Source & Soul: A Deckbuilding LitRPG

“Battle readiness,” Edaine said, eyeing us all. Her gaze lingered the longest on the empty seat that Hull should have occupied in the Lecture Hall, and even though I was not the one in trouble, I found myself sweating by association. Where was he? The feckless oaf had finally returned to my life, and I wasn’t ready to lose him again so soon. I wanted to ask him about my deck, for Twins sake! “Preparation is the core of warring with cards,” the High Paladin continued. “Under a Dueling Dome we must make do with whatever Fortune sees fit to gift us, but with time to cycle your cards, you may arm yourself as you please, your best combinations summoned and in hand.”

She began pacing in front of us, arms clasped behind her back. The morning sun filtered into the room from large windows at either end of the hall and reflected off the Mythic Armor I had only seen her out of when she let us view the cards. A collection like that would take up a fifth of one’s Mind Home, but knowing what the pieces could do made the trade seem well worth it, and I found myself wishing for my own set one day. With such relics, a mount – why not, if I was wishing? – improved cards, and of course, my soul a higher elevation, I could become the hero and leader I had glimpsed in my imaginings and drug induced visions.

“So,” Edaine said, drawing out the vowel. “Does that mean we should summon all the Souls and Relics we possess before battle begins and have every Spell at the ready?”

Gerad scoffed at the question, as if he thought it too easy, yet I was unsure of the answer. My time with Tipfin had barely covered what to do in a street scuffle, let alone a battlefield. People with more than ten cards were rarely in danger from those without, unless greatly outnumbered. Tipfin had always taken it as a matter of course that such rabble wouldn’t dare attack, or would at least flee when they realized the resources the one they faced possessed. A glance at Esmi to my right, and even Afi to my left, showed that neither of them seemed to know either. The more Souls you had on the field, the more attackers and defenders you had access to, not to mention any abilities they might possess. And the more cards in hand, the easier it was to react when the opportunity presented, as well as block effectively. Wouldn’t having your entire deck available make you the most ‘prepared’?

“‘Course not,” the thickest of the dwarves said at the same time two of the elves replied in their melodic voices ‘no.’ I noticed that none of the three paladins in training spoke, even though they all sat with backs as stiff as Edaine’s and were listening to the lecture closely. Perhaps they had been told by her to let the rest of us have the opportunity to answer things they already knew.

“And why is that?” the High Paladin queried us.

“You leave yourself open to a Sneak Attack,” the freckled paladin girl Esmi was rooming with said, promptly ruining my theory. Ah well, maybe they were just being polite about the first question.

“That is the most dangerous of reasons, true enough, Anya,” our teacher confirmed. “If you are struck by an attack that bypasses your defenses and you have no cards in your Mind Home to absorb it, you can be killed outright. I have seen many a summoner draw too deeply on the field, often from arrogance or fear.” She gave each of us a hard-eyed stare. “I can assure you, bringing a comrade’s soul card or shards home to their family is not a pleasant journey. Do not force such a thing unnecessarily upon your fellows. Always keep a reserve in your Mind Home.” Edaine paused another moment to let that sink in, and I imagined what it would have been like if Ticosi had actually killed me, leaving Hull to shepherd my card back to my parents. I shuddered at the thought; it would have been a terrible experience for everyone involved, myself most of all.

“How big should this buffer be?” Esmi asked. “If some cards in our Mind Home are better protectors than others, for instance, would fewer be acceptable?”

“Excellent question from our tournament winner,” Edaine said, giving my fiancée a respectful incline of her head. “I believe you are referring to the Order Mythic Esmet you now possess, yes?”

I watched Esmi blush, while Gared, just past her, darkened. “That’s correct,” Esmi answered. “One of her abilities heals me for 5 when she is destroyed, for any reason. So, I thought her alone in my Mind Home might suffice.”

A Deepkin whistled at the effect, and all of the elves seemed to perk up as soon as the word ‘heal’ was mentioned.

“She could be quite valuable to you in that role,” Edaine agreed, albeit reservedly, “but only if some of your other cards had been used at that point or destroyed. Otherwise, she would bring back nothing. So, I would suggest you only allow your Mind Home to become that bare when you are further into a fight.”

Esmi nodded, to which our instructor seemed pleased before turning back to the rest of us. “To answer the question more broadly, the common wisdom is to keep 3 to 5 cards in your Mind Home as a reserve. Duplicates are often used for this, but cards that are useful against specific foes or specific circumstances can also work. In addition, you will need to take into consideration how you are faring on the field – will another card summoned turn the tide? – as well as what sort of personal protection you possess.”

