Henrik Saetre

Riftside - Chapter 37

I charged the burning golem, Knut veering off for the other, when Eryn's voice called out clear and strong from behind me.

“I love you too! Don't do anything stupid!”

A heat fully different than the one I got in combat rushed through me.

Roq's derisive snort echoed in my mind.

“Ugh, human sentimentality. Can we focus on the KILLING, pretty please? There's a place for your smoochy-smoochy, and now is definitely not it!”

“Armor break.”

Roq's head hummed for a single heartbeat and then my hammer glowed red.

The golem's burning arm was held high, keeping the flames away from its own body — a deliberate tactical choice. These monsters were smarter than they looked, and I didn't like it at all. Thinking monsters adapted quicker to dangerous situations, which was eerily human-like.

“Let us DESTROY this walking bonfire! And once it's down on the ground, maybe you can piss on it for effect!”

My cloak whipped in the wind and as an arrow whistled past, catching one of the approaching Glowcaps in the throat. The monster dropped, and a moment later a cloud of toxic spores billowed into the air like, well, a mushroom.

“Nine left!” Eryn called out. “Targeting the next one!”

The burning golem's stride brought it into range. I ducked under a swiping arm the size of a tree trunk, and swung Roq at its knee while bringing my shield up to protect myself.

The golem's knee exploded in a shower of splinters, and the creature's lumbering run staggered to a halt.

“TREE BLOOD!” Roq's satisfaction flooded my mind as the stored power tore through wood like paper. “Feel my love!”

The monster crashed down hard, its burning arm lighting a series of small fires.

Further ahead, Knut's tower shield rang like a temple bell as he deflected a massive blow from his opponent. I knew if it had been me, I'd be thrown across the air like a doll, but that guy had some serious power and know-how.

“Ha!” Knut bellowed. “Hits like my grandmother!”

Another of Eryn's arrows struck a Glowcap, but this time the monster only staggered, and then returned to running, green-tinged spores spurting like blood from its wound.

I ran around my golem when Knut finally found his opening, his mace cracking into the golem's leg with devastating force. He dodged beneath its grasp as it fell to the ground.

“Wait!” Knut said as I was about to run into the caps, and I stopped to look at him.

His eyes flickered between the burning golem and the approaching Glowcaps.

“Have idea,” he said, making us back up, putting the fallen golems between us and the Glowcaps. “Let mushroom men fight with fire at backs.”

“On it,” I replied and backtracked but kept my shield up.

“Little bird!” Knut called to Eryn. “When monsters come, aim for ones trying to go around!”

“What are you waiting for?” Roq said. “Charge them! I want to make them explode!”

“Focus.”

As Knut predicted, the Glowcaps charged between and around the fallen golems, carefully avoiding the burning one.

“What are you doing?” I asked, raising my shield as Knut hung his mace on his belt.

“Watch for big boom,” he said and triggered his ability, launching himself skyward, then landed with earth-shaking force among the monsters, his impact staggering those close to him.

His massive hand shot out and closed around the nearest Glowcap's throat, his shield tight against his side as the others turned on the big northerner and swarmed him.

“Is he mad?” Roq's disbelief rang clear in my mind. “Has the southern air finally overheated his—oh. OH! Now THIS is tactical thinking! Yes! I like him! We need to have a drink later and celebrate his manliness!”

Knut hurled the struggling Glowcap onto the burning golem just as it sat up. It tried to avoid the golem's arm, but the fire had climbed up to its shoulder, and caught on the aerial spores.

The monster exploded, smacking the golem back down, and flames showered the two closest Glowcaps. Their bodies ignited as well as Knut curled behind his tower shield. The monsters erupted, and the warrior was sent flying backwards, rolling past me as I too huddled behind my shield. The blastwave was so strong that it rammed the golem into the ground with such force, that it imprinted on the soil.

I peeked from my shield to find the six remaining Glowcaps scattered across the ground, picking themselves up. Each one had pulled their caps tight against their skulls and necks, stopping their spore release and stopping themselves from blowing up.

“Adaptable monsters,” Roq said. “It doesn't matter what they do. Their blood belongs to me!”

The burning golem's wooden bark had cracked from the explosion, and its entire body was on fire, even the insides.

“That one won't be getting up again. Only a matter of time before it dies and the second goes crazy.”

“Time to slay the Glowcaps! Onward, my trusty steed!”

“Enough, Roq. Please. My head hurts.”

The second golem, which had also caught fire in the explosion, raised its arm towards me, and I dodged to the side, putting a Glowcap between us and raising my shield. The spike slammed into it, knocking me back a step, but as I lowered my shield, I saw the Glowcap collapsing to the ground, a fist-sized hole ripped right through its chest.

The remaining five came at us next.

“Good, no?” Knut said, stepping to my side with his mace back in hand and his beard singed.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I struck the first Glowcap on the side of its head, before hopping back, unsure whether it'd release spores. Knut had three attacking him, striking for their hands and blocking their hits as he walked backwards. He circled around, making sure to keep the caps between him and the rising golem.

“Go left,” Eryn said, not far behind me, and I did. Her arrow struck a monster in the chest and I followed up with two quick attacks. One hit the shoulder, and the other crushed the neck, killing it. The monster's cap remained sealed tight even in death.

“Four left!” Eryn said. “Golem's rising!”

I moved to join Knut, and the day's practice paid off. He kept their attention, his shield deflecting strikes, while I found openings, killing two. When claws slipped past his guard, his armor protected him.

Knut drove the last Glowcap back toward the golem. I winced at its roar and felt the hairs on my arms stand upright as it charged. The northerner kicked the Glowcap in the chest, sending it stumbling into the monster's path. The golem's knee hit it in the back, knocked it to the ground, and then crushed it beneath its weight.

An armor-piercing arrow thudded into the golem’s face, and I headed left to circle around it, Knut going the other way.

“Skill's ready!” Roq said, his eagerness almost overwhelming my focus.

The golem stopped suddenly, looking around as if confused as we surrounded it.

“Armor break!”

Roq's head lit up red as the golem seemed to decide on an action, and raised its leg. 

“Stomp!” Knut barked and turned.

But this time I listened to my own instincts and stepped into the attack, striking its other leg before it could finish.

Roq smashed through, breaking away a great chunk in an explosion of steelhusk-like bark and, well, wood.

“WEEE! That's it! Do it again!”

The Golem swiped for me as it fell, and I threw myself toward the arm, narrowly missing the swipe. Even before I landed on the ground, something strange happened. My cloak moved on its own, wrapping tight around my back and arms. Several spikes shot out from the outside, smashing into the golem and pushing me away and to the ground. Knut rushed forward, his mace already glowing, and bashed the Golem's skull in.

“Hammer Lords!” Knut roared, pressing one foot down on the monster, and holding his mace and shield in the air.

“A worthy end,” Roq said. “Though you know I would have preferred the kills.”

“Why so magnanimous?”

“You live for us to fight another day. That has a certain positive flavor. Also, I like the sound of what the oaf said.”

“What?”

“Hammer lord.”

I sighed.

“What about the spikes shooting out from my back?”

“Hmm, maybe we should let another monster almost eat you or something, see if the cloak reacts again. I have no idea what it did and why it did that.”

I rolled over on my back to find Eryn standing over me, a small smile on her face.

“So,” I said. “About what I said earlier?”

“Later,” she replied, but her smile widened. “When we're not standing in a field of burning monsters.”

“Bah! Humans and their mating rituals,” Roq grumbled. “At least there are three gems in these. One in the first golem and two in different Glowcaps.” His tone turned suspicious. “Why are you smiling like that?”

“Because...”

Eryn helped me up and I looked at her and Knut as I squeezed her hand.

“...some things are worth more than gems.”

“Ugh. I wish you were as obsessed with killing things as you are with people.”

“No, you don't.”

“I kind of do.”

“Victory!” Knut's laugh boomed as he came over and pulled me into a hug. “Good fighting, younglings! But now, now is time for beer.”

Among the steelhusk trees, my hand found Eryn's as we headed back, and the warmth in my chest now had less to do with combat.

“Must we leave?” Roq asked. “There could be more monsters to kill! More power to claim! Just over there, or no, there! Around that tree!”

“We have enough for today. We are all tired, Knut doesn't have your healing to mend his wounds, and Eryn only managed to recover a few of her arrows. Instead, aren't you excited to conquer the new materials in the smithy?”

“Well… there is that. Fine. You have my blessing to carry me back home.”

“How magnanimous of you.”

“And don't you forget it. Nor the satin pillow upgrade, yes? We talked about that and I fully expect you to keep your word.”

“Incurable,” I sighed. 

“But let me ask you, oh lordship, do you expect me to keep my word just like you've been doing?”

“Incurable!” Knut said, laughing and gesturing. “Glowcaps exploded! Big bada boom, like mage display, but better! More death!”

Eryn rolled her eyes.

“Shouldn't you have had enough explosions after that first one sent you flying?” She poked his singed armor. “Or did you hit your head harder than we thought?”

“Bah!” Knut waved her concern away. “Was fun! Good way to kill monsters. Remember? We do again next time!”

He mimed grabbing the Glowcap. 

“First you take it like so, then you throw!” His arm shot forward. “Onto fire, and boom! Dead monster chunks!” He spread his fingers wide. “Like throwing bread to angry ducks, but exploding bread!”

I couldn't help but laugh, even as my eyes scanned the shadows between the massive trees. I'd had enough fighting for one day, even more so of explosions.

“And you do good,” Knut said to Eryn. “Hit shots, every time! Except when miss, but not too many. Even when monsters move fast. Very impressive!”

“Thank you, Knut. Though I can't wait to become classed and get my hands on some real abilities and spells. One shield spell and a heal would have made this a prairie ride.”

“What about ME?” Roq said. “I crushed skulls! Shattered limbs! Where are MY accolades?”

I caught Eryn's eye and winked.

“Oh, and that hammer of yours was incredible,” she said, running her thumb across the back of my hand. “The way it ripped through golems like they were kindling! And the Glowcaps?” She narrowed her eyes. “I've never seen anything hit that hard.”

“Well,” Roq preened. “Someone finally notices true talent! Continue, please. Tell me more about my devastating power!”

“Why talk so much about hammer?” Knut asked, scratching his head. “Is good weapon. Ash fought well. But strange to praise tool.”

“Tool? TOOL? I am an artifact of incredible power! A weapon of destiny! You should be on your knees thanking me!” Roq's mental voice turned wheedling. “You know, it really must be troubling to keep a massive secret from such a good friend. Surely Knut deserves to know about my magnificence? Think how much easier battles would be if he could know of my tactical genius!”

“Is that the best you can do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, Roq. You just want me to relay your boasts. Admit it. You're upset Eryn has to relay your 'greatness' second-hand.”

There was a moment of mental silence, and we both knew I had him.

“Well,” Roq said slowly, drawing the word out. “There were certain satisfactions in this victory. And while it would have been better to claim all the kills ourselves, I must admit to a certain thrill of a larger battle. The explosions were quite spectacular. Like the big guy said. Maybe we could do it again, but this time we throw them onto bigger a fire! Or hammer them through the air! Like a new sport?”

“Errm, nope. No new sport. And fighting as a team means we can take on bigger challenges. Grow stronger faster. Become the most powerful duo in the world. As for Knut, he's both a great damage dealer and a tank, so yes, I am very happy we are working together now.”

“Duo? What about the girl and the loud one?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Hmph. I suppose having meat shields — I mean, ALLIES — does have tactical advantages.”

“Now I understand earlier meaning,” Knut said, drawing me back to the conversation. He grinned. “Is like he having whole dialogue in head!”

I scratched the back of my neck, forcing a chuckle and clapped Knut on his massive shoulder, setting my shield bouncing on my back. 

“We couldn't have done this without you, Knut,” I said.” Thank you for coming. Boy am I glad that Benedict had us both join his wreck of a party.”

The big man's face split in a wide grin.

“Happy to join. Ask anytime! First time in Dawnwatch my spatial storage is full and had fun fight!” He patted his chest. “Even with half carcasses yours, guaranteed mind gem is good payment. When you need tank, you find me!”

“And the life debt?” Eryn asked. “We wouldn't have survived without you today.”

Knut's hand went to his beard, suddenly self-conscious.

“Ah, about this.” He tugged at the singed strands. “Now owe you two life debts. Should not insist on testing fire arrow on Glowcap. Led to much danger. Very sorry.”

I patted his back.

“Don't worry about it. No way you could have known. Besides, think what a scouting report this will make! 'Glowcaps extremely explosive when hit with fire arrows. Recommend careful application of flame.'“

“It was glorious!” Roq said. “The greatest battle of my existence! So much death! So much destruction! And I'm just a fraction from level seven!”

“Your words mean much,” Knut said softly. “More than you know.”

We walked in comfortable silence for a while, and even though I was truly exhausted, I felt lighter than I had in days. Despite Roq's bloodthirst, I'd been clear headed the entire time, proving our theory about how it was him being a higher level which had allowed him to influence me so strongly. We'd survived impossible odds, grown stronger, and most importantly…

I squeezed Eryn's hand again, remembering her words during the battle. She squeezed back, and I knew we'd have a lot to talk about once we got back to Dawnwatch.

“Oh please,” Roq grumbled. “Must you think such sickeningly sweet thoughts? Focus on the glory of battle! The thrill of combat! The POWER!”

“You're just jealous.”

“I am a SOUL WEAPON. I do not get jealous of primitive human mating rituals!”

“Sure, Roq. Whatever you say. Maybe someday we'll find you a nice soul... anvil? Then we'll see who's sickeningly sweet.”

“I'd bang any anvil into oblivion! I'd crack it in two! I'd—umm... don't know, really. What would I do to it?”

“Hush, Roq. Let us have some peace and quiet. You had your fun earlier, now let me rest my mind.”

“Fine. I will keep a lookout. But no kissing.”

“Deal. I won't kiss you here.”

“You wouldn't dare!”

I smiled at Eryn, knowing we would soon be back at Sentinel Station, our storages full of valuable monster carcasses, and our hearts full with pride.

But for a blessed moment, I was content to walk hand-in-hand with Eryn, listening to Knut's animated battle descriptions, with Roq alternating between reliving his favorite kills of the day and complaining about sharing glory, despite his promise of quiet.

It had ended up being a very good hunt.

  *

I tried not to grin as the watch commander bounced to his feet when we returned, his eyes going wide at the sight of us. 

“By the rift's breath!” He rushed around his desk. “What in all the hells happened to you three?”

I had to bite back a laugh. We must have made quite the sight, espeially Knut. Scorch marks and monster gore covered his armor, and his impressive beard and eyebrows were singed to half their original length. Meanwhile, Eryn and I looked nearly as fresh as when we'd left, having changed back into our backup gear and cleaned up as best we could.

“You should see the other guys,” Roq said smugly in my mind. “Oh wait, you can’t! Because we DESTROYED them!”

“Report, sir,” Knut said, pulling the carefully folded piece of parchment we'd written on the way back from his belt pouch. His formal tone was somewhat undermined by the way a bit of monster goo dripped from his vambrace onto the commander's desk.

Eryn stepped forward smoothly.

“We encountered multiple groups of Glowcap Stalkers and Ironroot Golems,” she explained. “Knut insisted on engaging them systematically to ensure no threats remained to endanger other adventurers or scouts.”

The watch commander's mouth opened and closed several times as he looked between us and the report in his hands.

“You... fought multiple groups? Of both types? With just a single adventurer and two scavengers?” He looked to Knut and shook his head in disbelief. “That's... that's outstanding work! Invaluable to Dawnwatch's security.” He looked at Eryn and me and nodded his head. “What an incredible learning opportunity for you both, watching a warrior of Knut's caliber handle such dangerous creatures.”

Eryn and I exchanged a quick glance.

“Oh yes,” I said, fighting to keep my face straight. “We learned so much just observing his technique. His teachings practically blew us away.”

Knut shifted his weight and cleared his throat.

“Even got to land a few hits when Knut deemed it safe,” Eryn added innocently.

“Safe?” Roq scoffed. “We demolished those tree-things! And the fungal ones! Tell him about how we crushed their heads and how they went kaboom! The glory!”

“Hush, Roq. We want Knut to take the credit.”

The watch commander seemed to suddenly take in Knut's look and called for a runner.

“Parker, get Dr. Ridley immediately! We need to make sure—”

“Oh, that's not necessary,” Eryn interrupted quickly. “I've already examined him thoroughly and his wounds are superficial.”

Knut suddenly swayed on his feet, one hand going to his side.

“Well,” he said, his voice turning weak. “Maybe not bad idea to have pretty doctor look. Check everything where should be.” He winced dramatically. “Especially after monster hit... sensitive area.”

I watched Eryn's eyes narrow dangerously.

“Oh really?” she asked sweetly, then slapped Knut's shoulder with enough force to make him stumble. “And here I thought you said you were 'fine as northern wine' just ten minutes ago.”

The big man's theatrical groan turned into a surprised grunt.

“Ha!” Roq's approval rang clear. “I like her style! Though she should have used something heavier. Like me, for instance. Let him have it for trying to fool her!”

The watch commander looked between us, clearly unsure whether to be concerned or amused.

“Might have found yourself the future beginning of a team here, Steelwall,” the commander said.

“Best kind of team,” Knut agreed, rubbing his shoulder while shooting Eryn a wounded look. “Young, but learn fast. Fight smart.” He grinned suddenly. “Pays well too!”

I couldn't help but smile as the watch commander examined Knut's report.

“Extensive monster elimination, detailed terrain mapping, and—” His eyebrows shot up. “A warning about explosive reactions between fire arrows and Glowcap spores? Complete with blast radius estimates?”

“Thorough testing,” Knut said solemnly, though I caught the gleam in his eye. “For science.”

“For science,” Eryn muttered, but I could see her fighting back a smile.

The commander looked ready to ask more questions when Dr. Ridley's voice cut through the tent.

“What's this I hear about combat injuries?” She strode over to us. “Steelwall, what in the rift’s backside have you done to yourself this time?”

I watched Knut's expression shift back into theatrical pain as the stern healer approached.

“Ahh!” he winced. “Explosions? Protect camp, Dawnwatch, and next generation. Monster knee... sensitive area.”

Dr. Ridley swiped a thin rod from her spatial storage, like a mix of the ones teachers had used in classrooms and the ones cavalry trainers used on the horses, and she tapped it, rather firmly, against Knut's metal codpiece. Knut stumbled back, and it was all I could do not to laugh out loud.

“Seems sensitive indeed,” Dr. Ridley said. “Mr. Steelwall, you're with me. Eryn, scavenger, wait here. I might need you to escort Mr. Steelwall back to Dawnwatch when I'm done with my examinations.”

“Yes, doctor,” I said.

“One of the monsters also stabbed at Knut's lower rear area, Dr. Ri... Katherine,” Eryn said sweetly.

“Good to know. I'll take a look,” the doctor said.

I bit my lip to keep from laughing as Knut shot Eryn a betrayed look.

“Oh, this is delicious!” Roq cackled. “I do so enjoy when others face consequences for their actions. Unless it's us, of course. Then it's completely unfair. But him! To try and cheat a healer of all people, well, he has it coming!”

Dr. Ridley pulled Knut out of the tent. “I want a full account of whatever nonsense led to this state.”

The watch commander cleared his throat.

“Well, considering the thoroughness of your scouting, I believe a bonus is in order.” He reached for his strongbox. “Can't have our best tank holding back due to injury concerns, after all.”

“What about US?” Roq demanded. “We did just as much work! More, even! I demand equal recognition!”

“You told me you're nearly level seven. Let it go.”

“Never! I shall compose an epic saga of our deeds! The Ballad of Roq the Magnificent Blood Devourer! It shall begin with my birth day in steel, blood, and tears!”

I tuned out Roq's mental composition as the commander counted out extra silver.

  *

Knut's laughter boomed as we walked down the street, heading towards the smithy. He'd decided to join us, wanting to chat with Pa about potentially selling him his carcasses, too.

“Could not do without perfect timing,” he said, slapping me on the shoulder. “And little bird play part so well!”

Eryn rolled her eyes.

“I still can't believe Dr. Ridley actually agreed to a dinner with you,” she said for what had to be the fifth time. “You weren't even hurt!”

“Ah, thanks to your perfect setup, she check everywhere.” Knut waggled his singed eyebrows. “Thorough examination. Doctor very impressed. Said I am prime sample of adventurer. Worth going out with.”

“You're horrible,” Eryn said, but I could hear the smile in her voice.

“And you,” Knut said, pointing at her, “Perfect little bird! See nickname fits? Chirp chirp about injuries, and doctor examine good! You like little sister. I will protect with life!”

“I was trying to get you in trouble!” she chuckled.

“Instead got me date!” Knut's chest swelled with pride. “Shows perfect wingwoman skills!”

I laughed, but then froze as the smithy came into view.

Something was wrong.

“Home already?” Roq asked as I swiped him from spatial storage. “Why do you feel—ah. Danger.”

I ran forward, ignoring Eryn and Knut's calls.

Five men in black uniforms surrounded Pa and Ma outside of our home. Pa held his largest hammer in one hand, while Ma stood behind him, and my heart lurched at their expressions.

“Roq, trouble. Those aren't customers.”

“Oh? Good.”

The uniforms were black silk with silver trim and red accents forming the crest of House Domitius. But there was nothing refined about how they wore them or how they stood. These were fighters, dangerous ones, and they didn't seem to have any good intentions.

“Calm down, Ash,” Ma called as two of the men turned toward me, iron cudgels appearing in their hands.

“What's going on?” I asked Pa, not taking my eyes off the cudgel wielders.

Pa's face was set in a dark glare.

“These... gentlemen... work for House Domitius. The moneylenders we borrowed from to set up the smithy.”

“The noble house's enforcers.”

“Good people or bad people?”

“Even monsters have more honor.”

Their leader, a thin man with an ugly scar across his throat, stepped forward.

“We're here to collect what's owed,” he said, his voice rasping. “Now.”

“The mortgage isn't due for months!” Pa said.

The leader's thin lips curved into a smile.

“Recent developments have triggered the early repayment clause. Gem-grams to the capital has mentioned your success with high-quality items, and now there is talk of premium prices... a certain auction...”

“There was no such clause in our contract,” Ma said, her voice sharp.

“Page six, paragraph four, subsection C.” The leader's smile widened. “Written in very small print on the back of our copy. Easy to miss.”

“That's crap and you know it,” I said as Knut and Eryn caught up.

“Am I to taste human blood today?”

“The blood of these creatures would be an affront to your metal.”

“For our family, I am willing to make such an ultimate sacrifice! Just let me at them! I will blow them up like the mushroom monster!”

“Time for you to leave,” I said to the leader. “Pa will pay you back in full at the agreed upon time.”

The leader laughed, an ugly sound like a pig's snore.

“And why would we do that when we've come all this way?”

“Because if you don't, I'll make you leave, and that's going to go really poorly for you.”

All five men laughed.

“Have you seen your own equipment, boy?” The leader sneered. “A smith's hammer? We're not iron to be turned into horseshoes or a lock for some shitter.” He gestured at his men. “Even a blacksmith must be smart enough not to take on five classed fighters.” His eyes narrowed. “We're here for the money now, or we take the smithy and stock and throw you in the street. We'll find a new blacksmith to run this place. One who understands gratitude and knows his place.”

Knut spat on the ground.

“Bet date with doctor not one of you above level eleven,” he growled. “Typical trash, taking mind gems and class gems from real adventurers to flex power on Noros.” His face twisted in disgust. “Stench of nobles stronger than sweet forge smell.”

“You wouldn't know nobility if it rode across your corpse, barbarian,” the leader said.

Eryn's bow appeared in her hands, her real bow, not the backup, and she stepped back, putting a broadheaded arrow to her string. It'd rip straight through their fabric, leaving horrific wounds. The men shifted uncomfortably, and despite all their bravado, knew that they weren't in a good position. Not anymore.

I swiped my shield from storage onto my arm as Knut raised his mace.

“I'm going to count to three,” I said. “If you don't leave, I'm breaking your legs. Because this is the frontier. You are far from Kingsworth and your fancy parties. You can't threaten a man in his place of business and expect to get away with it.” I bared my teeth and clanked Roq against my shield. “There are no knights to protect you here.”

“Armor Break.”

Roq's head began to glow red with stored power, showing off I was about to use an ability. That had them panic even more.

“FINALLY!” Roq's eagerness flooded my mind, trying to inflame my anger. “Let us DESTROY these parasites!”

Blessedly, my emotions remained my own.

The leader's eyes flickered between us, lingering on Roq's glowing head. Knut's mace lit up as he activated a skill of his own. Pa raised his hammer, and two knives appeared in Ma's hands.

The leader smiled.

“We'll leave. For now. But sleep lightly, blacksmith. House Domitius always collects.” His lips twisted. “Would be a shame if the smithy burned down, again, wouldn't it?”

The five men turned to go, one trying to shoulder-check me as he passed. I didn't move, and he stumbled, muttering curses.

We watched until they disappeared around the corner.

“What in frozen monster balls was that?” Knut demanded.

Pa's shoulders slumped.

“Seems our past has caught up with us.” He looked at me, his expression grave. “Come inside, son. We need to talk.”

Riftside - Chapter 36

The flames warmed my skin as I stood next to the burning golem carcass. Its massive form was fully engulfed like a bonfire. I pulled my cloak forward, running my fingers over the rough fabric that had just saved my life. There were no visible scorch marks or any signs of damage.

“Stop admiring the thieving cloth, and get ready for more hunting!” Roq said. “It is as the big guy said. That cloak is ugly!”

“What else can you do?” I whispered to the cloak, searching for any sign of its other abilities. The fabric rippled slightly under my touch, almost as if responding, but it was just the wind. It had to be, right?

A heavy hand slapped my back, nearly knocking me forward a step and into the flames.

“Ready for monster smashing?” Knut grinned down at me, his face streaked with soot. “More monsters to kill in... what you name?”

“Cathedral of Bone,” I said, straightening. “And yes. I'm always ready, Knut.”

“Naming thief!”

“You're mine, and we are a team. Stop complaining about everything, you child.”

“I'm not a child! I'm the destroyer of life!”

But as I moved to step away, Knut's hand settled on my shoulder, grip firm. His eyes narrowed as he studied my face.

“Wait. Fire was close. Face not burned?”

“Got lucky,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “The cloak protected me better than I expected. Didn't get scorched at all. Must have an innate fire resistance or something,” I said, lying.

Knut's expression turned thoughtful, his weathered face creasing as he looked between me and the still-burning corpse.

“Enough standing around!” Roq's voice rang in my mind. “If we are a team as you say, then feed me! Claim more power!”

“Any gems in these two?”

“Just one in the first we killed. The burning one is as empty as your soul!”

I caught Eryn's eye and tapped two fingers against my thigh and nodded to the first golem. She walked over and swiped it into her storage.

“Knut, want to store the other one?” I asked. “Might fetch a decent coin, even if just for firewood.”

The big man's laugh boomed.

“Ha! Can sell to tavern. Instant campfire. Good for cold nights!” He stored it away and we pressed onward, our footsteps silent on the soft ground. Knut took point again, while Eryn and I followed slightly behind.

“We need better strategy,” Knut said. “Knock one down first, then focus on second. Kill quick, then finish first before it heals.”

“Their regeneration is that fast?” Eryn asked.

“Like watching tree grow in spring after eating mushrooms,” Knut confirmed. “Must be quick.”

“I need to find a way to do more damage,” Eryn said, frowning at her bow. “The fire arrows work, but they're too dangerous. Nearly roasted you both.”

“I like the fire,” Roq said. “Reminds me of the forge. Adds a certain... flair to our battles. Maybe a few explosions would be nice, too.”

Please don't let him be a pyromaniac in addition to a bloodthirsty warmonger.

  *

I watched a streak of flames dance up the golem's side as it struggled to rise from where Knut had knocked it flat. Its movements were jerky and uncoordinated. Even with most of its bark-like armor ablaze, the thing still refused to die.

I jogged forward at an easy pace, my shield raised just in case.

“What are you waiting for?” Roq demanded. “It's right there! Strike! Kill!”

“I want to see how Knut's going to finish it.”

The big man's battle cry split the air as he launched his massive frame high above the prone golem. The monster’s head turned up just as Knut's boots slammed down onto its skull, the impact driving straight through, sending splinters and burning chunks flying in every direction.

“By the rift!” Eryn whooped, punching the air. “That was amazing!”

I joined in her cheering, genuinely impressed by our new friend's finishing move. It was truly something to admire. Even when wielding a great weapon like my hammer, it was one thing to swing about wildly, and another entirely to know what you were doing.

“Oh sure, cheer for HIM,” Roq grumbled. “Never mind that WE softened it up. Never mind that I could have done that too if you'd just let me. But nooo, you had to hang back and let the big oaf steal our glory. My MEAL!”

“We just finished the other one! You're impossible, Roq. Besides, I don't want you to level up too quickly, or I'll have to find more mind gems to catch up.”

“I want power. We need me to grow, Ash. Think of what other abilities we will unlock. You know I am right.”

Knut laughed as he extracted himself from the heap of wood that was the golem. I walked over and raised my shield. He grinned and tapped his own against mine with a resounding clang.

Eryn joined us, examining an arrow still buried in the golem's smoldering chest.

“Well, no salvaging that one,” she said with a grin. “Worth it, though. Did you see how the fire spread when it hit those glowing veins?”

“Good shot,” Knut said, finally patting out the embers on his armor. “Two golems dead, and no wounds. Time to head back, yes? Storages full of trophies.”

My heart sank. Twenty-two kills had provided a fortune in crafting and smithing materials, but with only two gems we'd barely have enough to cover Knut's payment, let alone keep me ahead of Roq unless we spent more time back in Dawnwatch crafting.

“Tell him no!” Roq said. “We've barely started, besides, there's so much more to kill! Just a lot more, come on!”

I struggled to find the right words. How could I explain our need for more kills without revealing our ability to detect mind gems and swap out the carcasses that didn't have them with those that did?

Eryn caught my eye and I saw the same concern reflected there. Two gems weren't nearly enough to keep us on track, and yet I didn’t want to reveal our secret. I didn’t trust him that much, not yet at least.

“Actually,” Eryn said, her voice carefully casual, “I'd like to keep going. We're learning so much about fighting as a team. And really, the more monsters we kill now, the safer both Sentinel Station and Dawnwatch are, right?”

Knut scratched his beard thoughtfully.

“True. Very true. But storages full.”

“The golems should be worth more than the Glowcaps,” I said. “We can work to swap some out.”

The big man shrugged.

“You are boss. You pay, I fight. Simple.”

I opened my storage and carefully swapped one of my Glowcaps for the burning golem. Eryn did the same with the other, and we walked onward along the seemingly never-ending bone cathedral.

“Yes!” Roq said. “THIS is more like it! Onward to glory and violence!”

“And hopefully more gems.”

We moved further in and engaged with another group. The Glowcap's claws screeched across my shield as I sensed something move behind me. I swung Roq in a wide arc without even looking and forced a second Glowcap to step back. The first monster pressed forward, its fungal head pulsing with the eerie glow that spelled toxic spores.

“Stop playing and start killing!”

I twisted and kicked at the first Glowcap's spindly leg. It stumbled and I brought Roq down hard on its head. The impact crushed the fleshy cap with a wet crunch, and I jumped back to avoid the spores it released on death.

The second Glowcap's claws raked across the leather armor on my side, pushing me off balance.

An arrow whistled past, and the monster's throat sprayed of gore as Eryn's arrow nearly took its head clean off. The monster collapsed, its death throes sending yet another cloud of spores billowing into the air.

“Kill stealers, all of them! You must be faster, Ash! I DEMAND blood and gore! How else am I to become the strongest soul weapon the worlds have ever seen!?”

I held my breath and retreated, ignoring his complaints.

“Shut up and let me fight.”

A ways away, Knut danced with the last of the four Glowcaps that had attacked us, his tower shield intercepting blow after blow without striking back. The monster's attacks grew more frenzied with each failed attempt to break through his defense.

“Fire arrow!” Knut called to Eryn, his voice bright with excitement. “Want to see what happens!”

“Stop playing with your monsters!” Eryn snapped.

“Not playing!” Knut's shield rang as he deflected another strike. “This vital research! Must learn weaknesses! Test all weapons! How else find best way to kill?”

Eryn muttered as she dug out flint and steel.

“We really need to get me a magical fire starter. This is ridiculous. Or make me a fire-enhanced bow, Ash. Like Edwin's sword. That way I can fire all the fire arrows you boys want!”

I shook out my arms and legs, working out the tension from the fight as I walked to stand beside her. Together we watched Knut's methodical defense, and I studied how he used minimal movement to keep the monster engaged without risking injury. Sure, his shield was bigger and made for pure defense, while mine sacrificed a lot of its size for better movement, but it was the technique that mattered.

“Almost...” Eryn struck the flint again, sparks catching the treated wrapping around her arrow's head. “Got it!”

She tucked the tools in her pouch and lifted her bow in one smooth motion, nocking the burning arrow while keeping it away from the grip and limbs.

“Ready!” she called out.

Knut's shield slammed forward, catching the Glowcap square in the chest. The monster stumbled backward, arms windmilling as it fought for balance. It was almost comical, but for the knowledge that the monster was probably about to explode or something.

Eryn's bow creaked as she drew and released. The flaming arrow flew through the air, striking the Glowcap dead center. For a heartbeat, nothing happened.

“Maybe need another!” Knut yelled and shot us a grin. It was the last thing I saw before the cap exploded.

A fireball roared skyward, blasting Knut through the air, his massive frame tumbling across the ground a moment later.

“Knut!” Eryn screamed, the shrill sound passing her lips just as he raised his head and dropped down again.

“Portal piss!” I cursed, my heart in my throat as we legged it, running toward the big guy.

“Fascinating!” Roq said. “It seems these fungal creatures may be somewhat flammable. Who could have guessed?”

Eryn slid to her knees beside Knut's still form, dropping her bow as she pressed fingers to his throat, then bent to check his breathing. I stood over them, sick with worry, but also excited. We had come up with a great way of hunting Glowcaps, and now we needed to make sure Knut survived the ordeal.

“Oh, stop worrying,” Roq scoffed. “If he dies from one little explosion, he wasn't worthy of fighting beside us anyway.”

Knut's chest heaved as he sucked in a massive breath and his eyes snapped open as he spat out a string of curses.

“Frozen balls and saggy witch tits, what just—”

“Stay still,” Eryn ordered, cutting him off, though the relief was clear in her voice. “Let me check you for injuries.”

“Bah!” Knut waved her off. “Had worse than this! Usually from angry wives when husbands not home.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Or their sisters.”

“Stop with the macho act and let me have a proper look!”

“Oh ho! Want to play doctor?” Knut grinned up at me. “With boyfriend watching? How scandalous!”

I cleared my throat.

“That's enough joking,” I said. “Come on, this is serious. Let her make sure you're not badly hurt.”

“Yes, we wouldn't want our meat shield damaged before the next fight,” Roq added helpfully.

Knut threw up his hands in exasperation.

“If hot air could kill me, I would be dead long ago! Am tank for reason! You know my vitality?”

Eryn and I exchanged glances and then shook our heads.

“Is very high! Now, stand back and let me tank.”

“Tank what?” I asked.

“Those.”

I turned to look.

“Three bells...” I cursed.

Through the mist of spores, far down in the 'bone cathedral', a large group of Glowcaps charged toward us, their fungal heads wobbling as they ran. Behind them, two Ironroot Golems lumbered, each easily three times the height of the Glowcaps.

“Rift-breached monster gnats!” Eryn spat.

“The explosion must have drawn them,” I said, my mouth going dry. “That’s three damn packs of monsters.”

“Finally!” Roq said. “Some proper fighting! Look at them all — so much power waiting to be claimed! I might even hit level seven if you do your job properly!”

Knut pushed himself to his feet, wincing slightly.

“Little bird, have more burning arrows?”

“Just one,” Eryn said, her voice tight as she double-checked her quiver.

“Light it,” Knut said, gesturing at the approaching horde. “Aim for center of pack. Maybe we get lucky twice, yes?”

Eryn and I exchanged a glance as she pulled out her last fire arrow and fumbled for her flint and steel, hands moving with desperate speed.

“What's the plan?” I asked Knut, trying to keep my cool in the face of the approaching monsters.

The big man's face was grim, but I didn't see any fear there. He knew what he was doing, and somehow that drained all the fear out of me, too.

“This time, no holding back. If little bird kill many with one shot, we have chance.” He paused, looking at the approaching monsters. “If not, I will try to bring news of brave death to your mother and father.” He sighed. “Then they kill me.”

A sinking feeling hit my stomach like a physical blow, but I pushed it away. There's no way I'd let him die, not after insisting on continuing. Sure, if we hadn't blown the Glowcap we wouldn't be in this situation, but as the one who hired him, I still felt responsible.

“Portal piss to that,” I growled. “We're not dying here. We need a plan. Right now.”

Knut raised an eyebrow.

“You have idea? Look at battlefield. What you see?”

I scanned our surroundings, my mind already racing. The massive ribs rising from the earth could provide cover, but...

“If we go to one of the columns, we'll have some support, but Eryn won't have room to shoot. And the Glowcaps could surround us, press in and slaughter us from all sides. We'd lose freedom to move.” I gestured at the open ground. “But out here, those golems will go right through us.”

“Who needs room to move when we can kill them all where we stand?”

While I could feel Roq's bloodthirsty eagerness, it had little effect on my own emotions.

“Wait,” Eryn said, still striking her flint. “Can the golems hit the Glowcaps with their attacks? Or the other way around?”

I looked at Knut.

“Of course,” he said. “A tree spear hits anything in way. Fire burns all things. But spores?” He shrugged. “Maybe trees don't breathe like we.”

Eryn cursed as another shower of sparks failed to catch. Her hands were shaking now, and the monsters were getting dangerously close. 

“But could a stomp hurt the shroomies?” I asked. The golems had nearly caught up to the Glowcaps, their longer strides eating up the ground at a rapid pace.

“Yes,” Knut said, “But hurt us more.”

“Oh, this is delicious!” Roq cried with excitement. “Such wonderful odds! Such glorious death all around us! Are you not EXCITED? Just look at all that experience waiting to be taken!”

My eyes went wide as an idea struck.

“We need to run.”

“Both faster than us,” Knut said grimly. “Golems and fungus men.”

“Run? RUN? Have you lost what little courage you possessed?”

“Not away,” I said quickly. “The golems are faster than the Glowcaps.” I grabbed Eryn's bow and pulled her to her feet. “Keep trying to light it as we move!”

“Monster breach!” Eryn cursed as she ran, arrow tucked under one arm, flint and steel clicking frantically. “This is impossible!”

“Ah, NOW I see what you're planning,” Roq said. “Perhaps you're not completely useless after all.”

“What is plan?” Knut called as he jogged alongside us.

“We kneecap both golems, knock them down,” I said through a wheeze of breath. “Then we kill the remaining Glowcaps, and by the time the golems heal, we're ready for round two.”

Knut glanced back at our pursuers. “Hard. Maybe possible. Watch for them shooting wooden spikes when down. I take left one. It not fully aggravated. Might hit back.”

The golems pushed through the pack of Glowcaps, their massive strides quickly overtaking the smaller monsters, unfortunately not trampling any.

“Got it!” Eryn's triumphant cry rang out as her arrow finally caught flame.

We skidded to a stop and I handed her the bow. She nocked the arrow and held her breath.

“Come on,” I mumbled, biting my lip and wishing I could influence the outcome.

She adjusted her aim, lining up the shot between the golems, aiming for the Glowcaps, and loosed.

The flaming arrow streaked through the air, perfectly towards the gap.

I held my breath.

“Oh, this should be interesting!” Roq said gleefully. “What pretty flames we shall have!”

The right-hand golem's arm swept out, intercepting the arrow, flames erupted across its wooden limb instead.

“NO!” Roq said. 

“Monster balls!” I curses.

“I wanted to see things go BOOM!”

“Not good,” Knut said and shook his head.

“What do we do?” Eryn asked.

“Plan stays the same,” I said, rolling my shoulders. “Knock down the golems, kill the Glowcaps, then we chop firewood.”

Knut nodded solemnly. 

“Been honor to fight with you both.” Then he charged straight at the golems, his battle cry echoing throughout the 'cathedral'. I turned to Eryn, my heart pounding. 

“I love you,” I said, before turning to run after the Northerner, Roq singing with bloodthirsty joy in my grip.

“Battle! Death! POWER!”

Riftside - Chapter 35

My heart thundered in my ears as I crouched behind a massive bone rib that thrust up from the ground like an ancient monument. Two hundred feet away, the Ironroot Golems stood motionless, unaware of our presence. With me in place, Knut slowly walked to position himself halfway between Eryn and the monsters.

“What are we waiting for?” Roq said. “Look at them! Such power! Such potential! Let us FEAST!”

“Patience. We do this right or we don't do it at all.”

“Boring! Always so boring! Violence and blood is RIGHT THERE!”

“Yes, and we will be very dead unless we're careful. Pipe down, Roq. Don't distract me.”

The bone column felt solid and comforting against my shoulder as I peered around it. Eryn stood in the middle of the 'cathedral' as Roq had called it.

Knut raised his shield and prepared. It was the signal we agreed on. 

“Battle!” Knut roared.

Eryn drew fluidly and loosed one of her extra heavy armor-piercing arrows. The projectile arced slightly and plunged into the leftmost golem's chest. The sound when it struck was like that of an axe striking steelhusk.

The arrow buried deep and the golem's head snapped up, its bark-like armor creaking. It didn't seem to have hit anything vital, but at least it had penetrated enough to draw its attention.

“They can be pierced!” Eryn called out. That had been the first part of our plan, to see what damage her arrows could do, but not enough to give us trouble pulling their aggression away from her.

“Good!” Knut's voice boomed back. “Very good! Time for making firewood!”

I felt the ground tremble as the two creatures roared, the sound filling my body. Both lumbering monsters burst into motion with shocking speed for their size.

Three bells, they are big!

I hefted Roq as excitement and fear warred in my chest in equal measure. Then came the reassuring feeling that steadied my nerves, and I knew it was having Roq in my hand. Without him, we wouldn't even be thinking about doing this.

“Stop thinking! Start killing!”

The golems seemed to find Eryn, and then lumbered straight for her, their massive feet leaving deep impressions in the soft earth. Knut stood his ground between them, shield raised.

“Watch close!” he shouted. “Learn from professional!”

As the golems reached him, Knut leapt into the air. His armored form seemed to hover for a moment before he slammed back down, feet first, like a diving hawk, just like he'd done with the scuttlers. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground that made both monsters stumble for a moment.

Their heads whipped toward him, Eryn already forgotten. Knut charged past them on the right, his mace catching the rightmost golem's leg with a resounding crack as he passed.

The golem's massive arm swept down at him, barely missing Knut's back.

“That was close!” Roq said excitedly.

“That was close!” I parroted, making it seem like my observation, but then felt silly for saying it. Of course it had been close. My nerves were showing.

Knut's laugh boomed across the distance between us.

“All part of plan, friend! Watch and learn!”

I readied myself as Knut headed toward my position, the golems in steady pursuit. Suddenly, one golem planted its feet and leaned back, its arm pulling in tight to its body.

“Spike!” I yelled.

The northerner stepped left, twisting his shield to cover his back. A wooden spike, as long as my arm, shot past him to embed itself deep in the ground.

From her position, Eryn held her fire as planned, letting the golems stay focused on Knut and me as we had our shields at least. She would be a one-shot if it caught her.

Knut reached the bone column, the golems close behind. I stepped out to the side, my shield raised and nerves tight.

“Here they come!” 

Roq's excitement was infectious, and I couldn't help but grin. Fighting small monsters was good for mind gems, but the big ones? They were good for the ego. 

“Oh, this will be GLORIOUS!”

“Trust plan!” Knut called as he ran past me.

The first golem thundered by, focused entirely on Knut. I held my breath, waiting to see if it would notice me. It didn't — its eyes fixed solely on its prey.

But the second golem was ours. Roq's head glowed red as I channeled power into Armor Break, and as it passed, I struck the monster's knee with every ounce of strength we possessed.

The joint exploded in a shower of wooden fragments and green goo.

“Yes!” Roq screamed in joy. “More! Give me MORE! HAMMER ME! TREE BLOOD!”

The golem crashed to the ground and I leaped forward, bringing my hammer down on the back of its head. But without Armor Break powering the strike, its thick skull held. I drove its face into the dirt, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared in its tough armor.

One of Eryn's fire arrows, an extra long bodkin arrow with a bag of resin attached, streaked overhead, missing the golem fighting Knut by inches.

“Rifted ruin!” Eryn cursed.

I brought Roq down again on the prone golem's head. The cracks deepened but it still didn't break. Suddenly, a spike shot from its good leg, catching me in the thigh. My armor held, but it knocked me off balance and I almost dropped the hammer.

The golem struggled to rise, using its ruined leg like a crude prop.

Need to finish this, then help Knut.

I set my feet, angled my body forward, and charged the golem, remembering how Knut used his shield as a weapon. My shield slammed into the golem's back, knocking it flat again. Before it could move I dropped my shield and gripped Roq with both hands for the extra heft.

“KILL IT!” Roq screamed. “KILL IT NOW! SMASH ITS PUMPKIN!”

I brought the hammer down with everything I had and Roq crashed through the golem's skull with a sound like splitting timber.

“VICTORY! Did you feel its death? This power! We must have MORE!”

I looked up to see Knut spin away from a massive fist, using the bone column for cover as the remaining golem pressed its attack.

“Stage two! Eryn, make it count!” Knut yelled, diving away from the cover of the bone column and heading directly for Eryn. The remaining golem lumbered after him, each stride covering as much ground as three of Knut's.

“Clear shot!” Eryn said, having finally gotten her second wrapped arrow to catch fire. She led the target and loosed.

I snatched up my shield and ran after Knut, watching the burning arrow disappear into the golem's front. For a second, nothing happened, then flames erupted up past its shoulders and the golem threw back its head and wailed a low, rumbling growl.

“Watch how it's done, Ash!” Knut said, spinning to face the burning golem which now moved much faster now that its companion was dead. But the warrior's shield work was incredible. Each devastating blow from the golem was deflected with minimal effort, redirecting the monster's tremendous force to slam into the ground or go past wide. His footwork was almost dance-worthy, keeping him just close enough to the monster for it to attempt striking, but not near enough for it to hit anything but his shield.

“I must admit that the large one has a lot of skill.”

Flames had engulfed its entire upper body, turning it into a walking inferno. Knut moved steadily backward, holding his shield up and keeping an eye on the golem for any telltale signs of special abilities. The golem suddenly pulled back, its burning arm drawing tight to its body. A flaming spike shot out toward Eryn, but she was already moving, rolling smoothly to the side as the projectile buried itself in the ground behind her.

I closed the distance with the golem, and another spike burst from its leg. My shield came up purely on instinct and the projectile splintered against it, but the force drove me back a step.

“Attack!” Knut shouted.

I started forward again, but the golem's massive form shifted, its weight settling back on its heels.

“Stomp!” Knut yelled in warning. “Move!”

For a horrible moment I froze, caught between Knut's command to attack and the warning of the incoming giant foot. Knut had already turned and was getting out of dodge. The indecision cleared as the monster's foot reached its zenith, and I turned, taking two hurried steps and jumped. A second later, the golem's foot came crashing down.

The ground bucked magically beneath my feet as the shockwave hit and I was flung airborne, tumbling end over end before slamming back down hard enough to drive the air from my lungs.

“That looked... unpleasant,” Roq said.

“Up!” Knut's voice cut through the ringing in my ears. “Get up or die!”

I tried to roll but my body wouldn't respond. The golem's burning form loomed over me, raising its arm for a killing blow.

“This is going to hurt,” Roq said with what sounded like anticipation. “I wonder if Eryn or Knut will be the one to pick me up. I'd prefer the big guy. He knows how to fight.”

My eyes found Eryn's across the battlefield. The fear in her expression matched my own and time seemed to slow as the massive steelhusk-like fist came down on me.

Then my cloak snapped out and wraped tight around me, hardening into a shell of bark-like armor all over my body, like a cocoon, leaving me in darkness. When the strike landed, the cloak pushed inward, the force rippling across the barrier, driving me into the ground. Despite the cape taking the blow, I felt as if all my bones had been used as drumsticks and my flesh tenderized. Then the cloak softened to cover me like a blanket and retreated to its normal size, leaving me staring up at the burning golem.

“BY THE RIFT'S TEETH!” Roq said. “Did you see that? Did you DO that? How did WE do that?”

“I have no idea.”

I grunted, pushing myself off the ground as the golem raised its hand for another strike. 

Knut appeared behind the monster, his mace glowing yellow with power and he struck its burning hip, drawing its attention. The blow shattered the outer armored layer, revealing the softer wood beneath. It was filled with glowing red veins. When the flames caught the exposed interior they roared as if someone had pumped a bellows. The golem's arm swept at Knut, sending burning fragments cascading off his raised shield.

I took a deep breath of air and let it out as I regained my balance. Another of Eryn's armor-piercing arrows struck the monster's chest, and fire exploded from the impact point where the armor had cracked. The golem's left arm went limp, hanging uselessly at its side.

“Armor Break!”

Roq's head glowed red as I moved to attack.

Knut struck the opening he'd created in the golem's hip, and the monster crashed to its knees.

I leaped, bringing Roq down on its head. The enhanced blow didn't just break through, it disintegrated the golem's entire skull in a shower of burning splinters. I landed right next to the carcass as it came crashing down. My legs strained as I caught part of the golem on my shield. I angled it away from me and stumbled back from the intense heat, my exposed skin burning where the flames had touched it.

“GLORIOUS!” Roq cried in my mind, his voice filled with savage joy. “Did you feel its death? Its power leeching out into the world only for me to slurp it up? Glurp! Glurp! I must have more! Just imagine going back into that crystalline cave and crushing all of their skulls in, too?”

“Heal me first. Quickly before they notice my wounds.”

“Fine, fine. But we're not done hunting today!”

I put Roq into my storage, making sure to keep my back to Knut as the familiar sensation of Blood Forge ran through me, soothing my burns and tender flesh.

“That was incredible!” Eryn said, jogging up to me, her bow still in hand. I heard her pause, likely noting my stance, and she turned to the Northerner. “Knut, are you alright? Any burns?”

“Takes more than small fire to hurt tank!” Knut laughed, checking his shield for damage. “Though must admit, got toasty at end. We bring meat next time! Make barbecue!”

I stood slightly apart, letting them talk as my skin finished mending, and tried to process everything that had just happened.

The cloak had saved my life. On its own.

With a swipe on my wrist, I opened my soul chart and looked at the cloak.

Name: Woodwoven Mantle

Type: Cloak

Rarity: Epic

+1 to all stats

Abilities:

1. Cocoon: Encases the wearer in a bark-like shell, greatly reducing incoming physical and magical damage for a single instance. The ability has a 12 Hour cooldown.

2. UNKNOWN

3. UNKNOWN

One of the abilities had been revealed, and my knees buckled at the power. I dropped to the ground, my face set in a mad grin as I read the words again, and swiped Roq into my hand.

“Ash?” Eryn said. “You alright?”

“You bastard!”

“What?”

“It ate my trophy!”

“What?”

“Need heal?” Knut asked. “Hit head hard?”

“The rift breached cloak ate an entire glowcap! That was MY trophy! I didn't see IT kill anything, did you?”

I chuckled and shook my head.

“Oh. Maybe monster hit his coconut,” Knut said, scratching his scraggly beard. “You can fix?”

Eryn kneeled by my side and put two fingers to my throat.

“Talk to me, darling. You're scaring me.”

“I'm fine,” I said, leaning my head against her and taking a slow breath. “Did you see the cloak?”

“No. What happened?” She took my head and opened my eyes one by one and made me follow her finger with my gaze.

I waved her hands away and stood.

“Enough. Thank you, Eryn. But I'm fine, really. My cloak saved me.”

Knut scoffed. 

“Cloak only save virginity! So ugly.”

“And greedy!”

“Didn't you see the monster stomp on me?”

“Monster missed or you'd be dead and I'd be comforting girlfriend.”

I stood and walked next to the still-burning corpse. 

“And this?” I pointed to the imprint of my body on the ground.

“This—” Knut stopped, brow furrowing. “This—”

“The cloak wrapped itself around me and hardened like a cocoon, taking the hit in my stead. Just look at the indentation. No way I could have made that by lying down. It cost me an entire carcass!”

“Okay,” Knut said, shrugging.

“Okay what?”

“Cloak good. Still ugly, but good.”

“Good? GOOD? IT'S AN INFURIATINGLY MEDIOCRE ENCHANTED PIECE OF LOOT STEALING FLAPPY CLOTH!”

Eryn walked over and threw her arms around me, shutting off Roq's rant.

“You bastard,” she said.

“What?” I said.

This was really not how I imagined the moment to go.

“You nearly died!” She squeezed me tight, nuzzling her face into my neck. “When I saw you lying there, my heart nearly stopped. Then it stomped, but I thought it missed you, 'cause you were still moving.”

“Oh.” I hugged her back. “Yeah, I guess that was a close one.”

“Do better next time. I'm too young to become a widow or something.”

“Agree with girl. Bad fight. You must do better or you'll die early and your woman will look for solace in arms of—”

His mouth snapped shut as Eryn glared at him, and he slowly backed away, hands raised.

“Simple joke to lighten mood of nearly dying!”

“You do better too, Knut,” Eryn said. “If Ash dies under your tutelage, I will skin you and sell it as socks.”

Goosebumps spread across my skin, and I could have sworn the warrior swallowed.

Riftside - Chapter 34

The wooden bridge creaked under our feet as we approached the rift. A group was already waiting to cross the other way with a steelhusk log. The workers below were putting the finishing touches on the defensive ditch. In just the few days we'd spent working the smithy and getting the mind gems in Dawnwatch, they'd made incredible progress. Soon it would be ready for flooding, adding another layer of protection against monster surges. If nothing else, it would at least slow them down a bit.

“Almost done,” I said, nodding at the earthworks below. “Wonder how much water it'll take to fill?”

“Enough to drown an army,” Eryn said. “Or in this case, a monster surge. I just hope it works as planned.”

Workers were sweating as they reinforced the walls with wooden supports, but not a single complaint could be heard. The pioneer spirit ran strong with the engineering company, too, and everyone made sure to show their appreciation for the hard work. Without them, we would be fighting monsters in the open.

Knut was there, too, by the rift's side in full battle gear, leaning on his shield. As we approached, his brow furrowed.

“Why crap gear?” He gestured at our simple traveling clothes. “You have strong hammer, no?”

Eryn and I exchanged a quick glance.

“It's our disguise,” I whispered as the lumberjacks behind us walked from the 'island' where the rift stood and onto the wooden bridge. “We'll change once we're out.”

“This is part of the secret,” Eryn said.

“Ah!” Knut held up a hand, cutting her off. “Is part of secret! Say less. Knut understand. My mouth shut like dead monster's arse.”

I blinked and Eryn sputtered, but then she shrugged and leaned in.

“Lead on then, but please, Knut, lower your voice. Everyone can hear you if you whisper so loud.”

Knut shot her a grin but then his expression shifted, and he nodded seriously.

“See you Riftside,” he said and strode through the shimmering portal. The familiar disorientation hit as we followed, righting itself as we appeared in Sentinel Station's central clearing. Soldiers were bustling about and so was the support staff.

Knut made straight for the watch commander's position, his back ramrod straight. The commander looked up from his papers, eyebrows rising as we approached.

“Well now,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “What can I do for you three this fine morning? You're a bit late if you’re here to help defend against the morning wave. It's already been broken.”

“Need scout mission,” Knut declared.

The commander's bemused expression deepened.

“A scouting mission? For a tank of your caliber?” He shook his head. “Surely there are more... appropriate tasks I can offer you, or is Benedict’s stench so strong?”

I watched Knut shift uncomfortably, his shoulders tensing at the implied slight. Before he could respond, Eryn stepped in.

“Actually, sir, Knut has kindly agreed to help teach us proper scouting techniques,” she said. “He's giving back to the community and helping train the next generation.”

The change in the commander's demeanor was immediate. His face lit up as he straightened.

“Is that so?” the man asked and put away his papers, stood, and clapped Knut on the shoulder. “My apologies. This is the kind of leadership we need! Tell you what — I've got three missions here. Take your pick, and I'll add twenty percent to the reward if you bring back a solid scouting report.”

“If?” I asked.

The commander laughed.

“When, my boy! When you bring back a solid report. With an adventurer teaching you?” He nodded at Knut. “There's no doubt in my mind you will be back shortly.”

Knut accepted the middle scroll with a curt nod, and we made our way toward the gates. Two bells rang out clear and sharp, marking our departure as we passed beneath the massive log walls.

  *

As we walked through the forest, I couldn't help but notice how quiet Knut had become. I caught Eryn's eye, wondering if she saw it too. Was he having second thoughts? Feeling like this simple scouting mission was beneath him? Or was it something else entirely?

“How you do that?” Knut burst out suddenly.

“Do what?” Eryn asked.

“That!” he said, waving his arms about, his armor clanking. “With commander! Get good mission, better reward, respect? Didn’t even threaten him! You less powerful, but he treat as equals! How?”

I shrugged.

“I just assume people are kind and helpful, so I treat them that way — with respect. Usually, they return it.”

“That's part of what drew me to Ash in the first place,” Eryn said, smiling. “His kindness.”

Knut's brow furrowed as he considered this, but shook his head slowly. The man was at odds with himself in a way, and probably overthought the little lie from earlier. It was how people like us got by. A little harmless lie never hurt anyone, or so I hoped, and considering we were more than capable of handling whatever came our way...

“Very different for me,” he said finally. “Ninety out of ninety-one people are arseholes. Big arseholes. Yes. And hairy!”

Eryn and I shared another glance, trying not to laugh at his remark, but I failed hard.

“Do you always assume people are hairy arseholes?” she asked.

“Yes,” Knut said firmly.

“Well,” Eryn chuckled, “Then you're probably right most of the time.”

Knut fell silent again as we pushed deeper into the forest, leaving the sounds of Sentinel Station behind.

A short while later, we arrived at our changing spot and we geared up. I stepped out from behind the thick steelhusk trunk where I'd changed. Eryn emerged a moment later, too, with her Viper's Arc in hand.

Knut's eyes went wide.

“By rift’s teeth!” His voice boomed through the trees, making birds take flight. He rushed forward, armor clanking. “This proper gear! This how heroes look!”

He unhooked his mace, and he approached me with an appraising eye. The weapon tapped against my shield, the sound ringing clear and true. He almost flinched, probably not expecting to see such a quality piece worn by a scavenger.

“Strong!” he said, then bent close, examining the shield boss made from scuttler shell. “See edges wrap? Perfect seal! No weak points!”

His enthusiasm was infectious, and I found myself standing straighter as he moved to inspect my Crabwalk Leggings.

“Interlocking plates.” He shook his head in wonder. “Like dragon scales! And this—” The mace tapped my Ironclaw Gauntlet. “Beautiful! Strong enough to punch stone, yet fingers free as birds!”

“Why does the large noisy one not praise ME?” Roq said. “I am clearly the masterpiece here!”

“Don't be jealous. You know you're special.”

“Special?” Roq's tone dripped with indignation. “I am MAGNIFICENT! A work of genius! That lumbering mountain should be on his knees and worshipping me instead.”

“But this cloak?” Knut shook his head. “Ugly. Very ugly. It must give you something good for you to wear it, no?”

I bit back a laugh as Knut moved to examine Eryn's gear, excited at the stitching of her leather armor and the draw weight of her bow.

“You're also supposed to be a secret. Can't exactly have him praising what he doesn't know exists.”

“Hmph. That is just unfair. People should worship me like a deity, yet I have to go along with... whatever this is.”

We set off deeper into the forest, Knut still occasionally muttering about weapons and armor maintenance, which only reinforced my belief that he appreciated a good piece of gear as much as... a woman. Maybe even more.

“There is one more thing we should tell you,” I said carefully as we walked. “Another secret.”

Knut waved a dismissive hand.

“Say no more! Knut's lips sealed tight as monster's—”

“Yes, yes, we know.” Eryn cut him off with a laugh. “But this is important.”

I took a deep breath.

“My hammer... it's not ordinary. It's rare,” I said, lying. “Far better than what someone my level should have.”

“Better than ANY level should have,” Roq said proudly. “And if this oaf tries to take me, I shall show him exactly how special I am!”

Knut just nodded, completely unperturbed.

“Of course good! Have seen Steel & Scale work before.” He gestured expansively. “Would be insult if Thomas let son hunt with normal weapon! Man take more pride in work than northern smith with first sword!”

I blinked, surprised by his statement.

“You don't seem shocked.”

“Should I?” Knut raised an eyebrow. “Heard Thomas in tavern often, after few drinks. Way he talk of you.” He shook his head. “Would bet entire payment he gave best weapon.”

“No, you don't understand,” I insisted. “This hammer has abilities of its own. It's... special.”

Knut shrugged his massive shoulders, obviously still not understanding what I was getting at.

“Have seen many weapons with abilities. Some shoot lightning, some freeze enemies, some make user strong like bull.” He grinned. “Just happy you have proper gear. No longer suicide mission!”

“Wait,” Eryn said. “You thought this was a suicide mission?”

“Of course. Your secret gear? Is shit.”

“Then why did you agree to come?”

Knut's expression grew serious.

“You saved my life.” He held up a hand as both Eryn and I started to protest. “Leaving me would be smart thing. Most people I know would have. You didn't,” he said and glanced down at his leg where his life blood had flowed freely from that nasty scuttler wound.

“Means I owe you life. No matter how dangerous mission, I always come.” His grin returned. “Long as payment good!”

We all laughed at that.

“Even I must admit he has... honor,” Roq grumbled. “Though his accent is atrocious. I could very well live out my life without ever hearing him speak again.”

Knut's expression sobered.

“I also admit something,” he said. “While I can teach adventuring, much I can learn from you too.” He straightened his shield strap. “Am happy to be here, friends.”

“We're happy to have you, Knut. Wouldn't have anyone here rather than you, honestly. You were there when we needed you, and you were ready to sacrifice it all. That means something to us, too. Not just you, okay?” Eryn said softly.

“Good!” Knut declared. “Now, too much sappy talk! Time to hunt, fill spatial storages, and return as heroes! Then drink and eat!”

