Three days after they returned from slaughtering the wyrms, Irwin stood inside a newly created expansion to their building. It was just a roof and a back wall with a table, but it doubled as his temporary forge area.

A towering Viridian stood on one side, looking at the spot before him. He raised his hand, the card on the back glowing, and the sand and stone before him shuddered. Then it seemed to melt into a puddle that began bubbling slightly. Invisible hands seemed to start pushing the mud up, and as Irwin watched, a round dome formed. With an opening at the top for airflow and another in the front, it took only ten minutes for a rudimentary forge to appear.

The Viridian stepped back.

"Smith Irwin, will this work?"

Irwin walked closer, inspecting the empty forge. It was exactly as he had specified, and he grinned.

"Perfect! If you bring the ore, I'll get started on refining it for you."

A wide smile appeared on the Viridian's face, and he nodded. "If it's even half as good as the cards you reforge, I'm the one who has to thank you! I'll have the boys bring it," he rumbled before walking out, still smiling.

"Are you sure you shouldn't just stick with cards?" Greldo asked from where he was lying in the shade of the building.

"Why? They are willing to pay us for it, and it's not like there are that many card missions left," Irwin said.

In the three days since they had returned, something had changed with the residents, and he'd been working on a dozen cards ever since. There were a few more left, but unless there were a hundred people hidden somewhere, all with card reforging requests and ready to jump out, he was pretty sure he was close to finishing all their requests.

"We could go hunting for cards?" Greldo asked.

Irwin stopped inspecting the new forge and turned to his friend. They had gone out one more time after the wyrm mission and had killed two much larger wyrms, neither of which had dropped a card. Still, there should be more things out there, and rumors had it that some sort of stone and metal being had been spotted not too far from the town. Besides, Greldo was getting bored again.

Why not! One can never have too many cards, he thought as he pictured the thick stack of cards in his room.

He couldn't hold back the content smile he felt. Besides regrowing his card supply, he also found many different ones. Although he hadn't been able to pick from a big mission book like in the city, the Viridians here had some interesting cards. Though some didn't have any extra cards that had requested him to reforge it, usually while they were moving around nervously, most had at least one or two. With this many, he might be able to trade for something when they returned to Cinder Grove.

"We could," he agreed. "Let me finish preparing the forge and purifying some of the metal they bring. After that, we can find Scintilla and see what she thinks."

"I'll go find her while you work," Greldo said as he grinned and rose. Coal, who had been lying beside him, followed him as they headed out to find Scintilla.

Irwin remained at the forge, filling it with the mass of coal the townspeople had brought him. Eventually, a trio of young Viridians brought him a large amount of various types of ores. Most were common things he'd worked on at Trimdir's, but he noticed a few rarer metals. With Ambraz in his large working form, he began to work on the easy metals first.

The morning flew by as he felt the familiar joy of striking the metal. Humming a merry tune, he didn't notice when the others returned. Only when he tossed a very roughly finished ingot to the side did he notice Scintilla lying on her stomach in the sand in the sun. Her head was propped up on her elbows while she was ogling him with glistening eyes.

"Finally snapped out of it?" Greldo snorted from the shadows.

Irwin rested his hammer on Ambraz and cracked his shoulders. He barely felt the hours of strain, but even better, he didn't feel all that thirsty. He could drink, but compared to how he'd felt while working at Trimdir's, it was a blessing.

Even just for that, it might be worth it, he thought.

"So, are we going to head out and hunt for something?" he asked.

"We could, though I don't mind watching you work," Scintilla said.

Irwin looked up to see her inspect his torso and, looking down here, recalled he had taken off his tunic so it wouldn't get damaged from occasional metal drops. Instead, he'd let his Coperion Body's tough skin do its job.

I wonder if all Ignitzions are like this, Irwin thought as he moved to the side and quickly pulled on his vest, ignoring the sad outcry from Scintilla. He had noticed that Hotzli and Ignalia had looked at him with similar interest.

