"I'll see you in a few hours, Captain," Rindiri said.

  "No rush," Irwin said. "You know where you can find us, just find us enough supplies to last for the trip."

  Rindiri nodded at him, and Irwin saw her eyes flicker to Greldo before she turned and walked away. The other two Yuurindi, Youritz and Dagger, followed after her quickly.

  "I get the feeling those two are a bit afraid of you," Greldo muttered, using a long twig to poke between his teeth.

  Irwin didn't reply, his eyes locked on Kes'dor, the Ganvil on Rindiri's shoulder. He'd picked up part of the conversation between him and Ambraz.

  That bastard, he thought, thinking back to Lasther. If he hadn't killed the Guidar already, he would be more than willing to do it now. Just thinking about a few of the things Kes'dor had told Ambraz… how he'd tortured multiple Ganvils until they died just to try and get information from them that they didn't have.

  Lasther's face played through his mind, and he gritted his teeth.

  "Irwin?"

  Irwin jerked back to reality, looking over at Greldo. His friend was staring at him, looking slightly worried.

  "You okay?"

  Irwin took a deep breath, then nodded.

  "I'm fine. Just a bit angry."

  "At me?"

  Irwin blinked, then shook his head. "What? No, why would I be angry at you?"

  Greldo held his gaze before shrugging.

  "Well, because of the issues I might have caused?"

  Irwin snorted, thinking back to what Greldo had told him.

  "No, it's not that. Let's head out. I'll tell you while we walk."

  Greldo nodded.

  A short while of walking through the open, beautiful, and tree-filled Smiths Guild later, Greldo was frowning, burning anger gleaming in his eyes.

  "And where's Ambraz now?" he asked.

  Irwin focused on his soulscape through his giantself and searched for Ambraz. He quickly found the Ganvil, flying through the forest of music-sheet trees.

  Like all of his soulscape, it too had grown, and it had turned from a small forest, barely more than a few hundred trees, into a sprawling wilderness that bordered the hills and mountains. Irwin had moved through it when he'd shown Rindiri, and he'd found that most of the pale, yellowed leaves didn't have musical notes on them. Only the taller trees in the center had those. Instinctively, he knew that he just hadn't heard enough music, not even if he added up the resonance songs of all the cards he'd reforged.

  Ambraz was flying from tree to tree, and Irwin knew that his friend probably had his lips pressed in a tight, angry line.

  "He's cooling down," Irwin said as he pulled back from his giantself and his soulscape.

  Greldo took a deep breath before exhaling explosively.

  "Let's go and focus on getting as many cards as we can," he grumbled.

  Irwin nodded, trying to push his own anger away. It was useless now.

  --

  Half a day later, they were sitting in another restaurant in the Smiths Guild. Most of the tables around them were filled with Viridians and a few scattered humans or other species, while soft background music came from three Viridians playing a beautiful song on flutes.

  Irwin barely listened, focused mostly on his food and the annoying half-day they just had.

  "How are we going to get any like this?" Greldo muttered as he poked in his bowl of stew with his fork.

  Irwin continued munching on his own, thinking about the rather poor selection of cards they had managed to get. They had quickly found out that trading cards in a city with a Smiths Guild was a lot less profitable than in one deprived of cards. Unlike Dimarintsia, cards were abundant in Suderfuix. New ones still flowed in from the world and its many adjacent worlds, which were delivered to the Smiths Guild and eventually sold or traded.

  Although the cards that Irwin wanted to trade were nearly all a hundred percent, which made them more valuable than most, he'd had a hard time trading them for bulk amounts of low-rank cards. There were barely any useful ones in circulation, and those that were went for stunning prices.

  The only thing that made the trip somewhat worthwhile was his new outfit. A carded leatherworker had been more than willing to create him a new, reinforced pair of trousers, plated boots, and a short-sleeved, extra-sturdy jerkin. He'd even been able to provide six pale green shirts and undergarments, replenishing Irwin's long-gone stock and finally removing his need to wear the Whisper Steel armor.

  Sadly, it had cost far more than he'd expected, and with how poor their trading had gone, it had actually managed to make a slight dent in his remaining soulshards.