“Finally!” Roq exclaimed. “Someone speaking sense! Tell him I agree completely! Why aren't you telling him? Tell him!”

“Because we're trusting him with most of the truth,” I thought back, “But not the part about you being a sentient soul weapon. So behave for now. Once we are sure he won't try to take you for himself, I will let you have a chat with him. Deal?”

“A genius, kept from his audience,” Roq said. “The tragedy of it all... but yes, I agree. It will be glorious to speak to such a warmonger as himself!”

“I thought you couldn't stand his voice?”

“Details! Bla, bla, bla!”

I couldn't help but chuckle at that, earning a curious look from Knut.

“Oh, don't mind him,” Eryn said, waving a hand. “Ash has quite the active imagination. Sometimes it's like he's having entire conversations with himself, but really he's just staring into the distance.” She smiled. “I don't mind, though. He's handsome when he does that. I could just sit there and watch him all day.”

Knut roared with laughter, slapping me on the back hard enough to make my armor rattle.

“Must be luckiest man I ever meet!”

“He has no idea how right he is,” Roq commented. “Though if he hits us like that again, I may need to reconsider my position on revealing myself.”

  *

A bone-white structure arched far overhead. The skeleton of a massive monster, long dead? Our boots sank into the soft mulch beneath, making less noise than my own heartbeat. Eryn walked a step behind me, an arrow already nocked. Knut somehow managed to move his armor and considerable bulk quietly.

“Look at it!”

Roq's metallic voice rang in my mind. “Imagine the succulent blood of such a beast, Ash! The power we'd gain from slaying it!”

“Its ribcage has a hundred ribs, Roq, each one five times my height. If whatever this once was had noticed us at all, it could have killed us with a sneeze. Be glad it's dead and let's focus on killing something a little closer to our own power.”

“Coward.”

“Idiot.”

“Snore.”

“Suicidal maniac.”

I kept my eyes on our surroundings, searching for movement as Roq and I traded insults.

We'd come searching for two types of monsters: Ironroot Golems and Glowcap Stalkers, but had yet to find either of them.

“Still,” Roq said after a while, “There is a grandeur here, you must admit.”

Knut raised his shield slightly as a branch snapped somewhere ahead, yet I couldn't see any movement. “A cathedral of bone,” Roq whispered, affected by the ambiance. “An arena worthy of battle.”

Scraping from above made us all look up.

Five pale and slim humanoid monsters, Glowcap Stalkers, slid down, a glowing mushroom cap where their heads should be, their long claws leaving thin furrows in the ancient bone.

“MONSTERS!” Roq said. “Introduce me. Now! To their HEADS!”

“Form up!” Knut said as he raised his shield. “Eryn back! Ash, left flank!”

I moved into position as the Glowcaps landed softly, their weird heads swaying. Three dropped on my side, the left side, while the other pair attacked Knut.

Eryn loosed an arrow on the rightmost Glowcap about to attack me. It hardly flinched as the arrow went straight through its shoulder, the wound barely bleeding.

“Lead with shield!” Knut said, blocking a slash from the lead Glowcap. “Don't let them split you!”

The Glowcap facing me moved as if to vomit, and its cap blazed bright blue.

“Down!” Roq said and I repeated it to Eryn. Since she was behind me, if I just ducked she'd get hit instead.

A cloud of spores erupted from its head and I crouched low behind my shield and pulled back toward her.

My eyes watered from the few particles that reached me, my vision blurring and head immediately throbbing.

“I'm fine!” I said, twisting away from a claw and swiping Roq up into the Glowcap's midsection, but the fungal-covered hide and soft belly absorbed most of the blow. It felt like hammering moss.

“Harder!” Roq demanded. “They're trying to kill us!”

The Glowcap lunged again, and I leaned into the blow with my full strength, hitting its chest with a wet crunch. This time its chest caved in and it stumbled back, giving me space to retreat further from the spore cloud.

“BLOOD! BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!”

An arrow shot past my ear, hitting the second monster straight in its glowing cap, and this time sticking. But if it cared about the arrow to the head, it didn't show, as it attacked me together with the other remaining monster. My shield barely kept up with their strikes and the hammer didn't do much, either. They were the perfect kind of counter to Roq.

Knut's battle cry shook the air as his shield bashed one monster and he crushed the cap on another with his mace, his high strength more than enough to kill it.

“Keep moving, Ash! Don't let spores settle! They paralyze and sting hard pain,” Knut said.

My legs burned as I kept myself between them and Eryn, while making sure they didn't surround or cover me in their toxic clouds. My throat felt raw, each breath bringing a slight wheeze.

“You're slowing,” Roq observed. “The poison affects you. Use my strength!”

But to use his ability I'd need a carcass to draw power from.

I barrelled between the two, a slash barely missing my back, rushing to where the first monster lay clutching its chest and I struck its throat, killing it.

I swiped the corpse into my storage and blocked an attack with my shield.

Eryn loosed a broad-headed arrow at one of the two Glowcaps hammering down on me, hitting its leg, and sent it stumbling to the ground, one limb useless.

Eryn's arrow had bought me an opening.

“Armor break!”

Roq's head glowed red and I struck the last standing Glowcap in its chest, and this time my hammer went straight through, sending chunks of fungal flesh splashing all around me with a big cloud of spores.

“Ash, take a potion,” Eryn said as I stumbled over, finally making it into fresh air where I could acknowledge my throat. 

While doubled over and coughing, I swiped out the big bottle of antidote I'd bought from Victor. After uncorking it with my teeth, I held my breath and took a generous sip. The liquid burned as it slid down my throat, and I made a face that had Eryn chuckling, but it provided instant relief.

“Good kills,” Knut said, but his voice was strained too, goo covering the bottom of his tower shield, and I saw him fumbling with his own potion.

“Drink, you oaf!” Eryn commanded as she aimed an arrow at the remaining monster. Her eyes flickered to mine.

“Mine, Ash! Get it, quick! Before the brute or your girlfriend steals our kill!”

I started towards it, but was suddenly unsure. What we needed was gems. Not to level Roq up. At least not yet.

“I won’t forgive you if you starve me! It’s right there! Let. ME. FEAST!”

But after having consumed every gem we'd bought, I had hit level seven, a full level higher than Roq. It would have to be enough of a gap.

I shook my head at Eryn and she lowered the bow.

“VINDICATION!”

With my breath held, I walked over, closed my eyes and bashed the monster's brains out, before jogging out of its spore cloud.

“Everyone alright?” I asked, fanning the air in front of us using my shield.

“Not a scratch,” Eryn said. “Though I'd expected more damage from my arrows.”

“Leg shot good. Keep testing. Keep learning,” Knut said. “Soon know best way to kill.”

She nodded.

“You breathed in more spores than even I did,” I said. 

“Could be better,” Knut admitted, wiping the gooey stuff from his mace onto the soft ground. “But no real danger. You need practice with shield. I give you many monsters.”

“I saw how you knocked them around,” I said. “By putting more weight behind my shield, I can set them up for hammer strikes.”

“Yes. And you must trade better. Accept small strike to make big. And not always hit to kill. Disable. Control space.”

I smiled at Knut.

“That's a lot to learn on my first outing.”

“You are scavengers hunting like classed adventurers,” Knut said. “Want to keep life?”

“Of course,” I said.

“Learn faster.”

“Or we could just hit them harder,” Roq suggested. “Much harder. Until they stop moving.”

“We should also work on identifying which ones are about to release spores,” Eryn said. “There were signs, like the way their caps glowed.”

“True!” Knut roared, clapping Eryn on the shoulder. “Now you think like adventurer! Always learn from fight, even in victory! Not only pretty but smart, too.”

Eryn blushed instantly, and I chuckled.

The massive northerner grinned and spread his hands.

“How we loot?”

Back at the Timberline, Eryn and I had negotiated a fair trade with Knut. We would pay him one mind gem for each mission he undertook with us. In exchange, he would keep our secrets, fight without re-negotiating mid-mission, and five of his ten spatial storage slots would be used to carry monsters for us. It was a deal he agreed to immediately.

If not for Roq's ability of knowing which carcasses had mind gems, it might not be worth it for the risk we were taking, but considering we had someone who could tell what carcasses had mind gems, we were getting a fantastic deal.

“Roq?”

“None.”

I didn't mind. We'd just gotten started, and if I knew Pa and Ma right, they'd find some way of turning these spongy monsters into cold, hard gold. Worst case, we'd sell them to the alchemist or the guild and recoup some of our losses.

“Take two, Knut,” I said, “And we'll let you upgrade once we find something better.”

“Gratitude,” the man said and bent low as he swiped two, Eryn one, and I got the last, adding to the one Roq had already partially consumed to use Armor Break.

We moved on, carefully watching the bones above us, not eager to have another surprise dropping in from above.

  *

“Look there,” Eryn whispered, pointing with her bow.

What I'd thought were rotting steelhusk trees turned out to be two humanoid figures. I touched the sigil next to my eye, activating the tattoo, and an orange glow sprang up around them.

“Now THIS is more like it!” Roq said. “Look at the size of them! So exciting!”

The monsters stood motionless, each one at least ten feet tall, with thick limbs that looked more like tree trunks than arms and legs. Their ‘bark’ was actually layered like armor plates, and what I had first taken for branches were spear-like growths of twisted wood sprouting from their bodies.

“Two orange threats,” I said. “Ironroot Golems.”

The monsters we were there to hunt.

“Who cares about colors?” Roq said. “Look at them! Think of the experience we can gain!”

“Think about survival first, experience second. Or do you want to get stuck with a golem wielding you?”

“This good spot,” Knut said calmly. “Pull there,” he pointed to where the ancient ribs pierced the ground. “Good cover against slow monsters.”

He gestured at the two golems.

“They not move before provoked. Gives time to plan. To position.” He nodded. “To choose battlefield. Very important.”

I studied the terrain. 

“If you and I fight them around the bones, Eryn should have free aim and their movements will be limited.”

“Good.” Knut said. “Fast thinking. But, they strong like Northern whisky. One good hit and,” he said, drawing a finger across his throat.

“What about the root spears the reports mentioned?” Eryn asked.

“Thirty yard range,” Knut said, shrugging. “Accuracy good. Keep moving or,” he added another throat-cutting gesture. “Real danger is stomp.”

“Stomp?”

Knut nodded grimly.

“Slam foot down. Ground shake. Lose balance. Then…” He mimed being crushed by a massive fist.

“Enough talk!” Roq complained. “Let's kill them! I want to have a taste!”

“Patience. A dead hammer can't taste anything.”

“Remember timing,” Knut said, his voice hushed. “Key to fight golems. Watch for tells. For root spears, they pull back. For stomp, they shift weight. Learn sign to survive. Monster fighting 101. Learn before you fight.”

Eryn and I shared a knowing look, and I thought back to the crystalkin exploding in my face. We definitely had not been learning enough about our targets before we went out hunting.

My grip tightened on Roq's handle.

“Crack bark, hit glowing veins inside,” Knut added. “But careful — kill one makes other angry. More aggressive. Faster. They pair like old husband and wife, yes?” He touched his chest. “Lost good friend to golems. Broke one, thought fight easier. Was trap.”

I looked at Eryn and she gave me a nod.

“Ready,” I said. “And thanks for giving us the basics, Knut.”

His grin turned predatory.

“We are friends, yes? Let's wake tree up and smash.”

Riftside - Chapter 33

I could barely see in the darkness as I bounced out of bed. Sleep had come late and left early, but I couldn't bring myself to care. Not today. There was way too much to do.

Water sloshed from the barrel as I dumped a ladleful over my head, standing outside in the morning wind, and gasping at the shock of cold. Better than any amount of sleep for waking up.

From inside came Pa's familiar heavy tread and slight limp down the stairs as I toweled off, having messed up his daily ritual of stoking the forge's fires before anyone else was awake.

My fingers fought with my hair, trying to make it behave. Usually I didn't bother much, but today... well, things were different. A grunt of frustration escaped me as a particularly stubborn lock refused to lay flat.

“Your vanity wounds me,” Roq said from his perch next to the door. “I do not understand why a weapon of my caliber must bow to the demands of romance.”

“Shut up, Roq. Maybe you will understand one day,” I muttered, finally giving up on my hair. It would have to do. “Maybe I read you some romance stories to make you understand.”

“No, no. I’m fine. Romance it is,” he said hurriedly.

I pulled on my cleanest shirt, the one Ma had washed just yesterday, and headed for the door, Roq automatically sliding into storage as I moved past him.

“And where do you think you're going without breakfast?”

Ma's voice caught me with my hand on the latch.

I turned to find her standing halfway down the stairs, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

“Meeting Eryn at the Hollow Hearth,” I said, trying not to sound too eager. “We made plans last night.”

Her smile widened.

“Ahh, yes. Though I must say, I'm getting rather used to having her join us here.” She affected a wounded expression. “Don't tell me you have tired of my cooking.”

“Never,” I assured her quickly. “But... well...”

“But you want her all to yourself?” Ma said. “Go on then. Just remember what I taught you about table manners.”

“Ma!” I rolled my eyes. “It's a fire pit on the floor. I think I'll be fine.”

Her laughter followed me into the street.

The sky lightened as I hurried along the circular road. Most windows remained dark, though here and there lanterns flickered to life as the town slowly stirred. A group of early-rising lumberjacks trudged past, likely heading for the eating hall at the yard before reporting Riftside for their shift.

“Morning, hero,” one said, raising a hand in greeting as they passed.

“One day!” I said, waving back and earning a chuckle. “Just you watch, gentlemen!”

By the process station I turned right, passing between the Royal Bank on my left and the Adventurers Guild on my right. My jaw clenched as Benedict's smirking face flashing through my mind. Ten days suspension and a fine. A joke of a punishment for causing Marcus his life and nearly ours as well. 

Let it go. Focus on the things you can actually do something about. Things that actually matter. Look how far you've come.

It was true. Three weeks ago I'd been a simple blacksmith's apprentice and scavenger, at the mercy of adventurers and had very little hand in deciding my own destiny. I had been working towards my big break, and when it had come, I'd seized it. Now I had a soul weapon, enough gold to reach level seven, and the thought of Eryn's smile made my heart skip.

The last few mornings had been wonderful, with Eryn joining us for breakfast at home. Watching her chat with Ma about herbs while helping with the dishes, or discussing forging techniques with Pa. It all felt right in a way I couldn't quite explain. But today was different.

Today we had plans and it was just the two of us.

The Hollow Hearth's wooden doors stood partially open, warm light spilling onto the street. I poked my head in, catching Matron Kora's eye. She acknowledged me with a slight nod but didn't wave me inside. Smart men knew better than to enter uninvited during morning hours, with some women still sleeping beyond the partition, and there was no way I was going to piss off Kora.

A cool wind whipped down the street, carrying dust by the bucket, and I rubbed my hands together, bouncing slightly on my toes as I waited. I tipped my head back, watching as the now deep purple sky turned to crimson, then orange, and then the palest gold. Beautiful, but not nearly as beautiful as—

“Are you just going to stand there looking handsome, or are you coming inside where it's warm?”

I spun to find Eryn in the doorway, her smile brighter than the dawn. Her hair was still slightly damp from washing, and she wore a red dress I hadn't seen before. One that made my mouth drop open.

“They're stoking the fire now,” she added, reaching for my hand. “Come on.”

Her fingers twined with mine as she led me inside without another word. Which was fortunate because I'd yet to locate my tongue. The massive central fire pit radiated enough heat for the entire place, its flames casting dancing shadows across the wooden beams above. We found a quiet spot near the fire, well away from the few other early risers. Most were still asleep behind their privacy curtains in both the men's and women's sections.

“Hi,” Eryn whispered once we'd settled, eyes smiling.

“Hi yourself.”

I couldn't stop grinning like an idiot.

She leaned in and kissed me. Her lips were soft and sweet. The kiss was way too brief for my taste, but Matron Kora was watching.

And there she was, appearing beside us holding two steaming bowls of porridge, topped with honey and dried berries. My stomach growled appreciatively at the smell.

I reached for my coin pouch, but Matron Kora's hand connected with the back of my head in a gentle swat.

“Don't you dare,” she warned, though her eyes crinkled with amusement. “Your coin's no good here, young man. Those smiles she gives when you visit,” she said, nodding toward Eryn. “Worth more than gold. Though mind you, if those smiles stop appearing, we'll be having words.”

I chuckled and put the money away.

“Yes, ma'am. And no ma'am. I will do my best to keep her happy.”

Eryn's smile sent butterflies through my stomach as we dug into our breakfast. We kept our voices low, heads close together as we ate. Her knee pressed against mine under the blanket, and something in my chest expanded with a warmth that had nothing to do with the hearth's fire.

  *

“I hope we can get all nine mind gems today,” I said as we walked along the 2nd Ring Road, halfway between the rift and Dawnwatch's edge. 

We were walking in the trade and artisan district, which was full of early morning activity as shop owners rolled out of their beds, opened the shutters of their personal ‘strongholds’ that they locked up tight during night in case of a monster surge, and started sweeping their storefronts.

Eryn's hand squeezed mine as we walked past the cooper's workshop, where the sound of hammering already rang out across the street.

“We're out early, before the bank or guild opens, so they shouldn't have had time to sell them yet,” Eryn said.

We swerved and dodged a cart laden with fresh bread heading for the eating halls.

As prospective adventurers, there was only really one way of getting mind gems, and that was to scavenge. Find the corpse ourselves and pay a craftsman a massive chunk of the carcass to dissect it for us, bleeding our profits away on the off-chance there was a gem. Fortunately, we had Pa to do it for free, but others weren't so lucky.

The adventuring guild had a strict policy of selling only to classed adventurers, and they vacuumed up the vast majority of mind gems, second only to the royal bank. At least that's how it was here in the Tharungian Kingdom. The royal bank would sell to us, if we had a high enough reputation with them, built up by selling them carcasses.

But neither of us was even close.

That left us with the artisans and the traders. Those who bought corpses of adventurers at a higher price than the adventuring guild and royal bank, all in order to secure materials.

If we had some standing with them, which fortunately we did. Or we were especially charming, which we were, too.

The alchemist's shop stood at the corner where the trading quarter met the artisan's row, its windows already glowing with strange colored light. Three cats lounged on the windowsill, and the largest — a massive orange tom I knew was named Avian, a funny name for a cat who loved eating birds — yawned lazily as we approached.

“Let me do the talking here,” Eryn said and winked at me.

A bell chimed as we entered, and the familiar scents of weird stuff and monster goo filled our nostrils. Two massive cauldrons bubbled away in opposite corners, one giving off green smoke while the other sparkled with what looked like golden stars. Shelves lined the walls, packed with jars and vials of every size and color. Several sets of delicate glass beakers connected by spiraling tubes dominated the counter, brightly colored liquids flowing between them.

“Ah, young Miss Whitcroft!” Victor's voice preceded him from the back room. He appeared a moment later, his white hair combed forward in its usual failed attempt to hide his baldness. His right eyebrow, I noticed, was still fireproof and completely hairless, while his left remained stubbornly green. “And young Master Aldrich! To what do I owe the pleasure so early in the day? Got corpses to sell already? A trip last night I didn't hear about?”

“Good morning, Victor,” Eryn said, smiling warmly. “We were actually hoping you might have some mind gems from yesterday's trading still on hand?”

Victor's eyes narrowed, though his smile remained fixed.

“As a matter of fact,” he said, stroking his chin. “I do have one left. Was planning to take it to the Royal Bank this morning, see what the lovely Miss Pine might offer.”

“We can save you the trip,” Eryn said.

I bit back a smile as Victor's eyebrows — both the green and the missing one — twitched at that.

“What about my reputation gain?” he asked.

“We both know you maxed out last week, Victor. How else would you have gained your second cauldron? Congratulations, by the way.”

He shook a finger at Eryn.

“Always with the observations. But there is the goodwill of the bank to consider.”

“As if they'd ever give you anything for free or any special treatment.”

“Well—”

“Nine gold, ninety-nine silver, ninety copper,” Eryn said smoothly. “Since we're saving you the paperwork.”

Victor's lips twitched.

“Less than the ten gold peg?”

“We'll be sparing you Isabel's... enthusiasm for proper documentation.”

“And robbing me of trying to steal a glance down her blouse as she counts out my gold,” Victor said, and I swallowed a snicker.

“You rascal!” Eryn said, fake outrage strong in her voice. “She's married!”

“And I'm old. So what? A man's gotta get his life's pleasures where he can, little miss.”

I couldn't help myself, and laughed, causing both to turn and smile at me.

“Fine,” Victor said, throwing his hands up. “I don't want to scare off one of my best scavengers, though I have to point out there has been an abnormally long time since your last haul.”

“In time, Victor. We promise,” Eryn said, placing the money on the desk.

“Nine, ninety-nine, ninety...” Victor muttered as he counted, then laughed. “You drive a hard bargain, girl. Done!”

“I learned from the best,” Eryn said with a grin. “You always say exact measurements are crucial in alchemy.”

“Oh, Victor, Pa wanted me to ask how the new anti-corrosive tongs are working out?” I said as Eryn accepted the mind gem.

“Brilliant!” Victor's face lit up. “Absolutely brilliant! In fact, I'd like to place an order for ten more pairs if possible?”

I frowned.

“Ten more? What happened to the other pair? If they're so good, they shouldn't be getting destroyed that easily.”

Victor suddenly became very interested in adjusting one of his burbling contraptions.

Eryn's laugh rang out.

“Oh, I think I know,” she said. “Pa's price must have been way too low. I bet you're planning to sell these to every alchemist you know in the kingdom!”

“You're too clever by three-quarters of a catalyst, young lady!” Victor waggled a finger at her, but he smiled. “See if I ever tell you any of my secrets again!”

We all laughed, and I promised to pass the message to Pa, though I warned him the price might not stay the same.

“Portal piss and monster spit!” Victor cursed cheerfully as we headed for the door. “Worth a try, though!”

Outside, I squeezed Eryn's hand.

“That was brilliant,” I said. “You handled him perfectly.”

She smiled up at me and handed me the mind gem, which I promptly popped into my mouth, letting it soak into me and removing any tiredness as we passed the general brewer's shop.

“If only one of us had enough standing with the Royal Bank,” she said as we approached the staffmaker. “It would make this so much easier.”

“I know,” I muttered, kicking a pebble down the street. “I'm not even rank one, and you're what, rank two?”

She nodded.

“Still three full ranks away from being able to buy mind gems from them.” She made a face. “Sometimes I wish the Adventurer's Guild would let unclassed people buy them directly. All these monopolies they force are brutal for people like us, and yet we have to sell our stuff for cheap.”

“Right?” The thought had occurred to me before. “Wouldn't that encourage more people to become adventurers? More adventurers would mean more gems to go around and then everyone would level faster.”

“There's probably a reason it works this way,” Eryn said. “Maybe they need to ensure a steady supply for classed adventurers first? They need so many more gems to advance.”

“Makes sense in one way,” I admitted. “But I'm pretty sure two parties of level tens or fifteen would be worth more than one party of level twenties,” I said, doing some mental math. “If they're worth their salt, anyway.”

“And if there aren't enough gems available for the classed now, what would happen if they opened it up to everyone?” Eryn asked.

“You mean if the price would crash or skyrocket?” I said, thinking about how the demand would increase, but maybe the supply would grow even more.

“Price for the mind gems would stay the same unless they removed the forced price peg,” Eryn said. “Ten gold maximum per gem is too baked—” she nodded at the baker we passed. The smell of fresh bread made my stomach growl despite already having breakfast, “—baked into our economy. The system works.”

“Sure, but it's just frustrating,” I said. “I want to go hunting with you again, now. Not be stuck running errands.”

“We're trying to buy nine gems in one day,” Eryn said. “How often does that actually happen for unclassed people?”

“Never?”

“And is it truly so bad to go for a morning stroll, with warm food in your belly, and the most beautiful young woman, who is your girlfriend by the way, at your side? And a... you know what in your storage?”

“Fair point,” I admitted with a wink and put an arm around her. “Hopefully we'll get several from the artisans today.”

“And if not,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. “We always have our secret weapon.”

I chuckled.

“Let's just hope the secret weapon doesn't end up biting us in the ass.”

“Ash!” she slapped my arm playfully. “Language!”

  *

The bell chimed one final time as we exited Madame DeWitt's Jewelry and Fine Crafts, the sound somehow managing to convey the same disapproval as the owner's thin-lipped frown. If she'd had any gems, she refused to sell, or even tell.

“Well, that could have gone better,” I muttered. It was the last shop on our list.

“Four mind gems is still incredible for one day's shopping,” Eryn said. “Most unclassed people are lucky to see one in a month going from door to door.”

I sighed, popping the fourth mind gem of the day into my mouth, having given the previous one's energy a bit of time to fade. Only two remained to level six, and Pa had four at home. I was as lucky as I could be, yet I wasn't happy. We had the funds, yet we couldn't buy the mind gems, and we shouldn’t go hunting before I hit seven. To do so would be taking unnecessary risk, of which we’d had enough recently.

“I know, I know. But with all the craftsmen and artisans in all of Dawnwatch...” I looked along the curving road. “Seems like we should have found more than four willing to part with them.”

“That's still nearly forty gold worth of mind gems,” Eryn said. “It is a fortune. Don't you remember being excited the first time you ever earned a single silver?”

That brought a reluctant smile to my face.

“I do. It was for my first green axe, magical rarity, passing as adventurer quality. Ma and Pa let me keep the entire coin. Best day of my life, up to that point anyway.”

“Keep those feelings in mind as we grow,” Eryn said. “Don't lose sight of how far we have come. Don't compare yourself to others, only your past self.”

I pulled her close and leaned my head against hers, trying to leech off some of that wisdom.

“How'd you get to be so smart?” I asked.

“That's a secret. Which I might tell you one day. When you are ready for it.”

I laughed as we paused, letting a cart laden with freshly-cut steelhusk lumber rumble past, the massive logs secured with heavy chains. The workers nodded respectfully as they passed — word of our scouting missions and how we'd be part of saving Johan and Knut must have spread.

“Still,” I said once the dust settled. “I just wish—” The words trailed off as I remembered Roq's screaming in my head as we came through the portal, Harold's warning, and the monster surge when Samuel, my best friend, had died.

“What?” Eryn touched my arm. “What is it?”

I shook my head.

“Something's coming. I just know it. I can feel it. And we need to be ready when it does.”

“Even if we'd found more gems today, could you use them all at once?” Her tone grew serious. “Remember what happened last time you consumed too many too quickly? I'm too gorgeous for you to handle two of me. Just imagine what you’d turn into.”

“Hah! I know,” I laughed. “Really. One feels like too much at times.” I touched my tattoo. “But, you're right. It would probably be smarter to space them out. Give my body time to adjust between them.”

“But you're still worried.”

It wasn't a question.

I nodded slowly.

“I can't explain it. Just this feeling that we need to be stronger. That time is somehow running out. Maybe it's Roq, or maybe just an unfounded fear, but it's always there.”

“Well then.” Eryn stopped me in the street. “Perhaps it's time we visited our secret weapon. See if we can't solve both problems at once.”

  *

A bellowing northern cry echoed down the street, making several passersby jump. I looked up to see Knut waving enthusiastically from the Timberline's balcony, his massive frame silhouetted against the sky.

“Hail and well met, friends!” His accent somehow grew thicker with every word. “I waited! Three drinks!”

Eryn laughed beside me.

“Well, it looks like our secret weapon is in good spirits today.”

“Let's hope it's not because he's planning to rob us,” I said, only half-joking.

“Ash!” Eryn elbowed me sharply in the ribs. “Don't be so untrusting. He saved both our lives.”

I pulled her close against my side, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.

“I know, I know. Just joking.” I sighed. “But it is a lot of gold we're about to hand over.”

Before Eryn could respond, Knut practically flew down the Timberline's stairs, armor clanking as he managed not to trip despite being in full battle gear. His kite shield bounced on his back, scratching the painted handrail, and his mace dangled on his hip.

His armor had been repaired from when I saw it last, though the rift knew where the money had come from. Monster-forged components were worked in as reinforcements. Whoever his smith was knew their craft well. Maybe even as good as Pa.

“Friends!” He swept us both into a bone-crushing hug that left my ribs aching. “Seeing you bring joy to heart!”

“Can't breathe! Knut!” Eryn gasped.

“Oh!” He released us, smiling sheepishly. “I forget own strength. Forgive me, but please tell! I am excited to assist in your—” His voice dropped as his eyes darted around, checking for eavesdroppers. “Adventure!”

I couldn't help but smile, and we fell into step together, heading riftward toward the first ring road and the guild hall. Knut's armor created a steady rhythm as we walked.

“You seem different today,” Eryn observed. “Fixed your armor already?”

“Yes!” Knut said. “Sold scuttlers you paid me. Fetched good price after guild auction. People see your plate, want more of them. I smart, waited for you to make first move.”

“Speaking of price,” I started, but Knut waved me off.

“No, no! First, I must tell story. One you should hear before we do business.” His voice grew serious, losing some of its flair. “It is no happy tale.”

We turned onto the first ring road and passed the fletcher shop, with its sounds of wood creaking and ropes straining echoing out onto the street.

“I not always sellsword. Once, I served king's army. Led squad of good men. Loyal men.” His accent thickened with emotion and he hammered his chest as if something had stuck in his throat. “Company rested in village near northern border. A new rift appeared.”

He paused, his jaw working in a circle.

“The knights said to retreat from monster surge. Abandon village and people.” His massive fists clenched. “I refused.”

“You deserted?” Eryn asked softly.

Knut nodded grimly.

“My squad too. We held line while villagers ran. They survived, but my men died. One by one. Good men. Brave men. Warriors deserve better than die for silk-wearing noble too cowardly to fight.”

We walked in silence for a moment, passing the leatherworker and our smithy, letting his words sink in. I glanced inside, seeing Ma haggling with some adventurer.

“Only I survived,” Knut said, shaking his head. “Three years I ran... Hard time. Took any work. No questions. But then,” a smile broke through as he spoke. “Then came call for pioneers! King's pardon for classed adventurers!”

“And here you are,” I said.

“And here I am!” he laughed, the sound booming off the buildings. “Two years of fighting monsters. Not deserter, but respected tank!”

“Respected?” Eryn asked.

“Okay, you make good point. I charge extra for dangerous work. Must care for family. You know. Protect.”

“Can't argue with that,” I said, nodding and remembering my promise to the man as he lay wounded.

We stopped in front of the processing station's gate, looking right at the guild hall. Knut's story was either the best con I'd ever heard of, or he wanted to prove he was worthy of our trust. Whatever the case, he hadn't just saved us that day because of the scuttler corpses. He could have had a full storage of his own in just a few minutes of killing. No, he had wanted us to hire him at that moment. He had wanted to save us, and that meant something to me.

“Five gems, please,” Eryn said, and I handed over two thick pouches, totaling fifty gold.

“On honor,” Knut said.

“I'd rather you swear on your family,” I said and winked.

He laughed, but grew serious.

“Never. Not for something I not fully control.”

Without another word, he clapped me hard on the shoulder, nearly making me lose balance, and set off towards the guild hall.

  *

“Well, look who it is,” Garrett said, his weathered face broke into a grin as he approached Eryn and me. “The great survivors of Benedict's mess, lurking by the gate like bandits.”

“Careful who you call bandits,” I said, unable to keep from smiling. “We might rob you.”

“You'd have to catch us first.” Nina twirled her spear with a flourish that would have been more impressive if her eye hadn't twitched halfway through. “And my back's almost good as new now. Just a little twinge left.”

“Alex is a miracle worker,” Eryn said, a knowing look crossing her face. “You've been seeing quite a bit of him lately, haven't you?”

Nina's cheeks flushed.

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” she said. “He's just thorough in his healing. Very thorough.”

She wiggled her hips.

“I'll bet,” Finn muttered, flexing his hand. The skin had returned to normal color where Alex had worked his magic. “Though I have to admit, he knows his stuff. My arm's fine now, and I'm cleared for duty. Well, almost. Still can't arm wrestle for another week. Doctor's orders.”

“Are you're actually following those orders?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Have you met Alex?” Finn shuddered. “He said if I mess up the healing, he'll reattach it backwards next time. I actually believe him.”

We all laughed at that, though I noticed Garrett's eyes kept drifting towards the processing station beyond the gate.

“Eager to get back out there?” Eryn asked.

“Portal piss, yes.” He adjusted his shield strap. “Been climbing the walls these past few days. Shay's got a good route planned and a strong party — should be a clean trip with easy looting, clearing out trash.”

“Speaking of which,” he said, glancing up at the sun's position. “We could probably delay a few minutes if you two want to grab your gear and join us? Proper five-man scavenging party?”

“Can't today,” I said, trying to sound regretful. “Got some business in town that needs handling.”

“Your loss,” Garrett said with a shrug. “Though I hear you've been doing alright for yourselves lately. Saw the new armor coming out of Steel & Scale. Quite the piece.”

“Just lucky,” I said quickly. Too quickly, judging by his knowing smirk.

“Right. Lucky.” He adjusted his spear. “Well, we should get moving. Shay guarantees one carcass per scavenger if we complete the entire route.”

“Take care out there,” Eryn said. “Watch each other's backs.”

“Always do,” Nina said, shouldering her pack. “Though I wouldn't mind if Alex had to check mine again.”

“Scavenger's spit, woman!” Finn groaned. “Some of us are trying to keep our breakfast down!”

Their bickering continued as they passed beneath the gate, Nina gesturing, going on about something involving Alex's ‘healing hands’. I watched until they disappeared into the processing station's shadows, unable to shake a faint worry.

“They'll be fine,” Eryn said, catching my expression. “Shay isn't Benedict.”

“I know, I just…”

“Oh,” she said, “You miss it?”

“Does that make me an idiot? I've been complaining about how we aren't pushing fast enough, and at the same time, part of me misses simple scavenging. Being out there with friends, making sure they are safe and... you know?”

“When the worst thing we had to worry about was splitting the loot fairly?” she asked.

“And someone else had all the responsibility,” I sighed. “Don't get me wrong. I don't want to go back to being dependent on a party of adventurers deciding to give us their scraps. It's just all moving so fast.”

“I understand.”

I met her gaze and saw she did indeed.

“Hey! I'm walking here!”

We turned to look towards the guild hall and saw Knut hurrying towards us, his expression dark as a storm cloud, a man cursing at his back, shaking his hands in the air.

“Riftrot,” I cursed. That look could only mean bad news.

“It'll be fine,” Eryn said.

Knut's armor rattled, head swiveling to check for observers. His massive brow was set in deep furrows. He reached us and stood silent for a long moment, his thunderous expression unchanged. Then, with exaggerated secrecy, he produced a small leather pouch from beneath his cloak.

I took it with trembling fingers, dreading what I might find inside. Five mind gems gleamed up at me, their swirling patterns catching the morning light.

Relief flooded through me so fast my knees nearly buckled. When I looked up, Knut's serious expression had vanished, replaced by a broad grin that split his beard.

“You should see faces!” he boomed, then caught himself and lowered his voice. “Like watching execution! So serious!”

“You!” Words failed me.

“That wasn't funny!” Eryn punched his armored shoulder, then shook her hand with a wince.

“Was little funny,” Knut said, unrepentant. “You two have no sense of humor. Brighten up.”

“Quick,” Eryn hissed, glancing around. “Get those in your spatial before someone sees them. We don't want Knut getting in trouble.”

I didn't need to be told twice. The gems vanished into my storage with a thought, though their phantom weight seemed to linger. He’d be in hot water if the guild found out he was buying on behalf of scavengers. 

“Thank you,” I said, extending my hand to Knut. He grabbed it in a grip that made my knuckles crack, but I squeezed back just as hard. “We won't forget this.”

“Then tell more about planned adventure! And please,” his grin turned sly, “Speak slowly. Small words. Poor northern brain struggle with complicated plans.”

Riftside - Chapter 32

“By all the Kingdom's forges,” Pa said, his voice dangerously soft as he ran his fingers along the workbench's scarred surface. “What did you do to my smithy, son? Have you been wrestling monsters in here?”

My mouth went dry. We'd spent three hours cleaning, organizing, putting everything back exactly where it belonged. Or so we thought. But Pa had taken one look at the forge and knew something had happened.

“I...umm,” I started to say, but the words stuck in my throat as his eyes landed on the ruined knife.

“You explicitly disobeyed me.” Each word felt like a hammer strike. “Not only did you forge while we were away, you damaged the smithy, did a sub-par job cleaning that carcass—It'll reduce its value, you know—and my knife—” His fingers ghosted over the warped blade. “My best dissecting knife. What am I supposed to do now?”

The disappointment in his voice was worse than any shouting, and I could swear a tear formed in the corner of his eye. I knew how much the smithy and all his tools meant to Pa, which only made it sting even more.

“You think you're the master of this forge now?” He turned to face me fully. “Got lucky with a soul weapon and suddenly you know better than forty years of experience?”

“Of course not!” The words burst from me. “I'm sorry, Pa. I have no excuse. This was your kingdom, and I messed up. There's nothing I can say that will make things right.”

“No?” His eyes narrowed. “Not going to blame that hammer of yours?”

I shook my head, stomach burning with shame.

“No. This was my decision. A bad decision.” I swallowed hard. “One I won't make again. I understand how angry you are, and how I betrayed your trust.” I forced myself to meet his gaze. “I understand if you want to sell the cloak to make the money back for the knife. And we also spent a mind gem on making it.”

Pa's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes as he ran the numbers.

“A mind gem for a cloak,” he muttered, shaking his head. He tried to hide his interest, but I noticed his fingers twitching. The craftsman in him couldn't help but be intrigued at what it was that we'd done while they were away.

“I really am sorry.” The words felt inadequate even as they left my mouth. “I know this could have gone really bad. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. The way it moved and fought?” My voice cracked. “If something had happened to Eryn—”

Pa sighed heavily.

“We knew you were trouble when we chose you as our son,” he muttered, his voice growing softer. “Most parents don't get to do that, you know.”

Before I could respond, he pulled me into a rough hug.

“This doesn't mean you're out of the woods,” he growled into my hair. “You'll be sweeping and cleaning goo from the forge's backside for weeks.”

I nodded against his shoulder.

“That's fine,” I said. “We can attach some straw to Roq's head and use him as a brush.”

Pa's laugh rumbled through his chest.

“I object!” Roq called from the table. “I am a weapon of mass destruction, not a cleaning implement! You take that back or I will sweep you!”

The door to the forge burst open with enough force to rattle the tools on the walls. Ma appeared in the doorway, glaring and baring her teeth. She looked almost as dangerous as the cape we'd fought earlier. 

“Thomas Tharen, you better be giving that boy a proper scolding and not letting him sweet talk his way out of this just because he's a scavenger who made his rare magical item!”

“Epic, actually,” I muttered, too low for anyone to hear. “Not that anyone's keeping track or something.”

Pa threw up his hands and shook his head, seemingly at a loss for a moment.

“Portal piss, boy. Stop muttering and tell me what in the hammered steel you made?” Curiosity had finally gotten the better of him. He glanced at Ma. “I'm getting too old for my smithy to keep burning down.”

Guilt twisted in my gut at his words. The first time hadn't been any of my fault, but this time? Well, things could have gone sideways very quickly.

Eryn poked her head in behind Ma, offering a thin smile. The bruises around her neck had mostly faded thanks to some of her herbs, but I could still see them if I looked close enough. And what the sight of her did to me was far worse than anything Pa or Ma could have ever done. My heart constricted, and I felt as if I was about to choke. My hunger for power needed to have limits...but how? When would it be enough? I was so far behind on where I needed to be that nothing short of a miracle would let me even start catching up.

I took a deep breath, retrieved the cloak from my storage, and swung it around my shoulders with shaky hands.

Grabbing Roq, I struck what I hoped was a half-assed heroic pose.

“Well,” Ma said after a long moment. “There's certainly a... uniqueness to it. But please, by the forges, tell me there's more to it than just the look.”

“Uniquely ugly,” Pa muttered. “Look at that cut! It's uneven on the left and right side. A blind blacksmith could have done better work! Is that how I taught you? You anvil’s worth of trouble?”

“How dare you!” Roq's indignation filled my head. “This is a masterpiece of magical engineering!”

“Oh yeah?” I raised an eyebrow at Pa. “Could a blind blacksmith make an epic cloak with three abilities?”

Ma and Pa's heads snapped up in perfect unison and both just stared at me for a long moment.

“Epic?” Pa asked.

“Three abilities?” Ma asked. “Which ones?”

I shifted uncomfortably and checked my soul chart once more, in case the description had changed.

Name: Woodwoven Mantle

Type: Cloak

Rarity: Epic

+1 to all stats

Abilities:

1. UNKNOWN

2. UNKNOWN

3. UNKNOWN

“I... don't actually know. The soul chart shows 'unknown' for all three slots.”

“We'll find out in combat,” Roq said. “The connection needs to be tested and solidified. Then we'll know.” His mental voice grew eager. “So stop moping around and let's go kill stuff! No more wasting time! I demand it!”

“We'll have to find out in combat,” I relayed. 

“You made an epic item?” Pa asked.

“Kind of, yeah,” I said, and Pa’s eye started twitching. I decided it would be in my best interest to change the subject. “Speaking of items, how did the auction go?”

Pa took a deep breath and turned to look at Ma.

“Does he even deserve to know?” he asked.

Ma met my eyes, her expression grave.

“You'd never have forgiven yourself if Eryn had died.” Her voice was soft, but there was steel within. “It would have killed you, you know. And I'll never forgive you if you die. Or if you let her die in chase of grandeur.”

My shoulders slumped.

“I know. I think there's already enough bitterness and anger in here,” I said, gesturing to my chest, “That I don't really need anyone to berate me further.”

She sighed, then reached out and pulled Eryn into a hug. She waved for Pa and me to join, and soon we were all wrapped in a family embrace.

“Promise me,” Pa said gruffly. “No more soul forging without me. Not ever. It's too dangerous, son.”

“I promise.”

“You better, or I'll whoop your backside from here to Kingsworth.”

“As if you could,” I muttered under my breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing, Pa,” I said, squeezing tighter. “I'm just glad we're all safe and that you two are back. It was getting quiet without you two around.”

We moved to the kitchen after the group hug, and Ma insisted on tea before any discussion. 

“So, tell us everything,” I said, leaning forward on my elbows. The tea’s strong scent was combating that of steel, oil, and coal. “How did it really go?”

Ma and Pa exchanged one of those looks that made me want to scream.

“Well,” Pa said, drawing the word out, clearly enjoying my impatience. “Let's just say your mother's quite the saleswoman. And not just that, we've had over twenty adventurers sign with us just to get the privilege of becoming part of…” he waved, “well, this here.”

“Thomas Tharen, stop teasing the boy.” Ma swatted his arm with a dish towel. “Though I must say, once word got around about what we had, oh boy.” She smiled. “The bidding got quite heated and more than a few threats went around. It was hectic, but we loved every second of it!” she said, and the corners of her lips rose into a smile.

“As it should!” Roq declared from his spot on the table. “Our work deserves nothing less than rabid appreciation!”

I relayed his words for everyone, making Pa snort.

“The hammer's not wrong,” he admitted. “When we unveiled the rare scuttler plate,” he said and whistled low. “Three different parties got into it. The look on Gerard's face when he realized what he was seeing was priceless.”

“Gerard?” Eryn asked. “The tank who fights with a glaive?”

Ma nodded, a satisfied smile playing across her lips.

“He kept trying to figure out who our 'suppliers' were. Wouldn't believe Thomas when he said it was just talented adventurers who preferred to remain anonymous.”

“What did you tell him?” I couldn't help asking. “That the two most handsome scavengers have been beating dozens of adventurers to the best materials?”

Eryn punched my shoulder playfully.

“Just one of the two is handsome, mind you. And it is definitely not the one in the ugly cape,” she said.

I shot her a wink and touched her forehead with mine. We didn't need to exchange any more words as she knew how I felt about her more than ever.

“Oh, just that we had an arrangement,” Ma said, answering my question. “Strict confidentiality, you understand. The more mysterious we stayed, the more they wanted our goods.”

“The platemaw sets caused quite a stir, too,” Pa added. “Had a trader from the capital examine them. Said he'd never seen such precise work with monster materials. Wanted to know our 'technique.'“

“Did you tell him our technique involves hitting things very hard until they submit to our will?” Roq asked.

I repeated his words, making everyone laugh.

“Actually,” Pa's grin widened as he spoke. “I may have mentioned something about proprietary methods passed down through generations of master smiths.”

“Pa!” I groaned. “We literally just figured this out!”

“And now everyone thinks we've been doing it for years.” He winked. “Sometimes reputation is worth more than the truth, especially when you're trying to establish yourself. And besides, it's not like I lied. Roq is... special.”

“The blightpede knives were my masterstroke, though,” Ma said proudly. “I may have... emphasized their historical significance. First monsters ever harvested from the Twisted Titan.” She took on a dramatic voice. “'A piece of frontier history, ladies and gentlemen! Who knows when such an opportunity will arise again?'“

“You didn't!” Eryn gasped, but she was grinning. “And what happened? Did they bite on those stinkers?” She’d never forgiven the monsters for how horrendous they’d smelled.

“Oh, she did,” Pa confirmed. “Had them eating out of her hand. Should have seen her work the crowd.”

“That's all wonderful,” I said, trying not to sound too impatient. “But how much did we actually make?”

Ma and Pa shared another look, this one definitely teasing.

“Well,” Ma said, drawing it out. “After expenses—”

“Ma!”

She laughed.

“Ninety gold,” she said. “And fifty-eight silver.”

The words didn't register at first. Then my jaw dropped.

“What?” I leapt to my feet, nearly knocking over my tea. “Ninety? How?”

Eryn's face had gone pale.

“Is that... is that normal?” she asked Ma weakly.

“Good heavens, no!” Ma laughed. “The rare scuttler plate alone went for thirty-five gold. Unheard of! And both platemaw sets sold for twenty-five each. Add in the other pieces...” She spread her hands. “Well, let's just say Steel & Scale's reputation is quite secure now. If we can get our hands on more carcasses, and if Roq is... willing to help out every now and then.”

I whooped, spinning in place.

“Of course they paid well!” Roq declared. “Anything touched by my magnificence becomes priceless! Though I still say we should have added more spikes... and yes, I will help. For your mother's sake. Not yours. She is sweet and made me that pillow, though I insist on getting an upgrade.”

“There's more,” Pa said, a familiar twinkle in his eye.

I stopped mid-spin.

“More?” My eyes narrowed at their matching grins. “What aren't you telling me?”

“Oh, nothing really.” Ma studied her teacup. “Just that some buyers preferred to pay in... alternative currencies.”

My heart skipped.

“Ma,” I said slowly. “What exactly does that mean?”

She kept examining her tea.

“Ma!”

“Oh, very well.” She finally looked up, eyes dancing. “Four mind gems. Quite a good exchange rate, actually.”

The room spun and I grabbed the table to steady myself. Sure, we'd gotten quite the mind gem hauls ourselves over the last days, but this was another level.

“Four plus the nine to buy with the gold?” The number just didn't make sense in my head. “Thirteen total?”

Eryn gasped.

“That would get you to…” Her voice trailed off as she did the math.

“To level seven,” I whispered. “If the theory about Roq's influence holds true, oh man.”

“We would be unstoppable!” Roq's voice held savage glee. “Though of course, we're already unstoppable. This would just make us more unstoppabler. Wait, is that even a word? Did I just make up a new word? See how awesome I am? Hmm, does it even work like—no, who cares! Let's find out just how awesome we are now by going monster hunting!”

“Ash?” Ma's voice held concern. “Are you alright? You've gone quite pale.”

I couldn't form words. Thirteen mind gems. That was nearly the same amount I'd taken to reach level five. We'd spent years earning those, buying materials from scavengers or adventurers, with the profit coming from Pa's skill as a smith and my support. But no matter how good he was, it was still slow going, with all craftsmen out to buy materials, and having to compete with the guild and the royal bank. But now? This wealth was just mindblowing.

“I think you broke him,” Eryn said, laughing. She squeezed my hand. “Though I can't blame him. This is incredible.”

“We thought so too,” Pa said softly. “Though please try not to die of shock before you can use them. Would hate to waste all that gold we made.”

That snapped me out of it and I took a deep breath, let it out, and steadied myself.

“Very funny, Pa.” I managed to find my chair again. “I just... I never imagined that things could be so simple. Well, not simple, but you know what I mean.”

“Neither did we,” Ma admitted. “But sometimes the gods smile on us.” Her expression grew serious. “Just remember, the more powerful you get, the more dangerous your foes will be, too. And not just them, son. The world is a dangerous place, and there are many people like Benedict out there. You two need to be careful with what you do and who you trust with Roq, or anything else really. You have us, and you have each other.”

“Yes, Ma, we know,” I said and squeezed Eryn's hand, still trying to wrap my head around it all.

“Thirteen mind gems closer to true power. To become a classed adventurer.”

“To crush our enemies! Total annihilation!” Roq added helpfully.

“And that.”

“So,” Pa said, breaking into my thoughts. “Tell me you have a plan for your next hunt, because we now have a long list of buyers eager to see what Steel and Scale comes up with next.”

“Oh yes. We've got a plan. And this time we're bringing reinforcements.”

Riftside - Chapter 31

“And this one?” Ma asked, turning over one of the platemaw pieces in her hands, the armor gleaming in the shop's morning light. None of us could still believe how it all turned out, and even Pa was visibly impressed, constantly mumbling something to himself and nodding.

“Adventuring party supplied us with rare materials,” Pa said, repeating the story we'd practiced for the twentieth time. “We forged it, now we sell it and split the profits. Simple arrangement that benefits everyone. They prefer mind gems straight out, but we can accept gold too, at a higher rate.”

“And totally not suspicious at all for a frontier smithy to suddenly have this much monster gear to sell,” I muttered, earning a sharp look from Ma.

“People won't question good fortune too closely,” she said, carefully arranging the display pieces. “Not when they're eager to buy, and let me tell you something, Ash,” she continued, “You have no idea how many adventurers have asked if we could provide them with some better gear over the last two weeks. I've written it all down, just in case, and now? Now we have all that and even more. If only we had one or two more smiths to work for us, but that’s a project for another day.”

“They should be grateful to even look upon our creations!” Roq declared in my mind. “Though I still say we should have added more spikes. And flames. Definitely could use some extra flames.”

“We've been over this. We're trying to sell these, not scare people away.”

“Fifty gold,” Pa said, rubbing his chin. “Should be easily doable with this haul. The enchanted scuttler plate alone should fetch twenty if not thirty. It all depends on how eager they are to get their hands on this kind of adventuring gear.”

My hand drifted to the rare breastplate. Part of me still wanted to keep it, but we needed the money way more. Getting to level ten had to come first. The warrior's class gem felt like it was burning a hole in our hidden floor compartment, waiting to be used and abused to finally gain my class.

“Hand me those,” Ma said, pulling me from my thoughts.

I handed her the armor reinforcement panels I'd made. Ten identical pieces, perfectly sized to strap onto existing gear. They stacked neatly in her spatial storage, followed by the sets of Blightpede tooth knives.

I ran my fingers across the beetle scale mail one last time, too, before Ma added it to her inventory. The ring beetle claws had worked perfectly with the thick leather backing, creating flexible armor that wouldn't slow the wearer down but would provide more than decent protection. The only downside to wearing monster gear was that not everyone knew how to repair or, and some couldn’t even be fixed.

Pa lifted the two sets of magical platemaw armor and I couldn't help but admire them. We'd managed to use its natural curves, which should let blows slide off to the sides more easily, while reinforcing weak points around the shoulders, hip, and neck, creating armor that could probably stop a charging bull's horn. Everything about them screamed “tank”. It was exactly the kind of protection I'd grown up dreaming of having. Or something adjacent as I didn’t plan to stand in front of a charging bull.

But something held me back from arguing to keep one. Maybe it was knowing we needed the money. Maybe it was remembering how the platemaw had nearly crushed me despite my shield. Or maybe it was just that I'd learned to value mobility over pure defense. More and more I envisioned myself as a mobile melee damage dealer and not a damage sponge.

“Now remember,” Pa said for the tenth time, “No testing new recipes while we're gone. No experimental forging. And absolutely no—”

“Setting the house on fire,” Eryn and I finished in unison, sharing a grin.

Ma pulled Eryn into a tight hug.

“Keep him out of trouble, alright? He's a good kid, but a bit too eager in more ways than one.”

“Ma!” I protested. “You're supposed to be on my side.”

“I'll do my best,” Eryn promised, squeezing Ma back and shooting me a grin.

“Don't break my anvil,” Pa said gruffly, but his eyes twinkled.

I rolled my eyes.

“That was one time! And it was Roq's fault as much as mine.”

“Which is why we'll be reminding you still in twenty years,” Ma shot back with a wink.

“Just go,” I groaned, shooing them toward the door. “Go make us rich or something. Use that charm of yours to sell all the gear.”

“We'll be back tomorrow morning,” Pa said as they stepped outside.

“Unless your Pa gets so drunk at the post-auction party he needs to sleep it off in the common room,” Ma said, laughing.

I closed the door behind them, then turned to find Eryn smiling at me in a way that made my heart skip.

“Oh no,” Roq's voice held mock horror. “I know that look! Quick, put me in storage! I refuse to be present for your disgusting displays of affection!”

I laughed and swiped him away, cutting off his theatrical gagging sounds. Then I stepped toward Eryn, and the rest of the world fell away as we shared a sweet kiss, finally home alone.

  *

The smell of grilled pork made my mouth water. Ma had prepared us a feast in the storage. It was probably to give us an excuse to spend more time together while they were away.

Not that we needed much encouragement.

“Pass the bread?” Eryn said, already reaching for it with a smile that lit up her whole face. She was so damn beautiful, and doubly so when she smiled.

We'd made out for a while, and it was just what the doctor had prescribed. I was careful not to push too far. We'd agreed to take it slow, and I enjoyed spending time with her way too much to risk screwing it all up.

I slid the bread basket closer, our fingers brushing. We'd claimed Ma's favorite table by the shop window, staring out at the people walking by. Something about seeing Eryn here, in my home, sharing a meal...it just felt right. Like a glimpse of what could be, if we were smart and patient.

“What?” she asked, catching me staring.

“Nothing.” I tried to hide my grin behind my mug. “Just thinking.”

“About?” She raised an eyebrow, tearing off a piece of bread.

“How natural you look here, with me. Like you belong.”

A blush crept across her cheeks, but her smile widened.

“You've all made it nice in such a short time. Cozy.” She glanced around the shop. “I can see why you love it here.”

“Ma and Pa's been my home for a long time now,” I said without thinking. “Well, second home anyway.”

“Second home?” Her head tilted. “Oh! That's right. I noticed on your soul chart. Your surname is Aldrich, but your parents are the Tharens...” She trailed off, suddenly uncertain. “I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry.”

“No, it's fine.” I set down my mug. “They're as much my parents as my birth parents were. Are? More in some ways, since I've lived with them longer now.” I smiled, remembering. “Pa - Thomas - and my birth father were best friends and neighbors when the rifts first opened.”

“Really?” Eryn leaned forward.

“Yeah. I practically lived in Pa's old smithy. Samuel - their son - was my best friend.” An old ache squeezed my chest, but time had dulled its edges. “When the first monster surge hit... Samuel didn't make it. Pa got hurt trying to save him. That's why his leg's bad. He hasn't been his cheerful self ever since, but it seems like he's opening back up nowadays and getting more excited about every new thing we make together.”

Eryn's hand found mine across the table.

“I'm so sorry. I never knew, and you never said anything, so—”

“It was a long time ago. But after... well, my birth parents were struggling. Four kids, not enough work in town and the farm yield was poor. I was practically apprenticing in the smithy already, and Ma and Pa had room...” I shrugged. “It just made sense. They needed a son. I needed a trade. My parents needed one less mouth to feed.”

“Do you still see them? Your birth family?” she asked weakly and looked away. It was a hard topic for her, too, having lost her family to monsters.

“Sometimes. Though it's been a few years now. They moved further inland where the farming's better and it's easier to feed my three siblings.” I smiled. “We used to visit more, but with the old smithy burning down... Anyway, I would love for you to meet them someday. Ma says family's too precious to lose touch with.”

“She's right.” Eryn's voice went soft, her eyes distant. “After my parents... well, you know. Healer Dorn took me in. He wasn't a bad man. Just broken. Blamed himself for surviving when so many others didn't. And you know what survivor's guilt can do to a man in this world. It's not pretty.”

I waited, letting her find the words.

“He drank. A lot. Never hurt me, never even raised his voice. But some days he'd just... sit there. Staring at nothing. Like he was seeing the caravan burning all over again.” She gave a weak smile. “I learned the art of medicine from him between bottles. How to set bones, stitch wounds, identify herbs. But I also learned how guilt can eat you alive if you let it.”

“Is that why you came here? To get away?”

“Partly.” She picked at her bread. “I want... I need to know I can save people. That I won't freeze up when it matters.” She swallowed hard. “That I won't just hide and watch people die. Again. Not if I can help it, and to do that, I must grow stronger. Alongside you.”

“Eryn...” I started to rise, to go to her, but she shook her head.

“It's okay. Really. I've made my peace with it. Well, mostly. I was little. There was nothing I could have done but die with them.” She sighed and then managed a real smile. “Besides, I found something here I wasn't even looking for.”

“Oh?” I settled back, trying to keep my voice light. “What's that?”

Her eyes sparkled.

“A young, foolish man who makes my heart beat fast, who doesn't shirk from danger, and who's absolutely terrible at being subtle.”

I laughed, the heavy moment broken.

“Do I know him?”

“Maybe.”

I chuckled again and winked at her.

“I never claimed to be subtle,” I said.

“Good thing, too.” She popped a piece of bread in her mouth. “You'd be terrible at it.”

“Fair lady, you wound me!”

“You'll live.” Her foot found mine under the table. “Though I suppose I could kiss it better.”

Heat rushed to my face even as my heart soared. Gods, I loved when she got playful like that. Loved imagining mornings sharing breakfast, evenings curled together by a fire. Loved picturing a future where this was just... normal.

“If you're about to start making googly eyes at each other again,” Roq said from where he sat on the table. He was alright being in the storage when we were making out or doing things he disliked, but other than that, I tried to keep him outside. “I demand to be put in storage! There are limits to what a weapon of mass destruction should have to witness!”

“Roq's complaining again, isn't he?” Eryn asked.

“Always,” I muttered. “He's worse than Pa about public displays of affection. If anything, I think he'd hammer it all away. Destroy all love in this world.”

“Totally! Oh, and I heard that!”

“He says he heard that,” I said.

Eryn laughed, the sound filling the shop like music.

“Poor Roq. Maybe we should spare him.”

“Maybe.” I caught her hand again. “Or maybe not.”

“Definitely not,” she said, her smile turning wicked.

“Wait! Show me the Woodweaver! I just had a brilliant idea! Something I've been thinking about for days now and it's killing me.”

I stopped mid-swipe on the way to store Roq.

“What?” Eryn asked.

“Roq says he's got an idea.”

“He wants to see it?” Eryn's eyebrows shot up after I relayed Roq's request. He'd been adamant about not having the woodweaver in my spatial storage together with him in case I got hurt or needed to use his abilities, forcing him to consume part of the carcass, calling it self-cannibalism.

“Exactly!”

“What kind of idea?” Eryn asked.

I relayed Roq's response.

“We're going to make a cloak. A magical cloak worthy of my wielder!”

“A cloak?” I couldn't keep the skepticism from my voice. “From the woodweaver? How would we even—and more importantly, why? There's a reason people don't use cloaks in battle, Roq. They tend to get in the way.”

“Trust me! I understand its makeup better than anyone possibly could. Think about it. The bark-like skin, the powerful legs, its essence filled with magic? We can make something far better than the pitiful scuttler breastplate! And besides, no one ever had anything like it, so how do you know?”

“It will be better than your masterpiece?” I said.

“That breastplate won't even be fit to use as a hanger for the cloak! That's a promise.”

Eryn and I exchanged glances. A slow smile spread across her face, matching the one I felt tugging at my own lips.

“Pa did specifically say no experimental forging while they're gone,” I said carefully.

“He was very clear about that,” Eryn agreed. “Which means—”

“We absolutely have to do it!” I said.

“That's the spirit!” Roq said cheerfully. “Now, whip that carcass out and let's make something incredible!”

The next few minutes were a flurry of activity as we locked down the smithy. I checked every window, every door, making sure no one could peek in and see what we were about to do. Eryn made her way to the back of the smithy, entered the cold storage, retrieved the weaver carcass into her storage, walked back out, and then dropped it back out on a workbench while I stoked the forge back to life.

“We'll need to carve the skin off its back,” Roq said as we laid out the carcass on the workbench. “And five of the legs.”

I retrieved Pa's dissecting knife from its designated drawer. It was the tool he used for the most delicate work. The blade was impossibly sharp, able to part monster hide like butter. I placed Roq on a stool next to the table so he had a good view of what we were doing, and then carefully cut away the bark-like skin from the woodweaver's back, following Roq's mental directions. I could even see what he was telling me to do, as if thin red lines had appeared out of nowhere to guide me.

“Hold that part up, please,” I said to Eryn, who did so and pressed down on the carcass to keep it from shifting.

“Careful now,” Roq cautioned as I separated the last bit of skin. “Perfect! Or, well, good enough for a beginner. Now for the legs.”

“I’ve been crafting since before you were forged,” I muttered as we moved the selected limbs to the anvil one at a time. The sound of Roq smashing through them echoed through the workshop, making me wince and glance nervously at the windows.

“You know,” Roq mused as we worked, “While I find the thought of devouring a part of this carcass repulsive, there is a certain satisfaction in beating your own meat.”

“Please don't say that,” I said.

“Why?”

“Just... don't. It's wrong on so many levels that I can't even start to explain.”

“Fine.”

Eryn eyed me curiously, but fortunately she didn't ask me to explain.

Next, Roq had us treat the piece of hide with alcohol, and to my amazement, the bark-like covering softened, turning leather-like beneath my fingers.

“Now what?” I asked, laying out the treated skin.

“Place the legs on top, one by one. Then hammer them flat.”

“Hammer them flat?”

“No questions!”

I exchanged dubious looks with Eryn, but did as instructed. Hit by hit, the legs melted into the skin as I hammered, like two pieces of clay melding together. It was one of the most absurd things I'd ever seen in smithing, well, all my life.

