Screams tore through the silence as Greldo dodged two black daggers slicing for his face. Stepping into the shadow beside Coal, he used his skill to move through the connected shadows behind the Pale Imp and slammed his sword into its back.
A gurgling came from the Pale Imp as it collapsed, and Greldo finally had a moment of rest.
A chaotic melee was occurring around them, and the two Brutal Imps at the center were decimating them. Unmoving, mutilated bodies of Viridians littered the ground, and they had lost more now than they had in the weeks in which they had been surviving inside the shardworld.
Dammit, Irwin, hurry up!
Looking around, he saw no more Pale Imps nearby, showing he'd killed off most of those. This left the two Brutal Imps. He knew he had to do something about them, but he also knew he'd never be strong enough to handle those.
Still have to try…
He jumped into the shadows again, shooting towards the nearest of the Brutal Imps.
The world turned dull and dark for a short moment before he appeared in the towering shadow. Hoping against hope he'd be strong enough, he slashed at the monstrous red leg.
Shit, he cursed as he saw no more than a narrow cut, barely deep enough to even hurt.
An annoyed roar made him quickly return to the shadows, barely in time to dodge a flailing fist.
Appearing not too far away, he let out a howl to try and draw the thing's attention. If he could get the thing to run after him, that would buy them at least some time. His changed vocal cords caused his voice to come out in an eerie sound, and he saw some nearby Imps and Viridians jolt and run in surprise.
The towering Brutal Imp, however, ignored him, and instead, he grabbed a Viridian. He raised it up, opening his mouth to chow down, and Geldo gritted his teeth, about to look away.
Before he could, a long silvery lance speared straight up from the ground, piercing the Brutal Imp's groin and bursting out of the top of its head, spearing it in place.
"What the…" Greldo grunted as the light slowly faded from the Brutal Imp's demonic eyes.
A shock ran through the nearby Imps while the Viridians let out muted shouts of approval.
Greldo looked around, searching for who had done it, a tiny flicker of hope growing. Had they finally arrived? But who had a skill like this? Irwin had a fire, and he didn't really know much about the cards Scintilla had.
A deafening roar caused Greldo to start and jump into the nearest shadow. Tendrils of fire and flame surged from beyond his sight, latching on to the second towering Brutal Imp. Some of them flicked against other regular Imps, which turned to black chunks. This time, the battle stilled as the surrounding Imps screamed in fear.
"Irwin!" Greldo shouted.
With great joy, he watched as the Imps spread out, fleeing in all directions. As some space was created, there was a sudden rumbling as the ground began to shake.
"Everyone, flee! The portal is collapsing!"
The deafening voice came from above him, and Greldo looked up in surprise.
A bare-chested Viridian hovered above him. There was a red gem on its forehead and an Anvil on its shoulder, showing there was only one person it could be.
The Lord of Scour had arrived!
The Viridians let out a shout of joy, but Lord Gebladir Urdwellan looked down in worry.
"Get out of there before it's too late!" he roared again.
The worry and fear in the powerful Soul-carded man's voice caused the Viridians to jolt and scatter.
Greldo turned and sprinted after them, Coal right on his heels.
The shaking increased, and he saw the Imps move away between the trees, some disappearing from his view. He had time for the fleeting wonder where they would go now and if they would turn into Addled or turn normal again when a sudden powerful force yanked him off his feet and propelled him forward at breakneck speed. A howling roar came with it, and he grimaced in pain as his sensitive ears were overloaded.
Letting his instinct take over, Greldo landed on all fours, coming to a sliding stop. Turning around, he watched in shock at the scene behind him.
Dozens of Viridians littered the ground, most luckily groaning to show they still live. A crater was where the Emerald Portal had been before, while dust, sand, and chunks of bark still fell down everywhere. The nearest trees had been scraped clear, pale white wood with charred edges where the dark bark had been before.
Between the trees, a small army of Viridians was destroying the Imps that were scrambling up from where they had been blasted to the ground. Further away, the others were fleeing, small groups of Vridians chasing after them. Some Imps had grouped to the side, perhaps hoping to get out alive. Sadly for them, it wasn't to be.
A towering copper figure with a massive two-handed hammer, his body covered in flame, was wading through the Imps, leaving nothing in his wake but ash and chunks of soot.
