Irwin carefully grabbed the floating book, which dropped into his hands. It was surprisingly heavy, and as he opened it, he saw lines of symbols and tiny images behind them. None of it made any sense.

"What-"

"Quick, begin flipping through and stop when I tell you to," Ambraz cried.

Feeling the other's panicky haste, Irwin held his tongue and began flipping through the pages. A few times he noticed symbols that seemed familiar, but he couldn't recall where he'd seen them.

"Stop! There, that one!" Ambraz said, and Irwin stopped as the Anvil moved closer to the book, its tip almost touching one of the lines with a rune that looked nothing like a hammer to Irwin.

"Firesteel hammer of purification! It's not the very best, but if we keep reforging it, it will eventually end up near perfect," Ambraz said, his voice laden with enthusiasm. "Quick, put your finger on the rune!"

"But," Irwin began looking at the hundreds of pages that remained.

"No! Brat, this book may disappear at any moment. Don't let your greed get the better of you! This hammer is perfect for you now! I agree that a card combination slot would have been better, but this is plenty!"

"I'm not greedy," Irwin hissed before looking at the line of text.

I hope he's right, he thought as he hovered his finger above the rune.

"This one?"

"Yes!"

Irwin shrugged and pressed the rune. There was a flash of light, and the book vanished while a purple-bordered card dropped to the ground with a soft thud. Irwin bent over to pick it up, noticing an image of a dull black and red hammer. He stared at it, frowning, before looking at his right hand.

He had imagined his first card on his right hand to be a very-rare or higher, perhaps even legendary.

"Should we reforge it to-" he began before falling quiet as he recalled the pain and cost of reforging a card to rare.

"No," Ambraz said. "This card has the same growth type as your special card. You need to slot it as it is and use it, making it stronger and learning how to wield it."

"Right now?" Irwin muttered.

"Yes. Although it doesn't have any strong passive effects, it will still increase your physical power and soul-force. Simply slotting any card in your fourth slot will make you stronger!"

Right! Irwin thought as he looked at the card and focused on his Eyes of Blaze.

Card: Firesteel hammer of purification

Type: Uncommon, Growth

Owner: -

A crafting card that allows the wielder to summon a forging hammer made of firesteel. Able to withstand great amounts of heat and punishment, this hammer is the perfect tool for any traveling smith.

Passive: Increases the wielder's speed and ability to purify metals

Active: Summon the firesteel hammer. Lasts until dismissed or destroyed

It's not very special, Irwin thought as he inspected it with distaste.

"Alright, enough with this. Don't look at it like that," Ambraz said, sounding exacerbated. "You want to become a Cardsmith, right?"

Irwin nodded.

"Good. This hammer has potential. As you become better, you can increase its power and ability while the material meshes well with your first hand. Moreover, I've been watching you fight. You are not making as effective use of your cards as you could. If you had a weapon, you could coat it in your flame, the same with a shield. Or if you want to stick with one of those gauntlets, at least think about improving on it so you can better combine it with your cards," Ambraz said.

It was quiet as Irwin gazed at the Anvil in stunned surprise. He'd only really talked with Ambraz about cards, crafting, and horrible things like portals and the end of the world. So far, he'd resisted pushing the Anvil for information, but it seemed uncharacteristically talkative right now.

Irwin opened his mouth, then closed it as he realized he wasn't sure how to ask what he wanted. Then he decided to just go with his gut.

"Why are you suddenly telling me this?" he asked.

"What? You think all I'm good for is reforging cards?" Ambraz retorted.

Hearing a slight annoyance in Ambraz's voice, Irwin shook his head. "No, it's just… Why are you even helping me this much?"

It had been a question that had been at the back of his mind for a while now. Why would Ambraz, who seemed to know so much about seemingly nearly everything and was able to reforge cards, remain here with him in a world that might shatter within a few years?

Or earlier.

He shoved the tiny voice back down, not interested in the fearful thoughts.

Ambraz was quiet, and as the seconds ticked by, Irwin felt uncomfortable. Should he not have asked? What if the Anvil suddenly realized his folly and left him? Can he even leave on his own?

"Fine… I guess it's about time we have this talk," Ambraz said with a sigh. "Though, I would suggest you slot the hammer first."

Irwin stared at the card and hesitated. He had no idea what Ambraz meant with that conversation.

"Daubutim unslotted his cards and got new ones. He said it hurt… will there be any permanent damage to him?" Irwin asked as he pondered slotting it and perhaps unslotting it in the future.

"No, just the pain of his soul reshaping to take in the new cards. It might last a bit, especially with his first due to how long he had it, but eventually, the sensation will stop," Ambraz said.

