"Can you stand?" Irwin whispered as he looked at the spot the hound, Coal, was looking at.

Greldo frowned and struggled to move, managing to get upright. "Yes, but I'll need a hand," Greldo whispered.

Irwin blinked as he looked at his friend, noticing the crooked smile. He grimaced back and pulled Greldo up by his elbows. Greldo's legs wobbled slightly, then he took a tentative step and remained standing.

"I can move, but don't ask me to run," Greldo whispered.

"I won't," Irwin said, turning to Daubutim, who had been following the interaction, club and shield in hand.

"Ready?"

Daubutim nodded and moved towards the bushes they had entered the den from. Irwin looked up when he stopped and frowned before looking at Coal.

"Can it fight already?" Daubutim asked.

"He says he can, but that he's still small," Greldo replied, sounding both excited and worried.

"Does it know how big it will become?" he asked, wondering if his brother's owl Glint could also talk with him like this or if it was something only available to uncommon and higher summons.

Greldo didn't immediately respond, and Irwin saw his frown deepen before his eyes turned wide. "Coal says he'll become two times as big, or four times if he gets gigantism!"

Irwin's eyes went as wide as Coal's as he looked at the hip-sized dog. Did he mean tall? If he became four times this high, he'd be like a plow horse!

"We need to leave," Daubutim whispered.

Irwin snapped out of it and helped Greldo through the dense wall of vegetation, following after Daubutim, who was forcing his way through.

The sun was shining brightly outside, and Irwin stepped around Daubutim, who was squinting at the glare. There was no movement anywhere, but as he looked at the ground, he noticed odd footsteps everywhere. Deep and with large triangular spots at the ends of the toes, the toes were splayed far too broad. It reminded Irwin of bird prints in the snow.

"So… where are we anyway?" Greldo whispered, hanging heavily from his shoulder.

"Just inside Sleeper's Forest," Irwin replied, then realized he hadn't even told Greldo what had happened after he'd fainted. He quickly caught him up, ending with, "And now we are heading towards Esterdon Tower. From there, we are going to Daubutim's home."

"Okay," Greldo said with a nod. "And you didn't see any sign of Twintin after you came out?"

Irwin sighed as he recalled the girl. "No. She ran through the portal before us and was gone when we arrived."

Daubutim began walking forward, and Irwin followed, Greldo leaning heavily on his shoulder. Coal walked beside his friend, sniffing at things curiously.

"Then we will have to be careful if we encounter sorcerers," Greldo said. "She might have died, but.."

Irwin just nodded sadly. He'd never expected that he was going to hope someone else died, but as he recalled Twintin's angry scowl, fearful nature, and that she knew about Ambraz? It was more than likely that she was going to say bad things about them and talk about Ambraz.

They continued towards the edge of the forest. As they got closer, Coal became more agitated, staring at the end of the forest.

"Coal says the fighting is toward where we are moving," Greldo said.

Daubutim, who had been slightly ahead of them, stopped, as did Irwin.

"Can he hear if it's going that way," Daubutim asked, pointing to the right.

"He says it is. Why?"

"Great, that's where we are heading," Irwin said. He looked at Daubutim, who was staring dully at where he had been going, a look of confusion on his face.

Irwin looked around. The forest was clear enough, and he recalled that it was easier to walk than the muddy ground had been. Between that and the fact that they were harder to spot from a distance, he made up his mind.

"We don't need to go out of the forest," he said. "If we don't wander in, it's safer to stay inside," he said.

Daubutim's confused look faded, and he nodded. "You are right." He looked around, then corrected his course slightly to what Irwin expected to parallel to the edge of the forest.

"If Coal hears anything, tell him to alert us," Irwin said.

"He will," Greldo said. "And he says he can understand you."

Irwin blinked as he looked at the sleek hound staring up at him. "Good, thank you," he muttered, slightly taken aback.

Coal's head bobbed up and down, and Irwin decided that if he had the chance, he had to head home and have Ambraz reforge Glint. If his brother had an uncommon summon, he would be much more likely to survive.

Wait, what happens to a summon if the card is reforged?

