Irwin's Journey 452: Chip on a shoulder

"Tell her I'll be busy tonight, but we can eat tomorrow," Irwin said, looking at the guard standing before him. 

The man's reaction was one of disbelief and anger, but before he could speak, Irwin raised his hand.

"If you start complaining, you can tell her it will be next week and also that it's your fault."

The guard's eyes widened, and he stared at Irwin for a moment before taking a deep breath.

"I'll let the Empress know," he said.

"Good," Irwin said, closing the door in the man's face. 

He heard the guard grumble something about a lack of courtesy on the other side, which Irwin guessed was true. The thing was, he had no interest in being courteous at the moment. Instead, he walked back to their guestroom where Teacher Lejingi was sitting beside the bed where Nimlarel lay.

The young woman was still unconscious, but Irwin could sense that her soulcard had calmed down massively. It still wasn't stable, which was why he'd blown off the Empress. He needed to reforge a few cards before tomorrow.

"Is it normal that she hasn't woken up yet?"

Irwin nodded as he sat down on the only other chair. "Yes. Her soulcard is the most unstable one I have ever seen, and it's a miracle she even managed to survive this long. It's a good thing that the Glamhird guy you told me about isn't around anymore."

Lejingi sighed. "Aye, Glahird still counts as a cautionary tale to all smiths.

I guess so, Irwin thought, as he recalled how Lejingi had told him that the man had been sentenced to death by the previous Emperor. Not that he blamed the Emperor. After hearing what kinds of experiments the smith had done Irwin knew he probably would have gone and killed the vile man himself, had he still been alive.

"So, what are you planning to do now?"

"I'll reforge cards to stabilize her," Irwin said. "After your story, it's obvious she's not to be blamed, and it's only right for one cardsmith to fix the mess of another. After that, I'm going to have to have a bite with that Empress and hear her out. I'm hoping Rinbus will arrive soon after, as I need more information."

"What about Lady Selderine and Findekon Bluefire?"

"I'm not sure yet," Irwin said, as he rubbed his chin. "They are only followers of Lord Sachindrian. It would have been better to talk with him, though… what I really want is to hear from the regular people in the Empire what they think."

"I think my sisters could help with that," Lejingi said. "I'm sure they can have heard things, besides, a few are known to have been with Findekon. He might have talked?"

"That's a good idea," Irwin said. "Can you ask around? If I do back any of these people, I don't want to find out later that it was the wrong one and everyone already knew it was."

Lejingi nodded as she rose from her seat. "I'll go right away. I need to talk with the blade mothers anyway. They will have cards for me to reforge, and probably want to hear about what happened earlier."

"Alright," Irwin said, as he looked around, "Can you wait here for a moment? I'm going to bring my anvil in here."

"You are going to work here?" the teacher asked, looking stunned.

"With how unstable her soulcard still is, it's best someone is here when she wakes," Irwin said.

"You could bring her into the smithy?"

Irwin hummed, then shook his head. "I think it's best not to move her now."

Teacher Lejingi looked unconvinced, but she didn't complain. "I'll wait till you are back."

"Alright, I'll be right back," Irwin said.

A short while later, he carried the anvil into the room and placed it in the center. Lejingi left a moment later, leaving Irwin with a sleeping Oxarite woman and Ambraz's spark.

'So, what are you planning? Go for a fix, or just a better patch?'

Let's prepare for a permanent fix. She will need a new heartcard, so we can just as well get her all the cards she needs. After that, I want to talk with her a bit before I make her a heartcard.'

'Might be for the best. With her first card being shadow and group teleport, what do you have in mind for the second one?'

Irwin hummed, looking at the young woman. Normally, he'd ask her, but he wasn't sure when she would wake up. If that were in a few days from now, he'd be left with little time to create the right cards. The one he'd made that morning had been only emerald and a rush job. It would be fine as the only one if and when he made her a heartcard, but the others would need to be better.

'She's probably been in a ton of pain, and her body was damaged greatly,' he said. 'I'm thinking body improvement with high regeneration, and lots of soulforce stability.'

'Well…. If you could make a seed of one of your own soulforce stability cards…" Ambraz said, leadingly.

Irwin snorted, shaking his head.

'It took me months to create the soul clone one, and now you are suggesting I just quickly make one of the soulforce stability ones?'

Ambraz let out a peal of laughter, and Irwin sighed.

'Kid, just take one of the more useless soulforce ones that the headteacher gave us and split it. Those are bad, but as a seed, you can easily augment to be a lot better. As good as yours? No, but we aren't aiming for that.'