  "I guess this is why traders make so much money, bringing in low-rank cards from the distant branch worlds," he said. "And with barely any trade coming through the branch corridor…" he trailed off, wondering how much money he could make by just gathering cards around the fringes and bringing them here. The storm didn't bother him much, and with Greldo's ability to move them through the shadows, they could probably earn a lot of soulshards. Sadly, they didn't have the years it would require spending on that, which meant they would need to find another way to get cards.

  "I'll ask Guildmaster Joulihn. Perhaps we can get cards through her," he said. "Otherwise, we will just have to gather what we can on our way back."

  "What if you just reforge a bunch of cards up to diamond?" Greldo asked, pushing his plate back and picking up his drink.

  Irwin shook his head. "It won't work. Even here, most people don't go over Emerald-rank cards because of how hard it is to fill their soulscape, and you saw how many of those cards are out there. Besides, the prices are so much higher here that it's a waste of time, soulcards, and soulshards to try here the normal way."

  "Annoying," Greldo said, leaning back. "I don't understand why it's so bad here. We had a much easier time getting cards back on Dimarintsia!"

  "Well, there weren't any smiths to reforge those, and they had at least some trade still coming through," Irwin said.

  "I wonder why that is," Greldo said. "This place is doing far better than Dimarintia, wouldn't it make sense to keep trading with this place instead, even if they have to go through the storm?"

  Irwin chewed on his final bite, frowning as he thought about what Greldo said. "Perhaps that's exactly why?" he finally said. "Perhaps because Dimarintsia had such a food shortage, it was lucrative to go there, while this place has food aplenty?"

  "Might be," Greldo muttered. "I have been asking around, but the only trade here was because of the Smiths Guild. Apparently, the planet has been off-limits to nearly anyone for as long as the people I talked to knew. They don't even really know where the exit portal is!"

  Irwin thought about that for a while, wondering why Suderfuix was so different from what he'd expected. Deciding he'd ask Guildmaster Joulihn later, he glanced at his empty bowl, then at Greldo's half-full one. "You going to finish that?"

  Greldo half-smiled, his annoyance fading as he shook his head. "No, but what's going on with your appetite? You had three servings already, and they weren't small."

  Irwin shrugged as he swapped his empty bowl with Greldo's before he continued shoveling the food inside.

  "I think it's because of my new heartcard," he said.

  "Well, I hope you don't start doubling your appetite with each one. Otherwise, we are going to have an issue back home," Greldo said, his half-smile widening into a full-blown grin.

  Irwin chewed thoughtfully, trying to gauge how much he still wanted to eat. It almost felt like the food was simply disappearing moments after he'd eaten it, though he was slowly getting satiated.

  I wonder if it's because of the Titan Type, he thought.

  He was lost in his ponderings, slowly finishing Greldo's bowl, when his friend pulled him out of it.

  "What do you want to do tomorrow?"

  Irwin pushed the bowl away and picked up his own glass.

  "I had expected the Ruadh'trom family to find us by now," he said. "Seeing as they haven't, I guess I'll have to go to them."

  Greldo opened his mouth to respond before closing it with a snap and cocking his head. After a few moments, he shook his head.

  "What?"

  "It looks like they have found us," Greldo said, turning his attention to the door of the restaurant.

  "That's oddly… well timed," Irwin said, frowning as he released his hold on his soulforce senses, his surroundings suddenly overflowing with impressions, colors, and a torrent of resonance songs. He instantly sensed the soft ripples of soulforce that he'd come to associate with shadewalkers coming from all around the building.

  "Friends of yours?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at Greldo.

  "Those aren't the problem; they have been here for as long as we have," Greldo said, tapping his ear. "No, there are a few people chatting about us outside, and… Oh. You can hear me? Yes… I-"

  Greldo blinked and stopped talking while Irwin looked at him in surprise. His friend had gone from talking to him to talking to someone else.

  "Sure… we will talk with him," Greldo said, sitting up straight, his entire demeanor turning serious.

  Irwin was about to ask what was happening when he sensed a torrential ripple of soulforce outside, and a moment later, two soulforce signatures nearly blew away all of the ambient soulforce. The soft runic lights and fires flickered before dimming to half their strength. The chatter in the restaurant turned quiet, and a look of surprise surged around everyone in the restaurant. It turned to one of shock as a towering silver armored figure walked inside. Irwin recognized the armor immediately, as it was the same Whisper Steel as he had worn until only that morning.

