"Summon the Id, Shadowling, and Fulfilling Dream? What's that last one?" Dania asked. Jake pulled it out and held it up for her to take. The moment she touched the card, something icy cold burned in her chest and frost spread from her fingers to coat the surface of the card. With a yelp, she dropped the card on the sand and jumped back.

Jake stared up at her. "You okay?" he asked, his eyes dancing.

"It startled me," Dania said, unable to keep the defensiveness out of her tone. Jake pressed his lips together in a half-hearted attempt to stifle a chuckle. Machairi didn't even try. The little murder hobo card doubled over, howling with laughter.

"Shut up, Creepy," Dania muttered as she bent to pick up the card. She brushed it off, swiping away sand and frost alike.

"Wait," she said. "This… This isn't what it was!"

"What?" Jake asked. "Did you change it?"

"I—I guess so," she said. "Look what it says now!"

#

Polar Sanctuary

Uncommon Tier-1 Ice [Point of Interest] Persistent

1 Ice Power, 1 Nature Power

This card costs 1 less power if an Era [Fimbulwinter, Ice Age, or Nuclear Winter] is in play.

This card deals 3 True damage to all entities on the battlefield (250’) every round. Any entities with the words ‘Winter or ‘Ice’ in their name or keywords only takes 1 damage. Any creature with any level of resistance to Ice is completely immune.

Any creature with [Fimbulwinter, Ice Age, or Nuclear Winter] in their keywords cost 1 less power of the deckbearer’s choice to play. If this would go below 1 the cost becomes 1 (available) power.

“Some Lost Worlds are harder to access then others.”

#

"Oh man!" Jake said. "That's super cool! That could really create some great synergy with your deck! That's awesome, Dani! You should keep that one."

"You're sure? I'm sorry about the dream card, it looked kinda cool, too."

Jake shrugged. "It's okay, I'll keep these other two. Especially the Shadowling. I can combine it with my other two and raise its tier. I don't know how useful Summon the Id will be, but with it and the Tempting Dream I got outside, I can raise my Shadowlings and still have ten cards."

"But—" Dania said, and then shook her head. "Nevermind."

"No," Jake said. "What?"

"Don't… don't you have another card that requires two Shadowlings to work? Will combining them hose you for using it?"

Jake looked at her, and then smiled slowly. "You're right," he said. "Look at you thinking strategically about card combinations and synergies! Way to go!" He laughed and patted the sand beside him. "Get down here, then. Let's look at what you've got and we'll make some decisions."

He's having way more fun with this than I am, Dania realized. Glad someone's enjoying themselves. Maybe I should lighten up?

She let out a breath and lowered herself to sit cross-legged beside Jake as Machairi and Hush both stepped—or loomed, in Hush's case. Dani wasn't sure he really ever "stepped" per se—close enough to watch.

Jake spread his cards out on the sand in front of him, then gestured to Dani to do the same. She did so, instinctively grouping her hand according to type and subtype.

"Okay, let's see what the Fear Monger dropped," Jake said. "Go ahead and open it."

Dania looked closely at the foil packet for the first time. As she angled it to catch the light, she could see words stamped on the front of it.

"Cycle of the Lost and Lonely, opening, uncommon, dream," she read before tearing open the foil pack. "It would be cooler if this wrapper dissipated into, like, magical smoke or something," she said as she crumpled the foil and stuffed it into her jacket pocket.

"You could just leave it on the sand," Jake said. "I'm sure the dungeon will despawn it as soon as we leave."

"I'm not littering!"

Jake stared at her, then rolled his eyes. "It's not a real beach!"

"I know, it just… it feels wrong, okay? I'll pack out my own magical trash, thank you so much." She pulled a self-important note into her tone, and was rewarded with a laugh.

"Whatever, weirdo. What did you get?"

Dania turned the six cards over in her hands, and then spread them out on the sand next to her own deck.

"A worthless dream meal resource card, this Tier-1 Shadow Bat creature, another Shadowling, The Lost Child of Darkness, a Scimitar Cat—that's cool—and…" she trailed off as she picked up the final card in the pack, a strange feeling of fate settling in her chest as she read the words aloud.

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

#

Lost World Lioness

Rare Beast Tier-1 [Feline, Extinct, Ice-Age, North American] Persistent [Mantle]

1 Beast Power, 1 Any Power

This card adds +2 to Attack and Defense, and +1 to all non-Health stats for each Point of Interest on the field.

The deckbearer gains all benefits that effect creature cards of its sub-types but not its primary type.

“A Were-creature that is extinct, huh? What an unusual curse.”—Lord Felix Caturbury

#

"Oh, shit, Dani!" Jake breathed. "That's a rare mantle! You've been desperately needing a mantle."

"Yeah." Dania angled the card to see the depiction of the anthropomorphic lioness on the front. Deep within her mind, a deep, subliminal growl rumbled.

"The American Lion was one of the largest carnivores of the Late Pleistocene. Panthera atrox, I think," Jake said, excitement threading through his voice. "Related to modern lions, but about 25% larger on average. This is so cool."

"How do you know that? You know what… nevermind. What about these others?" Dania asked, laying aside the Lost World Lioness card for the moment. She was going to keep it, of course. Jake was right; she needed a mantle if she was going to continue to protect him, and this one was perfect…but it struck such a resonant chord in her soul, it weirded her out a little bit. She needed to turn her thoughts to something else for a moment.

"That Shadowling is awesome, I'll take it if you don't mind, and then I can raise one to a tier-2 and still have another to run my Amalgamation card."

"Of course," Dania said. "Why would I mind?"

