Chapter 294: Split shock
Irwin stood on the prow, staring at the distant corridor walls, finally angling off to give way to a larger area. They were approaching the part of the branch that housed Igniz and a few of the other, lesser worlds of the Ignitzions. The barriers had managed to hold out against the storm, and he was happy to see the relatively calm area they were approaching.
"It feels like ages since I was here," Hind said softly. "I can't wait to see my family. They will be so surprised to see that I'm not dead."
"I'm sure they will be very happy to see you," Irwin said. He was curious to see where Hind came from, a city deep below the surface of Igniz called Smelter.
He glanced at the howling storm beyond the barrier. Wary from the last, long stint through the storm, he was happy that Earila was now behind the helm.
"It's quiet," Hind said. "The previous time, a constant stream of merchant ships was here, going to and from the Igniz worlds."
Irwin nodded, not surprised by that. He'd seen the same when he was traveling across the Dimarintsia River, the constant streams of merchant ships pouring in and out of the corridors leading to the many worlds.
"I'm glad we will be out of the constant storm," Hind said as she looked at the side and scowled. "I think I'll be having nightmares about it for a few years- the constant droning."
"Have those a lot, do you?" Irwin said teasingly.
Hind rolled her eyes. "We really should check if you aren't actually a child of Uncle Lava!"
Irwin blinked as he suddenly recalled the time he'd pretended to be Orwin, the illegitimate child of Daubutim's uncle Ondrist.
"Unless he is able to have children with humans, I doubt it," he said absently.
He thought about the times he'd been traveling across Giard, which was gone, wondering what had happened to the people he'd met. He barely ever thought about them or of the family he must have had back there. Had any of them survived? His mother and brother hadn't told him about any, but he'd never asked either.