Irwin's Journey [Card Fantasy]

by Carrarn

Table of Contents

Cover

Chapter 1: It’s never what you want

Chapter 2: To Card or not to Card

Chapter 3: Sorcerer says

Chapter 4: Future laid out

Chapter 5: Story time

Chapter 6: Ragtag group

Chapter 7: Thrown in the deep

Chapter 8: The first practice room

Chapter 9: School of pain and misery

Chapter 10: Practice makes perfect

Chapter 11: Rinse and repeat

Chapter 12: The Linchpin

Chapter 13: Fun from above

Chapter 14: Anvil of the gods

Chapter 15: Cards, cards, cards

Chapter 16: Bacon and porridge

Chapter 17: Combining

Chapter 18: Interrogated

Chapter 18.2 Training Dummy

Chapter 18.3 Midnight warning

Chapter 19: To Wignut

Chapter 20: Rumors and reality

Chapter 21: Portal One

Chapter 22: Stuck

Chapter 23: Water and fire

Chapter 23.2: Back against the wall

Chapter 24: Lose some, win some

Chapter 25: Lost and found

Chapter 26: Blackened Hands

Chapter 27: Coal

Royal Road

Chapter 1: It’s never what you want

Irwin ran through town as fast as his thin, wobbly legs could carry him. As much as he tried to dodge the puddles from last night's storm, his feet kept finding them, splashing more and more gunk on his pants.

"No, Mom, I didn't run," he muttered, breathing raggedly from the slight effort. He was mentally preparing himself for the scolding he would get, but it would be worth it. Bronwyn would be back. Finally! He barely recalled anything of what had happened during school, only that Teacher Rhym had repeatedly shouted at him for his inattentiveness.

It's not like he is teaching me anything I don't know already, Irwin thought before focusing back on the important things.

I wonder if he got me a card! Or if he added an upgrade to his own! Maybe a summoning one!

He dodged around the butcher's rickety stone building, his mind filled with hopes and dreams. He slammed into something sturdy, bounced back, and landed on his ass a few inches from a nasty puddle.

"Dammit, you brat! Look where you're going!"

A towering man loomed over him, grinding his teeth as he held a massive bag. An indent on the blood-stained material showed exactly where Irwin had slammed into it.

"Sorry, Master Bullwinkel," Irwin muttered, carefully getting back up.

His face was hurting, but he kept any comment on the matter to himself. Of all the things that could have gone wrong, he had to run into this angry Charbull! If only he'd looked where he was going. The man had no sense of humor and seemed to dislike him with a passion.

"Your Mum has to come by here tomorrow, Irwin, and you better believe I'll tell her you were running again," the man growled.

Irwin's face fell.

"You know full well what she had to go through each time you hurt yourself. Worse, what would you have done if I'd dropped this bag?" Bullwinkel continued, glowering at him.

Irwin deflated even more, any joy at Bronwyn's return stifled at the prospect of having to explain to his mother why he'd not just walked. The fact that it was for his safety made it even worse.

"I won't run again," he said with a tired sigh as he hung his head.

At these moments, his small stature, barely the size of a twelve-year-old, came in useful. Many people forgot that he was fifteen and let him off the hook. He hoped his behavior would placate the man, but when he took a peek up, he saw the scowl remain.

"Don't think I don't see what you're doing. You're always trying to make people feel sorry for you. I won't have it," Bullwinkel snorted.

Irwin's shoulders sagged as he looked at the man, fearing his mother's disappointment already.

There was a moment of silence as Bullwinkel stared at him, then the man sighed. "You, boy, are a major pain in my back. Fine. I'll be seeing your Mum later tonight for the district meeting. I've got to clean and prepare all this meat before then, but the kennels also need cleaning. You seem to have too much energy. Go and clean them, and I'll refrain from telling your mother you were running again," Bullwinkel grunted, staring at him intently.

"But-" Irwin began, knowing he should be home within a quarter of the glass, and the cleaning would take way longer.

"Your choice, boy. Help me out, or explain to your mother," Bullwinkel said with a snort.

Irwin only had to think about it for a second before sighing and nodding.

"Good. Now, get in there. I'll come check on you in an hour or so," Bullwinkel said as he stepped aside.

Irwin walked past the man, and before he reached the door, he'd calmed down. It was for the best. His mother was going to find out anyway. She always did, somehow. There would be less trouble if he told her himself and added that he had already helped Bullwinkel with a chore.

"Don't act like a beaten dog. Your wannabe ranger brother won't be going anywhere for a while, with winter upon us," Bullwinkel called after him.

Irwin managed to hold himself from turning and shouting that Bronwyn was a real ranger! He finished training last spring and was accepted into Magnif's ranger group. He probably closed at least one portal by now!

It wouldn't matter though. He knew exactly what Bullwinkel -and some others- thought of Bronwyn, or better yet, of how his brother had gotten his first card. If he gave Bullwinkel any lip, the man might not let him go this easily.

His behind still remembered the last spanking by the smith, Randal, and he wasn't up for another. Although Bullwinkel wasn't as strong as Randal, his hands still resembled shovels.

Growling and snapping sounds came from inside the low, rickety building that leaned against Bullwinkel's shop.

Right, the dogs are in, he thought with a weary sigh.

The first snow had fallen, meaning the rangers must have returned them. They wouldn't survive the frigid cold snaps that happened outside. Nothing but the demons, monsters, and most powerful carded could.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the door, and the stink of wet dog slammed into him. At least it's warm, he thought as he walked inside.

Intelligent, dark eyes gazed at him as Bullwinkel's pack of seven Shadehounds stopped their play-fighting. Each came to his waist and could locate portals over great distances.

"Hey guys," Irwin said as he closed the door behind him and grabbed a nearby shovel.

There was a sniff from his side, and he looked up to see the pack leader, an almost black, silver-eyed hound nuzzling his waist.

"Nope, no treats today- sorry," Irwin said, reaching out and scratching the dog's jaw.

The hound snorted, then went back to snapping at the others as Irwin maneuvered between them, making sure to keep an eye out. Though the Shadehounds wouldn't attack him, they were known to get lively when they played. If he was caught in the middle, he'd probably be bedridden for a week.

He made his way to the back of the low building, deciding that was another benefit of his size. At least he didn't have to bend over, which would have made the work even more grueling.

Struggling with a shit-caked layer of hay, he sighed as he shoveled it into a large bucket in the corner. As the weight left the shovel, his arms trembled. Before he could stop it, the familiar depressing thoughts struck.

If only I had a card. This would have been so easy!

He struggled but failed to suppress the rising anger and sadness, and he felt any remaining joy at Bronwyn's return fade. Familiar outrage at the unfairness of his predicament made him force himself to put more shit on the shovel, and he instantly regretted it as he failed to lift it. He futilely tried to push his weak frame to cooperate, then sighed and let some slide off. Part of him knew it was going to cause him sore arms the next day, but he didn't care.

Nobles get cards. Crafters get cards. Rangers get cards, he chanted as he flung more shit into the bucket. But the kid with the sick and weak body? Noooo, he gets to live and die as a-

He cursed, barely managing to coil in his anger before he would hurt himself. As soon as it faded, the familiar weary sadness replaced it, and he sighed as he continued shuffling smaller amounts. A tiny pang in his back told him he was going to seriously regret his inability to control himself when morning came.

Perhaps Bronwyn got me a card, he thought.

The thought barely managed to cheer him up, but he let his mind drift off to try to ignore his weary arms and shaking hands.

He imagined Bronwyn handing him a common, or -could he hope?- an uncommon, strength-based card. A full body-improvement card to offset his inborn weakness. He'd grow big and strong and show that annoying Bast that he wasn't a baby that should be pushed back into-

Irwin forced the thoughts away as he noticed he was putting too much shit on the shovel again.

It wasn't important anyway. He glanced at the back of his hands and imagined there being a set of three card-outlinings on each. They would give him the power to join the rangers in searching and closing portals or perhaps the guards at the wall. He'd get to fight monsters and become a hero known even in the capital.

Halfway done, the Shadehounds stopped play-fighting and lay down to one side. He felt the alpha's eyes on him, and he looked over to see the curiosity in the intelligent eyes.

"What?" he muttered. "You can always come and help."

The Shadehound blinked slowly, then turned its head away and closed its eyes.

"Right," Irwin muttered.

When he finally deposited the last bit, he was swaying on his feet and barely managed to place the shovel back. Bullwinkel stared at him from the door with an unreadable expression. How had he missed the draft and noise from when it opened?

"How you even managed to survive to this age is beyond me," the man said with a weary sigh before stepping aside. "What are you, thirteen? Well, you did as I asked, so I won't complain. Now run along, and don't worry, I'll keep my word and not tell your Mum. Still, I suggest you do it yourself 'cause she has a way of figuring things out."

"Yes, mister Bullwinkel," Irwin muttered as he walked towards the door. And I'm fifteen!

He didn't say it out loud, though, knowing the ridicule that would bring.

There was a soft keen, and he looked up to see the alpha stare at him for a moment.

"Bye," Irwin muttered, unsure what else to say.

Bullwinkel raised an eyebrow, and he shrugged lamely, trying to increase his pace. His body ignored his attempts at moving faster, and when he finally stepped outside in the cold but fresh air, he saw the red tint in the sky.

So late? Mum's going to be furious.

"Off with you," Bullwinkel growled, and Irwin jerked, realizing he'd been standing there, zoning out. He walked away, unable to go faster than a regular walk.

The streets strung together in a blur as he headed towards the last hurdle before his destination. Irwin felt weary to the bone and wished he could have gone around the busy square.

Officially called Loglinin's stand, everyone in Malorin called it Commoners Square. It was loud and swarming with people. A deafening cacophony of sounds, chatter, and shouting came as people tried to get a few final items from the merchants and crafters before they closed for the night.

Irwin shuffled along the edge, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Halfway, he saw a group of four rangers move through the market. Three had a glove on their left hand, while the leader, a tall, dark figure, had one on each, indicating he had at least four cards.

I wonder when Bronwyn will get to be a full-hand, Irwin wondered as he eyed the gloved hands with envy. They hid the ranger's cards from prying eyes, mostly the few intelligent Demons, but also those who believed the rumors that killing carded sometimes caused their cards to drop.

"-don't believe you!"

An angry shout made him look away from the rangers to a small group of people glaring at an older merchant wringing his hands. The merchant's attention was on a tall boy dressed in fine clothes in the middle of the group.

What is a noble doing here? Irwin wondered, slowing down even more to catch what was happening.

"It's just a rumor," the man said in a raspy voice. "I didn't mean to-"

"Then stop spreading false rumors about an increase in portal spawning. Peasant! The rangers are doing their job, as are the sorcerers!" the boy snapped. He leaned forward. "If I hear your lies again, I'll have my father's guard find you!"

"No, no! There's no need for that," the man said as he waved his hands helplessly. "I'll be silent."

The boy glared at him for another moment before turning and stalking away. Two men followed him, looking around as if they expected someone to get in their way.

Always so overbearing, Irwin thought as he resumed his way.

When he finally reached the old, gray-walled area of Rat District, his legs would barely move. He continued through the narrow alleyways until he reached the dead-end one known as Kettlestreet. There were only three doors, and he was staring at the one at the back, wondering what he could say.

It opened before he was halfway to the door, and his mother stepped out. Arms crossed, fingers clenched around her arms. The way her jaw was moving showed him he might even have to go to sleep without food- again.

"Hey, Mum," he muttered as he walked up to her.

"Don't you 'Hey Mum' me, Irwin!" his mother snapped while pulling him into the tiny hallway and closing the door, bolting it in a single move. "Where have you been, and why-" she sniffed, and her eyebrows narrowed as she began looking him over. "Why do you smell like dog shit?"

"I'm fine, Mum," Irwin tried as he heard a voice call his name from the living room. "Can I see-"

"No. Not before you tell me where you've been!"

Irwin sighed, the little energy he had regained from hearing Bronwyn's voice vanishing as fast as it had come.

"I might have run into mister Bullwinkel," he muttered, slurring his words.

"And I presume you mean that literally?" his mother asked as her eyes passed over him again, and she sighed tiredly. "Boy, you had better not've gotten into trouble again. If that angry man refuses to sell, we won't have any meat for a week."

"No, Mum," Irwin said, dropping his head as much in defeat as due to his weariness. He glanced at his dirty boots, wondering why he hadn't thought about cleaning them. It was no surprise that his mother had figured out something had happened.

"I cleaned his dog pen for him, and he said he'd drop it."

As he looked up, he thought he saw a smile flicker across her lined face, but he had to be mistaken because when he blinked, he only saw her annoyed glare.

"Well, at least you did that," she said. "Now, take off and clean those boots- you probably forgot we have to trade them with Miss Liverly for a bigger pair, and I don't think she wants them as they are now! Or would you like to walk in small boots for a few more months?"

"No, Mum," Irwin said, not saying what he actually thought, that he really didn't think Miss Liverly would care as she would probably toss the worn-out things away. Besides, with how slow he was growing, he could probably still walk on the shoes for another year before they became painfully small.

As his mother turned away and stepped through the thin door into the living, Irwin caught a glimpse of his brother.

"Well, you should thank your brother for bringing food, or I'd not have saved you any. Now, hurry up and come join us- after you wash your hands and face!"

Irwin nodded and pulled off the caked boots. When he finally put them away, they were as clean as he thought he could get them. With a yawn, he stepped into the living room. Barely twenty-foot square, it was the living room, kitchen, and spare bedroom. Which it would be tonight, as with Bronwyn back, they needed the extra bed.

A large, burly boy, almost a man, sat on one of the hard wooden stools, elbows on the table and resting his face on his hands as he watched Irwin. There was a shadow of a beard on his cheeks, which hadn't been there when Irwin had last seen him. At not even seventeen, Bronwyn was already as large as most adult men and still growing taller and brawnier by the month.

Part of this was the card he'd lucked upon when he was thirteen, but most of it was because, according to their Mum, Bronwyn took after their late grandfather- a giant of a man that would have towered over even the smith and his sons with hands large enough to wrap around a kettle. Not that Irwin had ever seen him. His brother and mother were all the family he had.

How can we be related, Irwin thought as he noticed the corded muscles on Bronwyn's arms. Perhaps I was adopted? It wasn't the first time the thought came to him, and his smile dimmed. His Mum was almost as large as Bronwyn and stronger than most women. Part of this was because of the cards she had, but only part.

"And here's the little troublemaker," Bronwyn said, his voice deeper than Irwin recalled. "So, decided you'd try and gain some muscle instead of coming to see me?"

Irwin shook his head, grinning at Bronwyn as he recalled the reason for his rush and bad luck.

"Don't call me little," he said, annoyed when his voice wouldn't go to the depth a man's should be.

He quickly scanned the table for any packets. A tiny bundle wrapped in a dirty cotton cloth lay in the center, and his eyes widened as his daydreams returned with a vengeance.

"Yes, yes! I brought you something," his brother said with a grin. "Now go wash your hands before Mum has an aneurysm!"

"Bronwyn Roddington, mind your language! I'm still your mother," their Mum snapped.

Irwin was wondering what an aneu-something was when he heard something off in the tone of his mother's voice. Looking up, he was surprised to find another smile on her lips, and he realized she was just playing angry. He sighed in relief, looking at her for a moment. With the smile, the lines eased from her face, making her look younger than before, which was good. He knew she wasn't actually that old yet, only turning thirty-seven this winter, but she looked as old as Tilly's mother next door, who was a decade older.

"Irwin!"

"Right," he said as he hobbled to the old stone sink and the small bucket.

The bubbly water inside was already dirty, but it would suffice, and he quickly scrubbed his hands. The soap bit into the cuts in his hands, but he just gritted his teeth and struggled until they were clean… ish.

Hoping that he was finally done, he moved to the table and jumped up the stool across from Bronwyn. His feet dangled uselessly, but as they finally had a chance to relax, he felt them shiver from all the strain he'd put them through. He'd not be able to walk normally tomorrow. Unless-

"So…." Bronwyn said as he grinned. "I was going to ask if you've been behaving, but I guess we just found out that you haven't!"

"Bronwyn," Irwin exclaimed as he shook his head. "Don't treat me like a kid! Besides… I've been mostly good! This was just because- because you were coming back, and I wanted to hurry and-"

"And you learned a valuable lesson," Bronwyn said with a sage nod. "Sometimes the fastest way isn't the shortest, and sometimes it is."

Irwin frowned, trying to make the lines make sense, then looked at his mother, who sighed and shook her head.

"What Bronwyn means is that sometimes it's better to go slow and take a long way than to rush and break your neck," his mother said before pointing at Bronwyn. "Now hurry along. Irwin needs to sleep- it will be a busy day tomorrow."

Busy? Why? Irwin thought as he looked at his mother with wide eyes. He was supposed to have the day off, shouldn't he? He hoped he didn't have to help his mother at her job again- the last time, he'd had pain in his hands for a week.

"Well, then you had better open my present," Bronwyn rumbled, and Irwin snapped to attention, licking his lips as he accepted the parcel handed to him.

It had to be a card- Bornwyn's smile said as much. As soon as he held it, he knew it wasn't a rare card because those were heavy. At least, that's what Teacher Rhym had told them. No, this was so light it was probably not even uncommon. As happy as he was to finally get a card, it took some effort not to show his disappointment, and he smiled widely at Bronwyn.

"Thanks, brother!" he said, trying his best to show an honest grin.

Bronwyn just raised an eyebrow, though Irwin thought he saw something flicker in the other's eyes. Then it was gone, and he shrugged as he carefully removed the bindings from the cloth, unwrapping the small card. As soon as he saw the dull and pale gray back of a common card, he knew his dreams wouldn't come to pass. Even the best common single-aspect body-enhanced card wouldn't magically change him from being small and scrawny into being strong, let alone as strong as his brother.

I don't have to be as strong as him! Any card is better than none, he reminded himself as he slowly flipped it over.

An image of a finger with a flame atop covered the card, as real as if it was there at that moment. The border lines were smooth and tight, except for the top one, which had an odd swirling pattern. It was unusual, but he barely cared, staring at the card. This wasn't a body-enhancing card. This was…

"What's this?" he blurted before he could stop himself. He cringed as he heard the disbelief and dismay in his own voice and quickly looked up at his brother, trying to fake a surprised smile.

"I've not seen-"

"It's fine," Bronwyn said as he sighed and looked at their mother, who looked at the card with a slight frown. "I know it's not what the two of you were hoping for, and I can understand your confusion, but let me explain."

"No, I-" Irwin started but stopped when his mother hissed.

"Let your brother finish talking, Irwin. No interrupting!'

"Yes, mother," he said demurely, glancing at the card. He might not know the exact skill the card would give, but he recognized a utility card when he saw one.

"I know what you want, but during the last few months, I got to meet a lot of knowledgeable people -rangers- whom I asked for advice on a card for you," Bronwyn said slowly, carefully picking his words as he gazed into Irwin's eyes. "From them, I heard that the only cards that could help with your problem are rare or higher. I tried getting one, but… nobody will trade common cards for uncommon, let alone rare."

Irwin grimaced, feeling horrible for not being happy with what he'd gotten. He knew it would be impossible for his brother to get him a rare card, let alone a full-body-enhancement one. Besides, if he could get one, it would be better for everyone if he used it himself. As a ranger, he was responsible for closing the portals and clearing out the monsters from Gloomforest before they swarmed the fields.

Even though he knew this, Irwin couldn't help but feel sad as he stared at the card. Even a common body-enhancement card would have let him become as strong as a normal person. He just knew it. With this?

"The thing they all said was to get you a utility card with potential for combat, which is what you have there. It's called Flickerlight, and if you slot it, you will learn how to create a tiny flame above the tip of your finger, which you can throw."

Irwin swallowed and knew his smile had turned uglier than it should, but he couldn't help himself. The card was as close to the opposite of what he'd dreamt of as it possibly could be.

If it had been his second card, or if he could become a crafter or alchemist, it would have been useful… but as his first? The first card was the one that defined a person's future and changed their body and mind more than any that followed. So what did this say about his? All he could do with it was light a candle, at best from a distance, if he could even throw it. His throwing skill was almost as bad as his running.

"Thanks, Bronwyn," he said as he swallowed and climbed down from the chair. "I'll go to bed now."

As he moved to the door that led to his small room, he saw his brother's sad look, but Bronwyn said nothing, and neither did their mother. Only when he was already staring at his bed, about to close the door, did his mother speak up.

"Irwin. Slot the card," she said in a tone that left no room for discussion.

Irwin didn't know what to say and just nodded as he closed the thin door.

Chapter 2: To Card or not to Card

I don't want my first card to be a utility card, Irwin thought lamely as he pressed his back against the door.

His first card was the most important one and would form and shape the person he would be. What would this card make of him? A glorified candle-lighter?

He knew he was being unreasonable. Most kids in the Rat District didn't ever get a card.

It was just that he hoped and dreamt about a card that would fix his rickety body! Something that would allow him to join the others during the midsummer fest or to help him run away when Bast felt the need to bully him.

Taking a deep sigh, he was about to move to the bed when he picked up the soft mutter from the room.

What was that?

Knowing he wasn't supposed to, he placed his ear to the door.

"No, I didn't tell him," his mother whispered.

Her voice was so soft that Irwin knew he'd never have heard it if he hadn't put his ear to the door. He also knew she would be upset if she found him listening in. In such a small house, respecting each other's privacy was paramount...

"You should. If he hears tomorrow from-"

"Bronwyn, enough," his mother snapped, and he knew he'd have heard that.

Even with his ear on the door, he couldn't hear Brownyn's reply, but he almost started when the front door was yanked open. Staring at his own door, he frowned. Where was she going?

"I'll be back late," his mother said. "Make sure to wake Irwin in time and tell him- by Gelwin's Beard. Irwin? I know you can hear me! I'll come around the school during the break- make sure you go! Teacher Rhym has something important to tell."

Irwin froze against the door, the hairs on his arms standing upright. Tomorrow was supposed to be a day off. Why would he have to go to school? Worse, what was so important that his mother had to impress on him to go?

He jolted as the door slammed shut. There was a tired sigh from the room, followed by Bronwyn's voice.

"Gelwin's balls, how things can turn around. Irwin, slot the card. I know you don't want it, but you need to practice with it tonight and tomorrow morning- Never mind. Just do it. You might not get another chance."

Irwin didn't respond to the curse his mother would have objected against or his brother's worried voice. He clutched the card as he stepped towards his tiny crib and slumped down with his back against the wall. His mind was in utter chaos, filled with questions. What was going to happen tomorrow? What had his mother not told him? And what did Bronwyn mean by he might not get another chance?

It took him a while before he'd calmed himself enough to look at the card, still clutched in his hand. Although he wasn't handling it carefully, the card showed no bend. The tiny flame flickered brightly, and-

Wait, why can I see?

Irwin looked around the room, which should have been pitch black yet wasn't. Instead, everything was bathed in a dim orange light that came from the flame on the finger of the card, which was, of course, ridiculous. Everyone knew that the images on the cards couldn't interact with the real world. That was just-

Irwin licked his suddenly dry lips as he raised the card closer to his face. The odd swirl on the top of the border of the card was definitely odd, but it looked more like it was damaged than anything else. The flame hovering above the finger wobbled slightly from a wind he didn't see. Afraid he was imagining things, he put the card on the bed beside him, and instantly, the light vanished.

He gazed around the dark room before carefully picking the card back up. Instantly, a vague light flickered around the room. The longer he looked at it, the more he realized there was something odd about the card.

I don't have much choice anyway, he decided as his fantasy began running wild.

What if the swirling pattern was a hidden thing? Something that meant it was actually some hidden card, or perhaps even a legendary ranked card? His worry faded fully to the background as he sat in the middle of the bed and raised his left hand.

As he placed the edge of the card against his skin, three simple square shapes appeared on the back of his hand. The tendons and blood vessels around the edges stood out, while those behind were obscured.

The tiny flame card was almost twice the size of one, but under his watchful and awed gaze, the leftmost slot on his hand began glowing.

The card shuddered, then jerked from his grip, hanging above the slot. It glowed brightly, then shrunk and moved inside so fast he almost didn't notice.

"Wow," he whispered.

The process barely took two seconds, and as soon as the card slotted into his hand, he felt a slight drowsiness. Though he'd never experienced what was happening, he knew what it was- his body was going to integrate his first card and change him. Had it been a rare or better card or one explicitly dealing with body enhancement, he'd wake up taller, stronger, or with other physical changes. But now?

He waited, hoping for his body to start hurting as that would mean the card really was something special. A minute in, nothing was happening, and he yawned. Cleaning the dog pen was catching up on him, and as his stomach rumbled, he suddenly remembered he hadn't eaten.

Come on, he thought as he stared at the card in annoyance.

As if answering him, the card slowly changed. It had already stopped moving and glowing, and as he watched, it slowly turned into no more than an etching in his skin. The other slots faded, and the etched card turned to lines before all he was left with was a dim tattoo of an edged card with a tiny swirl in the top border.

It's barely visible, just like any other common, he thought. A stupid common utility card.

He felt tears begin to well up in his eyes, and he quickly turned his head away. He didn't want to look at the card anymore. Putting his head on the pillow, he yawned so wide it squeezed some tears into his pillow.

At least he had a card, he tried to tell himself. As his body became heavy, he stared blearily at the mold on the wall. The last thing he thought was that he was missing something, and then his overworked body and mind yanked him into a deep, dark sleep.

--

"By Gelwin's beard! Irwin, wake up!"

"Wuh- wha?" Irwin muttered as his eyes slowly opened.

Lingering images of raging fires that swallowed worlds faded before he could focus on them.

His head was pounding as if he'd gotten a cold, but he didn't feel the customary runny nose that would otherwise accompany that. Something prodded his shoulder, and he groaned as he rolled on his back.

Bronwyn was hovering above him with a frown, shaking his head as the corner of his mouth curled up in a mock half-smile. "Well, show it then!"

Irwin blinked in confusion as he sat up and rubbed his eyes- why were those stinging this much? Annoying.

"Well?"

"Show what?" he croaked, realizing his lips were parched and his tongue dry as leather.

He got up and stretched, staring at Bronwyn, still not sure what he meant when he scratched his hand. Suddenly, everything came back, and his eyes widened as he looked at his hand. The tiny lines, almost a tattoo, of the card with the finger and flame were still there. He got his first card!

For a moment, joy and wonder came, then his head throbbed again, and he groaned.

"What's wrong? How long did you practice? Did you even sleep?" Bronwyn asked, the smile gone and replaced by a frown.

"I didn't practice," Irwin said as he stepped around his bulky brother and through the door into the living room.

"What? Why not?!" Bronwyn snapped, storming after him.

"I was too sleepy," Irwin said as he suppressed his desire to add that it wouldn't matter anyway.

Who would care how proficient he would be at lighting candles or campfires? He took a cup from the shelf, removed the lid of the tiny water cask, and dipped it in, making sure not to get his hands in. The water tasted like sweet honey to his parched throat and dry mouth, and he gulped it down. When the cup was empty, he quickly refilled it, drained it, and did it again.

As he finished his fourth, there was a grunt from the table, and he looked up to see Bronwyn stare at him, eyes narrow. Wait, had he even thanked Bronwyn? As bad as the card was, at least he'd gotten one- something none of the other kids in the Rat District could say. That put him on par with the children of the craftsman and rangers.

Well... maybe not on par, but at least closer, he thought. He wondered what Greldo would say when he saw his card! They had been speculating a lot, and he knew his friend was incredibly jealous, even though he hid it as best as he could.

"Bronwyn, thank you for the card," he said, meaning it.

His brother didn't answer, still watching him quietly, and slowly Irwin became uncomfortable. His headache was fading rapidly, though he felt like he could probably still drink one or two more cups. Instead, he carefully put the lid back and rinsed and replaced the cup before turning around. Bronwyn was still looking at him, and he swallowed.

"What's wrong?"

"How do you feel?" Bronwyn asked softly.

Irwin shrugged. "Okay…? I've got a little headache, but it's almost gone, and-"

"Do you have any muscle cramps?" Bronwyn asked, interrupting him.

Wait, was his brother checking if he'd somehow changed? Why would that happen? It was just a common card. He was about to say as much when he held back. Perhaps he had changed? He stretched a bit and tried to check his height from the doorpost. When he saw he was still the same tinyness as the day before, he barely managed a smile.

"No, nothing. Just a little sore from cleaning the dog pen," he said before frowning. He stretched again and did feel a bit of soreness, but not nearly what he'd have expected. Was that normal when you slotted a card?

Bronwyn frowned, opened his mouth, and then looked at his own hand, which had two card slot tattoos.

Wait, two?

"You got another card!" Irwin shouted before clasping his hand before his mouth.

"Yes," Bronwyn said, looking up. Slowly, his frown lifted as he raised his hand and put it on the table for Irwin to inspect.

Irwin was happy to oblige, curiously putting his face so close he almost put his nose on his brother's rugged and tanned hand. A card with the tiny image of an owl sat beside Bronwyn's starting card, the clasped hands- a simple body improvement card that granted increased body strength and hand dexterity. It was uncommon and one of the best of its kind, and the reason some people despised his brother.

"Wow, you got a summon!" Irwin hissed as he looked up with wide eyes. "Show me?"

Bronwyn grinned as he sat back. "Alright, but don't frighten him. He is still very young."

Irwin nodded enthusiastically as he felt his excitement grow. "Does he have a name?"

"Not yet," Bronwyn said. "I was thinking you might want to help me with that?"

Irwin's head bobbed up and down so fast the vestiges of his headache returned, and he stopped quickly.

"Definitely!"

Bronwyn laughed and raised his hand, frowning as if concentrating. His left hand glowed for a moment, then a soft woosh came, and a gray spark appeared above his raised palm. Then, out of nowhere, a tiny, fist-sized owl plopped down on it. Dark gray, almost black, with beautiful auburn streaks across its feathers, the owl turned its head around and looked at Irwin with almost glowing orange eyes.

"It's beautiful," Irwin muttered as he slowly moved his hand forward before holding back. "Can I touch it?"

"Yes, but be careful of its beak!

Irwin moved his finger towards the owl's side, and it followed his finger before the large orange eyes blinked lazily. The feathers were soft and smooth, unlike anything he'd ever touched, and as he stroked them, he marveled.

"How big will it become?" he asked.

"Roughly twice the size of my head," Bronwyn stated proudly. "Nowhere big enough to ride, of course, but big enough to be dangerous in combat! After it's fully grown, it can attack the monsters, distracting them so I can get a clean shot or hit in!"

Bronwyn's words caught Irwin by surprise, and he looked up, slightly worried. "Are the monsters as bad as they said?" he asked, his shoulders dropping.

He hadn't even talked with his brother yet about how it had been. All he had thought about was himself and his troubles, not even asking about how it had been to roam the lands around Malorin and go through portals to close them.

"Don't worry, Irwin. It was alright, and I learned many new things," Bronwyn said, placing his hands on the table and absently stroking the tiny owl. "I-..." he waited, then shook his head, muttering something about their mother. "Listen, Mum, she- man, how do I tell you this?" Bronwyn rubbed his face.

Irwin looked at his brother quietly, recalling the conversation he'd overheard the day before.

"What is going to happen at school today?" he asked.

His brother looked up sharply. "You heard? You know you aren't supposed to listen in!"

Irwin didn't respond. He knew Bronwyn was right, but something was going on. If Bronwyn didn't even want to talk about the portals he'd gone in? It had to be something-

The sorcerers?

Irwin gasped, and his eyes widened as he began connecting dots. Only a few things would cause everyone to have to return to school during an off day, and of those, only one would explain his mother's behavior.

"But they were here only half a year ago? And I'm not sixteen yet and the weakest," he rambled as his hands gripped the edge of the table. "And I'm not the smartest! There's Clarish and Lark and… and… The sorcerers are here? Why?" he almost cried, barely holding back his tears.

Bronwyn seemed to wilt at the other side of the table, now no longer looking at him but staring at the tiny owl that was curiously examining Irwin.

"A week ago, there was a message from the sorcerers that we were to get a new group of people ready," Bronwyn said as he began tapping angrily on the table.

"What? Why?" Irwin whispered.

"Nobody knows for sure, but there's a rumor going around the Rangers groups that a Diflor assassin got into the towers and killed hundreds of potential sorcerers."

Irwin's eyes widened in shock. "But, that means-" he began.

"That means that the sorcerers need new people, or they won't have enough to close the portals between the towns and cities," Bronwyn said. "Worse, if we get another upheaval or massive surge at the wall..."

"But that hasn't happened in ten years," Irwin said, shaking his head, still in shock.

"Eleven," Bronwyn corrected him. "The older rangers say that this means there will be another one, and soon. The reports from the wall say that there have been more attacks and... well..." he seemed to want to add something, then shook his head.

"But, the stories say that the portals will slowly stop appearing..." Irwin began, stopping as Bronwyn shook his head miserably.

"The stories are wrong. Magnif, the ranger that I've been placed with? He's turning fifty, and he remembers the previous three… He's told me about the worst one, over thirty-five years ago. By the end, a single sorcerer was all that stood between us and total annihilation."

Irwin sunk down on the stool, feeling miserable, and it wasn't just because Bronwyn's ranger captain was right. No, this also meant that the stories he loved hearing painted the wrong picture.

Of all the disadvantages of his condition, at least he'd never worried they would select him to go to the sorcerers or the wall. Those needed to be physically fit and strong or have had powerful cards from a young age. Or both, like some nobles.

But now they were even taking this from him?

He shuddered as he suddenly understood why the noble's children had been so quiet the last few days.

"The city council has determined that we can't send any of the rangers or guards. We are barely holding on as it is, and the sorcerers only accept those or young people. So we will be sending twenty of the children of your class," Bronwyn said listlessly. "I'm sorry that you don't get to stand on the square and be chosen, Irwin. I'd have loved to stand and see one of the mapmakers or alchemists apprentice you.”

Irwin just shook his head at the lies. He knew full well he'd never be picked by anyone. Even if the card he had now were an uncommon card, his physical weakness would have been too much of a liability to any master to consider spending time and precious resources on him.

Bronwyn clapped his hands suddenly, startling both Irwin and the owl.

"Enough of this. The bell hasn't rung yet, so we got a quarter left. Let's see to getting this little one a name, and then you need to see what your card does!"

"Alright," Irwin muttered.

He listlessly called out a few names, barely paying attention.

There was no way he'd be sent to the wall, which meant he was going to the towers. What would life there be like? Would Mum come to see him? Was she even allowed? Who else would go? Probably Greldo, who was almost as much of a runt as he was.

And just as disposable, he thought, feeling his anger bubble up.

"That's a good idea," Bronwyn suddenly said, and Irwin blinked as he tried to recall what he'd just proposed.

"Glint! I like it, short and snappy," Bronwyn said as he nodded his head and began grinning at the owl. He seemed oblivious to the fact that Irwin had no memory of saying the name.

Irwin forced himself to pay attention when he saw Bronwyn place his left hand on the owl's head.

"I name you Glint," Bronwyn said, and the card slot burned a bright silver for a second. The owl simply cocked his head, then vanished.

"Where did it go?" Irwin muttered.

"Back into the card. It's just an uncommon summon card, so it starts very young and weak. Now that I've named it, it will start growing and gaining its own abilities. I'm hoping for either Gigantism or Shadow Stealth."

Irwin couldn't help himself from nodding. Those would definitely be awesome, with the first making the owl as big as one of the ranger's hounds and a dangerous adversary, while Shadow Stealth would make it the perfect infiltrant. That Bronwyn would gain a tiny measure of the same ability wouldn't hurt him either.

"So, call the flame," Bronwyn said, waving his hands outward, the muscles on his arms and chest rippling below the thin tunic.

Irwin snorted.

As if it will be anything that impressive, he thought.

Still, as he raised his hand, he couldn't help but become curious. Focusing on the card still meant looking at it for now, as he needed way more practice to do it without- so he stared intently at the finger and the flame until he sensed something. It was like a connection that he'd never noticed and that he could flex.

The connection was vague and weak, but he knew it was the card and that it would become clearer the more he used it. He raised his other hand, a finger up as in the image, and slowly tensed the muscle.

A tiny spark erupted from his fingertip, then another, and for two seconds, a poor representation of fireworks illuminated the room.

"Focus on a flame," Bronwyn said.

"I am," Irwin snapped as he heard the worry in his brother's voice.

By Gelwin's balls, does the curvy line mean his stupid common card isn't anything special but broken? It barely registered that he'd used the same curse as Bronwyn had.

He gritted his teeth and focused on the odd connection, trying to force more of a reaction. For a few moments, the card seemed to ignore his wishes, then he connected with it, and a woosh came from his finger. A tiny flame hovered there, heat waves rippling outwards. As he looked at the flame, any hope he might have left vanished. Feeling something inside him crack, he released the connection, causing the flame to disappear with a soft woosh.

"I'm going to school," he said, turning to the door without looking at his brother. There was no response, but as he closed the door to the shadowy alley, he heard a soft 'I'm sorry' from inside.

"So am I," Irwin whispered, too soft for his brother to hear, as he closed the door.

Chapter 3: Sorcerer says

Irwin walked away from his house, holding back his desire to run. It would relieve some of his listlessness and annoyance, but if he ran into someone again, things would only get worse. Besides, his legs and arms felt alright now, but who was to say the pains and aches wouldn't return with a vengeance?

So, he stalked through the town towards the school building near one of the central squares.

The odd sensation that was the connection to his card lingered in the back of his mind. He fiddled with the sensation, but not enough to accidentally trigger it. With his hands in his pockets, that'd ruin his pants.

It feels like a mug slowly filling with water, he thought.

He flexed the connection, noting the sore sensation. Did Bronwyn have this with both of his skills? He hoped not. It was one thing to have a sore body from walking up a stair, but if he was also going to be in pain from using his card, he wasn't sure he'd ever use it again.

After thinking about it for a bit, trying to recall if he'd ever heard about it before, he decided it was probably because he'd only just gotten his first card.

As he moved, he bent down and grabbed a little grime, wiping it across the back of his hands, instantly hiding the thin, tattoo-like lines from sight. He wasn't interested in drawing any attention to it, at least not just yet.

The narrow streets he walked through were quiet and empty, which made sense as the first bell still had to ring. A dull chime suddenly rang from far to the left as if to mock him.

Irwin looked up at one of the dark spires from Lastristal castle. It was the place the whole of Malorin was built around. Situated less than twenty minutes from the Gloomforest, it had been the sole bastion for survivors in these backwater parts.

Ahead of him was the largest square of the town, lined with craftsman's workshops to one side and the town's school to the other. The central street ran through it from left to right, and he knew that if he followed it, he'd either reach the castle or the town gate—neither a place he wanted to go to. Straight ahead was the Nobles District, the direct opposite of the Rats District, both in location and who lived there.

I wonder who they will send, he thought, staring at the wider, cleaned streets. If they really needed to send twenty people, that meant there weren't enough children from the Rats District or even the crafters. The nobles would have to bleed with them.

Somehow, that made him feel slightly better.

I wonder if the Cityholder will send his grandchildren, he thought, knowing the chances of that were probably zero.

A figure stood, huddled against the wall near the school's double gate, watching his feet. Irwin wasn't surprised to see Greldo here at all. It was even likely that he'd been here for a while, as his mother was probably tumbling with another of the guards, hoping for some coin. He sighed as he walked up, wondering what his friend would say about his card. As bad as it was, he was sure Greldo would have killed for it.

"Hey, Greldo," he said so as not to spook the other.

Even then, Greldo jolted and looked up with wide, fearful eyes. His dark, bushy brows almost came together in a mono-brow, and at fifteen, he was starting to show the thin shadow of a mustache. He calmed as soon as he saw Irwin, smiling half-heartedly before waving.

"Irwin," Greldo whispered.

Irwin stopped and leaned against the wall next to him. They were of a height, but even Greldo had more muscle than he did.

"Did you hear?"

Irwin sighed as the looming notion of going to the sorcerer towers returned with full vengeance. Oddly, Greldo looked at him with wide, gleaming eyes.

"You don't seem too sad about it," Irwin whispered.

He quickly looked around to make sure none of the bullies were heading their way. There wasn't anyone heading to the school, and only a few people were moving around the crafter's buildings.

Greldo shrugged, his familiar sad smile cropping up. "Yeah, well… you know," he muttered, looking around and at the door before leaning closer. "It'll get me away from that horrible woman… The sorcerers can't be worse than that, right? And at least I'll get food each day!"

"Probably," Irwin said with a knowing and pained grin. He'd long since gotten used to Greldo calling his mother 'that woman'.

"But you know how few ever return, right? And those that do... Remember old Garbil?" he said.

Greldo waved his hand in the air. "Doesn't matter. I'll not survive another year here. That woman? She's managed to charm one of the older guards, promising him she can still bear him some children."

"What? Who?" Irwin exclaimed in surprise.

It had been a long-standing bet amongst many people they knew that Greldo's mother would never find anyone that stupid.

"Tyson Bas," Greldo said with a scowl.

"That violent maniac?" Irwin said as he swallowed. He instantly knew what Greldo meant. If he had to live at that man's house, he'd be in for a beating every other day or more. And Tyson had two cards. If he forgot to hold back only one time...

"Yeah, I heard him beat her up two days ago, but she didn't seem to care much. Was all happy the day after, sporting her blackened eye and telling me that Tyson just showed his love like that…"

"By Gelwin's Balls, you might be right," Irwin said, wanting nothing but to change the topic.

"Better make sure your mother doesn't hear you," Greldo said, grinning nastily. "Or she might finally stop being nice and smack you around some.

"Just don't tell her then," Irwin said as he suddenly grinned, though it quickly turned into a pained one. "Bronwyn is back-"

"Did he bring you a card?" Greldo hissed, his eyes darting to Irwin's hands.

"Yeah," Irwin said hesitantly as he raised his hand for the other to see.

"Oh. It's a utility one," Greldo said, taking a single, short look before smiling ruefully.

"Yeah," Irwin said as his shoulders hung. "I'd had hoped…"

Greldo didn't reply, and they stood there for another five minutes. A couple of their classmates came slowly drifting in from the Rats District and Crafters District. They stayed with their own little groups, and although Irwin couldn't hear what they were talking about, he was pretty sure he knew what it was about.

Finally, a group of well-dressed teenagers began walking out of the street of the Nobles District, congregating near the exit to the side of the school.

And here come the lucky ones, Irwin thought.

One of the young nobles waved his gloved hand at another, electing a loud ooooh from a few of the surrounding girls.

Must have gotten another card, Irwin thought.

Maybe if he was lucky, he could get a glove to cover up his, though it would likely only draw more attention to it. Eyeing the boy's leather jerkin and padded pants above well-fitting black boots, Irwin sighed wistfully. He'd probably not be getting those new boots now.

Wait, when do we have to leave? Not today, right?

He recalled Bronwyn's words, and his hands turned cold. At the same time, his stomach clenched, reminding him that he'd not eaten since the previous afternoon. Even though there probably hadn't been anything but some moldy carrots and the dried meat his mother spoke about, it would have been better than nothing.

"Do you know when we have to leave?" he whispered as he turned to Greldo.

Greldo was staring straight at the group of nobles, gazing at Clarish, a tall girl with a long, curly ponytail. She was one of the few children, besides the nobles, who had a weapon: a long quarterstaff with metal-plated ends. Some said she slept with it, which Irwin found more than reasonable as the price of the weapon could feed him and his Mum for months.

"Grell," he hissed, pulling his friend's sleeve. If the nobles saw him looking, it would just be trouble they could do without.

"Dunno," Greldo muttered, tearing his eyes from Clarish.

Irwin pressed a hand against his stomach.

Mum said she'd come to school. Perhaps she's got food, he thought, as he saw Greldo's gaze slowly drift back to Clarish.

He didn't even bother looking. Greldo and the other boys had been giving Clarish more and more attention over the last year, and he knew why. She was tall, smart, and beautiful, and she was rich to boot as the youngest daughter of one of the few carded tailors. He'd even seen more than a few nobles stare at her in class with a dreamy, far-off look.

Fools, Irwin thought, somewhat smug.

Clarish had no interest in any of them, not even Lark, who was better than her in everything besides turning boys' heads. If she didn't want Lark, what chance did any of them, or him in particular, have? He banished the image of her intelligent brown eyes.

A clunk from the door of the school snapped him out of it, and he mechanically moved to the back of the line of youths that had formed.

"So, I hear we are finally being relieved from your skinny presence?"

Irwin looked up at the sound of the grating, cocky voice to find Bast and his friends grinning at him as they stepped into the line behind him. All three were brawny and could have been brothers from both their looks and intelligence, the latter of which was the lowest in the class.

Because the sorcerers don't want you and are sending you to the wall? Irwin thought, but he said nothing. He wanted to, but getting a beating after school wasn't his idea of a good time.

"What now? Afraid to speak?" Bast said as he stepped closer, his nasty grin widening. His hands moved towards Irwin, who couldn't stop himself from flinching.

"Hah! You won't survive a day in those towers! I'll light you a candle when we hear you're dead," Bast said.

Irwin held back an angry retort, afraid that whatever he did would just result in a beating.

"Inside, you brats! Go to the main hall. There's no class today," a cracked voice shouted.

Their teacher, Rhym, father to the current smith Randal, stood at the door, staring straight at Bast. His sharp, dark eyes, set in a wrinkled face with a ragged gray beard, promised punishment for those who didn't act upon his orders immediately.

Bast scratched his nose as he backed off, nodding at Rhym before turning around to beckon his friends.

"I'll find you after school," he whispered as he backed toward Rhym. "Some bruises might motivate you to get lost sooner!"

Irwin slumped, already feeling the heavy thuds on his body. It wasn't just the pain of the moment or that he'd be unable to do anything for days after. The fact that they kept reminding him they were holding back because he was too weak for a proper beating somehow made everything far worse.

Perhaps we are leaving right away, he thought.

For a second, he wondered if he could perhaps burn the three with his flame to scare them off. Then he recalled the pinky-sized flame he'd produced, and he barely managed to hold back the anger from making him glare at Bast. If he did that, things would only get worse.

"We can just hide in the attic till they are gone," Greldo whispered, and Irwin nodded.

They followed the other youths into the old building made of stone and wood. Walking through the familiar dark and dusty hall, they headed into the largest room, generally used for festivities and the occasional shared breakfast.

Irwin stopped in his tracks as he saw the tables lined together and laden with plates and baskets filled to the brim with bread and cheese. A shove from Bast made him stumble forward, but he barely cared as his eyes locked onto the food.

"There's milk," Greldo said, his soft voice still the loudest thing in the quiet room.

There was a round of laughter and mockery from the front of the class as a group of nobles began whispering and pointing at Greldo.

"Pipe down, brats," Rhym shouted, his voice cracking as he moved to a small elevated podium. It was empty, but Irwin saw a cloaked figure standing near the wall.

"You will all be grateful to know that we get to share a meal gifted by Sorcerer Xourdin," Rhym said, waving his hand at the figure. "However, before we do, I've got some not-news, as I'm sure most have heard it by now!"

Rhym coughed, and his face turned pale. It took him a few moments to gather himself as the youths quietly watched. They had long since gotten used to Rhym's poor health.

There were many stories about how someone with as many cards as he had ended up in this state, from him being poisoned by a monster in the Gloomforest to surviving a stabbing with a sword he forged himself. However, the most commonly believed one was that he used to be with one of the last groups of mercenaries that closed portals before those were all forced to join the walled cities.

"Due to a... minor inconvenience at the sorcerer-initiates tower, our noble city council has agreed to the sorcerer's request for more people," Rhym said, looking around.

Nobody dared speak, and he nodded.

"To celebrate your unexpected ability to help keep our beautiful peninsula safe, you will all get to eat to your heart and stomach's content. When we finish, Sorcerer Xourdin will explain a few things, and then I'll let you all know who has been selected," Rhym said.

This time, there was some shuffling of feet and anxious looks, showing that not everyone knew or perhaps hadn't been told that the selection would come from within them.

"Your parents already know who will be leaving, and they will be waiting for you at noon. Those who are chosen can then go with them for-"

The hooded figure cleared his throat, and Rhym blinked, then gritted his teeth as he stopped talking. When nothing else came from the hooded figure, Rhym took a deep breath, then waved at the tables with a short, angry gesture.

"Go eat."

As afraid and curious as he was, Irwin knew better than to ask questions or expect anyone else to dare. He followed Greldo to the furthest table, keeping a close eye on Bast. Luckily, the burly youth and his friends had run to the first free table, seeming to have forgotten all about him.

Irwin lowered himself to the bench, and all his worry faded as he smelled the food. His gaze fell on a big mug of warm milk, and he almost grabbed it, barely holding back. Nobody was eating yet. He swallowed and looked around.

Everyone was doing the same, though the youths from the Rats District were easily distinguishable. They were all swallowing, and their gazes kept drifting to the food. Even the crafter's children seemed ready to dig in. Only the nobles looked around in disdain.

Still, even they knew better than to begin. It wasn't the first time they had eaten together, but that only occurred at the height of summer, when food was more plentiful. Rhym would tell a long story about how lucky they were to be alive and live where they did, instead of near the dangerous coast, on the unforgiving plains, or worse, beyond the wall where the demons ruled. This time, however, he showed no interest in his usual speech.

"Eat, I said," Rhym snapped.

There was only a moment's hesitation; then everyone turned to the food.

Irwin looked at his food-laden plate. There was a thick vegetable porridge on it, whole carrots lurking within, and he even thought he saw a few chunks of gravy. Suddenly, the worry and fear at what was coming, or the promised beating by Bast, seemed unimportant.

His stomach rumbled, and he grabbed the spoon and a piece of bread, then began scooping the steaming porridge into his mouth. The warm explosion of flavors made his eyes water. His mind seemed to grow fuzzy, his thoughts unclear as he swallowed. As the food slid into his stomach, it seemed to heat up like a furnace, and he quickly blinked the tears away before anyone could notice.

Still, he sensed eyes on him, and he looked up at the person sitting in front of him, freezing as their eyes met. Purt, another youth from the Rats District, stared at him in stupefaction, blowing on his heavily laden and damping spoon.

Irwin waved at his mouth before whispering, 'Hot,' and Purt gave him a 'no shit' look as he took small tentative sips from his spoon.

Irwin hoped Purt wouldn't tell the others because he didn't need another reason to be pestered, but before he could worry, his stomach clenched, shouting at him to continue. As his thoughts hazed over again, he faintly realized there was something odd, but with the allure of food before him, he ignored it and focused back on his steaming plate.

Only the noble's children spoke for at least half of the next bell as all the other youths busied themselves with finishing off all the food from the tables.

As Irwin finished his second helping of bread, the fuzziness in his mind slowly faded. Using a piece of bread to wipe the stew's meat and vegetable juices from his plate, he wondered why he felt he could still eat more. It wasn't that he was incredibly hungry, but he should definitely be stuffed by now!

He had started slowly, afraid that his empty stomach would rebel against the sudden influx of food, but nothing of the sort had happened. Instead, it almost felt like everything he put in his mouth vanished. By now, he'd eaten more than he ever had. Not that he had many occasions for overeating. Only during Gelwin's eve was there ever enough food. Now, like with the water that morning, he felt almost insatiable.

Something changed, he thought as he looked at his hand.

Some of the mud and grime had gone from the back of his hand, and he could see parts of the faint outlines. It was well known that common cards did not change one's body unless they were specifically meant for that. Only uncommon and above cards did that, and the rarer the card, the more significant the change.

"Careful, don't draw attention to your hand," Greldo whispered, handing Irwin another big chunk of bread and cheese. "Just keep showing off and eat the rest of the food."

Irwin nodded, continuing to stuff his face while keeping an eye on the others to make sure he wasn't drawing attention. Only Purt kept glancing at him, but even then, he seemed more interested in trying to stuff every morsel of food in his stomach that would remain without vomiting. Their position at the back of the room made it so nobody else noticed his overeating.

When he finally felt satiated, many of the larger boys and even some of the girls were still eating, though he knew that they had been eating at a far more measured pace.

Irwin wiped the last of the thick, sweet milk from his lips when he got a poke from the side.

"It is common, right?" Greldo whispered so softly that even Irwin barely heard him. Still, he took a quick look up to find that Purt had begun chatting with the guy to his left.

Irwin looked at Greldo and nodded, causing his friend to frown and inspect him but remain quiet.

It took another while before everyone finished, and Rhym got up from his own table at the back where he'd been drinking from his flask of Shril.

"Quiet!"

His voice was much more stable, and his face less pale as he stood straight and frowned at the softly whispering youths. It took only a few moments before everyone turned quiet.

"Make sure to thank Sorcerer Xourdin for his generous gift by carefully listening to what he has to say!"

There was no response, and Irwin repressed a scowl. As if any of the children, even the nobles, would have dared to interrupt a sorcerer! He wondered if Rhym had forgotten what having little to no cards was like. The old smith himself had a full-hand-and-one, making him one of the most carded and most influential people in Malorin.

His thoughts stilled as the hooded figure of Sorcerer Xourdin stepped forward.

The cloaked figure removed his hood with a shake, revealing an unkempt, bearded, and bored-looking man. His gaze passed across the children, and Irwin felt himself freeze as the Sorcerer's cold brown eyes gazed straight into his briefly. He was glad the man didn't linger as he did with Clarish.

"I'll cut this short. Twelve of your group members will be coming with me to the towers, and eight will be brought to the wall tomorrow morning. I know none of you had expected this, and I apologize on behalf of the good people of Giard," Xourdin said dully, showing not the least bit of sorrow.

He looked around, seeming to search for anyone who dared oppose. Although none did, he apparently found something he didn’t like, and his thin eyebrows lowered in a frown.

"Do I need to remind you that the safety and plenty you have experienced your entire life is only possible because the sorcerers continue to close the portals?"

Plenty? Irwin thought. He knew he and Greldo were going to have a laugh about that later. But for now, he kept very still.

Nobody else spoke either, and Xourdin nodded before turning to Rhym.

"I've been reviewing the proposed list you handed me and have found some issues. I've taken a look at the school ledger and made some changes. I expect that you don't interfere."

Rhym blinked in surprise, seeming stunned. He looked around, and Irwin saw the old man's gaze linger on Lark and Clarish before returning to Sorcerer Xourdin. He seemed ready to object, but Xourdin quietly held his gaze, and Rhym finally looked down, the muscles in his neck taut.

"Good. I will start with those that will join me at the tower," Sorcerer Xourdin said as he looked around the room. "When I call your name, move to the wall behind me and wait. I'll be talking to you privately later."

"Clarish Uldrot."

Irwin's mind froze, and for a moment, everything was still. Then, there was a scraping of chairs as a few of the noble's sons rose. Amongst them was Lark, the youngest grandchild of the current city warden and the most powerful man in Malorin.

"What is the meaning of this?" he asked.

His voice was deeper than those of the other youths, and he was already taller than many of the adults, even those who had cards. He glared at Rhym, shaking his head. "Clarish isn't supp-"

"She wasn't on the list," Rhym declared as he stood, his hands clenched. "She is one of the most promising youths in this group and Malorin needs-"

"Quiet," Xourdin snapped. "The sorcerers are not obliged to accept the secondhand rejects the ungrateful give them. We are the last line of defense against the Demons!"

His voice rose in volume as he spoke, and five cards began glowing on the back of his hands while his previously bored gaze turned sharp and angry.

"You know the number of portals has been increasing, and we need skilled people to close them!"

He has five cards, Irwin thought as he looked around to see if anybody else had noticed.

Everyone had, and the whole class was staring at the Sorcerer's hands, frozen in shock. Even Lark, a step from his seat, gaped.

Five! It was but one more than Rhym, but the power difference would be impossible to overcome. Finding five compatible cards was incredibly difficult, as the list of compatible cards shrunk with each added card. The only way to make it easier was if the cards were of a very high rank, as those cards had more elements and effects, and only one of those needed to be genuinely compatible for the card to be slotted.

It was generally accepted that the more cards someone had, the more powerful they were.

All this flashed through Irwin's mind, as he knew it did with the others, while Rym took a half step forward.

"You can take up any issue you have with the Towers! Now, be quiet lest I remove you from the room!"

There was a deadly quiet as everyone looked at Rhym, who was visibly shaking. His hands gripped his wrists, and he suddenly turned and bolted for the door.

"Yes, by all means. Go tell that old fool what I've done," Xourdin snapped. "Also, tell him not to come to complain unless he wants a fight! My fifth is beyond my fourth!"

Irwin sat back, and he wasn't the only one. Though he didn't know what the Sorcerer had meant with the last bit, he was sure it didn't mean anything good.

Teacher Rhym didn't stop but almost stumbled out of the room, leaving them with Xourdin.

The Sorcerer sniffed, then focused back on them.

"It doesn't matter who your father or mother is. If you hear your name, you will stand behind me or suffer the consequences."

Nobody dared speak as he began snapping off names, and as one of the nobles was called, Irwin felt a slight wave of relief. Perhaps he didn't have to leave? If the Sorcerer wanted only the best, then there was surely no reason to bring him.

More of the noble's sons and daughters were called than some of the children of the crafters, and Irwin felt a slight bit of schadenfreude as he saw their shocked faces of disbelief.

It lasted for the whole of five seconds.

"Irwin Roddington," Xourdin said, not looking at him but continuing. "Greldo Domnyr!"

Irwin was still staring at the Sorcerer when Greldo grabbed his sleeve and pulled him up towards the wall. "Move before you draw his attention," Greldo whispered.

Irwin stumbled, then followed his friend to the wall, barely realizing he stood beside Clarish. The names continued, and at some point, Xourdin said the next eight would go to the wall. Irwin barely heard it, as everything seemed to pass in a haze.

Only when Xourdin finished and clapped his hands did he snap out of it.

The Sorcerer looked at the remaining children. "Go back home and tell your parents they are lucky. I have a rule not to take more than one child from a single family, and for now, that will hold. For now..."

Most of the children backed up before turning and fleeing out of the room. Only Lark and a few of the other nobles remained behind, faces pale as they looked at the Sorcerer.

Xourdin ignored them and turned to the smaller group of eight that would be heading to the wall.

"Go to the square and wait there. When Rhym returns, alone I am sure, tell him not to bother us!"

He spun around on his heel and pointed at the twelve children.

"Follow me!"

Chapter 4: Future laid out

Irwin barely saw where they were going and only snapped out of his daze when a soft, cold breeze blew in his face. Looking up, he saw they had been brought to the classroom at the far end of the building. The window's shutters were open, and the dark, gray air outside promised more rain.

Greldo jutted him in the side, and he quickly focused back on the front of the class.

Sorcerer Xourdin moved behind the small desk, staring at them briefly.

"I'll only explain this once, and it's up to you to listen," he finally said coldly.

As he spoke, he raised one of his hands, and a card glowed, revealing an eye that hovered on the back of his hand. It seemed to look around, glancing at each of the children before it flashed and faded, leaving the children staring at the hand wide-eyed.

"Sit!"

Irwin jolted and scrambled after Greldo and the others to find a seat. He dropped into the first wooden stool he saw before looking around worriedly. The room felt empty with only the twelve of them, and he knew he and Greldo stood out being the poorest from the Rats District. Even the other Rats District children looked more like they belonged there, especially Dalsin, who was the largest of the youths and somehow seemed to blend in, even with his decrepit old tunic. He sat beside Ensil, the youngest of the sons of the smith, and both were pale.

"Good, at least you can all obey orders," Xourdin said. "Now, first off, I wholly expect some of your parents to attempt to weasel you away... You had better talk them out of it. If I have to come to get you personally, I'll destroy the houses I visit. Do I make myself clear?"

Irwin felt his hair stand on end as he swallowed away a sudden lump in his throat. The classroom was deadly quiet, and Xourdin frowned, standing up straighter as he glared at them.

"Do you understand?" he said in a soft, deadly voice.

"Yes, Sorcerer Xourdin," twelve boys and girls shouted as one, some with shuddering voices.

Sorcerer Xourdin gazed at them quietly, then nodded, the intense cold danger that had radiated from him fading.

"Good. You are probably angry with me, but I suggest you keep that to yourself. Our world is overrun, and only if we all work together can we survive and perhaps somehow prosper. Although you are closing in on adulthood, you are still but children... still, this doesn't exempt you from having to contribute," Sorcerer Xourdin said calmly. "From now on, you will be part of those that must protect this world. Do you understand?"

Irwin nodded, even though the Sorcerer wasn't looking at him. "Yes, Sorcerer Xourdin," he shouted together with the others.

"Good. Now for the important things. We will be taking a temporary portal to the Azurepeak mountains tomorrow. It will be a short trip from the arrival point to the Apprentice Tower, your new abode. There, you will find a few hundred, or hopefully more, children from other towns across the peninsula. Normally, there would be a few weeks where we would drill you and teach you how to use staves and bows. However… "

Sorcerer Xourdin suddenly looked both sad and angry, and he sighed.

"Never mind, I'll explain that when we get there," he said, seeming absent before looking back up.

Somehow, the sadness in Xourdin's eyes frightened Irwin far more than the previous cold danger had done. What could sadden even the five-carded Sorcerer? He immediately found he wasn't the only one.

A soft sobbing came, but Irwin didn't look at the girl who slowly broke down, nor did he see any movement from his peripheral. Everyone kept looking at the Sorcerer, who took another deep sigh before turning back to them, his eyes growing cold and hard like sheets of ice.

"In the tower, you will be expected to create groups of six, with whom you will both follow the courses and clear the common training portals. Have you heard about these portals?"

There was no response, and he frowned as he looked around.

Training portals? Irwin thought with a frown. He knew about portals, more so than most due to Bronwyn's story, but he'd never heard of any being used for training.

"I presume you know what portals are?" Sorcerer Xourdin asked.

Clarish scraped her throat as she stepped forward. "Shimmering red swirls of magic that appeared together with the cards. Monsters and demons appear through them. If left unattended, they will eventually cause a surge of demons or monsters. They are said to grow in rank with time, and someone's cards determine what portal they can enter into. Rangers close the common and uncommon portals while the sorcerers search and close anything higher to make sure none grow to epic or legendary rank."

Although Irwin had known most of that, he saw looks of surprise from the other children. Even Xourdin looked at her with quiet approval before nodding.

"Clarish Uldrot, granddaughter of Sorcerer Doukyser Uldrot, one of the most powerful sorcerers in the towers. I should have known you'd know more. You are right. That is what we do, but let me elaborate slightly. Only common-carded people can enter common portals, while uncommon-carded people can enter the uncommon portals. This goes up all the way to legendary, which is why we are on a time frame. We must enter the places beyond the portals, searching for cards while closing them before they grow too powerful."

That got a gasp from the other children while Clarish turned pale. Irwin saw that a few of the nobles were looking at each other with weary glances as if they wanted to say something.

Irwin had a pretty good idea of what that was. Xourdin made it sound like finding cards was a given, while he knew from his brother that sometimes only a single card was found in a portal. That meant if the party lost even a single person, it was a net loss.

"You know my grandfather?"

Clarish's soft whisper made Irwin look up.

Sorcerer Xourdin looked at Clarish, nodding softly. "Yes. When he knew I was coming here, he told me to bring you," he said, seeming unbothered by her interruption. When she said nothing else, he looked back at the others.

"Now. As you have probably heard, many common-carded people were lost in a stealth raid some weeks ago, and we are struggling to keep up. We need to get more people to clear the common portals before they grow out of hand completely," the Sorcerer said before frowning again.

"The day after you arrive, you will start drilling with the weapon masters while learning how to use your cards to kill the most common monsters and demons. Most likely, the best of you will enter your first true rift within a month. Now, something the instructors will tell you, but that you probably won't believe… The group you start with is very important. More so than you can even know right now. I am telling you this now so you can begin preparing! Make sure you pick people you trust over those you think are powerful. If you don't, you will probably not survive the first portal!"

Irwin felt his mind jitter all over the place as it tried to keep track of all the Sorcerer was telling them. How could they be expected to enter portals within a month? The rangers trained for a year before they were even allowed close enough to one.

"Right. Now, all of you, tell me how many cards you have. I know four of you have none yet. Don't worry about that. I have brought a few common cards," Xourdin said, causing everyone to sit up straight.

He pointed at a youth Irwin knew from the other part of the Rats District.