He glanced at Scintilla and couldn't help himself from quickly looking across her lightly armored body as she rose to her feet. Ignitzions looked just like girls, and apparently, they could have offspring with everyone, but-

Irwin cut off his line of thought, swallowed, and decided it was time for a drink after all.

"Ambraz, let's go," he muttered, ignoring Greldo's wide grin as he stared at his friend.

"So, did you two think of something to hunt?" he asked as he began walking away.

Greldo laughed, then nodded. "Sure! There's a couple of interesting areas not too far from here which we can go to!" Half a day to the south, there's-"

Irwin nodded as he listened.

I wonder if Crithann will be fine with me leaving again…

--

Days passed by, and soon the month they were supposed to stay was nearly over. They had been at Grianfál for almost forty days now, which seemed to be the number of days each of the nine months Scour had. Well, except the first one, which had anywhere from twenty to twenty-nine.

Irwin knew most of the locals now and, together with Greldo and Scintilla, had explored nearly every part of the surrounding area. He had long since finished reforging cards for everyone interested and had purified a massive amount of common and rarer metals. So much even that for the last five days, there had been no more raw ore in the town.

Numilli had barely appeared, still busy trying to locate another Earth Titan.

By now, most of Irwin's time was spent training with Crithann, practicing with his cards, and wondering how much longer they should stay. He also talked with the locals a lot and found that many of them had come here to get away from the dangers of the main branch worlds.

He'd gotten many stories and details about the worlds they came from, as the Viridians seemed more than willing to talk with him. Ever since he'd started reforging, content with just one or two cards as payment, they had warmed up to him.

One of the more curious things had been when asked if it didn't bother them that they could grow old here, and if they left, barely a few days would have passed, none seemed to care. He had found that Viridians thought differently about time, and with the strongest of them able to become nearly a thousand years old, he guessed that made sense.

Late in the morning, he was circling Crithann, trying to find an opening. He was weaving his hammer around him in a pattern the Viridian had taught him when the massive Viridian leader suddenly straightened up and raised a hand.

"Wait."

Irwin blinked, then backed up.

"What-"

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"There's a group of people approaching Grianfál," Crithann said before turning a frown to Irwin. "They seem to be chasing each other."

Irwin lowered his hammer as he looked to the gate. He had no idea how Crithann always knew what was happening in the surrounding area, though it likely had to have something to do with his cards. But what he did know was that Crithann had never been wrong.

"How many?" he asked.

"Three are running ahead, being chased by thirty-plus others. I'll go and see what is going on," Crithann said as he jogged towards the gate.

He didn't seem overly worried, which didn't surprise Irwin in the least. Over the last few weeks, his hammer-wielding skills and combat abilities had increased greatly, but when fighting with Crithann, he still felt like a child.

"I'll warn the others and come see," he shouted.

Crithann merely waved back, and Irwin hoped that was consent. Either way, he was going to check it out. Little had happened the last few days, and Greldo wasn't the only one starting to grow bored.

Irwin grinned as he sprinted towards the side of the small central area, snatched up his vest, and ran towards their building. Bursting into the door, he saw Greldo start awake, his head raised as he scrambled for a shortsword that lay on the ground. It was one of the experiments Irwin had done and was made of dark, dull metal. Coal stood to the side, showing little response to Irwin bursting in.

"Why- what?"

"There's someone chasing someone up to the gate, and Crithann is going out to check-" Irwin began, but Greldo had already gotten up.

"Fantastic! Let's go see what's going on!" Greldo said as he pushed past him, Coal following behind. The massive hound could only just fit through the door, its shoulders scraping both sides.

"Where's Scintilla?" Irwin asked as he moved in step with Greldo.

"She's trying to get Numilli to hurry up again. Let's hope she manages because I really feel like leaving!"

"We can give her two more days," Irwin said. "After that-"

Greldo cursed and sprinted forward, Coal hot on his heels.

"Irwin, run!"

Irwin shot after his friend.

"What is wrong?"

"There's fighting!" Greldo shouted.

