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Irwin's Journey chapter 27: Coal

"We need to rest," Irwin said.

His voice was ragged as he struggled onward through the mud. He could barely feel his toes, and he was constantly shivering. He longed to summon this flame, but the sky had darkened, and the rain stopped. If he summoned it now, any of the creatures that still screamed and roared far behind them would see the single bright light in the darkness.

"The forest?" Daubutim muttered.

He was stumbling along beside Irwin, looking no better than he was, ...

[rework] Minglings - chapter 38: Hiding truths

The following two days passed in a blur. Emma didn't see Tessa again, and with her mind preoccupied, she forgot about the Fiend. Working in the bog, dodging Whipper's strikes, and keeping an eye on Daniel kept her busy and stressed.

Early in the morning of the third day, just before dawn, Emma woke up to the rattling of a torrent of rain that pelted the shack's thin roof. She looked around the pitch-black shack and saw Daniel. He was lying close by, one hand outstretched in her directio...

Irwin's Journey chapter 26: Blackened hands

Irwin turned and ran further into the building, pulling Greldo with him. He heard the growling and padding grow louder and closer behind him. Greldo pulled free, running with him.

Ahead, Daubutim was up, club and shield in hand, as he stared at the door. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes wide. Irwin saw a glimpse of fear in them. Twintin stood two steps away, shuddering as she pushed herself against the wall as if trying to go through.

Before he reached them, the building shook a...

Irwin's Journey chapter 25: Lost and found

"Ready?" Irwin whispered.

"Go," Daubutim replied.

The burly boy stepped through the door opening, his club in one hand and a shield in the other, sweat dripping off his face. The shield was similar to the one Rachel had used, with some noticeable differences. For one, it was larger, but more interestingly, there was an odd glyph at the front that had stumped even Ambraz. In the end, the Anvil had said it was probably just decoration, but he hadn't sounded very certain.

Irwin...

Irwin's Journey chapter 24: Lose some, win some

Irwin stood in the full sun as it poked through two towering buildings. It was the only little bit between the shadows that surrounded them, though as the sun rose, more areas would quickly appear. He had been pondering the things that had happened, his mind surprisingly sharp and clear for someone who hadn't slept and was wounded.

Special cards really are amazing, he thought. It was no wonder that they were valued above even very rare cards.

He sighed and closed his eyes...

Irwin's Journey chapter 23: Water and fire

"You said it wouldn't hurt," Irwin said shakily as he looked at Twintin, curled up in a ball on the ground.

She'd fallen unconscious directly after the reforging had completed, and Rachel sat next to her, stroking her hair. The other girl threw hateful glances at both Ambraz and Irwin.

"Well, it doesn't hurt that much," Ambraz said. "I keep forgetting you are children from a world where they don't teach you much."

"What kind of teaching could help someone with this?" Irwin h...

Irwin's Journey chapter 22: Stuck

"They are leaving," Rachel whispered from her position next to the door. A dull red glow poured from the entrance, bathing the room in an eerie crimson.

Finally, Irwin thought, his gritty eyes staring at the wall of plants. He had been standing there for hours, his feet hurting and his mind a weary mess. Still, each time he would sit down, vines would poke out of the bush, ready to attack.

Glad it seemed over, he looked at Greldo, standing next to him. He was the only one...

Irwin's Journey chapter 21: Portal one

Irwin couldn't help but enjoy the solid feel of his new boots as he walked beside Greldo while Wignut was turning smaller behind them. The small pack on his back gave him some comfort, as he knew it held a flagon of water and some rations.

I wish they had also given us a coat, he thought as a gust of cold wind tousled his hair and pulled on the loose flaps of his jacket. It wasn't the first cold breeze since they walked out into the windy planes beyond Wingnut. Gritting his tee...

Irwin's Journey chapter 20: Rumors and reality

It took them a while to locate the Cracked Leaf Inn, as it was nestled in the busiest part of town, oddly hidden between two three-story buildings that dominated the town's central area. Wooden boards hung from the dozens of entrances, outside stairs leading to the other stories, those to the third frighteningly exposed. Still, it was busy, and the people walking and climbing from shop to shop seemed perfectly at ease, walking a narrow ladder side by side with a twenty feet drop if they misst...

[rework] Minglings - chapter 37: Losing focus

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the Goblins herded the tired group of Kobolds back to town. Heads low and dragging their feet, they couldn't even muster the energy to complain. Only one person was cheerful: Whipper. Whistling to himself, he walked at the head of the group, chewing on a hand-sized frog leg.

Hiding in the middle of the group, Emma felt her mouth water as she looked at the meat. She was so hungry that she felt like rushing forward and snatching the slimy morsel. Letti...