"You will start. Tell me the number of cards, their rank, and their type. Don't tell me the details, and never tell anyone. Cards that look alike can still have different effects, and sometimes it's better to keep your secrets close to your chest."

As if anyone besides the nobles has more than one card, Irwin thought.

"Desmond Telrin," the boy said, swallowing as he shook his head but stared at the Sorcerer with gleaming eyes. "I have no cards yet."

"Okay, stay behind after we finish, and I'll give you one. Next, you!"

Irwin barely heard the next children as he gazed at his hand in disbelief. Seriously, he could have had something else if he had just waited a day? The chances of the card being better than what he had were almost guaranteed!

Greldo poked him in the side, and he looked up to see Xourdin staring at him.

"Irwin Roddington, one card… common, utility," he said slowly, almost as if the words were dragged from him.

There was a surprised grunt when he said he had a card, followed by a burst of soft laughter when he continued.

Xourdin frowned, and for a moment, Irwin hoped he'd tell him to stay behind so he could get a second, combat-oriented card. Then the Sorcerer turned to the next person and pointed at Greldo. Irwin wilted, though he knew it'd have been too much to hope for. Cards were hard to come by, especially on this part of the peninsula.

"Greldo Domnyr, no cards," his friend said, sounding almost happy.

Time continued in a haze as Irwin dully listened. Even when a few of the nobles hesitantly said they had multiple uncommon cards, he wasn't able to get excited.

A few minutes later, all the children were done, and Xourdin looked at those who had none before turning to the rest. "Right. Now, go outside and see your parents. Say your goodbyes, but remember what I said. Don't make me come find you…"

The youths nodded before rushing out. Irwin listlessly followed the others through the hallways, trailing behind them and trying not to catch anyone's attention.

I wonder what those training portals are, he thought. Xourdin hadn't told them what was inside, but it had to be monsters… besides how were they supposed to close them? Or weren't they?

"Clarish, can you tell us some more about those training portals?"

Endil, the smith's son, was looking at Clarish. His jaw was squared, and he seemed to expect an answer, projecting a sense of calm self-assurance Irwin usually only saw with the nobles. Then again, his father was the most renowned smith in town, and most folks did all they could to keep on his bad-tempered good side. The fact he had an uncommon card didn't help much either.

Irwin perked up as he focused on the group ahead of him. He kept back, willing himself to be invisible and almost holding his breath as Clarish started talking. If someone saw him, they might chase him off before he could learn more.

"I don't know that much. Father told me some of Grandpa's stories, and most of them dealt with fighting monsters and finding the linchpin to close the portals. They are supposed to be similar to true portals."

"What's a linchpin?" Dalsin asked, stepping beside Endil.

She just said it's the thing that closes the portal, Irwin thought, holding back a derisive snort.

"It's the item keeping the portal open that you need to destroy, though sometimes it's a monster," Clarish said, now the center of attention but seeming unbothered. "Father said in most of the common portals, they resemble large, mutated beasts, like those from Gloomforest."

"Fantastic," Dalsin said with a sigh as he turned to Endil. "Let's go to your father and ask him for wooden weapons and armor. Our few cards won't be enough if we need to fight, and who knows if the sorcerers will actually give us anything."

Endil nodded, then turned to Clarish. "Come with us. I'm sure Father has some gear for you if you want."

Clarish smiled, and the room seemed to turn a little brighter for a moment.

Irwin stepped back in the shadows as the others moved away, listening to their slowly disappearing conversation. It all dealt with preparation, and he heard no talk about trying to hide. He wondered what their parents would think. His Mum always said that the nobles didn't take kindly to being told what to do.

When the group of youths disappeared around the corner, Irwin snuck into a nearby classroom. His mind was a mess, and it took him all of his effort to keep focusing on the first problem. Bast. He reached the window and looked out to see if Bast and his friends were waiting, only for his eyes to widen in surprise.

A host of people stood on the square, almost as many as on the previous Gelwin's eve. It took him only a few moments to spot his Mum and Bronwyn looking around anxiously. As soon as he saw Bronwyn, he felt a tiny bit of relief. Even if Bast was around, he'd not risk angering Bronwyn.

Irwin ran through the hallways before hesitating as he reached the exit. He snuck to the door and looked around.

There was a loud wailing and shouting from the different parents, and Irwin saw a few of the nobles glare at the building, seeming ready to storm inside and demand their children remain. Still, none moved, and Irwin wondered if any would actually dare. Even if some had two or three cards, or perhaps one of the higher nobles had four, none would be willing to anger Xourdin. Even if they could somehow handle him, the Sorcerer Towers would not take kindly to their transgression.

Seeing nothing troublesome, he dashed across the square to his mother, who immediately spotted him.

"There you are!"

Irwin slowed as he closed in on his Mum, her eyes red and a stink of Shril thick around her. He stopped in shock, staring at her, and only when he saw Bronwyn shake his head quickly and beckon him over did he snap his mouth shut and continue ahead. Before he could even think about asking her what had happened, she shocked him again when she wrapped him in her arms. The sharp stench of Shril almost made Irwin gag, but he held it back as he felt his Mum shiver. She barely ever showed her emotions in public, and even in their house, hugs were uncommon.

"My little boy is leaving," she whispered. "I'm so sorry, Irwin. If only Whyrdin were here, he'd know what to do."

Irwin froze at the mention of his father. He looked up, gaping at his mother. Something was definitely wrong. She'd never talked about his father, never as much as mentioning him. The only reason he even knew his name was because Bronwyn told him. His mother didn't seem to notice his shock, stroking his hair while tears flowed from her eyes as she stared at something only she could see.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright," she whispered.

As she continued muttering, Irwin felt himself grow uncomfortable. His mother barely ever drank, and when she did, it was one cup. Now, she was very obviously heavily doused. Should they bring her home?

Bronwyn was looking at the ground, tears dripping from his eyes as he shook his head. As if sensing Irwin's gaze, he looked up, quickly wiped the back of his hand across his eyes, and stepped forward.

"Come on, Mom, it's not good doing all this out in the open. Let's head home so Irwin can tell us what he's heard."

Irwin felt his mother slowly unwrap her arms, then step back, muttering something that he didn't catch. Then she grabbed his hand and pulled him along. Irwin didn't bother resisting. He was nowhere near strong enough. Instead, he let himself be dragged away alongside his brother.

His Mum kept rambling all the way to their tiny house. When they entered, she sat down, slumped on the table, and almost immediately began snoring softly.

"What happened?" Irwin asked stupidly, staring at her. She'd not even taken off her shoes!

"She is in pain, Irwin," Bronwyn said as he lifted two stools and put them opposite each other near the door, far from the table. Then he sat down and pointed at the stool.

"We heard some things from your classmates, but I want to hear it from you. Did that Sorcerer really select over half of the noble and crafter's children?"

Irwin sat down, nodding. "Yes, even Endil and Clarish!"

Bronwyn blinked. "Wow. No wonder the nobles looked ready to attack. I wonder how that Sorcerer thinks he's going to do this- he should know the nobles will just keep their children hidden until he leaves and-"

"He is one-from-full," Irwin said with wide eyes, still not believing he'd seen someone with five cards.

Bronwyn's mouth fell open, and it visibly took him a lot of effort to regain his calm. "By Gelwin's beard, that explains a lot… So what else did he say?"

Irwin began talking, then stopped when Bronwyn's eyes widened.

"What?" Irwin asked, confused.

"That's my line! When did you learn another language? What was that?" Bronwyn asked as he waved his hands.

"I'm not using another language!" Irwin said with a frown. "I just told you what Xourdin told us about the portals, and-"

His brother shook his head wearily. "He hexed you," Bronwyn said. "I don't know what he told you, but apparently, it's not supposed to be common knowledge."

Irwin had no idea what Bronwyn was talking about and sputtered something, but his brother just laughed.

"Don't bother. It's not going to work. I saw something like that a while ago when they captured a demon. Couldn't get him to tell us anything useful, no matter what they did to-" Bronwyn stopped talking and shook his head. "Never mind that. I've got another little present for you. It was supposed to be for Mom, but I'll get her some more next year…" he held out his hand, putting a few copper pieces into Irwin's hand.

Irwin fell back in his chair, clutching the coins, which were more than he'd ever held. Right. He probably wouldn't be here next year… or the year after. Sorcerers never came back until they had at least a full-hand.

Probably because they can't enter the common and uncommon rifts anymore by then, he thought.

His mind kept spinning, and he barely heard all the things his brother said. Only when it was quiet for a few minutes did he realize Bronwyn was staring at him, and he focused again.

"What?"

"I asked you if there's anything I can do for you," Bronwyn said with a weary smile. "And put those away before you lose them," he added, pointing at the coins still clutched in Irwin's hand.

Irwin blinked, then stuffed the coins into his pocket.

"Thanks," he said lamely, unsure what to say, then remembering the question.

He tried to come up with something. He almost asked for a card but then shook his head. His brother had none to give. Besides, now that he had one card, he couldn't just slot any random thing anymore. If it didn't resonate with his first card, it would be rejected by his body. He at least knew that much. As his Mum's soft snoring continued, he looked at her and smiled.

"Just look after mum," he said, trying to sound tough but unable to stop his voice from cracking up. "... Who… who is going to take care of her if we are both gone?" he asked.

"She doesn't need anyone to take care of her," Bronwyn said with a shake of his hand. "She's got more cards than I do."

Irwin sighed. Although Bronwyn was right, it was also not as simple as that. He absently stared at his mother's hand. The first card outline was that of a broom or something that resembled it. Beside it was the middle one, which looked like a tiny pile of dust, while the third and final showed a faint, slightly skeletal hand. He knew them all like the back of his own hand: utility cards, the lot of them, and so faint she didn’t even bother covering them. Still, with three, it made his mother somewhat special. If they hadn’t all been as common as commons got, she’d have been able to find a great job.

A dull gong came from outside, signaling the start of dusk, and Irwin looked up in surprise. "It can't be that late!"

"We talked for a long time. Well, I did," Bronwyn said with a mocking smile. "I think you were sleeping on your chair!"

"No, I wasn't. I was just thinking," Irwin grunted before his body betrayed him by yawning. As he looked at his hands, he realized he was very tired.

"You should go and sleep, maybe practice your card a bit," Bronwyn said. "You know, I thought about that. I know it seems weak, but having fire whenever you need it can be a massive benefit. Try and get a body-enhancing card for your next card. They usually mesh well with anything. Also, learn how to wield a bow. You could light your own arrows on fire."

Irwin stared at his brother, then looked at his card with a sudden renewed interest. That wasn't even such a bad idea.

"Also, there are some solid fire-based cards that most people can't slot because they don't mesh well with most other cards. You might have an easier time trading in the towers if you focus on that," Bronwyn continued. "Besides, there's more cards there than out here."

Irwin nodded, surprised at how much sense Bronwyn was making. How had he not thought of that? It took him only a few moments to remember why he hadn't.

"As long as I can stay alive," he said softly.

"Yes," Bronwyn said as he got up and pulled Irwin into a solid embrace. "You will survive," he hissed, seeming to want to make it so simply by force of will.

"I'll try," Irwin said.

A few minutes later, he was lying on his cot, staring at the ceiling. Suppressing another yawn, he briefly debated whether to fall asleep and practice tomorrow. Then he shook his head. Bronwyn had been right.

He shouldn't just write off his card!

He pushed himself up and looked at his hand. Perhaps he could use it to become a scout. Bronwyn had spoken about those types of rangers and how they had cards that allowed them to see in the dark. Having a light at hand was almost as good, right? Still, the idea of wielding a bow seemed far-fetched.

Raising his arm and staring at his bone-thin arm, he knew he'd need a body-improvement card focused on strength to even draw one.

No, he needed to find out what the card could do so he could decide on the feature.

Taking a few deep breaths, he calmed his mind and focused on the card. The sensation of that morning returned, the card almost seeming like a muscle and a balloon at the same time. With some focus, he squeezed the card when an idea popped into his head, shattering his concentration.

It's like a bladder, he thought with a grin.

It took him a few moments to regain his focus, and then the sparks appeared again until he pushed harder. When the tiny flame erupted above his finger, he felt the warmth. Wondering how long he could hold it, he kept the flame up, staring at it. It flickered softly, swaying left and right…

Left and right…

Left and-

...

...

"Irwin?"

Irwin shuddered as he looked up, gasping for breath as the flame on his finger whisked away. He was drenched in sweat while his mother stared at him from the doorway. She was waving cool air into her face as she did in the summer, staring at a spot to his side with wide eyes while blinking. Her silhouette was slightly red in the shadowy darkness, which was odd.

It had to be pretty late, almost evening if it was this dark. How long had he sat? Two hours?

"You didn't have to dismiss it right away! Now I can't see anything," she hissed, angrily waving her hand about. "Put that flame on for a moment so I can light the candles- better yet, you come and help me!"

Irwin didn't move, staring at his mother, who was reaching for the door frame before slowly stepping back into the room. How could he see her? Was it the card? But that made no sense! Common cards gave no passive physical benefits like these.

"Irwin, stop sleeping and come help me! I've got something for you!"

Irwin jolted, got up, and quickly and effortlessly stepped forward, around his mother and towards the table. A few half-burned-through candles stood there, and he focused on his card. The flame appeared instantly, with barely any sparks, and he quickly lit the candles. Then he turned to his mother, who was looking at him thankfully.

Irwin managed a smile, but all he could think about was that he was able to see in the dark. He quickly walked to the tiny window in the far wall, usually bolted shut. There was a tiny gap in the bottom, and he leaned forward, glancing through it. A few stars sparkled in the sky, not enough to give off much light, but to him, the world outside was a mixture of gray and red, as if the setting sun's final rays still illuminated the world.

I can see in the dark! Irwin thought as a big grin tucked the corners of his mouth up. It's not a normal common!

Chapter 5: Story time

"I think the card isn't normal," Irwin blurted as he looked at his mother. "I can see in the dark!"

Seeing his mother's eyes narrow, he blew out the candles, ignoring his mother's annoyed hiss. The room had turned into a red and orange version of what he knew, but he could see everything perfectly fine.

"Hold up some fingers," he said excitedly.

His mother was looking around, worry creasing her face. Then she held up her hand.

"Three!" Irwin said. "Two. Five!"

His mother gasped, then shook her head. "Light the candles," she hissed.

Irwin quickly did as she asked, grinning widely only to see his mother seemingly staring off at nothing.

"Mum?" Irwin asked worriedly.

His mother didn't react, staring through him, mouth slightly open as if she'd not heard what he had just told her.

His wide grin had faded, and he worried he'd made a mistake. He had shown her how he could find things when the candles were out, and now she was just sitting there.

"Did you hear-"

"I heard you, Irwin," his mother hissed as she looked at the door. "I can't believe this. How could Bronwyn find- never mind. It looks like a common, but you are right. Passive effects never occur on a common."

She sighed and seemed to deflate, still not looking at him. "Irwin! You can't tell anyone! Not even Bronwyn! You shouldn't have even told me!"

Irwin leaned back on his stool, gaping at his mother. Why not? Wasn't this a good thing? He frowned, about to tell her that, of course, he would tell Bronwyn when he saw her looking at him with eyes so wild he swallowed what he was about to say.

"They will try and take it from you," she whispered as she glimpsed at his hand before quickly staring back at him.

"What, that's impossible," Irwin said. Everyone knew you couldn't take someone's card while placed.

"It's not. If someone who is carded dies, there is a small chance for their card to drop for someone else to take," she stated. "It's not something people talk about, and most don't even know, but your..." She sighed as she looked at the ground. "Your father…"

Irwin held his breath, too afraid to speak, praying to Gelwin she would continue.

"Your father had four cards, a full-hand-and-one, and one of them was rare," his mother whispered as if afraid someone would overhear. "His second card was a Shadecat, with gigantism… large enough to tear demons apart and for Whyrdin to ride it. It's how he got the other cards."

That would make him a noble, Irwin thought in disbelief. Didn't that mean they were nobles? Why did they live like this? His thoughts began racing, and it took all his effort to pull them back and watch his mother. She never spoke about these things, and he wanted to hear more, hear everything!

His mother's eyes were distant and clouded; her face warped as she seemed to relive old pains.

"Four rangers came early in the morning, and I instantly knew something had happened. Bronwyn was playing in the room, so small, when they told me that Whyrdin had fallen at the peninsula wall. The guard, an older one with black and green hair, said Whyrdin fought valiantly, killing a dozen Diflor. I almost broke down but managed to hold out. I invited them in, gave them tea…. Tea!"

She shook her head so hard Irwin thought it might snap off. When she continued, her voice was dull and dead.

"There was nothing to bury, so I grieved at home. The midwife came many times because I was pregnant with you, telling me to calm down, relax... Pah! I sold the house the next day and moved in with my parents, knowing we would be evicted soon enough if I didn't. Then, nary a week later, one of the rangers came to town after dark. I saw him because I had worked late at the Tanner household. He didn't see me, but I saw him and almost confronted him. He had a Shadecat! Young still, and not with gigantism, but I recognized it. It was the same as Whyrdin's!"

Irwin completely forgot about his night vision or what it meant for his card. Instead, he was still, wide-eyed, and listening to his mother. She didn't seem to see him, appearing to be recounting something that she'd bottled up inside for far too long.

"I went to the city warden, but he just sent me away. Didn't even want to investigate! I went to the Rangers, but they said it was just a bad coincidence and that Dalynris had gotten the card days after that incident. Nobody believed me… not even my parents," she spat, her hands camped around the table's edge, fingers white.

"Then Dalynris found me late the next evening. He tried to tell me I was wrong and that nothing had happened, but he was lying! I could see it in his eyes! When I continued confronting him, he must have realized I didn't believe him, and he grabbed me, snarling, and said that... that..."

Tears began running down his mother's eyes, but Irwin waited with quiet morbidity for her to continue. The heat in his body had faded, and with the weariness setting in, he was shivering.

"He threatened me! Said that if I didn't stop making up lies, my babe, you, might not come out right. Then he told me that it might be time for me to leave from R-"

The door was shoved open with a bang, cutting his mother off, and Bronwyn entered carrying a long wooden staff. He had a harried look but froze in his tracks as he saw the tears on his mother's face.

"What's going on?" he hissed, then shook and quickly closed the door. "Never mind, tell me later! There's trouble! Some of the nobles have banded together and are attempting to sneak their children out of town to hide them in Gloomforest until the sorcerer leaves!"

As if to punctuate his words, a dull boom caused the loose items on the shelves to rattle. Silence hung in the room, and then screaming came from the distance, followed by more, smaller explosions.

Irwin looked at the wall, his head still filled with the story his mother had just told him… or told herself- he wasn't sure.

Bronwyn was standing facing the door, raising his hand. The familiar glow of a card came from his hand, and an owl the size of a dog appeared next to him.

"Attack anyone that enters the door," Bronwyn whispered. The owl blinked and then focused on the door, projecting a sense of readiness that made Irwin's hair stand on end.

Nobody spoke as the shouting and sounds of fighting continued.

It lasted for another ten minutes before stopping as suddenly as they had begun. Irwin had his arms around his body. The cold of the night had crept into the house, causing his shivering to increase. He hadn't dared to move, and remained on his stool, wondering which of the nobles was resisting and what would happen. After another minute, Bronwyn sighed and finally lowered his staff. He moved to the old table and sat down but kept clutching his staff.

"It's probably the Uldrots," their mother said. The distant look had left her, and she turned to Irwin, seeming the same as she had been before.

"Don't speak about any of what I told you," she said before turning to Bronwyn. "Don't ask him or me. I shouldn't have spoken, as it's too dangerous!"

Bronwyn looked at her, and Irwin saw his brother's jaw clench and unclench. He could perfectly imagine what Bronwyn wanted: knowledge about his father, where he came from, and what had happened. Bronwyn knew only bits and pieces of what had happened before and remembered only vague images of their father, which he'd shared with Irwin many times.

"Fine," Bronwyn said as he rose, surprising Irwin. "I'll go and check what has happened and what the consequences will be. Irwin, sleep. It's the middle of the night, and you will have a long day tomorrow!"

Irwin nodded silently, wishing he could tell Bronwyn about his card but afraid to go against his mother's wishes.

"Bronwyn, you should stay. It's dangerous to go out now," their mother said, suddenly sounding worried.

"I'll be back before you leave," Bronwyn said, looking at Irwin before turning to the door. "Glint, let's go!"

The owl hopped after him, moving ungainly to the door, then disappearing outside with a flap of its wings. Irwin listened for a final rustle, but there was nothing as the door closed with a solid thud.

Then, it was quiet in the room.

Irwin looked at his Mum, but she was staring at the door with clenched fists, muttering something.

"I'll go rest," he whispered. He'd expected no reaction, but she looked up, and a sad smile crept on her face.

"Forget what I said, Irwin. I know it's hard, but it's ancient history- just learn from it! Cards can and are stolen. After I got here, I spoke with the librarians, and they know of more accounts of this happening. What you have? It's a common! Nothing more!"

"A common," Irwin muttered as he moved out of the room and into his own tiny bedroom. As he closed the door, the candlelight vanished, but he could still see just fine.

He quickly crawled into his cot and pulled the old blanket around him, but it only seemed to make him colder. Shuddering below the blanket, he suddenly thought of something and pushed the blanket away. With markedly less difficulty, he summoned his tiny flame, and it flared into being. Heat radiated from it, washing over him. Feeling himself slowly warm up, he sighed.

He made sure not to look too closely at the flame this time, but at some point, he still lost himself, and time passed without his notice as he thought about what his mother had told him, about his common that wasn't a common, and about what he would have to do the next day.

He woke with a start as the door creaked open. He was still sitting on the bed, his shoulders cramped, and the flame slowly flickering above his finger. He wasn't the least bit cold, but unlike the previous time he'd zoned out, the temperature wasn't extreme either. Just comfortable.

He heard footsteps from what he hoped was Bronwyn moving through the room next door and got up, the flame disappearing as he did. Yawning so wide his jaw popped, he moved to the door, feeling guilty that he hadn't done as Bronwyn had said.

I should have slept, he thought as he pulled open the door.

Bronwyn was moving towards his door and stopped midstep. He backed up as soon as Irwin entered the living room.

"Good, you're awake! Mom, wake up! We have to go to the school!"

"What is going on?" Irwin said as he felt the need to relieve himself grow, his bladder and bowels reminding him of the copious meal he'd had the day before.

"Warden Donderin has locked down all of Malorin. He and sorcerer Xourdin are waiting at the square, and the tensions are growing. Rumor is that two guards of the noble houses were killed last night, though the rumors don't agree on whom. The youths Xourdin selected are to go to the school before the first bell of dawn."

The only other door, which led to their mother's room, opened, and she stepped out with puffy eyes and a mess of tangled hair. She walked towards Irwin and hugged him without speaking, startling him. Bronwyn waited for a minute, then moved to the door and pulled it open.

"We need to go," he said, still not looking at their mother.

Irwin silently walked outside and, after his mother closed and locked the door, followed her through the streets. The cold wind bit into his bare hands and face, and Irwin wished multiple times that he could summon his flame. He didn't, though. It wasn't a good idea to draw more attention.

"The cold is coming fast this year," Bronwyn said as they reached the square, and a freezing wind blew their hair back.

Eight of Irwin's classmates stood next to two figures who were squared off before the school doors. Xourdin seemed small compared to Malorin's warden, Donderin, someone Irwin had only seen twice before, but the warden was the one who seemed on edge. He was blowing plumes of white air through his thick gray-peppered brown beard while the cards on his hand occasionally flickered with light. With a full-hand-and-one, two rumored to be uncommon and one rare, and a great deal of wealth, he was usually the most powerful person in town…

“Lots of girls,” Irwin’s mother muttered, and Irwin looked up to see she was right.

More people stood on the side, and Irwin recognized both nobles and craftsmen alike. A few women stood close together, crying, while two burly men, smith Randal and Dalsin's father, glared openly at the sorcerer, seeming unafraid.

Normally, the girls were almost exempt from the picking, as having no women to bear children was a death warrant to any town. But as he gazed at those picked, he realized at least one in five was a girl. More surprising to him was that many belonged to the best of his class.

Maybe Xourdin forced it? he thought, wondering how the others would react.

He looked around, but there was no sight of Rhym anywhere.

"Most are here already," Bronwyn said as he turned to Irwin with a smile.

Irwin could see the pain in his brother's eyes and saw him clench and unclench his hands.

Suddenly, what was about to happen hit home: he was going to have to leave, leave his home, his mother, his brother, and everything he knew! Until this moment, he'd somehow been going on mechanically, but now the reality set in, and he felt his eyes begin to burn.

"Don't cry," Bronwyn said. "The others are watching, and you can't show any weakness. Not now."

He stuck out his hand, and Irwin grasped the thick, calloused hand with his own smaller and softer one as he ground his teeth, trying to refrain from crying. Bronwyn was right. He had to be strong! Then, his mother's arms wrapped around him, and he almost failed. Holding his breath, he quickly wiped his face on her shirt before pushing himself clear.

"Do your best to stay alive," his mother said as she looked at him, tears flowing freely down her face.

"I will," Irwin croaked.

"Hurry, the others are here," Bronwyn said, staring at another group walking down from the main road.

Irwin nodded, took one more look at his mother and brother, then turned and walked towards the other children. Greldo stood to the side, wearing a cloak Irwin had never seen before and one that seemed vastly oversized. He smiled, raising his hand so Irwin could notice the thin lines of a card. He couldn't make out what it was, but he thought he saw a clasped hand.

Did he get a body improvement one? Irwin thought, eyes widening.

A day before, when he still thought his own card was useless, he might have been jealous, but now he was just happy for his friend. If they hadn't had to leave, the card would have greatly changed Greldo's life, as many craftsmen would want him as their apprentice.

Now? Now, Irwin hoped it would be enough to keep his friend alive.

"Where did you get the cloak?" he whispered, getting a shrug and a glance in response. He frowned, then looked around.

There were only a few missing, and there was no sign of those who were to head to the peninsula wall. As soon as he thought about the Wall, he recalled the conversation with his mother.

I wonder what city she and Bronwyn came from, he thought. The Wall was nearly on the other side of the peninsula, and he didn't know any of the places nearby.

"As they are all here, I'll be taking my leave now," Sorcerer Xourdin shouted, his voice silencing the angry murmurs. "I'll be back next year for the usual group, and I hope we won't have to resort to violence then."

There was an angry hiss from the crowd but nothing more.

"We will abide by the rules," the warden grumbled. "Now leave. I have to clean up this mess."

Xourdin didn't respond but turned and stared at Irwin and the others.

"Get ready to run through the portal, or you might be lost in the in-between," he said. Then he raised his hands, and his calm face changed to one of complete focus. With a flash, his hands burned, and a dull blue glow appeared to the side, swirling larger and larger until a jagged, six-foot-high, four-foot-wide swirling blue portal of light appeared.

We have to go through there? Irwin thought, swallowing back his rising bile.

"Run," Xourdin snapped at the hesitating children.

Eldin was the first to move, running forward and almost sprinting through the portal, quickly followed by his friend Dalsin. The others moved after that, and Irwin swallowed as he ran forward. Two steps from the portal, he thought he heard someone cry out his name, but it was too late, and he jumped headfirst into the portal.

An electric current ran through him, similar to when he'd touched the fur rugs of the merchants a few years ago. Almost complete darkness enveloped him, and he could only make out small details. Two long tentacles rushed towards him, and he screamed just as the darkness disappeared and he flew out of the portal on the other end. He slammed into someone who cursed, but all he could do was scramble away from the portal that shimmered behind him, afraid the tentacles would come out.

What were those things? he thought as the image of the tentacles seemed etched in his mind.

"Stupid Rat, look what you did," someone cursed, and he felt a kick against his back that caused him to fall forward with his hands in the mud. He looked up to see Dalsin glare at him, hands and tunic splattered with mud.

A crack came from the portal as Xourdin jumped out, the portal instantly closing behind him.

"I'll get you later," Dalsin hissed as he stepped away from Irwin.

A hand appeared to his side, and Irwin grabbed it as Greldo pulled him up. Wind, cold and sharp, blew his hair out of his face, and he shivered.

"We better stay away from them," his friend whispered.

Irwin nodded but didn't really listen. He was gaping at the rugged, bleak mountains around them. Gone were the familiar cobblestone streets and old, worn-down stone buildings he had known his whole life, replaced by a landscape of rocks and the occasional bushes.

"The Sorcerer towers," someone whispered, and everyone spun around to see Clarish stare at a point behind them, her mouth hanging wide.

Five tall, dark towers almost grew from the side of what looked like a broken-down mountain. It was far darker than the gray mountains surrounding it, causing it to stick out. From this far, the entire thing looked like a glistening black piece of firestone from which a shard the size of half a mountain had been ripped free where the towers stood.

"Follow me. It's half a day's walk, and we need to reach it before nightfall," Xourdin said as he waved at a path that wound away from where they stood. It seemed to start at where they were, a muddy area, oddly round and seemingly made for something.

"You at the front," Xourdin said when the children didn't move, and he pointed at Endil, who nodded dumbly and began walking.

Barely ten minutes later, Irwin's legs were protesting as he followed the others down a steep slope, slipping and sliding over the muddy stone. Sorcerer Xourdin walked behind them, seemingly unperturbed by the path, walking down as if on flat ground.

As Irwin slipped down the last bit and onto what from above had looked like a flat track up to the side of the hill, he realized it was a slight incline up. With a groan, he tried to hurry after the others a dozen feet ahead of him.

"You will need to increase your physical strength and constitution if you want to survive," a dull voice said from behind. Irwin turned to Sorcerer Xourdin, surprised and afraid that the sorcerer was actually talking to him.

"I'd advise you to trade the first common card you get for anything that can boost your physique," Xourdin said before scanning their surroundings. "We aren't going to make it with your current speed... so don't get used to this."

Irwin had no idea what he was talking about when a pale glow came from Xourdin's hand, and he sensed a slight energy return to his body. The pain in his legs dulled, and he gasped in surprise.

"Keep moving," Xourdin said, still scanning the surrounding landscape. "Sometimes, there are portal demons in these mountains."

Irwin felt his skin crawl, and he quickly began walking after the others. Even with the increase in strength from whatever Sorcerer Xourdin had done, he couldn't catch up, but at least he wasn't falling behind any more than he had.

As he struggled forward, he wondered why Sorcerer Xourdin had taken the time to give him some advice. From all he'd seen so far, the man seemed unfriendly.

Then again, they are trying to close the portals, he thought to himself. Perhaps sorcerers were nice to each other? It wasn't as if they were forcing people inside to kill them; at least, he didn't think so, which got him wondering why they only accept young people. He took a peek at Xourdin but didn't dare ask.

Half an hour later, his curiosity was gone, replaced by pain as he wished for nothing more than to curl up and rest. The others were a good way ahead of him, and only Xourdin was quietly walking after him. Shivering from the cold and not a little bit of fear of being left alone in the mountains, if Xourdin decided he'd had enough, he focused on taking one step after the other.

The day passed in a blurry mess of cramps and cold shivering until he felt strong hands grip his shoulder. He blinked, looking at two leather and scale-covered boots, absently forcing his foot up to take another step. As soon as he stopped, he slumped forward.

"Whoa there, you must be the weakest one I've ever seen sent here if you can't even make the trek," a warm, gritty voice said.

Irwin forced his chin up and saw a dark-bearded man with glittering black eyes and a wide grin showing crooked teeth. A long, curved handle of some weapon angled across his pauldron-covered shoulder.

"Normally, I'd leave you out here to feed the wargs, but I guess with our current plight, I'll just have to help you," the man rumbled, smiling warmly.

Irwin shivered, afraid that he'd really be left here.

"Calm down, calm down. I was just joking," the man rumbled as he looked worried. "What was Xourdin thinking, bringing someone with only a single common card here?"

Irwin barely heard the final words, swaying on his feet. At the realization that he was safe, or at least somewhat, the last energy he had seemed to leave him.

Before he could keel over, two strong hands lifted him up and across a shoulder. A moment later, he felt himself being carried away, and within moments, the swaying motion made him fall into a deep slumber, uncaring about the uncomfortable position.

Chapter 6: Ragtag group

"Irwin, wake up!"

Irwin groaned, trying to turn and pull his blanket further across his shoulder. It didn't seem to budge, almost as if someone was holding it. Was his mother teasing him?

"A little longer," he moaned, feeling the aching muscles and knowing that he'd be in for a bad time if he fully woke.

"No, you need to wake up! We need to group up, or we will be in trouble!'

Group up? Irwin thought sluggishly. What was Greldo doing here, and group up for what? Was it a sports day?

For a few more moments, his mind remained in a daze, and then his memories of the previous days returned.

The sorcerer!

With a jolt, he moved forward, knocking his head against Greldo's, who had been bent over him.

"Ugh, careful!" Greldo hissed, rubbing his head.

Irwin ignored him. Where was that bearded warrior? Had he carried him to the towers?

A wooden ceiling rose twenty feet above him, and long glowing poles pointed down in odd jumbled directions. Looking around, he saw he was in a massive hallway with two enormous arches on one end, the doors in them closing. He barely saw the dark mountains behind them before they shut with a dull thud.

Right, he thought as he looked around.

Hundreds of children sat, stood, or huddled together in the room. He saw the familiar faces of the Malorin nobles talking with a group of other nobles he'd never seen before. The rest of the youths were looking around awkwardly, some moving to others and starting up a conversation.

"Where are we?" he muttered, looking around.

"In the common tower or the Initiates Tower as they call it. But we don't have time for this! We need to find others to group with, preferably strong ones, or we will be in deep shit," Greldo said as he pulled Irwin up.

Irwin's legs barely had any power, and he wobbled, almost dropping back down.

"Stop that. You have to stay standing, or nobody will want to group with us," Greldo whispered, looking at him with wide, worried eyes. "We need to look stronger than we are!"

It's not that easy, Irwin thought angrily.

He struggled to remain on his feet and finally found his balance. His body was screaming at him that he'd done it wrong, and it took all his effort to keep tears from welling up in his eyes from the way his feet burned. He probably had blisters everywhere. It took all his flagging willpower to just sit back down and check. Instead, he looked around. Greldo was right. They needed to find a group.

"Look for those that are standing alone," Greldo whispered. "Everyone with eyes can see we aren't top picks, so we need to find those who have little other choice."

Irwin looked around the hallway, quickly finding those who stood out as they did. Most were weak and sickly, some even more so than he was, but not all.

A tall, pale-skinned, teal-haired girl with a nasty scar across her cheek that looked like she'd been scratched in the face was glaring at anyone who dared come too close.

Not too far from her stood a youth taller than most men; only the softness in his face and lack of a beard showed he wasn't fully there yet but probably no older than Irwin's own fifteen years. He had a dull, dimwitted look on his face and seemed unable to process what was going on.

"The big one first?" Irwin said.

He turned to look at Greldo, who seemed to be doing much better than him. He looked almost enthusiastic about everything that was going on.

"Good idea," Greldo said, pulling Irwin with him towards the tall boy. Each step felt like agony, but one look around told Irwin he was the only one, and he had better keep it to himself.

"Hi," Greldo said to get the towering guy's attention, and the other blinked.

"Yes?" he asked, his voice dull.

"I can see you are having a bit of trouble with what is going on," Greldo said, waving around, and the boy slowly nodded.

"It's confusing. Mum's gone. She said, go with the carded man, but now he is gone. What should we do?"

Irwin and Greldo shared a look before Greldo continued.

"We need to create a group to practice going into the portals. We both have cards and are looking for four more. Do you want to join us?"

The big guy's shoulders slumped. "I only have one card… the carded man said I'd get another one here, but I think he was lying."

He was promised a second card? Irwin thought, slightly confused. Then he saw Greldo shake his head quickly, and he realized what was going on.

"I'm sure he will do so if he said that," Irwin said. "But it might only happen after we group up. Do you want to join our group and find the other three?"

The guy shook his head, and Irwin felt his hope for a third member waver.

"Mother said I shouldn't follow strangers."

"I am Greldo, and this is Irwin," Greldo said hurriedly, reaching out his hand.

The guy looked at it before shaking it incredibly carefully as if he feared breaking it.

"Daubutim Coulwoater," he said, his voice suddenly sharp, steady, and rehearsed, as if he'd said it a million times in a row.

If not for his dull look, Irwin would have thought he had been tricking them into thinking he was stupid.

"Now we know each other and are no longer strangers," Greldo said, nodding sagely. "So, we can group together, Daub."

Daubutim blinked, and for a moment, Irwin thought he was going to say something. Then he shook his head, and a slow, dull smile came to his face.

"But are you two nice? Mom said only to go with people that had my... best... interest in mind," Daubutim said, seeming to struggle over the words.

Irwin blinked, then nodded as he looked at the boy. As dull and dumb as he seemed, he seemed to know to ask for things. He shared a quick look with Greldo.

"We are nice, and I promise we won't hurt you," he said, smiling at Daubutim. "Besides, we all have our own strengths. You are really strong, but I'm smart. So we can help each other!"

Daubutim looked at him for a few moments, then nodded slowly.

"Alright," he said dully.

"Good, then we are now a group of three," Irwin said, sharing a hopeful look with Greldo.

"Are you?" a thin voice chimed.

Irwin looked to the side where a girl even smaller than him stood. If not for her sharp eyes, he'd have thought her to be barely eight.

"I'm Twintin, and I want to join the group too," she said energetically. "I've got a card!" She waved the back of her hand at them so fast that Irwin had no idea what it was.

He shared another look with Greldo, who shrugged, for some reason letting him decide.

He looked at the girl but instantly knew he wouldn't have any choice. They still needed three more, and with her, only two. That meant the chances of picking up two stronger ones would grow if they were with enough.

"Alright," he said, though he wondered what she was going to do. He had thought he would be the physically weakest of the group. But now? This girl looked even weaker than him!

"Okay, so two more," Greldo said.

Irwin could see his friend was happy, probably due to how fast they had found two more.

Too bad that one is too stupid to hold a sword and the other too weak, he thought, wondering how they were ever going to survive a portal.

He followed the other three, more than happy to let Greldo take the lead as they moved around the room.

Ten minutes later, they had found a fifth, Olban, a fat boy with zits across his face and a voice so shrill that it hurt the ears. Still, he had a body-enhancing card that was fit for fighting. Oddly, he was probably the most equipped to enter the portals. All around them, groups of children had begun moving to the other side of the hall, where a few adults, probably sorcerers, were watching the proceedings.

"No."

"You can't stay alone," Greldo said, looking at the scar-faced, teal-haired girl with a frown. "We are supposed to group together and-"

"I don't care," the girl snapped. "I don't want to go with other people. I'll do it by myself!"

Irwin gazed at the girl who was glaring at them and finally shrugged. "Let's just go. She doesn't want to come-"

"So! It seems you've all finally finished gathering," an exceptionally loud and annoyed-sounding man blared from the other side of the room.

One of the two sorcerers, a brawny man with two long-handled swords that sat in scabbards along his shins, stomped forward. His arms were longer than they should be, dangling at the height of his sword pommels. He was holding the pommel of one of his swords, waving around with the other.

The other sorcerer was holding a long quarterstaff and jogged after him, whispering something.

"No! No more waiting! I'm done with waiting! A dozen common portals changed to uncommon yesterday, and twice as many are going to change today," he snapped at the other. "If this continues, the both of us will be over our ears in very rare portals by the end of the week!"

The other sorcerer gritted his teeth, seeming ready to continue arguing, but the other one ignored him and stomped to the center of the room.

"Everyone with uncommon cards, go stand over there," the loud man said as he pointed to a nearby hallway.

There was a moment of silence, then a few of the noble groups headed to the spot he'd designated. Irwin wasn't surprised to see that two of the groups were partially made up of youths from Malorin.

"Alright, you are going to be brought away in a moment. For now, pay attention and shut up!"

Irwin swallowed as he watched the man put both of his hands on his sword pommels and looked around. Then he jabbed a finger at the hundreds of youths.

"Beyond that door is a hallway with stairs leading to rooms that hold up to six people! Each has a symbol on the door. Go there and bring your gear if you have any! There's bedding for those who need it. You have one hour to yourself, then a two- three- or four-carded will come to pick you up, depending on the number of cards you already have. For those with two cards or more… don't get cocky! All of you have only common cards, and the people getting you will have uncommon or better! Don't piss them off, or they are allowed to put you in your place!" At this, he glared at the remaining nobles, who comprised a third of the group. "Got it?"

There was a soft muttered but halfhearted consent, but it seemed enough for the sorcerer.

"Good. I'm Mouldir, the master of the first tower. You will be here for as long as you don't have uncommon cards. You will be moved to the second tower as soon as you get one. Don't expect that to happen anytime soon, though. Most people never find an uncommon because they only rarely drop in common portals. Now, this tower is called The Card Grinder… If you don't understand what that means, don't bother even asking. You will find out soon enough. Let's just say that if you want to be one of those who survive till they find five cards, you must train, train, train. If you don't?" Mouldir slit his finger across his throat with a nasty smirk. "You won't survive the first real portal you go into!"

Irwin swallowed, noticing that the staff-wielding sorcerer was glaring at Mouldir, shaking his head in disgust.

Mouldir looked around, then snorted and stomped away, waving his hand at the door. "Get to your rooms, punks."

"I hope not all of the sorcerers are like him," Greldo whispered.

"I don't think they are," Irwin said softly as he looked at the staff-wielding one who was rubbing his head.

"I'm not going with you," the girl suddenly snapped. "I don't care what Mouldir said!"

With a glare at Greldo as if she held him accountable, she moved through the room toward the door.

"Just let her go. Let's get a room before we end up with nothing," Irwin said as he looked around.

"We had better," Olban said as he scratched open a zit on his chin, wiping what came out on his pants.

Irwin shuddered as he moved towards the door. He walked like an old man, his legs barely able to hold him, and he was glad when Greldo moved closer, putting an arm below his elbow to help him along.

"Are you two already like that?" Olban asked as his eyes widened while he licked his lips.

"Like what?" Irwin asked, already regretting having him on their team.

"You know," Olban said as he made an odd gesture with his fingers. "That!"

Greldo shook his head, his ears getting red, showing he had at least some idea what Olban meant. "No, we are just friends. Now let's go before we…" he fell quiet as a group of five nobles and Clarish moved past them, shoving past the group ahead of them. A tall, blond boy was about to say something when his gaze landed on the apparent leader, and he froze. The other group didn't seem to notice, and as they walked away, the boy's shoulders slumped.

"I guess those are the top dogs," Olban said, way too loud.

The blond boy turned and gritted his teeth as his eyes landed on Olban. "That's Gailrich Daybrin, youngest son of the warden of Graimarin, third-largest of the remaining cities after the capital and Caldange. Don't anger him. He is not known for his humor," he said before turning.

"Well, that sounds like a fantastic person to stay far, far away from," Olban said as he grinned widely at Irwin.

Irwin couldn't agree more, and despite the unappetizing appearance, he found himself liking the zit-faced boy.

Besides, he also had no interest in getting on anyone's bad side, let alone something worse than a regular noble.

The group moved through the building, and Irwin looked around in wonder. The hallways were far wider than he was used to, and the ceilings were over ten feet high. As short as he knew he was, he felt even shorter as he walked through them, and when they reached a massive central room with dozens of stairs leading up to the different levels, he shared a look with Greldo.

"Makes you feel small, doesn't it?" Olban said, seemingly uncaring about the looks he got.

"Not really," Daubutim said dully as he looked around. "It looks like back home, although not as nice."

What? Irwin thought as he looked up at the tall boy shambling beside him. He was almost one and a half heads taller than him, gazing around, seeming unimpressed.

Where is he from if he thinks this is normal?

"Let's go here," Greldo said, heading towards the staircase furthest to the right, which led up to one of the middle floors.

Irwin groaned as he saw the many steps, his legs already burning painfully.

I hope we at least have nice beds, he thought.

After a few minutes of stair climbing and moving through two hallways, they stood before a room with an open door. A symbol of two carrots sat above the door frame, etched in the stone.

So big, Irwin thought, while Greldo whistled.

The room was four times as big as the living room back home, with three beds on both sides, a table with six chairs in the middle, and a small fireplace with what looked like a teapot hanging above it.

"Looks like our summer cabin," Daubutim muttered softly as he walked inside, then he moved to the left and took the first bed.

Irwin looked at him dumbly.

"Maybe he's a noble?" Greldo whispered from the side before pulling him along to the other two beds on the left. Irwin followed dutifully, taking the furthest bed. It was longer than his cot and wider, and the blankets seemed thick and soft.

"No," a voice snapped from the other side of the room.

He looked up and found Olban standing before the middle bed while Twintin was wagging a finger at him and pointing at the bed closest to the door. "You don't get the bed beside me. Go over there!"

"But-" Olban began, his whiny voice going up in pitch.

"No! You smell bad, and I don't want you to be the first thing I see when I wake up," Twintin said, stomping her foot.

"Just do what she says," Greldo snapped from where he lay on his bed, arms behind his head. "I want to rest a bit before we have to do whatever it is they want us to do."

"Fine," Olban said as he walked back, shaking his head.

Irwin sighed as he lay down on his bed, marveling at how soft it and the blankets were.

"Can someone get the fireplace going?" Twintin asked.

Oh no, Irwin thought as he felt his body tremble at the prospect of getting up. Then Greldo's voice shattered his hope that someone would offer to do it the regular way.

"Irwin?"

For a moment, he wondered if he could pretend to be sleeping, and then Twintin chimed in.

"Please? It's cold here."

No, it's not, Irwin thought, but he got up with a groan.

As he swung his rebelling legs over the edge of the bed, he hesitated to put his weight on his feet. He should probably pull off his boots soon and look at the damage. Gritting his teeth, he got up, feeling like he had rocks in his boots.

Twintin was on the opposite bed, huddled below the blankets with her clothes on apparently, and staring at him with wide, innocent eyes. Daubutim was lying on his bed, eyes already closed, and Olban was picking at the zits on his face again. Greldo gave him a big thumbs-up before closing his eyes with a content smile.

"Fine," Irwin muttered.

Wasn't Greldo supposed to be his friend? Annoyed, he moved towards the fireplace and saw there was already wood and kindling ready. It took barely any focus to get the flame to appear above his finger, and he held it at the kindling, which instantly ignited. Within a moment, the bigger wood was also burning -much faster than it should, from what he knew- and he waited for a few moments for his hands to warm. Then he turned around to see Olban and Twintin staring at him with wide-open eyes.

"You have a fire card?" Olban asked, licking his lips. "That's awesome! Is it Fire Dart? I've heard of that one but never seen it! Can you throw it?"

Irwin was about to say he couldn't, then frowned.

"I don't know. Never tried," he said, looking at his finger.

If it's not a common card… what can it do? he thought as he held back the desire to try it right then and there.

Chapter 7: Thrown in the deep

"No more questions. I want to rest now," Irwin said, lying back on his new, comfy bed and closing his eyes.

After a few moments of more questions, Olban fell quiet with an annoyed grunt.

Finally, Irwin thought.

Olban had been far too interested, going as far as getting up and demanding to see his card's tattoo. It was such a not-done request that Irwin had been startled and just looked at him until the taller, brawnier youth seemed uncomfortable and returned. Something about the way he had asked confused Irwin, but he was too tired to process it.

"Fine, fine. But you have to show us what you can do soon," Olban said.

Irwin didn't respond, hoping Olban would shut up. Besides, he sounded way too interested. Irwin didn't want anyone to find out he had a card that looked common but wasn't. If his mother was right, it could prove lethal, and even if she wasn't, it didn't seem wise. He'd only wanted to tell his family at first anyway.

As the room turned quiet, the pain in his foot seemed to increase, and he realized that he really had to check his feet. Just one minute, he thought, relaxing for a moment.

The next thing he knew, someone was shaking his shoulder.

"Are you dead or something? Wake up!" Olban said, shaking him again. Greldo stood behind him, shrugging helplessly.

"Wu- wah," Irwin said, trying to fend off the persistent shaking. "I'm awake. Let go!"

"Good, because we have to leave," Olban said as he stepped back.

Irwin blinked his gritty eyes, and his body screamed at him that he should ignore anything and simply stay in bed.

I hope we only have to listen, he thought as he looked to the side.

A tall, bored-looking man with long red hair stood there, scratching at what looked like the start of a beard, thin and unevenly distributed.

"Yeah? Finally decided to wake up?" he said, sounding annoyed. "You do realize this isn't an inn, right? You are here to learn and help protect the peninsula!"

Irwin nodded, forcing his protesting body out of bed. He recoiled as soon as he put his weight on his feet, remembering what he should have done. For a moment, he thought about just trying to ignore it, and then a jab from his heel made him cringe. Gritting his teeth, he ignored the others and took off his boots. His thin, pale yellow socks, stained and stuffed from years of wearing and fixing, were marred by dark red stains on multiple spots.

"Shit," he whispered as he tried to pull one off, only for it to stay painfully stuck to his foot.

"What are you-" the man began as he stomped forward before seeing Irwin's foot. "Ah. Well, great. Of course, I get the broken one."

Before Irwin could pull them back, the man grabbed his ankles with disgust and yanked his socks off. Irwin held back a startled scream of pain, his eyes watering. It didn't help when he saw his feet. They were riddled with blue, green, and yellow bruises and stained with partially dried-up blood. Large blisters covered the sides, back, and bottom, with fresh blood welling up where the socks had been torn free.

Still, as bad as they looked, they looked as if they were days old instead of from the previous day.

They healed, Irwin thought, wondering if you could even call it that. Looking around, he saw Greldo looking at his feet, frowning slightly.

"Fantastic. You can't walk like this," the man snapped.

Irwin quickly turned to him, seeing the man glare at him as if it was his fault.

"I'm sorry," Irwin croaked, wiping his eyes as he saw the four others stare at him.

"Yes. So am I," the man grunted. "Fine, let's get you fixed up before we start."

Before Irwin could respond, the man lifted him and held him under one arm like a bag of potatoes. As he was hoisted away, Irwin saw Olban snigger while Twintin and Greldo looked horrified. Halfway to the door, the man was already struggling.

"I can carry him," Daubutim rumbled as he stepped forward. He was only slightly taller than the sorcerer but nearly twice as wide in the shoulders.

"Good," the man said, grunting in effort.

Irwin felt the man release him, and he barely had time to raise his hands before he fell on his hands and feet. He cried in pain as another few blisters burst, and he rolled on his side, grabbing his feet.

"Sorry," the man said as he looked away. Irwin thought he saw a nasty smile, and he gritted his teeth, holding back a string of curses. He was no stranger to being bullied or beaten, and he had no idea if the man was their teacher. If he angered him even more, things would become way too hard for him.

Daubutim knelt beside him, and a moment later, he was lifted again, but much more gently this time. Daubitum felt like a rock, unmovable and stable, and he seemed totally unfazed by Irwin's weight, little as it was.

"Are you alright?" Daubutim asked, looking at him with dull eyes.

Irwin just nodded, which seemed enough for Daubutim, who turned to the carded man.

"Right. Follow me," the man grunted as he stomped off, followed by the rag-tag bunch of youths.

Irwin frowned as he glanced at Daubutim. "How old are you?" he whispered.

"Turning fifteen next crossings of the moons," Daubutim said.

He is younger than me! Irwin thought, barely believing it.

That meant that while he looked like a twelve-year-old at fifteen, Daubutim looked like he was eighteen at fifteen.

Life's just not fair, Irwin thought with a weary sigh.

"Now that you're all awake, and-" the man began before stopping in his tracks.

Olban, who had been walking close behind him, bumped into him, causing the man to scowl angrily.

"Why are there only five of you?"

"There was a sixth girl, but she didn't want to be with us," Olban said, his annoyingly squeaky voice cracking halfway into a somewhat deep rumble. Everyone looked at him, and his ears turned red.

"Don't know why that keeps happening," he muttered, looking to the ground.

"Great… So a group with a broken one and a missing one?" the man growled. "Where did the girl go, and what did she look like?"

"Teal hair and a big scar on her left cheek," Greldo said. "A bit taller than me," he added lamely when the man frowned.

"Alright, we will get that sorted at the same time then. Now, I was going to tell you what you need to know, but I hate repeating myself, so I'll only tell you a few things and wait until she's found."

He began marching off again, and everyone hurried to follow behind.

"So, my name is Johnathan, which you will call me. No John, or Johny, unless you want to get into trouble," he said as he glared across his shoulder as if someone had already done as such. "I've been here for over seven years and am a full-hand." At this, he raised his left hand, back facing them so they could see the three cards that sat there. Intricate lines wrapped around the tattoos, binding them together to show they were not just linked but combined into one, the requirement to be called a full-hand.

"Now, you are probably wondering why I don't have any more cards, and I'll tell you to shut up and wait till you have been here for a year or longer. If you can't figure it out by then, come ask me so I can have a laugh."

Great, this guy must have been trained by Mouldir, Irwin thought as he looked at the sorcerer walking away.

Wait, was he technically a sorcerer? Mouldir had said they would become sorcerers upon gaining an uncommon card. Was that what he was waiting for? It seemed likely… Then again, if he just collected another two common cards, he was allowed to leave! Why didn't he? With seven years here-

As Irwin pondered, he almost fell asleep again and was startled awake when Daubutim put him down.

They were in a large room with oddly black floor tiles and walls covered in shelves filled with glass jars, satchels, and books. Beds lined the walls, and he was on one while a slim, silver-haired woman, barely an adult and probably only a few years older than them, inspected his feet.

"Why did you not come sooner instead of walking around with this for days?" she asked as she gently prodded one of the bruises.

Irwin blinked in surprise. "What? We-"

"He didn't have the time. We had to get here yesterday, and things got heated when some of the nobles tried to hide away their children," Greldo said.

As everyone turned to his friend, Irwin wondered why Greldo had said that. Didn't he realize that he had only gotten his feet mangled the previous day- Oh! His sleepy mind finally caught up with what was happening. His feet had healed too fast!

Wait, does Greldo suspect something? He looked at his friend, but Greldo was staring at the others, answering questions about what had happened.

"You can tell us about that later," Jonathan said, interrupting them. He turned to the silver-haired woman. With an awkward smile, he waved at Irwin's feet.

"Do you think you can heal him up, Gwyneth? I'm supposed to get them ready for their first training-portal today."

"Today? Are you crazy? These kids need at least a month of practice before-" Gwyneth exclaimed, only to fall quiet and grimace.

"Ah… right," she said.

Irwin saw a quick look of sadness in her eyes as she looked at him, but it was gone just as fast. That didn't do anything to stop his budding fear from growing, however. Were they going into a training portal today? From Gwyneth's reactions, this seemed more than a little abnormal, and knowing they should have had months of training before made it worse.

Taking a deep, weary breath, Gwyneth turned to his feet, inspecting them for a moment.

"It shouldn't be too long ago, so it should work. I'll fix them now." She turned her gaze to Irwin, smiling at him reassuringly. "This is a one-time thing. Normally, it would cost you one cardbead to get minor injuries not sustained in a portal healed. Also, if you want healing that I can provide, next time, come and see me right after it happens! My skill works best on fresh injuries."

Irwin nodded dumbly, wondering what cardbeads were supposed to be.

Gwyneth smiled at him. "Don't worry, okay? It won't hurt, and it'll be fine!"

She placed her hands on his feet, seeming unbothered by the blood and matted bits of sock. The back of her left hand began glowing a dim red. The light seemed almost syrupy as it oozed over his foot, warming his feet where they touched it. The blisters started closing, the bruises fading, and a few minutes later, all that remained of his battered feet were stains of dried blood.

"Incredible," Irwin whispered as he wiggled his toes, which were as good as they had been. No, better even! Then he looked at the girl's hand, trying to get a glimpse of the card she'd used. She only had two, but besides noting they were intricately combined, he didn't get a good look at the image.

"Good, that went better than I'd thought," she said, sounding both weary but also somewhat surprised. She looked up, a curious glimpse in her eyes as she inspected Irwin's small frame. A crease came between her eyes, then she got up and stretched.

"Right. Now, you better hurry along! And remember, next time, I expect a Bead for my troubles!"

Sure, as soon as I know what those are, Irwin thought.

"Gwyneth, there's one more thing," Jonathan said, causing the young woman to look at him. "Their sixth is being a problem and is somewhere in the tower on her own. Can you alert the guards to search for her and bring her to training room sixteen?"

"Ugh… this is some group you have here," Gwyneth muttered as she gave him a sympathetic smile.

Jonathan smiled back, straightening up. "Oh, it's fine. I can deal with it!"

"I'll alert the guards," Gwyneth said with a nod. "Now, I need to prepare some more salves."

"Alright," Jonathan said as he motioned for Irwin to move.

Oh no, my boots, Irwin thought as he felt the cold tiles on his sole. As he looked around in panic, Greldo stepped forward, holding out his boots, what remained of his socks stuffed in. Putting them on was a disgustingly wet affair, but wearing his boots without them would get him back here way too fast.

A minute later, they were following Johnathan, who seemed far happier than before. He still ignored all their questions. The hallways all blended together, and as they finally reached a larger room with doors on all sides and two corridors leading away, he knew he was utterly lost. The back wall was covered in racks with staffs and clubs in different sizes, slings, bows, and even a few whips. Irwin hadn't seen such a large assortment of weapons except from his quick glances in the smithy.

"Alright," Jonathan said as he stopped before a door numbered eighteen. "Normally, you get a week or two of theory and explanations, then six weeks of combat training before ever setting foot in a room like this, but there's no time for that. You are unlucky that none of you have two cards, or things would have been easier, especially with only five. I had hoped the guards would have brought your sixth by now, but she must either be resisting or somehow hidden. No matter… Listen closely."

He pointed over his shoulder. "This is called a practice portal, and it was created by the craft master from the fifth tower. Before you ask, no, I don't know how. I just know they have powerful cards. There's a legend that says Gelwin himself created some of these, but that could just as well be an old wives' tale. Inside, you will find an encounter that mirrors something you will find in a common portal. Most of the time, it means fighting Imps or Galubs, but you may come across-"

"Fighting," Twintin squealed, taking a step back and shaking her head fearfully.

"Yes. What else did you think we did in portals?" Jonathan snapped. "You fight the monsters within while searching for the linchpin, which you will destroy or kill to close the portal."

"But the stories say there are puzzles and-"

"Those are some of the uncommon and above portals," Jonathan said as he raised a finger. "Now, no more interrupting!"

Twintin wilted as Jonathan continued.

"You can not be injured or die in these training rooms. Instead, when you come out, your injuries will be healed, and if you die, you will just pop back out. However, you will still feel pain! So, I know that two of you," he pointed at Daubutim and Olban, "have combat cards. Make sure you use them. The rest of you can pick out some weapons and just learn as you go."

"Learn what?" Greldo muttered as he looked at Jonathan with a pale face. "You can't just shove us in here without explaining more! We don't even know how to use weapons!"

"There is no helping that," Jonathan said. "Mouldir has ordered that everyone was to be tossed in on day one so he could find those with high potential as fast as possible, train those up, and send them out to close portals."

"Can we at least get a sword?" Olban asked, his voice rising in pitch.

Irwin sighed, knowing the answer but keeping his mouth shut.

"No. When you enter, anything besides items made of leather and plant fibers and stuff like that vanishes. So, make sure you leave any metal objects like coins, weapons, jewelry, or otherwise here before stepping in.

Irwin suddenly recalled the handful of copper he had with him. Why hadn't Jonathan told them earlier that they would go into a portal? Then he could have left them in their room!

"Where… where do we put those things?" Olban asked as he licked his lips and looked around worriedly.

"You were supposed to leave them in your room," Jonathan said incredulously.

"You- … Nobody told us!" Olban cried.

Jonathan's face darkened.

"Right. I might have forgotten with all the commotion," the carded man said. "Fine. For this once, I'll hold your items."

Nobody moved as they all gaped at him, and Irwin saw the reluctance he felt mirrored on the other's faces.

"Take it or leave it!" Jonathan said as he stepped away from the door. "I don't believe any of you even has anything worth stealing but to set you at ease. Stealing is punished severely here, as some of you will undoubtedly soon find out. I wouldn't dare, nor should you, if you know what's good for you."

Irwin shared a look with Greldo, who was pulling something from his waist, a rather ornate belt with metal studs that Irwin had never seen him wear. He also had a small pouch.

Where did he get those things? He'd have to ask him later.

Still, there wasn't much else to it, and he sighed. I hope he gives them back, he thought as he pulled the coins from his pocket and stepped towards Jonathan.

The other held out his hand and then looked at the nine coppers in disdain. With a snort, he put it in his pocket.

"Nine coppers for Brokenfoot," he said.

"I'm Irwin," Irwin said, annoyed.

"And I don't care," Jonathan replied as he took the belt and pouch from Greldo. He blinked as he weighed the pouch on his hand before nodding at Greldo.

How much is in there? Irwin wondered. Greldo was as poor as he was.

A minute later, everyone, except for Olban, had handed some items to Jonathan. Olban was still fidgeting, seemingly unhappy, while the others were picking out weapons. Irwin grabbed a sling, hoping he could use it, pocketing as many stones as he could before taking a small bat.

"Either give it now or go inside and lose it forever," Jonathan finally snapped, glaring at Olban.

"Alright… but… if you don't give it back, I'll-" Olban whispered before pulling a thin chain from around his thick neck. A golden, gleaming locket with an eye on it appeared from below his shirt, and everyone's eyes, including Jonathan's, widened.

"An eye of Yilda," Twintin whispered.

"Where did you get that?" Jonathan snapped as he stepped forward threateningly.

"It's mine! I got it from my father before coming here," Olban said, gripping the locket against his chest as he took a step back. "He's a... he's..." Olban frowned and shook his head but looked at Jonathan as if he'd fight if the other even threatened to take it.

Jonathan stared at Olban for a while, then nodded. "Fine. I hope for your sake that's true. I'll hold that for you, and you will get it back, but I will have to report it to the guards."

"Alright," Olban whispered as he reluctantly handed the locket over.

Jonathan looked at it for a moment before placing it in the pocket of his vest instead of his loose pants.

"If it's really yours, you can be at ease," he said, suddenly sounding a lot less angry. "I'll make sure nobody takes it."

Then his eyes narrowed, and he pointed at the door.

"Now grab a weapon, get in, and do your best. You have eight tower hours to train today, and depending on how you do, you will be sent to one of the classes."

Irwin looked at the door, swallowed, and took a halting step forward. Daubutim moved past him and pulled open the door. A swirling red portal hung behind it, causing the dull, burly boy to stop in his tracks. The others huddled beside him, sharing looks of panic and fear.

"In, or I'll toss you," Jonathan said.

Irwin was about to step forward when Greldo beat him to it.

"See you on the other side," his friend whispered before jumping into the portal. He vanished in a swirl of yellow.

Irwin shivered, steeled himself, took a step forward, and jumped in.

Chapter 8: The first practice room

Unlike during the teleportation moment, there were no odd tentacles or other scary things as Irwin whisked through the darkness for a split second. Then he stumbled out, and instantly, a soft, comforting heat washed over him.

Surprisedly, he looked up to see deep orange light come from cracks in the walls while a smell of sulfur filled the air. Distant chittering laughter made him jerk around to find its source, but all he saw was a square opening leading out of the small stone chamber they were in. Broken and rusted metal hinges were on one side, but there was no sign of a door. Dust wafted in the air, probably from him and the others moving around.

"There's something here," Greldo whispered a few steps to the side.

Before they had a chance to talk, Daubutim and Twintin appeared in the middle of the room. The big boy looked around with a frown, lips closed, but Twintin seemed absolutely terrified.

"Where-" she began, just as Greldo jumped forward and put a hand over her mouth.

The chittering laughter instantly stopped, and Irwin shivered as his hair stood on end.

Olban appeared behind the others, looking around, his eyes widening quickly. Before he could speak, Greldo moved next to him, holding a hand over his mouth and a finger to his own lips. Olban nodded quickly.

"Block the door and get ready for anything," Greldo whispered, surprising Irwin with his quick thinking.

Daubutim stepped into the doorless opening, which, although he was the tallest of them, still made him look small by comparison. Beyond it was a long corridor with uneven rocky walls with more glowing orange cracks and fissures. The ceiling was low with odd protrusions, easy to bump your head against.

