"Little one, can you tell the nice sorceress who saved you?"
Tanya stared at the pintsized girl, crying as she clung to the older woman. She'd come running down the hill to the surprise of everyone.
"Auntie Tess can't be dead," she cried, and with a wail, she began sobbing louder. "Now- they are, all-," she cried louder.
The older woman looked up at Tanya apologetically. "I'm sorry, sorceress Tanya. She's been through too much. I'll take her till she calms down and find you later?"
Tanya stared at the woman, hesitating for a moment. She wanted to get the girl's account now when it was fresh, but did it really matter? The Ranger who'd first reached her had said she was talking about two carded warriors that had saved her from the imps and brought her back. It wasn't too unbelievable, but she had enough on her plate to hunt for the types of carded that were likely to hide out in the woods.
"It's fine. I'll talk to her tomorrow," she finally said, smiling at the older woman who quickly pulled the girl away and toward one of the wagons.
And what does it really matter if they are bandits? she thought. They had saved a little girl and saw her back safely. They couldn't be that bad if they were. She knew she was oversimplifying things, but compared to the dozens of portals spawning everywhere, nearly an entire group of initiates dead, and having to accompany the group of refugees from Wignut, she couldn't bring herself to care about the rules.
She looked around the long wagon line, then turned to Delwood, the tall Wignut ranger.
"Did you find any more portals?"
"No. Just those Bas found."
Never a word too many, Tanya thought as she gazed coldly at the Ranger. As if three portals that close together weren't a horribly bad sign!
"And did you close them?"
"One was already gone when we reached them," Delwood said, meeting her stare with calm eyes, something she'd not yet gotten used to. "We lost another Ranger closing the other two. They were filled with those shadowy snake things."
She could hear a tiny bit of accusation in his voice, but he didn't say anything else, just held her gaze until she nodded. It wasn't as if she could have changed the outcome.
"Nyzir… evil little things," she said. "I'm sorry you lost another one, but we can't leave those portals open. You know how much harder it gets if they become uncommon."
"I know."
"Any sign of who closed the third portal?" she asked, trying not to get angry at his shortness. Delwood had lost all but a dozen of his rangers within a week. He was entitled to a bit of anger.
"No. We found tracks in the nearby woods, likely of a carded with a dog type minion. Whoever it was either died closing the third portal or left after. The rain washed most of the tracks away."
Probably barely managed to close one and was too afraid to close the other two, Tanya thought as she recalled her own time closing rifts with Nyzir. She still had nightmares from those.
"Alright, I want you to create new groups of common-handed by combining the remaining initiates and your rangers. When you scout for portals, use the new group setups," she said.
Delwood's mouth opened, then closed, and she could see his mind spinning. Sorcerers were known to be very guarded of their initiates, not letting them mix with rangers. What he probably didn't know was just how strict those rules were. Or why they were there. The latter would really surprise her, as she didn't even know. She'd complained many times about the poor training and equipment the initiates were given before entering their first portals. She'd never gotten an answer but was told not to cause trouble.
To Gelwin with the rules. Without more common-handed closing portals, we won't get to Tenproud alive, she thought.
Delwood didn't ask anything but instead gazed at her intently for a few moments before giving her a sharp nod.
"Do you want me to add that girl, Twintin, to one of the uncommon-handed groups?"
Tanya thought about it for a moment, wondering if it was a good idea. The girl was odd and hadn't spoken much after she was found. According to her, all of her party had been killed in a fire hound portal, which she found odd. Hounds didn't normally appear in common portals, especially none as large as the ones she'd described. Something told her the girl was lying about something, but without a truth reader carded, she couldn't be sure.
Still, she had a powerful uncommon card and needed more experience.
"Yes, do that," she finally said.
Delwood nodded calmly, but she could see he was happy with her answer.
Perhaps his shortness isn't that bad, she thought.
At least she never had to explain a lot with the quiet Ranger. Besides, she eyed him for a moment taking in his long supple body. He was handsome. She quickly dismissed the thought as she focused on the here and now. She could have some fun with him when they reached their next stop.
"Let's get them moving again. We don't have enough food to stay here any longer. We need to get these people to Tenproud safely."
