With absolutely no further conversation, the dwarf led us through the massive warehouse, which ended up being far larger than I'd realized, and escorted us into what looked like a sparsely furnished break room. Once we were inside, he instructed us to sit down at its single large stone table, which was empty save for a few stray pamphlets covering its surface. Without a nod, I sat on one of the table's many hard stone chairs, then watched as Tristan did the same as the dwarf grunted and left the room.

The second the door shut, I couldn't help myself. "Nice guy. Real ray of sunshine energy. I can't wait to be friends."

Tristan snorted. "Most dwarves are like that. Renard's one of the more sociable ones, and Khadrel's practically a social butterfly compared to the rest of his people. It's exhausting sometimes."

"Exhausting? More like fun. I bet dwarven cities are a riot. You can't tell me that's not where the Reial parties are at."

"Oh, be nice." She was holding back a laugh. "They're great once you get to know them."

"Sure, sure. The most fun."

"I didn't say that."

"See?"

She laughed, then said, "Still, I'd love to go to a dwarven city someday."

Our eyes met. She had one of those "listen up, buddy, because this is what I want, but I'm not about to tell you outright" kind of looks on her face. "Yeah, let's do it."

"I'm so glad you want to go!" She giggled. "You're finally learning!"

With a sigh, I answered, "Yeah, I guess I am." She'd domesticate me, yet. "After Fairview?"

Her expression turned into a smirk, which turned into a grin. "Definitely after Fairview. Now that there are three of us, we'll have to adjust some of our plans, though..." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. The quarter-elf had mastered Jorn's favorite expression. 'And we'll have to get a bigger bed."

Goddess, whatever path you lead us down, please, please, please let it lead to Fairview. "And what'll we do in that big bed?"

"Oh..." She covered her face with a pamphlet and played coy. "Stuff. And things." She batted her eyes. "The real question is: do you think you're ready?"

Hell yeah, I was. Moving forward, I didn't need to survive. I didn't need to thrive. I only needed to live long enough to reach Fairview. "What do you think? I'm the unbreakable man, remember?"

"Oohh, big talk from a big man." Scooting her chair closer, she leaned into me until her lips were next to my ear, and murmured, "Vral and I'll have to put that little self-proclaimed title of yours to the test."

My life was the fucking best. "Do your worst."

"You can surrender now, you know."

"Surrender? You two have no idea what I'm capable of."

"Mhmm." She kissed my neck. "Let's just get through this little quest of ours, and we'll figure out exactly what you're capable of."

"What about that gnome?"

"He'll be okay. The Goddess will guide us to him when we're all ready. Until then..." She kissed my neck, then leaned her head into my shoulder. "We come first."

"You know what? You're right." I kissed the top of her head, leaned into her, and said. "We do come first."

"We do." She nestled into my shoulder, wove her fingers through mine, and relaxed into me. "But for now, we wait."

With a sigh, I said, "Yeah, I guess." Soon, though. I hoped. Please. Goddess?

Together, we got comfortable. Then, we waited.

***

And waited....

And waited some more....

After what had to have been at least an hour, I started to grow restless. What was taking so long?

I didn't like the waiting, especially not in a place that felt so... so... familiar to my old cell.

Wait.

I looked around.

The stone walls looked back. There was nothing on them. Nothing but a few small carved lines... they looked like the lines I'd carved into my cell to count the days...

My heart rate jumped. Had the room always been so small? A knot formed in my stomach. I'd been so excited to go to a new place, but now that the excitement was wearing off... Oh shit!

Calm down.

It was fine.

We were fine.

Looking down, I found Tristan asleep on my shoulder. Not wanting to wake her, and not finding anything else to do, I picked up one of the pamphlets from the table. Unfortunately, judging from the perfectly straight lines of every symbol and character and the picture of a stern-looking dwarf woman holding a warhammer in the bottom right corner, it was written in what I assumed could only be dwarven. Doing my best to decipher the script, I quickly found that I couldn't understand a damn thing, so I dropped it back onto the table and sighed.

I hated this.

After a few more minutes, I was ready to get up and go. I didn't like being in such a vulnerable position. This little waiting room was hardly a defensible place, what with its single door and lack of barriers to hide behind... and if they wanted to bar us in here...

Or what if they had an earth mage? They could collapse the ceiling on us... and then... then...

Aerell's last moments came to mind. The image was as clear as it had been the day she'd died. I was holding her tightly through that little hole in the wall she'd made to gloat. I felt the magic of her teleportation scroll wash over me... as its power tried to whisk me, and her, away.

