Irwin's Journey 448: Soulcard antics

Irwin stepped away from Ambraz, staring with immense joy at the ruby-ranked card on his friend's metallic back. It was slowly calming down, as was the soulforce that had been raging in his soulscape.

"It's a good thing you moved into your soulscape for the final step," Ambraz grunted. "Without your second soulcard stabilizing the resonance of this thing, we might have failed."

Yeah, sadly, it wasn't without cost, Irwin thought, as he looked around, extending his senses.

The soulforce in his soulscape had dipped by almost ten percent from the reforge, the previously ambient soulforce now embedded within the new card. With all the other soulforce he'd used since arriving on Scour, that meant he was down by a quarter. Not dangerous yet, but his plan either worked, or he would need to stop taking chances. Perhaps, when he reached half of his soulforce capacity, it would be best to stop spending any.

Which would mean no more reforging in my soulscape…

"Kid, you can't reforge it up to diamond, got it? I see you staring, but it's not a good idea! We might have a clone, but we only have the one, and you had plans for that!"

Irwin sighed as he moved forward and picked up the card. Instantly, he felt the resonance of his second soulcard increase, and a tiny condensed bit of the card seemed to hover around him like an excited bird.

"I know," he said, trying to ignore the antics of his soulcard. "I was wondering how many more things we can do until we need to start rationing my soulforce."

"Half," Ambraz grunted as he turned into his smaller version with a flash of light. "But that should be fine. You can still reforge two cards here, which is exactly what you need, and that even leaves you with some wiggle room."

Irwin nodded as he put his booklet out while scanning the card. His own ability to read the card wasn't as good as Ambraz's, but it was good enough to tell him the card was a hundred percent and definitely did what he wanted and needed. There was, however, something… odd.

"Oh."

Irwin felt a slight worry grow at Ambraz's stunned outburst. He watched the Ganvil land on the booklet. A flash and some flipping of pages later, he was staring at the newest entry, his eyebrows raising.

Card: Dual Soul Slivers

Type: Unique, Bound, Soul, Ruby, Reforged by Irwin Roddington

Owner: Irwin Roddington

A unique card created for a singular purpose. The owner of this card can split their soul and awareness with each true body they gain. Requires the presence of a card or ability that creates at least one body clone. Warning: Destruction of a Soul Sliver causes damage to the person's soulscape.

Passive: For each true body a person has, a tiny portion of their soul and being is split off, allowing the person to move, think, and act independently with each.

Passive: Increased soulscape and soullake size based on the number of Soul Slivers

"That's what… six now?" Ambraz grunted.

"Five uniques, I think," Irwin said, absently. "This wording. It's different from the Split Soul one."

He flipped back through the pages to read his second soulcard's fifth entry.

Card: Dual Soul Fragment

Type: Ruby, Reforged by Irwin Roddington

Owner: Irwin Roddington

A unique card created in a flash of weary enlightenment. Splits of a small bit of the soul and mind, which can both think and act at the same time, while remaining the same person. The small soulseed grows over time, increasing in ability and power.

Passive: A tiny portion of someone's soul and being is split off, allowing the person to use each to think and act independently.

Passive: Increased soullake capacity based on the soulseed's age

Card combination focus: Increased soullake capacity based on the soulseed's age

"Right," he muttered. "This one speaks of a soulseed, and remember how it became equal in size when the soulcard finished?"

"Yes, but it only has a single split," Ambraz replied. "I think your desire to fix your multiple bodies issue has changed it. More utility, less single focus."

Irwin frowned, flipping to the newest entry and pointing at a line. 

"That's not what I mean. It says here that for each true body, a soul sliver is split off. It doesn't say it's optional. So, what will happen if I slot this and part of my soul gets split off into the body back on Eluathar?"

Ambraz let out a soft hiss. 

"If that happens, your soulscape might be stretched across a far too big distance."

"Exactly," Irwin muttered as he crossed his arms.