"Ambraz, what happens if a summon card is reforged after it's been slotted?" he asked.

"Ah, that's a special case," Ambraz said happily. "If the original summon is strong enough, it will survive the reforging, and the next time it is summoned, it will have changed. The strongest summons are those that are brought up from common to legendary like this, though only one in a hundred survives each reforging."

"And if they don't survive?" Irwin asked.

"Then the old summon perishes, and a new one is formed from the card's magic," Ambraz said.

Irwin thought back to his brother and Glint and frowned. He somehow expected Bronwyn to reject the attempt. With mixed feelings, he continued walking, thinking about summoning cards, Coal, and his third open slot on his left hand. He wanted a summon eventually, but after seeing the reforging of two cards, he knew he wanted to be able to do that. Which meant he'd need a smithing card for his next one. He also wanted a weapon, though, and he wondered if there were hammers that could function as both. Were hammers even useful as weapons?

After a while, he decided to ask Ambraz that evening. He was bound to know.

That left his right hand, and as he glanced at it, he wondered what he should focus on with that one.

With his left dealing with his physical problems and, hopefully, giving him a utility or weapon, he wondered what he should take.

Look at me, he thought as he sighed. Not that long ago, I didn't even have a card and was praying for Bronwyn to bring me one. Now I'm imagining getting more than three!

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

They stopped a few times to let Greldo rest while collecting water from the many pools. Though it tasted muddy, it was better than nothing. As the day progressed, all three were surprised to see that Greldo was slowly getting stronger. He ate all of the rations he had left and drank so much he had to water the plants constantly, but by the time the sun was lowering again, he was walking unaided.

"Uncommon cards are really incredible," Greldo said as they stopped to decide where to rest for the night.

"They are, but they are nothing compared to those after. My father has a rare card, and with it, he once held back an entire surge on his own," Daubutim said, his eyes gleaming and his lips curved up.

"He has a rare card?" Irwin whispered, staring at the other boy in disbelief.

"Yes. My elder brother also has one. The others have uncommon," Daubutim said. Then he looked at his own hand, his eyes dulling as if the fire was sniffed out within. "Father said I would get a rare card if I managed to survive for a year…"

Irwin didn't know what to say while Greldo was kneeling next to Coal, petting him. Either he hadn't heard, or he was ignoring them.

"Let's search for another place to rest," Irwin said as he looked around.

"Coal says the sounds are far away now, but he can still hear them," Greldo said as he rose. His legs were shaking slightly, but there was a healthy color to his face.

They continued for another half an hour until they found another thicket large enough to hide all three of them. After validating that the light from Irwin's flame wasn't visible from the outside, Daubutim went inside and used his shield to create an area large enough to sleep in. They had to crawl inside, and branches poked them, while insects crawled over them as they lay down, but it beat sleeping out in the open.

Irwin took the first watch, and he waited until the other two slept. Coal was lying nearby, eyes open and ears moving around. Greldo had said he would alert them if anything approached, and Irwin felt a lot better this time around.

As soft snoring came from Daubutim, he turned to Ambraz.

"How can I start learning smithing?" he asked. "And what should be my third card?"

Ambraz whisked before him, his lips forming in a big grin.

"About time you remembered," he said, landing on Irwin's knee. "Well, normally, I'd say it would be near impossible to start learning without the proper tools, but you're pretty close already. You have me and your flame, so you have two out of the four things already."

Irwin felt overwhelmed by the Anvil's sudden enthusiasm and stared at it dumbly. "What are the other two things?"

"A hammer and some raw materials, of course," Ambraz said. "And you don't need a card-hammer to start with. We just have to get you a normal one initially."

Irwin looked around stupidly, then back to the Anvil. "Well, we can't really get a hammer right now."

"Right," Ambraz muttered, and if an anvil could deflate, Irwin imagined this was what it would look like.

"Well, we are heading to Daubutim's home. I take it they have hammers," Irwin said quickly. "And raw materials."

"Right, that was a thing," Ambraz said, his lips pursed in a line. "Are you sure it is a good idea? They might try to take me… and I won't let them."

