Irwin's Journey - The Cardsmith-Chapter 295: A drink is never a bad idea...

Irwin appeared on the ship just as Tiscian flew toward the barrier at a slow pace.

"Nim, let her in," Irwin said just as Hind ran over to him.

"Captain, that's a Blademother! I recognize the symbols on her armor," she whispered. "They are the most revered of the Ignitzions, and many are or become one of their people's leaders."

Irwin nodded. "Can you see if she's a leader?"

"I don't think so. Those usually have different symbols in their armor," Hind said. "But it's subtle, and I've heard that when they aren't at war, they all wear the exact same armor."

Probably so their leaders don't get killed first, Irwin thought as he watched Tiscian fly through the barrier.

She landed on the deck beside him, looking around curiously.

"This is a very impressive ship," she said before focusing on Irwin. She showed no unease at having to look up at him as he towered over her. "A place more private?"

Irwin shared a quick look with his crew, all of whom were watching Tiscian with a mix of curiosity and worry.

"This way," he said, turning and walking to the cabin.

Tiscian said nothing as they walked into the cabin and then down into the bowels of the ship. Only when they entered his luxurious room did she hum softly.

"It seems you have changed since Scintilla saw you last. From her stories, she said you lived a frugal life," Tiscian said as she walked to the lounge area. She looked around, her gaze lingering on the smithing area before she sat down, staring at him.

Irwin couldn't tell if she was impressed or disappointed, and he didn't care. He sat down opposite her.

"What happened?" he asked.

Tiscian quietly stared at him, seeming to try and see through him.

"I didn't perceive any silencing runes in your room. Are you not afraid of your crew overhearing…?" she asked.

"No," Irwin said with a shake of his head.

Tiscian nodded. "Good. One should not risk their lives on a crazy gambit with people they don't trust. Like, for instance, navigating the Portal Gallery amidst a one in a millennia storm."

Irwin heard the slight disdain in her voice, but he just looked at her quietly. Now, sitting in his room with Scintilla's mother, who he'd never met and didn't see any resemblance to Scintilla with, he felt the emotions of his other self settle rapidly.

"You don't agree with my assessment?" Tiscian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What happened to Scintilla!?"

The words snapped out before he could stop them, and he barely managed to grab a hold of himself as anger bubbled up from within him. It came from both of his selves with such a rush that he wasn't able to contain them to one of his selves.

Tiscian's eyebrows shot up, and Irwin saw her hand rest on her sword.

"You are… more powerful than my daughter led me to believe," she said softly. "This pressure… you have multiple soulcards?"

Irwin didn't bother to correct her. Instead, he tried to calm himself. He had no idea why she wasn't just answering his question, but getting angry wouldn't help. Especially to someone who'd just lost her daughter. As cold as she seemed to be, colder than any Ignitzion he'd ever seen, she had to be hurting.

When it became obvious to Tiscian that he wouldn't reply, she leaned back.

"We were attacked," she said. "A blind-side attack by a species none of us have ever seen before. They dared assault Igniz Port with a mere twenty ships and managed to get to the exit portal. Before we could stop them, roughly a hundred of their warriors slipped through the portal."

Tiscian spoke calmly, but a burning ember in her eyes told Irwin she was beyond angry.

"They had barriers around their ships that blocked most of our attacks," she continued. "It took the defenders too long to figure out the barriers had holes every time they shot with their long-range attacks. When they finally did, the counter-assault proved difficult. Each of their soldiers has the strength of a two-soul-carded fighter, and we took heavy losses."

Irwin listened, wondering if Scintilla had been among those that attacked.

"While the defenders were fighting here, I was on-world," Tiscian said, her eyes narrowing for a moment. "My domain borders the exit portal, so when the attackers came through, my guards noticed and warned me and my daughters."

Irwin leaned forward. He was surprised at how much Tiscian was sharing but didn't say anything.

"We chased after them into one of the Steampillow Fissures, a set of shafts bordering the Onyx Mountains. They moved faster than most of us, and we were threatening to lose them. Not knowing why they were here, I and the fastest of my soldiers sped up to try to slow them down," Tiscian said, her gaze sharpening.

"They were powerful and knew beforehand how to combat us. They wielded powers of cold and ice, decimating my fastest forces. Three of my daughters died instantly, their bodies frozen by a beam of ice that froze the lava lake below and the dozens of young ones inside."

Irwin felt his skin crawl and his hands clenched so hard that the sound of screeching and squeaking metal echoed out from them.

Tiscian didn't react but continued talking.