“Now!” Roq's voice held urgent excitement. “Quick, before it dries - we need the mind gem!”

“What?” I nearly dropped him. “No one said anything about using a mind gem!”

“What's he on about?” Eryn asked.

“There's no time to argue! The skin will dry too much. We need the gem’s power now! Just do it!”

I told Eryn about his demand and eyed her for a moment. It was either do or die, as the old people liked to say.

We could always get more mind gems, but we wouldn't get a second chance at crafting with these materials. I pulled out my last mind gem, its blue-white patterns swirling.

“What do I do?” I asked.

“Place it on the center of the cloak. HURRY!”

Roq guided my hand in a gentle rhythm, tapping the hammer on the cloak in a circle around the gem. As I did, the crystal melted and spread across the cloak's surface, making it seem to come alive.

“It's beautiful,” Eryn said, right before everything went dead wrong.

The cloak surged upward like a living thing, wrapping around Eryn's face before either of us could react. With a muffled scream she stumbled backward, hands clawing at the material.

“Eryn!” I lunged, grabbing a handful of the cloak and tried to pull it away, but it fought back, writhing around my arms and went straight for my throat.

“Beat it into SUBMISSION!” Roq roared in my mind. “Show it who’s in charge! Abuse my POWER!”

I heaved backward, muscles straining against the writhing cloak and Eryn both. The material felt wrong under my fingers. It was not quite like leather, but also not like wood. It simply felt... evil, constricting around Eryn's face and my neck. Her muffled screams tore at me, but I couldn't get enough leverage to pry it loose.

“Hold on!” The words burst from me as I planted my feet. One good yank might get enough slack to—

The cloak twisted, and yanking me forward instead. My hip slammed into the workbench, sending tools clattering across the floor. Eryn stumbled backward, nails clawing at the cloak. Her boot caught the edge of a fallen hammer and she pitched sideways, dragging me with her.

“THE ANVIL!” Roq thundered in my mind. “Get it to THE ANVIL!”

That was easy for him to say when he didn't have to fight a damn sentient monster cloak!

The cloak moved like a snake-birthed octopus, and Eryn's desperate thrashing only made it worse. Every time I managed to gain a few inches toward the anvil, she'd jerk in another direction, the cloak stretching between us like some nightmarish tug of war rope.

“Eryn!” I shouted. “Try to move toward the—”

The rest vanished in a grunt as she stumbled forwards, crashing into me. We went down, hard, my elbow cracking against the floor. The cloak seized the opportunity, constricting tighter. Eryn's struggles grew weaker as she was almost left without air.

Fear shot through me. How long had it been since she'd breathed?

“Stop being USELESS and CLOBBER IT!” Roq's voice filled my head.

“Working on it, shithead! You and your damned ideas!” I snarled, dragging Eryn toward the anvil. The cloak fought us for every inch, and we knocked over a barrel of tools in a deafening crash.

Eryn's movements grew even more sluggish.

The sight sent ice through my veins, and I threw everything I had into one massive heave, dragging both Eryn and the cloak toward the anvil. My boots slipped on scattered tools, but I kept pulling, kept fighting. Her body slid across the floor, now mostly limp.

“Come on, come on, come on!” 

The words turned into a roar as I finally reached the anvil. Bracing one knee against the base, I managed to slam a portion of the writhing cloak onto the metal surface.

“Strike!” Roq said. “Before I lose myself!”

I brought him down with everything I had. The impact rang through the workshop like a thunderclap. The cloak went rigid, its material hardening beneath my fingers.

“AGAIN!”

Another strike. The cloth shuddered under the blow.

“HARDER! Make it SUBMIT!”

My arms burned as I raised Roq high, but Eryn's still body drove me on. The hammer fell like judgment. Again. And again. Each impact was accompanied by Roq's battle cry echoing in my skull, and it lessened the hold the cape had on us.

“You dare challenge me? You dare think you best me? I am ROQ! I am POWER INCARNATE!”

Air exploded from the cloak, launching me back, sliding across the floor. I blinked my eyes clear and immediately got to my feet, staring as the cloak straightened, releasing Eryn who heaved for a breath, and then it spun in the air like a disc. Purple light pulsed from within as it slowly rolled itself together, before dropping to the floor with a thud.

I ignored it, rushing to Eryn and pulled her into my arms. She gasped and cried as I held her tight. Two wet streaks ran down the sides of her eyes as I brushed the hair from her face.

“Portal piss, that was close,” I whispered as she whimpered into my chest. “Too close.”

“I may have underestimated the residual consciousness,” Roq admitted quietly. “The voice was back, Ash... and I nearly lost myself to it. We should be more careful with soul weapon crafting until we better understand what, or who it is.”

“Pa's knife!”

The words burst from me as I spotted the blade lying among the forge's coals, knocked there during our struggle. I gently lowered Eryn before grabbing a set of tongs and snatching it out, but the damage was already done. The perfectly tempered steel had warped in the heat.

“He's going to kill me,” I groaned.

“We'll figure something out,” Eryn said, her voice rough.

“At least it was worth it!” Roq said.

“Worth it?” I snapped. “How the hell can you say that, Roq? We nearly got Eryn killed, destroyed Pa's best knife, and—monster balls. Ma's going to kill me 'cause I hurt Eryn, and Pa's going to kill me over his knife. Then they'll pry you from my cold fingers and sell you or something. Damn you, Roq. I'm too young to die.”

“Drama queen. Shut up and check the cloak,” Roq said smugly. “Look at the wonder we have brought into this world.”

Riftside - Chapter 30

“Come on,” Eryn said, tugging at my arm and pulling me away from the street where I'd been pacing back and forth for the last hour or so. “Wearing a path in the dust won't make time pass any faster.”

She was right, but the waiting gnawed at me to the point I even started biting my own nails. I followed her to the wooden bench outside the guild hall where Johan sat, nursing a mug of something that smelled like a blend of coffee and cinnamon. The innkeeper's usual energy had dimmed to nervous fidgeting, and he slicked back his hair for the fifth time in as many minutes.

At least I wasn't the only one having a hard time trusting in the guilds. Whenever money and power was involved, things tended to have weird outcomes.

“What in the rift is going on in there?” I said. We'd all arrived early, not wanting to risk being late. Now we had nothing to do but wait.

Johan shook his head.

“Not a clue. Though there's been plenty of talk at the Timberline about what they might do to him, but…yeah, that’s all it is.”

“And?” Eryn prompted.

“Word is they're looking at a decade-long ban from going Riftside,” Johan took a long pull from his mug. “Plus fifty gold to Marcus' family. It's a slap on the wrist if you ask me.”

I nodded softly to myself. While it was a fortune to a lot of people, Marcus' life had been worth far more than gold. Besides, if he got lucky with his runs Riftside, he could have made that in a months or a year, but now? His family would have to make do with that for a lifetime.

“Sounds harsh,” Eryn said, “But fair in a way. Ten years is a long time to think about his mistakes. Maybe he'll learn something.”

“If he doesn't get worse,” I muttered. The memory of Benedict's face when he'd abandoned us still burned freshly in my mind. “He’d be getting off easy if you ask me. Any idea what's the worst they could do? Cut off his tattoo?”

Johan's laugh held no humor.

“Worse, actually. Heard some old-timers talking last night. Worst punishment the adventuring guild’s got is stripping someone naked, throwing them Riftside, and banning them from returning via the same rift.”

“That's—” Eryn's face went pale. “Wait, that’s a death sentence.”

I nodded grimly.

“Benedict would have to find another portal. And with no gear, no supplies.” I shook my head. “I don't know, not at his level, not alone. Sure, he's strong, but stumbling around randomly? With how new the Branchway is, who’d even know the direction he’d have to walk in to find one of the other rifts.”

“They wouldn't actually do that though, would they?” Eryn asked as she wrapped her hand around mine and squeezed. “I mean, he was negligent and a coward, got someone killed, but murder for murder?”

“He didn't techincally kill anyone himself,” I finished. “No, they probably won't go that far. But whatever they decide,” I said, squeezing her hand gently, “He earned this. And even more if you ask me.”

The guild hall's heavy door creaked open and Isaac, Edwin’s archer, stepped out. The archer's weathered face was grim as he approached us.

“They're ready for you,” he said. Then his expression softened slightly. “Don't worry too much. Just tell the truth, exactly what happened, nothing more or less. Edwin's already laid out the facts. You're just here to confirm them.”

“Thanks,” I said, standing to my feet and helping Eryn up, too. “How's he seem? Benedict, I mean.”

Isaac's lips tightened.

“Calm. Too calm if you ask me. Like he still doesn't understand what he did wrong.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “Go on now. Don't keep them waiting.”

“Or too calm because he knows he's getting off,” I muttered as we made our way inside.

I'd only been in the guild hall's main room once before, when getting my scavenger license. Then it had been a chaos of adventurers haggling over bounties and comparing trophies. Now there was a solemn quiet. Ten senior adventurers sat around a massive table, including Knut. I knew Alex and Rowan from Edwin's party, and Shay, who had led one of the other adventuring parties during the Twisted Titan dungeon run, and Dr. Ridley. The combined levels of the people at this table were probably higher than everyone else in Dawnwatch put together, which made it quite an impressive sight. Even more so because I considered a few of those people friends.

Harold sat at the head of the table, his arm resting on the polished wood. To his right sat Edwin, straight-backed and stern in his commander's cape. Benedict occupied the opposite side, and Isaac had been right. His face was a mask of composure, though his fingers drummed restlessly against his leg.

Three empty chairs waited along one side of the table, next to Knut. Harold gestured to them with his good arm and Knut pulled out a chair and waved me over.

“Please, sit,” Harold said, his voice carrying easily in the hushed room. “We would like to ask a few questions regarding the... incident.”

Harold's piercing gaze swept over us as we settled into our chairs. His missing arm somehow made him even more imposing, not less.

“Let's begin with Johan. Please tell us what happened, in your own words.”

Johan cleared his throat, his voice now subdued. 

“Well, sir, it started when Benedict approached me about joining a hunt.”

Benedict's sudden laugh cut through the room. 

“Oh, this should be good. The unclassed innkeeper who couldn't even—”

“You will remain silent,” Harold's voice cracked like a whip, “Until asked to speak.”

Benedict's mouth snapped shut, but he smiled at the innkeeper.

Johan continued, describing how Benedict had recruited him with promises of easy coin and guaranteed safety. How the frost mage had assured him that Scuttlers were simple prey, perfect for beginners.

“And then when the swarm came—” Johan's hands trembled slightly on the table. “He just left us. Didn't even try to help. If it weren't for Ash, Eryn, and Knut staying behind and covering our retreat...”

“An unfortunate situation,” Benedict interrupted again, “But hardly my—”

“One more word out of turn,” Harold said quietly, “And you'll be removed. We will continue without you just fine, Benedict.”

Benedict's jaw worked silently, but he slumped back into his chair as if all of this was just a comedy to him.

Harold turned to Eryn next.

“Your account, please.”

She sat straight-backed, her voice clear and steady as she described the hunt. How Benedict had ignored standard safety protocols around party makeup, not even bringing a full set of scavengers, and how he'd shown no sign of recognizing the mounting danger before the Scuttlers swarmed.

“You're quite knowledgeable about protocols for a mere scavenger,” Benedict sneered.

“I said. Be. Quiet.” Harold's good hand clenched into a fist.

My blood began to simmer as Benedict's smirk grew. He thought this was funny. A man was dead, and three more could have died, too, and he thought it was funny.

When my turn came, I kept my voice level, though it took effort. I explained how the situation had deteriorated, how Benedict had refused to listen to warnings about the increasing Scuttler activity.

“Of course,” Benedict drawled, apparently unable to help himself, “This would be the same Ash Aldrich who caused the swarm in the first place by refusing to follow orders?”

“That's a lie!” The words burst from me before I could stop them, and I hammered my fist on the table. “And you know it very well. Pushing the blame onto someone else because of your own incompetence doesn't suit a man of your stature.”

“Is it?” Benedict hissed, leaning forward. His eyes were alight with malicious glee. “Who was it that bribed Knut to abandon the party? Who led half of the party away and into the forest? And wasn't it right after you fled that poor Marcus met his end?”

“Quiet,” Harold said, but it had less heat behind it this time, and couldn’t help but notice he didn’t make good on his threat to remove the ice mage.

“You piece of—” I started to rise, but Eryn's hand on my arm kept me in my seat. She was right, I needed to stay calm or this could backfire in ways I couldn't imagine.

But then, to my surprise, she snapped at him. “Marcus died because you left him, Benedict! You ran, easily outpacing him. You left a scavenger to be devoured by the scuttlers, alone. You, who was supposed to protect the party as its leader, ran the fastest of all! What should a group of scavengers have done? Fought them off alone so you could escape? Well, we did that just fine!”

“Such passionate defense,” Benedict said, his voice dripping with false sympathy. “But then, you would support your... friend's... version of events, wouldn't you?”

“Liar,” Knut growled. “Heartless mage spewing horsecrap. I was there. I saw events. You cannot twist words on me.”

“Yes,” Benedict's smile widened. “After being paid to protect them instead of the group. How much did he give you, Knut? Was it worth Marcus' life?”

The heat in my blood was reaching boiling point.

“You're going to sit there and lie about a dead man?” I said. “After you abandoned him? After you ran away and left him to die while you saved your own worthless—”

“Ash.” Edwin's quiet voice cut through my rising anger. “We know the truth of what happened. That's why he's here.”

“Though unfortunately,” Harold sighed, “Raven, Wade, and Tormund seem to have left Dawnwatch immediately upon returning. We've been unable to contact them for this tribunal, which is why we had to delay until now.”

“How convenient,” Benedict murmured.

“Convenient indeed,” Harold snapped, his eyes hardening. “That your entire crew disappeared without a trace. Almost as if someone told them to leave for a while.”

Benedict spread his hands.

“I can hardly be held responsible for the comings and goings of independent adventurers.”

“No,” Harold agreed. “But you can be held responsible for your own actions.” He turned back to us. “Thank you for your testimony. You may go.”

“But—” I started to protest. There was so much more to say. So many more of Benedict's lies to refute.

“Thank you,” Harold repeated firmly. “We have what we need.”

Grudgingly, we stood. As we headed for the door, Knut called after us.

“I'll meet you at the Timberline!”

I managed a nod, but the words felt stuck in my throat. The taste of bile filled my mouth as we stepped out into the sunlight. Benedict's smug face was burned into my eyes, and in that moment all I wished to see was his naked back as they pushed him out of Sentinel Station.

  *

The Scuttler mounted above Johan's bar still bore the marks from our desperate fight. Johan had done his best to make it look presentable, but you couldn't pretty up something that was born that ugly. Or meant to kill people.

In a way, it was kind of like Benedict.

“Stop brooding,” Eryn said, throwing a peanut at me across the table. “You're going to wear a hole in that mug if you keep glaring at it.”

I managed a weak smile and sipped my ale. The Timberline bustled around us, though it felt subdued compared to its usual energy. Word of the tribunal had spread quickly, and everyone seemed to be waiting for news. Even the people who didn't know Benedict, but the word of his cowardice had spread quickly. Or rather, not his cowardice, but his cowardly act. He could fight very well when he wanted to.

“I just can't shake the feeling we made it worse somehow,” I admitted. “Like maybe if we'd said something different, or if I hadn't lost my temper.”

“You said exactly what you needed to say.” Eryn's thumb traced circles on my palm. “Benedict did this to himself. Whatever happens now, that's on him.”

Johan darted past, somehow managing to balance six mugs of ale without spilling a drop. He'd come a long way in such a short time from the terrified scavenger we'd saved. The Timberline suited him. It gave him purpose, kept him busy. More than that, it kept him safe.

“Another round?” he called over his shoulder.

I shook my head.

“Best to keep a clear head until we know what—”

The door slammed open hard enough to rattle the mounted scuttler. Knut's massive frame filled the doorway, his face thunderous.

“Beer!” he roared. “All the gemless, class cursed, monster mucking beer!”

“Oh no,” Eryn whispered.

Knut stomped toward the bar, a string of northern curses flowing from his lips. A guard, distracted by something at another table, stepped backward directly into Knut's path.

The mercenary's growl could have curdled milk and the guard jerked aside so quickly he nearly fell over.

Eryn's hand tightened on mine. We exchanged a look that said everything. This definitely wasn't going to be a 'that bastard's going out naked' kind of day. “Doesn't seem like it went well after we left,” I said quietly as Knut's heavy footsteps approached our table.

Johan appeared as if by magic, setting down an abnormally large tankard in front of Knut as the mercenary dropped into a chair. The innkeeper pulled up a seat of his own, another ale already in hand.

“Tell us,” Johan said simply.

Knut took a long pull from his tankard, then slammed it down hard enough to make the table jump.

“Ten days,” he spat. “Ten rift rotted days! That's all bastard get!”

“What?” The word burst from all three of us at once.

“Harold ban him from Riftside for ten blighted days!” Knut's accent thickened with rage. “And not allowed to lead parties. Is a joke. Ten commendations from higher-ranked leaders to lift it.” He gnashed his teeth before spitting out the last part. “Must pay Marcus' family five gold a month for twenty months.”

“That's—” Eryn's voice failed her.

“That's nothing!” I finished. “He'll be back hunting in less than two weeks! All it cost him was some gold?”

“How?” Johan demanded. “How could they do that? After what he did to Marcus? To all of us?”

“Pioneer's plight if I know!” Knut nearly drained the rest of his tankard in one go. “Edwin look ready to throw mage through rift himself. Alex and Rowan too. But Harold—” He shook his head. “Something not right. Benedict too calm. You saw. Too smug, too sure. Kept provoking.”

A chill ran down my spine.

“You think he had something on Harold?”

“Or bought him off,” Eryn suggested. “Though that would take a fortune. Wouldn’t it?”

“Don't matter now,” Knut growled. “It is done. But watch backs. Benedict don’t forget.”

“If he tries anything—” I started.

“Call me,” Knut interrupted. “Day and night, no matter. I stand with you. As friend.”

“Thank you,” Eryn said softly. “That means a lot.”

Johan sighed heavily.

“I thought the frontier would be different, you know? Thought there'd be real justice out here.” He stood, clutching his empty mug. “At least I'm still alive to be disappointed, thanks to you three.” With a weak smile, he headed back to the bar.

“Not only you disappointed,” Knut muttered. “Two parties tell me no after hearing I go with Benedict. Don't care I help save Johan. Bastard’s stench on me now. But him? Frost mage? Always spot for wizard, even if evil.” He turned and spat on the floor. “In ten days, parties fight for him.”

I caught Eryn's eye. A whole conversation passed between us in that look. She gave a tiny nod.

“Say, Knut,” I said, leaning forward conspiratorially. “What would it cost to hire you for a mission or two? And to buy your guaranteed silence about it?”

The mercenary's dejected expression vanished. A grin spread across his face like sunrise breaking through storm clouds.

“Now that,” he said, “Is talk I like! Tell more, friends!”

“Keep your voice down,” Eryn hissed, but there was a glint in her eye. “We're only doing this because we trust you. See, you could have bolted, but no, you stuck to your word, even if it would have killed you. That's why we are willing to trust you on something important.”

Knut's eyes danced between us.

“You got plan? Something interesting?”

“Maybe,” I hedged. “But first, what's your price?”

Riftside - Chapter 29

I rolled the first mind gem between my fingers, watching the patterns swirl deep inside the crystal. An almost hypnotically blue-white light danced within, moving as if caught within a vortex.

“Five whole mind gems,” Eryn said, touching my shoulder. “This is—”

“More than I've seen in any one place before,” I finished and then popped the gem into my mouth. “It's worth a fortune to most, a king's ransom to others.”

“Well, I don't know about you, but I feel it is well deserved,” Eryn added. “You played your cards right, risked it all, and now you reap the benefits.”

Warmth spread through me as the gem dissolved into my tongue, sending tingles up into my brain and then down my spine. My skin prickled with goosebumps and energy flowed through me. I felt like waking from the perfect nap, refreshed, renewed, and ready to take on the world. 

I popped in the second gem. 

The sooner I closed the gap with Roq, the better, but it was common knowledge that consuming too many mind gems at once could cause significant internal damage. I just hoped that five wasn't too much with Roq's powers mingling with me. The warmth doubled as I consumed it, then tripled with the third. By the fourth, my entire body hummed with power and I was starting to feel some of the overload effects. Instead of being filled with energy, I felt it slowly starting to seep away from me.

I held the final gem up to the light coming in through the smithy's roof window. So much power in something so tiny. Just a few weeks ago, finding even one caused massive celebration. Now I was consuming my fifth in a single sitting.

I popped the gem into my mouth and felt it dissolve on my tongue. The rush of energy swelled, and suddenly I saw two identical gorgeous girls in front of me. 

I smiled as best I could.

“By the bells!” I said. “I hope I didn't just do something dumb.”

“Huh? What do you mean? Are you alright?” the girls asked, in unison, tilting their heads the exact same way.

“Yeah,” I said, blinking slowly. Blessedly, my vision cleared momentarily. “I'm fine,” I said. “But I think I'll hold off on any more for a bit.”

I touched my wrist, bringing up my soul chart.

NAME: Ash Aldrich

LEVEL: 5 (0/6)

STRENGTH: 20 

AGILITY: 13 (+1)

VITALITY: 16 

MIND: 11

TOTAL STATS: 60

“And?” Lyra asked.

“Ding,” I said, smiling, tingles running from my head to my toes. “I hit level five!”

“Congratulations!” Eryn said excitedly, and then threw her arms around me.

Ma wiped her hands on her apron and pulled both of us into a crushing hug.

“My little monster hunter's growing up so fast!”

“Careful there, woman,” Pa said with a chuckle. “You'll squeeze the levels right back out of him.” He grinned ear to ear as he clapped me on the back.

I stared at my stats, remembering how impossible reaching even level three had seemed before I got my hands on Roq. Now here I was at five, racing towards ten. I even had the warrior class gem waiting for me, and the attributes I got from fighting monsters were insane. Yet, somehow... this all didn't feel like enough. Numbers that would have astounded me just weeks ago now seemed painfully inadequate.

“What's wrong?” Eryn's smile faded as she studied my face.

“Nothing's wrong exactly. This is fantastic, but—” I ran a hand through my hair. “It's also dangerous. If I level too slowly, I might lose myself to Roq when we're out there killing monsters. But if we push too hard trying to catch up, I could end up getting destroyed by the mind gems or overextending. And every day wasted is already a, well, day wasted. It feels like I'm walking across a bridge made of swords and anvils. One wrong step and—”

“Stop.” Eryn pressed a finger to my lips. “We've planned the work, now we work the plan. One step at a time.”

I nodded slowly. She was right, as usual.

“Now, tell me your stats,” she said. “And no lying to try and spare my feelings.”

I smiled and told her. 

“Sixty!?” She punched me in the shoulder and immediately winced, jumping up and down, shaking her fist. “Sixty?” she said again.

“Yup.” I couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “Gained another agility from the fight with the crystalline.” I took her hand and blew on her knuckles, gently massaging her wrist. She narrowed her eyes at me. “Did you get any?” I asked. She’d checked her soul chart as we passed through Sentinel Station.

“Yeah,” she said. “I got another point in agility as well. But it still ain’t fair. Sixty? I’m at forty-two total stat points, Ash.” She scowled. “No wonder punching you hurts.”

I pulled her in and kissed her, and she barely struggled. “I need to be strong enough to defend you, you know.”

“Fine,” she said. “And congratulations.”

I smiled, and looked over at Pa who was pointedly ignoring us, working on the carcasses.

“What do we work on first, Pa?” I asked.

He moved to the workbench where the Platemaw carcass was laid out. 

“We'll start with two sets of full armor using this beauty.” He slapped its shell. “The Shardfang parts will make excellent bindings and support material.” He gestured to the pile of Ring Beetle carapaces in the corner. “While Eryn helps me with that, I want you working on ten Armor Reinforcement Panels. Make small, durable plates for adventurers to reinforce their existing gear. Your mother's been talking up our new monster-forged line, so make them draw plenty of attention.”

“Right.” I hesitated. “Um, could I borrow a hammer? Since Roq's a bit…you know?”

“What's the right thing to do, son?”

I sighed. Avoiding Roq wouldn't solve anything. He was my weapon, my tool, and my responsibility. If I couldn't trust myself to control him in the safety of our own forge, how could I ever trust myself to use him in battle?

More than that, he was my partner. Whatever his flaws, whatever the risks, we were bound together. Running from that wouldn't make it any less true. And I'd already closed some of the leveling gap, so it should be safe.

I took a deep breath and drew Roq from storage.

“FINALLY! I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me entirely! Now, what glorious violence shall we indulge in? Kneecapping? Skull bashing? Neck cracking?”

“We're going to do some forging today, Roq.”

“Oh.” His disappointed tone almost made me laugh. “I suppose if we must. But surely there are more worthy things we can do with our time?”

“This is what we're doing. You can either help or go back in storage.”

A long silence filled my mind before Roq spoke again, his voice subdued but carrying an edge of... was that excitement?

“I... may have some ideas about working with those crystal formations.”

“But first, do you have something to say to me?”

“I am not sure exactly what you are referring to.”

“You'd promised.”

“But we didn't get into any bad fights.”

“Because I stored you in time. You nearly had me charge into certain death, Roq.”

A sound of metal dragging across rock sounded in my head, and I took it as an uncomfortable throat clearing.

“You may not be entirely incorrect, although I still think we could have taken them.”

“It was an army, Roq. I'm an unclassed scavenger with an unreliable soul weapon that just loves to throw me at anything just to quench its own thirst. Suicide by monster is not how I envision our hunts to go. We could not have taken them. They'd have killed us and Eryn too.”

“What do you want? You want me to say I'm sorry?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. Well, I am sorry. The level up and the power just took me by surprise is all. That and seeing the cavern filled to the brim with fat, juicy monsters...I'm not even exactly sure what I was drinking from them, and it wasn't blood, but it certainly was delicious!”

“So?”

“I promise to try not to do it again?”

I sighed. It was as much as I was going to get.

“Good. Try to stick to it this time, Roq, but for now, let's get to work. We've got a lot to do today.”

  *

“Beat that plate into submission!” Roq bellowed in my mind as I hammered the rounded scuttler plate into its final form. “WHO'S YOUR HAMMER-DADDY?”

Sweat dripped down my face as I worked the stubborn material. The scuttler plate had glowed a dull orange-red in the forge light for hours, softened just enough to shape without shattering, and now I was close to hammering the last piece of the set into place on the cooled metal. Three days in the forge and I was finally working on something fun! Shells had been cleaned, formed, and fitted with straps. Now we were shaping them into something both beautiful and life-saving.

“Another strike! Right there! Make it BEG for mercy!”

“Stop yelling, you freak! My head hurts!”

“Well excuse me for being excited!”

I brought Roq down again, letting his weight guide the blow. Despite his bloodthirsty commentary, he moved with surprising precision. Well, he nearly always struck too hard, with the metal screaming more than singing beneath his impact, but there was an undeniable joy to watching him work. And the risk to my health was minimal.

“How's it looking?” Eryn called from inside the shop where she sat working on leather straps with Ma.

“Almost there,” I said, wiping sweat from my eyes with my sleeve. 

The armor was great. Not a masterpiece, but really nice. Pa had shown me how to preserve the natural curves of the scuttler's shell while reinforcing weak points, as he worked on the Platemaw sets. Now I had a plate that would follow the natural lines of a human torso, offering maximum protection with minimum weight and restriction to movement.

“Harder!” Roq demanded as I struck again. “Show that metal who—wait.” His voice changed, suddenly turning thoughtful. “Something's missing.”

I paused mid-swing.

“Missing? We followed Pa's instructions to the letter.”

“NO!” Roq's shout rattled through my skull. “It needs...” He trailed off into frustrated silence.

“Needs what?”

“The vanguard,” he finally said. “Take that piece, the one from its chest. We should embed it. Right there.” The knowledge settled in my mind as Roq directed my attention to the center of the breastplate. “Where the heart would be.”

“Why?” 

I studied the section he indicated. 

“It will change the whole design.”

“I don't know!” Frustration colored his voice. “It just... it feels like the right thing to do. As if it belongs. I've struck and killed them both. It's as if they want to be together. Like they'd be stronger together. Like you and Eryn.”

I lowered the hammer and stared at the crystalline vanguard fragments Pa had set aside.

“Something wrong?” Pa asked, looking up from his own work.

“Roq has an idea,” I said, explaining the hammer's suggestion, and watched Pa's expression carefully. “He says it feels right but can't explain why.”

Pa set down his tools and crossed to the workbench. He picked up the piece of the vanguard's chest, turning it over in his calloused hands.

“Hmmm.” He tapped the scuttler plate, then the crystal, listening to each sound carefully. “The resonance is similar,” he muttered. After a moment, he nodded slowly and shrugged. “There might be something to it. Maybe the crystal's structure could reinforce the centre point.” He traced the geometric patterns with one finger. “Might make it stronger than either material alone. It's worth the risk.”

“You think we should try it?”

Pa smiled.

“Why not? Sometimes the best innovations come from unexpected places.” He clasped my shoulder. “Go ahead. Work on that piece. Let's see what Roq's instincts tell us.”

“Finally!” Roq exclaimed. “Now we can make something truly TERRIFYING!”

“Remember - we're crafting armor, not weapons.”

“Same thing! Both exist to dominate our enemies! Now, heat that crystal slowly. SLOWLY! We mustn't shatter it if we are to make it submit to our will!”

I couldn't help but smile as I turned back to the forge. Perhaps Roq's enthusiasm for smithing wasn't so different from his battle-lust after all. At least this way, it might actually do some good.

I picked up the crystalline shard with the new pair of corrosion-resistant tongs Pa had made from Blightpedes, and moved to the forge. He'd traded a second pair to the alchemist for a few parts, the promise to help on a few items, and discretion.

I bounced Roq between the anvil and the Scuttler plate, making the metal groan with each strike. Only the final adjustment remained. The crystalline shard from the vanguard's chest now sat perfectly in the modified central cavity, after we'd reshaped the entire breastplate to accommodate it, carefully working the crystal and metal together. I kept expecting the crystal to shatter, but it was tougher than I'd expected and surprisingly easy to work with.

Thanks to Roq's instincts.

“Careful with the last strike!” Roq's voice held an unusual note of tension. “We must make it perfect! Nothing less will do for our masterpiece!”

“Our masterpiece?”

I couldn't help but smile at his sudden investment in crafting. 

“Think you could help me create a full master set? That might even give me the confidence to take on some tougher opponents.”

“Well... umm, I don't see why not, but as a master of destruction, nothing less than mastery in the art of creation will do. Am I right or am I right?” The final strap needed securing. Just one more precise hit to seal the rivet. I raised Roq, feeling his eagerness thrumming through my palm.

“Of course you are, Roq. Just make sure not to screw this one up.”

“Now!”

I gently tapped the metal, and suddenly the entire breastplate blazed with a brilliant light. Blue energy flashed from the crystal and through the metal, leaving tiny patterns spreading throughout that glowed softly.

I stumbled back, dropping the armor.

“Pa! Look!”

Pa's head snapped up from his work. His eyes opened wide as he saw the armor and let loose a string of curses that would have made a tavern keeper blush.

“What happened?” Eryn called out, worry clear in her voice. “Is everything alright? Did Roq smash your hand or something?” She came into the smithy.

“Of course it's alright!” Roq declared, though I could hear nervous undertones in his voice. “I mean... that was totally intended. Completely according to plan. You're welcome, my apprentice.”

Pa rushed over, running his hands over the glowing armor with reverence.

“Blood and bones and blessed bells!” he roared, grabbing me in a hug. “You've done it, boy! You've actually done it!”

“What?” Eryn asked. “What's happened?”

Pa and I locked eyes and burst out laughing.

“We made a blue piece!” Pa bellowed. “A genuine rare item!”

Eryn's jaw dropped.

“But... that's impossible! Isn't it?”

“Not impossible,” Pa corrected, still grinning like a madman. “Just real damn unlikely. Here, let me check.” He swiped the breastplate into his storage and studied his spatial tattoo intently.

Eryn and I crowded close, hardly daring to breathe. After what felt like forever, Pa's face split into an even wider grin.

“Plus three vitality!” he declared.

The smithy erupted in whoops and cheers. The noise brought Ma running in from the shop, a fearful expression set on her face.

“What in the world?” she said.

“We made a rare piece!” Pa shouted, sweeping her up and spinning her around. “Our boy just forged his first blue item!”

Ma's eyes went as wide as Pa's.

“But how? Thomas, you've only managed that three or four times in your entire life!”

“I know!” Pa set her down carefully. “This'll fetch fifteen gold easily. Maybe twenty if we find the right buyer! That's two mind gems right there!”

“Well done, Roq.”

“Naturally!” Pride radiated through our connection. “I am, after all, the greatest soul weapon ever forged. It's only fitting that I should also be the greatest FORGING weapon ever souled! Wait, that didn't come out quite right, but you know what I mean!”

“Paper!” Pa suddenly shouted. “Helena, we need paper! Now!”

Ma understood immediately and hurried out, Pa right on her heels.

“What's going on?” Eryn asked.

“Pa's going to write down everything we did,” I explained. “Every step, every technique. If we can replicate it, we've discovered a new rare recipe. And if no one else has found it first—” I grinned. “The Blacksmith's Guild gives out grants — access to other rare recipes, one for one. Pa's been trying to develop something new for years.”

“That's wonderful!” Eryn wrapped her arms around my waist and squeezed. Then she sighed contentedly. “So, how much more are we making today? It's not like I don't enjoy cutting straps and fitting them into place and...a hundred other things, but I could imagine the night going a bit differently,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Before I could answer, a loud banging echoed through the smithy. I quickly swiped Roq into storage, catching his indignant “But I wasn't finished gloating—” before the connection cut off.

I crossed to the door and pulled it open to find Karl bouncing from foot to foot on our doorstep.

“Ash! I have a message! From Commander Edwin! He says to tell you that…” Karl's face scrunched up in concentration. “That the thing about the thing with Benedict is umm... tomorrow? No, wait.”

Eryn's musical laugh drifted over from the workbench. Karl's face went red and he stumbled over his words even more.

“It's about the... because of the... when we were...”

“Take your time,” I said, putting my hand gently on his shoulder, though I couldn't quite hide my smile.

Karl let out a frustrated huff and thrust a folded paper toward me.

“Here!”

“If you had the note all along, why not just give it to me?”

“Wanted to show I could remember things good!” Karl declared, chin up despite his clear embarrassment.

I unfolded the note. It was indeed a message from Edwin.

Benedict's tribunal convenes tomorrow at midday. 

Your presence is requested as a witness.

-Commander Edwin

“Thank you, Karl.” I reached into my pocket and counted out ten copper pieces. “You did an excellent job. Could you please let Commander Edwin know I received his message and will attend?”

Karl straightened up importantly at being treated like a proper messenger.

“Yes, sir! Right away!”

But he didn't leave. Instead, he shuffled his feet and glanced past me.

“Something else?”

Karl leaned in close and whispered,

“I got a message for the pretty girl, too.” He glanced at Eryn, going tomato red.

I laughed.

“Eryn! Could you come over here, please? Karl has something for you.”

Karl shot me a betrayed look as Eryn approached, but I gave him an encouraging nod. His courage failing him, he simply thrust the note at her before turning and sprinting away down the street. Eryn and I both burst out laughing.

Pa's head poked through the workshop door.

“What's all this then?”

“Justice,” I said, holding up Edwin's note. “Benedict's tribunal is tomorrow.”

Riftside - Chapter 28

The striker exploded into a storm of deadly shards after I smashed Roq through its torso. I ducked, fragments pinging off the Scuttler plates reinforcing my shield.

“Two more from the left!” Eryn called out, already loosing another arrow.

I spun, my shield raised to intercept, just as another striker burst into the large chamber through a narrow gap between two crystalline formations. A vanguard followed close behind, trudging along.

Eryn's first arrow shattered the striker's leg and it stumbled, sliding to a halt in front of me.

“GET THE KILL!”

“Roq!”

The vanguard charged in right behind.

“Duck!” Eryn shouted.

I dropped to a knee, and as the fallen striker reached for my legs, I brought the hammer down on its head, smashing right through it. 

“VIOLENCE!” Roq screamed as the monster exploded, but I was protected by my shield. “I condone it!”

Eryn's arrow whistled over my head and struck the vanguard square in the face. Cracks spiderwebbed across its domed head, but it didn't seem to care.

The monster was nearly upon me, and I only had one way to break its charge. It had just too much mass and power to block with my shield.

“Armor Break!”

Red light burst from Roq, and I could feel the power resonate through him.

“TASTE OBLIVION!”

I'd seen what it could do several times now, and trusted in it, so as the vanguard reached for me, I swung Roq into its chest. The monster was rocked backward with a big hole in its torso. A moment later, it was reduced to glittering dust.

“Oh, by the forge and fire, that's the STUFF!”

“Any gems?”

“A shiny one in the vanguard.”

“We got one,” I said to Eryn with a smile, shaking the fatigue from my arms.

“That's two in the last nine kills,” Eryn said, retrieving her arrows. “Three gems in total for the hunt. How many more are we going for?”

“ALL of them!”

Roq's shout sent a shudder through my body, and I took an involuntary step forward.

“Calm down, Roq.”

Our spatial storages were filled full with carcasses, and three gems was a fortune. But we'd only met duos and trios after killing the group with two healers, and the fights had gone decently well.

“Let's look a bit deeper? One more gem and we get two each. If we're already taking risks, might as well go the extra mile. Which reminds me, you will need a whole lot more of those special arrows. Need to see if Pa ordered them.”

“Okay, and yeah, you're right. We definitely want more arrows,” Eryn said. “I could be killing more monsters.”

“Stop counting corpses and let's find something stronger to kill! I'm... actually enjoying.”

I swiped the vanguard into storage, swapping it for an ungemmed striker and took a moment to catch my breath. Even with my new strength combined with Roq's impossible lightness, the constant blocking and striking took its toll. The shield wasn't that light, and with every time I blocked an explosion or deflected a vanguard, my arm would go numb.

“You need a break?” Eryn asked, touching my shoulder.

“I'm good. Just tired.” I winced and she could see very well that I wasn't in the best state, but still, I wanted to go on for a bit longer.

Noise from up ahead in the same tunnel made me look up as two strikers emerged, followed by a weaver.

“Oh, come on! Freaking weavers!”

I charged, moving slightly right, giving space for Eryn.

Her first arrow caught the left striker in its chest, knocking it down. I angled for the one on the right. I'd carve through it fast and get the weaver before it could cause any trouble.

To my surprise, when the weaver touched the wall and light flowed through the crystal formations, it didn't go to the wounded striker. Instead, it flowed to the other, and its limbs stretched, forming blades of living crystal.

“Thinly sharpened crystals!?” Roq scoffed. “WITNESS THE SUPERIORITY OF THICK AND FLAT STEEEEELHUSK!”

I parried the striker's cut, but Roq didn't stop it. He crashed straight through the crystalline blades and its body alike.

The striker's chest exploded, and while I covered my chest and face, they peppered my legs. If any shard had made it through the armor, Roq would have to heal me.

Eryn's next arrow struck the weaver, buying me enough time to step forward and bash its face in before it could fill me with white crystalline spikes.

“ME! MINE! GIVE ME!” Roq said, and I felt my hand warm and my chest filled with eagerness to claim the final striker.

I lunged forward, swinging Roq down on its head before retreating behind my shield.

“Yes! Oh yes! Rift blessed BELLS, this feels so GOOD!”

“Relax, Roq,” I said. “You—”

“I am level SIX! Now I am truly undefeatable! Now I am a GOD!”

“Holy shit! You hit level six?” I said, looking wide-eyed at Eryn.

“Oh, wow!” she said. “Congratulations, Roq. Well done!” She rushed forward and patted the hammer's head. “See? You can still level up pretty quickly even without pushing us into suicidal battles.”

“I... umm, yes. Thank you. Please extend my gratitude, and my belated approval of a touch.”

“Of course!” I said, grinning, and told Eryn.

“Oh, sorry, Roq,” she said. “I'll ask next time. But you leveled so fast! And... wait, don't you like girls? Since you're a boy and all? I just figured you might appreciate the soft touch of a fair maiden such as myself.”

I rolled my eyes at that and chuckled, knowing very well what she was doing and she winked back at me.

“Well... umm naturally. My powers should evolve to match my magnificent potential. I am, after all, the greatest soul weapon ever forged... And umm, wait, why are we even talking about—well, yes, I mean... help me out here?”

There was a note of pleasure in his voice that had nothing to do with bloodlust or destruction. For a moment, he actually sounded happy rather than just murderous, and that had quickly turned into confusion and embarrassment.

“He says thanks.”

The moment was cut short by a crash sounding from deeper in the tunnel where the monsters had come from. It was followed by a rumbling sound like that of a crystal avalanche.

“What was that?” I asked.

“More monsters?”

“I think it's our clue to get going,” Eryn said, swiping in the Vanguard in place of a Striker. We'd agreed the likely value of the carcass was Vanguard, Weaver, and then Striker, considering Pa being more likely to make things from the heavier monster.

“Just a quick peek,” I said.

“Ash?”

“Come on.”

“Fine. But be extra careful, okay?”

I nodded and moved in between the crystals and into the winding tunnel. It widened gradually, but the crystal formations grew denser, leaving the same slim space in the middle.

“I don't like this, Ash,” Eryn said. “We can barely see ahead.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Maybe it's time to head back. Let’s me just peek around here.” My breath caught as I stepped forward and the passage suddenly opened onto a ledge overlooking a vast cavern.

Hundreds of crystalline figures moved through the open space below us. Strikers walked in pairs while Weavers gathered in small groups, their chests pulsing, and Vanguards stood watch at key points.

But it was the thing at the bottom of the cavern which made my blood run cold. A massive crystalline giant, easily five times the size of a Striker with the bulk of a Vanguard, sat on what looked like a stone throne. The monster looked to be tall enough to climb up Sentinel Station's walls.

“Ash,” Eryn said, voice shaking slightly as she leaned past my shoulder.

“I see it.” I put a hand on her arm and we stepped backward. “We need to leave. Now.”

“LEAVE?” Roq's voice thundered through my mind. “Now? Do you not see the glorious prey? Imagine what treasure it holds! There's enough enemies here to see me to level ten!”

Heat flooded my arm, and suddenly my whole body felt too light, too strong. The massive creature below would make a perfect trophy. Yes. And with Roq's Armor Break skill we could—

No!

I fumbled for my spatial storage, fingers trembling as Roq's bloodlust pounded through my veins.

“Think of the glory! The power!”

“Ash?” Eryn grabbed my shoulder as my feet carried me forward, drawn toward the edge.

With the last of my willpower, I swiped Roq into storage and gasped for air. The bloodlust dimmed, but it didn't vanish completely. Whatever bond we shared had grown, and his influence over me had grown with his rising level. This wasn't good, not at all.

“We need to go,” I said, heaving for a breath. That had been way too close. “Before I do something stupid because of that idiot!”

Eyes wide with concern, Eryn grabbed my hand and pulled me back in between the crystals. She wasn't wrong to worry about me, as even without Roq in my hand, I could now feel his pull. The urge to prove myself. It was strong. 

I wanted to test my limits and become stronger.

She didn't let go of me until we were out of the cave and halfway back to Sentinel Station, when the urge finally receded and I could think straight again.

  *

“These will do nicely, kids,” Pa said as he probed a small gap in the Striker's crystalline body with his narrow blade. A section cracked wide open, revealing an inner chamber filled with porous material. “No idea what to make of it yet, but it sure is pretty. Wonder what we can use it for.”

I leaned over the workbench, watching him work. Monster parts covered every flat surface of the smithy — the four Crystal Strikers, three Resonant Weavers, and six Crystal Vanguards we'd brought back were spread across tables or piled carefully on the floor. The smell of iron, coal dust, and leather mixed with a sharp, dry scent coming from the carcasses.

Ma stood beside me, taking notes in her ledger. Eryn perched on a stool near the door cradling her bow. She hadn't taken her eyes off me since we'd returned, and I knew why.

“The outer layer could make excellent reinforcement for armor if we can find a way to mount it,” Pa continued, “But look here.” The tip of the blade clinked along the leg of the Striker. “I'll have to run some tests, but if these don't chip too badly, imagine the cutting edge it could hold. Arrows, daggers, maybe even a spear.”

“What about Roq?” Eryn's voice cut through Pa's enthusiasm.

My hand instinctively moved toward my spatial storage, but I stopped it. We'd all agreed it was better to keep Roq stored for now.

“We can't go on like this,” Eryn continued. “You nearly charged off that ledge into an army of crystalkin.”

“I know.” The memory made my stomach turn. “Roq is trying. I can feel it. But it's like—” I struggled to find the right words. “Like a child who knows what they should do, but can't control their impulses. I need to be the one in charge, but how? It's not like there's a manual on how to use soulforged weapons, is there?”

Ma set down her ledger and crossed her arms.

“Perhaps if you limited yourself to hunting smaller groups? Or kept to areas closer to the station? Don't go anywhere close to where stronger monsters might appear.”

“No,” Pa said, placing down his blade and putting both hands inside the chest and pulling it apart with a crack. “Too risky. What if Roq gains another level during a fight? Rift knows what he'd do or how far he'd take Ash.” He looked up and shook his head. No gem. “And what if he managed to find a way to take over permanently?”

“No one knows if that's even possible,” Ma protested.

“Exactly!” Pa argued. “We don't know, so I recommend we sit tight for now.”

“We're dancing around the real solution,” Eryn interrupted. “We all know what needs to happen. Ash needs to level past Roq and see if it helps. I've got a feeling that the bigger their level difference, the more Roq can influence Ash.”

“You're right,” I admitted. “Roq was supposed to be this amazing blessing. Not something trying to get me killed every time I step out to hunt.”

Eryn stashed her bow on one of the free workbenches, crossed the room, and wrapped her arms around me.

“At least Roq wants to kill monsters. It could be worse. What if he wants to bash my head in next?”

I couldn't help but laugh.

“Yeah, not going to happen. I'd get rid of that little shit before I'd ever allow him to hurt anyone.”

Or he could lust for human blood. What if we accidentally killed a higher-level adventurer? Would that create an addiction in him?

“And it does change our approach,” Ma said as she picked the ledger back up and tapped her quill against an empty page. “The problem isn't stopping Roq, it's getting Ash enough mind gems fast when he can't safely use Roq. Once Ash catches up in levels, you can go out and test your theory. See if there's any truth to it.”

“I need five gems to reach level five, and I have one from before. Plus, if Roq's count was right, we should find three in these carcasses. Two of those should be for me.”

“Hey!” Pa said. “No spoilers, please.”

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. 

“Take mine, too,” Eryn said firmly, ignoring Pa’s joke. “Plus the extra one I've been saving.”

“Eryn—”

“Don't you dare refuse. You're worth it, and we both know you'd do the same for me. Hell, you will do it for me once you've hit level ten and have classed up. It only makes sense to pool resources together where they can be used best.”

“Yes, but—”

“No buts. You are leveling to five today. We can think about level six tomorrow.”

I wrapped my arms around her, too, and pressed my forehead against hers.

“Thank you, babe.”

“That should hopefully reduce Roq's pressure to what it was before the hammer hit level six,” Pa said.

He had moved on to examining one of the Resonant Weavers, his knife tracing the channels where light had flowed.

“That's only an assumption for now, but it might work. He never tried taking over when he was just level one, right?” Ma asked.

“Right,” I said. And it was the truth the more I thought about it.

“You know, these internal passages might be of some interest to the mages. I'll check them for gems and then sell them to the guild or the staff maker. Whoever gives us the best price. I'm not sure I can make anything out of them.”

He put away the carcass and turned, wiping his hand on a piece of cloth.

“But yes, you all are right. We should get you to level parity with Roq before you do any more hunting. Just to make sure we've done everything we can.” He rapped his knuckles on the Vanguard's chest plate. “You see this one?”

“What about it?” I asked.

“Well, the outer layer on these would reinforce armor beautifully.”

“So?” I asked, confused at his mix of subjects.

“I think it's time you did your job, son.”

“What do you mean?” Eryn asked.

Pa's weathered face split into a broad smile.

“You two have brought me so many wonderful materials that our storage is filled to bursting.” He gestured at the crystal-covered workshop. “Stay home for a few days, help me craft enough equipment to make the gold we need. You’ll need six mind gems for level six.” Pa looked at Ma. “You still got one saved up, right?” She nodded. “That makes it five. Ten gold a piece, we are looking at fifty gold. Easy to make with the materials we have on hand. All it'll take is some elbow grease and sweat. And who knows? Maybe we can haggle directly with some adventurers, see if we can offer them the gear directly for a better price.”

A weight lifted from my shoulders as I realized that we still had an easy way out of this mess. Or rather, one that wasn't going to break us. “Now, Eryn, grab a leather apron and listen closely. It's time to teach you a thing or two about forging. And Ma, get the word out we'll be selling some adventurer gear in a few days.”

Riftside - Chapter 27

“Nothing. Not a single gem in either of them.” Roq's disappointment rang through my skull. “We should press deeper into the chasm. That's where the real treasures lie. The powerful ones. The ones worthy of our—”

“No gems,” I told Eryn, cutting off Roq's building monologue.

She nodded and swiped the Vanguard into her storage, all the fragments disappearing in an instant. A twinge of disappointment ran through me, but it would be unrealistic to hope for a gem every time we killed something.

I did the same with the Striker's remains, storing the crystalline mass away. The spatial storage never failed to amaze me with how it could distinguish between monster parts and regular objects, how it knew exactly what belonged to each monster. If we'd had to gather all the crystal shards by hand, well, neither of us would be doing much hunting. Or scavenging for that matter.

“Are we done playing with our wrists? Powerful monsters await!”

“You don't want to test yourself against this material in the smithy?”

“True. Good job picking things from the ground, my loyal steed.”

“That's not what I...” I trailed off, pinching the bridge of my nose.

What a child.

“Ready?” I asked Eryn, adjusting my grip on the shield. It was a comforting reminder that no matter how strong the enemy was, I would stand between it and Eryn, ensuring she could get out, one way or another.

“Ready when you are,” she said, nocking an arrow and giving me a quick nod.

We stepped into the chasm's entrance. It led downward at a gentle slope, and was just wide enough for the two of us to walk side by side, arms out. The odd glowing crystals sticking to the roof gave enough light for us to see comfortably. Once our eyes adjusted, we could see just fine. The walls were covered with the same glowing crystals, but the ground was mostly just rock with the occasional shards that had either fallen from the ceiling or the walls. My boots crunched on loose stones despite my attempts to move quietly as we descended. We slowly passed through a narrowed part of the tunnel, closing in on what looked like a chamber from where we were.

“Can you feel them ahead? How they beg to be destroyed by my might?”

“You sure they're not begging to eat you or something?”

“These are not quiet the way Shardfangs were. They are... talking?”

I raised my hand to stop Eryn. She gave me a questioning look but remained silent. I pointed to my eyes and into the tunnel, to tell her what I was trying to do, and inched forward.

“What are they saying? Can you hear anything?”

“How in the rusty nail should I know? I don't speak crystalkin and neither do you! If you don't use your head and refuse to charge into combat, what use ARE YOU!?”

“Roq?”

“YES!?”

“Calm down or we are leaving.”

“I CAN'T! THEY ARE JUST OVER—” An intense pressure filled my head and it was all I could do not to groan. “They are right there,” Roq continued after a short moment oddly similar to when us humans took a deep breath and then continued with a lower tone. “Please, Ash. I need this. Their essence is calling to me, begging to be devoured.”

I considered turning around and going back to Sentinel Station, but he had clearly made an effort. If I wanted him to continue doing just that and growing beyond wanting to destroy everything, it should be rewarded.

“Slow and steady, then, until we are ready.”

I inched closer to get a better look at the chamber. Three Crystalkin leaned against the wall, their heads gently shifting back and forth as if they were having a casual conversation, which only made things even weirder.

I held up three fingers to Eryn and she mouthed 'healer?'.

The third figure was so slender it made the striker look bulky, and its crystals were see-through. Inside, where blood would flow, light pulsed brightly from within its chest.

I touched my eye sigil, and the name came to me. It was a Resonant Weaver. Definitely the healer. It was marked light green.

“Plan?” Eryn whispered.

Before I could answer, a crack sounded as the Striker's head snapped toward us, having spotted me. It let out a high-pitched keening sound that made my mind ache.

“So much for surprise,” I said, bringing up my shield. “Take out the healer!” I ordered and a second later, Eryn's arrow streaked for the glowing figure. But the Vanguard stepped into its path, and blocked the arrow. It shattered harmlessly against its thick chest plates.

The Striker charged me, already swinging its claws.

“Use the new skill!”

I met its attack with my shield, deflecting its strike downward.

“IT'S HAMMERING TIME!”

Energy rushed down my arm and Roq’s head lit up with a red glow just before it slammed into the monster's side. A loud crash resounded in the mostly-empty cavern, and the red light flared where we'd struck the monster. 

Part of its side just ceased to exist.

“Take that, you fragile excuse for decorative glass!”

I stepped sideways in front of Eryn and raised my shield. The Striker's body exploded. Most of the shards bounced off my shield, but one slipped past my defenses and embedded itself in my hammer-arm.

“That was amazing, Roq! What even was it? What does it do?”

“I am AMAZING! Watch my DESTRUCTION!”

“But please tell me we don't have to call out something stupid every time you use a skill.”

“Do NOT belittle my combat poetry, you soft-fleshed biped!”

Behind the Striker, the Vanguard started towards me, trailing its hand along the crystal-covered wall. The healer touched the wall, too, and light pulsed through, streaking toward the Vanguard. As light reached it, the chip in its plate healed.

“The wall!” I shouted to Eryn. “It's using the crystals to heal!”

She loosed an arrow at the wall near the healer, splintering a formation of crystals, but the light just shifted, finding a new path around the damage.

The Vanguard charged through the debris of the Striker. I’d learned from my last encounter, and this time I deflected more of its attack, but the impact still sent me stumbling back several steps.

“Your left,” Eryn warned, and I leaned right. An arrow ricocheted off the Vanguard's oval head.

“It's too thick!” she said.

I swung for the Vanguard's side, but it stepped into the blow, and only Roq's handle made contact.

“Keep the healer busy!” I said.

“Can you use the skill again?”

“What? Do you think I'm THAT awesome? Pff! I am but... I, too, have restrictions. We’re halfway through the cooldown!”

“Damn it.”

The monster swung for my head. I ducked, striking upwards at its exposed shoulder joint. Crystal shards exploded upward.

“Watch out for—”

My shield slammed into me, throwing me against the wall, crystals pushing at my leather armor. The Vanguard's other fist connected and I felt as if a horse had hit me with both hind hooves. 

“—that.”

It pulled its arm back and hammered again, but I stumbled out of range and swept at it half-heartedly with the hammer just to get the fist away.

The Vanguard didn't care and it advanced, its damaged shoulder already starting to repair from the pulses of light following it through the crystals.

“Portal-cursed healer!” I said, readying my shield.

An arrow hit the Resonant Weaver's chest, pushing it backward, and the healing light faded for a brief moment.

The Vanguard pressed on and I could almost feel its deadly intent. I stepped in, tempting a strike. It complied, its massive fist rushing to meet my head.

Instead of blocking, I ducked and lunged forward, driving my shield and shoulder into the Vanguard's midsection. All I managed to do was push it back half a step, but it gave me just enough time to strike at its knee joint. Roq smashed through it, and the monster toppled sideways.

“GLORIOUS! Now FINISH IT!”

I brought Roq down on its domed head and the crystal splintered. It didn't destroy the head as I'd intended, but it killed the creature.

“DOUBLE KILL!”

“Get the other one!” Eryn said, loosing an arrow at the healer who had turned to flee. It hit it in the back, sending it tumbling to the ground.

I charged, going after the damned creature before it could bring back more of its kind. Light bloomed inside the healer, so strong it filtered out its back, and then spread outward toward me like a wave.

“Roq?”

“HIT IT!”

I didn't like the look of the light, but couldn't risk it getting away and bringing in fresh monsters, so I jumped, tucking in my legs.

Sharpened crystal spikes pushed up from the ground, and if I hadn't jumped, I would have probably been skewered from below, and in very ouchy places. As it was, I nearly cleared the jump, but one last spike clipped my foot. It tipped me forward in the air, so I pulled my shield in front of me before landing flat on top of the healer, smashing into it.

“NOOOOO!”

Crystal shattered and light exploded around my shield, so strong even the reflection in the crystal wall momentarily blinded me.

“WHY!?”

I picked myself up, blinking away stars and stomped a few times on the creature's neck for good measure, making sure it was indeed dead.

“Aash! Answer me?”

“What the hell do you want?!”

“You filthy gemless class-cursed KILL STEALER!”

I raised Roq in front of my face.

“I what now?”

“You STOLE my KILL! I was right there. So close I could taste its crystals, and then you went and spoiled it all by doing something stupid like SMASHING IT WITH YOUR SHIELD!?”

I couldn't help myself. It was too much, and I just burst out laughing.

“What's he saying?” Eryn asked.

“Don’t you DARE laugh at my wrath!”

“He's angry I killed the monster with my shield.”

“Why?” Eryn asked.

“Don’t you UNDERSTAND? Is your IMAGINATION truly so LIMITED?”

“Maybe he didn't get experience for killing it?” I said, doing my best to ignore the screaming hammer.

“MAYBE? MAYBE!?” Roq seemed to draw in a big breath, and I swiped him into my storage before he could unleash more of his 'wrath'.

“Oh, he's not going to love that,” Eryn said.

“He was being rude, screaming in my head and threatening and stuff.”

“Did he at least let us know if there were gems in any of these?”

“Nope. Let's just store them for now in case something else comes along.”

Eryn nodded and swiped up the Vanguard and Striker, while I took the weaver.

“How's your back?” Eryn asked as she collected her arrows.

“It'll be fine. But we have to find a way to deal with the healers faster or it could go really bad for us really quickly. Their restoration powers are really strong, and those spikes? Damn. The crystal just regrows as if it's nothing.” I looked at my empty hand. “Roq's skill was great, but next time I think I'll use it on the tank.”

“How much did it cost?”

I opened my soul chart and swiped to Roq's tab to double-check his new skill.

ARMOR BREAK, LEVEL 1: Channels crushing force through the hammer's head on direct impact, delivering a blow that can crack armor and temporarily stun the target. 

Requires direct contact with the target and consumes energy from stored monster carcasses.

I opened my spatial storage and looked at the striker corpse I'd stored from outside.

“I'll have to ask Roq for the exact number, since the skill doesn't say, but eyeballing it, I'd say a fifth?”

“Hey, that’s pretty good. Five times per carcass. We have a use for gemless monsters after all now, huh?”

“Amazing for now, yes. But if we were a full party of five, it would have just cost me a carcass, because I doubt it’ll regenerate when we head through the portal. Any gem inside would have been lost.”

“True, but for now you need to use it whenever you can,” Eryn said. “We can always get more carcasses.”

I took a deep breath and held it, staring at her.

“As long as Roq doesn't act up,” she added with half a smile, and I nodded. 

As long as the little diva didn't do anything stupid, everything would be just fine.

A distant crystalline screech echoed up the tunnel, warning us of more enemies.

“We need to finish this quickly,” I said, drawing Roq from storage.

“Oh, NOW you—”

“Roq, stop.”

“You DARE silence me?”

“Shut up!”

My voice cracked against the crystal walls. I felt Eryn's hand on my shoulder.

“How dare you speak to me like that?”

“Because you're acting like a child!” I kept my voice low but firm. “I need you to focus. More monsters are coming. If you want to kill stuff, here's your chance. Stop acting as if anyone owes you anything. Prove that you are worthy!”

“I am ALWAYS worthy!”

“Then act like it.” I hefted and spun him around. “You're supposed to be the most powerful soul weapon in existence, right? Not some petulant hammer throwing a tantrum because someone else 'stole its kill'.”

Silence filled my mind for a moment.

“That... that's not fair.”

“Life isn't fair. But right now we have a choice. Work together to slay monsters, or go back home. What's it going to be?”

There was another crystalline screech, but much closer this time and it punctuated my words.

“I... apologize for my outburst.” Each word seemed dragged out unwillingly. “But you must understand, I NEED to prove myself.”

“Then prove yourself by helping us kill whatever's coming. Show me you can be trusted as a partner, which includes working with all of me, even my shield.”

“Ugh. Fine. But I still think its a dirty kill stealer.”

Another screech came, followed by the grinding sound of crystal on stone. It was so close now that I could practically feel it.

“Later,” I said. “Right now is time to fight.”

Two Crystal Strikers appeared from the tunnel ahead, and they were running straight at me.

I trailed off as a pair of Weavers appeared behind them, chests pulsing with stored light.

Eryn loosed an arrow at a striker's chest, but it blocked the shot with a raised arm. The limb shattered and fell to the ground, but stopped the arrow. The two healers slammed their hands against the wall and light raced forward. The wounded striker slowed to a walk, dragging its torso along the crystal-covered wall to heal up.

“Four this time?” Eryn said, drawing again.

Then, as if to tell us the universe wanted us gone, between them appeared one more.

“Portal-cursed luck,” I muttered as a Vanguard stomped into view.

“Five!?” Eryn hissed, drawing her bow again. “Should we run?”

“NO RUNNING!” Roq protested. “We SMASH them all!”

Roq was right in one thing. We couldn't run. They'd catch up sooner or later. “No. We fight. But where?”

I studied the terrain for a quick second.

Eryn loosed another arrow, aiming it at one of the weavers, but they dodged and the arrow splintered apart a crystalline formation running along the wall.

“Hey, I have a plan,” Roq said all seriously. 

“Yeah?”

“Totally. WE SMASH THEM ALL!”

“Not helping, Roq.”

“The walls,” Eryn said. “If we don't stop the healers—”

My eyes went wide.

“You are brilliant! Both of you!” I said and turned, pushing Eryn towards the exit. “Go!”

“I am? I mean, of course I am. But... why now?”

“Where are we going?” Eryn asked, picking up speed.

“There,” I said, pointing Roq at the spot we’d passed through on the way in, where the tunnel narrowed to a natural chokepoint.

“It'll have to do,” Eryn said. “At least it will funnel them to come at us two at a time.”

“No, go a bit further,” I said and looked over my shoulder. The first striker had made it to the chamber by then. A few more moments and he'd be on me in the tunnel.

