Irwin's Journey - The Cardsmith

"They are still in the closet, but they are hungry and thirsty and need to get out soon," Greldo said as soon as he reappeared.

Irwin nodded, thinking for a moment.

They were huddled in a narrow room below the castle with an opening down into the sewer through which they had entered and another door leading up.

Including him and Greldo, there were seven ready to sneak up the tower and take out Indoubtor. Although all looked ready, he knew that besides Tanya and Greldo, the others would have to be very careful.

Dianor had a long dark blade with a bronze gleam, which would be bad for fighting in narrow hallways, but he'd said he would be fine. Remembering how efficient Daubutim had been right from the start, Irwin was inclined to believe him.

Twintin had cooled down again, though he noticed she kept glancing at him on occasion.

Glad Greldo is here in case she does something stupid, Irwin thought.

There were two more, and he'd never seen either. Both belonged to Tanya's old friend group, and she vouched for them, saying they had both been with her for a long time. The woman was called Izebret, and she had a soft, round face and eyes that felt like they could drill a hole in the wall. The other was Eergrim, an older man. His skin was far darker than that of any others, closing in on charcoal, bald, and he moved his agile body with a grace Irwin found astounding. If he had to guess, he'd say that the man had multiple agility body improvement cards.

"The tower up?" he asked, looking at the closed door.

"The ladder room is clear; go up, down the hall, then up the stairs. There's another empty room to the left," Greldo said.

"Alright, we'll move there. Stay around and keep an eye out," Irwin said as he motioned at the door.

Tanya was the fastest of them, so she would take the lead in case someone came from the front. Eergrim took the back, and Irwin saw him glance uncomfortably up at the ceiling. He didn't bother to look but kept tight control of the few-foot-wide, thick layer of thick steam that followed him. He had it prepared to launch around a room and suffocate all present.

Tanya opened the door, revealing an old ladder, and with incredible speed, she shot up, disappearing from view. Twintin went after her, followed by Dianor. When Irwin grabbed the thick wooden bar, he felt it bend slightly, and as he slowly climbed up, he heard Eergrim whisper worriedly from behind.

"How much do you weigh?"

Irwin didn't bother to respond, gingerly feeling every bar before he put his weight on it. Halfway, he had to skip three that nearly snapped from half of it, but his length made it just a little hassle.

Still, when he climbed out into the small room, he was happy to feel solid ground again. Twintin was standing near a shuttered window while Tanya stood near the door. Both were looking at him, but Irwin ignored them and made it to the door.

"Greldo?" he whispered.

"Clear," a voice seemed to come out of nowhere.

Irwin nodded at Tanya, and they entered the castle on the bottom floor. The alley was dark, dusty, and obviously barely ever checked, and it took them only a short while to get up to the second floor. Moving from room to room, Greldo was able to keep them from being spotted.

Finally, they reached the final stop. They stood huddled in a narrow room, their backs against the walls, all looking at Greldo, who had just returned.

"Alright, he is discussing something with that tall, gangly man," Greldo whispered. "There are twelve guards around the room, the windows are all closed, and I see no sign of Nyzir."

"Any reason to think there's a trap?" Dianor asked softly.

Greldo frowned. "I didn't see anyone hidden, ready to jump us," he whispered.

Dianor just shook his head, and as he did, he reminded Irwin of Daubutim. Calm, collected, and likely with his father's voice telling him the things to ask and know.

"Was he talking nonsense, things that made no logical sense? Or did he say the same things over and over?"

Greldo blinked, then shook his head. "No. They were talking about finding a replacement for Gloom, and Indoubtor was getting a status update on the situation at the exit portal. Indoubtor was angry, and he seemed to be under the assumption that Gloom got killed."

"I would have preferred if we had a few days to follow him and plan this properly, but I just don't have the time," Dianor muttered as he looked at the ground.

Irwin hesitated a moment if he should start, then decided to wait. Although he was pretty sure Dianor wasn't Daubutim, if he had any good ideas, it would pay to hear them now.

After a few moments, Dianor looked up. "I think it's best if we expect at least a few things to happen that we don't expect," he whispered, turning to Irwin. "You are sure he has no knowledge of your new abilities?"

