Irwin frowned as he looked at the paper, staring at the lines, not completely happy.
"So I really have to give up my Eyes of Blaze and card reading?" he asked, feeling sad.
"Oh, come on! I've managed to combine nearly all of your physical passive bonuses in the body change, and you complain about that? You are one of the few people w...
2023-09-23 20:15:41 +0000 UTC View Post"Are you sure you don't want to come? I'm sure Lord Urdwellan will be willing to do yours to…"
Irwin shook his head, grinning as he gazed at Greldo, who was pacing around nervously, sometimes rubbing his hands.
Gadorley wouldn't be there for a while, but Greldo, knowing he was going to become a heartcard, wasn't able to stop himsel...
2023-09-22 18:12:16 +0000 UTC View PostIrwin reacted on instinct, unsummoning the hammer and using the little kinetic energy he had left to jump back. A blurred motion, too fast to see clearly, flashed past his face, air pulling along with it.
He landed on his heels, stumbling back and trying to keep his balance while focusing on the blur before him. The Niox moved almost as fa...
2023-09-17 19:47:58 +0000 UTC View PostIrwin held his breath as he saw the hammer slowly descend and tap the cards. A vibration rippled out, visible in the heat as any edges became wavy lines, then a new cardslot appeared in the air above Crithann's hands.
"The slot looks empty; however, don't be tricked," Lord Urdwellan spoke, his voice so loud it almost hurt Irwin's ears. "Th...
2023-09-16 19:49:17 +0000 UTC View PostIrwin shot up, blinking as he tried to figure out what had awoken him. A quick look at the cracks in the window panels showed it was dark outside.
What…?
He looked to the side, but Scintilla was still sleeping, curled up in a tiny ball with a wide smile on her face.
"Ambraz…?" Irwin whispered as he carefully ...
2023-09-15 19:59:31 +0000 UTC View Post"How long are you going to remain here?"
Mason sighed, staring out at the distant depths of the desert. Faelina sat beside him, as she had ever since he'd sat down over a day earlier.
"I don't know yet," Mason finally said. "I've gotta get rid of these red scales before I get as crazy as Clankrin."
It was quiet, and he looked u...
2023-09-12 18:49:12 +0000 UTC View Post"It's probably because some of those traders prefer trading lots of these useless cards for one or two high-quality ones," Ambraz said.
Irwin gazed at the sorted stacks across the table, shaking his head.
Over the last few months, Gadorley had returned twice more. Besides news about some heated conflicts and the eviction of a group o...
2023-09-10 19:41:46 +0000 UTC View PostIrwin grinned as he grabbed his plain white shirt and walked out of the room. Ambraz flitted to his shoulder, landing there lightly.
"About time! While we're there, we should get a bunch of new low-rank cards to experiment with!"
"I'm sure I can get some from Driseog," Irwin agreed as he thought about the small stack he had remaining...
2023-09-09 19:22:16 +0000 UTC View Post"I wonder where this thing went," Greldo muttered as he trotted beside Irwin, deeper into the earth.
"Perhaps to another dead Earth Titan? It seems to be boring in a straight line somewhere," Irwin replied softly, keeping a still-sleeping Scintilla cradled against his chest, a steam wrapped around her.
A straight line that's slig...
2023-09-08 18:38:22 +0000 UTC View PostIrwin looked at Scintilla, feeling bad for her. She had moved the others up, but now she sat in the corner, vomiting loudly.
"Let's go," Numilli whispered excitedly.
Irwin let out a weary sigh, staring at the other Ignitzion. "Perhaps we should give Scintilla a few moments?"
"But we were in a rush, right?" she said, turning to ...
2023-09-03 18:50:45 +0000 UTC View PostIrwin's body shot down the vein faster than he had imagined possible, picking up speed rapidly. At one point, he had a moment of freefall, causing his stomach to lurch before he touched down again. After what had to be half a minute, he felt the downward motion turn to a straighter one, and before he had time to think, he reached the end. He sho...
2023-09-02 19:33:59 +0000 UTC View PostIrwin first noted his breathing… It was ragged and loud and somehow had drawn him out of whatever catatonic state he had been in. Then he realized the itching was gone! He almost wanted to cry, but instead, he let out a sigh, feeling his chest hurt slightly.
"Feel better?" Ambraz asked worriedly, flitting up above him.
Irwin nodded...
2023-09-01 19:17:21 +0000 UTC View PostIrwin yawned as he leaned back in the chair, staring at the massive auction happening below. Seeing his cards being sold for exceedingly absurd amounts had been fun at first, but after seven days of it, he'd found he could only be surprised and impressed so much. Besides, compared to some of Lord Urdwellan's own cards and some others, the prices...
2023-08-27 19:26:57 +0000 UTC View PostThere was a long couch on the balcony, which gave a great view of a massive aula below. Rows and rows of seats covered the ground, sloping up to give everyone a good view of the podium, which was still empty. Thousands of people were already sitting there, the front rows filled, while people were moving in from the entrances and finding spots. T...
2023-08-26 20:58:23 +0000 UTC View Post"I need a shadow-typed teleportation card. Rank doesn't matter," Irwin said.
Driseog nodded with a frown. "A hard one to get, so I understand why you would ask for help. Any other things to consider? Can it have any other types?"
Irwin thought for a bit, then shook his head. Greldo was going to turn it into a part of his heartcard, s...
