Wolfe had a ‘rescue pup,’ a ‘guard dog,’ and a ‘torturer imp.’ He decided his initial hand skewed toward beast cards more and brought forth the ‘rescue pup’ card immediately, even though it made him feel odd—it was just a card, but it was clearly meant to die. But between being a zero-drawdown card and its special effect, it was probably damn useful in a beast deck.
Rescue Pup (uncommon, Tier-1)
1 Beast Power (available)
A sad puppy, but loyal now that it has found a new master that is kind and caring.
Beast[Dog]
Creature Card
Attack:
3
Magical Attack
N/A
Defense
3
Magical Defense
3
Health
8
Special: Does not require upkeep—is a zero-cost monster.
Special: If slain, all mortal and Beast cards in play gain +50% physical attack for the next 30 seconds.
An over-sized German shepherd puppy appeared and began to yap cutely. Then it charged the werewolves alongside Cereboo.
Wolfe really hoped the puppy would last until he could bring his ‘loyal guard dog’ out, but he was skeptical.
At the same time, a very average looking man, slightly pudgy with a handlebar mustache, appeared next to Shel. He was wearing police riot armor and carrying a plastic shield and baton. The summon joined the rush, a slight patina of energy going from Sorenia to the ‘rookie riot police.’
Cereboo and the ‘rescue puppy’ hit the werewolves, yapping joyfully as they leapt into the fray.
Cereboo can remember between deaths—but since he’s immortal, maybe it really is just a fun game to him and not a bunch of deaths. Hope so. I’ve already gotten him killed a couple times, but he never seems to care.
A couple seconds later, the ‘rookie riot police’ hit, swinging his baton.
Some of the werewolves turned on Cereboo, the ‘rescue pup,’ and the ‘rookie riot police.’ The rest stayed clawing at the sheriff’s office, but the rate at which boards were being ripped off went down, and the rate of return fire from the sheriff’s office went up.
Cereboo damaged one werewolf and was raked by another, and the pup yipped, got a small bite in, and then died. Shel put her mantle on, and a Light beam flew from Sorenia and burned a werewolf. Wolfe put another down with multiple shots. Glad these don’t have the ‘silver and magic attacks only’ special.
Two of the werewolves charged, one at Wolfe and one at Shel. Wolfe thanked the gods for the ‘fairness’ mechanics they put into most dungeons. It seemed to have manifested in this case by not having the whole group charge, just the one per deckbearer.
Wolfe managed to bring forth his ‘loyal guard dog,’ and Shel pulled out a ‘pitiable martyr’ card, which got the same glow as the ‘rookie riot police’ had from Sorenia.
But then the werewolves hit. Fortunately, they acted as summoned creature cards, attacking Wolfe’s loyal guard dog and the ‘pitiable martyr,’ instead of Wolfe and Shel, respectively. Unfortunately, both the lesser creatures went down.
When the Martyr died, a golden energy flew to both Sorenia and Cereboo and the nearly eviscerated ‘rookie riot police’ as well.
Fuck. We need some tougher creature cards, both ours are going down like cheap whores… or maybe this is just a stronger dungeon.
Sorenia shot the one in front of Shel with another light beam. It survived her attack, but Wolfe blasted the werewolf and finished it off.
Gunfire was coming steadily from the sheriff’s office now, as guns were being poked through the slats from which werewolves had left. Cereboo finished his target off with the help of the dead doggo buff before being torn apart by the werewolf himself.
Speaking of dropping too fast… could have used him for another minute or two.
Wolfe shifted his deck fast, cussing as no creatures came up. He got both the ‘return to the pit’ cards and his ‘soul hunter’ mantle. He pulled the mantle as the werewolf next to him launched itself straight for him, raking a claw down the calf of the leg Wolfe kicked it with. Wolfe’s increased defense meant the damage he took was minimal, but it was starting to add up—he was wounded in three limbs and bleeding from two.
Shel summoned a crystal of glowing light, and Sorenia’s stats increased.
Wolfe shot the one headed for Shel, and Sorenia, miraculously, finished the one that had clawed Wolfe’s leg by hitting it with another beam of light. But the newest one had reached Wolfe, who ducked under its first swing.