"He shouldn't," Irwin whispered before hesitating. How sure could he be of any of this? Gawarn had been captured, and his brother Balarn knew many things about his cards. "There's always a chance."

"There always is," Tanya whispered as she looked at him, then at Dianor, then back. "You said we had little time?"

Irwin nodded, suddenly worried. "Yes, and right now, I don't even know exactly how much there is left. As I said, we have until mid-morning," he said, wishing he could see what time it was.

"That gives us slightly under five hours left," Eergrim whispered.

Irwin looked up, surprised at how specific the man's time was, but Dianor just nodded.

"He is right," he whispered.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Greldo hissed. "I'll go check again. After that, we move!"

He vanished from the dark room, and Irwin waited, preparing himself as the moments ticked by. Then Greldo reappeared.

"We have to move now. They are planning on leaving!"

Irwin stepped to the door. "Lead on," he whispered.

Greldo grinned maniacally as he pulled open the door. It led to a long corridor, and this time, Irwin was the first to follow. The rest filed out after him. The hallway led to a cross, with the entire right side a stairway wide enough for two people that led up to a closed door. Irwin faintly remembered having been here before the first time he was in Coulwater Tower.

Greldo pointed at the door, held up two fingers, and then vanished.

Irwin looked at the others and mouthed. Stay here. They all nodded, and he did his best to sneak up the stairs. Greldo appeared at the top, eyes wide and pointing at the door!

NOW! he mouthed.

Irwin stopped sneaking and pulled the cloud of steam down from the roof as he sprinted forward. He didn't bother trying to see if the door was open, but as he reached the final step, he just exploded with Kinetic energy, shot forward, and kicked it just beside the handle.

There was a boom as the door shot open, slamming against the wall while Irwin burst into the room. It was a wide, square room like Greldo had said, with a table spacious enough for a dozen people. The windows were all barricaded, and wide-eyed guards were scrambling forward, swords and spears appearing in their hands.

Indoubtor stood at the table, his eyes wide, while a lanky, tall man stood at the other side.

Irwin saw all of it in a flash as he shoved his steam inside, aiming it for Indoubtor while running further into the room. He knew Greldo was hovering nearby, ready to move if something unforeseen happened, while the others were standing, ready to rush in. He hoped none of it would be necessary.

"There you are," Indoubtor snapped as he backed up. His eyes were wide, and his face pale, showing he'd definitely not been expecting anything right now. Still, before Irwin's steam could reach him, a blue sphere appeared around him, and Irwin felt the steam roil around it.

"Grab him!" Indoubtor's voice roared from the now highly obscured section of the room.

All around, more steam surged everywhere, the vision of everyone rapidly dwindling to faint silhouettes. The guards had been running towards him, but a few were grabbing at their throats while others stumbled back.

One arrow screeched past Irwin while another thudded against his arm. The diamond-shaped tip barely managed to penetrate his skin, and Irwin wiped it away as he looked up. A guard had remained behind the others, back almost against the far side, and was holding a dark, bow-type carded weapon. He was looking around in fear before his eyes suddenly and inexplicably snapped on Irwin. Steam swirled around his bow and arrows as he raised it up and fired an arrow in a single fluid motion.

The arrows immediately split in two as they vanished in the thick steam, moving even faster than Irwin's steam senses could pick up. Irwin raised his hand, and his hammer enlarged to cover most of his front. Two soft plings came as the arrows bounced off while a soft crack from that side of the room.

How does he know where I am? he thought as he prepared to rush the ranger and take him out. If he got an arrow in his eye, it was probably not going to go well.

"Clear!'

Irwin looked around the hammer just in time to see Greldo wave and vanish, the archer guard lying on the ground.

By now, the other guards were huddled on the ground, crawling forward to where they probably knew the stairs down were. A few were already on their back, clawing at their throats.

