Chapter 70: Time dilation
"Are you serious?" Hutch's voice rippled across the square, causing even the tiniest whisper that had been there previous to silence.
"Hutch," Basil said softly. "We don't have time for this…"
"Time? Time! You're asking us to head in there with them!" Hutch snapped as he pointed at two Frozir, each taller and burlier than the others surrounding them.
"Yes," Basil said softly. "And I'm not going to tell you again. Or are you going to disobey my direct order?"
Irwin stood next to Daubutim, staring at the struggle on Hutch's face. Five rare-carded stood behind him, his friend the only rare-carded remaining. Irwin hoped they wouldn't ask Daubutim to join. What if they did? He could enter too… but if he even suggested it, he would need to prove it, and that would mean giving away his secrets. Was he ready to do that? Besides, there were two things troubling him.
Firstly, he might not be strong enough to help that much. Worse, what if the presence of his special card made the things in the portal world stronger? So far, each portal he'd entered had been weird, from one that evolved while he was inside to another where one of those Galubs actually evolved to a four-horn.
"Hutch, I'll tell you what happened later," Basil said. "But I need you to close that portal now."
Hutch took a deep breath, then nodded. "Fine. But you better have a fantastic explanation for working together with the demons that killed hundreds of our people, or I'm pretty sure Bron's going to have your hide."
Irwin heard nearby guards muttering their agreement. As Basil had been gone, he had overheard them talking, and many had been angry that they weren't just taking care of the Frozir for what they had done.
Basil looked at the Frozir Elder standing next to him, then nodded wearily.
"I do. Now, while in there, don't do anything stupid. Find the Linchpin, destroy it, and come out. Don't bother with the cards if there is even a slight risk of losses."
Hutch grunted as he nodded. "Fine," the bare-armed guard snapped before turning around. “Daubutim, you’re coming.”