"I feel like I got run over by a carriage." Davik was sitting up in his bed, looking far better than he had three days before. Most of the bandages had been peeled away, revealing a dozen thin lines crisscrossing his skin. Only one bandage remained: a thick, bloodstained cloth that wrapped around his chest.

"I'm just happy you're okay." I placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "You gave us a scare there."

He winced at the pressure of my hand, so I dropped it. "Sorry about that..." He smiled. "Can't say I regret it, though. I might not be nearly as strong as you, but I feel like I fought well."

"From what I heard, you took down eight."

"Eight, huh?" He stroked his chin. "Not as many as I would have liked, but I did my duty and protected my lady..." He sighed, and his smile grew. "I only hope she knows how I feel about her now."

I leaned close, looked around to make sure no one could hear me, and whispered, "I know her well enough at this point to know that she'll downplay it, but Elise was a wreck. She's got it bad for you, man." I patted his hand. "Lucky dog."

His eyes met mine, and a grin started splitting his face. "You think so?"

"You didn't see what we saw. She's all about you."

"Good." He laughed. "Glad to hear it's not one-sided. I just wish she'd open up more and—"

The double doors leading into their room swung open, revealing Tristan. Behind her were a few people, but I couldn't make them out in the dim light.

"Alex, you're awake!" Tristan smiled at me.

"Yup. I got some breakfast down and feel like a new man." Tristan's spell wiped Vral and me out. We ended up sleeping for two whole days and barely moved on the third. I'd only started feeling better this morning, four days later. I'd asked Vral to come with me to visit Davik, but she said she had plans. By the look on her face, I knew she didn't want to tell me what those plans were, so I let it be. She said she'd meet back up with us later.

"I'm so glad." Looking at Davik, she added, "And I'm equally glad to see you up and well!"

"I am. Thank you, priestess." He inclined his head.

"Hey!" One of the figures behind Tristan came into view. "It's been a while. How've you been?"

It was Ro-Saleh. What was he doing here? "Hey!" I waved.

Next to him, Na-Ya's features came into focus. She smiled at me, her blue eyes sparkling. "It looks like our crybaby is awake!"

Tristan nudged her. "Be nice, edán."

"I'm always nice," Na-Ya said through a grin.

"Yeah, yeah. Nice to see you too, ass." Crybaby. She'd called me that the first time I'd met her, back when I didn't understand the language. For months, I thought it was a cute nickname that she called me, or maybe it was some awesome title like survivor or magic man. But nope. Crybaby. All because her healing magic hurt like hell! I had to yell it out. Na-Ya acted all sweet and innocent, and she mostly was, but she had a sarcastic streak that came out when she liked you. "What are you guys doing here?"

A deep rumble answered my question. "We're here to help." Renard stepped out from behind the two elves and entered the room.

"Hey, Renard! You're here too?" Renard was my combat teacher back at the temple. He was also Khadrel's brother. If he was here, then things were serious.

"I am." Walking over to us, he placed a hand on Davik's chest, causing the man to yelp, and closed his eyes. A small pulse of white light shot out of his hand and entered Davik.

"What are you—" The knight's face flushed as he tried to squirm away, but Renard wasn't having it.

"Be still."

He was in a lot of pain. "But—"

"Quiet." Renard was as stern as ever. For a long time, he grumbled to himself. Then, after a good ten minutes, he said, "I see."

"What do you see?" Tristan asked.

Renard didn't answer her. Instead, he spoke to Davik. "You were wounded by a black blade, correct?"

"Yes." Davik shuddered. "If it hadn't been for Tristan, I wouldn't be here."

"You have a good heart, then." The dwarf pressed more. "That will make this harder for you."

"What... what do you mean...?"

"I have to extract the blade and its poison." Renard's hand began glowing a brilliant white, causing the room to look like we were outside.

"The blade?"

"A piece is still within your chest."

"Goddess..." Davik's face went white.

"It is good to pray in times of pain and fear." He reached into his pocket with his other hand and withdrew a leather-wrapped stick. Handing it to him, Renard said, "Bite it."

"What is—"

"Bite it."

The knight's face went white as he did what he was told.

"Are you ready?"

"Mmffkay."

"Steel yourself. This will hurt." Pulling Davik's bandage aside, he pressed his fingers into the weeping wound.

