B4 Ch33: The Answer (Patreon)

“Arthur, pal…” Dannill gave Arthur a smile that managed to barely remain on this side of smug. Barely. “What you’re describing — a card that stops card disintegration? Never heard of it. I don’t think it’s possible.”

“Of course it’s possible,” Arthur said, frustrated. “Every spell, charm, or skill has its own card.”

“Well, if it was… you wouldn’t find it in a store. That’d be a Legendary level card, and you don’t find such a thing in a store.”

Arthur wanted to snap back that he knew more about Legendries than Dannill, but he held his tongue. He’d had a frustrating morning after he returned to the city with Cressida and Horatio clandestinely going through the city’s card shops. The shelves were bare, and he hadn’t found anything stronger than a Common. But he’d held out hope because Dannill had back channels than Arthur didn’t.

Dannill slowly shook his head and as he had read Arthur’s mind, said, “This close to the heart opening, there’s not much left out there but scraps. Everyone who can get their hands on a card is buying, and that was before the latest influx of refugees.” He paused. “You have heard the news, right?”

“News?”

Dannill nodded. “The city admin finally got off their useless behinds and reevaluated the heart. They figure less than a week ‘till it’s ripe, now but everyone knows that date seems to be accelerating closer and closer. We could only get a couple hour’s notice, so make sure you’re ready and you got your team all set.”

Accelerating. And if they misjudge the timing, instead of the heart opening they could have an eruption on their hands.

Arthur shook his head and wondered if he should just take Cressida, Horatio, and the dragons and just dive into the damn thing before it burst.

Dannill didn’t let him respond and swung back to Arthur’s original question. “Now, if you want something reasonable, I hear tell of a Rare portal card that might be floating around… for the right price. It’s one of the very few Rares left in the city. Unless,” he eyed Arthur, “you have one to sell to me? People have noticed you’ve been gone the last couple days.”

Trailing off, he looked at Arthur hopefully.

Arthur ignored that, and the mention of the Rare portal card. More than one card shop owner had mentioned it as well, and he’d gotten details. It was a short distance portal spell that only carried the wielder. Great for relocating yourself during combat, but useless for his needs.

Instead, he fixed Dannill with an unimpressed eye. “Why? Who’s been looking?”

“The usual. Sheriff Lopez, Over sheriff Walker. They realized we have a business connection, so when they couldn’t find you, they came asking like I’m your minder.”

Arthur wasn’t surprised by that. He also didn’t fail to notice that Dannill kept trying to change the subject away from the card he wanted. He considered for a moment, then, with a wince, activated his Subtle Influence card. He kept a light touch on it, however, just to add emphasis to his words.

“Dannill, finding that card is really important to me. If you have any type…” He struggled for a moment, “meta card that fixes other cards, I want to know about it.”

There was no indication Dannill had been influenced other than he seemed to take Arthur’s words more seriously. “So do I, kid. I’ll put the word out — just don’t expect anything. But what about our Sheriff problem? Right now, they’re asking for your help kindly. But with the Dark Heart opening soon, that means more scourgelings on the loose… and I thought you had a soft spot for refugees.”

“I do, and I can help,” Arthur said firmly. “But not for free.”

“I’d say that’s between you and the Sheriffs—“

Arthur cut him off. “I’ll need at least three more whole bison this week, and at least that going forward.”

Dannill gave him a sharp look. “Three more? No offense, but your dragon ain’t bigger than a small horse. Does flying really cost that much energy?”

“It does,” Arthur replied. “But it’s not for him.”

He turned and pointed back to the barn. One of the double doors was thrown open, and as if on cue, Sams’ head poked out. The big yellow dragon looked around, probably trying to see where the noise of conversation had been coming from as Arthur had met Dannill outside to let the dragons rest.

Larger than Joy, he’d had a difficult time fitting through the doors to the barn last night. While inside, he had to be wary of his wings and tail to not knock over any one of Brixaby’s furnaces.

“Well, I’ll be dipped in bison manure.” Dannill muttered, stared for a moment, then took off his big, brimmed hat and stared for another few seconds like that would help him see. His grin widened. “Now that is a dragon!”

Arthur ignored that. “And there’s a second one in there, so you can see why I need the—“

“A whole team of dragons! And their riders, too, I expect?” Dannill turned to him. “What’s the other’s color? Is he as striking as that yellow fellow?”

“She’s pink,” Arthur said.

