Greldo stared at the last section of the massive ruinous structure ahead of him, hovering quietly in the shadows. He knew that the small maze of locked corridors that followed led to an area filled with beggars, pickpockets, and the rest of the scum of Dismarintsia. He'd been through here twice before, once on his way into the city a few days ago and then when he went back. Both times, it had been a dusty, dark place.

Now, trails of footsteps moved through the dust on the ground.

There was nobody there as far as he or Coal could sense, but someone had been here.

He hesitated, then had Coal send one of his clones ahead. There were more traces and footsteps, and a few of the doors that had been locked before had been forced open. Greldo waited until Coal's shadow gave the signal that it was clear. Then he continued forward.

When he reached an intersection, he found footsteps in the dust leading to one side only. The door beyond it was open.

Should I check where they came from… he thought.

He hesitated another moment, then turned and shot towards the closed door. He teleported through the shadows that were present in the slit between the bottom of the door and the dusty, cracked floor to the other side. The room beyond was filled with nothing but pristine dust. Feeling better, Greldo slowly continued forward. He'd scouted this path the previous time and knew where it ended. After a short while, he began hearing distant whispering, too soft even for him to understand.

After a few minutes, he reached a room with a ceiling that had partially collapsed long ago. Small holes led through the debris, and a whispered argument came from the other side.

"I just told you why. The answer stays no," a dull voice said, sounding annoyed.

"Why not? We are going to starve… what does it matter if we get caught and killed?" a sharper voice snapped back.

"They will not just kill you. Don't you remember what they did with Ugly Harlo?" the dull voice hissed.

There was a weary sigh.

Greldo faintly sensed the shadows beyond the tiny holes. It was a small room filled with cluttered garbage. There was no sign of anyone but the two small figures, probably kids, who sat huddled at one side.

Get ready, he ordered Coal, then he teleported past the debris.

He appeared behind a broken-apart crate with filthy sheets. The only door that led out of the room was broken and slightly ajar, leaving just enough space for someone small to slip through.

"Do you think starving is worse than being strung up to die?" a hollow-eyed boy snapped at a taller, equally gaunt boy. They looked enough alike to be brothers.

"If you are this determined to die, why don't you just-"

The small boy grunted and got up, sneaking to the door.

"I'm going to see if I can find something in the filth," he said.

Greldo saw the taller boy's shoulders slump, a look of defeat on his face.

As soon as things go bad, there are always people who have it worse, Greldo thought.

He watched the taller brother for a moment before following the smaller boy through the shadows. They entered a narrow alleyway, one wall having crumbled against the other, leaving only a few narrow paths through. Ahead, Greldo could hear the busier streets of the poor undercity, and after taking a final look at the small boy, he zipped ahead.

Can't help everyone, he thought as he reached the side of a wider street.

Dozens of figures lay in corners and sat propped up against the wall. It was hard to see if they were all alive, and the groups of hard-eyed people who walked through the street seemed uncaring to find out.

Greldo shot up toward the cave-like ceiling that hung forty feet above the buildings, and it took him a few minutes to find the path he'd used the previous time.

Let's get out of this shithole, he thought, as he zipped towards a distant building built partially into the wall.

--

Fuchsia glared at the dusty corridor. She'd been here for two days, hoping that the mysterious smith would do as Scander had thought. The little food she had was now gone, and she knew it was time to leave.

I'll check the runes, then head back, she thought.

It took her a while to gather the runes, and she wasn't surprised that those she checked hadn't changed. They were pretty weak runes, only meant as an additional layer of security for some of the smaller shopkeepers. Still, it was the only type she could get her hands on that would allow her to detect the passing of a shadewalker.

As she closed in on the final section, the one that would allow her to enter the horrible, ruined city, she grimaced. She'd never liked being there, even though she'd lived inside for most of her early life. Sadly, it was one of the best places to hide for poor, young Yuurindi—especially those left here by their mothers to fend for themselves.

