"There hasn't been a Level 8 battle in a while" Edgar said. Alex for one appeared confident. That was bold considering Alex's only loss was to Nick Spagnolo piloting Edgar's exact 75. Nick hadn't lost a game en route to the Top 8 while Edgar hadn't lost a match along the way himself. It would be a tight battle of Tempered Steel against Edgar's Caw-Blade.

Game 1

Winning the die roll Alex elected to mulligan a hand heavy on lands while Edgar kept his starting seven. The six Alex found were reasonably aggressive and he cast Signal Pest and Memnite on the first turn via Plains. Edgar had his usual Island and Preordain to setup the game taking 2 damage when Alex attacked. Shrine of Loyal Legions followed and play passed over to Edgar—just Plains completed his second turn.

Alex Bertoncini needs to take down the only deck that's beaten him at all in order to make the Top 4.

Alex added one counter to his Shrine and attacked Edgar to 16 passing after landing his third Plains. Edgar Preordained and sent the turn representing Mana Leak to his opponent rather blatantly. Alex knew it and had decided to respect the counterspell. After attacking he cast Signal Pest with enough mana leftover to blow his Shrine during the end step if he chose simultaneously playing around the Leak. Edgar cast Squadron Hawk and passed with two mana up once again.

Making the little artifact dudes during the end step with his Shrine Alex didn't get in maximum damage due to an Into the Roil on one Signal Pest before attacks. Edgar blocked the other Pest and took 6 damage in the process but calming Alex's damage potential. Edgar then healed that right back on the next turn with Timely Reinforcements creating plenty of blockers.

Alex confused Edgar by attacking with just Inkmoth Nexus and Edgar declined to block the land—he took a point of poison damage. Edgar now landed Sword of Feast and Famine on his Squadron Hawk sending it through and discarding Alex's last card a simple Plains. During the second main phase he cast his second Squadron Hawk and found the last two adding the third to the board. Ending his turn with Glacial Fortress and Tectonic Edge untapped he was in fine shape.

Spellskite and a pass for Alex his offensive potential hushed by that Reinforcements. Edgar played his fourth Hawk and attacked with the first two dropping Alex to 11 and untapping all of his lands. Bricking on Plains Alex passed the turn right back to Edgar and fell to 7 when he repeated his previous attack with no other plays. Edgar's conservative attacking left Alex no room to wiggle in damage and his Vault Skirge also couldn't profitably attack to cheapen the racing.

Nearly dead it was time for Alex to start making some moves. He cast Glint Hawk Idol but two Spell pierces countered it and left him with just a lonely Vault Skirge defending in the air. Edgar attacked for 4 once again and that left Alex drawing nearly dead. He picked up the top of the deck and chucked it back along with the rest of his cards.

Edgar 1 Alex 0

Game 2

Alex kept his seven this time and Edgar did so as well. Starting with Memnite and Vault Skirge Alex fell to 18 but jumped ahead on the board. Edgar played Celestial Colonnade and passed displeased to see Steel Overseer Mox Opal and Vault Skirge hit the field on the next turn. Preordain kept two cards on top and then Dismember slew the Steel Overseer at the cost of four life to Edgar.

He fell to 11 on the next attack and Alex grew to 19 thanks to his Skirges' lifelink. Squadron Hawk hit the field to find more and traded with a Vault Skirge on Alex's next turn after Edgar played a tapland. Alex's Shrine now threatened one dude with a Skirge and Memnite still attacking and with Edgar on 9 he was in trouble when Alex added Glint Hawk Idol to the field. Edgar needed help and Preordained to find it. Sending cards to the bottom he then played just a land and Squadron Hawk passing the turn with one land untapped.

Signal Pest turned on the Idol and put Edgar in bad shape on the next turn. He used Dismember to kill the Idol and then traded with Vault Skirge once again falling to 4 life against a Shrine with two counters. Alex lacked the fourth land necessary to pop it this turn and passed. Edgar's Timely Reinforcements rejuvenated his position and now he just needed to dodge Tempered Steel and Steel Overseer for a little while.

Edgar Flores is happy as long as he's got Squadron Hawk.

Alex simply ticked up his Shrine and ended the turn dismayed to see Gideon Jura join the board. That tapped Edgar out and he ended his turn after giving him +2 loyalty and jamming Alex into a tight spot. With no choice but to attack Alex decided to maximize his damage but popping the Shrine during Edgar's end step and attacking. Edgar traded off against the tokens and Gideon took 2 damage from Memnite due to Signal Pest. Alex added Shrine to the board. Untapping Edgar Preordained cards to the top before putting a pair of counters on Gideon and casting two Squadron Hawks. With Gideon protected he passed.

Now fully focused on killing Gideon Alex animated his Inkmoth Nexus and attacked dealing Gideon 5 damage but losing his Signal Pest to one blocking Hawk. Alex followed with a real threat in Steel Overseer and Glint Hawk idol but Edgar was more than ready. A pair of Revoke Existence killed both and a Ratchet Bomb cleared out Alex's remaining creatures. He still had a Shrine of Loyal Legions but that was all. The Bomb had cleared Alex's blockers and an animated Gideon jammed in for six damage.

Phyrexian Revoker off the top shut down Gideon Jura but Edgar had another threat in his now-active Celestial Colonnade. Sending the land into combat Edgar began clocking his opponent within range of lethal.

Alex drew Plains and ended his turn growing Shrine to 3 counters. Edgar sent the Colonnade in again putting Alex on 7 life and only a couple swings from victory. One last Squadron Hawk on defense he gave Alex an opportunity. Breaking his Shrine Alex sent Revoker at Edgar and his tokens at Gideon earning a trade on the 2/1 from Hawk and killing the planeswalker.

Lacking a second Gideon Edgar cast Timely Reinforcements after combat with Colonnade. Because Alex was on 3 life Edgar gained nothing—but the three tokens he got offered more than enough. Drawing a card Alex sighed and conceded the match.

Edgar 2 Alex 0