Irwin's Journey 466: Another Derlin

Irwin woke with a start, the vestiges of a dream fading. He faintly recalled it had been about him traveling through the Portal Gallery with his family. It took two seconds for him to remember which day it was, and when he did, his eyes snapped open and he surged out of his sand bed.

He sensed his otherself snapping awake in his soulscape, hurling Ambraz, who'd been sleeping on his chest, across the room. 

'Ugh, kid, calm down!'

Irwin didn't react, rapidly getting dressed before teleporting a card to his hand. It was the one he'd been waiting to use for weeks now, and it was finally time. 

'We are leaving tomorrow,' he said, looking at the Derlin card. 'So we need to do this now!'

'I know! That doesn't mean you have to fling me through the room,' Ambraz muttered back, his soulforce spark appearing beside Irwin.

Irwin ignored him, humming softly as he looked at the card.

So, a question and a card, he thought, staring at the card.

He hesitated for only a second before focusing on the card and letting his soulforce flow into it. The card instantly hovered above his hand, before shattering into a burst of soulshards and soulforce that filled the room. 

Irwin blinked feeling slightly overwhelmed until the soulforce dissipated. As soon as it did, he felt something, and he looked up at a humanoid-like rabbit standing in the room. It reminded him of the first one he'd seen, but unlike that one, this Derlin was examining him as closely as he was it. One thing was the same, however. It was holding a book, and after a moment, hesitantly held it out.

"You have five minutes to pick a card," the Derlin said, sounding confused.

Irwin took the book and looked at it, then at the Derlin.

"I have knowledge about where more Derlin cards might be," he said. "I need information."

The Derlin stared at him, its bushy grayish brows furrowing.

"What question?" it asked quietly. "Also, you are losing time."

Irwin focused on the book, flipping it open and seeing nine cards per page in rows of three. There was no information on what they did, but he didn't need it. Without hesitation, he began rapidly flipping through the page, focusing his soulforce senses on that card while knowing Ambraz was paying even closer attention.

A minute. Two. 

'What if there's no shadow teleport card that allows for static positioning?' he asked, as they reached over a third of the pages in the book.

'Then I've found a card we can take instead on page seven,' Ambraz grunted. 'But we aren't done yet.'

Irwin kept flipping, when he suddenly stopped and poked the page. He sensed that all nine cards on the right page were shadow-typed, and one was teleportation.

'Not good enough, try the next page.'

Irwin flipped the page over, finding more shadow-typed cards, but no teleport ones. He flipped another page, and another, before he stopped and looked at two cards that were both shadow and teleportation.

'The left one! Get it before the time runs out!'

Irwin didn't hesitate but removed the left card, one that showed what looked like a swirling pool of black, steamy water, from the book.

"That's one of the best cards in my book," the Derlin said, as the book in Irwin's hands turned to dust and reappeared on a thin silvery chain that dangled from his belt. It had shrunk from the size of three handpalms to barely one. "Now hurry up, I can't stay here too long. What question? If I can answer it, I will."

"Do you know if there are any summon cards for Neamhnathair, or Chaos Whales?" Irwin asked.

The Derlin blinked, then cocked his head. "You know the old name? Interesting… but I guess that makes sense for someone that is partially Amnathair, partially Galadin, and something completely new that I've never seen before. "

How does he know that? Irwin thought, feeling the hairs on his arms rise up. The Derlin, however, kept talking.

"To answer your question, yes… There are, however, I have none. Not that you can select another card. No, Amnathair cards were rare long ago, and I have no reason to believe it is any different now. There might be an Elder Bookkeeper who has one, but if they do, you will only have ten seconds to find it in their book. Now! Where are the other Derlin cards?"

They exist! Irwin thought, feeling a wave of excitement, only tempered by the fact that he might never find one.

The Derlin cleared its throat in annoyance, and Irwin quickly pulled a map from his tunic. He spread it out on the floor and jotted his finger in it.

