Irwin's Journey 470: [OLD ONE] Rapid change of plans

"-and how many? We don't know. The short of it is, we found portals deep within every Eternal Mine, and any other chasm and hole," Flowrishin said.

Irwin stopped pacing, focusing on her. Flowrishin was the only one left, as Brecka and Nimlarel had headed out with Rorin to find Rinbus. She had been telling him and Ambraz about what had happened over the last almost two hundred years. It was both more and less than he had expected. 

A war between smiths…

He stared at the ground, trying to come to grips with that. 

"Tutor, what is going on?" 

Irwin looked up, realizing he'd been zoned out, thinking about the things Flowrishin had told him. He considered sitting down, hesitated, then remained standing. 

He focused on Flowrishin, wondering about the strangeness of everything. From his perspective, he'd seen her only a day or so ago. She hadn't seen him for a hundred and eighty. Close to two hundred. The way she looked at him, talked to him, told him that for her, things had changed. Could he blame her? No… But it did make him worry about time dilations in a way he hadn't before. What if he were stuck here for a hundred years? Or a thousand? 

"Scour is unstable… and far more than we initially thought," he said slowly. "My presence here is causing the time-dilation to swing. Just now, I tried to withdraw my resonance, make it muted, and the time-dilation went up to… well, up to the same strength it likely was until half a year ago. Then, when my resonance spiked, the time-dilation went down to far more reasonable numbers."

Flowrishin was quietly looking at him, then she sighed.

"So, it really is you coming here that is causing this?"

Irwin grimaced, about to answer, when Ambraz interfered.

"No," the Ganvil snapped. "The thousands, or perhaps tens of thousands of portals below Scour's ground are causing this. If we were to leave, the time-dilation here would probably continue to climb until something snapped."

"But that might be hundreds of thousands of years for us," Flowrishin said calmly. "Or perhaps even longer. You told me about the war going on in the Portal Gallery. If we live in a time dilation as strong as you are telling us, we would be able to live our lives without any issue."

"Yes," Irwin said, before Ambraz could explode. "It's possible that if I leave again, things will calm down. It's also possible that the entire world explodes."

Flowrishin's gaze drifted to the bookshelves.

"I need to think," she said. "This isn't something I can decide by-"

"You are forgetting something," Ambraz grunted, interrupting her. "There's an enormous amount of Occulithar around the exit portal, including a big one. They are most likely drawn here by either the amount of soulforce, the time-dilation, or the portals, and there's no saying what they will do. They can only reach shattered words from what we know, but who is to say what happens if there's a tiny tear? If even one of those Occulithar makes it here?"

Irwin shuddered as another idea came to him.

"We need to make sure they have aura cards," he said, looking at Ambraz.

Flowrishin looked at him worriedly, and Irwin realized he wasn't done explaining yet.

A lot of things to do, he thought with a sigh.

--

Three days later, things had somewhat settled, and Irwin was standing in his own chamber in the Smiths Guild. It had been repurposed as a storage for books after he hadn't returned, and even now, a lot of boxes stood in the corners, piled up. 

Irwin didn't care, as he gazed out across the large gorge. Of all the things that had changed over the nearly two hundred years, the Deslote Stretch had undergone the largest metamorphosis. With the absence of the Burrows and the channeling of the Ancestral Coperion, the extreme soulforce density had diminished enough for plantlife to take root. Now, the edges were covered in small trees and bushes, with vines growing down into the dark depths.

Brecka should have picked a new home for us today, Irwin thought as he followed a small group of hunters that were trekking along the edge of the Desolate Stretch.

Flowrishin had still not decided what the Smiths Guild should be doing, and Irwin knew he'd have to talk with the different leaders in the near future. Still… he didn't expect them to pose much of a problem. Even if they wished him gone, which he doubted, they couldn't make him leave.

If worst comes to worst, I'll just go with my original plan, he thought.

But he doubted it. There were too many potential problems he had to help fix, not least the ancient Ghulnithair. Preg had heard he was back within a few hours and sent an Ignizian to ask if he could come see him, preferably before he left again.

