Salos sat on top of a wagon, watching night descend on camp, but not really seeing any of it.

Instead, his mind's eye replayed a single scene over and over again. Cass stood in front of the rhynselk queen, wreathed in the flames of his Fairy Fire. She dragged a stone spear from the ground. The queen charged.

He could see her spear stood no chance. The queen was too strong. He could feel the weakness of the stone.

And yet, Cass had stood her ground.

Stone and ice crashed. Stone lost. Cass lost.

She'd gotten out of the way, but only barely. Only because she was a slyphid.

She'd nearly died.

And it was his fault.

He shook that thought aside. That wasn't true. Cass was an adult. She'd asked for his Fairy Fire. He had cast the skill, but she'd ordered it.

It had been her decision. As was her right.

His mind summoned images of her passed out on the ground. Covered in wounds. Bleeding. Broken.

It wasn't his job to protect her, he reminded himself. She hadn't asked for that. He was just her demon. A servant inflicted on her by the system. He didn't have to care.

But he did care.

[Broken Concept Loyalty can be repaired. Would you like to repair it?

- Swear allegiance to mistress to reinstate Concept as Loyalty.]

He winced. He called Cass a bleeding heart, but he was no better. Imagine, him, worried about his master. Again.

His tail thrashed. Cerivan would have laughed in his face.

He stared up at the night sky. The moons stared back at him, silver and copper, cold and distant.

He needed to remember he was just a tool. She'd been so opposed to it, but she'd Commanded Kohen. As she should, he reminded himself. As was her right.

And in doing so, she'd ensured her life. Her life and the lives of everyone else here. He should be proud his master would use her tools as nobly as that.

[Broken Concept Loyalty can be repaired. Would you like to repair it?]

Lots would use and discard a tool for less.

Especially a useless tool like him.

He could see her, wreathed in purple flames. Determination in her eyes. Unaware the stone couldn't possibly stand up to the sheer power of the rhynselk queen.

And what could he do? Scream? Beg. Hope?

He closed his eyes and forced his thoughts to stop, envisioning the cold abyss.

Right. She hadn't died. He hadn't had to do anything. Not every tool needed to be used in every situation. He wasn't needed there. She had Wind Step. That had been enough.

And if it hadn't? a cold worry whispered. Could you handle losing her?

He was a tool. If Cass died, another would claim him. What should it matter to a tool who its master was?

What should it matter what they made him do? He could hear screaming. Ghosts. Long dead. The squelch of blood. Of a dagger sinking through hearts. Long dead. Done because she asked.

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Had he cared then? Did he care now? Why? Killing was a part of life. It was where one derived power. It was right for him to kill for his master. Natural.

But Cass would have cared. Cass cared a lot.

He'd never had these kinds of doubts then. It had been easy. Had that been a side effect of Loyalty? Should he just accept it?

[Broken Concept Loyalty can be repaired. Would you like to repair it?]

And when she breaks it? the cynical voice hissed. Can you handle the betrayal again?

Cass wouldn't betray him. She was too soft for that. Too kind.

Which will only kill her, the voice reminded him. Her kindness will kill her.

Were those the only futures? A kind Cass dying and leaving him to be another's tool or a smart Cass eventually, inevitably, betraying him?

[Broken Concept Loyalty can be repaired. Would you like to repair it?

- Betray mistress to reformat Concept to Violation]

Right. There was that too. An impractical answer. He could take on a Concept that would only make him suffer under her control.

He shook his head. He couldn't have everything.

He couldn't have anything, the voice whispered. The sooner he accepted that, the easier it would be.

Salos, is everything okay? Cass's voice rippled over their bond.

He froze. He stalled. You're awake?

Yeah, something woke me up. Is everything okay?

'Something,' she said. A polite way to say 'he'. His claws dug into the wood of the wagon. But the concern washing over the bond was real. Warm and gentle and tinged with a quiet fear.

What did he say here? She'd know if he lied. But he couldn't explain any of this to her. She'd just yell that he wasn't her servant, as if what she wanted made any difference in front of the absolute decrees of the System.

He couldn't handle hearing that right now.

I was just—but the words dried up before they'd formed a full sentence.

The night pressed down on him. The wind whipped over the wagon, taunting his silence.

Are you keeping watch again? Cass asked instead.

His claws dug deeper. Look at him. Unable to even answer a simple question. And she didn't even mind? Just gracefully letting him avoid the question?

Yes, he said, trying to hold back his emotional state. He'd already woken her up. Concern already colored her voice. She didn't need to see the extent of it.

Not that there was anything to see. He was just a tool. For her to use.

You should try to sleep, she said. Atmospheric Sense doesn't feel anything dangerous nearby.

He froze. How far could she sense with that now? On a windy night like this over open plains, she could probably sense for miles. Was there any meaning in someone like him keeping watch when she could do that?

Did she need a tool like him?

Perhaps that was the real reason she didn't Command him. He was too useless for her to bother with. He was beneath her notice.

How long until she gets rid of you? the voice asked. How long until she finds some way to trade you for a more useful power?

Salos? Cass asked, concern heavy on her voice.

Abyss. He was worrying her now. For no reason. Not only was he useless, he was making her uncomfortable. He needed to get a grip. He was worse than useless.

He pulled away, clamping down on the flow over their bond. She didn't need to feel any of this.

Yes? he replied, hoping he sounded more composed, pretending not to have noticed the implicit 'are you alright' tacked to the end of her calling his name.

There was a long pause. If he hadn't pulled away, would he feel her debating whether to push further or would he see indifference?

He stared up at the night. The moons stared back like cold, mismatched eyes.

Don't—Cass paused. Was that a sigh? She tried again. Take care of yourself. Please.

His tail flicked from side to side. He knew that was two separate thoughts. He knew she had said to take care of himself.

And yet the cruel voice whispered in her voice, Don't take care of yourself.

He shoved that aside and forced his mind empty.

Of course, he said to her. Because what else could he say? He'd missed the chance to tell her… tell her what?

That he was unhappy?

He suppressed a laugh. What a thought that was? Happiness was a consideration for people. Not a tool of violence like him.

Then what? What had he failed to tell her?

That he was sorry he was useless? She'd have to be blind to miss that. He didn't need to draw any more attention to that than he already had. She'd pretty much said that herself, hadn't she? Why else would she tell him to stop keeping watch?

Why did he even have this useless body? The wood splintered beneath his clenching claws. What could he do for her like this?

He could see her standing before the rhynselk queen. Could see the queen's horn about the gouge out her guts. About to ram her across the battlefield. About to rob her from him.

If he were still level 74, he could have saved her. He could have swept her up. He could have buried his blade in the beast's heart in a heartbeat. Cass would never have been in any danger.

A pointless exercise. He did not have that kind of power anymore. He was nothing anymore.

He dissolved.

He fell back into his necklace. His cursed prison. The place he belonged.

It was empty. A void with nothing. As different from Cass's soul well as night was from day.

It was the proper sheath for a dagger. Housing for an unneeded soul. Cage for a demon.

He floated there, Patience blurring his sense of time and numbing the emotions rolling through his sliver of soul. There was comfort in that. An ease he would do well to remember.

It didn't matter this wasn't what Cass would have wanted for him.

He should not ask for more. This was all he needed. Patience to wait for her call. The Patience to remember it was not for the tool to worry if its purpose was at an end.

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