To where?

No idea. Some dune in Osreva, probably. Then, Vral's daggers carved her up, and I collapsed, and the ceiling fell, and then...

My heart started pounding.

We needed to leave.

Letting go of Tristan's hand, I said, "Tristan, I think we should go."

Outside the door, some approaching voices had my heart pounding in my ears so loudly I could barely hear.

"What..." Tristan yawned. "I fell asleep..." Stretching, she asked, "Did anyone come yet?"

"I think they're going to trap—"

The heavy wooden door swung open, and a dozen dwarves marched into the small room.

"What is this?!" My blood pressure spiked. I shot out of my chair and stood in front of Tristan. Reaching for my sword, I shouted, "Don't move any closer!" My voice was deep. Booming. And so stressed.

The dwarf from earlier, who was at the head of the pack, locked eyes with me. "Calm, boy."

"Alex! Stop!" Tristan was up behind me. "What's wrong with you?"

Without hesitation, I stepped back and pressed my body into hers, keeping myself between them and her. Drawing my sword and shield, I told the dwarves, "Don't. Fucking. Move." Fuck! I knew I should have grabbed my armor! Tristan kept saying normal people didn't walk around in half-plate, but fucking shit ass! I wasn't a normal person! At least I'd convinced her to let me bring my shield this time! But next time... Oh, I'd never leave that armor for the rest of my life!

"Thum khozad'thar." The dwarf three dwarves deep said, pointing his massive finger at me. "Khadrel tharzul kuro'dek, mor thum boradak malthen. Thar'gol khummeth."

"Thum khum khazak'khel," Another dwarf woman pointed at Tristan. "Thum khazak'khel ko Thakka thorgul-malthen."

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The fuck were they saying? Searching each of their hands, I found that none held any weapons, and only one was wearing anything that could even be construed as armor, but still. I hadn't had good luck with people trapping me in small spaces underground, and if these guys were strong, I didn't know if I could protect Tristan long enough to get us to safety. If they came at me, I'd have to pull out all the stops. It'd be a blood bath. And they'd have to put me down before I'd let them lay a finger on her!

"Hold, Sentinel. Priestess." The lead dwarf held up his hands and patted at the air. "I did not know who you were. We are your friends. Calm yourself. Let us talk."

I didn't budge. "How do you know me?"

"You are known to Khadrel. Thus, we know you."

"Thakka khazak'khel dakan," The dwarf woman said behind him.

"And we know the priestess." He pointed to Tristan. "She is one of the Templars who came to help the people when we suffered. Thakka here remembers her kindness." He pointed to the dwarf woman behind him. "She would not have survived without the priestess's help."

"Thakka?" Tristan stepped around me. "Is that you?"

"Khazak'khel Thakka thumgral." The woman bowed low.

"Thakka!" Rushing forward, Tristan took the woman's hands in hers as the dwarf stood upright. "How are you? Is your arm feeling okay?"

"Eh..." Thakka shook her head. "What... Arrum?"

"Um..." Tristan laughed nervously." Thakka... malthen... thorgul?"

"Orak! Thakka thorgul malthen!" The woman pointed at herself and smiled a wide, unrestrained smile. "Thakka thorgul estenek!" The woman excitedly speaking more words that I couldn't quite make out, pumping her arm as she did.

"Oh, is that so?" Tristan was giggling that giggle she did when she didn't quite understand everything being said. I hadn't heard that giggle in a long time. Not since I was new to Reial and struggling to communicate.

Feeling more comfortable, I took a deep breath and sheathed my sword. "Anyone care to translate?"

The lead dwarf stepped forward and bowed before speaking. "Thakka honors and thanks the priestess for healing her." Taking my hand, he shook it so hard my shoulder cracked. "And thank you for all that you have done for us. Soon, we will return to our home and light our forges once again."

"Your home?"

"Khozad'Thar. Our old home. We will return soon to the city of which you are named."

"Of which... I was named?" I didn't understand. "What do you mean?"

"Khozad'Thar." He shook my hand again. "Stone watcher. Guardian. Sentinel. There are many meanings in your tongue, but only one in mine. Khozad'Thar is Khozad'Thar."

"Then that means..." Khadrel helped me pick my stage name way back... he let me take on his own home's name? Damn. I owed him. "I see." Shaking his hand back, I asked, "So what's your name? I'm Alex."

