Irwin sat down with a thud, drained and tired but incredibly content. Ambraz stood beside him, letting out a soft sigh.

  "Kid… whatever you do, don't take that card out of your soulscape. Or any others in the future, for that matter."

  Irwin sighed as he held the card he'd just taken from Ambraz's back and looked at it. Just a quartz-rank card, with the image of a flame hovering in front of the faint outlines of a forehead. It would let its wielder summon a small flame they could control, and provide a slight boost to their constitution. Nothing special.

  Still, he knew Ambraz was right. The card showed him as its creator, and he couldn't risk it reaching a true card reader.

  Or another Ganvil, he thought.

  "So, what are you going to do with that?" Ambraz asked.

  "Not sure," Irwin said as he looked at the culmination of hours of work, effort, and nearly all the soulforce in his soulscape. "Probably reforge it tomorrow when we try again."

  "Why not keep it?" Ambraz said, his voice dropping a bit. "Just as a memory? You can put it in your library, and in the future, when you are the big shot card-creating smith, you can look at it sometimes to recall that you have to start at the bottom."

  Irwin glanced at Ambraz, sensing something akin to nostalgia through their bond.

  "Never took you for such a sentimental guy," Irwin said with a smile. "But that's not a bad idea. I could save the last effort of each day to compare them and check on my progress."

  He took a final look at the card before sending it back to his library shelf. His control wasn't good enough to place it within a book or in a specific spot, but it appeared atop one of the tables, and he made a mental note to find a blank book to put his attempts in. Well, 'blank' was a bit of the wrong word for them. Some of the books he'd found so far were filled with useless information, and he'd just started gluing the cards to those pages.

  As he thought about that, he recalled something from long ago, and he couldn't help but let out a burst of laughter.

  "What's so funny?"

  "Do you remember when we were in that Galub portal with Daubutim and found those cards hidden away in the books? I just realized I've come full circle!"

  Ambraz let out a snort. "So, what you are saying is that you are now somewhat like Doomblade Hardswing?"

  Irwin grinned at the name.

  "I wonder how he is doing…. Do you think he survived in that world?"

  "No idea," Ambraz said. "So, what are you going to do now?"

  "Rest and recover my soulforce," Irwin said, glancing around. "I'm expecting Suein soon, and she probably wants me to fix that Oculithar card."

  "So… just to be clear. If it's too far gone, you aren't going to try and create a new one from it, right?"

  "Definitely not," Irwin said as he pushed himself up and cracked his neck. "Now, how about we go over what we've learned so far?"

  Ambraz turned into his small self, buzzed through the air, and landed on Irwin's shoulder.

  "Well, for one, you should stick with notes or tones that match the types of your cards or are close to them," Ambraz said.

  Irwin shivered as he recalled the hour-long attempts to create a card based on a tone he didn't have. He'd not even gotten a start with that- just the small gleaming note and a few swirling tendril-like starts of patterns that wouldn't remain set no matter what he tried.

  "Do you think that means I'm not going to be able to create all the cards?" Irwin asked.

  "Well, it wouldn't surprise me," Ambraz grunted. "Still, don't be too down. You have twelve types already, and although I don't think you should add many more due to the increased difficulty, you should be fine with another handful."

  Irwin looked at his bonded friend curiously.

  "Don't look so surprised! You've been improving a lot, and although it might be more difficult, it's still far from impossible," Ambraz said.

  "Well, then we should make a list of types we really need to be able to do," Irwin said.

  "Yes and no," Ambraz said thoughtfully. "Yes, we need that list, and no, you shouldn't start planning your own cards after it."

  Irwin scratched his chin, the rasping sound telling him it was about time to shave his metallic stubble again.

  "Because we can teach others to do this?" he said. "How likely is that, in the short run? They would need to be music-oriented, so I can teach them and have half a dozen cards we don't currently… have…"

  "Exactly," Ambraz snorted. "You might not have them now, but what's stopping you from making them?"

