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Tournament of Champions 2 (The game has begun)
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Coltras sat on a chair in his room, putting his things into his pack. He stopped while packing up his chemistry kit, picking up the vial of witherwood sap and holding it to the light. He sighed.
I didn't expect to win this tournament, but I was eliminated in the first round. Disappointing even for a newcomer like me.
Coltras paused. I will put this tournament behind me. The only thing that matters is that I learn from my mistakes and continue to improve. Being defeated by speed and skill, I need to work on my strength and awareness.
Coltras looked at the vial again. The lamplight made the viscous black liquid sparkle darkly. Then there is the matter of the shade crisis, thought Coltras. What we found in that alley in Eternstor ties everything together: the shade binder Merikh, the disturbances in the forest, and all the strange happenings during this tournament. I should discard this sap as I don't want to be implicated in this mess.
Perhaps I should go to the hosts and reveal what I have found…but what would that get me? The others who saw what I saw are capable of doing it themselves. I am not needed to solve this crisis and if it is solved or not won't effect me.
Coltras sparked his small burner with a flick of his hand and pushed the sticky black clump out of the vial onto a metal plate with magic. He placed the clean vial into his kit and turned up the heat. After a short while, the vile resin began to burn. Coltras cast a spell of invisibility to make the copious smoke transparent as it floated out the open window. He could also feel the black mana flowing into the air. It didn't follow the smoke out the window as he expected, instead remaining in the room. Not wanting a lingering presence of black mana, Coltras drew it into himself. The unfamiliar magic began to influence his mind.
Bitter, vengeful, and hateful feelings erupted. A desire - no, a lust - for power choked his mind. It was no longer enough to move on; Coltras had to prove his worth. His mind shaped a spell semiconsciously.
Arcane knowledge and ancient spells came back to Coltras. His head cleared as his spell had used up all the black mana. You should have anticipated that and had more self-control, he scolded himself. He turned off the burner and packed up his chemistry kit, then put it into his pack. Slinging his staff across his back, he left his room.
Coltras stood on the Eternstor beach, not far from the docks of the town and the cliffs where the tournament held battles. He had already said goodbye to Sunex and Kift, Koorir and Zintius. Coltras took a breath of fresh sea air, then took a running start and leapt into the waves, swimming down and away. His time as a tournament contender was over, but his travels were not.
Here's my signature. Esme is just a basic ethereal being with magic and fighting skills
Eternstor bathed in the bright morning sun. As usual, its citizens prepared for another day to work in the busy seaport, where many ships were emptied or filled with cargo. Sylva, who still had bandages from her match, searched for Sir Killian after she had completed her morning routines in the tavern of contenders. When she arrived to a quiet park, she found the armored knight on top of a grassy hill, sitting on a wooden bench. Sylva walked up the hill, stood right next to the bench for a few seconds, then sat down right next to Killian. The tournament host was leaning forward, his mind being deep in thoughts while his eyes stared at the ships in the ocean horizon.
"Hi," Sylva said calmly. Only then Sir Killian turned his head and realized that someone was accompanying him.
"Oh hello, Sylva. How long have you been there?"
"Long enough to see that something is pressing your mind."
"Ah, don't worry about it. Lots of things need to be planned beforehand when you're hosting a tournament, you see."
"It's not only that. Are you thinking about what happened in Salaxum during the eleventh match?"
After a few seconds of silence, Sir Killian turned his head to look at the horizon again. "Yes. It's been four days since then, yet nobody still hasn't seen Merikh or Acyros. When the next three matches are over, we must all travel back to our home world, where the rest of the tournament will be held."
Sylva remembered what Nya had told her after the day when the two girls fought in Salaxum. About what she had seen, what Merikh had told her, and what had happened to Konus and Acyros. She also remembered the battle Eetu had informed to the contestants, how he, Sir Killian, and the tournament soldiers fought against Merikh, and how it ended.
"But if you leave Eternstor and this world, you'll also leave Acyros behind?"
"There is nothing else we can do. The tournament comes first, even if we would lose some of our own for it."
Sylva could see how Sir Killian, the cheerful knight who had happily announced the beginnings of the previous matches during this round, seemed rather downcast for a moment. But then he looked at Sylva again with a friendlier look.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't speak about these things, especially when you and Nya experienced that living nightmare. Remember that bad times do not last forever. Sooner or later, happiness will shine upon you both, once again."
Sir Killian smiled a little, then the two heard as a familiar sound of a certain dwarf came from nearby street. "The match between Eleron the lightning knight and Esme the ethereal lady will be held at the lonely shores in an hour!"
"Well, I better get going before judge Gaspar sends his black dog after me. Do you want to come with me and watch the match?"