  Judging from his size, that's one of the Viridian Elders, he thought, sensing the four soulcards the man had. He was somewhat surprised that they were emerald rank, and from their pressure not that powerful.

  "This restaurant is closed for the night," the figure said in a smooth, almost oiled voice.

  Before he even finished, the first people had already gotten up, rushing for the exit.

  "I don't think that counts for us?" Irwin asked, looking at Greldo.

  "No… it seems Lord Seizer Ruadh'trom himself has decided to take me up on my invitation," his friend said, looking slightly worried. "There are hundreds of shadewalkers around this building."

  Irwin leaned back, rubbing his chin. "Do you think we should leave?" he asked.

  Greldo cocked his head and grimaced. "I have just been told that even if we manage to leave, this will have consequences for our ship, Rindiri, and the others."

  Irwin's frown deepened. "Then I think we should see what this Lord wants of us."

  Greldo nodded, and they waited as, within a few minutes, the restaurant became empty and quiet. Only they, the waitresses, the proprietor, and the towering silvery figure remained.

  Irwin sensed one of the powerful figures outside move closer, and a moment later, an old Viridian with leaves so brown they looked black and with a bark skin so rugged it made him look ancient. He was wearing a long, dark, well-fitting green robe that looked made of gleaming leaves.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  He glanced at the proprietor and the waitresses before pointing at the door. The four quickly dashed out, closing the door behind them.

  "That's the one I saw this morning," Greldo whispered.

  A second Viridian walked in with yellow leaves and a much smoother face. He was dressed in black, dull armor of a material Irwin couldn't place that seemed to absorb any light touching it.

  The man's amber and green eyes met his, then to Greldo. His lips moved as he was saying something, but Irwin heard nothing.

  Greldo sighed. "And that's the one that has good hearing."

  The older man was walking toward them, his face expressionless. As he reached their table, he stared at Greldo before raising an eyebrow.

  "So, you invited me here for a warning. Here I am."

  Irwin and Greldo shared a look, and Greldo looked at the older man as he rose.

  "Lord Seizer Ruadh'trom, I am Greldo Domnyr, and this is Captain Irwin Roddington," he said.

  Irwin had known Greldo would introduce them with their real and full names, as they had discussed this beforehand. Seeing as the Smiths Guild already knew who they were, it made little sense to pretend. Especially seeing as they wanted to warn these people to get ready.

  "So, I see you are able to introduce yourself in a civil manner," the man said, moving to one of the empty chairs. "Call me Lord Seizer. This is Shadowleaf Jablin Ruadh'trom, the leader of the Suderfuix shadewalkers. He was… curious to find out how you managed to break through the outer defense runes."

  Irwin frowned at the way Lord Seizer referred to Jablin as if he himself already knew how Greldo did what he did. Jablin was currently staring at Greldo, almost as if he was willing him to explain.

  "Before this, however, I want your warning," Lord Seizer said, seemingly realizing the same thing and not interested in it one bit. Jablin glanced at him, then put his hand on the table and sniffed.

  A quiet hovered in the room for a few moments before Irwin decided to just start. It was what he was here for.

  "A species called Guidar from another major branch that is not part of the Portal Gallery Alliance is attacking us. They are both responsible for the abductions of the Smiths and the attacks on the outer regions," he said slowly.

  Lord Seizer and Jablin didn't react, which somewhat confused him. It almost looked like they already knew what he was saying. Had the Guildmaster told them?

  Or perhaps they did get information across the soulcrystal network?

  Deciding not to let it distract him, he began explaining in detail about The Zaidol Branch, the shackled and unshackled, and how he'd gotten the information from The Acenti.

  "So, that's the ship the Smiths Guild is examining right now?" Jablin asked.

  "It is," Irwin said. "It belongs to my friend. Spoils of war."

  "I don't think you will get it back," Lord Seizer said, his lips quirking up slightly. "Your guild mistress isn't known to hand back things she takes."