The general's words made me consider what sort of cards I could afford to leave behind. Probably a regular Assassin, Headsman, and some Spells, assuming I even kept using those cards. After seeing E’lal’s Life Spells the night before and talking about what Esmi had seen for sale in camp over breakfast, I was itching to finalize the new iteration of my deck.

“How much damage can the regular person take?” Edaine asked us, pivoting the conversation slightly. “One without any health upgrades to their personal soul?”

“Three,” Afi answered. She seemed annoyed at having been unable to answer the previous question, snapping off this reply the moment the High Paladin stopped speaking.

“It’s four for us Deepkin, sometimes five,” the female dwarf of the group said proudly. The stones that protruded from her skin were flecked with blueish and golden metal, which sparkled in the filtered sunlight, putting me in mind of a noble lady wearing her best jewels.

Edaine gave a nod to the dwarf. “Thank you for mentioning the difference. Orcs often have a similar toughness, as do other creatures in the wild. It is best never to assume; attack an enemy until their source and summons vanish, or better yet, you can see cards poking out behind their ear or shards in their mouth, unless we have assigned you to do otherwise.

“Returning to Sneak Attack and your reserves, blessedly, the Twins in their wisdom have made it to where most cards and beings possessing such an ability have a relatively low attack value, somewhere between 1 to 3. This is why many Summoners in the field use cards that provide either an Armor or Resist effect” – she gestured to the breastplate she wore – “of at least a few points. This can negate weaker Sneak Attacks or make it to where you’re only losing a few cards from your Mind Home, giving you long enough to ideally pinpoint your assailant and eliminate them before they strike again.”

“What about things that are stronger?” I asked. Esmi had proved that our instructor appeared fine with us interjecting questions when we had them, something Tipfin had not been fond of. “I saw a certain Death Epic that had a Sneak Attack of 8.”

That led to worried whispers from all groups who hadn’t been at the tournament.

“Some terrifying exceptions do exist,” Edaine admitted, “but by the Twins’ grace, they are few and far between. In every instance I have seen or heard, such a summon must be close to attack for damage that high. I assume this card was combat focused only and had no Stealth effects?”

“That’s right,” I answered. “Just some Armor and Terror.”

“Terrifying indeed,” Edaine said with a chuckle that eased some of the growing tension. “And hopefully something none of us here will ever need face. A more common one to be wary of are Nether users since their Source Explosion is a Sneak Attack. Its range is barely that of a Dome, but still, any range on such an ability is powerful, and the damage can be quite high depending on how much source they have unsummoned. Against such a foe, you should have 5 cards in reserve at minimum.”

Yet again, her eyes found Hull’s empty chair.

“Have you fought any demons?” one of the elves asked. This one had dark green tattoos that spiraled up and down her arms and even across her face, making her look rather intimidating. I wondered if the markings granted her Resist like the Woad Spell did. I also thought I spotted some longer-than-usual canines, but they were there and then gone when her mouth closed. E’lal sat behind her, and when he saw me inspecting his companion, he gave me an encouraging gesture, causing me to quickly turn away.

“She’s helped to close more rifts than anyone else in the Order,” one of the paladins in training answered. His hair was cut knuckle-short, and the cream colored shirt and pants he was dressed in had noticeably fewer wrinkles than the same attire worn by the other two trainees. “By a wide margin,” he added.

“Wenden is correct,” Edaine said, favoring the boy with a motherly smile, “but that is only because General Grays retired. There is still much more I must do, abroad and at home, before I can live up to his contributions to the Order. Also,” she said, returning her attention to the tattooed elf, followed by the rest of us, “you should all be aware that the occupants of the rifts are not always hostile. Sometimes they simply contain demons who wish to trade, or travelers who are lost. But if they do threaten humanity, one reason the Paladin Order was created within the Church of the Twins was to address such problems. With more than a century of experience, we have become quite skilled at what we do.” She rested a hand casually on her sheathed, summoned sword, and I couldn’t help but imagine how many lives it had ended.

“Were you with my brother Gale at the last rift that opened?” I said. “It was to the north, by the Crimbly Hills.” I wouldn’t have asked if he had been present, but it was just General Edaine and my fellow candidates in the Hall.

