The possibilities provided by the monster synthesis interface were overwhelming. The longer Blake looked at the potential outcomes, the more he realized there were no real downgrades.
Both the Meteor Colossus and the Hospital card had a wide range of positive traits that would be inherited by whatever card popped out at the end of the synthesis process.
Blake wasn't quite sure how some of those traits would translate across from a hospital facility card into a monster, but he just needed to choose the two traits that he wanted the monster to have, no matter what, and trust in the process.
The four trait options that the Meteor Colossus had were:
Colossal Body
Impenetrable Defense
Dual Element
Indomitable Strength
The four trait options displayed on the Hospital Card were:
Metropolitan Complex
Healing Aura
Element Neutral
Force For Good
Initially Blake was worried the system would only allow him to choose one trait from each row. To his relief, Blake could choose two of these attributes from the list, from either side, and the system would then choose whatever attributes would go into the remaining two slots from what was left.
There were two options that stood out. He would be wasting the hospital card if he didn't choose the only healing attribute from the entire list, which was Healing Aura. His Meteor Colossus gained most of its effectiveness in battle from its size.
If Blake didn't choose Colossal Body, then it was entirely possible that his colossus could lose its massive size advantage. What if the system chose Metropolitan Complex as a trait? It was entirely possible that it could turn this monster into an immovable building or something.
If he chose one attribute from the Meteor Colossus and the most important attribute from the hospital card, at least he’d have control over the most significant elements of the resulting card.
Blake selected both Colossal Body and Healing Aura. He was a little bit worried about what level the creature would be when it came out, as his Meteor Colossus was only level 4, and the hospital card didn't have a level attributed to it whatsoever.
Blake had visions that the monster that would come out of this synthesis would be a massive, colossal creature, just like his meteor colossus, but it would also have a healing aura that would keep the rest of his monsters on the battlefield in good health while they fought.
So far, Blake hadn't heard about any abilities that allowed healing in battle. It would be a massive advantage on his monsters for sure.
The monster synthesis began.
Both cards illuminated and glowed brightly in front of Blake before the synthesis mechanism drew both of those cards together. The anima of their cards fused together, and they became one.
Blake reached out and took the new combined card in his hand. It still showed an image of a meteor, which was a good sign, but this meteor was illuminated by a halo of light. The name of the card was Heavenly Meteor.
Card: Heavenly Meteor
Level: 12
Rarity: Epic
Element: Earth/Fire
Type: Activated Ability
Cost: 3 Anima
Duration: 30 minutes
Effects: Summons a radiant meteor blessed by the heavens. This meteor slams into whatever target the user aims it at and causes massive damage. The impact site is then blessed by healing energy, creating a zone that heals friendly targets over time. This energy burns any hostile targets that enter the impact zone.
Blake's eyes grew wider and wider as he kept reading. This was very similar to the Meteor Strike card and caused damage over time, but it now created a healing area that healed friendly units over time.
But that didn't answer the other lingering question that Blake had: Just what monster would this card summon when he used it?
Blake slipped the card into his deck. He then headed over to his simulated battle arena facility and placed the Heavenly Meteor card into the first slot.
A bright light erupted above the arena. There was a strange crackling sound in the air that almost sounded like arcing electricity, but it was followed by an angelic humming. It reminded him of when his mother and father used to take him to church as a child and everyone gathered would sing hymns of praise.
The incandescent meteor hurtled toward the earth, its searing light casting an otherworldly glow across the arena. With a resounding crash, it collided with the ground, sending tremors through the very foundations of the battleground.
From the heart of the crater, a colossal figure began to rise, its silhouette a stark contrast against the dust and debris.
This behemoth, while not as massive as the Meteor Colossus, radiated a menacing aura that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. Its body appeared to be encased in a gleaming armor forged from shimmering steel, which pulsated with a living radiance that defied description. The very air around the creature crackled with energy, a tangible manifestation of its immense power.
Upon its head, two formidable horns arched skyward, framing a face that was simultaneously ethereal and unsettling. It bore no mouth, yet its eyes blazed with an intensity that bespoke untold wisdom and fury. Between these majestic horns, a swirling vortex of cerulean flame danced and flickered, casting eerie shadows across the battlefield.