He's right, Irwin thought as he looked at Daubutim. The tall boy had seemed sure that his father would help and he might have to create things for them… but Daubutim just wasn't that sharp. However, his memory seems very good. Wait, what did Ambraz mean?

"What would you do if they tried to take you?" he asked.

"I would flee. I'm fairly confident none of the lower-ranked carded here could contain me. And I won't let myself be tricked again as that horrible beardy did."

Irwin grinned, wondering how others would react if they heard someone speak of the honorable Gelwin like that. Still, the potential attempt to take his things matched with something else he needed to figure out.

"Ambraz, I need to get stronger," he said. "And I don't have a year to wait for my cards to help me. Do you know something that might help?"

"A year?" Ambraz uttered, sounding utterly confused. "What takes a year?"

"For the cards to make me stronger?" Irwin said, suddenly fully focused on the Anvil. "Right?"

"Well… if you do nothing, then yes," Ambraz said. "Though your first card would be much faster already, making that perhaps half a year at most. But… if you start forcing your body, it will be much faster. Also, the time you spent in portals counts."

"Wait, what?" Irwin hissed as he almost stood. "The time in portals counts?"

"Of course! They are worlds, even if they are elsewhere. What did you think? That your body would just… forget?"

"But-" Irwin began, thinking about how his body had reset each time he had gone into the practice portal. He stopped and looked at his current outfit. That hadn't happened with the real portal.

"So I could find a portal and stay there until I am older?" he asked.

"Well… theoretically, you could. But if the portal gets closed or evolves, it might prove troublesome."

Right, that could happen, Irwin thought as he leaned back. He took a quick look at Coal, but he was quietly looking around.

"Alright. So, in almost three days, when you can reforge a card again, can you reforge my Eyes of Blaze?" he asked. "I don't want to go into another common portal, and-"

"No, no! That's not smart," Ambraz said as he flew from left to right as if agitated.

"Why not?"

"Because you need more cards! Without another reliable source, like a portal-explorer guild, which they probably don't have here, clearing common portals is the best way to get cards! You will need them if you want to trade for a good hammer card and to practice reforging! Also, if I can consume them, I'll be able to upgrade cards!"

Irwin stared at the Anvil, surprised by the outburst. He licked his lips, caught himself midway, and stopped with a frown. "Clearing a common portal isn't that easy. We almost died the previous one, remember?"

"Yes, well, you just went in without knowing anything about the portal and without a proper plan," Ambraz said snippily.

"How would I know what's inside a portal without going in?" Irwin asked. Was he missing something?

"Well, with- no, wait, you don't have those. Or… with… ehhh… yes… you wouldn't have any of those things. This is such a backwater place..." Ambraz grumbled. "Still, my point stands! If you evolve your common now, you will have to enter uncommon portals, and there is no way you will survive with just you and Greldo. To do an uncommon-rift would require you to have at least a full-hand-and-one of well-attuned cards."

Irwin was stunned as he stared at the Anvil, wondering what he had wanted to say. Not that it mattered. How had he forgotten that he'd only be able to enter uncommon portals if he had his Eyes of Blaze reforged? Worse… with Greldo having an uncommon card, he'd have to go in alone with Daubutim.

Or I could just not go in and earn cards by reforging them, he thought.

His mind turned empty as he gazed at Ambraz without really seeing him. If he tried that, what would he do if someone wanted to harm him, or what if they encountered monsters like those that had stood before their hideout the day before? No… he would need at least one more card, preferably a weapon one.

"Can hammers be used as weapons?" he asked.

"What? Of course! Especially if you have to fight fully-plated enemies… you will need to bulk up a bit, though. Warhammers are pretty heavy."

"And I can also use that to craft?" Irwin asked, just to be sure.

"Oh… you want to use a forging hammer to fight.."

Irwin could hear the distaste in Ambraz's voice, and he quickly continued. "Well, not always, but right now, I don't have any weapons. Could I get a third card that can be used as a weapon and for smithing?"

"Well… I suppose you could. But the balance is different, and they have a shorter handle. They lack the sharp back, and-"

Irwin zoned out as Ambraz began listing the host of differences between the two. When the Anvil finally stopped talking, Irwin only knew that if he were going to fight with a forge hammer, he'd probably be better off sticking to his flame.