Dannill practically rubbed his hands together. “That will work well for the girls. Perfect! I don’t suppose you can convince them to fly around the city a few times? Make themselves be seen?”

“Get me enough to feed them,” Arthur said, though privately he didn’t think he would be able to stop Joy and Sams, once they had rested.

He took Dannill by the elbow and started leading him to the direction of the barn. It wasn’t hard. Far from fearful, the man was enthusiastic, talking about quick-run paintings and possibly stuffed animals if they could manage it in time for the heart’s opening.

Arthur guessed he had already made a good deal of profit from Brixaby’s likeness.

He spoke up to get the man back on track. “One more thing. These dragons have riders, and they’re going to need your services….”

****

Cressida was not happy about getting a tattoo.

“It has to be permanent?” She frowned. “I’ve always avoided those.”

Dannill, ever the salesman, had a good command of their language — he would not be a language merchant without it — and jumped right in.

“It won’t hurt a bit, young lady. We have a specialized numbing gel, and I’m nothing but scrupulous with sanitation. You’ll heal up quick.”

Her frown deepened. “I’m not afraid of pain, sir. It’s the look. It’s one thing to get a card anchor tattoo, but there are ways around that.” She unconsciously touched her pocket where she kept a fancy purse she used for her own anchor.

She was a nobleman’s daughter and had some particular ideas of what was proper and what wasn’t. Arthur personally couldn’t care less, but it wasn’t his body on the line.

Of course, Dannill had an answer for that.

“My tattoos are flexible enough to be almost anywhere on the body that’s not visible. The back of the shoulder, perhaps, where it will be covered up by a shirt, or a leg. And of course,” he added, “I do have female artists to do the task. Your comfort is paramount.”

Horatio had watched this byplay with his arms crossed. He snorted at that last bit, sounding like his grumpy dragon. “Put it on my forehead for all I care. Not being able to talk to people gets old, fast. You don’t want to go out shopping and get swindled, do you, Cress?”

Arthur jumped in. “Joy will be upset if she can’t talk to people, you know that.”

Her expression smoothed. Reluctantly, she nodded.

Arthur worked out the payment with Dannill, taking care of the cost with Common shard equivalents. In this case, Dannill preferred that to actual Common cards because he had clients who wanted to put them together themselves.

“Superstitious,” he said, with a shrug.

Joy woke up soon after and guzzled down two large barrels of water before she was ready to fly. Horatio offered Dannill a seat on Sams to transport the man back to his store. Dannill was delighted.

“You aren’t going with us?” Cressida asked Arthur, noting he was not moving to join them.

He glanced at Dannill then decided he didn’t care if the man knew what he was up to. Chances are, he somehow already did. “I need to see that heart deck specialist.”

Though he was powerfully curious about how Dannill planned to tattoo dragon scales for Joy and Sams, he felt a strong draw to see Ravi, first. It was as if his new Self Insight skill was whispering that he was on the cusp of something important.

“Alright,” Horatio said easily. He mimed a punch at Arthur’s shoulder. “Don’t wait up for me late. After I can talk to these people, I’m going to see those sheriffs.” He glanced at his dragon. “Sams and I want to target practice on some scourgelings — we’ll be in tip-top shape for when that heart of theirs opens.”

Cressida tilted her head in thought. “Does this place have a scholar’s guild, or perhaps a conservatory for knowledge? I would like to know if they have anything about the abandoned cities we saw on the way here.”

Dannill smiled at her. “Oh, a historian, are you? Yes, I can point the way.”

Arthur wasn’t sure he liked the proprietary way he gestured her forward to her own dragon, but he trusted Cressida enough to handle herself.

After seeing them off, he said goodbye to Brixaby who, of course, was still at the smithing forge, and then set off to Ravi’s small shop.

****

“Level 20 already?” Sitting cross-legged on the floor in his office, Healer Ravi gave Arthur a long look as if he was concerned Arthur was making it up. “It seems you do have some talent in this area, after all.”

It wasn’t talent. Arthur was certain it had everything to do with his skill grinding card. Well, that, and a lot of focused practice.

“I’ve always worked better under a deadline,” he said, shifting uncomfortably on his own seat. Why didn’t this man have chairs? “But there’s more. Most of the time, when I hit twenty, I’m awarded by either an advancement to the skill or attribute points. This time, there was nothing?”

“Nothing?” Ravi asked, eyebrows raised. “Nothing at all?”

