Chapter 285: Swat!
Irwin and the others continued talking softly while watching for anything dangerous.
Greldo came back to check on them twice. The first time, he told them that they had found tracks leading both north and south. The second time, he returned with the news that the tracks north ended in the territory of a sizeable pack of Sixtusk Boars. The scattered remains of some smaller rabbits and no tracks leaving meant they likely didn’t have to worry too much about any heading further north.
When Clarish finally returned, the sun was at its peak, burning away the few clouds that dared encroach on the blue sky, and the temperature was higher than it had been in weeks. Summer might finally be arriving.
“Sorry that it took so long! They were split up a bit, and it took me some time to gather them,” Clarish said as she stepped out of the fog that accompanied her teleportation.
Three lightly armored people walked out behind her, and Irwin recognized each of them.
“Nasar, Gleemi, Itweeg,” Daubutim said as he nodded, then looked at Clarish. “Did you inform them?”
Clarish nodded, rubbing her neck.
Irwin could see from her soulforce that teleporting around as much as she had with people had taken a lot of energy. She could probably still do more, but not much. Even the increased energy from her heartcard wasn’t enough to offset the expenditure.
“Lord Daubutim,” Nasar said, his silver eyes gleaming as he inclined his head.
He was a man in his late forties with black stubble that couldn’t hide the jagged, round scars dotting his cheeks and chin. Irwin remembered how he’d arrived, looking at him as emotionless as he was right now, staring at Daubutim.
He's the one with that fire dash crossbow card, Irwin thought, quickly recalling the odd emerald heartcard he’d made out of the troublesome set of handcards. They had been on the edge of being compatible, and he’d had to remove a lot of active and passive effects, much to Nasar’s dislike. Still, the man had been able to keep his small summoned hand crossbows, and his simple fire teleport had turned into a move that allowed him to teleport to the spot where any of his flaming bolts were. He didn’t even have to shoot them, and they had yet to find a range limit to it besides the energy it cost him.
“So, someone finally found another portal,” Gleemi said, standing behind him.