Her mind on painful memories, she reached out for one of the last rune plates, a hand-sized thin metal sheet with hundreds of tiny runes around a larger one, and froze. The large rune in the middle was glowing with a very faint red light, and, eyes wide, she grabbed it.

A shadewalker passed through here!

She stared dumbly at the rune plate, then at the corridor beyond it. It was on the edge of where she'd placed runes- and according to the map she'd stolen, it led to a dead-end. Where did that lead? The Crumbling Warrens? She was pretty sure of it… But why would a smith go there?

He mustn't know another path, she thought, turning and rushing to her small pack. She stuffed the rune plate in it, then got up. She had to return them to Sussie and tell Scander!

But how does he think we are going to find him now that he's in the city? Fuchsia thought.

As she sprinted forward, she decided Scander must have a plan. He always had.

--

Irwin cracked his neck as far as the armor allowed it, marveling at the craftsmanship. As he moved in it, the lightweight Whispersteel armor created a beautiful, soft sound, almost like a distant drum, that echoed through the inside like a soft breeze.

Why did they just leave those things down there, he thought as he followed after Greldo.

He knew the defense of the armor wasn't that great, far worse than his own skin offered, but for handcarded, it would be great. It had to be the size, though he knew that he, and any good smith, could resize them down to seven feet, which would allow a great deal of species to wear them.

I should ask Greldo to scout for more when we leave, he thought, thinking about the dozens of armors he now had stashed away in his soulscape.

A group of three merchants dashed out of one of the crowded side streets and into his path, and Irwin saw their eyes widen as they looked up. Their faces went pale as they quickly jumped to the side, muttering apologies.

Irwin didn't react, nor did Greldo, who was walking ahead of him. They had been moving through the district for a while, having entered from the neighboring district and asking about the location of a Greenbark Cardshop or Mission Center. So far, nobody had been able to tell them anything more than that they had heard of it.

Right now, they were walking through another crowded street, the people walking around it a far cry from what he'd seen in the dark, shadowy undercity they had passed to get here.

Unlike down there, massive gems sat in the hundred-foot-high ceiling above them, bathing the streets below in what felt like a gentle morning sunrise. The people all wore old but well-maintained clothes, and there were as many silver-eyed people working on their heartcard as there were handcarded.

The ambient soulforce was a roiling mess of different types, just like it was in most cities he'd been to, and he saw that roughly one in ten of the people around him seemed to have atleast one soulcard. The resonance from them told him that most were merely quartz or amethyst, with a few topaz jumping out.

One, a Niox with bulging muscles covered in a crisscross pattern of scar tissue, was following behind two young Simlari women. They reminded him of Skylar as their hair floated around, seemingly weightless and moving from the slight currents in the air. Everything about them screamed noble to him, from their well-fitting battle dresses to the gleam on the swords on their hip. Most of the people in the street gave them a wide berth, which was useful because Greldo had taken up walking again.

Not that anyone dared come too close to his friend. With Irwin looming behind him, towering over nearly everyone else, they got as wide a berth as the two Simlari and the Niox did. Irwin knew that with his size and the armor partially covered by a black cloak, he must be an intimidating sight.

I wonder what they think I am, he thought.

Two steps ahead of him, Greldo followed the Niox and the two Simlari into a street barely wide enough for the two rows of people moving in and out of it. Shops lined both sides, though some were boarded shut.

"According to the other merchant, the largest cardshop in this district is down here," Greldo grunted.

Irwin didn't respond, playing his role of bodyguard. His friend was decked out in high-quality leather armor that he had stolen from another district, far enough that it would be very unlikely that they would run into the original owner. Besides, Greldo had mixed and matched it with another hard-leather breastplate and a cloak he'd taken from a district neighboring the one they were in now. Added to the new belts and some other things, Irwin had just shaken his head when he'd seen how much fun his friend had trying to make himself look like a rich merchant or the son of one.

