Chapter 139: Sleeping Beauty
Two weeks after they returned to the new Grianfál, Irwin was lying on his bed, staring up at the pale stone ceiling. It was quiet outside but busy in his mind. He had just returned from a meeting with Crithann and a messenger from Lord Urdwellan.
The portals had definitely all been closed, which was good news, but sadly, there was no clear reason for what had happened.. The many documents that had been found had been investigated, and all that had been found was something they had already roughly known. Some unknown entity had been paying the Imps for capturing and delivering them Card Smiths. Lord Urdwellan had sent a messenger to the Portal Gallery to inform the Smiths Guild, but with how enormous the time dilation was, no response was expected this decade.
So weird… It's almost like everyone outside is just frozen, Irwin thought.
He tried to picture his mother and brother and all of Malorin frozen in mid-motion. Portals, perhaps with Imps or other demons exiting. Would battles be happening? How would Esterdon be? Had the demons overrun the towers and the ruins? What did that mean for when he returned?
Taking a deep breath, he exhaled. It didn't matter just yet. He had a long time to think about it, and before that, he had other things happening. Purifying the metal of the hoop, which Ambraz had told him would be immensely beneficial for them, was the first, but Numilli had also come and told him she still expected his help with finding another Earth Titan. Then there was the auction and his sixth and final card.
And I need to get Crithann to keep helping me train my hammer skills, he thought as he closed his eyes with a smile.
--
Irwin stretched as he walked back to his smithy through new Grianfál, a town that could hardly be called that anymore.
Four months and some days had passed since the Imp Shardworld had been shattered, taking all of the portals with it. In that time, Viridians and Ignitzions had flocked to the sunny place, enjoying the abundance of fire elemental energy and the occasional shade from the towering but still-growing Heart tree. By now, the golden and red-leafed behemoth was visible as far as a day's travel from Grianfál, and the town had expanded to circle what had been a crevice. Now, it was a rapidly increasing beautiful piece of architecture, with circular staircases crisscrossing down the stonewall. Carded that could manipulate stone were constantly busy expanding the sprawling underwater area for the still flowing water to fill.
As they reached the main street, which ran from the first gate to the massive square that had his smithy, Crithann's towering abode, and the inn, they passed dozens of Viridians and sometimes a few Ignitzions. Sometimes, one of them called out in greeting, while others merely waved, and Irwin smiled or waved back.
"So, you're sure Numilli isn't mistaken again?" he said as he looked at Scintilla, who was walking beside him.
The Ignitzion grinned and shook her head. "By the infernal crevice, no. After you threatened her with no more steam baths, she wouldn't dare waste our time again."