He ignored the resonance from his second soulcard, as it tried to push him to slot the card, pondering the sudden dilemma.

"It doesn't say the soul sliver will grow," he hummed thoughtfully. "It feels like it's smaller and weaker than the split soul. It might just get destroyed, or linger in the body?"

"Not worth the risk," Ambraz grunted. "You should focus on your other two new cards, and when we get all of them, you can decide what to do. Either you head to the exit portal, slot them, and see what happens. If you have to, you could even unslot it. It's a waste, but we have the duplicate and can try again."

Irwin hummed thoughtfully, thinking about the soul-type on the shelf among his other rare cards. 

"Get all other three cards, slot the ones we can, and finish up near the exit portal," he pondered. "We can unslot it if it gets dangerous, and move back through the exit portal in case that's not enough."

He nodded, sensing an almost disappointed whine from his second soulcard.

It really is as if they are alive, he thought, examining the card for a final time before moving it with his mind to a secure spot.

"Well, that's anticlimactic," he muttered.

He pulled out his notebook and flipped to the page on which he and Ambraz had made a list of cards for his next heartcard. Some cards had been crossed out, new ones added over the years, and with the addition of his second soul split card, which they hadn't initially planned on, the next steps were unclear. 

He summoned his small pencil and crossed out the ripple card they had planned to use to balance his fourth card with his second. It wasn't needed anymore now that he had the soul sliver card. Then he glanced at the final card on the list that was still open and sighed.

I really want those shields, he thought. 

The problem was that what he really needed for this new card was more soulscape stability—something to allow him to have his bodies out even when in different time dilations. Reluctantly, he put a stripe through it, realizing that meant they would need to rethink what his next two cards should be.

He tapped the page with his pencil, then frowned as he realized the ideas, striped out and otherwise, were distracting him. With a grunt, he sat down and put the booklet on his knee, flipped to a new page, and wrote down the three cards he had now, including their most important types.

Volcano Titan's Gauntlets, utility, and fire. Surging Growth, size. Greater Emnon Body Split, true clone. 

Then he added the one he had just made, Dual Soul Slivers. 

So, right now, every card except for the body split one will cause a proper resonance with my existing soulcards, he pondered. Even Body Split won't cause too many issues, as it will mesh with the soul split cards. Combined, they will give me what… a greatly increased soulscape, especially when using that temporary growth surge, the ability to split up my mind across my bodies, and a core card to bind them all to.

He frowned, rubbing his head. Two more cards, and he was missing something… but what?

"Why do you look like you just ate something disgusting?" Ambraz grunted, landing on his shoulder. "Oh. Finally gave up on the shield card! Good. So, you are pondering what you need now?"

The final words came out smug, and Irwin glanced at his friend.

"You have an idea?"

"Of course I do," Ambraz said with a grin. "Think. What do all your cards have in common so far?"

"Fire, size, soul, and sound," Irwin said, raising a finger each time. Then he hesitated and added his thumb. "Soulforce senses and sensitivity."

"Yes, those are the general types," Ambraz agreed. "But what is the effect of all your cards, if you had to name a single thing?"

Irwin's frown deepened. What was Ambraz getting at? 

"My soulscape," he said after a while, not sure what that answer would accomplish.

"Exactly! Each of your cards either increases the size of your soulscape, the density of your soulforce, or the capacity of your soullake. Some do a few at the same time."

Irwin shrugged. "So? The new one will also increase it, and even more if I use growth surge."

"Your soulscape is bigger, denser, and more stable than any I know of," Ambraz said. "I think it is time you use it. We should add a soulforce projection aura ability. Even without one, your soulforce pressure is leaking out."

"Wouldn't that just make my next heartcard even more complicated?" 

"Yes, but it's not that complicated right now. Each of the cards you have added so far meshes perfectly with your existing soulcards and their resonance. You should be able to add something adjacent like this without any issue."

"So, that's one card, and-"

"No, no. If you do this, it will take up both your final cards," Ambraz interrupted him. "One to increase your control over your soulforce, and implicitly stabilizing your soulscape even more. The second to give you either projection or aura."

