Speaker 1: Hello, friends from across the nation, around the world. I'm Martin,
and you are listening to Dad's Bedtime Stories. It's become
a bit of a weekend tradition to do a compilation
episode on a Saturday, and I thought, what better than
Cards of Power for this compilation episode, or even better
than that, the Cards of Power novel. That's right. Today,
I'm going to put together the first few chapters of
the Cards of Power novel, and if you're interested in it,
I've been finishing this novel on a different podcast called
Dad's Anytime Stories. So if you like what you're hearing
and you want to hear the rest of the story,
you can go check that out. Dad's Anytime Stories, available
anywhere you get your podcasts. The local looks similar except
it's blue and Yeah. That's about all I have for
you today, So we'll start with the story after a
special word from a possible sponsor. Now it's time to
close your eyes, get as comfy as you can in
that bed, and imagine yourself doing what the kid in
the story does. Chapter one, Choosing Day, Carter woke to
the soft light of the morning and a single undeniable
thought today was choosing day. It was the day that
every young person in the land waited for, the day
they received their very first magic card, and for Carter,
it was finally his turn. The possibilities filled his mind
even before he left his bed. What kind of card
would he get? Maybe one that let him fly, or
one that granted super strength, Perhaps something rarer, like a
magical companion, or a creature he could summon in battle.
Every card was different, and each one had its own
unique magic. He jumped out of bed, rushed through breakfast,
and dressed faster than he ever had before. With hardly
a glance at the clock, he darted out the door
and made his way straight to the center of town
where the ceremony would take place. A group of children
had already gathered, some talking nervously, others standing quietly, all
of them filled with anticipation. Carter found a spot among them,
his heart beating fast. Then the crowd parted and a
tall wizard stepped forward. He wore long robes and carried
a heavy wooden staff topped with a glowing gem. His
beard flowed down to his chest, and he had the
kind of presence that made people stop and listen. Welcome
young ones, the wizard said. His voice was calm and deep.
Today is an important day. Today you become cod holders.
The group erupted and cheer. But before you can receive
a cod, the wizard continued, you must be given your cod.
Col Carter hadn't heard this part before. A cod cause
what allows you to store and activate your CODs, the
wizard explained. It becomes part of you, deep inside your being,
and lets you connect with the magic you collect. The
wizard stepped forward and tapped his staff on the stone
ground three times. A soft light bloomed from the gem
at the top, and a collection of glowing orbs floated
out from it, one for each child. Carter watched as
the orb nearest to him drifted forward. It stopped just
in front of his chest, then gently moved toward him.
As it touched his skin, a tingling sensation passed through
his body, followed by a warm, steady glow that spread
through his arms and legs. Something had changed. He could
feel it, as though a new sense had been added,
something quiet but powerful, something that hadn't been there before.
The core is also what allows you to create new cards,
the wizard said. When you explore the world, You'll come
across wild magic, creatures, forces, sometimes even storms of pure energy.
If you learn to understand them, and if you have
the strength of will, you can capture that magic and
form it into a card of your own. Carter listened carefully.
It sounded exciting, but also a little overwhelming. He was
supposed to go out into the woods and find wild
creatures and magic and just just turn them into cards. Still,
this was the way things were done, and now the
wizard said, smiling, it's time to choose your first god.
With a wave of his hand, a spread of cards
floated into the air and hovered above the crowd. They
grew larger, clear enough to read, each one with its
own illustration and description. Carter looked up and scanned through them.
There were cards that granted flight, swift wings that looked
like energy made solid. Others gave strength or healing powers,
or armor formed from rock or metal. And then there
were the creature cards, magical companions known as pet cards.
That is where Carter's eyes stopped. Each pet card featured
a different kind of creature. One had sharp spines and
an icy breath. Another was covered in vines and moss,
able to summon plants at will. A few looked like
birds or cats, or strange floating things with glowy eyes,
but one card stood out. It showed a small, dark
scaled dragonling with glowing red veins running down its limbs
and across its wings. Its description was simple dragonling primary ability,
fire breath. But Carter didn't choose it for the ability.
Something about it just felt right. He couldn't explain why,
but he believed it could become something powerful. Maybe not
right away, but someday. Knew there. The wizard called out,
it's your turn. Which cod will you choose? Carter stepped forward.
