Irwin's Journey - The Cardsmith

"Do you think he was going to hurt you?" Lamia asked softly.

Irwin shrugged as he gazed at the door to double-check check it was closed. It was and had been since the guard that had brought him here had closed it. The guard, a silent man with massive shoulders, had been waiting for him outside Uxin'tar's room. Without a word, the guard had led him to the luxurious set of rooms he was in now.

"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure he had a card a whole lot stronger than a rare," he said as he looked at Daubutim.

His friend was frowning, his eyes going from dull to sharp, as if he was working through something on the edge of his capabilities. Irwin sighed and leaned back, thinking back to the crazed look in the old sorcerer's eyes. He looked around the room absently, taking in the luxurious surroundings.

The soft stools they sat in were angled to each other in a squarish room. One door led out, while three others connected to the sleeping quarters they had been assigned. Beautifully carved wooden decorations covered the door frames, a delicate painting of a forest landscape hung on one, and a column against one of the walls.

"I have… read something," Daubutim said, his words haltingly as if he tried to recall something.

Irwin stared at him in surprise, wondering what was going on. Of all Daubutim's oddities, his perfect recollection was the one thing that had seemed to be his greatest strength. How could he not-

Daubutim rose and began pacing. "I was… four," he muttered. "The book was on fathers desk, and it was open. I remember it well. Something about Gelwin, a report not meant to be common knowledge. Why can't I recall it?"

Irwin was gaping at him and shared a quick look of incredulity with Lamia.

Because you are not supposed to be able to remember something from when you were four, Irwin thought. Then he blinked. Wait, Daubutim could read at age four? Was that normal?

After a minute, Daubutim returned to his seat and looked at Irwin.

"I can't recall the details, but there was something in it about Gelwin, the sorcerers, and…" he shook his head in disgust. "It feels like I'm missing something."

"It's fine," Irwin said, smiling at his friend wearily. "I'm sure you will remember. For now, I think we need to be really careful around him."

Daubutim nodded. "Yes. But I think it was a good thing that you didn't tell him why we are here. What you told us about the way he acted looks like something my…" he began.

Irwin looked up to see Daubutim stare forward dully, a soft creaking coming from where his hands clenched the stool's armrests. Seeing the suppressed pain, he wanted to kick himself for forgetting about what had happened.

"Daubutim, are you alright?" he asked softly. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Lamia gave the tall noble a look of sympathy, eyes slightly red.

Both of them lost so much, Irwin thought as he thought of his own family. He didn't know how things were going back home… What if Malorin had fallen like Caldangen?

"I don't believe they are dead," Daubutim said, his voice rough. "My father… he is not unbeatable, but… If his goal is to flee and hide? I don't believe there is any demon, even in a very-rare shard-world, that could stop him."

"You said he had a card that would allow him and your brothers to get past unnoticed?" Irwin said softly.

Daubutim nodded. "It's a very-rare mobility card. He used it to survive when he was young, and it was the last card my grandfather gave him."

"Do you want to go to Caldangen to search for him in the portal?" Irwin asked.

He couldn't blame Daubutim if he wanted to leave, no matter how much he'd prefer his friend to come with him.

Daubutim looked up dull-eyed, seemed to hesitate, then finally shook his head slowly. "No. I am nowhere as strong as my brothers. If they can't find a way out by themselves, going there would only make things more difficult for them."

The young noble was looking at the back of his left hand, where three cards were slotted.

Irwin looked at them silently, then cocked his head as he thought of something. Daubutim had that third card, which was the Aquatic Raven summon. But he hadn't seen him use it…

"I want to get stronger," Daubutim whispered, then repeated it louder.

Irwin forgot about the summon card as he watched Daubutim quietly.

Although there was less intensity, the words Daubutim just said mirrored those that Lamia had said weeks ago. It was also how Irwin felt. If only they were stronger, none of this had to happen. Taking a look to the side, he saw Lamia staring at Daubutim, jaw clenched and muscles in her arms bulging.

"We need to get stronger," Irwin said. "And we can. We know how and where we can find it."

Daubutim and Lamia turned to stare at him, the young Lord nodding while Lamia leaned forward.

"Damn right. So, what are we going to do? Find a way to sneak out and to the portal?"

"We wouldn't get there alive," Daubutim said immediately. "Even if we had tried before, it would have been deadly."