Irwin hummed as his otherself began flipping through the stacks of cards he had on the shelf. Before arriving, he'd already had a large collection, but after creating cards over the last year, the Cardschool had provided him with hundreds of extras. Some were payment for being the tutor, others for cards he made, including fixing the heartcards of some of the teachers. Those especially had been incredibly grateful, digging deep in their supplies to give him interesting cars to tinker with.

It took him over an hour to determine the five cards he'd be making, and in the end, he went for another shadow card, one that would allow short-range movement to complement the others, two body improvements with regeneration, and two to split apart and use their seeds to create soulforce stability. 

As Irwin prepared to start, he glanced at the young woman and hummed. This wouldn't be the first time he helped someone, though it would be easier than the previous attempts. Besides having far more experience by now, having improved his own skills, his ability to split the cards and use their seeds made it far easier to create a card that would fix the horrid resonance he was still sensing.

Let's hope when you wake up, you aren't some horrible person, or I'll have to keep the cards for someone else.

--

"What are you doing here?!"

Findekon Bluefire grinned at the big, burly man before him. Hilbarin Deadslate, seen as one of the two most powerful soulcarded in the entire Empire, was slightly sweaty. His thin, sleeveless shirt was stuck to his bare chest, while the big one-bladed axe that he was famous for was leaning against the rocky ground. Six armored guards stood a bit to the side, all out of breath from their interrupted sparring match.

"Don't act so surprised! You said I could find you if I changed my mind, right?" Findekon said, wiggling his eyebrows. "Don't tell me that was a lie. I'd be really sad if it were."

Hilbarin Deadslate watched him for a few moments before letting out a booming snort. His axe vanished as he walked forward, waving at the cards.

"Go and clean up," he said. "I need to figure out what's wrong now."

"Why would anything be wrong?" Findekon asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hilbarin gave him a deadpan stare before letting out a soft laugh. "When do you not bring problems for me, you womanizing firestarter? Anyway, finally realized that Sachindrian can't be trusted?"

"He's only part of the problem," Findekon said as he followed Hilbarin away from he training field and deeper into the sprawling city of Tuarlas. It was far bigger than Flamrock, built across the most eastern mountain ridge. Although buildings blocked their view now, Findekon knew that if he were on the eastern part, or high enough, he would be able to see the two deserts as they touched east of the city.

"Findekon, you know I don't like riddles," Hilbarin said. "Just tell me what's going on."

"You say that, but you win our games more than most," Findekon said. "Anyway, that stupid fool sent me and Selderine to Flamerock."

He quickly told the burly warrior the rest, not letting the other's dull demeanor trick him. As much as others always underestimated him, many believed Hilbarin was a dullard. He knew better. Although unwilling to learn many things, the warrior had a keen intellect when it came to social and tactical occasions.

"He pressured even the Empress to her knees?"

"You have no idea," Findekon exclaimed. "Remember when I made that bad joke and you got angry? Well, blow that up by a hundred and you've got an idea what it felt like."

"That would make him stronger than me and Rustbeard," Hilbarin said.

Findekon heard the barely hidden curiosity, knowing right away what the warrior wanted. 

"Hilbarin, don't try to fight him," he said. "He's a smith, not a warrior, no matter how strong his soulforce pressure is."

Hilbarin didn't respond, but Findekon knew full well what the warrior would do when he got the chance.

Well, not like I can stop him.

"Right, at least now I understand why you are here, then," Hilbarin said. "Let's go and talk with Lady Sandrihna."

"About that, do you think you can put in a good word for me?"

Hilbarin looked at him for a long time. "Please tell me the rumors aren't all true."

"No, definitely not all," Findekon said quickly. "Just… well, I might have had some fun with a few Ignizians all at the same time?"

Hilbarin grunted. "That wouldn't cause such a reaction. So, explain."

"Well, it might have been when they were having their Heat Period…"

Hiblarin stopped and stared at them. "Don't mince words. Did you take advantage of them?"

"What? No!" Finkdeon exclaimed, shaking his head. "I don't need to do something like that. You know how it is. I walk into a room and they just throw themselves at me."

"Then why are you so worried?" Hilbarin asked, arms crossed. 

"Well, there were a couple of noteworthy Mountain Ladies there," Findekon said with a shrug. "So, when someone walked in, we got into a bit of trouble."

"How many were there?" Hilbarin asked, his eyes narrowing.

"No idea really. Probably twenty?" Findekon said. 

Hilbarin let out an explosive sigh. "So, you bedded over a dozen Ignitzians during their heat period and somehow managed to get some of the high-born ladies to join in? What is wrong with you?!"

"Nothing, I just try to have as much fun as I can," Findekon said. "Anyway, think Lady Sandrihna is going to jail me?"

"It depends if any of her friends were there, I bet," Hilbarin grunted. "Also, if we find out if you influenced those Ignitzians to be there, you better believe I'm going to leave you in the next Burrow outbreak."

