Tom was eliminated on turn 5.

"So, now that Tom said I get the feeling that you are going to Target me," Eddie said as he got his field ready.

"What makes you say that?" Nate asked.

" because I know you and you are going to save your girlfriend for last."

" you right, you right. Now get on with your turn!"

"I'll play a rakdos guildgate then I will have my weaknesses attack Nate."

"I got no blockers, so I will take for damage," Nate said now at 13.

"I ended my turn."

"I'll start by playing a swamp," Amy said, "then for one blue and two others, I will summon a dimir informant, and when she enters the battlefield, I get to surveil twice... I'll keep them on my deck and because I surveilled my spy bug gets stronger, making it a 3/3. Then I will have my spy bug in my Mystic attack Eddie."

"I can't block so I'll take the 4," Eddie said now with 11.

"Great, then I will pass my turn to Nate," Amy said.

"Let's get this party started!" Nate exclaimed, "First, I will play a mountain, then 4 to read and three others I will cash chandra's out burst and do for damage to Eddie."

"Ahhh, single-digit life total!" Eddy exclaimed.

"Haha," Tom mocked.

"I get to search my deck for Chandra, bold pyromancer and put her into my hand," Nate continued, "oh, she was all the way at the bottom. Then I will have my scorched bitter and pack Mastiff attack Eddy 3 plus another one for my spitters ability.

"I've got no response so I'll take the damage," Eddie concluded getting knocked down to three.

"I end my turn."

"Okay, this is my last chance to survive, let's see what we get," Eddie said have to himself drawing his card, "nothing helpful, but I can still summon a raptor demon. Then I will have my two ignuses attack Nate."

"I take the four and go into single digits," Nate said at 9 life points.

"I end my turn."

"Then I," Amy started, "will play an Island and use it to summon a thoughtbound Phantasm, then I will have my spy bug attack Eddy, and my Mystic and informant will attack Nate."

"Welp, I'm dead," Eddie sighed.

"I'll take the two," Nate said. Only seven life points left.

"I end." Eddie, eliminated on Turn 6.

"Just you and me now Aims," Nate said preparing his field.

"Something tells me I'm going to win this time."

"That's one gift I won't give you. I play a mountain and for a red and four others, I summon Chandra bold pyromancer. Then I will activate her + 1 and do 2 damage to you and use the red mana I get to play shandra's regulator. I end my turn." Amy now has 16 life points.

"I play an island and summon another thoughtbound Phantasm. Then I have my spybug attacked you and my Mystic and informant will attack Chandra."

"I take the three and use my Scorch spitter and pack Mastiff to block the others but my spitter dies in the process." 4 life points left.

"I end my turn." Eddie and Tom could only sit there and watch as the couple rapid fired commands at their creatures for victory, it was always that way when the two battled.

"First, I activate chandra's + 1, too damaged for you and two mana for me, then I will pay one of any to activate The Regulators ability to copy the effect of chandra's + 1," Nate started with Amy now down to 12, "that's 5 mana on the field and four floating for a total of nine, I will then use seven of them to summon Darkuseth, maw of flames and end my turn."

"Holy crap a 7/7, that's a powerful dragon," Tom remarked, "and his ability is broken AF."

"When do you get him?" Eddie asked.

"Just today actually," Nate said.

"And now I have to fight it!" Amy said annoyed, "alright, I play an island then for one blue, one black, and one other, I summon a whisper agent. And when whisper agent enters the battlefield I get to surveil once... I'll keep it in my spy bug and phantasms get stronger. Then I'll have my spybug my Mystic and my informant attack you."

"Drakuseth will torch your bug and my dog will bite your informant, and for one red and one other I will cast Chandra's pyrohelix to do two extra damage to your informant, my Mastiff survives, your informant and bug or dead, and I only take one damage."

"I end my turn."

"To start, I activate shandra's + 1 and her regulator, for damage to you and for mana for me, putting you at 8, then for one red and one other I cast chandra's Triumph doing 5 damage to your first Phantasm, then for one red and four others I cast reduced to ashes doing 5 damage and exiling your second Phantasm. And finally drakuseth and my Mastiff will attack. Drakuseth does 7 damage normally, for damage to another Target so let's say your Mystic, and three damaged any two Targets, so you're Mystic and agent are dead, and my Mastiff finishes you off by doing two damage. That's it, I win." Game over on turn 9.

Amy smiled and rolled her eyes, she knew she was going to lose as soon as DrakuSeth came into play but she didn't want to just quit. "Good game guys," Nate said smiling. The for high schoolers picked up their cards and decided to watch movies for the rest of the night. Nate held Amy close on the couch and looked around at his other friends thinking "this is perfect, I wish things could be like this forever," but life had a much different plan for this group of soon-to-be Heroes.