Greldo floated through the enormous city, zipping from shadow to shadow. He hummed as he absently caused some of the surrounding shadows to stretch just enough to overlap, giving him the bridge he needed.

When he finally reached his goal, he hovered in quiet admiration. It was an enormous square, the center of which held a beautiful bed of flowers surrounded by narrow channels of water that continued along two of the roads. Trees lined the channels, giving the entire area the look of a beautiful park.

I'm going to buy as many nature and wood cards as I can find, he thought, picturing something similar for Eluathar. Although he didn't have nearly as many cards to bargain with or soulshards as Irwin, he had saved enough that he knew he could get enough to make a difference.

Just gotta make sure I keep enough in reserve for later, he pondered, letting his mind wander to a future of wandering the portal gallery, hopefully after a won war, hopefully with Dahlia.

Later, he thought, pushing his dreams away. Their long trip here had again given him too much time to relish them, and it was time to return to the cold, harsh reality.

As he looked around, he noticed a small movement in the shadow, and he turned his head to the side to see a small speck quickly drift back, hovering at what the other shadewalker probably thought was a safe distance.

Can't these annoying people leave me alone already?

He floated up and looked around to see dozens of shadewalkers quickly flying back, all seeming to stop at some magical cutoff moment, which he knew was the edge of the swamp-like area that was surrounding him. He could see it surrounding him, though it turned fuzzy after a few dozen feet, replaced by the normal shadows.

Perhaps I should do as Coal wants, he thought, imagining capturing and figuring out what they wanted, perhaps telling them to stay out of his hair.

A wave of emotions and thoughts came from Coal, and he snorted at the mix of hilarity at his thoughts and a reprimand that the other shadewalkers didn't mean ill.

I know they are curious and afraid, he thought back to his friend. But they don't have to do this for as long as I'm here, right?

As he pondered it, he stared at the enormous wall on the other side of the square. A tower peaked out over it, the largest in the city. It was the reason he'd flown all the way here. It had cost him half a day to reach it, though that was mostly because he had been distracted every few minutes. Between innumerable beautiful parks, the small shopping districts where he'd skimmed the cards, buying a handful, and the restaurants, it had taken a lot longer than his max speed could have gotten him here.

Not that it matters, he thought, thinking about Irwin standing before the class. They had some time, and with how long he'd been cooped up on the ship, he was enjoying himself too much.

Sadly, his excursion would now have to be paused as he worked on the truly essential things, he thought as he focused on the tower.

His guess was that the exit portal to the world of Suderfuix was here, though he'd been unable to verify. He'd been chatting with all the merchants and shopkeepers to learn more about the city and the tower. He knew the tower was the home of the Ruadh'trom family, the most powerful family in the city, but none had been able to tell him if the exit portal was there.

Not that it was important.

He'd headed here because he needed to find the city's leaders so Irwin could warn them. Finding the exit portal would have just been a bonus to alleviate his curiosity.

Sadly, the location appeared to be a secret, and although many people assumed it was in the Ruadh'trom estate, there was no official word on it. Very few people were allowed into the world of Suderfuix, though that reason was more commonly known, as it was home to one of the largest groves of Heartrees.

Examining the wall, he snickered at the dozens of guards at every entrance. Most seemed to be dozing off or chatting softly, giving very little attention to actually keeping watch. It wasn't all that surprising. In the unlikely scenario that someone would attack the city, they would have to go through the entire city, giving the guards enough of a warning. That was if they didn't just teleport through, ignoring the gates.

Runes glowed around the edges of the outer walls of the building. Familiar runes that created what to him felt like a dome that covered the entire area, reaching thousands of feet in the air, far above even the tower.

He had seen plenty of them over the last few years, though rarely any that gave off this much power. They were meant to keep out any and all Shadewalkers, but just looking at them told him they would be too weak to keep him out.

I wonder if they have similar plants as Elder Sigora has, he wondered, examining the walls as he began floating around.