  Good to know, Irwin thought, as he thought about his upcoming test. Perhaps he should just grab his friends and leave before?

  "So…" Lord Seizer said. "How did you know to head to Dimarintsia to find Lasther, and how did you know he was a Guidar?"

  Irwin looked back in slightly stunned surprise. He'd explained how they got information on where the smiths were from those they freed and from the mercenaries they had captured. At no point had he said anything about knowing Lasther was a Guidar, but instead, he'd just explained how they had found out from the man's attacks. Why would Lord Seizer ask this…?

  "Don't bother denying it," Lord Seizer said. "I've had a report on your battle with Lasther, including some of the things you said. From my information, I know that the Guidar are looking for Galadin because Lasther was recorded talking about it. I've done research on them, but all I could find was a short mention of an ancient empire by that name."

  Irwin was stunned by hearing that, and he shared a look with Greldo, who was frowning at Lord Seizer. Now, what should they do? He wasn't planning on sharing anything about the Galadin.

  As he saw the Lord stare at him, he was starting to wonder if he should just leave. Greldo should be able to get them out of here easily enough, no matter how many shadewalkers they had here. All they had to do was find Rindiri, get her and her people into his soulscape, and leave.

  He tried to hide his internal reasoning, but something must have shown as Jablin leaned forward.

  "I wouldn't try anything," he said, his eyes lowering dangerously. "As strong as your friend here is, there's no way he can get away from all of my Shadowtree."

  "Calm, Jablin," Lord Seizer said, waving at the other Viridian before turning to Irwin. "I see that my questions are hitting a sore spot, which can only be because you know what these Galadin are. You seem to be here to warn us of what is happening. If that is so, I would suggest you divulge all relevant information."

  Irwin leaned back, staring at the Lord. He pondered lying, then decided against it. Anything he said could give away something he didn't want to, like the existence of a world filled with descendants of the Galadin. As much as they needed allies, who knew what might happen if people discovered what the Guidar were searching for still existed? They might attempt a futile bargain with the Guidar, thinking the conquerors might leave them alone. Irwin didn't need to know more than what he did to know there was no way the Guidar would allow anything to slip from their fingers. If even half of what he'd heard from the Acenti was true, they would enslave everyone.

  "I fear I can't tell you anything more," he said, shaking his head. "We came here to find our friends and warn people about who is behind the attacks."

  Jablin's face warped to one of anger, but before he could move, Lord Seizer waved him off again.

  "Very well. Now then, how are you going to make up for breaking into the Ruadh'trom estate?"

  Irwin stared at the Lord, wondering what he should even say to that, especially because he was looking at him, not Greldo.

  "How about I explain how you can prevent that from happening again?" Greldo said, drawing everyone's attention to him. He seems more relaxed than Irwin felt.

  "Do you think we can't do that ourselves, you-" Jablin began, only to suddenly fall quiet, his eyes widening in surprise as they darted around. "What…"

  "Jablin?" Lord Seizer asked.

  "I… He…”

  Greldo snorted. "Don't worry, he is fine. I just made him shut up before he said something he'd regret."

  Irwin grimaced at the barely hidden hostility in his friend's words. He slowly began preparing himself. He'd not expected any of this, and he knew that it was partially because he'd expected the interaction to be more like what he'd had back on Scour and with the other Viridians. They had never really been antagonistic, but it seemed either those in Suderfuix were different, or Greldo moving inside their estate was far more of a thing than either of them could have ever expected.

  "What did you do?" Lord Seizer asked, frowning at Greldo.

  "I condensed the shadowrealm as much as it would let me," Greldo said with a shrug. "He's probably watching the fishies and other things right now."

  A soft knock on the door interrupted their exchange.

  "Enter," Lord Seizer said.

  The door opened up, and another Viridian in a similar dark-cloaked garb as the still seemingly stunned Jablin stepped inside. As he looked inside, his eyes suddenly widened, and he stopped, one foot still in the air.

  "What… is…" he muttered.

  Lord Seizer grunted. "Please stop this," he said, turning to Greldo.

  "Sure," Greldo replied, and the man at the door stumbled forward. He shook his head and looked around, seemingly searching for something. At the same time, Jablin leaned back in his chair, his bark face turning pale and his eyes locking on Greldo.

