//------------------------------//
// More then just a game /part 1 
// Story: SoulForge: More Then Just a Game 
// by Shadows Reborn 
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“I am the Dagorath king of the greater plane! But, you thought could challenge me Helios! You are the greatest fool in all of the shatter realms!” A dark entity burst into a fit of laughter, it kicks a wounded angelic knight repeatedly.

“I would reconsider your actions Dagorath you have far greater enemies to deal with.” Dagorath crimsons eye widen as a silhouette appears in the rising sun. The powerful demon trembles as he clinches it’s sword for dear life.

“It can’t be Pipsqueak the Unbeatable you are supposed to be dead?” Dagorath takes trembling step backwards.

“Clearly you did not read the cards right I am Pipsqueak the unbeatable!” A small foal steps forward. The mighty entity drops to his knees and begins crying and pleading. 

“No please have mercy unbeatable one. Spare me I will forfeit the game just let me live and Pipsqueak time to wake up!” The entity’s voice takes as feminine tone at the last.

“Come again?” Pipsqueak asks looking confused.

“I said you're going to be late for school!” The world around him fades as the entity the angel and the battlefield vanishes.

“Pip come down here son your breakfast is getting cold!” Pipsqueak’s ears twitch as he slowly raises his head and lets out a loud yawn. He rolls out of bed and hits the floor. Hello my name is Pipsqueak I am still a little slow in the mornings just moved into a new house new town. I hope to make some new friends. However I am off to a rough start. Pip slowly moves across his room like a zombie. He stops in front of the toy chest. He digs through tosses items left and right tell he pulls out an old school box.

“There you are!” Opens it to reveal a single card on the back detailed images of a hammer striking an anvil. Above that was the words Soul  Forge. My prized possession a friend gave it to me when I left trottingham. It was a single card to a rapidly growing game. I never got to play it on account I moved before he could show how it works. However I still got this really cool card. He turns the card over to reveal the image on the other side. “Mildo the Explorer” He looks down at image of the imp playing a lute. “I just know you are the strongest warrior ever all I need is to figure out how to play and we will be the unbeatable duo.

Pip smiles happily as he exits the rooms he walks into the kitchen slash dining room. His father was already setting at the table looking over a newspaper. “Happy birthday son… Have you thought about your birthday wish?” The Stallion asks lowering the paper so he can see his son.

“Is going back to Trottingham to much to ask for?” Pipsqueak asks looking down at a bowl and his mom feeling it with his favourite breakfast cereal. 

“I know that it is rough but I am sure you will make new friends and even grow to like it here in ponyville.” His father reaches for his coffee mug and notices his son once again holding the same item he always does whenever he asks about his old home.

“Does that card mean that much to you?” He holds out his hoof Pip sigh and hand the card over to his father. “SoulForge sounds interesting enough. Who is Mildo the Explorer?”

Pip points a hoof to the card. “Mildo is a powerful warrior and as soon as I figure out how the game works we will go back to Trottingham and win all the tournaments.” Pip says in a proud cheerful voice.

“I remember hear about these now that you mention it supposed to be very expensive.” His father says handing the card back to his son.

“I know…” Pip knew since the move the family has been on a tight budget his five bit allowance has dwindled down to two. “But eventually I will become the best I will master all the shatter realms and become the ultimate hero.”

“That’s great dear but I bet ultimate heroes are never late for their first day at a new school.” A mare say pour some milk into his cereal bowl. Pip sighs as and eats his breakfast in silence. 

Pip set quietly behind his desk the as Miss Cheerilee gave a demonstrated basic math on the board. His attention seemed to be drawn else were the subject was father simple to begin with nothing he did not already know. By the looks of the rest of the class clearly majority of the class know about it. 

"That is how solving the problem any question?” Cheerilee turns around staring at the class. She the half that seemed to be paying attention. Had already been scribbling away in there notes. The other half probably had no idea she even gave away the answers for the first five problems. “Now for your home work assignment I want to solve problems five through twenty five using the formula I just demonstrated class dismissed.”