Is someone stupid enough to attack Crithann? Irwin thought as he tried to increase his speed.

Greldo rushed through the gate ahead of him, flanked by Coal, and as Irwin jumped through, he began hearing shouting and small booms. In the distance, just behind one of the many dunes, clouds of sand and ash erupted.

That's definitely not just Crithann, Irwin thought as his interest in seeing his mentor beat up some thugs was replaced by worry.

"Greldo, careful," he shouted.

A bright red flash followed by a puff made him look up to see Scintilla appear beside him, sword in hand.

"What is going on?" she shouted, sprinting along with him.

"Don't know! Crithann says there were people being chased toward us, and he went to check. Now-"

A dull boom sounded out, followed by a roar of anger.

"Crithann…" he cursed.

"I'm going up ahead!" Scintilla shouted, and before Irwin could say anything, she vanished in a fiery streak, passing by Greldo and Coal and shooting across the dune almost faster than Irwin's eyes could follow.

"Gelwin's balls," Irwin grunted.

Greldo reached and crossed the hill before him while the explosions and battle continued. Mixed in was a high-pitched laughter that caused Irwin's skin to crawl.

I know that sound!

He reached the top and stared down. Crithann stood below the hill, his massive root and stone hammer a swirling blur that blocked a pale blur that seemed intent on slamming into him.

A dozen feet behind them stood a milling mass of combatants, and Irwin's mouth fell open as he saw them.

Covered in gleaming black leather armor, their familiar red skin and high-pitched laughter brought back nasty memories of a time after he'd just left his mother. A time of constant fear and fighting.

Imps!

Irwin was moving before he even knew it, running down the hill as he focused on the massive melee. Coal stood in the center, a growling and snarling mass of white teeth and black fur, while a red flash and a dark, shadowy blur moved around him, picking off individual targets. Near the edge of the battle stood a towering, bald black figure, swinging his hands around like clubs while two nimble red Ignitzions danced around him, keeping the dozens of imps away.

Yogog? Seeing the familiar figure managed to curb Irwin's anger, and he slowed down.

What the hell were they doing here? And why were there imps here?

Calming down rapidly, he noticed two tall and lanky imps at the back. Their eyes were burning a bright red, and they kept waving their hands in slow, steady circles.

Either those are doing something, or they are controlling the others, Irwin thought as he slowed even more and looked around.

Some of the imps weren't actually in the melee but stayed around the edges, tossing the occasional streak of flickering black fire at Crithann. Each time they did, the towering Viridian had to guard against it and the rapidly moving blur.

Those two at the back first, Irwin decided as he sped up again, aiming for them. If these were the same Imps he had fought long ago in the sorcerer tower's practice rift, he had a nasty surprise for them.

"Another smith! End that gnarled root and get me those smiths!"

Irwin nearly tripped, his head snapping up at the shout from above. A figure hung in the air above them, red like the imps, but wearing less armor and with red wings. How had he missed that before?

A high-pitched giggle caught his attention, and he saw a small group of imps run toward him.

Irwin looked back, a predatory smile appearing on his face.

Let's test this on you; then I'll get rid of that flying one!

He waited until he was a few steps from them, then summoned his flame, which roared across his arms and extended from both of his hands like four-foot spears that he swung forward. A surprised but unconcerned cackle came just as they touched the Imps.

It was as if they froze, unable to move, their eyes widening as a terrified look appeared on their faces. Before they could even scream, they turned dull, then turned to clouds of dark ash that were blown away in the wind.

Well, look at that, Irwin thought before staring up.

The flying Imp was gaping down at him, terror and hate warring on its face. As his eyes met Irwin's, he shot back a dozen feet and screeched.

"Fire Eater! Pull back!"

Irwin quickly looked at the two taller ones. They had begun backing up, and he sprinted forward.

"Scintilla, don't let them get away!" he shouted. At the same time, he summoned a small hammer, hurling it at the retreating shapes. Cloaked in his flame, it shot forward like a tiny hammer-shaped fireball, but the Imps dodged it with ease.