  Lord Seizer snapped his fingers, and the Viridian at the door shook his head.

  "My Lord, a merchant named Driseog has appeared and is requesting to see you immediately. He says he is friends with…" his eyes darted to Irwin.

  Lord Seizer's eyes widened. "Driseog? Old Greenbark's youngest?" He turned to Irwin, raising an eyebrow. "Is this true?"

  Irwin nodded.

  "Very well, escort him inside."

  The dark-garbed Viridian nodded, though his eyes scanned the room before he turned and quickly left.

  "What did you do?" Jablin whispered, his gaze locked onto Greldo. "What were those things?"

  "I just pulled a bit more of the shadowrealm in here," Greldo said. "Now… would you like me to tell you how to prevent people from breaking your first wall?"

  Jablin glanced at Lord Seizer, who merely nodded.

  "Yes!"

  "And you will ignore my little excursion?"

  "If it is useful," Lord Seizer said.

  Greldo's eyebrows rose, and Irwin knew his friend was thinking what he was. Who decided if it was useful? Then Greldo shrugged.

  "Either you need to use the runes you use to block the tower windows and doors, or you need to use the shadow vines that Elder Sigora can create."

  "You know Sigora?" Lord Seizer said, looking at Irwin in surprise.

  "We met her in Dimarintsia," Irwin said, wondering why the Lord hadn't just asked Greldo.

  "How was she?"

  Irwin wanted to ask if the person who had told him about Lasther hadn't told him more, but decided that would probably just cause more trouble.

  "She was fine when we last saw her, though Elder Roark strained his power," Irwin said. "Elder Sigora said they would be leaving for Suderfuix as soon as the storm stops."

  There was another knock on the door, louder this time.

  "Enter," Lord Seizer said.

  The door was pushed open, and a familiar, lanky Viridian walked inside.

  Irwin felt his strained mood lift as he saw Driseog, wearing a beautiful dark purple and green robe, split at the front to show a pale green shirt that glimmered in the light. His gaze quickly flitted across the room, pausing for a short moment on Irwin before stopping at Lord Seizer.

  "My Lord Seizer," he said, bowing his head before coming closer. "I hope I find you well?"

  "Mostly," Lord Seizer said. "You know these people?"

  "I do, sir. The Fiz'rin is called Irwin, and he is a friend. The canine-human hybrid is Greldo," Driseog said as he approached the table. "May I sit?"

  Lord Seizer waved his creased and gnarled hand at the chair beside Irwin, and Driseog quickly sat down.

  Irwin wanted to ask him how he was doing, but a quick glance from Driseog made him wait.

  "Tell me how you got to know Smith Irwin," Lord Seizer said.

  Driseog nodded.

  "This was a bit over fifteen years ago, on Scour, when I was starting my mission center," he began. "Elder Greenbark had told the rest of my siblings and me to prove ourselves by creating a profitable business. I was working in the Mission Center, trying to find profitable cards to return home, when Irwin entered my shop. He was one of the promising cardsmiths who was allowed on-world to take part in Lord Gebladir Urdwellan's search for promising cardsmiths."

  Irwin quietly listened to Driseog regale the story of their first and second meeting, continuing all the way as their interactions turned from acquaintances to a slight friendship.

  "I remember this," Lord Seizer said, nodding slowly. "It was when Urdwellan's world was attacked in the first wave. So, you were instrumental in stopping this?" he asked, looking at Irwin.

  "I did what I could," Irwin said, recalling how he'd gone through the ruby portal into the Gallub world and killed the giant, crazed Gallubs that had been powering the shardworld. Back then, he'd had no soulcard yet, and he knew that if he had to do the same thing now, he could just easily stomp through with little effort.

  "Very well," Lord Seizer said, turning to Greldo. "I accept your…" he said, trailing off while raising a leafy eyebrow.

  Greldo looked back and then seemed to catch up to what was implied.

  "Ah! Right, I'm very sorry for going into your family estate without an invitation," he said.

  "Apology," Lord Seizer added. Then he turned to Irwin. "I understand you will be here for a few more days as you need to do a smithing test. I would suggest that you change your opinion and tell me everything that is going on."

