“Have you ever seen a ship like that before?”
“No… gotta be one of those Chained bastards, right?”
A man with more scars on his left cheek than normal skin narrowed his eyes as he stared at a younger, burly man beside him. Both wore thick leather and wood armor. A band of pale yellow covered the left side of their chest, with a black eye with a red pupil in the center.
“You stupid? If that was the case, why would the fleet let it move here?” the scarred man grunted.
“Who are you calling stupid?” the other asked, puffing up his chest angrily.
The two men glared at each other for a few moments, the tension mounting when a dull horn-sound caused one of them to snort.
“Whatever,” the burly man who had been called stupid grunted.
He crossed his arms and stared at the dark ship as it flew down towards one of the few empty spots on the third dock from the top right.
“Do you think it's a merchant ship?”
The scarred man rolled his eyes, then snorted. “No. I think it's one of those ships from the richer branches, some cross between a warship and a scout.”
The two quietly watched as the ship docked while a group of merchants rushed across the auburn-colored dock. Most were Viridian or Human, with only a couple of other species sprinkled in.
“The merchants are always so excited,” the burly man said, rubbing his unshaven chin.
“Can you blame them? This is what… the first ship in half a year?”
“I wonder if they have any news from Dimarintsia or Suderfuix.”
The scarred man didn’t respond, leaning forward and looking down the guard tower. It had been built a few years ago, after the war had begun, right in the middle of what had been a small market square. Around it stood one of the lower guardhouses, two other guards sitting in chairs infront of the main entrance.
“You two about ready? Our shift is over, and I want to hear the news firsthand,” the scarred man shouted down.
A few shouts back and forth, and a few minutes later, the scarred guard and the burly guard walked away from the tower. When they reached the dock, a mass of people was waiting, but they split apart to let them through.
The two guards ignored some angry mutterings as they walked toward where the merchants had surrounded two people.
“By the Flames of Aghos… Look at the ship,” the burly man whispered. “That guy has one of those multibody cards!”
The scarred man followed his gaze and saw half a dozen shadowy figures move about, one behind the helm, two near the railing, watching what was happening, and the rest on different parts of the dark sail.
“Like I said, probably from one of the rich branches,” the scarred man mumbled as the two stopped at the back of the merchants.
“-won’t allow that. The Exit Portal is closed for another few months,” one of the merchants said. “But if you tell us what you are looking for, I’m sure we can find what you are looking for.”
"As if," the scarred man whispered.
“Food and drink,” a tall woman said. She had dark hair marred by a single band of silver, and stood beside a man who towered a head above even her. With dark hair that seemed to drink in the surrounding light and a short beard, his deep red eyes gleamed purple as he looked around.
The scarred guard was about to push forward when the burly one grabbed his arm.
“Briz… look, it's one of those Nyzir?”
The scarred guard tensed as he followed the other guard’s finger to see a tall, pale being near the prow of the ship.
“Too tall and normal looking,” he muttered slowly. “But I see what you mean.”
“Cards?!”
The surprised cry from the merchants drew Briz’s attention back to what he guessed was the captain and his first mate of the ship.
“If you have what we need, we can trade some cards,” the man said with a nod. “We also have news about what has been happening across the Langost Branch.”
“See,” Briz whispered, pulling the other guard back a step. “Has to be someone from another main branch, or they wouldn’t be calling this place by its official name. Go find the captain and tell him he needs to get over here and talk with them. Get information.”
“Why me?”
Briz held back a sigh. “Because you are faster.”
The burly man’s mouth opened, then he just grinned stupidly, nodded, and sprinted away as if he were having a competition.
Should have told him to wait with running till he was out of view, Briz thought.
He kept back and listened to the haggling.
When the merchants and the captain of the ship were done, the two asked for a place to eat.
That was over an hour ago, and he was watching them from a table near the back of a diner called Grim’s Tantalizing Ribs. By now, Briz had learned the captain was called Greldo, while the woman was called Dahlia. Both had been ordering way more than he’d expect, though he did notice that some of the food seemed to vanish from their plates at times.
Probably moving it into their soulscapes, he thought.