"At least they learned more about cardseeds," Irwin muttered, thinking about the book waiting for him at the table. 

The Smiths Guild still couldn't make their own cardseeds, but they had greatly increased their knowledge on how to split existing cards into multiple others. 

A rustle came from above, and a moment later, Ambraz shot out of one of the narrow corridors.

"Kid! That rustbucket did a great job," Ambraz shouted as he began flying around Irwin's head. "There's over seven hundred rank zeros here, a hundred rank ones, and even a rank two!"

Irwin pushed his worry for the future away and grinned at his friend.

"So, Yuust is a nice place?" he asked, unable to keep a sly grin from spreading on his face.

"Agh, that name! How could he?" Ambraz shouted, flying around in agitation. "Calling the first Ganvil town in a new world after yourself. The gall!"

Irwin snorted. As if you wouldn't have done the same thing, he thought, but he kept that to himself.

"What did he have to say?" he asked.

Ambraz's wings folded as he landed on the nearby table, the corners of his lip dropping.

"He wasn't happy. Said he already knew about us returning and about the time dilation. Apparently, he took a skill at his last rank-up that allows him to sense the world's stability," Ambraz said.

Irwin turned away from the window, walking to the table and sitting down with a loud thud.

"We can't bring them here," he said, staring at the table while at the same time watching his body in Eluathar.

"No," Ambraz grunted. "But it's not that bad."

Irwin looked up at his friend. "Why is that?"

"You need to practice on at least a dozen cardseeds or more, and that will take you five years or more. At the same time, you need to help increase the amount of soulcarded. Even with what you left them, they aren't able to reliably create them. Worse, you need to create heartcards with either Impersonate or another type that will allow them to move through those less stable portals."

"To close the portals," Irwin said, sniffing as he stared at the wall with books without seeing them.

"Exactly," Ambraz said. "You can't go through those portals, because your presence would instantly start to stabilize the shardworld and cause all sorts of issues. The current heartcarded and soulcarded can't either. We can send handcarded through some of them, which is a good start, but there are so many portals that there are bound to be some with heartcarded or soulcarded beings there keeping them stable. Killing those with handcarded will cause immense losses."

"And they don't see the reason," Irwin said, thinking about what Rinbus had told him over the last few days.

"Exactly. They don't need to go inside for cards, and most of the nearly-addled beings pouring from those shardworld are fighting among themselves deep below the earth. If we are going to stabilize this world, we need to find a reason for people to close those portals, and not just one or two."

They had discussed this multiple times over the last few days, not able to find a good way to solve the issue, but Irwin could hear that Ambraz had something to add this time.

"So?" he asked as Ambraz remained quiet, lips now curled up.

"So, we give them a reason," Ambraz said. "Multiple, actually. First, most people still only use poor cards, and if someone were to offer them something better, they would be willing to take some risks. Second, there are a lot of nobles with private armies and a need for very specific cards. Third, and last… pay them for it. Either with cards or soulshards."

Irwin blinked stupidly at the simplicity of the idea.

"Create a Portal Closing guild, and pay for the closing of low rank portals with soulshards, higher rank portals with custom cards, and the highest level? Pay with heartcards."

Irwin snorted as he leaned back in his chair.

It was a simple yet practical idea. He needed to reforge cards anyway, and this would require him to do a great many. At the same time, he could get immense amounts of cards by creating heartcards for the Lords and Ladies, both the Viridian Grove ones and the Oxarite Metal ones.

"Besides, I had a chat with Rinbus," Ambraz continued. "The Accenti, or Centi as they call themselves here, have far more specific requirements for cards than most others. If you start with them, you can probably grow rapidly."

Irwin was nodding by now, already picturing it. He would be reforging and smithing, the thing he needed to be doing, and at the same time, he would use the cards to feed the closing of the portals."

"Okay, but how long will this take?" he asked, trying to suppress his slight excitement. "There are tens of thousands of portals… more maybe, and some are incredibly deep and within Burrows. Even if I make cards nonstop, it would take decades to get enough people enough cards."

