Chapter 250: Golden Friction Academy
Ambraz zipped through the night, unrestrained by worry- well, almost.
I get back only to find the jackals found a way in, he thought as he flew through the tunnels at a speed he couldn't have the last time he was here.
He knew it shouldn't surprise him as much as it did. Fleshies had been trying to take advantage of Ganvils for as long as he knew, and with no true place of their own, they were relegated to a world sandwiched between those filled with people who mostly saw them as a commodity good.
Glad I found that kid, he thought as he flew around a corner into a busier area. Besides him being lucky, at least he doesn't see me as some extension of his cards.
Ambraz's dark mood that had been with him almost ever since he woke in that tiny prison world lifted as he saw Ganvils everywhere, talking, laughing, and interacting. Between that and the chatter from the fleshies from the smiths' districts below, old and happy memories surfaced. Swirling around the corner of the most prominent building in the district, he stopped.
Words were chiseled into the side: 'Cardara- the best cards there are!'.
If Irwin had been here, he'd probably been majorly confused by the low, wide building carved out of the side of the mountain. Windows flanked the many entrances, and hundreds of Ganvils of all ranks flew in and out of what looked like a mix between a restaurant and a bulk card-shop.
Looking at the familiar building that didn't seem to have changed in all the years he was gone, Ambraz felt his hunger increase. Although Irwin had bought him more cards to snack on ever since they returned, the kid wasn't as rich as he thought yet and the prospect of being able to eat as much as he desired made Ambraz shoot for the nearest entrance.
He held back, and looked around, quickly spotting his target. A large copper Ganvil that hung near the entrance, bobbing up and down restlessly.
Ambraz flew towards him, not surprised the higher-rank Ganvil detected him and turned before he was halfway.
"Am'braz, I still can't believe you're back," Hou'dor shouted happily in his deep voice. In the dim light, the long scars Ambraz knew were across his form were hard to see.
"Hou'dor," Ambraz. "Let's see if they still recognize me and get a private booth. I need to check my vault first, though! Unless you want to pay?"