I raised Roq and smashed him into the wall with a battle cry, crashing through crystals at the chokepoint place. The striker shrieked in rage. I struck again, shattering more crystals, running my hammer down along the wall.

“Brilliant!” Eryn said excitedly as I did the same thing on the other wall before raising my shield just in time to take the Striker's charge. It pushed me back, slamming all of its force into me, but this was no tank and I held.

“LET ME AT HIM!”

As the Striker reached for my face, I indulged Roq, smashing through both of the monster's arms. The head shattered, but before it could explode, I stepped aside and raised my shield, rushing forward, smashing it against the wall.

The Striker exploded, throwing me back. But I'd planned for it, and stopped myself before hitting the opposite wall.

The second Striker, now healed, charged at me, but Eryn's arrow caught it between the eyes. Its head jerked backward, shattered, and its body stumbled two more steps before exploding. I raised my shield again, the crystal shards bouncing off harmlessly.

The two Resonant Weavers stepped into the tunnel, one next to the other, and knelt in unison.

“DIE, FILTHY MONSTERS! DIE!”

They placed their hands on the ground and light spread outward, rushing towards me. If they could make those spikes shoot out from any side, they'd turn me into a very dead pincushion.

I glanced at the gap I'd created in the crystalline formations along the walls. A makeshift firebreak. It should stop them, as long as...

Pioneers plight!

A thin line of crystals still clung to the tunnel's ceiling.

I jumped and swung Roq, smashing through the remaining crystal, completing the break. I landed and threw myself backward, just in time as crystal spikes erupted from the ground. Luckily, I'd been right and they stopped when they reached the gap I'd created.

“Nice thinking,” Eryn said, loosing an arrow at one of the Weavers. A spike shot up from the ground, blocking her arrow with a musical chime.

“I must admit,” Roq said, “That was adequate planning.”

The Vanguard stomped between the Weavers. Both healers turned toward it, and the light retreated from the floor, instead flowing back and up its thick legs. New plates of armor materialized across its body, thicker than before. A crystalline spear formed in one hand, and a buckler in the other.

“Portal-cursed luck,” I said, backing up beside Eryn.

“Oh my shaft! I LOVE it! Come, crystal warrior! Test yourself against TRUE power and find how short you come!”

The enhanced Vanguard advanced through the spikes, which retracted before its feet. But as it crossed our makeshift break line, the crystalline weapons faded, the extra armor growing dull, and it stumbled.

Thank the bells!

I charged forward, shield raised.

“Roq! Skill!”

“Which one?” Roq's voice dripped with false innocence. “I have so many...”

“Armor break, you bastard!”

“Fine!” Red light blazed along Roq's length as I swung, and my hammer crashed through the Vanguard's chest like it was made of glass, crystal spraying everywhere. The monster staggered backward, crossing the crystal line. Immediately, light surged from the Weavers, racing through the formations to reach it.

But Eryn's arrow hit a healer in the shoulder, spinning it around. Its light retreated and the Weaver fell to the floor.

I lunged forward, bringing Roq down on the Vanguard's head before it could recover. The dome-like skull shattered in a brilliant explosion.

“TRIPLE KILL!”

Another arrow whistled past me, taking the wounded healer in the chest and its light died.

The final Weaver slammed both hands to the ground. Once again, light surged forward, just to stop dead at our crystal-free zone. It knelt, staring at me with its featureless face, chest pulsating with a glowing light.

“Let me at it! I haven't tasted healer yet!”

My hand warmed, and I nearly stepped forward.

“Eryn,” I said, gritting my teeth.

“No! We should go to it! Kill it ourselves! Think of the glory! The strength! Together we can slay! Devour its power!”

“Take the shot!” I said.

Eryn's arrow took the final healer through its head and the light died.

The warmth in my palm faded. The urge to charge forward, to claim more kills, to prove ourselves, also receded. But some of it remained, an echo of bloodlust that I couldn't quite separate from my own thoughts. 

He'd just done it again.

I held Roq up before my face.

“Did you just try to manipulate me again?”

“I... may have attempted to... suggest a course of action. But it wasn't anything dangerous! Just one little monster!”

“You promised,” I said quietly.

“I... I know.” Roq's voice was subdued. “I tried to resist. But when I see them, all I can think of is mayhem! Sometimes I'm not sure where my hunger ends and yours begins.”

I wanted to be angry, but found I couldn't. Not completely. Because he was right. Part of that urge had been mine. And that scared me more than any manipulation. He just amplified what was already there. I sincerely doubted he could plant foreign ideas and push them. No, …this had been just as much my wish as it had been his.

I sighed.

“Any gems?”

“Yes,” Roq said, his voice suddenly dejected. “One. In the first healer Eryn killed. But what does it matter? My glory has been stolen.”

Riftside - Chapter 26

The gates of Sentinel Station creaked open, revealing the killing fields. Two short rings of the bell announced our departure to everyone within earnshot. We'd secured another simple scouting mission to look for monster signs.

Eryn adjusted her bow across her back, making sure it lay flat against her leather armor. We both wore our light scouting gear, again, to avoid any unnecessary questions.

My hand itched to summon Roq and see what he'd be like.

Would he behave today, or try to pull some portal piss?

“Remember,” Eryn whispered as we walked, “If you feel anything—”

“I'll store him immediately and we go back,” I said, interrupting her. I followed it up with a smile and a playful wink, softening my statement. Eryn chuckled and nudged my shoulder with hers, her honey-blonde braid bouncing with the movement.

“And?”

“Safety first.”

“Thank you,” she said, taking my hand and squeezing it. “We can't screw this up, Ash. He has to behave for this to work.”

As we were about to step between the massive doors, a call brought us up short.

“Aldrich! Miss Whitcroft!”

My heart skipped a beat as I recognized Commander Edwin's voice. I turned, keeping my face neutral despite the tension in my gut. Had someone seen us in the Ironclad Ravine? Had he figured out what we were really up to out there? Surely not. We'd been more than careful.

The commander strode toward us, wearing light leathers and there was no sign of his tower shield. He had to be off duty, yet his scarred face was serious as he approached.

“Sir?” I said, keeping my voice steady.

What if he demands Roq? 

Eryn's hand squeezed mine again.

“A moment of your time?” Edwin said, his voice filled with authority.

“Of course, sir.” I gestured to indicate we'd follow him.

He led us out and to a quiet spot along the wall, away from the traffic of guards and workers. My mind raced through all the possibilities. Had someone reported seeing us in our full gear yesterday? Or even spied us killing the Platemaw?

Edwin turned to face us, his expression unreadable.

“I heard what you did.”

My stomach tightened. Beside me, Eryn's breathing stayed deliberately even. She was way better at keeping a straight face, while I, on the other hand, wore my heart on my sleeve and was a very bad liar.

“Volunteering for scouting runs? Most would fear running into monsters, and the only reason we can get adventurers to do it is the guild rep.” He crossed his arms and smiled. “Your work ethic is commendable.”

I relaxed slightly but tried to keep from shifting in place. He was a keen-eyed man, and any visible shifts in body could tell him I was hiding something.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Which is why I wanted to speak with you directly.” He glanced between us. “I'm planning a second expedition to the Twisted Titan. About two weeks from now, give or take a few days.”

My thoughts raced, remembering our first truly dangerous run. How I'd killed the Woodweaver and gained Roq's soul gem. How Garret, Nina, and Finn had barely made it out alive, and the first time I'd tasted the true thrill of battle.

I must have shown some of my tension outward, because Edwin nodded. 

“I understand the trepidation. But this time we know more about what we are facing, and will be bringing in more parties to ensure we can hold the trunk while clearing the branches. I want both of you there, with Aldrich as a lead scavenger.”

Lead scavenger? My heart raced at the opportunity. With Roq's ability to spot gems in carcasses? A glance at Eryn showed the same excitement in her eyes.

A hundred conversations passed between us in a single look. Two weeks. Our new gear. Roq's power. The mind gems we'd already collected...

“We'd be honored to join, sir,” Eryn said.

I smiled at Edwin and flashed him a grin.

“Excellent,” Edwin said. “Then I'll—”

“Although—” I interrupted him. “What if we become classed by then?”

“Classed?” Edwin's eyebrows rose.

“If we work hard enough and make enough money to become classed by then,” I shrugged, trying to look both ambitious and naive. “Could we join as adventurers instead?”

Edwin's laugh boomed out, and a group of lumberjacks heading out turned to look.

“Five levels and two class gems in two weeks?” He clapped me on the shoulder, nearly staggering me with the force. “I admire the spirit, boy! Tell you what — you manage that, and I'll not only let you join as adventurers, I'll help set up your first proper party myself.”

He was still chuckling as he walked away, shaking his head at what he clearly thought was youthful overconfidence. Little did he know we had much bigger plans.

Eryn waited until he was well out of earshot before speaking.

“Two weeks,” she said.

“Two weeks,” I agreed quietly. “Give or take a few days.”

“Think we can do it?”

“We'll be legends if we do,” I said.

“Won't it make people suspicious?”

“Not if they see us buying up any mind gems we can get our hands on, funded by Pa's creations, made from the mystery party he is working with.”

“Brilliant.” Eryn grinned. “Then we better get started. These monsters won't hunt themselves.”

We made our way into the forest, where we would change. Just two scavengers heading out on a routine patrol. Nothing suspicious there.

But in my mind, I plotted. I'd just gotten to level four, meaning I needed to consume forty-five mind gems before I could take the class gem and break through to level ten, and I already had one. Most importantly, I had the class gem! Eryn was level five and needed forty mind gems. She already had one, but we'd have to find a healer's class gem, and that was going to be tricky. 

Two weeks to transform ourselves from scavengers to proper adventurers?

I thought of the commander's amused laughter and allowed myself a smile.

Laugh while you can, sir. You'll owe me a few party members soon enough.

  *

“Echoing Chasm. Second spot on our list after the Ironclad Ravine,” I said.

“Well,” Eryn mumbled, adjusting the arrow on her bow string. “At least it's a lot prettier.”

Not a sound came from the steelhusk forest behind us as we stared at the crystal-filled cave opening set in the hill.

I rolled my shoulders, double-checking the straps of my armor, before doing a squat, the Crabwalk Leggings' plates shifting smoothly. My Ironclaw Gauntlet was grasped firmly around Roq, and only once I double-checked everything was I ready to do battle.

“Charge, my steed,” Roq's voice echoed in my mind. “I've been waiting all morning to smash some crystal skulls!”

“Patience,” I muttered. “We agreed on being more careful, remember?”

“Yes, yes. Trust. Partnership. Discussion. Planning. But surely we can be bored closer to our prey? Just in case something interesting shows up?”

I shared a look with Eryn. Since our talk, Roq was trying. In his own way. Which mostly meant he complained a lot more, though I hadn't felt him trying to influence my emotions.

At least not yet.

Eryn shaded her eyes to peer into the cave mouth.

“I'm starting to regret moving on from killing Shardfangs. I know it's important to fight different types of monsters, but having to figure out how these fight?”

“Yeah. It’ll be hard. But I'm not ready to hunt another Platemaw yet, if one exists,” I said. “That thing had a kick, let me tell you. I still feel the ache in my ribs.”

“Coward,” Roq muttered, but there was no real heat to his words. On our walk out, he'd admitted, grudgingly, that our victory had been more luck than skill. At least we were on the same page there.

“And I'm not looking forward to using my bow inside a cave,” Eryn said.

As we moved closer, two crystalline figures, roughly human-shaped, stood just inside the cave entrance. One was slim and my height, with hands formed of three crystal fingers? Claws? They looked uncomfortable. The other was short and stocky, covered in thick crystalline plates.

I touched the side of my eye, activating my sigil.

“They are both yellows,” I said. “Crystal Striker and Crystal Vanguard. Looks like they're a damage dealer and a tank.”

“See a third? I'm so curious what the healer type looks like.”

The adventurers who'd told us about this cave mentioned the monsters usually hunted in pairs or trios, and while as aggressive as beasts, they fought with more tactics so we had to approach carefully.

“Nope. Nothing. And I prefer it that way.”

“Hopefully my special arrows will do some decent damage,” Eryn said. “I’m not sure how effective normal ones will be. They're made out of crystal after all.”

“No matter! I will shatter and break them! Suck on their blood and bathe in their matter!” Roq's excitement flooded through my mind.

“Blood? Do you really think they have any blood, Roq?” I asked.

“Yes! Well, maybe? No? Bah! Don't rain on my parade, smartass! I’ll be getting experience from them one way or another, so it doesn’t really matter as long as you keep killing them.”

“Whatever you say, but remember. No rushing in. We plan and fight smart.”

“Was that to me?” Eryn asked.

“No, sorry. Roq.”

“Enough planning!” Roq said. “Let me test myself against their crystalline forms. I'll show them what real power feels like.”

“Just checking,” Eryn said.

“Quiet. Let me think.”

As excited as Roq was, energy filled me too. I yearned to pit myself against these more humanoid opponents. I'd only ever fought beast-like monsters before. What would it be like? How hard was the crystal? How many gems would we find? Would we—

“Ash! Stop MONSTER BLOCKING me! This is worse than the spatial storage! They are RIGHT THERE, and we OUTNUMBER THEM three to two, and I should really count for five, so it’s EIGHT AGAINST TWO! Let’s go!”

I sighed.

“If you’re worth five,” I said, “then it’s seven against two, not eight.”

“Whatever, smartass!”!

“What if there are more of them, hidden just inside the cave?” I asked. “Like with the Shardfangs?”

“There aren’t. I would feel them, you coward.”

“You'd feel...the other monsters?”

“No! But I feel the burning need to kill THOSE TWO MONSTERS!”

“Fine,” I said. “But stop yelling, or I’ll stash you away. You’re giving me a headache.”

I needed to stop second-guessing myself and listening to the hammer, and instead focus on the fight ahead of us.

“Thanks for your patience,” I said to Eryn. “Would you pull?”

She just smiled, patient, and drew the fletching to her ear.

“Two monsters, coming right up.”

She released with a twang, and the arrow struck the Striker's left shoulder, shattering crystal, and its arm hung limp.

“Yes!” Eryn said excitedly. “It pierced the crystal armor!”

“Finally!” Roq roared in my mind. “Here they come!”

Both monsters charged from the cave mouth, the Striker outpacing the vanguard despite its wounded shoulder. Not that it mattered when it was its legs that carried it.

I stepped forward and tapped the restored shield with Roq, signaling to Eryn.

An arrow whistled past my ear, but this one only chipped the Striker's chest, likely hitting the crystals at a poor angle.

“Portal piss!” Eryn cursed.

The Striker reached me first, its good arm swinging for my face. I caught the blow on my shield, crystal scraping against the Scuttler plate, and swung Roq at its hip.

“WHEEEEE!”

Roq smashed through the Striker as if it was made from glass, splitting the monster in two.

“Hah! Won't you look at that!” I said and was about to make a stupid remark, but before I could, the torso of the Striker exploded without warning, crystal shards flying everywhere.

My shield came up instinctively and took the majority of the blast, protecting both Eryn and me. The Ironclaw Gauntlet did its job, too, keeping my weapon arm safe.

Roq just laughed.

“DESTRUCTION!”

The blast had knocked me backward, and before I could rise, the Vanguard arrived, its stocky form barreling straight at me like a bull.

“Move!” I shouted to Eryn as I kicked off to the side, letting its charge carry it past me.

I stood and saw Eryn running straight for the forest, the Vanguard right behind her.

No!

Anger and fear exploded through me, and I set off after them, swiping my shield into storage for more speed. Why was she running straight away? All she needed to do was jump to the side!

“YES! Chase it! Break it! Shatter it! Make it—”

“Shut up! Focus. Save Eryn!”

She should have stored her bow and just run in a circle and back toward me, making it chase her until I could catch up, not run away rom me.

“Ash!?” Eryn called.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

She pulled ahead, but every pioneer knew there was no outrunning a monster. They never tired. And if she ran blindly and noisily through the forest, something else would tag along, too.

I ran as fast as I could, and for the first time, my armored leggings frustrated me, slowing my steps as my heart thundered in my throat. Sweat formed on my brow and trickled down into my eyes.

“Faster!” Roq urged.

For once, I agreed with him completely. The crystalline monster's stocky form followed Eryn's graceful one as she sprinted into the trees and disappeared behind one of the massive grey-purple trunks ahead, wider than four people side by side.

I gritted my teeth as I ran, the Vanguard reaching the tree. 

Then a flash of honey-blonde hair appeared on the opposite side of the trunk, and Eryn began making her way back. Relief washed over me, and I yanked the shield from storage, sliding it onto my arm.

The Crystal Vanguard emerged from the trunk behind her, its bulk bearing down on me.

Not letting you pass this time.

I met its charge, shield held tight and Roq pointing at the rushing monster, held out like a tiny spear. But despite having angled the shield to push it away, I might as well have tried to block a boulder. The impact knocked me back, my shield slamming into my head. The monster was way too heavy and strong to be deterred with such a cheap trick.

Roq, however, had found its mark.

“VIOLENCE!” Roq sang with bloodlust. “MORE CRYSTALS! Grind them all to dust!”

My entire body hurt from the collision as I stood, but I smiled at seeing a huge section missing from the monster's crystalline side.

The Vanguard stumbled toward me, its movements jerky, crystal grinding against crystal. One massive arm swung at my head. I deflected with my shield and brought Roq down on its domed head with everything I had. A deep crack ran down the middle of its body, and then shattered. The Vanguard collapsed, crumbling into a heap.

I hid behind my shield, waiting for the explosion that had taken its companion.

But nothing happened.

“GLORIOUS!” Roq crowed. “Did you see how it SHATTERED? How it BROKE before our MIGHT?”

“Maybe only the Strikers explode?” I muttered, stepping back and lowering my shield.

“Thanks for the assist,” Eryn said, coming up and kissing my cheek. “Nice smashing. Though I think Roq did most of the work there.”

“Finally, someone appreciates my talents.”

“True. Though I have two learnings from the fight,” I said, rolling my shoulders. “The strikers explode when damaged enough, and while I can strike like a charging knight with Roq, I’m far from powerful enough to body block monsters.”

Eryn nodded. “And I need to not panic when a monster charges me.”

“Was quick thinking with the tree.”

“Thanks,” she said. “But I should have just run in a circle out here, let it chase me while you get back up, and then I could lead it past you. This was too close for comfort.”

“True. Guess every new monster is a fresh battle,” I said.

“Enough chatting. Go store a carcass so we can test my new ability!”

“Maybe next fight you can test Roq's new ability?” Eryn said. “Hopefully it’ll make the fights easier.”

I chuckled.

“What?” Eryn asked.

“You were echoing each other. And yes. I'll test it out in the next fight, but first,” I said, holding up Roq and grinning. “Any gems?”

Riftside - Chapter 25

Darkness had settled over Dawnwatch when Eryn kissed me on the cheek. 

“Good luck,” she said, shooting me a wink before making her way down the keep's scaffolding. “Don't give him any slack!”

“Thanks. I won't.”

After having dinner at home, I'd climbed up there with Eryn to eat a few cookies, relax, and make out as the sun was setting.

I'd put the inevitable off long enough. It was time to have the talk.

I pulled Roq from my spatial storage for the first time since we'd killed the Platemaw, resting him and my hand on the wooden planks.

“FINALLY! That took FOREVER! Do you have any idea how boring it was? It's undignified!”

I dangled my legs over the edge but didn't reply right away. I'd picked the spot so nobody would hear me talking to myself, as this wasn't a conversation I wanted to have in my head. It was crowded enough there already.

“After what happened today, you are lucky I took you out now at all.”

“You mean our glorious victory? When we crushed that mighty beast with our mighty might?”

“When you manipulated my emotions.”

A heavy, uncomfortable silence stretched between us. Below, guards patrolled the First Steel, their lanterns already lit, and in the center of the wall stood the rift.

“I wouldn't call it manipulation. Not exactly.”

“What would you call it then?” I asked.

“Encouragement? Motivation? A gentle push towards greatness?” The hammer's mental voice took on a defensive tone, which was very unusual for him. “You wanted to fight it anyway. I just helped you make the right choice. Nudged you in the right direction.”

“By making me reckless?”

“By making you brave! There's a difference in those two, and you know it! Thanks to that, I hit level five, and the master blacksmith got a great monster to work with! It's a win-win!”

I lifted him up in front of my face.

“Roq, you could have gotten us killed. And trust me when I say, that isn't even the worst of it all. Just think what it would do to Pa and Ma to lose another son and a...daughter-ish?”

The hammer fell silent for a long moment.

“I... may have gotten carried away,” he admitted after another long moment of silence. “The blood from those Shardfangs... it was intoxicating. And when I sensed the Platemaw, I couldn't bear the thought of leaving such power out there for the other bipeds to claim.”

“So you pushed me.”

“Yes.” Another pause. “No. Perhaps? It's... complicated.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“I'm all ears, Roq. Try your best.”

“When you wield me, we are connected. Your emotions flow through me. Your desires, your ambitions. I can feel them.” Roq's voice sounded thoughtful. “I know you want to prove yourself and grow to be the strongest adventurer this world has ever seen. That hunger resonates with me. I like it. And once I hit level four, I found I could amplify it.”

“Without asking.”

“Would you have said yes to fighting the monster if I had just asked politely?”

“No.”

“Exactly! And look what we achieved! We killed the Platemaw! Do you know how DELICIOUS its blood was? The power boost it granted me? You haven't even asked me about the new ability! And, and, and, have you looked inside yet? What did you find? Was it something unique? I felt it! You know, I did this all for you.”

I sighed, rubbing my temples.

“That's not the point, Roq, and no, you didn't. You did it for you. For us, maybe. But it wasn’t just for me.”

“If victory and loot isn't the point, then what is?” A hint of frustration crept into his voice. “We grew stronger. We proved ourselves. We—”

“We betrayed trust,” I said, cutting him off. “Mine in you. Eryn's in me. Ma and Pa's in both of us.”

The hammer fell silent again, but much longer this time.

“Is trust important?”

“It is the most important thing. If you couldn't trust me to bring you back out of storage, how would it feel?”

“I... hadn't considered it,” he said finally, his mental voice subdued.

“Clearly.”

“But surely the results—”

“Don't matter.” I shifted my grip, holding him up to the moon. I could still see the purple and green patterns on his surface. “Not if we can't trust each other.”

“Trust.” He seemed to sigh. “Such a human concept.”

“Maybe. But it's important to us. To me.”

“And if I promise not to do it again?”

“Would you mean it?”

Another long pause.

“No,” he finally admitted. “Not if I thought the prize was worth the risk.”

At least he was honest. That was important, and something to encourage.

“Thank you for telling me, Roq. Honesty is also important. But, without trust we have a problem.”

“Do we?” His tone turned calculating. “Think of the power you gain from me.” Warmth moved up my arm and it was all I could do not to throw him into storage. “You need my power. I need your... everything else. We're bound together whether we trust each other or not. And let's be honest... what would you do without me? Become a scavenger again? Not if you want to become strong.”

“If you don't stop trying to influence my emotions now, I am throwing you into storage and leaving you there. Forever.”

The heat withdrew.

“You wouldn't,” he said, but there was a tremor of uncertainty in his voice.

“Try me.”

“You need me.”

“I managed before you came along. I can manage again.”

“But...” For the first time, I heard real fear in his voice. “The storage, it is so empty. Lonely. Just endless nothingness stretching on forever!”

“Then we need to figure this out. And just so you know, I'm onto your trick, so I'll know any time you try to influence my emotions now.”

Silence fell between us again. Down on the ground, someone laughed and a dog barked. Life continued, oblivious to our conversation and what its impact on the entire town could be. Maybe I was overthinking it, but deep down in my soul, I knew that if I worked hard enough, and used Roq in the right way, I would do great things one day. What a shame it would be if I had to throw it all away over an arrogant hammer.

I had no idea if he'd be able to influence me without the obvious tell of my arm growing warm, but if he believed it, it might make him think twice before trying again.

“What do you want from me?” he asked finally.

I slowly counted to three, nodding my head as if considering, not wanting to sound too eager. A little trick I'd picked up from Ma's negotiations.

“Partnership,” I finally said. “Real partnership. Not you trying to control me, not me threatening to lock you away. But working together.”

“And if I sense another powerful enemy? One that could make us stronger?”

“Then you tell me. We discuss it and then decide together.”

“Even if you choose not to fight?”

“Even then.”

“That seems... inefficient.”

“Welcome to working with humans.”

“Hmph.” What he did was the mental equivalent of an eye roll, and I had to say I enjoyed it. Roq wasn't evil, he was just... self-caring and genuinely thought he was better than anyone else. “And what do I get out of this... partnership?”

“Besides not being locked in storage?”

“Besides that.”

I thought of Ma's advice.

“What is it that you truly desire?”

“Power!”

“Is it?”

“Isn't it?”

“If power is truly your wish, why would you risk defeat and potentially lose everything for a fleeting moment of glory?” I shook my head at Roq. “True power isn't just in the bloodshed. It's in strategy, in patience, in knowing when to fight and when to hold back.”

“But the thrill, Ash! The rush of battle! The taste of victory! You can't deny it feels good to crush our enemies!”

“Yes, it feels good,” I said. “But that's short-term satisfaction. If you keep pushing me into reckless fights, you risk everything we've built so far. We need to be smart. Think we can take on just about any yellow or orange threat level monster?”

“Maybe?”

“That's monster muck, and you know it. We picked our battlefield and the shardfangs carefully, stacking the odds in our favor. How can we do that if you have us chasing the next big fight like an addict? I know blood and smashing things are what keep you going, but I'm not you. I'm just human, Roq. I can't take the abuse you can.”

“Why do you insist on this slow path?” Roq asked, his frustration rising. “I can feel your ambition! You want to be the strongest, to prove yourself! Why not seize that power when it presents itself?”

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. Suddenly, a smile crept onto my face.

“Why so happy?”

“Because Pa has talked about this my entire life. Power is just like forging.”

“How so?”

“That which is gained through recklessness can be lost just as easily. If we want to become unbeatable, Roq, we need to conquer our own impulses first. You know how many years I worked on nails and hooks before Pa let me make my first horseshoe?”

“What's animal footwear got to do with this?!”

“It's all about control, Roq. It's about us mastering our desires instead of letting them control us.”

I waited for Roq to reply.

“Control... is a foreign concept,” he finally replied, his tone softer. “But you speak of it as if it's the key to everything.”

“It is,” I insisted. “So I ask again, what is it that you truly desire?”

“I told you.”

“Say it anyway.”

“To become the most powerful soul weapon in the worlds.”

“Imagine our way there. You need me, and we need allies, knowledge, and resources. That requires trust.”

“And if we miss an opportunity?” Roq pressed. “What if the next monster is even greater? What if we could have gained an edge but decided to throw it away because of some... trust?”

“If there is one thing I know about going Riftside, it is that there are always monsters, and there will always be a bigger one. So, Roq?”

“Yeah?”

“If you work with me, as a true partner, I'll guarantee you one thing.”

“What is it?”

“We'll seek out the biggest and baddest monsters out there and pit ourselves against them.”

Roq's voice softened, the challenge in his tone fading.

“You really mean it?”

“Yes. But—”

“But what?”

“We'll do it smart. Step by step, because I'm not dying halfway to sixty. I'm going all the way, and I need a weapon who is committed to the journey, not the short-term fun. No more manipulation, no more reckless urges, but two partners working towards the same goal.”

He hesitated for a long moment.

“What if I find myself wanting to push you again? What will stop me? When I'm covered in blood, Ash, I... I'm not sure I can.”

“I'll remind you of what we discussed. I'll be honest with you, just as you've been honest with me. If you feel the urge to push, we will talk. But you have to promise to listen this time.”

“And if I don't?”

“Then I'll do what I must to keep us safe. I'll lock you away if I have to, but I hope it never comes to that. I want us to work together, Roq. I want a partnership where we both grow stronger without losing ourselves or those we love in the process. And I'll throw in a carrot.”

“What exactly do you think I'm going to do with an oblong and orange vegetable?”

I sighed. “I mean there is one more thing I'll offer you.”

“Oh.”

“The freedom to forge.”

“What?”

“Our side-quest. You enjoyed working metal. Shaping it? Making it bend to your will?”

“I... may have found it somewhat satisfying.”

“Then in between our hunts, I'll let you work on... defeating the most powerful materials there are.”

“And you'd consider my input about targets?”

“As long as you consider my concerns about risk.”

More silence as he processed this.

“It's not a terrible proposal,” he said finally. “Though I still think you're being overly cautious about combat.”

“And I think you're too focused on immediate power gains.”

“Perhaps.” He gave me a mental shrug. “We are what we are.”

“But we can be better.”

“Always with the moral lessons.” But there was a hint of fondness in his tone now. “Very well. I accept your terms. Partnership.”

“No more emotional manipulation?”

“As best I can,” he said. “Though I reserve the right to freely offer strongly worded suggestions.”

“I wouldn't expect anything less.”

“And we'll forge?”

“As much as you want. Though we'll have to be careful about who sees.”

“Naturally. Can't have everyone knowing about my... versatility.” He practically preened at the word.

“Good. Then tomorrow we go out to hunt again, but for now, we’ll head back.”

I took one last look at the Keep's skeleton, imagining how it would look when finished.

“They better make it impressive,” Roq said, “To be worthy of our legend.”

“Built by many hands working together, it will be.”

“Was that another lesson about partnership?”

“Maybe.”

“Humans.” But there was a definite fondness in his voice now, one I even enjoyed. “Always with the metaphors.”

“You love it.”

“I tolerate it. For now. Speaking of tolerance... storage time?”

“Unless you want me climbing down one-handed?”

“Pioneers' plight, no. The storage it is. But...” He hesitated. “Perhaps look for some satin while you are out and about?”

“We'll see.”

“And maybe a small weapon rack? Nothing fancy. Just a simple one. With a few spikes?”

I shook my head, smiling as I stored him away, hoping this would solve our issue.

The scaffolding creaked ominously as I began my descent, and I couldn't help but think if a single conversation was all it took to solve the problem. I didn't think so, but I'd even take progress at this point. Having to go back to wielding a normal weapon would set me back years, but I would if I had to. There were more things I wanted to live for than die for, and one of those was a life with Eryn. 

Wouldn’t have that if I was dead.

Riftside - Chapter 24

The walk back was slow and blessedly free of monsters. Each step sent twinges through my hip while Roq worked hard on mending it. Hopefully, he wouldn't consume any of the corpses with gems inside.

Eryn matched my pace, bow and arrow in one hand, the other wrapped around my waist. I bet she didn't want me to have to bring Roq out if we saw a monster, either, though I probably would have to. She was just as pissed at him as I was. If not even more so.

I sighed.

“So,” she adjusted her grip. “He can influence your emotions.”

“During battle, yes. Apparently,” I grimaced, more from the admission than the pain, which was already starting to fade. “I didn't even notice it happening. Just felt this... warmth. It gave me the confidence to take on anything then and there.”

“That's terrifying,” she said, her fingers tightening on my belt. “What happens next time, Ash? When Roq pushes you to take on something even bigger?”

“I'm not going to let him.” The words came out harsh. “Nobody will have such power over me. I'd rather leave him in my storage for the rest of my life than letting someone take control over me.”

My brow furrowed and I imagined the Platemaw trampling Eryn, and shook my head to dislodge the thought. Freaking Roq. Just because he was indestructible, didn't mean that us actual people were.

“How can you make sure it doesn't happen again?” she asked, sounding genuinely worried and curious.

“I know what he can do now, and how it felt when he tried to manipulate me. I'm pretty sure that I can either withstand it or just stash him away before he does any damage. If not, you can always bonk me on the head.”

“Can you?” Her eyes searched my face. “Because from where I was standing, it looked like you were enjoying it. The fight. The danger. Even before we knew Roq was influencing you.”

I opened my mouth to deny it, then closed it again. She wasn't entirely wrong as I had been longing for a greater challenge and a real fight. Maybe Roq wasn't one hundred percent at fault here, and he'd only amplified my own wishes?

“Only part of me was,” I admitted. “There's always been that part of me that wants to prove itself. To be more than just a blacksmith's apprentice and to show that I can fight, too.”

“There's nothing wrong with being a blacksmith's apprentice, Ash. Especially if it keeps you alive.”

“I know that. But—”

“But it's not enough for you.”

I thought for a moment about to respond, but decided to go with the truth.

“No, it is not. It's why I became a scavenger. To grow stronger and one day become an adventurer. I can’t do that if I don’t take risks.”

“And isn't that what he used to manipulate you?”

“Maybe, but I felt his shame through our bond and he apologized. He knows he messed up.” Even when I said it, I knew how stupid it sounded. “In all honesty, I don't think he's going to do it again. Being inside the storage is something he hates really bad, so just threatening him with it will do wonders.”

“Or he wants you to think he feels shame.” She stopped, turning to face me. Her lower lip trembled as if she was about to burst into tears. “Ash, this isn't just about you anymore. We're partners now. When you rush into danger like that…”

“I know,” I whispered, feeling a pang of guilt reach down my gut. I touched her cheek, feeling the dried sweat and dirt beneath my fingers. “It is not just my life I am risking. I don't even know what I'd do if something happened to you because of me.”

“And there need to be consequences,” she said, her green eyes focused on mine. “If he breaks them, we need a way to force him not to do so again.”

“Like what?”

“Like—” She chewed her lip. “Maybe as you said? Keep him in storage for a while?”

“Yeah, he'd definitely hate that,” I laughed, then winced as my hip protested. “You're devious, you know that? But we do have to face reality. Using any other weapon would prevent us from going hunting. At least this efficiently, and it would only bring us even more danger.”

“Someone has to keep you boys in line.” She smiled, but it faded quickly. “I'm serious, though. We need to figure this out before we go on such a hunt again. The Shardfangs are dangerous, but if we don’t run at every Platemaw, we could do this every day. Get stronger like you said.”

I nodded slowly, letting her words settle.

“Thank you,” I said.

“What for?”

“Being you.”

“Cheesy,” she said, rolling her eyes, but we started walking again, and this time we held hands.

“I mean it.”

“I know. That's why I forgive you.”

“I don't think I deserve you.”

“Probably not,” she chuckled. “But you're stuck with me anyway. For a long time hopefully. Maybe I give birth to a whole troop of blacksmiths and—”

“Hold on now. Aren't you going a bit too fast?” I said in mock panic.

Eryn just laughed and shook her head.

The silence between us was easier, though I could tell she was still processing everything.

“I hate to admit it, but it was actually pretty impressive what you did back there,” she said after a while.

“The fighting?”

“No, the rock throw.” She bumped my shoulder gently. “Using Roq to create a barrage of projectiles like that? Smart thinking. Lucky as hell, so don't get complacent, but yes, it was a nice move.”

“That was actually his idea,” I said.

“Really?” She raised an eyebrow. “So he can be tactical when he wants to?”

“Apparently. Though I think he just wanted to hit something really hard. Or set the Platemaw up for more bashing. You know Roq.”

She snorted.

We walked on until we returned to the spot where we’d changed into our extra gear, and she disappeared behind the same massive steelhusk tree.

“One more thing,” Eryn said as I changed into the untouched gear and strapped the short sword on.

“Mm?”

“Next time we fight something that big, because let's be honest, there will be a next time.”

I grunted, unable to really argue with that.

“Yeah?”

“Just try to avoid getting thrown quite so far?” She peeked out from behind the tree, tunic clutched to her chest. “My heart can't take watching you getting manhandled like a doll again.”

“I'll do my best,” I said, putting my shield and other armor into the backpack we'd brought in case our storage was full. “Though technically, I only got thrown once. The second time was more of a controlled bump.”

She chuckled.

“Is that what you're calling a room-sized monster kicking you with its hooves?”

“Would you prefer 'tactical repositioning'?”

“I'd prefer you keeping your feet on the ground with ribs intact. How do you expect me to get all huggy and intimate with you now? Fool. You could have died, you know that? And who would get to enjoy all this then?” She waved a hand at her face, smiling.

“Hah, yeah. Intimate was not what I had in mind when it broke my ribs, but fair enough. I'll try to be better.”

After cleaning ourselves up, we headed back to Sentinel Station and reported our successful scouting mission. Although the watch commander seemed suspicious as to why it had taken so long, we looked healthy enough and fine, and he gave us a mission accomplished note to take to the adventuring guild in exchange for 10 silver each.

We chuckled to ourselves as we headed through the rift, our spatial storages filled to the brim with treasures.

“Three mind gems from one hunt,” Eryn whispered as we walked underneath First Steel. “I'm still mad at Roq, but it was a success.”

“I feel the same. Imagine what Pa will make from the Shardfangs and the Platemaw.”

“You think he'll butcher mine this time, too?”

“Of course,” I smiled. “You're family now.”

She bumped me with her hip, and I could feel the happiness radiating from her.

“Family, huh? I like that.”

  *

Ma served tea in our best cups, the ones with the intricate blue patterns she'd brought from her childhood home. The stairs were pulled up, turning our living space into an impenetrable fortress where we could speak freely.

Pa sat across from me, his weathered hands clasped in his lap, worry lines creasing his forehead. The late afternoon sun slanted through the window and cast long shadows across the room, making everything feel more somber than usual.

“Well?” Ma handed me a cup. “The stairs are up, so it's time to spill the... you know.”

Eryn accepted her cup with a quiet “thank you,” her shoulder pressing against mine as we shared the oversized chair.

I took a deep breath.

“It's about Roq.” The name fell heavy in the quiet room. “Something happened today. Something concerning.”

Pa leaned forward, his chair creaking. 

“Did the soul weapon break? Or lose its power?”

“No.” I stared into my tea, watching the leaves swirl. “Worse. He influenced my emotions and decision making.”

The silence that followed felt thick enough to forge and Ma's hand froze halfway to her mouth.

“What do you mean by influence?” Ma asked.

I explained everything - the Platemaw, Roq's manipulation, how I hadn't even noticed until I got hit, the pain breaking the spell. With each word, Pa's expression grew darker, while Ma's grew more concerned.

“And you're absolutely certain?” Pa asked when I finished. “That it wasn't just battle fever?”

“I know what battle fever feels like. That’s what overtook me with the spider.” I set my untouched tea aside. “This was different. Like... like someone pouring warm honey into my thoughts, making everything seem possible. Making me want to fight.”

“Want to?” Ma's eyes narrowed. “Or need to?”

“Both? Neither?” I ran a hand through my hair. “It's hard to explain. Like he took my natural desires and amplified them several times over.”

“Made them overwhelming,” Eryn added softly. “I tried talking him out of it, but he wouldn't have it. Ash was dead set on taking on the monster.”

Pa stroked his beard, lost in thought. 

“And you said Roq just reached level five?”

I nodded.

“That's two levels above you now.” He drummed his fingers on his knee. “Makes me wonder.”

“Wonder what?” Ma asked.

“Could the level difference matter?” Pa said. “If being stronger than Ash makes it easier for Roq to influence him.”

I hadn't even considered that. What if the difference in level played a part?

“You think that's why it started happening now?” I asked.

“It's a guess is all, but it does make sense, no?” Pa said. “From what we have seen so far, soul weapons are meant to be partnerships, but partnerships need balance. Right now, Roq's power is outpacing yours by far.”

“So what do we do?” Eryn set her cup down with a decisive clink. “How do we prevent this from happening again?”

“Keeping Ash's level ahead of Roq's might help.” Pa tapped his chin. “Though that might be easier said than done.”

“You can have my mind gems,” Eryn offered. “I wouldn't have them without you, and it's Roq that's providing these in a way.”

“No.” I caught her hand and squeezed it gently. “That would only work until level nine. Then I'd be stuck gathering money for a class gem while Roq rushes ahead. Besides,” I managed a small smile, “I want to grow with you, not leave you behind.”

Her eyes softened.

“As if you could leave me behind even if you tried.” She nudged me. “I can keep up with you just fine, Aldrich. You best believe it.”

Ma set her cup down with that decisive clink I knew so well — the one that meant she had something important to say. Her brown eyes held mine.

“It can’t just be about strength, Ash.” She straightened in her chair, her fingers laced together. “You need to be clever in how you treat Roq. You cannot afford to be fighting with your own weapon. Even I know that much.”

She glanced at Pa, who nodded slowly, understanding dawning in his eyes.

“You'd never strike hot metal with a tool you didn't trust, would you, love?” Ma asked.

“Never,” Pa agreed. “Tool needs to be an extension of your arm. Work with you, not against you.”

“Exactly.” Ma's lips pressed into a thin line. “And I doubt there's any way to break Roq like a horse, even if we wanted to. Perhaps the levels matter, making it more or less difficult for him to influence you, but I think the right way forward is to find a way to make Roq want to work the way you want him to. Align your goals.” She leaned forward. “If you two are opposed, you'll be fighting all the way to sixty, if you even reach it.”

I exchanged glances with Eryn. Her brow was furrowed in thought, obviously considering Ma's words.

“Ma is right,” she said quietly. “We can't have you constantly struggling against your own weapon. It's too dangerous. And I'd be constantly on edge, unable to trust your judgment. I would find a way to work around it, but a full party? How would they react?”

“The party wouldn't know of Roq, so that's beside the point, but you're right. Our goals need to be aligned, or we need to have an understanding. Though to be honest, I thought our goals were aligned.”

Ma considered this for a moment, then turned to Pa.

“Ash mentioned his shield was damaged in the fight. Why don't you take it downstairs and work on fixing that up? Take Eryn with you. She should learn more about maintaining her gear.”

Pa's eyes met Ma's, and something passed between them - years of understanding compressed into a single look. He nodded and stood, his chair scraping against the floor.

“Come on, lass,” he said to Eryn. “I'll show you how to check for stress fractures in monster-forged gear.”

Eryn glanced at me uncertainly. I shrugged, as confused as she was but trusting Ma had her reasons. She squeezed my hand as Pa lowered the heavy stairs, and then followed him down, leaving me alone with Ma.

“What are you up to?” I asked, watching her refill her tea cup with precise movements.

“Think of your father and me,” she said, settling back in her chair. “Who is stronger?”

“Pa?”

“Who makes the decisions in our household?”

I thought about it.

“Both of you?”

“Exactly.” A small smile played at the corners of her mouth. “That's what I want Pa, you, and everyone else to think. But do you honestly think there is anything, outside the forge, I can't get my way with?”

I kept quiet, knowing better than to answer that particular question.

“That's my clever boy.” Her smile widened. “I'm not manipulating Pa. That would never work. What I'm saying is we have found a way for our relationship to work for both of us. Find out what Roq wants and then see if you can give it to him.”

“He wants to grow stronger.”

“Is that truly what he wants, or does he want to bathe in blood or something else unhygienic? What matters most to him?”

“I—” I licked my lips, suddenly unsure. “Don't know.”

“Pa loves forging, and he knows me running the shop allows him to focus on that. I couldn't run the shop if he didn't forge items for us to sell, but without me doing the trading, he'd be stuck chatting to people, growing bitter and angry because he'd rather be hammering metal than negotiating.” She took a sip of tea. “There are certain things that matter to Pa. That gives me power despite him being the blacksmith.”

“That sounds so transactional.”

Ma laughed, the sound warming the room.

“Oh, don't worry about it. I'm just using it as an example. Our marriage is built on love. If I didn't love those strong arms of his and the way he looks at me, I wouldn't be selling steel and iron hammered into weird shapes. But I happily do so because I know he loves it and while it hasn’t been easy, it has allowed us to build a life together.” She set her cup down. “You need to find out what Roq truly wants and then find a way to give him that at a cost you are fine with, or it will never work long term. He shouldn't stay out of your emotions because he is afraid; he should do so because he understands it is in his best interest.” She shrugged. “People, and soul weapons apparently, are self-serving. Align your interests.”

“What if he still does it?”

Ma stood and kissed me on top of my head, her touch gentle. 

“Then I know you will do the right thing.”

“And what would that be?”

“You will know if the time comes. Just keep in mind that anything you are not willing to give up becomes a prison.”

Her words rattled around in my skull as I finished my tea, gave her a hug, and headed down into the smithy.

Would I be able to give up Roq if it came to it? Leave him stuck in my inventory for the entirety of my life?

My stomach felt queasy at the thought, and not just from the power I'd be giving up, but the thought of sentencing Roq to such torture revolted me. Despite what he had done, and how he went on and on about blood, I meant it when I called him friend. How broken would he become after being stuck for a lifetime in my storage?

I pushed the door open to the smithy and made my way inside.

“Hairline fracture here.” Pa's rough finger traced a nearly invisible line across my shield's surface, drawing my attention from troubled thoughts. “And here. Monster must've hit Ash harder than you two let on.”

Eryn leaned in close, her braid falling forward as she studied where Pa pointed.

“I don't see anything.”

“That's the trick of it.” Pa's voice took on that teaching tone I knew so well. “You have to feel for it. Here.” He guided her hand across the shield's face. “Feel that? Like a cat's hair under your finger?”

“Oh! Yes, I do feel it.” She glanced at me. “Everything good up there?”

I nodded, managing a small smile.

“Yeah. Or rather, it will be.”

She held my gaze for a moment longer, then nodded.

Pa set the shield down on a workbench further along the wall and rubbed his hands together.

“Now then, you mentioned something about mind gems. Got some corpses for me to work on?”

“About that.” Eryn smiled at me. “This time I'm leaving all the carcasses with you. Can't very well sell any myself. It would raise too many questions.”

Pa nodded, reaching for his heavy leather apron.

“Smart. I'll make gear and sell it. If anyone asks, I'll say there are a few adventurers who've found a good spot and sell directly to me.” He winked. “And no, I won't say who they are or where the spot is.”

I couldn't help but smile at that. Pa had always been good at keeping secrets, especially when it came to protecting family. And then there was the guarantee that blacksmiths weren't forced to give up sources. Ever. They were too valuable to the adventuring community.

“We've decided to split everything from our hunts equally, despite the difference in spatial storage space,” I said as we began swiping Shardfang carcasses out onto the floor and work table. “Our risk is equal, after all.”

“Smart.” Pa nodded approvingly as he arranged his dissection tools. “Keep the relationship equal. That's important in more ways than one.” He picked up his thin, curved blade and began carefully separating the stone-like hide from the first Shardfang. “Now look here. Do you see how the armor plates overlap? Like scales, but more geometric. Could make for excellent reinforced joints.”

The hide came away with a wet sound, revealing pale flesh beneath. Pa's expert hands moved quickly, separating usable parts from waste. 

“The tendons here? Strong. May be good for bowstrings or binding armor plates. And these crystalline growths along the spine,” he said, tapping one with his knife, producing a clear ringing sound. “Could work these into weapon hafts, maybe even arrowheads.”

He worked his way through the carcasses methodically, his commentary becoming more excited with each new discovery. When he split open the third Shardfang's chest cavity, he let out a low whistle.

“Well now, what do we have here?”

The mind gem sat nestled among the organs, its blue-white patterns swirling lazily as Pa carefully extracted it.

“That's one,” Eryn said, leaning forward eagerly.

The fifth carcass yielded another. By the time we reached the last Shardfang, we were all holding our breath. Pa's knife sliced clean and sure, and there it was, the third mind gem of the day, glowing softly in the workshop's dim light.

“Three mind gems,” Pa said, laying them side by side on a clean cloth. “From a single hunt.” He looked up at us, pride evident in his eyes. “Outstanding.”

“Time to level up,” I said, taking one of the mind gems from the cloth and popping it into my mouth. The familiar heat spread across my tongue and the world seemed to grow brighter. Then came the sensation of life surging through my body, refreshing me like a good night's sleep and a full breakfast combined.

After asking Eryn to turn, I equipped all my adventuring gear, and the swiping motion Roq had taught me on my tattoo. 

My soul chart appeared, and there it was, clear as day.

NAME: Ash Aldrich

LEVEL: 4 (0/5)

STRENGTH: 20 (+1)

AGILITY: 12

VITALITY: 16 (+1)

MIND: 11

TOTAL STATS: 59

Simple. No fanfare. Just a different number. But I was one whole level closer to being classed and the power it would bring. Not only that, but I’d gained both a Strength and a Vitality from the days hunt. It had to be from fighting challenging monsters. I’d had over twenty killing blows in one day, including the Platemaw. Such gains were incredible. What had taken me years of hammering steel I’d gained in days of hunting monsters.

Maybe it is worth the risk of wielding a temperamental soul weapon after all.

I had to stop myself from reaching out with one hand and summoning Roq. Would wielding him feel different now? Was the level difference why he'd been able to influence me so easily before?

Eryn picked up the two remaining gems, storing one and rolling the other between her fingers before consuming it. She smiled beautifully, the same warmth spreading through her.

“Level five,” she winked. “Still ahead.”

I pulled her into a hug, spinning her around once before setting her down. She laughed and pulled me in for a quick kiss.

Pa cleared his throat, but he was smiling when we turned to look at him. He wrapped us both in a bear hug that lifted us off our feet.

“Well done, both of you.” He set us down and reached into his pocket, pulling out two silver coins. “First round's on me tonight.”

“Pa, you don't have to!” I said, knowing we could drink for free at the Timberline.

“Don't you dare refuse.” He pressed the coins into our hands. “It's tradition. Besides,” he winked, “Can't have my future daughter-in-law thinking I'm stingy, can I?”

Eryn's cheeks flushed pink, but she accepted the coin with a small bow.

“Thank you.”

“Now then.” Pa rubbed his hands together eagerly. “Wasn't there something else you wanted to show me?”

Eryn and I exchanged glances, fighting to keep our faces straight. After all the times Pa had made us wait while he methodically butchered carcasses before checking for mind gems, a little payback seemed fair.

“Oh, right.” I stretched lazily. “But there's no rush, you know? Figure you're tired and—”

Pa's mock growl cut me off.

“Don't you try that with me, boy. Show me what you've got or get out of my smithy.”

“Well, if you insist.” I grinned, walking to Pa's sturdiest workbench and swiping out the Platemaw's carcass. It settled with a thud, the workbench creaking and sagging alarmingly. The monster's armored bulk barely fit, its legs hanging off the edges.

Pa's eyes went wide, and for a moment he looked like a child on his birthday. His hands reached out, almost reverently, running across the metallic plates of its hide.

“Beautiful,” he breathed. Then his expression sobered as he remembered how I'd gotten it. “Though I suppose 'deadly' would be more accurate.”

He examined the joints and plate formations. 

“Look at how these overlap. And the way they're anchored into the flesh. This is incredible work. Better than any armor I've ever forged.” He tapped one of the plates with his knuckle, producing a clear ring. “How did you even kill this?”

“Disabled the legs and then smashed the neck.”

“Best way to get a knight or a tank.” He nodded, reaching for his tools and turning to potential uses. “Could make a full set of armor from this. No. Two sets. And these plates on the forehead? Might even work for a new experimental hammer.”

I couldn't help but grin. 

“New hammer?”

“Oh no you don't.” He wagged a finger at me without looking up from his work. “This one's mine. You've got your fancy soul weapon now. Let an old man have his fun.”

Eryn and I shared an amused look as Pa continued his examination, his excitement growing with each new discovery. The methodical dismantling of the carcass continued, Pa pointing out interesting features and potential uses, until his knife struck something in the chest cavity that made a distinct clink.

Pa went very still and he slowly extended the cut until he could peek inside.

“Portal piss.” The curse came out in a whisper. Then louder. “Breach born monster muck!”

“What is it?”

Pa's hands shook slightly as he carved a large opening and reached in. Ever so slowly, he withdrew a rectangular crystal the size of a child's fist.

“Three bells!” Eryn and I cursed in unison.

It was the first time in my life I'd laid eyes on a class gem, and it pulsed with a soft red light in Pa's trembling hands.

“A warrior's class gem,” he said.

Riftside - Chapter 23

Pain lanced through my shield arm as I skidded across the ravine floor. My head spun, vision blurring from the impact. Small rocks dug into my back through the damaged leather armor, some cutting into my neck, drawing blood.

Shit! What the hell are we even doing? That thing's going to destroy us!

“Get up!” Roq's voice screamed loudly in my head. “It's coming! Smash it with me!”

I rolled over my shield and stood. The Platemaw charged. What could I do? The ravine walls were too steep and devoid of handholds. I was trapped with the monster. But I'd been knocked down near a boulder. I ran behind it. If I could force the monster to play merry-go-round to try and get to me, maybe I could wear it down.

The monster slammed straight into the large chunk of rock with devastating force, knocking the boulder back to further slam into my chest. More pain exploded through my ribs and sent me stumbling back against the ravine wall. The boulder rolled after me and I kicked my legs up, pushing with all my strength. It didn't squeeze me to death, but luckily settled just short of crushing me.

“Ash!” Eryn's voice cracked with fear. An arrow whistled through the air, pinging harmlessly off the creature's armor. “Get out of there!”

Blood trickled down my chin and a sense of clarity hit me.

“What the fuck did you do to me, Roq?” I wheezed, falling forwards onto the boulder, and struggling to stay on my feet.

“I didn't do anything!” Roq protested. “You agreed to this!”

The Platemaw's claws scraped against stone as it circled, its breath sounding like Pa's bellows. I swiped my shield into storage and scrambled to climb onto the boulder. I was just in time as the monster's rock-eating jaws snapped out behind my feet.

I was safe for a moment, but that would only last mere seconds.

“Hey, you ugly bastard!” Eryn shouted from above us, “Look at me!” She loosed another arrow, trying to distract the monster but it only had eyes for me.

“This is insane!” I stared wide-eyed as it started backing up, glaring at me, clearly preparing to charge. One that would probably split the boulder, or at least knock me off. “We shouldn't die fighting this thing! We're going to get killed, Roq!”

“No, no! We've got this!” Roq insisted. “Just need to find its weak spot!”

“If Eryn gets hurt because of this,” I snarled. “I'm stuffing you in my spatial storage forever and that's without a pillow!” The Platemaw pawed at the ground and huffed, steam rising from its back.

“Ash!” Eryn yelled from overhead. “I think it's time we get the hell out of here! Freaking run!”

“Agreed! I’ve made a huge mistake!” I shot back as my eyes darted around.

I glanced up. The top of the ravine was way out of reach, but I still had to try and get out of there.

Another arrow from Eryn ricocheted off the monster's face with a metallic ping. If I moved towards her, it would run me down. It was too fast in a straight line.

“Head the other way,” Eryn shouted. “There's a way up I used when scouting!”

I nodded, and turned, staring at the monster, when Roq said something that completely threw me off.

“Perhaps,” Roq's voice grew small. “I may have let my excitement cloud your judgment. But that was only just a teeny tiny bit.”

Wait. What did he just say?

“Your excitement clouded my judgment!?”

“Well, you see—”

The Platemaw charged and Roq stopped talking.

“We are not done with this topic.”

There was only one thing I could do for now: stay alive so I could kick his ass when we returned home.

Just before the monster smashed into the boulder, I leapt. Behind me, there was a massive crash, and the monster stopped dead in its tracks.

I landed on the ground and continued into a roll, my ribs screaming, before getting to my feet and running down the ravine as fast as I could.

Off to my right there was a slope rising up the side, but it was covered in small loose stones, making the ground unstable.

Behind me, the Platemaw let out a thundering roar and pawed at the ground. It was already back in killer mode and the sound of hooves beating stone reverberated behind me as the monster sped up.

“The wall!” Roq's voice cut through my panicked thoughts. “Get to the wall and strike it! Now!”

“What? How is that going to help?”

“Just do it! Trust me!”

“Trust you? After getting us into this mess?” I reached the slope, barely keeping my footing as rocks slipped beneath me. “You just admitted that all of this is your fault, and that we should have walked away!”

The ground shook violently and I glanced behind. The Platemaw had almost caught up, and in a split-second decision, I yanked my shield from storage and spun, hurling it like a discus toward the charging monster's legs. The beast's right foot came down on the flat surface and the leg slipped out from under it. The monster crashed to the ground and rolled over on its side.

I glanced at the slope. Maybe twenty yards to the top now. But the loose ground wouldn’t do anything to help. If I had a few minutes, I'd scramble up easily, but my injuries were slowing me down. I'd never make it before the Platemaw recovered.

I turned and took a deep breath, then charged the monster.

“Die, you oversized cow!”

My war cry echoed off the ravine walls, and I felt an anticipation from Roq, though he wisely kept silent. I struck for the Platemaw's head with all my strength, but it shifted left and all I got in was a glancing strike. I pulled the hammer back up and struck its cheek, sending it stumbling to the side.

“Run! Get the hell out, Ash!” Eryn yelled. 

I pulled away from the creature and ran for the path, panting. I glanced behind, seeing the monster struggle to regain its footing.

How hurt is it? Will it stay away?

“The eyes!” Roq said. “Hit the eyes and then finish it off!” 

“Yeah, right. How about you stop spewing riftrot and let me focus on getting the hell out, you lying ass!”

“I know I did bad!” For the first time since I'd met him, Roq's voice held genuine desperation. “I was wrong! But please, please trust me now! You NEED to kill that monster! I promise!”

The Platemaw shook its head and turned toward me. Blueish blood ran down the side of its head, the face plate partially broken. I could see the side of its teeth, causing its growl to sound higher pitched.

I started scrambling up the loose rocks again, not wanting to be anywhere close when it came knocking.

“I swear I'll behave from now on! Just listen to me this one last time,” Roq pleaded. “Grab a rock and hit it with me! Trust in my power!”

A rock?

The Platemaw charged. I had to buy time. I grabbed a stone the size of my fist, tossed it up and swung. Roq connected with devastating force, and the stone exploded, spraying shards towards the monster's face. Some fragment must have found its mark, because the monster screeched to a halt and reared up with a roar, thrashing its head from side to side.

I turned to face it. I’d bought a moment, but I couldn’t outrun it. The only thing I could do was kill the damned thing or die trying.

The Platemaw thrashed, its eyes closed, and blood running down its face.

I circled the beast. Despite its blindness, it could still crush me if any of the hooves got a hit in. Its head whipped back and forth, jaws snapping at empty air and legs kicking, doing its best to keep me away.

There.

An opening appeared as it reared back up again. I darted in, swinging Roq with all my strength at its left front leg and hit it perfectly on the knee. The blow landed with devastating power, and the leg gave way.

“Ash, that's enough!” Eryn's voice cut through the monster's cries. “It can't chase you now. Go!”

I pretended not to hear her. The monster was wounded and unable to fight at full power, so why would I run? Just one more hit.

I circled to its back and moved in to strike, but it must have heard or felt me, or maybe I just got unlucky, because it kicked, hitting me on the thigh and sending me flying, slamming onto the stony ground.

“That's it!” Eryn shouted. “We agreed! Ash!”

I pushed myself to my feet but I still ignored her. Partially because my ears were ringing, and partially because I was pretty sure something had snapped within my thigh. There was no way I could escape. Even if the Platemaw limped after me, I would be limping far worse.

Sorry, Eryn. I either kill that thing or you bury me here.

I stepped back in. The Platemaw's head snapped toward the sound of my footsteps, but I was ready, stopping just outside its range, and waited for the kick. It spun and kicked out with its back leg, missing me by a few inches. I threw myself at it, striking its knee.

The hammer connected, and a sense of victory surged through me with the satisfying crack, as the monster fell to the ground on its side.

The Platemaw rolled and swung its legs about, but I wasn't stupid enough to just stand there and get hit. My chest heaved as I watched the Platemaw thrash against the stony ground, its massive armored bulk practically stuck like an overturned turtle. Two legs kicked at empty air while the broken ones twitched uselessly. Blood from its ruined eyes mixed with spittle as it snapped its jaws, desperately trying to right itself.

Loose rocks clattered behind me and I could hear hurried footsteps approaching.

“Ash,” Eryn's voice was filled with disappointment and it cut deeper than any monster's claws. I couldn't meet her eyes. Instead, I focused on the Platemaw's less armored throat.

Steam rose from between the plates on its side as it writhed. Up close, its hide looked like sheets of metal hammered out and fitted together better than any blacksmith could have ever done.

I lifted Roq high and brought him down hard on that exposed throat. The Platemaw's bellow cut off in a wet gurgle. I struck again, and again in rapid succession. Blood sprayed across my arms with each impact until the monster's struggle ceased, its legs going limp.

My hands shook, partly from exhaustion, partly from the adrenaline crash. Mostly from anger at both myself and my idiotic and bloodthirsty weapon.

“Yes! YES!” Roq's voice thundered through my skull. “LEVEL FIVE! Do you feel that POWER? The strength flowing through us? We are UNSTOP—”

“Shut. Up,” I growled through clenched teeth.

“But we—”

“I said shut up!” The words came out as a roar. “You nearly got us killed! Both of us! And Eryn!”

Roq fell silent, but I felt a smug satisfaction pulsing through our connection, completely at odds with the gravity of what just happened.

I turned to Eryn. She stood a few feet away, bow in hand, watching me with an expression I couldn't read. No, that wasn't true. I could read it. I just didn't want to.

“I think this is enough hunting for today,” she said, her face tight.

“I'll store this one,” I said, gesturing at the massive corpse.

I swiped out three shardfangs that didn't have gems in them, and touched a hand to the Platemaw. It was warm to the touch, like a forge's chimney at night.

The familiar tingle of spatial storage crawled across my wrist as the monster's body disappeared.

“I don't see why you're so—”

“I'm going to put you in storage and—”

“Wait.” Eryn interrupted me, and I turned to face her. “Tell me his words exactly.”

I looked at her for a moment and then nodded.

“Did you convince Ash to attack the platemaw?”

“I wouldn't say I convinced you, it was more of a suggestion?” Roq said.

I relayed his words.

“If you ever expect us to trust you again, you better drop the monster muck, Roq,” Eryn said.

“Maybe I let my unquenchable enthusiasm for battle somewhat seep into you, Ash. But look at what it gave us!”

“No buts,” I said. “Speak plainly.”

“I might have discovered a way to subtly manipulate your emotions.”

“You did what?” I snapped, staring at the hammer in disgust.

“What did he say?” Eryn asked.

“By chance, Ash! I didn't look for it on purpose! It just happened. When you were thinking of leaving the delicious Platemaw behind, I panicked. The Shardfangs tasted so good, their power surging through me, and the thought of going back to starving, I just... I needed the fight, and suddenly I felt your emotions, too, and I just let myself leak out a little bit?”

It stunned me. I thought I'd been the one in charge of him, the one deciding what to do and what to fight. But now?

Goosebumps ran down my back as I told Eryn, and she stared aghast at my hammer. Then she raised her chin and looked me in the eyes, holding out her hand. I breathed deep and grasped it, grateful that she wasn’t storming off.