“I was not,” Edaine said, to my disappointment. “I was preparing the paladin candidates among you for this camp, and by the time my contingent arrived, the rift was already closing.”

She probably would not know what was in his deck then, so I didn’t bother to ask a follow up question since that was my primary point of interest. And I still needed to inform Esmi about the duel. After a night of sleep, I was already regretting my rash behavior for multiple reasons.

I must have failed to hide my sourness, because Edaine chuckled, saying to me, “Don’t worry. I’m sure he will be happy to regale you with the story if you ask him, perhaps during a future class he leads, so all can benefit from hearing.”

I tried to look grateful for the information but the thought of having to listen to my feckless brother give a lecture curdled my stomach even further. The stunning elf girl – A’cia, E’lal had called her – felt quite differently, saying to her fellows that she would be sure to ask if I did not.

“If the Twins are kind,” Edaine said, addressing the group again, “a rift will open nearby during your time here that we can use as a training exercise.”

“That will be… lucky?” Afi asked skeptically.

“Of course,” the High Paladin said, her slow smile as predatory as the tattooed elf’s. “Nothing is better than hands-on experience. When one is properly prepared for it, of course.

“But I am getting ahead of myself. When building a deck for battle, in addition to having reserves, you must also adjust your thinking. Instead of putting all your efforts toward dominating low-source situations or having a perfect curve, you should focus more on the most powerful combinations you possess, as well as game-ending threats. Source Powers and what Explosion you plan to use, if any, should also be at the forefront of your thinking. And if those things were not enough, every battle Summoner must keep duration in mind, especially for their weaker Souls or Relics cards. Having a Soldier vanish right as it is about to finish off a foe or your armor disappear as your enemy strikes you are good ways to end up dead.”

“For cards then,” the shortest of the dwarves said. I noticed he had a thin, green crystal he was spinning around in one hand. “The rarer the better, eh? That way they be big, often enough, and long-lasting.”

“Simply put, yes,” Edaine said, “which is another reason why you all are here. Doing well in the Rising Stars Tournament, or any similar event, puts you in a unique position. You all have more Rares, Epics, and even higher, than the vast majority of people in the city. This makes you ideally suited to be lieutenants. However, as Order teaches, balance is key. If your deck is only composed of expensive cards with no way to build up to them, you are taking a considerable risk. To what am I referring?”

“The Twins’ Tournament,” Afi answered, once again, as quickly as she could. I had always prided myself on being as good a student to Tipfin as I could be – even if he often found me lacking – but it seemed I would have to work for that title with her present.

“The Great Game,” the female dwarf chipped in.

“The Winnowing,” A’cia said in her singsong voice.

“Apotheosis, “ Wendel, the paladin in training added, glaring around, as if everyone else had spoken sacrilege.

“Correct,” Edaine replied, “all of you. Though it has many names, the phenomenon is one and the same. Should the Twins take an interest in a match between two Summoners, or more, a stage of sorts will form. Sometimes it is nothing more than an oval space that cannot be crossed until one party is defeated, but other times it will be an enormous spectral arena, grander even than Treledyne’s Coliseum. When this happens, your summons and source will reset, forcing you to begin again from scratch in a more traditional kind of contest. So, while we have the advantage of preparation during war, and should make full use of it, we must never stray too far from our dueling roots, lest we be unprepared should the Twins’ favor fall upon us.”

I nodded along with her explanation. Tipfin had taught me as much during our very first lesson regarding the history of Summoners. At the time, it had been a surprise to learn that the Dueling Dome Spell humans used, and even the Colosseum itself, had been based off of these immaculate interventions by the Twins.

“Higher soul rarity combatants are more likely be singled out,” Afi said in her crisp, no nonsense way of talking. “And doing well can increase your chances of being called again, sometimes in a different plane, for rewards of the soul unfathomable.”

She almost sounded like she was chastising our teacher for not including this information in her initial description. The part about being called again I found quite intriguing and was something I had never heard of before, but it would make naming such instances a ‘tournament’ more appropriate.

Edaine took the comments in stride, her composure never wavering. “Such speculation exists within the Church as well. That some of the most powerful and influential people in our histories have vanished for a time, returning with soul elevations or other traits that were previously deemed impossible to acquire. Yet, beside the disappearances, there is little hard proof that these events are more than singular occurrences. If the Twins are conducting something with more depth, they must be denying competitors the ability to speak of it afterward, because none have – at least not in the human lands.” She swept her gaze over the trio of elves and Deepkin, but neither group contradicted her.