Pip sighs as he pulls a small box out from his desk he opens it and looks down at his prised possession once more. “Well looks like we made it through another day old friend and…” Suddenly a set of hooves grabs the box and yanks it away.” 

“Minesy” A pink filly says as she looks into the box. “Mildo the Explorer this card is lame… Why would you hold onto it.” Pip tries to grab the box back only to be blocked by another filly with a grey coat and glasses.

“Come on give it back it is important to me.” Pip pleads still trying to get around the grey filly that keeps blocking his path. 

Tierra smirks “okay I will give it back. If you can best me in a single match” Tierra laughs as she hoof bumps Silver Spoon. 
Pip looks around, “But, but I don’t have a deck. Even if I did I never even played before.”

“Boohoo…” Tierra says giving him an obviously fake pout. “What ever will the little bitty guy do.” She rolls her eyes, “Not my problem the deal still stands I can just hold onto this in a while.

“Hold your horses… I say that is plum dirty of you Tierra.” A voice rises from behind Pip turns around to face three fillies he recognised then they were the three that set in the desks in front of his. 

“Oh look he has support of the loser squad… But out blank flanks I challenged fair and square to a little game even wagered a little card on it.” Tierra smirks as Pip head hangs low.

“Picking on the new guy Tierra. Is there no end to how low you will sink just to prove a point you were beaten last year that was final. Not stop trying to stroke your ego and give him his card back.” Pip looks up with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“Fine losers…” She moves motions a hoof to hand Pip the card only drop it. “Oops” how clumsy of me she makes a point to step on it twice as she pushes past Pip. “See you later blank flanks!” Spoon and Tierra say in unison.

Pip remained silent tears forms in his eyes as he picks up his treasured cared. The it was bent and crumpled terrible the card was scratch from the wooden surface to the point it was non readable. Pip wanted to break down in tears but he fought the urge. “I am a warrior I am unbeatable. You should not have butted in!” 

Scootaloo narrows her gaze, “Well that is a fine way of showing gratitude how about thanks for sticking up for me… ouch!” Applebloom strikes her leg with her hoof. “Hey what was that for?”

“Look we are sorry about your card but I don’t think you are ready to step up to Tierra’s game she uses a lot of dirty tactics. If you don’t know what you are doing she would take every advantage she could get. Applebloom say walking up to him resting a hoof on his back. 

“Yeah besides if you don’t know the rules then it becomes twice as hard.” Sweetie Belle added walking up to his other side. “We can teach you if you like. I mean the rules and how to play that way you would at least stand a chance.”

Pip breathes sigh and turns around. “Like I said I don’t have a deck this was my only card.” The cutie mark crusaders huddled together and begin whisper in a hushed tone. Pip sighs and begins to walk away.

“Actually we might be able to help you with that. We will see you tomorrow and we will have a surprise for you.” Applebloom said as she trots out of the room. 

“Yeah something super cool.” Scootaloo added darting out behind her friend. 

“Um yeah what they said.” Sweetie added as she followed her friends they turned back and waved to him before running off. 

Pipsqueak was greeted by his mother and father at the moment he walked through the door. He the large birthday cake set on the table in front of the couch. The surprise was a welcome sight. At least it made an otherwise terrible day a little less terrible.

“Oh and son by the way I got something for you.” His father said handing his a small box.

Pip glared at it for a moment before removing the two inside he saw a card SoulForge the print welcomed him at first glanced. “He picks the card up and turns it over to read the text “Soul the Shadowed Avenger. Insanity class Darkras attribute entity rank 1.” He turns to his father.

“Funny story I have no Idea on who it came from I was delivering the mail on my route. When suddenly an old stallion hands me this and says it for a job well done. I have no idea what it is for but perhaps you could find a good use for it. Maybe put it with your other one.” His father added with a grin.