Delwood snorted. "It'd be much easier if we had portals."
Tanya glared at him. "The Towers have their hands full, closing the portals around what's left of Wignut! There is no teleporter free to get these many people away," she snapped, annoyed that she had to explain it again.
"I know. I'm just saying it'd be much easier," the Ranger said calmly. Then he turned and walked away, shouting for the wagons to get ready to move.
Yes. Portals would be handy, she thought as she looked around the forest's edge. As would be more rangers and sorcerers. Sadly, she had neither, and that meant she was on her own getting the survivors to safety.
She took a final look at the forest, then turned to follow Delwood.
--
I hope Megah will be alright, Irwin thought as he stomped beside Daubutim.
The despair on her face as they had told her they wouldn't be going to the other people with her had been almost too much to bear. Still, he had waited until the Ranger reached her before pulling back. She would be safe there.
Safer than we will be, he thought as he looked around the darkening forest. Half of the orange and red leaves had dropped from the trees already, making everything look even darker. A chilling gust of wind blew around them, and he shivered as he felt the pain in his back intensify. The sky was still gray, but the little sunlight that filtered down barely gave off any heat anymore. Leaves were tumbling through the air, blown by the freezing wind.
Snow will fall soon, he thought, fearing the prospect more than he ever had before.
"We need to find a place to spend the night," he said through clattering teeth.
They'd been walking at Daubutim's brisk pace for most of the day, and he was tired, cold, and hungry.
"It would be best to put more distance between us and Wignut," Daubutim said without slowing down.
Irwin frowned as he gazed at the other boy's back. They were at least two days from Wignut. That should be enough, right?
"How much further? Besides, if we continue, I'll need to summon my flame," he said. "I'll freeze otherwise."
Daubutim looked back at him and slowed. When they were walking side by side, Irwin saw him glance at his back.
"You can't summon your flame. It will make us far too visible. We also won't find a place as we did before. The leaves are falling fast, faster than normal, and won't be enough to block the glow."
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
By Gelwin's beard, Irwin thought angrily as he looked at the nearest bushes.
"Perhaps we should have gone with the refugees," he muttered.
"No, we made the right decision," Daubutim said as he shook his head. "Tomorrow, we will reach the merchant's outpost, Degonda. There we can trade for new and thicker clothing. With some luck, there will also be a carded healer to look at your wound. The arrow card should be enough to get us anything we need and more."
Irwin grunted. "Tell me again why you didn't mention this option before?"
"It adds almost two days to our journey to our travel to Esterdon," Daubutim answered seriously, seemingly unable to read his annoyed sarcasm.
"Do you think we will find Greldo again?" Irwin asked, uninterested in explaining it and hoping to distract himself from the pain in his back.
"I don't know. We didn't find a body, and there were only old tracks showing he had been around, so there's a chance he is fine. Besides, he knows where we are going, and he has Coal."
Irwin nodded at that, remembering the hound, already large when it had just been summoned. It should be enough to guard Greldo against most common troubles.
Unless there are too many, he thought.
"Let's hope we will find him at Esterdon," he muttered as he continued to trudge forward.
Perhaps I should give him the Storm Leaves card, Irwin thought, trying to distract himself with anything and everything that came to him.
They ended up walking for another hour before finding shelter beneath two trees that had fallen into a crumpled heap. The muddy hole was deep enough that Irwin could use his flame for a short while, holding it between the ground and his body. It managed to dry up and heat the ground just enough for him to fall into a restless sleep.
The following day he woke cold, shivering, and with a sharp pain in his back. Daubutim looked at it but only grunted when Irwin asked how it looked. They quickly headed out, eating their final bit of roots and drinking muddy water from the pools.
The forest continued on for half a day until they finally reached the end. The rolling plains had turned into a hilly landscape, and standing on the forest's edge, Irwin looked at the distant hills. All around him, dull brown leaves littered the ground or blew in the wind, none left on the bare black trees.
"The Lostcarded hills," Daubutim said as he scanned the horizon. "There should be an old kingdom road further east. It will lead straight to Degonda."