  "I'd have to find a way to get them to a hundred percent," Irwin said. "Also, we'd still need to find people with a high enough natural affinity and soulforce sensitivity."

  "Well, I know one right off the top of my head," Ambraz said.

  "Zan," Irwin said. As he thought about his daughter, he felt a deep desire to see her, his other children, and Scintilla. That longing washed away some of his exuberant joy at having created cards - not from nothing, but at least from something.

  "We also need to figure out why we can't make a card from just my soulforce," he said.

  "That should be our first priority," Ambraz agreed. "Also, don't worry, Irwin. We'll be back with Scintilla and the kids soon enough."

  Irwin smiled at the Ganvil. He knew Ambraz was trying to make him feel better and sent the gratitude he felt for that through his connection.

  "Ugh, don't make me blush, you brat!" Ambraz snapped, though Irwin felt his friend's joy.

  "So, I've been thinking," Irwin said as he flew in the air and began heading back to what he was starting to feel was his home and smithy. "I want to bring some life here, perhaps some insects, small animals, and birds that have the fire type. But for it to work, I'd need more Pyroflux so they have something to drink- unless there's some kind of water that could stay liquid in these temperatures?"

  He waved his hand around, indicating his entire soulscape. Although he was able to dampen the heat somewhat, which was why those who couldn't stand the fiery temperature had been able to remain here, it was still a hot place, especially the further you went from the soullake.

  "My idea was to have one of my next set of handcards be some form of Pyroflux steam, so its resonance will work well with my first soulcard and probably the fire part of my third- when it's finally ready."

  Ambraz hummed thoughtfully, something Irwin suddenly realized both of them had started doing more and more as of late.

  "Well, it's not a bad idea," the Ganvil said. "But that would mean your fourth heartcard would need to focus on fire, heat, or steam of a specific type, and you would need to augment it with generic types like physical improvements or utility summons."

  Irwin heard the but coming a mile away, and he rolled his eyes. "But?"

  "But, it might be a better idea to focus on your soulforce senses even more," Ambraz said. "That, or your soulforce regeneration."

  "Because I can create cards now?" Irwin said.

  "Yes," Ambraz agreed. "As powerful as you can become on your own if you can figure out how to create cards- even if only with your own soulforce, you could change the course of this war. Eluathar's biggest issue right now is that we have too few high-soulcarded warriors. There's just not enough true combat cards to go around… but if you take all the useless cards we have now-"

  "-and turn them into hammers, body-improvement cards, sound-based movement…" Irwin continued excitedly.

  "Exactly. But right now, it takes too long and too much effort for you to create one card. Even if you learn how to do it with ten times the ease, you are still limited by the amount of soulforce and its regeneration. I can't believe I'm saying this, but as big as your soulscape is, it needs to become way, way bigger if we want to take full advantage of your new ability."

  Irwin nodded, wondering how they would get their hands on cards that could do that, when he froze mid-air, an idea hitting him like a bolt.

  "We already have a card like that," he muttered, his gaze moving to his distant heartcard, which hovered high above his soullake. A constant stream of liquefied soulforce was dripping from it, and he blinked.

  "Wait… why is it generating so much soulforce?"

  He shot forward before Ambraz had a chance to answer, rushing to his heartcard while scanning his soullake. His eyes widened as he sensed that it had filled up another bit since he'd checked barely a day ago. It wasn't an immense difference due to how large his soullake was, but at this speed, it would fill up by itself in a few years.

  That's insane, Irwin thought, as he imagined just how many handcards he'd need to get the same amount of growth. The number left him staggering - hundreds of thousands, and all with types that related to his current heartcard.

  "What is going on?" he muttered, watching the constant stream of soulforce clatter into his soullake. "Why didn't I notice this?"

  Ambraz didn't say anything, but his confusion was evident through their connection.

  It's a constant stream, Irwin thought, as he focused his full attention on his soulscape, trying to understand what was happening. Was it because he was creating cards? No… that wouldn't make any sense! That cost soulforce, not convert more of it to-"

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  "The Titan Growth card," Ambraz exclaimed. "Look, the growth of your soulscape roughly matches the soulforce that's being liquefied!"