Irwin looked around, slowly feeling his adrenaline drop. Things seemed to have gone exactly as planned! He felt Indoubtor in whatever card or skill he was using near the table, still blocking his steam. He was about to lower his hammer when a sudden movement came from the table. Something massive shoved through the steam, and he barely was in time to angle his hammer in front of it. Then massive, shovel-sized fingers wrapped around it, and he felt something try and yank it out of his grip. He held tight, leaning back.

"Oh-ho-ho, look at that!" a laugh rang from the table.

It's the lanky one that was talking with Indoubtor, Irwin thought as he unsummoned his hammer and jumped back.

The outlinings of a massive hand, large enough to wrap all around him, floated in the steam. Irwin barely had a moment to see it float forward when two more massive movements rippled from the table, angling along the walls, and shot at his location. He jumped back and barely saw the outlines of two more hands slam together before a boom and airflow blew his steam away from the impact, creating a bubble of clear air in the middle of a sphere of steam. The lanky man was standing behind the table with his hands at his size, eyebrows up.

"Indoubtor, you lied," the man snapped, glaring at Indoubtor, who was still encased in the protective barrier. "He can't just be a mere heartcarded. At a minimum, he has a soulcard! Look at the amount of abilities he has or is said to have. Hammer, fire, metal skin, resistance to mind control and suggestion, explosive strength, and this… steam or mist or whatever it is? No heartcarded can have this many effects!"

Irwin didn't react but focused on the steam. It began filling back in, but the man showed no reaction. This time, Irwin saw a thin, shimmering film nestled close against his skin. Sensing that the guards were all unconscious or worse, he released his control over his steam so his allies could help if needed.

"He was a handcarded when he left, and according to all the information you gave me, he was there for no longer than two and half a years," Indoubtor snapped. "Don't blame your lack of information on me!'

Irwin saw Indoubtor stare at him as he spoke, his eyes narrow.

"How did you become so strong?" the noble shouted.

"Stop wasting time! Ask him after I've captured him," the lanky man barked as he walked forward, raising his hands. Four massive floating hands appeared in the room beside him, each looking like they were made of molten silver.

At the same time, sounds of shouting and fighting came from below, and Irwin saw Indoubtor marginally relax.

"Smith!" the lanky man snapped, drawing his attention. "Tomeron Grinwron offers you the use of his personal forge to become one of his smiths! He can guarantee your safety and every pleasure you could dream of! You won't have to worry about getting abducted or being locked up in some Smithing Guild hideout!"

Irwin looked at the man, barely believing what he heard. He didn't even know what to say, but he didn't have to think about it. One of the hands moved so fast he barely had time to raise his hammer in its path, but while the hand slammed into it, gripping it, two more rushed at him.

"Indoubtor, prepare the card," the lanky-man snapped while the hands moved.

Irwin jumped back, but both hands moved as fast as him, rushing to intercept. Irwin raised his hand to guard, readying his fire when something touched his back, and the world turned shadowy for one moment. Then he stood a dozen feet away from the stairs, Greldo beside him.

"Remember what we practiced on the ship?" Greldo shouted.

"Do it," Irwin snapped while two of the hands flew towards them.

Greldo moved them a dozen steps to the side while Irwin snapped his hand forward, hurling his hammer at the lanky man. His hammer was covered in fire and flew like an orange and yellow bolt. The man hissed in annoyance, and one of the hands moved in front of him. It grabbed the hammer, but the impact shoved it back.

Irwin saw the carded man's eyes widen as he stepped back. The second hand swatted the first, and the hammer went to the side, barely missing the man and streaking a foot past Indoubtor. Daubutim's cousin was holding a card in his hands, staring at it intently. A mistlike light was glowing from the back of his hands, pouring into the card he was holding.

Irwin glared at Indoubtor just as Greldo teleported him again. As he appeared again, Irwin hurled a new hammer, this time aiming for Indoubtor's protective barrier. No hands came to intercept them, but the world changed to black before he could see the result. They appeared on the opposite side of the room, two hands at the location they were just at while his hammer slid down the barrier, which now had a few hairline cracks in it.

"He is breaking the barrier," Indoubtor said, his calm voice tinged with fear.

"It doesn't matter," the lanky-man snapped. "There is no way they can use their abilities as many times as I can! As soon as I get my hands on one of them, it will be over!'