Irwin's Journey chapter 19: To Wignut

"You're lucky the others don't know you as I do," Greldo whispered as he walked with Irwin at the back of the group.

Irwin looked at his friend, almost afraid of what he meant.

"You've grown… which isn't something that should happen if you get just a common."

"I don't-" Irwin began, wanting to deny it, but he stopped when Greldo raised his hand.

"It's fine. I already knew something was up back in the training portal. Too many things didn't make sense," he said, eyes ...

Irwin's Journey chapter 18: A final test

He didn't even look into the room, Irwin thought as he quickly followed the guard, his boots in hand. It took him only a few moments to sense the changes the body tempering had brought him, as he had a much easier time keeping up. He was still out of breath by the time the guard stopped in front of an intricately crafted door with a beautifully crafted handle, but at least he'd not had to ask for a break.

There was also something else that he knew… he needed a thicker coat. H...

Irwin's Journey chapter 17: Combining

Irwin took a deep breath as he gazed at the back of his hand. He was in the room beside theirs, which had conveniently been empty. At first, he'd found that odd, but after some more looking around, he'd found that in their hallway, theirs was the only occupied room. After telling Greldo where he was, he'd locked the door from the inside by shoving a bed in front and was now sitting at the opposite wall, at the fireplace. The fire was crackling softly, the fire slowly warming the stonecold roo...

Irwin's Journey chapter 16: Bacon and porridge

Irwin gazed dully at the card before him, waiting for Ambraz's opinion. He didn't even bother to ask what the flowing handwriting next to the card said. His initial joy at all the cards had been tempered by the Anvil's increasing despair at the quality of the cards. A soft rumbling from his stomach showed that he'd not had anything to eat since the large meal that Xourdin had given them back home.

"Another one of these partial things! Durable fingers, even if I reforge it, it's going to...

Irwin's Journey chapter 15: Cards, cards, cards

Irwin stared at the chain and the massive gem that hung from it.

"So this isn't the Linchpin?" he said, pointing at the gem.

"Nope. It's the chain. Fools them every time," Ambraz said, sounding smug. "If you clear it, you'll be the first to do so since the start."

"And that was-"

"A little over eight years ago, yes," Ambraz hummed. "Now, are you going to repeat everything I just told you or start cutting away the chain?"

Irwin blinked and looked at the chain agai...

Irwin's Journey chapter 14: Anvil of the gods

Small stones pressed in his soles as Irwin moved across the path, some so sharp they hurt his tender flesh. Worse, the ground was hot enough to hurt his feet, and as he moved along it, his heartbeat shot up. The air was odd, thick, and hard to breathe, and he kept taking peaks at the lava. It seemed as bright as the sun in some spots, with dark swirling patterns as the stone above hardened and darkened slightly as it reached the surface before being moved back below by the churning.

Hal...

Irwin's Journey chapter 13: Fun from above

Irwin followed after the others as best as he could, but now that he wasn't the one in the lead, he found they had been holding back more than he'd known. It took all his effort just to keep up, let alone have any energy left to look around for things to jump them. He also noticed it hurt…

Over the last few days, he'd come to accept the fact he had to do things because the others didn't dare, want or think of them. Though he'd complained at times, it had also brought a sense of self-w...

Irwin's Journey chapter 12: The Linchpin

"Ukl ron daghrba!"

Irwin stared at the green humanoid, glaring at him, unsure what to do. He missed Greldo already.

"It sounds like one of those languages the sailors in port spoke," Daubutim said.

"Can you understand it?" Irwin asked as he inspected the odd boy.

Daubutim frowned and poked the chained-up demon, causing it to grunt what was probably a string of curses.

"Something about my mother and a dog," he said, showing no reaction but a slight frown. "Gurgin ...

[rework] Minglings - chapter 36: Bad news, worse news

"Are you certain?" Jake asked Bolyr, unsure of what the other even meant. His mind was still reeling from what he'd seen, and he hoped he wouldn't have nightmares.

Bolyr sat on a nearby rock, tending to his wounds, but he nodded vigorously. As angry as he had been when first seeing the bodies, all of that seemed to have left him, replaced by a fervent excitement.

"Yes, Jake. When we were down there, it was impossible to miss. This island has a mana-well. It should be underneath th...

Irwin's Journey chapter 11: Rinse and repeat

Consciousness returned slowly to Irwin, starting with a rock poking in his shoulder and a slight pain in his back from how he lay, half propped up. He'd slept. And not just for a few minutes or even an hour. As he fully woke, his mind was clear, and though his back and side hurt from lying on the rough ground, he felt better than he had, though his lips were parched. He should probably be afraid and worried, but the calm, whispering voices nearby showed nothing was wrong.

Still rock...