Last moments of morning were ending as the fourteenth match was about to be held. Sir Killian and Sylva were walking down the street as they were on their way to one of Eternstor's gates, which was closest to the shores.
"By the way," Sylva began after the two had walked for a while. "Why was the previous match hosted during the evening?"
"Earlier that day, we had to help the town's mayor in certain things regarding the shade outbreak, and judge Gaspar didn't want to postpone the match to this day. Usually when Gaspar is tasked with something, it affects me and the other hosts as well."
"How do we exactly get to your world once this round is over? Nya mentioned a portal..."
Sir Killian sighed. "That's right, but you should know that me and judge Gaspar have never traveled to other worlds before. How it really works is something Eetu and Philibert truly knows. They mentioned many things about it, but if you want to know how it happens, it would be best to witness it by yourself..."
Suddenly, Sir Killian put his hand onto his head. "Wait, what am I talking about? You're not from this world either, so you should already know how it happens!"
"Yeah," Sylva said and chuckled a bit. "What I really wanted to know is this; where is the portal that brings us to your world?"
"We aren't allowed to share that information with you or anybody else until we're on our way there with you and other fifteen contestants who are left. Even more so, when someone who seeks the abyss of that world wants to find that portal as well..."
"Do you think that Merikh is still alive... and Acyros as well?"
The knight was silent for a few seconds. "If Merikh was able to heal himself from the wounds you, Nya, and Acyros inflicted upon him on that day, then maybe he is, though Acyros did attack him to his heart before they fell. As for Acyros... I'm not really sure. It would be a miracle if he would've survived. But where they went is still a mystery."
Before they knew, the tournament host and the contestant had already walked through the gates and were arriving to the area, which would be the arena for the two contestants. Sir Killian and Sylva waved at each other, then the airship repairer went to find a place for herself from the wooden stands. Sir Killian walked onto the wooden podium, and looked at the sandy shores of sharp cliffs. White clouds were sailing in the light blue sky, and the sound of sea was constantly present.
It took a while until Eleron and Esme arrived from Eternstor, and took their positions in the area before the audience. When they did, Sir Killian turned to look at the people who had gathered to witness the fourteenth match. There were two times more people than yesterday. Gaspar, Eetu, and Philibert were sitting on the highest row, the guards were standing on every corner of the stands, healers stood ready in front of the white tent, and lady Michiko, calmly, yet tirelessly, was watching over the two mysterious contestants. Sir Killian cleared his throat, then begun his speech, which ended with the same saying.
"... Our heroes will never die as long as we have faith in them."
Everyone repeated the saying. Then Sir Killian raised his left hand to Eleron's direction.
"Young man, who wields lightning like any other ordinary weapon: Eleron, Thunder Sentinel!"
The armored contestant unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards the sky as people clapped for him. When they stopped, Sir Killian raised his right hand to Esme's direction.
"The woman, who rules the powers of the ethereal: Esme, Ethereal Queen!"
She bowed to the people, who clapped for her. Finally, Sir Killian turned to look at both contestants, then raised his both hands towards them.
"Let the fourteenth match begin!"
_____________________________________________________
Arena:
At the very moment when the match began, Esme used her ethereal magic to bind Eleron to his place, but the armored warrior ran behind the nearest cliff before her spell could reach him. The ethereal queen had a simple tactic; all she needed to do was to make her opponent unable to move, then she would be victorious. While being surrounded by a bright blue aura, Esme walked around the cliff, but then she noticed Eleron on top of the sharp rock which was covered in seaweed. When the thunder sentinel saw what his opponent attempted to do again, he sighed, and spread his hands while holding his sword in his right hand.
"Fine, you clearly know how to win this match, so take my weapon and claim your glory!"
Eleron threw his glowing sword at Esme, who was too focused on forcing him to collapse onto the cliff. And he did, for Esme's magic forced him to do so. As he fell, a loud sound of thunder echoed in the lonely shores, Eternstor, the backwoods arena, and even in the ruins of Salaxum when Eleron's sword penetrated Esme's chest and a bright lightning struck her.
The loud sound echoed far and wide for a short while, and the people in the audience winced. They calmed down after a few seconds, and only saw Eleron's sword lying in the middle of a small crater, where seaweed and grass burned. Only hovering and fading particles of light remained from Esme. Eleron laughed as he stood up on the cliff and noticed what he had done. He went to pick up his weapon while the healers hurried past him to bring Esme's soul and ethereal body back. Sir Killian walked back to the podium from his seat, where he sat for about a minute, and announced the winner of the fourteenth match.
@YaGirlSophie
Eleron moved to the 2nd round in a lightning-fast speed! Post his 2nd stage version anytime before the 2nd round's matches start.