"My friend, you know me. I don't need to do things like that," Findekon said, feeling slightly annoyed that even the usually calm warrior seemed to believe the rumors. 

"We will find out soon enough, now let's go and bring this news to the Lady. I'm pretty sure she is going to head there."

"She is going to go? Are you sure?"

"Probably. Unlike Sachindrian, she doesn't have to stay here," Hilbarin said. "I'll make sure nobody tries to take over while she is gone."

"What about me?"

"You are probably going to stay here with me," Hilbarin said.

Findekon let out a relieved sigh. He didn't know if Hilbarin was saying that to keep an eye on him, and he didn't care. He knew full well that one of the reasons Hilbarin had even invented him was that it meant less competition. He didn't mind either way. The last thing he wanted was to have to head back and encounter Lady Selderine again. Although he was faster, if she somehow got her hands on him, he'd be in trouble.

Now, as long as they don't learn about that other night, all should be fine, he thought as he followed Hilbarin.

--

Irwin hummed thoughtfully as he finished the last of the cards. It was one of those he'd made from a cardseed, using the elements of his own soulcards that dealt with soulforce stability to make it into something useful. The Entire set was made to slowly whittle down the dissonance of Nimlarel's cards.

As he put the card in his pocket, he turned to the bed to find the young woman looking back at him. Her face was drawn and pale, and Irwin noticed a few of the sores she had on her hand came from below the color of her high-collared shirt. Lejingi had removed her robe, leaving her in a set of plain dark garments.

He had noticed her waking up halfway through his final reforging, but sensing no distress or issues, he'd calmly finished the card.

"Good morning," he said, moving to the nearby chair and carefully sitting down. The massive wooden chair creaked but held him.

Nimlarel didn't immediately react, but she continued inspecting him. Irwin decided to wait.

"Where are Lady Selderine and Master Bluefire?" she asked, her voice dry like paper.

"They left to their own abode somewhere in the town," Irwin said.

"They left me here?"

Irwin noticed a faint gleam in her eyes, and he shrugged. "I told them to leave." 

Nimlarel frowned, then raised her left hand. "I had a weird dream, where you yelled at me to slot this or you would kill me."

Irwin blinked, then snorted. "I shouted at you to slot or you would die because your soulcard was about to explode. There's a difference."

"Why didn't it explode?"

Irwin knew she wasn't talking about her soulcard anymore, and he pointed at the card in her left hand.

"I made that to balance your soulcard."

"Why?"

Irwin took a deep breath and exhaled as he pondered the question. He'd known it would come, and he still didn't have a better answer than the simple truth.

"Because your soulcard became unstable from my soulforce pressure," he said. "I didn't want to get you killed."

"I see… so you are that cardsmith, The Tutor, Irwin?"

"I am, and you are Nimlarel?"

"Nimlarel the failure, Nimlarel The Dark Cloud," she said, emotionlessly. "I take it you have heard of me."

"Not until a few hours ago, when a friend of mine told me about you," Irwin said. "She told me you are a surviving experiment from a very nasty cardsmith."

Nimlarel stared at him, and Irwin could almost see the disbelief in her eyes. 

"You are telling me you have never heard of me?" she asked flatly.

"I'm not from around here," Irwin said. "I do have some questions, though, if you mind telling me. Why are you working with Lord Sachindrian?"

"Because he said there would be a card in the Empress's vault that could fix me, and he would give it to me if I did what he asked."

Irwin blinked, then frowned. "That sounds like a convenient lie," he said slowly. "I know of cards that might be able to fix you, but those are exceedingly rare."

"Minerella the Young found one, and it took her from one carded to heartcarded," Nimlarel said. 

It took Irwin a moment to recognize the name as the last of The Seven. He'd had Lejingi bring him up to speed about them, because he fully expected to encounter more of them.

"Well, if she found one of those cards, she is very lucky," Irwin said.

'Kid, you think she found a Derlin Card?'

'It's the only thing I can think of that can do this,' Irwin answered as he tapped his fingers together.

'Do you think the Empress has a Derlin Card?'

If she does, it would be very good if we could get our hands on it, but if she does, why hasn't she used it?'

Irwin had no good answer to that.

"You know what kind of card that is."

Irwin blinked in surprise, staring at Nimlarel. It hadn't been a question.

"I might," he said slowly. "But you don't need one to fix your problem."

Nimlarel's eyes narrowed. "Not even your own Headteacher was able to help me… are you implying that you can?"

Irwin stared at the card in her left hand, raising an eyebrow.

Nimlarel was quiet for a while before rubbing her head, leaning forward.

"What do you want from me?" she whispered.