Irwin scrutinized the tunnel, seeing shadowy side entrances at odd points in the wall. Some seemed too high to enter comfortably, and it all looked more like a giant version of the ant hills he investigated during the summer.

"What's going on?" Olban whispered.

"There's demons or something ahead, and they know we are here," Irwin replied as he swallowed back his rising fear of what was approaching them.

Olban's eyes narrowed, but he nodded and stepped up next to Daubutim, who made a little room for him.

Footsteps came from beyond the tunnel, and before Irwin could fully come to grips with what was happening, three figures, roughly the same size as him, leaped from one of the side paths. They had belts looped around their waist, with torn black leather dangling down, covering their legs up to their knees.

"What are those?," Twintin screeched, causing the figures to turn to them.

Irwin gasped as he saw the wrinkly, burning red skin, glowing yellow eyes, and large, jagged, pointy ears.

"Imps," Olban said, his voice rising in pitch to match Twintin's. "What do we do?"

He stepped back, the white of his eyes large as he looked back.

"Coldblooooooods," one of the Imps crooned, eyes widening hungrily. The three Imps rushed forward. Two drew daggers from their belt, while the middle one, slightly taller and with black hair falling down the side of its head, unwound something that looked like a chain.

We need to get out of here! Irwin turned around, but there was no other way out.

Greldo stood in the center of the room, mouth open as he gaped at the incoming demons.

"Get ready. We need to fight."

Daubutim's deep voice was calm and collected, pulling Irwin out of his increasing panic. As he looked up, he saw the Imps were halfway toward them.

"Dammit," Olban screamed, raising the club in one hand while his other began glowing. A thick layer of gray ooze covered his fist, enlarging it threefold before hardening into a dull, uneven mass.

Irwin scrambled forward, fumbling with the sling. He should have picked up some stones! Shivering, he dropped it, clutching his own club while raising his hand and focusing on his card. As afraid and fearful as he was, the flame erupted from his finger without fail.

"Ohhhh, yes, burn me," one of the Imps howled, laughing in a way that made Irwin sick in his stomach.

How the hell do I do this, Irwin thought as he tried to flick the tiny flame from his finger towards them. It wobbled slightly but didn't move, and before he could even try again, the Imps were on them. With only Daubutim blocking the entrance, one dashed past without issue while the two with daggers charged Daubutim with nasty smirks. This close, their pointy faces and wide, lipless mouths were horrifyingly clear, while their yellow-white teeth glistened in the light from Irwin's flame.

The one with the chain and the hair laughed as he struck at Olban.

"Nooo," the zit-covered youth screamed, stepping forward and striking out at the chain. The greyish metal wrapped around the wood, and the Imp laughed as he yanked the weapon out of Olban's hand.

Irwin felt his mind freeze as he watched Olban back up in panic.

In the door, the two dagger-wielding Imps used the distraction to attack Daubutim. The brawny youth raised his shield, the only thing he'd taken from the outside, deftly blocking one attack while stepping away from the other. His movements were fast and fluid, and he made an odd two-step toward the Imp while his hand began glowing. Before anything could happen, he struck at the nearest Imp, and a large wooden club appeared at the last moment.

Irwin watched in awe as the arm-length, dark, and smooth wooden club impacted the side of the surprised Imp's head. There was a dull crack, and the Imp spun a half circle, then crumpled to the ground a few steps from Irwin.

The second Imp hissed, moved like a blur, and slashed at Daubutim with the dagger faster than Daubutim could move the shield. A long red slash appeared on the youth's weapon arm, and Irwin could hear him suck in a breath as a black mist wafted up from the wound. The downed Imp was slowly stirring.

I need to help, Irwin thought, trying to stop his mind from drowning in panic from Olban's and Twintin's screams and the Imp's laughter.

Forcing his unwilling body to move, he suddenly saw something glint to the side.

The Imp's dagger!

He saw the Imp's groggily stir, hands searching for the weapon.

If he could take that!

He moved before his fear could stop him, scrambling for the dagger. Before he got halfway, a red foot flashed toward his face, and he barely moved to the side, slamming into the wall next to the door, now cornered. The second Imp let out a happy giggle before refocusing on Daubutim while the other pushed himself up, glaring at Irwin. He had a lump on the side of his head and was blinking angrily.

"Mine," he hissed.

Daubutim was grunting, and Irwin saw him grabbing his arm, more of the dark fog leaking from between his fingers as he swayed on his feet. He was waving his club at the Imp, trying to keep it away.

Irwin licked his lips and pressed his back against the wall as the Imp closed in. He raised his club and his flame, but the Imp just smirked, raising the dagger it had picked back up. It slashed casually, and Irwin barely managed to raise his club. As the dagger struck the club, the wood instantly darkened, and smoke trickled up, almost seeming to climb along the wood toward Irwin's fingers.

Irwin cursed and dropped his club, which crumbled as it hit the ground.

"I'm going to enjoy tormenting you," the Imp crooned.

Irwin pressed his back against the wall, trying to find a way out. Was he going to die just like this? He'd only just arrived!

As his fear grew, a blur moved from the side and slammed into the Imp.

Irwin's eyes widened in disbelief as Greldo began grappling with the demon, holding its dagger arm in place. There was no sight of his weapon, but his hand was flashing brightly. Irwin had no idea what his card even did, but the Imp suddenly yelped in pain and dropped its dagger. Greldo kicked it away while the Imp howled, unsuccessfully trying to rip its arm free from Greldo's grasp.

"Grab the dagger," Greldo screamed, his voice filled with panic.

Irwin cursed, shoving his panic and fear away. He had to help Greldo!

He scrambled towards the dagger, only to get a kick in the ribs halfway to it. Clenching his teeth against the pain, he grabbed the dagger and rose just as the Imp bit Greldo in the shoulder.

"Let gooooo," his friend screamed, his voice rising another notch.

Irwin had never held a dagger this heavy, but he'd helped his mother in the kitchen many times and had mock-fought against shadows with her kitchen knife when she wasn't there. Not even thinking about it, he jumped in close and slashed at the Imp's back, splitting the skin and causing the Imp to scream in surprise and pain.

Irwin gasped as a thick, yellow liquid squirted over his hand. It was warm, and a thin trickle of smoke came from it, but he didn't stop. Instead, he slashed again while the Imp finally let go, howling with its head up. Seeing the thin neck and veins bulging visibly, Irwin struck, but the heavy, unwieldy dagger caused him to miss, instead slashing at the back of the Imp's head. The howl increased in intensity as the Imp bucked and heaved to get its hand free, jostling Greldo around. Still, although the Imp was stronger, they were roughly the same size, and Greldo somehow managed to hold on.

Irwin, in blind panic, rammed the dagger in the Imp's back with two hands, and the scream turned shrill before falling quiet. The Imp made some odd choking sounds before yellowish blood gurgled from its mouth. It coughed, and a spray of yellow blood spread forward all over the unfortunate Greldo.

Greldo's eyes widened, and his mouth went open in a surprised O as the spots the blood hit began bubbling, blisters appearing within moments. He muttered something, then his eyes rolled up, and he slumped down, his hands finally releasing the wrists of the Imp, who rolled over.

Greldo?

Irwin was sucking in the air, staring at his friend, not knowing what to do or why his friend was unconscious. Why did Greldo look like he'd been covered in acid?

"Irwin, help!" Olban screamed, and Irwin looked up.

The fat, zit-covered boy was standing against the wall, a chain wrapped around his oversized, gray hand. The taller Imp was pulling on it, causing the chain to screech across with an odd motion. It was staring around, glaring at Irwin, who swallowed when the venomous eyes focused on him.

"Irwin!" Olban screamed again, and Irwin cursed as he ran towards the Imp. He had no idea what to do, deciding to try and stab it with the dagger. Two steps away, the Imp moved and backhanded him so fast that he stumbled back while seeing stars. Feeling blood ooze from his lips, Irwin saw the Imp laugh, yanking at the chain. This time, it succeeded in freeing it, and as the Imp pulled back, it leaped an insane distance back, almost reaching the door. As it landed, it struck its chain, this time at Irwin.

Irwin raised the dagger as he stumbled back, and the chain wrapped around his arm. A joyful giggle came, and then his arm felt like it was being ripped apart as the chain was pulled back. There were tiny edges carved into it, and as it moved, it sliced through the skin of his forearm. Screaming in pain, he clutched the chain, trying to rip it free, only for him to slash open his palm.

"Die!" Olban screamed as he charged, hand held out like a lance.

The Imp laughed, released the chain, and dodged below the blow, slashing with its sharp-tipped nails.

Olban screamed as he clasped his hands across his waist.

Irwin felt his stomach heave as he saw Olban’s intestines spill out. Tears streaming down his face, he grabbed the chain, ignoring the pain, and pulled it back, out of reach of the Imp. He had no plan, but as pain filled his being, all he knew was that he wanted to kill the reason for it. That Imp! With a strangled cry, he tried to swing the chain at the Imp.

The Imp's eyes widened, and it jumped back, seemingly expecting him to succeed, but the chain was far too heavy, and it thudded on the ground a mere foot from Irwin.

"Weak," the Imp hissed before laughing as it jumped forward, stepping on the chain and causing it to grow taut.

Irwin felt more of his flesh rip apart, and crying and shouting, he ran forward, no longer caring but just wanting the pain to stop. The Imp laughed, lowering its stance. One step away, Irwin had a single moment of clarity, and as he lunged, he stabbed out a single finger at the Imp's face at the same time as the Imp slashed at his chest. His flame appeared as a burning hot pain ignited from his chest, and then his flame poked into the Imp's cheek.

Its eyes widened, and where Irwin's finger touched its skin, the redness turned black and crispy, flakes falling off.

"How-" the Imp croaked before it seemed to freeze while the blackened spot expanded, and its flesh rippled upon itself like burning paper wilting away.

Confused and in pain, Irwin watched his flame grow, and when the Imp was no more than dark flakes wafting down, it was twice the size it had been before, flickering as if agitated.

Irwin fell back, his arm a burning mass of fire, his chest torn and ripped, with tears and snot running over his face.

It took him a few moments to realize that the Imps were gone, and he looked around. He stopped as he reached the door. A dozen imps were coming from the far end of the corridor, laughing and giggling loudly.

"Please let this stop, please let this stop," a soft voice whimpered from the side. Irwin turned to see Twintin sit there, huddled in the corner, arms around herself, pale as a sheet, and shaking her head.

All he could do was agree with her as he heard the dozens of feet close in. He tried to get up, but he was spent, and although the flame flickered brightly, he couldn't even raise his hand. The only benefit was that he didn't see the daggers as they plunged into him.

The world turned into a swirling darkness, and a second later, he landed on his feet on cold gray tiles.

"So, you two held out the longest? Impressive!"

Irwin barely heard the voice as the clearness of his mind and the chaotic memories of mere moments clashed together.

What happened?

There was no pain, and raising his arm, he saw his old cloth shirt across his unharmed flesh. Touching his chest, he felt nothing, no pain, just the distant memory of it.

"Don't worry. I said you couldn't get injured here-"

"They killed us!" Twintin howled, huddled on the ground beside Irwin. She began crying, her sobbing cries so full of fear that Irwin felt sorry for her even though he knew she'd not helped them back inside the portal.

"Yes? Of course, they did," Jonathan said. "Like I said. What did you expect? You need to learn how to close these portals… do you not understand what will happen if things like those are allowed to roam free? Don't you know the stories about the months of the Long Pain?"

Jonathan sighed as he shook his head. "I know this is hard. But there is no use sugarcoating it. You are here to close portals even if it costs some of you your lives."

"Why us?" Greldo said, sounding tired as he sat nearby with his back against the wall.

"What do you mean?" Jonathan asked, sounding annoyed. "If not you, who else?"

"Guards? Rangers?" Greldo snapped. "Why-"

"Did you not pay attention at school?" Jonathan said, sounding annoyed.

"What are you talking about?" Olban shouted, hugging himself.

"Watch your mouth, boy," Jonathan said in a dangerous whisper. "I've done all you have and more for seven long years. Lost all my friends! I have no interest in your self-pity."

"Why not the trained guards or rangers?" Irwin asked softly. He already knew the question, but he was sure that if he told them, the others might be angry with him.

Jonathan gave Olban another glare before turning to Irwin, letting out a weary sigh.

"There are not nearly enough of those. The cities and towns need the rangers to clear out the nearby portals, and most of the guards are near the wall to keep the surges from beyond at bay. That's why we train a portion of the youths at the sorcerer towers."

Irwin saw a small twinge in the sorcerer's eye, and something about the way he said it felt wrong, which made no sense because the answer was in line with what he knew.

Is there something else that I don't know about? Irwin thought.

He took a quick look at Greldo and Daubutim, but they both seemed to agree with Jonathan.

I must have imagined things, Irwin thought. Feeling incredibly weary, he looked at Jonathan hopefully. "So, can we go back and sleep now?" he asked softly.

"Sleep? You have seven hours left to go in there again and again," Jonathan said. "You may rest for five minutes. Then you will enter again."

"Because Mouldir wants to find the best of us?" Irwin asked, stifling a sigh.

"Stop asking questions if you already know the answer," Jonathan said angrily.

"Isn't it obvious none of us will be amongst those?" Irwin asked, feeling a tiny sliver of hope that they could just be exempt.

"Obvious? No," Jonathan said, shaking his head. "You already survived longer than I had expected without training. Besides, Mouldir gave his orders."

Irwin felt like crying, but even that seemed like too much of a hassle. Instead, he moved beside Greldo and slumped on the ground.

A minute or two later, sharp footsteps came from the route they had arrived from, and Irwin looked up, praying for a sorcerer to come and tell them there had been a mistake and they were actually too weak and pathetic to be there.

Two tall guards, each with brandished swords, were escorting the teal-haired, scar-faced girl forward. She glared at them every few steps, but they just prodded her with their swords.

"Well, I see the lost sixth has been found?" Jonathan said as he stepped forward. “Name?”

"Taselina, but I don't belong to any group," the girl snapped as she glared at Jonathan.

"You do now," Jonathan said, his eyebrows lowering dangerously. "And if you don't do as you're told, I'll throw you in here on your own for two hours straight," he said as he jerked his thumb at the swirling red portal.

Taselina's face paled, and her lips pursed into a tight line.

"Well?" Jonathan snapped.

"I'll do as you say," Taselina hissed.

Jonathan frowned, crossing his arms as he glared at her.

"You be okay with this one, Johno?" one of the guards said, sounding slightly amused.

"I'll be fine," Jonathan snapped back, turning his glare on the guard, who just grinned, waved at Taselina, and turned back around.

"Don't you think-" Taselina began.

Jonathan spun around and raised his hand, which glowed. Dozens of ropes appeared out of nowhere, binding Taselina up, one wrapping around her face, covering her mouth. Her eyes widened, bulging, and she fell forward with a thud.

As Jonathan walked forward, he turned away from the others, but Irwin caught the look on his face and shivered. Jonathan had licked his lips with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

The sorcerer bent forward and grabbed the bundled-up girl, and Irwin already knew what would happen before Jonathan dragged her to the portal. He wished he could just do nothing, as he wished he could do anything else than go in the portal, but it was more than obvious that Jonathan wasn't going to let them just leave. Besides, Bronwyn had always told him to help those he could, no matter how weak he was.

Dammit, he cursed as the memory of the pain in his arm flitted through his mind.

"Please don't," Greldo whispered from the side.

Irwin turned and looked at him until Greldo wilted under his stare and nodded reluctantly.

"Ah, fine. Now or in five minutes, what's the difference," his friend whispered.

They both got up just as Jonathan was about to toss Taselina through the portal.

"There's no need, Jonathan," Irwin said softly. "We need to work with her, and this won't help. Please unbind her, and we will go together."

Jonathan looked at him, and something dangerous flashed through his eyes. For a moment, Irwin feared he'd make a mistake, and then the sorcerer smiled.

"Alright, if that's what you want," he said. "Go in then, little hero."

Irwin sighed, not looking at the girl he didn't know or care about but instead at the portal.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, he thought as he jumped back in.

Chapter 9: School of pain and misery

Irwin exited the portal and stepped sideways, holding his breath as he looked around while raising his club. There were no signs of the Imps they had killed or of their own bodies. The cave was its previously dusty self, while the same cackling laughter came from the end of the tunnel.

It's back to how it was before? Irwin thought, struggling to believe Jonathan had been telling the truth.

He kept scanning the room and the hallway, still half expecting to get jumped. He didn't know what he'd thought would happen, but this wasn't it. Perhaps another place? Or with the imps feasting on their remains… wait, do we even leave those?

A soft scuffle came from behind as Greldo appeared, quickly moving to the other side of the entrance. They shared a look of resolve as they waited for the others. The cackling came from down the tunnel, and while Irwin didn't dare move, he readied himself to jump Twintin if she did come through and started crying. Not that he thought she would. It seemed unlikely anyone would make a sound again this time.

Perhaps we can hide from them, he thought, looking around. Just hide till the time played out.

Where are the others? he thought.

Seconds ticked by, and his worry grew with it. Were they even all supposed to come to the same portal world? Finally, after two minutes, he licked his lips and looked helplessly at Greldo, who snuck towards him.

"I think Jonathan might be… trying to prove a point?" Greldo whispered, his voice shaky. "Either that or they arrived somewhere else?

"Would he be that petty?" Irwin whispered. He'd not even thought about that option.

"Did you see him?" Greldo hissed. "The way he looked at Taselina?"

Irwin shivered as he recalled. What was wrong with these sorcerers? Had they all lost their mind by going into this place from a young age?

"Great, so it's just us two now," he whispered, unable to keep the jitter from his voice.

He realized that any hope he'd had of finding somewhere to hide and prevent a replay of the previous time was gone. He and Greldo were the weakest physically, and although their wounds were gone, his legs and back were still in pain from the long walk that morning.

Not that he'd had a chance against even a single imp in his best state.

"I think it's time you tell me what your card does," he whispered, praying that Greldo's new card could help them.

Greldo looked at him, then around and frowned. "That goes for both of us," he said." You got sprayed by that blood… I saw it! Why didn't it hurt you?"

Irwin froze. He hadn't thought about that, but as he recalled Greldo's almost melting face and his own arm, he wondered. Had that been what Greldo had been trying to ask before he fell unconscious?

He licked his lips again, suddenly realizing he was incredibly thirsty. As soon as he paid attention to it, he wished he had some water, then shook his head and focused on his friend. His mum's words echoed through his mind, and he really didn't want to tell anyone… but…

"Is it possible that your card makes you vulnerable to their blood?" he asked, then wanted to kick himself. That wasn't how common cards worked, and from Greldo's dead-pan look, he knew the other boy didn't even entertain the thought of taking that seriously.

"Seeing as you don't want to tell me, I can only assume it's some sort of passive effect from your card," Greldo whispered, his eyes gleaming as he looked at Irwin's hand. "You lied. How did your brother find an uncommon, and how did you trick the sorcerers?"

Irwin's mind spun quickly, and for a moment, he considered telling Greldo the truth, then crushed the thought. Though they were friends, could Greldo keep this secret? No. It was too much of a risk. Having Greldo think it was an uncommon was already dangerous enough, and besides, if Greldo could keep that a secret, he could always share more later!

He faked a sigh and let his shoulders hang.

"Please don't tell anyone… he said I should keep it a secret."

Greldo nodded his head and smiled. "What did you say before? By Gelwin's beard? I like that. An uncommon for your first card… That's better than most nobles! So, what does it do?"

Irwin could see that the smile wasn't fully genuine, and he felt a pang at not being able to share his secret with Greldo. They had always told each other everything, but he just couldn't keep his mom's words from echoing through his mind. He shoved his lingering worry away.

"It… lets me make that flame, which I can use to light almost anything on fire," Irwin said, not sure if that was true, but deciding an uncommon needed to be able to do at least that. "The resistance I didn't know."

"Your brother didn't tell you?"

"He got it from someone who thought it was a common," Irwin said, which was definitely true. Nobody in their right mind would sell a card that looked like a common but wasn't.

"Then you better hope that person never finds out, or your brother is going to be in a heap of trouble," Greldo whispered. "But no throwing the flame?" he asked, hopefully.

"Not that I figured out yet," Irwin said. "I wonder how people find out what cards do," he added.

"They explained that a while back," Greldo said. "I think you were sick, so you might have missed that lesson."

Irwin didn't doubt it one bit. He'd been sick every few months since he was born and missed his fair share of lessons. If Bronwyn hadn't taught him things he learned while becoming a ranger, he'd have been way behind. As it was, he still lacked some knowledge.

"Well, I guess you won't have that problem anymore now," Greldo said. "With an uncommon card, you should grow stronger really fast, at least until you are more normal."

Yeah. Normal, Irwin thought, happy and sad at the same time. He glimpsed across Greldo's thin, malnourished frame and almost commented on it before deciding against it.

He kept looking down the hallway, but there still wasn't any sign of any of the Imps.

"So, cards?" he asked.

"There are common cards that can Inspect other cards. They aren't all that hard to find in the larger places and near the coast and wall, but apparently, there is only one in Malorin," Greldo said. "You are lucky. Otherwise, you'd never have gotten that card because someone would have found out about it."

You don't know the half of it, Irwin thought, suddenly worried.

What if someone in the tower had an inspection card and used it on him? He'd have to explain how he got the card, only to find out that his mother might be right! He shivered as he thought about how the sorcerers had acted so far. They did seem like the type to attempt killing someone for the off-chance his card would drop. Whatever he did, he had to keep out of the way of others and give them no reason to Inspect him.

"So, what does yours do?" he asked.

"Xourdin said it's called Strong Grip," Greldo whispered, holding out his hand. A thin tattoo of a clasped fist stood on the back, a bit of wood sticking out from each side. "I can grip something, activate it, and it will be almost impossible to remove it from my hand."

"That's how you held onto that Imp?" Irwin asked, staring at the card dubiously. It was a physical card, so it likely gave some temporary strength enhancement, but he instantly recognized the problems with Greldo's card. It meant he had to get close, which was dangerous.

"I know what you're thinking! But I didn't just pick it for its ability. Because it's a physical card, it will slowly increase my hand and arm strength. Xourdin said lots of people along the wall have it and use it to throw stones so hard they can kill common demons!"

Irwin barely held back a whistle. "That's awesome. Can you do that already?"

Greldo's shoulders and smile dropped as one. "No… it takes at least a year before my arms become strong enough to notice any difference, and four before I'm strong enough to throw like that."

"Well, it's still not a useless card," Irwin said, meaning it. If they could stay alive, the card would always help Greldo out, even with simple things like climbing. And if they ever made it back, he could work with a baker.

"Yeah, but that won't help us now," Greldo said as he looked at the tunnel.

The giggling and laughter hadn't stopped since they got here.

"So, now what?" Greldo asked.

Irwin licked his lips again, feeling the cuts and cracks with his tongue. He tried to come up with something, but all he could think was that they were doomed. The best they could try was to kill a few of the Imps. Maybe they could ambush them?

As if to punish his thoughts, two imps moved around the corner, dragging something behind them, giggling insanely.

Irwin ducked behind the corner and pulled Greldo along. There was no scream or shout, and the giggling continued.

I wish I had that dagger, he thought, his fist clenching around the club. Somehow, it felt way less dangerous than the dagger had.

The image of the Imp dying played through his mind, then followed by the other, who had crumbled after he'd jabbed it with his flame…

The flame! How could he have forgotten about that? He'd just mentioned it!

Irwin pulled Greldo closer, his ear next to his lips. "I can kill one with the flame. Can you hold the other so it can't draw its dagger?"

Greldo's eyes widened, and he nodded.

By now, the giggling, footsteps, and dragging sound was almost at the door opening, and Irwin held his breath, readying his card. Time seemed to turn to a crawl as a foot appeared, followed by a leg, then upper body. As soon as he saw an arm, he summoned his flame and jabbed it at the red flesh less than an arm's length away.

The Imp had time for a surprised yelp, then the flame touched his shoulder, and red skin blackened and cracked instantly while the Imp froze, face warped in angry panic.

Greldo jumped around it and out of Irwin's sight.

"More play thingssss," a happy, drawn-out voice said, ending in a strangled and surprised gasp.

Irwin barely registered any of it. He was far too focused on the first Imp, which was turning into flaky blocks that turned to ash as they fell to the ground. Within three counts, the Imp was gone, only a dagger dropping on the ground. The flame, which had been the same size as it had been before, grew twice as long, and making sure not to touch himself, Irwin stepped forward. Greldo and the other Imp were wrestling atop a burly green body in the tunnel.

"Hurry," Greldo whispered, panic in his voice as the Imp pulled his arms wide and tried to bite at his face.

Irwin pressed the flame against the Imp's back, and it froze as a dark spot appeared where the flame touched it, continuing to spread across its back. Three seconds later, it turned to clumps of soot that fell on Greldo. With closed eyes and his face turned away, his friend was unable to block any of it.

The flame on Irwin's finger grew again, now as long as his hand and radiating a gentle and soothing heat.

"Disgusting," Greldo whispered as he wiped his face while crawling back into the room.

Irwin was about to follow him when he saw a dagger. He grabbed it and, after a quick search, a second one before following Greldo into the room. He slumped beside his friend, back against the wall, out of sight of the tunnel, drawing in gasps.

"We did it," Greldo whispered, swallowing oddly.

"Yeah," Irwin replied, still clutching the daggers.

They had done it! They had killed two Imps without getting hurt while using their cards. Raising his hand, he stared at the thin, barely visible outline of his card tattoo. What kind of card was this? He had darkvision, a flame that could almost instantly kill Imps, and resistance to their burning blood!

After he regained his breath and senses, he handed one of the daggers to Greldo.

Greldo took it without hesitation, gave it a quick look, then looked at him. "What just happened!? I've never heard of Imps being vulnerable to fire!" he said, looking at Irwin's hand before coughing dully.

"I have no idea," Irwin said truthfully. Then he noticed blood dripping down Greldo's side into a quickly spreading pool. "You are injured!" he hissed as he turned and inspected his friend.

"It's fine, it's fine," Greldo muttered, waving him off weakly. "It doesn't matter- I'll.. I'll just reappear back there in a minute. Besides, this is a lot less painful than some other options."

Though his words sounded tough, Irwin could see the primal fear in Greldo's eyes, which didn't meet his but kept drifting around as he tightly clutched the dagger.

If he dies, I'll be here alone, Irwin thought, feeling the blood drain from his face. The idea of being here by himself terrified him.

"I'll try and convince Jonathan to send the others through," Greldo said as blood began leaking from between his lips, and his eyes stared at something, unfocused. "This is so weird... I wonder if this is how it really is."

His breathing turned shallow, and his eyes flickered to Irwin. "See you soon," he whispered, followed by a long hiss.

As Greldo's now dead body slumped sideways, Irwin automatically put his hand on Greldo's shoulder and lay him down. His mind was empty, and at the same time, he felt something build up inside of him. Panic. This meant he had to go into that hallway on his own. To be killed. Alone.

Maybe if I stay here long enough, Jonathan will come to get me? Irwin thought as he licked his dry lips again, trying to stifle the rapidly growing panic. Deep down, he knew Jonathan wouldn't come, but he just wasn't ready to accept that yet.

Seconds turned to minutes, and as time passed, his fear grew with it. At one point, he found himself dully staring at the wall, no longer counting. How long had he been sitting here? The last thing he remembered was counting to a thousand, but he knew that had been a good while back. His lips were so dry that blood had started dribbling over his chin, which he kept licking up.

I can't stay here, he thought, looking around dully. I can't stay here! he thought with more force, willing himself to move.

Greldo's body lay beside him, the dagger clasped in his hand. Deciding two was better than one, Irwin tried to pry the dagger from the dead boy's grip, but it was lodged tight.

I'll have to tell him that his grip remains after death, he thought listlessly before getting up. Staring at the doorway, he took a deep breath, then snuck a peak. The hallway was empty, safe for the green body, and before he could change his mind, he stepped forward.

The large green body lay there, and he frowned as he looked at it. It looked vaguely humanoid but even more muscular than Smith Randal, and it had an oddly square face. Long, ragged cuts, dark green, almost black bruises, and burn marks covered the being's body, while its face was pulled back in a horrifying grimace. Irwin knew he should probably feel something from looking at this, but he just stared at it, wondering if the thing was another demon. If it was, he'd never seen it before.

The laughter and giggling hadn't stopped for a moment, and as he stood there, a chorus of voices echoed through the hallway. He couldn't understand what they were singing, but it sounded almost like counting.

Steeling himself, he moved forward, dagger in his right hand while readying his spell in his left. He didn't know what the flame would do to the dagger he was holding, but he could always throw it if he had to.

Perhaps if they think I'm dangerous enough, they will kill me fast.

Halfway down the hallway, the temperature continued to rise, but he didn't really mind. It felt gentle and safe.

When he reached the first side entrance, oddly positioned at knee height, he took a deep breath and quickly peeked inside. A tunnel curved away to the right, and a bright orange light sat at the end.

Hadn't some Imps come from there before? He looked back down the main hall, listening to the dozens of voices. He shivered and climbed into the smaller side entrance, which was still high enough for him to stand, and walked inside. Thin fissures crossed its side, the red and orange glow lighting up the path forward. As he passed one, he saw that the fissures were slits into another area, and there was something bright red or orange streaming down a distant wall.

Molten metal? he thought.

It looked like the stuff the smith had shown the day they were allowed to watch him make a hoe. This seemed to have stone and grit in it, so maybe something else? After a few moments, he continued on.

At the end of the tunnel, he crept the last bit until he could see around the corner. Holding his breath, he slowly took a peek.

Three towering stone pillars sat in the middle of a massive cavern. They were illuminated by more of the brilliant molten rock that fell from a hole high in the ceiling. Stone bridges connected the stone pillars, and there were chaotic patches of buildings attached to their sides.

The figures of imps moved around everywhere. A ledge sat before the tunnel entrance that led to a long stone bridge with crumbled edges.

Perhaps the other way, Irwin thought as he pulled back and turned around.

An imp was two steps away, dagger raised as it snuck forward with a gleeful smile on its almost triangular, sharp-chinned face.

Irwin reacted without thinking, dropping the dagger, stepping forward, focusing on his flame, and stabbing at the Imp with his finger. The tiny red figure yelped and tried to dodge, but Irwin's finger struck him on a flailing arm, the flame on its tip burning into the flesh.

"Nooo-," the Imp screamed, then his voice was cut short as his body cramped up and started turning to dust.

Far away, the giggling and laughter stopped, and from behind him, Irwin heard shouting. He didn't dare run yet, as the Imp wasn't dead, but as soon as it began turning to soot, he stepped away.

Back or into the cavern… he didn't know! Gritting his teeth, he took a step back in the tunnel he'd come from when he heard running and incessant giggling from that direction. Fear growing rapidly, he kept his flame active, turned, and ran out into the cavern.

Dozens of imps were running his way across the bridge, and he looked for a way out. The ridge he was on moved further to the left, looping around the cavern and heading down. Barely feeling his protesting body or his legs, he ran that way, dagger in one hand and flame hovering above the other. He didn't notice that when he'd clenched his hand into a fist, the flame had begun hovering above it instead of through his hand. The ridge was strewn with rocks and grit, and his feet kept sliding.

"Ruuuuun, ruuuuun," a high-pitched voice screamed from behind him. He took a quick look, and his eyes widened. Six or seven Imps, far too many, had reached the end of the bridge and were chasing him, closing in as they giggled, eyes gleaming.

Ahead, the ridge angled down sharply, but he didn't dare slow down; instead, he sped up. As he reached the downslope, his feet skidded forward, and he fell back, sliding down in a rain of stone dust and pebbles.

Far below, the ridge narrowed, and he saw a lake of molten rock beside it, the heat warping the air. Within a moment, his slide turned into an out of control plummet, scratching open his hands and snapping fingernails.

Not over the edge, not over- he reached the even, narrow bit, scrambling to stay to the side… and failed.

He felt his body drop towards the hellish inferno a dozen feet below while an insane crackle came from behind. As he spun in the air, he saw a dozen Imps laugh at the top of the slope, some pointing at him in glee.

The air went from hot to scalding to burning, and the few breaths he managed burned his lungs. Then he fell into a chunky, blubbery mess, and a momentary pain flared from his back and legs, then disappeared. He smelled burning meat, then didn't smell anything as he slid into the thick mass that felt like the mud on the sides of the road near the gates. Each inch of his body that slid in hurt for a moment then stopped, and a blackness encroached from the sides of his vision. The last thing he heard was a surprised shout from one of the Imps before the world turned dark.

The next thing he felt was the cold tiles on his back as he was ejected out of the portal and slid away from it. A pair of well-crafted brown leather boots stepped up to him, and as he looked up, he saw Jonathan look at him curiously.

"Well, well. I'd planned to teach you to listen to me instead of talking back, but who would have thought that you would last this long? Interesting.."

Chapter 10: Practice makes perfect

Ten minutes after he'd been burned alive, Irwin stepped back through the portal. He appeared in the same tiny cave-like room that he'd been in the previous times.

His mind was spinning from what had happened and the intensity with which Jonathan had looked at him. Oddly, it had remained at a piercing look. After his initial remarks, the sorcerer said nothing but told him to sit down and rest.

A ten-minute break. Why do I feel like that wasn't because he felt bad? Irwin thought acidly.

He stepped next to the entrance. This was not the time to be zoning out.

Greldo was staring at him from the other side, seemingly biting his tongue to avoid asking questions.

A few seconds later, the other four joined them, Taselina glaring at all of them as if it was their fault she'd been tossed through the portal by Jonathan.

"Be quiet," Irwin whispered, looking at the others but mostly hoping Taselina would remain still.

"I'm not the stupid one here," Taselina hissed as she moved to the other side of the door, glaring at him. She was holding a long staff she'd grabbed before they entered.

Are you implying I'm stupid? Irwin thought. He had no idea what to say, but luckily, he didn't have to.

The giggling and laughter shot up a bit, drawing Taselina's attention. She spun around, glaring at the hallway, color draining from her face, and she began shivering.

"What are those?" she whispered.

"Imps," Greldo snapped, turning to her with a sudden angry look. "The things that just killed Irwin and me for the second time because you keep acting like that!"

Greldo's voice rose up in pitch, and Irwin and Olban jumped forward to try to stop him.

They were too late. Like a horrible nightmare that kept repeating, the Imp's laughter stopped.

A step from his friend, Irwin stared at Greldo in horror, who was looking at the hallway, wide-eyed and pale as a sheet. He was whispering something, but it was so soft Irwin couldn't hear it.

A soft cackle came from far away, promising pain and torment.

For a second, Irwin felt his mind go blank as the image of getting brutally murdered appeared in his mind, and then something deep inside him rebelled. Instead of becoming terrified, a wave of anger flooded up from deep within him.

With it came a rapid stream of disjointed thoughts.

Why was this happening to him? Why couldn't he just be with his mum and brother? He finally had a card, which might be much better than he ever thought he'd get! He just needed some time to practice, to learn... Did they think he was just going to take this?

With each question, his anger boiled more, and with the final question, he snapped. He stepped forward and pulled Greldo with him.

"This way," he whispered, running into the hallway.

"Are you crazy? Where are-"

Irwin ignored the complaints and rushed forward, trying to make as little sound as he could.

Greldo followed him to the side hallway he'd entered the previous time. A look behind showed everyone, including Taselina, running after him. Irwin didn't know what to think of that. He turned and hid inside the tunnel. He didn't want to run into the large cavern beyond, so that left one other place to go. They had to find out where those other imps were coming from, and he didn't want to get ambushed in a room with no exit.

As a plan grew, he turned to Daubutim.

"Summon your club and get ready. A few Imps will walk past us, and we are going to jump them," he whispered before looking at Greldo. "Greldo, grab one so I can burn it."

Both boys nodded, eyes wide and fearful but not yet panicking. He turned to the others and swallowed, words spilling out as they came up.

"First time there were three, last time two. I don't know how many there are now, but you will have to hold back the others until we can come help," he rattled.

Twintin was huddled against the side, shivering. One look told him she wasn't going to be of any use. Taselina, however, was glaring at him with blazing eyes that barely managed to hide her resentment at him for being there. Not that he had any idea why she blamed him.

"Do you have a useful card?" he whispered.

Before Taselina could answer, quiet footsteps came from the main corridor.

Irwin swallowed but kept staring at Taselina, willing the brown-haired girl to tell them she had some really great card.

Taselina growled softly. For a moment, she seemed ready to snap at him. Then she nodded, raising her hands and looking at the hallway.

Let's hope she isn't lying, Irwin thought as he focused on himself.

The feet came closer and closer, and then two Imps appeared, sneaking forward.

Daubutim was the first to move, jumping at the back one, his carded hand flashing as he summoned his club. Greldo wasn't much slower, jumping the other one. He had a club in one hand, one hand stretched out.

Irwin didn't wait but summoned his flame and rushed after Greldo, hoping Daubutim could hold out for a moment. As he appeared in the hallway, he saw a third Imp behind the others.

"Get that one," he hissed, hoping the others would be up to the task.

Then he focused on Greldo, who barely managed to block a dagger thrust. He had clutched the startled Imp's arm. Irwin didn't even wait but slammed his fist, flame hovering above his knuckles, into the Imp's exposed arm.

"Eeeee-" the Imp squealed, then froze.

Stupid, why did you have to scream, Irwin thought as he looked around while his flame finished the Imp. He needed to figure out how long he had to hit one of them, but now wasn't the time.

Daubutim was flicking his club around deftly, easily holding back the Imp and surprising Irwin immensely with his proficiency. But what really made him gasp was Taselina. She had her arms outstretched, and two stone arms were protruding from the ground four steps away. They were as large as a small person and were mirroring her motions, strangling an Imp that was desperately kicking at the ground below its feet and trying to get free.

That can't be a common card, can it? Irwin thought, feeling his skin crawl.

The Imp he was flaming fell apart, and he quickly jumped forward, jamming his now much longer flame at the Imp fighting Daubutim. This time, he aimed for the center of the back.

The Imp gasped, then froze without another sound. Daubutim's eyes widened, and he hesitated, the club raised before stepping back. It took only a few moments for the Imp to slide to the ground, its body crumbling into black soot.

Irwin held Daubutim's eyes, and as he did, he noticed a very tiny flicker of intelligence, something he'd not seen before.

Daubutim nodded, then turned to the final Imp.

It was only twitching, and its eyes bulged out as it dangled from the stranglehold on its neck. Taselina let out a soft grunt, and the stone hands flexed. There was a dull crack, and the Imp's neck snapped. Immediately, it stopped resisting, its body dangling limply.

Taselina straightened, breathing raggedly, and the stone arms crumbled, causing the Imp to thud into the ground.

"Demons… what rank card is that?" Olban whispered.

Irwin wanted to know, too, but he knew there was no time for that. He stepped forward and tried to drag the Imp into the side entrance. It felt like the time he tried lifting a bag of potatoes, impossible with his undersized physique.

"Quick, get it out of view," he whispered as he grabbed the two daggers from his own kills. He hesitated for a moment, then handed one to Olban and the other to Greldo. Both immediately dropped their simple wooden weapons, more than happy with the cold steel.

Daubutim quickly pulled the dead Imp away while Irwin kicked at the soot, trying to spread it as evenly as possible. A few moments later, they were huddled together in the narrow tunnel.

"What card is that?" Olban whispered as he stared at Taselina.

She glared at him and didn't answer.

"Doesn't matter now," Irwin said as he turned to Twintin, still shivering. She hadn't moved from the tunnel. "What kind of card do you have? Is there any way you can help?"

The tiny girl looked up, a far-off gaze in her eyes, and Irwin poked her shoulder. "Twintin, we have to know what we can all do!" Irwin hissed. "Jonathan, he isn't just going to let us stay out of this. He will-"

"We died," Twintin mumbled as she looked up at him.

"Yes…" Irwin said as he tried to push away the horrible memories the two words brought up. "And we will die again if we don't learn how to fight back. If this is an example of what a real portal is..."

He let his words hang, his mind spinning as he thought of something that should have been obvious before.

"There has to be a linchpin! Perhaps if we find it and finish this training, we will have shown them what we are capable of, and we can rest?"

"For how long?" Olban whispered, and Irwin saw tears well up in the fat boy's eyes. "In a few weeks, we have to do this for real! If we die then, we won't just wake up!"

"That means we just have to become stronger," Greldo said, glancing at them from the tunnel entrance. "We just killed three Imps easily, without planning, and with weapons we barely know how to use! We have a little time now- that first Imp shouted, but there's none running here yet like before. We should…" he frowned, seeming uncertain.

"Find the linchpin," Irwin added quickly, getting a grateful nod from Greldo. "If you three," he waved at Greldo, Taselina, and Daubutim, "can distract them or hold them, I can finish them."

The others looked at him, but only Greldo and Daubutim nodded. Taselina and Twintin were staring at him, one angry and the other with dull eyes. Irwin focused on Twintin, who was still shivering.

"What card do you have?" Irwin asked softly.

"Waterdrop," Twintin whispered softly, a look of despair on her face." I can summon four drops of water."

Useless, Irwin thought. It was even worse than his card had seemed initially. Although only barely, he knew.

Still, he kept quiet, merely smiling at her sadly. It wasn't an unusual card, though he'd never heard of someone who could only summon four drops. Most of the time, it was two or three cups full.

He looked at the dead Imp, searching and finding another dagger clutched in its hand. As he moved over to grab it, he remembered something. Didn't the previous group have one with a whip? He looked around but didn't see it.

Perhaps the portal wasn't always the same?

He handed the dagger to Twintin, who looked at it with wide-eyed fear, only reluctantly accepting.

"Hide behind the others and wait for an opening to stab those Imps," he said.

Twintin's lips shivered, but she nodded.

Irwin hoped she wasn't going to hurt herself as he turned to the others. Seeing them all look at him, he felt another kind of fear grow, but he squashed it resolutely. There was no time for that now.

"Behind us is a large cavern with hundreds of Imps," he said. "We should go to the other end of the tunnel and see if that is safer."

Taselina seemed ready to object, but Daubutim nodded, raised his club and wooden shield, and stepped out of the tunnel. Irwin followed him, Greldo close behind. A few steps in, he was glad to see everyone else follow them, though Taselina was sporting a scowl.

In the distance, the end of the tunnel loomed, and from it came giggling, howling, and laughter.

Irwin licked his lips, steeling himself. I wonder how long till we die again. The thought came unbidden, and he shivered.

--

A short while later, he stood with his back against a wall, breathing raggedly, one hand clasped around the dagger protruding from his stomach. Pain was blossoming from it while his vision slowly faded from the edges.

"Not… too… bad," he gasped at Olban, who was leaning against the same wall, eyes closed.

A semi-circle of Imps stood around them, slowly closing in. He barely saw the dead and mutilated bodies of Greldo, Daubutim, and the others behind them.

"We are going to have funnnn with you," one of the Imps said gleefully.

Irwin felt his body grow cold, and he grimaced as he put his second hand on the dagger. Whatever was going to happen, the prospect of being tortured to death was the worst outcome. With all that remained of his paltry strength, he pulled out the dagger, and a stream of hot blood poured down his stomach and legs. The imps screeched and rushed forward as he slumped on the ground. Hands grabbed, prodding, but all he could think was that he was incredibly happy to see the entire world turn dark.

The cold floor on his back was the first thing he felt as he woke. It was a blessing, as was Jonathan's hateful voice because it meant he wouldn't be cut up by murderous Imps.

"Not too bad. You got a lot further this time," Jonathan said, hands folded before his chest, thumps tapping thoughtfully.

How does he know that?

Irwin felt a sudden fear that the sorcerer could see and hear everything. He looked up to see Jonathan stare at the symbol above the door, and as he followed his gaze, he saw a tiny part of it glowing a dull white. A moment later, it flickered, and Olban was ejected out, tumbling forward and onto the ground, where he lay in an unmoving heap. Only his chest showed he was still alive.

Wait, he was still alive back then? Irwin thought, and he shuddered. Had the Imps gotten to him?

"You have ten minutes of rest, and now that you have at least some idea of what to do, I suggest you plan ahead," Jonathan said as he crossed his arms.

Irwin rolled over and saw Greldo sitting with his back against the wall, eyes closed, seemingly sleeping. He crawled next to him and wondered if he should wake his friend.

Footsteps echoed through one of the square stone hallways, and he looked up to see three guards and a tall woman in a metal-plated leather robe walk toward them. Her eyes were a brilliant and stunning topaz and focused on Taselina. A small, surly-looking freckled girl with a bruise on her eye walked between the three guards.

"Lady Yrinta," Jonathan said, suddenly standing up straighter and staring at the woman. "How can I-"

"Quiet," the woman snapped as she stepped before Taselina. "You, hold out your hand. If you resist, I'll just knock you unconscious."

Taselina's eyes narrowed, and she jabbed out her hand aggressively. The woman took it, and the back of her hand began glowing. For a moment, nothing happened, then a tiny glowing parchment with letters appeared above Taselina's rune. Irwin got up and tried to get a look, but one of the guards stepped forward, blocking his view.

"As I thought, a rare card, and a very good one at that," Yrinta hissed as she glared at Taselina. "I don't know how you managed to trick us or the portal, but you are coming with us. Fool. What would you have done if you had died in your first portal?"

Irwin barely heard her as his attention entirely focused on Yrinta. If she scanned him, she was going to find out that his card was different! Would she... take him away? And where to? Wait, what would happen if he died in a common portal with his card?

"I don't want to enter a-" Taselina began.

Lady Yrinta stepped forward and slapped her in the face.

"I don't care what you want! You could have gotten yourself and five others killed! Now come with me. You are going to the next tower."

Killed? Irwin thought as he shivered. He felt Greldo move next to him, but he didn't say anything.

As Taselina stared at her in shock, a hand on her face, Lady Yrinta beckoned the guards. Both men grabbed Taselina, none too gently.

Jonathan had turned a sickly green as he stared at Taselina. As she was pulled away, Lady Yrinta turned to him, and he swallowed nervously.

"Jonathan, I’ve brought you another common-carded. She was one of the few survivors of last week and will fill out this group."

“Thank you, Lady Yrinta!”

The woman looked at Jonathan for a few moments, then turned to the portal door. Her eyes widened slightly, and Irwin wondered what she saw. There was nothing but the door and the carvings etched in the top of the doorframe.

Lady Yrinta turned around, staring at him and the others. Her face softened as she looked at Twintin, but it returned to its previous coldness when she continued to inspect the others.

When her cold eyes bored into his, Irwin felt like it lasted forever. In reality, it was barely a second before she turned and walked away.

Should I say something? Irwin wondered as he saw her walk away.

But what if she was going to bring Taselina to a class that had to go into more difficult portals? Worse, he'd have to leave Greldo, the only person here he knew. Setting his jaw, he remained where he was. He'd figure out what to do later.

The final guard pushed the freckled girl forward. "Good luck. I hope they do better than they look," he whispered, tossing the girl a sad smile.

She grimaced and nodded before turning to the others. As her gaze passed over the group, Irwin saw her eyebrows shoot up when she saw Daubutim before turning dull and filled with despair when she saw him and Greldo.

"And Jonathan?"

Irwin felt his blood freeze as he looked up. Lady Yrinta was standing in the hallway, staring at them. He was sure he'd seen her walk away! Had she turned back?

She was gazing at Jonathan, who had turned deadly pale.

"If they show they have reached the maximum of their abilities, bring them back to their rooms! Uxin'Tar is no longer the head sorcerer. We need confident sorcerers, not frightened common-handed. Try to remember this?"

Irwin felt hope grow. So if they could show they had reached as far as they could, they could stop!?

"Yes, Lady Yrinta," Jonathan croaked.

"Good. I'll be paying closer attention to you from now on. If I find you are using his teaching methods, you will return to closing portals… alone."

Jonathan stumbled, then straightened and glared at the ground, his left eye twitching and his lips turning back in a snarl. It lasted for only a moment before he took a deep breath, and his face turned placid.

"Understood," he said, his voice barely a whimper.

"What are you gawking at?" he said, turning to glare at them. "You get thirty minutes to plan and rest, then back in," he said, not looking at the group.

Thirty? Irwin thought, but he held his tongue.

He had no idea what was going on in the towers, but it was obvious they hadn't exactly gotten the best of the instructors. Still, they would need to find a way to give Jonathan the feeling they had reached the best they could so he would allow them back to their room.

The new girl moved towards them, looking straight at Daubutim. "How many times have you been in so far?" she whispered.

"Two times," Daubutim said, his voice dull as he looked back.

"They went in three times," Twintin piped as she pointed at Irwin and Greldo.

The girl's eyes widened in confusion. "Alone? Why?"

"Never mind that," Irwin said, too tired to explain. "I'm Irwin. These are Greldo, Twintin, Daubutim, and Olban. Can you tell us your name and what your card does?"

The girl nodded, and instead of speaking, her hand flashed, and a large metallic buckler appeared on her left arm. It was obviously of better quality than the wooden shield Daubutim was holding and better than any other weapons they had.

"I'm Rachel," she said proudly.

"So you've entered a practice portal?" Greldo asked, his eyes running over her shield.

Rachel's face fell, and she stared at the ground as her eyes unfocused. "Yeah…" she whispered. "Two weeks of training was barely enough, and when we came out, the tower was... was..."

She didn't say anything else, but a few tears ran down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away.

That must have been when those demons came here, Irwin thought curiously.

It was evident that Rachel wasn't interested in talking about it, though, and he leaned back, closing his eyes. They needed a plan. Something.

Sadly, between being tired and stressed, thirty minutes passed by almost unnoticed.

Far too soon, Jonathan grunted and walked back to them from where he had been brooding near the corridor entrance.

Irwin looked at the sorcerer, this time not as panicky as he'd been the first three times. Odd, but the prospect of dying seemed less scary- was he going crazy?

"In with you!" Jonathan snapped. He seemed to have regained his self-control and, with it, a temper.

Irwin sighed and got up, looking around at the others. He noticed a surprised glance from Rachel, which he ignored. Without waiting, he stepped forward and through the portal.

The cave was empty again. All the traces of battle, the soot, and the blood were gone. A minute later, the others entered, and he turned to them, stepping away from the entrance and beckoning them towards him.

"Listen, I've thought of a few things," he whispered.

He saw that Greldo and Daubutim were the only two who seemed interested. Twintin still seemed terrified while Olban stood near the wall, seemingly zoning out. Rachel was looking around uncertainly, before focusing on him.

Good enough, he decided.

“You all heard what Lady Yrinta said. If we can prove we reached our limit, we can stop.”

“You think Jonathan is ever going to believe that?” Olban muttered.

“I don’t know, but it's worth a try,” Irwin said before quickly continuing."We need time to think and rest. The second time I was here, after killing two Imps that came dragging some monstrous being, I was in this room for over an hour, and nothing happened. Let's wait here, kill those imps. After that, we have more than an hour to rest and-"

"What do you mean, an hour?" Greldo whispered as he shook his head. "I died just before you, and you came out maybe a minute after me!"

Irwin blinked and shook his head. "After you died, I was in here for over an hour, then snuck out and went to the large cavernous room. I'm sure of it!"

"It makes sense," Olban whispered, and they turned to him. His hands were wringing, but Irwin saw a tiny bit of light in his eyes.

"I mean, didn't it appear odd to you that we all kept popping up soon after each other, and Jonathan kept saying we have an hour less? Perhaps… Perhaps if we enter here, no matter how long, only an hour passes?"

Rachel sighed as she waved for their attention. "He is right. I still can't believe they sent you in here without any schooling or explanation! If this is an improvement of the other one, I can't even believe how bad that was," she muttered, shaking her head.

After a second, she looked back up with a sigh. "Anyway, these training portals always take an hour, even if you only remain for a minute, and they will always reset when you enter."

Everyone stared at her in wonder. "So… what? Can we stay here forever?"

Rachel smiled, such a wondrous sight that Irwin gaped at her, and she shook her head.

"No, just a day, and you can only enter each training room eight times per two weeks.”

Eight times? Irwin thought with a frown. Was that why they were to go in all the time now? After that, they would need two weeks of practice before they could go in again.

“Also, if you get more cards or better cards, you can't enter these easy-" Rachel blinked as Twintin cursed, then continued as if nothing had happened. "- these easy training rooms again."

Easy? Irwin thought. So there were hard ones?

"We can get cards here?" Greldo hissed.

"Quiet," Olban whispered, all color drained from his face. Even then, he was staring at Rachel just like they were.

"I'd heard rumors about Jonathan," Rachel whispered. "But that he didn't even tell you this... No, you don’t get cards from monsters in here. But each person that survives finding and closing one gets a card. If you are the first to close a portal you get to pick the one you want, but that never happens. I think they just tell us that to get us excited."

"Great, then we could just hide for a day?" Greldo asked, and Irwin saw a calculating look replacing his previous suppressed fear as he turned to look at him. "How long did we wait here before those first two came?"

"Not very long," Irwin said. "A few minutes?"

"Alright, let's set up an ambush. We should be fine against two Imps," Greldo said, raising his wooden club with a grin. “After that we can rest and try to come up with a plan on how to kill as many of those things without dying.”

Nobody responded, but they all hid out of sight.

A few minutes later, they heard the Imps approach. Hidden from view, they waited for them to step into the room before jumping them. Irwin and Greldo took out one, while Daubutim managed to crack one's skull before it could even be surprised.

So easy, Irwin thought as he looked at the bodies of the Imp.

Had it really been only hours before when he'd almost pissed himself from seeing one of these things and imagining having to fight it? He knew part of it was because they had the jump, but even then, he was slightly awed by the change.

"Right… let's rest for an hour and try to come up with a plan on how to not get killed again," he said, sitting down and leaning his back against the wall. His legs were cramped up, and he rubbed them while the others divided the daggers.

I wonder how we will do this time, Irwin thought as he closed his eyes and wished he could sleep for a day.

Perhaps they would be lucky, and the Imps wouldn't return for half a day. Either way, he needed to rest and, after that, figure out how to use his flame. It grew each time he killed an Imp but reset if he unsummoned it. There was something up with that... and he had the feeling he needed to figure that out before going into a real portal.

But first, rest.

Chapter 11: Rinse and repeat

Consciousness returned slowly to Irwin, starting with a rock poking in his shoulder and a slight pain in his back from how he lay, half propped up. Something was wrong. He'd slept! And not just for a few minutes or even an hour.

His mind cleared up, and despite the fact that he'd been lying on the rough ground, he felt much better than before. Not great by any means, but better. Besides the pain in his back and soreness in his arms and legs, his lips were parched. He should probably be afraid and worried about Imps, but the calm, whispering voices nearby showed nothing was wrong.

The faint sulfurous stink of Imps still hung everywhere, so they were still inside, and he considered getting up. Then the conversation registered, and he pretended to be asleep a little longer.

"No, I told you five minutes ago, let him sleep until he wakes. As long as no Imps come, we are fine here. There is no reason to rush this."

Greldo sounds exasperated, Irwin thought, curious to see who had asked. He tried to recall, but he hadn't been paying attention before.

"How can he even sleep in this horrible heat? He's even lying a few feet from one of those stupid cracks! Are we sure he isn't, like, unconscious?" Olban replied, sounding annoyed.

"I checked an hour ago, and he was fine. A bit hot, but that's no surprise," Twintin whispered.

Wait, she touched me while I slept? Irwin thought.

He must have been exhausted or perhaps partially unconscious? Usually, he would wake up if someone even entered his room, let alone touched him.

"But… we've been here for a really long time," Olban whined again, his whispered voice rising and falling. "Just because those Imps didn't come when he said, doesn't mean they won't come soon! We need to plan what to do, someplace to hide!"

There was no response, but Irwin didn't move. He had no good answer, but he agreed, though not with the hiding part. He thought about what Lady Yrinta had said. If they showed they had reached their limit, they were to be sent back to their room. Though trying to kill more imps and search for the Linchpin was one way of dying, finding a place to hide this time and after that another five or six times was barely any less dangerous.

As he let his mind wander, he felt the memories of dying trying to resurface and draw him in. He quickly pushed them down, not interested in spending whatever little time he had to deal with those now.

Perhaps 'never' would be a fine time for that.

Willing himself to relax, he focused on the other stuff that had happened. Now that he wasn't under constant threat, he noticed a few things. First, his flame didn't need to be on his finger, and it grew from killing those Imps. Second, those Imps had seemed incredibly sure that the fire wouldn't harm them, but instead, the flame easily killed them, seeming to dissolve or eat them.

Besides that, based on how much damage the others had gotten from it, the Imp blood was either hot or toxic. He, however, had felt nothing. Was that another benefit of his card? If it was, how many benefits did it have?

I wonder how large the flame can become, he thought. If it could become large enough for him to use as a spear, he could kill the Imps with far less risk of getting hurt.

As he lay on the ground, a plan began forming in his mind, and finally, when it crystallized, he knew it was time. Taking a deep breath, he got up, looking around. The others were lying away from the single exit while Greldo sat near it, peeking outside.

"Finally awake?" Olban whispered, wiping his gleaming, sweaty head. "How can you sleep in this heat?"

Irwin ignored him and looked at Greldo. "Did you sleep? How long was I out?"

"I did, and I have no idea. Shorter than a day, that's for sure."

"No Imps came?"

"They kept walking in and out of that side entrance, but none came here yet. I don't think we will stay this lucky, though."

"Alright, then, I think it's time to come up with a plan that will let us kill as many Imps as we can without dying."

There was a scared gasp from Twintin, and Rachel put a hand on her, smiling reassuringly.

"And how do you propose we do that?" Olban asked.

Irwin swallowed as he saw the others looking at him expectantly -hard with a mouth dry as dust- before laying out his plan.

"We search the tunnels and find a chamber that doesn't end in a dead-end, like this one. There has to be one, with so many paths in that maze," he said, pointing at the tunnel. "When we find one, we go inside and make enough noise to attract some Imps. We ambush them, grab their weapons, and hide in another tunnel so we don't get cornered. If a few come to see, we kill those. If there are too many, we remain in hiding or move further away until we get clear."

"Simple, yet effective," Greldo said. "I like it."

Olban seemed hesitant, but neither Rachel nor Twintin seemed to mind.

So, with nobody against it, they headed into the main tunnel, scouting the dozen or so tunnels leading away from it.

Eventually, tired and hungry, they found themselves huddled in one of the tunnels.

Over half of the side tunnels led to simple caves like the one they had appeared in, but the one they were in now connected with others, creating a winding maze with only a few tunnels leading to dead ends. Two of those ended up in the massive cavern Irwin had seen during his second time here, but there were enough routes that it made for an excellent place to flee.

"Alright, ready?" Irwin said, looking around, hoping someone else would offer to shout. Nobody did, so he crawled into their target tunnel, his legs heavy and painful.

This better not go wrong, he thought as he took a breath.

"Argh," he shouted, cringing at how stupid it sounded.

The giggling and laughter coming from the back of the tunnel stopped instantly, and Irwin swallowed, his throat dry like sand.

It took almost a minute before three Imps snuck around the corner. As soon as they saw him hanging out at the end, they stopped, eyes wide.

Irwin faked being stunned, which proved way too easy, and turned around, heading back into the room. He raised three fingers at Greldo, who nodded.

He steeled himself and looked back around the corner to find the Imps halfway toward him. He must have made some noise because two of them snapped their yellow eyes on him, and he jerked his head back.

He jumped next to Greldo and held his breath as he heard the footsteps close in. Even though it was his plan, and he'd killed a half dozen of the Imps by now, he still felt his heart skip a beat when the Imps giggled in an insane and high pitch.

"Don't hiiiiiide," one of them squealed.

Irwin didn't answer, but he saw Twintin shake like a leaf. The others looked nearly as scared, well, except for Daubutim, who was dully staring at the entrance, his carded club and his simple wooden shield raised.

As soon as one appeared, the tall youth stepped forward and smashed its head while everyone except for Twintin jumped on the others.

A minute later, Irwin stood, a hand-long flame above his clenched fist, staring at the three piles of ash and soot. They were all that was left of the Imps.

"We can do this," he whispered before looking at Greldo. "We can do this!" he said again, somewhat louder.

"Let's show these Imps what we are worth," Greldo added with a grin.

"If too many come, we are going to get swarmed," Rachel whispered. "Imps sometimes come in groups."

Irwin nodded, taking a deep breath and trying to calm himself.

"You are right. Let's wait a few minutes, then try again."

How long they continued their trick before the Imps realized what was happening was hard to tell, though Irwin guessed it was over an hour before a group of a dozen Imps began prowling the tunnels to find them.

Their group hid, moving from tunnel to tunnel until the Imps left again. The fact that Irwin had burned all of the bodies probably helped. By this time, he'd killed over a dozen Imps, and his flame had turned into a raging flame as long as his arm. The heat from it was intense, and the others couldn't remain within five feet of him, but one touch and an Imp turned to ash.

They repeated their trick four more times, and by the end, even Twintin had managed to get a kill, although it had come at the cost of a long laceration on her arm. Not that the rest had gotten away unharmed.

"I wonder how much longer we can stay here," Irwin whispered wearily.

He was sitting with his back against the wall, trying to catch his breath while holding his flame away from his body. It hovered above his hand, hungrily wafting around as if searching for something.

"It didn't grow again," Greldo said from a safe distance away, inspecting the flame.

Irwin nodded, slightly annoyed by the fact that the others were quietly standing there, waiting for him to catch his breath. Even Greldo, who was almost as scrawny as him, and Twintin seemed able to keep up. It was just him holding everyone up, like always.

"Give me a few more mo-" Irwin began as the world around him jolted, and he saw a flash of the room outside the portal before he slammed into the ground.

The flame on his hand was gone as he pushed himself up and looked around at the others. Only Greldo was on the ground. The rest had managed to retain their footing.

"So…" a soft voice said, and Irwin froze as he looked around to see Jonathan examine them one at a time.

"You," the sorcerer said as he pointed at Rachel, "must have some very good skills to keep them alive through an entire rotation this easily. You didn't find the Linchpin, but you managed to clear out a pretty sizable chunk of enemies. I'm impressed, though I guess it makes sense for someone who managed to survive where the rest of her group died."

Rachel was looking at him with wide eyes, but before she could say anything, Irwin coughed. He had wondered how to explain their success, and this had been one of the things he had come up with.

Jonathan suggesting it himself was an incredible stroke of luck.

"Yes, Jonathan, she is amazing. We couldn't have managed without her," he said, trying to sound as sincere as possible.

Rachel blinked, then shrugged, just looking at the ground. Irwin saw her ears turning red, and he had no idea why, but it was only helping their cause. Greldo and Olban quickly agreed. Jonathan was looking around, and Irwin feared he suspected something, so he cleared his throat.

"Jonathan, why don't we get hungry in there? We've been inside there for so many hours now," he asked.

He already knew the answer because Rachel had told them, but he hoped it would distract the sorcerer.

Jonathan turned to him and scowled. "I told you before. These rooms were created by crafters from the fifth tower. It's epic level or beyond!"

"Incredible," Irwin muttered, only half meaning it. He could see right away that Jonathan had no idea why they didn't need any food, but he wasn't going to call him out on it.

"Thanks," he said instead.

Jonathan just snorted. "You don't look one bit winded, but I'll give you ten more minutes of rest before you can go in again. You and you," he pointed at Irwin, then Greldo," have four more attempts, while the rest have five."

Nobody answered, but Jonathan didn't seem to care as he was nodding at the door with a sly smile.

He's planning something, Irwin thought, shivering at the thought of what Jonathan could be up to.

He quickly lowered to the ground, leaning against the wall beside Greldo. They sat quietly, resting and waiting until Jonathan had had enough and pointed at the portal. Irwin got up, faking reluctance. In reality, he was almost looking forward to seeing how far they could come without him sleeping away most of their time. The only worry he had -besides the risk of dying- was what Jonathan was up to.

I wonder if we can find the Linchpin, he thought. If they could do that, they would definitely be allowed back to their rooms.

To his surprise, the next attempt went roughly similar to the one before. The others were tired and afraid, so they spent most of their time resting. They did find out that Twintin had a knack for crawling around unseen and unheard, and although shivering in fear, she'd become the one to scout ahead to relieve Irwin and his lack of endurance.

They were sent in again almost right away, as Jonathan had seemed less impressed with them.