This monstrous being, if it could be called an angel, was the most fearsome celestial entity that Blake had ever beheld. Its very presence promised both salvation and destruction, an enigmatic force that would leave those who witnessed it awestruck and trembling in equal measure.
Blake slid the Boulder Crusher card into the remaining slot and called forth Crusher Minotaur.
With a thunderous boom, the ground shook as the formidable beast materialized. Standing at an imposing eight feet tall, the minotaur exuded raw power and menace, its rippling muscles a testament to its destructive potential.
Despite the Crusher Minotaur's awe-inspiring presence, it was dwarfed by the newly merged leviathan known as the Radiant Colossus. This titanic creature loomed above the battlefield at an astonishing fifteen feet in height, its sheer size and power radiating an unmistakable sense of danger and might.
Before issuing any commands for his two behemoths to engage in battle, Blake turned his attention to the Radiant Colossus. He scrutinized the creature's stats, seeking to fully comprehend the capabilities and limitations of this awe-inspiring monstrosity that now answered to his command.
Monster: Radiant Colossus
Level: 12
Evolution Stage: Card Fusion – Meteor Strike (Meteor Colossus) / Hospital Facility (Healing Cloud)
Affinity: Fire/Earth
Strength: 210
Toughness: 210
Agility: 240
Magic Power: 280
Personality: Stoic, Vigilant, Protector
Traits:
* Colossal Body
* Healing Aura
* Dual Element
* Force For Good
Past Evolutions: Not applicable
Future Evolutions: Not applicable
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Well, at least now Blake knew which attributes had gone into this monster aside from the ones that he had chosen. The fact that his Radiant Colossus was a dual element monster of both earth and fire was quite reassuring, though he wasn't quite sure what Force For Good meant.
Blake focused on it. The trait displayed even more information, delivered through the soothing voice of his AI assistant.
Good versus Evil: While the dual elements of earth and fire define all cards used within this current system, there is also a secondary system that defines whether or not a card has a good alignment or an evil alignment. Many cards do not have an alignment at all, and the ones that do are quite rare.
Actions that are aligned to doing the right thing and being altruistic will have a direct impact on the people who take these actions. For example, the Paragon perk that you received was given to you because of your actions in making a good choice over an evil one.
The system itself is not good nor evil, though it recognizes that both of these extremes exist within humanity. While the system itself is not inherently good nor evil, it will reinforce the choices of those within the system. If someone is determined to make evil choices, then the system will skew things in a way that allows them to make even more evil choices.
Similarly, if a person continuously makes good choices in the face of adversity, the system will also reward that. Decisions that are ethically neutral will not move the karmic meter in either direction.
In context of what this means for your monster, the Force for Good trait means that it will do more damage to evil aligned enemies but will also take more damage from them as well. However, it also increases the healing done by any healing spells, including auras used by the monster.
The more Blake listened to his AI assistant, the happier he was that this particular trait had been inherited by his Radiant Colossus.
Blake commanded his colossal warriors to commence their epic clash.
The Radiant Colossus, though possessing a significant statistical advantage based on its level, had lower attack and toughness scores than one might expect from such a gargantuan beast. Speed and magical prowess were its primary strengths, making for a truly intriguing battle.
Undeterred by the towering figure before it, the Crusher Minotaur charged forward, its boulder-crushing hammer held high overhead. As the hammer descended with a furious roar, it became clear that the minotaur could only reach as high as the colossus's thighs.
The Radiant Colossus gazed down curiously at its diminutive attacker, seemingly unperturbed. Despite the force of the hammer's impact, the colossus appeared to sustain minimal damage. A faint mark at the point of impact was the only evidence of the minotaur's efforts.
A brilliant surge of light burst forth from the Radiant Colossus. Its injuries and blemishes vanished within moments.
The Crusher Minotaur persisted in its relentless assault against the Radiant Colossus, but its efforts continued to prove futile. Despite its determination, the minotaur was simply outmatched by the immense power and resilience of the colossus, a testament to the vast divide in their levels.
Eventually Blake had to actually command his colossus to attack the minotaur. The resulting attack was absolutely devastating.