Irwin tapped his chin as he recalled the few cards he had that dealt with soulforce projection and soulforce auras. It felt a bit underwhelming.

"What's the difference between soulforce projection and aura? And why one of the two and not both?"

"Aura makes it so you can allow your soulforce to leak out in a controlled manner, causing the area directly around you to be influenced by your soulscape. This allows them to exist in worlds of opposite types. In your case, for instance, a glacial world. Everyone within your aura who is far weaker than you would be unable to do much, as they would be constantly pressured by you."

Irwin nodded along, not really seeing the benefit yet.

"Now… Most people that I know have a card like that, or whom I have read about, can influence a few feet around them. You should be able to do the same in dozens of feet around you, but if you use your growth surge? Kid, you might be able to land on a ship and simply subjugate everyone weaker than you by a single flaring of your aura. They would be knocked out cold."

"Oh," Irwin said, unable to hold back. "That's pretty good. And soulscape projection?"

"That's different," Ambraz said. "The name is a bit misleading, because what it really does is allow you to project a bit of your soulscape out and draw in large amounts of matter into it. Very few people use it because having foreign matter in their soulscapes causes too much imbalance. In your case, however, you would probably have to pull in more inanimate matter than your own soulscape has before it causes even a little issue."

"Can't I already do that?" Irwin thought, thinking about the small amount of pyroflux he still had flowing through his soulscape."

"Yes, but it would take you a year to get, for instance, a sea of pyroflux into your soulscape. If you had soulscape projection, you could do it in mere minutes. Better yet, you could eject it just as easily, or project a section of your soulscape outward to create a lake of pyroflux in the real world."

Irwin leaned back, his gaze drifting across his soulscape, dry, hot, volcanic, and beautiful, but still lacking something. He hadn't given up on his desire for more variety, and having abundant pyroflux would be a great first step.

"Why don't I ever see others with these abilities?" he asked. 

"Because they are too weak to really use it properly," Ambraz said. "I presume there are plenty of people with soulcards like that in the central branches."

Irwin hummed, his thoughts going to the mysterious central branches. He'd only heard about them on occasion, usually from people who hadn't been there.

I wonder how strong the carded are over there, he thought.

He was quiet for a while before nodding. "I'll think about it for a few days. Which one would you suggest and why? Also, why not both?"

"They are somewhat mutually exclusive," Ambraz said. "The resonance of one will make the other far more difficult to add to a heartcard. Perhaps if you added the other as the final card of your final heartcard, it might work, but it might also mean you can't ever create that heartcard."

Odd, Irwin thought. 

"And which one? I would go with aura," Ambraz said. "It has more direct combat potential, and with how your soulscape is growing, we have no idea how large it will end up. You might be able to knock out entire armies when we leave here."

Irwin snorted. That seemed way too optimistic. 

"I'll think about it for a while. For now, I need to head back and prepare. It's time to have the first group attempt their own card splitting."

"Borekliff, Sandrax, Leijingi, and Flowrishin, I presume?" Ambraz asked.

"Yes. Flowrishin and Borekliff should be able to hold the barrier, and help with the resonance, while Sandrax and Leijingi are the closest to being stable enough to attempt splitting a card, atleast one time."

"Wouldn't it be better to turn that around?" Ambraz asked. "Holding the barrier is difficult, but if it's the only thing they need to do, it should be fine. They don't have to deal with the amount of soulforce you exert."

Irwin got up, moving the notebook and pencil back to their spot on the shelf. 

"As weird as it sounds, both Flowrishin and Borekliff are not as sensitive as the other two. Yes, they have more skill and more soulforce, but they don't sense the minute changes."

"I'll pay some attention the next time," Ambraz grumbled. "It's just so boring watching them stumble around. I'd much rather watch those students of yours again! That young one, Rorin, is doing really well! If he continues like this, he is going to outpace most teachers in a few years."