Irwin didn't really care. Although he wanted to find the Linchpin, the ease with which they were staying out of the Imp's hands made the others only interested in hiding. He couldn't blame them, and he wasn't that curious.

So, they went through the motions again, ending up with a lengthy rest in a well-hidden corner of the tunnel maze.

When they exited on that run, Jonathan had been frowning and asked why they hadn't made any progress compared to the previous attempt. They lied and said they were having a hard time finding the Linchpin. Jonathan hadn't cared and told them they had better show more progress, or he'd toss them in one at a time until they did. They were supposed to show what they were capable of, not waste time.

Although his words had come out harmless enough, the dangerous glare caused them to reevaluate. When they went in again, they tried harder, resting less and attempting to clear the Imps from the tunnel system.

Everything continued as effortlessly as it had the previous three attempts.

That was until they reached a large, torch-lit cave that seemed to indicate the end of the tunnel system.

"There's a dozen in there," Twintin whispered as she crawled back, her face pale as a sheet and tears running down her face. "And… and…" she wiped her face with her smeared sleeve. "They are cutting into two of those green demons. That's why they are laughing."

She knelt on the ground, tears running down her face as she hugged herself.

Irwin shared a worried look with Greldo while Rachel crouched beside the much smaller girl, stroking her hair and whispering soothing words.

"Did you see anything else? A bigger Imp, or something… something that could be the Linchpin?" Irwin asked lamely.

Twintin shook her head, tears still streaming down her face again, then she turned to Rachel, hugging her tight.

The bigger girl held her and looked at Irwin as if he'd done something wrong. Having no idea what, Irwin still mouthed sorry before turning to the others.

Daubutim was silently staring at him with his dull eyes, quietly waiting until someone would actively ask him something or tell him what to do. Irwin still couldn't get rid of the feeling that the boy was more than met the eye, but he hadn't caught him on anything yet. The best he had to go of was that he sometimes acted a little too quickly when Irwin asked something.

Olban was rolling his right shoulder, grimacing every so often, and seemingly totally uninterested in Twintin's plight. It had taken a few rests before he'd stopped brooding, but he had refused to answer any questions on what had happened when he'd been the last to return.

"This should be the final room, so if the Linchpin isn't here, we will have to go to the main chamber," Irwin said.

"I don't think it will be here," Olban piped, his voice cracking at the final word, and he scowled, trying to clear his throat.

"It would be too easy," he added as the others looked at him. "Think about it. Rachel has told us that initiates usually get a few weeks of introductions and training before they are allowed into one of these. Also, they normally don't force them inside at this breakneck pace. Normally, we would have had the time to think about what we had seen, plan for a day or more, and ask questions. Maybe look things up?"

"He's right," Greldo whispered with a sad sigh. "It sucks, but they need to replace a group of initiates with half a year of experience within days… it wouldn't surprise me if they are finding more children as we speak."

Irwin tried to imagine the sorcerers returning to the towns and cities to get more people and wondered how they would react. Would they agree? He couldn't imagine the people in Malorin accepting this, but what could they do? If the sorcerers sent their most powerful carded, they could simply take whomever they wanted.

"Do you think we are doing better than the others?" he asked, looking at Rachel.

She shrugged, stroking Twintin's hair. "I don't know. When I was in the other training portal, we never got this far. We got ambushed inside a swamp and killed within half an hour."

The others stared at her. She'd not said much about her time before, except for the lessons and the things she'd learned.

"I guess they weren't Imps?" Greldo said.

"No... something called Nyzir," Rachel said as she looked at the ground and shivered. "I didn't get a good look, but the books say they are pale, cold-blooded shadow beings."

"Lovely," Greldo muttered.

They were all lost in their own thoughts for a bit until the laughter coming from the room grew in intensity.

"Let's go clear that room," Irwin said as he shivered and raised his hand.

A maxed-out flame hovered above it, and he wished again that he could throw it, but no matter what he'd tried, it just didn't want to move from his hand.

He snuck towards the entrance, and a quick look inside showed Twintin had been right. Almost a dozen Imps stood around some racks in the middle of a room. Two green Demons, similar to the one he had seen before, were tied up, wads of some fabric stuffed in their mouth and dangling from chains. Imps walked around them, slicing into them with their daggers or beating them with the blunt end while laughing insanely.

"The left one has a testicle left," one of the Imps hissed.

The green Demon's eyes widened as he moaned through the cloth, and the Imps squealed in delight.

Irwin felt his skin grow cold, and he almost vomited, barely holding it back. Twelve Imps were more than they had attacked so far, but there was no option to leave them. It was obvious now that Jonathan wanted to see constant progress, and he was pretty sure that the threat of being thrown in here alone wasn't a joke. Even then, the image of himself strapped to one of those racks almost made him turn and run.

We can do this, he thought as he clenched his teeth.

They had killed a group of six Imps before without much trouble. Their plan should work in these narrow tunnels even if there were twice that many.

Irwin looked back and motioned the others to get ready, and as soon as everyone was in their positions, he licked his lips.

"Hey, leave him alone," he shouted before stepping back and running down the tunnel.

"Another one! Get it!" a voice piped behind him as the giggling stopped.

Irwin dashed around the corner, took two steps, and entered a narrow corridor. Daubutim and Rachel were waiting in a crevice opposite him, while Greldo and Olban were a bit further down the corridor. Twintin was hiding somewhere in the back.

Irwin waited as the footsteps rushed towards him. After some Imps ran past him without looking, he stabbed his flame at the nearest one. His flame nearly reached the other side of the corridor, and four Imps ran in before they could stop, turning to ash instantly.

Something moved in the corner of his eye, and Irwin looked up to see one of the other Imps had doubled back. It was jumping for him. He struggled to turn just as Daubutim's club slammed into the screaming Imp's head, cracking it like a walnut and knocking it sideways into Irwin's flame.

Too close, Irwin thought as he jumped into the corridor.

There were three Imps to his left and a screaming group on the other side. Daubutim and Rachel stood on one side, while Greldo and Olban stood on the other, using their daggers and shields to hold back the Imps that were now clustered far too close together in the narrow tunnel.

Irwin knew immediately this wasn't the right thing to do. There were far too many Imps to do it like they had before.

He turned to the three Imps on the left that had been sneaking closer and jabbed his wobbly, fuming flame forward. One of the Imps had underestimated how long it was, and Irwin jabbed its arm, causing it to turn to ash within moments. Without stopping, he ran forward after the two others that were trying to scramble back. Whatever they had expected, being chased by a malnourished human child with a dangerous flame hadn't been it, and they tripped over themselves.

Irwin ashed them both before turning around just in time to see Rachel catching a dagger on her shield. She grunted from the effort as her shield was slammed into her chest.

Irwin ran forward just as Daubutim struck at the Imp in a frenzy.

"Out of the way," Irwin shouted.

Rachel and Daubutim jumped to the sides, letting him pass. With his flame stretched forward like a lance, he stabbed it into the nearest of the Imps.

We can do this, Irwin thought as he saw the Imp turn to ash.

A pained cry from Greldo made him look behind the mass of Imps to see his friend stumble back with a dagger lodged in his leg. Irwin jumped forward, waving his flame at the clustered Imps, while Daubutim and Rachel stepped out after him.

We should have split them up or found a room with more than one entrance, Irwin thought in panic as he saw Greldo and Olban stumble back.

Luckily, clustered as they were, the Imps were getting in each other's way so much that they kept tripping and shoving. With only a touch being lethal to them, it took only seconds before the final one fell to ash.

The group didn't even look at them and gathered around Greldo, who was clutching the dagger stabbed in his leg, muttering incoherently.

"It hit an artery," Daubutim said dully, causing Irwin to look up in surprise. The boy was staring at Greldo's leg and shrugged. "He has half a minute left."

"Can we do something?" Irwin hissed.

"I don't know. The teacher never told me," Daubutim said.

"It's fine. He will be back with Jonathan, and he won't even have to wait that long," Olban said.

Irwin knew Olban was right, but as he saw Greldo's face turn white and his eyes kept looking around in terror, he wished he could do something. Instead, he could only hold Greldo's hand until it turned limp.

Staring at the dead, unmoving body, Irwin shivered. He should have had a better plan...

With tightly clenched fists, he got up. The others were standing behind him, all looking mostly unharmed, though he saw a bit of Imp blood on their shields.

Way too close, he thought.

"Let's go and see if those green Demons know where the Linchpin is," he said wearily.

Chapter 12: The Linchpin

"Ukl ron daghrba!"

Irwin looked at the green Demon, glaring at him, unsure what to do. One of the two was barely conscious, but the other glared at them constantly. A look around showed that the others were staring at him, expecting him to do something. He missed Greldo already.

"It sounds like the languages the sea-portal closing sailors in port speak," Daubutim said.

Sea portals? Irwin thought.

"Can you understand it?" he asked hopefully, deciding Daubutim was getting odder with every passing moment.

Daubutim frowned and poked the chained-up demon, causing it to grunt what was probably a string of curses.

"Something about my mother and a dog," he said, showing no reaction but a slight frown. "Gurgin tar," he grumbled, his tongue stumbling at parts.

There was a moment of stunned silence from both the party and the tied-up green demon, then the demon barked a laugh and rattled off a few quick, guttural sentences.

"What did he say?" Irwin asked.

"I don't know. It's too fast. I asked where it is from... I think. But I have no idea what it replied," Daubutim said.

He grunted something again, and this time, the green demon waited before speaking slowly and carefully. Daubutim nodded and replied.

For the next few minutes, the others watched as he spoke in short, halting words with the tied-up demon. Finally, he nodded and turned to Irwin.

"He says he's an Arwk, or Orkh, or-"

The green demon hissed and shouted, "Orc!"

Daubutim looked at it, then continued. "Orkh," he said, butchering the word. "He was caught during a raid or attack on the Imp city, which they call demon-children. He has no idea about being in a portal, but he knows about them. He wants us to release him so he can return home…"

Irwin saw Daubutim frown.

"What?"

"The sailors learned this language inside the sea-portal," Daubutim said softly. "It's a demon language. He is a demon from a portal."

Great.

Irwin looked at the tied-up Orc. Even dangling from the chains, it was two heads taller and probably four times as heavy as him.

Letting it go seemed like a very bad idea. Besides, even if they released the Orcs now, what good would that-

"Maybe they are the Linchpin?"

Irwin turned to Twintin, her soft whisper having interrupted his thoughts.

"I don't know much about these things, but perhaps…" she turned to Rachel. "Can you tell us what you were told about Linchpins?"

"I don't know much more than I told you already. The sorcerer said that most of the time, they are boss monsters that you need to kill or items like crystal orbs that need to be shattered," Rachel said slowly. "He did tell us that if there were neither, it was sometimes a special card or item that had to be destroyed. But that only happens in uncommon or higher portals."

"Nothing about it being freeing captives?" Irwin asked.

"No," Rachel said.

"Still, it was a good idea," Irwin said as he smiled ruefully at Twintin.

"So, what do we do now?" Olban said as he glared at the Orcs. "We've killed all the Imps in the tunnels and even those in this room, but if not this time, Jonathan will expect more progress when we go in again…"

A moment of silence hung in the room, interrupted by a few snapped words from the Orc.

"He asked that we release them again," Daubutim said.

Irwin took one look at him, then at the others. "I don't think we should."

The others nodded, and when he looked at the Orc again, he saw an angry glint in its eyes. It might not understand him, but it had definitely gotten what he meant.

"Sorry, but you are too dangerous," Irwin muttered before he quickly moved out of the cave. The others followed him while the Orc began shouting and raging behind them.

"What if the Imps hear him?" Olban hissed. "Perhaps we should kill him?"

"Or…" Irwin began as his mind spun. "Or we can use this to our advantage?"

His eyes grew wide as a plan rapidly grew.

"If Imps come and see what he is yelling about, we just kill them, and if it's too many, we stay hidden," he said.

"Yeah! That way, we can just kill them until the cavern is empty," Olban said with a predatory smile on his zit-covered face.

It probably won't be that easy, Irwin thought, but he didn't say that out loud. The others still looked rattled from the previous fight.

"Let's find a good spot to ambush any Imps that come," he said.

They hid in one of the side tunnels and readied themselves. The Orc continued roaring angrily, trying to free himself of the chains. It didn't take long for a group of seven Imps to appear, skulking down the tunnel.

Irwin prepared to ash them, wishing he hadn't released his flame. He'd instinctively dropped it when Greldo had been wounded, and now it had returned to its barely finger-length size. He wondered if they would do as well without his firepower. What if another one of them died?

His worry was ungrounded. The others jumped in with far less fear than he had expected, and with openings aplenty, a minute later, the last of the Imps crumbled into black sooty chunks and his flame was back to its fully charged state. Only Daubutim had been cut on his arm, but it was a surface wound, and they all had some of those by now.

Perhaps Olban is right, and we can keep doing this until the cavern is empty, Irwin thought.

An hour later, they were sitting together, waiting. Another four groups of Imps had come, and they had killed all with little effort, but the last one had been half an hour ago. The Orc had stopped shouting, and Irwin was wondering if they should start themselves. He hoped they didn't have to, as it meant the Imps would better understand where they were.

We should have killed many of the imps by now... right? he thought, gazing at his arm-long flame.

"I wonder how many cards we get if we finish this training portal," he muttered. It was something he'd wondered about before, but it had seemed so unlikely so far.

"One common card for each of us," Rachel said. "Though, it's highly unlikely that we manage in a single day."

"One each?" Olban shouted before covering his mouth with his hands. "Sorry," he whispered.

Everyone glared at him, and Irwin sighed.

"Let's go to another place just in case the Imps heard you."

He led them to the opposite end of the tunnel system from which most of the Imps had seemed to come. Huddled in the tunnel, with Olban keeping an eye on one and Daubutim on the other side, he looked at them.

"Listen, I know it's highly unlikely that we will find the Linchpin," Irwin said. "But we have two more chances after this one… I think we should try to find it."

"I agree," Daubutim rumbled immediately, causing the others to look at him in surprise. Daubutim didn't react to their sudden interest but looked at Irwin. "With more cards, we have a larger chance to survive the eventual portals we will need to close."

"It could also mean that we get captured and tortured to death for a day," Olban said, suddenly pale and shivering.

"I think we should try," Rachel said. "Even if the chance is really small, with another card on each of us…"

Twintin shrank into herself but nodded. "I'll help."

Irwin looked at Olban, who bit his lips before nodding reluctantly. "Fine, but if we get into trouble, I'm running away and hiding for the rest of the day."

Rachel snorted derisively, but Irwin nodded. Whatever Olban had gone through wasn't something he'd want either."

Okay, but don't run if we are winning," he said with a slight smile.

"So, how should we do this? Just continue shouting and draw their attention?" Olban asked.

"Yes, let's try that for the time being. I think we have been here for about half a day, so we-"

"Eight hours, twelve minutes," Daubutim said dully. When the others looked at him in surprise, he shrugged. "I'm good with time and numbers."

"Can you tell us when we have an hour left?" Irwin asked. "That gives us time to rest and clear out as many Imps as possible while leaving time to investigate the central room."

Daubutim nodded.

"Alright, let's continue then. Who is going to shout to draw them in," Irwin asked.

Nobody responded, and Olban looked at him as if he was stupid.

"Fine… I'll do it," Irwin said, barely able to hold back his annoyance.

--

Irwin lay on his back, looking at the tunnel roof. He was dead-tired, and his back hurt like crazy from being kicked by an Imp, but they were still alive.

The Imps had initially come in groups of four to ten, but their groups had grown in numbers after a while. Eventually, they had to flee, hiding in the tunnels for two hours while a patrol of nearly thirty Imps searched for them.

When they finally stopped, a few remained near the entrances, probably as some form of warning system.

"So… we barely scratched their numbers," Olban said from the side, his voice grating on Irwin's calm.

"Daubutim, how much time do we have left?" Irwin asked, ignoring Olban.

"Two hours and forty minutes," Daubutim said dully.

He's like those clocks in the crafter's district, Irwin thought.

"We need another plan," he said.

He'd tried to come up with something, but between being tired and hungry, he'd drawn a blank. He wished Greldo was here, if only to keep everyone a bit more upbeat. Perhaps they should just give up on this run and try again next time. They should have made a lot of progress.

"Let's just rest until the next run," Rachel said, echoing his thoughts. "If we keep going and return all tired, we will have to rest when we enter again. That would waste time we could use to kill Imps."

There was a mutter of agreement, and deciding he agreed, Irwin leaned back and closed his eyes.

He must have fallen asleep because he woke as he fell through the air and landed on the tiled floor of the tower.

"Much better," Jonathan said, grinning at them from the side. "If you keep this up, you might be picked by Mouldir!"

Irwin flinched. Was that even what they wanted? It wasn't... right? He slowly got up and moved to Greldo, who was sitting at his customary spot against the wall.

"How far did you get?"

"Cleared the tunnels and tried to clear as many of those Imps in that central cavern."

Greldo's eyes widened, and he nodded. "And those green things?"

"Orcs, apparently, and Daubutim can speak their language a little," Irwin said.

Greldo looked at Daubutim, who was sitting a few feet away.

"Weird."

"Yeah."

Irwin noticed that Jonathan was looking at him intently, and he faked resting, closing his eyes as he lay back. When Jonathan forced them back in, Irwin and Greldo were the first to enter. As soon as they were back in the small cave, Greldo turned around.

"You got really far," he said, sounding excited. "I was out almost a minute before you and saw the symbol fill in. You cleared the training room halfway!"

The others appeared behind them, catching most of what Greldo said.

"That's incredible," Rachel said excitedly. "We… my previous group, we only got to a tenth of clearing it."

"That means we have a chance," Irwin said as he suddenly felt a hunger to continue. They could get more cards if they cleared it and found the Linchpin!

"Let's go and clear these tunnels," he said, grinning at the others.

Roughly three hours later, according to Daubutim, they looked at the three Orcs in the room. They had gone so fast that the Imps had only managed to kill and deposit half of their playthings.

"He knows nothing else," Daubutim said as he returned. "But he wants to be let free."

"What if we release them and have them help us kill those Imps," Greldo asked, focusing on Irwin.

"I don't think we should. Look at how they stare at us… almost as if we are prey," Rachel whispered before Irwin could respond. He agreed with her, though.

"Let's keep that for if we don't manage by ourselves," he said. "We have one more shot after this…"

"Do you think Jonathan is going to force the rest of us back in here if you two can't join?" Twintin asked, holding Rachels' hand.

"Yes, definitely," Greldo said. "Don't even think he won't."

"But-" Twintin began, her face pale.

"It's fine. We can do this without Irwin," Olban said, puffing out his chest. "We just have to draw in smaller groups."

Irwin didn't say anything, but he didn't think they would have any chance.

The others didn't seem as certain either, and as they walked towards their next goal, Greldo moved up beside him. The Orcs were shouting behind them, three strong this time, and he wondered if that meant more Imps would come.

"What do we do when they are back in?" Greldo whispered.

Irwin shrugged. "Rest?"

"You think we have a chance?"

Irwin wanted to say yes right away, then thought about it, recalling the size of the main cavern. Even with all of the Imps in the tunnels, and a lot of them from the city, they had only cleared half of them in their previous attempt.

"Maybe," he finally said. "But we definitely have to try!"

With three Orcs shouting, they didn't have to wait as long for the Imps to come and investigate. They were able to kill seven groups before the Orcs stopped shouting. After that, Irwin and Greldo took turns calling near the entrances, luring in another eight groups. Everything seemed to be going well until Greldo went for another group but ran back immediately.

"We've got trouble," he whispered, beckoning to follow him. A few moments later, they were taking turns looking around the corner at a large group of Imps amassing on the other side of the bridge.

"I think we pushed them too far," Greldo whispered. "There's over a hundred there, most of those that remain if I counted right."

"Let's hide until they go back," Olban whispered. He was fidgeting at the back of the group, his hand covered in a thick, gleaming coat of gunk that was the effect of his card.

There was a round of agreement, and everyone quickly moved back into the bloomy tunnel system.

When they reached the next intersection, Twintin muttered something.

"What?" Greldo said as he turned, eyes widening.

"Why don't we release the Orcs," Twintin said, looking at the ground as if fearing too much attention. "If we wait until the Imps are almost there, the Imps will go and kill them first… Then we double back and enter their city to find the Linchpin."

"And be killed like rats when they return," Olban hissed, pale and sweating.

It's not a bad idea, Irwin thought as he stopped walking. Even if only to give them time to find the Linchpin. Even if the others didn't find it, he had the idea that they would likely need to enter again in two weeks for more training.

"You can't seriously be thinking of going there," Olban whispered, staring at him.

"It's a good idea," Greldo said before Irwin could, nodding slowly. "It will give us a chance to search for the Linchpin."

"What if it's one of the Imps that just came here," Olban snapped. "Whatever… I'm not going there! If they capture us, they…" he shivered and fell quiet.

"I'll come," Twintin said, and Irwin smiled at her gratefully. Then again, it had been her plan.

"I think it's too dangerous," Daubutim muttered, causing Olban to look up with a grin. "But I'll come too."

Olban wilted, and Rachel just shrugged when Irwin looked at her. "Let's find that Linchpin," she said.

"I don't think we have to release the Orcs," Greldo said. "All we have to do is get them to shout again. That cave is all the way at the other side of the tunnel system, and I think it's a better idea not to run back here."

"I can do it," Twintin whispered, her face turning pale. "I'm the fastest and quietest."

Irwin was about to ask her if she was sure, then swallowed the words. Of course she wasn't. Who would be?

"Alright, just go to them and throw a rock or something," Greldo said. "We will wait at the nearest entrance."

Twintin looked at them, then dashed into the tunnels.

I hope she will be fine, Irwin thought before sneaking away through the tunnels. They had to double back twice, as the Imps had entered behind them and spread out, but after a precarious moment inside a dead-end tunnel, they reached the end of the tunnel that led out into the central cavern.

"They aren't shouting yet," Rachel whispered.

She'd constantly been looking over her shoulder, and Irwin had almost thought she would double back on several occasions.

"She will be fine," he whispered, ignoring Rachel's glare.

"What do we do if she's caught?" Greldo whispered.

"What does it matter?" Olban hissed. "She will just be back after we return."

"After being tortured," Rachel snapped back.

"It was her own idea," Olban muttered, but even he didn't seem to buy his own words.

A minute later, the Orcs began roaring and shouting, and the sounds of battle echoed through the tunnel system.

"Did she free them?" Olban asked, getting no response.

I hope she's fine, Irwin thought as he suddenly and vividly recalled the times he'd been killed by the Imps.

Ten minutes later, he was about to tell them they were going to search for Twintin when she showed up. She was breathing heavily, blood streaming from a bruised cut on her head, but she was smiling widely.

"The Orcs didn't hurt me," she whispered as soon as she saw them, smiling. "They even helped me get away when four of the Imps blocked a passage! They are really strong."

"Strong enough to win?" Irwin asked as he got another idea.

"Not that strong," Twintin said as she wilted. "I think they are going to die fighting..."

"Then we are wasting time," Greldo said. "Let's go. The Imps won't be there for a long time."

Everyone hesitated, looking at the bridge beyond the tunnel's safety, and then Irwin stepped forward.

I'm the weakest one. Why do I keep going first? he thought before shoving his worry away. There was no sense complaining now.

As he stepped onto the bridge, he felt incredibly exposed, walking out into the open and away from the tunnels that he felt had been his whole life for months. He knew it wasn't that long, but it felt like that for some reason.

The shuffling footsteps from behind told him the others were at least following him, but he kept his eyes forward, looking for any signal of Imps. He saw a few movements, but there wasn't any shouting yet, and he hoped those that remained didn't expect anyone to actually go towards them.

The bridge ended on a massive, rocky outcrop that sat like a pustule on the side of the stone pillar. Smaller, crumbling ledges and bridges hung between them, and dozens of large buildings were suspended from the sides.

As he closed in, Irwin saw odd scratch marks and tiny symbols etched in some parts.

Did someone carve this entire thing from the rock?

He snuck across the small open area before the nearest entrance.

"Let's go and search through the buildings," he said.

"Are you stupid?" Olban hissed back. "Anything worth holding will be in the most guarded building!" He pointed up at a building with a single path a hundred feet above them that hung partially between two of the pillars. "If there's anything here, it will be there!"

Irwin gritted his teeth at the other. He'd barely wanted to come, and now he was calling him stupid?

"Calm down, he's right," Greldo whispered.

Irwin took a quick, deep breath to release the tension and fear building up. He had known what to do in the tunnels, but here?

"Okay, this way," he said, moving along the building toward the nearest way up.

"No, that won't get us there," Olban whispered loudly. "That would lead us away from where we want to go. We need to go there!" He pointed at a path that seemed to go away from the tower they needed to reach, but as Irwin was about to say so, his gaze followed the path and noticed it curved around the chaotic paths above to eventually lead to a platform next to the bridge and the building.

How did he see this so fast? he thought before deciding it didn't matter.

"Alright, fine," he said, staring at Olban, who blinked and paled. "Lead us there. You seem to know how to get there, so go!'

Olban swallowed, looked at the others all staring at him, then puffed out his chest weakly.

"Right, follow me."

Chapter 13: Fun from above

Irwin followed after the others as best as he could, but now that he wasn't the one in the lead, he found they had been holding back more than he'd known. It took all his effort just to keep up, let alone have any energy left to look around for things to jump them.

He also noticed his body was hurting. The muscles in his legs and back screamed with every step, but not in the same way he knew. Then, it had been weakness and overuse. Now, he felt a different pain, and he couldn't explain it.

Over the last few days, he'd come to accept the fact he had to do things because the others didn't dare, want, or think of them. Though he'd complained at times, it had also brought a sense of self-worth. Now that he was relegated back to being the runt at the back of the pack, the slowest and weakest, he realized just how much it bothered him.

It didn't matter that he could use his fire to kill more imps than any of the others... if it came to something as simple as running, he was left in the dust.

And he hated it.

Even Greldo is doing better than me, he thought, his fists clenched as he forced his aching body onward. Shouldn't this special card be making me stronger?

As his thoughts turned dark, part of him knew that he was asking too much, even from a card that might be rare. It usually took a year before significant changes were noticed when someone slotted an uncommon, and though it was probably faster with better cards, it was unlikely to happen within weeks. Not that he knew that much about it. He didn't know anyone who had cards higher than uncommon.

Perhaps if I survive, next month I'll be as strong as Greldo is today, he thought, watching in envy as his friend jogged after the others, out of breath, red-faced, and sometimes stumbling, but keeping up.

Ahead of him, Olban reached another bridge, this one next to a four-story stone thing that could barely be called a building. He stopped and looked around, seeming to try and decide if they had to cross this or continue circling to the next one ahead.

The previous times, these moments had given Irwin the opportunity to catch up, but he was so far back that he knew he wouldn't. Worry grew as he wondered if they would leave him behind. He stumbled along the edge of the building, trying his best to cover the hundred feet between him and them.

A red blur moved from the roof of the building. If he hadn't been so far back, Irwin knew he wouldn't have seen it.

"Look o-" he croaked, his weary body not even allowing him a shout.

Olban must have heard something because he looked up at the last moment. A massive Imp, easily twice as tall and much heavier than the other Imps, slammed into Olban, knocking him off the bridge.

“Olban!” Greldo shouted.

Irwin stopped, his hands on his knees as he almost slumped to the ground. His body cared nothing for what happened ahead, and he struggled to keep his head pointed forward. The Imp stood on the bridge, its large, leathery wings curled up on its back, and a massive belly hung over a loincloth.

How can that even fly? Irwin thought before seeing the others hesitantly take a few steps back.

"So you are the ones that have been killing my minions!"

The Imp's voice was deeper than the high-pitched ones of the smaller ones, but his slimy smile was almost identical. He put a hand on his stomach, leaving it there as if it were a table while raising the other to his chin and tapping his lower lip. It glared intently at the group, which had backed up and was now huddled together and shivering. Daubutim stood at the front, his club out, while Rachel stood beside him with her shield.

"Now… What am I going to do with you? It will take a year to replenish my forces. Such bad humans. Perhaps… Ah! I know exactly what to do!"

The Imp's smile turned even more malicious as his wings spread out and, with a massive beat, pushed him a few feet up.

"I'll torture you until you pay me back by entertaining me!"

Irwin tried to force himself up, run towards them, and summon his flame to help, but his body decided this was the perfect time to break down. He crashed to his knees, eyes ahead, just in time to see Greldo turn to him. Hidden behind Daubutim, his friend pointed at the building and mouthed hide!

"Time to prepare my meal," the Imp screeched.

It belched, and a torrent of flame erupted from between its lips, starting as wide as its mouth but quickly fanning out to cover the group in a sea of fire.

A panicky, high-pitched scream erupted from somewhere in the fire, and Irwin looked away from the blinding gaze. He expected spots to cover his vision, but there was nothing. With incredible effort, he pushed himself up and stumbled sideways toward the nearest entrance leading into the building. Another cry came from behind him, this time one of anger.

Don't get caught, Irwin thought as he staggered into the rubble-filled hallway.

Unlike the neat stone and brick buildings in Malorin, the walls around him were a dull, dusty gray, with long, thin gauges running diagonally from left to right. The hallway led to another that split up, left and right. The left led to a staircase going up, while the right seemed to curve around deeper into the building.

Hearing another high-pitched scream from behind him, Irwin hesitated. Should he go back? He couldn't just-

His legs buckled, almost causing him to fall, and he gasped.

Scout, and maybe we can use it for the next time, he told himself.

He turned toward the right corridor that led down. He was barely standing, and moving up the stairs was unlikely. Trying his best not to picture the others being caught and tortured, he moved further into the building. Part of him was surprised at the size of it, corridors leading up, down, and further away.

It's built into the pillar, he thought as he stumbled along the narrow path with dust layered thick on the ground. The sounds from behind had died down, muffled by the layers of rock surrounding him.

Don't get caught, Greldo!

–

Greldo jumped to the side, barely managing to dodge the claws. The skin on his face was tight, his eyes blurry, and pain everywhere. Daubutim was the only one still standing, but his face was red, his eyebrows burned off, and he was stumbling to the side.

"Look out," Greldo croaked.

Daubutim took two more steps and toppled from the ledge, vanishing without so much as a scream.

"No! Come back here so I can torture you," the Imp screamed.

Right, a quick end! Greldo thought, looking around.

Twintin was crouched on the ground behind him, crying and covering her face. He stepped forward, triggered his skill, and grabbed her arm. He made sure not to crush it and used as much power as he could to pull, then throw her to the edge.

Twintin let out a high-pitched scream as she vanished over the edge.

"Jump!" Greldo croaked, then growled, and tried again, only managing a half-baked shout.

"No! No, no, no!" The Imp screamed.

Greldo didn't even bother looking at it.

Make sure you get us some information, he thought, thinking of Irwin, even though he knew it was highly unlikely. Irwin had been almost unconscious from exhaustion when he'd walked into the entrance from which the incredibly hot air had come billowing.

He stumbled to the edge and didn't bother looking down but just leaned forward. Gravity grabbed him, yanking him down, and a moment later, he was plummeting down, his stomach clenched and arms flailing.

Far below, he saw Twintin vanishing in the molting rock. There was no sign of Daubutim, and a few seconds later, he closed his eyes before hitting the scorching molting rock.

His last conscious thought was that he hoped Rachel and Olban had jumped.

--

Another dead end, Irwin thought as he put his hand on the wall, head hanging.

Who built this place? He was about to turn back when a trickle of warm air flowed around his sweaty and matted hair.

What? Where is that coming from?

He looked around, trying to find the origin of the air current. It took another two warm breezes for him to know it came from above.

Was there some sort of ledge or hole? He moved closer to the wall, and only then he saw them. Hidden in the shadowy part of the wall were handhelds, chiseled into the existing cracks and tears of the rock. They were positioned in such a way that even his near-perfect night vision had barely been able to pick them up.

He gazed at them, then up. From this position, he noticed that the wall continued beyond the ceiling, and there was a narrow, half a foot wide gap with more handhelds leading up.

Is it a secret? he thought.

He suddenly recalled stories Bronwyn had told him about some portal worlds where the linchpin was hidden away.

He looked at his hands, then up, then back at his hands, and with a sigh, sat down. Who was he kidding? He couldn't get up there now, even if someone offered him a legendary card for it.

As his body relaxed, he felt a gnawing pain in his stomach. Hunger. It was something he had grown used to over the years, but it surprised him how fast it had come up this time. Until then, he'd only been slightly peckish. But now? As his stomach rumbled, he wondered how the others were doing.

Although he was hungry enough to eat anything edible, he was even more weary, and he felt his mind go numb. He tried to keep from falling asleep, but the room was cozily warm, gloomy, and quiet, and his chin kept dropping to his chest.

Stay awake, he thought, wondering why the room seemed to grow dark.

--

A soft rumble shook the entire room, tiny debris dropping on his head, and Irwin snapped awake. How could he have fallen asleep?

His body was aching, and his legs were numb, but he didn't feel even half as bad as he had before. A distant rumble shook the pillar.

What is going on? Are they still fighting? That made little sense, he thought, looking up and noticing the tracks he'd left in the thick layer of dust.

He must have slept for a long time because his mind felt sharp. He instantly missed Daubutim. No more easy way of knowing how many hours had passed.

He forced himself up, trying to ignore the thick dust billowing around him. Another shudder ran through the building.

Up or back, he thought.

Then he tried to imagine finding his way back through the maze-like building and shrugged. Up it was.

I hope Greldo and the others died quickly, he thought, not something he'd ever imagined thinking before.

As he put his first hand into a handhold and pulled himself up, his arm shook but held. He gingerly continued, stopping each time another shaking happened. He had to pause halfway to catch his breath but eventually pulled himself over a ledge into a hallway rife with dust and tiny debris. It was barely high enough for him to stand, leading away into the darkness and curving to the left.

Twenty feet in, he reached an intersection. The long, winding path down continued left, while a short path led to a handhold wall similar to the one he had climbed up. A soft rumble came from above.

He licked his lips, dry and cracked but not yet bleeding, and shivered. He had no idea where he was going… What if there was some demon spider ready to jump him? After a moment's hesitation, he turned back to the long curving hallway. He focused on his card, summoning the finger-sized flame, then continued, ready to hit anything that came his way with the flame.

The corridor seemed to go on forever, continuing left and down.

Irwin thought about stopping and going back a few times, but where to? The Imp city, all alone? He shivered at the thought. He could just continue seeing what was here and, after that, wait for the time to end.

At some point, a pleasant warmth began coming from the wall. It had been warm in the tunnel already, but now the temperature continued to increase. When it reached something comparable to a warm summer day, Irwin stopped and pressed his hand on the stone to his side. It was hot, though not enough to hurt him. As he looked at it, he frowned.

I wonder if the others would have been able to stand the heat, he thought as he looked at his flame.

Ever since he'd gotten it, he'd not really had trouble with anything hot. An image of how the lava burned him alive flashed through his mind, and he shivered. Right, almost nothing hot. He had no idea how long he walked, but the temperature kept increasing, and at various times, a soft orange glow could be seen from the walls. A faint rumble came from above, but it was so distant that he mostly only felt it through the soles of his feet.

Wait… feet? A quick inspection showed the soles of both of his boots were gone, just some charred edges remaining at the sides to show they indeed had been there.

Irwin ducked and put his hand on the ground. It was warm, hot even. But this hot? He gently put a tiny part of his sleeve on the ground.

Flames flared up, and his sleeve instantly caught fire. Irwin yelped and yanked it back, slapping it against his leg to stop the burning. When it stopped, he had burn marks on his pants, a jagged hole in his sleeve, and even more respect for his own card.

I'm not impervious to fire, but it's close, he thought as he saw a few minor red scuff marks on his hand where it had touched the fire.

He continued down the corridor until he finally saw an end to the blasted thing, or so he hoped. A bright glow began to cover one side. A soft bubbling and dripping came from there, and he quietly headed forward. The light was so bright he didn't worry that his flame might draw any attention. And beside the fact that if he let it go, it would revert back to its starting size, he felt more secure with it ready.

As he stepped around the last part of the wall obscuring his path ahead, Irwin stopped. The tunnel widened rapidly, and beyond it, a landscape of black stone and small waterfalls of molten rock filled a massive cavern. It dwarfed even the one he'd been in before. Clouds of dark smoke hung in the air, billowing from vents in a chaotic maze of black rock.

In the middle of a lake of molten stone was a piece of land, and upon it stood a black anvil the size of a small hut. Curled up, with wings covering its head, lay a fat Imp. From this distance, it was hard to gauge its size, but it was definitely bigger than the one that had attacked his friends. As frightening as it was and as imposing as the anvil, neither was what made Irwin's eyes gleam.

A red sphere hung from a chain attached to the top of the anvil, glowing brighter even than the molten rock.

The Linchpin! Irwin thought. It had to be, right?

Looking away from what he hoped was a sleeping Imp, he inspected the crumbling, narrow path leading toward the island. It started not too far from him, near the bottom of a slope and beside one of the lava waterfalls, which was good. The problem was, to get there, he'd have to move out in the open.

He shivered.

If I get it… do I get a card? And what if I go in again and get it again? Two?

As his mind began imagining having two cards, a tiny seed of greed grew into a raging flame. Two more cards, and he could become a full hand! His chances of surviving would increase so much… Even more, he could explain the oddities of his first card by spreading them across the others!

Irwin licked his bleeding lips and moved out of the wide and tapered tunnel exit, looking left and right. There was no sign of any more Imps. If he could sneak up on the big one… would his flame work? So far, it hadn't let him down, though he wished he could have grown it to its biggest size.

Unable to hold back, Irwin ran towards the nearest rock and hid. It was a short dash to the start of the narrow, winding bridge and then a five-minute trip. But if he succeeded!

Irwin Roddington, think before you act!

His mother's stern voice seemed to echo from the depths of his mind, her face disappointed as she shook her head after he'd done something foolish again.

Irwin shook his head. He was doing it again!

Calm down, calm down, he hissed to himself, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths.

When he finally felt the incessant urge to run towards the Imp die down, he opened them again. If he was going to do this, he was going to do it right.

He slowly climbed back from the rock to a higher position and thoroughly inspected his surroundings. The chances of there being only one Imp here seemed odd, and with some being able to fly, perhaps more were hiding?

Ten minutes later, he had found half a dozen other tunnel openings in the wall, and the one he had checked was similar to the one he'd come from. What he hadn't found nor seen was movement outside of the molten rock. Calm and steady this time, he moved back to the start of the stone bridge, staring at the lava next to it.

What's the worst thing that can happen besides falling in that stuff again, he thought as he steeled himself and snuck forward.

Chapter 14: Anvil of the gods

Irwin ignored the small stones that pressed into the soles of his feet as he snuck across the path. A sharp stone dug into his tender flesh every few feet while the ground was hot enough to hurt even his heat-resistant feet. He barely noticed, his mind completely focused on the molten rock around him and the plateau ahead.

The air was odd, thick, and hard to breathe, and he kept taking peeks at the lava from which yellowish fog trickled up. The molting rock consisted of dark swirling patterns with edges as bright as the stone. The top layer of the stone almost seemed to harden as it reached the surface before being swallowed down by the churning mass.

Halfway across the path, a dull, droning snore joined the bubbling and hissing of the molten rock.

Perhaps he'll just remain sleeping, Irwin thought as he stared at the Imp.

He reached one of the narrowest parts, barely enough to put two feet side by side. Twenty feet beyond was a large outcropping of stone, after which was the final stretch. As he stepped forward, an odd movement came from his left, accompanied by a sloshing sound. Irwin's heart skipped a beat as he looked to the side.

A large black head rose from the depths, the molten rock sliding off and dribbling back into the lake. Two narrow yellow irises sat in massive gray eyes, focused intently on him. The thing reminded him of the snakes that sometimes found their way into Malorin during the hottest summer days.

Irwin froze- unable to move as the massive thing rose further. Its lips parted, and a long tongue flicked between four canines the size of his legs. Slowly, it moved forward.

Irwin's legs began shaking, and it took all of his effort to keep his bladder under control as the thing moved within a foot of him, hanging partially over the narrow path. A burning hot air came from two slits on its snout.

I don't want to be eaten alive, Irwin thought as the lips parted again. He should have fled as soon as the thing appeared. I'm such an idiot. Why didn't I just go up and search for-

The tongue slowly moved forward, its tip touching the flame above his hand. There was a tiny outburst of sparks as the flame surged up to its maximum size, and the tongue jerked back. There was another sniffing sound, and the massive head cocked to the side, a curious interest radiating from its eyes.

It's like Bullwinkel's hounds, Irwin thought as he blinked.

The tongue licked forward again, this time touching his chest. His shirt and jacket caught fire and turned to dust so fast he didn't even feel the flames. Then, a soft pressure came from where the tongue pressed against him. It was scorching hot, to the point of pain, but Irwin remained motionless.

The snake, or whatever it was, remained like that for a few seconds, then withdrew, leaving a smooth and painful spot on Irwin's now bare and bony chest. The large eyes focused on Irwin's flame, then Irwin himself. The lips parted in what looked like a smirk before the head sank into the molten rock, leaving no more than a wobble.

Irwin fell back and thudded on his ass, not even caring that his pants flamed up and turned to ash or his flesh hurt. His flame was hovering above his hand as he stared in disbelief at the lava. Had that been a demon? It didn't feel like one, but it had been intelligent. Well, as intelligent as a hound. And why was it even in this practice portal? After a second, he licked his lips, frowned, and forced himself back up to his feet. Something nagged at the back of his mind like he was missing something, but he didn't care.

He looked at the path. The lava that had dropped on it was already cooling... but should he continue? What if the thing had just given him a warning? He hesitated as he looked at the edge of the Anvil. Part of the chain from which the Linchpin dangled glistened there. The idea of another card beckoned, and he prayed to Gelwin that a giant lava snake wouldn't eat him.

Keeping his flame ready and to the side, he carefully snuck across the stone trail. As he closed in on the last stop, he still saw no sign of the snake. Only when he stepped on the large outcrop did he notice an odd movement in the lava fifty feet from him. It didn't come closer, but a slight elevation appeared momentarily before disappearing again.

Stepping on the relative safety of the wider platform, Irwin rose to his toes, trying to see if the Imp was still before the Anvil. However, the jagged stone platform was too high, and the closer he got, the more the edge blocked his view of what was atop. He took a deep breath and wondered if he should take a break before moving the last bit. Prodding and probing his legs showed they were weary but alright, and he continued along the final, wider path.

Five minutes later, he slowly pulled himself up the ledge, his toes pressed against the warm stone as he tried to find a good handhold. He tried to ignore the fact that the back of his pants was completely gone. He had angled the flame to the back of his hand, the tip darting up and over the edge.

The hot stone crumbled, dust raining on his face. Holding his breath, he peaked over and instantly retreated. The Imp was a short distance away, seeming even larger now that he was this close, and the massive Anvil cast a shadow across the area. There were no shouts or surprised screams, so Irwin looked again. The Imp didn't move, its chest moving up and down as it snored.

Behind it, hanging from thick chains, hung the red jewel, its facets shimmering and glittering from the many light sources. Dozens of blemishes and scratches covered it, with dark rust marring parts of the dull metal chain.

Did something try to break it?

Irwin looked at the Imp, hesitated, then pulled himself up.

A rock cracked below his foot, and a smaller one shot away, clattering across the stone before plummeting over the side. Irwin held his breath, eyes wide as he gritted his teeth against the pain. The Imp grumbled and snorted, then continued snoring.

Way too close, Irwin thought.

Flame forward, he snuck toward the Imp. If he could end that one-

"That's an interesting flame, brat," a metallic voice whispered.

Irwin almost had a heart attack, and with a face drained of blood, he stared at the Imp. It was still snoring, appearing deep asleep.

"Great, another one that can't understand me," the voice muttered, annoyed.

Irwin looked up and around and saw a mouth on the side of the massive Anvil. The etched lips would have looked like a drawing if they hadn't been curved down in discontent.

Irwin just gazed at it. This wasn't happening, was it? He'd heard about talking weapons from rare cards, and there were rumors of a hero on the wall that had an armor imbued by a carded smith, but this?

Irwin licked his lips. "What- what are you?" he whispered.

The lips froze, then shivered as if suppressing something. "You can speak common… how?" The lips curled up in a wide smile. "Never mind, this is fantastic! What's your name, brat?"

"Irwin," Irwin whispered after a moment's hesitation.

"That 's an odd name," the Anvil muttered. "Well, as for what I am? You speak common! How can't you know? So young and already turning blind. So sad. Well, you do look fairly skeletal, so perhaps you are sick?"

Irwin stared at the rambling Anvil, unsure if it was a question, and the Anvil continued without waiting.

"I'm a Ganvil! And a fantastic one at that," the Anvil said in a slightly louder whisper. "I'm Ambraz, Anvil of the gods! The Infernal Titan lord once used me to craft Glibzwonger, the dagger of Fury!"

Irwin stupidly stared at the Anvil. He'd never heard of any of those things, and besides sounding extravagant, they also sounded... fake? How the Anvil spoke reminded him of some of those older rangers who told tall tales everyone knew weren't real.

"A good flame you have there, kid," Ambraz rumbled, seemingly oblivious to Irwin's stunned confusion. "That could heat metal nicely if you find some decent emerald or ruby cards to increase its power! Ever think about becoming a smith?"

"A what?" Irwin muttered, trying to keep up.

Ambraz grinned, showing a mouthful of dull gray teeth.

A snort from the Imp made Irwin's heart rate speed up, and he held his breath until it snored again.

"Ah! Don't worry about that thing- he's completely out of it! That silly Imp has been trying to remove the binding that stupid Beardyface placed on me. Thinks it will get us out of here! As if that is going to succeed. He'd have to grow twice as strong even to contemplate it, and there's no time for that. Not with this shitty place resetting every day."

Irwin looked at Ambraz, then turned to the Imp. He'd almost forgotten about it, and he was wasting time. What if it woke up? He raised his hand and took a step towards the Imp.

"That won't work," Ambraz said. "Durpy over there is on the cusp of having an emerald soulskill. That ruby card of yours might be from a stronger beast, but it won't ash him like it probably did those quartz-souled Imps you saw above."

Irwin stopped moving and stared at the Anvil, utterly confused. "Soulskill? Ruby card?" he whispered.

The Anvil let out an annoyed groan. "One of these places. Great! Another bloody world where they don't use the regular wording."

He rumbled a few moments before sighing. "Fine! What are the ranks of cards you have in this backwater place?"

Irwin had no idea what was happening, and without even thinking about it, he just answered.

"Common, uncommon, rare, very rare, epic, and legendary," he whispered.

"Seriously... common? And what do you call a common card that is very rare versus one that's easily found? Common common and rare common? Bah! And don't get me started on rare and very rare."

Irwin shook his head, having no idea what to say. "I... all cards are hard to find?" he finally said lamely.

"Not in a million years, brat," Ambraz muttered. "But fine. Your card is epic, and I can sense you haven't had it very long yet. Seeing as this stupid Imp's soulskill is closing in on very-rare you aren't going to be able to ash it. Maybe in a few months? Who knows... there's something odd about your card, but it probably won't help you with this."

"..." Irwin dumbly stared at him. His card was epic? That couldn't be possible! Where did his brother even find it?

"Don't give me that look!" Ambraz said louder than before, and Irwin automatically dropped to his knees, staring at the Imp. It didn't react, still snoring.

Perhaps it's trying to keep me talking so the Imp can wake? Irwin suddenly thought, then shoved the thought away. If that were true, the Anvil could have just shouted loudly.

"Do you have a way for me to end him? I need to find the Linchpin," he asked, deciding it couldn't hurt to try.

"End him...? You mean kill? Hmmm."

Ambraz's lips pursed again, and Irwin could almost picture him tapping his chin with a finger. "Well now, and why should I help you?"

Irwin didn't know what to say, trying to come up with a quick answer. The problem was he was so thoroughly confused by the whole situation that his mind felt like it had almost come to a standstill.

As he scrambled for a reason, the Anvil hummed a tune before speaking again.

"I guess I could help you. But only if you do something for me."

Irwin's hair rose. What did it mean with that? "Wha- what do you want?" he asked softly, taking a small step back towards the edge.

"If you can get me out of here, I'll help you in any way I can," Ambraz said softly, his voice carrying a sudden deep rumble.

"But this is a fake portal," Irwin muttered. "You're not-"

"Real? Brat, didn't Beardyface tell you anything before sending you in here?"

"I don't know any... Beardyface," Irwin whispered.

Ambraz was quiet for such a long time that Irwin almost thought he'd imagined the whole thing. That was if the Anvil's mouth hadn't been opening and closing as if it was gasping for air.

"I'd tell you to stop lying, but I can see you aren't," Ambraz finally muttered. His etched lips pursed in a line for a moment. "Bah! Did that bastard die while I was in here? How am I going to take revenge if he's already dead?"

Irwin was about to ask who Beardyface was supposed to be when Ambraz sniffed and began talking rapidly.

"Do you really think anyone from your world could create something like this? Bah! Not even if they had only diamo- ... legendary cards! This place is only able to remain as it is because I am bound here. Beardyface created this fake shardworld with some soulskill, and it's draining my energy to sustain it. A prison, really. Stuck in time and reset every time someone enters or every day. Whichever comes first."

Irwin looked at the Imp, then at Ambraz, and finally frowned. He was having a hard time trying to understand half of the words Ambraz was saying. Besides, what was Ambraz anyway? It said it was an Anvil, but it was too big, and it talked. Also, even if he wanted to bring it out, how would he even lift it?

Ambraz seemed to read his mind as it sniffed. "Don't worry about my size! If you can remove that chain, I can shrink down to the size of your thumb!"

Irwin looked at the Linchpin as he tried to figure out what to do. If Ambraz could help him destroy the thing, he'd be able to get a new card… but would taking Ambraz out destroy this portal? The sorcerers might get upset with him! He shivered at the thought of angering Jonathan or, worse, Mouldir.

"What will happen to this place if you are gone?" he whispered.

"Nothing! That fool didn't just bind me, but also that stupid serpent and this fat-ass in here. Overkill! One or two of us would have been plenty to power this tiny place. Don't worry. If you help me out, nobody will be the wiser… at least not for a few years. Perhaps eventually someone will wonder why the portal is becoming easier, but that won't be for a long time."

Irwin cocked his head as a sudden idea came to him. "If I help you out, can you get me another card?" he asked.

"Ohhh, making demands already?" Ambraz said. "Cocky."

"Ughhh, keep it down, you stupid chunk of metal," a high-pitched voice came as the snoring stopped. "I'm trying to sleep, and -... wait, who are you talking to?"

Irwin jumped back towards the ledge just as the Imp rolled over. Its bleary yellow eyes blinked as it took in Irwin, then widened as he struggled up. "Human! Finally, something to play with," the Imp cried out in joy.

"Help me," Irwin shouted as he backed up, terrified as the hulking Imp waggled towards him. He raised his hand, flame outward, and the Imp cackled in glee.

"Errr…" the Anvil muttered, its mouth turning into a thin line. "I can't do much with this thing on me… sorry. You shouldn't have made so much noise!"

You made the noise! Irwin thought. His foot touched the plateau's edge, and he almost fell backward, barely holding his balance.

"You've been talking with this plaything instead of waking me?" the Imp snarled as it took a quick look at the Anvil. "I'll remember that!"

"Bah- you have been trying to break that chain for decades and are no closer! The last few hundred attempts, you barely tried! Can't blame an Anvil for trying other avenues!"

As the Imp scowled at Ambraz, Irwin lowered himself to his knees and dropped down the edge. He had no serious plan, but in the back of his mind, he decided he'd prefer burning in the lava over getting tortured by that Imp. The memories of the Orc's long scars, bruises, and horrible mutilations were far too scary.

"Don't leave," the Imp squealed as he began stomping towards Irwin. The wings on its back flapped back, each stretching so far to the side that it almost looked comical.

Irwin might have laughed if he hadn't known what the fat Imp was capable of. He lowered himself, and dropped down, landing on the small ledge, before turning and running to the narrow path. A thunderous flapping came from behind him, similar to his mother beating out the rugs in spring, but then a thousand times louder.

"Get back here… I'm too tired, and if you make me catch you, it'll only be worse!"

Irwin didn't believe that for a second, and unlike the previous time, he ran over the path. As was prone to happen, a tiny part of his mind was busy with other things and suddenly alerted him that his legs weren't as painful as they should be and that something was wrong with his lips.

That doesn't matter, Irwin thought, focusing on running.

A soft woosh was all the warning he got that something was wrong.

He simply let himself fall forward. A burning pain erupted from his back as his skin was sliced apart by the Imp before it rushed past him.

As Irwin pushed himself up, breathing raggedly, the Imp, as massive as it was, made a nimble turn across the lava, flapping thunderously and gaining altitude.

Irwin covered his ears as he watched the Imp go around for a second pass. When it was high enough, he scrambled to his feet, feeling the blood run down his back. How his flame was still up, he didn't know, nor why it comforted him. But it did, and it was. Holding it in front of him like a shield, he backed up until his foot was at the path's edge. Heat came from his back, and he prepared himself just to jump in to get it over with.

"Careful!" the Imp screeched. "If you fall in, I'll have no fun, and that'll make me mad!"

Somehow, the idiocy of the remark caused Irwin's fear to be replaced by a wave of rage. The bottled-up resentment and irritation of the last few days in this portal surged forward all at once. Couldn't this stupid Imp just drop dead? Why was everything so- so… so hard!

One hit as it swoops down, he thought as he glared at the Imp. Even if his flame didn't ash the thing, it might hurt!

"Yes, wait right there," the Imp cackled as it dove down, wings spread out like the kites of the wealthy kids during the summer.

Irwin lowered himself, his heartbeat thundering in his ears as the Imp came toward him. Two feet away, the Imp's eyes widened, and it made an odd flap as if to move away, but it was too late. Its claws were a foot from Irwin, who jumped back and struck forward with his flame. The flame almost seemed to reach out, touching the Imp's leg. The red flesh sizzled and bubbled, and the Imp howled while trying to flap up and back, a look of panic and fear on its ugly face.

It did hurt him! Did Ambraz lie? Irwin thought as he fell back.

He fully expected to feel the moment of burning pain when he struck the molten rock, followed by nothing and a sinking sensation. Instead, he thudded onto something hard and smooth. It was scorching hot, but nothing compared to the molten rock. Even then, what remained of his pants, shirt, and coat burned away in a flash, scalding his skin.

Irwin lay on his back, stunned and confused, while the Imp's back was rapidly closing in, which made no sense. It was flying away as fast as it seemed able.

The ground he was lying on tilted, and Irwin slid back. He yelped and scrambled for a handhold and barely managed to hold on to some edges that covered the surface. Then he hung, and the Imp was gone. Feeling his arms burning as he dangled from his fingers, he heard a high-pitched scream. For a moment, he thought it was his own. Then he realized his jaw was hurting from how hard he was clenching his teeth.

The dark surface before him was rotating back again. A moment later, the strain on his fingers and arms disappeared as he lay face-first on the ground.

Right as he pushed himself away from the scalding surface, he heard a deep thudding sound from below the surface. Then he lay on his back, panting and completely confused.

"I'd get off its back before it realizes you aren't one of its long-lost halfbreeds that just looks funny," Ambraz shouted.

It what? Irwin thought as he pushed himself up.

The plateau's edge was in front of him, almost level with the ground he stood on, and there was no sign of the Imp. The Anvil stood alone on the plateau, its mouth drawn in a thin line.

"Get off, brat. Hurry!" the Anvil snapped.

Irwin shuddered, then jumped onto the plateau before turning around.

An enormous snakehead of black stone hung before him, its yellow-slitted eyes locked onto him, and he sensed the curiosity in them again.

"Bow!" the Anvil snapped, and Irwin instantly did so.

When he got back up, the snake had turned away and was sinking back into the molten rock.

"What… what just happened?" Irwin whispered.

"I guess old Black Scale finally had enough of the flying pest. Not that it will do either of us any good. Durpy will just return in a few hours when this stupid plane resets. Isn't even really dead… just locked away."

Irwin took a few steps, swayed, and sat down with a thud. The few remaining threads of his clothes hung around him, and he stupidly thought it was a good thing they would return when he exited the portal. Otherwise, he'd reappear nearly naked.

"So…" Ambraz said with a half smile on its lips. "Now, how about you see what your surprisingly odd flame can do on this chain?"

Chapter 15: Cards, cards, cards

Irwin stared at the chain and the massive gem that hung from it.

"So this isn't the Linchpin?" he said, pointing at the gem.

"Nope. It's the chain. Fools them every time," Ambraz said, sounding smug. "If you clear it, you'll be the first to do so since the start."

"And that was-"

"A little over eighty years ago, yes," Ambraz hummed. "Now, are you going to repeat everything I just told you or start cutting away the chain?"

Irwin blinked and looked at the chain again. It didn't look very special, just a leg-thick, rusty set of interlocking links. He slowly nodded, thinking about possibly getting a card, finishing this stupid test portal, and finally getting some food and rest, which all sounded perfect. A tiny voice warned him that Jonathan might not just let him stop after this.

"Good! Then get to it!"

"About that card?" Irwin said, looking at Ambraz.

"Yes, yes. You break the chain and pick me up before you get transported back out, and you will get a card!" Ambraz said.

"But, how can you even come with me?" Irwin muttered. "Doesn't everything, including my clothing, reset?"

"Ugh… yes! It does, but I'm special, alright?"

"And what do I do after I get you out? Do I keep you, or-"

"I'm not some pet dog!" Ambraz snapped, startling Irwin with the anger in his voice.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Yes. You should be," Ambraz snapped. "No. You don't get to keep me. But I might stay around if you want to become a smith! If you do, we can talk later. If you don't, I'll leave to search for someone with potential that does."

"You can walk?" Irwin asked, gaping at the massive thing and imagining it with legs.

"Wa- What? No, of course not! I can fly!"

Irwin's mouth fell open as he pictured the massive thing with wings.

Didn't he say something about shrinking?

"We have less than an hour remaining. Unless you want to go through the trouble of coming here again?" Ambraz asked, sounding exasperated.

Irwin looked at the chain, then at his flame, and knew Ambraz was right. He stepped forward, still unsure if he could trust the Anvil but deciding it was worth the risk. If for nothing else than for an extra card!

Hoping he was doing it right, he pressed the tip of his flame against one of the links. Nothing happened, and he frowned.

"Wait for it to heat up. Don't you know anything about metal?" Ambraz said angrily.

"Only that it's hard and used to create loads of things," Irwin said.

"Oh. Really? You don't know more?" Ambraz asked, sounding confused. "What do they teach you in school?"

Unsure what that had to do with anything, Irwin's eyes widened as he saw the link turn red.

"How cards work, the basics of farming, building roads, and working with the different tools the crafters use," Irwin muttered, no longer paying attention to the Anvil but staring at the link that was turning a crimson red.

"No numbers? Languages? Reading?" Ambraz asked.

"What? No, that's for the nobles and the kids of the richer crafters," Irwin said, looking up in surprise. "Why would I need to learn that?"

"You…. can't read?" Ambraz whispered, making it sound like the most horrible thing in the world.

Irwin shook his head, then cocked it as he recalled something. "Well, I know the letters for my name. Mum taught me last year," he said.

"Your mother can read and write?" Ambraz snapped, sounding angry.

Before Irwin could reply, a hissing sound came, and he focused back on the chain. The link was a bright white where his flame touched it, yellow and orange around the edges, while other links attached to it were glowing. Drops of white, molten metal dripped down onto the ground.

"That is one interesting card you have there," Ambraz whispered. "I'd expected this to take hours, maybe even too long… but just like this? It must have a mutation..."

A mutation?

Irwin didn't know how to respond to that, and for a few minutes, they both looked in wonder as the link slowly dripped down until only a small bit remained.

"Oh! Right! Listen, as soon as that link breaks, this chain is going to roll down. I'll change to my small size, hover before you, and you need to grab me. Don't hold back, or I will just get reset like the rest of this infernal place!"

Irwin nodded, getting ready when he thought of something. "What will happen to Black Scale?" he asked.

"What? Who? Oh! The snake! It will remain here, I suppose," Ambraz said, sounding uninterested. "Now, pay attention! Here goes!"

Irwin licked his lips just as the final bit of the link snapped. As soon as it did, a gong echoed from nowhere and everywhere simultaneously, and a humming sound permeated the entire cavern. The chain rattled down the Anvil, but before it could even hit the ground, there was a flash, and Ambraz was gone. In its place, a tiny Anvil with silvery wings hung in the air.

"Quick," a soft voice piped, and Irwin grabbed the Anvil.

Ambraz was barely the size of a coin, easily fitting in the palm of his hand. He pressed the small Anvil against his chest as the world shimmered and wobbled around him. A chime sounded, and then a portal appeared, together with a force, pulling him towards it. Mechanically, he dug his heels into the ground and leaned back.

"Hurry. Hide me and get in," Ambraz whispered.

Irwin blinked, then stuffed Ambraz and his hand into his shirt. He stopped resisting and stepped forward. The closer he got to the portal, the stronger the pull, and then he was sucked in. Darkness surrounded him, shadowy purple tentacles and enormous eyes everywhere. He felt something within inches of himself, and then there was a chime, like metal on metal, and the tentacles rushed away as if stung. He caught a flash of a star-filled blackness, then there was a white light, and he dropped to the ground on the tiles of the tower.

Jonathan and the others were standing a few steps, gaping at him. The repeated sound of a bell came from further down the hallway, seeming agitated.

The hand he'd put in his shirt was now beside his body, and he felt the tiny shape of Ambraz in his hand. He kept both hands clenched but still to hide that he was holding something. Putting the tiny Anvil away now would draw way too much suspicion. Instead, he lowered his balled fists and swallowed, glad to find that his clothes were restored.

"Hi," he muttered lamely.

"How… how, by all the cards, did you do that!" Jonathan shouted, his voice starting soft and ending in a shout as he pointed behind Irwin.

Irwin flinched and slowly turned, afraid that Ambraz had lied and that the portal had vanished. Luckily, the red swirling portal remained. What had changed was a tiny card with a flame and the name Irwin that had appeared in the stone next to the door frame together with the number one.

So much for pretending nothing had happened.

"I found the Linchpin," he said, noting something shimmering at the top of the portal. The symbol was blinking rapidly.

"Yes! I know! How did-" Jonathan roared.

"Jonathan, enough!" a sharp voice cut him off, and Jonathan went from red-faced and angry to pale and gaping faster than Irwin had ever seen anyone go.

Lady Yrinta came pacing towards them, another pair of guards almost running to keep up. She glared at Jonathan, showing no sign of stopping as she walked toward him. Jonathan began backing up until he had his back against the wall.

"I only just warned you! You know the rules! The secrets of the training portals are not to be discussed except with the sorcerers. How dare you attempt to force someone who doesn't know better into giving you classified information," she snapped, stabbing him in the chest with her finger.

Jonathan had turned even paler than before, and he kept looking around as if searching for a way to escape.

"I told you only a few hours ago I'd keep an eye on you, and you didn't take me seriously? Fine! Report to the portal expedition room. Branner, guide him there and tell Grundig that Jonathan is to be reminded of what we do here. One year of clearing out the hardest uncommon portals will hopefully help with your foggy mind!"

"No, please," Jonathan whispered.

"No begging. Now get out of my sight before I decide to expel you!"

Jonathan shivered, but he didn't say anything. He stared at the ground and stepped around Lady Yrinta. One of the guards was waiting for him, white teeth flashing in a grin behind his beard before guiding him away.

"Oh, and Jonathan. Hand over their items," Lady Yrinta snapped.

Jonathan shuddered as if struck. He seemed to hesitate before pulling out the different things the group had left with him and dropping everything on the ground. Then he walked away.

Olban rushed forward, snatched up his amulet, and quickly placed it around his neck. The guard was frowning at him but said nothing as he picked up the other items and moved back.

Irwin barely noticed as he gaped after Jonathan, not able to process what had just happened. He'd worried about how to get away from Jonathan, how to-

"And you!" Lady Yrinta snapped as she stomped towards him, staring at him with a frown. Irwin froze and knew it was now him that was turning white as a sheet. Even then, a tiny part of him was surprised that Yrinta wasn't that much taller than him.