"How were we going to do it in the first place, then?" Lamia grunted, shaking her head angrily.

Irwin sighed. "We expected Daubutim to be able to just command the soldiers to bring us here… but…"

"So why can't we still do that?" Lamia asked.

"Now that my father is presumed dead, the power dynamic in my family has changed," Daubutim said slowly. "Did you notice that although the others call me Lord Coulwater, Indoutor has mostly been referring to me as cousin?"

Irwin had, but from Lamia's surprised look, he realized she either hadn't or hadn't thought anything behind it.

"Do you think he wants to be Lord?" she asked.

Daubutim was quiet before shrugging. "I am not sure. Indoutor is an odd one, which is one of the reasons that he was sent here. Until we know for sure, it is best not to test it. Without my father to hold everything in line… I fear not just Indoutor will begin acting differently. I think part of why father sent the others across the peninsula is to keep them out of each other's hair. I am…" he frowned. "Not the one they had thought to inherit the title of Lord of the family. Except for a few, most of my family sees me as broken. Unfit."

There was a moment of quiet as Irwin and Lamia stared at the young noble, who seemed to be quietly pondering something.

"Because of what Lord Bron mentioned?" Irwin asked, recalling something the Lord of Degonda had mentioned.

Lamia leaned forward again, interest on her face.

Daubutim looked at her, then Irwin, and finally back at Lamia.

"I'll tell you what happened," Daubutim said, his face emotionless. "But you are not to share this with anyone else."

Irwin saw Lamia's slight shock. Then she nodded seriously.

Daubutim inspected her for a few moments before turning to Irwin.

"When I was four years and a few months old, a rare portal spawned near Caldangen. It was in the middle of the night, and before it could be closed, a large surge of Nyzir erupted from it and attacked the city. My brothers went with our father to learn how to fight, leaving me alone with my mother. Some demons managed to get into the city and the castle. They began slaughtering their way through the castle until they reached where I was with mother."

Daubutim's eyes turned flat and dull as his voice turned to one Irwin had only heard a few times before. Flat, cold, and to the point. Irwin felt his skin crawl at what was to come next.

"Nyzir are best suited for night raids and assassinations. We were in the back of the room, with three full-hands at the door. Something slithered out of the shadows in the corner too fast for me to follow. One of the guards managed to react. The others were cut apart by dark blades seemingly made from shadows. The light in the room dimmed, and candles began extinguishing. The single guard still up jumped to my mother's side, shield, and sword up while my mother's cards flared brightly. Four Nyzir rushed at them, black scales seeming to suck in the light, their bodies moving as if there were no bones in them. The guard met them, using a barrier card to block some attacks, managing to slice one of the Nyzir's heads off with his blade before being pierced through. Palm-sized leaves had started whirling around me and mother, and as the three remaining Nyzir rushed us, mother used her special card."

Special card? Irwin thought as he almost interrupted Daubutim to ask about it.

"The leaves shimmered, but the Nyzir showed no reaction as they rushed in. The first one was sliced apart before the others managed to react, trying to retreat. Mother chased after them when something moved in the shadows beside her… I shouted a warning, but it was too late, and another Nyzir appeared behind my mother. He struck her with two daggers. Mother screamed, and the cloud of leaves rippled outward, enveloping the Nyzir and me while obscuring what happened. Cuts appeared all across my body while the Nyzir blood filled the room like a cloud of wet rain."

There was a moment of silence, and Daubutim's eyes burned with a deep rage before returning to their dullness.

"When the leaves disappeared, mother was down, as were all of the Nyzir," Daubutim said. "My body was burning, and at some point, I fell unconscious. When I woke, I was as I am now. I can remember almost everything from that point onward, but barely anything from before…" Daubutim shook his head, staring at his clenched fists. "Father didn't talk to me much after he found out my mind had become… addled, as he called it. He sent for carded-healers and even sorcerers to look at my affliction, but none were able to fix it."

Irwin wasn't sure what to say, sharing a quick look with Lamia, who looked back in disbelief.

"Did anything else change?" Irwin finally asked.

"I don't know. Father tested me on many things as I grew older, but I never performed as well as my brothers. Only my memory was useful, he said."

Lamia hissed, shaking her head. "What happened to your mother?"

Daubutim didn't respond, quietly looking at her until Lamia's face fell.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"It is alright," Daubutim said. "But this is why I expect that me being named Lord Coulwater is something that won't stick. If my father doesn't return, I'm afraid the family will split up as different uncles and cousins attempt to take control."