"We are here," he said, before poking at where Cinder Grove was. "This is Cinder Grove. There are nobles there who are rumored to have Derlin cards."

The Derlin sniffed, its tiny nose moving sideways and its whiskers crumbling.

"If you are right, I'll make a note after I find the others that you assisted us," it said. "If you are wrong…"

It didn't say anything else, looked at Irwin, sniffed again, and moved like a blur to the window, dashing out and disappearing.

Irwin took a deep breath and glanced at the card in his hand. Finally, he had a shadow teleport that would allow the creation of shadow teleporters. Now he just needed to wait for Greldo to return with template cards so he could duplicate them, reforge them into things that weren't identical, and help Greldo create his next heartcard. After that?

After that, we can make on Eluathar and head for Granvox, he thought with a wide smile.

He moved it into his soulscape, adding it to the secret stash that also held a few of the other special cards he had, like what remained of the template card and the better cards of those he gained from Oculithar, Chaos Whales, and the Insectoid Behemoths. None was nearly as valuable to him as this one was right now, but that was fine. 

"Alright, let's finish up some things," he muttered, walking to the door.

--

Irwin hadn't had a single bit of rest that night, even though he knew he'd be leaving the next day, but he didn't mind too much. He was largely rested, and there was so much he had to do.

'Are you really sure this is what you are going to do?' Ambraz asked.

-- Irwin's soulscape --

Irwin focused on the Ganvil, who was sitting on the giant bookshelf where he kept his cards. His otherself was seated nearby and looked over.

"What do you mean?"

Ambraz landed on the two cards that lay in the center of the desk. Both were aura cards that he'd prepared over the last few weeks.

"If you slot these two, you will not be able to change your mind later. It's either aura or projection…"

Irwin sighed and looked at his bond. "Do you think I should choose projection?"

"I… I don't know," Ambraz said, sounding more uncertain than Irwin had heard him before. "Most of the choices we make aren't as troublesome as this. A soulcard focused on music? Fine, we have more that we can make. But this?"

"Projection means I can take massive amounts of things into my soulscape with barely any cost," Irwin said. "And move them back out when needed, including parts of my own soulscape. Right?"

"Yes, and aura will allow you to spread out your soulforce pressure much further while influencing the ambient soulforce all around by imposing your own on it. With how strong your soulforce is, you might be able to cover an area of a mile all around you and change it to have the same type of soulforce as your own. Anyone in it would have to fight against your pressure, which would hamper them greatly. Only those stronger than you, or with very specific resistances, would be largely okay, and even those would be weakened."

Irwin nodded. "Then I'm sure," he said.

"Kid… With projection, you might be able to move things in and out of your soulscape even when there's a massive time dilation issue. Perhaps you could use your soulscape to move massive amounts of resources and people across the Portal Gallery."

"I can do that without it. It would just take much longer," Irwin said. 

Ambraz snorted. "Much longer."

"Yes, but there's no way for me to do the same thing that the aura will give me, right?"

Ambraz was quiet for a bit before sighing. "No. It is the best ability for both fighting and cardsmithing."

"Cardsmithing?" Irwin asked, slightly surprised. 

"Yes, if you change the entire area around you to be like your soulscape, it will allow you to reforge much easier while still using the ambient soulforce instead of your own. If you find a place with a high density of soulforce of the wrong type, you can change it with your aura as long as it's not the opposite type."

"Aura it is," Irwin said.

Ambraz was quiet for a bit before letting out a sigh. "Yeah, that's probably for the best."

-- The real world --

Irwin ignored the conversation between Ambraz and his otherself as he picked up his clothes and quickly got dressed. After he was done, he stared at a small stack of papers before sighing and putting them into his tunic. He cast a final look around the room, wondering when he would see it again. From his perspective, it might be a day, but dozens of years might have passed on Scour when he did. 

