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Irwin's Journey 257: Explosive sound

Vibru grabbed the table, his sharp claws drilling into the precious wood as he held back his desire to rage at the towering Loydin standing in front of him. It was holding a small crystal covered in tiny runes with an image hovering above it that showed the metallic, gleaming face of a young man with long hair. An emerald crystal dangling from his hair showed he was a cardsmith.

"You are a hundred percent sure this is the target?" Vibru hissed, jabbing his finger into the far too...

Irwin's Journey 256: Temper

When the first day of the second eight-day at the Golden Friction Academy arrived, Irwin was leaning against a wall. A few steps away was the closed door of the card reforging course. Pasilha and Roubi stood nearby. Eyes closed and face sunken. There had been two parties the day before, the last ending only hours ago, and they attended both.

I wonder why they go to parties so much, Irwin thought.

He'd left early during the first one when the two Ingitzi...

Irwin's Journey 255: We need more coals?

Irwin struck the Gneisian Ore and instantly felt the massive resistance contained in the tiny chunk of ore. His hammer skidded off it with a screech while thin, sharp waves of soulforce zipped out of it. They moved faster than most other soulforce waves he had seen, and as they hit things, they rebounded back off.

Those that hit him felt like tiny jabs, almost as if someone was poking his own soulforce.

"There's soulforce in there," he said, eyebrows raised.

Th...

Irwin's Journey 254: Toward the next heartcard!

Irwin hummed along as he listened to Teacher Narios play a slew of instruments. Some he began shaking his head almost as fast as it started, and as time progressed, Teacher Narios began nodding along, a knowing smile appearing on his face. He stopped after a while, putting back the instrument that he had placed against his shoulder to draw a stick with hair across. The sound had reminded Irwin faintly of the whales but then very high. Even then, it had the haunting quality they had.

2024-04-06 12:58:28 +0000 UTC View Post

Orion 12: Learning aura isn’t easy

Orion watched carefully as Krastin stood before him, eyes closed. He, Brawl, the overly large Breloom, and the even larger Chesnaught stood in a sort of triangle around him, and he felt… something.

It started as a slight itch, not in his body but in his mind, and rapidly increased to a tapping and scratching sensation.

Orion tried to pinpoint it, but all he could say was that it wasn't coming from his body. It felt like he had a an extra sense, like smell and hearing, that was p...

Orion 13: Guard Duty

Orion held his hand before him, trying to sense the aura he held within him. He could very faintly sense it if he focused hard enough. A fiery, unyielding sensation that seemed to be bubbling beneath the surface, like boiling rage. 

Riolu sat on the floor before him, arms crossed and head cocked. 

It took almost half an hour before Orion managed to sense the same thing he'd felt when Krastin had been testing him and what Benny had shown him the previous day...

Irwin's Journey 253: Instrumentalization

"Seriously?" Skylar hissed as he leaned across the table, staring at Irwin, who was chewing on a large mouthful of some burned root-like thing that crunched loudly.

They were sitting inside The Tappestery, a few simple dishes between them, while gentle lyre music played from a solo player on the stage. 

Two days had passed since Irwin's first day, and both had been spent nearly the same. The first course of each day was theoretical, card categories, typings, or ...

Irwin's Journey 252: Diagram Smithing

Irwin felt a wave of awe as he walked into the massive, multi-layered smithy. 

"Stop gawking. You're making me look bad," Ambraz hissed in his ear.

"What kind of smith needs a workplace that big?" Irwin muttered.

A few of the nearby students snickered while Skylar grinned.

"You will see in a moment," he said. "Let's go grab some good spots!"

Irwin followed Skylar to a metal staircase leading up to the first floor before quickly claiming two workbenches with ...

Irwin's Journey 251: Meeting new people

"Have you actually been here before?" Irwin asked Ambraz as he stood in the center of a spacious room. "In this academy, I mean."

"Never needed to," Ambraz said.

They were standing in their new quarters, the second in a week. Irwin wondered if he would be going to another just as quickly. Probably not, but who knew? Singara had left as soon as she'd dropped them off, saying she would find them tomorrow after classes.

"You can only go here if you are bonded, and though I migh...

Irwin's Journey 250: Golden Friction Academy

Ambraz zipped through the night, unrestrained by worry- well, almost.

I get back only to find the jackals found a way in, he thought as he flew through the tunnels at a speed he couldn't have the last time he was here. 

He knew it shouldn't surprise him as much as it did. Fleshies had been trying to take advantage of Ganvils for as long as he knew, and with no true place of their own, they were relegated to a world sandwiched between those filled w...

Irwin's Journey cover poll 2!