The stream of people that had to pass by them had to turn to let them move by, and Irwin was glad that they did the same for the Niox. He didn't want to draw unwanted attention.

Looking across the heads before him, he saw a small square appear, multiple shopping roads leading away from it. There was a single, large shop on one side of the square, its large double door open. A sign above it showed six cards spread out in a hand and a name below it.

The Handful of Cards, Irwin thought, following Greldo to the shop.

The Niox ahead of him glanced back, and the brilliant red eyes behind the pale mask gazed right at him.

Irwin didn't react; he just blinked lazily behind his helmet's vizor and continued scanning around as he followed Greldo.

Ahead of them, the two Simlari entered the large shop, but the Niox stepped to the side. Irwin glanced at the sign beside the door that read: Entry only to those who buy. Personal guards are to wait outside so as not to take up space.

Great, Irwin thought, though as he glanced at the Niox and thought of his own size, he guessed it made sense.

"Wait here, I'll not be long," Greldo said.

Irwin wondered if his friend was enjoying himself. Instead, he didn't react but stepped to the other side of the door, looking at the square. He sensed the Niox standing beside him, still staring at him.

"Viridian or Loydin?" a deep snarl asked beside him.

Irwin turned his gaze to the Niox, tall but smaller than him. He couldn't see the other's face, which he was very grateful for, but the eyes gleamed angrily. Just looking at it made his own anger flare up, and he sensed his titan card pulse with a desire for violence. He squashed the sensation, but something must have shown in his eyes because the Niox actually took a tiny step back.

"Human," Irwin said, making his voice as deep as possible.

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The eyes behind the pale mask widened.

"What Mercenary Group?" the Niox asked after a moment, sounding surprised and somewhat careful.

Irwin stared back, wondering if he should answer.

We need to find out where the Greenbark Mission Center is, he thought, ignoring the growing annoyance in the Niox's red eyes.

Greldo's questions had resulted in nothing, which either meant there was none in the city or it was in one of the more distant districts. With hundreds of districts, many the size of a regular city, they had known it might become difficult to find it, and they didn't want to just go around asking everyone and drawing too much attention. The idea they had come up with was to pretend they belonged to the Scour Mission Center Branch of The Greenbark merchant group, but finding the local branch had proven difficult.

He was saved from answering as three merchants walked out of the shop between them, then stopped, appearing startled by the two giants flanking the door. One of them, an older man with a long handlebar mustache, glared at the Niox before turning to Irwin and tapping his chin.

"It's been a while since I saw one this big," he said, seemingly talking to the other two. "Surprising… multiple heartcards and a high enough rank that I can't read them. You! Mercenary! Are you locked in or free to take another job? I'll make it worth your while!"

Irwin looked at the small man before him, deciding this would be as good as anything.

"I'm a guard for the Greenbark Mission Center on Scour," he grumbled. "Not looking for another job. Thanks."

He made sure to sound dull enough to play the role of dumb, brutish guard, and seeing the man share a grin with the other two, he guessed he had succeeded.

"Greenbark, huh? I've heard of them," the man said. "I didn't know they had the wealth to spend cards like this on their guards."

Irwin's attention was instantly on the mustache man.

"Do you know the location of the Dismarintisa Branch?" he asked.

The merchant blinked, then looked at him curiously.

"Shouldn't you know that if you are one of their guards?"

"I arrived with one of the last ships before the storm hit," Irwin rumbled, trying to sound as dull as he could. "Someone was supposed to wait for me, but there was nobody there."

"And you've been wandering the city ever since?" the merchant asked, eyebrows raising.

"No," a familiar voice interrupted, and Greldo walked out of the cardshop. "He's been following me. Why are you talking with my guard, master merchant?"

All eyes instantly moved from Irwin to Greldo, and as they did, Irwin saw that the Niox had stopped paying attention.

The mustache man rumbled with laughter. "I am no master, young man, but thank you. I noticed your guard just now and was curious to know if he was perhaps available to hire. My niece has reached the age where she wants to wander the city, and I've been looking for a proper deterrent to keep unwanted attention from her."