“Roq. I can't walk like this,” I said. “Mend my hip as best as you can. And believe me, we are going to have a long talk when we get home,” I said. “About trust. About partnership. About what you did to me back there and how in the blasted rift you did it. You pushed me into a fight where we could have all died. A fight we didn't have to take.”

“But we won! And look how much stronger I've become! I can feel a new ability forming! And I heard a sound!”

“That's exactly the problem.” I stared down at the last of the monster blood being absorbed into Roq. “You don't care about anything except getting stronger. Not about my safety. Not about Eryn's. Not about the promises we made. This here,” I said, motioning at him, myself, and Eryn, “Isn't going to work like that. No way.”

The hammer fell silent again, but this time I felt something different through our bond. Could it be shame?

Good. Maybe some of this is finally getting through that thick metal head of his.

I stored him away and turned to Eryn. The mending process started right away, and I could feel the pain lessen within mere seconds.

“Eryn…”

“I know. You don't need to say it, but this is exactly the kind of thing I was worried about.”

“You're right. We will have to do things differently, but before that, would you mind helping me back to the base?”

Riftside - Chapter 22

I settled into position below Eryn's perch, my shield ready. Above me, she made a soft clicking sound with her tongue, which was our signal for a target spotted. I clicked in return.

She scraped a nail against her bow, twice.

Two targets.

I nodded, adjusting my stance. The light crunching of my boot against stone was all she needed.

Go.

“This is it!” Roq vibrated with anticipation. “One more kill and I achieve new heights of magnificence!”

The Viper's Arc sang, and a Shardfang's stone-like hide cracked as Eryn’s arrow perceived into its side. The beast stumbled, its packmate instantly alert.

I moved to intercept.

The second monster met my charge, exactly as expected. I sidestepped its lunge, Roq coming down in a perfect arc. The Shardfang's skull shattered and the creature fell to the ground face first.

Warmth surged through my arm as Roq trembled with power.

“Yes! Level FOUR! Witness the RISE of a new GOD!”

The wounded beast attacked my exposed side. I pivoted, bringing my shield up and letting it bounce off. It landed, spun, and fell dead as Eryn's arrow lodged in the side of its head.

“Feel my power!” Roq crowed. “I'm even more magnificent than before! Though I must say, I always expect more fanfare. Perhaps a choir of flying infants? Or at least some dramatic lightning?”

“Did he finally level up?” Eryn asked as she slipped down from her perch, having learned to read my wincing as a sign of Roq's louder outbursts.

I nodded and held up four fingers.

“Congratulations, Roq!” she said.

“The girl shows proper respect.” Roq's voice softened to what passed for modest in his case. “Maybe we should keep her around. Just to sing praise.”

“You know, when people level, we usually celebrate,” Eryn said.

“Celebrate?”

“You have piqued his interest,” I said with a wink.

“A high five, a hug, or a free drink is common,” Eryn said. “Though I understand you are a little touchy about being... touched. Still. Would you like a pat on the head to symbolize and celebrate your new level of awesomeness?”

“Her words are honeyed. Maybe you are not as blind in your search for a partner as I previously assumed, Ash.”

“Well?”

I did my best to keep a straight face.

“You may tell her she has my permission to pat my head. Once. Gently. As befitting a weapon of my stature.”

I couldn't help but laugh.

“He says you can pat his head. But only once, and you have to be gentle about it.”

“Oh, and remind her of how honored she should feel.”

Eryn's eyes widened.

“Really? I'm honored!”

“She just IS THAT good. Wow. Color me impressed. With blood, preferably.”

With exaggerated reverence, she held out a hand.

“Now see, this is the proper way to treat a superior being such as myself. You could learn some proper etiquette from her, Ash. Manners maketh the man, and all that stuff you bipeds say, no?”

“Don't encourage him,” I said, but held Roq out so Eryn could gently pat the hammer's head. “He's already impossible to live with.”

“I am exactly as magnificent as I should be, thank you very much. And speaking of magnificence...” Roq's tone turned eager. “Just think how much more impressive I'll be at level five! I can feel real power waiting there. We should continue hunting. IMMEDIATELY. There are more Shardfangs just waiting to be crushed beneath my mighty head!”

Eryn caught my eye and grinned.

“I take it he's ready for more?” she asked.

“Oh, yes.” I hefted Roq. “He's already talking about reaching level five. And considering we're still a way out from having full spatial storages with gemmed monsters, maybe we should listen to him, just this once.” I winked at her.

“Of course I am ready! I’m ALWAYS ready. Now, less talking and more hunting. Those Shardfangs won't crush themselves. Or will they? Maybe I should have a talk with them. Once they see my magnificence, every single Shardfang will prostrate themselves before me, banging their heads against the ground until all we need do is gently tap them in the back of the head and they will get to experience the divine JOY that is to power my rise!”

I shook my head, but couldn't hide my smile.

“Let's just find something to kill, Roq.”

Eryn was already climbing back up again to scout.

“Try to keep up, mighty ones,” she said.

“The audacity! Quick, Ash, find me something to crush. I need to restore my dignity.”

And so our morning continued, settling into a rhythm of efficient violence. If such a thing exists.

  *

Time passed in a dance of precision and death. Spot, find a perch for Eryn, signal, strike. Each kill was smoother than the last, and Roq's enthusiasm only grew, as if level four had somehow made him even more theatrical than before.

My shield arm became heavy, but the weight felt earned, like the satisfying ache after a good day at the forge. Pa would be excited by all the carcasses, too, so there was that.

Roq cracked into a Shardfang's neck, killing it.

“Eighteen!”

Eryn's arrow dug into another’s rear, slowing it down enough for me to safely de-head it in a spray of stone-like fragments.

“Nineteen!” Roq's voice rang with satisfaction. “Did you see how that one practically EXPLODED? Though I suppose that's to be expected from someone as AWESOME as me.”

I didn't get the feeling that Roq did any more damage at level four than he had at three, but I wasn't going to point that out. I had a feeling soul weapons improved in bursts, just like adventurers, which only made me want to see what he was going to turn into once he hit level ten.

A flash of movement caught my eye—a third Shardfang had circled toward Eryn's position and scrambled up to her perch, where she whacked it with her bow, sending it tumbling down. I killed the monster before it could rise.

“TWENTY! Only ten or so more until level five! Unless it's another twenty. Or thirty. Who knows. Just keep smacking them dead!” Roq's enthusiasm dimmed slightly. “Why isn't there a manual for these things and why don't they give the same experience? You'd think someone would write down the important details about soul weapon progression.”

Above us, Eryn took longer between shots now, each arrow placed with careful precision. Conservation of energy. We'd been at it for hours, and even with our improved technique, the constant tension wore at us. Every approach had to be perfect. Every kill clean. Yellow-threat monsters didn't allow for sloppy work, and we'd already seen what just a few of them could do. Both Eryn and I'd been dead if we hadn't been lucky.

“Wait!” Roq's voice jolted through my tired mind as I approached our latest kill. “This one... oh yes, this one has a surprise inside. I can feel it!”

“You sure?”

“Do not doubt me, mortal!”

“Roq says this one's got a mind gem!” I said to Eryn.

“That's two gems in twenty kills,” Eryn called down, her voice carrying a note of disbelief. She made her way down from her perch, movements careful on the loose stone. When she reached me, she sat heavily on a nearby boulder, muscles tired from the climbing and shooting. “That can't be normal, can it?”

I passed her my waterskin while considering the question. 

“Should be one gem in twenty or thirty kills, sometimes more. We've nearly doubled that rate.”

“Clearly they weren't using a weapon of my caliber,” Roq declared, though even his mental voice held a note of curiosity. “Though I must admit, even I am surprised by our success rate. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. Quality recognizes quality, after all.”

“Could be the area?” Eryn said, wiping her mouth and handing back the waterskin. “The ravine itself might have better drops. All these mineral deposits, the metallic terrain... maybe it affects the monsters somehow? And no one's hunting here, so that means...what? Maybe these monsters have been here long enough to grow mind gems at a faster rate?”

“Wouldn't it be crawling with adventurers despite the heavy armor of the Shardfangs?” I rotated my shield arm, working out the growing tightness. “Or it could be because we're hunting yellow-marked targets? They're far above our level and the only real reason why we can kill them so easily is Roq.”

Eryn pulled her legs up, resting her chin on her knees.

“True. Or maybe it has something to do with the party size? Most would be fighting at least five together. They'd kill more, faster, but also be splitting the gems. To have one each like we do now, they'd have to kill over a hundred monsters. Even Edwin's party would struggle to do that in the time we've found these two gems.

“We are moving fast,” I agreed, the thoughts coming together. “Most parties have to coordinate multiple people, split attention between several targets. We're picking them off carefully and making sure the risk is manageable.”

“No rushed retreats,” Eryn nodded. “No fighting over loot rights or arguing about tactics. Just clean kills.” She paused, a slight frown crossing her face. “Though if word gets out about drop rates like this, we’d never be left alone. The ravine would be flooded and they’d inspect every piece of gear we have.”

“The only way it would come out is from us, though,” I said.

“If anyone finds out, they can come!” Roq's voice boomed in my mind. “By then I'll be level five, and we can show them all what true magnificence looks like! Speaking of which,” his tone turned wheedling, “We've rested long enough, haven't we? Level five awaits!”

“He's getting anxious to continue,” I told Eryn, smiling. “Apparently level five holds great possibilities.”

She stretched, wincing slightly.

“He does realize we have no idea what, if any, abilities he'll get at level five?”

“Details! Minor details! The point is to get there and find out! And unless you two plan to chat all day or do that smoochy-smoochy stuff, I believe I feel more targets begging to be crushed beneath my magnificent head, which I do not hesitate to remind you both that she was graciously allowed to pat.”

I shared a look with Eryn. Despite the fatigue settling into my muscles, I felt the pull of the hunt. We were doing well, better than anyone could have expected. And I couldn't help but feel that same hint of curiosity.

I took out one of the two mind gems I had gained from the scuttlers, held it up and nodded to Eryn. She smiled and nodded back, bringing out one of her own. We popped them in our mouths, and sighed as they dissolved, refreshing us as if we had slept for an entire night.

“Ready for more?” I asked, offering her a hand up.

She took it, pulling herself to her feet and checking her remaining arrows.

“Let's see if we can find another gem before we need to head back.”

Her smile turned wry.

“That's the spirit! Though I still say there should have been choir music when I hit level four. Perhaps for level five the rift might explode into a beautiful display of light?” Roq sighed. “No, I guess not. Let us focus on the hunting and find out. But would it kill you to hum a little victory tune when I level up?”

I shook my head, but couldn't hide my smile as we continued hunting, Eryn moving from perch to perch, bow ready. I followed below, adjusting my grip on my shield and hammer.

“There.” Eryn's whisper carried down from her new perch. “See the one sitting amongst four 'rocks'?”

I nodded, studying the 'lone' Shardfang as it smelled the air. Four rocky shapes blended perfectly with the terrain, face and paws hidden. If we hadn't learned their tricks the hard way, we'd never have known them for what they were.

“Ah, the eternal strategy of the mediocre,” Roq commented. “Pretending to be less than they are. Though I suppose when one is made of such brittle material, their options are limited.”

“You calling us mediocre?”

“You feel attacked?”

“We had to pretend to get out of the camp.”

“I was merely commenting on these monsters. Any splash damage is entirely of your own doing.”

“Five total,” I confirmed quietly to Eryn, deciding to ignore Roq's latest jab. “Just like working the bellows. One moves, the others wait.”

“Mhm.” Eryn's bow creaked softly as she drew. “Let's put an arrow through the beasts head and see what it has on its mind.”

“Tell her to be precise with her shot. A clean break is so much more satisfying to watch.”

The arrow smashed through the shardfang's temple, dropping it dead. For a moment, nothing happened and not a single one of the other shardfangs moved.

“Outstanding,” Roq purred. “Nearly like watching monster materials bend beneath my force.”

Then the others raised their heads, and a low rumble filled the air as they searched for the threat. Eryn's second arrow bit deep into the haunch of one, its leg buckling. The remaining three spotted us then and charged as one, but I was ready and Eryn was out of easy reach. With my back against a rock face, my shield covered my left while Roq waited eagerly on my right.

“Come see what a proper hammer can do,” I growled and glared at the ugly monsters.

“'Proper hammer?' I am an exemplary instrument of destruction, thank you very much. The audacity to just call me a hammer. Pfft!”

The first shardfang leapt high. My shield caught its attack, and Roq slammed into its exposed flank with a resonating crack, smashing it in two.

“Think it felt that before it died? The precise application of overwhelming force? Though I suppose such subtleties are lost on mere beasts.”

An arrow struck the second beast in the shoulder, sending it stumbling. I shifted my weight, dodging to the side, and letting the third's momentum carry it past me. At the last moment, I brought Roq down on the wounded one's skull.

“DOUBLE KILL!”

The third shardfang spun for another charge, but Eryn's arrow caught it in the flank. It twisted, confused between targets, and I ended its hesitation with a swift strike, bits of stony neck raining across the ground.

“UNSTOPPABLE!”

The hobbled one from earlier finally reached us, dragging its wounded leg. I offered my shield and it swiped desperately at it. I rewarded it with an almost casual bonk on the head, crushing its skull.

“Clear,” Eryn said, already climbing down.

“Great shots. Killing three was no problem, but five might have been.”

She smiled and glanced down at the carcasses, raising an eyebrow.

“Roq?” I asked.

“Yes, yes. Great killing. Go find more.”

“Of course, but—”

“I am closing on level five. Imagine the power, an ounce of which will belong to you. What skill might I unlock? How fast can we slay?”

“Yes. But—”

“Think of the mind gems we will find. We really do need to get you to level ten. Being wielded by an unclassed feels—I don't even want to say it for fear I might hurt your feelings.”

“Roq!” I shouted, and Eryn jumped.

“What!?”

“Any mind gems among these which we just risked our lives to kill?”

“You interrupt my musings for such a... well, actually, yes. The one Eryn sniped. There is a faint sound from it.”

I grinned at Eryn.

“Roq says there is a gem in the one you killed.”

After retrieving the mind-gemmed carcass, I handed it off to Eryn.

“Three gems in one hunt. This is insane, Ash.”

“Imagine what we'll do when we get our classes!” I said.

“All the way to sixty!”

“Ash.”

I held up my hand. Something in his tone sent tingles of danger down my spine.

“The ground vibrates.”

“Like with the scuttlers?”

Eryn's eyes went wide.

“This is different.”

I shook my head and pointed to the monsters.

Eryn nodded and set about retrieving the rest of her arrows.

“A deeper rumble. Not communication. There is just a strange presence.”

“Is it the voice?”

“I just said not communication! Pay attention, you damned biped!”

I took a slow breath, not wanting to explode on Roq.

You are the adult. He is but a nasty child.

“This is more like... not like me. But, it's powerful. Exciting. Magnificent. We need to go see what it is.”

“Or we need to leave it the hell alone and get out of here.”

“Without knowing what makes this type of sound? Think, Ash. Use the mush between your ears! We HAVE to know what it is.”

“Why?”

“It could be related to the voice, or a treasure, or even a threat. Riftside, Ignorance is DEATH.”

I glanced at Eryn.

“He says something powerful is here. But it's not communicating like the scuttlers did, nor is it the voice. He... suggests we go take a look, find out what it is.”

To my surprise, she just nodded.

“Let's go.”

And we did, ascending the ravine and wanting the advantage of height. For a while, we crept along the top of the Ironclad Ravine. Eryn kept a lookout behind us and towards the forest in case of any sneaky monsters, while Roq and I searched below.

“It's so close.”

I duck-walked onto a ledge, careful not to let my shield scrape the ground, and peeked down.

“Holy shit.”

“Now that—” Roq's voice dropped to an eager whisper, “That is a proper test of our capabilities.”

A wave of warmth pulsed from the hammer's grip, and I felt my heart rate quicken with excitement.

The monster was massive. 

I engaged my sigil and found it was something called a Platemaw. The creature had just as an impressive outline. Dark orange.

“ATTACK! CHARGE! We must SMASH it!”

“Quiet, damn it!”

I raised a hand for Eryn, indicating she should approach silently.

The monster shifted below us, steam venting from gaps in its armor as it pawed at the ground, splintering a rock. Then its neck extended and it snapped up a piece the size of my fist and started chewing loudly. Even from our perch, I could see how its metallic plates overlapped perfectly, like an organically grown set of master-crafted mount armor, if knights rode something that looked like a cross between the mythical rhinoceros and a snapping turtle.

“No. Just no,” Eryn said as she stared down at the monster. “Look at the size of it. It's larger than a horse and covered in armor!” 

The last part was said in a hiss.

“Orange threat.”

“What are you waiting for?” Roq breathed in my mind. “This is worthy prey. Not these pathetic stone dogs we've been crushing all day. Go! Make me proud!”

“Those plates give perfect coverage, Roq. There are no weak points.”

“I MAKE the weak points, you foolish cretin! Just listen and do as you are told!”

Eryn had nocked an arrow, but she didn't draw.

“I doubt regular weapons would scratch it. Even my new arrows is unlikely to penetrate.” She shook her head. “We should mark the location and report it to the guild.”

“Report it? REPORT IT? When we have the perfect opportunity to prove our worth? To show what we're truly capable of?”

“We should kill it,” I said, the words coming out before I'd fully formed the thought.

Eryn turned to stare at me.

“Ash, you said it's a dark orange threat. We're not even classed adventurers yet.”

“Exactly.” I gestured at the beast below. “And what happens when we are? When we're out adventuring with a party, and something like this shows up? We won't always get to pick our battles, Eryn. No matter how foolish it sounds and how afraid I am, chances like these are what brought us here.”

“The danger is precisely why we should wait until we're classed,” she said. “Until we have proper backup and new abilities.”

“Listen to her hesitation,” Roq's voice slid through my thoughts like honey. “She doesn't understand. Can't understand what it means to truly test oneself. To prove your worth and reap the rewards.” 

A pleasant warmth rose up through my arm.

“We're out here to gain experience, and to become classed adventurers in record time,” Eryn said when I didn’t reply. “What we're doing with the Shardfangs is dangerous enough, Ash.”

“You'll be safe on the ledge,” I argued, feeling Roq's warmth pulse through my arm. “Your arrows might not hurt the monster, but they'll distract it. Give me an opening or two. Worst thing happens, I'll throw Roq at it and run.”

“I'm not worried about myself, you know that.” Her voice softened. “Ash, please. We don't need to do this. Not today. Take our wins for what they are.”

“She thinks you weak,” Roq whispered. “Thinks you need to be protected. Show her. Show them all,” the hammer whispered in my ear. 

His words were like a sweet poison.

“It's not a single monster I need to fear.” The words felt strange in my mouth, yet somehow right. “What happens when word gets out about Roq and what he can do? How long before higher-level adventurers come, thinking they deserve a soul weapon more than some smith's apprentice turned scavenger?”

Eryn looked away.

“They won't just take Roq,” I continued, pushing away the part of me that squirmed at playing on her fears. This was to protect her, too. “They'll kill anyone who knows about him. Pa. Ma. You.” I met her eyes. “It might sound safe to come out here and grind levels, but it's not.”

“Yes,” Roq purred. “Now you understand. Safety is an illusion. Only power is reality.”

Eryn was quiet for a long moment, studying my face.

“I hear you, but I'm not sure this is about protecting us,” she said.

“I need to know I can handle threats like this,” I said. “Need to know I can protect—”

“Protect everyone?” She sighed, but I saw understanding in her eyes. “You're not alone in this, Ash. Whatever's coming, we face it together.” She turned back to study the grazing Platemaw. “If we're really doing this, we do it smart. We scout it properly, set conditions for retreat, and you swear to me you'll run if I call it. Not Roq.”

“Who does she think she is? We are carrying HER! Charge in, now! Demonstrate our superiority.”

“Alright,” I said, ignoring Roq's words. It was as if a haze had fallen over me, and every suggestion just seemed...right. “We do this together.”

Eryn let out a slow breath, staring at the grazing creature below us.

“First rule. If I call 'bail', we bail. No heroics.”

“We will splatter it like a ripe egg!”

“Yeah, sure,” I said, ignoring Roq. “That.”

She nodded, then raised three fingers.

“Three more conditions. One. We scout first. Thoroughly. Make absolutely sure nothing else can show up mid-fight.”

“Why fear more blood? The more monsters we kill, the faster I level, and the sooner we can take our rightful place!” Roq grumbled. “Go! Now! Crush it!”

I felt my eye twitch but kept ignoring him.

“Two,” she continued. “We find a weak point, or we don't engage.”

“I require no weak point! Walk in and let me smash its head in!”

I nodded.

“Those plates will have gaps. Nothing's perfectly armored,” I said.

The beast lazily crushed another rock between its jaws. Steam hissed from vents along its sides, and its head swung in a slow arc.

“Three is the most important.” Her eyes locked onto mine. “We set a time limit. Two minutes. If we don't make significant progress by then, we retreat. The longer we stay, the more dangerous it is. Exhaustion can get us killed just as easily.”

“Two minutes?” Roq's indignation rang through my skull, followed by a surge of confidence that made my muscles tingle. “Do you have any idea how many things we could crush in two minutes? All I need is a single good swing, and that monster will drop dead!”

“I agree,” I said.

“And?”

“And nothing. I said I agree.”

Eryn relaxed slightly, but I could see she wasn’t on board, not like I was.

“Then we scout. Properly. And figure out how to kill an orange-level monster without dying in the process.”

The part of me that had squirmed earlier tried to surface again, but I pushed it away. We had a Platemaw to hunt, and hunt it we would.

We split up, with Eryn circling the area, her gear much better suited to stealth, and she would stay high on the ravine walls. Below me, the Platemaw continued to eat, seemingly content with its rock munching.

“Notice how the joints flex?” Roq's voice held an unusual note of analysis. After a while, he'd given up trying to make me attack and resigned to us doing this as Eryn had proposed. “The way the armor segments slide? Beautiful creation, really. Though of course, that just means it will be much more satisfying when we break it.”

“You actually sounded impressed for a moment.”

“Know your enemy, Ash. The better we understand how it works, the more effectively we can make it NOT work. Besides, it seems you won't be carrying me into battle before we know how it ticks. God knows how I'm going to accomplish that.”

I studied the beast's movements. The plates did slide with remarkable precision, especially around the neck and shoulders. But whenever it extended its neck to bite, it left a gap, like the armpit on plate armor.

Two clicks of a tongue drew my attention. It was Eryn's signal for 'clear'. I responded with a single click and didn't have to wait long before she rejoined me, having completed her run around the area.

“Nothing else nearby,” she reported. “And the tracks are all its own. Been here a while, looks like.”

“It'll take a while to run out of rocks,” I said. “We aren't in a hurry.”

“Maybe this is its territory,” she said, nodding. “And we won't have to worry about other monsters wandering in.”

“This area's apex predator,” I said. “Seems like others are staying away.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“Did you spot any weaknesses?”

“The neck joint,” I said. “When it extends to bite, there's a gap.” I demonstrated the angle with my hand. “But it's small, and only visible for a moment.”

“I saw that too. There are also gaps behind the front legs, but only when it moves them forward to walk.” She drew in the dirt with an arrow. “The steam vents might be vulnerable, but they're protected by overlapping plates. I'd need a perfect angle, and even then we don’t know what’s below.”

“So we have no idea if it would do anything. Got it.”

“The head,” Roq interrupted. “Do you see how heavily protected it is?”

“Yes, Roq. Its head is very protected.”

“Means it's vulnerable.”

“You want us to hit it where its protection is the strongest?”

“Only way to prove my superiority. Anything else is unacceptable.”

I relayed this to Eryn.

“You want us to leave, Roq? Because that's the type of monster crap that'll have us walking away,” she said.

Roq growled in my mind.

“Listen, Roq. We're going to need every advantage we can get. If it was a green mob, sure, I'd be happy to test you against its forehead, but for now, let's focus on stacking the deck as much in our favor as we can.”

“Fine.”

I nodded to Eryn.

“Thank you, Roq,” she said, being the adult. “Let's focus on what we know from fighting Shardfangs. High ground advantage is key. I’ll stay up here, try to score a hit, and at least distract it with arrows. Make openings if I can.”

“Hopefully the special arrows can pierce the armor. We would just need one or two to screw with the monster. Pain is universal.”

“Sure is,” Eryn muttered. “Maybe we can make it look right at me? I could try and hit its eyes. Most importantly, it looks like the type to charge its prey. A charger.”

“Like the shardfangs, but much slower. If I can disable a leg, it would be simple,” I said.

“This is taking forever,” Roq complained. “Though I suppose there is a certain artistry to the planning. Still, I vote we charge in and show it what real armor-breaking force looks like.”

“What's he saying?” Eryn asked, catching my eye-roll.

“Nothing worth repeating.”

“I resent that! I simply appreciate the direct approach.”

“Then we have a plan?” Eryn asked.

I nodded.

“You stay high, try to force it to move how we want. I'll wait for it to charge, dodge, then strike at the weak points we spotted.” I patted my shield. “The Heartguard should handle any glancing hits.”

“Glancing hits,” she emphasized. “Don't try to block it directly. You've seen what it can do to rocks with just its mouth.”

“It will be the one learning about crushing force once we engage,” Roq declared. “Now, can we please begin? This magnificent weapon grows weary of talk.”

“Ready?” I asked.

Eryn's expression softened for a moment, and she leaned in to kiss me quickly.

“Stay alive,” she whispered. “None of this is worth a damn if one of us is gone.”

Then she moved, taking up her position on the ledge above.

The Platemaw still hadn't noticed us as I moved down into the ravine, and I found a spot where I'd have room to maneuver. Eryn's clicks confirmed she was in place, too.

“Now?”

“Now!” Roq's anticipation sang through my bones, and I felt a rush of eagerness pushing aside my earlier doubts.

I clicked back.

Eryn's first arrow struck the Platemaw's shoulder, close to its neck, but pinged off harmlessly. The beast's head snapped up, steam venting from its sides as it oriented on the threat.

A second arrow pinged off its face, and the Platemaw let out a roar that set the ground trembling. Rocks clattered down the ravine walls as it pawed the gravel, reminding me of angry bulls I'd seen at the summer fairs.

I swallowed and stepped into plain sight, gently tapping Roq on my shield to get the monster's attention.

“Oh, yes,” Roq purred. “Let's show it what real power feels like.”

The Platemaw moved, slowly at first, but built up speed as it headed straight for me. I adjusted my stance, timing my dodge, waiting for it to fully commit to the charge.

Just like the Shardfangs. Wait for it to get close, then dodge.

“When it gets close, we strike! Right in that smug armored face!”

“Focus.”

I tensed, ready to jump as Roq hummed in my grip. A small voice in my head questioned why we were fighting something this dangerous, but Roq's presence drowned it out with waves of warm confidence. He was really looking forward to duking it out with the oversized monster.

The Platemaw's head snapped down, and it sprang forward, covering the remaining distance as if launched ahead by tremendous force. I tried to dodge, but it was on me far faster than any Shardfang. If my shield had not been up, it would have slammed straight into my chest.

As it was, it hit the shield like a charging bull and threw me backward, my arm cracking. Ravine walls blurred past as I flew through the air. I hit the ground hard, tumbling, dropping Roq to hang from his new strap.

“Well,” Roq said, his voice drowned out as if talking from the bottom of a barrel, “That was unexpected.”

Riftside - Chapter 21

I scanned the ravine's metallic terrain. Loose shards of stone littered natural ledges. Perfect ambush spots. But also perfect for what we had set out to do.

“It should come up through there,” I said, keeping my voice low and pointed to a natural path through the rocks. “That's the easiest and most direct way up from where it's resting.”

Eryn shifted on her knees.

“The range is about forty yards,” she whispered. “Wind's minimal. Should be a clean shot.”

She drew back her new bow, the Viper's Arc. The bow barely creaking as she anchored the fletching against her cheek. 

One final breath in.

The Shardfang sat still like a gargoyle, its rough, stone-like skin blending with the backdrop. The head was still as its eyes moved constantly, searching for prey. My sigil overlaid it with a yellow outline.

“How quaint. A creature that fancies itself armored. As if mere crystalline formations could compare to my magnificence,” Roq rumbled in my mind. “The way it moves like living rock.? I can't wait to shatter it to pieces and then take a steaming dump—”

“Whoa now, don't need to go into that much detail,” I said and relayed his words to Eryn. She chuckled at the hammer and then slowly breathed out, releasing the arrow.

A sharp crack echoed through the ravine as the projectile hit the target, penetrating the creature's tough skin just behind its shoulder. The Shardfang stumbled forward and fell on its face as its leg collapsed, unable to hold its weight. It rose, swivelling its head back and forth, spotted us and charged. It made its way on three legs up the path we’d predicted, and I moved to stand between Eryn and the monster.

“Time to eat, buddy. I hope you got an appetite.”

“I am the DEVOURER of WORLDS, Ash. Trust me. I have an appetite for DESTRUCTION!”

The wounded Shardfang lumbered forward, but it favored its other leg heavily, slowing it down so much that I didn't even need to block and simply sidestepped, bringing down the hammer on the back of its head. The impact cracked its crystalline skin and it crumpled to the ground with a whimper.

“YES!” Roq's voice thundered in my skull. “Did you see that? DID you see how it SHATTERED? FEAR ME!”

“Perfect hit,” I said and smiled, giving Roq a twirl.

Eryn was already next to the fallen creature, carefully working her arrow free.

“I'm so happy it pierced its tough armor. Just goes to show what a real arrow can do, huh?”

The arrowhead remained intact, but the shaft had a crack. Due to how the storage worked with monster material, all she had to do was place it inside and pull it back out. And bam! It was whole again. Unless the shaft fully cracked, then we’d have to replace it.

“Your father really did us a great favor with the trade. I don't think I can go back to ordinary arrows after this.”

“Then we'll just need to get you some more,” I said and nudged her with my shoulder. “Now, Roq? Sensing any gems in this one?”

“Hmph. Do you think I'm some sort of divining rod? I sense nothing but disappointment. Though crushing it was satisfying.”

“He says no gem,” I said, translating his babble for Eryn. “And he's being dramatic about it.”

“Could you sense there being no gem before we killed it?” Eryn asked, examining the creature's crystalline hide. “Maybe we could tell which ones have gems before engaging?”

“What part of 'nothing but disappointment' did you not relay properly?” Roq growled. “I couldn't sense anything then, and I can't sense anything now. We'll have to find one with a gem to know. But who cares? Look what we did to it! We should find more. MANY more. I can feel myself getting stronger with each kill. And the monster parts...they're going to please the master smith very much. Maybe he can make more improvements on my body...ohh, yes! Do it baby one more time!”

“He's... enthusiastic about continuing,” I said diplomatically. “Says he couldn't sense anything before the kill either, so we’ll have to keep hunting to know.”

Eryn stood and swiped the corpse into her storage.

“Should we walk along the ridge, work to spot a few more, and see if he can sense gems in them? Save our energy?”

“ABSOLUTELY NOT!” Roq's protest made me wince. “I NEED BLOOD! And besides, I'm so close to leveling up. Just a few more kills. Don't you dare play chicken now!”

“This went pretty smooth,” I said, ignoring Roq's continued ranting. “I say we keep killing. We need the training, and it's good experience for Roq. Besides, these monster corpses are pretty sweet, too.”

“Agreed.” Eryn grinned and nocked another arrow. “Same plan? I spot and wound, you finish?” she asked.

“Works for me.”

It didn't take long for us to spot another Shardfang. Eryn's arrow found its mark, and I moved in for the kill. Simple. Efficient.

With the battle so easy, I told Eryn to pull the next one while I swiped this one into my storage.

“Yes, yes, yes! More BLOOD for the BLOOD GOD!”

It sat perched on an outcropping below us, nearly perfectly hidden against the background, but not quite good enough.

Eryn released, and the arrow found its mark, penetrating the Shardfang's flank. It growled and charged up toward us.

“Monster Muck!” Eryn cursed, fumbling for another arrow as movement erupted from the rocks around it. Three additional Shardfangs stood from their prone positions, yellow outlines springing up around them.

Shit. The sigil only shows what I consciously notice.

“More!” Roq's voice exploded in my head. “Bring them all! Let the ravine run RED with their DESTRUCTION!”

Eryn loosed another arrow, striking the nearest charging Shardfang in the shoulder, but it kept coming.

I rushed ahead to meet it head-on, shield braced. The first Shardfang leaped, crashing against my shield. Its impact drove me back a step, my boots sliding along the loose gravel. The second beast darted low and to the side while I struck at the third one with an arrow in its shoulder. The hammer connected with its skull, crushing it.

“GLORIOUS! Did you see that? Like breaking a glass statue into a THOUSAND pieces!”

The fourth Shardfang ignored me completely, heading straight for Eryn.

“No!” I yelled, trying to go after it but the two remaining Shardfangs were on top of me. “Run!”

Adrenaline pumped into my veins as I felt an intense pressure around my calf. I looked down just in time to see the second beast had locked its stone teeth around it, and I waited for the agony of fangs piercing flesh, but the Crabwalk Leggings held.

The third Shardfang smashed into my shield and grabbed at the rim with its stony teeth, shaking it like a dog and pulling me off balance. Who knew a stone monster could go for a shield and try to wrench it from my grip?

“Behind you!” Roq bellowed. “The girl! They're going to eat her!”

“I know!”

Eryn's surprised cry spurred me into action. I brought Roq down hard on the Shardfang snacking on my leg. Its head breaking with a satisfying crack.

“Yes! MONSTER BRAINS! Hit it again, just for good measure!”

With a roar, I heaved my shield around and spun toward Eryn. The Shardfang let go and whimpered as it sailed through the air. Eryn had her arm up, the Crawler Bracer wedged in the beast's jaws as it tried to get to her throat.

The armor held, for now, keeping the beast's teeth away, but I could see the pain in her face as it tried to crush her arm. Even if the fangs didn't pierce her skin, the biting force was tremendous.

Rage exploded in my chest, and I pushed through my own agony.

“Get! Off!”

I hurried towards her and threw myself forward, swinging the hammer sideways and catching it in the ribs. The monster yelped and went flying on its side, its hold on her bracer broken.

“Ash!” Eryn cried as something crashed into me and all the air left my lungs as I was squashed between the ground and something heavy. Claws raked through my leather armor, and white-hot pain blazed across my lower back.

“How DARE it mark our flesh? OBLITERATE IT!”

In pure reflex, I swung Roq up and behind over my shoulder. It connected with the Shardfang's back and smashed the monster into my back.

“Between a Roq and Ash!” Roq said, laughing maniacally as pain lanced through my shoulders and I fought to stand. Warm blood ran down my back.

Get up! Get up now!

My jaw locked against the hurt, I pushed myself to my feet and turned.

She was safe.

Like a discarded piece of leftover steel, I plopped down on the ground, sitting on my butt.

“Ash!” Eryn was at my side an instant later. “Your back.”

“I'm okay,” I lied, taking her hand in mine as the adrenaline pumped. I didn’t want to know the damage. Not yet. “You?”

“Thanks to the bracer, I’m fine.” She held up her arm, showing deep scratches on the armor's surface. “Your father's work saved my bone and maybe my life.”

“As did I!” Roq declared proudly. “Though I must say, that last one... its tough skin was particularly satisfying to crush. Can we find more? Please tell me there are more.”

“Now, turn,” Eryn said, and this time I listened. Her hands trembled as she examined my back.

“This is bad, Ash. The cuts are deep.”

“How deep?”

“Deep enough that we need help.” She touched my shoulder. “Roq? Could you please help him heal like you did last time? If you can't, we'll have to go back and find a healer.”

“Naturally, I shall bestow my magnificence upon you, Ash. You didn't do too horribly, after all. So, you have my permission to store me. And—”

I swiped Roq into my storage, cutting him off, and added two Shardfang corpses, not knowing how much material he'd need to work with. Warmth spread through my body like a heated stone moving underneath my skin. The sensation focused on my back, and it intensified where the claws had torn flesh, slowly knitting muscle and skin back together. It was almost like sinking into a too hot bath to relax.

I winced and clamped my jaw shut as Eryn guided me to a nearby boulder.

“Sit. Let me see what Roq's doing. I want to know how it works.”

I complied, grimacing as she prodded at the healing skin.

“This would have been bad, but Roq's healing is amazing. The skin is closing right in front of my eyes, Ash.” I hissed as she poked at it. “Oh, sorry.”

“Enough poking,” I said, grumbling. “It hurts, babe.”

“Fine. And if this keeps up, it'll be healed in maybe fifteen minutes? Half an hour? That's insane.” She moved around to face me and removed her bracer. “I got lucky.” She flexed her fingers. “Only bruises. No broken bones.”

“That was too close.” I rubbed my face. “We need to be more careful when pulling. The pack was hidden and waiting for us. Either that, or we must have been damn lucky with the first pulls. I prefer the latter.”

“Like wolves made of stone.” Eryn sat beside me and sighed. “We should have checked the surrounding area more carefully.”

“Most low-level adventurers wouldn't even attempt what we just did.” A laugh bubbled up from my chest. “Two low-level scavengers, hunting Shardfangs for fun. Isn't that something, huh?”

“Fun?” She snorted. “Is that what we're calling nearly getting eaten?”

“Training exercise? Monster farming?”

“Monster hunting.” She reached into her spatial storage and pulled out a cloth-wrapped package. “Your mother sent this with me. Said we'd need to keep our strength up.”

The smell of Ma's spiced meat buns made my mouth water. We ate in silence, letting Roq's healing work its magic.

“So,” Eryn said between bites, “if we are to continue training here, we need a better strategy for dealing with packs.”

I nodded.

“We need a way for me to hold their attention. The pants did well, protecting me from its jaws. As long as I don't need to turn my back on them, I can take care of the beasties just fine.”

“What if I pull from higher ground? There are plenty of ledges they'd struggle to reach.” She pointed to several outcroppings. “That way you won't have to worry as much about protecting me.”

“Should give you a decent angle on them, too, but it all depends where they are.” I leaned out and studied the terrain further down the ravine. “As long as I don't get surrounded it should be, maybe not easy, but doable.”

Eryn leaned her head on my shoulder and we ate in companionable silence for a while, until it stopped feeling as if I was lying on sun-scorched rock.

When done, she checked my back.

“Magical,” she said. “If we could harness this into a real magical spell somehow? We could transform so many lives.”

Goosebumps ran down my back as she gently kissed my neck.

“Ready to get back to work?” I asked, and pulled Roq from storage.

“Mid sentence? Really?”

“I was hurting.”

Roq seemed to huff.

“What I WANTED to say before being so RUDELY interrupted is that one of those beasts had a lovely surprise inside.”

“You detected a mind gem?” I asked out loud for Eryn's benefit.

“Indeed! Though I couldn't sense it until after we killed it. Strange how that works.”

I relayed his words to Eryn.

She nodded thoughtfully.

“Then there's no point trying to avoid fights. We simply kill as many as we can to find the gems.”

“YES!” Roq's enthusiasm rattled my skull. “Now you're talking! And I'm so close to level four I can practically taste it!”

“Will you get any new abilities when you level?” I asked.

“How the hell should I know? Do I LOOK like some sort of instruction manual to you?”

I chuckled and translated for Eryn.

“Most likely you’ll get another ability at level five, if at all,” she said to Roq. “That's how it works for classed adventurers. Once we reach level ten and break through the level barrier with a class gem we'll get abilities at twelve, fifteen, and eighteen.”

“Wait, only three abilities? Ever?” Roq bellowed, sounding offended on my behalf.

“No, no,” I explained. “It's every second, fifth, and eighth level after breaking through. So thirty-two, thirty-five, thirty-eight, and so on. In addition, different classes get a different number of abilities upon breakthrough. Mages get the most, warriors the least, and support classes, like healers, something in between.”

“Speaking of breaking through—when do YOU get stronger? I can't have a weak wielder forever.”

“Every tenth level,” I said. “After gathering enough mind gems and using a class gem to break through to the next tier, we get a massive boost to our stats depending on which class gem we use.”

“Fascinating. I wonder what will happen when I reach level ten. Perhaps I'll evolve into an even more magnificent form?”

“No idea,” I said, standing. “But we'll never find out if we don't kill more monsters. And honestly, you've got it easy. Just kill things and get stronger without having to rely on them dropping gems? That's unfairly simple.”

“I prefer to think of it as elegant.”

Roq identified the mind-gem-containing monster, and Eryn stored it. We'd agreed to go every other one, with her starting, and I swiped in the other three Shardfangs.

I helped Eryn scramble onto the tall rock formation, making sure she was stable before dropping back to the ground. She nocked an arrow, scanning the ravine below.

“Got one,” she whispered. “Ready?”

I moved into position, spinning Roq in my grip.

“Let us SQUASH these rock sacks until they spurt BLOOD from every single ORIFICE!”

“We're ready,” I translated. “Bring them.”

Riftside - chapter 20

A hazy mist washed over us as we stepped out of the rift's portal into Sentinel Station.

Teams of loggers trudged toward the east gate, heavy axes leaned on shoulders. Above us, guards exchanged quiet words as the watch changed, their boots scraping against the wooden walkways.

My heart pounded. I was looking forward to wielding Roq again. The short sword at my hip felt all kinds of wrong – it was like wearing someone else's boots. But we had to keep up appearances. The light leather armor barely protected anything vital, making us seem more like a couple of scavengers aiming to earn a few silver and less like the adventuring idiots that we were.

Eryn's cotton tunic swished as she walked beside me, showing off her shapely legs, but it provided no protection. The handful of arrows in her simple quiver wouldn't last long in a real fight either, and her short bow looked like a toy compared to the new weapon waiting in her spatial storage.

But then, that was the whole point of this exercise.

“Remember,” I whispered, “Let me take the lead.”

She nodded, fiddling with her bowstring. It looked about to fall off at any moment, that's how bad the bow was.

“Stick to the plan, and don't be an ass like Roq.” Her voice was barely audible, and if the hammer had heard her, he would have flipped out.

For two days we'd been hard at work in the smithy, where we'd bonded over the smallest of things. It was odd how I never even knew how much I needed her in my life, and not just for her looks. Eryn was smart, funny, and attentive to the point Roq wanted us to take a time-out. 

Not a chance.

Finally, the time had come to go out to hunt. But first, we had to talk our way outside the walls without attracting negative, or rather any kind of attention.

We approached the watch commander's post. The grizzled man looked up from his morning reports, his scarred face a mix between a frown and a smile.

“Well, if it isn't the survivors.” He set down his papers. “What brings you to my post this fine morning? Don't tell me you are looking for another suicidal party, now are you?”

“Not even close, sir. We're looking for work.” I kept my voice steady, projecting just the right amount of eagerness and uncertainty. “Thought we might help with scouting. Keep an eye out on monster movements and the like.”

His eyes tracked over our equipment – or lack thereof – and he scratched his chin.

“Heard about what happened with Benedict.” He spat to the side. “Also heard how you handled yourselves. Commander Edwin's mentioned you both. Not bad for a couple of low-level scavengers. Wish we had more of your kind around.”

Eryn shifted beside me.

“We just want to help where we can, sir. We're wasted just sitting about, waiting for adventurers to need us, doing nothing in the meantime.”

The commander nodded slowly.

“Tell you what. Got a routine route needs running.” He pulled out a crude map. “Stay within sight of this path, mark any fresh monster tracks, and note any changes to the terrain. But listen close. If you see anything bigger than a rabbit, you run straight back here. No heroics. Clear? I don’t want to have to explain your folks how I sent you off to die.”

“Crystal clear, sir.” I studied the simple route he'd drawn. It would work to get us out into the forest, far enough from the camp to change into our gear and go for a hunt. “We'll be careful.”

“See that you are. Lost enough good people this month.”

“True that, sir. Promise we won't do anything stupid.”

We made our way to the gate, where the weathered soul chart tablet stood mounted in the wood. Eryn's fingers brushed my arm.

“Show me yours and I'll show you mine?” she said.

“Oh, that's pretty brave, my good lady. With all these people around?”

Eryn slapped my shoulder playfully.

“Don't play stupid, Ash. Come on. Show me.”

I chuckled and shook my head.

“Ladies first.”

She smiled and pressed her hand to the tablet's surface. Glowing letters materialized in the air.

NAME: Eryn Whitcroft

LEVEL: 4 (3/5)

STRENGTH: 7

AGILITY: 12

VITALITY: 8

MIND: 13

TOTAL STATS: 40

With the gear she was currently wearing, this would be her unmodified stats. Really not bad, but nothing outstanding. I had a feeling that was about to change. “Always knew you had a beautiful mind,” I said and wiggled my eyebrows at her.

She rolled her eyes, but her cheeks flushed.

“Whatever you say. Now it's your turn, pretty boy. See if brawn is all you've got going for you.”

“Alright, but... really? Brawn?” I said. “I’m pretty cute I'll have you know.”

“I never said otherwise or I’d let someone else court me,” she said with a wink.

“Right, right. Anyway, make sure you don't react, alright? Not before we get out.”

Her brow furrowed, but she nodded. I placed my hand on the tablet, and the numbers shimmered into view.

Eryn's sharp intake of breath made me wince.

“How in the gem-blessed pioneer did you—”

“Shhhh!” I grabbed her arm.

She caught herself, eyes wide, then whispered, “Damn. Fifty-three total stats?” A slow smile spread across her face as she shook her head. “You're full of surprises, aren't you?”

I looked up at the guard tower and waved. The watchman nodded, and two clear rings echoed across the killing field. The gates were kept open just enough for us to walk through.

Dew still clung to the stumps dotting the open field as we stepped outside, leaving Eryn and me with a freedom unlike any other.

“I knew you were strong from the forge,” Eryn said as we walked, “But eighteen? That's nearly classed warrior strength.”

“Roq gives me an additional thirty percent to strength, even when he’s in my storage.”

“Merchant’s fortune,” she said. “Thirty? I’ve never heard of anything with such stats before in my life. Not as a trader, nor here.” She chuckled. “ I need to get me one of those. Preferably one who is a bit less of a murderhobo.”

“The next soul gem we find is yours,” I said.

The sounds of Sentinel Station disappeared behind us as we made our way into the forest, well past where the work crews marked trees for harvest, and then we headed off the path. My boots crunched over fallen leaves and small branches until we reached a thick copse of steelhusk trees.

“This should work.” I glanced back toward the path, unable to see it. “No one comes out this far unless they're hunting, so we should be fine.”

Eryn carefully looked around before nodding.

“Agreed. Come on, let's get changed.”

I unbuckled the short sword and propped it against a tree before pulling off my thin leather armor. The cool air hit my skin as I stretched, working out some stiffness from yesterday's forging. I swiped out the new armor Pa and I had crafted and grinned to myself.

First came the padded undershorts and then the Crabwalk Leggings. I ran my hand over the reinforced leather and scales made from Scuttler fragments. The quality and weight were a reminder of every strike, cut, and burn in the forge. Each scale fit perfectly, protecting my legs without slowing me down, and gave +1 Vitality.

Look at this beauty. I've actually got real monster-forged armor.

A year ago, I'd been allowed only on the safest of missions, scavenging the most common of monsters Riftside of the Humming Void rift. Now here I stood, gearing up for a real hunt with actual armor. Pieces I'd had a hand in crafting.

When I looked up, Eryn stood frozen, her eyes fixed on my chest. A faint blush colored her cheeks.

“Something wrong?” I asked, unable to hide my grin.

“What? No! Nothing's wrong.” She spun around, the hem of her tunic lifting as she nearly stumbled. “Nothing at all,” she said, back to me. “Just... checking the trees for monsters. I'm going behind that steelhusk to change.”

She practically ran behind the massive trunk, her braid whipping behind her.

I chuckled and pulled my new leather cuirass from storage. The hide was thick and supple, carefully treated to hold up against claws and fangs. It was nowhere near as fancy as the pants, but it would do the job for now, despite not having any extra stats.

“Coast clear yet?” I grinned as I fastened the straps.

“Oh, shut up,” came her muffled reply. “I'm a lady, Ash. Give me a minute.”

I took out my new right-hand glove, the Ironclaw Gauntlet. The reinforced scuttler-plate slid on like it was made for me—because it was. The plates clicked together as I flexed my fingers. Pa had outdone himself with the articulation, each joint moving smoothly without a hint of binding, and giving me +1 Strength.

Finally some proper protection for my weapon hand. I'd like to see those beasties try to take my arm now.

I made a fist, and the plates shifted satisfyingly.

“Your father's work is incredible,” Eryn said from behind the tree. “This stuff is so good.”

“He loves his work.” I pulled out the Shadowbind Guard, my shield hand glove. Where the Ironclaw was heavy protection, this one emphasized mobility, and gave +1 Agility. Lighter plates protected my knuckles and wrist while leaving my fingers free to maneuver my shield.

“How are your bracers?” I asked as I pulled out my own set. I couldn't hold back my grin as the thick leather wraps settled around my forearms. Reinforced with more scuttler pieces, they granted me +1 vitality, and the weight felt just perfect.

“Still working on my leathers,” Eryn said. “Not the easiest to lace up.”

“Want help?” I asked.

“No! You're light-years early to see any part of my perfectly-maintained skin, mind you. I’m a one true love kind of girl.”

I chuckled and rotated my wrists, testing the range of motion. The bracers moved with me, offering protection without restriction. My armor shifted and settle as I stretched out. Gone was the cobbled-together gear of a blacksmith's apprentice and scavenger. This was armor even an adventurer would be proud of.

I touched my tattoo and brought up my soul chart, wanting to see my stats with the items. 

NAME: Ash Aldrich

LEVEL: 3 (2/4)

STRENGTH: 19 (+1)

AGILITY: 12 (+1)

VITALITY: 15 (+2)

MIND: 11

TOTAL STATS: 57

Eryn hadn’t been wrong when she said these stats were closed to the base stats of a newly classed adventurer, but I’d worked hard for each of my extra points, as had Pa on my equipment.

A soft rustle drew my attention as Eryn stepped out from behind the steelhusk tree. I sighed and smiled, gazing at her adjusting her braided hair, and taking in just how gorgeous she looked, even in light leather armor.

Her new bow, the Viper's Arc, hung across her back, and its steelhusk frame was reinforced with curved scuttler segments. Ten Piercefang Arrows sat in her quiver alongside her normal arrows. Like me, she wore Crawler Bracers, the matching set making us look like a proper team.

“Well?” She did a slow turn, the armor moving with her. “What do you think?”

“You look…”

Beautiful. Dangerous. Perfect.

“Yes?”

“...like a real adventurer.”

Her eyes lit up.

“And I feel like one too.” She pulled the bow forward, running her fingers along its frame. “This bow is everything I ever dreamed of having. The draw weight is perfect, and these reinforcements and the plus two strength mean I can use it to bash a monster's head in an emergency.”

“Pa did good with that trade. We should definitely get him something nice as a thank you. And have him make a deal for more arrows.”

“Good idea. And just look at us. Monster-forged armor and proper weapons!” she said excitedly.

I grinned.

“We are hunters now,” I said, excitement building in my chest. “No more hanging back while others fight.”

“Taking down monsters,” Eryn said, nocking an arrow, drawing the bow partially. “Protecting people.”

“Becoming stronger,” I said.

She lowered her bow, eyes full of excitement. “We're going to make it, Ash. All the way to sixty.”

“Together,” I added, meaning it with every fiber of my being. I would do everything I could to get her to max level with me.

“Speaking of which. Is it time?”

“Yes. It's time to bring him out.” I sighed. “Just, one more thing.” I walked over and gently kissed her on the lips.

She hummed softly.

“Wanted to do that without Roq screaming in my head.”

Eryn chuckled and touched her forehead dramatically.

“Oh, woe be me, my magical soul weapon of immense power is too talkative.”

I chuckled and pulled out my Heartguard Shield. Ma had repainted the red tree of life on top of the new scuttler centerpiece, reinforcing the shield's center. I tapped my protected knuckles against it.

Now it was time for the dramatic one.

I reached into my spatial storage and withdrew Roq.

“FINALLY!” The hammer's voice boomed in my skull. “Do you have any concept of how LONG I've been in there? Long enough to run out of insults to throw at that worthless axe you stored me with!”

“Roq, I—”

“And another thing! This whole 'pretending to be weak' business is beneath us. Have you not seen what we're capable of? We should be out there showing these peasants what true power looks like, not skulking around like common thieves!”

“We can't just—”

“I mean, really. All this magnificent armor and we have to HIDE it? Do you know how many monsters I could smash through right now? The answer is ALL OF THEM.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“If people knew what we had, they'd ask questions. Why would a blacksmith's son have such powerful gear before even getting classed? We'd have to explain a shit ton of—”

“Explain? EXPLAIN? Just let them try to question us. We'll give them a practical demonstration of smashing heads and taking—”

“Roq!” I said, this time out loud, gripping the hammer tighter. “We're going hunting now. Real monsters, real combat. So how about you sharpen up and stop complaining? Unless you're not ready to be taking monster names.”

The hammer's tone shifted instantly.

“Not ready? I was FORGED for this, you insignificant apprentice. I am a masterwork of soul-crafting, a perfect fusion of power and precision. I am the thing monsters tell their offspring will jump out at them from the dark. I am PERFECTION!”

“Great.” I nodded to Eryn. “Let's hunt.”

  *

We made our way through the forest and stopped at the edge of the trees, peering down into the Ironclad Ravine. The gorge cut through the landscape like a scar, its walls glinting with metallic quartz veins. Jagged outcrops of steel-gray rock created natural terraces down the ravine's sides, while loose shards of stone littered the ground below.

“Now THIS is proper terrain,” Roq's voice rang in my head. “None of that soft forest nonsense. Look at those metallic deposits. That is pure beauty. Almost reminds me of home.”

“You have a home?”

“Well, no? I mean, I don't remember. Wait, why are you being an asshole about it?”

“Are we sure this is the right place to start?” Eryn asked, adjusting her bow grip. “It looks harsher than I imagined.”

I nodded. 

We'd discreetly talked with adventurers at the Timberline over the last two evenings, buying drinks in return for information, and working to find the perfect hunting ground. The ravine seemed to be it.

“Monsters with tough outer shells but vulnerable to blunt force, and nearly no adventurers nearby as normal weapons do little damage to them? But they were known to drop mind gems. That’s everything we need in a hunting ground.”

“HAH! Too armored? There's no such thing as too armored for ME. Nothing but fancy blood bags. Bring me their carcasses!”

Eryn pulled an arrow from her quiver, examining its tip.

“I just hope these can penetrate their hides. Even with the new bow and arrows, I'm not sure.”

“We'll take it slow,” I said, assuring her. “And if anything like last time happens, Roq will warn us, right?”

“Of course I will. The ground here speaks clearly through the metal deposits. Nothing will sneak up on us while I'm—wait. Be still.”

“And now he senses a monster.”

Eryn dropped to a knee, pulling me down beside her, and pointed toward a rocky outcropping below.

“There,” she said.

I squinted but saw nothing at first. Then she guided my gaze to a slight shadow. I activated my eye sigil, and the creature became outlined in yellow.

We'd normally never consider taking on a yellow threat-level monster, but we had picked this battleground carefully.

“Shardfang,” I whispered, its name appearing in my head. “Yellow outline.”

The beast looked like a hyena carved from living stone, its hide perfectly matching the metallic terrain around it.

“Want me to pull?” Eryn asked, raising the tip of her nocked arrow.

“Get over here you walking snack!”

I nodded at Eryn. “Yeah, he's pretty hungry. Turns into a diva when he's like that. Better feed the big bad hammer.”

Riftside - chapter 19

Pa had laid out our Scuttler parts in neat rows on the workbenches. The smithy’s double doors were closed tight, and my belly was warm and full after a hearty breakfast. Ma had been showing off, knowing Eryn would be joining us for the meal at dawn, and I had to admit that I didn't mind at all. When she went all-out in the kitchen, we were happy men.

I couldn't stop stealing glances at Eryn as she examined the monster parts. She'd pulled her hair back in a tight braid, and she wore a pair of brown leather pants I hadn't seen before. Combined with her big smile, she was quite distracting.

Pa's workbench creaked as he leaned against it.

“Now, for these pieces here,” Pa muttered and picked up a Scuttler pincer. “These are perfect for reinforcing gloves and bracers, and I'll fit them straight onto your leather ones, Eryn. Light but tough, and I'll keep your thumb and pinky uncovered so it won't slow down your bow work. But the bracers can take quite the punch. Not much will pierce through those I believe.”

Eryn nodded.

“The more damage I can do at range, the less work there'll be for Ash and the bracers.”

“Speaking of bows.” Pa grabbed another piece. “I've lined up a trade with the bowyer. Leg segments from three Scuttlers for a custom recurve. Better draw weight, and he'll throw in ten Scuttler-tipped arrows. You will have to make sure to retrieve them, though, as those things are pricey.”

Eryn's eyes widened.

“When did you have time to arrange all that?”

I laughed.

“Pa's always the first one up. Sometimes I think he doesn't sleep at all. His loud snoring tells me otherwise, though.”

“Father was the same way,” Eryn said. “Sometimes I'd go to sleep at night in the back of the wagon, only to wake up to us driving through completely different terrain.” She chuckled. “I swear I once fell asleep in a desert and woke up in a blizzard.”

“You really enjoyed traveling, didn't you?” I said, and she nodded.

“I sure did. And thank you, Thomas. This is really generous of you.”

“Don't mention it. We're all in this together now,” Pa said, waving off her thanks, already moving on to the larger carapace pieces. “Now these, well, these will be fun. Excellent for plate armor. Could get two, maybe three sets out of what we have here, plus several pairs of greaves. They'll sell well. Especially once people see how light and strong they are.” He poked a finger at something squishy. “The guts'll go to Victor, but that money's earmarked for materials.”

“Sounds good.” Eryn ran her hand along a smooth piece of shell. “What about Ash? What are we making for him?”

“And me! Do not forget about the one who made all this possible.”

“And Roq,” I said.

He'd been blessedly quiet through the night, letting me sleep in peace. Good behavior deserved a good reward, and if his good behavior kept me alive, too, then I didn't mind being good to the hammer.

Pa smiled.

“Well now, that's the interesting part.”

Pa's eyes darted to the thick wooden doors, checking one final time that they were secure. Satisfied, he touched his wrist.

The woodweaver's corpse materialized on the workbench with a wet thud.

“Monster balls!” Roq's voice rang with revulsion in my mind. “That... that thing is what I came from? That twisted mockery of life? Not even its own mother would love that kind of ugly! Ugh!”

“Yes.”

“I feel unclean. And I'm a hammer.”

Eryn's hand found mine, her fingers intertwining with my own as she drew a deep breath. Her other hand tightened around the edge of the workbench until her knuckles went white.

“I know it's dead.” She swallowed hard. “I know you killed it. But damn, that is one monstrous, well, monster.”

The thing sprawled across Pa's workbench like a nightmare made flesh. Its eight legs stretched from its body of pockmarked wood and still writhing fungus. Worst of all was its face... that twisted human-like visage frozen in an eternal scream, one which still made my skin crawl. Had I seen it now, I would have probably run without looking back, but back during the first dungeon dive? All that mattered was to keep my friends safe. Even if it meant I’d die.

“Thank you.” Roq's voice was uncharacteristically quiet. “For freeing me from... that.”

“You are welcome, my friend.”

“Friend?”

I ignored the comment, not wanting to risk ruining the moment.

“Do you remember anything? From before?”

Silence filled my mind where Roq's constant commentary usually lived, and Pa ran his fingers along one of the legs, his expression one of fascination. He'd already seen it several times and even worked with some parts, but as a variant monster, it was a unique creature, meaning he was unlikely to come across anything like it again.

“Monstrous indeed. But the material... you'll like this.” He lifted the leg, examining the crystalline tip. “A lot should go to Victor. Fungus is not much use for me. But since no one can know for now, I'll keep it in storage. But these tips?” He grabbed a piece of steelhusk wood from his scrap pile. “Watch this.”

He pressed the crystalline tip of one spidery leg against the steelhusk's surface. Nothing happened at first as he gradually increased pressure. Then suddenly, like a metal rod through red-hot iron, the tip sank into the nearly impenetrable wood.

“That's impossible,” I muttered, almost unable to believe what I was seeing.

I stared at the perfectly smooth hole left behind and blinked to make sure I was seeing correctly.

Eryn cleared her throat.

“Could someone explain why you're both looking like you've seen a ghost?”

“Steelhusk is as hard as, well, steel.”

“Exactly!” Pa's eyes gleamed with excitement. “Yet under this tip, it behaves like hardened wax.”

I carefully tapped my finger to the crystalline tip.

“It isn't hot.” Then I ran my fingers over the hole it had made. “How in the class-cursed scavenger did the tip melt right through? And steelhusk of all things.”

“It's magical,” Pa said, grinning.

A thought struck me.

“Maybe that's why Roq is so effective against armor? Since the soul gem came from the woodweaver?”

“How dare you!” Roq's indignation flooded my mind. “My superiority comes from MY inherent excellence, not from that abomination.”

But there was something off in his tone, a slight waver that made me wonder if I'd struck a nerve.

Pa stroked his beard thoughtfully.

“Maybe. But more importantly, this carcass can yield several magical items. I'll work on it slowly, carefully. Can't risk anyone finding out.” He turned to Eryn. “For now, we focus on the Scuttler parts. Ash and I agreed to improve his shield first, to make it even tougher. Then a heavily reinforced bracer and glove for his right hand, medium protection for his left.”

“That's great,” Eryn said, “but what about his legs? They took the worst beating during the last run. Don't want him to end up in a wheeled chair.”

“That's because he's still a novice!” Roq's voice boomed in my head. “If he would just learn to wield me properly, not a single monster would be able to touch us!”

I rolled my eyes.

“What did he say?” Eryn asked, noticing my expression.

“Just Roq being Roq. Claims if I knew how to use him properly, we'd be invincible.”

Eryn's laughter filled the forge. “You did get hit quite a bit,” she said.

“The grey goo topping her slender neck might be of higher quality than I first assumed.”

“Please. Don't encourage him,” I said, shaking my head. “About my legs, Pa and I agreed on a set of scale mail reinforced leather pants so they provide protection around my entire legs. But they'll take more time to make. Couple days at least.”

Pa nodded.

“And once the first Scuttler plate mail is done, we can decide if Ash should use a set or if we just sell them all.”

“Sounds like you'll be busy,” Eryn said.

