Kurt played a subject to his side of the field to start and end his turn.
Rigged Pirate Ship - Power: 400
Swing: 3
Effect: If this card is destroyed by a Subject in battle, destroy the attacking Subject. If this card is destroyed by a Ruler in battle, then that Ruler can’t attack on its next turn. If this card is destroyed by the effect of a resource card, draw one card.
Pendulum Swing to Lane: 2 → 3 [Timecard]
Lane cards in hand: 5
Kurt cards in hand: 6
Lane felt the cage around him closing tight. Kurt’s subject had just enough power that none of Lane’s cards could attack it without the battle being negated. Lane had removal in his deck, but none in his hand.
Lane activated The Final Lighthouse’s effect, throwing a card to the discard pile and investigating Kurt’s hand. He revealed Windy Weather Avatar. If Lane had a turn where his subjects and ruler couldn’t strike, his enemy could build a board safely. But, the Pirate Ship could already be a part of that board and its effect was meant to stave off attack.
Lane decided that letting his opponent build a board state couldn’t stand. He attacked with Aegir and would deal with whatever came next.
Aegir 900 → 1200 attacked Rigged Pirate Ship 400 and destroyed it.
“Perfect, perfect,” Kurt said. Lane tried not to let that make him nervous. For Aegir’s effect, he drew three cards, and revealed Mystic Mermaid Propaganda to be added into his hand.
“Oh, that’s bad timing,” Kurt commented. Lane agreed.
Drunken Jettison - Resource
Swing: 2
Effect: Flip a coin five times. For every time it’s heads, discard a card from your deck to the Waste. For every time it’s tails, your opponent discards a card from their deck to the Waste.
“Do you have a coin?” Kurt asked. Lane moved to his wallet, looking for one. “I have a die. Even numbers can be heads and tails can be odds if that works?” Lane nodded, relieved. “I’d recommend bringing one die to events like this. People usually have one to spare, but it’s good practice in case you run cards like this.”
Lane wanted to say that he hadn’t even expected to play a game that day, let alone know what cards he’d be playing. He just nodded instead.
Kurt rolled the die five times. Three. Four. Four. Six. One. Kurt milled two cards from his deck and Lane moved three from his deck to his discard pile.
“Tough luck this turn,” Kurt said.
Lane played the last card of his hand.
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Mystic Mermaid Propaganda - Resource
Swing: 3
Effect: All cards with “Mystic Mermaid” in their name gain 200 Power as long as this card is face-up on the field.
If Lane had that card to start the turn, he could’ve attacked Pygillion with it. At least he could make the attack the next turn.
Pendulum Swing to Kurt: 2
Lane cards in hand: 6
Kurt cards in hand: 6
Kurt drew three cards and discarded one.
Pirate Lieutenant, Blackjam - Power: 100
Swing: 2 → 4
Effect: If your opponent has two face-up Subjects on their Kingdom that you summoned, this card can attack your opponent’s Prize Deck directly. Your opponent’s Prize Deck has zero power. When it is attacked, your opponent must draw from the Prize Deck.
There it was, the crux of Kurt’s plan. “I play this card underwater by my kingdom’s effect.”
Pendulum Swing to Lane: 2 → 3
Lane cards in hand: 6
Kurt cards in hand: 7
Lane drew two cards and sent a card to the graveyard from the top of his deck per his kingdom’s effect. It only revealed another pirate Subject.
Aegir couldn’t attack because of Rigged Pirate Ship’s effect and Kurt still had his Bribery to protect Blackjam from at least one attack. But, Kurt’s attack had incidentally brought an instrumental card into Lane’s hand. Playing it would end his turn, so he attacked first.
Cowardly Raider, 400 attacked Pirate Lieutenant, Blackjam, 100 instigating a die roll per Atlantean Colony’s effect.
Lane sheepishly accepted Kurt’s die to roll. Three. Which meant the attack would go through.
“Not so fast, I can use resource cards in reaction to the result of a die roll,” Kurt said. He flipped over Bribery!”
Bribery in Blood - Resource
Swing: 0
Effect: If your opponent’s Subject declares an attack, discard as many cards as you’d like from your hand. Reduce the Power of your opponent’s subject by the amount of cards discarded times 100.
“I’ll send three cards to the graveyard, reducing Raider’s attack to 100. This will trigger your Mermaid’s effect next, negating the attack entirely, as the battle would destroy your subject.”
Bribery was moved into the Waste. Lane had hoped the move would get rid of two problems at once, but he was still stuck with Cowardly Raider on his field. As long as he removed Blackjam, it would be alright.
Mystic Mermaid of Regrets, 300 → 500 attacked Pirate Lieutenant, Blackjam, 100 instigating a die roll per Atlantean Colony’s effect.
Lane rolled again. Two. The attack was negated.
“Nice,” Kurt said. Lane tapped his last subject. Surely one of his three Subjects could squash a Subject with only 100 power. He declared an attack and discarded one card from his hand.
Costly Mercenary, 400 attacked Pirate Lieutenant, Blackjam, 100 instigating a die roll per Atlantean Colony’s effect.
Lane rolled again. Two. Again. He tried not to make an obvious expression of frustration and continued on with his play.
Aegir’s Broken Altar - Resource
Swing: 5
Effect: Whenever you add a card to your hand from any source, your opponent must send an equal amount of cards from the top of their deck to their graveyard. Your hand has no card limit. Draw three cards if Barbaric Prayer Circle is in play, or draw three cards when it is played on your Kingdom face-up.
Lane drew three more cards from his deck and Kurt sent three into his Waste. Already the two decks had a noticeable difference in height. Kurt wasn’t making jokes about the strategy any more.