2023-08-25 17:35:24 +0000 UTC View Post"This is insane," Greldo muttered as he followed Irwin. "There have to be more people here than there were back on Fiverio."
Irwin didn't answer, far too preoccupied with looking around as he moved through the massive market. There were innumerable wagons, carts, and stalls with food, drinks, clothes, and a diverse assortment of other item...
2023-08-20 18:22:53 +0000 UTC View PostIrwin hummed, focusing his energy before striking the metal with all the power he could muster. As the energy from his Hammer card flowed out, leaving three-fifths left, he stepped back with a nod. Ever since his first mistake of emptying the energy of two of his cards, he'd made sure not to do that again. Instead, he only used two strikes infus...
2023-08-19 19:01:29 +0000 UTC View PostIrwin stared in disbelief at Ambraz, both surprised by the odd word, which he knew he couldn't reproduce even if he wanted to, and by what Ambraz just said.
"You… can't move?"
"Are you deaf? No! I can't, and Greldo ran out before I could tell him to remove this stupid thing!"
Irwin stared at the metal, then at Ambraz. After a...
2023-08-18 17:05:14 +0000 UTC View PostTwo weeks after they returned to the new Grianfál, Irwin was lying on his bed, staring up at the pale stone ceiling. It was quiet outside but busy in his mind. He had just returned from a meeting with Crithann and a messenger from Lord Urdwellan.
The portals had definitely all been closed, which was good news, but sadly, there was no clea...
2023-08-13 19:37:26 +0000 UTC View PostScreams tore through the silence as Greldo dodged two black daggers slicing for his face. Stepping into the shadow beside Coal, he used his skill to move through the connected shadows behind the Pale Imp and slammed his sword into its back.
A gurgling came from the Pale Imp as it collapsed, and Greldo finally had a moment of rest.
A ...
2023-08-13 05:48:00 +0000 UTC View Post"Wait… so the Linchpin is a skill?" Irwin asked, shaking his head. "How is that possible?"
"No idea. But there are two of these hoops, both with cards, and that big monster above seems to power it all. They keep feeding it Imps to keep it quiet."
Irwin frowned as he recalled the massive Addled Imp.
"They are feeding Imps to a...
2023-08-11 18:52:35 +0000 UTC View PostMason hurled himself to the side, slamming into the wall while breathing in a deep breath. Clankrin rushed past him, slashing to the side, and Mason felt a burning sensation drag across his side and shoulder.
Ignoring it, he drew in a massive breath, pulling on the abundance of red fire mana-lits in the air. As he felt a raging fire ignite...
2023-08-10 18:37:22 +0000 UTC View Post"What is going on up there?"
Irwin stood at the edge of the roof, staring at the distant volcano. The stream of Imps had reached the halfway point, while the explosions continued at the top.
Who are they fighting if the Imps aren't there yet, he thought before turning to Ignalia.
The heat that radiated from the distant...
2023-08-06 18:17:26 +0000 UTC View PostIrwin stared hard at the Ruby Portal, counting in his mind.
Seven, eight, nine-
A bright burst of red lightning rippled around the edges of the portal, and a figure came tumbling through. Irwin jumped forward, barely catching Ignalia. Her bare arms were warm against his, and she took a deep, shuddering breath.
Irwin wa...
2023-08-05 19:06:06 +0000 UTC View PostAs the Winged Imp stomped to the wooden gate, the others spread out to create a corridor.
Now what, Irwin thought.
He looked back and shared a worried look with Ignalia, who was trying to convey something with her eyes. He had no idea what but did know that it wasn't anything like, all is good, don't worry. The pale Imp that...
2023-08-04 17:59:40 +0000 UTC View PostMason landed far enough from the distant, dark dragon to allow them enough time to respond if he did anything. Baudron, Faelina, and the others landed behind and around him while Clankrin was still circling up ahead.
"Clankrin, talk first," Mason shouted.
The burly red dragon turned to him, then snorted and landed on a larger piece o...
2023-08-04 17:59:29 +0000 UTC View PostThey continued for hours, and as the seemingly endless forest of giant trees continued, the three Ignitzions began looking weary. Their previous light and easy movements were gone, and their feed thudded heavily on the ground. Their breathing became laboursome and heavy, and one of them started to slow until she was only a few feet ahead of Irwi...
2023-07-30 19:42:14 +0000 UTC View PostAs they traveled, Irwin saw birds, small rodents, and far too many insects but no sign of Imps.
When the first day traveling through the forest finally passed into evening, they found refuge below a toppled tree. Old, moldy, and smelly, at least they were out of view. The occasional comparatively cool breeze blew around them.
Lying o...
2023-07-29 19:49:10 +0000 UTC View PostDaubutim took calm, soft steps forward. He knew he wasn't allowed to stand still here for any long periods, nor could he look back.
There wasn't a single sound from the hallway behind him, and he shivered again.
What had that voice been? Before he could stop it, his mind tried connecting the dots, and he felt the stress and weariness...
2023-07-28 19:27:50 +0000 UTC View PostJake sighed as he sat in Emma's room. They had been wandering around the school for a while longer, and the evening was coming closer, the luminescent barrier above the city dimming rapidly.
"You're sure they know more than they are telling?" Emma asked quietly.
"Yeah, pretty sure. Either they already know where Mason is, or they hav...
2023-07-27 19:55:16 +0000 UTC View Post