  Irwin focused on the borders of his soulscape, something he'd been mostly ignoring because they kept creeping outward ever since he'd gotten his latest heartcard. Somehow, the expansion had become such a normal thing that he hadn't really noticed. It hadn't stopped for a moment, but he failed to find how the growth matched the soulforce pouring into his soullake.

  "Are you sure?" he asked.

  "Yes! Don't look at the borders, but at the chaotic soulforce beyond," Ambraz said. "Look at how much is constantly being added to your soulscape as it grows- it's identical to what's pouring into your soullake."

  Irwin focused his attention on an area beyond his soulscape, something he didn't do a lot, as there was nothing there but storms of chaotic soulforce and dangerous entities he'd prefer to forget.

  His soulforce senses penetrated through the chaos further than he'd anticipated, and an overwhelming sense of pressure made him yank his senses back, but not before his head began pounding painfully. Still, in that short moment, he'd felt the chaotic soulforce all around.

  "So… My soulscape barrier is not pushing the chaotic soulforce away but absorbing it?" he asked, scanning again, but with far less strength. He watched the slow expansion of his soulscape barrier, but he couldn't see what was happening to the soulforce around the barrier. The barrier was misty and thick, and it seemed to expand over the soulforce.

  "Yes," Ambraz said, sounding incredibly excited. "This is fantastic! If we can find more ways to increase your soulscape size, your soullake will just slowly fill itself!"

  Irwin felt just as excited, and for a few minutes, the two just watched in awe as the chaotic soulforce appeared to be converted to liquid soulforce.

  "Do you think this will still work if it becomes a soulcard?" Irwin suddenly asked.

  Ambraz's excitement was snuffed out like a flame.

  "Ugh! You're right… We don't know what will happen when it becomes a soulcard. This might just be a consequence of the oddity of your third heartcard. Perhaps after it's away from your soullake, it will stop…"

  Irwin grimaced. "I'm pretty sure it will. I mean, otherwise, what would happen if I didn't have a heartcard? Where would the soulforce liquefy?"

  For a moment, their excitement died down, then another idea popped into Irwin's head.

  "We need to try and make a card that can do this!" he exclaimed. "Even if only a single card someone has can fill itself, it will allow everyone to have a guaranteed soulcard!"

  Ambraz whistled. "It's a shame you can't slot multiple copies, but the resonance would create a feedback loop that would cause untold issues."

  Irwin nodded, recalling the lesson he'd learned in the Golden Friction academy, what felt like an eternity ago.

  "So… that settles it," he said. "We need to spend as much time as we can to learn how to create these cards at a hundred percent, then see if we can make one that has this growth ability. If that fails, we should create as many combat cards as we can."

  As he spoke, more ideas popped into Irwin's head. He would have to see if he could even reforge these cards and what would happen if he took one out of his soulscape.

  And what would happen if someone slots one!?

  "We have to see if we can take only the soulscape growth part from your current heartcard and create a handcard with it," Ambraz said, reminding Irwin about the reason he'd been racing back to his heartcard in the first place.

  Realizing just what he'd need to do, Irwin felt his enthusiasm dampen slightly.

  "Alright, let's go and write all this down so I don't forget," he muttered, flying back to his house.

  --

  Explosions rang throughout the blocky stone, and wood city as seven ships hovered above it, sending a constant barrage of fire, ice, and more esoteric energy attacks down.

  "All one, two, and three-horns back through the portal," Doomblade roared.

  His voice echoed through the city he'd so painstakingly built outside their exit portal as he glared up at the ships.

  You nasty little bastards!

  He raised his sword, pointing it at the incoming fleet, soulforce flowing from his five fully formed horns. The angular blade began glowing a bright, electric blue, and a moment later, when he sensed the blade had reached the limits of what it could hold, he triggered his ability.

  A jagged beam of blue energy with teal edges ripped through the air before it slammed into one of the ships. The pale barrier around it rippled and shook, dimming so much it was barely visible, but it held.