"As are a few others," Irwin agreed as he thought about a handful of students in his class who were growing at an unprecedented pace for Scour.

Still can't believe I'll have to wait till I can slot my next card, Irwin thought as he redivided his focus back across both of his selves.

--

Bastards… Stupid rust-brained little-

Zou growled as she struck the wall of her prison, glaring at the runes that covered it. They were etched so deeply inside that she knew that even her tough fingers couldn't dig them away. Worse, some actively weakened her. 

"Stop making such a ruckus!"

Zou ignored the shout from the other side of the hallway. She couldn't see the guards, but she knew that big lumber buffoon was probably with them.

I still can't believe how strong he was, she thought, as she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall. 

The ease with which he'd suppressed her, the raging fire of his soulforce that made her feel like she was looking straight into the sun, it still felt almost too hard to believe.

He is way more powerful than Hilbarin, she thought. Way more powerful than anyone, including the Empress.

She felt her desire rise for a moment, then she snuffed it out. There was no way someone like that would be interested in her. Besides being far too weak, she'd probably ruined any chances by targeting his sister.

Whatever. He's not my type anyway, she thought, as her thoughts lingered on his coppery-golden skin, molten-metal eyes, and spikey hair. 

She sniffed and focused on the thing she had to do. Contact the Empress. Baytim would probably be getting a new connection tablet soon, so she had to figure out a way to beat him to it. Which meant she had to get out of here…

She glared at the walls, pushing out with her soulcard only for it to fizzle out a moment later.

Dammit! 

How the hell was she going to get out of here?

--

"Good! Now, focus and hold it," Irwin said as he watched how Flowrishin stood before a small spherical ball of raging soulforce. Irwin had shattered a card and held it until it calmed slightly, then he'd let Flowrishin take over. Now, the remnants of the card were covered in two layers. The innermost one was created by Flowrishin, and she was struggling to keep it up. Around her's was the one Irwin had kept there to prevent things from escalating.

It took another few minutes before she had it balanced, and by then, her breathing was quick and short.

"I've got it," the headteacher said.

Irwin nodded, increasing the size of his barrier until it was so big that it didn't interfere with Flowrishin.

Irwin turned to the other three teachers, who were watching everything quietly. They had all seen Irwin do the same a few times, but today would be the first time they tried it for themselves.

"Now, as I told you all, usually it wouldn't be the other smith that would create and maintain the barrier," Irwin said, watching them quietly. "Our soulforce is very different and thus creates troublesome resonances. 

"Right, those would be the mysterious Ganvils you spoke about," Borekliff said. "Any news from Fireza?"

"No, but she did say it might be a while till she would be ready," Irwin said.

Though I wonder if Frisyuustis is willing to cooperate, he thought. 

He had told Flowrishin about the ancient Ganvil who had been the bond of Fireza's distant ancestor, Lord Urdwellan, and, eventually, with the other three. Flowrishin had reached out to Fireza after that. It had taken months before she managed to get in touch with the elusive old Viridan, only to find that she was bound to help the guardian of her ancestral grove for a while longer.

"Until we hear from her, you can train by doing it like this," he said. "You will likely fail, but the initial steps are something worth practicing. Besides, perhaps there's a way to make it work like this."

"If you keep talking, I'll lose my focus," Flowishin bit out.

"Just making sure you don't drop it within a minute," Irwin said with a grin. "Sandrax!"

Sandrax nodded as he walked forward, moving beside Irwin and summoning a long-handled hammer. Below the barrier that Flowrishin was holding stood a regular anvil, and Sandrax struck it without even waiting for a moment.

Right, could have warned me, Irwin thought as he took a few steps back.

He watched quietly as Sandrax attempted to use the tiny cardseed hovering within the chaotic maelstrom of soulforce to create a new card.

'He's not going to get it,' Ambraz said, snorting derisively. 'I don't think any of them has what it takes.'

'They need time to practice,' Irwin said. 'I had months, remember?'