A quick look at what was happening around his Eluathar body showed that Scintilla was still moving back to the door. She still seemed to be frozen in time, but he knew she was actually moving a lot faster than she had been compared to a month earlier. 

One in two thousand, he thought.

He sighed, closed the door, and walked towards the Library. As he closed in, he began hearing a soft chatter from the large area that now doubled as a common room. He easily recognized the voices. Brecka and Nimlarel. As he moved into the open area, he saw them sitting together at one of the long tables. They looked excited, and Brecka was making wide arm gestures as she spoke. She stopped with her arms stretched out when she saw him enter, getting up with a jolt.

"Brother, are we leaving?" she asked, excitedly.

Irwin snorted as he moved to the long table, sitting down opposite them.

"I'm going to eat a bit and have a final word with Flowrishin," he said. "After that, yes, we are leaving."

Brecka punched the air, her grin widening. "Finally!"

"You know we will only be there for half a day, right?" Irwin said. "And there's nothing there either. Greldo will have left by now, and he's probably halfway across the portal gallery."

"I know, I know," Brecka said, her grin not lessening in the slightest. "But I want to show Nimlarel the Portal Gallery, and can you imagine? After we return, everything here will be finished! We won't have to be here for the whole boring building part."

Irwin shook his head, looking up to see Nilish walk towards him. She had changed immensely from the first time he'd seen her, her two soulcards creating a constant pressure and resonance. Her Ignitzian fire body had changed to resemble something that looked like a cross with Irwin's own Volcano Titan body. She'd also grown in height, still not as tall as he or Brecka, but easily the tallest Ignitzian Irwin had ever seen. 

She was carrying a massive plate of food and laughed as she reached them.

"I thought I heard your deep voice," she said, winking at him. "What about a final meal before you go and set out, perhaps to never return?"

Irwin didn't bother telling her they would be back. The Blademother had been in the best of moods ever since she'd gotten her second soulcard, making her the most powerful of the Blademothers and one of the most powerful soulcarded on Scour. It had led to her relentlessly flirting with him, and as she put the plate on the table, she sat across from him, leaning forward in such a way that Irwin got an eyeful.

"Don't look so upset," she said with a wide smile. "I need to show you what I have if I want any chance at stealing you from your wife!"

Brecka snorted, poking Nilish in the side so hard that the other jolted up, her knees banging into the table, causing the cups of water to slosh around.

"You are never going to be able to do that," she snorted. "Scintilla is way more impressive than you are, and if she finds out what you are doing, she's going to kick your ass."

Irwin just shook his head as he grabbed some of the charred meat and a cup, ignoring the two women as they began arguing.

Ever since he'd made them both two-soulcarded, their rivalry had increased to the point where they sparred at least once a day. Still, glancing at them, he could see the joy in both their eyes. For whatever reason, they behaved like he imagined sisters might… well, if said sisters were strong enough to throw each other through walls without consequence.

When he finished half the plate, Irwin rose, causing them to fall quiet.

"I'm going to chat with Flowrishin now. If you want to bring anything, get it now, and meet me at the observatory."

Brecka let out a whoop, slapped Nilish on the shoulder, and dashed away from the table. Nimlarel snickered and followed her in a slower gate, almost sashaying away.

"She's been causing a lot of issues lately," Nilish said, grinning after the shadowy Oxarite. 

Irwin sighed. "What was it now?"

"Two of my blademaidens have the hots for her and have been trying to woe her," the Blademother said, her grin widening. "However, Nimlarel said she was only interested in strong, tall Oxarites… The next day, half a dozen of your smiths were moving around her like young embers around a pyroflux heat vent."

Irwin blinked, then grinned as he imagined that. "Let me guess, she wasn't interested in them either?"

"No," Nilish said, snatching some of the remaining food. "I think she's still getting to grips with all the attention. Still, it might be good for her to go with you. If you are really going to be gone for a few years, people will have settled down when you return."