I I choose the fire Dragonling. Oh, a fine choice,
the wizard said with a nod. The card rose up
in the air, sparks flickering along its edges. At the
same time, Carter's card core began to glow as the
card floated towards them. The sparks grew brighter, and then,
with a sudden flash, the cards shot forward and merged
with his core. He could feel it. The fire Dragonling
was now a part of him. He could sense it
in the same way he sensed his arms or legs,
a living presence waiting just beneath the surface. One by one,
the other children made their selections until all had received
their cards. Very good, said the wizard. Now go out
and explore the world, But do be careful. Many cardholders
believe they can rely on only duels to find their way.
But if you ask me, dueling is a foolish path.
Carter frowned. Duels. What were duels? Before he could ask,
he turned and accidentally bumped into someone standing behind him.
There was a thud, a yelp, and then a loud splash.
Carter looked down in horror. The man he'd bumped into
had fallen face first into a pile of dog poop.
The crowd burst out laughing. The man, however, did not no,
I challenge you. The man snapped, rising to his feet
with a face full of anger and unfortunate smells. To
a duel. Carter froze a duel. The man stared at him,
still brushing the poop off of his face. The crowd
had mostly stopped laughing, but a few giggles lingered in
the air like unwanted background music. Before Carter could say anything,
the Wizard's voice rang out again. Who oh, yes, he said,
I forgot to explain about duels. Knew I should have
read the whole script. Any ways, your card call allows
you to accept duels with other card holders, but be warned,
once you accept, you're bound by the rules of the match.
Whatever terms you agree to you must follow. Carter turned
back to the man, who was clearly still furious and
still a little smelly. I say we play for cards,
the man growled. Whinner gets their choice of cod from
the loser's deck. Carter's mind raced. That seemed like a
terrible idea. He hadn't even had time to figure out
how his own card worked yet. Okay, he said, without thinking. Immediately,
a voice echoed in the sky. Duel accepted. What do
you mean duel accepted? Carter asked, the sky, or perhaps
the magical system that governed duels, you said okay, the
voice replied. It sounded faintly smug. Carter sighed, But then
a thought struck him. The one who accepted the duel
set the terms. That was something. At least my terms,
he said, quickly, are one card each, one on one?
The angry man grumbled. Toms accepted. Light began to pulse
from both of their cores. Carter took a breath and
focused inward. He could feel the fire Dragonling card waiting
just beneath his awareness. All he had to do was
call it forward. A bright beam of light shot from
his core, and the fire Dragonling appeared in front of him.
It was smaller than he expected, about the size of
a housecat, with smooth black scales streaked with glowing red lines.
Its wings fluttered as it landed softly on the ground,
looking up at Carter with wide eyes and what might
have been mild amusement. Dragonling attack. Carter called out. The
dragonling blinked, then it sat down, licked its paw, and
casually wiped it across the top of its head. It
looked remarkably unconcerned. The crowd chuckled again. Having done much
train in have you, the man said, He smirked, and
then called out, I summon my body of stone. Cawed.
A deep rumble echoed through the air. As the man's
core glowed, light burst forth and wrapped around his body,
hardening into thick, jagged stone. It formed a suit of
granite lake armor, covering him from head to toe. With
a grunt, the man reached down and hunched the earth.
He lifted a massive sphere of rock from the ground,
perfectly round and clearly very heavy. He raised it above
his head and aimed directly for Carter. The fire dragonling
looked up at the man, sighed. Carter was almost sure
it was a sigh anyways, and then opened its mouth.
A blast of fire erupted. Not a spark, not a puff,
A full column of flame burst out, hot and wild
and roaring, like a dragon ten times its size. The
fire struck the stone covered man with force, and the
granite armor began to glow red. Then it cracked, Then
it exploded. The man flew backward through the air and
landed flat on his back with a thud. There was
a long pause. The crowd stared in stunned silence. Then
once again, the mysterious voice returned. Battle one choose one,
cad Carter's eyes widened. He watched as the man's cardcore
lit up. From it, a series of floating lights emerged,
each one transforming into a glowing card suspended in the air,
like options on a magical menu. Carter stepped forward and
read through the cards carefully. There were a few healing cards,
a couple of defensive ones, but one caught his eye.