“We're not even done.” I lifted Roq slightly. “We need to upgrade Roq, too. He deserves some... love.”

“YES!” Roq's excitement crashed through my mind like a tidal wave. “Finally! We shall forge me into the strongest soul weapon across all worlds! You owe it to me, to us both, to invest in my greatness!”

“What kind of upgrade?” Eryn leaned forward, curious.

“Well, I thought we should ask Roq. He probably knows best how I should be...wielding him to become invincible.”

“Ah, here you show a glimpse of actual intelligence, too! What a rare and precious moment.”

I sighed heavily.

“What now?” Pa asked, amused.

“Just... hold on.” I massaged my temples. “Roq, what do you think we should work on first?”

“During the Scuttler battle, there were moments when your grip nearly slipped.”

“How is that possible? I thought I couldn't let go of you?”

“You don't WANT to let go, and you can't willingly release me with the intent of handing me to someone else. But someone could still overpower you and pry me away. You're not THAT strong. Not yet. I'm bound to your soul, not magically glued to your hand.”

“Oh.” The implications of what he just said sank in, and he was right. A few times it had felt as if the hammer was slipping. Having a way to make sure that never happened was important. What good was a hammer if it wasn’t in my hand?

I relayed this information to Pa and Eryn. Pa's expression grew serious as he examined Roq's shaft.

“We could make a leather strap,” he said slowly, “Secured with one of these magical tips. Thread it through the grip, and then wrap it around your wrist.”

“That would work.” I turned Roq over in my hand, imagining it. “Would let me hang you from my belt as well. Easier to keep you out of my spatial storage. What do you think?”

“Finally, someone is thinking properly! Though I would prefer covering me in spikes. Spikes would be magnificent. And flames. Can we add flames?”

I sighed yet again.

“We'll have to ask Edwin how to light you on fire, buddy, but don't keep your hopes up.”

With that, we got to work.

  *

Most of the day passed quickly as we worked on various things. 

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, watching Eryn flex her fingers in the new gloves. The leather hugged her hands and middle fingers perfectly, reinforced with overlapping Scuttler pieces. Hours of stoking the forge and helping Pa shape each piece had paid off greatly.

“These are incredible.” She stretched her fingers wide, then made a fist. “So light, yet I can feel the protection and the extra strength they give.” Her thumb and pinky moved freely as she picked up her bow, drew it, and then gently released the tension. “Perfect for archery and getting that little extra draw strength.”

“The articulation took some doing,” I said, pride warming my chest. “Pa insisted on getting it exactly right. Not that he ever doesn't get it right.”

“Hold up your shield.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and for a moment I thought she was about to ask if she could hit me with an arrow.

I fetched my shield and braced. She squared up and drove her armored fist into the center with surprising force. The impact rang through the metal, but I didn't budge.

“Ha!” she beamed, shaking her hand. “Didn't hurt at all! These are amazing, Thomas!”

I’d checked the stats on the item after completing it, and the gloves had a nice +1 strength, which for her had been a considerable upgrade.

Pa just grunted, hammering away at a particularly stubborn piece of Scuttler shell.

“Be better if I still had my proper hammer.” He shot a pointed look at Roq sitting comfortably in my grip.

“Why not use Roq?” Eryn asked. “He should be perfect, right?”

“WHAT?” Roq's voice exploded in my mind. “I am the supreme weapon of war! A soul forged for conquest and glory! Not some common TOOL for beating metal!”

“Roq feels his talents lie more in combat than smithing,” I translated diplomatically. “Also, I don't think he'd be of much use. His destructive power is too great.”

“You got that right!”

Eryn's lips curved into a sly smile.

“Oh, I understand completely,” she said. “It makes sense if he's nervous about trying something new. What if he's not strong enough to conquer the material here in the forge? Better to avoid the risk of failure entirely by stating he is too 'destructive'.”

“NERVOUS?” Roq's mental voice reached new heights of indignation. “FAILURE? I'll show you failure! Bring me over there this instant! We shall hammer that pathetic piece of monster shell into submission with such precision and power that she will NEVER again question my STRENGTH AGAIN!”

“Roq says he'd be happy to help,” I said, fighting back a grin.

“That is NOT what I said and you know it! But yes, now we must prove our superiority in ALL things! Quickly, before she thinks I’m actually afraid! Bring me over there!”

Pa and I exchanged glances. With exaggerated ceremony, he stepped away from the anvil, sweeping his arm in a grand gesture of invitation.

“Please,” he said, voice dripping with mock deference. “Show us how it's done, oh mighty hammer.”

I approached the anvil and lined up the first strike. The twisted piece of Scuttler shell gleamed, its natural curves needing to be hammered flat and then shaped for the bracers.

Roq's voice thundered in my head.

“Let them hear me! Let the WORLD know. The strongest striker have arrived in the smithy, and we WILL subdue the ENTIRE world!”

I drove the hammer down, and the smithy came to life. It wasn’t simply the sound of metal on metal—it was a shockwave, a ripple that pushed through the smithy like an explosive force. The walls shook, tools clinking on their racks. The twisted piece of Scuttler shell flattened instantly, but the anvil beneath it groaned like a wounded beast.

“Yes! Bend, you worthless slab! Feel the dominance of VANNASH' KHAZEESH! I will subdue you in your entirety!”

“Good job, Roq,” I muttered, adjusting my grip.

“Do NOT interrupt me in my moment of TRIUMPH, you biped!”

I struck again. The shell sparked, and a sharp brilliant flash lit up the forge. So hard was the hit that I could feel the vibrations in my feet.

Eryn stepped back, shielding her eyes.

“Ash, are you sure your hammer isn't going to destroy the entire smithy?”

“The smithy will survive once it learns its place,” Roq growled, his voice vibrating in my skull.

“Maybe tone it down a notch?” I suggested. “We can't afford to rebuild an entire smithy just because you want to prove your dominance, Roq.”

“I will do NO such thing! To forge is to CONQUER, and I CONQUER utterly and COMPLETELY!”

I struck again, and this time the shockwave knocked a bucket off the workbench.

Eryn caught it mid-air, her grin widening.

“He's really something, isn't he?”

“I heard that! And yes, I am something. No, wait, I am not just something, I am EVERYTHING! And this shell? It is NOTHING!”

The strikes quickened. Each blow traveled up my arm and into my chest. Sweat ran down my back as the Scuttler shell twisted and bent into shape, yielding to Roq's overwhelming power. The forge's flames surged with each impact, the heat intensifying as though it were feeding off Roq's energy.

“More!” Roq bellowed. “Another piece! We’re just getting started!”

I nodded at Pa, and he handed me the next piece, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

“He's got some fire in him, I'll give him that.”

“Do not underestimate me, bearded one. Your anvil trembles at my glory!”

When I relayed Roq's comment, Pa chuckled.

“Good thing I reinforced it. Maybe we will need to make a steel-husk anvil next, huh, son?” he added and stepped back.

The second piece was no match for Roq's strikes. We struck harder, faster, the ringing of metal filling the smithy like a battle cry.

“Yes! Witness the FURY of a TRUE weapon! I do not FORGE, I DOMINATE!”

We finished in record time, the workbench piled high with perfectly shaped pieces, each one proof to Roq's power and precision. Pa had barely been able to keep up his instructions of what he needed as we hammered them out, and it was as if Roq knew what to do.

I transferred Roq to my other hand, my right shaking and my ears ringing.

“That,” Eryn said, staring at the pieces, “Was insane.”

“Insane?” Roq rumbled. “No, mortal, that was PERFECTION.”

Pa nodded, running his fingers over the cooled metal.

“Best work I've ever seen. Even better than my old hammer.”

Roq let out a smug, mental laugh.

“Of course it is. I am the pinnacle of creation. Now bring me another challenge worthy of my power.”

“Careful, Roq. If you keep this up, people might start thinking you're useful for something other than smashing skulls.”

“Do NOT mock me, Ash! My glory has only begun! And besides, a God needs his worshippers, does he not?”

I grinned, wiping the sweat from my forehead.

“I think he's starting to like us.”

“NEVER!” Roq snapped. Then his volume lowered, somehow becoming even more intense. “We have a new quest, Ash.”

“We have a new quest?” I said out loud, for Pa and Eryn's benefit. “You no longer want to become the strongest weapon in all of the worlds?”

“Good point. We have a new side-quest!”

“Okay. A new side quest,” I said, chuckling. “And what is it?”

“To beat into submission every material known to man, and anything new we find. I want to feel them all break beneath my power. Bend and shape them according to my will, so that every material knows to bow its head as you carry me through the streets!”

I relayed it word for word, barely able to keep a straight face.

“You want saggy buildings?” Eryn asked.

“What? Mortal, speak plainly!” 

I relayed his question.

“If all materials will bow their heads as you and Ash walk past, won't that make for a lot of saggy buildings everywhere? Droopy trees? Running mountains?”

I half-swallowed my laugh, feeling Roq focus on my girlfriend.

“Is that biped mocking me?”

“No, we are not mocking you,” I said. “Your quests are our quests. So we need to know these things, right?”

“Fine. Not all the materials have to bow. As long as one of them has bowed, they'll all know, and we'll know, and the world will be in its proper order.”

I relayed his words again, and Eryn burst out laughing, even Pa's booming voice joined in. The forge felt warm, alive, and I realised that Roq's voice felt less like an intrusion in my head, and more like he belonged.

“Now have the bearded one finish the crafting so we can go hunt. All this hammering has made me hungry. I need to feed.”

Riftside - chapter 18

The forge blazed with its usual warmth as Pa stood at the butchering station, running a whetstone along his favorite dissection blade. The metal sang with each stroke. I kept my arm wrapped around Eryn's waist while she leaned against me, both of us watching Pa as he prepared for business. It was almost like watching a musician tuning his instrument before starting to play.

“Is Helena not joining us?”

I shook my head.

“Ma doesn't care for this part. She can handle it if needed, of course—has worked with plenty of monster parts. She just doesn't enjoy the blood and guts the way we do.”

“Blood! Yes! The essence of life and power! When do we start?” Roq's eager voice echoed in my mind, and not just that, but I could feel the raw emotions he was giving off.

“Give it a rest, Roq,” I muttered, earning a questioning look from Eryn. “He's getting excited at the prospect of blood,” I explained.

Pa chuckled, testing the blade's edge on the nail of his thumb.

“Helena prefers running the business side. She manages the books, handles negotiations, and keeps us all in line. I get to swing my hammers and cut things up. A fair trade if you ask me.”

“Fair trade?” Eryn asked.

“Aye. Steel and monster materials are simple to me. People? They can be hard to deal with.”

“It seems you complement each other very well,” Eryn said, smiling. “The way you look at each other when you think no one's watching... it's sweet. Earlier, when she handed you tea? You both had this little moment.”

“You should see us when no one's watching, lass,” Pa said and grinned.

Heat crept up my neck, and I was about to apologize, but then figured we were all adults.

“They've always been like that. Even after all these years, they still act like newlyweds sometimes.”

“When you find the right partner, you hold on tight.” He looked over his shoulder, still not finished sharpening his blade. “Whose corpses are we starting with?”

“Ladies first?” I said, gesturing toward the butchering station.

“Oh, thank the bells.” Eryn pulled away from me and swept her Scuttler carcasses onto the workbenches along the wall with dull thuds.

Pa leaned in, turning the blade this way and that.

“Would you look at these leg segments? The flexibility is remarkable.” He tapped the joint with his knife. “The bowyer could work wonders with this material.”

“You’ve never seen those before?” Eryn asked.

“I have, lass, but usually in parts. Scuttlers are a big danger unless you have a mage in your party, and Ash was never that lucky.”

“Until now,” I said with a grin.

“Any gems?” Eryn asked, leaning toward Pa.

He ignored her, focusing on a piece of chitin, slowly cutting a line underneath, and separating it from the flesh.

“This plating is perfect for greaves. The natural curve would reduce the forge time significantly.”

“There is one in the Scuttlers your father works on now.”

“Are you sure?”

“No.”

“Then why'd you say so?”

“I think there is.”

“Then don't sound so sure.”

“I'm pretty sure. More sure than you. That is a given. I am so much more than you.”

I shook my head. Roq was definitely the type to fake it till he made it. Completely different from Ma and Pa.

“Why do you think there is one?”

Roq didn't answer as Pa separated another section.

“These smaller pieces could reinforce gloves or gauntlets.”

“Is he always like this?” Eryn whispered, nudging me, and I chuckled.

“Every monster mucking time. He loves saving the gems for last. Unless we really pressure him.”

“Please, Mr. Tharen?” Eryn bounced on her toes. “I just want to know if I got any.”

Pa's shoulders shook with silent laughter as he continued his methodical dissection.

“The structure in their legs could make excellent clasps for—”

“Mr. Tharen!” Eryn's voice hit a desperate pitch.

Pa turned, grinning.

“Well, since you asked so nicely.”

“We're about to find out if you're right.”

“There's a ringing, Ash,” Roq said as Pa flipped the Scuttler on its face and plunged his knife into the tiny gap where the top and bottom shells met. “It is ever so softly on the edge of my awareness.” Pa wrenched the shell apart, revealing the Scuttler's innards. “Imagine four identical houses, and inside one of them stands a blacksmith tapping an anvil, but gently. Just on the edge of your hearing.” Pa shoved his hand into its meat. “So quietly you might just start second-guessing yourself if your partner tells you they hear nothing.”

“Ah ha!” Pa withdrew his hand, a perfect mind gem gleaming in his palm, and I could only stare.

“You magnificent hammer! You did know? Or maybe that was just luck?”

“Luck? Pfft! Don't insult me, welp!”

Eryn squealed as Pa held the mind gem out to her and she took it. For a moment, it looked as if she was about to clutch it to her chest, but then she stopped and looked down at Ma's borrowed dress.

“Oh! I should probably clean this. I'll be right back.” She patted Pa on the arm, careful not to get any goo on Ma's sleeve, before pecking me on the cheek and rushing into the house. “Helena! We got one!”

“By the blessed portal,” I said.

“Told you.” Roq's voice was exceedingly smug, and I didn't mind in the slightest. “Now, do your duty and duly inform your family about my superiority.”

“You did tell me, but once might be luck. Let's not get their hopes up just yet. Three times is the charm.”

“Unbeliever.”

Pa turned to me with a knowing smile.

“That one's special, son.”

“Yeah, sure is, Pa.” Warmth bloomed in my chest, spreading through me like the first sip of Echo of the Rift. “She really is.”

“Smart. Caring. Good head on her shoulders. And she actually managed to get me to check for gems first. Your Ma will love her backbone.”

The door creaked and Eryn bounded back in, the cleaned mind gem nestled in her palm like a precious jewel. The swirling patterns inside caught the forge light, and I couldn't help but grin. A lesser man might be jealous or imagine himself taking that gem, but I wasn't that kind of person. I wanted her success as much as I wanted it for myself.

“Thank you, Mr. Tharen,” she said, grinning.

“You are most welcome.”

“What do you plan to do with it?” I asked. “Use or invest?”

She held it up, examining it.

“Store it for now in case I need the rested buff later, or I'll take it when I get another since I'm two away from level five.”

She swiped it into her spatial storage.

“Ready for the rest?” Pa gestured to the remaining Scuttlers.

Eryn nodded eagerly, leaning forward over the workbench.

“Save her the anticipation,” Roq's metallic voice rang in my head. “These three hold no gems.”

“Let's wait and see.”

“The ringing is clear as the alarm bell. Or rather, the lack of it. They have no gems.”

“You said it was barely on the edge of your awareness.”

“And now I hear nothing. Is that too hard to understand for a biped?”

Pa worked through the other Scuttlers, separating shell from meat with precision. True to Roq's word, there were no more gems.

“See? I told you so.”

Pride dripped from every word.

“I have a name, hammer. And to be fair, statistically they shouldn't have any gems. This proves nothing.”

Eryn beamed at the dissected creatures, ecstatic at the results, as she should be.

“This is wonderful! A mind gem and all these materials.” She swiped one of the cleaned carcasses into her storage. “Victor will love examining this one. He's been working on some new formulas. Thank you again, Mr. Tharen. Not having to pay the guild fee leaves me a lot more to work with.”

“Call me Thomas, dear. And if you come back tomorrow,” Pa said, wiping his hands on a cloth, “I'll have had time to properly assess these materials. We can discuss what items might suit you best.”

“I'd love that, Thomas.” Eryn said, then she smiled at me. “Your turn!”

I smiled back and swiped out the five carcasses after Pa made space.

“Two of yours have gems, by the way. The second and fifth from the right.”

“What's the matter?” Eryn asked as I frowned at the carcasses.

“Tell them. It'll be more fun that way.”

“Why?”

“They get to experience my superiority as it unfolds. A hammer is smarter than a biped. What a day to be alive.”

“Fine,” I said, sighing.

“Son?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Don't get your hopes up, alright? But Roq claims to be able to sense which carcasses have gems in them. He was right about yours, Eryn, and now he claims two of these also have gems.”

Pa went completely still.

“Do you believe him?”

“What right has he to doubt me?”

“I am unsure. That's why I didn't say anything earlier. The hammer might get an even greater ego if he's right.”

“Why not? It would be amazing, no?” Eryn asked. “If he could actually make out what carcasses have gems, I mean. It would make our trips Riftside much more profitable.”

“It would,” I said, exchanging a glance with Pa. “But I'm not sure if I want him to be right. As I said, he already has quite the ego. If he can actually point out what monsters carry gems? He'd never stop gloating. But more importantly…”

Pa nodded, frowning as if he'd caught someone poking around the forge fire with his steel tools.

“It also skyrockets his value and the danger to you both,” Pa said with a sigh. “No wonder adventurers keep soul weapons secret if they are able to identify gems. To many, they would be worth an ocean of blood.”

“I like the sound of that. Find one and place me in it.”

“Not only could we know which carcasses had gems in them,” I said, staring at Roq, “We could hunt until our spatials were filled with only gem-blessed carcasses. Just imagine the speed at which we could level if we didn't have to play the odds.”

“Danger and potential,” Eryn said and nodded, understanding both sides of the situation.

“Risk and reward,” I added. “A shortcut to power and wealth.”

“Strength, power, and blood! Give me some blood! Yours will do, just so you know. Smash your hand and let me have a taste so I can see if you’re worth wielding me!”

I closed my eyes and sighed.

“I think this time I'll carve for gems first,” Pa said, stroking his beard. “And Ash? Close the doors.”

I nodded and did as he said, before lining up with Eryn, nearly shaking from the tension.

“Which ones did he claim contained gems?” Pa asked, his dissection blade held above the first.

“Second and fifth from the right.”

Pa slipped the blade into the first Scuttler's shell joint and separated the pieces. My heart pounded as he dug through the innards, methodically searching. Nothing. He moved to rinse and wipe his hands.

Eryn exhaled slowly.

“Told you.”

“Statistically expected.”

“Just wait.”

The second Scuttler. Pa's blade slid home. Shell cracked. His hand disappeared into the creature's guts before emerging holding a perfect mind gem.

The forge fell silent except for the crackle of burning coals.

“YES! Did you see that!? Did you!? What did I tell you!? Who's the superior being now!? Tell me you're not impressed! Tell me I am your God!”

Oh my God…

I was glad I hadn’t let that thought slip towards Roq. He’d be insufferable.

Goosebumps raced down my arms and spine. Eryn's fingers squeezed mine, hard. I couldn't tear my eyes from the gem as Pa held it out. The swirling patterns inside seemed to mock everything I thought I knew about hunting.

I accepted the gem and swiped it into my storage.

Pa moved to the third Scuttler without comment, his movements faster now. The blade slid through the shell and meat. Nothing. The fourth yielded similar results—empty.

The door creaked. Ma's head poked in.

“Why so serious? It's just magic, guts, and steel.”

“Not now, love.” Pa's voice was gentle but firm, and Ma just rolled her eyes, having no idea what was going on.

“Craftsmen,” she muttered to herself, not for the first time, closing the door with a soft click. “They're not grumpy, just busy building the world.”

Pa approached the final Scuttler. My palm was sweating in Eryn's grip. The blade descended. Shell split. His hand disappeared into the creature and emerged clutching a mind gem.

Pa's legs gave out, and he sat straight down on the floor, staring at the gem in his palm.

“THRICE! Thrice I told you! Who’s the UNRELIABLE one now!? I am VANNASH KHAZEESH! I am POWER! I am divinity! Yes, you will PRAY to me, mortal! Worship my very name!”

“You are amazing,” I thought, cutting off his rant. A smile spread across my face as the implications sank in.

“Ash, this is nuts!” Eryn squeezed my hand again, beaming. “Do you realize what this means?”

I did. The smile wouldn't leave my face as I stared at Roq, still clutched in my hand. When I'd decided to forge him instead of selling the soul gem, I'd known that things would change, but I had no idea just how drastic those changes would be. 

It was starting to dawn on me.

  *

The setting sun painted the steelhusk framework of The Timberline tavern in shades of purple and gold.

After the shock had worn off, we'd had a meal with Ma, chatted and planned, and she'd made me a linen pillow for Roq, who had reluctantly agreed to have a rest on it in my spatial storage, though he insisted I swipe a sword, mace, and axe, in addition to my shield, in with him so he'd have something to curse at. Something else than the coarseness of the linen, that is.

Eryn's hand felt warm in mine as we climbed the inn's wooden steps, winding their way up the massive support beams. Dawnwatch's constant buzz of construction had died down for the day, and was replaced by the low rumble of voices and clinking tankards from above.

The time had come for a celebration.

Heat and woodsmoke hit us as we stepped through the door.

The massive steelhusk log stove dominated the center of the room, its chimney disappearing into the rafters. Adventurers clustered around tables made from rough-cut timber, sharing tales over steaming bowls. The Hunt Ledger board caught my eye – covered in fresh chalk marks from today's kills.

Feels different being here with her.

“Ash! Eryn! Over here!” Garrett's voice boomed across the room. “Got a beam claimed!”

I spotted him waving from the second level, where cloth partitions created makeshift private spaces between the support beams. Eryn's fingers tightened around mine as we wound through the crowd.

“Look who decided to show up.” Nina sat cross-legged on a pile of cushions, bandages visible beneath her sleeve.

Finn lounged beside her, his healing hand in a sling, and his good one was wrapped around a tankard. 

“Heard you went out and nearly got lost in the woods. Almost made a bet a monster had eaten you whole.”

We exchanged a glance.

“Let's just say we had an adventure,” I said as Eryn released my hand and knelt beside them.

“How are you all healing?” Eryn asked, ignoring Finn's jab.

I settled onto one of the cushions as Garrett stretched, his weathered face catching the firelight.

“I'm fine, just taking it easy for a few days after healing. Picked up some guard shifts at the keep to earn a few coppers while recovering.”

Nina nodded, adjusting her position.

“Same here. Been staying at the inn though, taking long walks. The fresh air and movement help with the back. Still hurts like a bitch, but I'm recovering in all ways that matter.”

“Long walks, huh?” Finn's lips curved into a knowing smile. “Only when Alex is out adventuring. The rest of the time she's—”

Nina's fist connected with his good arm.

“Shut it.”

“Careful,” Eryn warned, though her voice held more amusement than concern.

Finn rubbed his arm, grinning.

“I'm fine. Actually,” he said, his expression sobering. “Been meaning to thank you both. Eryn, you not only killed the blightwalker, but you stopped me from bleeding out. And Ash?” He shifted in his seat. “What happened in that dungeon could've gone real bad. What you did, let's just say that I owe you more than a drink.”

Silence fell over our group. The crackle of the massive stove filled the space as memories of the Twisted Titan flooded back. The dungeon’s weird light, the chittering of monsters, and the metallic tang of blood. They sent the hairs on my back standing upright.

Garrett leaned forward, voice dropping.

“Speaking of the dungeon, did you get anything good from, the you know what?” he said, raising his eyebrows meaningfully.

My muscles tensed. Beside me, Eryn went still. I glanced around, checking if anyone was within earshot.

“No idea what you're talking about.” I met their gaze, one by one, before leaning back and saying, “But in other news, I now have the two mind gems needed for level four.”

Garrett chuckled and wiggled his eyebrows. Nina and Finn exchanged knowing looks, nodding along.

Thank the gods they bought it.

I felt myself relax as Eryn shifted beside me, her thigh warm against mine.

“That dress looks lovely on you, Eryn,” Nina said, smoothing her own tunic.

Garrett raised his hand, catching the waiter’s attention. “Two more ales over here! On me!” Then he nodded at us. “Least I can do for getting us all out in one piece.”

Not long after, a gentle clearing of a throat made me look up. Johan stood there in a pristine white apron, his black hair slicked back and a broad smile on his face.

“Ash! Eryn!” His face was set in a wide grin. “Been hoping you'd stop by!”

“Johan?” Eryn straightened. “What are you doing here?”

He held up a finger, turning to Garrett. “Sorry sir, did you just order ale for these two?”

“Yeah. Just add it to my tab?” Garrett started.

“Well, save your coin.” Johan set the mugs down with a flourish. “These two drink for free. For life.”

Eryn shook her head.

“The innkeeper won't stand for that.”

“Oh, but he will.” Johan wiped his hands on his apron, chest puffing out. “Since he's standing right here.”

My jaw dropped.

“You bought the Timberline?”

“Sure did. Had more than enough of scavenging after that mess with Benedict. Figured it was time to settle down, do something a bit less... bitey. Used my savings.”

“What about your Scuttler?” I asked.

Johan's grin widened.

“Getting it mounted as we speak. Going right above the bar. My first and hopefully last scavenged monster.” He gestured vaguely toward the ceiling. “Reminder of why I'm better off serving ale than hunting the damn things.”

“Smart man,” Eryn said. “And thank you, too, Johan. For getting Edwin.”

He nodded appreciatively.

“Well, I'll leave you to your friends.” Johan adjusted his apron. “Need anything, just holler.”

As he disappeared into the crowd, three pairs of wide eyes fixed on us.

“What in the bells happened out there?” Finn whispered.

Nina leaned forward.

“Yeah, since when do you know the new innkeeper?”

Garrett just stared, mouth slightly open.

Eryn and I exchanged glances, a smile tugging at my lips. I grabbed my mug and settled back, my free arm moving around her. She shot me a smile before turning to the others.

“So,” she began, “Benedict invited us to partake as scavengers, making it seem like Edwin was leading the party...”

  *

Sometime later, I stared up at the stars as Eryn and I walked hand in hand out to Dawnwatch's outer ring, the ale's pleasant buzz softening our mood and our step.

“I remember my father's laugh most clearly,” Eryn said, her voice quiet in the darkness. “Deep and rich and safe. He'd throw his head back when something really tickled him.” She squeezed my hand. “Mother was different. She was the serious one, really, and, precise. But she always had a snack for me, as long as my father wasn't watching.”

“Why?”

“Then he'd eat it all,” she said, smiling. “God, that man could eat.”

The buildings grew shorter and cruder as we walked through Dawnwatch, heading further from the rift. Wooden structures replaced steelhusk, then gave way to half-finished frames silhouetted against the star-filled sky.

“What happened to them?” I asked.

“Monster surge.” She shrugged. “I was fourteen.” Her voice stayed steady, but her grip tightened. “They killed half the caravan. I'd be dead too if I hadn't been visiting our healer. Learning about herbs and how to use them to stop bleeding. He took one look at the monsters, uncoupled his horse, and rode straight away, me thrown over the saddle.”

She swallowed and I pulled her closer, wrapping my arm around her waist. She leaned into me, her head resting against my shoulder.

“I'm so sorry,” I said.

“Me too. Wish they were around to see us. They'd be so happy.”

The Hollow Hearth's familiar shape emerged from the darkness. One of the sleeping halls, frequented by workers and those who didn’t yet have their own house in the village. It’s massive central fire casting dancing shadows through gaps in the walls. We stopped outside, and I turned to face her, taking both her hands in mine.

Eryn's green eyes caught the firelight, bright and alive. My heart thundered in my chest as I pulled her into a tight hug.

“No monster will hurt you as long as I draw breath.”

“That is so cheesy,” she said.

“I know, but that doesn't make it any less true. I mean it.”

“I know.” She hugged me closer. “Thank you, Ash.”

“Huh? For what?”

“Making me feel safe, among other things.”

I put a finger underneath her chin and gently raised her face towards mine. Her breath hitched as our lips met, soft and warm. Her fingers curled into the back of my shirt, pulling me closer.

When we finally broke apart, her cheeks were flushed and breathing uneven. Mine wasn't much better.

“Tomorrow?” I asked.

“Can't wait,” she said, brushing a strand of hair from her mouth and smiling.

Then she squeezed my hand once more and slipped inside the sleeping hall. I watched until she disappeared behind the privacy curtains before turning homeward, floating on a cloud. If I had the voice, I'd be singing.

The night felt magical.

Everything was changing. Eryn, Roq, and the wealth of monster parts waiting at home. I had enough mind gems to reach level four. A grin spread across my face as I swiped Roq from my storage.

“Finally,” Roq grumbled. “That linen pillow is dreadful. Like sleeping on needles.”

I chuckled.

“How can fabric hurt a steelhusk hammer?”

“You wouldn't understand. The weave pattern creates microscopic valleys of discomfort. It's a matter of geometric precision and material resonance.”

“You just made that up.”

“Satin, Ash. You promised me satin.”

I spun him in my hand and laughed as we walked home through the quiet streets.

“Satin is expensive, but we'll work on that, Roq. I promise.”

Riftside - chapter 17

I halted a bit down the road from home, and Eryn stopped to look at me.

“Changed your mind?” she asked.

“Not at all. Just, you've seen Ma, right?”

She nodded, setting her bloody blonde hair moving.

“She can be a bit enthusiastic, is all,” I said.

“Don't worry. We survived a Scuttler swarm today. I think I'll be fine around your mom.”

I scratched the back of my head and smiled as best I could, a slight twinge of regret at having invited her home. It had made perfect logical sense to do so, having volunteered Pa to butcher her corpses for free. It could save her enough to make a difference compared to selling the carcasses to the adventuring guild or the bank. And with our improved standing with Edwin, and Dr. Ridley practically offering to mentor her, she didn't need to focus on increasing her guild reputation anytime soon. What she needed was levels, gear, and a class gem. Just like me.

Still...

“I'm sure you are right, just don't hold them against me, eh?” I said.

“Come on already!” she said. “Let's see if we got gems!” 

I smiled and took her hand, leading her down the street and through the wide doors of Steel & Scale, our smithy. The familiar scent of coal smoke and heated metal filled my lungs with a sense of peace. 

Home.

“Pa!” I said, shouting above the clanging of metal on metal.

Pa turned from his work, hammer paused mid-strike. His face broke into a warm smile that froze as his eyes caught the dried blood spattering our clothes.

“Helena!” His voice cracked like thunder through the smithy.

Eryn and I shared a look.

Oh boy, here we go.

Ma burst through the door that connected the smithy with the store. Her eyes widened when she took us in.

“What in the shattered gems happened riftside?” She looked ready to jump through a rift herself to deal with whatever had hurt us.

“Well, we were hunting Scuttlers when—”

Ma's eyes dropped to our linked hands, and her entire demeanor shifted.

“Eryn, dear, come with me. We need to get you cleaned up, right away.” She strode forward and took Eryn's other hand. “You two—” She jabbed a finger at Pa and me. “Don't you dare set foot in the house until I say so.”

Eryn threw me an amused smile as Ma whisked her away, leaving me alone with Pa in the suddenly quiet smithy.

“That was...awkward,” I muttered, eyeing Pa. He just shrugged.

I settled onto my favorite anvil, the one I'd first learned to shape metal on.

“What happened?” he asked quietly.

“So, yeah, Benedict took us hunting Scuttlers…”

I laid out the whole story - how it had been a cobbled-together group, the Scuttlers swarming us, Johan being a level zero, Marcus' death, how I'd hired Knut and his subsequent injury, and finally Benedict's cowardice and lies.

“They're putting him before the tribunal,” I finished. “Serves the bastard right.”

Pa nodded, stroking his beard.

“Always had a weird feeling about that one. Something about his eyes was just...I don't know.” He picked up a piece of metal, turning it over in his hands. “Speaking of eyes, I noticed you brought Eryn home.”

Heat crept up my neck at the mention, and no matter how much I'd prepared myself for that, I still couldn't help but get flustered.

“Yeah, about that. We might be, uh, dating now or something?” I scratched the back of my head. “And I kind of promised we'd help dissect her Scuttler corpses. That's okay, right?”

Pa's laughter boomed through the smithy. He clapped me on the shoulder hard enough to rock me forward.

“Of course it's okay! She seems like a wonderful girl. Smart too, from what I've seen.” His eyes gleamed. “You know, if she's interested, we could even offer to invest some of those carcasses here. Better returns than just selling them outright.”

I grinned.

“Thanks, Pa. She might like that.”

Then he grew serious, and I knew some tough questions were to follow.

“But enough about this, son. You've been purposefully avoiding any mention of that hammer of yours, and I've let you tell your story the way you wanted.”

“Pa—” I started, but he held a hand up to stop me.

“By the pioneer's plight, if you don't tell me how a class-blessed soul weapon performed in combat, I'm going to box your ears worse than when you split my favorite anvil!”

“But you didn't box my ears?”

“I should have!” Pa mock-hissed and then scowled, but I could tell he was joking.

“Well, Pa, about that, you might not believe this, but…” I smiled, drawing out the moment.

He stood and cracked his knuckles.

“Fine, fine! I'm kidding! Please, sit. It's just all a bit crazy, and I don't even know where to start.”

“The beginning is always proper.”

“Right. Well, it talks.”

Pa chuckled.

“Nice one.”

“No, really, Pa. It talks. And it has a name.”

“Vannash' Khazeesh, Ash. Do not mess this up for me.”

“A name?”

I nodded.

“Vanis Khazish, but—”

“It's VannASH' KhazEESH, you bumbling peasant!”

“—I've decided to call him Roq.”

“And I'm supposed to believe he talks in your head?” Pa asked, scratching his beard.

“Yup.”

“And you haven't lost your mind?”

“Let me prove it.” I stood and turned my back. “Hold up some fingers and I'll tell you how much.”

“Okay?”

I held Roq above my shoulder.

“You're starting to worry me, son.”

“Which fingers?”

“The middle one.”

“The middle one,” I said, and turned, seeing Pa holding up all ten digits.

“Hey!”

“That'll teach you to butcher my name, ass.”

I rolled my eyes.

“He's being a diva.”

“He?”

“A diva? Me!?”

“That's exactly what a diva would say.”

“Yes. He's annoyed I butchered his name,” I told Pa.

“I'll have you know I am absolutely outstanding, and if you cannot see that, and make the appropriate effort, then I don't think you deserve access to my abilities.”

But before I could reply to my temperamental hammer, Pa sighed.

“Son, I'm sorry I let you go out there like that. I always worried something like this would happen.”

“What?”

“The stress of combat, it—” He shook his head. “Come here.”

He opened his arms.

“That's it. I'm not letting you screw this up. We're doing this again, and if you lie to me, it's straight into storage. Got that?”

“Fine! But let it be known I'm doing this under duress.”

“Pa, just do it one more time, okay?” I said, turning around and holding the hammer up above my shoulder.

This time, Roq told the truth, and after I'd guessed correctly a dozen times in a row, I turned to find Pa sitting on a chair, his face a mess of bewilderment, worry, and just plain awe.

“It is magical.”

“Oh, yes, Pa. He definitely is. Roq delivers blows with a force far mightier than he should.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it's as you saw with the anvil. I squashed the Scuttlers, Pa. It was as if all their armor meant nothing. And—” I looked down at my bloody leathers and smiled. “They did get me good. Roq is amazingly powerful—”

“And don't you forget it!”

“—but his range is a limitation.”

“You are simply using me incorrectly! With better form, you should have killed them all without taking a scratch! Admit that you suck, peasant!”

“But when I got hurt, he helped me.” I leaned in and lowered my voice even further. “When I store the hammer together with a monster carcass, it heals me, Pa. Roq has an ability that supercharged my regeneration.” I widened the cut in my pants to show the unblemished skin beneath. “Weeks of healing done in minutes.”

“Don't ignore me!”

“That's incredible,” Pa said, smiling. Then he cleared his throat, stood, and bowed to the hammer. “Roq, it is an absolute pleasure to meet you.”

Oh, no. He did not just do that!

“Ah! The metal offspring was inferior in quality. Finally, someone shows me the proper respect I am due.”

“Roq says hi.”

“Thank you for keeping my son safe,” Pa replied.

“No fair! I helped you with the finger guessing. Least you can do is correctly relay my words.”

“Make the words better and I'll relay them truly.”

“He says you are very welcome, and he thanks you for the gracious gift of your finest steelhusk hammer. He will do his best to honor your sacrifice.”

“I will do no such thing!”

“Yes, you will. That hammer was his most prized possession, and you got it as a body. That means you owe him. Big time.”

Pa grinned from ear to ear.

“That brings the warmth of the forge to an old blacksmith's heart, Roq.”

“He's a blacksmith. Being part of my forging was the achievement of a lifetime! An honor! Why would I ever owe a two-legged—bah! This is so frustrating! Your species is as annoying as—well, anything!”

“You'd rather have been bound to that short-sword over there?”

I could feel Roq shiver.

“That axe?”

The handle seemed to go cold, though I didn't know if it was all happening in my mind or not.

“Fine! You've made your point! I am grateful. Under duress.”

“Noted.”

“Son?”

“Oh, sorry. Sometimes it gets confusing having two conversations at the same time. What did you say?”

“I asked what he wants.”

“Fortunately, our goals align well, with Roq aiming to become the strongest soul weapon in the worlds, yes, plural, whatever that means, and he grows by consuming the lifeblood of my enemies.”

“They don't technically have to be your enemies.”

“Do we need to have the cow discussion again?”

“Fine! The blood of your enemies will suffice.”

“Explains his sheen,” Pa said.

“What?”

“Not a drop of blood on him.”

I held Roq up and looked closer.

“Huh. I hadn't noticed. I figured it had just... slipped off somehow? I was a bit distracted on the walk back.”

“Well, if this ain't cause for celebration, then I don't know what is.” Pa rose and limped over to one of the barrels, threw a suspicious glance across his shoulder toward the door leading into the house, and swiftly opened it, pulling out a bottle I'd only seen a few times before.

“So that's where you hid it,” I laughed.

“Hush!” He took out two cups, poured a finger in each, and stuffed the bottle back into hiding.

I accepted the cup and stared down at the color-changing liquid, licking my lips.

“What is that?”

“Echo of the Rift,” I said, holding it up to my nose and inhaling.

“Down in one,” Pa said with a grin.

We clinked cups and I threw them back.

“Phew!”

The fire burned its way down my throat before spreading along my limbs, making my toes and fingers tingle.

“Any good?”

I slowly breathed in, feeling the air cool my throat all the way down.

“Delicious,” I said.

“Better than blood?”

I laughed and handed over my empty cup.

“Pa, just wait till you see what we looted.”

At that moment, the door leading into the smithy opened, and Eryn stepped through.

My heart skipped as she made her way inside, and I had to swallow. Her honey-blonde hair fell loose around her shoulders, still damp from washing. She wore one of Ma's old dresses, a simple blue cotton thing that hugged her figure in ways her usual practical leathers never did. The hem swept just above her ankles, showing bare feet that had been scrubbed pink. Without the blood and grime of battle, her skin glowed, and those green eyes sparkled as they met mine.

Damn.

“Oh, for the love of— You're drooling! Get that drool away from me! I can't absorb spittle, you mongrel biped!”

I wasn't quite drooling, but it had been close.

“Mr. Tharen, you should have seen him out there.” Eryn's voice filled the smithy with warmth. “The way he handled those Scuttlers? I've never seen anything like it. Roq crushed their shells like they were nothing.” She gestured enthusiastically. “And Johan? That scavenger who got separated from his group? He'd be dead if not for Ash. No questions asked. Hell, we would all be dead.”

I grinned and started walking toward her, but she held up both hands, backing away with a laugh.

“Oh no, you don't! Not until you've cleaned up.” She wrinkled her nose. “You smell like Scuttler guts.”

Ma appeared in the doorway behind her, arms crossed but smiling. She jerked a thumb over her shoulder.

“Water's warm and waiting. Now go.”

“You'll be okay?” I asked Eryn, hesitating only for a moment.

She settled onto my favorite anvil, looking completely at home.

“Of course. Your Ma's telling me stories about when you were little. And some other interesting stuff.”

Breached rift.

“Now this I want to hear!”

I hurried through the door as Ma laughed behind me. The bath waited upstairs, steam rising invitingly from the copper tub, but all I could think about were the embarrassing stories Ma was probably sharing.

A short while later, we all sat gathered around the table drinking tea. I bravely rested a hand on Eryn's thigh as her fingers brushed mine.

We'd gone through everything again, including the finger-guessing trick, this time to convince Ma. Then we'd told them of what Edwin had said and the voice Roq had heard.

Pa blew on his tea.

“I agree with your decision. The more we learn of Roq's abilities, the clearer it becomes that keeping his existence a secret is crucial. I'm glad you have someone to share the burden with, Ash, but do not let it become a habit. Burdens are meant to be carried by ourselves.”

I nodded as Eryn swore she would take the secret to her grave if needed.

“But you cannot leave this voice alone, whatever it is,” Pa said. “If it is connected to the monsters' growth, we have to find a way to stop it. You need to become stronger, and fast. Ma and I will put off paying down our loan until you become classed.”

“Are you sure that's wise?”

“If they have a problem with it, they are more than welcome to travel here from Kingsworth and take it up with me in person,” Pa said. “This is bigger than them and us. Now, Eryn, what do you say about investing some of your monster corpses with us? For each of those beasties I can either craft some gear for you or make the most valuable item, sell it, and split the profits with you, seventy-thirty. No money upfront, but much more in the long term.”

“You butcher them for me for free, with no claim to any gems, and I'll leave three here for you to craft with. I'll sell the last to Victor the alchemist so I have some funds short-term, too.”

“Deal,” Pa said, and went to spit in his palm before sheepishly looking at Ma.

They shook on it, without spittle, and we finished our tea before retreating to the forge to see what treasures we had brought back with us.

Riftside - chapter 16

Eryn and I walked across the courtyard to the medical station, positioned close to the rift for rapid response. The tan canvas stretched across a temporary structure, and stood out against the steelhusk-clad purplish palisades. It wasn't the only one of its kind, either, as several more were positioned next to one another. Support staff scuttled about, carrying various supplies and even helping the wounded about.

Dr. Katherine Ridley met us at the entrance to one of the oversized tents, her silver hair pulled back in a tight military bun. Her sharp green eyes swept over us, lingering on the tears and bloodstains in my clothes before meeting my gaze.

I tried not to look at the old burn scars on her hands as she gestured us inside.

“Your friend is stable,” the woman said matter-of-factly. Her voice was crisp and militant. “The leg is saved, and he should make a full recovery within the week. He's asked to speak with you before we transfer him through the rift for recovery.”

“Thank you, Dr. Ridley.” I shifted under her professional scrutiny. “We got lucky out there.”

She raised an eyebrow at my damaged clothes yet apparent health.

“Lucky, huh? Doesn't look like it to me, scavenger, but whatever you say.”

I let out a weak chuckle.

“Knut saved our lives a dozen times over. It is thanks to him that we made it out in one piece. Truly. Thank you for taking care of him.”

She nodded, and before she could dig any further, a nurse called her away to another patient. Eryn and I exchanged nervous glances before hurrying to Knut's bedside.

The big guy sat up as we approached, his usual booming voice subdued.

“There is debt now. I owe you.”

“No,” I cut in. “We owe you. If you hadn't fought those Scuttlers all by yourself, we would have been dead. Understood?”

His eyes narrowed and he scanned the other patients within earshot. He touched a finger to the side of his nose and nodded slowly.

“Your words trigger correct memories.”

I swiped out seven Scuttler carcasses while Eryn produced three more.

“Payment for services rendered and lives saved,” Eryn said. “Thank you, Knut. Thank you for keeping us all safe and for saving this guy here. He means the world to me.”

Knut examined the carcasses before swiping five into his storage from where he lay

“You take others,” he insisted with a wink in my direction. “I kill, but you carry me. Payment for big muscles. Also, buy pretty flowers for lady. Or maybe food. Young smoochey-smoochey warms northern heart.”

Eryn and I shared a smile before nodding our thanks. Before, I'd probably have turned beet-red and sputtered one thing or another, but now I just accepted it. It felt as if Eryn and I belonged to one another, and there was no shame in showing it.

As I reached for a carcass, Roq's voice cut through my mind.

“Take that one. And that one there.”

“Why those specifically?”

“Not sure. Just... trust me. I want to see what's inside.”

I swiped up the two Roq indicated plus another, while Eryn took the remaining two, leaving me with five Scuttler carcasses total and Eryn with four, a fair division considering I'd killed them all. That also made me think about something very important: expanding my storage yet again, and expanding Eryn's, too. We'd want to bring back huge amounts of carcasses whenever we went out.

“You fought well, scavenger,” Knut said. “Hire me any time. Strong man makes good team mate.”

Before I could answer, Commander Edwin's voice rang out behind me.

“Ash, Eryn. Come see me by the rift for a moment if you're done here?”

I nodded to Knut, and suddenly the man stood up as if to join us.

“Knut Coinshield Steelwall!” Dr. Ridley's voice snapped out, filling the tent. “If you don't sit your ass back down on that cot right now, I'll cut both your portal-pissed legs off and keep them in a pickle jar! Sit! Down!”

The warrior's eyes went wide and he plopped back down. 

“Fiery woman.” He smiled at Eryn. “I like.” He swung his legs back up on the bed with a grin. “It seems I require additional... healing. Maybe I take her home with me, too.”

“I heard that!” Dr. Ridley yelled over her shoulder. “I'm not interested in men who get hurt so easily, Mr. Steelwall. Try better next time.”

Eryn sputtered, and I took her hand and pulled her out.

“See you in Dawnwatch, Knut. And thank you for your bravery,” I said, waving, barely managing to hold my laughter in.

“Likewise, adventurer.” He winked at me. “I mean scavenger.”

As we exited, Dr. Ridley reached out and waved at Eryn. 

“You decided your class yet?”

“Healer, Dr. Ridley,” Eryn said, her face a toothy grin.

“Good. When you get your class, come see me. I'll teach you a thing or two. We need more healers who can think straight in a fight, and this is twice in two days I've heard tales of your first aid prowess under pressure.”

“Oh,” Eryn's face lit up. “Thank you, doctor! I would love to learn anything you can teach me.”

“Excellent. And call me Katherine. All the healers do.”

“Yes, Katherine. I hope to see you soon!”

As we left, Eryn squeezed my hand and leaned over to whisper something as we walked to Edwin.

“Did you see? She invited me! Me, Ash. Me! To learn from her!”

Roq scoffed.

“If she was even half the healer I was, Knut would be up and fighting again already.”

“We are certainly moving up in the world, aren't we?” I said, squeezing her hand back and ignoring my hammer.

“And don't think I don't know who I have to thank for it. Hero.”

A warmth spread from my hand to the rest of my body, and I just hoped I didn't blush too badly.

“Tell her she's welcome. I will save her again if she can keep your useless ass alive.”

“She didn't mean you, Roq. By the rift, man. Give us some privacy.”

“Huh?” Eryn said, looking at my clenching hand. “The hammer?”

“Yeah. Never mind him.”

The rift's glow cast Commander Edwin's shadow across Sentinel Station's packed yard as he waited for us near the portal.

“Commander,” I said as we stopped before him. “What can we—”

A bell rang out from the watchtower.

One ring for people returning to station. Two rings for people heading out. Three or more meant monsters were attacking.

Please don't ring two more times. Please don't—

The bell pealed a second time and I tensed, hoping it wouldn’t strike a third time. I didn't feel like fighting again so quickly. Not at all.

“One more means feeding time?”

Eryn's fingers dug into my arm, and I tightened my grip around Roq, giving a subtle nod. Edwin's hand dropped to his sword hilt. We all held our breath, waiting for seconds that almost stretched into eternity.

No third ring came, and the tension drained from our shoulders, and Edwin released his grip on the sword. Eryn's death grip on my arm relaxed, too, and I let out the long breath I had been holding.

“What can we do for you, Commander?” I asked, giving him my most neutral smile I could muster.

Edwin's eyes swept the yard before settling back on us.

“There's something you should know,” he said, stepping in closer and his voice dropping. “The Adventurers Guild has been receiving gem-grams from other rifts. Many are reporting increased danger levels and more frequent monster waves. Not as strange behavior as what you went through today, but increased monster activity.”

The rift's backlight deepened the shadows in his scars.

“A new rift like ours shouldn’t behave this strangely. With what happened in the Twisted Titan, the swarm of Scuttlers you faced today, and the increased frequency of attacks on Sentinel Station, it is not something we can ignore.”

“More blood for the blood God!” Roq's eager voice rang in my head. “Feed and grow! Progression!”

I ignored him.

“Guild Leader Harold did mention to Pa and me the monsters growing stronger and faster. Do you know why?”

Edwin's jaw clenched.

“Nobody knows. But it can't be anything good.” He planted his feet wider, commander's cape stirring in the breeze. “I want you both to be extra careful going out. Have a plan. Take a strong group. Don't—” He cut himself off with a curse. “Pioneer's plight, Benedict knew the rift was acting strange. He should have known better than to lead an untested party into danger. I'm just glad you got back safe. But it cost Marcus his life.”

Eryn and I exchanged glances.

“We got lucky today,” she said softly.

Edwin nodded.

“Keep this information to yourselves. We don't want to spread panic.”

“Why tell us then?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.

The commander hesitated, something I'd never seen him do before.

“Because you’re growing stronger, fast, and that is what we need.” His voice firmed with conviction. “I believe you'll have important roles to play in Dawnwatch and maybe even beyond. We need more fighters. It might sound crazy, but a couple extra classed adventurers, even just level tens, could turn the tide if a monster wave hits.” His eyes flickered to Roq. “Even with Knut handling most of the kills, that hammer and shield of yours seems to have kept you alive against impossible odds. I won't ask for details, but keep doing whatever it is and stay safe.”

“We're quite far from level ten,” I said, deflecting any attention from Roq. “I'm only halfway to four, and Eryn…”

I turned to her questioningly.

“Two more to reach level five,” she said, a hint of pride in her voice.

I smiled at her.

“You must have had enough to buy a mind gem last time with those corpses.”

“Yes, but I'm not even close to getting a class gem,” Eryn said, tempering the moment with practicality.

“It might seem far away,” Edwin said, “But I know you two will work hard to get there quickly.” His expression grew even more serious. “It may be more important than ever. And if anyone stands in your way, come see me. I will give you all the support you need. Just make sure not to put Dawnwatch in danger like Benedict did, and I will always have your backs.”

“We'll work hard,” I said. “That’s a promise.”

Eryn nodded firmly beside me and even made a small bow to the Commander.

“Good.” Edwin's stern expression softened slightly. “Keep up the good work, but head back to Noros for now. You've earned a rest.”

“Will do, Commander. And thanks for the offer. It means a lot to someone like me.”

“Someone like you? A scavenger to rival lower-level adventurers? You are earning your place, don’t let anyone, even yourself, doubt that.”

I nodded, and we headed toward the rift, its surface rippling like water in moonlight. I had a hard time hiding my stupid grin, and Eryn wasn't doing much better. Just as we were about to step through, Edwin called out again.

“Oh, and Ash?” I turned back. “If anyone gives you hassle over carrying those colors,” he nodded to my shield with its adventuring guild paint, “You tell them to take it up with me.”

I grinned and gave him a quick smile before taking Eryn's hand and stepping towards the rift.

“More blood AND official permission to crack skulls? This day just keeps getting better! Oh, and do tell him I said hi. That man deserves a raise or something.”

“That is not what he meant and you know it. Also, I'm not saying hi to him, idiot. He'd probably take you for himself or something. I'm not sure I want to trust any more people with the knowledge of having a soul-forged weapon, I mean partner.”

Roq's laughter followed us through the portal. That only made everything that happened next even stranger.

The rift's green surface parted like mercury as we stepped through. One moment we were Riftside, the next Roq’s shriek blasted through my mind with such force that my knees buckled.

“NOOOO!”

I stumbled forward, barely catching myself before face-planting.

“That's the second time today I've stumbled through the damn portal!”

“I mean... ahem ... that was... a tactical assessment of... oh monster balls.”

“Ash?” Eryn's grip tightened on my arm. “What's wrong?”

“It's my... friend,” I whispered, still trying to process Roq's uncharacteristic outburst. “Something’s wrong. Can we walk quietly for a moment?”

“Of course.” She snaked her arm through mine and helped me stand upright. “I'll lead you past First Steel.”

“There was... a voice,” Roq said, his usual smugness replaced by uncertainty. “Not yours. Not mine. Another.”

“What kind of voice?”

“I don't know... it was... powerful. And it spoke of—”

“What? What did it say?”

“It didn't talk so much as imprint its intention on me. I didn't like it. I didn't like it one bit!”

I was quiet for a moment, waiting to hear what else he had to say. My impatience got the better of me, though.

“So... are you going to share?”

“I don't think it meant for me to hear, or maybe sense it. It hates us, Ash. I think one reason for the increased attacks on your base... well, that's because of us.”

I stopped walking and just stood there. Eryn eyed me curiously, but she said nothing.

“Wait, are you saying the increased attacks on the rifts are because of us?”

“Don't be absurd,” Roq snapped, but without his usual bite. “Well, not ALL of them. Just... here. Around this rift. The Scuttler attack was aimed at us, of that I am sure as steel.”

I started walking again as a group of adventurers almost bumped into us.

“That's... come on, Roq. I know you have a high opinion of yourself, but we're not that important.”

“You think I don't know that?” The hammer's voice held an edge of frustration. “I'm not saying we're causing all the problems in your precious Noros. But something out there noticed us. Something from Outside.”

“Outside?”

“Inside. Riftside. Beyond the station.” Roq's mental voice grew quieter. “I couldn't pinpoint where exactly. But it was... weird and powerful.”

The hammer fell silent for so long I thought he was done, but then he continued, and this time his words were tinged with genuine fear.

“I think it hates us, Ash. The Scuttlers today, they were sent to kill us. Specifically you and me. That's why they kept going for us instead of the others.”

“That's crazy.”

“What's he saying?” Eryn asked.

“Don't tell her!”

“Don’t you think she's earned the right, Roq? She fought alongside us. Besides, I'm going to need help if I am to keep feeding you. And get stronger at a fast enough pace to keep up with, well, what they're expecting of us.”

“Fine. But, can you leave out the manly roar I expelled?”

I didn't respond to his plea, but decided not to antagonize him without cause.

“Something or someone spoke in his head and it wants to kill us. Him and me to be precise.”

“He heard the monsters?” Eryn asked.

I nodded.

“Seems so. Or at least, that's what he thinks happened. And the voice, it was supposedly very powerful.”

“That's... fantastic!”

“What?”

“What?”

“After all these years, we barely know anything about them. If your hammer can give us even the tiniest insight into how they think and work, it could be the breakthrough of the decade!”

I glanced around, careful of who was within earshot as we passed through the gate in First Steel, the wall tall above us. Ahead, Harold and Isabel sat at their tables, negotiating with adventurers. I pulled Eryn to a halt in the shadows.

“Please, keep this quiet. We can't afford to let anyone know. At least not yet,” I said.

“But—”

“No buts. I'm not risking my family, and you, on people not gossiping. You saw what Edwin just did. The commander spilling adventure guild secrets to a couple of scavengers? It's great for us, but it proves exactly how dangerous it is to trust anyone with this. Besides, we'd be dead before nightfall and you know that.”

She licked her lips and looked away, then sighed.

“Fine...I mean...ugh. You know what I meant. I'd never say anything that would cause you any harm, silly. It's just...well, I was excited to maybe learn something new about the monsters. Is all.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“Shame. I thought we might have to kill her after all.”

“Don't even start, warmonger.”

“But what do we do about the voice? What did it say?”

“Well, it hates us.”

“We kind of already established that,” Eryn said.

“Established? How?”

“Why else would the monsters be invading Noros? I don't think it's because they want to join us for tea. They want our world for themselves.”

“Just how bad of a communicator are you? If I wasn't so disgusted by the thought of someone else touching me, I'd consider having her grip me by the shaft so I could explain it all myself.”

“No, not humanity,” I said. “Us.”

“You and me?”

She wrinkled her nose.

“No. My hammer. Roq and I.”

“Oh. That is weird,” Eryn said.

“Yeah. It's kind of freaky.

“Then what do we do?”

“What do you mean?”

“If we can't tell anyone about it, we'll have to sort this out ourselves, won't we?”

“Might be pretty dangerous,” I said, though a big smile crept onto my face. I was grateful Eryn had immediately decided to help in our new mission, despite the obvious danger. And to get there, I would have to start trusting people. Or at least her.

“Excellent. Tell her of my goal to drink her bodyweight in blood a thousand times over!”

“We better gear up and get some levels then, don't we?” Eryn said and shot me a wink.

I glanced over at the guild leader and the royal bank manager, aware we'd be attracting attention soon, so I hung my shield off Roq and put my other arm around her.

“Have I ever told you I like the way you think,” I said.

“No, but please do continue,” she said, leaning into me as we walked on. “I'm all ears.”

Riftside - chapter 15

The walk back to Sentinel Station was blessedly uneventful, with Edwin carrying Knut easily, his strength making the mercenary seem light as a child. Eryn stayed close to my side as we recounted with Johan what had happened with Benedict's group.

Soon, the killing field stretched before us, logging teams working on expanding its length. A bell rang out - once - signaling our approach. Edwin's face grew darker with each detail of our story, his jaw clenched tight enough to almost crack a tooth.

“He just... left you?” Edwin's voice carried the quiet fury of an avalanche building, and his face resembled a tempest.

“Sprinted away without a backward glance,” I confirmed.

The towering gates to the camp stood wide open, and inside awaited a familiar figure that made my blood run hot. Benedict. His pristine robes still untouched by battle. His eyes darted between Edwin and me, calculation written across his features.

I'd really like to see how you try and get out of this one.

Before anyone could speak, Benedict stormed forward, jabbing a finger at my chest.

“You! How dare you show your face here after what you did?”

What in the monster balls?

“Your insubordination nearly got us all killed!”

“That's not—” I started, but Benedict's voice rose over mine.

“Running off into the forest, refusing to follow orders!”

“KILL HIM! SPLIT his LYING skull!” Roq raged in my mind. “Let me taste his BLOOD!”

A firm hand gripped my shoulder. Alex's voice cut through Roq's bloodthirsty demands.

“Let the adventurer speak, scavenger.”

I turned and glared at the healer, but his friendly smile cooled my anger, for the moment, and his nod conveyed his intention to trust Edwin and him.

I glanced around and saw the soldiers and adventurers gathering, all watching Benedict's face redden as he continued with his childish tirade.

“Ash challenged my authority in front of everyone! Then he manipulated Knut, our tank, into abandoning us, taking him and his little girlfriend into the forest. Marcus is dead because of him!”

“You breach-born lying bastard, I—”

Edwin's raised hand cut me off, my knuckles whitening around Roq's handle. The hammer thrummed with murderous intent, this time mirroring my own perfectly. It took everything I had not to just smack the lying bastard and be done with it.

“We barely survived without our tank,” Benedict's voice echoed with manufactured grief. “The others, we...” He turned to Edwin, gesturing helplessly. “Commander, surely you have something to say about this?”

Edwin's expression remained unreadable as stone.

“Are you finished?”

“No.” Benedict drew himself up, ice crackling around his staff. “Hand him over to me. In the name of the adventuring guild, I demand to carry out the punishment myself.”

I shifted my stance.

“If he tries to lay a single hand on me, we're taking him down.”

“Don't wait! Strike first! Strike NOW! Paint the walls with his entrails and then take a dump on what remains!”

Edwin's hand snapped out like a viper, ripping the staff from Benedict's grasp and handing it to Alex. The ice magic dissipated instantly, leaving only wisps of cold air and a mask of confusion on the magician's face.

“What are you doing?” Benedict's voice cracked.

“I've heard three accounts of what happened out there.” Edwin's words carried the weight of the guild, and everyone knew it. “From Ash, from Eryn, and Johan.” His eyes narrowed. “A level zero scavenger? With an untested group? What were you thinking?”

“I—”

“If I'd known you were taking such an unbalanced party out there, I'd have stopped you myself.” Edwin stepped forward, and Benedict stumbled back. “As party leader, it's your responsibility to lead in a way that prevents challenges to your authority. So tell me, Benedict – why would they flee into the forest if you fought for them? Look at their gear.” The commander gestured to our battered forms. “They carry the marks of combat, proving they have been fighting for their lives, and you? Your gear is as clean as if you just stepped from the inn!”

The last words echoed across the yard, drawing murmurs and nods from the onlookers. Benedict's face had lost all color.

“Empty your storage,” Edwin snapped, his voice cutting through the silence. “Now.”

“You can't—”

Edwin's sword burst into flames.

“I will not ask again.”

Benedict's hand trembled as he swiped out a single Steel Scuttler carcass.

Edwin turned to us.

“Ash, Eryn.”

We stepped forward and swiped out Scuttler corpses, one after another, until a massive pile of fourteen of the monsters covered the ground.

“Together with Knut, we fought our way back,” I said. “And since he was knocked out, we did the looting on his behalf.”

“Are these valuable to you besides keeping your weakling self alive?”

“Yes. But be quiet for now. I must focus.”

The gathered crowd erupted in furious whispers and gasps, and Benedict's eye twitched.

“Lies. You must have—”

“Enough!” Edwin's voice boomed, cutting through the murmurs like a flaming sword through silk. “As Commander of Sentinel Station and the highest-ranking adventurer of the Branchway, I hereby summon Benedict before the Adventuring Guild for charges of negligence, reckless endangerment, and cowardice while leading, resulting in the death of a scavenger under his charge.”

The crowd fell silent. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath. I blinked, trying to process what he had just said. Charges were never made lightly due to political and monetary reasons, but this time, no, not this time, but this man, this Commander, he was...different and unswayed by politics.

“Your actions endangered not just your party, but Dawnwatch and all of Noros. You will face a guild tribunal to answer for these charges.”

Benedict went pale, reaching desperately for his staff.

“No, Edwin, you can't—”

Edwin raised his sword, sending Benedict stumbling into the dirt to escape its flames.

