"There you go lad, nice and easy, you can do it..."

Ozlo does his best to fold the metal into a uniform pattern, beating and shaping the soft warm iron into a flat sheet. "Alright boy, you've done it. Go quench it in oil and wipe your greasy hands off. You're making me dirty just looking at you."

"Yes Master Burgin."

A few days have passed since Burgins first lesson and Ozlo's "re-awakening" as Burgin liked to refer to it. "So, what are you going to do with your shards this go around boy?"

"Oh... I don't know."

"Well there's something. Boy grows a brain and he still doesn't know what he wants. Color me shocked."

"Actually, I have been pondering that." Ozlo thought to himself. "If I get enough shards I can forge a card and if I'm lucky, be one step closer to paying my debt to Burgin and the church. The church is currently being paid off from my wages and Burgin insists on subtracting what I'll owe him by working me as hard as the law allows. In his own words of course."

Ozlo takes a deep breathe and turns to Burgin.

"I should probably combine the shards into a card and then if the card isn't any good, reclaim as many shards as I'm lucky to get or sell it."

"So same plan as last time. Who am I to argue boy? This is your decision after all, and you're better equipped to make it than ever. It's what I did when I was younger, but instead of getting "Graceful" the first few times I gained duds. Worthless summons or useless skills. My luck did improve a bit though when I gained "Iron Hands", I still use that one to this day."

"Iron hands... Speaking of which, this is the first time I've heard Burgin describe what his cards can do. It's not exactly uncommon though, keeping what cards you have to yourself is just basic common sense. Especially if you live or work in a dangerous position. Or as Mother Patricia said when I asked her about her cards "Mind your own damn business you filthy fucking brat and get back to your chores". I'm beginning to think Mother Patricia didn't like me all that much..."

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"Burgin, what does Iron Hands do?"

"Care to take a guess from the name son?"

"Uh, it makes your hands Iron-like?"

"Yes. Though it's a bit more than that. Iron hands makes my hands stronger and more like iron. Meaning heat resistant and a bit sturdier to boot. It's a popular card for smiths and mercenaries, though the wealthier folks tend to stick to the upgraded uncommon version, iron body. Which has the same effect but for all of you from your nose to your toes and then some."

"Ah, I see..."

"So if he has Iron hands, no wonder Burgin doesn't always wear gloves. That would explain a thing or two as well. Like how he sometimes shapes soft metal by pinching it. How could I have been so blind? Wait, I know how. I wasn't just blind, I was dumb."

"Burgin, I have a question."

"Just ask it boy, no need to be too formal."

"Right. Uh, so if I get better at smithing, how many shards can I make?"

"Per day or per week?"

"Uh, per day."

"Right, well it all depends on how useful you are around the shop and how much you affect profit. Currently I'm understaffed with just you and I and can't take large orders. Most of our current work is specialty stuff. But I'd say if you get a bit better at making simple things, nails, horseshoes, arrowheads and the such. I'd imagine you could make a dozen shards or so a day."

"A day!"

"Ozlo's mind started reeling. "That's a new card a day, or a level 1 upgrade in one day or a level 2 upgrade in five days."

"I can see where your mind is heading boy, and stop. I'll be taking most of yer wages until I'm paid back, and remember, you owe me a pretty penny. Care to guess how much that amount is exactly?"

"Uh..."

Ozlo started counting tapping his hand along as he did so.

"Uh, carry the two and fives and uh... Uh..."

Taking pity on Ozlo, Burgin said "Alright lad, I'll help you. 60 shards towards Graceful and 175 for Scholarship. That puts you at 235 shards. Quite the big debt for someone who makes ten shards or so a week. At your current rate you'll be beholden to me and the church for a long time coming."

"Oh..."

Ozlo thought to himself. "Well, I better get better at smithing then. I don't want to owe Burgin forever. Not to mention that I want more cards and levels."