It wouldn't do if he forced himself inside only to appear in a forrest of those. Ten minutes later, he was positive there weren't any, though he wondered if it was because they were something only Sigora's soulcard could make. He hoped so, as they had been far more effective than the runes and could have posed a problem.

But seeing as there aren't any, he thought, grinning.

He flew toward the nearest wall, staying in the shadow of one of the many trees before checking what lay beyond it.

Surrounded by a few dozen yards of empty grass was a forested glen with small but deep valleys, rivers, a small lake, and an ancient-looking grove. In the center of the grove stood the tower, which, from what he could see of the windows, had hundreds of floors, and Yilda only knew how many rooms.

This place is just too bloody enormous, he thought, shaking his head.

Would this happen to Eluathar if they managed to save it? Eventually, it would become this enormous?

Well, as long as I don't do anything stupid, I'll live long enough to find out, he thought, ignoring Coal's mental snort.

Then again… why don't we have a peek inside, right?

He moved forward, feeling the power of the runes trying to stop him. Without holding back, he dove deeper into the shadows, sensing the ripples it caused and ignoring them. A moment later, he was on the other side. He hesitated for a moment, then remained as deep within the shadowrealm as he could. It would be best if he weren't found unless he wanted to, which was only if he found a good moment to have a chat with someone.

Turning around, he looked at a few dozen shadewalkers hovering beyond the runic barrier.

Take that! Try and follow me around now, he thought as he turned towards the beautiful glen and flashed down in a burst of speed.

Unlike the parks he'd seen throughout the city, the glen quickly proved to be wild and all-natural. With barely any maintenance, it seemed the Viridians left it to grow as it did, and he found multiple cottages, most grown out of the side of a tree with roofs of grass, moss, and plants hidden away. Old-looking Viridians moved around, some tending to their homes, others sitting near a tree in what he guessed was either sleep or meditation.

Is this where the old Viridians go before heading to Suderfuix and turn inginto Heartrees? he wondered.

He floated around, wondering how powerful the beings he saw were. He knew Irwin would have been able to tell him, but unlike his friend, he wasn't able to sense the soulforce of others, let alone determine what cards they had merely by looking.

He made his way to the tower, and as he approached it, he saw that a small pavilion was nestled between the trees close to the entrance, which itself was fifteen feet high, arched, and doorless. As he watched the entrance, he frowned. Another layer of runes, far more powerful than those near the gate, blocked both it and all the windows he saw.

I don't think I could get through there, he thought.

A flash of greenish light came from the pavilion, and a tall, stately Viridian woman appeared, carrying a small girl. The girl was pouting cutely, her young bark-skinned face so smooth that it looked almost like skin, and her pale green leafy eyebrows scrunched up.

"Blossom, stop looking at me like that. I am still upset with you," the woman said, her voice carrying to where Greldo hovered. "You know you are not allowed to talk with strangers, not even in the smithing halls."

"But Mommatree, he glowed as bright as Grandpa Seizer did! I was curious!" the girl piped.

"That is just more reason not to approach someone," her mother said, glancing down at her. "It means he is very powerful! What if he'd wanted to harm you?"

Greldo focused his control over the shadows, allowing the sound to travel clearly, letting his curiosity get the better of him.

"He wouldn't," she said, her arms clasped before her chest in annoyance. "He was big but nice. My card told me!"

Big? Greldo thought, floating closer. And what did she mean, her card told her?

The woman sighed, shaking her head. "I've told you before, Blossom, you can't just believe everything you sense with your card. Also, please stop referring to it as if it has a mind of its own."

The little girl pouted. "Grampa said that it would work on everyone!"

"No, that's not what he said. I was there. He said that it would work on anyone with weaker cards," her mother admonished.

"Are you saying that big, gleaming Smith has cards that are stronger than mine?" the girl asked. Greldo saw her eyes widen in awe, though she also seemed slightly annoyed. "But grandpa said that-"

"Hush," her mother said, lowering her voice to a whisper Greldo barely caught. "Your card is very special, but it isn't the only one of its kind. Never underestimate others, all right?"