"Let's keep going then," Irwin said through clattering teeth.
"There is a chance that we come across merchant wagons on the road. If we do, we need a story," Daubutim said before turning to Irwin and looking at him. He remained quiet, and slowly Irwin realized why.
"And you want me to come up with one," he said.
"Yes. You can't say you're from Malorin and of no importance, or they might forcefully draft you."
Of no importance? Irwin thought as he gnashed his teeth. Stupid nobles.
"Wait, what do you mean, forcefully drafted?"
"It happens during times like these, when too many portals appear for people to close. The lords of the cities and towns will draft any carded in their domain to help close the portals."
"I've never heard of that..." Irwin muttered in confusion.
"It hasn't happened in over eighty years," Daubutim said. "And its usually kept quiet to not cause a panic."
Irwin sighed as he waved ahead. "Fine, let's keep walking. I'll try and think of something as we move."
After half an hour of trudging up and down pebble-strewn slopes, he thought he had something that might work. Maybe.
"Do you have any distant cousins or relatives?" he asked, suddenly realizing something. He was cold and in pain but not out of breath—a marginal improvement over a month ago.
Daubutim blinked, then nodded. "Seven uncles and aunts, and twenty-three cousins."
Irwin shook his head. He should have known Daubutim would be far too specific again.
"Is there one that is unknown or is known to… seek the company of other women?" he asked.
Daubutim stopped and stared at him, his mouth opening and closing a few times. After a while, he nodded. "Yes?"
"Alright. How likely is it that we can get away with me being an illegitimate child of one of your uncles or cousins and you bringing me along because of my cards?"
Daubutim's eyes went dull, and he was quiet for so long that Irwin wondered if he had to repeat the question.
"Uncle Ondrist has multiple bastards running around that we know of and likely dozens that we don't," Daubutim said softly. "It isn't something we want to be known, so don't mention it except when there is no other way. He is also… smaller than average."
What does that have to do- oh right. Irwin sighed as he looked up at the taller boy. He'd grown almost half a head since getting his cards, but he was still small compared to the towering noble.
"Alright. Then let's go with this. I'm one of Ondrist's bastards, and you found me at the sorcerers. Beyond that, we just keep most of the story as much in line with what happened: we went into a few rifts, cleared one, and got lucky in another. Now we both are both almost full-handed, and you are bringing me to your father or family or something."
Daubutim nodded. "To the main family branch. Yes, this would work. But then you need another name," he said, calmly.
"What? Why?" Irwin asked. His name wasn't that uncommon, and there should be plenty of people around with his name.
"Because every male in my family, even the bastards, get a name that starts with the same letter as their father's."
"What? Why? And how does that work if the bastards don't know who their father is?"
"It is tradition. And as to how? As soon as they are made known, or we find one, they get a new name," Daubutim said. "If they want to be part of the Coulwater family, they are required to."
It took Irwin a few moments to wrap his head around the idea that people had to change their names. Or that this seemed something that happened enough for Daubutim to know.
"Alright, so can't I just use Orwin then?" he asked.
"Yes, or Oudibun, or Olban, or-" Daubutim began rattling off a whole list of names.
When he finally stopped, Irwin just shook his head in amusement. He'd never known there were this many names starting with an O. Though mentioning the name Olban brought back some painful memories of the first rift they had gone into and the losses they had taken.
I wonder if Twintin is still alive, he thought before pushing it away. More problems for another time.
"I think Orwin will just be fine. Orwin, son of Ondrist," he said.
Daubutim shrugged, seeming unhappy about the name, but Irwin decided he didn't care. Orwin was close enough, which would make it easier to remember.
They rounded another hill of almost black dirt caked with greenish moss, and Daubutim stopped and pointed.
"The Kingsroad," he said.
Ahead was a wide, gray-paved stretch of street. Cracks and holes puckered its surface but did little to detract from its oddness. Irwin had heard of Kingsroads before but never actually seen one. The nearest one was probably this one, and he looked at it in wonder.
"How did they get the road this flat?" he asked.
"Nobody knows. They've been around for hundreds of years and were made at the peak of the Galadin Kingdom's power before the portals appeared. Some have said it was made with old-world magic, but there is no proof."