'I just remember that you did better without any explanation, all by yourself, on your first time,' Ambraz replied. 'Look out, it's going to explode if you don't step off it.'

Irwin grimaced, sensing what Ambraz was. The resonance Sandrax was trying to push onto the seedling was too unrefined,  more in line with how someone would reforge an amethyst or topaz card. Even the easier step of making a card from an existing cardseed required finesse more in line with going from ruby to diamond. Perhaps even more.

He jumped forward, wrapping his soulforce around the seed and another around Flowrishin's barrier. He was just in time as the soulforce around the seed rippled. If it had touched the seed, it would have shattered it, but even like this, it slammed into Irwin's barrier with a force that would have likely ripped apart the barrier of Flowrishin.

"I failed," Sandrax muttered.

Irwin padded the younger and smaller Oxarite on the shoulder. "It's fine, it will take a long time till you get this. Besides, now you understand why I told you not to practice without me present."

"How am I ever going to do that?" the teacher muttered, shaking his head as if lamenting his failure. "It felt like I was trying to juggle a thousand balls, intent on dodging my hands."

Irwin hummed as he waved Flowrishin to sit back down. The headteacher moved without comment, looking relieved as she eased her old frame back into a seat.

"My turn!"

Borekliff walked forward with a self-assured grin that had been on his face for months now. Irwin was impressed with the smoothness of his soulforce and how easy it moved. Ever since the teacher had gotten his new heartcard, he had changed. Gone was the grumpy old man, replaced by one driven and determined.

'I think you might be wrong,' Irwin said.

'I rarely am. What about?' Ambraz said.

'I think Borekliff might have a good shot at this,' Irwin said as he watched the older teacher wrap his soulforce around the chaotic soulforce within his barrier. In less time than it had taken Flowrishin and with substantially less effort, he created his own barrier. It took him a few minutes to stabilize, then he turned to Irwin.

"I've got it!"

Irwin nodded, motioning Lejingi forward.

The petite Ignitzian moved like a blur, looking nearly as excited as Borekliff. As she reached him, Irwin was surprised to see the two share a smile. 

Wait… those two?

Before Irwin could wonder about it longer, Lejingi hammered the anvil and started her attempt.

Halfway in, Irwin almost thought she'd manage. Then the many tiny mistakes she was making started piling up, and from one moment to the next, the soulforce started surging and pulsing.

Irwin quickly interfered, wrapping the delicate seed in a barrier. When he wrapped another within Borekliff's, the man almost looked insulted.

"Not bad," Irwin said. "Let's continue practicing. Are you able to go again?"

Headteacher Flowrishin looked at him for a moment before closing her eyes. Then she visibly steeled herself to get back up.

Hours later, Irwin watched the four slowly make their way out, barely able to stand.

'This is going to take a long time,' Ambraz grunted.

Yeah… Irwin thought. Hopefully, they will get the first step in a few days.

They didn't. Nor in a week, or two. 

Four weeks after he'd started practicing with the teachers, Flowrishin groaned as she dropped into her chair. She'd managed four attempts this evening, one more than she had for a week, and it had been better. Just not good enough. Her control over her barrier was uneven, causing issues for someone who tried to reforge the card. Irwin had let her attempt that part as he held the barrier, but it had gone even worse.

"Don't worry," he said. "It takes a lot of time to learn."

"I know," she muttered. "But I could really do with that heartcard you promised me."

Irwin grimaced, realizing he'd promised to make it for her months ago, and he'd constantly put it off. He had just been so busy with so many other things, mostly his own cards. 

She's right, I need to make her new heartcard….

"Alright," he said, knowing full well that she didn't really expect an answer. It was time to change his priorities. Besides, it wouldn't be nearly as hard as reforging a heartcard.

"We will work on that starting tomorrow," he continued.

Flowrishin stopped and turned to him. "I didn't mean to force you. You said you were working on your own cards…"

"I have finished one, and am working on the others," Irwin said. "However, I ran into a little issue. It might take longer for me to finish, so it might be best to do yours in between."

