The tavern fell completely silent as the first cards were dealt.
Kaizen, with his confident posture, stared at the other two players around the table. The dark elves and dwarves maintained serious expressions, but a glimmer of excitement shone in their eyes.
Valthorn was the first to examine his cards. He sketched a cunning smile as he mentally calculated the possibilities. "Well done, stranger. Let's see what you have to offer."
Kaizen, for his part, also studied his own cards with an impassive gaze. On the other hand, Talfor, the dwarf, showed clear frustration.
The first round began with cautious glances. The players exchanged intense glances as they decided who they would challenge to an exchange of cards. Kaizen, mentally choosing Valthorn as his first opponent, said:
"Elf..."
Valthorn, with a subtle smile, showed his hand of six cards, which were all face down to Kaizen, and the outsider chose one from his own hand to deal in return. The tension in the room increased as the cards passed from hand to hand, each player trying to discern the other's intentions.
Back at the table, Valthorn discarded a card and placed it on the table, looking confident. "Your turn, outsider. Show us what you've got."
The outsider, Kaizen, studied the hand of cards before him with an inscrutable expression. His eyes, deep and mysterious, travelled slowly over each card, assessing the strategic possibilities. Valthorn watched intently, a slight air of confidence in his elven posture. Talfor, the dwarf, scratched his grey beard as he followed the exchange of cards with an expression of persistent suspicion.
With deliberate calm, Kaizen selected a card from his hand and handed it to Valthorn, who in turn handed over a card from his own hand. The exchange was made, and the cards changed owners, each player trying to discern what the other was hiding.
The first round continued with a tense atmosphere. Players took, lost and exchanged cards, each move carefully considered. The dark elves' eyes never left the Night Sword on the table, while the dwarf Talfor, even involved in the game, couldn't completely ignore the dark aura emanating from the weapon.
Valthorn's strategy began to unravel when he saw that he was almost forming a three of a kind, and when he finally did, he placed them triumphantly on the table. The confident expression on his face increased as he looked at Kaizen, silently challenging him to overcome this move. However, Kaizen remained impassive, revealing a hand of cards that indicated a three of a kind with a number sequence.
"I see you have some cunning in you, outsider," commented Valthorn, a subtle smile playing on his lips.
Kaizen replied with a nod, "And the game has just begun, elf."
The tension in the tavern grew as the players advanced to the second round with the outsider winning. This time, it was Talfor who chose his opponent first for the exchange of cards. With a fearful look at Valthorn, he pointed to one of his cards, silently challenging him.
Valthorn clucked his tongue in annoyance, but the cards were exchanged.
The second round reached its climax when Valthorn once again declared a trump. He smiled confidently, waiting for Kaizen's reaction. However, the outsider wasn't shaken. He revealed a combination of cards that, although not a trick, was still a good sequence
The tavern was silent, all eyes fixed on the card table in that one, and Talfor then showed his cards, two tricks and all the cards in sequence. This was the best possible move and combination, which guaranteed his victory.
Valthorn was the only one without any points, which meant that he needed to win the next round to equalise with the others so that they could go to an overtime.
In the third round, the game reached its climax. Talfor, the dwarf, was determined to win. He chose Kaizen as his opponent for the card exchange, as Kaizen was the biggest threat to his victory at the moment, and the two players exchanged an intense look. The cards changed hands, the moves calculated like a dance of cunning and strategy.
The Valthorn elf, still without points, studied his cards with a serious expression. His cunning eyes searched for the opportunity for a surprising turn. Meanwhile, the Night Sword stood imposingly on the table, casting an enigmatic shadow over the game.
Kaizen's turn finally came, and he chose Valthorn as his opponent. As the round progressed, the players' expressions reflected the complexity of the game.
Talfor, the dwarf, was aware that he needed to maintain his lead in order to secure his victory. He chose Kaizen as his opponent again, determined to dismantle any strategy the outsider might have. The exchange of cards happened quickly, and the tension reached its peak as the players waited to see who would emerge victorious.
The round continued with daring moves, each player trying to outdo the other. Valthorn, now on the scoreboard, gained confidence, while Kaizen maintained his enigmatic aura. The cards danced between the players' hands, creating a symphony of strategies and unexpected twists.
The third round continued with a series of secret twists. Each player was determined to outwit the other, and the strategy unfolded in a dance of cards. The audience in the tavern was completely involved in this spectacle of skill and cunning.
The contest culminated in an electrifying climax when Kaizen finally revealed his last move. With a subtle smile, he placed a sequence of cards on the table, forming not just a three of a kind, but a sequence again.
Talfor, frustrated, placed the cards on the table face up, showing that he hadn't managed to win, no matter how much he had focussed on disrupting Kaizen.
Valthorn raised his head, looked at his opponents and, for a moment, it seemed as if he had won, because a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, but his satisfied expression quickly turned to frustration. He stood up, threw the cards on the table, drew his sword and pointed it at Kaizen.
"You cheated! I know it! Oh, I know it! You and the dwarf arranged everything!"