He shrugged. “I did get a separate skill in Self Insight, but that’s separate… isn’t it?”

“Perhaps, perhaps not. But you should not so easily discount the gift of self-insight, Arthur.”

“But the Dark Heart will be open in only a few days, and I need those cards that were in my card anchor.”

Ravi hummed. “Is that truly what you need?”

He started to answer, stopped, then frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Only that is something you need to answer, not me.”

Arthur let out a breath in aggravation.

“But,” Ravi said, “Perhaps there is a way I can speed things along.”

Arthur leaned forward.

The healer smiled. “For a price.”

That price, of course, was an Uncommon shard. Arthur paid the equivalent in Commons and Ravi took him to another room — this was more colorful than the last, with complex geometric patterns on the walls, ceiling and floor, as well as the thick scent of some spicy incense.

Again, there were no chairs. Instead, Ravi sat across from Arthur on small square pillows.

Ravi began. “I have taught you about meditation before, but this time I will lead you into guided meditation, which may be a deeper experience.” He paused. “While in this state, some people gain insights about themselves that may be uncomfortable. If this happens to you, I suggest you do not fight it, lest you break yourself out of the deeper meditation.”

Arthur hesitated. This was sounding close to what he’d seen some confidence men pull on marks in Wolf Moon’s hive’s city. People would claim they had cards to see the future, to speak to the dead, and forecast if a relationship would be successful or fail.

Of course, if they did truly have cards like they’d be working for the high nobles, not in the poorer districts in the shadow of a dragon hive. But those who believed never saw it that way.

“You’re not going to serve me special tea, are you?” Arthur asked with suspicion.

Ravi smiled. “No, none of this is hallucinatory. But some people, especially when they are at war with themselves, may suddenly see more vividly. Are you ready for that?”

Arthur wasn’t sure, but he straightened his spine anyway. “I’ll do whatever it takes to prepare for the Dark Heart.”

“Very well, then. Take my hands.”

New Spell Obtained: Induce Deep Self Spiritual Awareness

Time remaining: 59 Minutes, 59 Seconds.

Ah, not a skill then, but a spell. Interesting how Ravi had neglected to mention that.

Not a confidence man, but not exactly honest either.

However, Arthur could feel that this spell would only work if Arthur allowed it in. He had a measure of trust for Ravi, and he had ways of defending himself. So, he relaxed his mind, ensured all his mental shields were down, and allowed the spell to sweep over him.

“Fall into meditation,” Ravi intoned. “Focus on your heart deck.”

Suddenly, Arthur was no longer sitting in the overly colorful room. He was now standing in darkness.

He was also aware that a part of him was “outside”, still in his body. He could feel the pillow under him, his hands lightly clasped with the healer’s to provide the link.

It was a lot like being in his Personal Space. This was a journey of the mind and not the body.

And he had the feeling that if things went terribly wrong, he could wrench himself out of it and return fully to his body at any time.

Though it was velvet darkness around him, he felt pulled forward.

Arthur walked, and in the curious way of dreams he realized the pull wasn’t any intuition of his own, but from the connection he always felt between himself and Brixaby’s core.

Specifically, his Call of The Heart.

And why not? It was a seeking card.

The pull led him smoothly forward without a stumble. Around him, he heard a rhythmic lub-dub, lub-dub of a heartbeat.

Was this his heart deck?

When his straining eyes perceived a faint illumination ahead, the lub-dub picked up pace.

He fell into a jog and the glow ahead suddenly jumped into bright focus.

His Master of Skills and Master of Body Enhancement cards stood tall, bright, and glittering like two unmovable pillars inside his heart. But beside them, ghostly in outline, were three additional spaces for cards.

Arthur stared at them, feeling the pull not only from the seeking card, but a kind of wistful sense of incompletion from his two other cards.

“You’ll never complete your deck, traitor.”

Turning, Arthur took an involuntary step back as he saw his cousin, Penn, standing close enough to punch.

His cousin’s face was twisted in hate. He stood, confident, in fine nobleman’s gear with the house crest of Rowantree on his tunic which glowed almost as brightly as the cards.

In the twisty way of the mind, though he now was positioned in front of the faintly glowing Master of Combat card.

Penn’s eyes flashed. “Betrayer.”

“Yes.” The word came through a dry mouth. “Yes. I had to lie to you, and you tried to take Brix away from me.”

“You’ll never have what I have!” A sword appeared in Penn’s hand and he charged forward in an attack.