Irwin whistled as they came closer, and when he finally put a foot on the slightly elevated road, he was surprised at how smooth it was. There was a rustle from his pocket, then Ambraz came out, flitting down.
"Well, well! Interesting!"
Irwin looked at the Anvil, wondering what he knew of the road. When the Anvil didn't continue, he frowned. "You know these roads?"
"No, but I know the material, Cremtar," Ambraz said with a sniff. "It requires a very special card. Legendary!"
"This was made before the portals," Daubutim said as he looked at the Anvil. "There were no cards back then."
"Well, I guess you don't know everything after all," Ambraz said before barking a short laugh. "Cremtar can only be made with skills gained from legendary cards. So either there were portals before then, or there were carded here, and powerful ones."
Daubutim frowned his mouth opening and closing a few times. Then he stared at the ground with dull and confused eyes. Irwin guessed he knew that Ambraz didn't have any reason to lie.
"Does it matter?" Irwin asked before looking along the length of the road. "Let's go."
"Bah. It might! If there were powerful carded here, there might be someone who can help?" Ambraz said.
Quietly, Irwin stared at him. "If there had been such powerful carded, they were all killed when the portals appeared," he finally said.
Ambraz just sniffed, and Irwin decided he had another thing to figure out.
As he took his first few steps across the road, Irwin was in awe at the increase in their traveling pace. Effortlessly they walked across the leveled route, only the occasional gentle slope following the curve of the hills to slow them down. Though, in most cases, the road seemed to have been cut straight through, towering rock faces flanking them on occasion.
An hour later, Irwin began hearing soft, distant sounds. After another few minutes, they became recognizable. Screams and ringing of metal on metal. He stopped and shared a worried look with Daubutim.
"Let's keep going. There is no other place we can reach safely," Daubutim said.
They continued on, and the sounds increased, making it more than evident that they were moving toward the source of what sounded like a massive battle. They stopped when they reached a hill from behind which the sounds came.
"Another portal?" Irwin asked, having to shout to get over the sounds.
"Possibly," Daubutim said before he hesitated as he looked ahead. "We need to check if there is a possibility for us to reach Degonda. If not…" he trailed off.
They continued up the hill, and as Irwin reached the top, he couldn't hold back a startled curse. Down a gentle slope stood a single, ancient-looking gray tower amidst a wooden village encircled by a twenty-foot wall. Left of it was a battle unlike any Irwin had seen.
Rangers stood on one side, shooting arrows, some glowing red or golden, into a melee. Guards and what he could only describe as pale white Galubs with two curved black horns were fighting each other voraciously. The pale demons were tossing orbs of pale blue light at the guards, and those that hit caused shields and armor to freeze over. The guards were fighting back with card abilities, and the blue flashes and glowing weapons showed that these weren't mere common-handed fighters but uncommon or even higher. They were decimating any of the pale, horned devils that came within range, slowly pushing forward.
Irwin looked at where the pale demons came from, and his eyes widened in shock. There were two portals hanging close together behind them, the edges rippling with energy tendrils. Pale demons kept popping up from one of them, getting directed by a taller one with longer horns to rush into the melee.
"They are winning. As long as they can reach the portal, it should be fine," Daubutim stated, snapping him back to reality.
"How can you tell?" he asked, looking at the battle and only seeing what looked like an even match.
"There are rangers circling around. They will have the advantage of high ground within a few minutes," Daubutim said as he pointed at the hill behind the portal. Irwin saw small shapes there, climbing up from the side.
Ambraz whisked out of his pocket and onto his shoulder, crooning. "Oh my! An uncommon and a common portal side by side? Less than six years. After that, this planet is going to shatter apart."
Irwin stared stupidly at the portal. "Hide before someone sees you," he muttered.
The Anvil let out a theatrical sigh but went back into his pocket.
"Let's wait till they are done," Daubutim said as he moved to a nearby boulder to sit down.
"What if they lose?" Irwin asked.
"Then we will have to try and fight our way in to get the supplies we need," Daubutim said.
Right, Irwin thought, wondering how likely that would be.