"If I find you tell anyone that's not a Tower Master how you succeeded in clearing this training room, you will join Jonathan in his punishment. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Lady Yrinta," Irwin said, his voice barely a squeak.

"Good," she said, and slowly, a smile covered her face as her eyes glittered. "Though I will tell you that many people will be curious. This is one of the last of the older-generation training portals that remained unbeaten. There are some people who say it was made by Gelwin himself! As soon as I have time, I'll have you brought before Mouldir and me to recount how you finished it. Probably later tonight after supper or tomorrow morning."

Irwin's blood ran cold, but he nodded, about to lick his lips out of habit. Then, realizing they weren't all that dry, he stopped.

"Now, having beaten a training portal without any practice means you are among the top performers," she said, grinning broadly. "Who would have thought that someone your size would do this well."

Irwin forced himself to smile, not sure what else to do.

Lady Yrinta turned to the others. "That means that this group is going to be joining the others that will be trained by me, Mouldir and some of the other high rank sorcerers."

The others all seemed stunned, though Irwin saw Twintin was close to crying.

"I'll bring you all back to your room so you can rest. Then I'll bring you along to get your reward," Lady Yrinta said, pointing at Irwin.

A card! Irwin almost shouted as he thought about it. If he got a card now and one from Ambraz, that meant he'd only need to combine them, and he'd be a full-hand! He knew there was more to it, but he couldn't stop the wide grin from growing.

Lady Yrinta moved forward, beckoning them along, and Irwin quickly jumped after her. She seemed nice now, but from what he'd just seen with Jonathan, he had no interest in seeing her anger targeting him. Someone ran up next to him, and he looked up to see Greldo grinning at him.

"Thanks so much for finishing that. I don't think I could have gone in again… all that dying… I won't sleep another night without nightmares."

"Don't worry, boys," a deep whisper came, and both boys saw the guard step up on Irwin's other side. "As you get more cards, your mind becomes tougher. I've not had a restless night since I became a full-hand!"

Irwin sighed in relief, noting Greldo did the same. "Thank you," he said, getting a nod and a grin from the guard, who then dropped back.

Irwin heard him ask Daubutim about his age just as he turned back to Greldo. "What happened after I managed to run?" he whispered.

Greldo's grimaced, and he got a far-off look. "I pushed Twintin in the molten rock then jumped in after her. Daubutim and Olban did the same. Rachel..."

Irwin swallowed as Greldo shook his head softly.

He took a quick look over his shoulder and saw that Daubutim seemed his normal, stoic self, answering the guard's question with short, dull answers. Rachel was trailing at the back, staring at the ground with her arms wrapped around her.

I should have come back to help, Irwin thought as he clenched his fists closer, feeling Ambraz poke in his palm. Even if he couldn't have done a lot… he had left them to their own devices and-

"It's not your fault," Greldo hissed, and Irwin started as he felt the other's strong grip around his thin upper arm. "You couldn't even stand, let alone fight to help."

Irwin didn't respond, but as they continued after Lady Yrinta, he couldn't lose the feeling that he'd failed. Bronwyn had always told him heroic tales when they were younger, and this didn't match it at all.

The trip back seemed over before he knew it, and Lady Yrinta stopped before their door.

"You have the rest of the day to yourself. Before evening, the dinner bell will ring, and you are expected down. Just follow the stairs back to the main hall and find a table. Now, Irwin, follow me."

Irwin quickly walked after her, getting a final excited thumbs up from Greldo and a jealous one from Olban. The others had already entered their room, probably too tired to care.

"Irwin, I'm going to bring you to a place you will hopefully frequent more in the future. It's the card library, which holds our collection of common and uncommon cards. There, you will be allowed your choice of a predetermined set of cards that has been set aside for those finishing the training portals. I suggest you think carefully about your choice. I was told you have a common utility card involving fire. My suggestion would be to pick one of the body enhancement cards. You will need it, even if it takes a while before their effects set in," Lady Yrinta said.

She spoke in a calm, commanding tone that reminded Irwin of Teacher Rhym when he was in front of the class.

"I was planning on that," he muttered.

"Speak clearly. You are to be a sorcerer. Start to act like one!"

"Yes," Irwin said, louder but with a shudder. "I was planning to get a card that strengthens my body."

"Good."

Lady Yrinta didn't say anything else as they crossed a few hallways and climbed up another stair. Halfway through, Irwin's legs were shaking, and he shivered.

Winter must be coming faster in the mountains, he thought, almost missing the warmth of the lava-filled cavern.

Eventually, they reached a spacious antechamber with a double door on one end. They swung open smoothly before they arrived, and a tall, slender man in a dark robe looked at them.

"Ah, Lady Yrinta. Is this the one that succeeded where so many failed?" the man spoke in an oily, oddly accented voice.

"Yes, Bellemui. This is Irwin, who only joined us today."

"Today, you say? My, my."

Bellemui's eyes widened, and Irwin barely suppressed a shiver as the light gray eyes pierced into his before dropping to his hand.

"And just one card? Surprising… Well. Only an hour to supper, so let us hurry this along then. Irwin, follow me."

Bellemui stepped back in while Lady Yrinta stopped at the door, merely taking a glance inside.

"Someone will be here to guide you back after your choice is made," she said. "We will see each other either tonight or tomorrow."

Lady Yrinta scanned his face for a moment, then turned and walked away, the guard following after her like a shadow.

"Yes, yes, she's gone. Come now, boy, I don't have all day," Bellemui called from inside.

Irwin stepped into the room, which was long, with dozens of small doors on each side, ending in a circular staircase leading up.

More doors, he thought, wondering if there were portals behind those.

In the center of the room was a round wooden construction, elevated and with a door on the side. Bellemui moved towards the left side of the room.

"Normally, someone else would be helping you, but we had already closed for the day," Bellemui said as he stopped before the third door. The doors had symbols on them, and the one before him had one of a flexed arm. "This is the room with common body enhancement cards. I suggest you pick one that suits you, either something with fire if one remains or a generic one. Those would more easily combine."

Bellemui pulled open the door, revealing a small room with walls lined with shelves. On the shelves stood metallic, gleaming pages with cards on them and text etched on the side. From a quick glance, Irwin counted at least a hundred. Bellemui stepped inside, then next to the door.

"Now, go and take a look. I don't think I need to mention this, but I'll just do so to be clear. If you attempt to steal anything, you won't live to reach this door. Thievery of cards is one of the few crimes we punish with death, and even that, sadly, hasn't helped abolish it entirely. My cards allow me to notice any card that is taken from its slot, so… leave them inside until you find the one you want. Then take it and see me at the main desk. Now, you have less than an hour."

Irwin shivered at the coldness in Bellemui's tone and watched as the tall man moved away, leaving the door open.

"Good, I'd thought he'd never leave," a soft whisper came from his clenched hand, startling Irwin. "Now, put me in your shirt already. Your hand is sweaty."

Irwin turned from the door, blocking what he was doing with his body, and quickly pushed the tiny Anvil inside his shirt.

"Good. One hour? Then you need to make a choice. If you want to become a smith, I can help you become the best in this world… well, maybe. If not, I'll help you reforge one into something better," Ambraz whispered.

Irwin thought about Randal and his sons, sweating away in their smithies, creating farm utensils and weaponry all day. He had no idea what he wanted for his life, but somehow, he couldn't imagine doing something like that.

"Don't decide now," Ambraz whispered, perhaps having noted his reluctance. "Go see what they have here, and hurry. You have an hour!"

At least on that, they could agree, Irwin thought as he moved towards the shelves. He took the metallic page from the shelf and stared at it in wonder.

So many cards, he thought.

Chapter 16: Bacon and porridge

Irwin gazed dully at the card before him, waiting for Ambraz's opinion. He didn't even bother to ask what the flowing handwriting next to the card said. His initial joy at all the cards had been tempered by the Anvil's increasing despair at the quality of the cards. A soft rumbling from his stomach showed that he'd not had anything to eat since the large meal that Xourdin had given them back home.

"Another one of these partial things! Durable fingers, even if I reforge it, it will be no better than Durable hands! Bah," the tiny Anvil whispered, his voice dripping with disgust.

Irwin shrugged and returned the card to the shelf, looking around. He'd looked at half of the cards in the room, and so far, not a single one seemed good enough for Ambraz.

Well, if he doesn't like any, I'll just take the one I think is best, Irwin thought as he moved to the next card.

Before he could even see what it was, Ambraz hummed, something he'd not done before. "Oh! Now, this is more like it," he whispered. "If there's nothing better, this would do."

Irwin focused on the card, which had an image of a tiny skeleton. "What's it called?" he whispered.

"Metallic Skeleton," Ambraz whispered before quickly reading out what the text next to it read. "The common version of metallic skeleton makes your bones nearly indestructible but also increases their weight exponentially! It's very good, but pay attention! Don't take this skill unless you have a body-strengthening card that has tempered your body for at least a year! Otherwise, you might not be able to move for months as your body adjusts."

"I don't think I can use this," Irwin said as he swallowed back his rising fear of being squashed by the weight of his own bones. "I can barely move my current body weight…"

"Bah, what does it matter if you can't move for a while? It'll give you more time to learn. Besides, after I reforge it, the weight should become less restrictive."

Should? Irwin thought, not hearing a lot of certainty in the other's voice.

He quickly moved to the next card, which got a disgusted grunt from Ambraz, as did the next six. Irwin absently wondered who wrote the texts on the cards.

There was a startled hiss that drew him back to reality.

"Where did they find this," Ambraz whispered. "Whatever dropped this must have had a soulskill one step away from growing to Amethyst… It deserves a place among the uncommons and would probably need to be among the best there."

Irwin excitedly listened as Ambraz read the name and text in an excited whisper.

"Simple small hammer. A utility hammer that can be used for smaller smithing jobs. Only take this if you have another smithing card and want to endeavor on a crafter's path."

"It's horrible," Irwin muttered with a surprised blink.

"What? Are you dense? It is incredibly rare to find an item summoning card among the commons! Besides, I can reforge it into something much better. Wait, where are you going?"

Irwin sighed, ignoring Ambraz. First, bones that he couldn't carry, then a hammer that would be useless except to a crafter. He was starting to realize that Ambraz and he were on a very different path. He continued examining the other cards until he reached one that drew his eye. It was a dazzling red eye with a flaming eyebrow.

"Scoffs at a wonderful hammer then drools over a common fire card," Ambraz whispered, sounding annoyed. He'd not said anything about the other cards except for a few sad sighs.

"What does it do?" Irwin asked, waiting and hoping Ambraz would respond. He really should learn how to read!

"Hmm, there is one interesting combination to be made with that," Ambraz whispered, sounding more interested suddenly. "I can reforge it for you, and if you combine it, it will give you a short-range fire burst from your eyes. That'd be perfect for forging smaller items."

"What does it do?" Irwin asked again, annoyed.

With a soft cough, Ambraz read the card. "Eyes of Blaze is a utility card that is good for appraisers as it infuses you with the ability to discern the general nature of unslotted cards. As a common, it requires you to inspect the card for a minimum of ten minutes while not being usable on slotted cards. The added benefit is that it will enhance your body by tempering it with heat. A decent body card with the oddity of having two effects. Still, unless you have a fire card or really like the first ability, there are better body improvement cards due to the limited heat people can handle."

Body tempering, Irwin thought as he looked at the card. It was fire and body, which meant it would probably be fairly easy to combine with his own card. Besides that, with it, he'd be able to increase his physique, hopefully in weeks instead of months.

And if it works better, the hotter I get, Irwin thought, recalling how easily he had handled nearly all of the heat in the portal.

"What happens if you reforge it?" he whispered, suddenly realizing he didn't even know what that did. He'd sort of just assumed it would make the card better… but how?

"I will upgrade it one rank to uncommon," Ambraz said softly as if that was obvious.

Irwin's hand froze halfway toward the card.

"You can do that?" he whispered. "Can you-" he licked his lips, then frowned. Why did he keep doing that? "Can you reforge uncommon to rare?"

"What? No, of course not! That'd be ridiculous," Ambraz whispered.

Right, Irwin thought as he nodded to himself.

"I'd need the help of a smith to do that, of course."

Of course, Irwin thought, suddenly very much liking the idea of becoming a smith. "Can you go higher?" he whispered excitedly.

"Well, it depends on the smith, but theoretically, yes. There are a ton of requirements, but-"

"From epic to legendary?" Irwin asked, barely able to keep his voice down.

"Maybe… probably… but it would require a smith unlike any that this backwater plain has."

"But there are smiths like that?" Irwin asked.

"Beyond this place? Of course, there are! Lots!"

"Could you teach me how to become that good?" Irwin whispered.

Ambraz remained quiet for a while before sighing. "To become that good requires a smith that loves the craft, not someone who does it for his own benefit."

Irwin barely heard him, only hearing the implications. So, Ambraz could teach someone to reforge cards, even from epic to legendary. Even if he didn't want to sweat in a shop, the benefits were making him salivate. His body would be tempered by the work and the card, and he might be able to reforge his first card to legendary. His heart began pounding at the idea of helping his brother become stronger and earn enough for his mum not to have to work herself to the breaking point. He could even-

Irwin cut off the line of thought he was about to go on, trying to shove back what his mother had said about his late father. One step at a time, he thought, taking a deep sigh. That would be a thing for later. Maybe.

His stomach rumbled as if to agree.

"As a smith, will my weak body hold me back?" he suddenly muttered, fearing what the answer would be.

"Not really, well… yes, but only for a few months, maybe a year? Your body is already slowly growing stronger. You just need better food, time, and practice," Ambraz said before sniffing. "But, I'm not sure I should teach you. I can't shake the feeling that you are only doing this to get things."

"What else is there in the world?" Irwin whispered, surprised. "If my mother had things, she wouldn't look twice her age from the work she did. With things, my brother wouldn't have to risk his life closing portals. With things, I could have had a card when they found out my body was… like this… and I'd have had a better life!"

"You alright in there, boy? Your time is almost over!"

Irwin quickly looked back, but Bellemui wasn't anywhere around.

"I'm alright, almost done," Irwin called out.

"You shouldn't speak so loud," Ambraz whispered before sighing. "… What you said is partially right. But you have to realize material goods won't necessarily bring you happiness."

"Unhappy people will always find things to be unhappy about," Irwin automatically repeated one of his mum's favorite sayings.

"Yes…" Ambraz said, sounding conflicted.

He was quiet for a few moments before sighing. "Alright. I'll teach you, but you must listen to my advice."

Irwin nodded, turning around and moving towards the hammer. If he had to take the useless utility item he… he… wait, how was he going to survive the portal tomorrow like he was now? With some tiny hammer, he'd be as weak as he was now.

"What's wrong?" Ambraz whispered.

"They will make me go into another portal soon," Irwin whispered, the idea of reforging his card to legendary suddenly seeming incredibly far away. And what after that portal? He'd have to enter another, and another, until he died.

"So? You managed to find me, right?" Ambraz hissed. "They won't ask you to enter anything but a quartz… errr… common portal yet, so what's the problem?"

"I died many times before I found you," Irwin whispered. "I'll be sent outside in a few weeks, months at most. I won't just reset to life in a real portal!"

"Oh," Ambraz replied. "You died? To those Quartz rank imps?"

"I'm almost sixteen years with a body weaker than that of a twelve-year-old and I have no combat cards," Irwin hissed, barely able to contain his voice. "What do you expect?"

Ambraz was quiet, then snorted. "Well, not a lot yet, I guess. Fine, as much as it pains me, go pick up that eye card. You can combine it with your own before tomorrow, and I can reforge it later. That will give your original card some boost and should increase the speed at which your body improves. We'll just have to hope nobody takes the hammer before you close another portal and earn another time in here or that you find a better one."

"Later?" Irwin asked, slightly confused. He'd hoped Ambraz would reforge it now.

"Well, of course. Or do you want to explain how you got an uncommon card? That guy sounded pretty clear," Ambraz whispered, sounding amused. "Even if you can, they will then make you enter uncommon portals, and I'm rather sure you will die within ten seconds."

Irwin deflated as he recalled that reforging meant making it a level higher. Perhaps he could figure out a way to make them believe he found one, but Ambraz was right. Going into uncommon portals would...

… wait…

What about the other girl? Taselina? Perhaps she hadn't had to enter portals yet? The problem was only with common portals right now... what if he got an uncommon card and was allowed to practice here for a year instead of having to leave in a few weeks?

But that would mean Greldo would have to go alone, a tiny voice whispered in his mind, and Irwin felt miserable.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you sigh a lot?" Ambraz whispered. "Now hurry. Bellemui is returning."

Irwin quickly shoved Ambraz in his shirt while grabbing the page with the Eyes of Blaze. As he turned, Bellemui stepped into the room.

"Ah, good, you finally found something. Nobody can say you aren't thorough... Now, let me see it."

Irwin handed over the page, and Bellemui nodded thoughtfully.

"Not a bad choice… it will give you plenty of choices during combination, and although it won't make you a physical powerhouse, it should help offset your disabilities with time." He tapped the card, and his own hand glowed. A second later, the Eyes of Blaze let go of the page, sliding into Bellemui's hand, who gave it to Irwin.

"Now, I would advise you to slot it now and do the combination tonight or tomorrow. As much as the guards try to keep the peace, if someone sees you with an unslotted card, I can't promise you will still have it when you reach your room. There are still a lot of sorcerers that follow Uxin'tar's old rules."

Though the wording suggested it wasn't an order, the tone left no doubt that it was.

Irwin swallowed, looked at the card, and let out a long breath. No sense in waiting. Under Bellemui's watchful gaze, he placed the card on the back of his hand. A burning, flickering glow erupted from his first card as the second vanished, and a tiny second drawing appeared on his hand. It was faint, as all commons were. Both cards burned with a fiery light then faded and turned to thin, hard-to-see lines.

There was a slight rush, and then he felt his body relaxing. Though, he could be mistaken. Perhaps it was just the stress that left him.

"Good, there is a resonance there, which will make it easy to combine them later. Make sure to think well about the effects you want to be boosted because they can't be changed," Bellemui said as he placed a hand on Irwin's shoulder and guided him to the door. "Now, you have no more time to go back to your room, so I've asked one of the guards to guide you to the central room for supper."

Irwin nodded, unable to keep the smile from his face. Although it felt like he'd been here for a week or longer, in reality, he'd only arrived this morning, and already he had a second card! He couldn't wait to try it out.

The door opened, and he saw a guard leaning against the opposite wall as Bellemui gently pushed him out.

"Good. Now, I hope I see you again, Irwin. You seem like a nice boy, though somewhat slow in choosing. Goodbye," Bellemui said before closing the door with a final nod.

"Not bad. Bellemui usually doesn't like new people," the guard said in a sly, oily voice. "Wonder why that is…."

Irwin looked up, suddenly cold. The guard was looking at him with narrow, glittering eyes. "Let's go. I need to make sure you are where you're supposed to be on time."

Irwin didn't respond but silently walked after the guard. His neck hair rose as the guard looked over his shoulder a few times.

"Not sure how a scrawny kid like you did it," the guard finally muttered. "Means the solution's not a strength or stamina-based thing."

When Irwin didn't respond, the guard grunted as he led him deeper down the building.

After a while, a loud hubbub came from a hallway in the distance, and Irwin hoped it was their destination. The constant looks of the guard were creeping him out. Even if Lady Yrinta hadn't warned him, he'd not have wanted to tell this guy anything. The guard slowed and stopped halfway in the hallway, looking at him with a frown.

"Are you smart, kid?"

Irwin wasn't sure how to answer and shrugged. "Not sure," he said, which caused the guard's frown to increase. Then he huffed and jabbed a finger through the hallway. "There's the diner. Careful who you talk to."

The guard followed him with gleaming eyes until he reached the open door at the end of the hallway. The deafening sound of hundreds of people talking came from inside, and Irwin looked to see something that resembled a massive inn. Small, square tables were everywhere, some shoved together to create longer areas, all filled with people roughly his age or slightly older chatting.

I wonder where Greldo and the others are, Irwin thought.

He took a look back to see what the guard was doing, but the suspicious guy was gone, so he walked into the room. There was a table filled with food to the far right with a long line, and he decided to get food first, then search for the others.

It took almost ten minutes for the row to move forward far enough for him to grab a large wooden plate and some cutlery. Then another ten before he walked away, saliva watering his mouth as he smelled the porridge, bacon, eggs, and odd bread rolls an arm's length from his nose.

"Irwin, over here!"

He looked up to see Greldo wave him over from between a few tables. He had a mug in his hand and a rosy glow on his cheeks.

Irwin dodged around people to reach him, and as he came close, he smelled the sickly scent of Shril. It was coming from Greldo's mug.

"What? It's just one mug. We aren't allowed more," Greldo said, voice louder than normal and with a wide grin on his face. "You should try some. It's really great!"

Irwin frowned, remembering how his mother had behaved after two, and quickly shook his head.

"Suit yourself! Let's go. The others are waiting," Greldo said happily, seeming uncaring that Irwin wanted none of his joy.

Irwin followed Greldo to a table near the far wall, and he noticed most of the children here wore clothing similar to his instead of the luxurious armor or colorful attire that he'd seen near the food and drinks area.

Rachel, Twintin, and Olban sat there, each with a mug and a big stupid grin.

"Daubutim ate as much as the rest of us and then headed back. Something about it being too loud and him being sleepy, if you can believe it," Greldo shouted as he dropped into a chair before taking another gulp of his drink.

Irwin just sat down and instantly dug in. As the first of the food arrived in his stomach, it seemed to realize there was more to be had, and it rumbled, then clenched almost painfully.

Yes, yes, Irwin thought as he continued stuffing himself.

"I was going to ask if you were seriously going to eat all of that," Rachel said softly, and Irwin looked up while swallowing a large chunk of porridge-drenched bread to see her stare at him. "But I think we might have to get you some more."

Olban laughed far too hard, then burped and put his head on his arms. Everyone ignored him.

Looking at his half-empty plate and feeling his stomach, Irwin wondered if she was serious. Deciding if it was worth a try, he nodded. "That'd be great, especially some more bacon and porridge!"

Rachel gawked while Twintin giggled loudly before getting up and pulling Rachel along. "Come on, let's get him some more before he eats us instead," she said, sounding way too happy.

Irwin looked at the cups of Shril they left behind, suddenly a bit curious. They seemed really happy, and even Rachel showed none of the downtrodden, depressed behavior of only hours before.

"Try a sip!" Greldo said as he held out his mug.

Irwin put it below his nose and sniffed. A scent sweeter than the baker's sugar pastries made him almost gag, and he shook his head as he pushed it back.

"No thanks, not my taste," he said as he took a quick bite of his last bacon to get rid of the sweet sensation in the back of his throat.

"No worries, more for me," Greldo said, taking a sip. Then he put the mug away and leaned forward, glancing at Irwin's hand. "So… what did you choose?" he whispered.

Irwin continued eating until his plate was empty, enjoying the slowly increasing annoyance on Greldo's face. He grinned as he wiped the last gravy with his bread and stuffed it in his mouth.

"Weeeellll," he said before slowly holding out his hand for Greldo to inspect.

"It looks like an eye," Greldo muttered, slightly slurred. "Weren't you going to get a body enhancement one?" He poked Irwin's shoulder as if to add to his remark.

"This is a body enhancement one," Irwin said.

He was about to add the other things it did, then held back. Even if he could tell Greldo, there were far too many others around. He'd not yet thought about the second part of the card, and he wondered what kind of information he'd get. Would it be like what was on the card pages?

"Well, I hope so," Greldo said suddenly without a smile. "Tomorrow is going to be pretty horrible, I think. I've heard rumors that we weren't the only group that did well, and those that arrived yesterday went through their first day of training. Apparently it was horrible."

Irwin grimaced, then shrugged. "It's better than real portals," he said.

"Oh, that's for sure," Greldo said, leaning forward. "The group over there-" he pointed to a table four apart where four slightly older youths sat, staring into cups or at the table. "They are from last year's batch and have been doing real portals. They lost two of their group and only survived because they fled back out."

"You can flee out?" Irwin said, surprised and worried at the same time.

"Apparently, but not from all portals. It depends on where you spawn."

"There was no exit from the training portal," Irwin muttered.

"No kidding," Greldo said, taking another sip. "Ah, the girls are faster than you were. Put up a smile before Rachel starts crying again."

Irwin tried, but as he looked up and saw the girls come over with another plate with even more food, his crooked smile instantly turned genuine.

"Here you go! They wouldn't allow us more and said we'd have to eat it first," Twintin said as Rachel put the plate before him with a big grin.

"Thanks," Irwin said, then blinked as Twintin put a large mug before him. He was about to reject it when he realized there was no Shril in it but clear water.

"And thanks again," he said, grinning as he took a long gulp. The water went down like in a bottomless pit, and when he lowered the mug, it was empty, and everyone was looking at him again.

"What? It's my first drink since-"

Greldo kicked him, but it was too late. Rachel's smile withered, and she quickly grabbed her own mug, taking a long drink before looking at it with glassy eyes.

Irwin sighed, not sure what to say, so he focused on eating his new food. As hungry as he was, even his new card-gifted bottomless stomach couldn't deal with all the food they had brought, and eventually, they were all munching on some small bits of bacon.

When everyone was yawning, Greldo got up somewhat unsteadily. "Let's go. I'm tired," he said, prodding Olban until he woke up.

Yes, because I need to combine my cards, Irwin thought, wondering if he could do so without the others noticing. Perhaps he could find a quiet place?

Chapter 17: Combining

Irwin took a deep breath as he gazed at the back of his hand. He was in the room beside the one they had been given, which had conveniently been empty. At first, he'd wondered about that, but after some more looking around, he'd found theirs was the only occupied room in their hallway and decided it was probably just Jonathan again. After telling Greldo where he was, he'd locked the door from the inside by shoving a bed in front and was now sitting at the opposite wall, at the fireplace.

The fire was crackling softly, the heat slowly warming the stone-cold room.

Ambraz was flying around him, the tiny metal wings a softly whining blur moving so fast he couldn't make out any details.

"I can't believe you got this and have no idea what it does," the Anvil muttered.

"Keep your voice down," Irwin whispered, glancing at the door. "I don't want someone to listen in and ask who I was talking with."

"I can detect any low-ranked being within a few dozen feet around us," Ambraz whispered. "There's nothing besides your sleeping friends."

"Low?" Irwin muttered, confused for a moment.

"Low. Common and uncommon is what you backwater plebs call it."

Plebs? Irwin wondered what that was. Then he took a deep breath. "No, I don't know exactly what my card does. Can you tell me?"

"Ugh, you will have to take it out for a moment," Ambraz said as he hovered lower, the airflow from his wings cooling Irwin's hand.

Irwin stared at Ambraz stupidly, not believing what he just heard. Since when could you remove cards? Worse, what if someone stole it when he had it out?

He looked around, suddenly worried the closed door wasn't good enough.

"Can someone take it after I remove it?" he whispered.

"What? No! Only if you unslot it," Ambraz said. "But don't do that. It will damage the card!"

Irwin blinked, then licked his dry lips. "How do I take it out?"

"Dear elders, you know nothing… Put your other hand over it and will it out."

Slightly afraid, Irwin did as told, thinking as hard as he could to have his first card back in his hand. There was a tiny bit of resistance, followed by a mental click. Accompanied by a bright flash, a solid sense filled his right hand.

"Good, now hold still for a moment. Oh, and remind me to teach you reading so you can use your second card's skill next time!"

Irwin didn't answer, staring at his card in wonder. He'd never expected to see it again, and as he inspected it, he was slightly sad that it looked just as simple as any other common he'd seen while searching for a proper second card. The only difference was the wavy line at the top.

"Do all epic cards look like commons?" he whispered.

"Quiet, let me focus. And, no. Your card has a type that makes it do that, probably a mutation or, if you are really lucky, the growth type. Now, if you are quiet for a moment, I can figure out what it is!"

Irwin nodded stupidly, staring at his card. So it will get stronger after I combine it with Eyes of the Blaze?

"Ohhh my… I don't know where someone found this, but… this is something!" Ambraz whispered, sounding incredibly enthusiastic. "It's called Fire-sensitive Body, and even for a special card, it's something else. I was joking just now, but it actually does have the Growth property! That means you can increase its power and effectiveness through skill and training!"

"What? That can't be right," Irwin muttered. "Bronwyn said it was called Flickerlight!"

"Don't doubt my abilities! I've never been wrong in reading a card, and if I tell you it's called Fire-sensitive Body, then that's its name."

Irwin hesitated to double down on what his brother had told him, then held his mouth. For a moment, he wondered if Ambraz was lying to him, but that made no sense. The Anvil wanted him to become a smith. What use would it have to lie to him? No… perhaps Bronwyn had been wrong? Or had the card Bronwyn had found been swapped out at some time?

Still…

It doesn't sound that impressive, he thought.

"Don't look that disappointed, you ungrateful brat!" Ambraz snapped before taking a deep breath.

"Listen to what it does first. Besides all the passive effects to your body that lower rank cards grant, it increases your resistance to fire by a great deal. It goes so far that while in fire, you get an effect similar to Greater Rapid Regeneration, which is a rare card. It does have the nasty side effect of decreasing your tolerance to cold, but we might be able to limit the trouble from that. Perhaps a thicker coat until we find cards to offset it. I'll think about it."

Ambraz hummed a bit while Irwin's frown deepened. He looked at his card with a growing worry. It was more often cold than warm in this part of the world. Very cold. Especially in the winter. What was he to do now? Stay inside until summer?

Greater Rapid Regeneration sounds awesome, though. I guess that's what happened back in the training portal, he thought as he raised his hand. Wait. Did that mean his regeneration would drop if he was somewhere cold?

"Right, either way. There's more. You get the ability to see in the dark, but best of all, you can summon that flame. It's a pretty handy one, with the ability to drain the heat from other nearby heat sources," Ambraz said before falling quiet for a moment, humming thoughtfully.

"It might also have something else because there's something odd about the card that makes it hard to read. It might be why your brother gave it another name. Perhaps whoever inspected it couldn't see through the oddities. Anyway, my suggestion is to focus on that active flame part of the card when you combine it with Eyes of Blaze. I'm not exactly sure what the combined effect will be, but the flame will likely grow stronger, while the body tempering part of Eyes of Blaze should increase. "

Irwin didn't reply, slightly overwhelmed by the deluge of information Ambraz dumped on him.

"Give me a moment," he muttered.

He leaned back and stared at the door without really seeing it, his card clenched in his fist. It was hard to believe how many effects his special card had, and he thought about the paltry few things he knew about the card-rarities. Commons had almost always only one effect and no inherent benefit. The best commons were thought to be single-type body enhancement cards and the smaller summons. Uncommons gave a slight passive effect that increased the strength of his body while being the first cards that held weapon summons and summons suited for battle.

Rares… well, he barely knew anything about those except for some rumors. For instance, a rare single-type body-focused card, one that increased strength, was said to make you stronger than any other person. Well, besides carded people who also had similar cards… or better ones, which he knew next to nothing about.

"What would happen if I combined the regeneration part of the card with the body tempering?" he asked.

"Well, first off, I'd call you a fool because it's a waste of that flame. Beyond that… I don't know. If you are lucky, only the benefits of the fire-sensitivity would go up. If you're out of luck, the cold sensitivity also increases, which might become a problem."

"Right… What other options are there?"

Ambraz hummed a bit, seemingly deep in thought, before he continued. "Potentially, you combine the flame with the other effect of Blaze. Though, as just a common, you won't get the eyebeam. You might get some odd ability. I don't know much about combining high-rank cards with low-rank cards... It's not really something that's done much."

Irwin licked his lips, then berated himself for it, and asked something that he'd worried about but kept forgetting to ask. "Can you still reforge a card after it has been slotted?"

"Yes, but after it's been combined with the one beside it, I can only increase what is already there. Before that, I can change some things as long as I stay within the card's normal parameters and typing. If you combine them all into a full-hand it becomes impossible."

Irwin quietly thought for a while, then put his card on his slot and watched it vanish. "What will give me the biggest chance to survive in real portals?"

"What I said initially," Ambraz stated, sounding absolutely sure of himself. "Besides your flame becoming stronger and becoming a more effective weapon, the passive effect of Eyes of Blaze will be improved from being bound to a much higher rank card. It might even rival a normal body improvement card."

"Okay, let's do that," Irwin said before staring at the tiny Anvil.

Ambraz didn't say anything, and Irwin licked his lips, waiting quietly.

"You don't know how to do that either," Ambraz said, sounding stunned.

Irwin shook his head, not sure what kind of people Ambraz had been with before that they all knew these things. What he did know was that plebs probably wasn't a compliment.

"Hold your right hand over your left hand and focus on your two cards- wait… can you even feel your second card yet?" Ambraz hissed.

"Err…" Irwin looked at his hand and tried to sense the second card like he could the flame. For a moment, he thought he felt something burn in his eyes, then it was gone.

"Practice that until you can feel it. After you succeed, we will continue," Ambraz said, sounding exasperated.

For the next hour, Irwin focused on the second card. It took him twenty minutes to activate it normally by staring at it, which was a weird experience. His eyes became burning hot, and when he put his hand before them, there was a glow on his palm. If he looked at his cards, he saw them like burning red outlines on his hand, now easily able to make out their images. If his eyes hadn't turned into miniature torches, showing he was doing something, he'd have tried using it on the others later just to see their images.

Another half an hour passed before he managed to enable the skill without staring at the card, at which point Ambraz whispered something.

"What was that?" Irwin asked as he stopped trying to use the Eyes of Blaze skill.

"One of your ancestors must have been an interesting person for you to sense and use a card this fast," Ambraz said. "I had thought it would cost you all evening, but you are doing very well. Continue."

My ancestors? Irwin wondered what Ambraz meant by that. He let his mind wander for a few seconds, then pushed the questions away and continued.

Another fifteen minutes later, he could more or less start the skill when he wanted, playing around by illuminating the shadowy corner of the room. He grinned as he saw the two round areas of ruddy light on the wall. His mum would have liked this. It'd have saved candles. Not that he really needed those, as even the darkest corners were easily visible to his red night vision.

"That should be fine. I think you should combine the cards now," Ambraz interrupted him.

Irwin nodded and went back to sitting on the bed next to the fireplace.

"So, as I was saying. Put your right hand over your cards and try to sense them both. As soon as you do, focus on the flame, but only pull up the Eyes of the Blaze. If you don't focus on the eye's ability, you will lose any chance of controlling which ability the merge will enhance."

Hand covering his cards, Irwin had no trouble picturing the flame, but connecting to the Eyes of the Blaze while only focusing on the body reforging part took a little effort. Eventually, he had a fleeting moment where he was able to link them.

"Okay, will them together," Ambraz whispered, seeming to sense he was ready. "Just like with taking out the card!"

Irwin held the two senses and began thinking about merging them, having them as a single thing, and combining them. For a moment, nothing happened, then a burst of light came from both cards, and the faint images of the flame and the eye began pulsing. Lines of fiery red ran towards each other, like spilled ink running across some paper and moving toward the other card's outline. Where they touched, sparks flew up, and a beautiful pattern of thin, intertwining flame tendrils emerged.

Irwin stared at it in wonder when a burning sensation started in his body. Within moments, he felt like he was back in the cavern near the lava, then it faded as suddenly as it had come to be replaced by an intense cold. He started shivering, his teeth clacking together, and he wrapped his arms around himself.

"Wha-t, i..s going o-n," he whispered, his teeth constantly threatening to bite on his tongue and cheeks.

Ambraz was hovering nearby, and the tiny mouth was pursed in a frown. "It has to be the effect of the combination, but-"

A dull, droning noise drowned Ambraz's voice, and Irwin looked around, suddenly terrified.

There was no source, and his body curled in on itself to try and find warmth. As he saw the flickering flames in the fireplace, he felt a tiny bit of warmth come from it. By now, his hands were like ice, and he couldn't even feel his feet anymore. Ignoring the Anvil flying around him, he crawled from the bed and stumbled towards the fireplace. As he got closer, he felt the warmth from it, and he moved within arm's reach from the crackling wood.

Did I accidentally combine the other part of my card? he thought as he stretched out his hands.

Slowly, he felt the blood begin to flow within them, but it was not enough. Not enough heat, he thought. A cold stab came from his chest, and he sucked in a breath. Was he going to die?

No!

Without thinking, he put his hand in the flame, and instantly, warmth flowed into it, pushing away the freezing cold. Realizing what he'd done, he was about to yank it back out when he noticed that there was none of the burning pain that he should be feeling. Not even a little. Instead, his hand was the only part of himself that felt anywhere near good.

Irwin moved closer and put his other hand, followed by his entire arm, into the fire, the warming effect of it spreading rapidly. He was about to step into the fireplace when he saw his sleeve begin to burn, the thick cloth turning black, and he quickly pulled his arms back.

Shivering but without hesitation, he removed his clothes, which took longer than it had ever had. When he was as naked as a newborn, he carefully put his now blue foot into the fire. A sizzling warmth came from it, and the cold seemed to flee up his leg. No longer worrying about the consequences, Irwin stepped forward and kneeled in the fireplace, trying not to disturb the wood and accidentally douse the fire. Within moments, the droning sound left.

"Incredible… Never seen anything like this," Ambraz's voice muttered, and he realized the Anvil had been speaking for a while now.

"Ambraz," he whispered. "What is happening?"

"Ah! You're awake! Summon your flame, quick! Its heat should help even more than the fireplace."

Irwin wanted to kick himself for not thinking of it. He held out his hand, and a palm-length flame erupted above it, an intense heat spreading from the bright fire. At the same time, the fire around him began whirling through the air towards the flame on his hand, which began growing even faster. Before he even had the time to cut off the skill, all the fire in the fireplace had disappeared, while the flame had grown another half-a-hand length. The heat from it was rapidly pushing back any tiny bits of lingering cold that had remained in his body. A soft glow from the corner of his eye made him look up and he saw the stones of the fireplace were turning a dull red from the heat.

"Did I make a mistake?" Irwin asked, looking at the flame. He wondered how much bigger it could get now.

"No. I did," Ambraz said with a weary sigh. "I underestimated the Fire-sensitive Body card. When it bonded with the Eyes of the Blaze, it increased its body tempering by fire ability but also added the cold weakness."

"Does that mean I have to remain like this?" Irwin asked, unable to keep his voice from rising in pitch as he pictured having to stay naked in a room of fire forever.

“No, no,” Ambraz said. "Just until your body has gone through the initial tempering… you will have to make sure not to combine your next card just willy-nilly. When you combine the last card of that hand, this will happen again, but it will be worse."

"Worse?" Irwin thought, remembering his ice-cold feet, the shivering, and the fear of dying.

"Yes, and when you combine them all together in a fullhand it will likely be very bad," Ambraz said, hovering before him. His lips were a thin line, and a soft sigh came from him. "Sorry, kid. If I'd known this, I would have told you to pick the hammer."

"How.. how long?" Irwin whispered as he looked at his arm. He didn't see much change. Perhaps his skin was a tiny bit darker, but that could just be the glow from the now orange stones in the fireplace, which he noticed had started cracking in places.

"I'd say, probably ten to fifteen minutes," Ambraz said, but Irwin heard the uncertainty.

"I thought you were the Anvil of the Gods," he snapped, barely able to keep raising his voice. "How come you don't know these things?"

"Well, yes. An Anvil of the gods," he muttered, whispering the first word.

An? Irwin thought, staring at the tiny Anvil. What did he mean with an Anvil?

Ambraz must have seen the question on his face and snorted.

"What? I didn't say I was the only one."

"..."

Irwin's mouth fell open, and he was about to ask for an explanation when his body started to turn warm, then hot. He quickly moved his flame away from his body, but it barely helped. It was the heat from the now brightly glowing fireplace, and he quickly stepped out, releasing the flame before realizing what he was doing. He flinched, fearing the cold to return, but nothing happened. Instead, the heat turned from burning hot to bearable, and he sighed contentedly.

Finally over, he thought.

"Well, that went almost perfectly," Ambraz said as he hovered nearby, the wind from his wings a cool breeze on Irwin's chest.

A loud knocking on the door made him start and look up in fear.

"Irwin Roddington. Master Mouldir and Lady Yrinta have requested your presence," a deep voice said. "Please stop what you are doing and follow us.

Right, she asked me to come! Irwin thought, cursing himself for having forgotten. What if the guards had come half an hour earlier?

He looked around in a panic, then down, and his eyes widened.

Clothes!

He jumped forward and began picking up the pieces of his undergarments that had been strewn about, glad to see none had any damage. He frowned as he pulled on his pants, which felt snug. It had been baggy before, and as he pulled on his rough, scratchy shirt, he felt the same around his chest. It wasn't too tight, but he knew what it meant. He'd grown enough in a short time that it would be noticeable! As he finished with the rest, Ambraz flew over and into the inside pocket of his now well-fitting coat.

A dull knock came. "Irwin, it is not good to keep the Lady waiting!"

"Yes, coming," Irwin shouted as he picked up his boots and held them next to his feet.

Those will never fit, he thought as he stared at the door.

"Last warning, or we come in."

Irwin shivered and ran to the door, noting his body moved better than he was used to while the pain he'd had before was now no more than a faint muscle ache. He wished he had time to see how much he'd improved, but that would have to wait till tonight. He pulled the bed away, noting it was still heavy but less so, then opened the door.

A guard with a gray beard and an angry scowl looked at him.

"We are not used to people barring doors here," he snapped as he looked at the bed.

"Sorry," Irwin said, wanting to explain but not sure how to. Staring at the guard, who raised an eyebrow, he managed to hold back any response and just shrugged.

"Whatever. Explain to them why you are late," the guard snapped. "Now, follow me!"

Chapter 18: Interrogated

He didn't even look in the room, Irwin thought as he quickly followed the guard, his boots in hand.

It took him only a few moments to sense another of the changes the body tempering had brought him, as he had a much easier time keeping up. He was still out of breath by the time the guard stopped in front of an intricately crafted door with a beautifully crafted handle, but at least he'd not had to ask for a break.

I wonder if anybody is going to figure out something is different, he thought.

There was also something else that he knew… he needed a thicker coat. He couldn't recall if the tower had felt this cold. Luckily, it was nothing compared to the cold he'd felt before, and he was pretty sure that a coat would be enough. Perhaps he could buy one with the coppers Bronwyn had gifted him?

"Alright, put on your boots and go inside. Oh, and make sure to act like you are talking with the most important people you've ever met, who can make or break your life in an instant. Because you are," the guard grunted.

Irwin looked at the boots, his shoulders dropping. "They don't fit after I combined my cards," he finally said honestly, getting a surprised grunt from the guard.

"... that won't do," the guard grumbled, moving towards Irwin and sticking out his hand. "Give them."

Irwin handed his boots over, unsure what was happening, and the man stepped away, raising his left hand. There was a bright flash, and a long, gleaming sword appeared. Irwin swallowed, afraid he was going to get gutted, but the guard just held out the boots. With a single, quick slash, he expertly slashed away the front toe area, which clattered to the floor.

Irwin's mouth fell open as he accepted the boots.

"Now, put those on and make sure to use their titles when addressing them!"

"I will," Irwin said, still startled. He sat down and put on the boots, staring dumbly at his dirty toes as they stuck out from the open end. As he got up, he wanted to thank the guard, but the man was already stomping away, his sword gone. He'd been brusk, but in the end, he had helped without complaint.

I guess I'll need to find a way to determine who is and who isn't nice here, Irwin thought as he sighed.

It was almost the same as back in school. Some people looked gruff but were willing to help, while others looked and talked nice but would find you after school to beat you up.

"Are you coming in, or are you waiting for an invitation?" a loud roar came from behind the door.

Irwin flinched and looked at the polished wood, wondering if he should knock, then swallowed and opened it.

He stepped into a large room with a heavy-looking table and half a dozen chairs that stood in front of a library that had more books than Irwin had ever seen in one place before.

There had to be hundreds!

The shelves were packed with leatherbound, wood-bound, and some sort of gleaming metal-bound tomes, ranging from two fingers to a hand width in thickness. The leftmost shelf had a wooden sign with a word and the image of a flexing man on it. Irwin took two steps towards it when someone loudly cleared their throat.

"Are you interested in books, Irwin?" Lady Yrinta asked, staring at him from one of the padded chairs to the side of the library area that he somehow hadn't noticed. A round table stood between it and another, two open books on it.

Irwin felt his ears burn as he saw her and Mouldir look at his feet before turning to look at him. The tower master had a pulsing vein on his forehead that seemed like a snake trying to free itself from his skin.

"Sorry," he said, his voice cracking. "I-"

"Yes, books are nice. Great. Now, sit your ass down and tell me how you managed to finish number eighteen!" Mouldir boomed as he jabbed his finger at a small stool opposite the two sorcerers.

Irwin froze, then rushed towards it, his mind spinning. He'd forgotten to come up with a good reason for closing the portal! What should he tell them? Speaking about Ambraz was a no-go, so what should he do? As he reached the chair and sat down, he decided he'd simply tell them about the tower, the tunnel, the massive lair, the chain, the amulet, and the snake in the lava. He'd just leave out everything about Ambraz or anvils!

As he finished his thoughts, he looked up to see Lady Yrinta examining him with a raised eyebrow.

"You are allowed to speak about this to us," she said with a smile. "But I do suggest you don't lie. We will send another group in as soon as training portal eighteen reopens, and they will verify what you tell us. We have a few that are up for their reward."

"Wait, they will still get a card?" Irwin blurted out, confused. Did that mean he would get cards for all of the training rooms he'd clear? Wait… could he even clear more?

"Yes, the next group will validate your claims and find a route to clear the room. For this, and the first clear, there is a reward of one common card," Lady Yrinta said solemnly. Beside her, Mouldir seemed to be fuming.

"Don't ignore me, brat! How did you clear that thing? We've had people attempt it for years," Mouldir said, almost shouting.

"Leave out the tunnels, Imps, the Orcs, and all that," Lady Yrinta said, frowning at Mouldir before throwing Irwin a reassuring smile.

"I… Yes, Lady Yrinta," Irwin said.

He took a deep breath and focused on what he wanted to say.

"We made it to the central cavern beyond those tunnels, and-"

Slowly, he told the story, answering their questions on how they'd overcome the mass of Imps in the city. Both Lady Yrinta and Mouldir shared a look, and then Lady Yrinta frowned.

"I know we said we didn't need to know about how you moved through the caverns, but can you explain how you managed to force those Imps to leave their city?

Irwin had hoped they wouldn't ask too many details, and he forced himself to shrug.

"We killed any lone or small groups we came across, then ran and hid if we found large groups. When they split up, we did the same thing, and when they finally stormed the caverns, we lured them to the Orcs and released those," he said, praying they wouldn't ask how they had killed the Imps.

"Guerilla tactics," Mouldir said, eyes wide as he leaned forward. "Who of you came up with these tactics?"

Irwin blinked, then tried to recall. After a few moments, he shrugged. "I don't recall exactly," he said honestly. "A bit Greldo and a bit me, I think."

Mouldir let out a burst of laughter, then waved his hand. "Your group is definitely going to be among those we train! Now, continue!"

Irwin nodded and hoped they would stop asking so many questions during the final bit of his story. When he recounted the part where he had to flee due to his poor health, wandering through the hallways and eventually finding the dead end, the tower Lord almost rose from his seat. The massive man gripped the armrests so hard the wood groaned in complaint.

"Do you remember how you got there?" he asked, eyes narrow as if he suspected Irwin was holding something back.

"No, Lord Mouldir," Irwin said quickly.

"Do you think you can find that dead end again if you went in again?" Lady Yrinta asked, surprising Irwin with the warmth in her voice.

"I don't think so," Irwin said as he felt the blood drain from his face. They weren't going to force him back in right away, right? He'd hoped to get some rest and a chance to learn some things! Besides, Ambraz wouldn't want to come with him… where would the Anvil go?

"Calm down, kid," Mouldir grunted. "It's fine if you don't want to. We've got a full party that can enter, and-"

"And what? We had those ruins turned inside out, maps and all," Lady Yrinta interrupted him. "Nobody found anything remotely like what Irwin just told us."

"Maps?" Irwin whispered, only just able to keep the anger he felt rushing up from his tone. They had maps and still sent him and the others in blind?

"Ah! Perhaps the kid can recognize it on the maps!" Mouldir shouted, seeming not to notice Irwin's anger. Instead, he jumped up and stomped to the door, yanked it open, and called into the seemingly empty hallway to bring him the maps of training room eighteen. He slammed the door shut and nearly ran back to his chair, sinking in and waving at Irwin.

"Continue!"

Irwin nodded and told them how he had walked down the long, curving path, his flame and the molten rock lighting his way. He wasn't going to tell them he had night vision, as his common wasn't supposed to give that. When he got to the massive cavern with molten rock everywhere and the insane temperature, both sorcerers shared a look.

"So, it's one of Gelwin's elemental practice portals after all," Lady Yrinta said. "The Imps were a giveaway, but as nobody found any…" She turned to Irwin. "Irwin, your card is a flame, you said?"

Irwin had been wondering what she meant by elemental practice portals and was surprised by the sudden question. "Yes, Lady Yrinta, it was only a finger long back then."

"Perhaps…" she mumbled, then shook her head. "No matter. That's for another time. Continue."

Irwin did as ordered, talking about the giant snake but leaving out that it had sniffed him, finally telling the first real lie.

"Behind the Imp was a rock, and around it hung a chain with a red multi-faceted gem," he said.

He made sure not to look away, which was the telltale sign of lying. He knew because his mother always chastised him for that. And for scratching his nose. He instantly felt an itch, and it took more willpower than he had thought to resist scratching it.

"No guards?" Mouldir asked, confused.

"Yes, a big imp with wings like the one above but bigger. About three times as high as me," Irwin said.

"And… you beat it with your flame?" Mouldir asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, the snake ate it," Irwin said with a shrug.

"It what now?" Mouldir shouted. "Who are you kid-"

"Lord Mouldir, calm yourself," Lady Yrinta snapped, glaring at the larger man

Mouldir snorted but crossed his arms and said nothing.

Lady Yrinta turned to Irwin. "How did the snake come about eating it?"

"The Imp attacked me, and I fled to the narrow ledge… and…" Irwin hesitated. Should he tell them he was about to kill himself out of fear of being tortured?

"Spit it out," Mouldir said.

"I poked it with my flame while jumping back in the lava…" Irwin said.

"Why would you do that?" Lady Yrinta asked, this time with a sad, knowing smile.

"Because I didn't want the Imp to capture and torture me," Irwin said softly.

"Understandable," Lady Yrinta said, turning a withering glare at Mouldir. "So, what happened then?"

Irwin hesitated again, wishing he could find some logical way to tell this, but there just wasn't.

"The snake caught me on its back and put me on the land," he said, realizing how ridiculous it sounded.

Mouldir seemed ready to explode, but one look from Lady Yrinta calmed him back down.

"I see… and then you destroyed the gem and finished?"

"No, Lady Yrinta," Irwin said, scrambling for more ideas. "I couldn't damage it and decided to remove the chain so I could put the gem in the lava. It took a long time, but eventually, I melted one of the links with my flame, and the portal suddenly appeared…"

"Oh! So it was the chain," Mouldir said, standing up and pacing around the table, his fists clenching and unclenching, causing soft plopping sounds.

"I get the feeling you're not telling us everything," Mouldir said after a while, turning a glare on Irwin. "But the others can go in to validate what you said. If I find out that you lied to me..."

A knock on the door interrupted him, and Irwin was relieved when a guard moved in with arms full of rolled-up maps, distracting Mouldir.

The man grabbed the maps, waved the guard away, and spread them on the nearby table.

"Get over here," he said, beckoning Irwin.

Irwin walked to the table and looked at the incredibly complex but highly beautiful map. One part represented the three pillars with the attached buildings, each with dozens of floors. It took Irwin a few minutes to figure out where they had entered the city, and he pointed at the building he thought he had entered.

"I think I entered that one," he said, staring at it for a bit longer before nodding with more certainty. "Yes, it's that one. The Imp jumped from the top!"

"That matches with the report," Lady Yrinta said as she tapped the long letter attached to the map.

Irwin looked at the letters, noting they were different from those on the card pages he had seen but just as unreadable. He looked away, slightly annoyed and, for some reason, feeling bad that he couldn't read them.

"Can you read, Irwin?" Lady Yrinta asked softly.

Irwin looked at her, glad to see no ridicule in her eyes.

"No, Lady Yrinta."

She was quiet for a while, staring at him before nodding firmly.

"Alright. I don't think you've lied, and after the group has confirmed what you did tomorrow, find librarian Bellemui. I'll tell him to expect you. He is teaching a few dozen others how to read and write. If you are to become sorcerers, we can't have you being illiterate."

Irwin smiled as he looked at the hundreds of books around him. Perhaps if he could read, he would be allowed to look at them?

"Get that out of your head, kid," Mouldir snapped. "These books hold knowledge you're not ready for and probably never will be. Now, go away! You need to sleep, and we need to discuss what you told us." The burly tower lord jabbed a finger at the door, which opened, showing a guard.

"Bring him to his room and make sure he stays there," Mouldir snapped before turning to Irwin. "If I find you have lied, expect a very annoying conversation and many times of being tossed into training room eighteen! Alone!"

Lady Yrinta glared at Mouldir, but didn’t say anything.

Irwin swallowed as the much taller man stared him down, then nodded and quickly backed up to the door.

"Good luck, Irwin," Lady Yrinta said.

"Thank you," Irwin whispered before quickly stepping out and closing the door.

The unfamiliar female guard looked at him for a moment, then beckoned him. "Follow me then. You aren't the only one tired," the woman said in a pleasant, soft voice. "Though after getting chewed out by Mouldir, I think you deserve a rest."

Ten minutes later, Irwin returned to the hallway with his door, smelling a slightly burnt scent. He didn't look at the door he knew it came from, hoping he didn't have to explain what he had done to the fireplace. The guard sniffed, looking around in confusion before stopping at his door.

"As Lady Yrinta said, good luck tomorrow," she said before nodding at him and walking away.

Irwin sighed in relief. He opened the door, finally realizing how tired he was. A soft snoring came from the others, and he saw they were all fast asleep. To his surprise, Twintin's bed seemed empty, and it took him a moment to find two shapes in Rachel's bed, and he nodded as he walked to his own.

As he sat down, a soft rustling made him look up to see Greldo stare at him, rubbing his eyes and raising himself on an elbow.

"You okay?" his friend whispered softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Irwin said as he raised his hand with a grin. "Managed to combine my cards, but I'll show you tomorrow."

Greldo yawned, gave him a thumbs up, then lay back down. A second later, soft snoring came.

Did he wait for me? Irwin wondered as he looked at Greldo, only his unkempt hair sticking up from his pillow and below the blanket.

Kicking off his mutilated boots, he hesitated but only took off his coat and dropped it in a pile before climbing below the blankets. As dirty as his pants and shirt were, he was slightly cold and didn't want to make it worse.

As the blankets wrapped around him, he had a nagging feeling he was forgetting something, but then his head warmed the pillow and his body the bed, and he didn't think of anything anymore.

--

Lady Yrinta slammed the door to her room shut, glaring around the large, luxurious chamber as if searching for something to blame. Then her eyes widened as she saw a tall woman at a table, looking up with a raised eyebrow. She looked like a younger, tanned, and scarred version of Lady Yrinta.

"Tanya! When did you return?" Yrinta asked, a smile managing to banish her angry scowl.

"An hour ago, but don't be too happy. I'll need to leave for another few weeks first thing tomorrow. They have found another uncommon portal nearby," the younger woman said. "Now, why do you look like you are ready to kill someone?"

Lady Yrinta walked to the table and sat down.

"I wouldn't mind wringing Mouldir's neck," she said wearily. "Did you hear what that fool decided?"

"I did," Tanya said with a weary sigh. "Sis, I know you don't like this, but... we desperately need more people to close those common portals. It's as if for every single one that we close, two open back up!"

"I know that," Yrinta said with a weary sigh. "But he is sending them in without any training! We might gain a handful of groups that survive if he sends them out in under a month, maybe less, but what does he think will happen to many others? We have already gotten a dozen that are nearly catatonic from the pressure! We only have three Ccarded able to remove traumatic events, and we can only hope they are fast enough before there is permanent damage to those poor kids' psyches."

“I know,” Tanya said, placing her hands on the table. “Did you tell him your plan?”

Yrinta snorted. “I did. He refuses to split up working groups to babysit new groups. Told me to just send the new groups to the areas with weaker portals. As if there’s any guarantees to that.”

The two sisters looked at each other for a while, then Tanya shook her head, a weary scowl appearing on her face.

"Has there been any news on Uxin'tar's whereabouts?"

"No. That horrible old man is nearly impossible to track when he decides to leave. Let's just hope he loses himself somewhere and never returns!"

Yrinta could see from her sister's weary face that she believed it no more than Yrinta did herself.

Chapter 18.2 Training Dummy

Irwin woke feeling warm and comfortable. It took him a few moments to realize that he'd been woken up by a whispered conversation. He stretched his slightly sore legs and rolled over on his other side with a content sigh.

His body felt better than it had in a long time, and he was a two-carded!

He could hardly believe it. A week ago, hoping for one had seemed like a miracle, and now he had two. Better yet, one was comparable to a high-rank body-improvement card, meaning he would grow beyond his previous small-statured, weak-bodied, bleak future. He became excited just thinking about it as the previous night’s happenings returned to his mind, and he remembered how much he had already grown in a single night. If this continued, where could he end?

If we survive the training and the real portals, at least, he thought. Slowly, the content sensation faded as he realized he'd be forced to enter portals in less than a month.

"Irwin, you awake?"

Greldo's soft call made Irwin wonder if he should answer or pretend to be asleep.

"We need to head downstairs for breakfast, and after that, find the eastern training rooms."

Irwin took a deep breath, clenching his left fist as he focused on both of his cards. Their presence felt like a faint body part, a finger or toe, that he could move if he wanted to. His flame card -he couldn't get himself to think of it as Fire-Sensitive Body- was the clearest of the two. Almost like a finger, easy to flex and point, while his new card was more like his ear. He could move it if he focused only on that card, but it still wasn't easy.

He sat up and pushed the blankets from his body. The cold air of the room seemed to engulf him, and he shuddered, pulling them back.

That's going to take some getting used to, he thought, when another struck him. Another benefit of being a smith! He'd get to stay close to a roaring fire most of the day.

As soon as he thought about smithing, he thought about card reforging, and he realized what he'd forgotten the evening before.

Ambraz!

He pushed the blankets away a second time and jumped out of bed, catching a glimpse of the others sitting on and standing around Daubutim's bed. Then he reached his jacket and quickly put it on, gently patting his inner pocket.

"Thanks a lot."

The whispered snort of Ambraz was too soft for the others to hear, but Irwin sighed in relief before scolding himself for just dropping the coat and the Anvil on the ground. What if someone had wanted to steal his coins? Shivering at the idea and his cold feet, he gazed at his boots. He didn't want to wear them, but what other option was there?

Perhaps we will get some better gear. We are in the advanced training group, after all, he thought as he quickly put on his boots before walking to the others.

"What happened to your…" Twintin began before giggling loudly.

A second later, Rachel and Olban were laughing just as hard.

Irwin sighed and shrugged at Greldo. His friend only gave his boots a cursory glance before inspecting Irwin, his eyes widening briefly. Then he shook his head and looked at Irwin's hand.

"So, you've got a second card?" Olban asked, his voice going up two octaves before cracking halfway into the question.

"Yes," Irwin said as he stood at the end of the bed next to Greldo.

A quick look sideways showed he was now just as tall as his friend, meaning he'd grown at least an inch during the tempering. He was still short, but at least he was growing in the right direction.

"Good… wanna share a bit about it?" Rachel asked.

Irwin saw everyone, even Daubutim, staring at him with interest. It made sense. He was now the only one of them with two cards. He thought for a second, then decided it probably couldn't hurt to tell them about the body improvement part.

"It's a body improvement card," he said. "Not a single type one, but it should help with where we are going."

There was a round of sighs and congratulations, which he had expected. It was always good to have at least one body improvement card.

"So, they didn't give you an uncommon one then," Olban said.

"Course they didn't! He wouldn't have been able to join us into a common portal if they did," Greldo said, shaking his head. "They would have sent him to another group!"

"I know that!" Olban snapped, his voice rising before breaking as it sometimes did. It didn't stop him from continuing angrily. "But he might have just come here because he had to sleep and then tell us he wouldn't be staying with us?"

There was a stunned silence, and Irwin didn't know what to say. He'd played with the idea… but he was here now. He still wasn't sure if it was the right choice.

"Well, he is here, so that means we need to figure out what to do," Greldo said.

"What do you mean?" Irwin asked.

"We've been trying to come up with a plan on what to do to survive the next training portals," Rachel said.

There was a soft sniff, and she sighed and hugged Twintin, who was leaning into her like a kitten.

"I've told them what I remember from the basic training, and we were just coming up with survival strategies."

"Do you think they will send us into other training portals without any training again?" Irwin asked.

"I don't know," Rachel said. "But we only have ten minutes before breakfast. After that we have to get to the advanced class. It's best we prepare as much as we can"

Irwin nodded, surprised and slightly annoyed that they hadn't woken him up before they started. Something must have shown on his face.

"He wouldn't let us wake you," Olban said, pointing at Greldo. "Something about you needing your sleep!"

Irwin looked over and saw Greldo nod resolutely. "When you came back, it was the middle of the night, and you'd not even had any rest after exiting the training portal."

Irwin couldn't help smiling.

"You are right, and thanks for that! Now, how about you tell me what you've discussed, and perhaps I can help."

"Alright," Greldo said, clenching his fist and returning the grin. "Let's make sure we perform so incredibly well that they are going to hand all of us a second card!"

Or a third, Irwin thought as he listened to Greldo explain what they had gone over.

–

"You're lucky the others don't know you as I do," Greldo whispered as he walked with Irwin at the back of the group.

Irwin looked at his friend, almost afraid of what he meant.

"You've grown… which isn't something that should happen if you get just a common. Even if it's a body improvement card."

"I..." Irwin began, about to deny it before stopping. Greldo was his friend and his only one at that. He was very sure he wouldn't rat on him. The problem was that they weren't somewhere safe. Irwin looked around to check if anyone was nearby.

Greldo raised his hand, drawing his attention, eyes narrow. "It's fine. I already knew something was up back in the training portal. Too many things didn't make sense," he whispered, eyes gleaming.

Irwin worriedly looked ahead, but Rachel and Twintin were a good deal ahead, talking loudly. Olban and Daubutim were at the head of the group. With nobody else here, he guessed that as long as they didn't talk about anything dangerous, this might be the most secure moment.

He nodded with a grin, and Greldo's widened before he visibly forced it back.

Greldo took a deep breath, then looked at him seriously. "I won't tell anyone. But... I hope whatever is happening with you will strengthen you enough to help us survive the real portal. Let's watch each other's back, alright?"

Irwin nodded without hesitation, surprised Greldo thought he wasn't going to have his back. He was even more surprised to see a look of relief on his friend's face before Greldo looked ahead, lowering his voice even more.

"Definitely," he whispered.

"Alright, because there's something odd about Rachel's story, and let's not even begin about Daubutim," Greldo whispered.

Irwin expected him to continue, but Greldo seemed to have said his piece and continued forward quietly.

Irwin frowned as he looked at Rachel, whispering and grinning with Twintin. She seemed like a nice girl, behaving like a bigger sister around Twintin. Going over her story, or what he recalled of it, he didn't notice any weird things. She and her first party entered a training portal that led into a jungle. Within minutes, they had been jumped by odd, wooden-stick monsters that killed them. Then, they had exited amid an all-out attack on the tower that wiped out all of them except for Rachel. She had managed to use her shield and hide till the guards managed to restore the peace.

Wait… shouldn't weapon summons be uncommon? Irwin thought, suddenly distracted.

He looked at Daubutum, recalling the wooden club. Something was odd about those two. He wished he had a moment to ask Ambraz if shields and clubs counted as weapons or utility cards. Perhaps they were like the hammer Ambraz had pointed out?

Mind buzzing, he followed the others down the stairs and into the main room, which was still filled with tables and a large kitchen area.

After waiting in the long line, he piled up as much food as they let him before following the others to a quiet table.

