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, and nice and Hidden to keep away prying eyes," 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. Somehow, the way the Anvil had said Hidden should mean something, but he was too distracted by the rest.

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."

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

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?"