Page 144 of Light Leech

I spend the rest of my lumens on one final card.

Famine: your opponent refills their lumens immediately instead of at the start of their turn. Your opponent must then pay two lumens for each of their legends. If they cannot pay for one or more legends, target legend suffers five damage. The player then suffers two damage for every damaged legend.

RegLon’s lumens filled to a pitiful two after Light Drain took effect. He then chose to spend his two lumens on the Tanuki Herbalist, though it was nothing more than a formality for the endgame to play out.

His Brutalists suffered five damage, then the Squires, then the Pups, killing the weakest among them. None of that mattered. A crippling sum of damage totaled against him, but none of it mattered. A stream of light flew towards his Lonesome Infant, then burned through its shield in an instant before obliterating it. A black stain burned the ground where the infant had sat. Smoke arose from the complete absence of a corpse.

RegLon didn’t throw a fit. He didn’t shout, nor did he speak. He sat in capitulation, awestruck at his sudden loss brought upon him by his hubris, that of too many Tanuki legends and tokens for him to ever believe that loss was possible.

“Yet another surprise save for PetNeb! Congratulations! You have won the second round!”

Chapter twenty-two

Lake of Wine and Forest of Meat

My Bite fought for my consciousness as Zhou’s servants dragged me, but all I retained until complete consciousness was a broken conversation between Naoma and Zhou, moments before waking. I had missed much but tried to grasp what I could.

“Have you ever seen a boat race, Idol?”

“I’m not sure I know what you mean?”

“The ancient Arabasian Dragon Boat Races.”

“No.”

“I suppose that was more to the west of your hometown, though I should check if there were any close to your childhood home. If so, your parents were cruel for never letting you experience such a thrill.”

My mind had been filled with fog, but I latched onto that realization. He knew about her past.

I couldn’t tell if my hatred or jealousy was greater.

“I’m excited to see what it is, but I can’t step aside from the reason I came.”

“And that is?”

“Your plots.”

“Are you saying that you want one?”

“Perhaps, but I want to know more about your purpose. What’s the point of giving everyone determined relationships, choreographed drama, scandals, and so forth?”

“Why else? It grasps the world’s attention.”

“And what do you want with that? Don’t say lumens, because we both know it’s more than that.”

“We do?

“You told me that you knew about our dealings with Nichley–”

“I must say, bringing the fan who ruined his operation with the tide in Arabasia was a brilliant ploy on your part.”

“Mhm.”

“You know, he never told me you were with us. I never expected to see you pull through after leaving with them.”

“I know when I’ve lost a fight. I pulled out there, worked my way into their little club, and now I’m returning the favor here. That still doesn’t clarify everyone’s positions. I knew Nichely’s and Deleon’s from his people after the fact, but I still don’t understand what you have here.”

“See!” I heard a smack as if he was hitting the arms of one of his companions. “I told you she was a true Violet. I gotta admit, I was a little worried when you left with Deleon’s old crew. How did you know we had eyes on you? A lot of people were doubting you, saying you were trying to get away before anyone could take you back.”