"Who says you need to do it alone?" Ambraz said, his lips curving even higher. "I told you I talked with Yuust, right? Well, he needs this world to remain stable, but he would prefer it to have a more normal time dilation. Otherwise, he will never be able to have any normal contact with Granvox and the other worlds."

Irwin cocked his head.

"He's willing to create more rank zeros, and if you teach more cardsmiths, they can bond with them," Ambraz said. "Currently, the Smiths Guild and the Yuust have a strained relationship. The Smiths' war left some bad scars…"

"You are talking about me making a second Card Guild?" Irwin asked, frowning as he looked around. 

"No, no. I mean, create a Portal Closing guild, but accept students," Ambraz said. 

Irwin hummed softly as he thought about what Ambraz was suggesting. He had planned to do something similar with the Smiths Guild, but it was already clear to him that in his absence, things had changed too much for that. 

"Say we do this," he said, slowly. "What will the Grove Elders and the Steel Council say? Closing those portals will change the stability, and although it will take a while for the Ancestral Coperion to drain away, eventually it will slow down the time dilation. That means they will have to deal with the outside issues."

"They probably won't like it," Ambraz grunted. "And probably even less if they find out that you are going to bring far more of the Ancestral Coperion with you."

Irwin frowned at the sudden switch they their mental speech.

"Everything we spoke about now isn't too bad," Ambraz said. "But there's always a chance someone is listening in."

"Fine, but what do you mean, bring more of the Ancestral Coperion?" Irwin asked. 

He knew the advantage of bringing it because having even more of it would give him a massive extra amount of soulforce when he needed it. But just taking it from Scour felt like stealing something that belonged to an entire world.

"The amount of Ancestral Coperion that has to be within Scour's core is far too dangerous," Ambraz grunted. "Say we close all the portals, and the Ancestral Coperion eventually drains, people will forget. After a few hundred years, or a thousand years, portals will just start appearing again, and the entire cycle will restart. Besides, they don't do anything with it."

Irwin snorted, knowing the last part wasn't true. Scour was using both its time dilation and the large number of cards that dropped from the creatures that came from the portals. 

"How do I even bring all of that with me?"

"You don't," Ambraz said. "Brecka should. Create a Projections heartcard for her and have her and Nimlarel teleport around the depths. She can easily draw in large amounts of Ancestral Coperion, then return here and have you bring it into your soulscape."

Irwin blinked, then shook his head. "What if she wants an Aura card?"

"Just ask her," Ambraz grunted. "If she wants one, well… find someone else?"

Irwin shook his head, but as he pondered that part, he couldn't stop thinking about what Ambraz had suggested. 

A short while later, there was a knock on the door, and he got up.

"Let's talk about this later," he said. "For now, I need to hear what Flowrishin has decided."

"Sure, sure," Ambraz grunted, flying up and landing on his shoulder. "But kid…? Don't be surprised if they don't wanna help."

Irwin didn't respond, opening the door to see Flowrishin standing there. 

"Tutor, do you have time?"

"Of course, Irwin said, stepping aside. "Here, or…?"

Flowrishin bowed her head slightly as she walked inside. As she stopped halfway and turned around, Irwin knew the news wasn't going to be good.

"I am sorry, Tutor… Irwin," Flowrishin said with a weary sigh. "The Elders have been clear. I am to remain the Guildmaster. You are welcome to join the Smiths Guild as a teacher, but the Smiths Guild will not be putting its resources into closing the portals."

Irwin held back a weary sigh.

"What would they do if I started closing them?" he asked calmly.

"They had initially wanted me to prevent this," Flowrishin said. "However, Frisyuustis has sent word that we are to allow you to do as you see fit."

She sighed, rubbing her bark-skinned face.

"It's why it took two days. The Elders are old, and only half of those you remember are still here. They see having a supercharged time dilation as a good thing and fear what is beyond the exit portal. Which brings me to the following… Cinder Grove and the Oxarite Empire will be creating a stronghold around the Exit Portal and preventing unauthorized access."