The girl sighed. "Yes. But I still think he was nice."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Greldo saw the glint of worry in her mother's eyes as she continued walking, carrying her toward the gate. Just as they crossed the gate, he heard her whisper to her mother.

"Mommatree, do you think he was made of metal? He looked like he was…."

"Blossom, I told you to pay attention to your classes. He was a Fiz'rin."

Their voices were cut off as they walked through the gate into the tower.

Definitely talking about Irwin, Greldo thought as he floated around the tower.

Within moments, it became apparent that he wouldn't find a way inside, which meant he had a few choices. He could hang around and see if any important-looking people showed up, or he could-

Coal's warning came just in time. Greldo teleported a hundred yards backward, out of the way of a tangle of black vines that erupted out of the ground where he'd stood.

Damn… I guess someone is sensitive enough to feel or see me even this deep inside the shadowrealm, he thought, looking around.

His calm and relaxed mood had evaporated, but he wasn't worried. If he had to, he could teleport across the city, either back to the smiths' district or to the ship.

Still, as he couldn't spot the one who had attacked him, he wondered if he should just leave. Another warning from Coal made him look up in surprise.

An ancient-looking Viridian man in a robe that fluttered around his feet hovered high in the air. His brown-leafy hair, black on the points, fluttered oddly.

Not a single sound came from him, not the fluttering of his leafy hair or of his robe, nor his breathing. It was the reason Greldo hadn't spotted him, and the only reason Coal had was that his friend still had the better nose.

The man began drifting down, and Greldo held back a whistle.

The other's bark skin was so creased it was hard to see his features, but his blazing silver eyes were locked onto Greldo's position. They burned so bright that Greldo was pretty sure that if the man still had room for a soulcard, he'd gain it immediately. That not happening told him the man was likely at the pinnacle of his path, likely having multiple soulcards and a filled-up final heartcard.

So, another of those old codgers who can see me, he thought, feeling only slightly annoyed. Was it just that everyone who was this old and powerful had a way of detecting shadewalkers, or was it something specific to the Viridians? He readied himself to teleport when the sound of fluttering leaves appeared, together with soft, steady breathing.

"Who are you? Who dares penetrate this deeply in the Ruadh'trom family estate?"

The soft voice seemed to echo all around Greldo, and he grimaced at the blatant hostility. Irwin had asked him to quietly find a way to contact the important people in the city without causing too much of a fuss. He'd hoped his ability to hide deeper in the shadowrealm would allow him some leeway, but perhaps he'd underestimated the Ruadh'trom. They were the most powerful family in Suderfuix, and this was their home. Still, he'd had hoped to just calmly talk with someone…

Well, I guess having someone sneak around your house isn't a good way to introduce yourself, he thought.

He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should just leave. Then he shrugged. They would probably recognize that it was him if they met later, so he could just as well say hello now. Perhaps diffuse the situation.

"Just someone curious to find those in charge of the city," he said, echoing through the shadows around him. "I am here to ask for a chance to bring warnings about the war."

The man landed on the ground beside the still-present vines, which were gently swaying around. Soft laughter rolled from him.

Greldo noticed that dozens of figures had begun running out of the tower, and others appeared in a wide circle around him. He teleported in a straight line, a hundred yards up. Although he didn't think they could stop him from leaving, one could never know. They could try to blow away the shadows with light…

Seeing the old Viridian's head snap back, he spoke, letting his voice ripple through the shadows down below.

"Now, now. No need to bring out so many people just for me. I can see I made a mistake when coming here like this. Perhaps we can meet each other in less… hostile circumstances. I'll be in the Smiths' district."

"I would prefer you stay here to explain now," the old Viridian said.