"Annoying," Greldo hissed.

"Get that guy?" Irwin whispered.

"He keeps two hands close," Greldo shot back while the man looked at them.

Irwin gritted his teeth as he focused back on Indoubtor. The card in his hand was now glowing a brightly silvery light while his own handcards had dimmed. His face was slightly wan, and his eyes dull. Still, he showed no intent of stopping.

"He is feeding it energy," he whispered. "We need to get that card gone."

The shouting and fighting from below was intensifying, and he heard Twintin's shouts of anger. How long did they have? His thoughts were cut short as Greldo pulled them to another corner of the room.

"Just give up," the man snapped. "You will just waste your energy, and I'll grab you-"

Irwin flared his flame forward in an arm-thick line of roaring fire that covered the distance in a moment. As fast as it went, the man's hand still managed to dash before it, and the fire burst onto the silvery palm, licking around. Irwin grinned as he let the fire grow and flare around it just for Greldo to yank him away. The connection with his fire was gone for a moment, and as he reappeared, Greldo drew in deep, laborious breaths.

He just nodded, and Irwin focused on his flame. It was gone, but the silver hand had a black scorch mark while trails of damage leaked around its edge.

The lanky man had taken some steps back, eyes wide with fear, and now standing away from the table and Indoubtor.

"How can you possibly control it like that!" he shouted while a second of his hands pulled back to him.

Irwin didn't answer, but he pulled on his flame, this time letting four streaks of thinner fire shoot at the man. They didn't hold as much punch as the single one, and they were faster, but as the hands blocked them, he let it leak through the fingers and along the palms and the fingers. The silvery material began blackening and bubbling while the man's eyes widened in pain.

"Stop him!" he shouted.

One of the hands shot for Irwin, but Greldo just teleported him away. As they landed, Greldo was breathing raggedly, and Irwin risked a quick glance.

"You okay?"

"I can keep this up longer than him," Greldo snapped. Just-

They teleported again as two hands flashed at them.

"I won't let you have another chance," the man shouted.

They teleported again, and Greldo stumbled.

Irwin gritted his teeth. The hands didn't like the fire, and Greldo was going to be out of energy soon. As the hands flashed towards them again, he stepped forward.

"Get out," he snapped, fire rippling out around him like a dense coat.

"Do it!' Greldo shouted, though his voice sounded weak.

Irwin flared his fire outward, but instead of just creating a massive layer around himself, he made dozens of thin tendrils that he shot out towards the lanky-man. He had only slight control over them, just enough to keep them moving forward and make a token effort at dodging the hands. Still, it was enough.

The lanky-man panicked as he backed up. Three of his hands were busy swatting away the fire, and each time they hit flame, Irwin let the flame burn as it wanted, using his freed focus to better control the rest of his flames. The fourth hand was moving towards him. It was obvious the man was hoping to protect himself with three and grab Irwin with the other, but as the hand came closer, Irwin had no intent of stopping.

He could see his flames close in, so he waited for the hand. Dropping a few tendrils of flame so he could focus on his kinetic energy. At the last moment, he jumped forward out of the path of the grasping hand, exploding towards the lanky-man, causing his tendrils of flame to suddenly surge forward. Many were swatted away or blocked by the hands, but three reached the lanky-man. As they wrapped around him, the thin film of blue energy turned into a brighter blue barrier, blocking his orange and yellow fire.

"No! Indoubtor, stop him!" the lanky-man screamed as the hands vanished and the blue barrier thickened, pushing away his flames until they were a foot away.

Irwin dropped all other flames and focused all of his flames into those wrapping around the man. Within a moment, the entire blue barrier around the lanky-man was surrounded in a raging inferno.

"Ready!'

Irwin cursed as he heard Indoubtor's voice, and he looked up to see the bubble around Daubutim's cousin vanish.

Come on Tanya, he thought, praying she wouldn't be too held back down there.

Not sure what to expect, he summoned his hammer and threw it across the room at Indoubtor. Pale-faced and gasping, Indoubtor still managed to dodge it while clutching the brightly glowing card. His eyes were focused on Irwin.