“Yeah perhaps I will do that.” He replies with the best smile e could muster. Still feeling depressed his first card was ruined perhaps this Avenger can help. If he just had a few more he could make a deck.

Pip yawns as he pulls back his covers and climbs into bed. Pip rest his head on his pillow just as he was about to close his eyes something brought his attention to the door. A faint glow was coming from the cracks and begins to glow brighter. “Piiiiiiip!”

Pipsqueak quickly shot up in his bed/ “Mom, dad is that you?” 

“Piiiiiiiiip!” The voice returns slightly louder this time.

The small colt steps out of his as he begins to nervously step closer to the door. “Piiiiiip!” The voice returns this time clear someone had to be calling his name. With a trembling hoof he gathers all of his courage and with shout he forces the door open. The light bathed the room a cry of thunderous sound surrounds him. Pips eye widen as a stampede of strange creature rush all around.

He yelps and leaps out of the way as one nearly tramples him. “Forward for the Haos Empire!” Tall creatures clad in shimmering steel continue to rush toward something. Pip darts back in forth barely able to avoid being trampled.

Suddenly one of the creatures fell from the sky. Pip screamed and leaped back as the creature lay lifeless blood began to stain the ground. “What is this I want to go home!” Pip screams was cut off as something swoops down and grasps him. Pips eyes clenched shut as a loud buzzing. He slowly opens his eyes and gasps his form was flying high in the air. He could see the a gorge. The Shimmering warriors were frantically trying to fend off what looked to be. “Giant bugs?” 

Pip turns his head to be greeted by ghastly sight. A large dragon deform dragon fly carried him through the air. He frantically thrashes about trying to escape. “Mom, dad, anypony help me!” He was greeted with a loud hiss from his capturer. A ball of fire flies through the air striking the insect. Pip screams as he plummets through the air.

“Pip wake up!” Pip slowly opens his eyes a dark figure towers over him. 

“What who are you where?” Pips eyes shot open as the figure comes into full view. A creature standing on two legs covered in black armour a tatter cloth covering his form. “You it can’t be how are you here.” Soul the Shadowed Avenger Darkras attribute Rank 1 Pip stood stun as a character from his card was gazing down upon him.

“I am dreaming it must all be a dream. I will wake back up and be home in bed…” 

“Enough I did not bring you here to listen to you whine. I am here to warn you the your world is in terrible danger!” Soul said in a stern tone a voice. “As we speak the darkness Void grows in power.” 

“The void?” Pip asked looking confused.

“The Shatter realms were created be fragments of different realms. Different worlds, races, beliefs. A shattered apart and reconstructed into a state of none stop calamity. It created a world that knows only endless conflict. Continue suffering and war to maintain dominance. The Soul Forge a powerful tool that can shift the balance in either direction was lost in the realm. Now it is power is locked outside this existence.” Soul turns steps aside and motions a hand in the distance.
Pips sys instantly light up as a castle of light float among the clouds. “That is not I then I am. But how this is all just a game?”

Soul shakes his head, “We all thought the same thing but and now we are trapped for it. Your world could be the next. Trapped force to battle if not for what is yours then to simply stay alive.”

Pip lowered his gaze it was all still a little too much to take in. “Then why not simply tell call out stop the cards from spreading. Why not lock them away?”

“The void will still come this game as you put it. May be the beacon that calls out to the calamity at the same time it is the key to the undoing. When the time comes I believe that the fate of all that dwell in the shattered realms may rest in the heads of a unknown warrior.” Soul kneels down on one knee. “It is not to late the strongest warrior is not always the one with the greatest sword are biggest muscles but the one with the strongest will to win.”

Pip looks up at soul he felt a strange warmth coming from his words. “But how am I can I be of any help?” 

“Strive hard and aim for greatness. I will use all my power to help you along the way.” Soul flicked his hand as a card appears between his fingers. He slowly hands it to Pip. “Now wake up Pip! Wake up Pip! Wake up Pip!”