"Those of us capable of resisting the cold fought back, and eventually, our numbers pulled us through. Just not before they killed or permanently wounded over a thousand of my soldiers and daughters. Just before we finished the last ones, three of them, which had been hanging in the back, made a run for it. Scintilla, me, and three others were closest, and we chased them."

Tiscian was quiet for a few moments before continuing.

"One of their number used some sort of suicide attack. He exploded in a wave of horrible blue fire that drew the heat from anything it touched. I managed to dodge, but my daughters weren't as lucky. The flames froze them, and they plummeted down into the large fissure."

Irwin shook his head. "Are you sure they are dead?"

"We eventually found all bodies except for two," Tiscian said, staring at him. She seemed almost reluctant to continue." Their heat had been drained from them, killing them instantly."

"Was Scintilla among them?" Irwin asked, already guessing the answer and feeling a burgeoning seed of hope.

"No… she and Lilian were not found. From what we can tell, their bodies were carried away by the underground ashwinds," Tiscian said, staring at him quietly. "I can see your thoughts, but don't hold out false hope. I saw my daughters caught in the middle of that monstrous attack, their faces frozen in agony. It will haunt my dreams for as long as I live. There is no way any of them survived. That vile power was able to drain the heat from a greater lava elemental that was in the lake."

Irwin heard her words, but it didn't stop the hope from blossoming in his heart.

Tiscian stared at him, then shook her head. "She is dead, Emerald-rank Smith Irwin."

Her words cleared Irwin's mind of fuzzy, foggy thoughts and plans, and he gazed at her. He should have known Scintilla told her mother about him.

"What happened to the two that got away?" he asked, ignoring the title she'd used.

Tiscian's face hardened even more.

"They went to the Fiz'rin enclave, slaughtered the few miners that they found, and disappeared into the infinite caverns beneath Igniz."

"Did you manage to get into contact with the Fiz'rin?" Irwin asked.

"No. This all happened four days ago, and when the shadowwalkers reached the Obsidian Mountains, I was called here in case of another assault. I have yet to return."

"Are you sure none of those attackers split off while you were chasing them?" Ambraz asked.

"No, honorable Ganvil," Tiscian said as she nodded at Ambraz, her demeanor changing. "It is possible and worries me greatly."

"Why did they come here…" Irwin asked as he leaned back, his mind slightly dazed by what he'd heard.

"We didn't manage to capture a single one of them alive, so I can't say for sure. But…”

For the first time, Tiscian hesitated slightly. Then she shook her head. "There are legends that say that the area below the Obsidian Mountains contains hidden caches of metals. Every few decades, adventurers come here to search for them, but most never return. The dangers that deep below the surface of our world are such that even we dare not tempt them."

"So, where did the legends originate from?" Ambraz asked.

"Nobody knows, but I think it's nothing but stories that people came up with to boost the commerce," Tiscian said dismissively. "They are said to have started shortly after we made our way into the Portal Gallery."

Ambraz didn't respond, but Irwin knew him well enough to sense a slight excitement.

Tiscian stopped talking and slowly a tension began building in the room. The slight tremors of the ship's movements and the distant shouts from the harbor seemed to become louder.

After at least a few minutes had passed, Tiscian sighed.

"The only reason I told you all these things is because my family owes you a massive debt and an apology," she said, her eyes hard.

Debt? Irwin thought, trying to come up with what she meant.

Tiscian rose and straightened her back, staring at him before bowing low in the waste, eyes closed, hand on her pommel. Irwin scamped to his feet.

"In the name of my family's honor, I apologize for my daughter's misbehavior, Scintilla. She took your heat without your consent. For seventeen generations, my family has taken pride in only ever having children that were both desired for- and planned by both parents. My daughter has broken this chain, and I blame the lack of my presence during her forming years. All my other daughters will have to restart this chain now, removing their chances for becoming a Blademother, meaning it will take another twenty generations before a Bladematriarch can be chosen from the ranks of our family."

Tiscian had spoken while remaining bowed low, and Irwin was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. What did all this mean? Had Scintilla been punished? Why had she even done so if she knew this much was at stake?

Did she fear missing me this much?

The stray thought made Irwin recall when Scintilla had told him about how she would have to leave.

"It is fine. I forgive her," he finally said, knowing it was right. He still didn't know what he'd do when he saw her, but he could do this much.

Tiscian rose, looking at him. He didn't know what he expected, but it wasn't what she said.

"Would you like to see your children?"

Irwin didn't hesitate for a moment. "Yes," he said, rising to his feet and once again towering like an Ignitzian.