"You eat a lot," Daubutim said, the first thing he'd said that morning, which wasn't an answer to a question. He nodded approvingly at Irwin's plate, which held as much as his own. "Eat more, grow stronger," he added before turning his attention to his food and digging in.

Irwin didn't know what to say and shrugged.

"Did you not have a lot of food where you are from?" Twintin asked softly, and he saw a knowing look on her face.

"No," Irwin said with a pained laugh. "Mom tried, but food was hard to come by."

"We always heard Malorin was a nice, quiet place with enough food," Rachel said through a mouth full of bread.

Greldo barked a laugh and shared a knowing look with Irwin.

"Only if you are noble or a carded crafter," Irwin said.

"The same as everywhere else then," Rachel said.

"My father says if people don't have enough food, they don't work hard enough," Daubutim said.

The others, including Olban, looked at him in disbelief. For a moment, nobody spoke, and then Olban barked a laugh.

"You sound like a noble," he said.

"I am," Daubutim said with a short nod.

"You what?" Olban shouted, drawing the attention of nearby tables.

"Keep it down," Greldo hissed.

Irwin quickly focused on eating, trying to give the impression that nothing was wrong. A few moments later, the nearby conversations picked up again, and they all looked at Daubautim.

"You're an actual noble?" Greldo asked softly.

Daubutim looked up from his plate and nodded. "The youngest son of Lord Coulwater," he added before frowning and adding in the sharp voice he sometimes used. "Pleased to meet you."

"Why are you not with a noble group?" Rachel asked, leaning forward.

"Mother said to stay away from them and find a group that I could trust," Daubatim said, waving his fork around. "She said it would be best not to go with a strong group because that meant I would have to go into more dangerous portals."

Irwin's fork was halfway to his mouth as he looked at the tall, dull boy. Daubatim didn't seem to notice the attention of the others, and when nobody spoke, he happily continued eating.

Someone kicked his shin, and Irwin looked up to see Greldo stare at him for a second before mouthing see? He wasn't sure what to say and just nodded before focusing on his food.

Ten minutes later, when everyone had finished, the main gates began opening. There had been no warning or message, but as it widened enough, Mouldir stepped inside. He looked around before pulling the doors closed so hard the resulting boom rattled all the plates.

"Right! You should have had your fill by now! Now, everyone who got picked for the advanced class, follow me! The others, wait here. You will be divided among the available teachers."

Mouldir turned and stomped through the room.

There was a moment of hesitation, and then groups of youths began getting up and running after him.

"We better go before he gets angry," Irwin said, grabbing a few remaining slices of bread before getting up and walking forward.

The others followed him, but he barely noticed. Surprised gazes were following him as he walked towards the exit that led to the large staircase. He could hardly blame them. One look at the other groups showed they all had a few things in common. They were nearly all tall, most the size of regular adult men or bigger, and they wore decent clothes.

He was small, wore rags, and had shoes without toes.

Irwin felt his face grow hot, but he ignored it, including the whispers he picked up.

"Think they are trying to fake it?"

"How can he get in? He's scrawny!"

"Maybe he lucked out on some great card?"

Irwin sped up as he reached the edge of the dining area, then rushed to the exit after a group of what had to be nobles. Most were male, but a tall redhead with a ponytail looked at him as he followed her, and her eyes shot up in surprise.

Irwin shrugged, then stopped and waited for Greldo to catch up. Walking beside him, he slowed down and let Daubutim and Olban take the lead. Daubutim's size would stop any questions.

"Forty-two," Daubutim said softly. "So, seven groups."

Irwin looked at him in surprise. When did he get the time to count that?

"Only so few?" Greldo muttered. "I'd expected more if they chose us..."

"Clearing that training isn't a little feat," Irwin whispered.

They fell quiet as they began slowly crowding together with the others. Eventually, they walked through wide corridors toward an open area larger than anything but the room they ate in.

Mouldir moved to the center of the room, where four men and one woman stood, all holding weapons. Racks of weapons stood to one side, filled with worn swords, clubs, staffs, and bows, while archery practice targets stood at another.

"Alright, listen up you punks! Normally, we would give you lots of time to get used to the idea of having to fight for your lives, but there's no time for that now," Mouldir shouted as he glared at them.

"Right now, we are twenty common-carded groups short, and the pressure on the uncommon groups is growing. In a surprising turn of events, we actually have more cards right now than trained people to give them to. So! We will be giving the two most promising groups here an uncommon card at the end! They will get one week of practice in real portals before they get them, after which they will be sent into uncommon portals!"

There was a surprised outburst as everyone, including the Nobles, began whispering amongst themselves.

Irwin didn't even bother joining in. He knew from one look that their group was by far the weakest. Besides, uncommon portals were far more deadly than common ones were!

Olban, however, was looking stunned and happy. "Can you imagine if we can get an uncommon card?!" he hissed, his voice breaking up and remaining high-pitched. "After we return home, we could join the rangers, or become crafters, or-"

"Enough!" Mouldir boomed, causing the entire room to fall silent. "That was the good news! The bad news is that we don't have the four weeks we had hoped. We have two weeks. In two weeks from now, you will be teleported to a village to start clearing out portals."

A deadly silence hung in the room.

"Come on, it's not that bad," Mouldir snapped. "For each portal you close, you will get points, and if you close enough, you can pick another card!"

If we live, Irwin thought.

"Whatever! This is how it's going to be," Mouldir grunted. "We will start by gauging your skills, so if you have carded weapons, bring them out; if you don't, go pick a weapon from the racks! Choose the one you are most comfortable with, but no metal! If you don't have a carded blade, you're out of luck!"

There was a moment of hesitation, and Mouldir stomped his foot, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

"Move!"

Irwin turned and walked to the racks, worried already. What should he pick? The weapon he'd used most had been his own flame and the imp daggers. He gazed at the clubs, which looked like something he could use.

"Take a staff."

Irwin blinked, looking up at Daubutim, who was looking wistfully at the swords before grabbing a heavy club and a shield.

"They are easiest to learn, have range, and you can make one in the wild."

With only slight hesitation, Irwin grabbed one of the staves, grimacing at the weight. He looked around for a lighter one, but they all looked identical.

Hoping things wouldn't go as bad as he feared, he walked back to the group, noticing that Greldo also had a staff, while Olban also had a wooden shield and a club. Rachel had a bow, but from how uneasy she was holding it, Irwin wondered why. Twintin was holding a club in two hands and seemed afraid it might hit her.

"Alright! All of you go with Edwan!" Mouldir boomed, and Irwin saw he was pointing at them and the group beside them while one of the men, a tall, clean-shaving, black-haired sorcerer, walked towards them. He had a short broadsword loosely in one hand.

"Alright, follow me," he said, walking towards one of the corners of the room. It held training dummies, wooden constructions with pegs for arms and legs that vaguely looked like horned demons.

"How the hell did you lot get in here?"

Irwin looked up to see a tall noble stare at him and Greldo. He looked as if he'd bitten down on something incredibly sour.

"Skill," Greldo said before looking back ahead.

Irwin saw the noble's mouth fall open before his eyes narrowed in anger.

"Alright, stand with your groups and shut up," Edwan snapped.

Irwin looked up to see the tall, lean man glare at him and Greldo, and he swallowed.

"You are either very good with that staff or your cards are special," he said. "Which is it?"

Irwin felt himself turn pale from the full attention of the sorcerer and the group beside him. The only saving grace was that the others had all been divided and were far away at the other corners of the room, not noticing what was happening.

"Whatever. All of you find a training dummy. You, bow girl. Have you ever used one before?"

Rachel muttered something, and Edwan's eyes narrowed.

"If you think this is a joke, don't come crying to me if you die in a portal," he said. "What do you mean, you've never held one? Why did you pick it up?"

He heard that? Irwin thought.

That meant he had some kind of hearing-enhancing card, just like some of the Rangers. He shared a quick look with Greldo. They had to be very careful about what they said.

"Yes, the range is good," Edwan said. "But if you can't use it, why- Agh! Whatever. Go back there and grab a club!"

Rachel ran back to the racks while Edwan turned to them. "Training dummy. Now!" he snapped.

Irwin ran to the nearest free dummy, staring at it stupidly.

Even this thing is taller than I am, he thought.

"Alright, everyone not with me, go hit the training dummy the best way you know. I'll see what you can do and then decide who needs what training."

Irwin licked his lips as he looked at the dummy before raising the heavy staff. Dull thuds rang out from all around him, and a quick look showed the most proficient had already begun unloading a barrage of strikes on their wooden targets.

Seeing one noble wielding a staff and swirling it around left and right with ease, Irwin sighed and focused on the dummy.

Raising his staff, he let it slam into the wooden side, and he only just held back a yelp as the staff reverberated in his hands.

Gritting his teeth, he hit it again, softer this time.

Within a minute, sweat was running down his face, neck, and back. He barely heard Edwan talk with people nearby, and only when someone prodded him did he jerk around. He could barely raise the staff, his arms shaking.

Edwan was looking at him in disbelief.

"What are you doing here?" he muttered. "Is Mouldir going-" he held back whatever he was about to say and looked up quickly.

Irwin saw Mouldir at the far side of the room. He seemed to be beating up two tall nobles with just his bare hands, blocking their clubs with ease.

"So...?" Edwan asked, looking at Irwin. "You look like you are going to fall over any moment. Why... are... you... here?"

Irwin shrugged. "Lady Yrinta said I couldn't talk about it."

Edwan's eyes widened. "You're the... impossible!'

He stared at Irwin for a while longer before sighing.

"Fine. There's nothing I can do to help you... Keep hitting the dummy for as long as you can. With two cards and plenty of food, you should grow stronger. If you can't raise your hands, go run around the room."

Irwin looked at him, feeling fear settle in his stomach. He had to do this... for the entire day?

"Move," Edwan muttered.

With shaky arms, Irwin raised the staff and struck the dummy.

Edwan looked at him for a few moments before walking away, cursing something under his breath.

Irwin continued forcing his arms up, slowly wondering if perhaps it wouldn't have been better to be in the training portal.

Chapter 18.3 Midnight warning

Irwin stumbled down the stairs, every inch of his body in pain. Which day was this? The third? Or the fourth?

He couldn't remember. The days had turned into a blur of hallways, training dummies, and tables laden with food. All he remembered was that he could now raise that bloody staff for longer and hit the stupid dummy more times before he was forced to jog around the room.

"Are you okay?"

He looked up at Greldo, who looked barely any better than he felt.

"Dinner," Irwin croaked, forcing a grin on his face.

Greldo somehow managed to laugh, shaking his head before grimacing and rubbing his neck.

"You are trying to eat them into submission, aren't you?" he asked. "I think you grew another inch."

Irwin tried to straighten himself up, felt something pull in his lower back, and decided seeing if Greldo was right wasn't worth the effort.

An indeterminable number of hallways later, they were sitting back at a table.

Irwin smiled at the double portion in front of him. The only benefit so far was that they had finally stopped wondering if he tossed the food out somewhere and just gave him as much as he could carry, which wasn't that much, sadly.

Glancing at his thin arm, he sighed. Where was all this food going?

Ten minutes and most of his food later, the others of their party arrived and slumped down. They had barely seen each other the last few days. Only during food and in their room. Not that the latter helped much. Every one of them was so dead tired they slept the moment they touched the bed.

"I heard rumors that things are going worse outside," Olban muttered around a mouthful of bread and meat. "The rest periods have been shortened again, and the groups that arrive get only one day before they are sent back out."

There was a soft crying sound, but Irwin didn't even look up. Twintin seemed to be crying most of the time now.

"Come, Twintin, it's going to be fine," Rachel whispered, hugging the smaller girl.

"Some of the other groups have been let into the other training portals," Olban said, ignoring the girls as he looked at Greldo.

He didn't seem to like any of them a lot, but Irwin had noticed that he disliked Greldo the least, for whatever reason.

"From what I've heard, we will go in three days."

Irwin shivered.

"Any idea which room?" Greldo asked.

"The swamp..." Olban said, staring at his plate.

"No!" Rachel whispered.

Irwin sighed and focused on the bits of food he had left before getting up for another plate. He was almost full, but he knew that if he got up and moved a bit, he'd be able to fit in another half a plate, and if he didn't, he'd be hungry in bed.

The rest of the night started as it had the previous days, with him lighting the fire and the others falling asleep two seconds later.

Irwin was about to close his eyes when there was a knock on the door. He hoped for a moment that Daubutim would open the door, but nobody reacted, and when the knock came again, louder, he slipped out of bed, put his coat back on, and ran to the door.

A guard stood before it, looking as weary as Irwin felt.

"Irwin?"

"Yes..."

"Lady Yrinta requires your presence," the guard said, stepping away. "Let's go."

Irwin sighed, then stumbled forward. Forcing his way up the stairs and through the hallways cost whatever energy he had gotten from dinner, and he barely remembered how he arrived in front of a dark wooden door.

"I'll wait here to bring you back," the guard said, covering his face with a yawn.

Irwin nodded, stared at the door, then knocked.

"Enter."

I hope this won't take too long, Irwin thought as he pushed open the door and stepped into a well-lit room. Bookshelves lined the walls, maps of regions he didn't recognize others, and Lady Yrinta stood before one.

"Irwin? Good. I've heard you're having some trouble with the training."

Irwin grimaced, not sure how to react. He'd expected Mouldir to have kicked him and Greldo out days ago, but they were still there, so it was probably too much to hope that Lady Yrinta would do that now.

"I've not had my cards for a long time," he said, knowing she knew that just as well as he did.

"I know, and I'm sorry you are being forced so hard," she said, turning a weak smile at him. "Sadly, things are going worse than ever, and with what you've shown in portal eighteen, I can't send you to the slower class."

"I understand," Irwin said, unable to keep the disappointment from his voice.

"Not that anyone is going to be in the slower class much longer," Lady Yrinta muttered. Then she looked at him, and Irwin was shocked by how tired she looked compared to the last time he'd seen her. Her eyes were heavily lidded, dark bags below them.

"The sorcerers I sent inside portal eighteen managed to find the way you used to finish it, finally, so you are officially a training portal closer now," she said.

Didn't getting a card mean that already? Irwin thought, but he kept quiet.

Lady Yrinta gazed at a spot behind him, falling silent.

Seconds ticked by, and Irwin almost wondered if she'd fallen asleep standing and, if she had, if she could teach him how to do that. He'd tried twice and crumpled down each time. Suddenly, he realized she'd been talking to him, and he blinked, looking up.

"Back? Good. It's fine; we are all tired," Lady Yrinta said before frowning and shaking her head. "Except for Mouldir. That man is a monster. Not enough of one, sadly. Now, I'll let you go back to bed, but first, the reason you came here. See it as part of your reward. Though it's more of a warning, I guess."

Irwin licked his lips, feeling his heartbeat rise. What reward was a warning?

"You will only have three more days of training. After that, your group will get a half day of rest before being brought to your first real portal."

Irwin stared at her stupidly. Olban had said things had changed, but this bad? He wasn’t even sure he'd heard her right.

"What?" he muttered, but Lady Yrinta softly continued.

"The best I could manage was to have you moved to a region with weaker common portals. Due to that, most will have Imps, so with a little luck..." she looked at him, glancing at his cards. "If you can use your card to rapidly close Imp portals, that would already be a great help."

"I thought we had two weeks left?" Irwin whispered, barely realizing who he was asking a question of.

Lady Yrinta looked at him, then smiled sadly.

"Yes... that was before the number of portals increased again. It's become so bad that the Capital has begun forcefully conscripting anyone not already doing so to close portals. It's why you will see more girls here if you manage to return," she added, staring at him meaningfully.

Irwin frowned, and it took his weary, overstimulated mind a moment to figure out what that meant. Girls usually remained in the towns to ensure a new generation was born, as much as his mother had cursed that. The exceptions were either the very best or those deemed useless. There had only been one girl sent from Malorin, Clarish Uldrot, and she had been taken to the uncommon tower straight away, likely to be gifted a healing card or some powerful control card.

"The king removed the rule last year, but it hasn't really been widely noticed where you are from," Lady Yrinta said absently. "Beldorin tried to resist, and a day later, the lord was killed and a puppet planted in his place."

Irwin barely believed he heard. The Capital was a faint, unknown thing they never spoke about back in Malorin, and killing lords? He swallowed as he watched Lady Yrinta, who seemed to have forgotten him, staring at the map as she spoke softly.

"If we don't manage to stop the tide of portals, it won't matter... nothing will matter..." she whispered.

Irwin felt his skin crawl, and the forlornness Yrinta had spoken with made him shiver.

What will happen to Mother and Bronwyn? he thought.

A sudden worry about portals appearing around Malorin made him clench his fists, ignoring the muscle pain. What if his mother had to help close portals? She had no combat cards!

His toe-less feet rustled on the stone ground, and Lady Yrinta looked up with a start.

"Ah, you are still here! Sorry, I've had no sleep in days."

"Go, head back to your room," she said as she waved at the door. "I've done what I could for you based on the reward your clearing warranted."

Irwin walked towards it, his feet heavy like lead and not just from how tired he was.

"If I don't see you again, good luck," Lady Yrinta said. "Remember this. Don't die closing one portal. Leave if you have to and try again," Yrinta said.

Irwin nodded and quickly walked out of the door, closing it behind him. The guard stood to the side, head against the wall, eyes opening blearily.

"Wu.. what? You ready?" the man asked, yawning.

"Yes," Irwin said.

The trip back was possibly even more quiet, with both of them yawning and seemingly lost in thoughts. When Irwin reached his room, the guard just waved and left.

Irwin gazed at the door, his mind dull.

"Kid, go into the other room. We need to talk!"

Irwin jolted as the soft whisper came from his pocket. It took him two seconds to realize he'd had no time to speak with Ambraz for the last few days. Forcing his weariness down, he moved to the other room and slipped inside, closing the door behind him. It still reeked of smoke and burned stone, and the fireplace looked like someone had tried burning it.

"Finally," Ambraz said as he struggled out of Irwin's pocket. "Do you know how it feels like to be cooped up inside someone's dusty old jacket all day?"

Irwin yawned and looked at the Anvil without actually seeing him. Lady Yrinta's final words kept flowing through his head. He had never worried too much about the portals, at least no more than that he wished Bronwyn would be safe. The horrible time in Training Portal Eighteen had made him fear them even more, but he'd never thought that things were as bad as this.

Something rustled in his face, and he automatically dodged back.

"Don't ignore me," Ambraz hissed. "You can sleep soon."

"What did you want to talk about?" Irwin whispered.

"A warning- seeing as you already had one, another won't hurt," Ambraz said. "If you can get away from this tower, you should do so! There's something weird with some of these sorcerers, and although I can't pinpoint what, it's not good. So, try to hold back the next few days so you don't look like a corpse when it's time to leave. You don't want that Mouldir to decide to keep you back here."

"What do you mean, something weird?" Irwin asked.

"Brat, I just told you, I can't pinpoint it. All I know is that their cards, the way they feel? It's off. I know of a few things that could cause it, and none of them are good. Heed my warning. Get out of here, and don't come back."

Irwin licked his dry lips, then nodded. "Alright, let me know if there's something wrong."

"And how do you suppose I do that?" Ambraz muttered as he lowered himself back into Irwin's pocket.

"I don't know... can't you make some movement?" Irwin asked as he walked to the door. A soft vibration came from his pocket.

"That will do," Irwin said, yawning again. "I've got to go sleep, or tomorrow will be worse."

Irwin snuck out of the room, glad there was nobody waiting for him, then into his own. He'd half expected Greldo to be awake, but all he found was an empty fireplace where the fire had gone out, a cold room and his snoring teammates.

His body hurt as he climbed under the blankets, and he didn't even remember putting his head down.

–

"Three days..." Greldo cursed as he walked beside Irwin.

They were far behind the others, and neither of them was able to really keep up, which gave them their only moment to talk without being overheard.

"We should warn the others," Greldo whispered.

Irwin let out a groan of relief when they reached the top of the final staircase. He very much felt the lack of sleep, and he knew that he was going to feel it even more when he raised the staff for the first time.

"Tonight," he said, agreeing.

"Three days," Greldo said again, gritting his teeth. "We aren't going to be able to really learn anything useful in that time."

Irwin didn't bother responding, as it was obvious. He had only been hitting a dummy to get some stamina... the only thing he had learned had been from looking at some of the youths who seemed to know how to use it.

Shouts and thudding came from the distant hallway, showing they were probably the last to arrive, again.

This is going to be a pain, Irwin thought, flinging his arms around to start warming them up.

He was right. The rest of the day passed grudgingly slow, and even with him trying to hold back as much as possible, he could barely lift his fork during dinner. It didn't stop him from eating two full meals and a bit, stunning even Daubutim.

"Shouldn't you be growing really fast or getting fat?" Olban said as they walked towards their door. "You eat more than all of us combined, except for our silent noble."

Irwin didn't respond but pulled open the door. The others rushed in, heading straight for bed.

"Before you sleep, I need to tell you all something," Irwin said.

All eyes focused on him, though Olban seemed ready to complain.

"Lady Yrinta called me to her room yesterday," Irwin said.

"The guard," Daubutim said, his dull eyes lighting up for a fraction of a second.

So he was awake! Irwin thought.

"What did she want?" Olban said, leaning forward on the edge of his bed. "Don't tell me she is into scrawny, smelly, badly dressed hobos?"

Irwin held back a desire to throw his shoe at Olban and instead focused on Daubutim and the girls.

"She told me that we are going to be sent to a town, two days from now," he said. "The portals are starting to overflow, and the Capital has begun conscripting anyone with cards."

There was a moment of silence, then Rachel rose and shook her head.

"That's not a funny joke!"

Irwin just looked at her, and slowly, her eyes turned wide with horror. From beside her, Twintin grabbed her hand.

"Are they still sending us into the swamp?" Rachel asked after a few moments.

"I don't know," Irwin said. "She didn't tell me. But... I don't think so."

Rachel nodded, and Irwin saw the slight relief on her face.

"No extra cards either?" Olban asked hopefully.

Irwin shrugged.

"Well, if we only have three days left to live, I'm going to sleep," Olban said, kicking off his boots and hiding below the blankets.

"Should we warn the others?" Rachel asked, staring between Irwin and Greldo.

"The nobles?" Greldo snorted. "If they even want to listen to us, what use will it do? They might even welcome the challenge."

Irwin agreed but waited to see what Daubutim would see. To his surprise, the noble was staring at the wall with dull eyes, seemingly lost in his own world.

He, Greldo, and Rachel spoke for a while longer before heading to bed.

As he lay on his back, every muscle in his body hurting, Irwin thought about his Mother and Bronwyn. Maybe he should try and flee when he had a chance.

If only I knew where Malorin was from here, he thought.

It took longer than usual to fall asleep, but even the stress and panic couldn't keep it away for long.

The next day went the same as the previous, with the sole exception that Eldwan came to him and demonstrated a few ways to use the staff correctly. He even corrected Irwin for half an hour before walking away with a distant look.

When they arrived on the last day, Mouldir and Lady Yrinta were standing in the center of the room, and none of the other sorcerers were there.

"Alright, you brats, listen up," Mouldir shouted. "You've been doing really well. So well, actually, that I'll be taking you to get your uncommon cards! For those wondering about the best groups? Thats them," he said, pointing at a group consisting of burly nobles.

There was a stunned silence before the room exploded in a cacophony of shouts. There were some complaints, but most of those were drowned out in the cheering of the nobles.

Irwin grimaced as he watched the nobles, wondering if they would feel like cheering in a few moments. His own hands had begun shaking, and it wasn't from muscle pain this time.

Mouldir let them shout for a bit before raising his hand.

"Enough! Now, against my better judgment," he said, glancing at Lady Yrinta and shaking his head as if he still couldn't believe it. "I'll be giving you all the rest of the day off to rest."

There was another, more muted cheer, mostly because Mouldir was looking at them with raised eyebrows.

"Don't be too happy... The only reason I agreed is that tomorrow morning, you will all be teleported to the towns and cities that have active common portals. And there are a lot of those."

The cheers seemed to be swallowed by a monstrous force, and the next moment, it was so quiet in the training room that you could have heard a pin drop.

"Now, Lady Yrinta here will give you a few lessons on real portals. Now, good luck, and I hope to see you all again. Now, you lot follow me!"

Irwin watched as Mouldir led away the 'lucky' group. When they vanished around the corner, he turned to Lady Yrinta.

"I understand you all have a lot of questions," Lady Yrinta said. "If you all listen quietly, I'll explain what is happening."

Every person in the room stared at her, listening as she began telling them about the increased number of portals.

Irwin let her words wash over him, hearing nothing new. If there was anything, she seemed more optimistic than when she'd told him what was happening.

Perhaps she was too tired back then? Irwin thought, hoping she'd just made it sound far worse.

When Lady Yrinta finished, there was a hush before one of the nobles stepped forward. Young, lanky, and with piercing blue eyes below bushy dark eyebrows, he looked almost like an adult.

"Lady Yrinta, can we be sent to our own cities?" he asked.

Irwin saw a lot of the nobles nodding.

"I fear not," Lady Yrinta said, raising her hand to stop their complaints. "Most of you are from cities with many guards and rangers, and they can still hold out—the towns we are sending you to have no such luxury."

Another noble stepped forward.

"Lady Yrinta, we all know this! Of course! But why should we go there and risk our lives for people we don't know if our own cities are in danger?"

Irwin zoned out as Lady Yrinta responded in a similar fashion as to the first question.

It lasted for over ten minutes when Yrinta exploded.

"Enough! I have heard your petty complaints, and there's nothing I can do! You all know that if we let the portals continue to grow stronger, we will eventually be overrun, just like the rest of the world! We are the only place in all of Giard that is still free. Now, head back to your rooms. Rest, eat, and prepare for tomorrow!"

Irwin felt someone tug his sleeve, and he looked up to see Greldo beckon him to the exit. The others were already walking there, and Irwin quickly followed them as quickly as his aching body could.

They reached their room without any issue and stood in the center, looking at each other.

"So... now what?" Olban muttered, scratching his cheek, breaking a zit without seeming to care.

"I don't know what you are going to do," Greldo said as he stretched his arms. "But I'm going to sleep, then eat, and finally sleep again. Maybe a miracle will happen, and the portals will disappear by the time I wake up."

Irwin grinned and walked to his bed, agreeing with his friend wholeheartedly.

"It's too bad we didn't get to earn another card," Olban muttered.

I wonder what they are going to do with all the cards they have stored here, Irwin thought, staring up at the stone ceiling. Wouldn't it be better if they gave everyone more cards?

Wondering about that, he lay in his bed until he fell asleep.

Chapter 19: To Wignut

Irwin was scarfing down as much food as he could, which, in his case, meant a lot. The only sounds were those of eating and the occasional scraping of a chair. Besides that, a charged atmosphere hung in the large room. The six groups that would be leaving today were sitting off to the side, but even the other youths seemed tense.

Irwin tried to ignore it as best he could, but he felt small and weak. Something tapped his foot, and he looked up to see Greldo stare at him before very carefully slipping some bread into his pocket.

Right, that might not be a bad idea, Irwin thought.

A few moments later, he'd stuffed as much bread and cheese in his pockets as they would hold without showing it.

Maybe they will give us food on the way? he thought.

He had barely finished the thought when the massive main door was shoved open, and Mouldir stomped towards them. His face was pulled into a scowl, and something about him made Irwin's skin crawl. It wasn't just that he looked angrier than usual; there seemed to be an aura of crackling energy around him.

"Common portals have started spawning like lice on a stray, and we need to get them closed before we get overrun," Mouldir boomed as he looked around.

"I know most of you haven't held a weapon and that you were all expecting more training, but there's no time!"

Irwin looked around to see the youths who hadn't been in the advanced class look around in confusion.

"All of you are going to have to help! That includes you," Mouldir shouted, waving at the entire room. "Get out there and move to the person holding a sign with your room number. They will get you to where you need to go. Now move!"

One of the nobles that hadn't been in the advanced class rose, his lip shivering.

"My lord, do you mean all of us?"

"Yes, I mean all of you," Mouldir snarled. "Now move before I hurl you out!"

The last shout was punctuated with a flash of light, and a massive two-handed maul, gleaming with blueish light, appeared in Mouldir's hand. As it slammed into the ground, a dull thrum ran through the tables, forks, plates, and other things, shaking and clattering.

The hundreds of youths scrambled towards the door, pouring out.

Irwin and the others were somewhere in the back of the pack, and when they finally stepped outside, a wave of cold air caused him to shiver. He still had no new boots, and his coat and shirt suddenly felt too thin. The staff he was holding, gifted by the tower because he had none, seemed to become colder rapidly.

I hope we are going near a town where I can buy new boots, he thought as he followed the others through the crowd.

There was confused talking and even some crying, and he couldn't blame them. He'd had at least some warning.

I wonder what changed that they suddenly sent most of us, he thought.

Spread out around the open area before the tower stood sorcerers carrying wooden poles with signs. Each sign had multiple numbers on it, and scanning around, he didn't see theirs was anywhere.

"Over there," Twintin shouted.

Irwin and the others followed her towards a tall woman with a long leather dress and a dull gray breastplate strapped to the front. She had a spear jabbed in the ground beside her, a metallic shaft almost as tall as her with crimson ribbons attached to the end.

"Ah, the first ones," she said with a sad smile. "Come then, stand behind me as we wait for the next. What group are you?"

Greldo muttered a reply, and the woman's eyebrows shot up.

"Ahhh, the ones that completed that horrible Imp-filled place! I've been there, though that was three years ago. Did you get eaten by that two-headed flying serpent in the central tower?"

The group shared a horrified look before shaking their heads.

"Ah, well, you were luckier than I was then," the woman said just as another group moved over.

Irwin stayed at the back, keeping his arms wrapped around himself for heat and wondering if anybody would mind if he summoned his flame. He didn't think they would, but he decided to wait a while longer.

Ten minutes later, the sorceress, who had introduced herself as Tanya, tossed her sign to the side and looked at the four groups before her. They were one of the smaller groups, and Irwin had no idea if that was a good or bad thing. If he had to guess, their group was the weakest of all those present.

"Good, let's get moving. With some luck, we can reach our designated travel area before the others," Tanya said as she stomped away, a light grin on her face and her green eyes sparkling.

"No nobles."

Irwin looked at Greldo, who was walking beside him.

"I noticed," he said. "I don't think any are crafters either… do you think they planned it like this, or is it a coincidence?"

"No idea, but it can go two ways. Either they are using the common folk to try out portals and soften them up, or we are deemed too weak for stronger portals," Greldo whispered.

"It's the second one," Tanya shouted from the front, looking at Greldo over her shoulder.

A few dozen people following her looked at Greldo in surprise, and Irwin noticed a few with a calculating look he didn't like one bit.

"There is nobody trying to get you all killed if that's what you are thinking. We sorcerers, which you will hopefully be part of soon, are here to help people. I wish you didn't have to start right when everything goes to shit, but we will do our best to keep as many of you alive as we can. Even then, I'm afraid some sacrifice will have to be made to keep the majority alive."

Everyone looked at her, and Irwin knew they were thinking the same as he was. Why did they have to be the sacrifice?

The trip down the mountain was easier than he'd expected, probably because it was down and because he had eaten, slept, eaten. His body was still aching somewhat from the painful staff training, but it could have been much worse. Besides, his staff was actually a benefit as he walked down, while those with shields and clubs had to carry them.

When they finally reached the muddy round area, he was just out of breath, as was Greldo, instead of ready to drop dead.

Another sorcerer stood in the center, arms folded and frowning at Tanya. "You are on time, uncommon-one. Good. You are going to Crescent Hill?" the man spoke in an odd cadence.

Ahead of Irwin, Olban's head shot up, a horrified look on his face.

Tanya's smile had vanished, and she calmly stared at the other sorcerer. "Yes. Preferably as close to Wignut as you can get us."

"Very well," the sorcerer said, unwrapping his hands, which began glowing.

Before Irwin could react, a shimmering mist wooshed from the sorcerer's hands, engulfing their whole group. It clung to his bare skin, cold and wet, and within seconds, he saw nothing but white. He had no idea how long it lasted, but eventually, there was a soft grunt of pain that came from every direction at the same time, and the mist faded.

He blinked as bright daylight shone down on him. Glad at the slight warmth it brought, he looked around. They stood halfway up the slope of a grass-covered hill. Bushes on the left led down to a forest sprawled as far as he could see like a sea of green leaves. A walled town sat on the border of the forest, nestled in a plain of grass. It was probably a mile or two away, and Irwin could make out guard towers and a moat similar to the one Malorin had. To the right were more hills, starting lower than where they were, while those in the distance were almost as tall as mountains.

The sorcerer stood nearby, breathing hard and cursing.

"Are you alright?" Tanya asked, not showing any worry.

"Yes," the man replied through gritted teeth. Then he looked at the group and snorted. "One of those kids brought some kind of summon or family artifact, and it almost caused us to appear somewhere else."

A mutter of surprise came from the youths as they looked around. Irwin knew they were trying to figure out who could be the one with an artifact, but he was pretty sure he knew what the sorcerer was talking about.

I hope Ambraz is alright, he thought.

"I'm heading back," the sorcerer snapped before looking at the assembled youths. "Next time, tell me if you have something with you!"

Then he raised his hands, and a small column of mist rippled up all around him. It lasted for two counts, then the constant wind blew it away again, and the sorcerer was gone.

"Hey, I don't know which one of you has an artifact, but be careful! They might interact with the portal and increase its difficulty," Tanya said, looking around. "Just a friendly warning. You can leave it with me, and I promise I will return it when you exit it."

Nobody answered her, and she shrugged with a suit-yourselves look.

"Now, we are going to go to Wignut and get a guide to show us where the portals are. There are supposed to be seven here, so I hope some of you flash your portals, or the next time we come here, the good people of this town might not all be alive."

"Sorceress Tanya, do you think we will all die?"

Everyone looked at a tall, pale-faced girl with dark hair bound tightly in a ponytail. Although she was probably as old as Irwin, she had likely had no cards till recently, and she was even smaller than he was. Her hands were shaking as she looked at the sorceress.

"Ah, I hope not," Tanya said with a sad smile. "And not just because I'd hate to see you lose your lives at such a young age… for each group that dies, the chances of us closing the common portals before they become uncommon will rapidly diminish. Now let's walk. You can ask questions as we move. We aren't in the tower and will probably be here for a few weeks."

As they headed out towards the town, Irwin moved closer to Tanya, unsure if she meant what she'd said but determined to at least try.

"Yes, Irwin?" she asked as he stepped up.

Irwin gaped at her, and she grinned down at him. "I heard you talking with your friend," she said as she tapped the back of her hand to her ear. "Card-enhanced hearing."

Irwin nodded, then wondered if he should have just stayed at the back and whispered his question. She would probably have heard it.

"Sorceress Tanya, my boots were too small, and a guard cut the noses off so I could still wear them," he whispered, staring at his feet, the toes slightly pale from the cold. "I also need a thicker coat for this weather. If there's a market in Wignut, can I get a moment to buy some new ones?"

Tanya looked at his feet, then at him, and back at his feet before bursting out in laughter. Tears ran down her face as she kept moving, and after a few moments, she took a deep breath and grinned at him, probably noticing his scowl. A host of chatter and giggles came from behind, and Irwin kept his gaze focused on the grassy hillside ahead.

"Sorry, Irwin," she said, not sounding at all sorry, and sighing as she rubbed her face. "I'm sure they have a place where we can buy you some new boots. Do you have the coin?"

Irwin nodded, then cocked his head. "How much do boots cost?" he asked.

"Depends," Tanya said, and Irwin saw her frown at his boots. "What you are wearing should be five or six silver, but if you want some decent boots, I'd say one gold and a few silver."

Irwin silently stared at her, not sure if he'd heard her right. His mother barely made two silver a week, and that was enough to feed her and her two sons. Well, keep them alive, at least. With five silver, they would have had plenty of food and never gone hungry.

"Okay, thanks," he muttered as he slowed down, letting the others move past him. None spoke, but he saw a few gleeful grins.

"What did you ask that made her laugh that badly?" Rachel asked as she moved past him.

"I showed her my boots," Irwin said, waiting till he was back at the end with Greldo.

"Being poor sucks," Greldo said, padding him on the shoulder.

"Yeah," Irwin said with a sigh. "Perhaps I can find a place that has some old ones that I can use," he said.

They continued trudging down the hill, the grass tickling his toes until they reached the large, sprawling grass plain. Wignut's walls were hard to see now, and Irwin was starting to get out of breath.

"Are you going to make it?" Greldo asked, looking at him with a slightly flushed face, breathing slightly hard but otherwise seeming alright.

"I'll be fine," Irwin said.

He wished he could have had a year to let his cards work on his body. Then he'd be fine walking this far. He was sure of it.

Two hours later, Irwin was trailing behind the others, his breathing laborious. Greldo had remained with him for a while but eventually moved forward to ask Tanya if they could have a short break. That was ten minutes ago, so Irwin guessed the break wasn't happening.

He glared at the town in the distance, probably still a ten-minute walk away.

"It's a good thing you got that Fire-sensitive Body card. Without it, you'd not live to thirty," Ambraz whispered.

Irwin flinched and looked up to see if Sorceress Tanay would react.

"Don't worry, she can't hear us this far. Just make sure you whisper," Ambraz whispered again.

"Thanks," Irwin snapped, wondering what he was supposed to do with those comforting words.

"Don't be angry. You just have to survive the upcoming portal. Depending on which one, you might even find an uncommon card! Or… I could reforge Eyes of Blaze, turning it into an uncommon."

Irwin continued forward, wondering what Tanya would say if he told her he somehow had an uncommon. Besides, he gazed ahead and saw Greldo trail back toward him. That'd mean he'd have to leave Greldo to go in alone. Was he really willing to lose his only friend?

"You'd risk your life for them?" Ambraz whispered, almost as if the Anvil had read his mind.

"Greldo? Yes. The others? I guess..." Irwin sighed, though he could hear the uncertainty in his own words.

Maybe Ambraz can reforge Greldo's cards?

Ambraz didn't respond as they caught up with Greldo, who stopped, turned, and kept up with him.

"Sorry," he said. "She said we don't have the time. If we fall behind, we will just have to catch up and find them in town."

"We?" Irwin asked.

"Damn right," Greldo said as he nodded. "You think I'm leaving you here? Besides the fact you're my only friend, you're also the best chance I have to survive the portal."

"What a chance I am," Irwin muttered, feeling his anger at his own weakness. Even with a few days of stamina training, good food, and his first body tempering, he couldn't even walk for half a day at the same speed as others. He could only hope the tempering's effect would continue for a while.

"Don't let it get to you," Greldo said.

Irwin looked up, seeing Greldo's brown eyes gleaming energetically. "With two cards, you will grow stronger! And so will I!"

Irwin nodded, feeling an intense happiness that Greldo was here with him. Without him, he'd be all alone and probably would have had a whole lot more problems.

"Thanks," he said, managing a grin before focusing on his breathing.

Ten minutes later, they reached the gravel path that led up to a bridge across the moat. Two towers flanked the massive gate before the bridge. There was no sight of the group, as they had already entered, and as Irwin and Greldo stumbled towards the gate, a guard looked at them from the side.

"So, you're the last two the sorceress spoke about?" he said, looking them over.

Irwin couldn't be bothered to waste his breath responding to the obvious remark, so he just nodded as he trudged forward.

"Can't believe a bunch of kids like you are supposed to save us," the guard growled. "Whatever. She said to tell you they are at the Cracked Leaf, which is one of the two inns here in Wignut."

Irwin waved back in thanks, ignoring the helpful remarks.

We aren't kids, he thought. We are almost sixteen already.

Not that he could blame the man. Their entire group, especially him and Greldo, probably looked like they were thirteen.

His feet caused hollow thuds on the wooden bridge, and ahead, he saw the second, larger gate had another pair of guards, but these remained quiet. They just stared at him and Greldo as they walked past.

As they moved below the gate and through the fifteen-foot thick wall, a sound of chatter and hubbub met them, coming from the town within the walls. Dark gray stone blended with mottled wood, creating a place that reminded Irwin of Malorin. The same dreary little alleyways filled with rubble, filth, and people in drab clothes.

"Just like home," Greldo muttered.

Irwin grunted, then saw a signpost nearby what seemed to be the main road.

"Let's go find that Cracked Leaf."

Chapter 20: Rumors and reality

It took them a while to locate the Cracked Leaf Inn. It was nestled in the busiest part of town, oddly hidden between two three-story buildings that dominated the town's central area. Wooden boards hung from the dozens of shops, and rickety stairs led to those on the second and third stories.

Though Irwin felt his heart race at the prospect of walking up the exposed ladders and stairs, many didn't seem to care. A hubbub of people walked and climbed from shop to shop, and all looked perfectly at ease. An old lady, gray and wrinkly, walked a narrow ladder next to a twenty-foot drop as if it were nothing.

Still, as odd as everything looked, the thing that dominated the area was a wooden building that partially hung from the sides of the others, bulging outward. It had a massive sign on the wall with worn red letters.

"Wignut's trader's society," Greldo said as he gaped at the building.

Irwin wasn't doing any better, his eyes drifting to the Cracked Leaf, which sat in the gap between the buildings, almost as if everything had been built around it to accommodate its existence. A sign above its center window showed a leaf cracked in half as if made of stone, with letters below. The building and those around it almost seemed a whole thing, and he let his gaze wander around for a while. They didn't have anything remotely as big or odd in Malorin.

"Let's find the others, then see if we can get some boots," he finally said, causing Greldo to shake out of his stupor.

"Okay," his friend muttered, and they wound their way through the increasingly dense mass of people.

"Care for pickpockets," Ambraz whispered from Irwin's chest pocket.

He blinked, then quickly put a hand over his coin while looking around fearfully. There were many people walking around, but he didn't spot someone who seemed ready to steal the little coin he had.

A short area before the oddly small door that led into the Inn was cleared of people, and a guard stood leaning against the wall, his eyes darting from left to right. When he saw Irwin and Greldo approach, he raised an eyebrow.

"With the sorceress, I take it? She be in the leftmost rentable group room. Get there right quick, and no dilly-dallying," the guard grunted in heavily accented common.

Irwin and Greldo nodded but remained in place as the guard gave them a death stare. After a few more seconds, the guard turned his attention back to the mass of people.

Creepy, Irwin thought as he headed to the indicated room.

The door was heavier than it looked, and it took some effort to open it enough for them to sneak through. It slammed back shut behind them, surprising Irwin. He looked up and saw a rope attached to the door's corner. It looped around on the opposite side and down with a heavy-looking bag attached.

"Smart," Irwin muttered.

They stood in a wide corridor with a register in front and a door on each end.

"Ah, more young ones," a happy voice called out.

An elderly woman with more wrinkles than Irwin had ever seen smiled at them. Her blue eyes seemed too large for her face, and she was leafing in a book on the counter before her.

"Now, don't block the door! If you are with Tanya, you can go through the left door, walk through the restaurant, and take the leftmost door again," she said with another broad smile.

"Thank you," Irwin and Greldo said, almost at the same time, garnering them another smile.

The left door didn't have the auto-closing mechanism and opened as a door should, leading them into a large, busy room. Twice as high as an average room, wooden poles elevated platforms ten feet up, with ladders leading to them. People sat there, perched like birds, eating, laughing, and chatting, while others sat at the tables below.

"Incredible," Greldo muttered, and Irwin agreed.

They wound their way along the paths between the tables.

A half dozen doors sat in the far wall, and going through the most left one, they entered into a hallway with more doors, ending in an open area. People that Irwin recognized stood there, looking at someone, and he heard Tanya's voice. They walked forward, picking up halfway through her speech.

"-back in two hours. The guide will be ready then, and we will head to the first of the portals! Don't make me find any of you. Got it?" Tanya said, grinning to show it wasn't a threat.

"Yes, Sorceress Tanya," a few of the younger-looking girls chimed before half of the group turned, walking around Irwin and Greldo.

Irwin ignored the pointed glares and whispered insults that he got from two large, burly guys. They reminded him of Bast and the other bullies, and he made a mental note to stay away from them.

Old, worn-looking benches stood in the room, many covered in intricate crafting that might one day have been beautiful. Now, they just looked like they had been found in a ruin. Those youths that weren't leaving stood grouped together, and Daubutim towered over everyone. A quick look showed the rest of their group surrounding him.

"Irwin! Glad you made it," Sorcerer Tanya called out.

She was walking towards them with a slightly apologetic look.

"I'm sorry we couldn't wait for you, but I needed to get this room, and if we were too late, it might have been unavailable," she continued. "Did you catch what I just told everyone?"

Irwin nodded. "Two hours to find boots, then back here," he said.

"Good. There are doors back there leading to a room for each of your groups. Good luck finding some boots," Tanya said before turning and walking to the only door leading away from the larger open area.

"Thank you, Sorceress Tanya," Irwin whispered after her retreating form, and she waved, showing she'd heard. He wasn't surprised.

"Are you going to the shops?" Rachel asked as she came towards them, Twintin next to her.

"Yes. I need some boots, so I'm going to see if I can find some that are a silver or less," Irwin said with a shrug.

"You should not skimp on good boots," Daubutim said with a deep frown. "They are the things that carry you where you need to go."

Irwin blinked, wondering who had told Daubutim this so many times that he'd managed to say it in such a way that it channeled another person's voice. He heard him do the same on occasion, but this was the clearest it had been.

"I know," he said. "But I don't have more coin than this. So unless you want to lend me more…" he said with a grin that showed he was kidding.

"Alright," Daubutim said with a short nod and glassy eyes. "I'll come."

Irwin blinked at him stupidly. Seriously?

Someone kicked his chin, and he looked at Greldo in annoyance, but the other boy just raised an eyebrow.

"You need boots," he said before turning to Daubutim.

"Thanks, Daub," he said.

Daubutim frowned and looked at him. "Only my mother calls me Daub," he said. "Please don't do that."

There was an awkward silence as Greldo flushed, then he nodded quickly. "Sure! Daubutim it is. Didn't know."

Daubutim's frown disappeared as fast as it had come. "Thank you," he said with a dull smile.

"Right… interesting and all that. But I need to take care of something. I'll see you back here before two hours have passed," Olban said before he turned and almost ran toward the door.

The others looked after him, and Irwin shared a confused look with Greldo.

"That was weird?" Rachel muttered, matching what Irwin had been thinking.

Greldo frowned, and as he stared after Olban, Irwin saw his eyes narrow as if he had realized something. It lasted for only a moment, then vanished.

"Well, he's not wrong! Let's go and get you some boots," Greldo said, gesturing towards the door through which Olban had vanished.

Irwin nodded, wondering what Greldo had noticed that he had missed. Still, there were more important things now. Like boots! With Daubutim behind them, they headed out.

Fifteen minutes later, he stood in an old but well-maintained store with various leather boots, shoes, belts, pants, and even simple armor on display. He was looking at a set of boots his size yet way more expensive than he'd ever seen. The dark leather gleamed, and the pair of hard-wooden buckles that held the sides together were simple but high quality.

"These should be fine," Daubutim said, sounding disinterested.

He's definitely a noble, Irwin thought.

He felt his heart rate rise as he looked at the price below the boots that said they were one gold and three silver. He wanted to ask Daubutim if he was sure, then thought better of it. He needed boots, and if his question somehow made the other second guess his reasoning, he'd have to go into their first real Portal with the ones he had now.

Feeling odd, he picked them up and carried them to the front desk, inspecting the belts that looped around and wondering how to even put them on. A tiny, eagle-nosed man was frowning at him, his eyes darting to Irwin's shoes and then back up. "I hope you don't make a habit of mutilating your footwear, young man."

Irwin's face turned red, and he quickly shook his head. "No, sir crafter," he said, which got him a raised eyebrow.

"Well… good. Now, I don't do haggling, but from your apparel, I can see you are not flush with cash. So if you buy these, I'll help you buckle it properly so you will have no shaving," the man said, and Irwin got the feeling he brooked no argument.

"Please don't take us for fools," Daubutim said before he could say yes.

The taller boy's voice was suddenly razor sharp, and both Irwin and Greldo turned to him with surprised, confused looks.

"Though well crafted, these boots have wear on the heel, and the belt buckle was added later. These have obviously been repaired and should not be the same price as new ones. I think nine silver would be more than a fair price."

The old man's eyes had focused on Daubutim, widening slightly as the tall boy spoke.

"You are right, but you will not find any cheaper boots in Wingnut," the man said with a slight frown, not denying what Daubutim had said.

"Perhaps. But I think it would pay not to overcharge potential sorcerers," Daubutim said, causing the man to freeze for a moment. "We might otherwise not return for more equipment."

Has he been playing us all this time? Irwin thought as he stared stupidly at the boy, barely recognizing him.

"Sorcerers," the man said, drawing out the word as if tasting it. "I see. And you think I should believe you on your word?"

"You can verify it easily enough. If we are lying, you can find us without issue. Wignut is not large, and we are new and easily located," Daubutim said, seeming undeterred.

"One gold," the man said.

"Nine silver and three copper," Daubutim said. "And when I need my new boots and am able, I'll come here to have them made."

The man seemed ready to snap something when he stopped and examined Daubutim from head to toe. His eyebrows shot up when his gaze reached the other's muddy but obviously high-quality black-leather boots. He swallowed audibly before nodding.

"Fine, young lord. You drive a hard bargain, and I hope you don't prove a trickster."

"You have my word," Daubutim said while he took a purse from his belt and put one gold coin on the table before turning to Irwin, who was staring at the thumb-sized gleaming golden coin. "I don't have or want copper coins. With three copper, he can return me a silver."

Irwin looked at him as if he was joking, then quickly scrambled for his copper and put three on the table.

"An odd group you are," the man said as he swiped up the coin before handing Daubutim one silver back. "Now, follow me."

Ten minutes later, Irwin and the rest left the store. He was now six copper poorer, but the new socks another three had bought him were thick and warm. His boots fit snugly but had a reasonable amount of room in the toes for growth, and the craftsman had shown him how to change the belts and buckle if needed.

As happy as he was, the first thing he did after they moved away from the entrance was turn to Daubutim.

"Have you been tricking us?" he asked.

The boy looked at him for a moment, his eyes dull and no sight of the sharp gleam from before.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Just now, what was that?" Irwin asked, noting that Greldo was standing quietly beside them, not interrupting.

"Haggling," Daubutim said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "My father taught my brothers and me. I'm not as good as them."

Irwin grunted. Was he joking? How could he act like this when he'd obviously-

"Daubutim, did your father tell you to look and talk like that when haggling?" Greldo asked, interrupting him.

Daubutim nodded slowly. "Yes. He made me look in mirrors for long times and said my eyes had to look like ice. It was boring and hard."

"Incredible," Greldo muttered before turning to Irwin. "Let's go. Daubutim is just good at this. I'll explain it later."

Irwin nodded, but Greldo's question had made something click, and he realized what the other meant. Daubutim could act in a certain way with incredible confidence, but it was no more than that—an act.

It made sense as he recalled the boy's previous actions. Still, he decided to keep an eye on the dull boy and discuss it with Greldo later.

They climbed back down the ladder, making their way towards the road below, when they passed a larger wooden platform with a small group of people. They stood in a circle and talked loud enough for Irwin to overhear as he passed.

"I'm telling you, my cousin is a guard on the peninsula wall, and he wouldn't lie! High-rank cards, some of epic rank, have been dropping, and he says the last time that happened was during the great dying a hundred years ago!" a stubble-faced man snapped angrily.

"And I just told you to stop spreading lies, Jeffrey. You will get people scared for nothing," another man said, raising his voice. "There've not been any large overflows from portals in decades, and the last one was a far cry from that horrible time! Just because a few more portals appear doesn't mean overflows will!"

Irwin slowed, pulling Greldo and Daubutim to this floor's shop, which sold an assortment of cloth, towels, bed linen, and soap. A look at his friend showed he was staring through the window without really seeing anything, obviously listening as intently as he was.

Daubutim was frowning at a bar of soap. "Why are we here? Do you also need soap?" he asked.

"No, I want to listen to what they are talking about," Irwin whispered, getting a nonplussed look and a shrug from Daubutim. Irwin ignored him and focused on the heated discussion behind him.

"So? Because people might become afraid, we should ignore the warnings?" the man called Jeffrey retorted. "You've heard it! Half a dozen or more portals are in the hills, plains, and woods around us. That's just here! We normally get none, and you know that. Then there's this rumor that something happened with the sorcerer's towers. It took two days before they came to close the portals. Normally, they are here within a few hours."

"Normally? You make it sound like it happens all the time," another man snorted.

"It never did," Jeffrey snapped. "Which is exactly my point! Something is happening!"

"So," the first man said. "What do you suppose we do? Go to the wall, risk our lives against those demons in the idle hope that we find what? Uncommon cards? Rare cards? They're not like nuts that grow in trees!"

"We could enter the Sleepers Forest and find some there," the man said, though his voice was softer now, as if he was afraid of who might hear.

"Suicidal fool," the second man barked. "Those are rumors! Besides, the monsters there are as strong as those in portals! Just because they never leave, you think you can just wander in and kill them in the hope that some tavern talk is actually true? Bah!"

The conversation quickly dissolved in a heated argument about the nature of the rumors, and Irwin and Greldo moved away, back towards the Inn.

So… that's how Bronwyn got his hands on an epic card, Irwin thought.

He'd thought it was insane luck, but perhaps if those rumors were right, he wasn't that special. That meant there might be more like him out there, people with cards that seemed to be common but were actually much higher. Perhaps even… he thought about Daubutim's club and Rachel's shield. He'd thought perhaps their cards were deemed utility for some reason, but that was on the assumption they were common rank. What if they were special, like his?

But what are the chances for the three of us being in the same group?

They reached street level again, and as they stepped onto the street, he saw Olban hurry towards the Inn. The side of his face was bruised, his coat had a large tear, and he kept looking over his shoulder.

"Now what?" Greldo whispered before stepping forward. "Olban!" he shouted.

The zit-covered boy spun around with eyes wide with fear. As he saw Greldo, evident relief wiped the fear from his face, and he ran towards them.

"What happened?" Irwin asked, noting the bloody smear running from the boy's nose across his cheek.

"I... I…” Olban stuttered before taking a deep breath and seeming to steel himself. "I can't tell you here. We'll talk in the Portal, alright?"

The others looked at him with different levels of surprise, then Irwin nodded awkwardly. "Sure, let's head back in."

Olban nodded, and they followed him, almost running to the Inn while he kept looking at the crowd behind them. Irwin looked but didn't see anyone suspicious. Just a mass of people moving to and fro.

The Inn was the same as before, the lady at the entry nodding at them kindly, while the main room was slightly busier. Olban moved as if someone was after him, only stopping when they finally entered the room appointed to their party. Rachel and Twintin were sitting on the bed, and they fell quiet, looking at Olban.

Olban moved to the furthest bed without talking and lay down on his side with his back towards them, getting surprised looks from the girls.

"What happened?" Rachel asked, looking at Irwin.

"I don't know," Irwin said, moving to one of the other beds. "We came across him like this outside. He didn't want to tell us but said we'd have to wait till we were inside the Portal."

As soon as the word came out of his mouth, he knew he had made a mistake because Rachel's upbeat smile faltered, and Twintin stared at him with a look of pure fear.

"How long do we have?" Rachel asked.

"Almost an hour," Daubutim said from his own bed.

He'd barely finished when they heard something run through the hallway. A moment later, there was a knock followed by Tanya's voice.

"Come to the main room. There is news!"

Irwin had just laid down on the soft bed, and it took him a great deal of effort to roll back off.

Great. Why do I feel like I won't like this, he thought.

As he and the others exited their room and moved toward the larger room at the back, he saw a lot of their big group had also returned. Tanya stood in the center, her usual smile gone and her face unreadable. Beside her stood a tall man in leather armor with a bow in hand and a quiver peaking over his shoulder.

"Good, the rest aren't nearby, so we won't wait for them," Tanya said as her eyes darted across the children. "Alright, I see three of the five groups are complete. Good. You are going to go with Delwood toward the nearest set of portals. I know I said you had another hour, but we've just had word that one of the portals has changed from common to uncommon. We can't wait another second. Delwood and I will have to try and close that one by ourselves, and if another one changes..."

Her gaze passed over the children, looking them all in the eye. She must have seen something because she took a deep breath, and a forced smile came to her as she spoke again.

"I know many of you, if not all, don't want to be here, and I can relate. But know that if we don't close these portals immediately, this town and a few nearby will be overrun. There are not enough uncommon sorcerers to close this many portals. So, as before, I want to ask you to do your best. Don't attempt to flee. Find a way to close those portals! Lives depend on it!"

A worried whispering came from the surrounding youths, and Irwin heard the growing fear.

Tanya did too, as she seemed to hesitate, looked at Delwood, then continued.

"I'll share something that's not yet been made public, which I hope will help you understand. Puulwind, which was a town on the northern side of the peninsula home to over nine thousand people, was wiped from the map yesterday. Three portals changed from common to uncommon to rare in the span of two days, after which there was a surge. One of them spit forth a horde of Landsharks that wiped out almost every living thing in a hundred-mile radius around the Portal. We have no information about what came out of the others, as only a single sorcerer stationed there managed to return alive."

A hushed silence hung over the children, and Tanya smiled weakly.

"This is why we have to hurry. Now, the three complete groups, follow Delwood and close those portals!"

There was another outburst of whispers, but as Delwood strode to the door, those of the groups fell in line behind him. Irwin and the others joined at the back, moving in a line through the Inn, which fell quiet.

As he stepped back outside, Irwin wondered if this would be the last time he saw the town. Either because he was going to die or because another group would fail and a surge would trigger.

Chapter 21: Portal One

Irwin could barely enjoy the solid feel of his new boots as he walked beside Greldo while Wignut was turning smaller behind them. The small pack on his back gave him some comfort, as he knew it held a waterskin and some rations.

I wish they had also given us a coat, he thought as a gust of cold wind tousled his hair and pulled on the loose flaps of his jacket.

It wasn't the first cold breeze since they walked out into the windy planes beyond Wingnut. Gritting his teeth, he focused on their destination.

Ahead of them was what the locals called Sleepers Forest, a dark forest that stretched from the hill they had arrived at all the way to another hill a half day's travel away. Though smaller than Gloomforest near Malorin, Irwin saw the differences even an hour walking from it.

Sleepers Forest had a dense undergrowth of large vines, while the forest was made up of tall, dark green, almost black-leafed trees packed densely together.

If I was going to die in a forest, I could have stayed home and just run into Gloomforest, he thought.

An hour later, he was standing still, out of breath, and his legs heavy from the unfamiliar weight of the boots. Greldo had been looking at him on occasion, seeming confused.

Ahead of them was the edge of the forest. Delwood turned and looked at their groups, his face expressionless. Behind him was a narrow, dark path leading into the forest.

"The first of the three portals is a ten-minute trek inside. Make sure to stay close together and don't wander off no matter what you see or hear. Any questions?"

To Irwin's surprise, Greldo stepped forward. "Do you know what type of portals there are?"

"Only one of the three was scouted, as it appeared a few days ago. The rangers haven't had the time to investigate the other two. The one we did scout seems to lead to a cavernous aquatic area filled with plants and swampy areas."

There was a bit of excited chatting from one of the groups while a slender, black-haired boy nodded at the others with a weary grin on his face.

The others were whispering to him, and Irwin picked up a few words from a girl who spoke louder than the others.

Perfect for you?

He guessed the boy must have some type of water or plant card, though which common could possibly make them this confident, he had no idea. Then again, he barely knew any cards, so that wasn't surprising.

Delwood raised an eyebrow. "Anything else?"

Greldo grimaced but shook his head.

"Good. Then let's go," the ranger said.

"What were you trying to find out?" Irwin whispered as he moved next to Greldo and into the forest.

"We need another fire portal," Greldo whispered. "It's what we did during practice, and your flame would give us a major advantage."

Irwin didn't respond but silently followed him. Why hadn't he thought of that? He frowned, knowing that it was partially because of the constant pressure they were under. He'd never been that good with it and preferred some quiet time to contemplate. Otherwise, he'd just run into trouble, as his mum always told him.

I need to ensure we don't enter a cold portal, or I'll be dead within moments, he thought before realizing he could still summon his flame at those times. His momentary relief vanished as he realized he couldn't keep his flame up forever. At some point, the energy would be gone!

Greldo entered the forest, following after Rachel and Twintin, and as Irwin stepped after him, the light from the cloud-filled sky faded to a ruddy gloom. Thirty feet in, all he saw was the path ahead and thick bushes and leaves left and right.

Even then, from the stumbling and curses ahead and behind, he knew none of the others could see anything.

As he stepped over a green plant that covered the ground, he sighed as a warm breeze came from the depths of the forest. His relief was short-lived as a stinking, moldy scent surrounded them.

Delwood’s description seemed to be on point, as within ten minutes, they followed him into a rather spacious, leaf-filled area. In the center hung a black portal with small swirling tendrils of red energy along its edges. The canopy above split apart to show the gray sky, and Delwood stopped and turned.

"Alright, which party is going in this one?" he asked without any preamble.

"Is this the water one?" the black-haired boy asked as the group around him looked at the ranger.

"No, that's the next one. This is the one that appeared yesterday. Now, we don't have much time. One of you will need to enter, after which I'll guide the others to the next ones."

Didn't portals become stronger the longer they remain? Irwin thought as he tried to recall how that worked. It made sense to him, as they eventually turned Uncommon, so it would be reasonable to assume they started weak. He looked at Greldo, but his friend was focused fully on the ranger.

"What happens if we come out again?" a boy almost as tall as Daubutim asked worriedly.

"You will need to wait here until I return, or if you didn't finish the portal, go back in," Delwood said.

"What if we just leave? We only have common cards, and I don't want to die," someone said.

Delwood looked around, but nobody stepped forward.

If we need to find our way out of the forest, being this close to the edge would be best, Irwin suddenly thought. Even if the people wouldn't want to help him, they could always say they had tried!

"I would advise you not to try. Besides that, even if you find your way back, nobody will help you in Wingnut," Delwood said, his bow moving up slightly. "Now. Who will enter this one?"

"We will go," Irwin said, hearing a surprised hiss from Olban, which he ignored.

Delwood turned his attention at him, then at those around him, and nodded. Irwin thought he saw a tiny bit of relief in the ranger's eyes, though he could be mistaken.

"Alright. Enter, and I'll return for you after you succeed," the ranger said, almost making Irwin snort. The chances of them getting out alive were small, and succeeding on the first try was even less so.

He swallowed back his rising bile and stepped towards the rippling portal.

As he closed in, he realized it seemed far more intimidating than the training portal. It was easily three meters high and two wide, and he wondered for a moment if they grew when they went from common to uncommon. A quick look over his shoulder saw that the others had followed him, Olban glaring at him while the others just stared fearfully at the door.

I hope I see you again, Mum, Irwin thought as he clenched his fists and stepped through the portal.

For a moment, everything was so dark that not even his night vision could pierce it while a bone-shivering cold slowly seeped into him. Before he even had time to be afraid, there was a burst of light, and everything changed.

Irwin's feet thudded onto a dusty slab as a bright sun burned down on him, causing him to blink from the sudden change. He looked around and saw shimmers everywhere while the scent in the air was heavy with the heat of summer. The cold from both the trip and the portal rapidly melted away, and he felt energized.

By Gelwin's beard, I'm glad it's hot here, he thought.

A soft, howling wind made him jolt out of his reverie, and he looked around. Towering gray buildings that seemed to touch the few puffy white clouds in the sky were crumbled and charred at the top. Each seemed taller than the tallest tree he'd seen, with eerily square windows so evenly positioned across their sides that it seemed unreal. Green leaves and tendrils poked out of them, the edges in direct sunlight darkened and curled up. On the shadow sides, he saw a dull green glow from the windows.

Where are we? Irwin thought as he looked around.

There were buildings everywhere, some reduced to a one-story pile of rubble, while others must have been ten or more. How did anyone build something like this? A full hand of legendary cards? Confused, he continued in a full circle, finding nothing but dust and rubble between the buildings, with an occasional gust of wind creating a small whirlwind of sand. His eyes widened when he saw the portal was still behind him, but not as it was before. Instead of black with swirls of red, there were tiny, jagged bolts of red lightning around its edges, some seeming to vanish inside.