"MMMMMPHHH!!!" The man's face went from white to bright red.

"Be strong." Davik's skin sizzled as Renard's glowing fingers fully entered the wound. Then, as if he were pulling out a splinter, in one fluid movement, he withdrew his hand and was holding a small, pitted piece of metal. "Got it." Holding it up so he could look at it better, he grunted. "Thought so."

I watched as black energy poured out of the wound in Davik's chest and faded away. Within seconds, the energy stopped, and the wound began to seal. "What is that?"

"A piece of a khudtharzak. A soulrender blade."

Na-Ya's eyes went wide. "Where could anyone find one of those in this day and age? No one can make those anymore. Not without one of the shadowspawn..."

The old dwarf grunted again. "No, they cannot. At least, until now, that's what I believed."

"I don't know anything about those." Tristan was studying the piece of metal in Renard's palm. "What are they?"

"They are tools the Dark Lord's children used to pull people to their side. When one is wounded by a soulreaver blade, shards of it break off and poison the body and spirit. Either death or corruption follows."

Tristan shuddered. "That's terrifying."

"Indeed."

I didn't like that. "If they can't be made now, how could someone have one?"

Renard stroked his chin. "There is a place not too far from here that holds these still, but it has been dormant for some time. It should still be now."

That piqued my interest. I vaguely remembered hearing about old ruins similar to Copperhill that were once used by the Dark Lord's forces. "Where is that? And why haven't we done anything about it?"

"Embermist Keep." His temples tensed. "And I've tried. Many, many times. But I have always failed in eliminating the source of its corruption."

"I can't imagine you failing at anything."

For once, he actually laughed at something I'd said. "I'm strong, boy, but I'm not that strong. Unfortunately, the master of that place was more powerful than any of us. Even being dead as long as he has, his magics remain. So, I manage it as best I can and pray that, one day, I will finally rid the land of its taint."

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Do you think that's where it came from?" Tristan had moved to Davik's side and was inspecting the scar on his chest. Na-Ya was beside her, doing the same.

Renard shrugged. "I don't think so." Rolling the shard of metal in his palm, he said, "A blade from Embermist Keep would be far more potent. The energies that animate that place keep the blades within charged, and it reforms them when they're destroyed. This one..." He tensed his fist around the metal. There was a sharp crack. When he opened his hand again, black smoke rose into the air and disappeared. "This one was weak."

"Weak, huh?" Davik chuckled. "I guess I'll have to take the word of the great paladin Renard on that one. I suppose that means I still have much room to improve."

"It is weak relative to its kind." The dwarf patted the knight's shoulder. "Be proud, sir knight, that you are still alive. That is a feat of strength all on its own."

What the shit! Renard never comforted me like that. Not once! I coughed. "So, um... Are we to assume someone is making these, then?"

Renard's face grew tight. "That is the only thing I can imagine. Someone in this region, or perhaps in these very cities, has learned to make something that should not be."

Davik, who'd regained some of his color, tried to get up. "Then we need to figure out who—"

Tristan, Na-Ya, and Renard shoved the knight back into his bed.

"No," Renard rumbled.

"You're on strict bed rest." Na-Ya's hands were on her hips.

"Nothing strenuous," Tristan added.

"I feel much better now!" He tried to get up again. "I can—"

Tristan held up a hand. "Nothing. Strenuous."

"But..." He gave me a pitiful look. "Alex, help me out, man."

Both girls turned to me, their deep blue eyes smoldering and their hands on their hips.

Nope.

With a shrug, I said, "You heard the girls. Nothing but bed rest for you."

I felt Ro tense up next to me. "You'd better listen, friend."

Utterly defeated, he fell into his pillows and muttered, "Fine."

"Come. I'd like to see my brother next." Renard turned on his heel and marched out of the room.

"Rest up, buddy. You'll be back at it soon enough." I gave him a wave and followed. The others did the same.

***

"I'm fighting fit!" Khadrel's voice shook the floor under our feet.

"You're injured!" Renard's voice actually made a nearby mirror shudder. "I forbid it!"

"It's my job to track down these criminals!" Khadrel's single eye fixed on Renard. "Khozad'Thar is my duty!"

"And it's my duty to protect my idiot older brother!" Renard marched up to the Count, grabbed his collar, reared his head back, and with a mighty crack, slammed his head into his brother's.