A cling, one of a near-constant stream, made him look up, and he was glad to see the small, purple-haired man walk inside. With a skin like burnished steel, his slightly too large, intensely blue eyes drew nearly all the attention. He wore gear similar to Briz's, just higher-quality, and as they locked eyes, Briz shivered.
Still think he can read minds, he thought as Guard Captain Annizar walked towards him, sitting in the chair beside him.
“Briz, tell me what you have learned.”
“The man is Captain Greldo. He has at least three soulcards, probably something shadow-related.”
Briz wasn’t surprised when Annizar’s eyes narrowed, and the man leaned forward.
“Explain.”
“Every shadewalker I know that usually tries their hand at some quick thievery has been acting odd. Some just run when they see him, and two just dropped to the ground shivering. I asked one of my contacts, and they said that the man seems to be like a walking wave in the shadowrealm. Not sure what they see, but apparently that and his presence, likely they mean aura, scares the piss out of them.”
The Guard Captain’s eyes narrowed even more, turning to thin slits.
“Fine. The other one?”
“The woman is Dahlia, and I think she might be a cardsmith,” Briz said, before shrugging. “With the emphasis on think.”
This time, the Guard Captain’s words snapped open wide as he leaned back. It lasted for only a moment before he returned to narrow-eyed scowling, but again, Briz wasn’t surprised.
“Why, and how sure are you?”
“You know how my sister is a cardsmith, right? Well, she just has the same mannerisms. Keeps tapping her finger on things in these odd patterns, handling the cards she paid the merchants with like they are nothing. Also, she mentioned something about-”
Briz snapped his mouth shut as the man, Greldo, turned around and stared at him in a single move. Eyes narrow, there was a form of threat in them that made Briz shiver.
“They can hear us,” Annizar said, leaning back. “Can’t you?”
Briz felt a shiver as the demonic-like eyes moved from him to his Guard Captain, more than happy.
“Yes, I can,” a voice startled both of them.
Briz's hand dropped as a dagger appeared in it, while Annizar’s eyes blazed blue.
A shadowy version of the man they had been staring at stood a few paces behind them, partially in the shadows. Completely black except for his eyes, which were the same as the original, he was staring at them.
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you it's not nice to gossip about people?”
“There’s a war happening, and we do the same with everyone who shows up,” Annizar said, the glow in his eyes fading slowly. “Nothing personal.”
“Nothing personal? People always say that,” the shadowy man said as he walked forward and sat down on an empty chair. “Now, seeing as you know what I am called, and I only know that you are called Briz-”
Briz felt his hair stand on end, the old scars that covered his left cheek growing cold.
“-how about you share your name?”
“Guard Captain Annizar. I am responsible for this part of the harbor. Is Briz correct? Is your friend a cardsmith?”
“What if she is?”
Briz felt his lips go dry at the threat he saw in the dark-red eyes, knowing Annizar is known to make short work of troublemakers. The thing was, he also knew Annizar had only three soulcards, and none were very powerful. The pressure from the Guard Captain was nothing compared to what he could sense from the other man.
Guard Captain Annizar raised his hands slightly, shaking his head.
“We have no more cardsmiths here. Most left during the Cardsmith Abductions a dozen years ago, and the few that were left behind died during the plague. There are two dozen healers who need new heartcards. If she is a cardsmith, the Liemon Family will pay handsomely for her help.”
Briz saw something move from the corner of his eye, and he looked up to see the real man and woman move towards them. They sat down while the shadow version vanished.
“I can help with some heartcards, if the price is right,” the woman said calmly. “However, I won't be moving on world. So, contact them and tell them to give me their offer, and then bring at most six carded people here.”
Annizar didn’t react, but Briz could see the thoughts shooting through his eyes.
“Are you sure you can’t stay longer? The Liemon Harbor is probably the safest place in the entire Langost Branch right now.”
“No, but we might have something interesting to discuss,” the man said. “There are some other places that are still resisting, and one of those has started creating a teleportation network.”
Briz felt a shiver run through him, one of many it seemed that day. The way the man said it made it sound like there was actually a real resistance against the fleet's ransacking their branch.
“Do they have any more information on who these Chained are and why they are even attacking us?” Annizar asked, causing Briz to perk up.
“We do,” the man said, raising his eyebrow. “How about you head out and find the right people to talk to us, and we can walk around the harbor. It’s been a while since we found a place that actually doesn’t have a constant famine.”