A shudder ran along the edges, and Greldo hopped out, stumbling as he landed on a deep gouge in the cracked, square slabs. He let out a pained hiss as he covered his eyes and almost stumbled.

Irwin watched in surprise as Greldo looked around before quickly jumping in the shade cast by one of the massive buildings.

"What's wrong?"

Greldo didn't respond but opened the front of his jacket, taking slow breaths as if he was sick.

Irwin almost said that it wasn't that hot when he caught himself. He'd sat in a fireplace without being hurt. Who was he to talk about, hot?

"So hot," Greldo whispered, just as Daubutim and the others appeared one at a time.

Twintin let out a startled scream that tore through the silence, and Irwin rushed forward, quickly pulling her into the shadow before doing the same for Rachel. Daubutim had already joined Greldo. Olban appeared, and Daubutim stepped forward and yanked him into the shadows.

"We can't stay here," Greldo said between his ragged breathing, and Irwin saw sweat run down his head. "Let's go into one of the buildings."

Irwin frowned as he looked at the green glow from the otherwise shadowy entrance of the building.

"We don't know what's in there," he said.

"So what! If we stay out here, we will die," Olban snapped.

"We could just head back," Twintin cried.

"Let's wait for a few minutes. Perhaps it's cooler in the buildings," Greldo said as he stumbled towards the entrance.

Irwin ran forward, then past his friend. As he stepped through the doorway, he belatedly thought he should have summoned his flame. As soon as he stepped into the building, the temperature dropped considerably, and a rustling of leaves came from a venerable jungle of green. Vines and bushes grew rampant, growing over the roots and branches of other plants, while pale-white mushrooms sat everywhere, glowing a dim green light that cast odd shadows. The plants seemed to stay far from the door, and a few in the middle had char marks, creating a small open area between the door and the surrounding wall and the jungle.

"By Gelwin, this is better," Olban whispered from behind him as he stepped further into the room. "I thought I was suffocating out there!"

"Keep quiet," Irwin said as he looked around. He had no idea how spacious the room was, as all he could see were the plants. Parts of the roof were visible, cracked, and with large fissures through which the plants grew up.

Olban didn't respond, but there was an odd scuffle, and as he turned, he saw a long vine wrapped around the boy's neck. His eyes bulged, and his feet tried to reach the ground as he was lifted a foot in the air. Behind him, more vines were shooting over the roof and wall, moving towards the door.

"Irwin!" Greldo screamed in panic, jumping back from one of the vines.

A flash of red light illuminated the room, cranking up the temperature as Irwin's flame burst alive above his hand. He jumped forward and held it against part of the vine strangling Olban.

There was a blur as the vine released Olban and retracted, slapping against Irwin in passing. He felt something tug his leg, but he remained on his feet, swirled around, and jabbed his flame at any vine that moved. More green blurs drew back in a rustle, and a moment later, the vines were gone, leaving only the other bushes and leaves.

Irwin held his flame forward, pulling a coughing Olban up with his other hand.

"It moved," Olban said between his ragged breathing. He stumbled back out into the heat, where the others stood, drenched in sweat. "So fast, I couldn't respond. Tried to strangle me!"

"Irwin, we can't stay here. We will die," Greldo said, not looking at him. "We need to go out now."

A thunderous howl came from behind them, and Irwin flinched, then ran out of the building. Next to the portal stood two black hounds with fiery hair across their flanks. Their eyes burned like cinders as they stared at the group.

"Back in the building," Irwin shouted as he held out his flame. The others scrambled past him and into the building as he backed up.

The hounds padded forward, blinking white teeth bare and letting out a deep growl. Steam rose from their nostrils. They stopped before the shadow, looking at him before passing along the edge. A howl came from the left, and looking there, Irwin saw three more hounds lope towards them.

"Irwin, the vines!" Greldo screamed from inside.

Irwin hissed, turned, and sprinted into the building.

Dozens of vines were swaying in the air while Daubutim was holding one between his hands. Olban was being dragged away by his ankle, and the girls were huddled behind Greldo, whose hands were clenched around two vines trying to drag him two ways.

Irwin ran towards Greldo, slashing his flame across one of the vines, leaving a black scar before it whirred away too fast for him to notice. A look showed the other had also let go, but Olban was almost inside a dense leaf-filled area.

"No, no, no," Irwin groaned as he ran forward.

Five steps from Olban, the boy looked at him with panic in his eyes, his hands covered in a thick, hardened crust.

"Help!" he screamed, then he was pulled into the bushes, his scream quickly dampening, then faded altogether.

"No!" Irwin shouted, jumping forward with his arm and flame outstretched.

A sizzling came as the fire torched the leaves that curled up, but they didn't pull back as the vines had. Waving his flame over them, the plants began drying up, and a burning scent drifted up.

"Stop it! He's gone, there is nothing we can do, and if you start a fire, we are goners! Remember those demon dogs!" Greldo shouted, pulling him back.

Irwin stared at the wall of leaves, charred where he'd tried to get through, gasping for breath. "But- but," he muttered.

"We can't help him!" Greldo shouted, and Irwin took a few steps back.

He knew Greldo was right, but as he looked at the wall, he couldn't get Olban's terrified face out of his mind. With a shiver, he stepped back and looked at the others sitting beside the wall, sweat still dripping from their faces. Twintin was crying softly, while Daubutim was staring at the greenery, seeming dazed.

"What do we do now?" Irwin muttered stupidly.

"We need to find a way back to the portal," Greldo said as he moved away from the vegetation and put his back against the wall. "We don't have enough water to stay here. This isn't like a training portal where we can go without food and water or respawn when we die."

Irwin moved to stand before them, his flame still out.

Nobody spoke for a while, and Twintin’s sobbing slowly died down. Finally, Irwin sighed. His mind seemed numb now. They were here for five minutes and had already lost one. Were they unlucky with the rift they picked? And what kind of rift was this? It was fire and plants? He tried wracking his memory of stories from Bronwyn, but he couldn't recall any like this.

Is Olban still alive?

The thought flashed through his weary mind as he gazed at the wall. Fear of Olban crying, alone deep in that vegetation as those plants did who knew what to him grew, and he shoved it down and away. Greldo was right. Even if he was alive, there was no way for them to do anything to help. His flame would have to be much stronger to get through-

Irwin's thoughts stopped as a single idea flashed forward. He remembered how his flame grew if he killed an imp, and there were dogs outside… what if… As he turned around, he saw Greldo look at him with a frown.

"If I can kill those dogs, I might be able to burn through those plants," he said, his lethargy leaving him as fast as it had come, replaced by the desire to try something.

The others looked up while Greldo shook his head.

"We have no idea how strong those dogs are or if they react to your flame as those Imps did. What if-"

"We can't just do nothing," Irwin said as his mind began spinning up ideas. "We have no idea if those vines will attack again. What if so many come that I can't keep them away?"

As he spoke, he felt his anger grow. What if Greldo was next? Did he have to abandon him too?

"We should wait for the sun to set," Greldo said. "Those dogs don't seem willing to move into the shadows, so eventually, they should leave."

"And what if something worse comes then?" Irwin said, his voice rising. He knew he was being unreasonable, but he had to do something!

Before Greldo could say anything, Daubutim’s dull voice sounded out.

"This looks like a desert. My father taught me that it becomes very, very cold in deserts at night."

Irwin's rising anger froze over, his breath lodged in his throat as he felt fear tickle him.

He saw the realization set in with Greldo. If it became cold here… not only could other things come out, but Irwin would be next to useless. And if it became cold enough, they couldn't do anything either. Just huddle around his flame, which would draw everything here.

"How sure are you of what your father said and that this is a desert?" Greldo asked, staring at Daubutim.

"I never forget what my father tells me," Daubutim said, his eyes narrowing. "And I have never been to a desert. There is none on Clour peninsula."

He looked at Greldo as if he should know this before slowly continuing.

"But the book from father’s librarys spoke of incredible heat, oddities in the air, and sand everywhere. This matches what is outside."

Greldo wiped his sweat away as he struggled up and looked at Irwin.

"Let's go see what those dogs are doing."

Irwin nodded, walked towards the door, then stopped and turned around. There was no sign of the vines, but the last time he'd left, they had returned quickly.

"I think I should stay here," he said, pointing at the plants behind them.

"Yes, maybe that's better," Greldo agreed.

With a weary sigh, he turned and stepped out. His strangled gasp almost made Irwin run out anyway, but a few moments later, he stepped back in. As hot as it was, he was pale as a sheet.

"What's wrong?" Irwin asked.

"There are a lot of dogs out there," Greldo said, and from his tone, Irwin knew he didn't mean just a handful. Looking at the vegetation, he took a gamble, ran to the door, and quickly looked outside.

Hundreds of hounds lay or walked around the shadow in front of their building, many staring straight at the entrance.

"Vines!" Greldo shouted.

Irwin, mind still reeling, almost stumbled as he turned and saw a vine shoot over the ground towards the group. He ran forward, but halfway there, the vine stopped and pulled back before he could torch it.

Slightly out of breath, he walked to Greldo. Rachel, Twintin, and Daubutim were staring at him, and he swallowed.

"I think we have no choice but to wait for night to arrive…"

Chapter 22: Stuck

"They are leaving," Rachel whispered from her position next to the door.

A dull red glow poured from the entrance, bathing the room in an eerie crimson. Their small backpacks lay to the side, in a stack, with Twintin and Daubutim beside it.

Finally, Irwin thought, his gritty eyes staring at the wall of plants. He had been standing there for hours, his feet hurting and his mind a weary mess. Still, each time he would sit down, vines would poke out of the bush, ready to attack.

Glad it seemed over, he looked at Greldo standing beside him. He was the only one who wanted to remain anywhere near him while his flame was up, as the heat just added to their already horrible discomfort. Greldo was just taking a sip from his waterskin, then looked up and nodded.

"I'll check," he whispered after another drink.

As he moved away, Irwin glared at the green plants, wondering how they would react when the sun was completely gone. Hopefully not. Or perhaps they would freeze.

A soft howling came from outside, and Twintin audibly gulped.

"They are almost all gone, and the shadow will be at the portal soon," Greldo said from the door. "Get ready to leave."

"What- what's that?"

Irwin felt his hair stand on end at the fear in Rachel's voice. He was already moving before Greldo's strangled yelp came. At the door, Greldo was pulling Rachel back, who was raising her hands in defense. One hand glowed, and her shield appeared. Daubutim was up and moving, his club out. Twintin sat to the side, startled like a scared rabbit.

"Twintin, warn us for the vines!" Irwin snapped as he reached the others, stepping past Greldo and looking through the door.

The sun was almost gone now, and a cold wind blew over him, causing him to shiver. Shadowy movements came from between the cracks in the stone plates. It took a moment for his dark vision to adjust, but when it did, he clamped his teeth in anger. Vines, long and nimble, were slowly ripping through the dusty ground, rising into the air everywhere.

Should have tried to kill a dog, he thought, even though he knew how unlikely that would have been.

He took a step back and saw that two vines were slithering across the ceiling. They froze when he moved, and as he raised his flame, they pulled back in a blur.

"They are too smart," Daubutim said, and Irwin looked at him, hoping the odd boy would follow up on the statement.

"And?" he asked after a few seconds.

"The Botany book at school says that plants attack without care for themselves," Daubutim added.

"Did you read anything about things that look like plants and act like this?" Greldo asked, sounding rushed.

They had gathered at the wall near the entrance, Greldo looking outside and Irwin at the plants.

"No," Daubutim said as his eyes focused on the door.

"Great, now what?" Greldo whispered, looking around. "Please tell me that somebody has a great idea?"

It was quiet, and Irwin saw everyone slowly turn to him. What did they expect him to do? It wasn't like he could pull a miracle out of his-

Ambraz...

He clenched his teeth, looking at the others before turning back to the plants. If only it had been only Greldo here, he could have told him. But the others? How much could he trust them with this?

"Irwin?" Greldo asked softly.

"I'm thinking," Irwin whispered, glaring at the plants.

Time slowly passed, the temperature dropping ever lower, but where the plants kept the room cool during the day, they seemed to warm it during the night. At some point, Irwin heard snoring from behind him, and he turned to look at the others. Everyone was sleeping, but Greldo, who was sitting near the door, was looking outside. He took the occasional sip of his waterskin.

"Those plants outside at least can't seem to move here," Greldo whispered, looking up. "Got a plan going yet?"

Irwin hesitated, looking at the sleeping trio.

"Not yet," he said.

"Well, if you've got something that might work, I suggest you don't wait too long," Greldo said.

Irwin looked back, wondering if Greldo knew something or had somehow found out about Ambraz.

A rustle made him look up, and he was just in time to see the tip of a vine shoot back in the bushes.

"This is going to be a long night," he whispered.

Luckily for him, it wasn't that long.

"That's weird," Greldo whispered a few hours later. "There's a glow in the distance... it can't become day yet.. right?"

"I hope it will be," Irwin said. "I need to sleep, and perhaps we can go outside and find a building without plants tomorrow."

He knew it was very unlikely, but he needed a moment to talk with Ambraz. Perhaps the Anvil knew a way to get out of here.

Ten minutes later, a dim glow came from outside, slowly lighting up the room. A rectangular shape slowly moved towards the plant, stopping exactly at its edge.

"The plants not in the shadow are leaving back underground," Greldo whispered. "Sadly, the ones around the portal are still there. It's in the shadow of some building and will be there for way too long. We... we need to check the other building."

Irwin nodded as he walked backward, keeping his burning eyes on the wall of vegetation before kicking Rachel's foot.

"Wu- what?" she muttered, looking around blurrily. "It's daytime already? What happened?"

It took her a few moments to fully wake up, but as she did, Daubutim and Twintin woke as well.

"We need to check the other building before the hounds return," Irwin said. "We need one without plants."

"But what if whoever checks gets stuck?" Twintin whispered, shivering. She was hugging her waterskin, drinking every few moments.

Irwin had been worried about the same thing, but before they could decide who would go, Daubutim stood up.

"I'll go," he said dully. "I'm the fastest in a straight line."

"Are you-" Irwin bit his tongue and grimaced. "Good luck."

Daubutim nodded, walking to the door and looking outside. "I'll go left," he said. Then he stepped out of the building, and they heard heavy footsteps run away. The others headed to the door, all of them looking outside, leaving only Irwin to wonder what was going on.

"He's reached the door," Greldo said, then he grunted. "He's heading to the one on the other side."

Time ticked by slowly, then Greldo rose. "He's beckoning us to come towards him!"

Irwin hesitated for only a moment, then backed up to the door. He was dead tired, his eyes were burning, and he needed sleep. As he reached the door, he gazed at the others.

"Run."

"But..." Twintin whispered, her voice close to crying.

"We have to," Rachel said, pulling her along as they ran.

Irwin jumped back and ran after Greldo. Daubutim stood beside a door opening with a tiny bit of shadow, looking at them. It was only a hundred feet away, but halfway there, Irwin's lungs were burning, and his heart was thudding. The slight heat from the first light was making him feel somewhat better.

"Hurry!"

Greldo's panicky shout made his adrenaline spike, giving him the final burst to reach them. As he did, he turned around just in time to see two hounds sprint after him. They only stopped when they saw he had reached the door.

"Let's get inside," Greldo said.

Irwin took one last look at the hounds before stepping inside.

The first thing he realized was that it wasn't as cool inside as the other building. Then he saw the light on the left side, where a large hole in the ceiling and wall allowed light to beam in, creating a beam of light through the center of the room. A part of a staircase leading up into the building was also illuminated. Only the right side of the room was covered in plants, but due to the light, it was hard to say if there were any vines.

"It's much hotter here," Rachel muttered. "Why did you make us come here?"

Daubutim frowned, seemingly confused for a moment.

"The plants can’t reach us, and Irwin can sleep there," he said, pointing at the patch of bright sun.

Irwin looked at it, then at the plants, and his weariness slammed home so hard that he took a stumbling step forward.

"Yeah," he said before anyone could complain. "I'm going to sleep before the sun turns away."

He looked at Greldo, who was lying down beside the door, yawning.

"Wake us if anything happens!"

"But... what are we supposed to do here in the meantime?" Twintin called out, her voice trembling.

Irwin didn't even bother responding but lay down on the sand-covered ground, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

--

"What... how are we going to get out of here?"

Greldo sighed, trying to ignore Twintin's whiney voice. He knew she was right to worry, but he wanted to sleep. His tiny water flask was empty, his lips drying, and he needed the reprieve.

Maybe Irwin has some water left, he thought.

"We need to run to the portal after the plants leave and before the hounds come," Rachel muttered.

Right, and how are you going to do that? Greldo thought.

He slept in tiny bursts, waking up every now and again to make sure Irwin was still in the sunny part. The temperature increased until it was steaming, and soon, he couldn't sleep anymore. All he could do was lie against the wall, feeling his lips become drier and drier.

"How come he can just sleep there?" Rachel snapped, glaring at Irwin.

Either the timing was impeccable, or he had heard her because, right at that moment, Irwin turned over.

About time, Greldo thought, groaning as he pushed himself up.

---

Irwin woke feeling much better than before. Much better than in weeks, even. Slightly hungry, very thirsty, but not tired or weak. Instinctively, he kept his eyes closed and refrained from moving, enjoying the heat of the sun on his face and shoulder.

I wish there were no plants and hounds here, he thought. This place wouldn't be so bad. Sadly, they were here and were blocking the portal.

As if a foggy blanket was ripped from his mind, he saw himself chase away the vines with his flame. He could just head to the portal at night! None of those plants would get near him...

For a moment, he wanted to jump up and tell the others. Then he realized the problem.

How am I going to protect everyone?

Mind blank, he remained on the ground, futilely attempting to come up with a plan. Finally, after ten minutes, he knew that if there were no other way, he would have to make a run for it. With some luck, he could guard Greldo and himself.

Most of the joy of a good rest was wiped away and he rose and stretched as he looked at the door. Greldo and the others stood there, a sheen of sweat on their heads and dry and cracked lips.

"I hope you slept well," Rachel muttered, turning her angry stare at the wall of vegetation.

Irwin didn't bother to reply.

"We need to get out of here," Greldo said. "If we don't leave before tomorrow evening, we are going to die without water."

Irwin felt his heart skip a beat as he remembered what Bronwyn had told him about water. They could go without it for two or three days, and then they would die. How long had they been here? He looked up and saw that the sun wasn't at its peak yet.

Strange, it felt like I slept much longer, he thought. So, not two days yet.

"Do you have a plan?" he asked, hoping Greldo had thought of something.

"We wait till the hounds leave, then make a run for the portal, hoping to be faster than the vines," Rachel said, sounding uncertain.

Irwin tried to remember how fast things had gone the previous night. Was there actually a widow of opportunity they could use? Then he saw Greldo shake his head minutely.

"Didn't they come almost right after the hounds left?" he said softly.

"Yes, but what else can we do?" Twintin shouted in panic.

Nobody answered, and they all looked at each other in consternation. After a few moments, everyone was looking at him, and Irwin gritted his teeth. If he told them his plan, there would definitely be trouble, so that could wait. It wouldn't work until nighttime anyway. No, what he really was a place to talk with Ambraz without-

The staircase!

He turned to the staircase, still fully covered in the scorching sunlight.

"I'm going to go up and see if the next floor is clear," he said, heading towards the door. "Maybe I can reach the roof and find out where the linchpin is."

There was a stunned silence from behind that lasted until he put his first foot on the strangely perfect, angular stair.

"Wait, what if there are vines or worse monsters up there?" Rachel shouted. "Without-"

Irwin tuned her out as he snuck up the stairs. They led to a small square midway point. The stair above that was partially broken, but there was enough room to walk up. Above it, the second story started with a massive hole, which he knew had to mean there was light enough.

As he walked up, he looked back through the massive rupture. Hounds walked to sunny areas on the sandy streets, some even looking up at him with burning red and hungry eyes.

Irwin swallowed as he saw one that was much larger than the others disappear around a corner.

A quick walk-up showed that the back of the other room was partially filled with plants, with long stretches of emptiness where the sun poured in through the windows. The stair continued to the side. Although it wasn't as full of light, long cracks had enough light pouring in that only a few hand-sized plants had managed to grow roots.

Irwin continued up, and after another tiny square stop, he saw the next floor bathed in sunlight. The entire top section, with the exception of a small ridge, was ripped away. Sand-covered debris had created slopes, covering the windows.

He took a quick look around, then sighed in relief.

"Ambraz?" he whispered.

There was a slight rustle in his pocket.

"About time you remembered me, brat! Do you have any idea how dusty and smelly it is in this pocket?"

Irwin sighed in relief at the Anvil's voice. Between everything that had happened, he had the idea that Ambraz might have a way out.

"We are stuck here! How do we get out?" he whispered.

"Unless you are really stupid, you already know how you can get out," Ambraz muttered.

"At night with the flame," Irwin hissed. "Yes, but how do I get the others out?"

Ambraz was quiet for a bit, then sighed.

"I don't know, but I do know you have to hurry."

The Anvil let out another weary sigh before continuing.

"This isn't a typical quartz -or normal as you call it- portal. Somehow, the connection to your world is quickly increasing its stability, much faster than normal. From what I can tell, it's only hours from causing other surrounding shardworlds to connect to it. If that happens, more dangerous and numerous monsters will come here. Whatever happens, you can't remain here."

Irwin swallowed as he tried to follow what the Anvil was saying.

Shardworld?

When had he heard that term before...? Right. When he had found Ambraz in training portal eighteen! He wanted to ask what it was but held back. There were more important questions first.

"What do you mean, increasing its stability?"

"Not sure if this is the time for all these questions, but fine," Ambraz said, sounding exasperated. "This is a remnant of a world that shattered. Normally, these things degrade before returning to the-" Ambraz stopped mid sentence before grunting and continuing. "No, let's not go there. Too many potential questions. Anyway, because of the portal to your world, it's stabilizing itself, but it's happening way faster than it should."

"What could be doing that?" Irwin asked worriedly, looking up at the sky. Would it happen before it turned dark? There was no way he could reach the portal with all those hounds here.

"No idea. It could be that there's a very powerful linchpin here, or your world resembles this shard's original form and is highly compatible. I don't know. I'm no expert on shardworld specifics."

Irwin leaned against the wall, staring into the bright sky, noticing that there was no sun for the first time.

“Can you reforge cards so we become stronger?” he muttered.

“Sure, but that takes energy,” Ambraz said with a snort. “I can do one per day, roughly, and only up to uncommon. Well, unless you have cards for me to eat. I can reforge another card if I consume one.

"You eat cards?" Irwin hissed in surprise.

"Of course?" Where I'm from, there are so many commons. Why wouldn't I? Eating one common means I can reforge another into uncommon. A great deal!"

Irwin frowned.

"So, say we find a common card," he asked, barely believing what he was asking. "You could reforge a card after eating it?"

"Yes," Ambraz said enthusiastically.

Not that I'd let you eat one, Irwin thought in slight distress. The entire concept made him shiver.

“Well, the chances of finding one are minimal,” he said before sighing.

“So… what do we do?" he muttered, more to himself than as a question to Ambraz.

"I don't know, kid. But... I just thought of something else. Worse, perhaps. Or a chance. Those hounds might be gathering here because they can sense what is happening and are preparing to go out."

"A surge?" Irwin whispered. Horror images of the hounds running out of the portal and into their world, ripping everything apart, made him shiver.

"How is that better?" Irwin asked.

Ambraz hummed softly, then his lips pursed.

"Well, if those hounds surge out, it will give you the chance to go out after them. You would have to wait for an hour or two, but those hounds will want to get away from the portal as fast as possible. So, if there is a surge, all we have to do is remain here while you fend off those plants. From the number of creatures, it would likely happen soon. Perhaps next -"

"What is that?"

Irwin turned to the door, his hair standing on end. Twintin was standing there, her eyes wide and afraid as she gazed at Ambraz.

"How did you sneak up on me?" Ambraz snapped, hovering towards Irwin and landing on his shoulder. "That's... You're too weak! I was too focused on strong things. Dammed rusty-"

Irwin watched Twintin, then took a slow step forward. "This is Ambraz," he said slowly, ready to run and catch her if he had to. "He is my friend."

"Is it a demon?" Twintin asked, taking another small step back.

"No," Irwin said, though as he said it, he wondered if that was even true. "He is a... like a carded summon."

"You have a carded summon?" Twintin asked, suddenly seeming angry. "Those are uncommon or up! Is that why this portal is so... so...horrible!?"

She almost screamed the final bit, and Irwin grimaced.

"No, no. It's got nothing to do with this-" he began.

"Bah, you whiny little brat. This portal is perfectly normal for a quartz… common portal! There's much more dangerous ones."

Didn't you say this thing was becoming uncommon soon? Irwin thought, but he kept his mouth shut.

"Twintin, why did you come here?" he asked, wondering why Greldo hadn't warned him or stopped her.

"Greldo fainted! Daubutim said it was due to the heat!" Twintin said, her face going pale.

Irwin's heart skipped a beat, and he stared at her. He had to help Greldo, but how?

"You have to tell them!" Twintin shouted. "Perhaps it can help!"

She turned and ran, and Irwin jumped after her. He had expected he could catch her, but he'd forgotten just how fast and nimble Twintin was.

Before he reached the final stairs, he heard her sprint below. As he reached the bottom, Twintin stood beside Rachel, talking rapidly to the confused girl.

"What do you mean Irwin has a summon?" Rachel shouted before looking up. Her eyes widened as she saw Ambraz.

Irwin barely noticed it. Greldo was lying on the ground with Daubutim sitting beside him, waving cool air at him. Like Rachel, he was staring at Ambraz in surprise.

"Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag," Ambraz whispered.

Chapter 23: Water and fire

"A flying, talking Anvil," Rachel whispered. "You... have a summon? Why didn't you tell us?!"

Irwin didn’t respond but ran to Greldo. His friend was breathing in short, ragged bursts, his head red while pearls of sweat ran down his face.

“Does someone have water left?” he asked worriedly. He grabbed his own flask, but one check showed he must have drained it. He couldn’t recall when, but the few drops barely wet Greldo’s lips.

"Irwin!" Rachel shouted.

Irwin looked up. "Why do you think? If they had known, what do you think would have happened? Now, does anyone have water left?!" he shouted, looking around.

Daubutim sadly shook his head while Twintin was still staring at Ambraz in disbelief.

Rachel gritted her teeth, seeming ready to explode.

"Wha... what is all the co..motion about?"

Irwin looked at Greldo, feeling a tremendous relief as he saw his friend's eyes open. For a moment, they were foggy, then they focused on Ambraz and turned sharp.

"You okay? Get me up," Greldo muttered, holding out a hand to be helped up.

Irwin looked at Greldo, surprised, then very happy about his reaction. There was no 'what's that and why didn't you tell me'—just honest worry.

"I'm fine," he said, helping Greldo up.

"Did you know? Is it uncommon, and is that that why-"

"My card is not uncommon," Irwin said, cutting Rachel off. "Now, let's focus on getting out of here, alright?"

"So, did you come up with an idea then?" Greldo asked.

Daubutim inched closer, a tiny flicker of curiosity in his dull eyes.

Irwin shrugged. "Well, Ambraz told me a bit about what is going on," he said.

"This portal world is going to turn into an uncommon one soon. Ambraz said that it's likely that those hounds will surge out. If that happens, we might have a moment to flee out."

"That means those monsters will go out of the portal and into the world," Daubutim said, sounding suddenly very clear. "I can't allow that to happen if there is something I can do to stop it. My father would not approve!"

"There's nothing the five of us can do to stop this!" Rachel hissed, still glaring at Irwin. "Summons that can talk are rare! Did that summon tell you anything?"

Daubutim stared at her, and his eyes clouded as if he were confused by her outburst.

"Anything else?" Greldo asked, seeming intent on ignoring Rachel.

Irwin hesitated, then decided it didn't really matter now. "We could try to reach the portal after it gets dark and hope my flame keeps those plants away."

"Any idea how long till it's night?" Greldo asked.

"No," Irwin said, looking at Ambraz. "Ambraz?"

"Probably fourteen to fifteen hours," the Anvil said.

There was a shocked silence, and Irwin saw Greldo flinch. His previous stoicism melted, replaced by a look of fear.

"We can't survive that long..." Irwin muttered, suddenly incredibly aware of just how dry his lips were, and that was without all the sweating the others were doing. He looked at Greldo's parched lips.

"You, flying Anvil! How do we get out of here?" Rachel snapped as she walked towards Irwin, glaring at Ambraz.

"You could sacrifice someone to draw the attention of those hounds so the others can get away," Ambraz retorted. "You would probably do nicely!"

Rachel growled, and Irwin took a step back, afraid she was going to summon her shield to smack Ambraz with.

"Twintin's card can summon water," Daubutim said.

Irwin turned to Twintin, suddenly recalling what she'd told them what seemed like months ago.

Right, water drop or something!

"How much water can you make?" he asked, looking at Twintin hopefully.

Rachel had also turned to the smaller girl. "Twintin?"

Twintin took a step back, shaking her head. "Two or three drops per hour," she whispered.

"I could do something about that," Ambraz said with a snort.

Irwin grimaced, wishing the Anvil would keep quiet.

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked.

"There's a way to reforge one common card to uncommon," Ambraz said, humming softly.

"You can do that?" Twintin's shout surprised everyone, but only for a moment. Then, they all focused on Ambraz.

Don't tell them this! If someone tells the outside world, I'll be hunted! Irwin thought, feeling his heart thud in his throat.

"Only because this world is changing into an uncommon," Ambraz said. "There's so much energy here that it can be moved into a common card, but only one that's very weak."

If Irwin hadn't known about the things Ambraz could do, he would have believed him. But he did.

He is making it so they don't think he can do it, he thought, feeling a slight bit of relief. His worry wasn't completely gone, though. Even this much would cause trouble if it was brought outside, just not as much as the truth.

There was a stunned silence around him, and then Twintin jumped forward. "You can make cards better?" she squealed.

"Yes, but there's only energy here for one," Ambraz said. "Seeing as you need water..."

Rachel's face turned ugly for a moment; then, she turned to Twintin with a forced smile. "That's great!"

Twintin was standing there, dazed, then looked up smiling radiantly. "I'll not be useless anymore!" she shouted before jumping and hugging Rachel.

"Incredible," Greldo muttered as they were watching the two. "Why didn't you tell me your first card was a summon?" he asked. Although he tried to hide it, Irwin noticed the tiny bit of hurt in his voice.

"There was too big of a chance to be overheard," he said.

It wasn't completely true, and from Greldo's frown, he understood the other realized this as well.

"The more people know, the bigger the chance the sorcerers would find out and take him from me…" Irwin added lamely. He still thought he was right for not telling anyone, but he also hoped Greldo wouldn't hold it against him. Too much.

"There's no time for this," Rachel said, suddenly pushing Twintin away and focusing on Ambraz. "How do you upgrade her card?"

"She is going to have to show me her card first," Ambraz said.

"What? How?" Twintin asked while the others looked equally confused.

"Right. You probably don't know either, so close your eyes and focus on your card. Imagine ejecting it from your hand and holding it.

Rachel closed her eyes, a crease appearing between her brows. After a few seconds, she shuddered, and her eyes snapped open. "It's not working!"

"It takes time and practice," Ambraz said. "All of you try! If she can't learn, we might have to go with another plan!"

Irwin looked around to see everyone, even Daubutim, with their eyes closed.

Seconds ticked by slowly. Just as Irwin's worry grew again, a flash of light came from Daubutim as a dull, common card hovered above his hand. A simple club decorated the front.

Irwin quickly scanned it for any odd wavy lines, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

"Oh, another fast one," Ambraz said. "Such an interesting card! Highly unusual. This is part weapon, part crafting card!" Ambraz muttered from above Daubutim's card. "How odd… to find two cards that are on the cusp of a rank-up in this place."

Ambraz frowned, then backed up.

"However, as interesting as it is, the best I could do is turn it into a full weapon card. If you had a second elemental card, I might have been able to merge them, and that would be interesting but nothing to get you past a few hundred hounds."

Daubutim stared at the Anvil for a while before summoning his club and looking at the door.

A lot of moaning, and ten minutes later, another burst of light, someone else had succeeded.

Irwin looked up. He had thought it would be Greldo, but Twintin looked up with a wide grin as her card hovered above her hand. It was a simple one, with a single drop of water on it. There were no curly lines, but Irwin didn't need those to know what it was. There were a few people in Malorin who had the water drop card, and although it had its uses, at best, it could create a few handfuls of water from the air. Worse. Usually, they had multiple water drops on the image, and the fewer there were, the worse the card was.

"Ah, yes!” Ambraz crooned as he rushed closer, hovering above the card.

Twintin stared at him, her face a mixture of awe, fear, and hope.

"Oh… oh my, now this is definitely one that we could use," Ambraz said as his lips curled up. "It is the weakest water element card I've seen, meaning it would benefit greatly from a reforging, taking it up to uncommon, and a rather strong one at that!"

As he spoke, Twintin's twinkling eyes had gone, and with an open mouth, she was looking at Ambraz with deep hope and desire.

"But, but," she whispered. "It's just Waterdrop… and I can only-" her face turned ugly, her shoulders going up as she shivered.

"Yes, yes," Ambraz said patiently. "Only able to create three or four drops of water?"

Twintin froze, then nodded slowly.

"Well," Ambraz said as he looked around. Rachel was cursing in anger, opened her eyes, and shook her head. "I can't do it," she said.

"Neither can I," Greldo said, sounding more sad than angry.

"Don't be alarmed. It can take a few days sometimes," Ambraz said. "These three are just very fast."

"Wait? Did you do this already? Why?" Rachel asked suspiciously.

"Enough!" Irwin snapped back. A sudden wave of anger made him glare back at her. "Stop trying to come up with some reason that this is my fault!"

Rachel seemed to shrivel up, taking a step back. "Sorry," she muttered, looking at the ground. "I… I just…"

"Never mind," Irwin said as he looked at Ambraz. "What do you need to do to reforge that card?"

"Me? A lot, and all beyond your current knowledge. You, however, are going to have to hit the card," Ambraz said.

Irwin stared at him stupidly. "I what?”

"Kid, how do you think this would work? It would be best if you had a hammer, but without it, your fist will do. You just have to hit the card each time I tell you to."

Irwin swallowed and saw Twintin look at him worriedly.

"What happens if I don't hit it when you tell me to?" he asked.

"Then her card might become flawed, so let's just not do that, alright?"

Irwin shivered, then nodded. "Anything else?"

"No. The energy in this shardworld is ridiculously abundant."

A dull rumble followed his words as if to punctuate what he said while interrupting Greldo, who had seemed ready to ask a question.

Twintin let out a startled scream, jumping next to Rachel and grabbing her hand.

"Well, that proves it. It is growing to be uncommon, and it's happening even faster than I thought," Ambraz said, sounding happier than Irwin felt as he sensed a dull shaking through his feet.

"Alright, show me your card again," Ambraz said as he whisked toward Twintin.

The girl was staring at the door and didn't seem to hear him.

"Twintin!" Irwin snapped, causing her to jerk and look up with wide eyes. "Your card, quick!"

She nodded and closed her eyes.

"Are you sure her card is the best?" Irwin asked Ambraz, wondering if it wouldn't be best to increase his flame. If it became much stronger, he could probably burn the plants!

No, it's not common, he told himself, finding that even now, he still had a hard time believing it. He quickly focused back on Ambraz, who had been answering him.

"Yes. At uncommon, she should be able to summon her body weight in water and manipulate both it and the water in simple organisms," Ambraz said.

"She can do more than just summon water?" Rachel asked, seeming stunned.

"What? Of course..." Ambraz muttered.

"How do you know all this?" Rachel asked, shaking her head.

"As an Anvil summon, I got some simple knowledge," Ambraz said.

Irwin could almost hear the distaste in his voice, and he hoped the others wouldn't realize he was lying. Scrambling for a way to change the subject, he thought about what Ambraz had said.

Simple organisms?

"Like plants?" he thought out loud, his eyebrows shooting up as he remembered teacher Rhym explaining that roughly eighty percent of their bodies were made of water.

"Yes. Like plants," Ambraz said. "Now, how about we stop with these questions, and you get your card back out?"

Twintin nodded, quickly sitting down and closing her eyes. A few minutes later, as the rumbling from outside continued to increase, shaking the building so hard that dust fell from the ceiling, a burst of light filled the small area as Twintin's card appeared above her outstretched palm.

"Alright, the growing will be finished as soon as the rumbling stops," Ambraz said. "That means there's a big chance for more dangerous things to appear. We need to do this now. It might feel a bit weird, but you don't have to worry, alright?"

"Will it hurt?" Twintin asked, leaning closer to Rachel, who put a protective arm around her shoulders.

"No," Ambraz said. "It might sting a little, that's all."

Twintin didn't seem relieved, and when the rumbling caused a crack to appear in the wall to the side, she turned pale.

"It will be fine," Irwin said as he gave her his best, winning smile. "After this, you will be the first uncommon-carded in our group, and you won't have to go into another common portal ever again!"

Twintin nodded hesitantly.

"Let’s begin," Ambraz said, and with a flash, a one-meter-high Anvil appeared where the small flying one had been. "Put your hand on top and relax."

"By Gelwin's beard, that's big," Greldo whispered.

Irwin didn't respond, but he noticed the side-eye Rachel was giving him.

Twintin began crying silently but still moved forward, putting her hand on the flat surface.

"Make sure she doesn't remove her hand," Ambraz said. "Kid, get over here and get ready to hit the card."

Irwin felt his heart skip a beat at the coolness in the Anvil's voice. He looked at Rachel and Greldo, then stepped forward next to Twintin. Twintin was crying loudly now, and Rachel hugged her while Greldo and Daubutim held her arm in place.

"Don't let go," Ambraz said. "No matter what. Now, Irwin, I'll say hit, and you hit. Don't stop, don't hesitate, just hit!"

Irwin nodded, raising his hand above Twintin's card.

"Three, two, one, hit!" Ambraz snapped."

Irwin brought his fist down, feeling the bottom sting painfully as it slammed into the card and the Anvil beneath.

A dull thud came from the Anvil as if a massive hammer had struck it.

He felt an odd tingling in the back of his mind and a tiny shiver from his own card, but he barely noticed as Twintin jerked. She almost ripped free from Daubutim and Greldo's hold. Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened in a startled, soundless cry.

"Hit!"

Irwin closed his mouth and struck again. He sensed the same odd shiver from his card, but he had no time to focus on it.

Twintin screamed. She tried to pull her arm back with such force that the others had to struggle to hold her.

"Keep her still," Ambraz roared. "Hit!"

Irwin brought his fist down, his heart beating in a frenzy as he looked at Twintin, eyes wide and rabid.

Please be done fast, he thought as Ambraz roared for him to hit again.

He did, and Twintin screamed.

–

"You said it wouldn't hurt," Irwin said shakily as he looked at Twintin, curled up in a ball on the ground. His hand was hurting, but he barely cared. Compared to what Twintin had gone through, it didn't count.

She'd fallen unconscious directly after the reforging had completed, and Rachel sat next to her, stroking her hair. The other girl threw hateful glances at both Ambraz and Irwin.

"Well, it doesn't hurt that much," Ambraz said. "I keep forgetting you are barely more than children and from a world where they don't teach you much."

"What kind of teaching could help someone with this?" Irwin hissed.

A shudder came from Twintin, and she stretched her arms in a sudden jerk, looking around with wide eyes. Snot covered her face, and her eyes were haunted.

"It's over," Rachel whispered. "You have an uncommon card now!"

Irwin knew she was trying to cheer Twintin up, but he wondered if it would work.

"It hurt so much," Twintin cried as she hugged Rachel. "It felt like my hand was stuck between a door, and someone kept closing it."

A deep rumble shook the building, followed by an angry howl from outside.

Irwin looked up and jumped to the door. The hounds that had been walking around outside were glaring at something outside of his view.

"Something is making them anxious," Greldo said as he moved next to Irwin. He was pale and breathing quick and shallow. "I hope she snaps out of it fast."

Irwin looked at Twintin and nodded. Her haunted screams played through his mind for a moment, and he had to forcefully shove them away into the deepest recesses of his mind. As much as he wanted to give her time to deal with it, they would die if she didn't use her card. Taking a deep sigh, he stepped forward, and Rachel glared at him.

"Let her recover for five minutes," she snapped.

Irwin licked his lips. Five minutes seemed reasonable… but… was it wise? They had no idea what might happen in five minutes. He took a deep breath.

"Twintin, you need to start practicing with your uncommon card," he said loudly.

The girl shuddered and pulled back from Rachel, who was staring daggers at him.

"I don't think-"

Greldo stepped forward, but Irwin shook his head as he spoke. "I know it hurts and that you are scared. But if we don't get out of here, we will all die. Please look at your card and see if you can connect with it!"

He didn't know if that was actually necessary, but he hoped that if Twintin saw her card it might help her.

Twintin hesitated, and Rachel bent forward, opening her mouth when a faint, purplish light illuminated the room. A card with a dull purple border and a few dozen raindrops hovered over her hand. Even from this distance, Irwin could sense the presence of the card, and for a moment, he wanted to try and use his Eyes of Blaze.

It only works on unbound cards, he reminded himself.

His plan seemed to work, at least partially, as Twintin wiped her face and stared at her own card in awe.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Yes," Irwin said. "It is! Why don't you try it?"

Twintin didn't respond, and Irwin was about to ask again when she slowly got up, and her face turned to one of focus. The card vanished as she cupped her hand, and a moment later, water dribbled from her hand, slow at first but quickly increasing. It was soaked up by the dusty floor like a sponge, and she raised it, sniffing it.

"It smells so nice," she whispered before taking a sip.

Irwin couldn't help but swallow as he looked at the crystal-clear water. He could somehow see or feel that it was slightly colder than the ambient room temperature, and the idea of drinking it seemed heavenly. The water kept dripping out, and Irwin stepped forward, pulling out his waterskin as he suddenly realized what was happening.

"Don't let it go to waste," he said. "Quick, fill our waterskin if you can!"

Twintin looked at him, then his hand, and suddenly, a bright smile blossomed as she nodded and took the waterskin, tilting her hand above it. A clear stream of water poured from it, continuing for half a minute. When the waterskin was full, Irwin handed it to Greldo while grabbing his friend's waterskin for Twintin to fill.

"Interesting. There’s more water than there should be," Ambraz said.

The water stopped instantly as Twintin looked up at him, pale and startled.

"You hurt me," she whispered, shivering as she stepped away from the Anvil.

"Well, yes. But I also gave you an uncommon card," Ambraz snapped, sounding annoyed.

"Ambraz said you could drain the water from the plants," Irwin quickly interjected. If Twintin suddenly went back to being afraid and worried, they would be in more danger.

Twintin turned to him, eyes wide as she looked at her hand.

"I can do that?" she whispered, turning to look at her card. After a few moments, her eyes widened. "I can!"

With a suddenly angry expression, she turned to the small patch of plants on the other side of the room. Her card hand glowed a deep blue, and a second later, the plant she was looking at began gleaming with water that dripped to the ground. Within seconds, it began shriveling, and the vibrant green turned brown. It rapidly extended out along the root, and moments later, the nearby plants began turning brown, their edges curling up.

"Incredible," Greldo said as he moved beside Irwin. "With this, we can probably reach the portal after the hounds leave!"

Irwin's shoulders sagged in relief. Between his flame and Twintin's water card, they would have a chance!

"Now that we stand a chance, we should try to find the Linchpin and close the portal!" a dull voice rumbled from behind them.

Irwin and Greldo turned to look at Daubutim, who was looking out of the entrance.

Chapter 23.2: Back against the wall

"If we leave, there will be a surge, and lots of people will die," Daubutim said, turning to look at them one at a time.

Irwin wanted to say he was wrong, even wished for it, but the faces of his mother and brother appeared in his mind's eye. If portals like this remained open, they would also die eventually. Maybe not from this surge, as it was too far away, but… if they closed it, they might find a card or likely get at least one card, maybe more from the sorcerers.

He recalled Tanya's words and sighed, knowing what they had to do.

"I don't want to stay here," Twintin whispered.

Irwin didn't respond to her and looked at Greldo. The same resolve he felt was in his friend's eyes. To his surprise, Rachel moved to Twintin, putting an arm around the smaller girl.

"With your power, we have a chance. We can't leave this portal to surge… it might overflow Wignut. You remember what Sorceress Tanya said, right?"

Twintin hesitated, staring at her hand, then at the now wilted section of plants. "I remember," she whispered.

"So we all agree?" Irwin said, swallowing. "We have enough rations for a few days and, with Twintin, enough water for a long time. We are going to try to find the Linchpin... Well, unless this world evolves."

"Yes," Daubutum rumbled, an uncommon smile on his face.

"Definitely," Greldo said with an almost believable grin on his face. "We need to get more cards.

Rachel and Twintin nodded, though the latter reluctantly.

"Then I think we should head back to the original building we came from," Irwin said.

"What? Why?" Rachel asked, confused.

"Because Olban had more rations, and the more we have, the safer it is. Twintin and I can remove the plants and clear the building."

"Brats, you are forgetting one thing," Ambraz said while a distant rumble was followed by a snapping crack as the wall to the side split slightly. "This portal will become much more dangerous, and it won't take a long time."

"After this shardworld evolves to uncommon... Amethyst... how long will we have till the stronger demons start appearing?" Irwin asked.

"Amethyst is uncommon, yes," Ambraz said. "It's hard to say, but more than an hour and less than a day."

"Our day, or this world's day?" Gerldo muttered as he finished his waterskin before handing it to Twintin for a refill.

Ambraz didn't answer.

"Why don't we wait till the dogs leave, or they leave during the evening?" Rachel said hesitantly. "Then we can search our building and the other's nearby for clues."

"Right, and if we don't find any, and it gets too dangerous, we will leave," Greldo grunted.

Irwin saw both of them looking at him, and he shrugged. "Unless there's a better shardworld?"

Daubutim was quiet, his eyes seeming glazed over, and Irwin would just take that as an agreement.

"Then let's rest and stay ready to run to the portal if we have to," Greldo said.

The others agreed, and slowly, everyone calmed down. Twintin continued filling bags for a while until she finally ran out of energy.

Ambraz had returned back to Irwin's pocket but heard him whisper something about too much water a few times.

Finally, a long time later, the light outside began to dim. The invisible sun seemed to sink below the horizon faster than normal. They were all standing ready near the entrance, watching the hounds very slowly and hesitatingly retreat. A soft tremor made them all stop, but when vines began ripping out of the ground, they finally dashed away.

"I'll go in the front with my flame. Twintin, you remain at the back," Irwin said as he stepped out of the building, his hand and flame raised.

It was dark, but he could see well enough. The pale sand and gray buildings had turned to a slightly creepy red-hued.

I wish I could increase its size and power," Irwin thought as he watched more vines slowly appear. One hovered nearby, seeming to observe his flame.

"Let's hurry while there are only a few," Irwin said.

"Okay, stay close," Greldo muttered, stepping up beside him.

A few moments later, they jogged towards their original building. Three vines were nearly in their way, but as Irwin closed in, they shot down into the ground.

Irwin moved forward slower, keeping an eye on the muddled sand. He held his flame close to the collapsed hole, and the sand rustled as it appeared that something burrowed deeper into the ground.

His heartbeat ran a mile an hour. Irwin waved Greldo forward and only ran after him when Twintin passed the area.

A few moments later, they reached their original entrance, and as Irwin stepped inside, he saw dozens of vines rush back into the vegetation.

When everyone joined him, he shared a relieved look with Greldo before turning to Twintin.

"Good, then let's see if we can find Olban's backpack behind those plants."

With a vicious, vindictive smile, Twintin raised her hand, and a section of plants began shriveling.

"I'll stay at the back now. You take the lead," Irwin said as he motioned to Greldo. "You guys stay in the middle."

Twintin shivered, but she walked forward, pale and with large, wide eyes. Ahead of her, the plants began flopping to the ground like empty sacks, those behind them also starting to turn brown.

Irwin kept his eyes on the door behind them, but there was no sight of the vines trying to circle around them.

Why don't they enter from the outside, he thought suddenly. They hadn't done so the first night either. Were they too short to reach it?

As he gazed outside, he saw that a glistening white frost had begun covering the sections of the ground that he could see.

"There's ice forming," he said. "Did that happen the first night?"

"No," Greldo said, sounding as worried as Irwin felt.

Even if we had wanted to, we might not have even reached the portal, he thought.

Some time later, a large section of plants had died, turning to brown sludge, which they moved through. A square staircase similar to the one he'd gone up in the other building had become visible.

"Should I keep clearing this room?" Twintin asked as she looked hesitantly at the staircase.

Irwin looked at her carefully, trying to see if she was getting tired or out of energy. There was no sign of either, and after hesitating for a moment, he nodded.

"Yes. It's best to create at least one safe area before going up," he said.

"Yes, and we might find the root of these plants so we can destroy them from there," Greldo added.

Twintin continued clearing the room and eventually found a deep hole along one wall, with dark gray roots crawling out. Twintin began draining them of water, but it seemed the roots went deep because their decay was a lot slower. Only a few bushes, covered in the luminous mushrooms, now remained, and they had left those so it wouldn't become completely dark. Still, with only a handful of mushrooms remaining, everyone but Irwin was looking around worriedly, jumping at shadows.

It took at least an hour before the massive root finally sagged into a soft, pudgy mass. The ground was muddy with water, and a lot was running down the hole, creating a small waterfall. Irwin had filled his waterskin, as had the others, and he had drunk his fill. A couple of bites of his rations had helped with the hunger, and now he was just tired. Not that he or anyone else even suggested sleeping. The rumbling had become less pronounced but more frequent, and somehow, that made it way more ominous.

As he turned to the door, he realized that Twintin was frowning at the hole.

"What's wrong?"

"I thought I saw something glow down there," she whispered, causing everyone to turn back to the hole in alarm.

Twintin seemed unconcerned as she stepped forward, sloshing through the muddy water, and looked into the hole. Her eyes widened, and she gasped.

"There's a card in there!"

"Hah! Prophetic," Ambraz shouted.

Not possible! Irwin thought, but he was moving before he realized it.

Stepping next to Twintin, he looked down. It was dark and shadowy, but deep down, nestled amidst the sludge, he saw the edge of what looked like a card. It was the dull grayish white of a common, but even that was enough to make his heart beat faster.

Ambraz whizzed in front of him, a wide smile on his Anvil face. Then, his lips turned into a flat line.

"That's not a card," he said, sounding almost cheated.

"What do you mean?" Irwin asked

Everyone was standing around the hole now, and he took a quick look around. There were no vines left. He focused on the card's edge, but from what he could see, it looked like any other card he'd seen. It even glowed slightly.

"Watch," Ambraz said.

He whisked into the hole, down past the sagged roots. Almost at the card, he suddenly reversed directions, rushing back up.

"Whoops!"

A shudder came from the bottom of the hole, then the ground burst apart as a dull gray vine shot after Ambraz, a glowing card lodged into its tip.

"Look out!" Rachel shouted as she pulled Twintin away while the others stumbled back.

"Incoming," Ambraz shouted as he shot out of the hole. "Burn it!"

Irwin balked, then jumped back to the hole, holding his flame above. He had hoped it would scorch the vine and scare it off.

Sadly, the arm-thick, gray, and slightly silvery vine didn't seem to care for what he wished. It burst through the flame with black char marks across its top. The tip split apart four ways, opening into a gaping maw lined with razor-sharp teeth and a wet red tongue.

A deafening, high-pitched screech made Irwin stumble as his ears suddenly rang. White spots danced before his eyes, but he still saw the shadowy thing rush him. He jumped back with his flame and jutted out forward.

Although he managed to dodge the teeth, the side of the vine struck him like a door, flinging him to the side. Feeling something crack in his ribs, he crashed into the ground and rolled over twice. Somehow, he managed to keep his wits, and he crouched up just as the teeth-lined maw snapped at him. He flung himself to the side while blindly striking out with his flame.

A tiny part of him knew that only a few days before, the speedy movements would have been far beyond him. Something soft and wet clenched around his hand and wrist, followed by piercing stabs of pain from his lower arm.

Shocked, Irwin stared at the vine that had swallowed his hand, wrist, and lower arm. Its teeth had partially dug into his thin upper arm, and he felt a scream of pain and fear bubble up.

Something moved in the corner of his eye, and Greldo, pale and with fear-filled eyes, grabbed the vine a foot from Irwin's fist and clenched it while pulling it back. The teeth scraped across his skin, but Irwin didn't complain as he tried to pull his hand back.

"Wait!" Daubutim stepped forward, calm and steady, as he put a hand over Greldo. "Look!" He pointed at the head of the vine.

The skin all along it and further back was rapidly turning dark, the skin bubbling as steam rose from it. An orange flame erupted from the side, then another, and as the three looked, the head began sagging in as it melted. Irwin's flame was rapidly dissolving from the inside out.

Greldo let go and stepped back as the vine split apart at the spot Irwin's flame hovered above his fist.

Irwin sat down with a thud, staring at the remainder of the head, lips, and teeth still around his wrist. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he tried to pry it open. The jaw was like a solid metal clamp, and he couldn't use much force with one hand. His effort only seemed to cause the teeth to scratch deeper into his already profusely bleeding flesh. Greldo ran next to him, grabbed the jaw, and pulled it open with a rip.

Irwin jerked his hand back, unsummoning his flame as he cradled the hand against his chest.

"Whoops," he grunted, looking at Ambraz.

"Don't whine like a little brat," Ambraz snorted as he flew to inspect the gray vine.

Irwin was about to mutter something when cold air from the doorway and the cracks in the wall seemed to close in around him. No longer held at bay by his flame, he shivered, his mind instantly clear.

For a moment, he wondered if whatever was happening was causing the temperature to drop more than before. Then he shook his head. No, that wasn't it. He'd held his flame up throughout the previous night.

He clenched his good hand as he prepared for the pain as he held out his hand. Seeing the bloody gashes, it took him a moment to summon the flame. As soon as it appeared, the cold almost seemed to flee, and he held the flame closer as he warmed again.

"Are you alright?"

Irwin looked up at Greldo, who was sitting next to him with worry on his face. Somehow, the other's instant reaction to help him instead of running warmed him as much as his flame did, even letting him ignore some of the pain.

"I'll live," he said, trying to sound tough.

Greldo let out a relieved hiss and sat down, staring at the blood running down Irwin's hand.

"We need to wash and bind that," Daubutim said as he looked at Irwin's arm. "If it gets infected, you will die."

Irwin shivered even with his flame, and Greldo let out a snorted laugh.

"No mercy," he muttered, staring at Daubutim with a smirk.

"What?" Daubutim asked, confused.

Greldo looked at Irwin and shook his head wistfully.

Irwin couldn't help it, but he grinned, then laughed. The pain was nauseating. Its combination with the stress was toying with his mind, but he held his head back and laughed louder.

He felt someone bend something around his arm, and when the thing was pulled tight, the burst of pain stopped his bout of insane hilarity. Wiping his eyes from both the pain and the laughter, he looked up to see Greldo, Rachel, and Twintin staring at him worriedly. Daubutim was quietly binding his wound, seemingly unperturbed by his seeming insanity.

"Sorry," Irwin said as he waited for Daubutim to finish.

As soon as he was done, Iriwn got up and saw Ambraz hover around the remains of the vine.

"No card?" he asked.

"No, it was just fake thing to lure in unsuspecting brats. But this thing is interesting! Its skin has metal particles inside," the Anvil said.

"Shouldn't you be worried about him?" Rachel snapped, pointing at Irwin. "Aren't you his summon?"

"What? Worried?" Ambraz stammered, sounding surprised. "What are you muttering about? He'll be fine when the sun comes out again."

Irwin blinked, his mind stilling for a moment before he realized what Ambraz meant.

Right! Rapid regeneration!

How had he forgotten about that?

"Anyway, from what I can sense, we still have some time before this place evolves. But, instead of telling me what to do, shouldn't you be searching for the linchpin?" Ambraz continued.

"Right, let's go up," Irwin agreed, trying to ignore the constant throbbing pain in his arm."

He walked towards the stairs, his flame in front of him, and stopped as he rounded the corner. A massive amount of rubble and debris blocked the path forward.

Greldo stepped up beside him, moved a bit closer to the top, then shook his head.

"This happened recently, perhaps even today. It's unstable and dangerous."

He walked back, and a few moments later, they stood in the room, looking around. "So... do we go to the nearest other building?" he asked, swaying on his feet.

"I think we should stay here for now," Greldo said. "It's not too hot, we have plenty of water, and there are no plants. Your arm is looking really bad, and we need you up and running with your flame."

Irwin wanted to tell him he would be fine, but the pain was growing worse, and the thought of going outside made him more than a little afraid.

"He's right," Rachel said, staring at Irwin for a bit before moving to a corner with Twintin, huddling close together.

"Can you make more cards better?" Daubutim asked, looking at Ambraz.

Irwin held back a curse.

"Only in very special shardworlds," Ambraz said smoothly.

Daubutim's eyes went dull, but just as Irwin thought he was going to go silent again, the burly youth shook his head forcefully.

"Is there a limit?" he asked, his voice cracking as if he was forcing himself.

"Yes. Only from common to uncommon," Ambraz said.

Daubutim nodded just as his eyes turned glassy. Then he sat down beside the door, staring outside.

I hope they stop asking about this, Irwin thought, knowing how unlikely it was.

"Let's check that vine," Greldo muttered.

Irwin nodded and forced himself up to follow him, trying to ignore his arm.

They quickly found out that Ambraz had been right. There was no card. The thing that looked like one was nothing more than a fleshy growth, greatly damaged by his fire.

With nothing else to do, they sat down with their backs against a wall without cracks.

As the night continued and the cold increased, they all began gravitating closer and closer to Irwin until they sat in a circle, huddled around him, shivering even with the warmth of his flame.

"I think the plants somehow kept it warm in here," Greldo whispered.

Irwin only nodded, too preoccupied with the growing pain in his arm.

Time passed slowly, and as it worsened, he had little trouble staying awake. When he finally saw a dim glow from outside, only Daubutim was still awake. Somewhere during the night, his eyes had cleared up again, but he'd remained on the lookout while the rest huddled around Irwin, snoring softly.

"After we are done here, you should come with me to my father," Daubutim said. There was a deep crease on his forehead, and he seemed to struggle with his words.

Irwin shivered and wrapped his right hand closer around him. "Why? And when do you mean?"

"We close this portal, then go to my father's estate," Daubutim said. "News of him," he pointed at Ambraz, "will somehow get out. People will try to steal him."

"Hah, let them try," Ambraz snapped from his perch on Irwin's thin shoulder.

"And your father won't?" Irwin asked, ignoring the Anvil.

Daubutim's eyes widened, and he almost got up. "Never! My father… my father would give up anything to do what he thinks is right…" he looked down at that and sighed. "No. My father and mother would protect you, if…"

"If Ambraz and I improve cards for them," Irwin said slowly, realizing what Daubutim wanted.

He expected he would become angry, but to his surprise, he only felt weary resignation.

"Yes," Daubutim said shortly. "Even if it's difficult, every strong card will help close portals and prevent great suffering."

"What about the others and the sorcerers?" Irwin asked as he looked at the red glow creeping up from outside.

"The others are welcome," Daubutim stated as if there could be no doubt. "The sorcerers… We need to flee from them?" he sounded confused as he looked at his hands. When he continued, his words came out haltingly. "I don't know. I am not good with these things, not like my brothers. If Dianor were here, he'd know what to say."

Irwin looked at the large youth, shoulders slightly drooping, and suddenly felt incredibly sorry for him. Not something he'd ever thought he would feel for a noble-born. He could almost see Daubutim struggle with his own mind.

Horrible, Irwin thought, trying to imagine it. Of all the weaknesses he had, at least his mind had been keen. A sudden sense of kinship for the other, stopped him from just telling him a hard no.

"Let's talk about this after we manage to find the Linchpin," he said. "I want to talk with Greldo about it."

Daubutim nodded and returned his gaze outside.

Together, they silently waited until the red almost reached where they were sitting. Then Irwin poked Greldo, who woke with a sucked-in breath and a strangled cry.

"What?"

"Calm down, everything is fine," Irwin said as he struggled to get up.

His shivering had stopped, but he felt a cold sweat on his forehead, and the skin around the mottled, red-stained bandage was dark and puffy. It reminded him of the inflammation his mother had in her foot a year earlier. Not a good sign as it had cost her toe.

"I need to go outside for a bit," he whispered.

"Alright, I'll come with you," Greldo said, yawning as he got up. "Did you sleep?"

"No," Irwin said as he moved towards the entrance.

The vines had left somewhere when the sun came, but shadows covered most of the area beyond the building and around the others he saw. There was no sign of the hounds yet, and the portal quietly hovered there, a way out and to safety. He suddenly felt a strong urge to run in and through. Then he shook it off.

First, let's see how well this greater rapid regeneration works, he thought as he stepped out of the building, feeling the temperature rising slightly.

Chapter 24: Lose some, win some

Irwin stood in the full sun as it poked through two towering buildings. It was the only little bit between the shadows that surrounded them, though more areas would quickly appear as the light in the sunless sky rose. A few hounds loomed around, and he tried to ignore them as he let his body heal. There had been more appearing during the morning, but most had left again, only a few remaining around the portal.

He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. The heat was soothing, almost seeping into his bones, and after a second, he looked at his thin arm. The puffy skin had returned to its normal pale, and the lacerations left by the teeth were scabbing over noticeably.

High-rank cards are amazing, he thought.

He had been pondering the events that had happened, his mind surprisingly sharp and clear for someone who hadn't slept and was wounded. Lingering on the pleasant for a few more moments, he finally focused on his future problems.

With people knowing about Ambraz, even if they thought he was the summon of his first card, he was bound to get into trouble. He could take up Daubutim's offer, but they would want him to enter all sorts of portals, hunting for those that Ambraz could harness for his so-called card upgrading.

No, he was in deep shit, and he knew it. Either people would figure it out, and some might try to kill him so his 'anvil' card would drop. Or they would force him into dangerous portals.

Irwin looked around at the few hounds on the edges of the shadow, most of which were still staring at him with hungry red eyes. Then he looked at the portal, hovering amidst the sea of hounds. He wondered what would happen if they all stormed through the portal. There had been large surges before, but this felt like it would be over the top.

I hope we can find the Linchpin before that happens, he thought.

With enough time to think, he realized how dangerous it would be to exit. Out of the portal, they would be back in the forest. Although he had never heard of plant monsters coming from portals, what if some vines had made it there? With the sun blocked by the canopy, nothing would hold them back from growing almost unstoppable.

Irwin sighed and looked at Ambraz, who was sitting on his shoulder. The Anvil had been quiet all morning. Irwin looked at him, glancing at the wings, when a sudden realization pushed his worries to the back of his mind.

He can fly, he thought, staring dumbly at Ambraz's wings.

Why hadn't he thought of that before? Ambraz could just fly up and search for the Linchpin.

He was about to ask Ambraz when a weary yawn sounded from a bit to the side.

He looked up to where Greldo stood a few steps away, just outside the direct sunlight. He was taking small sips from his waterskin, and when he saw Irwin look over, he grinned.

"I was wondering... Your first card," Greldo whispered. "It's not just a little higher rank, is it? Some weird flame, the ability to withstand ridiculous heat, faster growth than I have heard about, and the ability to heal in the sun."

Irwin held quiet as he saw Greldo look at his arm before looking around. It didn't pass him by that Greldo did not mention Ambraz. Had he figured out that the anvil wasn't part of his card? Quietly, he waited for his friend to continue.

Sweat dripped down Greldo's face, and his shirt was damp while his jacket was tied around his waist with the sleeves.

"I was thinking about what we heard back in Wignut… About cards up to rare rank having started appearing. This is one of those, isn't it?"

Irwin hesitated, not sure what to say. Instead, he looked at his arm, the wounds all nearly gone. Greldo wouldn't be the only one who would notice the oddities, and where he was only hesitating about how much he could trust him, he didn't trust any of the others with knowledge.

"It's fine," Greldo whispered. “I understand you don't want to talk about it, but I think we might have to if we get out of here alive, especially if we are going with Daubutim."