“No more excuses. The guild will decide your fate.” He turned to three nearby guards. “Escort him through the rift and report to the guild hall. Inform Guild Leader Harold that Benedict is to face the tribunal and tell him what happened. I will check in on him later and see if you left anything out.”

As the guards moved to flank him, Benedict scrambled to his feet and spat toward me. I raised my shield, blocking his final insult.

“That's it. Strike him down! He must die for that!”

“If I strike him, they'll kill me. With Edwin against him, he's done for. But if I do anything stupid, not only do I insult the Commander, I also—oh, just shut up, Roq.”

There was one way for me to get a small measure of revenge, despite the differences in our stature, all while ensuring some fairness.

“Johan,” I said loudly, staring at Benedict. “As the ranking scavenger still alive, that Scuttler is yours. Take it as payment for the mission.”

Edwin and Alex chuckled as Benedict screamed in rage, the guards leading him away. He could have fought and likely killed the guards, but his eyes kept flickering to Edwin's burning sword, and he chose life over dignity.

As they stepped through the portal, a weight lifted from my shoulders. That man could kill me so easily with his spells, and there was nothing I could have done about it. Not yet, anyway.

“Thank you, Commander,” Eryn said, swiping five Scuttlers into her storage. “From what he showed today, he is not fit to lead.”

“Bastard's not even fit to be in a party the way he ran from those monsters,” I said as the crowd dispersed, and I swiped up the remaining nine and nodded for Johan to take the last.

With fewer eyes on us, Edwin's stern expression softened, his scarred face showing genuine remorse.

“I owe you all an apology. This happened under my watch. Benedict was part of my team until recently, and I had considered him a friend despite his many flaws. I should have seen the signs, especially after our last run.” He sheathed his sword and shifted Knut on his shoulder. “I will have to call on you all during the tribunal.”

“He took me out there to die. A level zero!” Johan's voice cracked with anger. “He led me to believe I was going with the premier party in Dawnwatch. You can bet your ass I'll be at that trial. With rift-blessed bells on.”

Eryn touched Johan's arm, her gentle presence calming him slightly.

“We all will. The guild needs to know exactly what happened.” She sighed, adjusting her medical bag. “I'll do my duty and testify without prejudice. Just the honest truth.”

“Ask if we can kill him,” Roq's metallic voice rang in my head. “If they sanction it, his death would feed me much power. I can taste it already.”

“You're not helping, Roq. Do you really think they'd let me smash his head in with a hammer? Do you think I'd really want to?”

“I'll be there too, Commander,” I said, trying to ignore Roq's bloodthirsty suggestions. “Whatever the guild needs.”

Edwin clasped my shoulder.

“Thank you, all of you. But right now, we need to get Knut to the infirmary. His wounds won't heal themselves.”

“You go ahead,” I said. “I'm going to take a walk on the wall and center myself. I need a moment on my own.”

I shared a glance with Eryn and she nodded, smiling. She understood that I meant to have a chat with Roq away from the crowd and everything that had happened. I walked over to the wall, hopped onto a wooden one-person lift, and triggered the counterweight. Up I soared, stepping onto the walkway to gaze out over the killing fields. Guards would be by and reset the elevator on their rounds.

I settled at a quiet spot, finally alone with my thoughts. And my hammer.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For saving my life, and that of Eryn. If I'd been wielding any other weapon we’d both be dead.”

I expected Roq to jump on the comment, but instead, he felt thoughtful.

“The feeding in the end was worth the hassle,” he said after a drawn-out moment.

“Usually people reply with 'you are welcome’.”

“And you better be ready to feed me again soon, Ash. You'll need it.”

“I'll need it? What is it you want, Roq?”

I twirled him in my grip, nearly expecting him to go 'wheeeee', but it didn't seem to phase him.

“I am to become the strongest soul weapon in the worlds.”

“You mean world?”

“I'm pretty sure I meant what I said.”

“Alright. And how close are you to the next level?”

“Open your soul chart and move to my tab.”

I turned and stepped along the walkway, keeping one eye on the forest, and nodded as I passed a guard, heading towards the gates and the tablet.

“Where are we going?”

“To the soul chart?”

“Just open yours.”

I thought back to how the soul chart had popped up by itself when I'd first come through the rift. I touched my tattoo, swiping my fingers along it in different moves, but all I achieved was re-arranging the Scuttler corpses.

“Not like that, you half-brained biped! Like... this!”

Suddenly, I knew how to do it. As if I'd remembered a forgotten memory. I moved a finger in a half-circle across my wrist, before tapping it twice, then stopped and pretended to stare towards the forest again as the soul chart opened in front of my eyes.

NAME: Ash Aldrich

LEVEL: 3 (2/4)

STRENGTH: 18

AGILITY: 11

VITALITY: 13 (+1)

MIND: 11

TOTAL STATS: 53 (+1)

“How'd you do that? Can you just put any knowledge into my mind?”

“I'm not sure. Blazingly obvious knowledge, like any baby would know, sure. But the mysteries of the universe? I don't think so.”

“You know the mysteries of the universe? I thought you couldn't remember anything from before your forging?”

I smiled and nodded at another guard, having shrunk the chart so I could see past it.

“And you will never know.”

He's bluffing. I'm ninety percent sure of it.

“How do I find your chart, and where did I get another vitality from?”

“Being beaten up and healed repeatedly has to have SOME advantage, doesn’t it? Also, like this.”

Again, the knowledge appeared in my mind, and I swiped my fingers across the spatial tattoo, seeing a completely new chart.

“Class-blessed pioneer!” I said, staring at the text.

NAME: Vannash' Khazeesh (Roq)

WEAPON CLASS: Hammer

LEVEL: 3

EXPERIENCE: [||||||||--] 80%

WEAPON TYPE: Bludgeoning

ATTACK SPEED: High

RANGE: Short

SPECIAL 

NAME: Power of the Hammer

TYPE: Passive

DESCRIPTION: +30% Strength 

NAME: Impact Amplification

TYPE: Passive

DESCRIPTION: Every attack delivered using this weapon will deal far greater damage than it would ordinarily do.

NAME: Armour Disruption

TYPE: Passive

DESCRIPTION: Armour seems to soften or become brittle under the weapon's repeated strikes.

ABILITIES:

NAME: Blood Forge

TYPE: Active / Self-Heal

DESCRIPTION: Transform stored monster carcasses into energy that amplifies the wielder's natural regeneration.

“Can you see this?”

“I KNOW this.”

“It's amazing! You are nearly level four already. And it's not from my mind gems?”

“No. Consuming the lifeblood of the vanquished grants me power!”

“Care to be a little more specific?”

Roq seemed to sigh.

“Do you insist?”

“Please. It is in my interest to help you grow as fast as possible. How can I do that if you don't tell me how it all works?”

“Good point. For me to gain power, I must first be covered in a living being's blood, and then it must die.”

So that's why he keeps screaming for blood and being fed all the time.

“Do we have to be the one to kill it? Does it only work on monsters, or will it work on animals?”

“What exactly are you implying?”

“Could I level you up by signing up with a butcher and kill a few hundred cows, pigs, and so on?”

“Absolutely not! I refuse to drink blood of the unworthy!”

“Unworthy? Animals are noble and—”

“Don't even think about it. I will fall on your head in your sleep if you try feeding me animal blood. Besides, only the blood of those close enough to my level of power is worthy. Other blood won't work. Which brings us back to Benedict.”

“I will not murder to grant you more power. Out of the question.” This was important for Roq to understand, so I put as much mental certainty behind the statement as I could, and it seemed to work.

“Fine. But keep in mind if someone is going to die near you, dipping me in their blood would stop their death from being a waste. And if it so happened that a powerful adventurer attacked us and his face met the back of his skull... you'd be surprised how swiftly we'd grow in power.”

“Then we are in agreement. No animal blood, and no murder.”

The dying? That remained to be seen.

“Agreed.”

I tried not to let relief fill me too much. A blood-absorbing weapon was a lot to take in, especially when it could speak directly into my mind. Thank the rift for my spatial storage. I had the ultimate power in the relationship, being able to put him away if needed, but it wasn't something I should highlight. I'd never liked when adventurers lorded their power over me, and from my interactions with Roq so far, I didn't think he'd take kindly to being lorded over either. No. This was an equal partnership, or rather, I figured that's the only way it would work.

“By the way, why didn't you speak to me until we crossed through the rift if we forged our bond back at the smithy. Are you unable to talk to me in Noros?”

“How long did it take you to speak after being born, biped? And that's without having a torture chamber as a crib!”

“Okay! I get it. I'm sorry. I didn't know, alright?”

“Yeah. You better be sorry.”

I rolled my eyes, leaning on the palisade.

“You haven't told me what you want.”

“You didn't ask. Quite rude, really.”

“Fine. What is your goal, oh Ash the mighty?”

I stared out at the darkening forest, my grip tightening on Roq's shaft.

“I want to reach level sixty and become the strongest fighter Noros has ever seen.”

“A worthy goal. Why?”

“To protect those I love. Ma and Pa took me in when my family could no longer afford to keep me. There were too many mouths to feed. But Ma and Pa gave me everything. A home, love, and a future. I've seen what happens to those who can't defend themselves in this place. The monsters don't care if you're kind or good or innocent.”

“Humans really are weak, aren't they? So dependent on one another.”

“While the awesome Roq is so independent?”

“I need no one.”

“How exactly would you feed without my arm to swing you?”

Roq elected to ignore my question.

“How exactly do humans grow in strength? Why leave the blood to drain into the Earth then?”

“Humans don't level by drinking blood. That's... barbaric.”

“I'll have you know it is delicious.”

“Whatever. The point is that we need gems to level up. Mind gems are what we need for the levels themselves, with the level number corresponding to the amount of gems needed to reach that level from the previous. I am level three, and to become level four I need to consume four mind gems.”

“How do you consume them?”

“I eat them?”

“Hah! I knew it. We are more alike than you want to admit. Except I drink their blood and you eat their souls.” Roq's laugh made me shift uncomfortably, not quite enjoying where this was leading. “Now who is the true barbarian?”

“The point is, the gems are found inside monsters, and to reach the highest level I need a lot of them.”

“One thousand, eight hundred and twenty-two by my count.”

My eyebrows rose.

“That is indeed correct.”

“With nine from the corpses in your inventory, you should reach level five today then. Hmm, that is so unfair. You will level up way faster than me.”

“No, I won't, Roq. We only find mind gems in about one in ten to one in thirty monsters. Not every monster drops a gem, you know? Maybe we will get one or two if we're lucky from the nine we have in my storage, but...then again, I have to pay Knut for his services.”

“That hardly seems fair.”

“We did promise him, and he did save our lives.”

“First off, you could have outrun those Scuttlers. Second, I'm glad you didn't, because then I'd be starving. Third... I forgot the third. One thought of delicious blood and it slipped my mind. What were we talking about?”

“Mind gems?”

“Oh, yes. It hardly seems fair you can kill twenty-nine monsters and receive nothing for it.”

“Not nothing. Nearly every part of the carcasses will be used, so I can always sell them for gold and simply buy mind gems, though the worth of corpses varies. But we also need class gems. They are ten times as rare as mind gems and I'll need one to unlock my class at level ten. Then I will need additional class gems to break through every tenth level. It's a slog.”

“With your limited space, why don't you only pick the corpses with gems inside and leave behind those without?”

I laughed.

“People have tried that before. No one has ever found a way to determine which monster has gems in them in the field.”

“Can’t you just look inside? We cracked them open good?.”

I smacked my head.

“Sorry. I keep forgetting you are a soul weapon. Gems don't show up before they are transported through a rift. And in doing so, they are also restored to their original state, so any damage done is removed, leaving a pristine, but dead, monster.”

“So, no butchering riftside?”

“Never heard of anyone who's found a soul gem riftside, ever. Not since the opening of the first rift.”

“What if you just cut off pieces from their corpses and bring them through? Would they regenerate fully, with a chance to spawn a gem?”

“For once, I like how you are thinking, but no. It's been tried. When I swipe a carcass into my spatial storage, all of the pieces come along, even if there are a dozen. I'm not sure how it works exactly, but it does. To carry carcasses back outside your storage would be extremely time-consuming, finding every little piece? Not worth it.”

“What if monsters walk through the rift themselves? Gems?”

“We do NOT want that.”

“Why?”

Before I could answer, I heard Eryn calling my name and turned to find her waving me over.

“Be right there!” I said and headed for a rope.

“It'll have to wait. For now, just know we cannot let any live monsters through the rift. What we want is to grow stronger, and we can do so together.”

“So our job is to crack open monsters and take what's inside them?” Roq's mental voice held an eager edge.

“Exactly. The bigger and stronger the monster, the better the chance of finding gems.”

“I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful alliance. You give me blood, and I’ll let you smash things with me.”

I smiled and slid down to the ground before hurrying over to Eryn.

“Deal. Don’t forget you just promised.” 

“Knut's awake,” Eryn said. “He's asking for us.”

“Thank the rift,” I said and grabbed her hand as we headed for the infirmary.

Riftside - chapter 14

Scuttler legs kept pushing through the gaps. I crushed them one after another, but all the monster goo mixed with my own blood as their attacks found me time and time again. A pincer caught my thigh, another my side. None of the attacks were fatal, but they sapped away at my life and my stamina.

“Your blood or theirs - I don't care which! Just keep it flowing! Rivers of blood! Yes!” Roq's bloodlust seemed to grow with each kill, and so did his presence in my mind.

Blood loss and exhaustion pressed down on me, but I wouldn't stop. Couldn't. Not now.

“Almost done!” Eryn called from where she sat with Knut. “Just hold them a little longer!”

I crushed another leg, then another. The shield rattled as Scuttlers threw themselves against it. My shoulder felt as if it had been tenderized from all the blows I'd taken.

“Done!” Eryn yelled out, finished tying off the bandage. “He's weak, but I think he’ll make it.”

I grunted, straining to hold Knut's shield against the endless assault. “Great. Now how do we get out of here?”

Eryn picked up Knut's fallen mace and swung it at a probing pincer. The weapon connected with a satisfying crunch.

“No idea, but if we wait long enough, they might lose interest? Maybe someone makes it to the base and sends help?”

“They won't.” I looked around our stone prison. “These Scuttlers are throwing themselves at us mindlessly.”

“Roq? Any ideas? Some hidden power you'd like to share?”

Silence.

“Roq?”

“...I'm not sure I should help you.”

His voice was uncharacteristically quiet.

“What?”

I barely deflected another attack.

“Of course you should help, you bloodthirsty animal! We're partners now!”

Eryn grabbed my shield and added it to the entrance, blocking some of the holes the monsters had punched through Knut's. The attacks became more focused but less got through.

“Are we partners?” Roq asked. “Or am I just a tool that you wield for your own pleasure?”

“What are you talking about?”

“What if...” Roq's voice grew thoughtful. “What if I'm on the wrong side?”

“The wrong side?”

I held the hammer in front of my face, staring at it in disbelief.

“They're monsters! They're trying to kill us!”

“Are they? Or are they my tribe, and you're the monster? Hmm? How about that?”

This was bad. Or good. Something told me there was more to Roq than just being a heavy-hitting hammer. If not, why would people risk becoming murderers for a soul weapon?

“Eryn, can you hold for a minute? I need to... meditate.”

“Now!?”

“I can't explain it, just... trust me. I have a plan. Magic.”

“Magic? What are you on about?”

I looked imploringly at her.

“Okay, fine, but… hurry. I can’t hold this for long.” She grabbed the strap as I transferred the shield and she pulled it tight. 

I climbed past her, leaving my blood running down her leather pants before settling next to Knut and placing Roq in my lap.

“Answer me, Ash. Am I on the wrong side? Have you stolen me from my tribe and used me to splatter those who I belong to?”

I had to give him an answer, and telling him I had no idea was not an option. But I knew one thing. He liked killing and combat, and he came from a gem, so I went for a version of the truth. A potential truth. At least, I didn't know it wasn't the truth.

“I freed you from the monsters.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you remember being free before?”

“...No?”

“And what do you want right now?”

“...”

“More than anything.”

“...”

“Tell me.”

“I want... to fight. To grow stronger. To pit myself against the strongest mons—” Roq grew quiet, and I gave him the time he needed, though sweat ran down my back at Eryn's grunts of effort as she held the Scuttlers out. “Foes?”

“You wanted to say monsters, didn't you?”

“So what if I did?”

“You were held captive. Stuck inside a monster. I set you free. You were a beautiful soul gem, Roq. With tremendous power. And I didn't choose to bind you with a hammer. You did! It was the one weapon you vibrated strongly with. So strong, in fact, I nearly dropped you.”

“You what!?”

“Nearly! I didn't.”

“If you dropped me on my head as a gem, it could explain the lack of memories.”

“Focus, Roq! Think! You said we are bound together. Do you even know what will happen to you if I die?”

“I'm pretty sure I'll be fine.”

“Let's say you are. And you bind with the next thing that picks you up. What use has a crab of a hammer? How ridiculous would you look, clasped in its claw? You would be reduced to a cooking instrument, or for opening shells. Even worse, a shiny bauble hidden in this forest's deepest hole, lying there, bored for thousands of years.”

“Watching roots grow would be better than your sensory-depriving spatial storage!”

I sighed. Trying to reason with him was a pointless exercise. Maybe I could go with the carrot? If not, then I'd definitely use the stick. One way or another he’d do what I needed.

“I'll get you a damn pillow, alright!?”

“Satin.”

“What?”

“The pillow. It should be made from satin.”

“You have got to be—”

“A satin pillow or I let you bleed to death.”

Rift give me strength.

“Take it or leave it.”

“Fine! But this conversation is NOT over. Now tell me, how can we get out of here?”

“You're going to have to store me.”

“Come again?”

“Bring a monster carcass into your storage together with me and I think I can decompose it, using its parts to heal you.”

“Ewww, what?”

“Don't worry. It's just tiny repairs. It won't change you. I think.”

“You—think? Wait, no, how is that even possible?”

“Blood Forge. My passive ability. I gained it when I hit level two.”

“Level... what? I didn't eat any mind gems!”

“I gain experience every time we kill something. Don't you know anything about soul weapons? I'm nearly level three already.”

I stared at the hammer. All this time, it had been growing stronger and smarter...

“That’s…”

“Amazing? Incredible? Obviously superior to your measly human abilities? I know.”

“Terrifying.”

“Just store me already. But first, promise you WILL take me out again, and then we will fight. I want to be fed.”

“Of course I will!”

“Or else I might get creative with which parts I use to heal you.”

I swallowed hard.

“Right. See you soon.”

I swiped Roq into my storage where I had already placed several Scuttler corpses. A warm tingling sensation spread through my body, like tiny rivers of heated metal flowing beneath my skin. The deep gash in my thigh began to itch, and the stabbing pain in my side dulled to a throb.

“Ash?” Eryn grunted as she held the shields. “Are you done meditating? I can’t hold anymore!”

I stood, testing my newly patched wounds. Still sore, still damaged, but much better. Manageable.

“Yes. And I think I know how we're getting out of here.”

Eryn studied my face.

“So, does that include you telling me the truth of what the rift you are doing?”

“Are you sure you want to know?” I accepted the strap to Knut's shield from her and was almost knocked over by a Scuttler slamming into us. “Just knowing is dangerous.”

She chuckled and gestured at the wall of clicking death trying to break through.

“Worse than this?”

Fair point.

I took a deep breath.

“Roq is a soul weapon.”

Eryn scoffed.

“Sure, and I've got a magic dragon in my pouch.”

I just looked at her, face deadpan. “You have a dragon? Why didn’t you tell me sooner!”

“Of course I don’t, I’m being…” She trailed off and her eyes went wide. “Wait, what? You're serious?”

I nodded.

“Yes. But if you tell anyone - anyone at all - people will kill me for it.” I met her gaze. “And once they have it, they'll kill you too, because you know about it. You have to keep this secret.”

“By the rift.” She barely noticed when a pincer stabbed through, but I caught the leg and snapped it with my hand. The sound of breaking chitin mixed with the monster's shriek. “Thanks,” she said and swallowed. “Who else knows?”

“Ma and Pa. And—” I shifted uncomfortably. “The weapon is alive. It talks in my head.”

“It what?”

“And right now it's... healing my wounds.”

“That's what you were doing? Communing with your weapon?”

“Something like that. Soon I should be strong enough to fight again. Then we can hold them off, and even try and make it out alive.”

“A soul weapon...” Eryn whispered. “I thought they were just stories. Legends.”

A particularly aggressive attack rattled the shields and my bones alike. I was almost thrown backwards again, but the monster failed to gain ground.

“They're very real. And very dangerous. In more ways than one.”

A minute passed, Scuttlers still tearing at the shields, and even Pa's steelhusk cladding started coming apart. But with each passing moment, my strength grew. The wounds didn't fully heal, they were too severe for that, but the bleeding had stopped and I could swing again.

I swiped out a mind gem and popped it into my mouth, letting it dissolve, taking with it the bone-deep exhaustion.

“Ready?” I asked Eryn.

“Almost.” She released one hand and leaned over, pressing her hot lips to my cheek. “For luck.”

I gave her a firm nod, unable to trust my voice.

With a swipe, I brought out Roq, and the warm feeling fled my veins. His voice immediately filled my head.

“AHHH!” he screamed. “That was... horrible. It reeked of stale—air? Or something?”

“Thank you for the healing.”

“Yes, well...” He seemed caught off guard by the gratitude.

“Roq?”

“Yes?”

I stared down at my hammer and grinned.

“You ready to feast?”

“Oh, my. Seems the healing did more than fix your wounds. THIS is the kind of partnership talk I've been waiting for. Let's show these Scuttlers what we can really do.”

A sense of excitement radiated through me from Roq.

“He's ready,” I said to Eryn, chuckling.

“It's a he?”

“Yup.”

“You sure?”

“Definitely.”

“I thought it'd be an it.”

“Not my hammer, no. It's definitely a he.”

“Enough chat! Get cracking!”

“I've got an idea. By angling the shields...” I said, studying their curved surfaces. “We can create a funnel, then hold firm.”

“Like a trap? Let one through at a time? That could work.”

I positioned myself on the left side, shield braced against the stone, while Eryn held Knut's shield on the right. The constant pressure of Scuttlers pushing against us made every adjustment a battle of its own. After a few tries, we prepared to funnel them in.

“Ready?” I asked. “Just ease back a tiny bit.”

We parted the shields and the constant shoving of monsters instantly forced one through the gap. Its pincer flashed for my leg, but I was faster, Roq crushing its shell. A quick swipe stored the carcass as we pushed our shields back together, trapping a second Scuttler's leg between them.

“That's one!” Roq's excitement rang clear. “Though this still feels a bit... mechanical.”

“Mechanical works!” I grunted as we carefully made another gap.

“What are you talking about?” Eryn asked.

“Replying to the hammer. Sorry.”

The next Scuttler was faster, its pincer catching my thigh before I could properly strike. But Roq still found its brain, and again we sealed the gap.

Eryn frowned at the wound, but kept quiet.

“Getting sloppy!” Roq chided as I winced at the new wound.

“Not sloppy. Just in over my head. I’m the one fighting and running, while you’re just bitching.”

“Hah! Bitching he says! Well, that is true, but I am the one perfect being in existence! I have every right to bitch!”

I readied myself again, smiling at his admittance.

When our storages filled, we quickly dumped our kills behind us, the carcasses piling up in the confined space. Then we returned to killing them one at a time. Part shields, kill, store, seal gap. The Scuttlers seemed endless, and each time cost me a cut here or a gash there. What it also did was keep Eryn safe, and that's all that mattered to me.

“That's ten,” Roq announced with grim satisfaction.

Another kill. Another wound.

“Three more left,” Eryn yelled in excitement. “I can see the clear forest behind them now! Ash! Just a bit more!”

We opened the gap one final time. All three tried to push through at once, jamming themselves in the makeshift funnel. Perfect.

Roq crushed the first two as they struggled to untangle themselves, their shells cracking like eggs under his strikes. The third managed to catch my shield with both pincers, trying to tear it away.

Perfect.

I let the shield go, and as the monster staggered back under the unexpected weight, I brought Roq down like thunder.

“Brains! Delicious!” Roq sounded immensely satisfied, and suddenly gave a metallic burping sound.

I slumped against the stones, my breathing heavy, and fresh blood running from my various wounds. But we were both alive and well.

“Is it really done?” Eryn said, kneeling and inspecting my wounds with a smile. “And you! Tell me these things sooner so I can prepare, Ash!”

I winced as she prodded my bleeding thigh.

“I don't think there will ever be anything like this,” I said.

I looked at the pile of dead monsters and shook my head.

“I've never seen anything like it,” she whispered, noticing where my eyes were focused. “And that hammer of yours... can I touch it?”

“Tell her I said thanks for the compliment but I do not want to be felt up by people I don't like yet.”

I held Roq to the side, ignoring him, as Eryn gently touched my chin and looked deeply into my eyes.

“And you, you are a hero,” she whispered, pressing her forehead against mine.

“Tell her never mind. She is clearly confused. Maybe you should check her for blood loss, too. Or, you know, feed her to me. I have no idea why she would call someone as weak as you a hero.

“I couldn't have done it without you,” I said, ignoring him still.

“I know. You are very much welcome.”

Eryn smiled and then helped me up.

“Let's go before more turn up.”

We quickly filled our spatials, though I left one slot open for Roq. Then I dragged Knut out of the makeshift cave. His face was pale, but his chest rose and fell steadily. Eryn gathered her gear, Knut's equipment, and my shield, while I hoisted Knut onto my shoulders.

He was heavy, but between my new strength and pure adrenaline, I somehow managed.

“Sentinel Station isn't far,” Eryn said.

“Lead the way.”

We'd barely made it a minute into our slow journey when human voices carried through the trees.

“Hello?” I called out, shifting Knut's weight. “Over here!”

“Ash?” My heart did a little dance as it I recognized the voice. “Hold position!”

Moments later Commander Edwin burst into view, his flaming sword ready to cleave all the Scuttlers apart. Behind him came Alex and Johan, the scavenger's faces red from exertion.

Alex rushed forward, hands already glowing with healing energy.

“Set him down. Carefully now.”

I lowered Knut to the ground as Edwin looked about the area, his eyes widening at the amount of destruction around the stone alcove.

“Thank the rifts… you are safe,” Johan gasped. “I got them... at the station... came as fast... as we could.”

I stared at the man I'd thought a coward and smiled.

“You went for help.”

It wasn't a question.

Johan nodded, sinking to the ground and heaving for breath.

“Knew I couldn't fight, but I had to do something.”

I clapped him on the shoulder.

“Good man.”

“Pioneer's plight,” Edwin said behind us. “What happened out here?”

Eryn and I exchanged glances. She stepped forward, gesturing at Knut's unconscious form.

“It was incredible,” she said. “Knut killed so many of them just by himself. Even after being wounded, he kept fighting. Kept us alive.”

Edwin shook his head in amazement.

“Despite the level advantage, that's remarkable.” His sharp eyes studied us. “And you two? How hurt are you?”

Eryn and I shared another look and smiled.

“We'll be fine,” we said together.

“It's mostly Knut's blood,” Eryn said. “I did what I could to keep him alive and Ash carried him.”

Alex finished his work on Knut, the warrior's color already improving.

“He'll live thanks to you your tourniquet. Though he's going to feel this for quite a while.”

Relief flooded through me and I turned to smile at Eryn. She smiled back, and my tongue darted out, moistening my suddenly dry lips. Her eyes tracked the movement, and she mirrored the gesture unconsciously.

“Oh no. No, no, and NO! I refuse to be present for this! Store me RIGHT NOW!”

“What? Why?”

“Because I'm a WEAPON, not a... just PUT ME AWAY!”

“Since when are you shy?”

“STORE ME OR I WILL SING DRINKING SONGS OF BLOOD AT THE TOP OF MY METALLIC LUNGS!”

I had to bite back a laugh at Roq's panic. With a quick motion, I swiped him into storage and winked at Eryn. She knew something was the matter and chuckled, too.

The moment stretched between us, charged with possibility. Her eyes held mine, green as spring leaves, filled with the same wild joy of survival that coursed through my veins. My heart hammered against my ribs as I stepped closer.

She met me halfway, and I pulled her into my arms. Her hands slid up my chest and to my shoulders. For a heartbeat, we simply breathed together, foreheads touching.

Screw it. It was now or never.

My lips found hers, soft, sweet and alive.

She tasted of salt and copper and life itself. Every brush of her lips sent sparks dancing across my skin. The world narrowed to just this. Her warmth against me, the quick beat of her heart matching mine, the knowledge that this remarkable girl who'd fought beside me, who'd kept my secret and watched my back, felt the same way I did.

When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, finding Alex, Edwin, and Johan staring off into the forest, she smiled beautifully.

“I've wanted to do that for a while now,” I whispered.

“Me too,” she said, and leaned her head against my chest. “Took you long enough.”

Riftside - chapter 13

I stared at the Scuttler's crushed shell and the monster goo that was splashed across the ground, my arm tingling from the impact.

“Roq? How can such a light hammer deliver such a powerful blow?”

“CRRRRITICAL HIT!” Roq's voice thundered through my mind. “Did you see what I did? How I squashed that Scuttler like the bug it is? How I fed on its gory goo?”

A heavy shield slammed into my chest, sending me stumbling backwards, and a heartbeat later, a Scuttler's pincer snapped where I'd been standing.

“Strong hit!” Knut's voice boomed. “Good I soften shell!”

“Ash? Look! On the tree! More brains to eat!”

The northerner swiped his mace, catching the monster under its shell and flipping it through the air. Before it fell, Knut's shield bashed a second Scuttler, his mace following in a practiced motion, crushing through its armored head and killing it.

“See and learn!” Knut laughed, the sound nearly drowning out the clicking of the approaching monsters. “Quick and clean!”

“Use me like the hammer I am!” Roq said. “More killing!”

But as I stepped to Knut's side, the man held his shield out and started backing away from the dozens of Scuttlers pushing towards us. The sound of metallic bodies scraping against the steelhusk trees filled the forest and made the hairs on my back stand upright. This was becoming more dangerous with every passing second.

“Too many!” he yelled and made to turn around.

I pushed past the warrior and swiped two of the corpses into my storage before jumping back.

Eight more to settle the debt.

Knut's shield knocked aside another pincer that might have very well grabbed my leg. The guy was good, which made me wonder, how the hell did he get stuck with Benedict?

“Move back. Need new chokepoint!”

“NO! Stand and fight! Strike them down and feed me their blood!” Roq cried in my mind. His voice was eerily human-like, which only added to the strangeness of the situation.

We retreated, the dense forest working in our favor, forcing the Scuttlers to bunch up as they pursued. Eryn and Johan once more moved at a brisk pace. I kept my eyes on them for as long as I could and prayed to whoever would listen that no monsters would get past us and catch them.

A scream pierced the air, distant but clear.

It was definitely human and male. Familiar.

“That's Marcus.”

“Ha! Listen to him scream!” Roq's laughter rang like steel on steel. “A fitting end for a coward. I only wish we could have been there to witness it ourselves!”

“That's enough, Roq. We don't celebrate loss of human life.”

“Man made poor choice following wizard,” Knut said as if reading my mind. “Being traitor kills fast when Riftside.”

“The Scuttlers did you a favor by removing his impure genes from your pack.”

I ducked under a branch, careful not to catch my shield as I tried to keep up with Knut.

“Might be, but we all got a common enemy,” I said, trying to give my thoughts voice. “Together we stand a chance, but alone? Well, Marcus learned pretty quick how it works when standing alone.”

“He didn’t stand alone. He ran alone,” Knut said, but his voice held no humor as his mace crashed into a rotten tree. “People never help me or mine.” The log tumbled behind us, creating an obstacle for the monsters. “Why I care for coward with no coin?”

I shook my head, the frustration of having separate conversations mounting. For a moment, I wasn't even sure what I was saying to either of them.

“Our strength is in numbers, Knut. In working together. If not, the monsters win.”

He scoffed.

“Why should I care?”

“And what of me?”

“What of you?”

“If it is you against monsters, am I not on the wrong team? Considering I am not human and all that. Also, you kind of killed me, didn't you?” The question caught me off guard, and my toe hit a root, sending me stumbling on top of my shield.

“Watch path!” Knut yelled and swept his mace about, catching me beneath my arm and hauling me to my feet.

“Sorry,” I said.

“Totally should be. You can't even run for shit.”

I couldn't risk having such a conversation now. It had to end so I could focus on the battle.

“You want to kill stuff, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then help me slay monsters. For now.”

“Fine. Then stop running and start fighting! I want to see your blood spilled on the ground!”

We caught up to Eryn and Johan near a fallen log. The scavenger's face was pale, sweat dripping despite the cool air. His chest heaved with each breath, hands trembling as he stepped between two trees.

“Move faster or die.” Knut's mace tapped against his shield as he jogged around them in a rhythm that matched the clicks of the pursuing monsters. “They gain ground.”

“I can't,” Johan's voice cracked. “Never been... outside the walls before. Need…air.”

“His heart's racing and muscles are cramping,” Eryn muttered under her breath, fingers pressed to Johan's neck as they walked. “He's not going anywhere,” she said. “If we push him any harder, he'll collapse.”

Knut's eyes narrowed.

“Question, blacksmith. You pay to protect you and healer?” he asked and gestured at Johan. “Or all three?”

It was such a simple question, yet it struck me to my core. And the way Knut asked it was so...transactional. Still, I knew he wasn't the bad sort, just pragmatic.

“Let them take the weak one. We can attack the Scuttlers while they eat. Easy kills.”

“Shut up.”

I exchanged a glance with Eryn. Her green eyes held steady, and a slight nod told me all I needed to know.

She's a healer to the core, and preserving life was part of that.

And me? I was a protector.

“The three of us,” I said, stopping and adjusting my grip on the shield. “That was the deal.”

“Spoken true.” Eryn walked over and rubbed a hand across my back. “You agreed to guard all three.”

Knut sighed. 

“I made bad bargain, not knowing his zero level.” He pointed through the trees with his mace. “We fight again. There. Two big trees close together. Good spot to hold ground.”

“Finally! More killing! If only that northerner had found me instead. Our battles would be legendary!”

We hurried over, and Johan thanked us by moving as best he could. He'd long ago shed his weapon, or maybe he'd given it to Eryn, I didn't know, but he'd have been useless in a fight anyway.

“Eryn, keep going with Johan. We'll hold them off again and then catch up.”

“Thank you,” Eryn said, and the look she gave me, as if I was a hero, made my heart flutter as set of into the forest. The thought of fighting the Scuttlers frightened me less than imagining even one of them slipping past us and catching up with her.

“Hope she be worth it,” Knut said as he took up a position between the massive trees. He touched his mace to one and then the other with a slight ringing sound, before turning and rolling his shoulder.

I chuckled nervously, wanting to say that's not why, but not wanting to be called out on what was at least partial bull crap.

“You hit those coming between trees. I take sides. More hard to deal with.”

I nodded, stepped through, and turned to face the oncoming wave of monsters.

“Just how strong are you?”

“I am the ultimate weapon!”

“Sure. But, like, did we splatter the last one because Knut had hit it, or...”

“I am POWER! I am DEATH!”

Then the first monster scuttled between the trees and I deflected its snapping pincer with my shield. Behind the lead monster came many more.

I swept Roq down square on its shell. Once again, goo sprayed across me as the hammer smashed through shell and splashed its soft insides.

“Three bells!”

“Lucky strike.” Knut crossed behind me to attack the first flanking monster.

“YES!”

“Are they really that low of a level?”

A second Scuttler crawled across the first. Before it could set its feet, I leaned in and struck Roq between the pincers, smashing its shell, once again killing in a single blow.

“More! Feed me more! I want to taste their insides!”

Behind me, Knut's mace rang against shells. His boots scraped dirt as he dashed between monsters trying to circle us. 

“Easy ones attack you! Good!” he laughed, the sound mixing with the screech of his mace smashing against their armored shells.

Two Scuttlers squeezed between the trees, pushed against one another. I blocked one pincer with my shield, knocking another away with the hammer and lifting my foot to avoid a third. Then I struck, killing one of the duo. The other snapped for my leg, but I put my shield down as I'd seen Knut do, barely knocking the attack away. I swung Roq down and added the carcass to the growing pile.

“Left side weak!” Knut shouted. “Too many!”

A Scuttler lunged at my exposed side. Knut's shield appeared from nowhere, deflecting the attack.

He was right. The monsters were pressing us harder, spreading out around us in greater numbers.

“Duck!”

I dropped without thinking. An attack swept through where my head had been, the monster having climbed up and around the tree. 

“Thanks!”

I crushed Roq into the Scuttler's underbelly, sending it flying.

“Bye bye!”

If not for Roq's power and my ability to kill them in one hit, I'd be minced meat. As it was, my breathing became heavy and adrenaline flooded my system.

“They get creative!” Knut's mace crushed through a shell, but two more immediately replaced it and the tip of a pincer cut into Knut's left arm, drawing a curse from the adventurer. He knocked them both away, and kept fighting, but blood ran down his arm. I could already see our inevitable demise unless something changed.

“Fight here is over!” Knut said, leaping and stomping down, staggering five monsters. “We go!”

I knocked one monster back and then swiped two carcasses into my storage before turning and hopping away with a shout. “Breach born ruin!” I said as a claw nearly ripped my face off.

“Brave in the face of loot? Maybe I can work with that.”

I fell in beside Knut as we retreated, like a dam moved downstream, leaving a trail of broken shells and scattered limbs, and with a seemingly endless river of monsters chasing us.

“Is fighting monsters always this intense?”

“Only good hunts!” Knut laughed, though I caught him wincing. The bottom of his kite shield bumped along the ground as we ran. His arm must have been wounded more severely than I thought.

“Hurry, Eryn!” I yelled as we came within sight of them once again. She had one hand on Johan's back, pushing him forward. And despite not responding, I knew she'd heard me.

That's my girl. Don't waste a breath on the obvious.

“Where do we hold?” I asked Knut.

“To your left! An opening. No trees. Let them surround you and go down in a glory of blood and gore!”

I ignored Roq as Knut shook his head, muttering something under his breath.

“What's that?”

“Battle prayer, brave scavenger.” He turned and stared at me with a wide grin, and it was all I could do not to run straight away from the crazed man. “You have heart of warrior! I will die beside you proud!”

“Die? Not yet, big man. Choke point?”

“Hah!” he laughed but nodded. “Come.”

Right before we'd catch up with the others, Knut turned. This time he'd chosen a spot with enough space between two trees for us to stand side by side.

“Kill quickly and stop flow, then retreat and funnel between trees. Stops flanking.”

I nodded my understanding.

The Scuttlers rushed up and we killed the first two and stepped back, letting the next scramble over their own, straight into our weapons, again and again, the monsters bunched up between the massive trees before flowing around. They were driven forward by a greed I couldn't understand, throwing themselves at us with abandon.

“Good!” the northerner approved as I copied one of his combinations. “Shield bash stuns, then strike! Works every time!”

“Oh please.” Roq sounded offended. “That's barely adequate. I could show you moves that would make this barbarian's jaw drop.”

“You would?”

“Well, I would if I remembered them.”

We fell into a rhythm, Knut fighting with efficiency, and I survived on Roq's abnormal combination of hitting like he was ten times heavier. But the longer we fought, the more damage we both sustained. There was no easy way to defend against dozens of pincers and monsters at the same time. The more we killed, the louder Roq got and the greater his bloodlust became.

“Feed me the blood of the insignificant! The weakened and the overpowered! The splattered and the—”

“Shut your breach!”

My shield knocked aside another attack and Roq pulverized the monster, but despite my increased strength and fantastical weapon, fatigue crept into my muscles. How many had we killed? Twenty? Thirty? And still they came, an endless tide of clicking legs and snapping pincers.

“I can't keep this up. I'm getting tired.”

“Weakling! Do not give up!”

They were starting to surround us and there was nothing we could do. 

“Can you stun them?”

Knut grunted with effort as he bashed another crab away.

“Magic burned low. Spent on extra strength.”

“What do we do?” I narrowly dodged an attack, knocking the Scuttler into the path of another.

“Kill faster! Feed me more!”

“Help or shut up!”

“Feed me and I'll help!”

“Argh!”

“Pray and charge away from the enemy.”

“What?” I crushed another Scuttler and stepped out of reach from two more.

“Three, two, one, go!”

Knut swiped his shield, knocking away a monster with a roar, and raced away through the forest like an out-of-control steel-barded warhorse. With a manly yelp, I rushed after him, pincers snapping at my heels, but despite my wounds, I still outpaced them.

Fifteen yards away, Knut came to a stumbling halt and settled into a shuffling jog, and as I caught up, dark blood streamed down his right boot. A deep gash ran across his calf where a monster had caught him sometime during the battle. The northerner's face remained stoic, but his limp grew more pronounced with each step, the damaged muscle struggling to support his weight.

“How bad?” I asked, glancing back at our pursuers.

“Had worse!” Knut grunted, though his face was pale beneath his beard and the way he favored the leg told me enough. He could keep moving but not for long. “Need to reach the girl and level zero!”

“IF we reach them.” Roq's voice held an edge of excitement. “Though I must admit, dying while actually fighting wouldn't be the worst way to go. It is still better than running!”

“Don't you dare quit on me! Think of the carcasses! The money! The loot!”

Knut's laugh was rough, and it ended with a sputter, but he gave me a smile and a nod.

“Eryn?” I yelled.

“Here!”

We angled towards her shout and I was relieved to see Johan jogging under his own power.

“That looks bad, Knut,” Eryn said as we caught up, my chest heaving for breath. “How are you even moving?”

“Money, gorgeous!” Knut laughed maniacally. “Gorgeous money!”

“I need to bind his leg, or he bleeds out.” Eryn looked over at me and shook her head. “He won't make it to the station.”

I sighed. I'd known as soon as I saw the wound on his leg, but there wasn't much we could do. Either fight to the death or leave him and the zero behind, unless...

“We need a defensible position. Now.”

We barely kept our distance from the Scuttlers for what seemed like miles, but probably was only two hundred yards or so.

“There!” Eryn called, pointing just ahead of us through the trees. “Look!”

Two massive boulders leaned against each other, forming a rough triangular shelter.

“Will it work?” she asked.

“Anything... will work!” Knut stumbled, catching himself on a tree. “Just... need killing spot!” he said, his words slurring.

“Oh, this is pathetic.” Roq's tone dripped with disdain. “The mighty northern warrior, reduced to stumbling like a drunk. Though I suppose he has lost enough blood to BE drunk. Give me a sip?”

“The formation looks defensible,” Eryn said, already leading the way. “Natural stone shelter, single entrance—”

“Perfect place... to die rich!” Knut's manic laugh dissolved into wheezing.

“You're not dying,” I said, supporting his shield arm as he swayed. “Nobody's dying today.”

“Boring!” Roq complained. “Though I suppose that alcove WOULD funnel them nicely. Maximum carnage for minimum effort. Even you should be able to keep them at bay.”

The clicking of metallic legs grew closer again.

“Move!” I urged, helping Knut toward the stone shelter. “Before our metallic friends catch up.”

“Friends?” Knut giggled. “You make strange friends, blacksmith!”

And that's when Johan bolted into the forest without a word, disappearing between the trees. Not a single Scuttler broke from the group to chase him. Oddly enough, he didn't seem to have any issues running right then.

“Coward knew exactly when to run,” I muttered, giving a bitter laugh, too tired to even feel angry. “They're not even interested in him.”

“Focus!” Eryn ducked into the shelter first. “Get him in here!”

Knut's weight grew heavier against my shoulder as I half-dragged him the final few steps, the man's boots leaving bloody trails in the dirt.

“Must kill... more...” His voice had dropped to barely a whisper.

“Look at all that blood!” Roq's voice rang with excitement. “Wasted on the ground... It should feed me instead! Finish him off! Kill him and let me drain his life!”

Once Knut was inside, I yanked his shield free and wedged it into the entrance. The kite shield's curved metal surface nearly sealed the gap, leaving only inches around the edges.

Perfect.

A pincer stabbed through, seeking my flesh. I brought Roq down, smashing it off at the joint.

“YES! More! Break them all! And before the warrior dies, dip me in his blood, Ash. I will make it worth it for you!”

“What in the rift are you on about?”

“Knut?” Eryn's voice was tight with concern. “Stay with me!”

I glanced back to see the warrior slumped against the stone, his face grey. Eryn already had her supplies out, wrapping a tourniquet around his wounded leg to stem the blood flow.

“Brother–” Knut mumbled, his eyes unfocused. “Four little ones... in Kingsworth.”

“Save your strength,” Eryn said softly, working on his leg.

“Good family. Smart one.” His accent thickened with each word. “Winter coming. Need coin for food.”

I crushed another leg, trying to push through, my heart aching at the proud warrior's words. So he hadn't just taken the deal to earn money for the sake of money; no, he had wanted to provide for his family.

“Blacksmith,” Knut sputtered, his hand catching my pants leg. “Promise. Help them. Share bounty.”

“You'll help them yourself,” I said, smashing away another pincer.

“Promise!” His grip tightened. “Without my sword, might not make winter.”

“I promise.” The words came easily. This man had saved my life multiple times today; the least I could do was to repay him. “I'll make sure they're taken care of.”

Knut's eyes closed, a peaceful smile crossing his face.

“Good man. I can now die in—” he fainted.

“Now THIS is living!” Roq roared in my mind as we smashed another leg, not reading the room at all. “Or dying. Either way, it beats farming or being a shopkeeper!”

I couldn't argue with that as I hauled on the shield's strap, keeping it tight to the stone. My arms burned, my chest heaved, and my legs trembled with exhaustion. But some part of me, maybe the part that had always dreamed of being more than just a blacksmith, understood exactly what Roq meant.

This was living.

This was dying.

This was exactly where I needed to be. And I would see Eryn and myself through this. I had Pa and Ma waiting for me at home, and I wasn't going to let them lose a son again.

Riftside - chapter 12

A hint of light caught in the metallic shavings beneath my feet, each tiny flake trembling like leaves in a storm, except they were too heavy for the wind to move. The massive silver tree at the heart of the Metal Grove loomed ahead, in the grove's center.

“We need to leave,” I said, my words coming out sharp, and I touched my shield to Eryn's back. “Now.”

“What? Why?” she asked.

“Something's coming.” My pulse raced as the vibrations grew stronger. “Marcus, you too. And—” I gestured at the other scavenger, whose name I still didn't know.

Marcus barked out a harsh laugh.

“I knew it, Ash. You'd run at the first sign of combat.” His scarred face twisted into a sneer. “Did you even fight the Ring Beetles in the Twisted Titan, or did you all agree on a story to save your face?”

“BASH his face in!” Roq's voice thundered through my skull. “How DARE this mewling flesh-sack question our courage! Let me show you the proper way to deal with such insolence - aim for his teeth first, then—”

I ignored them both, raising my voice.

“Benedict! We need to go. Something's wrong! Look at the ground!”

The frost mage didn't even turn around, instead focused on Tormund and Knut as they engaged the trio of Scuttlers. Ice crystals formed around the mage's staff as he slowed the monsters, while Raven and Wade supported from a distance.

“Benedict!” I tried again. “The ground is shaking!”

That got his attention. The mage spun on his heel, murder in his ice-blue eyes as he stalked toward me.

“You dare?” Frost crackled along his staff. “This is my group. My hunt. I will not be undermined by some level three scavenger who can't even walk through a portal properly!”

Eryn stepped up beside me, her bow half-raised.

“Just listen for a moment—”

“And you.” Benedict's lip curled. “Wasting your affections on this—this blacksmith? I expected better from someone like you.”

A fire ignited in my chest, and my grip tightened on Roq's handle. I was so close to bashing the ice magician's skull in. My heart thundered in my chest, and I could already taste his blood.

“YES!” The hammer's voice rang with gleeful anticipation. “Show this pompous icicle what REAL power feels like! Though I must say, your rage is... disappointingly tepid. More of a warm breeze than the inferno we need, but I suppose we must work with what we have.”

“Benedict!” Raven's voice cut through the tension. “I hear something—”

“Not now!” Benedict waved him off without even looking. His anger was solely focused on me.

Behind the mage, Tormund began backing away from the grove, his massive sword held ready.

“Benedict!” the fighter said.

I leaned to peer around the frost mage, but he deliberately stepped to block my view.

“Oh, this is DELICIOUS!” Roq cackled. “All that power and not a single thought in his frozen skull! Though I suppose that's what happens when you substitute actual intelligence with an oversized ego and fancy robes.”

“Benedict!” Knut's bellow echoed through the trees.

Wade darted past us, his modified crossbow trailing behind from its leather strap.

Benedict finally turned, and I could look past.

Scuttlers poured from the earth like water from a broken dam. They erupted from trees, claws peeling back the bark. More dropped from the branches overhead, pincers snapping like steel traps.

“Portal piss!” Benedict thrust his staff forward, and a wall of ice crystallized between us and the oncoming swarm.

“Run!” he said, “Knut, hold the rear!”

“Go!” I said, shoving Eryn with my shield. “Head for Sentinel Station!” There was nothing she could do with her bow and arrows, anyway, and in all honesty, I didn't think I could do anything either, even with a soul-forged weapon, against such numbers.

Eryn stumbled forward but caught herself, bow bouncing against her quiver as we ran away from Benedict's ice wall. The crystalline barrier sparkled in the morning light, already starting to crack as the monsters hammered it.

“Do not run from combat!” Roq's voice held a manic fury. “Never show the enemy your back! Turn around and face your death like a real warrior, no coward!”

As the group made its way down the path, Wade vanished into the tree line, his crossbow catching against branches.

“Coward!” Benedict shouted after the ranged fighter. “I'll remember this!”

“Yes, yes, threaten the one who's already gone. A VERY effective strategy.”

We rushed past the steelhusk trees, keeping to the thin trail. Raven darted between trunks with practiced grace first, followed by Tormund's massive frame crashing through the undergrowth like an angry bull. Next came Marcus and the other scavenger, pumping their feet and arms, faces red with exertion, and occasionally glancing back with wild eyes. Benedict, Eryn, and I were next, with Knut bringing up the rear.

“Wizard,” Knut's thick accent rolled over the sound of our pounding feet. “About money for extra danger.”

“Are you serious?” Benedict wheezed between breaths. “Now?”

“Extra monsters, extra coin.” The northerner sounded like he was out for a morning jog. “Simple math.”

“You're welcome to leave the party here and let them eat you first!”

Benedict's staff crackled with frost and Knut's belly laugh boomed through the forest.

“Day I can’t outrun wizard is day I deserve death!”

“That mercenary. I like him. Try dying close to him. A more worthy wielder, unlike you. Has anyone ever told you your running form is atrocious? Have you considered actually LIFTING your feet?”

“Shut up!”

“Never! And I'd like to see you stuff me in your spatial storage now.” Roq laughed. “Face the monsters unarmed. Go ahead. I double dare you.”

Benedict thrust his staff behind us, and ice spread across the ground like spilled milk. The pursuing Scuttlers skittered and slipped, buying us a few precious seconds.

“Benedict!” The cry came from the fourth scavenger, who still hadn't introduced himself. He was stumbling, chest heaving as he slowed. “I can't. Run. Much. Further. Please!”

Benedict passed him by, not even sparing the man a second glance.

I slowed down, falling in next to the man.

“Benedict!” I called after the wizard. “We need to help him!”

The scavenger's desperate voice cracked.

“Marcus! Please!”

Marcus didn't look back, either, but rather swiped his sword and buckler into storage with one smooth motion, then lengthened his stride, pulling ahead.

I risked a glance over my shoulder. A river of metallic shells stretched back along the path, too many to count. The closest dozen were less than thirty yards behind us, and they were gaining ground with every step.

“Benedict!” Eryn's voice was tight. “Another ice wall!”

“Can't!” Sweat ran down the wizard's neck. “Spell's on cooldown!”

“Portal piss!” she said.

I couldn't help it and laughter bubbled up from my chest.

“What's funny?” Eryn shot me an incredulous look and almost tripped over a steelhusk root.

“Just thinking,” I managed between breaths. “Didn't expect our first date to be this exciting!”

Her hysteric giggle joined my laughter, and for a moment, the terror faded. If we were about to be eaten by a horde of ravenous metallic monsters, might as well go out with laughter than screams.

“Promise me this won't be our last?” Her green eyes locked with mine.

“Promise.”

“How charming. I didn’t realise bipeds mated til death. Not a good strategy for species survival.”

The ridiculousness made me chuckle.

“Good one, Roq. Who knew you had some actual humor in you? And how come you speak so human-like?”

Roq was silent for a moment.

“Wait, you actually liked that?”

“Better than your other comments. You wouldn't have something useful to add about our current situation though, would you?”

Roq was silent for a moment. Then, grudgingly spoke.

“Fine. You want a plan? Those trees stand thick enough to jam shells. Slow some of the bastards down.”

“That is actually... helpful. Thank you.”

“Don't get used to it. I just prefer dying in glorious combat to being eaten while running away like a terrified rabbit.”

“The forest!” I called out. “The crabs struggle with brush! We could make a stand.”

“Absolutely not!” Benedict said. “Just keep running!”

“Please!” The lagging scavenger's voice grew more desperate. “Can't you hold them, just for a moment!”

Benedict didn't even dignify the man with a response.

“What's life worth?” Knut called to him without slowing. “How much gold you have?”

“How can you ask that?” The scavenger's voice cracked. “You're adventurers! It's your duty to protect scavengers!”

Knut's only response was another booming laugh.

I caught Eryn's eye. 

“You holding up?” I asked.

She nodded, but I saw the conflict in her expression. The scavenger wouldn't last, and the choice of whether to leave him behind or not warred with her survival instinct.

“Knut!” I called back. “How tough are their shells?”

“Like good breastplate!” He vaulted a fallen log without breaking stride. “Maybe stronger!”

“How'd you kill the first six?”

“Ha!” The northerner grinned. “Tormund's sword? Magical. Pierce armor like butter! Worth a small village!”

But that blade was disappearing into the distance, the massive warrior outdistancing us together with Raven.

“This northerner might actually be worth wielding me. At least he knows what his word is valued.”

“Unlike me?”

Roq's laughter rang like steel on steel.

“Oh, you're learning! But look at your 'companions' - the wizard's pride freezes faster than his magic, the archer's already plotting his escape route, and your friend Marcus...” He paused. “Tell me, was that practiced cowardice, or natural talent?”

I scanned our fleeing group. Benedict's staff sputtered uselessly. Raven and Tormund were pulling further ahead, Marcus chasing them.

That left Eryn, the other scavenger, and Knut.

“The mercenary. Greedy as a dragon, honest as a blade. Better than this pathetic lot.”

“Knut!” I called out between breaths. “What would it take to hire you?”

“Smart!” The mercenary's laugh boomed over the clicking of pursuing pincers. “We talk business. What is offer?”

“I'll get you monster corpses! None from attacks on Sentinel Station!”

“How many?” Knut barely sounded winded.

“Five!”

“Pah! Insulting! Twenty!”

A scuttler's pincer snapped at the air just yards behind us. The clacking of metal on metal grew louder.

“Ten!” I countered. “Quality carcasses!”

“Oh, this is rich.” Roq's voice dripped with amusement. “Haggling over payment while death snaps at our heels. How delightfully... human.”

“Fifteen!” Knut shot back.

“Ten, and I'll buy the first round tonight!”

The northerner's grin flashed white through his beard.

“Deal!” He extended his mace toward me as we ran. “Tap it! Make proper agreement!”

I reached out with Roq, touching the weapons together with a clear ring.

“Contract sealed!” Knut's voice rose. “Benedict! Our deal void! You showed cowardice. Terms broken.”

“Monsters take you, Knut!” Benedict's curse carried back to us.

The change in Knut was instant. His jovial demeanor vanished, replaced by coiled intensity as he slid his shield from his back into a ready grip.

“Come!” He veered right, toward denser forest. “Path's harder, but shells won't fit! You, girl! Come! Scavenger next! Ash in rear! Go!”

I pushed Eryn ahead, then grabbed the lagging scavenger's arm. “Move! Run!”

Benedict, Raven, and Marcus's forms slowly grew smaller as they ran down the main path. I wondered which group the monsters would chase. Considering there were more of us, I figured we'd be out of luck.

After a hundred paces through the thicker growth, Knut stopped, waving Eryn and the scavenger past.

“Girl. You lead. Walk now. Long way round to the station.”

The scavenger slowed to a walk, chest heaving and hands shaking, but he kept his feet moving.

I passed Knut, then turned back a dozen paces on. The northerner stood calmly, his shield raised as five Scuttlers crashed through the undergrowth. Their pincers sliced through branches, carving a jagged path.

Knut waited until they were nearly on him, then leaped straight up before coming down with thunderous force as he roared. A shock wave exploded outward, flattening the smaller vegetation around the impact point. The Scuttlers staggered, stunned for a moment.

“Now run!” Knut yelled and turning back around.

“Yes! YES!” Roq's voice held savage glee. “THIS is more like it! With any luck, they'll all come for us. Think of the show we'll get! A true warrior in action!”

“Portal piss!” I cursed at the hammer, pushing my legs harder.

We crashed through the brush, metal clacking and snapping behind us. Eryn jogged ahead, calling back warnings.

“Fallen log! The left side's clear!”

“Thanks!” I said, vaulting it, hearing the scavenger wheeze ahead of me.

“Thorns ahead!” Eryn said, “Stay right!”

The scavenger's breathing grew more ragged. “I can't... much longer...”

“What's your name?” Eryn called over her shoulder to him.

“Johan,” he gasped out.

“What level are you, Johan?” I asked between breaths.

“Zero.”

“Shattered gems!” I almost stumbled. “Benedict let a zero join? With an untested group?”

“Just arrived last night and—” Johan wheezed. “Met him at the inn. People said he was proper—”

“Oh, he's a good enough wizard alright,” Eryn called back. “But a proper leader?” She ducked under a low branch. “I think we just got our answer!”

“Wait. Please,” Johan said. “Can't... Need a moment!”

Johan's desperate plea hung in the air as Knut suddenly veered right, positioning himself between two massive steelhusk trunks.

“Keep moving.” The northerner's voice carried authority. “I fight here. Slow monsters.”

My grip tightened on Roq as power surged through the hammer, setting my nerves on fire.

“Finally!” Roq's voice resounded with bloodlust. “Feel that? That's what we're meant to do! Not running, not hiding, but KILLING! Give in to it! Show me your true power!”

I caught Eryn's eye. She stood a few paces ahead, bow half-drawn, uncertainty written across her features.

“Look at her hesitation! She doesn't understand. But you do, don't you? You feel it building inside, that desperate need to CRUSH something!”

The first Scuttlers appeared through the brush, metal legs clicking against roots and stones. Knut set his shield, mace held ready.

“Eryn is fine for now, but she will tire.”

“Who cares about the girl? Think of the GLORY! The BATTLE! Stand with the northerner and show them what we can do!”

I locked eyes with Eryn.

“Well? What are you waiting for? Go fight! Unless... oh no. Please tell me you at least know which end to hold.”

“I'm a hearth-blessed blacksmith! Of course I know how to use a hammer!”

“Prove it.”

“We'll catch up!” I told her.

She hesitated for a heartbeat, then nodded sharply. 

“Don't you dare die, Ash,” she said, grabbing Johan's arm and pulling him away.

I rushed back to Knut's position, setting my shield beside his. The northerner's laugh boomed through the forest.

“Ha! Brave or stupid?” He knocked me with his shield hard enough to stagger me. “Either way, we have fun now.”

“Battle!” Roq boomed in my mind, his voide holding a savage glee. “Let's show these crabs what REAL steelhusk feels like! I might even answer a question or two if you survive.”

The Scuttlers charged through the narrow gap between the trees, their pincers spread wide to crush and cut us into pieces.

Knut met the first monster, shield slapping its arm wide, and brought his mace down, ringing its shell like a bell. The attack both stunned the monster and cracked its armor enough that one of the spikes penetrated the flesh beneath.

I moved in as Knut pushed a second crab back, lifting Roq and, with a scream, brought the weapon down in a precise arc, right on top of its back.

The hammer connected with enough power to shatter the shell and monster goo splattered all over the forest floor.

My jaw dropped.

Riftside - chapter 11

The soul chart hovered in my vision like a thick tendril of smoke that wouldn't dissipate. I tried to withdraw from it mentally, but the damn thing just stayed there as if mocking me.

Come on, come on!

My tattoo itched worse, like ants crawling under my skin and trying to bite their way through. It burned. For a moment, I thought my skin was about to melt.

“So, what do you think about the group composition?” Eryn asked, squeezing my arm.

“What?” I blinked hard, still busy trying to clear the text from my sight. “Why do you ask?”

Eryn's hand dropped from my arm.

“Are you serious right now? Did you hurt your head or something?”

I kept trying to mentally grasp the chart, to move it, push it away—anything. The silvery text refused to budge no matter what I did.

“Yeah, might be it. I can feel it throbbing harder by the moment,” I said, trying to buy myself a minute.

“Clearly.” Her voice went cold. “If you don't have anything to say about Benedict bringing Tormund after he knocked out Alex in the tavern last week, you must be really out of it.”

Tormund? What's going on?

The itch from my tattoo grew unbearable. I reached up to scratch it, and the moment my fingers touched the mark, the soul chart shifted.

By the bells!

I froze mid-step, dragging my finger across the tattoo. The chart followed the movement, sliding across my vision like ink on glass. A pinching motion with my fingers made it shrink to a corner of my sight. Another swipe and it vanished completely.

A laugh bubbled up from my chest.

“Something funny?” Eryn's eyes narrowed.

Finally able to see clearly, I looked ahead at Benedict's group. I recognized them from around Dawnwatch—Knut with his rugged northern armor, Raven skulking at the edges of the group, Wade fiddling with a modified crossbow, and Tormund's scarred face twisted in a permanent sneer.

Wait.

My gut clenched.

Where's Commander Edwin? Where are Alex and the others?

“Fucking portal piss.” The curse slipped out before I could stop it. “This isn't Edwin's party.”

“Yeah, it clearly isn't.” Eryn shot a glance at the group. “Did Benedict lie to you, too?”

I grabbed her arm.

“What do you mean, 'lie'?”

“I thought we were going with Edwin's party.” Her left hand squeezed into a fist. “Not some random band of adventurers Benedict cobbled together. They don't even have a healer.”

The conversation with Benedict replayed in my mind. He'd mentioned a monster hunt and invited me as lead scavenger, but... had he actually said anything about Edwin? No, I'd just assumed that the commander would be there. Like the idiot that I was.