Half of them are dead, but I’m at fourteen Health. Fuck.
Wolfe stepped forward, ejecting his clip but not yet reloading, trying to time it right. As the second werewolf charged him, he leapt back from the claw just enough and then reversed his pistol, cussing as the barrel was hot enough to hurt even if not burn him per se. He slammed the barrel in the werewolf’s head, slewing it to the side, and then kicked it as hard as he could in the back of the knee. It dropped for half a second, then leapt back around, snarling—but Wolfe managed to slap a clip into his gun and flip his deck at the same time.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Two ‘escaped damned’ and the second ‘loyal guard dog.’ Wolfe threw one of the escaped damned out even as he shot the werewolf three times in the chest.
The ‘escaped damned’ had barely materialized when another werewolf hit it. Fearing the worst, Wolfe turned and glanced at Shel. A new werewolf had mauled Sorenia fairly badly, but Shel herself was basically okay. Wolfe shot that lycanthrope dead as well.
The people—so to speak—at the Sheriff’s office had killed the remaining werewolves, all but the one that had just chewed on Wolfe’s ‘escaped damned.’
Wolfe, suspicious about this really being the end of the fight, summoned a second ‘escaped damned’ even as Sorenia hit the last werewolf with a light beam, killing it—but not before the damn werewolf took his ‘escaped damned’ with it.
He chuckled darkly to himself as a larger werewolf, about ten feet tall, landed on the roof of the sheriff’s office and howled, a sound that reverberated through Wolfe same as the howl from when the dungeon opened. The creature had a pentagram carved into its chest that burned with fire, and after it howled, it stared with red eyes at Wolfe and Shel.
Demonic Werewolf Alpha
*
A werewolf alpha that wasn’t content to rule the pack alone, but had to go and make a deal with the devil for even more power.
Beast[Werewolf], Infernal
Creature Card
Attack:
15
Magical Attack
N/A
Defense
15
Magical Defense
7
Health
60
Special: Will make an additional 8 attack against the deckbearer of any monster it slays.
Special: Will summon a hellhound as a free action at 50% and 25% Health
Wolfe was simultaneously impressed and not that worried—for himself. His ‘soul hunter’ mantle gave him an additional twenty-five percent attack and defense since this thing was Infernal as well. It put him solidly at fifteen even without a gun, and nineteen attack with, as well as the fifteen defense—which would practically ignore the follow up attack despite his arm and leg already being damaged.
But it couldn’t be allowed to hit Shel. That would go extraordinarily poorly.
“Shel, don’t attack it with creatures!” Wolfe shouted, reloading and swiping his deck as the monster rushed him.
“Got it!” she yelled back, but then she pulled another ‘pitiable martyr’ summon.
What the fuck did I just say? Wolfe thought as he emptied his clip at the monster. His shots were dead on, hitting it in the face. The escaped damned went down as the claws tore burning essence from it, and the werewolf leapt at Wolfe, slashing wildly. One claw caught Wolfe across his chest, a light slash that still dripped blood.
Deckbearer Ethan Wolfe engages in combat with Demonic Werewolf Alpha.
Ethan makes a ranged Physical Attack at 23 against Demonic Werewolf’s Physical Defense of 15. Damage dealt is 35. (23 * (23/15)).
Demonic Werewolf Alpha makes a Physical Attack at 15 against the Escaped Damned’s Physical Defense of 8. Damage dealt is 28. (15 * (15/8)).
Demonic Werewolf Alpha makes a Physical Attack at 8 against Deckbearer Wolfe’s Physical Defense of 16. Damage dealt is 4. (8 * (8/16)).
Deckbearer Wolfe has 10 of 30 Health remaining.
Wolf cussed, not as free of danger as he had hoped. He swiped his cards, Cereboo returning, and pulled his pup—it got bonus against the Infernal and would help a huge amount here.
But a pentagram also appeared on the ground and a huge, slavering hellhound crawled out of it and rushed Cereboo.
A flash of light came from both Sorenia and Shel, drawing two burned wounds across the werewolf.