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"Very well. You may bring those of your crew who can withstand the Clour daytime summer heat," she said. "Oh. And they have to be able to survive in a slightly toxic atmosphere. All others will likely die."

"When do we leave?" Irwin asked.

"Now. I am not allowed to be away for too long, and I'll be required to attend a meeting in two days," Tiscian said.

Of course, it's right away, Irwin thought.

"Will we be allowed on Igniz without you?"

Tiscian hesitated. "Perhaps. We will need to ask the Central Registar."

They walked back on deck, and Irwin headed to Greldo, who looked slightly worried.

"You can't go alone," he said before Irwin could say anything.

"I won't," Irwin said. "I'll go with Hind and Ambraz."

Greldo gritted his teeth, but they both knew he wouldn't be able to survive without breathable air.

"At least take Zender with you," Greldo finally said. "He should be fine."

Irwin hesitated, looking at the boy who was looking down from the sails, eyes wide with excitement and hope. His skin had a silvery sheen to it, and Irwin knew that Greldo was right. His metal and fire card would allow him to survive on Igniz, and if things got too hot, he could still change into his Silverion metal shape.

He is stronger than I was when I headed to Scour, Irwin thought, slowly nodding. "Fine. You-"

"And Boohm," Greldo said, turning to Tiscian. "Onyxians can survive on Igniz, right?"

Tiscian gazed at him, then at his ears before nodding softly. "They can."

"Fine, but you stay here with Dahlia and Earila," Irwin said.

"Awesome!" Zender shouted as he slid down the sail and landed on the floor, grinning at Irwin. "I won't let you down, captain!"

"I know you won't," Irwin said, but his thoughts were already rushing ahead.

With Zender's new, more stable soulscape and Igniz having an abundance of fire and metal cards, Zender could fill his soullake and create his soulcard. He already had a few cards ready for the boy, which meant he could form another heartcard to improve his strength even more.

"Boohm, can you get up here?" he asked, ramping his voice up loud enough for their cook to hear it.

"Coming, captain!" Boohms thunderous voice came from below.

Irwin turned to Hind, who had been calmly waiting at the prow with Dahlia, and beckoned them over. A minute later, his entire crew stood before him.

"Greldo will remain on the ship with Nim'ron, Dhalia, Yuul'rish, and Earila," he said, looking at each in order. "I don't expect any trouble, but if there's another attack, Nim'ron and Dhalia will boost the shield. Try to help the Ignitzians. Ram them if you have to."

Earila's eyes widened, her eyes staring at glitter.

"Only if you have to," Irwin said, looking at her, eyebrows rising up.

"Yes, Captain!"

"Alright, the three of you are coming with me," Irwin said, turning to the others. He hesitated before continuing. "We are going to see my children and perhaps look around, Igniz?" he looked at Tiscian at the last bit.

"If you get permission at the Central Register, you can move freely across Igniz," Tiscian said.

"Children?" Zender whispered softly, looking at Irwin.

He wasn't the only one, with everyone but Greldo staring at him with mixed looks of surprise and curiosity. Only Dahlia was frowning, staring at him as if she'd never seen him before.

"I'll explain later," Irwin said, turning to Greldo. "Can you move us there?"

Greldo grinned as he vanished before snatching Boohm, who managed a single yelp. A moment later, they reappeared on the dock, Boohm falling to his knees, making hacking noises and looking sick.

Irwin saw Tiscian look on, and he shrugged.

"He doesn't like shadowwalker travel," he said before turning to Dahlia. "If we get permission, we might be there for a while. I don't know what the time-dilation is…"

"Roughly four to one," Tiscian said.

"Then we might be gone for a week here," Irwin said.

Dahlia nodded, still looking at him oddly, but Irwin ignored it as Greldo appeared beside him.

A few moments later, he reappeared on the docks beside the others.

"Be careful," Greldo said, keeping a hand on his shoulder and squeezing. "Don't go do anything dangerous without me… got it?"

"Don't worry. Just make sure to keep The Concerto intact," Irwin replied, clasping hands with his friends.

"See if you can get me a card that will allow me to survive in these places."

Irwin felt the hand vanish together with his friend, and he looked to the side to see him appear back on The Concerto.

"Follow me," Tiscian said as she began striding away.

"She's something special," Boohm said as he watched her, his poor attempt at a whisper audible by everyone around.

Tiscian showed no reaction, though a few of the guards snickered.

Irwin ignored the antics and followed Tiscian, Hind beside him.

"Something bad happened at the Fiz'rin enclave," Irwin said.