"Remember, it might be more than a few years," Irwin said. "Are you sure…"

The Blademothers' smile faded as she looked at him, completely serious suddenly.

"We have a dozen two soulcarded here, more with a single, and even more with just a heartcard," she said calmly. "Even if all of the Burrows overflow at the same time, we will be fine. None of the others can do anything to us, and I give you my word… on my life, I will protect this place you are building."

Irwin held her gaze for a moment before nodding.

"The place isn't as important as the people," he said, as he thought back to Giard. "If something unexpected and beyond your power happens, teleport everyone to safety."

"I will. Now, go and head back to your heatbond," she said, focusing on the remaining food. "I'll clean this up."

Irwin nodded at her before walking away, heading towards where he knew Flowrishin would be. The smithing area. It took him only a short walk to get there, as he'd designed the building in such a way that the important parts were close together, and as he did, he heard the Headteacher's soft and constant hammering, mixed with a deep voice.

"Not bad, but make sure you time it better. That last hit could have been faster! Errors compound!"

'That annoying… He's right, though,' Ambraz muttered. 'I could hear the dissonance from all the way here.'

'She's getting better very fast,' Irwin said as he walked into the large smithing area. 

It was dominated by five pedestals, each angled towards one of the areas, and Frisyuustis was nestled on one, his attention on the only smith currently there. Headteacher Flowrishin was wearing a simple smithing apron, her arm slamming down on a purple-bordered card. 

'It's almost done,' Irwin said, waiting at the entrance, arms crossed.

'It's going to be ninety-six percent,' Ambraz said. 'Not bad for someone who had a hard time reaching ninety before.'

Irwin hummed in agreement, though he felt Ambraz was doing the Headteacher a slight disservice. She'd been able to reforge over ninety percent before, just not with cards of other types than her soulcard. Now, with three soulcard, she was learning new things constantly, and her talent became even more apparent.

She really looks younger now, he pondered, examining the dark green and yellow-leafed Viridian. 

She'd looked almost ancient when he first saw her, but now she looked only slightly over middle-aged. Her barkskin had smoothed slightly, though her leafy hair was the most prominent change.

I still don't understand why she was upset by that, he thought.

A few minutes later, the card's resonated settled, and Irwin walked forward as he saw Flowrishin lower her hammer.

"Tutor… Is it time?"

"It is, Headteacher," Irwin said, getting a slightly mocking smile in return.

"You did better," Frisyuustis rumbled. "At this speed, you should bind one of the rank zeros!"

Flowrishin picked up the card and glanced at the Ganvil. "I told you, I am too old."

"Too old? I'll tell you old," Frisyuustis snapped. "You are what… barely a thousand years? Bah! If you finish that next soulcard, you will likely be able to reach the high tens of thousands! Most cardsmiths never get that old!"

"There's enough other Viridian smiths-" the Headteacher began.

"None of which has even half of your talent," the worldanvil snapped. "You will bond with one of mine, and that's the end of it!"

Irwin held back a grin as he saw Flowrishin's eyes turn icy. He knew the end of this wasn't said yet, but he also knew he'd not be there to find out who would win the odd power struggle. Instead, he felt his mood drop slightly. He let his soulsenses spread out until he felt Rinbus move around in the city. He focused on the shadewalker, causing the other to freeze for a moment, before rushing towards him.

Such a useful skill, Irwin thought. 

A moment later, the only other being that was as strong as a three-soulcarded stepped out of the shadows, immediately bowing to Irwin. 

"Cardsmith Irwin," Rinbus said, causing the bickering worldanvil and headmistress to fall quiet.

"Rinbus," Irwin greeted him before looking around. He'd held back the next conversation for days, knowing it was necessary, but constantly having more important things to do. Now there was no more time.

"You all know I'll be leaving in a few minutes," he said, feeling their full attention on him. "And you all know I might be gone for many years. However, there is  a small chance that I am not able to return at all."