The Radiant Colossus simply backhanded the minotaur and sent it flying all the way across the battlefield until it was knocked out of the arena entirely.
This simulated battle arena had the same requirements as an actual arena, and once a target was ejected from the ring, they were deemed to be defeated.
The Radiant Colossus turned its implacable face toward Blake, and he broke out into a massive grin.
Blake had another duel tonight, and there were a few more hours before he was due there. So Blake left his lair and went back into the city to head directly toward the Power Card Store.
As a Rank 3 challenger he had eight anima to use in a duel, even if he didn’t have any anima left to use himself today. His total was refreshed before the fight.
If he ended up summoning his Radiant Colossus, that would cost him three of those precious anima slots.
His most powerful monsters, his Fire Drake, and his Crusher Minotaur, also both took two anima each to summon. Blake didn't want to actually use his Radiant Colossus in battle just yet, as he wanted to keep this as a trump card up his sleeve for when he finally had to fight Clay Atlas.
Blake had decided to change his clothes while he was in his lair, and he folded his signature earth and flame motif trench coat into a backpack. He figured that without the trench coat he would just look like anybody else on the street, and hopefully nobody else would recognize him. He slipped a cap on as well just in case.
When Blake reached the streets above once again, his first instinct was to head over to the City Hub to hand in the quest to find the lost expedition, but he decided not to do that just yet. It would give him an excuse to keep going out of the city when he needed to.
Instead, he headed toward the Power Card Store. On the way, he stopped by a street vendor selling sunglasses and grabbed a pair.
Nobody recognized him anymore. Unbothered by the crowds, Blake headed over to the Power Card Store, and browsed through all of the available power cards that they had on sale.
His disguise worked so well that Sami DeVere, the woman who ran the store, didn't even recognize him. And that was probably a good thing.
There was every chance that the owner of the power card store could be siphoning off information about what cards Challengers were buying when they were competing in the arenas.
As he was browsing through the available cards on racks behind glass, he saw two cards that could potentially give his Fire Drake the powers he wanted it to have.
One of them was Flare Beam. It had let David cut through the heavy shells of multiple rock crabs like they were butter. Blake wanted to know what kind of monster that card would summon, but the price was absolutely gob smacking.
12,000 credits! 12,000 credits would wipe out basically all of Blake’s savings.
He just imagined how powerful a monster would be if it could fly and also used that same attack to shoot those devastating beams of energy at enemies from all angles.
A Flame Breath card was available as well for a much more reasonable 6,000 credits, but it was only marked as Rare – not Epic like Flare Beam.
Blake was racked by indecision. On one hand he knew what he wanted. On the other he didn't want to completely deplete his stores of credit days before he was due to help overthrow the city.
But at the same token, it might be more difficult to overthrow the city if it didn't have the Flare Beam card for himself.
Blake called the owner of the shop over to him. “Hey, I don't know whether you remember me, but the name's Blake. Just kind of being incognito at the moment because I don't really want all of the attention that comes with being a brand new hot challenger.”
The shopkeeper's eyes went wide, and she was about to squee with excitement.
Blake lifted a finger to his lips and desperately tried to calm her down.
“Please, I'm trying to keep a low profile. I'll sign anything you want for free, but I have a question to ask you. Is there anything that you can do to bring the cost of that Flare Beam card down for me?”
Sami DeVere stammered an apology. “I-I’m Sorry Mister Thornwood, the system sets all of the prices. I don't have any say in how much they cost. I just need to be here to facilitate the transactions.”
“How about purchasing cards? Do you have any flexibility in being able to make higher offers on cards?”
“Well, yes as long as it's not higher than the maximum asking price that the system will put in place, I can. Yes.”
“In that case, I'd like to sell you my Fissure card, and I'd like to get the absolute best price that you can give me for it. What's the best that you can do?” Blake retrieved the card from his deck and placed it on the counter of the store.
The shopkeeper lady looked at the card and bit her bottom lip. “The best I can do for that card is 3,000 credits. The System has to sell it for 4,000, and it won’t let me purchase it for any more than 3,000. But for Blake Thornwood, the Monster Maestro, well this will be a story I'll be able to tell my grandchildren when they're born!”