"I've heard," Tiscian said, her jaw set and her eyes flaming. "One of the guards came over and told me about it. I'll reach out to my people when we reach Obsidian."

"That's the city around the exit portal?" Irwin asked.

"There's no one city surrounding that," Tiscian said from ahead of them. "There are three cities a few miles away surrounding it: Obsidian, Lavarious, and Zycrast. Obsidian is the largest city on the continent and the capital of the kingdom. There's a castle surrounding the exit portal."

"How did the invaders get through those defenses?" Irwin asked as he followed Tiscian up a long flight of stairs deeper into the harbor city.

"We haven't had any trouble in over fifteen hundred years, so the defense of the castle had gone lax," Tiscian said, her voice flat. "This will likely never happen again, but those responsible for the slacking will be punished."

Irwin quietly followed after Tiscian, sharing a quick look with Hind.

"She's the Blademother of one of the schools of Obsidian, and her family's land borders the Obsidian Mountains," Hind whispered.

As quiet as she said it, Tiscian showed how sharp her ears were as she responded.

"There was a large ruckus as they broke through, and then they flew across my family's domain," she said, a hint of anger in her voice. "Being the closest, we did our duty."

And lost a lof your daughters, Irwin thought, suddenly wondering how she could remain so calm. Was it because she was old and had lost many before or because she had so many daughters?

They walked further into the harbor and toward a distant, completely black stone tower decorated with flags and beacons depicting fiery swords and passed hundreds of guards. Many were wounded, but all moved with purpose, one hand on their sword pommels. All around, other species moved about, many seeming skittish. Most were human or so close to them that Irwin didn't see a difference. They did pass the occasional Onyxian, Granitian, and even a few Viridians.

The closer they got to the tower, however, the quieter the streets became until there were only groups of Ignitzian guards vigilantly looking around.

When they reached the entrance, a fenced arc in front of a staircase led up, and Irwin saw the first real signs of the damage and the attack. The metal door at the top of the stairs looked like it had been blasted apart, and the stone had deep cracks and scuff marks. A group of Ignitzians came toward them, cutting them off before they could go further.

"Blademother Tiscian," their leader said, bowing her head slightly.

"Squad leader. These are my guests. The tall one that looks like a Fiz'rin is the mate of one of my daughters, and the others are his crew. On my honor, they will cause no trouble."

The squad leader's eyes widened in surprise as she stared at Irwin. Her eyes drifted over his form, lingering on Ambraz before she nodded and stepped back.

"As you say."

The others followed her to step aside, and a moment later, they were walking up the stairs.

Their trust in these Blademothers seems a bit dangerous, Irwin thought as he walked into a large room with balconies everywhere. Many were destroyed, debris piled up on the sides of the room, and people were moving around. Irwin saw the stone being slowly reshaped, chunk by chunk, and frowned.

"It is rune-reinforced pure obsidian," Tiscian said. "Incredibly hard to form, but just as hard to destroy. If you had asked me a week ago, I'd have said it was impossible to destroy without the concentrated effort of hundreds of soulcarded. Those purplebloods showed us we trusted in it too much."

Dozens of people looked at them as they passed, some frowning at Tiscian's words, but none seemed willing to interject. When they reached the portal, Tiscian looked at them.

"Wait here for five minutes so I can warn the other side of your arrival."

"Alright," Irwin said.

There was a soft mutter of surprise, and he looked around to see the surrounding people gawk at him. As they saw him stare back, they paled and turned back to their work.

There was a flash as Tiscian jumped through the portal, and Hind turned to Irwin.

"Captain, it would be best if you address Blademother Tiscian as such or as Blademother," she said quickly. "Also, try and treat her with the respect you would…. Well, probably your mother or grandmother? There are some Ignitzians that are somewhat conservative and set in their ways that will react poorly to you if they think you are insulting her."

Irwin wondered how his mother would react if he told her this, but it wasn't too much trouble.

"I'll try to remember that," he said.

Hind hesitated, seeming to want to say more, then nodded.

Irwin looked at the other two and noticed that Boohm was unabashed in his admiration of some of the Ignitzian guards. He seemed especially impressed with a smaller, wider one that had more curves than most of the others around. The guard was chatting softly with some others, but Irwin saw she occasionally glanced at Boohm.

I hope he isn't going to cause any trouble already, Irwin thought, second-guessing if he should have brought the cook along.

They waited for a while when Ambraz snorted.

"You can go in now. It's been over five minutes," he said.

Irwin blinked, realizing his mind had drifted off, thinking about Scintilla and all the things he'd heard.