Irwin froze, unable to keep from scowling. "Do you mean they are going to prevent me from moving through it?"

Flowrishin shrugged. "I told them they wouldn't be able to stop you if you wanted to leave, and their response was that if you leave, they will enclose the portal in a mass of stone and metal to prevent anyone from returning."

Irwin crossed his arms, feeling his temper start to flare up. 

"Kid, calm down. It doesn't matter what they say or do. If you really have to, you can move back to Eluathar through your soulscape. But I don't think you have to. Just do what we discussed and see what happens. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if their opinions change in a few years. For instance, after they want some type of card, only you can get them."

Ambraz's words washed over Irwin, calming him down rapidly. His friend was right. He looked at Flowrishin, who was staring at him with weary resignation.

"What about you?" he asked.

"I've been trying to find someone to replace me for the last fifty years, and I'll continue doing so," she said. "Rorin would have been my choice, but the Elders have decided that the Guildmaster must be a Viridian."

"Are there no other branches or charters of the Smiths Guild?" Irwin asked.

"There are a few small ones," Flowrishin said. "But none of those branchmasters has the skill to take over."

Irwin shrugged, looking around the room. When he'd returned, he had planned to restart as he'd left off, but it was clear to him now that wouldn't work. Even worse, he would have to find Brecka and tell her they weren't going to stay here either. If he was going to create a new guild, doing so on the doorstep of the Smiths Guild would only cause issues. Besides, if he was going to train new smiths, it would be best to do so in a place where the best hadn't already all joined the Smiths Guild.

"Well, I'll be leaving later today," he said, making up his mind with a suddenness that startled even himself.

Flowrishin blinked, looking startled for a moment. "Leaving?"

"Leaving the Deslote Stretch," Irwin said, as his mind began spinning forward rapidly.

Flowrishin looked at him in disbelief. "Where will you be going?" 

"I don't know yet," Irwin said, "But I'll let you know when I do."

"Are you sure? You can just stay here," Flowrishin said, looking around. "I'll get this place cleaned up, and-"

"It's fine," Irwin said. "I think I'm going to one of the cities on the southern edge of the Grove. Near the desert."

Flowrishin shook her head, clearly trying and failing to follow his logic.

Irwin talked with her for a little while longer, then walked out of the Smiths Guild. As he passed the central chamber, a group of young Viridians and Oxarites that sat huddled together, chatting, froze and stared at him.

"That's him!"

"You're right…"

"I told you!"

"He even has a Ganvil!"

"Has a Ganvil…. Little brats," Ambraz grunted. "They are never going to find a rank zero to bond with if they have that mentality.

Irwin held back a snort as he walked through the enormous central hallway. When he reached the exit, he took a look back and felt a slight sadness. A few days ago, this place had been unfinished, and he'd had such great plans for it. Now, it was finished and even old, and all his plans had gone down the drain.

Whatever, he thought, turning around and walking out of the building. I'm here for the time dilation, cardseeds, and perhaps an army… I can still get all of those. It will just take some time.

--

The hot, dry breath of the Silvershell Desert blew silvery sandgrains against the walls that surrounded Silverleaf City. Like a faint rain on a world that never had one, the sand ticked on the sloped roofs and through the narrow streets as the desert storm finally abated.

"About time," Rubini croaked as she pushed her handwoven shelter wall up, feeling the weight of the sand shift down.  She pushed herself up, looking around the small dunes of sand that had piled up against the walls of the narrow alleyway she called home. 

A few other bulges in the sand began moving, sand flowing down, glistening in the returning sunlight.

"Big sis, did you manage to sleep?"

Rubini smiled as she heard the soft, squeaky voice from beside her, and she quickly helped the smaller girl with her own cover.

Julla smiled as she used her single hand to wipe the sand from her face while juggling the woven cover with her wrist-stump.

"I slept," Rubini said, trying to hide how tired she was. "Let's go, we need to hurry."