Irwin felt a stab at the unhidden anguish in her voice, and even though he didn't know her, she instantly reminded him of Brecka. The problem was, when he'd found Brecka, she had given him the feeling of someone looking for a cure without a chip on her shoulder. He wasn't so sure about Nimlarel, and in a world where very few people had a heartcard, he wasn't sure he should unleash someone with anger issues.

Like you are one to speak, a tiny part of him said.

"I want to know what kind of person you are," he said, causing Nimlarel to stare at him in utter surprise. "Tell me a bit about yourself."

Nimlarel's mouth opened, then closed, and she finally let out a garbled curse.

"What do you want to know?" she asked, her voice tense. "How I was captured, imprisoned, and experimented on? How did nobody but the old Emperor come to help me?"

Irwin cocked his head at the final remark. "The previous Emperor helped you?"

"You really aren't from around here. Yes. The previous Emperor was a powerful soulcarded who found out what Glamhird was doing. He personally found that monster and made him and the nobles who were financing him pay. Then he tried for years to find a cure for me, only to be killed during the Night of Burrows."

Irwin had heard of that before, as it was what the Oxarites called the start of the large increase in Burrows roughly forty years ago. 

"What happened after that?" he asked.

Nimlarel looked at him for a while before leaning back. 

"I was asked to help The Seven move around the Empire to close the Burrows," she said. "It nearly killed me every time I teleported them, but we saved a lot of people. Then Lord Sachindrian started his insurgency, and he contacted me, asked me to teleport people around for him, and in exchange, he'd give me the card that would fix me."

"Why didn't you ask the Empress?" Irwin asked.

"I did. She said the card didn't exist," Nimlarel said, looking at her hands, both covered in long gouges as if they had been cut from the inside out. "I didn't know if that's true, but I needed some hope, so I accepted Sachindrian's offer."

Irwin nodded slowly, staring at the young woman.

I can just give her the six cards; it should help her for a decade, he decided. If she doesn't prove dangerous, I can give her a heartcard after.

"Alright," he said, removing the cards from his pocket and handing her the top one. "I've made six cards that should balance your soulcard. They won't fix it completely and will slowly degrade over time, but they can be formed into a heartcard to fix your issues completely."

Nimlarel looked at the card, then at him, and slowly reached out.

"Just like that?" she muttered. "No list of demands, requests, things I have to do?"

Irwin shook his head. "I'd like it very much if you don't go around killing people or doing bad things?"

Nimlarel looked at him as if he'd gone crazy before examining the card.

"I can sense that the first card does something with shadows, but this one is different… what does it do?"

"It's a body improvement card with a focus on regeneration," Irwin said. "It should fix the physical issues you got from your soulcard nearly ripping you apart."

During all the things Irwin had said, Nimlarel's reactions had been calm and contained. Now, however, her eyes widened and she drew in a ragged breath.

"It will heal… these?" she asked, waving her left hand around. 

"Yes, though it will take the fourth card to remove the scarring," Irwin said as he waved the other cards around. "Seeing as you can't slot them all that fast, I'll keep these with me. Just go and rest, and practice with the new one. Then, sometime tomorrow, slot that one."

Nimlarel was staring at the card in her hands in disbelief before turning to him.

"Are you crazy?"

Irwin frowned.

"I don't mean that in a bad way," Nimlarel exclaimed hastily. "It's just… You give away these cards as if they are nothing! And you just implied I can stay here?"

"You better stay here until you slot all cards," Irwin said. "That way, I know there's nothing wrong with them. And to your remark, if I'm crazy? No, though some people might disagree."

Nimlarel looked at him intently, almost as if she expected him to suddenly tell her it was all a lie or a joke.

"Now, I have to go and prepare for something else," Irwin said. "You can use this room. If you need food, I can suggest the restaurant down the street. There should be enough water in the small kitchen."

"Thank you."

Irwin stopped at the door, turning around to see Nimlarel staring at him. 

"Many people have tried to help me, but all caredsmiths told me it was hopeless… You are the first to offer hope. If nothing else, thank you for that."

Irwin grinned as he pulled open the door. "Don't worry. Just slot that card tomorrow and come find me for the next one. You should feel better in a few weeks."

--

Nimlarel dumbly looked at the closed door, her mind a mess. She barely understood what had just happened, still slightly fuzzy from the pain that had swamped her earlier. It was not entirely gone, though she already felt oddly better than she had in years. The constant headache and tearing sensation throughout her body had lessened slightly.

She looked at the card, which showed the outline of a figure. She'd seen cards like those before, but even just holding it made the pain seem a bit less vivid. 

She had no idea how long she gazed at the card, but slowly her mind clogged up again, and she put the card in her shirt before pulling the thin blanket over herself.