Power Wings. According to the description, the card would grant
him a pair of wings made of pure energy. They'd
let him fly through the sky like a jet, hover
and midair, and even perform some aerial maneuvers. He reached
for it. As soon as his fingers touched the card,
sparks flickered around its edges. His core appeared again, glowing brighter.
This time, the card dissolved into energy and flowed into
his chest. Immediately he could feel it. A second card,
a second presence inside him, just waiting to be activated.
He didn't wait. Carter focused on the new card and
with a single thought, triggered its power. A tingling sensation
ran down his back. Then, too glowing blue wings of
pure energy unfolded from his shoulders. Stretching out wide and
humming gently, he rose into the air without effort. The
sensation was unlike anything he'd ever felt. He wasn't just floating,
he was flying, really flying. The wings responded to his
thoughts forward, backward, left, right. He moved in perfect sink,
as if he had been flying his entire life. He
tested them, spinning and looping through the sky. Then, with
a burst of curiosity, he imagined flying faster. He shot forward,
faster and faster, wind whipping past his face, trees blurred
below him. He felt the press rusher build, and then
suddenly boom, A sharp crack echoed through the sky. He'd
just broken the sound barrier. Eyes wide, Carter slowed down
and hovered, scanning the land below until he spotted the
familiar rooftops of home. He angled his wings and descended,
landing gently in front of the door. With a thought,
he reabsorbed the wings into his core. They shimmered once
and disappeared. Back inside, everything felt strangely quiet. His body
was tired, more tired than he expected. The duel, the flight,
the weight of the day, and had all caught up
with him. He climbed into bed and pulled the covers
up over his shoulders. His muscles relaxed, his breathing slowed.
Carter let himself fall asleep. Chapter two, Magnus the Dragonling.
Carter woke up with a strange feeling. Not the kind
of strange that comes from forgetting what day it is
or realizing you left the window open overnight. This was
something deeper, A low rumbling sensation like a stomach ache
that had gotten confused and ended up in the wrong
part of his body. It wasn't his stomach, though, it
was his card core. Something inside it was shaking. He
reached inward with his mind, and sure enough, the sensation
was coming from his Fire Dragonling card. It felt like
the little guy was trying to break free. Carter summoned
the card and it materialized in front of him as
a large, glowing rectangle. The illustration of the fire Dragonling
stared back at him, magma vanes glowing across its dark
scaled body. The card began to shake hard. Carter hesitated
for a moment, then let it do what it needed
to do. The card exploded into a beam of light,
and when the glow faded, the fire Dragonling stood in
his room, small, dark, and oddly adorable. It stared at
him with glinting eyes, then calmly licked the back of
its paw and ran it over the top of its head.
Well thanks for finally letting me out of there, the
Dragonling said, casually. Carter blinked. You you can talk, of course,
I can talk. How do you think I'm talking to you?
Speaker 2: All?
Speaker 1: Right? Good point, Carter murmured, Still, processing can all magical
creatures talk now depends on their intelligence level, the Dragonling replied,
and I am very intelligent. Carter opened his mouth to respond,
but only managed a huh. The Dragonling raised an eyebrow,
or would have if it had eyebrows. Let me explain,
it said, You're not the first person to choose me
as their companion. In fact, I've been through this twice already,
but I have never evolved, not once, so people keep
thinking I'm just a beginner card Man, putting me back
into the pool for the next choosing day. Carter stared, wait, what,
how does that even work? Well, the Dragonling said, settling
into the story. The first time I picked man was
this really angry kid. He just wanted to fight everything,
and that's exactly what we did. We tore through the
beginner area, fought wild Magic's left and right. I got
stronger fast. Then we reached the intermediate and advanced zones,
and he started using me less and less. Eventually he
traded me, in the Dragonling's voice, flat and slightly, and
then I ended up in a wizard's pocket. Carter didn't
know what to say. The second kid was a bookwarm,
the Dragonling went on I'm always researching, always reading. Took
me everywhere, but rarely used me. I got smarter. He
even learned how to talk from that one, but no evolution.