"Alright, so how are we going to reach that portal," Irwin asked, deciding to change the subject.

Lamia shrugged. "If we can't have them bring us, I don't see another option than sneaking out and going there."

"We won't survive. Besides, we would need to figure out where it is," Daubutim said.

Irwin frowned, trying to come up with a solution but failing.

"I think we should try to get more information on what is going on," he said after a while. "Perhaps we can find out where it is, or someone knows a way to reach it."

"We would have to be careful not to alert Indoutor or Uxin'tar," Daubutim said.

"Do you really think they would try to stop us?" Lamia asked.

"I don't know what to think," Irwin said. "But if we say we want to go there, we will need to explain why. And I am sure that we don't want to do that right now. We don't have Lord Bron here to fall back to, and if they decide to keep us here…?" he didn't continue, but he saw Lamia understood what he meant.

"Great. So, what? Go around tomorrow and try to find an answer to something we can't ask the question to?" she muttered before pressing both hands to her face and shaking it in frustration.

They continued thinking up a plan for a short while longer before they all withdrew to their rooms, deciding to see what the next day would bring them.

The night passed by fast, even though Irwin kept waking up from nightmares, he couldn't remember.

They barely gathered in the central room when a commoner came with a tray of food and drink. It was simple, even more so than what they had gotten used to in Degonda, but none of them complained. After that, they began exploring the tower.

A few hours later, they stood on one of the balconies, drawn there due to the great number of people watching outside. They saw a small group of riders on Cindermares racing across the smudged snowy path between their tower and the one next to it. Demons, mainly Galubs, but also a few larger four-legged things he'd never seen before, poured out of the ruins of Esterdon that lay sprawling to the right. Still, even Irwin could tell that the Cindermares would be too fast.

"What's going on?" he asked as he walked up to a guard that was quietly staring outside.

The guard's head snapped around, and he examined Irwin, his eyes widening for a moment when he had to look up. With a short nod, he turned back to the view before responding.

"The sorcerers send another bunch of suicidal fools to try and get Lord Indoutor to send reinforcements to their tower."

Irwin felt his skin crawl at the mention of sorcerers. He watched the group of riders push their mounts to greater speed, risking them tripping and breaking their necks.

"This isn't the first time?" he asked.

"Nah. It's been going on for a week now," the guard said. "Ever since the Youkundir's tower got blasted." He waved over his shoulder to the other side of the tower. "Most of their surviving guards managed to reach us, meaning we are currently the tower with the most defenders."

Irwin nodded as he saw that most of the Galubs were turning back. Only a trio of four-legged demons that looked like a cross between a dog and a lizard continued chasing them.

"Those Tardels might actually catch up," the guard said as he leaned forward. The soft muttering around them had quieted down, and many of the guards turned and rushed back into the building towards the stairs.

Irwin quickly saw that the guard was right. As if afraid to lose their prey, the Tardels had increased their speed, now bent low across the dirty snowed plains as they left behind fanning clouds of snow.

The guard he had been standing cursed, pushed himself from the balcony edge, and turned to follow them.

Irwin's mind spun around, and as he recalled they needed information, which needed people, he wondered if this could be an opportunity to make some friends.

"Do we need to help?" he asked.

The guard turned and inspected him again before looking at Daubutim and Lamia. After a second, he nodded.

"Probably not… but it wouldn't hurt to wait behind the eastern gate just in case one of them manages to barge through."

Irwin shared a look with Daubutim before he sped up, walking down the wide staircase beside the guard.

"It's good to see nobles helping out for once," the guard said softly before lowering his voice to a whisper. "Is it true that the tall guy is Lord Coulwater now?"

Irwin nodded. "Yes, that's about right. With Lord Coulwater missing, Daubutim Coulwater is the current Lord," he whispered back.

It couldn't hurt to start some rumors that helped Daubutim and them in case something were to happen.

The guard peaked across his shoulder before continuing down.

"Any intel on his cards?"

Irwin felt his hackles rise but suppressed it so he wouldn't show.

"No, just that he is pretty powerful," he whispered back.

"He'd have to be with his father," the guard replied before continuing down the stairs.

