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Psycho Duel Chapter 23: Richard Harlowe, Sr.
🕑 Added 2022-11-15 00:56:31 +0000 UTCBefore Walt left the campus, he sent an email and some texts back to Janice. He had taken some time to study the back road routes to Crossville from Atlanta. He wanted to stay off the Interstates as much as possible. He wrote down a route and discovered he could be there in under four hours if he didn’t run across any obstructions or detours.
Then he checked twitter, reddit and various news sites to see if he could get a sense of the big picture. What was happening in Nashville and what was the national and international response to the invasion?
He checked under the Nashville hashtag on twitter.
I-65, I-40 and I-24 are a clusterfuck. Avoid avoid avoid!
-twitter user, MarieClaireHi
Honky Tonk Highway has turned into the streets of Hanoi circa 1968
-twitter user, ReclaimedValor
Reports of a woman playing a harp that’s putting people into comas on the Famous Rooftop Bar
-twitter user, Gillespie69
Bruh, there’s a goddamn Land Kraken on the middle of I-24
-twitter user, Three6MafiaEnjoyer
I think a Pokemon just killed my brother
-twitter user, souljaBoi13
we must repent for our sins the Japanese apocalypse is upon us
-twitter user, ReverendWestboro
Under the r/worldnews subreddit, there was an Invasion Megathread. He skimmed through some of the comments.
Any words on the President’s Address? Are they safely at Camp David? –reddit user, EyeCandyAndy.
This is the strangest goddamn apocalypse no one could foresee coming. –reddit user, fashionablylate.
It’s too late to leave the cities. The roads are clogged and in Chicago, there are already Psycho Slingers purposefully destroying the roads. Safer to stay inside and bunker down and wait for the military response. But I guess if you do know a way out of the city, and you think you can get out safely, go for it. I’d like to go to a rural area but I have severe agoraphobia and can’t leave my apartment. So I’m staying here and praying that our government can save us. Though I must admit, I don’t have much hope. I guess this is how I’m going to die. At the fangs and claws of some real life Yu-Gi-Oh! Monster summoned from a fucking card. –reddit user, agoreaphobez
The headlines from the news media was more of the same, but the panic and fear was sugar-coated, making it easier to swallow. “Eiffel Tower Falls To Invaders, But Paris Still Hopeful”. “Police Headquarters Destroyed In London, SAS Response”. “Moscow Mass Exodus, Safety In Countryside”.
But one caught his attention and seemed to stick out from the rest.
Pro Gamers Successfully Take Down Multiple Psycho Slingers
A group of retired Starcraft: BroodWar and League of Legends Pros have gotten a hold of Starter Decks and have actively taken a stand to defend downtown Tokyo from a trio of Psycho Slingers.
They are led by Justin Aoki, a retired champion of the card game Mythic. Their response has been swift and they are looking to add more to their ranks.
“It’s only been a few hours,” Justin said. “But after I managed to get a card gauntlet, me and my friends were able to acquire two more. I’ve given them a crash course in card game fundamentals, but we’re still trying to learn the rules and conditions of Slaystone.”
Early word is that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces are looking to work with Aoki to create a special team to fight back against the dimensional invaders.
“Aoki,” Walt said. “Good for you, old friend.”
Walt knew Justin Aoki well. They were rivals in Mythic, but Aoki had retired just as Walt started winning tournaments. He became a long-distance mentor of sorts when Aoki sent him an email, providing him with some analysis from one of his challenging matches against Pierre Dezani.
Aoki had pointed out a better and quicker solution to victory. Walt had argued with him at first, but then he had seen Aoki was right. Since then, Aoki would help him prepare for upcoming matches.
But his Japanese friend had distanced himself when Walt went overboard with the Librium. Aoki had tried to get him to stop, disapproving of the practice. Walt argued that some competitive FPS players took beta-blockers to control their nerves and stop their hands from shaking. He tried to exclaim that the Librium did the same thing, but for his mind and anxious thoughts, but Aoki dismissed him.
But it was good to see his old friend was still alive. Then he had an idea. He opened his email again.
to: jaokimythicelder@gmail.com
from: waltmythictheorem@gmail.com
Subject: Remember me?
Justin. It’s your old American pal, Walt.
I got a card gauntlet and have defeated two Psycho Slingers. Guess that almost makes me a Psycho Slinger myself?
In Atlanta now but headed to Tennessee.
Not sure when I’ll have Internet access again, and cell phone usage is spotty, but we should talk more. I have a feeling America isn’t going to handle the end of the world as good as Japan.