"What is soul-force and all that stuff you mentioned," Irwin asked.

"You are procrastinating," Ambraz snapped.

Irwin sighed and nodded. Ambraz was right. It was just that he'd hoped for something else with his first card. He had been hesitating even more due to his worry that Ambraz was trying to trick him into slotting him. He had no idea why the Anvil might do it, and he stared at the sand for a while.

Does it matter? he thought after a while. I want to learn smithing, I need a hammer, and if worse comes to worst, I can unslot it.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Somewhat weary, he put the card on the back of his right hand. A tearing sensation came at once as he felt tension from the cards on his left hand. It reminded him of the moments he was reforging a card, but then not as powerful. It lasted for a few moments, then a sensation of something making place came from his first card as it forcefully shoved his others slightly to the side. Instantly the tension vanished, and the hammer card flashed and sank into his hand.

What was that?

Before Irwin could think on it more, a sense of pushing came, and with a jolt, the card's existence appeared beside the others. It was clear and powerful, and he knew he could summon it with barely any effort.

What... what is going on? he thought.

The first time he had gotten his card, it had taken him great effort to connect to it. The second and third had been easier, but still, it had taken conscious effort on his part. Now? Now it felt like the card was almost scrambling to connect with him instead.

Staring at it, he clenched his fist and focused on his card. With a flash of light, a massive hammer landed in his hand, the weight of the head pulling his hand down. Both the handle and the head were made of the same dark, red-lined metal, and he could feel the gentle heat that it radiated on the palm of his hand.

As much as he wasn't sure, Irwin couldn't suppress a grin as he gently swung the heavy tool. He knew right away that if he landed a good hit with it, it'd do as much damage to someone's head as it would to a chunk of ore.

"Alright," he said, staring at the Anvil. "Now. What talk?"

"You probably won't be able to save your world," Ambraz said calmly.

Irwin blinked, then shook his head.

"There are ways! You told me. I can stabilize-"

"Yes. It is not impossible… but the chances of you succeeding are smaller than the chances of you finding a legendary card by killing the next demon you encounter," Ambraz said calmly.

Irwin stared at the Anvil, trying to figure out if it was lying and, if so, why?

"Why should I believe you?" he finally managed. "You obviously want me to head to one of those hubs and leave everything behind!"

"Yes. But not because I don't want you to save your world," Ambraz said calmly. "Not that I care for this one… there are innumerable worlds out there, and one more or less doesn't concern me. However, there aren't that many skilled Cardsmiths, and I don't want to see you die in an unsuccessful attempt to stop something you can't control. "

Irwin swallowed at the Anvil's callous words and opinion over his world. Giard was his home! He didn't want the whole world destroyed, and if there was even a small chance to save it, he wanted it.

"Even if it's as small as you say, I have to try," he said.

"Yes, I thought you would say that," Ambraz said. "There is only one way for you to succeed. You need to join the Smith's guild, and for that, you need to qualify to join it. You fulfill three of the four requirements, and the fourth you can only fulfill when you find a hub. Which means you need to find a hub world."

"Why should I believe you," Irwin snapped. He knew it was a stupid question, born of his growing uncertainty and anger, but he still asked it.

"Because if I want to live and prosper, I need a Cardsmith," Ambraz said.

"Why?" Irwin asked, surprised at this.

"To grow, I need soul-force, and I can only grow up to Emerald-rank by consuming external soul-force," Ambraz said.

Irwin stared at him stupidly. What did he mean, Emerald-rank? Like becoming very-rare? But that was stupid. Ambraz wasn't a-

"Are you a card?" he blurted.

"No, of course not," Ambraz snapped, suddenly angry. "I'm an Anvil of the Gods, not some silly crystalized soul-skill!"

"Then-"

"Because I am a living, symbiotic creature," Ambraz said with a loud snort. "And I need a smith to create and adapt cards to continue growing."

Irwin continued to stare at the Anvil. He had somehow never thought of it as a creature but more as a what… magical item? He wasn't even sure now that he thought about it.

"Now, if you want to attempt saving your world, you will need any and all help you can get," Ambraz said softly. "At the same time, I need a smith. Although you aren't even a Quartz rank Cardsmith, you are growing fast and will be one with a little more practice. It will be in both our best interests if we join forces."

Irwin remained quiet as he tried to understand everything the Anvil had told him. If what Ambraz said was true, that meant he wanted Irwin's help… to what? Grow more powerful? What would even happen if Ambraz became more powerful? As the words continued to flow through his mind, Irwin constantly came back to the same thing. He didn't want to leave his world… What if he couldn't come back?