Irwin almost rolled his eyes at the idea of having to constantly walk after some young noble.

"Sadly, he is with me. Perhaps after we have located the Greenbark branches, he might be able to take up some work," Greldo said, leadingly.

The older man pulled on his mustache as he thought, but a new voice interrupted him.

"Is there a reason that you are all blocking the exit?"

Irwin glanced to the side to see the two Simlari frown at Greldo and the three merchants. They looked almost identical, with pale, silvery skin, long white hair that flowed around oddly, and piercing blue eyes below oddly dark eyebrows.

"My apologies, Ladies Silverwind," the merchant said, his face turning pale as he almost jumped to the side, pulling the two younger merchants with him.

Greldo reacted far less extremely, merely nodding at the two Simlari as he walked forward and to the side.

"Perhaps if you are to discuss things, you should go to a restaurant or something," one of the Simlari said as she walked away, raising an eyebrow at the merchant.

"Yes, Lady," the merchant said.

Irwin saw drops of sweat bead on his forehead, his skin pale and clammy as he nervously wrung his hands.

Great, now what? Irwin thought, wondering why the merchant seemed terrified.

"You. Giant human," the Niox growled, drawing Irwin's attention. "If you are interested in testing your strength, find the Broken Bones battle inn. There's prizefighting every second day after ten."

Irwin wanted to say no, but a sense of desire from his cursed titan card almost made him step forward.

"After we find our goal," he rumbled back, his voice causing the Whispersteel of his helmet to resonate, adding an otherworldly quality to his voice.

The Niox nodded, then followed the two Simlari, whom the merchant had called Ladies Silverwind.

Only after they were out of earshot did the mustache mercenary let out an explosive breath.

"That was too close," he muttered.

Irwin knew Greldo was likely as curious as he was, but his friend barely reacted. Instead, he tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps we should do as the Lady suggested. I am hungry, and you can tell us what you know of the local Greenbark Branche."

"If you pay for a proper meal, I can be persuaded to share what I know," the merchant said as he stepped forward. "My name is Briggan Si Wiarda of the Wiarda Merchant Association. These are my nephews, Sazir and Murdin Si Wiard."

Greldo stepped forward. "Domnyr of the Scour branch of the Greenbark Mission Center. This is Rodd, our main guard. We have been moving from district to district and have only just arrived here. Perhaps you can suggest a place?"

Irwin held back a flinch when he saw the two younger Si Wiard men share a joyful look. Briggan, however, merely hummed thoughtfully.

"Without knowing how well off you are, I'll suggest the place I usually go to. For the five of us, it would likely cost seventy-three soulshards if we refrain from drinking too much," Briggan said.

"That will be fine," Greldo responded.

Briggan's smile widened, and he nodded, beckoning them on. He and Greldo walked in the front, his two cousins behind them, and Irwin in the back.

"Prices have been steadily going up since the storm hit us," Briggan said. "We don't eat out as much as we did before, and with the only food reaching us coming from the on-world or the few merchants from the Tweelak branch that manage to reach us, things are getting hard."

Irwin rolled his eyes as he recalled the malnourished and impoverished people in the ruined undercity. None of the people here looked like they'd had a shortage of meals.

He listened to Greldo and Briggan chat while keeping an eye on their surroundings. He knew that if need be, Greldo could bring them away in a heartbeat, but it would be best if they didn't have to do that. According to Greldo, there were shadewalkers scouring the city, constantly flitting back and forth as if searching for something.

It took close to twenty minutes until they reached their destination, a small restaurant on the edge of a square filled with other places to eat. As expensive as things had become, there were still lots of people everywhere. Their goal was called The Sweet Gorrin, and like all other places, two powerful-looking carded stood before the door. One was an old, brown-leafed Viridian, the other a human that was almost as wide as he was tall.