So, based on all the feedback, I'm going to add two more. Based on one thing, the age, and card, I agree that there's something lacking in the previous ones. So, although I might still use one of the others because in the end the impossible thing is that people see it, click it and then read it :)

So, same question! Red, blue? Also, are these better or worse than the previous ones?
(For the blue- I know the flame in his hands isn't very super, but before putting another 4 evenings i...

Irwin's Journey cover poll!

Hey everyone, I've been working on the cover nearly as much as on the edits of book one, and I have something to show.

There are two directions I'm leaning in right now, both with the same background. I'd love to hear what you guys think!

Just FYI - the words "Irwin's Journey" are something I still haven't decided on where and how to place them. Just respond with teal or fire! :) Also, if you don't feel strongly and like them or dislike them both, I'd love to hear that to. 2024-03-26 21:50:25 +0000 UTC View Post

INFO: Irwin's Journey rewrite - chapters 1 to ... 30?

Hey guys! As I shouted out in my discord, I've added/changed the first... 30 chapters on RR. Well, it's actually chapters 1 to 27, but there are 3 new ones mixed in. Because of how difficult it is to release them here, I've decided to do this differently. Attached, you will find the edited/rewritten start of Irwin's Journey in EPUB format.

Now, for those who don't want to re-read them, here's a very short list of what was changed. Some of the changes were already alerted in later chap...

Irwin's Journey 249: Dropping some jaws

"Okay, kid, now let's show him what you can do," Ambraz said. "Just ignore those stupid stairs and jump to the platform he's on."

Irwin hesitated, but Brazardian remained quiet. Hoping he wasn't going to get problems, Irwin ran forward rapidly, building kinetic energy, before releasing it at the last jump. With a dull explosion, he shot forward, rapidly bridging the thirty or forty-foot gap. He managed to remain on his feet as he stood before the enormous World Anvil.

Before he co...

Irwin's Journey 248: Failing the questions

As soon as Ambraz entered Brazardian's private chambers a bolt of dark metal shot towards him. It was so fast that the shouted 'AM!' almost seemed to be left behind. Then a Ganvil that was the same coloration, and dimensions slammed into him, knocking both of them back out of the chambers and into the wall.

"You piece of rusted cutlery, I've missed you so much!" a slightly larger copy of Ambraz shouted as he pressed the flat side of his anvil body against Ambraz.

"Des, stop pressi...

Irwin's Journey 247: Brazardian

Irwin had expected to step out into a confined room with guards. Instead, as he stumbled out of the portal, he looked across a massive square bordering a rugged mountain landscape. 

Snow-covered trees dotted its glittering white sides and the valleys between. From between the mountains, massive dark red gas plumes wafted up out of what had to be volcanoes. Pillars, statues, and an entire city had been carved out of the nearest mountain straight across while small boats moved along....

Orion 11: Aura level?

"Riiiiiolu!"

Orion jolted up and looked around. 

"Wha-"

"Ri… Ri… Ri… “ 

He blearily looked at Riolu standing in the center of the room, punching at the air before him. His eyes were filled with focus and determination while the book on fighting-type auras lay open to the side. 

"Are you practicing?" Orion muttered as he struggled out of the blankets.

He was quickly waking up and noticed it was barely light outside. 

Getting...

Irwin's Journey 246: Prodigy Am’braz

Irwin stood with the others on the prow, Ambraz on his shoulder.

They were flying between two lines of stone pillars carved out of the mountains. At the top of each was a semblance of a Ganvil, seemingly a natural continuation of the rocky pillar. Far at the end was a massive stone city carved out of a mountain, with a tower on each side that held two docks. Hundreds of ships were anchored along them, ranging from large merchant vessels to sleek escorts. Still, even with the chaotic hu...

Irwin's Journey 245: Resolve

The tension on The Sonata's deck was palpable. Each person still standing was bleeding from multiple wounds, while Greldo and Rindiri stood a few steps beside Irwin. Greldo's eyes were gleaming dangerously, and his lips curled up a snarl. Rindiri's face was completely emotionless, but her eyes burned with a cold fire as she glared at the pirates.

Pieplionyr was holding Irwin's gaze, his eyes filled with hatred. He was holding Boohm in a death choke.

"Last warning," Irwin said as h...

Irwin's Journey 244: Sword blows

A swirl of lights rushed towards the heavily modified scout ship. It hung just behind the bend of a very narrow stretch of Portal Gallery, barely wide enough for a single large merchant ship to slip through.

This was known for being a dangerous area, far enough away from Dimarintsia River that none of the regular guard ships patrolled it, and with four paths leading away into a chaotic area perfect for a getaway.

It was also the only way to get from the Dimarintsia River to the la...