Yeah, be glad you weren’t here two years ago, Briz thought.
He wondered if the Captain would order him to find the Liemon Family representative, but the Captain seemed to have other ideas.
“I’ll head there now,” Annizar said. “Please keep Briz here with you. Although I don’t expect any problems, with what he told me about the shadewalkers, there are a few Mercenary Captains here that might want to try something.”
Briz glanced at the captain.
He thinks Olmidraca might actually try something? he thought with a frown.
He knew the Mercenary Captain of the Draca Mercenaries was a shadewalker that seemed to think highly of herself, but even she wouldn’t be that stupid, right?
“Fine. Just make sure you keep up!”
Briz nodded as he quickly rose when Greldo and Dahlia did. He shared a quick look with his Captain before following after them.
“Briz, right? How about you tell us a bit about this place?” Greldo said as he glanced at him sideways.
“Eh, sure. What would you like to know?”
--
Greldo hummed one of Irwin’s songs as he moved a dozen backs into his mansion. Most contained a sort of mushrooms that the locals called Bluefleshshrooms, aptly named because they had the texture of charred meat and were a dark blue, almost black. As unappetizing as they looked, they tasted fantastic and were cheap.
“I think we have enough now,” Dahlia said, looking around. “Time to see what kind of cards they have around here.”
Greldo nodded as he glanced at the scarred guard walking beside him. Shorter but twice as wide as he was, the man had looked small compared to some of the other guards, and he guessed they all had some sort of standard card.
Not as muscular as most cardsmiths, but definitely bigger than all but the Crathans, Greldo thought.
“You said there is a small district with card merchants?”
“Yes. Most of them are those that welcomed you this morning,” Briz said as he walked out of the large shop and into the bustling street.
Greldo waved the guard onward, and they followed him through the harbor.
“It’s good to be in a somewhat civilized place again,” Dahlia said.
“Come on,” Greldo said, raising his eyebrows. “The last two places weren’t that bad.”
“They had no food to buy, and everyone looked ready to eat us instead,” Dahlia said, looking at him in disbelief. “It was horrible.”
Greldo shrugged, noticing that Briz was clearly trying to listen in.
“Briz, can you tell us why there are so many ships here? This place has more defense than the last ten places we were combined.”
Briz slowed down to walk beside him, nodding.
“The Liemon Family is both a merchant and a mercenary family, and when the war started, they immediately recalled all their ships. Many smaller mercenary companies followed the Liemon ships in the hopes of getting out safely. That meant that about two years ago, there were close to a thousand smaller ships and half a dozen Warships.”
“Half a dozen?” Greldo asked, whistling in surprise.
“Only four are left,” Briz said. “We were attacked by two big fleets, and although we defeated them, it cost us. Still, no new ones showed up afterward, but rumors say most enemy ships went to some of the minor northern and western branches. From what we heard, the Niox Mercenary Collective has been keeping those busy. You wouldn’t happen to know…?”
Greldo grinned. “I know there was a big battle at Granvox and the Niox, with the help of the Crathan Coalition, managed to wipe out some fleet.”
Well, technically Irwin did, but they don’t need to know, he thought.
“The Crathan Coalition? Never heard of those,” Briz said, looking up curiously.
“You will hear about them more soon,” Greldo thought.
Though I hope Irwin and Daubutim manage to actually get it up and running, he pondered.
“I see. Can I ask you something?”
Greldo looked at the guard, and this time it was his turn to be curious.
“About?”
“Why are they reacting to you like this?” Briz asked, pointing at three men and a woman in dark clothes who stood near a wall, staring at Greldo like they weren’t sure if they should run over or flee.
Greldo saw one of the men’s eyes roll up as he slumped down, while one of the men and the woman were looking at him like they wanted to jump him for something.
Ugh, I guess this is what Irwin must have experienced back on Igniz, he thought.
“One of my soulcards,” he said, shrugging. “Let's just hope they stay back there.”
“From what a friend of mine said, it is unlikely that they will want to approach.”
“Oh?” Greldo asked, raising his eyebrow. “Seems you know more about this than I do. Care to explain what they feel?”