"Alright, let's go," he said, turning to the exit portal.

"I am so looking forward to this," Zender said excitedly just as Irwin jumped into the portal. "Sting, move into my sou-"

The world turned into a swirling black fire while his soulcards resonance jolted. For a moment, he felt something trying to draw on the soulforce in his soulscape, and then his soul card's flame burst out with a sense of violent rage. The next moment, he was rushing through the corridor.

"What… was that?" Irwin snapped, feeling his soulcard's resonance ripple before slowly settling.

He turned around, but there was nothing but the usual start of the corridor.

"I've never sensed anything like that," Ambraz said. "It felt like the soulforce that makes up the exit portal was close to igniting!"

Zender appeared, letting out a low moan as he curled up in a ball. A moment later, Boohm and Hind came each groaning. Boohm grabbed his hand, shaking it as he rushed through the corridor.

"Zender, are you alright?" Irwin shouted.

The boy shuddered before slowly unwrapping his arms and looking up with a grimace.

"Yes… captain… What- what was that?"

"I don't know," Irwin said, turning to look at Hind. "Was it always like that?"

"No… it's become much worse," Hind said, shaking her head. "This exit portal was always odd, and most people had a headache when they went through. But nothing like this."

"Could have still warned someone," Boohm shouted, his voice slightly cracked.

Irwin agreed, but from the look in Hind's eyes, he guessed the difference was immense.

They continued falling in silence, everyone except for Irwin rubbing their heads.

When the end of the corridor came closer, Zender began getting slightly anxious. He kept glancing back, then forward, his face going pale.

"What happens if I hold him when we move through the exit," Irwin whispered to Ambraz.

"Nothing special," Ambraz said.

Alright, that might help him, though, Irwin thought.

"Zender! Your whip," he shouted, raising his arm.

Zender looked confused, then nodded as his whip appeared in his hand. As bad as he felt, he showed how much he'd improved as the tip flashed across the gap, the whip lengthening until it was a hundred feet long. The end wrapped around Irwin's wrist, and Irwin pulled on it while Zender shortened it again. A moment later, Irwin held Zender at arm's length.

"I'm fine, captain… just… it felt like my soulscape was being ripped apart," Zender said, and Irwin felt him shiver.

His soulscape?

Irwin turned to Hind.

"Did you feel anything like that?"

The Fiz'rin that was hurtling after them shook her head. "No, just my… head… I- I don't know for sure." She hesitated.

"It might have been," Boohm said. "It felt like my head, but now that I think about it, I'm not sure either."

"Alright. We'll look into it when we arrive," Irwin said, focusing on Zender. "Ready?"

The youth nodded, though he shivered again.

Irwin focused on the end, then on Zender.

"Ambraz, can I bring him into my soulscape?"

"I… you should be able to.."

"Alright, help him inside," Irwin said before looking at Zender. "Ready?"

Zender nodded, a look of relief in his mind, and a moment later, Irwin felt him being pulled into his soulscape. There was no difference with any of the other times, though he did notice just how weak Zender's soulforce was. Even compared to some of those who had no heartcard, his soulforce felt thin.

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"Do you-"

"No way, captain," Boohm said, shaking his head. "I'll be fine, and who says you wouldn't have to carry the burden."

Hind nodded resolutely while Irwin wondered if it would be like that. He watched the end rush at him, and a moment later, he slammed into it.

The black scorching fire appeared again, but this time he was ready, and he resonated his soulcard, forcing his flame forward. There was a tremor in the flames, and for a split second, he thought he saw something beyond it: an empty sky filled with stars. Then it was gone, and he stumbled out of the exit portal.

Tiscian stood a few steps away, her hands on her knees, looking pained. Soldiers stood around her, many looking worried.

"Glad.. you made… it," she grunted.

"Are you alright? What was this-" Irwin began just as Boohm and Hind appeared behind him. Boohm's eyes widened, and he dropped to his knees, groaning. Hind just blinked, then crumpled in a heap.

"Hind!" Irwin jumped forward, seeing she was still breathing, just out cold.

"This hurts worse than the day after drinking ten bottles of Kindled Liquor," Boohm grunted, forcing himself to his feet.

There was a round of grins from the guards while Irwin moved to Tiscian.

"You look surprisingly well," she said as she rose, clenching her jaw. "Let's head out. I need to warn the Bladematriarch that something is wrong with the Exit Portal."

After a moment, she looked at Boohm. "And a drink wouldn't be a bad idea."

Boohm smiled, though it looked forced. "Never a bad time for a drink," he said, though he didn't sound very convincing.