"Good! So, are we going to check what I told you about before the storm?" Julla asked, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"I… sure," Rubini said, hiding a grimace behind a cough. "But only quickly, alright? We need to check if any of the Wyrm Hunters have returned and are seeking cleaners. If we don't get food or some soulshards before tonight, we have to sleep hungry again."

"Don't worry," Julla said, already walking to the exit of the alleyway. "Your eyes are unmatched! They will definitely pick you!"

Rubini shook her head as she followed the younger girl, looking at her as she darted ahead of her. Julla was already ten, but thin and scrawny, and her skin was dull instead of shiny. The scars hidden beneath her old, oversized Wyrm Leather jerkin spread across her left arm and wrist.

We need more food and a better card, Rubini thought, speeding up and walking beside Julla.

"So, tell me again what you saw?"

"A really big Oxarite," she said. "But she has almost black skin and dark and red hair that's actually burning! I think she must have some really awesome cards!"

"Yes…" Rubini said, grinning. "I remember that part, but why do you want to find her and talk to her?"

She faintly recalled a jumbling, convoluted story about getting cards, but the storm had almost been upon them, and she'd not been able to really hear more than the gist.

"She was talking with those Derwood punks, asking them if they were interested in earning cards! They are looking to start a new Guild!"

Rubini almost stumbled, suddenly recalling one of the Gleitown survivors telling her something similar a few weeks ago. 

"Julla… you know that it's probably a scam, right? Just like the time those hunters were looking for apprentices. None of the people they brought along into the desert returned. They eventually got caught for having used them as bait for one of those giant Wyrms…"

"I know, but it's not like that," Julla said, her eyes becoming downcast. "I watched her talk with them, then followed her back to where she lived. It's in the new Silverslope District, and a really big place!"

Well, at least that's in the direction of the blood-letting and skinning areas, Rubini thought.

She didn't really believe the story would pan out, as it never did, but they didn't have enough alternatives not to try.

"Fine, let's go and see what we can find out," she muttered, speeding up slightly.

Julla let out a happy whoop as the two jogged through the still-empty streets. It would take a while before everyone was back out and about, which was exactly why she had wanted to hurry out.

It took them a while to reach the new district, though new was debatable. It had been built a few years ago when rumors of a small Burrow in the nearby forrest started spreading. Sadly, it had only taken the hunters three years to clear it out and find that there weren't any corridors into the depths. Rumors had circulated that one of the merchants had lost a caravan filled with insectoids. Although they had never learned the truth of the matter, a few of the merchants had disappeared mysteriously shortly after.

"It's that one," Julla said excitedly.

She pointed at a two-story, sprawling compound that looked like it had recently been cleaned up and had some stoneshaping done to it. The front appeared to have been intended as an inn or a large shop, and currently, the door was open, with a few young Virididians running out of it, looking highly excited.

Well, at least there are others there, Rubini thought, feeling a bit of her wariness fade while excitement grew.

The entrance was already cleaned of sand, and as they walked inside, they saw a towering Oxarite use a comparatively tiny broom to wipe sand from one of the sides of the buildings. Her dark, slightly gleaming arms bulged with muscle as she hummed happily.

From deep within the building, another sound came, high-pitched and odd, and clearly an instrument, though Rubini had never heard anything like it.

"Hey there!"

Rubini blinked as she saw the two burning eyes focus on her, sparkling happily.

"Are you two here to… What happened to your hand?"

Rubini almost dashed back as the woman walked towards them, towering three heads over even her. Julla blinked, her smile fading.

"I was attacked during the Burrow overflow that wiped away Gleitown two years ago," she muttered.

Rubini swallowed as the woman knelt next to Julla, still dwarfing her, gently taking her hand.

"That's no good," she muttered. "Did you have three cards before you lost them?"

Rubini almost barked a laugh, barely holding herself as she stared at the woman in disbelief. Was she serious? Why would anyone who could afford to give their kids three cards by that age join an effort to create a new town in such a dangerous area?

"No," Julla muttered, seeming as confused as Rubini.

"Oh. Stay here."

Rubini watched as she got up and almost rushed out of the room, leaving them alone. 

No… not alone.