“Something about a wave in the shadowrealm or something, and a strong pressure,” the guard said. “I would think that’s your aura?”
Greldo was about to shake his head, then hesitated.
I guess it could be like an aura…
“Not sure,” he finally said, seeing the familiar shopfronts of small-time cardshops up ahead.
Dahlia was speeding up, rubbing her hands in a way he knew by now. She was looking forward to finding strange quartz or amethyst cards that others thought were worth nothing.
Guess we are going to be busy for the next few hours, he thought, almost glad the guard was with them as it would give him someone to chat with.
--
Irwin yawned so wide his jaw popped, and he looked around himself. The air was shimmering from his constant flame, and there was a constant dripping sound from all around him while he stood up to his waist in water. High above, a tunnel exited the icy chamber he’d made, leading up to the massive snow and ice tower the Frozir had made. It was the start of what they called an ice palace, which would surround the exit portal while Irwin was melting chambers in the ice below for the species that didn’t like the freezing temperatures above.
“Kid, we need to get back up,” Ambraz grunted from his shoulder. “Daubutim is going to be heading through the entrance soon.”
Irwin nodded as he glanced around the cavern. It should be big enough for what the woodshapers would need, though, as he glanced at the freezing water and the deep blue, going to black ice below his feet, he still had a hard time believing there were trees that could survive down here.
Barely any light, no heat, and nothing but water and ice, he thought, as he clicked his tongue and shot up the soundwaves.
He reappeared on the edge of the tunnel in a large square chamber with pillars everywhere. With a ceiling forty feet high, the sounds of the people moving around echoed. Three thickly dressed people stood a few steps away, arms wrapped around their bodies and stomping their feet.
“You can go down,” Irwin said, getting a relieved nod from an older woman.
She walked to the bottom together with the others, putting her arms around their waist as she hopped over the edge, plummeting down.
Irwin watched as their fall slowed halfway down before they landed in the icy waters. A muffled curse drifted up from above.
“Lord Irwin, Lord Daubutim is waiting for you.”
Irwin glanced to the side where a woman with skin like blue ice, semi-transparent and showing dark blue veins, walked towards him. Probably no older than twenty, she had dark blue hair with purple swishes and looked far more human than any regular Frozir. A glance showed she had two free cardslots, showing she wasn’t a Frozir at all.
One of Lord Bron’s granddaughters, he thought, wondering how many of those were around.
The first generation had been different from the Frozir, but not that much, but those of his children who bonded with the Galadin people of Eluathar had gained handcards.
I wonder if they still call handcarded Soulsteals, Irwin thought as he followed her.
They walked out of the large chamber, through an elaborate archway, and into a smaller chamber. An almost translucent double door stood far to the left, while an enormous round table with throne-like icy chairs stood far to the right.
A corridor on the opposite side of him led away to the Exit Portal and what had been the small frontier town that had existed when they arrived. Most of it had been destroyed, all but the building that harbored the Library’s Entrance, and it took him a short trip through the busy building to reach it.
Most people walking around were either Frozir or Granvox, but there were already some Viridians here. No Ignzians, and he didn’t expect any for a long time. Most believed they couldn’t live on cold worlds, but Irwin knew he could make fire cards that would allow them to survive where, like he had for Scintilla long ago. He’d need to make a cardseed for that first, though.
The further they got into the tower of ice, the less it actually looked like one. Wood covered the ground while the walls were carved with exquisite patterns. Crystals sat embedded in parts of those patterns, causing them to glow. All across the ceilings sat Glausvines, a type of vine he hadn’t known about until Daubutim had told him. They had pale branches and beautiful warm orange and yellow leaves that drew in the ice-typed soulforce and changed it into warmth which radiated outward, while the roots that dug deep in the ice pulsed with freezing cold. They created a balance that Daubutim had tried to explain to him would both strengthen the structure of the building and warm the insides while still keeping the ice hard.
I still wonder why they don’t just cover the cavern roofs with them, Irwin thought.
Eventually, they reached a long hallway with multiple open rooms, one of which looked like a library with a portal hovering in the center. Daubutim stood beside it, talking softly with Lysbeth.
“Irwin, how is the final large cavern?” Daubutim asked, looking up while Lysbeth was shaking her head.