Irwin didn't respond but followed him through the tower. Soon they were out of one of the side entrances and running along with other guards toward a clearing behind one of the larger gates. Rangers stood atop the wall, and one was shouting down the guards.

Irwin caught the last bit, something about the riders almost being overtaken, and if they should open the gate to help them.

"Damn, I guess they are going to be demon-chow," the guard Irwin had been talking to muttered.

What? Aren't they going to open the door to help? Irwin thought, turning to him in amazement. Even if some of those riding here were sorcerers, there had to be guards or rangers with them who would be eaten. What if there was a ranger like his brother, Bronwyn?

"Why?" he asked, unable to keep the annoyance he felt out of his tone.

"Why? Because if we open the doors and one of those things gets in here, we will probably lose a lot of people," the guard says, eyebrows raised.

"Can't we just go out through that small door and help them?" Irwin asked, pointing at the door.

The guard looked at the door, then at Irwin, then shook his head. "You have never fought Tardels, have you? Even if you are a full-hand, there's only one of you and three of them! We would need a dozen three-carded warriors to kill those things, and even then, we might lose."

Irwin shook his head just as a shout came from the top.

"The Tardels are almost on them! Any news from Lord Indoutor?"

There was just some silence as a response, and Irwin shared a look with Daubutim, who was frowning. Irwin was about to ask if they were seriously going to do nothing when Daubutim shook his head.

"Let's go up so we can see," he said before running to the staircase that led up the wall. Lamia ran after him.

Irwin took a final look at the guard, then followed them.

As he reached the top, he saw dozens of rangers, all with bows or crossbows raised, staring beyond the wall.

Almost three hundred feet from the gate, Irwin saw the three massive Tardels had managed to overtake the riders. They were blocking their way, but instead of attacking, they were now squared off against a hound that was even bigger than they were. Slowly circling around the sides, the three Tardels seemed disinclined to attack the hound, instead searching for a way to grab the riders. The group of Cindermares stood still, but some had hands raised, their cards glowing brightly and seemingly ready to attack.

Irwin stared at the familiar shape, his mind reeling, as the rangers around him chatted loudly.

"By Yilda, they are actually afraid of it!"

"That has to be the biggest hound I've ever seen!"

"Do you think it could take them?"

"Red eyes! That's Greldo's Cinder Hound!"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, it's called-"

"Coal!" Irwin snapped, moving forward. His eyes scanned for the familiar shape of Greldo, but he didn't spot it. Only large, burly men and women on Cindermares. Where is he? As his worry grew, he made to move forward, and Daubutim's arm was all that stopped him from hopping over the wall.

"Wait, if we go with just the two of us, we might not be enough to sway the balance," Daubutim said.

Before Irwin could complain, the lordling turned, raised his head, and glared around.

"I am Daubutim Coulwater, the current Lord of the Coulwater family! There's someone amongst those riders that needs to make it here safely!" he boomed, causing the chatter to stop instantly. "Half of the rangers with me!"

Then he turned and sprinted back down, Irwin on his tail. He was happy when he heard feet from above, showing at least some of the rangers had listened to the order.

Below, the guards had heard something and were now staring at Daubutim quietly, some with fear in their eyes.

"Follow me. We are going to kill those three Tardels," he snapped as he stomped towards the small door.

As he reached it, he stopped, and Irwin saw a guard look at Daubutim as if unsure what to do. Unable to hold back, Irwin triggered his Coperion Body, growing half a foot as his armor creaked dangerously. Now taller than even Daubutim, he stepped next to his friend while he summoned his hammer.

"Open the door," he said, trying to make his voice as deep and commanding as he could.

The guard's eyes widened, and he jumped sideways, removing some bolts and pulling open the door.

Daubutim and Irwin walked through, and as he looked ahead, Irwin saw that the Tardels had charged. Two were biting at Greldo's hound, Coal, while the other was chomping down on one of the Cindermres while the rider crawled up from the ground.

Irwin stepped forward. They had to hurry! He swirled around to see that guards and rangers were slowly trickling through the door while Daubutim was snapping out orders, rapidly forming them into squads.

Too slow…

Irwin took a deep breath, then turned to the battle.

“Lamia stay with Daubutim. Follow me as soon as you can. I'm going ahead to help Greldo!" he snapped. Then he leaned forward and began running towards the screaming and shouting pocket of violence.

Don't you dare die, he thought as he recalled how Greldo had saved his life, ruining his hands in the process.