Eventually he traded me too, and then came you. Oh,
Carter said, unsure whether to feel honored or sorry. Well,
nice to meet you. Nice to meet you too, But
if we're gonna work together, we need to set some
ground rules. Uh sure, Carter said, Like what, First, the
Dragonling said, flicking its tail, I don't want to be
stuck inside that card all the time. It's fine for naps,
but it gets cramped and honestly, it feels a bit
like prison. Carter nodded, I can do that. Second, the
Dragonling continued, I'm not your servant. I can be your
friend and trust me with my knowledge and power. That's
a pretty good deal. That's fair, Carter said, I don't
want a servant. The reason I picked a magical creature
card was because I always wanted a little magical creature
as a friend. The fact that you can talk, that's
even better than I expected. The Dragonling stared at him
for a moment, then gave a satisfied nod. Well, then
I guess it's time we got moving. Uh what do
you suggest we do first? Carter asked, Well, we need
to head to a beginner forest. The dragonling said, that's
where you'll find wild magic and creatures that are actually
at your level. And I'm weep as that, obviously, but
you'll catch up. Carter grinned, I think there's a beginner
for us nearby. Let's go. Oh and by the way,
Carter added, do you have a name or should I
just keep calling you fire Dragonling? The dragonling paused, no,
no human has ever asked me that before. My name
is Magnus. Magnus it is, Carter said, let's go. The
two of them headed outside. As soon as they reached
an open area, Carter reached inward again, focusing on the
car that granted him flight, the power Wings card. A
surge of energy passed through his body, and, with a
tingling sensation in his shoulder blades, glowing wings burst from
his back. They lifted him gently off the ground. Huh,
do you need a ride, Carter asked, glancing at Magnus,
Or do those little wings of yours actually work? I
can't believe you'd ask such a thing. Magnus huffed, I
don't need a ride from a human with rapid wing
beats more like a hummingbird than a dragon. Magnus lifted
off the ground and zipped into the sky. Follow me,
he called. Carter took off after him, the wings responding
instantly to his thoughts. They soared higher, leaving Carter's house
far behind. As they crossed forests and fields, Magnus guided
them into a mountainous region until the trees below became
spaced out and the terrain opened into wide meadows surrounded
by rocky peaks. This, Magnus said, circling down is one
of my favorite beginner areas. They landed in what looked
like a trailhead parking lot, complete with a small log
cabin and a wide wooden gate. A sign arched above
in bold letters beginner Forest. They passed through the gates
and followed a winding path. Other cardholders, most of them
around Carter's age, had already set up campsites nearby. Some
were dueling each other. Others faced off against wild magic
and magical creatures. Some cardolders wielded personal power, lightning from
their fingertips, bursts of fire, icy wind. Others relied on
summoned creatures to do the battling. Up ahead, something sparked.
A cluster of people ran towards Carter and Magnus, eyes
wide with panic to not go in there. One of
them shouted, that thing is way too strong for this area.
Carter looked past them and saw bolts of lightning flashing
in the distance. Another cry rang out, Uh, do you
think we should go battle that thing? Carter asked, and
I'd have no problem, Magnus replied, it's you I'm worried about.
You don't even have protection against lightning. I should have
picked armor instead of wings. Carter muttered, Actually, Magnus said,
your wings might be just what we need. Follow me.
Without another word, he shot into the sky. Carter summoned
his wings again and followed. They flew high above the mountains.
To protect against that lightning creature, you need one of
two things, Magnus explained. Rubber armor, which is useless against
almost anything else more rock armor, rock grounds electricity and
has the added bonus of looking very cool. Okay, where
do we find rock armor? And there's a lot of
wild magic around here, Magnus said. Most beginners can't fly,
so some of the magic goes untouched, we'll find something.
As they passed over peak, Carter spotted it, an unusual
pile of stones, shifting and reshaping itself far below there,
Magnus said, exactly what we need. They landed a short
distance away. Do we attack it? Carter asked, ian cud
Magnus said, but this one seems calm. Try to win
it over. Approach slowly, Let it sense you wild magics
can feel your emotions. Stay calm, send good energy. Carter
nodded and walked forward. Extending his arm. He focused on
peaceful thoughts, curiosity, friendliness, a desire for connection. The rock
creature shifted as he approached. First it formed a stonehenge
like circle, Then it coiled into a rock serpent, then
a pile of balanced boulders. Finally, it gathered itself into
a large stone formation and bowed. And you've done it,
Magnus said. Now reach out, focus on the energy and
imagine it forming into a card. Carter closed his eyes.