Something in his voice sounded dangerous, and Greldo triggered his teleport without hesitation. Unlike the previous times, he didn't just move a short distance, but as he reappeared, he stood in the shadows beside the building where he'd left Irwin. It was empty now, the lesson probably having long since concluded.

Well, that didn't go as well as it could have, he thought with a sigh. Still, he'd gotten their attention, and they would definitely come here.

He floated up, heading toward the shadow clone that was following Irwin.

--

Seizer landed back on the ground, glaring at his guards as they came over.

I should have kept more of the elites here, he thought in annoyance.

"My Lord Seizer," one of the older guards said as he walked forward. "Are you all right?"

Seizer held back a sharp comment, wondering what the guard had expected to do if someone had arrived that could make him not all right. He sighed, knowing it was his imminent final step that was getting to him, and he shouldn't unleash his anger on the guard.

"I am fine," he said in a calm voice. "It seems our unwanted guest wasn't here to fight."

"How did a shadewalker manage to get through the barrier around the estate?" the guard asked.

Easily, that is how, Seizer thought, looking at the distant wall.

He had a good idea how the shadewalker had done it. By hiding incredibly deep in the shadowrealm, so far that even he had been barely able to sense his presence. He had almost missed the tiny disturbance. Only the worry the recent news from Dimarintsia had given him had helped keep him sharp enough. If it had been only a few weeks ago…

"My lord?"

Seizer sighed again, waving the guards away.

"Back to your posts, and raise the vigil," he said. "Also, send a message to Suderfuix to explain what happened and include a request for a group of powerful shadewalkers."

"Yes, my lord!" the guard captain said, turning and rushing away.

Seizer watched him leave, wondering what the man's name was. Long ago, he'd known every single person on the estate, but as he grew older, he'd lost his interest.

He turned and flexed his soulcard, the air wrapping around him in a tight embrace and lifting him up into the air. A few moments later, he was halfway up the tower and passed through a window back into the room he'd been in moments before.

Two of his attendants had backed up and were now looking at him with evident worry. He ignored them, walking toward his favorite thing in the room- a large, bright chair made from a single piece of wood and covered in a thick layer of Everblue Leaves.

"Everything is all right," Seizer lied as he sat down.

He wondered when the last time had been that that had been true.

"It was just someone with a message. Send representatives to the Smiths guild and tell them to find a powerful shadewalker. Tell them that I'll be making my way there as soon as reinforcements from Suderfuix arrive."

"You yourself will go, my lord?"

Seizer nodded as he looked at the book he'd been reading, an ancient one that dealt with the history of Suderfuix. He barely noticed how his attendants left, his gaze on the book as he thought of the intruder, the messages he'd gotten from his informants on Dimarintisa, the war, and the soon-to-end storm.

I should have had them replace me a hundred years ago, he thought as he ignored the book and picked up the green crystal tablet that lay beside it.

"Lord Seizer, how may I help you?" an emotionless voice echoed out.

"Replay the last message from Dimarintsia."

"Very well," the voice said before it was replaced by a harried, worried-sounding male voice.

"Seizer, old friend, I've finally found out some information on the war. That fool, Lasther, was hiding his true nature-"

A short while later, the message finished with a final, weary part.

"Now, I can't guarantee the information this Rodd provided is true or a hoax, or if these… Guidar truly exist. However, I can tell you the following with certainty. Rodd is, at a minimum, a diamond-rank card. From what we saw during his battle with Lasther, he was on par with the strongest four-soulcarded warriors I have seen. He seems to have focused mostly on cards that give soulforce augmentation, physical strength, size, fire, and endurance. Added to this is a movement card that is based on sound, and you have a dangerous combatant. To put this into perspective, Lasther, on his own, nearly decimated two of our factions by. The power he demonstrated made it so that the rest feared even retaliating, and when the elders did… Lasther seemed easily able to overpower them. I- By the bark? Already? Fine… Seizer, old friend, I must leave. My time is up. Be careful. As soon as we can get a ship ready, we will return home."