"I don't need protection!" The Count pulled his head back and did the same.

"I only just got you back! I refuse to lose you a second time!"

"I will do what I must!"

"Will NOT!" Kalnari roared. Marching up to both dwarves, she grabbed them each by the collars and hoisted them into the air. Turning to Khadrel, she spat, "Rest! Stupid dwarf!"

"I will n—"

She shook him like a rag doll. "REST!"

"LISTEN TO HER!" Renard growled.

"NO HEADBUTTING!" Kalnari began shaking Renard, too. Then, the manor was filled with the sounds of armor clinking.

"Um... should we..." I looked over at the others.

"Nope." Ro shook his head. "I knew them back before Khadrel was deposed. They've always been like this. No use in getting in the way."

Na-Ya sighed. "If they'd stop fighting, we could get on healing his eye and leg."

Tristan shook her head. "I don't think that eye of his is coming back."

"Never say never."

"You haven't seen what's under that bandage."

"I'd like to... IF ONLY THEY'D ALL STOP FIGHTING LIKE A BUNCH OF IDIOTS!"

Kalnari's head whipped around. "What say, elf?!"

Na-Ya's face went white. "Um..."

"We'll come back." I turned and headed to the kitchen. "Let's get lunch."

***

"So, each of you was attacked differently?" Renard was sitting beside his brother at the long dining room table. Aside from his wild hair, he didn't at all look like he'd been getting thrashed around by a four-hundred-pound orc woman.

"I believe so." Khadrel ate a bite of cheese. "They teleported a broodmaw into the manor for me."

"And they sent several assassins for us, one of whom had that blade," Elise said as she popped a grape into her mouth.

"We got a crowd sent after us." I ate a cracker. "Thirty-seven people showed up to take me on, not that I remember much of it."

"You don't remember?" Na-Ya cocked her head.

"Vral and I drank Breskaya that night."

"Oh... Yeah, you wouldn't remember much after that."

"Yup."

Khadrel scratched his beard. "I suppose the broodmaw was the correct choice for the manor. Being as close to the dungeon as we are, it would be easiest to manifest a monster in the manor. But why send the soulrender blade after Elise?"

"If she were corrupted, or if she died," Renard said, "It would bring instability to Galden. Perhaps that's why?"

"Why not Alex, though? Would he not be the best target?" Khadrel looked at me.

"How so?" I didn't want to be any kind of target!

"If you died, then we would have lost our strongest companion. And, if you were corrupted, then..." He shook his head. "While a part of me would love to face you again, I am aware of how much stronger you've become, and I am less so. Aside from the Slasher, who has already lost to you once, I'm not sure anyone here besides Renard or Ro-Saleh could stop you if you were turned."

"I don't know what the outcome of our battle would be anymore, either." Ro's golden eyes met mine. "I may have more experience than you, but I'm certain we're nearly evenly matched at this point."

Khadrel nodded. "Suffice to say, we would do well to prevent you from falling under the Dark Lord's sway."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. They realllllly didn't need to know that I kind of, sort of had the [Touched by the Dark Lord] talent. Luckily, I'd been able to hide it from Tristan, mostly because it didn't show up in the status screen when we partied up. In fact, no one knew I had it now that Aerell was dead. Not even Vral knew. I'd keep the secret until I hit my grave.

"What level are you?" I couldn't quite remember what level he was back when we'd grouped up in the forest before I got yoinked into the Pit, but I remembered it being high.

"Thirty-eight. I leveled twice over the past few months, mostly when we dealt with those idiot barons. You?"

"Thirty-six."

He whistled. "Damn... What a change..."

Tristan shifted in her seat. "He's been through a lot..."

Looking at her, the guilt was as clear as day on her face. "I learned, and I grew. I don't regret it."

She looked up and took me in. Taking my hand, she said, "When this is over, we'll have fun. I promise."

"We always say that," I laughed. "I'm just about ready to embrace the chaos at this point. Might as well find the joy in it if it's my life."

Renard cleared his throat. "The Goddess has guided your steps and rewarded you for your actions. You should be proud, boy."

"I am." He praised me!

Something about the lack of quests bothered me, though. The quests had stopped since we'd left the Pit. Whenever we entered the dungeon, we got the dungeon quest, but the quest wasn't completeable due to a collapse in the dungeon a while back. Part of the mine's expansion would eventually involve clearing out the dungeon. Other than that, nothing. No quests.