He could feel the strength of the card, grounded, unshakable.
He pictured that energy forming into a glowing card in
his hand. Light gathered into a sphere, and his palm
growing brighter and brighter. The creature dissolved into the light,
which flattened into a single card, Rock Armor. This card
allows you to murder merge with Stone. At the beginner level,
you can summon rock Armor to protect your body. As
your bond deepens, your control will grow. Carter held up
the card Merge with Stone. Huh, I wonder what that
could do? He activated it. The card burst into light
and wrapped around his body, forming thick, jagged armor. He
felt unstoppable. Nearby, a tree grew from the rocky soil.
Carter walked over, grabbed the trunk, and without much effort,
ripped it out of the ground. He spun it once
over his head and hurled it into the sky. The
tree yarked and then disappeared into the forest far below. WHOA,
the arm was perfect. I won't deal with that lightning
creature tomorrow, Carter said, looking up at the setting sun.
Time to find a place to sleep. Back at the
forest gate, Magnus suggested he release the armor. It shimmered
back into a card and returned to his core. Carter
summoned his wings one more time. He and Magnus flew
above the mountains and gently descended to the log cabin.
Near the entrance. Inside, a clerk handed on a key
without a word, It read Room three. He found the
door unlocked. It stepped inside, with Magnus close behind. The
room was simple bunk beds, a small desk, and Quietness.
Curled up on the bed and began licking his paws again.
His purring was soft and steady. Carter climbed into the bed,
pulled the covers over himself, and closed his eyes. Chapter three,
The Lightning Rabbit. Carter awoke to the soft rustle of
movement across the room. Magnus, his fire dragoning stretched with
a contented sigh. After learning that Magnus didn't particularly enjoy
being trapped in his cart all night, Carter had let
him stay out, curled up like a warm, purring rock
lizard beside the bed. He climbed out of bed and
opened the door to their small guest cabin. The scent
of breakfast met him immediately, eggs, toast, something vaguely maplish.
All in the main lodge, a full buffet had been
set up complete eat with cereal fruit and an impressive
variety of pastries. Carter grabbed a plate and began collecting
food as he sat at the table. Magnus landed in
the seed across from him, balancing a full plate on
top of his head. With a deft swipe of his paw,
he slid it onto the table. They began eating in
comfortable silence until Carter looked up. Magnus, Can I ask
you something? Sure, Magnus replied, his snout halfway into a croissant.
In school, they taught us the basics about getting our
first card, how the forests work, how to level up
and get stronger. But how does it actually work? Magnus
wiped a few crumbs off of his chin. Ah that's
a good question, all right, here's the rundown, he said back,
looking uncharacteristically serious. Most of the places humans live these
days are completely safe, hardly any wild magic left. But
the forests they're different. They're full of wild creatures and
powerful magical energy. Some forests are more dangerous than others.
Carter nodded, already sensing where this was going. In the
old days, the wizard's counsel let adventurers go wherever they wanted,
Magnus continued, Beginner expert didn't really matter. You could waltz
into a high level forest if you felt like it.
What happened, Carter asked, Well, a lot of adventurers didn't
come back, Magnus said bluntly. So now each forest is
surrounded by a magical no one gets in or out
except through the official gates. I didn't know that. Most
people don't, Magnus said. And here's the important part. And
if you want to move to the next level, you've
got to defeat a guardian. Cardholders tasked with battling challengers
to ensure they're ready. They're powerful, sure, but their job
isn't to destroy. They are just there to make sure
you're ready. Carter looked thoughtful. So we should probably work
on getting stronger exactly, Magnus said, polishing off a muffin.
Let's get to it. They left the cabin and headed
back into the Beginner forest. The trees were tall and
bright in the morning sun, and Carter could hear birds
chirping somewhere high above. Thinking, he said, now that I've
got the rock armor, maybe we could check out that
lightning creature from yesterday. I was thinking the same thing,
Magnus said, If I had to guess, it's probably a
lightning rab or something similar. Carter raised an eyebrow. Are
they hard to fight? No, definitely for most people, Magnus said,
with a confident grin. Not for me, though Carter was
still getting used to Magnus's unshakable self assurance. They followed
a dirt path deeper into the woods until they reached
an area where bolts of lightning had been flashing the
day before. As they approached, another adventurer ran past them,
smoke trailing from the edges of their cloak. Carter turned
to Magnus. I think it's time for the rock armor.