  Irwin looked back, not sure what to do. He definitely wasn't going to tell the Viridian everything. The risk was too large.

  "We will take our leave," Lord Seizer said, turning to Driseog. "I expect your presence at my estate within six hours."

  Then the Lord rose from his seat and beckoned a still confused-looking Jablin.

  Irwin watched them walk out of the restaurant, and only when the door closed did he let out a relieved sigh.

  "Yeah," Greldo muttered. "I guess I probably shouldn't have just moved into his estate."

  Irwin snorted before looking at Driseog, who was staring at the door, his face paler than before.

  "Driseog, it's great to see you," Irwin said.

  The lanky Viridian with the emerald green hair shuddered, then turned to him.

  "I agree, though I would have preferred if it wasn't after you two antagonized the most powerful person in this city," he said. He looked around, then rose from his seat and walked to the back of the bar. A moment later, he returned with a large bottle and three glasses, which he placed on the table.

  "I'd heard you arrived and cleaned my schedule to see you as fast as I could," he said, pouring three glasses. "Then I heard the old man was on the warpath, dropped everything, and came early."

  "Warpath…" Irwin muttered, glancing back at the door. "He has six diamond soulcards and a heartcard?"

  Driseog's eyes widened, and he took a quick drink.

  "He does, and he's over a thousand years old, even without any life-extending cards. Most Elders head to the Hearttree forest for their final journey long before he does…"

  The three of them took a few drinks, and slowly, the mood became less tense.

  "I am very curious why you are here," Driseog said. "Also, you are… different."

  Irwin grinned, and then he looked around. "I'd love to tell you more, but perhaps not exactly in this setting."

  "I don't have any property in this area," Driseog said.

  "That's fine," Irwin said. "Greldo, mind moving us out of here?"

  Greldo nodded as he grabbed the bottle. "Sure. Driseog, I'm going to bring us into my shadowspace. You ready?"

  Driseog nodded, his calm demeanor seemingly having returned.

  Irwin grinned as he sensed Greldo manipulating the shadowy soulforce, and a moment later, the three of them vanished from the restaurant.

  --

  "My Lord… why did you just let them be?" Jablin asked as he followed Lord Seizer toward the small flying ship that was waiting for them. Two rows of black-garbed guards stood nearby.

  "Two reasons," Lord Seizer said as he sat down in the small but incredibly beautiful ship. "The pressure that came from the cardsmith was dangerously potent, and although I don't doubt I could beat him in a fight, I am uncertain if I could keep him here if he wants to leave. Second, the young Greenbark."

  "The seedling? But he's-"

  "He's that old monster's most prized offspring," Lord Seizer said before he sighed. "Also, I guess there's a third reason. I think those two weren't bad people. From what I've heard of Irwin, he seems to prefer saving people over harming them, and although I know far less about that shadewalker, he didn't come across as a bad apple… more of a troublemaker."

  Jablin seemed to want to disagree, but he held his tongue as Lord Seizer slowly removed a green tablet from a pocket in his robe.

  "Did you manage to get anything from him?" he asked.

  "Yes, Lord Seizer. From what we could detect, Irwin Roddington has the soulpressure associated with someone who has four above diamond rank soulcards, multiple of which are likely to increase his soulforce."

  "He's only got two and a heartcard," Lord Seizer said, his lips curling up. "Couldn't detect that?"

  The emotionless voice was quiet for almost a minute before responding.

  "With only this small crystal to work with, it is hard to get a clear reading. If you are right, at least one of his cards will be unique."

  "My Lord! That's… that's not possible," Jalin hissed. "Are you suggesting he's a scion from the central branches?"

  "I'm not suggesting anything yet," Lord Seizer said. "However, contact Guild mistress Joulihn and tell her I need to speak with her before she tests him. If he has cards on this level, I fear that his Ganvil companion might become a potential issue for her."

  Though he will likely become a massive gain for the rest of us, Seizer thought as he absently rubbed an old wound on his abdomen.

  Common = Quartz, Uncommon = Amethyst, Rare = Topaz, Very Rare = Emerald, Epic = Ruby, Legendary = Diamond, Mythical = Ammolite