Letting out a weary sigh, Greldo sat back down, leaning against Coal.
"Well, let's just let them finish up then. I don't think they need our help with this. Besides-" he tenderly touched his chest, trying to determine how deep the dagger cuts were. "I think I deserve a rest."
--
A day after what the people were calling the Great Portal Explosion, Irwin sat at a long rectangular table in a massive aula in Cindergrove's lowest district.
Food and drink aplenty covered the table while many familiar people sat around him. There was a joyful atmosphere as everything chatted and ate, and some of the smiths even sang songs on occasion. Still, sometimes, he saw people whisper and hug each other, tears flowing. The rumors said that there were over fifty thousand dead, most due to a hidden Emerald Portal that had been situated within the layers of Cindergrove's middle level.
Lord Urdwellan sat at the head, talking with Balarn and a group of Viridians.
"If we always get parties like this for closing portals, perhaps we should start doing more of it."
Irwin turned to look at Greldo, who was stuffing his face with greasy meat. Relinda sat beside him, eating delicately with knife and fork and occasionally looking at the young man beside her with apparent distaste.
"I think I'd rather have a world without random portals," Irwin said with a grimace.
Greldo stopped, cocked his head, then nodded. "Yeah. That would be the best option."
They fell quiet, and Irwin looked at the people sitting opposite him. Scintilla, Ignalia, and a few more Ignitzions were eating tiny fury red insects that crunched as they bit down, whispering in their own language. Just as he stared at her, Scintilla looked up, and when she saw him looking, she grinned before focusing back on her meal.
"What do you think he wants to talk to us about?" Greldo asked through his full mouth.
"Probably things about the world-shard," Irwin said.
"Why? Balarn should have filled him in on everything!"
Irwin grabbed a long piece of bone with dark red, heavily charred meat on it. As he bit down, he relished the charcoal taste mixed with the sweetness of the bloody flesh. He knew if his mother saw him eat this, she'd ask him if he was right in the head eating meat that had been burned to a crisp, but he'd found that he quite enjoyed the Ignitzion food. Well… everything except for the insects.
"Perhaps he has news from the army that went to remove the Imps from the exit portal?" he said with a shrug.
"Could be," Greldo said before turning to Relinda. "Are you all still leaving as soon as the portal is cleared?"
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Irwin noticed a twinge of sadness in his friend's eyes and frowned. Greldo hadn't told him much about what had happened and nothing at all about how he and Relinda had… hooked up. Became a thing? Irwin wasn't even sure what they were, but she'd slept in Greldo's room the day before, much to Irwin's shock.
As he thought about that, he glanced over at Scintilla again, wondering how it would be if she stayed in his room.
Can they even-
He quickly broke off that line of thinking, listening to Relinda.
"There's no other way," the aloof smith said. "I lost three of the five junior smiths I brought with me, and I'll need to go back to explain."
"Will you get into trouble?" Irwin asked.
Relinda sighed. "Perhaps. Haudur can be unforgiving for what he deems mistakes. I will have to see."
"It's not like you could have done something," Greldo said from the side, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
Relinda smiled at him but didn't reply.
The conversation slowly went to what had happened when they had been inside the shardworld, and Irwin's own thoughts drifted to the hoop. It was in a temporary room he had gotten. Ambraz was with it, seemingly disinclined to leave it alone. The Anvil hadn't told him what it was about, only saying that it would be best to discuss it after things had cooled down again.
What had to be hours later, Lord Urdwellan rose from his seat at the head of the table and declared the feast over. Everyone quickly began leaving until only Irwin, Greldo, and what had to be a dozen Smiths, some whom he'd seen in the shardworld, and many he didn't know remained.
It didn't take long for the room to be quiet, and Lord Urdwellan beckoned them to follow him. Irwin walked beside Yogog, who had been in a fantastic mood ever since Balarn's safe return.
They walked through well-made, decorated hallways until they reached a beautiful antechamber. One wall was completely made of clear blue crystal, while another was covered in a painting that depicted a forest landscape with small rivers and streams, a distant lake, and birds and other animals flying around.
"Viridas, our homeworld," Lord Urdwellan said as he sat down in one of the lavishly decorated chairs. The wood was engraved with images of vines and flowers, while a soft purple pillow covered the seat and back.