“Shit.” I ran a hand through my hair. “He didn't exactly lie to me. All he did was invite me to a hunt and—”

Eryn's face fell as understanding dawned.

“It's the same thing he did to me.” She glanced at Benedict's group, then back to me. “What should we do?”

Before I could think it through, Benedict's voice cut across the clearing.

“Lovebirds! Get over here!”

Tormund let out a harsh laugh.

“Give it a rest,” I called back, taking Eryn's hand. “The monsters aren't going anywhere. Try not to be so jealous.”

Benedict's face darkened.

“The monsters might not be leaving, but we are. You've got one minute to get your asses in gear.”

Eryn squeezed my hand as I scanned our companions. Marcus stood off to the side with another scavenger I didn't recognize.

Great. Marcus the coward. No help there if the monsters get past Benedict's party.

“He must have done this on purpose,” Eryn whispered. “Getting us to join by implying he's still with Edwin. But he couldn't even get a fifth.”

“Probably.” I kept my voice low. “But can we afford to be known as the scavengers who bail after agreeing to go out on a scavenging run? Not even a dungeon run but a hunt?” I caught her eye. “You're more ambitious than that. We both are. Do you know the destination?”

She sighed but nodded.

“He's not dumb. They should be able to do this run easily. We're heading to the metal grove.”

That meant steel scuttler monsters. Metal-eating creatures that looked like giant crabs the size of wolves. Pa had been wanting some of those for weeks now. A perfect way to start paying him back for the shield, the hammer, and everything really. Plus, I'd read the scouts' report, and they'd discovered the grove just half an hour from Sentinel Station. A walk through the forest with Eryn didn't sound half bad. I could show her the hammer and see what she thought about it.

“Let's do it.” I said, trying not scratching my wrist. “Like a first date. You know, if you're into monster slaying and gore.”

Her laugh brightened the whole clearing.

“If it’s the first of many.”

I pulled her toward the group, but Benedict's glare stopped us short.

“Are you two going to be able to focus?” His fingers drummed against his staff. “This isn't a walk in the park. This is monster hunting, Riftside. Outside the walls.” Frost crackled along his staff. “I need to know now if you'll have trouble keeping your eyes up and out instead of on each other.”

“Won't be a problem.” I met his stare. “Nothing's changed since the dungeon.”

Nothing you need to know about, anyway.

And there was one other question on my tongue. How bad had it been to get kicked out by Edwin? But I knew better than to push the wizard further.

Benedict sighed and nodded, then turned to Marcus.

“You're the lead scavenger for this mission.”

“What?” The word burst out before I could stop it. “You said—”

“That was before you couldn't stay on your feet just stepping through the rift,” Benedict sneered. “And all while carrying a shield done in adventuring guild's colors. You did good in the dungeon, Ash, but do not forget your place.” His eyes lingered on my shield. “At this point, you're lucky we're taking you at all. Sharpen up.”

My teeth ground together as I nodded. Eryn's hand found my back, a gentle pressure keeping me steady.

All I wanted was to hit the road already so Benedict had to look for monsters instead of watching me. I could take out the hammer then and maybe even put it to use.

Hopefully, the scratching would pass, too, as it was becoming unbearable.

Finally, we lined up at the gate, each person placing their hand on the soul chart mounted there. I watched them check their stats and whatever else the classed had access to in the pre-hunt ritual.

Would mine show up as normal, or had the weapon changed me?

A drop of sweat rolled down my back as my turn came and I pressed my palm to the cool stone.

The numbers appeared, and I sighed in relief.

Eighteen strength.

Just yesterday it was fifteen, and it had taken me years to gain the four extra doing blacksmithing and all kinds of tough manual jobs.

I licked my lips and stared at my itchy tattoo.

It has to be the hammer.

A shiver ran through me.

What else had changed after the binding?

“Coming?” Eryn asked, and I tore my eyes from the chart, mechanically walking to join her.

She glanced at the shield.

“It's gorgeous, by the way. Did your mother paint it?”

“Sure did,” I said and fell in line.

  *

“...then I told him he could shove his family trade up his own snout.” Eryn laughed softly as we walked beneath the steelhusk trees. “My mother’s face when I said that to the richest merchant's son in the whole caravan - I thought she'd faint dead away.”

“You didn't,” I chuckled, though my attention kept drifting to my wrist. The itching had grown worse with every step deeper into the forest, and my hand kept opening and closing, yearning for the grip of the hammer.

“Oh, I did,” she said with a grin. “Turned down a marriage proposal and a fortune in one breath. Best decision I ever made.”

Marcus and the other scavenger trudged ahead of us. Benedict's party was barely visible through the grey-purple trunks. The massive steelhusk trees loomed overhead, their metallic bark catching what little sunlight filtered through the dense canopy. I kept my eyes peeled upward, making sure nothing jumped us from overhead.

Yet I found myself torn between staying vigilant, talking to Eryn, and ignoring my burning wrist. The hammer wanted out, that much was certain.

“Eryn,” I said, clearing my throat, interrupting her. “Speaking of families - Pa gave me something before we left. A new weapon.”

Her eyes lit up.

“Really? What kind?”

“A hammer.” I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. “But, ah, please stay calm when you see it. The weapon might look a little... strange.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Strange how?”

Instead of answering, I swiped at my spatial storage, willing the hammer to materialize in my right hand. The uncharacteristically lightweight steelhusk weapon settled into my palm as if I'd been wielding it for all my life.

Eryn gasped.

“Ash, that's gorgeous! Shinier than my mirror! And those patterns—”

“ABOUT BLOODY TIME!” a metallic voice thundered inside my skull. “Do you have ANY idea what your storage smells like? It smells of... NOTHING! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!”

My teeth clacked together and I stumbled, nearly walking into a tree.

“I WILL NOT BE DIS—”

I swiped the hammer back into the storage on instinct. The voice cut off instantly, too.

“Ash?” Eryn grabbed my arm, her green eyes filled with concern. “What's wrong? I'm starting to get really worried. Ever since you walked through the rift, something's been off.”

I barked out a laugh that sounded hollow even to my ears, looking up and catching a glimpse of the silver tree, marking the Metal Grove not far ahead.

“Just, ah, nervous about showing you the goods?”

Am I going crazy or did my hammer just yell at me... and right in my mind at that?

Eryn's laugh rang through the trees.

“Don't worry so much! I'm sure it'll work brilliantly. Come on, whip it out again. I want to see!”

“The way you're saying that doesn't exactly fill me with confidence,” I muttered, but swallowed hard, then swiped the hammer out again and held it at arm's length like it might bite.

“I—umm, yeah, I did that on purpose. Bet you didn't mind though, right?” she said and laughed, bumping into my shoulder. “Joke aside, the craftsmanship is incredible.” Eryn leaned in for a closer look. “Clearly made from steelhusk, but how did you get the colors to shift like that?”

“If you DARE disrespect me ONE MORE TIME and shove me back into that VOID!” The hammer’s voice dropped to a deadly whisper, “I will ensure your last moments are spent contemplating the exact magnitude of your mistake.”

A talking hammer. I’m talking to a hammer!

The thought ricocheted around my head like a stray nail.

A murderous, talking hammer no less. Just great.

“Thanks.” I managed a weak smile at Eryn. “Pa outdid himself this time.”

“Now you listen to me, you calcium-biped! Hey! ARE you even LISTENING? Do you have ANY idea who I am? WHAT I am?” The voice shut up for a second and then it continued again. “I am magnificence incarnate, power beyond your comprehension, and you DARE to—”

“It looks so well-balanced,” Eryn said as my eye twitched at the internal screaming. “Can I hold it?”

“NO!” The hammer's presence seemed to my my hand coil around its handle like a possessive snake. “I REFUSE to be handled by another flesh-creature! It is bad enough to be bound to ONE of your kind. No one else shall touch me!”

“Sorry,” I managed, trying to keep my voice steady. “It's, uh, temperamental.”

“Oh, I'M temperamental? That's rich coming from a primitive monkey who can't even... wait.” The voice paused. “Did you just call me temperamental? ME? I, who have existed since... who was forged in... who... who...”

The voice trailed off in confusion as if it had lost its train of thought.

“Temperamental? You're looking at it like it holds all the secrets of the rifts,” Eryn said softly. Her hand slid down to mine, fingers intertwining. “I know you're a blacksmith, and it's beautiful work, but it's just a hammer.”

“Just a hammer? JUST A HAMMER? Let me at her! I will bash her calcium-skull in!” The voice rose to new heights of indignation. “I am sophistication INCARNATE! Power beyond mortal comprehension! I am—” The voice stumbled. “I am... Well, I may not remember exactly who I am, but I KNOW I'm far more sophisticated than some crude striking implement!”

I fought to keep my face neutral as we walked.

“There might be a bit of magic in it.”

Her eyes went wide.

“Magic! Why didn't you say so? That might be what's making you light-headed?” Eryn pressed. “You should have stayed home. Hell, you could have told me and I'd have stayed with you. Screw these guys!”

“A BIT of magic? Tell her I am a SUPREME being of ULTIMATE POWER! Tell her I— actually, no, don't tell her anything. You'll just butcher the introduction with your limited vocabulary and minimal intelligence.”

“Light-headed,” I chuckled. “Yeah. Maybe. It's complicated,” I said, which seemed to satisfy exactly no one.

“Fascinating.” The voice turned thoughtful. “Your mental capacity appears even lower than initially estimated. Tell me, can you comprehend words longer than two syllables, or should I limit myself to grunts and simple mind gestures?”

I gritted my teeth.

“Really complicated,” I said.

“AHA! You CAN'T handle complex language! I knew it! Though I suppose I shouldn't expect more from someone who thought binding with—” The voice faltered. “Why CAN'T I remember? What did you DO to me?”

“Are you sure you're feeling alright?” Eryn asked and touched my arm. “You look... tense.”

“I'm fine, just—” What could I possibly say? That my new weapon was currently screaming insults in my mind? I forced a smile and steadied my breathing as best as I could. “Just excited to try it out.”

“Oh, YES! Let's see what you can do with me.” The voice dripped with sarcasm. “I'm sure your technique will be STELLAR. Like watching a cave troll forging jewelry.”

Up ahead, Raven held up his hand and everyone slowed, giving him time to return to the party.

“Steel Scuttlers. Three of them, on the edge of the grove.”

Eryn squeezed my hand once before letting go, and nocked an arrow.

I spun the hammer, feeling its impossibly light weight, and shook the shield from my back.

“Finally! Some ACTION! Now, listen carefully you bumbling disaster. When the fighting starts, try not to take TOO long to die. Do me a favour and bleed out super fast. Free me from this perverted bond so someone worthy of my exquisiteness may pick me up. Though I suppose that's like asking water not to be wet. Wow, am I good or am I good?”

“One moment, please,” I said, holding up my shield.

“What?” Benedict turned, confusion on his face.

“Battle prayer,” I said.

“Battle prayer? Who do you think—”

But before Benedict could finish, Knut grunted in approval.

“We wait.”

“Wait for a level three scavenger to finish a battle prayer!?” Benedict turned to the tank, but I blocked out their conversation.

Can the hammer hear my thoughts?

“Come on, biped! Hiyah! Attack! Sick 'em! Go die!”

Seemed not. But maybe... I focused inwards, willing my thoughts towards the voice.

“Hey, you. Hammer.”

“Oh! So you CAN hear me. Great! Now listen to my commands and—”

I'd just about had enough. It was time to set the pecking order. And that started with me, whatever the hell I wished, my family, my friends, our community, and then my weapon.

I swept the hammer into my storage and counted to three before taking it out again.

“AHHHHHHHH! NO! ME use SIMPLE words. You understand. Bad biped! No store hammer. Storage BAD.”

“Then shut the hell up and listen to me.”

“Don’t talk to me like a—”

With a chuckle, I swiped the hammer back into storage, and this time counted to four, mumbling something prayer-like out loud to satisfy my companions, as Benedict's argument with Knut continued.

When the hammer materialized again, the voice was subdued.

“Alright. You have made your point, biped, I—”

“Call me Ash.”

The voice paused for a moment as if considering if it should comply. It did.

“Fine. Ash. An appropriate name, considering it will be your end state. Now, don't put me back into the sensory-depriving prison you call storage again.”

“Say 'please'.”

“What? Like a common beggar? I'll have you know that is the language of a copper dagger or wooden cudgel, absolutely barbaric! No class at all. And—”

I inched my hand towards my wrist.

“No, don't you even dare go there! Please don't store me or I will make you suffer—”

I halted.

“You were saying?”

“I meant, umm, there's not even a cushion in there for my marvelous bulk.”

“Then behave and I might get you something more comfortable. Also, what do I call you?”

“Hah! Finally a worthy question.” A rumble crashed through my mind, like a metallic dragon clearing its throat. “Vannash' Khazeesh, in your grip. You may call me 'sire', 'your excellency', or 'master'.”

“There's no way I'm calling you that. Any of it. I think I'll call you... Roq.”

“What!? You can't do that! I demand to be respected and—”

I sent Roq on a quick trip in and out of my storage, and he returned to my grip with a whimper.

“Fine. You win for now, Ash.”

“Amen,” I said out loud, cutting off the internal dialogue. “Ready.”

Benedict shot me a withering look.

“How generous of you to finish today.” He pointed to a cluster of metallic trunks several paces back. “Now go stand over there, scavengers. And don't get in our way.”

“Actually—” Raven started.

“Shut up,” Benedict snapped and raised his staff. “Knut, take the damn point. Raven, flank left; Wade, right. Tormund, let's kill and loot these things.”

“Be quiet now and pay attention.”

I moved into position with Eryn, Marcus, and the other scavenger, a burly guy with his hair slicked back. Our boots rang against the metal-rich soil, and the air was thick with the smell of mineral-laden sap, as if we'd spent an hour grinding metal in the forge.

“Well, well, won't you look at that?” the hammer's voice resounded, dripping with disdain. “Standing back while others do the fighting? How... predictable.”

“This is literally our job. We're here to harvest materials.” 

Ahead, the massive silvery tree rose like a statue of pure metal, its trunk, branches, and leaves all still in the wind.

Eryn settled beside me, arrow nocked but pointed down. Her eyes tracked Benedict's party as they moved into formation.

“Hey, I've lost you again,” Eryn whispered, nudging me. “We really need to have a chat once we're back. Over a drink or two, preferably.”

“I promise to have that drink or two for sure. Today's just...insane,” I said.

“Insane, huh? You could say that, yes. But, umm, think they'll slay enough today for us to get some, too?”

“We'll see.”

“Quiet,” Marcus said, a mockery of command in his voice. “Stop embarrassing us in front of the adventurers, Ash. We're here to support Benedict. Know your place.”

The hammer's laughter rang through my mind, sharp and metallic. 

“Oh. They'll both get more than what they asked for.”

“What are you talking about?”

“She'll have access to more materials than she could ever harvest. And the coward will get his chance to support the heroes. More than he would ever wish for.”

I frowned, unsure what he was getting at.

“Roq, speak plainly or I might leave you in storage for longer than four seconds.”

The Scuttlers were moving between the trees, their wolf-sized bodies glinting in what light made it past the treetops. Their metallic shells were a blacksmith's dream, which was precisely why Pa even wanted them. He'd be able to make armor and shields using their carcasses, both to sell off and maybe even some for me.

Benedict's magic crackled through the air, and ice exploded from a scuttler's shell, killing it.

“Can you not feel the vibrations?”

Two other Scuttlers charged, their pincers large enough to snap off a man's thigh. Knut's mace came down on the second's shell, stunning it long enough for Tormund to saunter over and plunge his massive two-handed sword through its body.

Raven's arrow slipped into the ground beneath the third monster, forcing it to rear up. Wade didn't waste the opening, and with a twang, his crossbow bolt punched through the exposed underside. The creature let out a shriek as it fell to the ground, skidded to a halt, and collapsed.

“Your superiors are real warriors, true, but—”

“I am their equal in every way, Roq.”

Except for level and stats.

“We will see.” Roq chuckled as Benedict, Tormund, and Knut stored a monster each. “And when you fail, your lifeblood pouring onto the ground, feel safe in the knowledge your failure will one day be forgotten, even as I live on.”

“For bells' sake, what are you on about?”

“The vibrations. In the earth. In the trees. They're coming for you.”

“Who is coming?”

Benedict and Wade argued loudly, the crossbowman demanding one of the three initial carcasses. Oblivious or uncaring, Raven pinged an arrow off the shell of another trio, pulling the pack, and Knut lined up to intercept.

“Are you alright, Ash?” Eryn's hand touched my arm. “You've got that look again. Does your head still hurt?”

“The SWARM, you dim-witted biped! The entire colony! Hundreds of legs. Thousands of them, and they are all coming for you!” Roq's voice rose with a manic edge.

I stared down at the metallic flakes covering the ground. The smallest ones. They shook. Like the houses had on the day of the first monster invasion. The day Samuel, my best friend, died.

My eyes went wide as realization set in.

Shattered gems!

Riftside - chapter 10

Pa's strong hands helped me to my feet, though my legs still shook.

“Easy there, son. You don't look so good. Sit for a while.”

The workshop door burst open. Ma rushed in, her face pale and she even had a piece of steel in her hand, ready to clobber anyone.

“What happened? I heard—” She froze, taking in the blood on my face. “Ash!”

“I'm fine, Ma.” I wiped my nose again. “Really, it's...” I shook my head, steadying myself against the beaten-up anvil. “I don't even know what happened. The vice exploded, I picked up the hammer, and—”

A thunderous banging interrupted me, the front door rattling in its frame.

“Open up!” Benedict's voice carried through the thick wood. “Let me in at once, or I'll break this door down myself!”

Pa, Ma, and I exchanged worried glances. My heart rate picked up again and for a moment, I felt genuine worry.

Shit. Did he sense the binding?

“Helena.” Pa's voice was steady despite the tension in his shoulders. “Let him in.”

Ma hesitated, her eyes darting between us.

“It's alright,” Pa assured her. “Go on.”

As Ma's footsteps faded toward the front of the house, I grabbed Pa's sleeve.

“What do we tell him?” I whispered. “If he felt the energy surge, then—”

“I got an idea.”

Pa's face settled as he grabbed a cloth and dabbed at the cut on my cheek.

Ma's voice drifted from the entrance, and she was doing a masterful job of hiding the unease she was feeling.

“Master Benedict, what brings you here?”

“Is everyone alright?” Benedict's boots clomped across our floor. “I was just coming to see Ash when I heard an explosion.”

He appeared in the workshop doorway, his eyes wild, staff clutched tight in his hand. His gaze swept the room, lingering on the scattered tools, the dented vice, and the blood on my face, but the tension immediately fled his shoulders.

“I heard a boom and thought the hearth might have blown, and wanted to offer my services in putting out any possible fire.” He let out a breath. “Glad to see you are both alright.” His gaze flickered across my bloodied face. “Mostly, anyway. What exactly happened?”

“Well, I tried to—”

“Experimental work,” Pa said, interrupting me, his voice steady. “Testing a new method of infusing monster parts into weapons. Used my steelhusk hammer.” He sighed heavily. “The process only partially succeeded but then, well, you can see what it did to the smithy.”

“You don't say.” Benedict walked into the room, his black and silver robe swishing, and he tapped the anvil with his staff. “Fascinating. It is damaged.”

I followed his stare and saw a crack running through nearly the entire metal surface.

Shit.

“I'd love to see this hammer in action,” Benedict said. “If it's powerful enough to do this, it might work wonders on monsters.”

My heart skipped.

“I think it needs a bit more work first,” I said.

“Don't be shy, Ash.” Pa clapped me on the back. “Despite the partial success, I've gifted it to my son. He'll test it on any monsters the next time he's out scavenging. We will have some data then, Benedict.”

“Erh... yes. What Pa said. Monsters, testing, combat. All that good stuff. Will make sure to tell you how it went.”

What is he doing? I thought we were supposed to keep it a secret!

“Perfect!” Benedict said and straightened his robes. “I was on my way to invite you for a monster hunt as the lead scavenger. With Garrett out of action, and seeing how you handled yourself in the dungeon and on the walls, I think you'll be perfect.”

“Ah—” I said, swiping at my bloody chin, suddenly feeling drained. “Next time? I need to recover a bit from the crafting.” I chuckled. “The vice was damaged and a piece struck my head. Maybe you can postpone the run?”

I knew very well that such a man would never postpone anything, so I figured he'd leave me be.

“I see.” Benedict shrugged. “Well, as you wish. We leave in an hour if you change your mind.”

“Thank you for the invitation.”

As he left, something nagged at me. With Garrett, Finn, and Nina all out of action for at least a few days...

I rushed through our shop, grabbing the frame, and propelling myself out and after him.

“Benedict!”

He paused and turned, cocking his head to the side.

“Is Eryn going?”

“Yes, it just so happens that she is indeed going.” A smile spread across his face. “Why? Does that matter?”

I cleared my throat, face going serious.

“I—uhh, will come too. With several scavengers injured in the dungeon, I should step up. I just need to grab my gear.”

Benedict's laugh echoed off the walls and he gave me a wink.

“Good man. Meet you at the rift in an hour.”

With a swish of his robe, he turned and strutted away, his staff twirling and releasing crackling frost all around him. The way he walked told me a lot about him. He wanted to be admired, and people like that were dangerous.

I returned inside, dropping into a chair as Ma brought a wet cloth and fussed at my face.

Pa settled across from me, his arms crossed.

“Son, are you sure it is wise to join so shortly after what just happened?”

“You heard him. With Garrett out, this is my opportunity to grow. I need this.”

And I'm not letting Eryn go alone with a completely new party. What if she got hurt? I'd never forgive myself.

“But you are bleeding,” Pa said.

“I need to keep pushing forward. Besides, Edwin will be there.”

Pa sighed.

“Ouch.” I said, waving Ma’s cloth away. “Enough. I'm fine.” I turned to Pa. “Why'd you tell him about the hammer?”

“Sooner or later you'll have to test it. At least now there's a story about how you got it.” He shrugged. “Not a brilliant one, mind you, but a story nonetheless. And besides, experimental gear often draws elemental properties, so if that thing does anything out of the ordinary, you will be covered.”

“Then you finished the weapon?” Ma asked, eyes widening in excitement.

“I think so?”

I hope so.

“Let's find out. Dear, lock up again and let's take a look.”

Back in the smithy, my hand trembled as it hovered over my spatial tattoo. The memory of that alien presence invading my mind, of fighting for control, it all made my stomach churn.

What would have happened if I hadn't put it away? Had I been too low level to attempt the binding?

“Or is it too soon?” Pa asked, second guessing himself. “Maybe you should avoid pushing yourself. Let it sit for a while?”

“No, Pa. I need to know. Even more so if I'm to keep myself and Eryn safe and all that.”

Ma chuckled, but said nothing. I felt a slight blush pass through my face, but then took a deep breath and accessed my storage. Inside were the remains of the Woodweaver, one mind gem, and my hammer.

A soul weapon.

I willed it to appear, and for a terrible moment, nothing happened. 

My heart sank.

Had I messed it up? Broken twenty-five thousand gold, and messing up a slot at the same time?

Then the hammer materialized in my grip, filling me with indescribable unease and power at the same time.

I tensed, bracing to continue the mental battle from earlier, but... nothing. The weapon sat quietly in my hand, as ordinary as any other tool in the workshop.

Well, almost ordinary.

The natural purple-grey of the steelhusk metal now had streams of green and brown swirling through it that shifted in the morning light. The twin striking faces gleamed like polished mirrors, and the extra-long haft felt perfectly balanced. Even the leather grip had been transformed, now a deep black that absorbed light.

“That’s gorgeous,” Ma breathed.

“Something's wrong,” I said, trying to understand where the unease came from.

I turned the weapon slowly, studying how the patterns caught the light. Then I frowned.

“What is it?” Pa limped closer, peering at the hammer.

“It's... light. Way too light for a weapon of such size. Just the shaft alone should weigh more than it does, let alone the head.” I hefted it experimentally. “Like it's made of tin instead of steelhusk.”

“That makes no sense.” Pa reached out and placed a hand on the handle, and I tried letting go, but my fingers wouldn’t.

“Erh...”

“Ash?”

“Yes, Pa?”

“You plan on letting go?”

“I'm trying.”

I tried prying my fingers off the handle with my other hand, but they might as well have been forged out of iron for all the good it did me. I met Pa's gaze, feeling a surge of fear.

What if I can't put it down again?

As if he read my thoughts, Pa let go of the handle and stepped back, raising his arms.

“I promise not to take your hammer.”

I nodded, and placed it head first on the ground and tried to let go.

“I can't.”

Ma chuckled.

“This isn't funny, Ma.”

She covered her mouth.

“Just reminds me of when you were little is all.”

I ignored her, turning to Pa, a sense of claustrophobia settling over me, and I did my best to keep my tone calm.

“It doesn't want me to let go,” I said.

“Store it,” Pa said.

I swiped it back into my storage and, after a tense moment, sighed in relief as my hands were freed.

“Thank the gems that worked,” I said.

“Well. Now we've learned two things about soul weapons. Three, actually,” Pa said.

“Which is?”

“They are lighter than they should be, at least the hammer is. It seems to be bound to its owner, or wielder, which explains why so little is known about them. Can't sell, trade or even pass to your children what you can't let go of.” He turned to Ma. “I think we just bet the life of our only son that the only way to get someone's soul weapon is from their cold, dead hands.”

“And I need to keep a slot open to store it. Great,” I said.

“But if it's so light, how can this possibly hit hard enough to be an effective weapon?”

I took the hammer back out. Had I ruined Pa's masterwork hammer? Created some ornamental toy instead of a proper soul weapon? It was so light that even with its long haft I didn't need two hands. I gave it a few one-handed practice swings, swishing through the air.

“Will it have enough power to kill monsters?” Pa asked softly. “I think you should test it out.” I turned toward the anvil.

“Only one way to know, Pa. And I'm sorry if something happens.”

Settling into a proper stance, I held the hammer behind me before smashing it one-handed onto the anvil's face.

Steelhusk met steel with a thunderous crack that shook dust from the roof. Ma screamed as the anvil split cleanly in two, the halves toppling off the block in opposite directions. They hit the floor with heavy thuds, almost dropping on my feet.

We stared at the broken anvil, and then our eyes met.

I cleared my throat.

“Yeah, Pa, I think it'll slay just fine. And umm, I think I owe you an anvil.”

Pa let out a shocked laugh. 

“Cracked steel...like it was nothing...and my cursed anvil!”

“Do you feel anything else from it?” Ma asked, stepping closer. “Any sense of strange power?”

I shook my head, studying the hammer with new eyes.

“No. Nothing like that. I thought—” I shrugged. “I don't know what I thought, but somehow I expected more than just hitting really hard?”

Pa chuckled.

“What, like a singing sword? Maybe some sparkles and lightning?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Well, Edwin has a flaming sword, so... yeah?” I nodded at the broken anvil. “Though I suppose hitting like a charging knight isn't exactly nothing.”

“Maybe that's what soul weapons are,” Pa said. “Overwhelming force when they strike.” He clicked his tongue and patted my shoulder. “Course, now you owe me an anvil. A really good one, mind you, so you better deliver.”

“Pay you back in monster carcasses?”

“Wouldn't have it any other way.”

I couldn't help but smile. This would definitely do some damage to monsters. If I managed to get in close enough. Despite having a longer reach than an ordinary smith's hammer, it was still pretty short.

Pa circled me as I tested different stances with the hammer.

“One or two hands?” he asked.

“One feels more natural.” I demonstrated with a few practice swings. “See? The light weight's perfect for it. Two hands give more control, but...” I switched grips. “It actually feels slower.”

“Aye. And that extra reach from the long haft means you can keep some distance while still having power.” Pa's expert eye assessed my form. “Though you'll need to adapt your footwork. Hammers fight different than axes.”

“True.” I swung again. “The balance is completely different.” I executed a horizontal swing. “Less momentum to recover from with this light weight, but I can't rely on the blade's edge to do the work.”

“You'll need precise strikes.” Pa tapped his chin. “Aim for joints and various weak points. Let that supernatural force do the damage instead of trying to cleave through.”

Ma watched from the doorway, worry creasing her brow.

“Maybe take your axe as backup?” she asked. “Just in case?”

I shook my head.

“No. Something tells me I need to commit to this weapon completely.” I gave the hammer another practice swing. “Like it needs… dedication? To reach its full potential.”

“Still,” Pa said, “The range is shorter than your axe. And hammer fighting takes different instincts. Might want something else, just while you're learning. Come.”

I followed as Pa limped into the shop and past the counter, over to the trophy wall. The one where Ma kept the pieces proving to customers just how good a smith Pa was.

No...

Pa reached up and lifted down the heater shield. It had taken Ma an entire day to paint the red tree of life on the forest green background, after Pa and I had spent nearly two days making the shield, with hours of hammering and shaping enough steelhusk to fully edge it.

“Pa, that's too much.”

I grinned as he held it out.

“Take it.” I slipped my left hand into the leather enarmes. “A soul weapon deserves proper protection.”

I hefted the shield, moving it through several positions, hammer moving around, preparing to strike, feeling the balance and quality of work.

“I'll make it worth it.”

Ma stepped forward and squeezed my shoulder.

“We know you will, dear. Just come back home safe. Remember that.”

I grinned.

With gear to match a level twenty adventurer, what could go wrong?

  *

The eastern bridge creaked under my boots as I jogged across the gap between First Steel and the rift platform. The new shield bounced against my back with each step, a comfortable weight that somehow felt just right. Pa had taken the woodweaver's corpse to work on, freeing up my spatial storage for new loot.

Benedict stood by the rift, his black and silver robes catching in the green light. The frost wizard looked like a rift rotted noble even when preparing for a hunt, his staff gleaming. I hated the way he looked at everyone else, as if he was superior to every other adventurer, even more so than us scavengers.

“About time.” He turned and walked in, calling across his shoulder. “You're the last one.”

That means Eryn's waiting. I wonder what she'll think of my shield and hammer.

“Hey! Ash!” Walt's voice boomed from atop First Steel. I craned my neck to see the captain's massive red beard catching the breeze. “That's quite the shield. You become classed overnight or something?”

Heat crept up my neck as I grinned back.

“Just trying something new!” I shouted back.

Walt's belly laugh echoed across the platform.

“Happy scavenging. Try not to scuff your new gear on the monsters, eh?”

I gave him a quick wave, stepped through the rift, and immediately stumbled, falling flat on my chest, my sight blocked.

“Rusted ruin!” I cursed.

Darkness filled half my vision as I lay sprawled on the ground, heart pounding.

Am I going blind?

Then, silvery text appeared across the darkness, floating like smoke from the forge.

NAME: Ash Aldrich

LEVEL: 3 (1/4)

STRENGTH: 18

AGILITY: 11

VITALITY: 12

MIND: 11

TOTAL STATS: 52

What in the rusted hells?

I blinked hard and shook my head as several voices called out my name, but the text remained, hovering like a ghost.

This isn't possible.

Soul charts without a soul tablet was only available for the classed - everyone knew that. Even Karl knew that, and he was barely old enough to swing a practice sword.

Did I knock my head on a soul tablet? And where in the rift rusted ruin did I get another four strength from? 

“Ash, you alright there?” Eryn's voice cut through my panic.

I pushed myself up, the shield sliding around on my back, but the soul chart stayed front and center in my vision.

“I—” My throat felt dry as sand.

If I told them about this, they'd know something was wrong. Benedict would ask questions — the kind Pa and I couldn't answer.

“He hurt his head earlier in the smithy. I wasn't even sure he'd come,” Benedict said, saving me for some odd reason. He wasn't the kind of person to help someone save face, but there we were.

“Yeah, what Benedict said. Just lost my balance for a moment and tripped.”

I cleared my throat, turning my head to catch a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye.

“Are you sure you should be going?” she asked with a hint of worry. “Let me see—ohh, that's a nice bump there.”

“I, uhh...couldn't let you go out by yourself. Also, you, umm... look so radiant. Can't have other men, umm, you know?”

Smooth.

Eryn laughed and slapped me on the arm.

“You're such a joker. As if I'd want any other man to hit on me.” She put her arm through mine. “Here, let me help make sure you stay on your feet.”

I forced a chuckle, letting her guide me towards the others, not really having to pretend to be unsteady as I couldn't see a damn thing on the ground.

Focus. If I'd bumped into someone, I'd have known. That leaves only one thing.

My tattoo suddenly itched, and then it flared up like a burning pain, as if calling out to me.

The hammer wanted out.

Riftside - chapter 9

Pa always said that a weapon told its story to whoever bothered listening close enough. As I stood in the smithy's doorway, watching him arrange steel with great care, I wondered what story the soul weapon would tell.

The sun lit the room through the skylight. I'd planned to be up first, but he'd beaten me to it. As usual. Except this morning the shop doors were closed and the windows barred. For the first time in months, we would not open at sunrise.

The night's dreams still clung to me like cobwebs — roads branching into the future. The soul gem floating ahead of me, Eryn's smile, a branch walker's claw stabbing through my neck. I'd barely slept, too excited about being part of making the first soul weapon in this new frontier.

Pa lifted his oldest hammer, turning it in the light before setting it aside with a grunt of disapproval. He hadn't noticed me yet.

“That one's banged quite some steel, Pa,” I said with a smile.

He startled, then broke into a grin.

“Sneaking up on your old man now?”

“Not my fault you're going deaf.” I crossed to the bench, running a finger along a polished sword blade. “How long have you been down here?”

“Oh, for a while now. Couldn't sleep.” He shrugged, but excitement filled his eyes. “Wanted everything perfect. Not every day your son gets a soul weapon.”

“You and me both, Pa. Nightmares all night, but now everything's just fine. We get to forge this together.”

His grin widened.

“True enough. Though 'forge' might not be the right word. Truth is—” He stroked his beard. “I'm not even sure what we're supposed to be doing.”

“The great blacksmith Thomas Fletcher, admitting he doesn't know something?” I gasped in mock horror. “Should I check if the rift's closed?”

He cuffed my ear, but gently.

“Watch it, you welp. I've forgotten more about metalwork than you'll ever know.”

“That's just because you're getting old and forgetful.”

We shared a laugh, but then Pa's expression turned serious. 

“From what Harold let slip last night, the gem chooses its form.” Pa rapped his knuckles on the workbench. “So I pulled our best stock. Anything to catch the soul gem's fancy.”

I nodded, studying the weapons laid out on the bench. First was a beautiful longsword we'd finished last week, then a mace with a spiked head, and the two-headed battle axe I'd been drooling over, the one that felt like it was made for my hand. Good weapons, ready for any adventurer with the coin.

“What if none of these are right?”

“Then we forge a new weapon that will be.” He patted the forge fondly. “But first, we need to learn what the gem wants. No point guessing when we can know for certain.” He grinned. “Those mind gems you all use, they sort of know where they need to go, right?”

I nodded and shrugged.

“Yeah. They just kind of dissolve.”

Last night's conversation with Harold had given us a starting point, but there was still so much we didn't know. One wrong move and I could lose this chance forever.

“Describe it to me in detail,” Pa said. “Maybe there is something to be learned.”

“I've got two mind gems. Why don't you take one?” I said.

Pa shook his head.

“No. They are not for me. One day maybe, once you reach the highest level. But until then, we invest it all in you.”

“I'll hold you to that,” I said and smiled, pulling out the pearly orb Harold had given me last night. The swirling patterns inside caught the morning light, making it look like captured moonbeams.

Just three more after this and I’ll be at level four.

I popped the small gem into my mouth and felt it dissolve on my tongue. My skin tingled as a rush of energy washed through me, spreading through every inch of my body, and chasing away any exhaustion. The mind fog cleared, replaced by sharp awareness as if I'd slept eight full hours.

“The pearl kind of melts on my tongue and sends energy rushing through me, and it feels like—” I searched for words Pa would understand. “Like the moment when you strike perfect steel. When everything aligns just right and you know exactly where the next blow needs to land.”

“So the gem knows what to do?”

“Yeah, you can say that,” I said, nodding.

“Right!” He gestured at the weapons. “Then let's see if the soul gem knows what it wants to be, too.”

“I'll go get it.” I looked to the darkened shop, and turned back. “Ma up?”

Pa shook his head. “Thought I'd let her sleep after she stayed up half the night helping me get Harold talking,” he said and shook his head. “Though knowing her, she's probably—”

“Already awake?” Ma's voice came from the doorway. “And wondering why neither of you thought to bring up breakfast before you started working on such an extensive project?”

She carried a tray laden with bread, cheese, and two steaming mugs. The rich smell of her special morning brew filled the workshop and my stomach rumbled.

Pa's belly rumbled, too, and we shared a glance before chuckling.

“Shouldn't forge on an empty stomach, dear,” Ma said, putting the tray on a free table. “Now you munch on this and I'll leave you alone to focus.” She squeezed Pa's thick arm and kissed his cheek.

“Thanks, Ma,” I said, jogging out and up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

The hidden compartment clicked open under my touch, and there it sat – deep purple swirling with green and brown, exactly as we'd left it. I carefully lifted it out, cradling it like a newborn.

When I returned to the workshop, the gem in my hands, Pa had already finished his drink and chomped down half the food.

“What was that about patient smiths?”

“You want to wait?” he said, his tone threatening.

“Hell no.”

“Exactly,” he said, grinning, showing me the half-eaten bread and cheese.

“I think that's my cue,” Ma said, and closed the door. “Good luck!”

“Ready?” Pa asked softly as I ignored the food and let my gaze drift across the weapons.

Which one would it choose? What would it turn into? I might be fighting with the weapon for the rest of my life and didn't want it to turn into a dagger or a short sword. Preferably a good piece of steel with some heft.

If it's a sword, please be like the one that Edwin uses. Or an axe, like Madrigal.

“Never more ready,” I answered.

“Right then.” Pa waved his empty cup at the spread of weapons. “Let's be systematic about this. Start at one end and work your way across.”

My heart thundered in my chest as I held the soul gem out over the sword and waited.

“Anything?” Pa asked and I shrugged.

“Nothing? I think. Not sure what to look for.”

I moved to the next weapon.

The daggers drew no response. When I reached the battle axe, the gem continued sitting lifeless in my hand, as still as ordinary crystal.

“Nothing,” I muttered, thinking back to my fight with the spider. The desperation, knowing if I didn't slay it, it'd kill me and my friends. The axe biting into its neck.

“Maybe this isn't how it's done?”

“Keep going.” Pa's voice held that familiar stubborn tone. “Never stop an experiment halfway through. If I was the type to quit partway—”

“You'd never have found the courage to marry Ma. I know,” I finished for him and rolled my eyes. “I'm doing it, see?”

I continued to the next weapon in line – the spear, then the bow, and finally the crossbow. Each weapon sat silently beneath the hovering gem.

Only the Warhammer remained at the edge of the bench, and then we could try something else. I started to move the gem over it—and froze.

My eyes went wide as a faint sensation tickled my palms.

“What is it?” Pa asked, stepping closer and peering at my hands.

“The gem, it's vibrating.”

I moved it back and forth across the warhammer. There was the tiniest tremor, like a whispered suggestion that told me to pick the weapon. Quickly, I swept the gem back over the other weapons. Nothing. As soon as I brought it near the warhammer again, that subtle vibration returned.

“Ha!” The whoop burst from my throat. “Did you see that?”

Pa grinned from ear to ear.

“I sure did! Hey, once we're done here, I will need to write a book on how to forge soul weapons. Under a pen name, of course,” Pa said jokingly. “But who would know a gem could have a preference!”

“I don't know, Pa, but it could have been a worse weapon, that’s for sure.”

“Try swinging the warhammer,” Pa suggested. “See how it feels.”

I turned to place the soul gem down on the anvil to free my hands when suddenly it trembled so strongly in my grip I stumbled backward with a yelp.

“What happened?” 

Pa stepped closer, peering at my hands.

“The gem, it—” I stared at the blacksmith's hammer resting on the anvil. “Pa, could you clear the weapons and put the hammer on the table?”

He raised an eyebrow but did as I asked. I tested the gem near the anvil first – nothing. Then I brought it close to the hammer.

The crystal practically jumped in my hands, humming with energy.

My jaw dropped.

“Hammer!” Pa shouted, fists raised to the sky.

Then he rushed around the workshop, gathering every hammer we owned, laying them out one by one. The cross pein for detail work. The massive sledge for heavy strikes. The delicate chasing hammer for precious metals. The straight pein for spreading steel. Each one drew that same resonant hum from the gem.

In the end, Pa set down his experimental piece – the massive two-headed steelhusk hammer with an extra-long haft, closer to a maul, specially designed for working stubborn monster materials.

The crystal's vibration intensified, pulling toward the weapon like it recognized something in that purple-grey steel.

“By the Smith—” Pa muttered, his voice filled with awe. “I think we found our winner.” He broke into a wide grin. “This is the best day ever!”

I stared at the steelhusk hammer, my hands numbing from the vibrations. There was definitely something about the weapon's brutal simplicity and its raw power. I could learn to fight with a weapon like that.

“This is the one,” I said, stepping back and licking my lips. “But Pa, this hammer. Could you make another one? If we needed to?”

Pa was quiet for a long moment, studying the hammer.

“No. Not like this one. A good friend helped me forge it. Special circumstances.” He shrugged. “Truth is, even if I could make another... I doubt it'd be any better.”

The gem hummed steadily in my palm, gently pulling toward the hammer.

“A smith's hammer,” Pa mused, “Is going to become a soul weapon.” His voice grew thick. “My father would have loved to see this. He always said our craft was as much about destruction as creation - breaking down the old to forge the new.”

“You're okay with giving it up?” I asked softly.

Pa's laugh filled the workshop.

“Give it up? Son, I made this hammer to do great things. Just didn't know at the time how great it would turn out to be.” He clasped my shoulder. “A soul weapon and a hammer at that? Couldn't be more perfect.”

“Thank you,” I said with a grin. “Then let's make a soul weapon, Pa.”

“Don't thank me yet.” He squeezed my shoulder. “Still got to forge the binding. You ready?”

I nodded.

“Any ideas on what to do?”

Pa stroked his beard. 

“Let's start by simply touching the gem and the hammer—the weapon, together, and see what happens.”

“Maybe the gem knows what to do?” 

I moved it to and fro the hammer, feeling the vibrations change.

“Aye.” Pa limped across the workshop and picked up a piece of leather. “It chose a hammer. Our hammer.” There was pride in his voice as he carried the heavy vice, setting it carefully on the workbench. Then he wrapped the leather around the steelhusk hammer and secured it upright, making tiny adjustments until finally he stepped back with a satisfied nod. “Remember what I taught you about forging?”

“The setup matters more than the strike.”

“Exactly.” He moved to the doors, checking the bars. “No interruptions. No distractions. No mistakes.”

I watched him work, the man who'd taken me in and taught me everything I knew about metal and fire. Who'd shaped not just steel but me as well.

“Pa? What if we do something wrong?”

He turned back, eyes serious.

“Then we do it wrong together.” A smile crept through his beard. “But we won't. You know why?”

“Why?”

“Because that gem chose a hammer. And who knows hammers better than us?”

Warmth spread through my chest. Of course. This wasn't just magic - this was just as much about craft. Our craft.

Pa's hands settled on my shoulders.

“Ready?”

I nodded, squaring up to the hammer. The gem thrummed against my palm, feeling eager to find a new home. Or at least that’s how it felt like.

“Wait.” Pa's voice stopped me. He raised his thick fingers in the traditional smith's blessing. “By the First Forge and Final Flame.”

“Let our work echo through the ages,” I spoke, my fluttering stomach settling with the familiar words and a slow and deep breath.

How hard can this be? Touch the gem to the hammer, and then...

The gem's vibration grew stronger as I stepped forward, pulling toward the hammer like a lodestone finding iron. But once it got within a handbreadth, the gem stopped.

“Huh,” I said, moving the gem up, and it felt like moving it along a groove, the gem trapped in a field pushing and pulling it to this exact equilibrium.

“What are you waiting for?” Pa asked.

“The gem's being pushed back.” I tried stepping away, but it resisted. “It's also pulling?”

“Put your back into it, son.”

“There's resistance, Pa,” I said, my boots scraping against the floor as I pushed.

He circled us slowly, his eyelids never even  blinking.

“Maybe it's testing you.”

Sweat beaded on my forehead as I fought forward another inch. Then I grabbed the hammer with one hand and pulled, pushing the gem with the other. The vibration intensified until my entire arm trembled, but I pushed them together, my muscles screaming with the effort.

“Come on, son! You've got this!”

Finally, the gem hovered a finger's width from the hammer's surface. The space between them seemed to bend, like heat waves rising from the forge. Then something shifted and the resistance vanished. My hand pushed the gem against the hammer with ease.

Power exploded in a wave, knocking me backward as purple light filled the workshop, leaving afterimages dancing in my vision. The air crackled and my hair stood on end as every hammer in the room hummed and shifted, but my eyes were glued to the gem, and how it melted like wax on the hammer.

Instead of flowing down, it ran in all directions at once, defying gravity. Purple liquid wrapped around the weapon, leaving green and brown spiraling patterns, sinking into the metal wherever it touched. The steelhusk drank it like parched earth swallowing rain.

Then the vice groaned.

“Get down!” Pa shouted, but I couldn't tear my eyes away.

Metal shattered with a sound like thunder, and I felt a tug on my cheek. The hammer didn't fall, however, and just hung suspended in the air, rotating slowly, trailing ribbons of purple energy.

Then everything imploded.

The light and even the very air - all of it rushed toward the hammer with such force that my ears popped and darkness filled the smithy with an absolute silence.

Until the hammer dropped to the floor. 

It hit the workshop floor with an echoing ring, leaving me breathless.

“By the Smith,” Pa whispered, climbing to his feet.

I stood, wiping away at the wetness on my cheek, and stepped forward, reaching for the hammer.

It called to me.

“Wait!” Pa warned, but I barely heard him.

My weapon was right there. No, not just my weapon, but my destiny. The haft felt crafted to fit my hand as my fingers closed around it. 

“Pa, it is—”

Power surged up my arm like lightning, locking my muscles and arching my back. I opened my mouth in a silent scream, echoing that of the Woodweaver, as foreign thoughts and feelings crashed through my mind, fighting to overwhelm my consciousness with alien memories and instincts.

The monster's final moments played out in brutal clarity. The loathing for the bipeds. Hatred and hunger and endless rage, filled with the need to kill and destroy, to tear apart anything living. The monster's consciousness screamed for blood.

I fell to my knees, gripping the hammer with both hands.

Never before had my calling been clearer than in that moment, connected to the soul gem and seeing into its mind. This was no animal attacking out of fear, hunger, or protection.

This was something else, and it felt wrong. A twisted thing that should never have existed. Every memory was bathed in blood-red fury: rending flesh, crushing bones, and the ecstasy of killing. It threw itself against my thoughts like it had thrown itself at Edwin, Benedict, and then my axe, with a mindless, savage desperation to destroy.

“KILL! CONQUER! SLAY!”

“No!” I fought back, trying to impose order on the chaos in my head, separating its memories from my own.

The hammer burned in my grip, so hot it felt like my hands were melting. But I couldn't let go. I would never let go!

“TEAR! BREAK! DESTROY!”

The monster's soul raged harder, flooding my mind with visions of slaughter. I saw myself turning the hammer on Pa, felt the sick anticipation of how his skull would crack, how his blood would taste.

“NEVER!”

The word tore from my throat as I threw my will against the invading darkness, and I fought my way up. The hammer's surface crackled with purple energy, searing my palms. My heart thundered in my chest, too fast, too hard.

“You are my weapon! My strength! Nothing else!”

I raised the hammer, my hands clenched around the shaft, and slammed it hard against the anvil.

Pa screamed, his hands going to his ears.

“You belong to ME!”

I hammered the anvil again, the reverberations traveling up my arms and something shifted. The darkness began to fracture under my constant swings. The essence attacking my mind weakened, breaking apart.

I raised the hammer again, but pain exploded through my chest. My vision blurred, doubled. Each breath felt like swallowing glass. Too much. It was too much.

I stared up at the hammer's swirling patterns, reflecting the war in my mind, but I couldn’t anymore. My body was failing. Spots danced before my eyes, and my muscles spasmed uncontrollably.

“Ash!” Pa's voice seemed to come from very far away where he kneeled on the floor. “Your nose!”

Something warm and wet ran down my lips and chin. I looked down and noticed blood dripping onto the workshop floor. My heart skipped beats, lurched, hammered, over and over again. I couldn't feel my fingers anymore.

Before the last of my strength fled, I swiped the hammer into my spatial storage and collapsed to my knees, gasping for air.

The pressure in my head vanished and my heart steadied. Blood still trickled from my nose, but the killing pain was gone.

“What happened?” Pa crawled over and pushed me up, his face tight with worry.

“I almost—” My voice was barely a rasp. “Almost had it.”

I wiped blood from my face with trembling hands before toppling backwards, my head hitting the floor.

Riftside - chapter 8

The shadows lengthened as I walked the circular path that led toward the town keep. It had risen so fast that the outer walls already stood three stories high, steelhusk planks fitted together in overlapping patterns like dragon scales. What would have taken decades in stone had shot up in mere months, thanks to the foreign trees available riftside. The steelhusk wood was more durable than stone, but surprisingly easy to work with once builders had figured out how. Another interesting revelation was that despite being cut off from their roots, steelhusks continued regenerating for a very long time, though the trunks stopped growing past the point they were cut down at.

Workers descended from the structure, the hammering and hauling finished for the evening. The distinctive grey-purple bark of the steelhusk wood caught the light in metallic gleams. Once complete, the keep would shelter Dawnwatch’s civilians in case of a monster breach. The thought made my chest swell with pride – we were building something that would protect every man, woman, and child no matter how wealthy they were.

Enar lounged by the entrance, helmet tipped back as he enjoyed the last warmth of the day. He brightened when he spotted me.

“If it isn't the hero of Sentinel Station, huh?” the man waved lazily. “Heard you did damn good during that monster attack. The Commander even mentioned your name, and you're not even class-awakened yet.”

I grinned and raised a hand in greeting.

“Just did what needed doing.”

“Hold there!” The second guard stepped forward, hand raised. “Construction zone's off limits to—”

“Pipe down, Brian,” Enar said, rolling his eyes. “That's Ash. Thomas' kid. One of our top scavengers.”

Brian frowned.

“Still dangerous in there. One wrong step on the scaffolding and it will be our—”

“If he can't handle a construction site, he's got no business going riftside,” Enar snorted. “Let alone running dungeons, and yet he was there, and we are here. Making sure people don't walk the scaffolds.”

Brian's eyes widened in equal measure of shock and embarrassment. 

“Wait, you run dungeons?” he asked.

“Went with Commander Edwin's group today,” I said, unable to help but bleed a bit of pride into my voice.

“Edwin himself?” Brian gasped, looking at Enar for confirmation.

“Even got a personal invite to his party for when I make adventurer,” I said and winked in passing.

He didn't move a finger to stop me.

Enar's approving smile and Brian's shocked response followed me as I grabbed the first rung of the scaffolding. The wooden framework crisscrossed the keep's face like a giant's game of pick-up sticks. I started climbing, testing each board before putting my full weight on it, reveling in the sensation of ascending. It was like fighting monsters in a way, a physical challenge, and I loved going up there.

The keep's walls rose around me as I climbed. Up close, the steelhusk planks and beams were even more impressive. Each one slightly curved, following the natural shape of the tree's bark. The metallic wood had been sanded smooth to deter monsters climbing but retained its distinctive rippled texture. The planks and beams locked together perfectly, creating a surface as tough as steel plate but far lighter. Arrow slits and murder holes had been carved at regular intervals, their edges reinforced with additional steelhusk strips.

My mind wandered to the soul gem as I climbed higher. Twenty-five thousand gold... it was enough to set up any business I wanted. Maybe even—my thoughts scattered as I reached the top level and spotted a familiar figure silhouetted against the sunset.

Eryn sat on the edge of the scaffolding, legs dangling free in the evening breeze. The dying light caught in the twin braids spilling over her shoulders. Her fair skin glowed in the sunset, making the small black corset she wore stand out in stark contrast. The white blouse beneath billowed slightly in the wind. She looked... right, somehow, as if she belonged up here above the world, watching over the people below. 

And in a way she did.

Her green eyes lit up when she saw me, crinkling at the corners with genuine warmth, and my heart did that stupid little skip it always did around her.

“Ash!” She patted the space beside her, the movement making her braids dance. “Come join me in my crow's nest.”

I settled next to her, close enough that our shoulders brushed. Even through the fabric of her blouse, the touch sent tingles down my arm and I could feel just how warm she was.

“How are you holding up?”

“Oh, I'm fine.” She waved a hand dismissively, the gesture at odds with the shadows I could see lurking in her eyes.

I waited. After a moment, she sighed.

“It was too quiet in my room,” she admitted. “Every time I closed my eyes, I could hear the skittering of claws on wood. And Finn's scream—” She shuddered, her fingers unconsciously gripping the edge of the scaffolding. “If Alex hadn't been there to heal his hand, I don't think he would have—”

“Then he'd still be alive and fine because of you,” I cut in. “Not just your first-aid, but those arrows of yours helped him, too. You killed more than your share of those bags of crap.”

A soft chuckle escaped her lips and she smiled. 

“They really did smell awful, didn't they?”

“Gods, yes. Imagine sneaking one under Logan's floorboards.”

We both burst out laughing at the thought of the mayor's reaction.

“How long do you think it'd take him to figure it out?” Eryn wiped tears from her eyes.

“Knowing Logan? A few hours. One to blame last night's dinner, another to decide it's worth dealing with over running the village, and another to tear down his entire office.”

Eryn laughed so hard she nearly fell off. I grabbed and pulled her back to safety. Eryn shivered.

“Damn that was close…but those teeth, though.” She hugged herself. “The Blightpedes, and then that spider-thing. I've never seen anything like them.”

“They were nasty,” I agreed. “But think what we can make out of them all. I’m sure they’ll serve the town well.”

She turned to look at me, a soft smile playing across her lips. 

“That's what I like about you, you know? How you can find the bright side of everything. Even a crap-filled bag with razor-sharp teeth has its upside in your world.”

My heart stuttered, and I smiled at her.

“Ah, so you do like me after all, huh?”

She shrugged and looked away quickly, still dangling her legs.

“Like, you know what I mean.”

I smiled out across the village, watching the sunset paint Dawnwatch in gold. I did indeed know what she meant.

“Beautiful, isn't it?” I said.

She leaned closer and rested her head on my shoulder. The scent of her hair – soap and sunshine – filled my nose. Slowly, I shifted my hand until it brushed against hers, and after she didn’t move away, I placed my fingers over hers. For a long moment, nothing happened. Then she turned her palm up, and our fingers intertwined.

We sat in silence as the sun sank toward the horizon. The soul gem's weight pressed against my thoughts. If I sold it, I could buy land right here and build a magnificent house. Set up a business – maybe a shop and a clinic? I could court and ask Eryn for her hand, provide guaranteed comfort and safety.

But if I forged it into a soul weapon instead, well, it would be the harder and more dangerous path where I’d face more challenges than I knew what to do with. It would also allow me to become strong. Really strong. What would a house do me good if the monsters did break through the rift? I'd never even want to imagine being unable to protect those close to me. 

Who do I want to become? Someone enjoying a stroke of luck, but who was afraid of the future, or someone who could grab the future by the hand and pound it hot, forging it into his vision?

I glanced at Eryn, remembering her kissing my cheek. She hadn't done it because I was rich or had a full spatial storage. She'd done it because I'd chosen to fight for her and the others – and because I'd been strong enough to succeed.

That was all the answer I needed.

I smiled as the last sliver of sun disappeared below the horizon, my mind finally clear about how to proceed. Maybe, with a little bit of luck, I could get her in on the secret, and just maybe, the two of us could adventure together.

  *

The sky was already dark as I headed home. Eryn's touch still lingered on my hand, and I couldn't wipe the stupid grin off my face. Despite neither wanting to admit it, there were some genuine feelings we could both draw on, but we both had reasons not to push it any further than what we already had.

I'd nearly asked her out before we climbed down, but I figured I owed it to myself and her to first figure out my own life. Once that was done, I would have no excuses. Pioneers didn't wait.

Voices carried through the night air as I rounded the corner to Steel & Scale. The raucous sound of laughter made me pause mid-step.

Is that... Harold?

I peered up at the smithy's roof. Two figures sat there, silhouetted against the stars. One was clearly Pa, his broad shoulders unmistakable.

“There he is!” the adventurer guild’s guildmaster boomed as he waved at me. “The young hero of Sentinel Station!”

Pa caught my eye and gave a slight nod. The message was clear – get up there.

I slipped into and through the smithy, the shop door locked, careful not to disturb anything in the darkness. The workshop felt different at night as the forge's dying embers cast a faint red glow across the floor.

The house proper was quiet as I climbed the stairs. Ma must have gone to bed already. I eased the window wider open and climbed out onto the flat roof.

Harold stood as I approached, wobbling dangerously, his arm windmilling. Pa's hand shot out and steadied him.

“What's going on?” I asked.

“You've done well, son.” Harold's words slurred slightly. “That's what this is about, and I've brought you a mind gem. Edwin's informed me all about the attack on the station. Never seen nothing like it, he said from a non-classed, well, scavenger. But!” He brightened suddenly. “That's why we built the base strong, eh? Strong walls, strong people!”

“A mind gem?” I looked to Pa who just smiled at me.

“Right you are!” Harold straightened, puffing out his chest. His hand twisted, a finger just managing to touch the spatial tattoo on his wrist, and suddenly he held a gorgeous pearly orb. “For services rendered in defense of Noros, above and beyond the normal call of duty.”

He presented it with exaggerated formality, and I gently accepted.

“Thank you, but—” I hesitated. “What about the others who fought? Not that I'm ungrateful, mind you.”

Harold chuckled and shared a look with Pa.

“He really is a good one, ain't he?”

“That he is.” Pa's voice was warm with pride, and I couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable.

“Don't you worry about the others.” Harold settled back down, accepting his drink from Pa. “This is the tenth mind gem I've handed out today. Got another five to go. Never seen monsters drop so many! No point hoarding them when we can level up our people and make sure that our defenses are stronger the next time they come charging. More scavengers means more adventurers.” His voice grew wistful. “So much to see and do on the other side that—”

He touched the cup to the empty sleeve where his other arm should have been.

Pa clapped him on the back.

“Give yourself grace, old friend.”

“Grace won't help us.” Harold's voice turned grim. “We need more adventurers, and fast. The court won't acknowledge it, but the monsters... they're spawning faster. Not just here – everywhere. We're holding them back for now, but unless something changes, or we find out why, well, I'm not quite sure things will keep going in our favor.” He took a long pull from his drink. “We either get stronger faster, or we’ll start losing. Mark my words.”

“Maybe there's other ways of growing stronger,” Pa said carefully.

Harold's head snapped up.

“Oh?”

“Reminds me of something I saw once,” Pa said, his voice casual. “It was a soul gem if you can believe it.”

I went still as a statue. Harold leaned forward, nearly falling off the roof in his eagerness.

“You've actually seen one? Tell me more!”

Pa waved a hand.

“Hardly a story, really.”

“No, no – I insist!”

“Well—” Pa settled back. “Was butchering a monster for a high-level adventurer. Small two-headed drake, scales like the first winter snow. There, in its chest, was a soul gem beautiful and clear as day. Couldn't be anything else, though I'd never seen one before. I congratulated him and immediately handed it over, but—” Pa's voice darkened. “I saw murder in his eyes. Mid-level adventurer, you understand. Weighing his options – kill me and be wanted for murder, or risk being known to have a soul gem.”

Harold seemed to be completely enthralled.

“What happened?”

“Swore right then I'd never repeat his name and would take it to my grave. Thought for sure he'd kill me, but—” Pa shrugged. “He put ten gold on the table, swiped back the carcass, and left. I went inside, had a stiff drink, kissed my wife, grabbed a dagger, and didn't sleep for two days.”

“Gods above.” Harold shook his head. “Would've loved to have seen one myself.”

“Always regretted not asking to forge it for him,” Pa mused. “Would've done it for free, just for the honor.”

Harold nodded sagely.

“Would've been something, alright,” the guildmaster said.

“Wonder how they make soul weapons, anyway?” Pa's voice was carefully neutral.

“That's kept close,” Harold whispered. “All I know is the soul stone chooses the type of weapon. Don't just work with anything, they say.”

I caught Pa's eye, understanding flooding through me.

Clever old man.

I kept my mouth shut as I wasn't one of Dawnwatch's elite, not yet anyway, and I didn't want Harold to clam up.

“Chooses the weapon?” Pa pressed. “How's that even work? It's not like the gem's sentient and can choose what it wants to bind with, right?”

“No idea, to be honest.” Harold shrugged. “Shouldn't even know that much, truth be told.”

“Never heard anything else?”

“Only that during the forging process, it will bond with the one holding it. Whatever that means.”

“Fascinating,” Pa said, nodding slowly.

“It is, indeed. Look at Ash. To be that age again. No.” Harold sighed and his voice grew melancholic. “We're kindred spirits, you and I, Thomas. Supporting those who battle evil, but unable to go toe-to-toe with them ourselves anymore.”

Pa shifted uncomfortably, but Harold didn't notice.

Guess that's all he knows.

I stepped forward, drawing Harold's attention.

“Thank you again for the gem, guild leader. I will put it to good use.”

I gave him a small bow.

Harold blinked and seemed to notice the late hour, as he stood, though he nearly pitched off the roof again. The day's events must have hit the guildmaster particularly hard, and I couldn't blame him. We could have lost a lot of brave and strong people. Not just inside the dungeon, but also at the base. And if they’d broken through, it could have doomed the entire village.

“Careful there, old friend.” Pa helped him back inside.

Two more gems to level four.

I rolled the gem between my fingers.

And we now know something more about how to forge soul weapons.

Pa returned a minute later with Ma and more beer. Seems she wasn't sleeping after all but doing her part of getting Harold to talk. They settled on either side of me, Ma's arm slipping around my shoulders.

“Have you decided?” Pa asked softly.

I smiled, feeling the warmth of certainty in my chest.

“Going to use the soul gem, Pa. I’m going to become strong enough to never again lose anyone I care about. Ever.”

Pa's grin split his face. “Get some sleep then, son. Tomorrow we've got some forging to do.”