"Master Briggan, The Sweet Gorrin welcomes you," the Viridian said as he stepped aside. His eyes lingered on Irwin, but he made no move to stop them from entering.

It didn't take long for them to be escorted to a corner of the small restaurant to sit at a large oval table.

Greldo surprised Irwin as he kept up the simple banter, talking about how hard it was to get a lucrative deal for cards in the outskirts of the branch while sticking to their story of why they were there. As some drinks were placed in front of them, Briggan raised his.

"To new friends," he said.

Everyone but Irwin drank, as he wasn't planning on removing his helmet.

"Your guard is not joining us?" Sazir, one of the young cousins, asked.

"No," Greldo said, his lips curling up slightly. "If we let Rodd eat in this place, none of us will have a soulshard left to our names."

Irwin held back a snort. Greldo was really having too much fun with this.

"I see," Briggan said, smiling back.

They continued their calm discussion until plates of food were brought to their table. Irwin felt his mouth water as he smelled the steaming dishes, and he was glad his stomach didn't growl as he watched the others eat.

Greldo and Briggan kept chatting softly until they had finished most of their meal. At this point, Briggan looked up and smiled.

"Thank you for the meal. Now, it is only fair that I answer your initial question. Yes, I know where the local branch of the Greenbark Corporation is located. It's no surprise that you haven't managed to find it- they were starting to grow nicely before the storm hit, but with barely any cards in storage, they had to shut down a year ago. Their shop is in the Viridian Merchant's district, which is two districts up. Once there, someone will definitely be able to tell you."

Greldo hummed thoughtfully before sighing sadly. "That is a shame. I guess we will be having some issues even if we find them."

"Indeed," Briggan said calmly. "But perhaps we can be of more assistance to each other?"

Greldo raised an eyebrow.

"Rumor has it that the Master of the Greenbark Corporation, Driseog, has been harboring many of the refugee smiths. With the storm finally stopping, we should-"

"What?!"

Greldo's surprised snap caused Briggan's eyebrows to shoot up.

Irwin held back his own reaction, but he felt massively conflicted. As horrible as the storm was, it also kept the entire branch in check, which meant the Guidar would be able to move their army freely.

Is it because that Guidar in the Holy Shadow Inn found me? Irwin thought, his fists clenching.

He felt his anger burst up, and he was grateful for the helmet covering his face. As Briggan began talking, he slowly recovered his calm.

"Ah, you hadn't heard about that, yes? I guess it makes sense, as it's not exactly common knowledge," the merchant said as he twirled his mustache. "Yes, some months ago, a merchant ship from Tweelak brought news that the storm had begun weakening. It has yet to become noticeable here, but the estimate of the librarians was that it would be over in a year or less."

"That is… great news," Greldo said, and Irwin was stunned at how honest Greldo managed to make it sound. He knew his friend and knew he'd likely have come up with the same worries that he had.

"Yes, it is," Briggan said, smiling ruefully. "Though I'd have liked it to continue for a bit longer. We still have some supplies, and with the current prices, we are making a massive profit."

Greldo nodded, and after a moment, Briggan continued.

"As I was saying. As soon as the storm stops, we will be able to return to normal, but with so few Cardsmiths remaining in our branch, having them reforged will become even more of a premium service. If you could speak to Driseog about the Wiarda well, I am sure we could be of assistance. Perhaps by supplying your local branch with some supplies?"

Greldo leaned back, pondering quietly.

"I can not speak for Driseog," he said. "But I would not mind telling him how much of a help you and your Merchant's alliance have been."

"That is all I can ask for," Briggan said.

Before they could continue, a waiter joined them with a small metal plate. A small crystal shard lay on it that rattled softly as he put it on the table before leaving without a word.

Greldo took the paper and glanced at it before taking out his purse. Irwin watched as he counted out just under a hundred soulshards, noticing the wide smile on Briggan's face.

I wonder why he seems so happy, Irwin thought.