-Walt
#
This gas station wasn’t overwhelmed by looters like the previous two had been. Instead, there was an orderly line of people filling up their trucks and gas cans.
When Walt got back in his vehicle, he discovered that he only had a quarter tank of gas. He’d need more to make it the two hundred and fifty miles to Nashville. So, here he was, looking to fill-up.
Not trusting crowds, he circled around the gas station twice to see why it was so organized. Then to his surprise, he saw a muscular man in leathers, hides and warpaint keeping order. He held a huge curved Falcata sword. It was a card minion.
[Examine]
[Lemurian Barbarian]
Lemurian Barbarian. Minion. Set: Hiboria’s Forge. Rarity: Common. A fierce warrior from the Twelve Tribes of the Lemurian Continent.
Frenzied Slash: 7 Attack, Cooldown: 5 seconds
Health: 8
Cost: 2 Vigor Stones
“The hell?” Walt said.
People seemed to be keeping wary distance from the barbarian. They kept their heads down, filled up and got out of there.
There was an old man in a wheelchair. He was wearing a glowing Slaynami card gauntlet on his left arm. And a tall warrior in a loin cloth, covered in war-paint, a huge battle-axe on his back, was behind him pushing the wheelchair.
It was a duelist using his minions to police this gas station.
[Examine]
[Hiborian Chieftain]
Hiborian Chieftain. Minion. Set: Hiboria’s Forge. Rarity: Rare. A Chieftain of the Twelve Tribes of Lemuria.
War Whoop: Deal 4 Damage to all Enemy Minions on Battleboard
Cleave: 10 Attack; Cooldown 5 seconds
Armor: 15
Health Points: 18
Cost: 5 Vigor Stones
When Walt reached the pump, the Hiborian Chieftain noticed him. It knew he was a Voidlock. It snarled at him and reached for its axe.
“I’m not here to duel,” Walt said. “I just want some gas.”
The old man in the wheelchair looked to be in his seventies. He wore glasses and was wearing a Steelclad helm. His shoulders had steel pauldrons in the form of wolf’s heads. “Hold. He seems alright, chief.”
The chieftain sneered and let his axe remain in its place.
The duelist kind of reminded Walt of the old man from the Pixar movie Up!, except in a wheelchair and armor. It was comical, but at the same time the man looked kind of like a bad-ass. He looked Walt up and down.
“You’re one of us,” he said.
“How can you tell?” Walt said.
“You look overwhelmed and there’s still concern on your face,” he said. “The Psycho Slingers I’ve seen all carry a sense of arrogance about them.”
His observation didn’t seem off.
“Where are you headed?” he said.
“Near Nashville,” Walt said.
The man rubbed his chin, thinking. “Go ahead, fill ‘er up, then.”
“So, you’re the reason this station isn’t overwhelmed by looters,” Walt said.
The man looked around. “It’s madness to me how quickly people resorted to their baser natures. We’re only a few hours into the breakdown of society and already people are only thinking about themselves.”
“Can you blame them?”
“I dislike looters. Sure, take the gas. But just take what you need. And do so in an orderly fashion. It’s this younger generation. Their parents never taught them any common courtesy.”
“My name’s Walt.”
The old man held out his hand. “Richard. Richard Harlowe. Senior.”
Walt shook his hand. Then gestured at the chieftain and the barbarian. “We can just use our minions like this? Pull them out outside of Duels?”
“Why sure,” Richard said. “How do you think the invaders are establishing dominance and taking control? They’re not just using their minions. They’re using their spells, weapons and objects. Any card they can keep in their gauntlet.”
It made sense to Walt. It’s how the Psycho Slingers were easily overwhelming the police forces. He wondered if there was an organized military response to the invading duelists. Maybe it was still too early for something organized. He was sure there was skirmishes. But it had only been half a day.
Not enough time for the people of this Earth to directly challenge them. Hell, they were still trying to get their bearings and understand what they were dealing with and these new rules of engagement.
“The thing is though,” Richard said, “Is that if one of your minions gets killed out here, or say you have an object and it gets damaged, it can permanently destroy the card.”
“Come again?” Walt said.
“You heard me. If the minion dies outside of a duel like this, the card gets destroyed. Although, I think it would take a lot for normal weapons to hurt our minions. Seems to me the only real threat are other minions or weapons from other card gauntlets.”
“How do you know this for sure?”
“Trial and error. Also, I got attacked by one of them Psycho Slingers as I was having a conversation with one of my Squires.”
“What happened?”