New combat skill obtained:

Decisive Strike (Sword)

Time remaining: 9 Minutes, 59 Seconds…

Arthur reached in his Personal Space for the first thing he could find and came out with a shovel.

Desperately, he used Decisive Strike attack himself,  adding it to his Makeshift Weaponry card’s abilities. The spade-end parried the edge of the blade — sparks coming off — and deflected it just enough that it missed Arthur.

Undeterred, Penn struck again.

New combat skill obtained:

Vital Thrust (Sword)

Time remaining: 9 minutes, 59 seconds…

Again, Arthur parried, though the sword edge nicked the outer side of his arm. It was a shallow cut, mainly due to Arthur’s tough skin body enhancement. Ironically, one he had gotten from Penn.

Penn drew back for another attack, but that gave Arthur the moment he needed to swing the shovel at him like a club.

Penn seemed to eel out of the way.

New combat skill obtained:

Dodge (Defense)

Time remaining: 9 minutes, 59 seconds

But suddenly, Arthur had picked up that trick, too.

And he had more.

Grabbing a handful of metal shavings, he threw them at Penn with an enhanced effect of his Throwing Accuracy and Nice Shot card.

The bits peppered Penn’s face and torso. He roared in rage and came at Arthur again, swift and striking. This time, Arthur had to use the stolen Dodge and leaned on his Balance Body Enhancement to keep light on his feet.

They went back and forth like that in a strange sense of time that could have been seconds or could have been an hour.

Arthur had the feeling that if this were a real fight, his shovel would have been chopped into pieces long ago. Perhaps it was an effect of the mindscape or an aspect of his Makeshift Weaponry card, but he was able to hold on.

He was also growing tired of this.

Penn closed in and Arthur did too, catching the base of the sword right above the guard against the wooden stick of the shovel. With his other hand, Arthur grabbed Penn’s wrist and held him in place. To his surprise, he was able to do it — was he stronger than Penn, or was it because this was all in his mind?

Penn growled in his face, less human and almost like a scourgeling.

“You have Master of Combat,” Arthur said. “But I have Master of Body Enhancement and Master of Skills.” He flexed his meditation skill, somehow redirecting it from an endless fight that would only bog him down, to something more productive.

Penn shattered and blew away like he was made of fallen leaves on a windy autumn day.

Arthur looked at the place his cousin had stood, lips pressed together tightly.

Ravi mentioned he might have to face inner truths. This was one of them that Arthur had been dodging: Penn was not done with Arthur, and Arthur still had business with his cousin.

With that thought in mind, he glanced back up to the shining pillars in this heart. His Master of Skills, which had been with him the longest and he knew so well. His Master of Body Enhancement glowed nearly as brightly… he sensed it was still settling within his heart.

Beyond sat Master of Combat, which was so dim Arthur could barely make out the letters.

Beside that stood the two empty cards.

He looked around for more inspiration — perhaps a glimpse of the other cards he knew lived in his heart. Or was there a spot he could push out and expand for more space?

“If I can get them fixed, is there room for that meta card trio?” he asked… but that was the wrong question, wasn’t it?

“What do I need?” he asked instead. That chimed right because that was going to be what the Dark Heart would ask him.

And it was one of the most important questions Arthur could ask himself.

He started listing off the things he knew. “I need a way to defeat the scourgelings — to keep what’s happened here from happening to my own kingdom. I need to advance and grow stronger because while I might be a Legendary, I’m not strong enough yet. And,” he added the revelation he’d had only yesterday, “I need to find a way to balance Brixaby's natural destruction powers. I can do that through those meta cards, I think, but I need to repair them. So how do I do that? How do I do everything? Ugh! Is it even possible?”

He held his head, but no new inspiration struck him.

Slowly, Arthur lowered his hands and really took in what his heart deck was showing him. His Master cards.

“No, this isn’t one separate question… it’s three. It’s everything. I need something that does it all.”

Distantly, he felt notifications crash in, but he ignored them.

Every card in the Master deck flashed as if his words had been a key that had just unlocked something in him.

He had found the right question to ask.

“It all comes back to cards. I need to find the next card in my deck.”

As he spoke, he reached out and touched his awareness to Brixaby’s seeker cards.

One of the empty spaces flashed into light again. Just the title, but it was enough.

Master of Cards.

And Arthur knew what was waiting for him down in the Dark Heart… if he dared to delve deep enough to find it.