Ro had said once that the Goddess guided us to where we needed to be, and she knew when we wanted and were ready for more. Had the quests slowed because I wasn't ready anymore? And was this where we were supposed to be? I didn't know.

Elise cleared her throat. "Perhaps if we looked at it, would could discover more." Elise pulled out a long object wrapped in cloth. Setting it on the table, she opened the cloth up to reveal a black sword. It was short, about the length of a small short sword or a long dagger. Its surface was pitted, its blade was jagged, and its handle looked like it was barely attached. Most interesting, though, was how the light seemed to get pulled into the thing. The blade didn't reflect anything. Not a single ray of light.

Renard reached out and carefully picked it up. Looking it over, he eventually frowned and handed it to Ro, who did the same. One by one, each of them looked at the object until, at long last, it was in front of me.

Reaching out, I brushed the metal with my fingers. It was cool. Far cooler than the dining hall. Picking it up, I turned it over in my hands, marveling at its construction. From a distance, it looked like it was a solid piece of metal. However, now that it was in my hands, I could see that the was actually made up of thousands of tiny black shards, all of which were arranged longways as if they were pulled straight by a magnet. The handle looked like it was the only thing that was actually forged. Set in the pommel, there was a small black gemstone.

I could feel something coming from it, too. It pulled at my skin, and the spirit underneath it, but it didn't feel like Tristan's spell. It wasn't ripping essence from me or anything like that. No... It was almost like it was asking for me to listen to it. Like it could speak, but I didn't know its language. I closed my eyes and focused, trying to tease out that feeling more, but the harder I tried, the more the feeling faded.

Standing, I twirled the blade around me, careful not to nick myself. It was weighted well. A little unbalanced toward the hilt, but nothing major. I liked it. It wasn't bad. Not at all. I could see how someone would want to use it. Even more interesting, I could tell that the black shards were from down here, or maybe further down in the Depths. I could feel it... somehow. However, I didn't think the hilt was. While pitted and nearly black with age or corrosion, the metal almost looked like bronze or copper.

"Alex?"

I looked up to see Tristan staring at me. In fact, all of them were. "Yeah?"

"Maybe you should put that down."

"Stop twirling that damn thing around, boy!" Renard's voice was stern. "It's not a toy!"

"Uh, sorry." I set it on the table and sat back down. "I just, I wanted to know what it felt like."

"Wanted to know what the evil blade felt like, he says." Renard crossed his arms.

"Be calm, brother. He's a great warrior. It's understandable for him to want to work with a new weapon."

"Great warrior?! He's got far more to learn!" He glared at me. "And your footwork is shit! We'll be training while I'm here in Galden, boy."

"I can't wait." I actually meant it, too.

He glared at Tristan next. "You, too, girl."

"Um, I have other duties that I need to—"

"No excuses!"

Tristan's back went board straight. "Yes, sir!"

I couldn't help but laugh. It felt like old times again. Eating and laughing and playing at the Temple. Not a care in the world. I could get used to this. "So, what's the plan? What are we doing about this black blade and assassination stuff?"

Elise took the blade back and wrapped it up in the cloth. "While the Count and I rest, I'd like to task you all with taking on this investigation. Somewhere in this city, someone has learned how to forge a long-forgotten relic of a darker time. We need to know who, we need to know why, and we need to know to what end."

As she spoke, words appeared in my head:

You gain the quest [A Knife in the Dark].

Right where I needed to be, indeed.

"Since few people know you here, I'd like to have Renard, Na-Ya, and Ro-Saleh down in Khozad'Thar. Alex, you, Tristan, and Vral will take the surface. Learn everything you can so that we might understand what is happening around us."

"Sounds good." I looked at each of them. "But we shouldn't go alone, and we should check in as much as possible. We come first. No risks." I wasn't about to lose anyone to some dumb ass conspiracy. I'd pick up and move everyone across the world before I'd let anything else happen to them at this point.

"That's a good idea," Ro said. "Why don't we come back to the manor every night and compile our notes? That way, we can all stay up to date with our findings."

"And we'll train in the mornings," Renard added.

"Then that's what we'll do." I stood. "Now, if you all don't mind, Tristan and I will be heading out. We have a conspiracy to unravel."

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