"It is one of the most beautiful places in existence, and if it wasn't for my father's request, I'd never have left it."
Irwin watched the incredibly lifelike painting, knowing it had to have been made by a carded-painter. It almost looked like the trees waved in the wind, and some of the birds flew around. Then he frowned and leaned forward. Wait, it wasn't as if. He watched a tiny bird disappear in the canopy.
"It was a requirement before I left," Lord Urdwellan said, and Irwin saw the red-jeweled Viridian smile at him. "This image will display a scene of a full year with all six seasons, so I never forget."
All six? Irwin thought as he blinked in surprise.
"Now… I am glad you have all joined me here," Lord Urdwellan said, his voice suddenly filled with authority.
Irwin noticed that everyone sat up slightly straighter.
"My scouts have found no more Portals, and although some Imps seem to have scattered across the planet, without a way to return to their shardworld, they will be found and dealt with in time," Lord Urdwellan said. "With the portals no longer spawning, the teleporters have started reconnecting the distant towns. More importantly, one of those I sent with the army to the Exit Portal has returned. With the portals gone, the Imps were in disarray, and the army managed to secure the portal. Which brings me to the reason I asked you all here…"
Irwin was startled when Lord Urdwellan locked eyes with him, holding his gaze for a few moments before staring at each of the smiths individually. He stopped when he reached Relinda.
"Lady Relinda, I have heard that you and the other smiths of Haudur's charter will be leaving Scour. I want to ask if there is a way for me to convince you to remain here. We have suffered great losses, and it will be a long time before new people will arrive from Viridas. If you could stay and reforge more cards, this would be of great assistance."
Everyone looked at Relinda, and she seemed to hesitate before shaking her head.
"Lord Urdwellan, I am very sorry, but I can't do that. I am only the temporary leader of this group, and one of the rules I was given is that if any of the smiths in my care came to harm, we should return post haste. I don't have to tell you that it was not just one of my charter that died."
Lord Urdwellan nodded before turning to Balarn.
"Balarn, you have yet to tell me what Tensor's charter will do…"
Balarn looked back before turning to Yogog and then to Irwin. Monique and the others weren't present, and Irwin had no idea if they were even still alive.
"We will stay for at least a few more years," Balarn said after a short while. "However, I would request that you send a messenger to Tensor to let him know that one of our smiths died."
What? Who? Irwin thought as he and Greldo shared a stunned look.
Balarn didn't elaborate, and Irwin quietly listened when Lord Urdwellan asked the other smiths, and it quickly became clear that those present were those in charge of their charters groups. Many ended up willing to stay, with only a handful citing similar reasons as Relinda to leave.
When Lord Urdwellan finished, he was quiet for a while.
"Then, I'd like to request all those who aren't smiths and those smiths that are leaving to leave while I speak with those remaining," he said.
There was a moment of quiet, and Irwin saw a few of those that would be leaving look around, annoyed. They obviously wanted to know why, but when they saw Lord Urdwellan's cool eyes, they left hastily. Only Relinda took the time to say goodbye. The Ignitions didn't seem at all bothered. Instead, they made an odd salute to Lord Urdwellan before leaving. Greldo remained, but Lord Urdwellan didn't comment on it.
When the door closed again, Lord Urdwellan rose and smiled at the others.
"Alright. Let me first thank you all. Not just for what you did during these terrible times but also for staying and helping me. Now, I ask that what I tell you now doesn't leave this room."
There was a quick round of interested agreements, and Lord Urdwellan's grin widened.
"In half a year from now, a great many merchant groups will arrive here to join the largest card auction that has been done on Scour since we arrived. "I hadn't wanted to tell the smiths here yet, as that would give you an unfair advantage over those coming from off-world… however, after everything that has happened, I think you all deserve a reward. Besides this, I will send each of you fifty common cards, many from my own collections, that you may distribute across your charter members."
Irwin blinked in surprise before realizing that Lord Urdwellan didn't mean common as in quartz, but cards of any rank that were easily found.
There was an excited murmur through the room,
"Now! Prepare well, and I will see you all in half a year," Lord Urdwellan said before rising and motioning to the door, leaving no doubt that they were to leave.
None of the Smiths seemed to care, and they all rose and headed out.
Irwin walked beside Balarn, who had twinkling eyes and seemed lost in his own thoughts.