“Testimony is only one form of evidence,” Afi pressed. I couldn’t tell if she cared about this particular issue or just being right.

“You are not incorrect,” Edaine replied, voice still measured, “but you will not hear me speak much on things that lack multiple confirmations. As for rarity making it more likely you will attract the Twins’ notice, that is true, and is the reason we are having this very conversation. Especially so since, while you will sometimes assist troops, as Gale demonstrated, more often you will be seeking out other Summoners with full decks on the side of the enemy. Such battles could invite an intervention.”

I noticed some of my classmates looking worried by this prospect, but for once in my life, I didn’t share the popular concern. When I had fought Ticosi with Hull’s eventual help, an Epic against a Rare, no sign of the Twins had appeared. So even if the warring summoners possessed what was regarded as “high” soul values, it was no guarantee anything out of the norm would happen. Much more frightening to me was actually facing someone trying to kill me outside the protection of a Dueling Dome, even if I had survived one such encounter before, but I pushed that concern to the side. I was in War Camp after all, such a thing was simply an eventuality of my current course.

Edaine said something similar about the rarity of the Twins’ attention, followed by, “Consider this: nine years ago now, a two-story arena formed between a pair of brawling drunks in Darlish, both uncarded. You see, it’s impossible to say for sure where, why, or what will capture the Twins’ interest. This is why the wise Summoner prepares in all ways they can, for every possible eventuality. It is a careful balancing act, but critical for your success, and thus one we will help you perfect.”

Edaine looked over us all again in that quiet, commanding way she had. Then she knelt, taking me by surprise along with most of the others. “I realize this is a great deal to take in,” she said, like it was perfectly normal to be addressing us from a crouched position. “And that what I am describing may sound like an impossible task. When I first went to paladin battle training, I had a similar lost, if not overwhelmed, expression on my face as many of you now. But I worked and learned, and I survived my first battle. And the one after, and the one after that, dozens now, including an apotheosis against a mighty orc warrior.” Esmi gasped, and Edaine gave her a comforting smile, somehow more meaningful with us all being on the same level now. “Yes, that’s right. I felt the Twins watch me as I fought, and the experience was both the most frightening and glorious of my life. Yet my victories are merely a product of the knowledge, support, and belief that others have invested in me. In the past, it was my time to receive, and now, it is yours. Everyone in this camp, from the generals down to the lowest scullery boy, is here for you, to see to your advancement, because long ago the Twins showed us the beatific truth: unity is the key to all grand endeavors. So let us strive together, shall we? Through our efforts, make this world better for all that we hold dear.”

In the silence that followed, if she had asked me to follow her into battle, I would have. I couldn’t believe the sensation was that strong in me; I even had a hint of tears in my eyes, which I found ridiculous. Did she have some soul card ability that made her an effective orator?

“Come with me,” she said, rising from her crouch and then striding out of the metal hall.

“Where are we going?” I dared ask as I stood.

“To meet your deck advisors,” she called back, “and to see the cards we have for sale in Camp.”

* * *

The new hall we entered was bigger than the last and also much busier, with half a dozen sellers on the right side fussing over the cards they had on display. Taking up the other two-thirds of the space were some twenty-odd people – mostly human, but I spotted an elf, Deepkin, a few kestrels, and even a troglodyte – sitting spread out, each by their own small table just large enough to go through a deck of cards, unless I missed my guess.

We were all following Edaine like chicks after their mother, and she was clearly angling toward the mixed group. However, our path took us past a seller of Order cards, and I slowed my steps to look.

The very next stand had Air cards, which I found just as intriguing.

I wanted nothing more than to stop and consider both groups in more depth, my mind already spinning with possible combinations, but my two back-to-back delays had put me at the end of my classmates by a noticeable margin, so I hustled to catch up.

“– fferent veterans have different specialties,” Edaine was saying, “so if they tell you to go see someone else, listen. After they have an idea of your needs, then they’ll take you around to appropriate cards. Well? Go on then.”

Our group began to disperse among the seated people who I now realized were mostly older, battle-scarred individuals, but Edaine swiveled on her heel toward me, and I froze.

“Did you catch all that, Basil?”

Hearing her use my name for the first time failed to soften the question, not when it meant she had caught my clear lack of patience. “Yes, General Edaine. Thank you.”