"You heard?" Irwin whispered as he gazed at the other in surprise.

"I woke early. Always was a light sleeper," Greldo said. "I didn't catch everything, but… I think it might be a good idea."

Irwin heard his uncertainty and frowned as he felt an itch from his arm. The scabs were peeling back, revealing a slight, dim scar below. He wiped them off, and even the scars faded until he could barely see more than a few dots with lines.

Irwni hesitated, then looked back at Greldo, who was staring at him.

"I'm not sure yet, but I don't want to stay with the sorcerers," he whispered. "I know they are right, and we can't leave these portals, but… there's something seriously wrong with how things are handled in those towers."

"Yes… also, if there really are more portals appearing, their efforts might not even be enough," Greldo said.

"Vines!"

Irwin turned, summoned his flame, and dashed forward in a single move, running toward the building. He barely registered how energetic he felt as he watched Daubutim backing away from the entrance. Rachel stood next to him with her shield up. Twintin stood before them, partially in the opening, a glowing hand directed at something Irwin couldn't see.

"Where?" he said as he stopped next to Daubutim.

As if to answer him, a gray vine shot from the opening, aiming straight for his face. He sucked in his breath as he raised his flame. The vine flickered around it, then slammed into Rachel's shield, which she had put between him and the incoming thing. Irwin struck at it with his flame, and this time, the vine drew back, a black scorch mark on its side.

"Thanks," Irwin said as he backed up.

"I can't draw its water out," Twintin screamed from behind him.

"Back up, into the light!" Irwin shouted.

He stumbled back toward the tiny pocket of light. The vine hovered in the entrance for a moment before retreating inside slightly. Next to it, another one appeared, its tip splitting open and revealing a toothy maw.

As the group backpedaled toward the brighter areas, the ground rippled, and a massive quake caused sand to burst up and buildings to sway.

Irwin barely managed to remain on his feet, struggling to keep an eye on the vines in case they did come after them.

The vines in the entrance withdrew into the shaking and shuddering building, and a moment later, a section of the wall beside it crumbled. A swirling mass of vines sat in the room they had been in all night.

Irwin swallowed as a wave of nausea hit him. If those had come during the night...

"They came out of the hole," Rachel shouted over the constant rumbling and crashing. "If I hadn't been looking towards the stairs, I'd never have seen them."

"We can't stay here," Greldo snapped, and Irwin heard from his voice there were more problems. Looking around, he saw Greldo point at an area bathed in light slowly moving toward their tiny pocket of safety. The building that had provided its shadow had crashed into the one beside it and gradually slid down.

A dozen large canine shapes were prowling around in the sunny part, shiny eyes glaring at them.

"They are leaving," Daubutim said.

Irwin looked up and saw hounds running away from the portal, leaving it hovering there.

They are afraid but aren't going in? he thought.

The mass of hounds was gone so fast he barely believed it. Those few that had been focused on them were still around but had begun backing up.

"Perhaps we should leave now?" Twintin shouted, the fear in her voice thick.

"And fight those things?" Irwin shouted, pointing at the hounds still there. "There's no way we can fight those! Let's go into another building and clear it of the green plants."

Keeping an eye on the hounds, he searched for a building. There were a few that bordered the shadowy area, and picking one at random, he walked towards it.

When he didn't hear any footsteps, he worriedly turned around. Rachel and Twintin were looking at the portal. Daubutim was moving towards them slowly, hands at his side.

"This might be the only chance we have to leave," Rachel shouted.

She looked around, focusing on Irwin. The panic in her eyes told him she wasn't thinking straight anymore, not by a long shot.

"If we stay here, we might not have another chance! They are far away. I'm sure we can reach the portal before they get us," she shouted.

"The world isn't evolving yet," Ambraz said from Irwin's shoulder.

He was the only one that sounded even remotely calm.

Rachel didn't pay any attention to the anvil. She nodded at Twintin, and both seemed ready to sprint to the black rip.

Irwin looked at them and shook his head in disbelief. "Don't you realize what will happen if you just leave?" he shouted, looking at Greldo for support. His friend had been staring at the two girls without saying anything.

Rachel looked at him over her shoulder but kept walking. "Yes, we won't die here."

"No, but you will die out there when the surge happens," Irwin snapped angrily. "You heard what Ambraz said."

He felt his anger rise as he glared back, wondering how she couldn't see. If she went outside and the surge happened, she could never flee in time! Even if those plants weren't there, those hounds would find them within moments!

"And why should we believe him?" Rachel spat. "He lied about hurting Twintin. He could be lying about this! Besides, how should a carded summon even know about this?"

"If Twintin leaves, we might not be able to find the Linchpin," Daubutim said dully. He stood a few feet from them, giving the feeling he might jump them if they tried to run.

Irwin cringed as he saw Rachel's eyes flare up while turning on the taller boy. "You stupid fool! How will we find anything if we die from those vines or those dogs?"

Daubutim stopped and took a step back, his eyes muddled and unfocused. He seemed to be struggling with a response.

"And how will you run if those vines or hounds reach the forest?" Irwin snapped.

Rachel stopped, frowned, then shook her head, her anger reappearing. "I don't believe there will be a surge," she snapped. "Look around you! Those hounds ran away instead of going through, and how is a vine even going through without losing its roots?"

As she glared at him, Irwin saw something silvery burst out of the ground in the shadows behind them.

"Look out!" he screamed as half a dozen silvery vines shot towards Rachel and Twintin.

Twintin screamed and raised her hand while Rachel's shield appeared before her, blocking two of the vines. Another darted past and bit her leg, causing a mist of blood to spray out.

Irwin was moving forward when something held him back. He turned in anger and saw it was Greldo.

"Look! We can't help them," Greldo shouted, and Irwin turned to see two of the vines wrap around Twintin, who was desperately struggling. The rest were biting Rachel but seemed to be having trouble.

"We can't leave them like that!" Irwin shouted, but he didn't move. He remembered what a single vine had done, and the only reason he had killed it was because it had swallowed his flame.

"Look!"

Daubutim's shout caused him to stare at the boy pointing at the building that had been sliding down. It was a foot or two from the edge, and it would drop down as soon as it reached it. The shadow the silvery vines were in would vanish, replaced by the scorching sun.

"We just have to hold them back for a short bit," Irwin muttered, then looked at Daubutim. The tall boy nodded, then rushed toward Twintin.

"We can't risk our lives like this," Greldo whispered as he stared at Irwin.

"Without Twintin, we can't get through those buildings to find the Linchpin," Irwin shouted as he ripped his arm free and stared at his friend. "Come on. We can do this!"

Greldo looked back as if he'd never seen him before, then nodded.

They ran forward, and Irwin felt his stomach turn. Rachel had fallen to the ground, still struggling slightly as the vines bit down into her. Blood was pooling around, and she was clawing at the ground, her shield gone.

Twintin hung in the air, wrapped up by two vines. Her face contorted in fear, her eyes closed. Her hand glowed brightly, and the two vines hung frozen in the air, shuddering occasionally as if struggling against something.

"She is holding them back," Irwin shouted.

"It's because they are touching her," Ambraz shouted in his ear. "It increases the effectiveness of her card!"

Irwin took one look at Rachel and knew her chance was over. She'd stopped struggling, her body now only shaking as the vines ripped portions of her flesh away. Daubutim stood a few steps from her, seeming frozen by the sight.

"Daubutim, help Twintin!" Irwin shouted.

He forced himself to look away from Rachel, focusing on the smaller girl.

As soon as he reached her, he slammed his flame into one of the two vines. It shuddered violently, its top splaying open slowly, and a low keen came from it.

The silvery skin rapidly blackened, bubbling, and with a pop, the skin ripped open like a blister. Irwin's flame, which had been licking around the sides, vanished inside, and the vine began bucking. Then, it dropped to the ground and slowly pulled back towards a hole next to the portal.

"Don't let it get away," Ambraz said beside his head.

Irwin ignored him, turning to see Greldo clenching the second one, trying in vain to rip it free.

"The creatures here have a chance to drop a card," Ambraz said calmly. "You need to kill them because we really need more cards."

He's right! Irwin thought.

Hoping Greldo could hold out, he rushed after the crawling vine, keeping his flame inside the now large and open wound. He knew it would probably be faster to attack the head, but getting through the skin might take too long.

Two steps from the hole, the vine finally shuddered and stopped moving. A large section of its body was black and bubbling while a steaming fluid leaked from the tip. Irwin held his breath, but nothing happened.

"The other one," Ambraz said, and Irwin turned, sprinting towards Greldo.

Daubutim had reached it, trying to help Greldo, who was pale-faced and struggling to hold the vine. Together, they seemed barely able to hold it from ripping them apart.

"You need to hurry," Ambraz hissed, causing Irwin to look at the gruesome sight of Rachel's remains.

The vines had almost finished with her, and only tattered clothes, blood, and chunks of meat remained.

Irwin quickly averted his gaze and looked at the building. It had already started sliding down, picking up speed. It would be mere moments till the sun would reach this area.

"Get back," he shouted as he jabbed his flame against the side of the vine.

The silvery skin blackened, and as it spat open, a distant rumbling caused the ground to shake. Bright light illuminated their surroundings as if heralding it while the temperature rose instantly. A screech came from behind, and he looked to see the other vines jerk back, trying to pull out of the sun. Their skins were darkening quickly, steam rising off them. The vine before him was almost vibrating, and then it went limp, dropping Twintin. She hit the ground like a sack, unmoving, the glow of her hand gone. The vine shuddered and tried pulling itself back towards the hole.

"Hold it!" Irwin screamed as he tried to keep up.

Greldo and Daubutim jumped forward, and they began struggling with the vine.

They barely made it, as it had already partially withdrawn when it finally died. As soon as it did, Daubutim sprinted to the unconscious Twintin, who was lying in the sun. He picked her up and ran to Greldo, who was now in the shadows, panting and red-faced.

Irwin remained behind, staring at the vine, biting his lip and hoping for a card.

Come on, come on, he thought. After a few seconds, he knew it was useless.

"Even in shardworlds it's a rare thing," Ambraz said, but he sounded annoyed.

Irwin turned and walked towards the others, feeling numb. He tried hard not to look at what remained of Rachel, but that didn't do much for the smell. The scent of cooking meat began emanating around as the sun's power roasted the slivers of meat the vines had left.

To his surprise, Daubutim suddenly ran out of the shadow towards the body, snatched something, and ran back.

What… Irwin stopped as Daubutim turned to him, eyes wide and a bloodied card in his hand.

"She dropped her card," he whispered.

"Now that's lucky," Ambraz said as he whizzed towards Daubutim, seeming excited.

Irwin wasn't.

Mother was right, he thought as he felt a shiver of fear.

He looked at his hand and then at the others as he joined them on the edge of the shadowy region. Before, it had only been hearsay, but now? Now he shivered as the true gravitas of his situation set in. If the wrong person found out what his card could do, they would kill him.

Greldo looked back at him, and smiled wearily. "Don't worry. You can trust me."

Daubutim looked up, seeming confused, before turning to the card. It showed an image of a shield resembling the one Rachel had summoned.

"Let's go inside a building," Greldo muttered. "Your flame will keep those normal vines away, and with some luck, those silvery ones will be licking their wounds for a while."

Irwin nodded as he looked at Twintin, then at Daubutim. Though he wasn't as weak as he had been, and Twintin was small, he knew he couldn't lift her.

"Daubutim, can you carry Twintin?"

"Yes," Daubutim said, slipping the card into his pocket and turning.

A minute later, they sat huddled near the entrance of another building. It was similar on the inside to the first one, with dozens of mushrooms giving it a gloomy illumination. Twintin lay against the wall, still unconscious, but Irwin hadn't found any dangerous wounds on her—just some scratches and a few superficial bites.

The three boys stood with their backs against the wall, facing the vegetation to prevent the silvery vines from jumping at them.

"So, what do we do with the card?" Irwin asked.

"I want it," Daubutim instantly said. "It will combine easily with my club, and if I can find an uncommon or rare armor card, I can merge them into a weaponry hand. Besides, I'm the only one with real training, and the shield will make me far more effective."

Irwin nodded, recalling their training sessions in the tower. Daubutim wasn't lying, though he was surprised at how little trouble he seemed to have with talking now.

"How long till this world evolves?" he asked Ambraz.

"A day, maybe two," the Anvil said, hungrily licking his lips.

Irwin could almost imagine him looking at the bloodied card, intending to eat it. Normally, he'd never even consider letting Ambraz eat a card, but with their current situation, he was hesitating. There was just one other issue.

I'd have to tell them Ambraz can consume cards to reforge others, he thought. He didn't want to, but with Twintin unconscious and Rachel-

He swallowed back rising bile, forcing the memory of the girl being eaten away, and focused on their current situation.

If they left the portal there would likely be a surge. If they were anywhere near it, they would die. If the surge happened, everyone in Wignut would be killed, and the forest would be overrun.

He glanced at Greldo and Daubutim. He had been friends with Greldo for years, and although some of that had been because neither had any other options, he still felt increasingly confident that he could trust him with more than just where he'd hidden his stash of raw meat. Besides, Greldo already knew or had guessed most of what was happening. That left, Daubutim...

"Maybe Ambraz can reforge that card after this shardworld evolves," he said slowly. "It might be better for you when it's an uncommon-"

"No," Daubutim said, placing the card in his hand in a single fluid motion. It shone brightly and sank into his hand, leaving Irwin to stare at him in dismay.

"If I have an uncommon card, I can't come with you to enter common portals," Daubutim said matter of factly.

Chapter 25: Lost and found

"Ready?" Irwin whispered.

"Go," Daubutim replied.

The burly boy stepped through the door opening, his club in one hand and a shield in the other, sweat dripping off his face. The shield was similar to the one Rachel had used, with only a few differences, the most interesting being that it was much larger.

Irwin followed behind Daubutim, flame ready. A wall of vegetation sat in the room, and they waited and watched. After a few seconds of nothing but distant rumblings, Irwin turned around.

"It's safe."

Twintin said nothing as she stepped into the room, not even looking at him. Fear and anger had been warring on her face ever since she'd awoken and found that Rachel had been killed. She'd barely spoken to them after that, just sitting huddled in a corner, arms around her legs.

Greldo followed her into the room before turning and keeping watch behind.

Twintin's hand gave off a blue glow, and the vegetation began withering. She glared at it with such hate that Irwin shivered. Still, he was ready to move if a silvery vine appeared.

It took a short while to clear the room up to the staircase, and they didn't encounter any of the dangerous silvery vines. The normal ones had all stayed away initially, only charging when they reached the hole from which their roots grew. Twintin had quickly ended them.

"I wonder if the staircase goes all the way up this time," Greldo whispered.

"Let's hope so," Irwin said softly.

This was the third building they had cleared since Twintin woke up and eventually calmed down. The first one's staircase had been a crumbled mess after the first floor. It was also the last one they could reach while moving through the shadows.

I wish Ambraz was willing to scout around, he thought, taking a glimpse at the Anvil on his shoulder. It had been adamant that nothing would be able to get it to fly around on its own. If it was due to fear or inability, Irwin couldn't say, but he wondered if Ambraz was afraid of becoming stuck here.

The next floor was filled with more plants, but they only had to clear a little bit to reach the next staircase.

"Looks good," Greldo said.

Twintin sniffed, turning to Daubutim. "If we don't find anything this time, can we finally leave?" she asked, glaring at the boy.

"No," Daubutim said emotionlessly before moving up the stairs.

Twintin didn't respond, but the look in her eyes as she watched Daubutim walk away made the hairs on Irwin's arm rise.

It's a good thing she can't use that card on one of us, he thought as he recalled the moment Twintin had awoken. I still don't understand why she thinks it's our fault.

As he followed Twintin, he saw her fists were clenched so hard her knuckles were white.

The stairs on the next few floors remained useful, and after climbing a dozen, they finally reached the end. A patch of light sat below the staircase, showing that above would be either the roof or a destroyed floor. A quick look showed the sky at the top of the final staircase.

"I'll go check," Irwin said as he saw the others hesitate at the edge of the bright patch of light. "Make sure you drink."

He got a grunted reply from Greldo and silence from the others. Twintin glared at him, and Irwin grimaced as he stepped into the burning sunlight. He'd tried talking with her, but she wouldn't listen, which worried him.

The staircase led up to the roof, and as he stepped out of the small building, he looked around in wonder. Their building was far from the tallest around, but as impressive as the horizon of structures was, what instantly drew his attention was a set of three towering monstrosities that seemed to reach for the sun.

He walked on the edge, making sure to stay far enough away so he wouldn't be flung off if another rumble caused the buildings to sway. Besides, the whole roof felt fragile, with all of the crumbling corners and cracks in the wall.

"Hey, look! There's someone on that building over there," Ambraz said, and Irwin spun around.

The tiny Anvil hovered a few feet away. Next to theirs was a building that was a story lower, and he saw a blackened shape huddled next to the stairs leading down.

It was hard to see what it was, but he thought he saw a glimmer on the ground next to it.

"Can you see what that is?" Irwin asked, trying to get a better look.

"Sure, I should be able to go that far," Ambraz chimed happily as he whisked away.

That far? Irwin thought with a frown. Did that mean Ambraz couldn't go further? Was that why he wasn't willing to scout? Because he couldn't?

He pushed the question away as he saw the Anvil reach the other roof, slowing down. When nothing jumped forward, Ambraz lowered until reaching the shiny thing. Irwin saw him do something, then he turned and came rushing back with something dangling from his mouth.

Irwin started getting a bad premonition as he closed in.

When Ambraz reached him, he held out his hand in dismay. Olban's odd amulet, the golden locket with the eye on its front, dropped onto it.

"We found what's left of Olban," Ambraz said, sounding slightly sad.

Irwin looked up in surprise. Ambraz hadn't shown any reaction when Rachel had died. Had he somehow bonded with the boy when he wasn't looking?

"Too bad he didn't drop his card," Ambraz said with a weary sigh. "I double-checked, don't worry."

Right.

Irwin held back a rude remark as he inspected the amulet. Round and with hinges on the sides, it seemed meant to open, but as he tried, he couldn't find the trick to it. There was no keyhole anywhere, no button, no little latch.

"Oh, don't bother opening that. Yilda's lockets don't open. People have been trying for as long as they have been around," Ambraz said.

"You know what this is?" Irwin asked, looking up in surprise.

"What? Of course! There's a lot of those stupid things drifting around. Some are bracelets, other's earrings, but most are lockets like that."

Irwin looked at the locket. Olban and the sorcerer had made a big deal out of it, and it didn't seem like a stupid thing.

"Who's Yilda?" he asked.

"Nobody knows," Ambraz said, sounding bored. "Probably some legendary overpowered soulcarded crafter. Her stuff has been around forever, but nobody really knows what it does or what it's for. There's a library somewhere on Ten'ur Dihlan dedicated to collecting her artifacts, but from what I've heard, nobody knows what they do."

"Tenner Dillan?" Irwin said, stumbling over the odd pronunciation.

"Ten'ur Dihlan," Ambraz corrected him, landing on his shoulder. "It's not important. It's one of the few worlds without known coordinates, and to get there, you need an invitation. Then, someone has to come pick you up with a Diamond rank teleportation or gate card. I don't expect either of us to ever be important enough to warrant an invitation."

"Diamond?" Irwin muttered.

Ambraz grunted. "Keep up, kid. Diamond is what you call Legendary. Remember?"

"Where is here anyway? And where are you from?" Irwin asked, ignoring the Anvil. It was a question that had been playing through his mind for a while.

"Here? I have no clue. The Smith's Guild entourage I was with got ambushed during an investigation of a semi-stabilized shardworld, and that stupid sorcerer found me. He must have taken me here through a portal, which, now that you mention it, means that the shardworld I was on was connected to two worlds. Weird," Ambraz muttered, petering off.

Irwin was about to ask why it was weird when Ambraz snorted loudly.

"Not that it matters. Either way, at first, beardyface was super hyped when he caught me. He seemed to think I was some legendary solidified card remnant -an artifact he called me- but he seemed annoyed when he found out I was a living being. He just stuffed me into that tiny world as a power source. The gall of that beardy!"

Irwin was pondering who the sorcerer that had found Ambraz could be when he recalled something Lady Yrinta had told him. Wasn't Gelwin the one who created those practice portals?

"That … beardy. Do you recall what his name was?" he asked, getting a dreadful premonition.

"What? Name? Yes, something like Glehn or Gwin," Ambraz said with a snort.

"Gelwin?"

"That's it! Wait, you know him?"

Irwin blinked. That meant Ambraz had been in there for hundreds of years! Legend said Gelwin had vanished over two hundred years ago after saving the peninsula from a legendary portal.

"Do you know how long you were locked up?" Irwin asked, licking his lips.

"Well... I could guess. Like eighty or ninety years?" Ambraz muttered.

Irwin stared at the Anvil but didn't even see him. That couldn't be right! If that was right, that meant Gelwin was still…

That can't be right!

"Irwin, you still here? Did you fall asleep?"

Greldo's worry snapped Irwin out of the confused state he'd drifted into, and he looked around.

Let's just figure this out after, he thought, shivering. His first priority should be to find the Linchpin and close this portal.

"I'm fine, still searching," he said as he looked around.

A lot of buildings had crumbled or toppled, more of them the further away he looked, but those tallest towers seemed impervious to the shaking of the earth. They were the most obvious targets, and he looked down to see if they could even reach them. The first thing he saw were large packs of dogs roaming the sunfilled streets. Still, with all the shadows, he quickly found a few shadowy routes that led to them.

He stared at them for a while, trying to memorize them before looking at the hounds.

They seemed small from up here, and he wondered what they were doing. Did they need food? Perhaps they fought and ate the silvery vines or each other?

When he couldn't find anything that stood out as much as the towers, he headed back to the stairs before an idea made him stop and almost groan.

"Ambraz, do you have any idea where the Linchpin could be here?" he asked, kicking himself for not thinking of it sooner.

"Maybe in one of those big towers, but I'd say there's a bigger chance that it’s absorbed by the strongest of those hounds. It could also be below ground with one of those silver vines," Ambraz said slowly as if contemplating his options.

Irwin nodded and took one more look at the shadowy routes they could take before heading down the stairs.

Below, Greldo peeked around the corner, his face partially red from the overexposure to the sun.

"I'm fine. Go back in the shadows," Irwin called as he hurried back down. He suddenly felt bad for having worried the other.

When he reached the group, he found Twintin glaring at Daubutim, who either didn't notice or was ignoring her.

Now what happened, Irwin wondered, but a quick shake of Greldo's head kept him from asking.

"So, did you find anything?" Greldo asked.

Irwin cringed as he remembered Olban, and he carefully pulled out the odd locket amulet.

"Olban made it to the roof somehow, but the sun still got him," he said softly.

"Ah," Greldo said as he stared at the amulet with sad curiosity.

"How did you…" Then his gaze went to Ambraz, and he just nodded.

"There are three, much bigger buildings that way," Irwin said as he pointed toward one of the walls.

He thought for a moment about what Ambraz had told him about the other options, then kept it to himself. If the Linchpin wasn't in the building, they would have to find either a monstrous hound or some deeply burrowed plant. Neither was likely to work out for them.

Here's hoping that there's nothing horrible in that building, he thought.

"Alright. How far are they? Can we reach them without alerting the hounds?" Greldo asked.

Daubutim looked up, seeming interested, while Twintin was coldly staring at him, making him uncomfortable.

"Yeah, there are a few shadowy paths that lead to them. Still, we will have to be careful. There are hounds everywhere," Irwin said.

"What if we get lost and can't find the portal again?" Twintin asked with a soft and shaky voice.

Irwin saw her anger fade, her eyes wide and her face pale as she looked at him, seemingly terrified.

"We will mark the sides of the buildings," Irwin said as he raised his flame. "That way, we can always find the way back!"

He tried to sound as sure of himself as he could, even though he wasn't.

"But the surge hasn't happened, and it has been half a day," Twintin said. "If we wait till night, we can just as well go out and.." she stopped as another soft rumbling came from outside.

It rapidly increased in intensity, and Twintin screamed as she huddled on the ground. Large splits ripped into the walls, then something massive crashed into the ground, knocking Irwin and the others on their ass. This time, the earthquakes lasted for a whole minute, and when they stopped, the sound of distant buildings crumbling came from all around them.

Irwin and the others stood in the center of the room, looking around until everything calmed down a bit.

"It's always like this," Ambraz said from Irwin's shoulder. "There's this saying from one of the worlds I was in. 'It's bad luck tempting fate, for she's a fickle one!' Always liked that saying!"

That felt like way more than just a single building, Irwin thought, ignoring Ambraz.

He ran back up the stairs to the roof and looked around. In the distance, a towering column of dust was rising into the air. A nearby building had been toppled over, taking dozens of others around it with it, while a single one remained standing, swaying dangerously.

Irwin's hair rose as a deep growl echoed up from even closer. He stumbled forward, remaining far from the edge, and looked down. Below, the dust had filled the streets, but he saw something large move through it.

"What…" he began, then faltered.

A gust of wind blew a section of the dust away, revealing a hound so large that it made the others nearby look like tiny puppies. It was padding across the still-rolling rubble of the toppled buildings, chewing on something long and silvery. More importantly, it was moving partially through the shadow, seeming fine.

That answers that question, Irwin thought as the blood drained from his face. "How likely is it that the Linchpin is inside that?" he asked.

"Oh… I'd say almost guaranteed," Ambraz whispered. "I'm starting to think the girl might be right."

Irwin watched the massive hound for a few moments longer, then turned and sprinted back down the stairs.

"We need to get out of here," he said. "Let's head to the portal and hope there are no hounds blocking our way."

"But-"

Irwin shook his head as he interrupted Daubutim. "A massive hound just toppled one of the buildings, and Ambraz says the Linchpin is probably inside it. There is no way we can kill that."

There was a moment of shocked silence as everyone watched him in disbelief. Then Greldo stepped forward.

"He's right. Let's get out of here!"

Twintin didn't wait for them to change their minds and began running down the staircase. Irwin had expected some kind of, I told you so, but there was nothing.

Daubutim, however, was frowning as he followed them, staring at his club and shield.

"There's no way you can beat it with those," Irwin said.

They reached the lower floor without much trouble, but when they headed to the exit, Twintin yelped as she came to a sliding halt. The others moved next to her to find a pack of hounds in front of the door. Because of the buildings that had crashed, the sun had now reached the edge of the building, and there was no way out.

"We should have left when we could," Twintin cried as she fell to her knees.

Nobody replied, and Irwin sighed as he looked around.

"Let's clear this room completely so we don't get ambushed and wait it out. We'll leave as soon as it becomes dark enough for the hounds to leave."

Twintin didn't respond, sobbing softly, and Irwin gritted his teeth. For a moment, he wished Rachel had survived instead. At least she wouldn't have broken down like this. Then he shook his head. He didn't want any of them to die. Not really.

Not even if it means your secret will be safe?, a tiny voice whispered in his mind.

"Twintin, let's go," he said, holding in his temper.

She didn't respond, and he raised his voice as he snapped her name.

Twintin shook as if hit, but this time, she scrambled up, wiping her tears away and glaring at him.

"You're a bully," she hissed. "I thought you were nice, but I was wrong!"

Irwin suddenly felt very, very tired.

"I'm not a bully," he said as he looked at her. "But we need to clear this room if we are to survive here till night. Do you want those silver vines to find us?"

It was a low blow, and he regretted it as her face contorted in panic. Still, she needed to move!

"Fine," Twintin whispered, turning to the plants.

They continued clearing the room, finding and dispatching a second root system that was hidden in a corner. Nobody suggested checking for silver vines, and instead, they sat down at the opposite end of the room.

Time slowly passed, and Irwin was relieved when the hounds finally moved away from the entrance. Sadly, his relief was short-lived as a shadow fell across it.

He licked his suddenly dry lips as he thought of the massive hound. Seconds passed, but nothing happened, and he slowly got up, realizing it was slowly going dark.

How come it's so fast this time? he thought.

"Let's go see," he said, unable to keep a shiver out of his voice.

He snuck to the entrance, Greldo right behind him. He didn't bother asking the others. Daubutim had been staring dully at the wall, only answering with a short yes or no, while Twintin hadn't spoken at all.

The shadows had returned to cover the entrance, and the hounds had pulled away. They paced through the area in the distance, in front of the street they had to go through to reach the portal.

Irwin scanned the area, Greldo beside him doing the same.

"It's growing dark faster this time. We just have to wait for that street to go dark, and then we can head back to the portal," Greldo said.

"Yeah," Irwin said as he took a look over his shoulder.

The other two were still not showing any interest, and he frowned.

"I'm starting to worry about what will happen when we exit the portal."

Greldo leaned against the door entrance, wiping some sweat from his face. "Because of the hounds and the vines... or because of Daubutim?" he whispered.

"Both," Irwin said. "But more so about Twintin. She blames us for what happened with Rachel."

"It's not our fault," Greldo whispered softly. "She was the one that walked away, and even if we had gone along, it would have just resulted in all our deaths."

Irwin nodded, though he wondered if they might not have been able to do something if they had left back then. Or perhaps Rachel would have been able to block the attack better had she and Twintin not been the only ones there. He didn't speak about his worries, instead looking outside.

"When you were on the roof, she tried to get Daubutim to leave with her."

Irwin blinked in surprise. Then he shook his head. "How was she even going to get to the portal?"

Greldo didn't answer, and Irwin resisted looking at the girl. She was glaring at the wall.

"He said he wouldn't leave us here," Greldo whispered.

Irwin nodded, suddenly feeling a lot better about Daubutim.

They remained at the entrance, quietly staring outside, both lost in their own thoughts.

Movement in a wide street to the right caused them both to look over, and as one, they stilled and held their breath.

A giant hound was padding forward, followed by a dozen smaller ones barely coming to its chest. Everywhere it passed, the other hounds backed up and lowered their heads.

Don't come here, don't come here, Irwin thought as he watched the hound reach the corner, praying for it to go anywhere but forward.

The hound slowed and looked around. Irwin saw its glowing red eyes passing over the entrances of the nearby building as if scanning for something. Feeling his hair stand on end, he didn't think but stepped back, pulling Greldo with him. Then he gazed at the entrance, still holding his breath.

Nothing happened, and as quietly as he could, he breathed out.

A dull growl echoed across the square as the sound of soft padded feet headed towards them.

Chapter 26: Blackened Hands

Irwin turned and ran further into the building, pulling Greldo with him. The growling and padding grew louder.

Greldo cursed, pulled free, and ran with him.

Ahead, Daubutim was up, club and shield in hand, as he stared at the door. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes wide. Irwin saw a glimpse of fear in them, the first he'd seen. Twintin stood two steps away, shuddering as she pushed herself against the wall as if trying to go through.

Before he reached them, the building shook as something slammed into it. Twintin screeched, and Irwin turned to see a massive head poking into the building, glaring at them. The stone around the entrance was cracking and crumbling from the impact. The hound's red irises were glowing and pulsing while thin red tendrils leaked into the white eyeballs.

As the eyes focused on him, Irwin felt himself freeze.

The hound backed up, then slammed its shoulders into the building again, causing a violently cracking sound as a tear ripped through the left wall, bits of debris raining down.

"What now?" Daubutim asked, his voice stable but a pitch higher than usual.

Irwin stared at the hound. Was it his imagination, or did it look hungry?

"Twintin, try your skill!" Greldo shouted.

The girl didn't respond, staring wide-eyed and pale-faced at the hound.

Irwin stepped forward, grabbed and shook her, causing her teeth to rattle together.

"Try your card," he shouted, his own panic growing.

"It won't work," Twintin cried, but she turned, raised her hand, and the blue glow appeared.

Irwin watched, hoping she was wrong, then felt his hope shatter as the hound showed no reaction. It pulled back and slammed its shoulders into the doorframe again. A large chunk broke off and crashed into the ground.

"Your flame?" Greldo asked, his eyes reflecting the panic Irwin felt.

He gulped as he saw the dozens of white teeth glittering in the hound's mouth.

"It'll bite me if I get too close," he said.

"I'll block it," Daubutim said, a slight tremor in his voice.

Irwin stared at the hound, and the prospect of going up to it and using his flame terrified him. The problem was that he had no other choice. If he waited too long, it would be inside and any chance would be lost. He took a deep, shuddering breath as he looked around.

"He's right. If that thing gets in here, it's going to be even worse for us."

"This is all your fault! We should have left when I asked you to," Twintin cried as she glared at them.

She was breathing hard, tears running down her face. Her card flashed for a moment, then she turned and ran to the nearby stairs.

Irwin watched her leave and, for a moment, thought about following her. Then he recalled how the other building had come down, and he looked at the new set of cracks in the walls.

"I'll head in first, and as soon as it bites at me, you flame it," Daubutim ordered as he stepped forward.

Irwin turned to Greldo, who was as white as a sheet. He was about to say something when Greldo focused on him.

"There's nothing I can do, but I'll try and distract it if it turns to you."

Irwin nodded, and they walked after Daubutim.

The hound had stopped, its pupils narrowing as it gazed at Daubutim. As the boy came closer, Irwin suddenly saw a slight confusion in the hound's eyes. He'd seen it when he was handling Bullwinkel's hounds. It happened sometimes when they were growling and acting up.

Perhaps it'll leave? he thought as he watched Daubutim raise his shield, now a mere ten feet from the entrance.

The hound opened its maw and let out a blood-curdling roar.

"Get ready," Daubutim shouted, and Irwin ran to the side wall.

With his shoulder against the stone, he felt the tremors from the hounds' pressure. A thick sulfuric smell wafted towards him as he moved within jumping distance. He readied himself, about to attack, when the hound turned its gaze on him.

Irwin froze as he saw the hunger in the blood-red eyes.

The hound growled, then turned towards Daubutim, who raised his shield. It moved so fast that Irwin had barely any time to blink as the head blurred forward. A loud thud came as Daubutim was knocked back, his shield ripped from his arm. The dog was chewing on it as it glared at Daubutim, who was lying stunned on the ground.

Too fast! Irwin looked at Daubutim, who scrambled back to his feet. Thick streams of blood ran down his arm, and he raised his hand. A glow came, and a startled grunt from the dog came as the shield vanished from its mouth and reappeared, unscathed, on Daubutim's arm.

"Again," the burly youth said, his voice sharp and clear, just like it sometimes was.

Irwin nodded, took a deep breath, and focused on the hound that was growling at Daubutim. As he saw Daubutim step forward from the corner of his eye, he moved. The hound's head blurred as his hand reached for it. His flame touched the hound's neck at the same time as it collided with Daubutim, and the hound froze with its teeth around the edge of the shield as Daubutim thudded on the ground again.

Irwin pressed his fingers against the side of the hound. The rough hairs almost punctured his skin as his flame grew wider. For a moment, he thought it had worked. Then the hound slowly turned towards him, the shield between its teeth. The hair where Irwin's flame touched was turning gray as if the color was draining from it.

"Don't let go!" Greldo shouted as Irwin was about to back up.

"It's not working," he shouted back, then realized he was wrong.

The hound's slowness wasn't deliberate! Every motion it made seemed slow and forced. The hound let out an angry whine.

Irwin nearly jumped back as a cacophony of howls came from outside, followed by grunts of pain. With the large hound blocking the way, it was impossible to see what was happening, but he heard yelps, snarls, and panting moving closer.

"They are coming to help it," he shouted, keeping his attention on the hound.

Its nose was nearly pointed at him, and the shield dropped with a clatter. The hate in the red eyes was burning, and as the mouth inched closer, razor-sharp teeth bared, Irwin felt his fear grow. Although the hair was turning white in a larger patch, it didn't seem to do anything but slow the hound.

"It's not fast enough," he shouted.

He'd barely said something when Greldo appeared next to him and gripped the lower jaw. A hissing sound came, and a moment later, the stench of burning flesh wafted up.

Greldo let out a whimper but didn't let go. The back of his hand glowed blue, meaning he had activated his card, and he struggled to push back the jaw. It barely helped, and Irwin was about to tell him to let go and run when Daubutim appeared next to Greldo. He grabbed Greldo's shoulders and yanked him back, causing the boy to hang taut between the hound and Daubutim. A strangled growl came from the hound as his head was slowly pulled away from Irwin.

"Keep going," Greldo screamed, his face pale and sweaty.

Irwin focused on his flame, wishing he could somehow make it stronger. The gray color was spreading further away from his hand, now crawling up the hound's jaw. Angry and pained growls came from behind it, but its massive body was preventing the others from entering.

Seconds passed by, Daubutim's arms shaking as he continued to hold the hound at bay with his shield. A panicky keenness came from the hound's throat as the grayness inched closer towards its eyes. An alien panic was settling in them; then its left eye turned gray.

The hound let out a whimpered sigh, and its head snapped back, its constant resistance gone as it slumped down. Irwin sank to the ground with it, keeping his hand on the now mostly gray neck.

Daubutim let go, causing Greldo to thud onto the ground with a pained grunt. His hands ripped free of the hound's jaw, and Irwin saw the blackened palms, slivers of flesh dangling free.

An area behind the now sprawling dog became visible, and a smaller version jumped on its bigger brethren. It was moving stiffly and slowly.

"The shadows," Irwin whispered.

"I'll keep them away until it's dead," Daubutim shouted as his club and shield appeared in his hands.

Seemingly without fear, he stepped on top of the large hound's head, striking at the one moving towards them. Irwin expected it to dodge, and it tried, but the shadows seemed to weaken it so much that Daubutim's hit struck it square on the side of its head. It was knocked away, sliding back out of sight, only to be replaced by another.

Four hounds later, Irwin felt his hand suddenly push forward. The hairs and hide that had turned completely gray crumbled under his touch, and a wheezing sigh came from the hound. Its now gray pupils dulled, and the tiny red embers that had managed to remain inside were whisked out of existence.

Daubutum let out a strangled shout as the head of the hound suddenly collapsed in a cloud of gray particles.

Where's the Linchpin? Irwin thought as he searched around, wiping the thick dust away.

Suddenly, his hands touched something hard and square, and he pulled them back to reveal another card with a pale gray border and a tiny hound on the cover.

A summon! He almost placed it on his hand, then held back.

"Ambraz, where is the Linchpin?" he shouted, looking at the Anvil.

The ground shuddered, cracks ripping through the surrounding walls. Startled cries from outside, and he heard the hounds run away.

"The hound was the linchpin," Ambraz shouted. "We need to get out of here before this shard world completely disintegrates!"

"It what?" Irwin shouted, but he was already up and beside Greldo.

The boy was shivering, his hands cusped before his chest and his eyes dull.

"Daubutim, help me carry him!"

Something ran past him, and as he looked up, he saw Twintin rush through what remained of the cloud of gray dust, pulling a trail behind her. Before he could call out to her, Daubutim arrived, grabbing Greldo around the waist and lifting him.

"Run!"

Irwin scrambled forward, running after Twintin as fast as he could.

Outside, the buildings were swaying, and he saw no dogs anywhere. He hoped they hadn't run through the portal, but there was nothing to be done if they had. Silvery vines were hovering near some entrances, but the path to the portal seemed clear. Twintin was already halfway to it, her arm above her head trying to give her some protection from the slowly dimming light.

The ground continued to rumble, and when he reached the corner of the street, he saw the black portal flickering ominously.

"We have to hurry," Ambraz shouted, and Irwin turned to find Daubutim struggling after him. He hesitated, then waited for the other boy.

"Heavy," Daubutim gasped as Irwin put an arm below Greldo, trying to take some of the weight.

It made running awkward, but Daubutim did move faster. Halfway across the square, Irwin saw Twintin disappearing inside.

"Have to be careful of her," Greldo muttered, his voice slurred.

"Later," Irwin said as they reached the portal. It was shivering, the edges flickering with bursts of red light.

"Wait for it to stabilize, then jump inside," Ambraz said, landing on his shoulder. "If you jump in now, you might not arrive where you want."

Irwin gritted his teeth and waited. The world shook again, and in the distance, he heard a building collapse. Then the portal stilled for a moment.

"Now!' Ambraz snapped, and Irwin jumped forward, pulling the other two along.

The cold of the in-between hit him like a hammer, and he had a moment to look around the darkness. There was no sight of the tendrils or anything else, and then they were through.

A fresh, musky scent wafted over him as the cold receded slightly. Rain dripped on his head as he stumbled forward, almost falling as his foot slipped over the mud. There was no sight of Twintin, but small footsteps led away from the open area back to where he thought they had come from.

He spun around, searching for hounds or tendrils, but there were none of those either.

A high-pitched scream pierced the forest. For a second, he thought it was Twintin. Then he realized it came from behind them. He turned around, but besides the incredibly vibrant green colors of the forest, he saw nothing.

Daubutim stumbled to a patch of grass, gently putting Greldo down. Cradling his hands, Greldo had gone limp, his soft breathing the only indication he was still alive.

Come on Greldo, you have to survive, Irwin thought. He shivered again and summoned his flame, both for warmth and the sense of security it offered.

Daubutim quickly unwrapped his jacket from his waist and pulled it on. Then he stepped towards Irwin, his normal dull gaze replaced by one of resolve.

"Decide," he said, looking intently at Irwin. "Are you coming with me to my father?"

Irwin blinked, hesitating.

The screams in the distance went up to a crescendo, then fell quiet. A thunderous roar of victory came, and Irwin paled.

"One of the other portals spit out a surge," Daubutim said, then swallowed. "We don't have much time."

"How are we even getting to your father?" Irwin asked, looking around.

Greldo had thought it was a good idea, and as he heard a distant scream, he made up his mind. Going back to the sorcerers meant trouble now that Twintin was out there. If she told them about Ambraz…

"So you are coming?" Daubutim said, suddenly smiling.

"Yes," Irwin nodded, and the tall boy grinned wide before turning to Greldo. "And him?"

"Greldo wanted to come too," Irwin said quickly.

"Good, then let's hope he survives the journey," Daubutim said as he walked back to the other boy. "Help me get him up."

Irwin wished he was strong enough to carry him, as Daubutim had both his club and the shield. If they got jumped, he'd be better able to defend them. Sadly, even if he could lift the other boy, there was no way he could carry him further than a few dozen feet.

A few moments later, Daubutim was straining with Greldo in his arms, and they walked towards the forest edge. They had carefully put Greldo's jacket back on, though the boy's head was burning hot.

"How are we going to reach your father?" Irwin asked.

"We will have to walk to Esterdon Tower," Daubutim said. "Father has a contingent of carded there with at least one teleporter."

Irwin stumbled as he recalled the map they were made to learn back in school. He didn't know exactly where Wignut was, but Esterdon was an old ruined city near the Swamps of Suffocation. If that tower was near the ruins…

"How long will that take?" he asked.

"I don't know," Daubutim said. "From there to Wignut is four days on horseback or carriage. I've never traveled on foot."

"Four days… we will never get there alive," Irwin whispered, looking at Greldo's unmoving form. "Do you even know how to get there?"

"Yes. Father made me memorize all the routes."

Irwin wondered what Daubutim meant with all routes when a dull roar sounded from ahead. They both froze midstep.

The raindrops that hit his flame sizzled loudly in the silence that lingered after.

"They are ahead of us," Irwin whispered. He turned to Daubutim. "Do you know another route?"

"Through the forest? No," the boy said, and he shook as another roar came from ahead.

He turned pale, looking around with a frown as if trying to decide what to do.

Irwin looked at him, then shook his head in consternation. He didn't know much about Daubutim yet, but he did know that he was lost when he had to think for himself. With Greldo out, that meant he had to decide.

"Let's go see what is going on," he said. "Staying here is no option."

As they continued, he realized Ambraz was still on his shoulder, and he carefully grabbed the Anvil and placed it in his pocket. As he did, his fingers touched the edge of the card the hound had dropped, and he blinked.

Should I slot it or not? he thought, thinking of his other two cards.

A few weeks ago, it would have been a no-brainer, but now? It took a while for the summons to grow, and they had little combat utility early on. Also, if it didn't get the gigantism skill, it would be nearly useless until a year had passed. After a second, he pulled his hand back, leaving the card. He wasn't sure if he would use it yet, but he was definitely keeping it for now.

They continued through the forest, jumping at every sound while the pelting rain increased to a torrent. Irwin could barely see the tree ahead of him, and the loud rainfall drowned out even the screams.

What had been a ten-minute walk when they arrived took them twice as long through the mud. The only upside for Irwin was that Daubutim wasn't any faster than he was now that he had to carry Greldo.

They didn't even notice when they reached the edge of the woods until they stepped from between the last trees. Streams of rainwater ran down into the lower regions, puddles filling up rapidly. The glow from his flame shone on the surrounding water, and Irwin suddenly worried about who might see it. He hesitated for a moment, then turned it off, the cold, wet rain instantly chilling him like icy water, causing him to shiver.

He had lost any sense of direction as he looked around. "Do you know where to go?" he asked, his teeth chattering slightly.

"Yes," Daubutim grunted. "We have to travel along the right edge of the forest until we reach the Trevinour River, cross it, and continue across the Denlavi plains."

Irwin had no idea where the Denlavi plains were, but the Trevinous River ran from the north to the south part of the peninsula. It was said to be wide enough for ships.

Perhaps this is a mistake, he thought as he looked at the other boy.

How were they supposed to cross that? And even if they could, until recently, he had never been out of Malorin. Now, he was going to travel across the peninsula?

A high-pitched scream came from somewhere down the slope before quickly being drowned out by the rain. As if that wasn't enough, everything suddenly lit up, and a few moments later, the ominous thunder of a fall storm vibrated his bones.

"We have no food, dry clothes, or camping equipment," he said, staring at Daubutim. "And Greldo needs medical help…"

"I can hunt for food until we reach the river, where we can fish," Daubutim stated with a shake of his head. "We won't die from the rain or the cold as long as your flame is around, and Greldo has a card now. He won't die that easily."

Irwin stared down the hill, and Daubutim stepped closer to him.

"If we stay here, we are going to get killed by whatever came from those portals. We can't help because we lack strength. The sorcerers are in Wignut," he shook his head as if it was all as clear as day.

"You're right," Irwin finally muttered, hating it as it meant he'd be going even further away from home.

Taking a deep sigh, he began walking along the forest.

I hope I'll see you again, Mom, he thought, picturing his mother and brother back in their tiny little house.

He'd always wished they had a bigger, more luxurious place, but right now, he wished he could just be there. Shaking it off, he squared his shoulders as much as he could.

Chapter 27: Coal

"We need to rest," Irwin said.

His voice was ragged as he struggled onward through the mud. He could barely feel his toes, and he was constantly shivering. He longed to summon his flame, but the sky had darkened, and the rain stopped. If he summoned it now, the creatures still screaming and roaring far behind them could see the single bright light in the darkness.

"The forest?" Daubutim muttered.

He was stumbling along beside Irwin, looking no better than he was, Greldo still knocked out in his arms. How he could even carry the other boy for this long was beyond Irwin, but it was clear even Daubutim was almost done.

He glanced at the dark, shadowy forest a few feet to the side. It was ominous and potentially filled with danger. Even though it was a dull red and he could see inside, he still shuddered at the darkness it exuded.

But did they have a choice? They had been walking for hours now and needed to rest.

Steeling his ragged nerves, he turned and walked towards and then into the forest. He heard Daubutim stumble after him. The little light from the moon and stars vanished below the thick canopy, but Irwin could still see clearly. He sent out a silent thanks to his first card.

"Let's stay near the edge," he said, keeping his voice low.

Daubutim just grunted, and they continued deeper into the forest. The going was surprisingly easy, even easier than along the edge. Green moss and patches of grass covered the ground between the dark trees, damping their steps. Compared to the mud that seemed intent on sucking his boots solid, his feet felt lighter.

Perhaps we should travel through the forest edge tomorrow, he thought as he looked around, stifling a yawn.

The trees were sparse enough that he could see a few dozen feet ahead, and there was little undergrowth.

After fifteen minutes, a sprawling patch of bushes appeared in the distance. It was the only form of cover anywhere, and they headed toward it. When they reached the side, the top of the bushes towered over them, and Irwin hesitated.

How big were the odds that there were animals inside?

It was tranquil around them, only the occasional distant rumble showing something was still happening back in the direction of Wignut.

Daubutim lowered Greldo to the ground, then stood there, panting with his hands on his knees.

Irwin didn't dare sit down, no matter how much he wanted to. He was afraid he'd not be able to get back up.

“I’ll… check… inside…” Daubutim said, straightening again.

"No, wait," Irwin said as he pulled Ambraz from his pocket.

The tiny Anvil fluttered up, and even without eyes, Irwin had the sense it was looking around. Then the Anvil whisked to Greldo, hovering above the boy.

"Hmm…"

"What?" Irwin asked worriedly.

"He is dying," Ambraz stated. "His common card isn't strong enough to keep him alive."

Irwin stared at Greldo's sweaty, pale face and swallowed.

"Can you help him?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"The best I could do would be to reforge his card… But he might not survive the ordeal," Ambraz said.

Irwin blinked. Cards!

He looked at Daubutim, then at Greldo, and sighed, feeling miserable. There was no way Daubutim would be willing to move away, and even if he did, he'd known what had happened. Even he wasn't dull enough to mistake a common for something else.

Still, as he recalled Greldo grabbing the hound's face, pulling it away from him, he already knew what he would do.

"Can you reforge cards that aren't slotted yet?" he asked, looking up at Ambraz as his hand went to his pocket.

"Of course. And a whole lot easier and faster, I might add," Ambraz said with a sniff.

Irwin pulled out the card of the hound, seeing Daubutim's gaze fall on it.

"Can we reforge this so we can give it to him?" Irwin asked.

"Well… to slot a card, someone has to be conscious," Ambraz pondered. "I could probably wake him up, though he wouldn't like it much. Still, it's better than dying."

Irwin raised the card. "Please, let's reforge this and wake him."

"Well… I still need a while before I have enough energy," Ambraz said. "Unless you had another card for me to consume?"

What does he think cards are? Cookies? Irwin thought, anger bubbling up.

"You can reforge cards outside of portals?" Daubutim asked dully.

Irwin looked at the other boy, seeing nothing but confusion in his eyes.

"I'll tell you later," he said with a weary sigh. Of course, it would have been too good to believe he'd just not notice.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Everything that had happened was slowly catching up to him, but snapping at Daubutim or Ambraz wouldn't be smart.

Never bite the hand that gives, he thought, recalling a saying of his mother.

"You know I don't have any more cards," Irwin whispered. "How much longer till your energy is back?"

"Somewhere in the morning, it's hard to tell," Ambraz said.

Irwin stared at Greldo. "Will he live that long?"

"Maybe," Ambraz said.

"Dammit," Irwin snapped as he clenched his fists. Taking a deep shuddering breath, he looked at the plants.

"Can you see if there's anything in there or if we can safely hide?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"I'm not some scouting utensil," Ambraz muttered, but he whisked away into the bushes.

A few moments later, he rushed back out, hovering before Irwin. "Nothing in there but more bushes and some old nest, long abandoned."

"Follow me," Daubutim said as he got up and summoned his shield and club. "And try to carry Greldo."

Impossible, Irwin thought as he looked at Greldo, almost as big as him.

Daubutim, however, had begun pushing into the ticket.

Feeling hopeless, Irwin knelt beside his friend. His legs were shaky, and he didn't even know if he could get up himself, let alone with something as heavy as another person. Arms below Greldo, he struggled but managed to pull him against his chest, almost falling backward from the weight. Then, without giving himself the time to doubt what he was doing, he rose to his legs.

He swayed, the weight almost pulling him back down, but he was standing.

How am I standing? he thought.

Only half a year ago, they were required to move training equipment to another room. He'd been next to useless then, unable to even carry a light sack half this size. He knew he'd grown stronger during the weeks in the tower, but this much? Not even an Epic card should be changing his body this fast... right?

Who am I kidding, he thought.

He barely knew anything about cards beyond uncommon! For all he knew, rare and very rare cards did the same.

Pushing his confusion away, he focused on moving.

A step forward almost caused him to fall over, but he managed to hold his balance, and step by step, he walked to the opening Daubutim was creating. The taller boy looked up but seemed unfazed by him carrying Greldo.

Yeah, typically, people can do this without it being a big thing, Irwin thought.

He might have enjoyed the moment if he hadn't been so tired and Greldo hadn't been dying in his arms. Now, he just wanted Daubutim to hurry up. He struggled after Daubutim, who held branches out of his way while using his greater bulk to press further in.

"A bit to the left," Ambraz said.

Some stumbled steps and directions later, Irwin almost fell forward into the small lair. It was too low for Daubutim to stand, and at most six by six feet, but Irwin was ecstatic as he put Greldo down. As soon as he saw his friend's sweaty face and heard his ragged breathing, his joy at finding a safe area vanished.

"Can we do something to help him?" he asked, looking at Ambraz.

"I'm not a healer," Ambraz replied as he hovered over Greldo. "I'd say, try and have him drink plenty of water?"

Irwin nodded and moved to take his waterskin from his bag, only to find a large tear on the side. Only the waterskin and some of his rations remained, only sufficient for two days at most.

Of course, he thought with a sad sigh. Not like he had needed those…

He managed to get some liquid into Greldo's mouth, but most of it leaked down his chin. If any made it inside, he didn't know. Putting Greldo in a comfortable position, he sat down next to him.

A yawn made him look up, and he saw Daubutim swaying on his haunches, his eyelids drooping, but his gaze constantly moving around the surrounding plants.

Irwin shivered as a cold breeze managed to find its way through the surrounding bushes. I wonder if I can cast my flame without it being seen, he thought.

"Ambraz, can you go outside and check if my flame is visible from the outside?"

"You're really using me like some kind of utility card," Ambraz said snippily before rushing away through the bushes like an anvil-sized, giant bee.

Irwin waited for a second, then summoned his flame, keeping it up for a few moments and relishing in its warmth.

Ambraz returned quickly, hovering beside him. "I don't see anything, but if you leave it up, there might be creatures that can sense the warmth. Though I'm not sure those even exist in this place."

Irwin looked at Daubutim, who just looked back bleary-eyed. Shivering again and still unable to feel his toes, he summoned his flame and kept it close to his body.

"I need to rest," Daubutim said as he yawned. "Wake me if anything happens or when you can't stay awake," the last bit sounded sharp in the voice that Irwin had begun to associate with what Daubutims father sounded like.

"Alright," he said, not minding too much.

As cold as he was, he wanted to get warm before he would even contemplate sleeping. Besides, with some luck, the small den would keep the heat.

Time passed slowly as his body warmed, the flame's heat driving the cold from his bones. At some point, his toes tingled uncomfortably, growing painful before suddenly improving.

Irwin checked on Greldo every minute, but the boy didn't show any signs of improving. It worried him a lot, but there was nothing he could think of to help.

To distract himself, he tried getting some more information from Ambraz, which was only partially successful. The Anvil knew innumerable things about cards, crafting, and other worlds, a concept Irwin had a hard time wrapping his head around but seemed unwilling to part with a lot. Still, at some point, he began talking about something called metal purifying, and as the Anvil droned on and the den turned cozy and warm, Irwin's mind turned fuzzy.

"You should wake him," Ambraz suddenly snapped in front of him. "I've been talking to you for twenty minutes, and I don't think you heard anything."

Irwin blinked, then yawned so wide that his jaw popped before moving to Daubutim. He shook the large boy awake. A strong hand clenched around his throat as Daubutim's eyes snapped open, a cold, dumb look in them. It faded within a moment, and the hand dropped away.

"Sorry," Daubutim said dully, rolling on his back and rubbing his face. "Bad dream."

Irwin's heart was beating as fast as the summer festival drums, and he swallowed.

"Can- can you take the watch?" he muttered.

Daubutim pushed himself to his knees and nodded, then frowned and looked at him. "I have weird dreams… next time, kick my leg. It's what my brothers did to wake me."

A look of distant pain in his eyes caused Irwin's worry to dissipate, and he nodded.

What kind of dreams make you want to strangle someone? Irwin thought.

Still, the sudden shock left him quickly, replaced by an intense need to close his eyes. He lay down and abided by his body's wishes, wondering if he could even fall asleep.

--

"Irwin, wake up!"

Irwin surged upright, bumping into something hard that cursed. His eyes had a hard time focusing, and for a moment, he saw three Daubutims. Then they converged, and he saw the big boy rub his jaw, staring at him stupidly.

"I'll kick you awake next time," he muttered.

"Sorry," Irwin said, seeing a dull red light filter through the top of the bushes.

A dull groan caused him to jerk upright again, and he saw Greldo, arms flailing weakly around.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know. He just started muttering and groaning," Daubutim said as he crouched to Greldo. "He needs to be quiet, or he will draw monsters."

Irwin joined him, noting that he wasn't as cold as the day before.

"Ambraz, how much time do you need?"

"Not long, I'm feeling it fill up. Perhaps half an hour," Ambraz said as he whisked above the boy.

Irwin gritted his teeth as he saw Greldo's hands clenched together, the skin ripping apart, and blood trickling down. Even if another card would keep him alive, he wondered if Greldo's hands would ever be the same again. They would have to find a carded-healer, but those were almost as rare as flying Anvils.

With no idea what to do, he did what his mother did when Brownyn had a fever dream a few years ago. He tore a small piece of what remained of his ripped bag, poured some water on it, and pressed it against Greldo's head.

It seemed to help somewhat, and after a few minutes, Greldo calmed.

The following thirty minutes were some of the longest Irwin could recall, and when Ambraz finally lowered himself to the ground, he felt hopeless.

"Alright, I'm ready! Put the card on top, and get ready to hit it," Ambraz said as he turned into a larger version of himself.

Daubutim gasped, but Irwin ignored him.

He didn't hesitate, yanked out the card, and put it on Ambraz's flat surface. Then he crawled back.

A bright flash and a loud thud came from the Anvil, reverberating through the small enclosure.

That stupid noise is going to get us killed!

Irwin stood erect as he looked around, his skin crawling. If there was anything nearby, there was no way it didn't hear that. Another flash came from next to him, and he saw Daubutim had summoned his club and shield. He summoned his flame as another flash boom came.

The thudding continued for what seemed like forever but was probably only twenty times. Then, there was a red glow from the top of Ambraz.

"Done," the Anvil stated.

Irwin could hear the pride in his voice, but he had no time for that. Instead, he held his breath, listening for anything. A distant squeal, like a pig being slaughtered, came, followed by another.

"Something heard," he whispered, turning to Ambraz and snatching the card from his metal surface.

A beautiful purple edge sat around the image of a dangerous-looking hound. Sleeker than the one on the image when it was common, it had two red gleaming eyes that seemed to jump out of the card. Somehow Irwin had the feeling it wasn't as small as the hounds he knew from back home.

"Are you sure you want to give this away?" Ambraz asked. "It's called Cinder Hound, and it's a fire-named summon. Those are pretty rare, as they don't lose their memories and personality when they are reforged further. It would mesh well with your existing cards."

Irwin hesitated for only a moment, then knelt beside the pale, sweating, and shivering Greldo, grabbing his hand. He almost let it go as he felt the gritty flesh.

"Yes, I'm sure," he whispered, putting the card on the back of Greldo's blackened hand. Nothing happened.

"I need to wake him. Get ready," Ambraz said. "Place his hand on me."

Memories of what had happened to Twintin rushed through Irwin's hand. He forced them away as he gently put Greldo's hand on the side of Ambraz.

A shock seemed to run through the boy, and he gasped as his eyes fluttered open.

"Greldo, accept the card," Irwin whispered as he kept the card on Greldo's hand.

Greldo's eyes swirled in their sockets, and he let out a painful moan.

"Greldo!" Irwin snapped, patting the boy on his cheek, then again, harder.

Greldo's gaze focused on him, filled with panic and pain, and Irwin squeezed his hand. "The card! Slot it!"

There was a single moment of clarity and a flash of light, then Irwin breathed a sigh of relief. The card sank into Greldo's hand and a moment later a new tattoo appeared.

Unlike the common one, this one was clearer, and the lines had a slightly purple hue.

"Wheeeeeeeeere are you hiiiiiiiding?"

Irwin's heart almost stopped as a high-pitched, squeaky voice came from outside the thicket. He let go of Greldo's hand, and it flopped on the ground. The boy's eyes had closed again, but Irwin barely noticed. All his attention was on the footsteps that moved a few dozen feet away from their hideout.

"I know you'rrrrrre therrrreeee," the voice drawled.

A slight motion made him look at Daubutim, who had his fingers in front of his lips and was looking at Greldo. Irwin nodded, crouched as silently as he could, and put a hand over the unconscious boy's mouth.

The footsteps continued moving, passing around the thicket for a while before slowly moving away.

Even though it was quiet, Irwin didn't move, and Daubutim was no less on edge. What he guessed had to be five minutes later, an annoyed sigh came from the same place.

"Mussst have fled already," a high-pitched voice said, sounding angry.

"No matterrr, sisterrr. We will find something to feeeeed soon," another voice crooned, slightly deeper. "Let's leave this infernal forrrest. The others have chased those mammal'sss out of their hidey holes. Perhaps we can play with some stragglerrrrrs!"

The voice turned softer as two sets of footsteps led away.

What were those? Irwin thought as he shivered. And what did that one mean? Hidey holes?

He and Daubutim remained quiet for at least ten minutes before the taller boy finally relaxed. "Don't speak," he whispered so softly that Irwin could barely hear. He nodded and sat down, removing his hand from Greldo, and inspecting the boy.

He was still pale and sweaty, but the shivering had stopped.

He seems slightly better, Irwin thought, hoping he wasn't fooling himself.

After a few minutes had passed, he relaxed.

"What were those?" he whispered.

"Something annoying," Ambraz grunted. "I couldn't detect them until they spoke."

"Any details?" Irwin asked hopefully.

"Kid, I'm not some lexicon of knowledge! Those were probably beings from a portal. That is all I know. They felt powerful enough that we might want to keep away from them."

Irwin looked at Daubutim, but the boy had zoned out again, staring with glassy eyes at the plants.

Great, Irwin thought, looking down at Greldo.

A few hours later, as the sunlight filtered through the top of their hiding place, Greldo drew in a ragged breath. His arm flailed, then stopped, and he tried to push himself upright.

"Stay still," Irwin whispered.

He didn't think the two monsters were still around, but he wasn't interested in finding out he was wrong.

Greldo's eyes focused on him, and he nodded and slowly lay back down.

"Water," he whispered.

Irwin nodded and got his waterskin, which was dangerously light, and held it against the boy's lips. Greldo eagerly drank, licking his lips when Irwin removed the now empty flask.

I should have filled it in the rain yesterday, he thought sadly.

"What happened," Greldo whispered as he raised his hands.

Irwin saw his eyes go wide with shock and horror at the sight of his mutilated hands, and he flicked his fingers, drawing Greldo's attention.

"Look at the back of your left hand," he said.

Greldo swallowed, then turned his hands over. The disgust and horror faded instantly as he saw the second tattoo. Its greater detail was apparent, though it had faded from its initial clarity. What's more, the flesh around it was a healthy color, seemingly having healed.

"I thought that was a dream," Greldo whispered, pulling his hand closer. His eyes turned unfocused, and then a wide smile crept on his face. "I'm going to summon him," he whispered.

Irwin's eyes widened, and he was about to stop Greldo when a flash came from his friend's hand. Darkness wafted around in the small enclosure, merging into a hound-shaped cloud the size of a regular dog. Then the darkness faded like steam, and two curious red eyes set in a sleek face stared at Irwin.

"He's beautiful," Greldo whispered, and the hound turned to him, putting his head on Greldo's chest. The boy's eyes widened, and he shook his head. "No, I won't die. I've just hurt my hands, see?"

He can talk with it? Irwin thought as he looked at Daubutim, who was staring at the hound.

Irwin inspected the hound and shook his head in wonder. How large could it get if it was this big when it was first summoned? And what if it got gigantism? He suddenly felt sad that he hadn't kept the card to himself. He mentally kicked himself. It wasn't the right card for his left hand, and besides that, it wasn't worth losing his friend over.

He smiled as he watched as the hound sniffed, then licked the back of one of Greldo's hands.

The hound suddenly sat up and cocked its head. It slowly turned its head around before staring at a spot of greenery and letting out a low growl.

"Coal says there's fighting that way," Greldo whispered.

This story started on Royal Road. Come read thousands of other novels today!