“I'm happy to sell this for 3,000 credits. And I'll buy that Flare Beam card for 12,000,” Blake said, but his smile lingered on the nickname Sami had just used. Monster Maestro?
So after taking the sale price into consideration, this card only actually cost Blake 9,000 credits, and he had seen just how devastating it could be when used in the right hands.
They exchanged cards and credits.
Blake had just over an hour before he needed to be at the cod battling arena in the middle of the city. Still enough time to combine two more of his monsters, and then test out what their effects would be.
Thankfully Blake's new disguise worked a treat. Nobody recognized him, nobody stopped him, and he was able to disappear down into the tunnels beneath the city without any issues.
When he reached his lair, he went into the monster battle arena and played the Flare Beam card. A strange orb-like creature appeared, floating in the air.
The creature was covered in a thick textured hide that reminded Blake of the surface of river stones. It had one massive eye situated above a huge mouth filled with crushing sharp teeth. In addition to the massive eye in the middle of the face, this monster had two extra eyeballs on the end of stalks. Each of those eyes, including the large one in the middle of its head, burned with flaming energy.
The monster was called a Flame Gazer, and Blake focused on it so he could see what the monster's stats were.
Monster: Flame Gazer
Level: 9
Evolution Stage: Second Stage
Affinity: Fire
Strength: 150
Toughness: 150
Agility: 210
Magic Power: 240
Personality: Proud, Evasive, Archmage
Traits:
* Devastation Beam
* Levitation
* Mana Adept
* Fearsome
Past Evolutions: Flame Bauble
Future Evolutions: Unknown
Blake summoned his Fire Drake into the battle arena to face off against his newly-summoned Flame Gazer. The floating head with the massive eye in the center of it immediately focused on the Fire Drake when it coalesced from anima motes.
Blake let both of the monsters fight each other without giving them any overt commands. The Flame Gazer shot twin beams of energy toward the Fire Drake as it leaped into the sky and circled around the battlefield.
The Fire Drake was fast, but the eye beams from the Flame Gazer moved just as quickly. The flaming beams of energy seared the Fire Drake as it flew, and the attacks were so powerful that they burned the membranous skin of the drake’s wings. Once the wings were destroyed, the dragon fell to the bottom of the arena and had no choice but to run at the Flame Gazer to try and hurt it.
The drake evaded the beams as it sprinted toward the Flame Gazer, and Blake noticed that it was having an easier time dodging the beams as it ran straight toward the floating eyeball monster. The beams were easy to sidestep and moved erratically if the gazer’s focus shifted. It was almost like the beams required a few extra seconds to calibrate to new or moving targets.
Still, the gazer eventually landed direct hits on the drake and the attacks were absolutely devastating. Blake could only imagine just how powerful the attacks would be if they were mounted from a monster that could fly around the battlefield.
Blake removed his two cards from the battle arena and headed over to the Monster Synthesis Lab. Thanks to the work orders that he had completed, Blake had earned enough lair energy to merge two more cards into a new monster.
He combined the Flame Gazer and the Fire Drake together and chose the attributes Devastation Beam from the Flame Gazer, and Flight from the Fire Drake as the two attributes that the new monster would inherit.
The resulting card was called Scorch Dragon’s Ire, and if it was used by a normal Challenger it would give the user a pair of draconic wings that would erupt from their back and allow them to unleash a scorching ray of destruction from their open mouth.
Giddy with anticipation, Blake took his new card to the simulation battle arena and summoned it.
The monster that appeared was called a Scorch Dragon. It resembled the Fire Drake in almost every way, except that it had two eyes that were on tentacle-like stalks, just like the Flame Gazer had.
Blake summoned his Stone Slasher Golem, offering it as a sacrificial test subject to witness the full might of his newly acquired Scorch Dragon.
With a guttural roar, the Scorch Dragon opened its maw and unleashed an all-consuming torrent of incinerating energy, which burned with such intensity that it liquefied the very stones that comprised the golem's core. As the molten remnants of the golem's midsection dripped away, the once-sturdy structure crumbled into a heap of lifeless rubble.
With this last monster fusion done and tested out, Blake was ready to take on Wilfred Regis.