She frowned as she suddenly noticed a Centi man sitting at the back of the room, arms behind his head, eyes closed. Had he been there before?

"Don't worry, she will be back in a moment."

Rubini jumped back, spinning around to see a beautiful woman standing behind her. A dark shadow seemed to linger around her silver eyes, and she swallowed.

Heartcarded…

She heard the odd music stop at the back of the building, and a moment later, footsteps came stomping back. The woman came walking back into the room, followed by a man at least a head taller than her and nearly twice as wide. He was paler than she was, but with similar hair and eyes, which confused Rubini. Did they have the same types of cards? They couldn't be related… right?

"Brother, she's got no left hand! It's… horrible! She doesn't have cards either…"

Rubini watched the two sink beside Julla, who was holding her stub, eyes wide and confused.

"Hi, little one," the man rumbled, his voice so deep Rubini felt it resonate through her entire body. "What is your name?"

"Julla…"

"Hello Julla, I'm Irwin. Why did you come to the Portal Guild?"

The portal guild? Rubini thought, before quickly walking forward.

"We heard there is a way to earn soulshards and cards here," she said, drawing the man's attention.

"There is," he said with a nod. "But you would have to join the guild. Would you like me to explain the rules to you?"

Rubini felt her mood dampen, but she nodded. Listening wouldn't hurt.

"Everyone who wants to can join our guild," Irwin said. "Right now, the only requirement is that you help with the things we need. Most of those are simple: cleaning the guildhouse, finding people who are willing to pay to have handcards reforged, and learn one of three trades."

Rubini stared at him, trying to understand what was going on. None of those things would be worth paying someone soulshards for… let alone cards. There had to be a trick.

"What… what do you mean by trades?" Julla asked softly.

"We need people who can learn to reforge cards," the man said, causing Rubini's mouth to fall open. "For those who can't learn that, or don't want to, we also need people to learn how to fight. Lastly, we need people who are willing to become teleporters, healers, or-"

"Me!" Julla said, stepping forward before Rubini could stop her. "I want to become a healer!"

Rubini took a step forward, ready to tell her friend that it wouldn't work. She had no left hand. She couldn't get any cards, she-

"Very well," Irwin said, nodding slowly. "You will have to wait till Hyroot has his heartcard so he can regenerate your hand. Until then, you can help us with little things."

Rubini felt her legs so weak, and she barely managed to hold herself to the wall so she wouldn't fall.

"Just like that?" she whispered.

The fire-haired woman snorted, while the man -Irwin- looked at her with a smile.

"We have a simple runic system that will add you to the Guild Register," he said. "But yes… right now, we are looking for a lot of people. So, just like that."

Rubini shook her head, feeling a desire to run away. 

"What's the catch?" she whispered, wishing she could pull Julla away. This couldn't be normal.

"In a few years, when we are ready, we are going to start closing portals," the man said. "And it's probably going to be dangerous."

Rubini stared at him, her mouth falling open, but she didn't care. 

"I… Julla, let's go to the cleaners. We need to think about this first," she managed to croak out.

"Wha…? But Rubi-"

"Julla!!"

Julla flinched, then slumped slightly.

"Alright."

Rubini swallowed as she watched Irwin and the women, who were quietly watching her.

"I… we need to think about this first," she said, slowly backing up, afraid they would grab her.

"That's fine," Irwin said as he rose up and smiled at her. 

Rubini turned and dragged Julla out of the building, across the square, and into the nearest alleyway. Then she slumped against the wall, her breathing ragged.

"Rubini?"

"Let me think for a moment," Rubini whispered, waving at Julla.

"But Rubini! What if you made them angry? Maybe we can’t join anymore… and… my hand…”

Rubini flinched, staring at the tiny girl, her blue eyes wide and tear-filled.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they aren't," she said, feeling horrible suddenly.

What if she is right? What if this was the only chance for… for.

"No, it will be fine," she muttered. "Let's go and clean so we can eat. Then, tonight, I'll find out all I can about this Portal Guild. I mean, reforging cards? That's something only the smiths' guild can do! Right?"