“Ready and the plant-shapers have moved in already,” Irwin said as he stopped infront of his friend.
The demi-frozir left without a word.
“Who-” Irwin began.
“Shicriz Y Larzen, Lord Bron’s eighth granddaughter,” Daubutim said. “Sixteen years old, and two-soulcarded already. She will be one of the future leaders of one of the continents here.”
Irwin nodded slowly, while Lysbeth sighed.
“Daubutim, you should wait another few weeks. There is no saying what will be on the other side, and we have more information incoming from-”
“It arrived this morning,” Daubutim said, his face as emotionless as nearly always. “The library doors still work, and the Library isn’t overtaken by the Guidar. From what we could find, they have only sent Chained Assassins, but those should have all been dealt with. There is no longer a reason to wait.”
Irwin saw Lysbeth gnash her teeth, then nod.
“Fine. But promise me you will be careful. You know what can happen if you die.”
Irwin frowned, recalling the card Daubutim had, one that would allow his clone to regrow after some time, as long as his other body and self remained alive.
“Some of the others that have gotten these cards died during an encounter with a fleet of Chained,” Daubutim said calmly, likely having seen his frown. “Some required months to regain their other self, others didn’t get it back yet. Those that didn’t are somewhat weaker than they usually are, and one has a permanent headache that prevents him from sleeping.”
“Uncommon,” Ambraz grunted, continuing louder. “This happens only very rarely, and it usually means they have weak or unstable soulscapes. The chances of that happening to Memory Man are really small.”
Lysbeth sighed while Irwin just nodded. He knew Daubutim was going in, as his friend had been talking about it for months now - ever since they arrived here to build this world, which would be the first time anyone in the Langost branch publicly learned about the Eluathar and the Council of Free Worlds.
The Library would give them an easy way to find other surviving words… hopefully.
Daubutim turned to the Library portal.
“I will be heading in now and likely unable to return for some time. If all we have learned is correct, I might be unable to even communicate with my otherself, though how that is possible I don’t know. I will find out, however.”
Irwin held back a grin. Daubutim had told them this multiple times over the last few months, but his friend always repeated himself, knowing the others didn’t have his memory.
“Good luck,” he said, while Lysbeth walked forward to hug her bond.
“Do not worry. I will be fine. This is why Irwin created all of these body double cards after all,” Daubutim said, giving her a quick kiss before nodding at Irwin and walking to the Library.
“I still wished he would take someone with him as a guard,” Lysbeth whispered just as Daubutim stepped through the gate.
Irwin didn’t react. They both knew that would be impossible, as the Library, which had been incredibly closed off before, had locked its doors even more after the war had started.
I wonder if he can find out more about Gelwin, Irwin thought.
--
Greldo leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, as he watched Dahlia continue to talk with the Liemon representative.
“No,” Dahlia finally said. “I will not stay here, and if you ask one more time, this conversation is done.”
There we go, took her long enough to lose her patience, Greldo thought as he watched the representative almost lose her patience.
“Lady Cardsmith, please wait for Lord and Lady Liemon to arrive. Perhaps they can offer you something-”
“I am here, I am here,” a loud voice echoed through the nearly empty inn room that the guard captain had arranged for them.
Greldo blinked in surprise, not having heard or sensed anyone arrive.
Coal sends him an image of three people appearing outside the door and immediately running in.
Right, that would explain it.
A tall, skinny man with a handsome but pale face wearing gaudy green and golden robes ran forward, silver eyes wide and gleaming. Behind him were two women. One looked like a more beautiful, refined version of the man, but Greldo barely noticed either.
All his focus was on a short, dark-skinned, white-haired woman with purple eyes that stood frozen behind them, staring at him. A sense of the shadowrealm radiated from her.
Oh great. They brought a shadewalker.
“Lord Liemon,” the representative said, getting up and bowing. “My Lord, I am sorry. I have tried everything, however-”
The gaudy man just waved his hand. “No matter. I am sure you did great. Now, leave us.”
The representative looked hurt, covered it behind a sad smile, bowed again, and left.
“Aiada! Look, she’s really a-”
A thud came from behind the man while Greldo rubbed his head, staring at the woman who had just dropped to the ground, eyes rolled up.
“Aiada? Oh dear… Now what happened?”