He saw Rinbus frown, and quickly continued before the Accenti could interrupt.

"Let me explain first," he said, raising his hand to stall the questions. "The time dilation on Scour is not normal, and we have still not found out what is causing it. My leaving might cause unforeseen things, and if something happens to the exit portal or corridor, I might be unable to return. There's also the chance that something is happening outside. Whatever the cause, you three need to prepare for this outcome. If I am not back in a hundred years… I will probably not return at all. At least not in your lifetime."

Frisyuustis sniffed, and Irwin gestured at him.

"Right, perhaps you would live, but you might have forgotten about me by then. Whatever the case, I need you to prepare for this outcome."

He removed the thin stack of papers from his tunic, handing them over to Rinbus. The Accenti frowned, but didn't look through what he'd gotten, something Irwin was glad for.

"I wrote down the location of the exit portal and what I know of the current state of the Portal Gallery around you," Irwin said. "It's not a lot, but it should help if you move out. Though, before you do, you need to find out what is causing the issue with the time dilation. Also-"

He slowly explained what he wanted them to do with the Cardsmith's Guild while he was gone, something they already knew, before continuing what they should do if he didn't return. He also reminded them of the portals that were below the surface and how they should probably start closing them. It was something he was planning on doing when he returned.

"So," he said, when he finished. "Any questions?"

The three beings, two of whom were far older than he, looked at him quietly. 

"Why do I get the feeling you aren't coming back for sure?" Frisyuustis grunted after a few moments. "This feels a bit much for something that's just a small chance… right? Is there something you aren't telling us?"

"No," Irwin said. "But over the years I've found that things rarely go as I plan them."

"Don't worry," Headteacher Flowrishin said. "Even if you don't return, I'll make sure we become strong enough to help against those Guidar."

Irwin nodded, glancing at Rinbus. The Accenti was wringing his hands.

"I haven't been able to find anything," he said, looking at Irwin. "I've even reached out to my old contacts, but there's nothing. Either it is happening because of those portals, or it's somewhere beyond the eternal deserts."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you will figure it out," Irwin said, looking around for a moment. "I am leaving… make sure to practice the soulseed forging."

Irwin was surprised when Flowrishin walked forward and hugged him. He knew Viridians rarely did so, keeping close physical contact limited to family.

"Be careful," she said, as she let go and stepped back.

Irwin smiled. "I will. Good luck with your next heartcard!"

Flowrishin's smile widened, and she crossed her arms. "You'd better return so I can show you what I made!"

Irwin nodded at her, then at Rinbus, before walking away. He heard them start talking before he reached the staircase, and with a click of his tongue and a dash across the soundwaves, he reached the highest point of the Cardmsmith's Guild. A strong wind blew across the semi-open platform, while it gave a great overview of the small town that was starting to grow around it. 

Brecka and Nimlarel were waiting for him. They had nothing with them, though Irwin was sure they had put stuff in their soulscape.

"Finally!" Brecka called out. "Can we go now?!"

Irwin snorted, looking at the two before glancing out across the city.

Why do I have the bad feeling I'll not be back anytime soon, he thought. 

"Right, let's go," he said. "Nim, teleport us to the outermost area you know, and I'll take it from there."

He was barely finished when the shadows began deepening around them, turning to swirling clouds. A moment of intense soulforce concentration and a jarring sensation later, the temperature around them went from warm to scorching. The shadowy clouds were blown or burned away instantly, and Irwin looked across the golden-speckled desert. The flowing hills seemed to continue on forever, and a quick look back showed the Grove as a distant line.

He looked at Nimlarel, who shrugged. "Rinbus took me out here a few times, so I had a good idea where to teleport to."

"Well, that will save some time," Irwin said, putting his hands on the shoulders of the two women. "Ready?"

"Yes!"

Irwin grinned at Brecka's excitement, and he used the soundwaves from the shout to shoot forward.