He reached in ward, feeling the card in its core.
It appeared before him, glowing with power. As he activated it,
the card dissolved into energy and wrapped around him, solidifying
into stone. He stood tall, encased in powerful rock arms, legs, hands, everything.
The armor didn't just feel like protection, it felt like
strength itself. He stepped forward, the ground shaking slightly with
each footfall. Around a bend in the trail, the trees
opened into a clearing. In the center of it sat
a small bunny, adorable really, he except its eyes were
sparking with electricity. The rabbit turned towards them and growled.
It began to charge its legs, twitching with energy. Then
it launched into the air, surrounded by a sphere of
crackling lightning. With a flash, the electricity shot forward. Carter
crossed his arms just in time. The lightning struck him,
but his rock armor absorbed it completely, the energy flowing
down through the stone and discharging harmlessly into the earth.
So this is what you meant about grounding, Carter said,
impressed exactly, Magnus replied, Now, let me give it a shot.
Magnus flew into the air and began circling the rabbit.
The rabbit fired bolts of lightning in every direction. Magnus
twisted through the air, rolling left, dodging right, even looping
in mid air like a dancer with wings. Then he
dropped to the ground and faced the rabbit. The two
stared each other down, sparks danced across the rabbit's fur,
Smoke curled up from Magnus's nostrils. They both charged. At
the last moment, the rabbit leaped into the air and
fired a bolt of lightning. Magnus swiped it aside with
a paw, rolled three times mid air, and blasted a
stream of fire from his mouth, but the rabbit summoned
a shimmering shield of electrical energy. The fire hit it
and fizzled out. The two faced each other again. This
one's better than I expected, Magnus admitted, I might actually
need your help. I need a distraction. Carter was already
scanning the area. He spotted a large boulder buried in
the ground nearby. On it, he said. He ran to
the rock, drove his stone fingers into its surface, and
ripped it up from the earth. With a deep breath,
He hurled the boulder towards the rabbit. This rock armor
was pretty amazing. It landed with a crash just beside
the creature, startling it and sending it leaping sideways. The
rabbit's focus shifted to Carter, and it fired another bolt
of lightning. Carter braced himself and again the energy was
grounded by the armor. Meanwhile, Magnus shot into the air again,
circling the clearing. He opened his mouth and released a
stream of fire, which formed itself into a ring surrounding
the rabbit. The flames rose higher and higher, glowing brighter
and hotter. The rabbit spun in all directions, bolts of
lightning flying outward, but the fire hemmed it in, closing tighter.
The rabbit stumbled, then, with a final weak spark, it
collapsed on the ground, still breathing but unconscious. Magnus extinguished
the fire. Smoke rose gently from the scorched earth. Now
it's year turn, Magnus said, hovering beside Carter. Carter approached
the rabbit. His stone feet thudded softly on the earth.
He knelt beside it and released the armor, watching as
it dissolved back into the cart and returned to his core.
He reached out with his hand, focusing inward. The rabbit's
energy was different, fast, sharp, tingly. He imagined it gathering
in his palm. A soft glow appeared. It grew brighter,
forming into a ball of light and sparks that hovered
just above his skin. The rabbit disappeared completely as the
energy coalesced into a single, storm like sphere. Carter focused again.
The energy flattened and solidified, forming a floating card with
a glowing border and a familiar image on its face,
Lightning rabbit. His core lit up. The car flew into it,
becoming a new part of him, a new sense he
could feel control and one day master, the clearing grew quiet.
Good job, kid, Magnus said. They spent the rest of
the day exploring the forest, watching battles, talking to other adventurers,
and discovering new paths. As evening approached, Carter felt the
weight of the day settle into his limbs. He summoned
the power Wings card one more time. With a gentle hum,
The wings appeared, lifting him smoothly into the Magnus let
out a long yawn as they reached the tree tops
near the edge of the beginner area. I hate to
admit it, he muttered, but I'm exhausted. Carrying all that
coolness around really takes it out of you. Carter smiled.
