MTG Salvation

Chet - "AND THAT IS THE END OF ROUND ONE!"

**Not even minding the fact that he was utterly covered in dirt, Legato clapped Darby on the shoulder.**

Legato - "Damn son!"

Vilhjalmr - Fantastic!

Vilhjalmr joined Legato in congratulating Darby on a job well done and on surviving.

Samson ran up to give Darby a hug. Darby awkwardly conversed with Legato in the meantime.

Darby - "I felt like I was looking at the end, and I decided to just roll with it. There was clearly no way out."

Samson immediately slapped Darby in the face, his own face streaming with tears.

Samson - "YOU IDIOT! You ALWAYS look for the way out! There's no point if you don't collect, you suicidal fool! Do you think you're a Storysworn?!"

Legato - "You probably could have just jumped to one side, I have to admit."

Lumarin - ....right...I probably should of thought of that before I broke the massive energy weapon... Feel like a bit of a prat right now.

Legato - "Maybe, but your attack seemed to drain the energy from the other two gems...it might have been what let this be the final blow.

**Behind them the door to Control appeared, opening up so they could enter.**

**Lumarin turned and started for the door.**

Lumarin - Maybe....though my brother-in-law always said I think with my sword...

**Not a clue how that sounded.**

Vilhjalmr - I am just glad to be through with that golem with everyone in mostly good shape.

Vilhjalmr headed toward the door as well.

**Legato knew exactly how that sounded, and was about to respond when Hughes pulled them into Control, grinning from ear to ear. The sponsors gave them a round light applause as the atarin group began to make their way back into Control.**

Hughes - "That was fantastic! Honestly, I've never seen such a difficult first round and you guys ACED it! Oh, Darby!"

**The man excitedly moved over to the mercenary, jabbering at him and pumping his hand as Loveday looked on with a sour expression. Galla likewise seemed a bit put out, not as irritated as the Pink Promoter but more confused than anything else.**

Galla - "Your round was tough? I thought ours was sort of.....disappointing? They're saying you fought some sort of massive golem?"

Lumarin - Six average, then three huge, then one massive.

Vilhjalmr - Darby, with Lumarin's help and the rest of us attacking as distractions, destroyed the final one! It was very exciting.

**One of the sponsors, an ananke in underwurm hide, nodded empathically.**

Ananke - "It was quite the show of prowess, really."

**Galla frowned deeply.**

Galla - "We didn't get anything like that! It was just, just....I don't know, like the kid's gloves were on! Damnit, if I find out they're trying to soft pitch me through this damn thing, I'll - "

**It was then that The Richards stomped into Control, dripping wet and furious to a man. There was a moment of silence as they glared furiously around before one of them finally growled at Loveday, his every word dripping with venom.**

A Richard - "Our challenge was under water. They got our challenge mixed up with the damn eelskins' challenge."

**One of the Richards hawked a multicolored glob to the ground, shivering furiously.**

**Loveday responded, his face calm despite the irritation in his eyes.**

Loveday - "The Richards had a difficult challenge, in a difficult environment, and they still succeeded."

**Lumarin winced at the man's contemptible words.**

Lumarin - There you have it Galla, your task was so easy because it was fixed for these cheating louts but got mixed up. However good they are, they've been getting help.

**One of the Richards snarled, his knuckles audibly cracking as he flexed them towards Lumarin and started fowards. A quick glare from another Richard and calm words from Loveday stopped him in his tracks.**

Loveday - "That's a bold claim, Cleric. Is that how you're going to explain it when you lose, in the end? It was fixed? Seems childish. Leave that sort of attitude for your son or daughter, kid. It's unbecoming."

Vilhjalmr - Why was Richard so certain that the challenge he participated in was switched with the one Galla and the other Atarins participated in? I believe no one is supposed to know what any of the challenges are if they are participating.

Lumarin - I am an honorable man Loveday, you are lucky on that count. But your luck will run out one day and you will blithely cross the wrong man. Your words are too sharp, and one day they will slit your throat.

A Richard - "Why am I certain?! It was UNDERWATER you bleeding moron."

**Loveday shrugged, smiling pleasantly at Lumarin.**

Loveday - "It's cute that you think the world still works like that. I'm sure that if you really think about it, you know by now that it doesn't."

**The sponsors watched all of this with a mixture of interest and affront, a bit surprised to see such personal back and forth between rounds. Hughes seemed to be enjoying it himself.**

Hughes - "Well. The second round should be ready soon. Let's see how things keep on."

Lumarin - And the fact that you think that is why I am so sure its true, and you will never see it coming.

**He turned back to Hughes.**

Lumarin - Lets get to it, the air in here has taken a foul turn.

**Nodding, Hughes gave a signal to the man at the operating panel and the three doors opened. The Richards immediately filed out, the atarins taking a bit longer. Galla turned to Lumarin, her voice low.**

Galla - "I don't think the Run is fixed, Lumarin...but, well...hrm."

**The young atarin turned abruptly and left before finishing her thought.**

Vilhjalmr - Onward toward continued victory!

Vilhjalmr headed for the door for Hughes's team.

Amaya went about reloading everything and then clearing golem bits from her hair. Ow, rock in shoe...

"Well that was fun! Whats next!?" She said with excitement!