“Here I am, an old man in my wheelchair, and I find a Starter Deck in the cemetery. I was there visiting my wife, so we could watch the eclipse together. You know the deal. You’re staring into the sky and then that’s when the system got installed in us. Well, I get the notification there’s a Starter Deck nearby and it’s just a few plots from my wife’s. Was in the hands of an angel statue. So you can imagine. I’m like a kid in a candy shop when I get a hold of it.”
“You’re familiar with card games?”
“Son, I’m retired and my legs don’t work. How do you think I spend my days? I’m on my PC playing games. Shooters are my favorite. Wolfenstein, where I get to kill Nazis? And Doom, where I get to slaughter demons? You’re speaking my language. But these new-fangled ones, like Apex Legendsand Overwatch? My reflexes aren’t what they used to be. How’s an old-timer supposed to keep up? But card games? I don’t have to rely on my shot hand-eye coordination to be good. I can use my mind.”
“Yeah, card games are about decision-making.”
“Exactly! So anyways, I’m wanting to test out the deck, you know? I summon a Squire, real stout and impressionable youth. He’s telling me about his life and how his duty is to help me and his liege, when a damn Venom Shade interrupts our conversation and gets into a tussle with the squire.
“So, they’re fighting and I’m screaming bloody murder for the Shade to stop, but it’s not human and it’s not listening. My Squire put up a good fight, but the thing’s poison won out in the end. The poor boy really never stood a chance. To make matters worse, I get a notification on my gauntlet saying that a card has been destroyed. It was the Squire!
“So, now I’m pissed. I just got my deck and I was just trying to get to know the kid, when this, pardon my French, fucking monster comes and kills him. Turns out it’s one of these Psycho Slinger son of a bitches. It’s this young kid, couldn’t be older than twenty. Weird little shit who likes like he spends all his time whacking off in his mother’s basement listening to The Cure. Do you know The Cure? Not bad music but Robert Smith is scared of the sun. Anyways, this sadistic little fucker is just screaming social development issues. And I was right, he doesn’t know his asshole from his elbow.”
“I’m telling you, Walt, these Psycho Slingers, they wouldn’t know what manners were if they slapped them across the face. But he challenges me to a Duel. And of course I’m going to duel him. This maladjusted prat just destroyed one of my cards and I demand satisfaction.
“It’s touch and go for about half the turns. He knows what he’s doing and I had barely looked at my deck. But I chose Steelclad as a class because that seems pretty straightforward. Armor up and hit things with swords. How hard could it be?
“Except this son of a bitch is using his Health Points to play extra cards. He’s got all sorts of spells that are leeching me of life.”
“How did you beat him?”
“He ignored the board and thought he could just suck me dry with spells. Turns out the son of a bitch can still die to pointy steel. I armored up and had my Gladiator Patriarch kill him with his gladius. These invaders bleed real blood. But that’s what he gets for messing with my cards.”
“Impressive.”
“I have a proposition for you.”
“Go ahead.”
“You said you were heading to Nashville. I have a daughter in Nashville. I also have this Voidlock card I found in his deck.”
He pulled a glowing purple card from his gauntlet. There was a small glass vial rotating in black smoke.
[Examine]
[Salvatore’s Phylactery]
Salvatore’s Phylactery. Object. Set: Darkened Soul Arts. Rarity: Epic. Created by Renaldo Salvatore, ice lich of the frozen North.
Store your soul in the phylactery. When Health Points reach zero, resurrect from Phylactery with 15 Health Points.
Cost: 8 Vigor Stones
“I can’t use this,” Richard said. “But I don’t have a card forge to dust it either. So my proposition is this. How ‘bout you give me a ride and in exchange for your chauffeur services, I give you this card?”
“Why wouldn’t I just Duel you and take it from you?”
There was an awkward silence as Walt and Richard studied each other. Richard narrowed his eyes. He never broke eye contact with Walt. It was getting uncomfortable. The old man had some steel in him.
“Because I don’t think you consider us enemies, Walt,” Richard finally said. “I think you know that if we’re going to survive this invasion, us natives need to stick together.”
“But what happens when it gets to the point where alliances break and it becomes every man for themselves?”
“I think we’re stronger than that. I think by then we can figure out another way to deal with our predicament.”
“You do?”
“I’m a student of history, Walt. There’s always another way to fight the system, to rebel against the oppressors.”
“How?”
“Revolt.”
After a long moment, Walt nodded. “Have Conan over here load your wheelchair in the back. I control the aux.”
The tension deflated and Richard smiled.
“Son, we’ll be lucky if there’s any radio stations that aren’t emergency broadcasts signals on a loop.”
Comments
Thank you!
Thomas Downing
Great chapter! I enjoy seeing what the other types of decks/play styles look like, so this was an excellent info chapter.