Orion 10: Harsh Truths

Orion walked away from the Ferrum Gym, hugging Riolu. He barely noticed where he was going. After the invitation, Krastin told him to head back to Nurse Joy and to think about it for a bit before deciding.

Should I join Krastin's Course? Orion thought.

The idea of training under a gym leader was very enticing. If Krastin hadn't told him that he expected full effort, and for Orion to follow all his orders, Orion would have blurted out yes right there and then.

<...

Irwin's Journey 243: Pirates

Irwin walked through the massive shop, scanning for useful cards. Far behind him, Boohm was holding a shouting match with the shop owner while the sales personnel were hovering around wide-eyed.

He'd watched it for only a minute before quickly setting out in search of cards.

His head was almost brushing against the low ceiling as he looked around the shelves, bookcases, and crystal-covered tables. The entire room was filled with powerful soulforce ripples, and a chaotic soft cacop...

Irwin's Journey 242: Proadon

Daubutim crossed his arms as he gazed out across the small city that was starting to take shape along the river Treb. He had started to get in the habit of taking the first of every ten-day to watch what was being built.

Tréanbá had been growing rapidly before, but things had sped up immensely in the last few ten-days. Two weeks ago, Portal Keep had been deemed finished and the stoneshapers redirected equally across the cities. Due to the lack of wood around Tréanbá, he and Bronwyn...

Irwin's Journey 241: A deal

Irwin rushed forward, using kinetic energy to speed himself up before grabbing the connected anvils. He barely wrapped his hands around them when he felt You'gyn resist.

"What is going on? Let go of me, you-"

Both Anvils vanished from Irwin's grip, and his hand slammed together with a hollow clang. A horrible sensation in his soulscape stopped any confused questions he might have.

'Get in here and let us in!' Ambraz shouted in his soulscape.

Irwin groaned as h...

Orion 9: Half truths

Orion dumbly looked at Krastin, who was glaring at him, arms crossed.

What should he say? Should he try to explain where he was from and what had happened? That he was from the past and moved here through some crazy portal? After all he had heard from Elena, he didn't think it was likely that Krastin would believe him. If they didn't even really believe Johto was real!

"Let me guess, Sarpak sent you to check if I will return?" Krastin snapped, taking another step forward and loomi...

Irwin's Journey 240: Grab and hold!

Irwin was surprised by how empty and desolate the town felt. There were some people wandering around, but they all looked like guards that were off-duty.

"Does nobody live here?" he asked, looking at the guard beside him.

The man looked up with a raised eyebrow. "Never been to a central world's guard station?"

Irwin frowned. "I'm pretty sure there were merchants there. And some shops?"

The guard snorted. "Lucky guards. Well, not here. We are at the proper edge of c...

Irwin's Journey 239: The Boring Corridors

"Good job! Now, pour the red and yellow spices in and keep stirring," Boohm ordered.

Zender was looking at the massive, new cauldron, stirring with the ladle, also new. Both were bought by Boohm himself during their last stop. Zender was pressing his left hand against the cauldron's bottom, his silver hand and lower arm seeming to glow from within like molten metal.

Irwin was leaning against the entrance of the kitchen, watching as Boohm tutored Zender on the details of creating s...

Irwin's Journey 238: Traveling across the Portal Gallery

Come on, hurry up already, Irwin thought as he watched the three men push the barrel-laden cart across the dock.

He glanced up at the Dead Pact Mercenary ship, a pale-hulled, sleek vessel. Everything about it oozed speed and danger, perhaps even more than the red Currant Hunter vessel they had encountered. Rindiri said it was an altered, small Escort Vessel. Due to its build, it could chase anything through nearly any Portal Gallery passage, except for the very smallest ones. 2024-03-01 17:02:59 +0000 UTC View Post

Orion 8: Ferrum Gym

So everything is gone, Orion thought, barely believing what he had read.

He stared at the distant wall of books, the book on the Storm of Shadows forgotten on his lap. Ryulu was leaning against him, snoring softly.

The story he'd just read played through his mind constantly.

One hundred and forty-one years ago, an unknown number of legendary Pokemon had gone insane. There were some mentions of a villainous group responsible for it, but no name or certainties. Cities...

Irwin's Journey 237: Haggling Hurts

Irwin cracked his neck as he walked out of the room. The bed had been reasonable. A bit too short, and it had hung down due to his weight, but he knew it was going to be hard for him to find anything that really fit him.

Rindiri and Earila stood in the hallway.

"You slept in again," Earila hissed as she walked to her brother and prodded him. "It's hot here. I want to leave."

Irwin held back a laugh. It wasn't as if Zender could have gotten them to leave faster, but he knew E...