Cereboo leapt on to the Demonic Werewolf Alpha and Wolfe unloaded his gun at it again. His attack roll, even with the whole ‘pick two and take the better’ perk, was somehow worse and he didn’t quite finish it off—but Cereboo, while having his back leg chewed on by the hellhound, still got three attacks at ten because of his anti-Infernal ability.
The demonic werewolf finished off Cereboo even as Cereboo chewed it to death. It didn’t get its follow up attack once dead, Wolfe was pleased to see.
Wolfe dismissed notifications that showed he had made another four levels—those had been some nasty monsters.
Sorenia stepped closer to Wolfe. “That was impressive, mortal. Especially for one so far fallen. I appreciate that you were willing to risk death to keep my far more valuable deckbearer alive.”
Wolfe put the maximum amount of sardonism in his voice that he could get. “Glad I could be of service, your graciousness.”
Sorenia was completely immune to his mockery. “I need no title, but I thank you for your respect.”
Wolfe cycled his deck, then glanced over at Shel. He rolled his eyes and hooked his thumb toward Sorenia.
Shel giggled.
The door to the Sheriff’s office opened even as Wolfe was clowning around, and a sheriff that practically radiated an old-timey hick vibe walked out. He had a long piece of straw in his mouth and a silver star badge. He was followed by a lot of random ‘hick citizen’ types—and one angry looking child of about twelve with a knife covered in blood.
“Thank ye fer savin’ us,” the sheriff said, then held two packs of cards out. “We ain’t got much in these here parts, but take this fer yer trouble.”
Wolfe didn’t even look, grabbing them all. “Thanks.”
“Also, this boy here lost his parents. He’s a right tough fighter, and I was hopin’ you’d take him with you.”
Wolfe stared at the kid for a second, and a card box appeared.
Vengeful Orphan (Rare, no tier)
0 power
This young boy tries to keep his chin up, even though he lost his parents to monsters. But in his heart, he yearns to seek vengeance.
Mortal
Minion Card
Attack
0
Magical Attack
0
Defense
3
Magical Defense
3
Health
8
Special: Will fetch normal objects and such with a decent degree of precision, and help carry up to fifteen pounds.
Special: If kept ‘alive’ for five straight years, will turn into a unique, legendary, Mortal, 3 power, tier-6, equivalent creature card.
Even as Wolfe stared at the kid, he dissolved, the particles rushing to Wolfe’s hand and forming a card in it.
The sheriff kept talking, about a werewolf lair and a demon infecting them and the next step to saving the town, but Wolfe tuned him out.
Instead, he turned to Shel. “Run out and get the car ready, pull right to the door. If the Cobras are here, just drive off and wait near the end of the road out of sight. Got it?”
“Yeah… what are you going to do?”
“Get Miriam.”
Shel nodded and started to run off, but even as she did, Miriam showed up. She appeared to be clutching her left arm, which dripped blood, with her right hand but was carrying a card pack clutched in her left hand.
Before Wolfe could even ask, she said, “I rescued some people from a Werewolf Witch. It was a really easy fight, but my deck isn’t the best and I’ll likely have a mark.”
Wolfe nodded, thankful she was mostly okay—he really didn’t want to report something worse to Big Man Grimm or his wife, and this was already bad enough. “Let’s go.”
The three of them turned and ran as fast as they could go back down the forest path. The moon was a touch higher, and Wolfe could still see the mystic glow deeper in the forest. But he wasn’t staying around—the chances the Cobras were coming back was about the same as the sun rising tomorrow. He needed to get out of here before he was putting his reduced Health pool up against a nine millimeter.
He reached the point of entry—the moonlight portal—and stepped through. He appeared back in the pound, the same single yappy dog back at it. Shel and Miriam stumbled after him, and Wolfe rushed out to the SUV in the parking lot. He didn’t see the Cobras around, and took a quick moment to check to make sure Kevin was still in the back. Idiot kid was still in the back, now in a puddle of his own drool.
Wolfe opened the driver side door, grabbing Miriam by the back of her suit jacket and pushing her to the back left seat of the SUV, taking the driver’s seat for himself. All got into the car, and Wolfe drove out onto Industrial, sped the two blocks to Main, and then calmly turned on it, heading for the airport.
Two missions accomplished—kinda—and no cobras in sight.