Want me to return you to the card for the
ride back. Magnus hesitated, then gave a tiny knod. All right,
just this once, but don't get used to it. Carter
shuckled and summoned Magnus back into his card form. The
little dragoning shimmered into light and vanished, returning to the
warmth of the card core for a well earned rest.
Carter flew quietly through the air, watching the sunlight fade
from the tree tops. He followed the trail back to
the lodge, opened the familiar door and climbed the stairs
to his room. Key in hand, he found the door
marked three, entered and closed it behind him. Sleep came quickly.
Chapter four, a new ally, Carter woke up in his bed.
The sunlight streamed in through the window, casting soft golden
lines across the floor. He sat up, rubbed his eyes,
and glanced around the room. Everything was just as he'd
left it. But then he felt something, a tapping, not
on his shoulder or the door, but deep inside him
from his card core, the place where all of his
magical cards were stored. He focused on the sensation. The
tapping was coming from the fired dragonling car card Magnus
wanted out. Carter reached inward, summoned the card, and watched
as it appeared before him, glowing with energy. The light shifted, reshaped,
and then formed into the small black scaled dragon with
glowing magma vanes. Ah. You finally let me out of there,
Magnus said, stretching, and it was getting pretty cramped. Good
morning to you, too, Magnus, Carter replied with a smirk.
What do you think we should do today? Wow, Magnus said,
I think we should do the same thing we do
every day. Head back to the beginner training area and
try to get more power. All right, Carter said, I
guess we can do that. After breakfast, Carter stepped on
to his front lawn. He closed his eyes and reached
the power wings card inside his core. A tingling passed
through his body, followed by a shiver up his spine
and a flash of light. Two glowing wings burst from
his shoulder blades. He hovered gently off the ground, and
Magnus flapped his smaller wings, lifting off beside him. Together
they soared into the sky, passing over rooftops, city blocks, highways,
and forests until the familiar wildlands came into view once again.
For now, Carter was only allowed in the beginner area.
The other regions remained off limits until he gained enough
power to defeat one of the gatekeepers, but that was
a problem for another time. As they neared the forest,
Carter noticed something new, a glowing dome surrounding the area,
like a massive protective bubble. That must be the magic
that keeps everything else out, he said, yep, Magnus replied,
that's exactly right. They landed outside the beginner area and
the familiar dirt lot beside the small wooden chalet. After
passing the hotel style lodge, they followed the winding forest
trail into the woods. They moved past familiar paths and landmarks.
Maria's Carter had already explored so far. He'd collected the
rock armor, the lightning Rabbit, the wing card, and of
course Magnus, but he was still hoping to find something new,
maybe a water type to round out his deck. Eventually
they reached a new area, one Carter hadn't seen before.
A broad clearing opened up in front of them, dotted
with lakes and ponds of every side. Other card holders
were already battling creatures in the water, magic flashing and
splashing across the surface. Carter scanned the area hopeful. Then
Magnus stopped in mid air. His expression changed. Hey, I
think I know that guy, he said, pointing toward the
largest lake in the center. A blue dragonling hovered above
the water. It looked a lot like Magnus, same shape,
same wings, but its scales were shimmering blue instead of black,
and its energy radiated cold instead of heat. The dragonling
was engaged in a fierce battle with a massive water
serpent trading blasts of water that struck with the force
of a fire hose, but neither seemed to be doing
much damage. The blue Dragonling changed tactics. It flew high
into the air, summoned a cluster of water, shaped it
into jagged ice spikes, and hurled them at the serpent.
The spikes hit directly, but still did little to affect
the beast. Magnus shook his head. Now, man, you can't
fight water type with a water type and expect much.
They're basically immune and ice attacks barely tickle. Also, I'm
sure I know that dragon, you do, Carter asked. I
think so, Magnus said, And it looks like he needs help.
But aren't fire types weak against water types? Yeah, Magnus said,
But at least I can do something. Watch this. Magnus
shot toward the lake with incredible speed. As he reached
the edge, he opened his mouth and sprayed a wide
plume of fire, circling the entire area in a spinning blaze.
He flew in tight loops, creating a wall of fire
that surrounded the lake. Then he flew above it, focused
his energy downward, and the fire grew hotter, higher, more intense.