When they returned to their charter building, still on one of the highest floors, Irwin felt oddly happy to see it. He'd not been there for months, but it looked the same. There was no damage here, not like on the eighth to twelfth floors, which had been nearly completely ruined. Instead, it was quiet, warm and safe.
The building seemed empty, but when they entered the living room, Monique and Nimdal were waiting for them.
"Thank the stars, you are all safe," Monique said as she got up and approached Balarn. "We had no idea how many of you survived, and…" she hesitated, looking at Nimdal, who was staring at the ground, seemingly seeing nothing.
Irwin sighed as he saw only one of the two brothers. It could mean only one thing. Syndal was the one of their group that had died…
Wait, where are their guards?
Looking around, there was no sight of them. He dropped onto one of the couches and leaned back, staring at the table. He remembered the first day they had come here, over half a year ago. He'd still been a topaz ranked smith then, officially I still am, he corrected himself, and they had been with three more people.
Balarn sat down and slowly told the story of what had happened to Monique while Nimdal seemed to ignore them. When he finished, Monique sighed.
"Well, it wasn't much better here. After the teleporters began moving the guards around to close portals, few remained there, and there were riots on some of the floors. Then those Pale Imps began showing up, and Smiths disappeared left and right. We… well, two of them found us a few weeks ago. It-"
She fell quiet when Nimdal sighed heavily, got up, and left the room. They heard him move to another room, slamming the door shut.
"Syndal pushed him out of an attack and was stabbed," Monique whispered. "He still managed to entangle one of them while our guards fought the other one. They barely stood a chance, but when Syndal died, Nimdal- well, he went berserk. I've never seen anything like it… he has this card that he uses on forging, and he used it on one of those Imps. It began bleeding from the eyes before it nearly exploded."
Monique explained how they managed to survive and hid in a nearby empty building after that.
Balarn nodded, looking at the door before slowly talking about the auction that would happen in half a year. When he finished, everyone was silent, and Irwin watched around. As he did, he thought about what he'd do for half a year. Did he want to stay here and forge? It took him only a few moments to realize that he didn't want to live by night and stay inside the shadow-filled city. He could stay on the top floor, but if he did that, he wouldn't be with the others, and in that case, there was a better option.
"I'm going back to New Grianfál," he said into the quiet room.
There was a surprised jolt from Balarn while Monique frowned, but Irwin just crossed his arms.
The others tried to dissuade him until Yogog said he wouldn't mind being in a sunny place. After discussing it for a while, they decided that Yogog would go with Irwin to New Grianfál while the others would stay in the city. Greldo said he'd stay in Cindergrove until Relinda left. After that, he was going to find missions to do for him and Coal.
Two days later, Irwin stood in the clearing before the smithy with Scintilla, Yogog, and Hotzli. They had said their goodbyes the evening before, and Greldo, Balarn, and the others were still asleep.
"Are you sure she's coming?" Hotzli asked Scintilla.
"She will be here," Scintilla muttered, looking around in annoyance.
A few minutes later, a ruffled figure came running up the stairs. Irwin looked in shock at Numilli. Her face was thin, and there was a harrowed look in her eyes. One of her arms hung in a sling, and she walked with a limp.
"Sorry, sorry," she cried before startling everyone as she dove at Scintilla and hugged her.
"It's alright," Scintilla said. "Are you-"
"Ready to leave? Yes! Let's go before those horrible guards decide on another place they need to go to," Numilli shouted. A deep fog appeared around her, and she ran in as if fleeing from a monster.
Irwin wondered what she'd been through to have changed her upbeat, happy mentality, but he guessed he would hear about that eventually.
He took a final look around Cindergrove before stepping into the mist, holding the hoop tight.
They arrived on the outskirts of New Grianfál, and as they did, some of the guards detected them immediately. A warning shout came from the guard tower, but it was quickly changed to a happy one.
"Smith Irwin is back!"
Hearing the shout, Irwin couldn't suppress a grin as he looked at the towering Heart Tree surrounded by the pale walls of the town.
"You left a big impression here, didn't you?" Yogog asked as he stretched in the sun. "So glad I'm back here."
Irwin walked towards the wall, noting Crihann approaching with a massive smile. As he did, he hugged the hoop closer.
I wonder how long it will take me to purify this thing, he thought.