"I appreciate this," Flowrishin said. "Is there anything we can do to help?" 

"No. Unless you know a way to refill someone's soulscape really fast," Irwin said.

He expected a few laughs and a no. Instead, a soft voice drew everyone's attention.

"I might."

Irwin turned to Lejingi, who looked hesitant, almost as if she wished she'd kept quiet.

"I need you to promise not to repeat what I'm going to tell you," she said, glancing at Flowrishin, then Irwin.

"I won't tell anyone," Irwin said, while Flowrishin echoed him. 

To his surprise, Borekliff and Sandrax were ignored, though he saw them share a quick look of understanding.

"I… there's a special area near Flamerock," the Ignitzian said slowly. "It's the largest town governed by my people, and long ago we found something in the volcanic mountain range near the Blackglass Desert."

"I've never heard of anything that can refill a soulscape," Flowrishin said, leaning forward curiously.

"It's a secret," Lejingi said. "It also only works if you are partially flame elemental."

"Why would it work for the Tutor then?" Flowrishin asked.

Lejingi grimaced, looking at Irwin apologetically.

"When the Tutor created my handcard, I sensed a powerful flame in him. One that should be an Origin Flame."

Flowrishin's eyebrows rose as she looked at Irwin.

"You are full of surprises, aren't you?"

Irwin hummed, then nodded. "If I do have one, how would this special place work?"

"I need to tell you in private," Lejingi said. "Sorry," she added, looking at Flowrishin.

"It's fine," Borekliff said quickly. "Let's continue, and you can tell him later."

Irwin saw that Flowrishin looked from Borekliff to Lejingi and back, and a smile passed over her face before vanishing again.

"Very well," the head teacher said. "Let's try again."

Hours later, three very weary teachers stumbled away from Irwin's private chambers. Only Lejingi remained, almost draped across a chair and looking ready to fall asleep.

"So," Irwin said. "There's nobody around."

Lejingi nodded, then yawned. "Yes… It's- It's a dormant volcano, one that runs deep into the earth. My people have a way to get down until they reach an underground area that is home to an immense number of lava beings. The concentration of fire soulforce there is higher than any other place I have ever been. The blade matriarchs go there sometimes to train, and it is said that a few minutes there is enough to refill anyone's soulscape."

Ambraz let out a low whistle that only Irwin heard.

'I've heard of places like that, though, the lava elementals? There has to be a portal down there from which they came!'

"How far from here is it?" Irwin asked. 

"A few weeks travel by Teinefola," Lejingi said. "Near the edge of the Blackglass Desert."

"Is it in the Oxarite Empire?"

"No, it's to the southeast, beyond their borders. Technically, it belongs to nobody, as every time anyone has tried to do more than create a town there, a burrow appears and wipes out the population."

"But not your people?"

Lejingi smiled. "The lava elementals don't tolerate anyone but other fire elemental beings. They are highly territorial."

Irwin hummed thoughtfully. "Will your people allow me to use it?"

"They will, though I expect they will ask you to help them with some cards," Lejingi said. "Each time I return home, I'm mostly working."

Irwin thought for a while before nodding. "I'll need to think on it, but I will probably examine this place. If it's a few weeks from here, I should be able to reach it in a day. Now, I think you should go rest before you drop down."

Lejingi smiled and nodded as she walked to the door. Before she reached it, she stopped.

"If it doesn't work… There are rumors that there are more places like this. The Viridian Council and some of the Grovelords have similar places, though not for fire elementals. Also, the Empress might have one for metal elementals."

Irwin nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you for telling me."

Lejingi smiled and left, looking almost asleep on her feet.

'I wonder if Flowrishin lied,' Ambraz said. 'Shouldn't she know about any similar places?'

'Maybe,' Irwin said. 'But I get the feeling The Cardschool, the Viridian Council, and the Grovelords aren't really on one line.'

'What I'm more curious about is what is going on below the ground of Scour...'