She waved me on with a gauntleted hand and maybe a touch of humor in her eyes – I couldn’t be sure and didn’t dare linger to see. The advisors closest to me were already taken so I circled wide. The troglodyte would surely be for users of Water, so I didn’t bother heading that way, and the same for the dwarf and elf – though I would eventually love to talk to both of them. Either of the two remaining kestrels could be good for my deck, but I didn’t really use that much Air in it. That might change after seeing some of those cards for sale though…

In the end, I stopped by a woman who looked noble, fine lines spreading from her silver flecked eyes, her hands folded in her lap. Like it or not, my current deck was primarily Order, so I might as well start there. Besides, I assumed a good number of these advisors used more than a single source and so would understand my plans to refine and expand.

“May I sit?” I asked her.

“Of course,” she said and gestured over the table. “Please, lay out your deck.” The woman was all pleasant smiles until I got halfway through my cards. I was pulling out another Assassin when she stopped me with a raised hand. “My forte does not include… whatever it is you are doing here. Try someone else.”

I collected my cards, more than a little stung, and departed. I had similar results with the next man I tried, who looked like a dockworker, and while the kestrel after him let me actually display all my summons so it could see the few Air ones I had, it shook its beaked head when I was done. It wasn’t until the fourth one, a woman missing an arm, that I got more than just rejection.

“Go see Griff,” she said.

“Who?” I asked, feeling exceptionally frayed at this point. Roughly half of my classmates were already up at the card stands with their advisors, and I desperately wanted to be doing the same. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to purchase yet – or perhaps simply put on reserve, since I only had two merits so far – but that didn’t stop the itching worry that everything good would be gone by the time I got there.

She thumbed behind herself. “The crazy one chained to the wall. Can’t miss him.”

“Chained to the…?” I said, heading the way she had indicated. I thought she must be joking, but true enough, in the corner of the building there was a man with a mess of hair that had surely never seen shears, rumpled clothes, and yes, a manacle connecting his right leg to a metal hoop welded into the wall. There was even a helmeted guard present, the only one I had seen in the hall, leaning back with their arms crossed, making no move as I approached. The chained one though, his attention jerked toward me when I neared.

“You must have a dung heap of a deck, if you’re coming my way.” His voice was ragged, like he had spent the morning screaming and maybe the day before that, too.

I realized I was holding my cards to my chest, as if they would protect me. With effort, I lowered them and covered the remaining distance between us. This man wouldn’t be here if he weren’t an advisor, and he was chained and guarded, with no cards in hand or source overhead. I had nothing to be worried about.

His smell managed to assault me when I sat, like his whole body had been stuck for a month in a boot, but I resisted gagging and started breathing out of my mouth instead – a trick I had learned in my early days of spending time with Hull, who still wasn’t here.

“I am Basil of Hintal, and I hear your name is Griff. I look forward to working with you.”

“Hintal?” he chortled darkly. “Isn’t that rich. Don’t you think so, Stephi?” The last was directed at the guard, but they didn’t so much as twitch.

The comment made me think that my father might know who this man was. Perhaps my father was even the one who had jailed him.

“It is true that my deck could use some improvement,” I said instead. “I’m currently using Order and Air with plans to potentially branch out. Life is my thinking there, but I’m willing to reconsider. The ideal circumstance would leave me ready to face flyers or –”

“Yap, yap,” he rudely interrupted. “Let’s see the cards we’re working with. Then we’ll talk.”

‘Wild,’ the one-armed woman had called him, and I agreed with that assessment. The feverish look in his eyes made me less than eager to put my valuable cards anywhere near him, and with the table being so shallow, he could reach anything I layed down.

“Might I ask you a question first?”

He laughed again, and I flinched – that’s how raw the hissing sound was. “I’m not going anywhere, boyo. Do your worst.”

“Yes, well,” I said, trying to regain control of myself and the situation. “I apologize if this is inappropriate, but why are you chained?”

He jutted his chin, pointing at something beyond me, and I turned to see the target was Edaine. She was gradually checking on everyone, I saw, like she was a block guard making rounds.

“That paladin gave you the speech, didn’t she? About knowing thyself, and thy enemy, and so on?”

“She did…” I answered, unclear where he was going with this.

“Well,” he said, with another chuckle that was starting to sound half mad. “That’s me. Your enemy.”

I squinted at him, trying to suss out his meaning. “And why is that, precisely?”

He smiled wide, revealing half rotten teeth and breath that could have knocked over a wall. “Because that’s what they call Chaos users in this pisshole of a city.”