A Tale Of 4 Scrybes (Inscryption but it's II)

6: Old Faces

Challenger's POV

So, the Stoat said there was a way out of here. It said it's "somewhere in this rotten cabin". Well, I know there's more than this table. But this place doesn't seem like it would have much else. I just want to keep playing. This game is fun. That totem battle was cool, and I can't wait to see what's ahead. First, a trap space. I hope this isn't bad.

"You came across a trapper in the woods looking to earn off his catches."

"The excess teeth you found should become of use."

Then, the figure moved closer, and out of the darkness. It was...Fan?

"Oh! Hey there." Fan spoke.

"You fancy looking at some of these pelts I got?"

He passed out cards with rabbit pelts, wolf pelts, and golden pelts on them. They were priced at 1, 2, and 3 respectively. I had 7 teeth to spend. I could buy quite a few things, but it might also be better to save my money. Maybe one of each? Or I could get 2 golden ones, and have a tooth to spare. Maybe get 3 wolf pelts, and one rabbit pelt? Geez, why is this so hard for me?

After a small bit of thinking, I decided on taking 2 golden pelts. I still had one tooth to spare. I went to put my deck back in its place, but Fan stopped me.

"Wait! P-please, reconsider!"

Hm. Guess it wouldn't hurt to buy one more, but then again...

I think I'll hold onto this last one.

"O-okay then."

Fan had stepped back into the darkness, reverting from his Trapper persona, and back to the calm game master.

"The man assured you of the value of the pelts," he said.

"They appear to be useless in a fight,"

"But the Trapper had mentioned that a trader further down the road would reward you for them."

"And do not worry. If a card perishes in combat, it will be returned to you after the encounter, no matter what is may be."

I guess he just wanted to tell me that it's okay to use these things as chump blockers. Well, I just hope I don't get bricked by them.

The map had reappeared once again, only one spot remaining in front of me. I guess this would be a boss battle. The skull had 2 pickaxes over it, and one eye gleeful, almost as if the skull was crazy. I moved my piece onto it, and began the battle.

As the combat setup materialized, something...odd happened. Trees had appeared on either side of the table, the light shining on the table becoming a faint greenish blue. A skull with 2 lit candles piercing its eyes was slammed onto the table in front of Fan, which oddly didn't reveal his face, only his eyes visible, as usual.

"The trees seemed to close in around you as a cold mist descended onto your path."

"In the distance, you could hear the sound of metal against stone."

"As the sound drew nearer, you saw a hobbled over object in front of you, blocking the only way foward."

"HEE HAW! Twas the Prospector!"

What? OJ had stepped out of the darkness now, a chaotic grin on his face, and a pick in his left hand. Was this guy some kind of shapeshifter? Either way, that had scared me a little. Cards were drawn, and the battle began.

"He's doing the Prospector again? Easy boss. The mule's key." The Stoat had said. Well, I kinda had to hope that its words were true. I saw that the Pack Mule that was already played had something under it. Maybe if I kill it, something good will happen.

So, I played the Stoat in front of it and rang the bell, killing the mule in one hit. the pack under it unraveled, placing a squirrel, Mole, Beaver, and Elk in my hand.

"My mule! Curse ye!" OJ(?) had yelled from across the table. Wow, he is loud. A Coyote came down from his queue and attacked the boulder on the far right. I used the new squirrel in my hand and another from my deck to play a wolf, leaving me one damage away from winning. The Coyote attacked again, the boulder at one health, and a Wolf Cub in queue ahead. I simply rang the bell after drawing another squirrel and tipped the scales into a win. Oddly, he didn't collect the extra teeth. Instead, the scales reset, and one of the 2 candles in the skull blew out. Looks like I'm doing that again.

"You didn't think it would be that easy, would you?" OJ spoke, not in the insane voice he used earlier. Then, just as quickly, he switched back to that voice.

"Thars gold in them cards!" He yelled out. Then, one by one, he struck all of the cards on my side of the board with his pick, turning them into 0-2 gold nuggets.

"G-g-gold! I've struck gold!"

Oh crap. I can't even sacrifice these! What am I gonna do?! I decided to draw from my deck, luckily getting the Bullfeog from it. I used it and a squirrel to get one damage on OJ. A Bloodhound had replaced the Wolf Cub, it and the Coyote taking down 2 of the nuggets. I drew a squirrel, and got down an Elk in front of the Coyote, using a Squirrel In A Bottle (SIAB for short) to summon it. The Bloodhound had balanced the scales, an Adder appearing in queue in front of the Bullfrog. I drew from my deck, getting my other Wolf. The Elk and Bloodhound kept the scales the same, the Adder killing the Bullfrog. I drew a squirrel, and sacrificed it and the Elk for the Wolf, killing the Bloodhound. I was a damage behind now, but I would catch up soon. A Wolf Cub was in queue in the first lane. I  drew yet another squirrel, using it to block the Adder. In 2 more turns, I had won. The other candle blew out, and the skull zipped back into the darkness.

"You will not perish quite yet," the figure said, retreated back into the dark. Then, it relit my other candle. Thank goodness.

"You are the first in a while to overcome a boss," he said, pulling out a chest.

"Now, you may choose a rare card to add to your deck."

The chest unlocked, revealing 3 face-down cards inside. I flipped over the first one.

"This level of brutish strength needs no explanation."

A Urayuli. 7 attack and 7 health seemed OP, but I was repelled by the cost of 4 blood it had. I looked at the next one.

"Hooved. Canine. Insect. Reptile. Avian. The Amalgam is all."

A 3-3, for 2 blood. That seemed like a good choice. Now, the last card.

"Poor abandoned child. It does not die when sacrificed, but do you have the heart to try?"

Child 13? It had the same stats as the Cat, even down to the cost and sigil. Weird.

I decided to take the Amaglam. I could put something really powerful on this. After I pulled the card out of the chest, it snapped shut and disappeared back into the darkness.

"Hmm...oh, I know." The figure said, pulling out another map. This was just getting started.