"And forging with a Warhammer?" he asked, realizing Ambraz hadn't answered that.

"It depends on the hammer," the Anvil responded after a few uncomfortable moments of silence. "If it's got a flat head and you can hold it close enough to the hammerhead, maybe. It wouldn't be efficient…"

"No good, huh," Irwin sighed.

"You want your third to be a battle card?" Ambraz mused. "I don't think it's smart to try fighting with hammers, but let me think about it. Perhaps there is something…" Ambraz fell quiet, seemingly pondering about things.

Irwin didn't respond as the Anvil lowered to his shoulder.

An hour or two later, he woke Daubutim and fell into a deep sleep. When he woke, he couldn't pinpoint what had caused it, but he saw a deep red filter through the top of the plants. If something flies over us, they would see my flame, he thought absently.

After a short breakfast, half a dried ration, and some muddy water, they crawled out of the bushes and continued on their journey.

Late in the morning, as they walked across an open area in the woods and enjoyed the warmth of the sun, Ambraz suddenly flew from Irwin's shoulder and into the air, hovering twenty feet up.

"What's wrong with him?" Greldo asked as he knelt and let Coal lick his blackened hands.

"I don't know," Irwin said as he watched Ambraz flitter about for a bit before rushing back.

"There's a portal nearby," Ambraz said, sounding excited. "A common one!"

"That's not good," Daubutim said with a frown. "Too many portals in such a short time. I hope this is only here…"

"I'm sure your family is fine," Irwin said, hoping he was right. From what he had gleaned from Daubutim, his father seemed competent and powerful.

"So?" Ambraz asked as he flew around Irwin's head. "It's this way. Let's go!"

"Go where?" Daubutim asked with a frown.

"He wants us to find more cards in the portal," Irwin said, staring in the direction Ambraz was hovering.

"The two of us?" Daubutim asked, blinking stupidly.

"You will be fine!" Ambraz said. "You can just go in and see if it's one with imps! Those are easy with Irwin's flame. If it's another one, just go back out."

Irwin swallowed as he recalled his time in the practice portal. Though what Ambraz said was technically right, he'd also died multiple times, and he'd not found a card. If cards came from things like the giant hound?

"We can try," Daubutim said, sounding oddly happy suddenly.

Irwin looked up to see him nod. He wanted to say no or think of a good reason not to do it, then recalled what he'd thought about the previous night. If we just check if it's imps… he thought.

"I have both a shield and club now," Daubutim said as he stepped forward, summoning them. "I'll be able to draw their attention, and you ash them."

Irwin shared a weary look with Greldo.

"Will you be fine if we enter one of those portals?" he asked. "You'd have to stay out here alone..."

"I'm not alone," Greldo said as he looked at Coal.

Still, he didn't sound either happy or sure, and Irwin was about to say something when Greldo sighed deeply and looked at him.

"Ambraz is right. The journey would have been near impossible before, and now with the surge behind us? I'll hide in the woods with Coal. Don't worry."

"Great! This way," Ambraz said.

Irwin looked at Greldo for another moment, then nodded reluctantly.

They followed the flying Anvil for a few minutes until Irwin began smelling smoke and burned wood. A few hundred feet later, they stepped out into a larger open area, the opposite side of the woods distant. The ground was blackened, and stumps and burned trees stood haphazardly around. Three portals hung in the middle, their red light almost overlapping.

"This looks dangerous," Irwin whispered.

"Impossible, more like it," Greldo hissed. "They told us portals never spawn this close together!"

"Well, this isn't good," Ambraz whispered, and the shiver in his fear caused the boys to look at him.

"What-" Irwin's mouth was suddenly dry, and he tried again. "What do you mean?"

Ambraz lowered itself on his shoulder, its mouth a narrow tight line. "This only happens if a world is becoming dangerously unstable and is starting to get close to the point of shattering. Which means that there are too many legendary portals that aren't being closed."

The boys stared at him with looks of confusion and disbelief, and the Anvil snorted.

"If those legendary portals aren't closed… this world is going to shatter!"