Try and dodge this, Irwin thought as he focused on his newest card.

He ran forward, thin tendrils of fog appearing out of mid-air and swirling toward and around him.

"Greldo! Fog! Keep the others back," Irwin roared as he sprinted forward.

He'd tried everything he could to direct the area his new card affected, but in the end, it had been in vain. This meant he needed to be closer if he didn't want to have to blanket the entire area and risk hurting his friends.

He was almost at the mass of Imps, many barely coming to his shoulder, and they were backing up, staring at him in fear.

The fog was rapidly increasing, starting as a blanket across the ground. It spread out before him and reached the imps. Though they were backing up, they were far from fast enough, and the edge swamped across them. A terrified and startled scream was followed by a full retreat. Imps turned, turning away as fast as they could.

Sadly for them, Irwin was now amidst them, the fog spreading out all across their ranks. He ignored them, though, focusing on the two taller ones. He was about to stretch out his flaming spears toward them when something heavy slammed into his back, hurling him forward into the sand. He managed to brace himself as a weight pressed down on him.

"One smith less should be fine," a horrifying, guttural voice grunted in his ears.

Irwin triggered the Coperion Body just as something slid across his throat. The sound of metal on metal was followed by an angry hiss. Irwin pushed himself up, his heart hammering in his throat.

The white blur thing. It had to be.

Something clung to his back, then he felt something spear into his shoulder blade. It didn't go very deep, but the fact that it punctured his flesh at all caused his fear to grow. Without holding back, he summoned his flame, causing it to ripple across his body.

Something screamed from behind, and the weight vanished.

Turning, he saw a pale imp, almost white but with weird red streaks across its face and bare chest. It almost looked painted on. Holding a wickedly curved black dagger in one hand, it was waving its left hand, which was withering rapidly, the flesh crumpling in upon itself. With a cold, hateful look, the white Imp suddenly raised his hand and slashed at the wrist with the dagger. It pierced effortlessly, and the now gray and wrinkled hand dropped away while a bit of thick, viscous orange blood dripped from the stump. Then the Imp looked back at him, and Irwin almost stepped from the insane hatred he saw in the thing's eyes.

"I only need one hand to kill you, soul stealer!" the Imp said in his wet growly voice.

Irwin didn't bother to reply but jumped forward, his flames roaring around him, even pushing back the thick fog that had now begun obstructing the surroundings.

Why isn't it suffocating? Irwin thought as he slashed spears of flame at the Imp.

It moved as if it didn't have bones in its body, dodging below a blow while slashing at his leg. The black dagger sliced through his skin, leaving nothing but a harmless gash, but even then, Irwin hissed. Until now, most things had been unable to penetrate his skin… if the Imp had more time before, he could have actually had a chance to slit his throat!

"Retreat!"

The high-pierced scream from above caused the Imp to stop. It gazed at Irwin, its eyes burning with hatred before stepping back.

"Get back here," Irwin snapped as he jumped forward. If he let that thing flee now, it would just come back to try something later.

"I'll find you," the Imp snarled. Then it turned into a white blur that vanished through the thick mist.

Irwin took two more steps, then stopped glaring at the spot it had vanished before looking up. There was no more sight of the flying Imp, and gritting his teeth, he saw that the other imps had mostly run away. At least he didn't see anything but the bodies of the dead littering the ground.

Don't they need to breathe? he wondered, as he sighed and stopped his ability. As he did, his head throbbed with a tiny headache.

As the mist began fading, he walked back to where he could faintly see a group standing in the distance.

When he reached them, he saw Scintilla standing beside Hotzli and Ignalia, the three talking rapidly. A few steps away, Greldo stood beside Yogog and Crithann.

"So… I'd love to hear what that was, but I think we should get back to your town first," Yogog said as a way of greeting.

Irwin frowned, but he saw Crithann nodding in agreement and decided to keep most of his questions for later. But not all.

"Sure, but how about you tell me what you're doing here while we walk there?" he asked.