Whatever! I don't have to leave yet. I need to get out of this stupid portal first, and after that, teach Trimdir how to reforge cards, he thought. After that, there's plenty of time to think about it!

"Come on! Don't just stay silent like that," Ambraz suddenly snapped. "Do you know that barely anyone on backwater worlds like this knows any of this? I'm taking a big gamble sharing it with you!"

"I need to think about all this," Irwin said softly. "Before I can decide to leave for some hub-world, I want to return and see if Daubutim is alright and take care of other things."

"Yes, well, I wouldn't wait too long," Ambraz said as he flicked back to Irwin's pocket. "You haven't found a hub-world yet, and joining the guild takes time, none of which you have to waste."

Irwin sighed but didn't respond to it. Instead, he looked around.

"So, what way is it back?"

There was pressure on his leg, and he began moving in that direction.

"We need to figure out how to get down there and find that other portal," Irwin muttered.

"There is probably some entrance near the ruins. We just have to find it," Ambraz said.

Irwin stomped forward until he saw the spec that was the ruins in the distance before asking another question.

"Why did I have to socket the hammer before you would tell me those things?"

Ambraz sighed. "Because there was a chance that your other cards would reject the hammer-card, stopping your path to joining the Smith's guild."

Irwin almost stumbled as he remembered that not all cards meshed well with each other. How had he forgotten that? Taking another look at the hammer in his hand, he was happy it had worked.

"I wonder how I'll explain that I have another card," he muttered suddenly.

"Just tell them you had kept it for emergency and decided to socket it to try and beat down the door," Ambraz replied.

"I can do that?"

"What? Beat down that door? Unlikely… but they don't know that, and neither do you. Just try and put up a good show," Ambraz said with a laugh.

Irwin sighed as he continued towards the ruins. After a while, he saw a few figures walking along the edge, then started waving at him. He heard muted shouting but couldn't make out what the words were until he was much closer.

"-foolish brat! Worried sick!" Lous roared.

Irwin grinned as he waved back. "I'm fine," he shouted.

When he was almost at the ruins, he saw Lous glare at him.

"Seriously! Why did you have to go so far that nobody could see you anymore?" Then the ranger's eyes narrowed as he spotted the hammer in Irwin's hand. His eyes drifted to the back of Irwin's hand, then widened, and his mouth fell open. "How'd you get that?" he blurted.

"I had it as a backup, just in case," Irwin said, walking past the ranger. "I'm hoping it can break open that door."

"And you only tell us this now?" Lous roared as he followed him, while the others turned as they approached.

"Tell who what now?" Yerich asked as he grinned at Irwin. "Glad you are back. Some people were starting to freak out."

"No problem," Irwin said as he walked up to the door. He saw another set of dents- probably made by Desmir's skill. Positioning him before the door, he heard the others whisper while Lous explained how he had somehow 'mysteriously' gotten a new card. Irwin ignored them as he took a deep breath and slammed the hammer onto the stone barrier. A loud crack followed as chips of stone snapped off and shot everywhere. He continued striking but, after a few minutes, stopped when he'd made less of a dent than Desmir had.

"Well, so far for that idea," Lous grunted. "Let's go back to trying to catch that stupid linchpin."

Irwin looked at the door, shrugged, and turned around. After a few moments, he began walking around the ruins. Yerich followed him, quickly catching up.

"So? Nothing out there?"

Irwin looked up to see the others were watching them.

"No. Nothing but these ruins," he said. "But… from a distance, it looked like it might be the top of a building or something. So I was wondering- what if the rest of the ruins are below the sand?"

A burst of chatter came from the others before Desmir shouted for them all to quiet down.

"And that means what? There's a door at the top of some tower?" the guard asked. "That makes no sense."

"It could be on a balcony," Yerich muttered as he began running towards the edge of the ruins. Within seconds he'd begun digging.

Irwin didn't think he had much chance, but he wasn't going to stop him. Instead, he continued walking around, making ever bigger circles until he finally felt what he'd been hoping for. A soft tremor from Ambraz. He stood almost next to the furthest left wall, in the corner.

So there's something here… he thought. He unsummoned his hammer fell to his knees, and after a second's thought triggered Coperion Body. Then he began shoving sand away.

"Great… and now both of the kids are digging holes," Lous snapped. "As if there's any chance we can just-"

A dull thud came as Irwin's hand sank into the sand up to the elbow and hit something. It sounded hollow and not at all like stone but more like wood.

"By Gelwin's beard," Lous whispered. "Are you kidding me?"

A short while later, they were all staring down at a wide but shallow pit. A square wooden hatch with dull gray metal bands and a large ring sat in the middle.

"So… who wants to go first?" Yerich said softly.