  As if his attack was a signal, more attacks shot out of the city, striking the different ships with even less effect.

  "Bloody bastards!" Doomblade roared as he ran through a wide street to dodge the retaliatory attack that began demolishing the spot where he'd just stood. "Focus on the same ship!"

  How far are those shadewalkers?! he thought, feeling like throttling the group of beings he'd taken such a long time to cultivate. It had taken years before one horn was born that had the proper skill, and even longer for it to breed true.

  As he reached another 'safe' spot, he glared up at the ships, surprised to see that the one he'd shot was now sinking down. A large swath of the ship had disintegrated, but the weaker four-horns weren't letting up, still firing at it to make sure it stayed down.

  Even if we survive this, we can't stay here, he thought, grinding his teeth. The best he could do was head back through the portal and close it, but that would mean giving up on his dreams! If only they had given him a few more years to get his sixth horn, he would have been able to help more of his people reach five-horned status. With only a dozen of those, he'd have been fine.

  I won't let you remain in control over our people, he thought, picturing The Bloody Emperor, sitting on his jagged crown, happy to keep what remained of their people dumb and in check.

  "Emperor Doomblade, the others await your command."

  Doomblade spun around to see a four-horned stand behind him, its skin a far darker red and its four horns pitch black. His grin turned feral as he turned at the ships. One of them was larger than the others with a stronger shield, and it had been constantly blocking for the others. Feeling his recovered soulforce, he growled as he pumped it into his blade before raising it up at the obnoxious pale-sailed thing.

  "Breach!" he roared, letting the energy rip from his blade in another powerful attack.

  It struck the shield, only causing it to dim slightly as it had the first time he'd tried. At those times, he'd felt a sinking feeling of sadness and anger at his own weakness. Now, he just grinned as he saw dozens of his Galub Shadewarriors appear on the deck, surrounding the blue-haired being behind the helm. A spray of blood was all he had time to see when he turned and sprinted away.

  "Get me up there," he snarled at the black-horned Galub running beside him.

  A pained look played across the other's face, and then it turned to steely resolve. Doomblade felt the hand grab his arm, and a moment later, the world turned into a shadowy form, rippling around him as he was flown up in the sky. It lasted for merely ten seconds, then he penetrated the shield and was dumped amidst a chaotic battleground. The shadewalker that had brought him fell on his knees, blood seeping from his eyes.

  "Get back to the city," Doomblade snapped. "And don't you dare die!"

  "Yes, my emperor," the shadewalker slurred before vanishing.

  Doomblade looked around, seeing his Galubs losing ground already. It didn't matter. They were only meant to breach these damned shields so he could get in.

  "Everyone injured, return and bring the princes," he roared as he jumped towards three blue-haired warriors, nimbly dancing between twice their number of Galubs and cutting them apart.

  Speed is only useful with strength, Doomblade thought as he swung his blade sideways at the warriors.

  They dodged back a hand length, probably intent on counter-attacking.

  Not far enough, he thought, baring his sharp teeth at them.

  A swirl of blueish energy rippled across his blade as it lengthened and widened, taking off the head of one and the shoulder and arm of another.

  Doomblade let their pained screams wash over him as he roared his battle cry. "Doom to you all!"

  He saw his small, squishy enemies flinch as the beginnings of his souldomain rippled over them. It was still weak, but intimidation needed little to be effective against carded beings. He boomed with laughter as he stomped forward with the intent of culling these weaklings.

  Ten minutes later, blood flowed across the now cleared ship, and Doomblade stood on the prow, glaring after the distant shape of the three that remained as they fled.

  "Have a few of the shadow warriors follow them," he said, his voice almost a growl.

  "Yes, Emperor Doomblade," a chorus of voices came, and he saw a trio of shadow warriors vanish.

  They were more useful than I even anticipated, he thought, looking with regret at the over a dozen dead black-horned Galubs that lay between the purple-blooded enemies. He'd told them to leave if they got injured, but it was at only four horns that they gained the control to overcome their inborn desires.