"I don't know." Jake shrugged and gave her a half-grin. "It just seemed polite to check. Likewise, you should take the Scimitar Cat and upgrade yours. As well as the mantle. I'll keep the Shadow Bat for now, though I might sell it later, along with the dream meal."

Dania snorted softly, then pointed at the final card. "What about that one?"

Jake leaned in to look closer. "Sweet!" he said. "It is an orphan card! I've been reading about these! They're not super powerful at first, but if you keep them alive long enough, they become absolutely incredible. Some of them even turn into companions or—"

"Minions. That's what this one says," Dania said. "Here, take a look." She handed the card to Jake, who settled back and read the card out loud, as had become their habit.

Lost Child of Darkness

Uncommon Tier-1 Shadow/Psychic [Dream] Minion [Orphan]

0 Power

Special: Will fetch normal objects and such with a decent degree of precision and help carry up to ten pounds.

Special: Orphan Evolution [Unique]: If kept ‘alive’ for six straight months, will turn into a Tier-3 equivalent minion, gaining notable power. If ever ‘killed,’ the timer resets. This new minion can only be used in a Nether Realm, but will not count against minion cards. When this card evolves, it will produce a single card of common or uncommon quality appropriate to the deck of its deckbearer.

“This gives the idea of saving a dream a very literal meaning.”

#

"I wouldn't even need to purchase a minion slot for her!" Jake's excitement built with every word. "And, if I can find a spot to play my building card, I can house her in there!"

"Are you sure?" Dania asked. "This looks like she has to be evolved to not need the minion slot."

Jake frowned and looked closer, and then rolled his eyes. "Ugh. You're right. Well, that's okay. I can buy a minion slot when we level here in a second. The first slot only costs one level. I'm still going to keep her."

"Okay, so you take her, the meal, the bat, and the Shadowling card, and I'll keep the Lost Lioness mantle, and the Scimitar Cat." Dania shifted in the sand, reaching over to put the appropriate cards next to Jake's spread.

"And you're taking Polar Sanctuary, too." Jake laid the card on the sand next to her foot. "I'll keep Summon the Id, I can use it with my Shadow power, and it could be a fun one to see in action. And then I'll just combine these Shadowlings."

He gathered up three of the four Shadowling cards and stacked them, then furrowed his brow as if concentrating. Dania watched as darkness coalesced from Jake's hands on the cards, engulfing them in shadow only to dissipate a heartbeat later.

Jake now only held one card.

#

Shadowling

Common Tier-2 Shadow [Shadowling] Creature

1 Shadow Power

Health: 2

Attack: 7

Defense: 1

Magical Attack: N/A

Magical Defense: 1

Special: Amorphous: Each physical hit to this creature always inflicts exactly 1 damage

“The Shadowling is near worthless, except they’re so irritating to put down unless you have magic."

#

"Cool," Jake said. "Even though it's only a slightly better attack, I can throw this guy out first, then follow up with the weaker one and get my Amalgamation out within a minute and a half…but I'll have to take another level in Shadow as well as one in Death…" He trailed off, frowning, then squared his shoulders and nodded.

"Done. Plus the minion slot, and I added to my deck size so I can incorporate all of these new cards." He looked up at Dania with a grin. "Your turn!"

Dania gathered up her three Scimitar Cat cards, and laid them atop one another. She willed them to combine. A deep, subliminal growl shivered under her skin, raising the hairs on her neck and arms, and a tawny light slashed over the cards, cutting through them and revealing a single card underneath.

#

Scimitar Cat

Common Tier-2 Beast [Feline, Extinct, Ice Age, North American] Creature

1 Beast Power

Health: 8

Attack: 4

Defense: 3

Magical Attack: N/A

Magical Defense: 3

Special: Ambush: This creature attacks immediately upon entering with a single attack at +2.

“The Scimitar Cat, Homotherium Serum, was a smaller, rush-down version of the more well-known Smilodon, or Saber-toothed Tiger.”

#

Jake craned his neck to look and then laughed. "Not much of an increase," he said. "But better than nothing."

"Yeah," Dania agreed. "Gotta start somewhere, I suppose."

"What about your levels?"

"Well," she said. "I guess I'm going to increase my Nature by one, since we talked about that. And it will be helpful for the Polar Sanctuary."

"Good choice." Jake's voice sounded encouraging, as if he wanted to applaud her halting strategy. "What else? Think about your mantle, too. What will you need to maximize its utility?"

"It's a Beast mantle, which works with my Primal perk. So it's one less power to play, so I don't need another Beast power right now…oh! I'll increase my hand size, like you did."

Jake nodded. "I like it. You'll have a better chance of pulling your mantle or one of your persistents that way. That should still leave you with three pips. You could take a length of play bump. That could be helpful if you've got Polar Sanctuary out or something."

Dania pursed her lips. "Let me wait and see. Do you want to keep going?"

"If it's all right with you," he said. "I…we're doing pretty well, and we're getting some really cool stuff."

Dania rolled her head from side to side on her neck, gathered up her cards and willed them back into her deck, and then stood up, brushing the sand off of her pants, even though she figured it would probably just disappear the moment they left this floor. "Sounds good," she said. "Let's go, then."

Since walking down the beach hadn't gotten them anywhere, they decided to walk toward the water. The minute they both stepped into water up to their ankles, Dania heard the same "everywhere and nowhere" voice from before.

"You have reached the waking point for this floor. Do you wish to wake, or continue on your journey into the Shadow of the Mind?"

Dania reached out and grabbed Jake's hand, just in case that might help them actually arrive on the next floor together.

"We'll continue," she said.

And they fell.