@DangMatt - Esme was obliterated, and only you know what she will do. You may post her later versions and departure story... or not. You decide!
At the beginning of my draw step, I put yet another lore counter onto the tournament bracket saga enchantment.
This is a major issue which I caused with my terrible absence. Some people are no longer around to upgrade their champions, create cards for them, write about them, or check this tournament at all if their contestants would win matches. So I ask this from all cardsmiths whose champions are still in the game and from those who are following this tournament.
( @KalamMekhar, @bubbasnickey, @shadow123, @barchae, @NokiSkaur, @Iseebirds, @Faiths_Guide, @MrPirate89, @Scott_Anderson, @Lujikul, @TheCenterOfTheUniverse, @DoctorFro, @YaGirlSophie, @SpiritDragon, @baryonyx69, @HATMAN, @pjbear2005, @Jonteman93 )
Haven't heard anything from some of you, but do you still want to participate in the tournament? Some of you have made the 2nd stage version of your champion, while other few have not. Do you wish this tournament to continue?
It wouldn't be a big issue if only a few cardsmiths aren't active anymore (they could probably be replaced, but if not, then let their champions fight as normal, but absence would ultimately make them lose), but it's pretty frustrating to decide a victor between two champions, whose both creators aren't around anymore. And it's even more disappointing to start a round when some champions have not been upgraded at all.
As I said earlier, this could be fixed if some active, new players would replace absent ones, but do you think it's worth it? Should this tournament be burned to the ground and start anew? Or let it continue with champions, whose cardsmiths might not be around anymore? When this round is over, 50% of this tournament's matches would be done.
Edit: I just checked, 9 cardsmiths whom I tagged haven't been active since last year...
Hm, that does seem like a problem. But there are plenty of people that would be willing replacements if that's the case but some would have to start with a second stage character. But I think a new tournament might work better because of that issue.
“What kind of dust?” Tai asked earnestly.
"I was thinking about using the spiritual residue to create a dust that causes magic to last longer and resist counters better" Pele said, clearly excited "The dark magic left over from the shade attack has traces of a substance called Shadowflux. The stuff is really strong and is made of pure shadows, but the real kicker about it is that when used in combat, someone wounded by Shadowflux will have a type of echo inside their spirit leaving with trauma and it can be stirred up by negative things like fear or emotions."
She rambled on and eventually got to the point "If we make it into a dust, it could strengthen magic with the only side effects being a darker feel in the magical essence of the spells!"
There are two solutions that I can see here that avoids that the tournament has to restart completely.
One simple solution could be to skip the level up and still use the first stage cards for the next round. Those that are here to submit their next cards does not need to either and there will be less stress when the real level up happens.
A less simple but probably better solution could be a kind of "soft reset" after the 16th match. Those that have not been active and does not provide a new card could be eliminated and be given their position to new contestants instead. The interest is already here. I could also bring Braekun here from @kandra127's tournament if that one won't continue. Those that have lost and are still active could be given a new chance also so we get more active smiths.
We could maybe also do a combination of both these. Stay at the first stage cards for the second round but open up for a re-design at the same time as we replace those inactive.
@DoctorFro - I don't understand what you mean.
@Jonteman93 - Good ideas. Another option I think we could do is this:
Once the 16th Match and this round is over, I could create a new discussion for this tournament (some people have suggested it here earlier), and reopen the tournament for new players. Everyone will be able to post their own champions' 1st stages there, and the best 16* of them will be chosen to compete for the rest of the tournament, but here's the extra rule: The players who have won in this round have the privilege to post their 1st stage champions to the new discussion without the fear of having them knocked out in the knockout competition (if the number of new champions is an odd one.)
Those who are active and would still want to compete in the new tournament discussion must use the champion (character) which they created for this discussion, but are still allowed to redesign them with new abilities, colors, and the cool borders, which weren't available when this discussion was created. The inactive players of this discussion (and maybe those who no longer have the time or want to play anymore) will be replaced by the new players who will post their very own, brand new champions in the new discussion.
This could all be explained in the tournament's story (old champions disappearing, some are staying, and new ones enter the tournament). I don't wan't to pick another new 32 champions, because the new tournament discussion would still be the same tournament as this one, and it would continue the story in the same worlds. That's why 16* is the number we should go with, because that's the amount of champions left after this round.
What does everybody think? Do you want me to do this?
I like that idea, if everyone agrees we should do it. But what about my match if Whistler isn't remade? Is it just a win by default?
Cool! I think that'll work
@Bowler218! Please create a legendary creature with converted mana cast 0, 1, 2, or 3. You may write some backstory of your champion, and post an optional noncreature, nonplaneswalker signature card which they will use in their match.