  Bloody Emperor… if I ever get the chance, I'll rip you apart for what you have done to our people!

  With the thought, his own anger rolled off him in waves, and he quickly reeled it back in when he saw the Galubs around him thud to the ground in deference and weakness.

  A whoosh sounded beside him, and he looked up to see Ewar Goldenhand, his second-in-command and the only four-horn close to gaining a fifth horn. Ewar had been in charge of the world and kept out of sight to avoid being killed.

  "Who said you could come out?" Doomblade snapped. "What if there were still hidden dangers?"

  "My Emperor, it's great that you care so much for my well-being," the other Galub said, bowing his head. "But there was no other choice. Salym has seen a larger fleet approach. If we do not leave now, we might not get another chance."

  Doomblade gripped his fingers tight around the handle of his sword, staring at the sleek Galub.

  "How many ships?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

  "Over twenty. They will be here in under three days."

  "By the frozen demon's balls!" Doomblade roared, slamming the tip of his blade into the ship's deck, causing splinters to shoot out. He ignored them as he struggled to reel in his fury and desire to fight.

  "Fine!" he snapped. "We have no choice. Get Salym Farmind and every four-horn on the ships, then fill them up with half the females and as many three-horns as possible. Appoint whoever you see fit to lord over the weaklings we leave behind, then close the portal. We'll be taking this ship with us."

  Ewar Goldenhand bowed his head, but Doomblade saw the hesitance in it.

  "What?"

  "My Emperor, I suggest we bring all the shadow warriors, no matter their horn count."

  Doomblade gritted his teeth, realizing he'd forgotten his most powerful asset moments after thinking about it.

  Will this curse never leave me? he thought, wishing he could wipe away the stain that muddled his mind.

  "You are right," he said. "Get them, and if you think of something else, bring that too."

  Ewar Goldenhand bowed, deeper this time, and Doomblade felt pleased. The other Galub's horns began glowing with a soft cyan light, then he vanished with a similar whoosh as when he'd appeared.

  You were wrong, Bloody Emperor, he thought, turning around the ship. Having competence is not solely a danger. It is the only way for our people to forge our own future!

  He turned and walked to the nearest body, grabbing it around the ankle and hurling it far from the deck, into the cold.

  "Clear the deck and search the ship," he roared. "Then prepare yourselves. We are going to venture through the Glacial Area!"

  --

  Irwin frowned as he examined the odd card that was nestled in the small crystal container covered in runes. Bleak had been right when he'd said the card looked bigger, because it was, by about ten percent. With nearly all cards Irwin had ever seen being the exact same size, it was immediately apparent. What made it hard to see was the shimmering aura around it. A faint image of something that could be either a snake or a tentacle covered it, and it was far more stable than the one Irwin had found.

  It also doesn't 'smell' as bad, he thought as he examined the card's resonance. With some effort, he knew he could change it into something slottable.

  "Can you reforge it into something usable?" Suein asked, the worry clear in her voice.

  "Yes," Irwin said as he looked up to see her wringing her hands. "But I can't promise it will get the serpent type you desire. I don't have it, and if it's not on there, there is no way to put it sideways and add it for me."

  "If you can turn that… thing into a regular card, I can add that from Quartz to Amethyst, and you can do the rest," Bleak said.

  Irwin's eyebrows shot up as he looked at the large smith leaning against the nearby wall. He had no sign of anything serpent- or snake-like, but as Irwin watched, he grinned and stuck out his split tongue.

  "It's not a lot, but it helps with reforging serpentine cards," he said. "It's one of those things they don't really teach in academies, that your own cards influence what you can reforge by a lot."

  They told me that, Irwin thought, but he nodded in agreement anyway.

  "Alright, I'll fix it," he said, focusing on the card. "Ambraz, wrap it in a shield and break that barrier, please."

  Ambraz grumbled but did as he asked, and Irwin sighed.

  I was so looking forward to this at first. Now, I just want to get back to practicing in my soulscape…

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