The heat became so powerful that the surface of the
lake began to evaporate, steam rising into the sky in
thick clouds. Carter watched in awe when the flames died down.
The lake had nearly vanished, leaving the dragon laying and
the serpent standing in a muddy, steamy basin. Now, Magnus said,
watch this. He summoned a cluster of fireballs, spinning them
around his head before launching them into a wave. Each
fireball exploded against the serpent's body, sending plume of flame
into the air. At the same time, the blue dragonling
flew high, wings, humming with energy. Then it shot forward,
streaking through the sky. With one fist extended, it slammed
into the serpent's head with a thud, sending the creature
crashing to the ground, knocked out but unharmed. Then a
voice called out from nearby, good jobbies, ling. Carter turned
and blinked. Standing beside him was something he'd never expected
to see outside of textbooks, unevolved Terranosaurus Rex wearing the
robes of a cardholder. My name is Rex, the dinosaur,
stead extending a massive clod hand. Nice to meet you.
Carter hesitated, then shook the hand three times, just like
a normal greeting. Nice to meet you, too, oho, he said,
that dragonling of yours, it looks a lot like mine.
Magnus flew down and landed on Carter's shoulder, while the
blue Dragonling did the same with Rex. Oh where are
you from anyways? Magnus asked, you look familiar. That's because
we grew up together, the blue dragonling said, with perfect clarity.
Carter's eyes widened. You can talk, of course I can.
The dragonling replied, I'm a very smart dragon, just like Magnus.
Although if I were really smart, I wouldn't be with
this meanie. Don't listen to him. Rex said quickly, I'm
not a meanie. I am the nicest owner he's ever had,
and he better remember it. Something about Rex's tone made
Carter uneasy, say. Rex added, would you be up for
a battle? You mean like a duel? Carter asked, yes exactly.
Rex said, winner gets one card. Carter hesitated, I mean,
I guess I'll duel you if I get to set
the terms. Very well, set your terms, Rex agreed, one card.
Each winner gets one card from the loser's deck. Deal accepted,
Rex replied. Carter's core pulsed with light. The dual contract
had been made and the terms were binding. I'll go first,
Rex said, a'sling attack. The blue Dragonling flew into the air,
gathering streams of water into a swirling vortex round him,
a miniature tornado of water. Let me guess, Rex laughed,
you've forgot I have a water type and you've got
a fire type. Carter smirked, yeah, but I didn't say
I was using magnus. He reached inward again, feeling for
the card. With the electrical tingle. The Lightning Rabbit card
rose to the surface, and he summoned it into the air.
The little rabbit appeared, already sparkling. Carter nodded, Lightning Bunny attack.
The rabbit began to crackle, sparks turned to arcs, then,
with a high leap, it launched a massive ball of
lightning directly into the swirling water. Electricity exploded through the vortex,
traveling along every strand of water straight into asling. The
Dragonling spasmed, then dropped from the sky and landed softly
on the grass. The voice, strange voice that came from nowhere,
returned winner choose your card. Rex's chest lit up and
his deck fanned out in front of Carter. Images and
names displayed like holograms. So many options. Carter muttered, Hey,
Magnus whispered, get that Azling guy away from this weirdo.
He seems all right, but Rex, I'm not so sure.
Carter nodded, good point, and we could use a water
and ice type. He reached out and selected the card
with Aasling's image water slash ice Dragonling accepted. The card
shot out from Rex's deck and flew into Carter's core,
merging with it. A new sensation formed, cold, powerful and sharp.
Well played, Rex said, turning away. Perhaps we'll meet again, maybe,
Carter replied, watching him disappear into the trees. Satisfied, he
summoned his wings once again. Magnus returned to his perch
on Carter's shoulder, and they rose into the air, floating
gently back towards the forest's entrance. At the lodge, Carter
checked in. The attendant handed him the room three key.
Once again. He unlocked the door, stepped inside, and found
the same cozy bunk beds waiting. Magnus leaped onto the
bottom bunk, curled up and began his usual grooming routine,
licking a paw, rubbing his head, then settling down with
a soft per carter followed, slipping into bed beside him.
He let his head rest on the pillow, letting his
breathing slow.
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a new un.
Speaker 1: M m.
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and no more th.
Speaker 1: M m.
Speaker 2: M never m m m m