The voice vanished, and the emotionless returned.

"This was the end of the message. Anything else, Lord Seizer?"

"No, thank you," Seizer said as he placed the green tablet on the table and picked up the book.

He glanced at the ancient, thick bark cover.

Ancient History of the Founding

It was a book he had shipped to him from the Knowledge Grove when he'd found no mention of Guidar in any of the books from The Library. According to The Grove Keeper, it was one of the books that had been brought from the ancient homeworld and had been old even then. Seizer found it hard to believe as he opened the book, which was as sturdy as any he'd seen. He'd seen card-crafted books before, but usually, those began aging after the crafter who made them died. This one, however, looked almost new. Flipping through it, he reached the third chapter, which was barely a page long. Among a lot of ancient history, he focused on a single paragraph.

198 AEP

The ancient Knowledge Grove burned, and no reason was ever found. Foul play was thought the likely cause, but few cared enough to do a proper investigation. The knowledge had been from a bygone age, and only a few read it in a thousand years, so it was deemed useless. The only thing of note was that when the Grovekeeper was found near dead and burned beyond recognition, he was said to mutter the same words until his death. 'Don't forget the war… The Guidar! They will return… return… and Yilda won't be there to save you when they do."

Seizer sighed as he leaned back.

"The year two hundred of the old calendar," he muttered, trying to do the math again as he still couldn't believe it. Three times later, the number stayed the same.

Over four hundred thousand years ago… And who knows how old the knowledge he spoke of was. Even the elder tree is but a fourth of that, and it is older than anything I know…

"I should have let someone replace me a hundred years ago," he muttered.

--

Irwin took a large bite out of the charred root, enjoying the burning spiciness. They were sitting in a cozy restaurant meant for Viridian Elders and others of stature. With how much he'd shrunk after his soulcard, he could easily fit here, and there were even a few Elders sitting nearby who were larger than him.

"You eat even more than before, Captain," Rindiri said, grinning at him.

"Is this normal?" Dagger whispered, sitting partially behind Rindiri.

Irwin snorted as he looked up from his well-filled plate. The smaller Yurindi seemed to be almost hiding Rindiri as she glanced at him.

"He eats more than all of us combined."

Rindiri laughed softly while Irwin just rolled his eyes. Rindiri had called her crew to meet him after they had left his soulscape to tell them what would happen.

"It is good to meet you," Youritz said.

Irwin nodded as he looked at the older Yuurindi male. As soon as he'd seen him, he'd wondered if he and Rindiri had been a couple. Youritz had been hovering protectively beside Rindiri nonstop and looked at her when she wasn't paying attention.

"You too," Irwin said.

"So… what do we call you?" Dagger asked, looking at him, then at Rindiri. "Captain's captain? Double Captain?"

Irwin laughed while Rindiri and Youritz sighed.

"He is the Captain," Rindiri said. "You will call him such."

"That will take some getting used to," Dagger replied. "Besides, what does that make you, Ca-... Rindiri?"

Irwin saw Rindiri nodding at him. They had discussed this, so he knew what she wanted.

"She is the first mate," he said as he finished another of the charred roots.

"What about the Alabaster Sail?" Youritz asked, looking at him. "Captain." He added belatedly.

"We will see if we can get it back," Irwin said. "If not, that's no more than a minor setback."

"I see… So, we will leave after you have gone through the testing?" Youritz asked.

Irwin hummed thoughtfully, then nodded. "We should be able to do the rest of what we need to do before then, so yes."

Youritz nodded. He seemed ready to say something more when Greldo unceremoniously dropped into one of the empty chairs. He'd appeared in midair, likely from the shadows, leaned forward, and took one of the roots from Irwin's plate.

"Welcome back," Irwin said, noticing that his friend was slightly off. "How did it go? Did you find any of the people we should warn?"

"Yeah…" Greldo said while crunching down on the root. "I'm not sure how they will react when they get here, though."