"Thokrim." He smiled. "Khadrel has spoken to us much about you. He says you are a mighty warrior. Almost as mighty as Renard was when he was young."

I had no idea how strong Renard was, then or now. I guessed I'd find out in training tomorrow. "You know Renard?"

"The brothers are known to us all." Thokrim nodded. "Together, they ruled Galden and Khozad'Thar until Renard left Khozad'Thar to join that woman. Varga, I think her name was. After, Khadrel ruled both cities until..." He shook his head. "We never believed he slew that human boy. Not once."

Elise's cousin. Sophia's brother. I'd heard the story several times from different angles. "He didn't." I locked eyes with him. If he were still lying to me, I'd know now. "I'm sure that the old count, Count Baelgrim, killed him. Or Baelgrim had him killed. We fought a shapeshifter in the forests south of here."

At the mention of Baelgrim's name, Thokrim spat. "Speak not that human's name in this place."

Good response. "Did you know him?"

"That man and that woman both!" Thokrim looked over his shoulder and said, "Baelgrim Devon tokurm kal!"

Every dwarf grunted, pointed a finger at the ground, and spat.

"No khozad'dum has love for them." Thokrim spat again and ground his boot into the ground.

Devon... He said Devon... I was sure of it. My stomach twisted in knots. The woman in the forest... and the woman in the Pit... Could it be... her? How? "Anyway." I pushed the thoughts from my head. "Thank you for meeting with us." I gestured at the other dwarves. "But if you don't mind my asking, why bring so many to come see this sword?" I unslung the blade from my back and placed it on the table. Unwrapping the black blade, I heard several of the dwarves rumble words I didn't understand.

Then, everyone got quiet.

"I did not know who you were." Thokrim stepped toward the table, and he took a seat. "But I knew you were strong. Had you been evil, we would have had strength in numbers." The others followed, sitting at the table one by one, all of them eying the blade as they did.

Not knowing what else to do, I sat back down in my seat. Tristan followed, sitting beside me. "What can you tell me about this thing?"

The dwarves rumbled among each other. Then, after a good five minutes of rumbling in their consonant-heavy language, Thakka slammed her fist into her hand and said something. Another dwarf man answered with a grumble. A moment later, all of them were shouting. This continued for a while, until, all at once, they each nodded and quieted down. Only then did Thokrim translate: "We have decided. This is a khudtharzak, but not khudtharzak."

"I don't understand."

"Isn't this a soulrender blade?" Tristan asked. "I'm not that well-learned, but it matches the descriptions from the histories that I've read."

"Yes and no. It poisons and corrupts the body and soul, but it is only a mirror of the true thing."

"How do you know?"

"Thum." One of the men unslung a bundle from his back, placed it on the table, and opened it. Within was a blade that was remarkably similar to the one on the table, but it was much longer, its blade was seriously chipped and pitted, and the hilt was different. Instead of a bronze color, it was a rusty brown-red, like a cast iron someone put in a dishwasher.

The man who'd unveiled it leaned back and said, "Khudtharzak."

"Is that..." I reached for the second blade's hilt.

"No touch." The dwarf who'd unslung it grabbed my wrist. "Dangerous."

Leaning back, I asked, "Is that an original?"

"Yes." Thokrim crossed his arms. "It was retrieved from the old keep many years ago."

"Embermist Keep?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"And it's still dangerous?"

"It is fading, but it still has potency."

"I can feel a dark aura coming from both," Tristan said.

"Can you?" I couldn't feel anything.

Her sapphire eyes met mine. "Yes. Ours isn't as... dark, I guess, but it's stronger. The other is barely holding on."

"Old. Very old," Thokrim answered.

I looked at our blade on the table, then the other. The rusty, pitted thing didn't seem like much, but... what if... what if there was more than met the eye?

Closing my eyes, I reached deep into myself, took a deep breath, and focused. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew that, a few times when I was in the Pit, I could see without seeing. Could feel without touching. I wondered if I could do the same thing again?

At first, there was nothing. I was just some idiot sitting at a table filled with people, eyes closed and breathing heavily. But slowly... I could just barely feel... something. Opening my eyes, I focused on the new sword. It was pulling at me, the same as the other one had done when I'd flung it around in Khadrel's manor. It was like I could hear something, but it was staticky. What was it trying to say?

Focus!

... be... my... hand...

Hand?

A piece of the sword's blade broke off and crumbled away.

"Alex?"

Looking up, I saw that Tristan was looking at me...