Briggan leaned forward, placing a small crystal on the table.

"This is the location of my main office. If you need anything or just wish to speak, you may find me there."

Irwin watched Greldo pocket the small crystal.

"Thank you. We will be setting out to the Viridian district," Greldo said as he rose from the table. "Thank you for the information."

Briggan rose and made a slight bow. "You are most welcome. I hope to hear from you soon."

Greldo nodded before turning and walking away, followed by Irwin.

--

Briggan watched the hulking guard exit the small restaurant before leaning back in his chair.

"Uncle, was that wise?"

"Was what wise, Sazir?" Briggan asked, looking at his young nephew.

"We know nothing of this man; what if he was lying and had nothing to do with the Greenbark Merchant's group? They didn't even use the proper names!"

Briggan stared at his young nephew, noticing his younger brother shake his head wearily. He knew Murdin was more suited for many things, and Sazir had once again proven it.

"Murdin, do you agree?" he asked.

"No, uncle. Even if this Domnyr is lying, we have lost nothing and gained a free meal. However, I think it is more likely that he has some connection with the Greenbark Merchants. He didn't blink at paying such an exorbitant bill and seemed unimpressed with the food. Why would he pay this much for information he would eventually have found? Also, that guard, Rodd, was more powerful than any of the guards we have back home. My card wasn't able to discern anything about him, meaning he had a diamond rank soulcard. Who but a Merchant's guild could spend this much on a guard?"

Sazir was looking at his brother, then back at Briggan, before shaking his head.

"Perhaps he wasn't just a guard?"

"Now, now, Sazir," Briggan said, barely able to hold back his annoyance at his eldest nephew's lack of understanding. "Who but a guard would allow their body to grow to that preposterous size? Its only use is battle, and anyone with half a brain knows it's easier to just hire powerful help while using one's resources on cards like the ones we have."

Sazir shrugged, looking unconvinced, and Briggan sniffed.

"No matter. Let us head home. It has been months since I'd had such a good meal, and I want to rest and relax."

--

Lasther stood in the center of the Holy Shadow Inn's backroom, which was normally filled with his ears and eyes. Now, it was empty except for two. The other shadewalkers were patrolling the city's outskirts, but as of yet, no news had come. His connection to the Galladin Spawn was nearly gone, and all he could tell was that he'd either reached the city or was very close.

I will find you, he thought as he turned and walked to the door, into a small hallway, and then into the main inn room. The bustle of quiet conversations continued as he stood behind the mission bar and looked at the weak beings that sat around the low tables that dotted the dark room.

Pathetic mortals, he thought, wondering how they would react if he would just drain them all. As weak as they were, he might recoup some of the soulforce he'd expended on creating the portals.

As his mind pondered the idea, one of the cloaked figures moved toward him.

"Master Lasther, one of the scouts has returned," he whispered. "The smith has entered the city through the ruined undercity. It is unclear where he is now."

"Warn the others and tell them to start scouring the city for any sign of him," Lasther hissed.

The hooded figure left with a rush, and Lasther stared at the beings in the room around him.

Perhaps they can be more useful than as fuel, he pondered.

"Everyone, may I have your attention?" he said.

His words were soft, but instantly, the entire room was quiet, hundreds of eyes focused on him.

"A new mission will be available starting right now," Lasther said. "The reward will be five hundred soulshards, a shadewalker card, and training to join the elites."

A few startled hisses and curses came, but Lasther ignored them as he raised his hand. The image of the smith as he'd seen within the Galladin spawn's mind appeared above his hand. It showed a man with pale coppery skin, spikey, metallic hair that seemed too long to be able to stand up straight as it did, and eyes like molten metal.

"This is Irwin, a smith who has managed to elude capture. He is hiding in the city somewhere," Lasther said.

He watched the assembled mass of miscreants stare at him and frown.

"What are you waiting for?"

There was a screeching of chairs as people began sprinting to the exit, some even using movement and teleport cards.

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