Irwin glanced at the entrance, the lanky-man, and then back at Indoubtor stumbling towards him. He had no idea what the card could exactly do, but he definitely wasn't interested in finding out. For all he knew, getting anywhere near it would be enough to lock him down.

"Stay there, or I'll torch this entire room," he shouted.

Either Indoubtor didn't hear him, or he didn't believe him because he stumbled forward, eyes gleaming, his breathing more ragged than moments before.

Irwin focused on his flame, getting ready to torch everything, when something flashed in his peripheral vision. He jumped back, but something wrapped around his arm, jerking him back while a sense of dullness rippled through his body. It almost felt as if his heartcard was being covered up by a blanket.

Looking down in surprise, Irwin saw that a smaller silvery hand was holding onto his arm. Further behind it, the lanky-man was down on one knee in the middle of the flames, his blue barrier slightly thinner.

"Hurry, get him!" he shouted.

Irwin tried to stoke his flame up, but it barely responded. The most he could do was keep the flames he had going, but even controlling those proved impossible. He grabbed at the hand, trying to pry the fingers off, but as strong as he was, it felt like he was struggling against something immovable. Stepping aside, he tried to pull free, but the hand seemed locked in place. Indoubtor stumbled closer, and there was no sign of Tanya. The sounds of battle from below the staircase had increased to a cacophony of metal on metal and explosions.

"Greldo!" Irwin shouted, ripping at the hand, his muscles bulging.

"Not happening, smith," the lanky-man shouted. He was down on both knees, hands outstretched and touching his own barrier as if to keep it up against the fiery inferno raging around him.

He barely finished when a blur of movement shot up the staircase. Relief filled Irwin as he saw Tanya while the lanky-man screamed in rage. His barrier shrank as a small hand appeared, dashing for Tanya in an attempt to intercept her.

It almost reached her, and then Tanya reached Indoubtor. A long, thin lance appeared in her hand, and she jabbed it forward. Indoubtor's eyes widened, and he angled to card toward her.

"Noooo you fool!'

The card flashed with a bright burst as tendrils of light appeared in a cage form around Tanya's rapidly moving form. She froze midair, hovering in a cage of light, even her eyes unmoving.

A snarl of anger came from the lanky-man as the hand holding Irwin vanished, as did the smaller one. His barrier thickened, but he remained crumbled on the ground, glaring at Irwin.

Irwin ignored him and walked towards Indoubtor, who was also glaring at him but seemed unable to even get up.

No risk, Irwin thought as he took one of the card-dampening bracelets from his pockets and clamped it around Indoubtor's wrist. The noble said nothing, and Irwin looked at Tanya. She seemed alright, which left only one problem. He walked towards the lanky-man.

"Don't even think about doing anything stupid," the man snapped. "I belong to the Grinwron family, and if you harm me in any way-"

Closer than before, Irwin increased the heat of his flame, condensing it closer around the barrier. He'd had a lot of practice with the purple mist monsters recently.

"Stop! I wasn't trying to kill you," the man shouted, panic growing in his eyes.

Irwin stared at him for a few moments, hesitating. Then he stuck his hand in his pocket, removing another card-damping bracelet, which he tossed on the ground beside the man.

"Put that on," he said, pulling his fire back into a sphere with a clear area in the center.

"What? So you can kill me?" the man snapped back.

"I'll think about letting you go back to Fiverion," Irwin said before leaning forward. "But I'll be fine with burning you to a crisp if you don't do as I say. Now put on the bracelet!"

The man glared at him, then took the bracelet and hesitantly put it around his wrist. As soon as he did, his bubble disappeared.

Irwin lowered his fire, staring at the man, ready for any sudden movements.

When none came, he grabbed his arm and yanked him to his feet before walking to Indoubtor and doing the same.

"How do I get Tanya out of there?" he snapped, pointing at the prison of light.

"It lasts for a day," the lanky-man said, sounding annoyed. "What are you going to do with me?"

Irwin looked at him, noticing the fighting was still going on downstairs. He pulled them towards the stairs and grinned.

"As soon as I've decided, I'll let you know!'