No.

Everyone was looking at me.

"Uh," How could I cover up being weird? "Anyone else hungry? I'm starved." Smooth, Alex. So smooth. Fucking sleuth in the making.

Tristan sighed the deepest sigh she ever sighed. "Love..."

"Did you..." Thokrim was staring at me. "Did you hear its voice?"

I got the distinct impression that, if I lied, they'd all know. So, I did the next best thing. It wasn't easy, but I answered, "I, uh... Yes?"

"Gorthak dulrim khum thokral zagdul!" Thokrim jumped out of his chair, picked it up, and held it between us.

The rest of the dwarves all sprang to action. Some picked up whatever they could pick up. Others held up their fists. Still others pressed themselves against the walls. Not one of them kept their calm.

"Thakka? What's happening?" Tristan stood up and stepped behind me.

"Khozad'Thar boradan nethak!" Thakka gestured for Tristan to come to her.

"Is that... do you mean... he's tainted?"

"Tainted, yes!" Thakka gestured more vigorously. "Come!"

Tristan didn't move. Instead, she placed her arms on my shoulders and said, "No."

"Come!"

Tristan squeezed. "I won't. He and I are a team. I'll never leave his side. Not ever again."

My heart exploded in feeling. She'd said she'd never leave me again many times, but now... now, she'd proved it. "I love you."

"And I love you." Stepping in front of me, she turned, crouched, placed her hands on mine, and, looking up at me with those beautiful blue eyes, eyes filled with so much guilt and confusion, she asked, "Is it true? Have you... have you spoken with... Him?"

I wanted to keep it to myself. I never wanted to burden her. But... I would never lie to her. Not directly, and especially not when she was being so earnest. "Yeah. A few times."

A wave of guilt washed over her face, and tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them away. "How did that happen?"

I took a breath. "I didn't know it at first, but I learned after I met with you and Elise in the manor that part of what Aerell and the other handlers were doing was preparing us to accept the Dark Lord's blessings. They had to break us so that we could hear him."

"And... did you listen?"

"Yeah, but no."

"What do you mean?"

"I first heard His voice right after I sparred with Vral for the first time. Vral thought I'd broken after Aerell worked me really good the night before. I got all upset and said things I shouldn't have, ended up breaking my cover because I'm proud and stupid. I thought it'd be okay, but Aerell came out super angry and wanted to know if I was still her loyal dog. I planned to tell her what she wanted to hear, but Aerell had found Arden's [Ring of Detect Lies] in my cell. She asked me questions I couldn't get around, so I decided to lie anyway. What did it matter at that point, you know? But when I lied, the glowstones all started flickering, and I was able to lie to Aerell without her noticing. Then, I heard His voice for the first time."

"And..." She swallowed. "And after that?"

"He tried to tempt me, but I wasn't having it. The thing was, when I rejected him, he gave me the first of his blessings anyway."

"You... you rejected Him?" Her eyes were locked on mine.

"Yeah. His offers are all shit. He doesn't get me at all. I just want friends and love. And some adventure. I don't want to be a ruler and all that shit."

"A ruler?"

"Yeah, he wants me to be a king or something."

She never stopped looking me in the eye. "And has he spoken to you after that day?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I've heard His voice more times since then. I heard Him mostly when I was still in the Pit, but also, sometimes when I sleep." Far more than I'd like, but that wasn't important right now.

Her face hardened. "And what do you say when He speaks to you? Has your mind changed at all?"

The dwarves all shifted. This answer was going to be important.

"I keep telling him that I'll never need him, that he doesn't have anything that I want. But he says he's patient. So, I keep telling Him to fuck off, but he doesn't listen. My plan is to keep telling Him to fuck off until He eventually listens."

Thokrim untensed. Looking over his shoulder, he said, "Khozad'Thar gor drektrul"

The other dwarves looked at one another, nodded, and relaxed.

Her face splitting into a grin, Tristan asked, "So... you're telling me that you told the Dark Lord to go fuck himself?"

"Yeah. He's an asshole." Vral's face came to mind. "And I'm not a bitch. I don't need anything He has to offer. I'm my own man."

Shaking her head, she leaned forward and kissed me. "I'm proud of you."

Taking a page from Vral's book, I said, "I am pretty great, aren't I?"

Giggling, she kissed me again. "You really are." Wrapping me in a hug, she added, "You're the only person I've ever heard of who's talked to the Dark Lord and told him to go fuck himself. You're amazing."

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