Day Five. Afternoon.

“You did what?” Talon whispered, staring at me from only a few inches away.

How had he moved so fast? The captain seemed unconcerned by my clenched fists wrapped around the hilts of my swords, and I had to remind myself we were in the safe zone

“You asked me to secure the tribe’s loyalty,” I said, not backing away from the captain’s frosty glare. “This was the only way how. Hyek has assured me that if your soldiers join the Howlers in battle, they will pledge allegiance to your god-emperor.”

The captain said nothing, but nor did he back away. Second by second, the tension in the room built up again as Talon scrutinized me intently. I kept my own face smooth and my gaze unflinching, waiting.

“You are certain of this?” he asked finally.

I nodded. “It was their only condition.”

The captain sat back, frowning. “Volunteering my people was presumptuous of you.”

I shrugged. “The decision on whether to uphold the terms I agreed upon is yours alone. If you do as the shaman requests, then he will make his pledge after the battle.”

Talon’s frown remained in place. “Why didn’t you come to me earlier with his terms?”

I sighed. “As your son told you already, I traveled overnight across the length of the valley to get here and then had to fight two of Ishita’s sworn.” I lowered my gaze in pretended embarrassment. “I’m sorry, but I was tired. I planned on reporting as soon as I got some rest.”

“What about that business with the mages?” Talon asked, not contesting my explanation. “You don’t expect me to believe they just happened to visit the fort when you were there.”

I smiled. “No, I had Hyek summon them to explain the killings in his barracks.”

The captain stared at me. “It was you who killed the Howler goblins?”

I nodded.

“Sturm was right,” Talon muttered. “You play your own game.”

“I never concealed that fact from you, captain,” I replied evenly. “I’m not one of your god-emperor’s soldiers. The ends I serve are my own.” I paused. “But, I’ve secured the Howlers’ allegiance, if perhaps not in the manner you anticipated.”

Talon sighed. “You’ve been more successful than I expected. And if I’m being honest, that you manipulated events to your liking isn’t unusual. It is the rare Darksworn who isn’t playing his own side-game.” He paused. “Perhaps you’re more suited to the Dark than you know.”

Before I could respond to that, Talon held up a hand. “But fair warning, Michael.” He stared piercingly at me. “If you’ve betrayed me—if the shaman fails to live up to his end of the bargain—I will grant you no quarter. The Awakened Dead will be the least of your worries. Do you understand?”

I nodded mutely.

“Good,” the captain said. Leaning down, he retrieved something from behind his desk and set it down on the table. “Now that that is settled, this is for you.”

I glanced at the small leather satchel. “What is it?”

“Go on, open it,” he replied.

Leaning forward, I unhooked the clasp and peered in. It was full of gold bars. Ten of them, to be precise.

“Each of those bars is worth one hundred gold. They’re payment in full for Stayne’s letter.”

“Thank you, captain,” I said gravely before taking the satchel and wordlessly sliding the letter in question across the desk.

You have acquired 1,000 gold. You have lost Stayne’s letter.

Your task: Forging Dark Alliances! has been updated. You have provided Captain Talon with definitive proof that Erebus is stymying the Dark’s efforts to secure the sector. Optional objective completed.

The captain waved away my thanks and pocketed the parchment. “As for the second task, once the shaman completes his pledge, you will get your payment.”

“You will aid the Howlers in the battle against the Red Rats then?”

“I will. The players under my command here are already gathering. We will march out soon.” Talon’s lips thinned into a cold smile. “Erebus’ restrictions be damned.”

Your task: Forging Dark Alliances! has been updated. Captain Talon has agreed to the terms you’ve negotiated between the Tartans and the Howler Shaman Hyek. Objective one revised: Wait for Hyek to uphold his end of the agreement and pledge allegiance to Tartar.

“You yourself will march out?” I asked, looking at him in surprise.

The captain nodded. “Stayne’s letter has freed my hands. I finally have the proof my master needs of Erebus’ duplicity, and I need no longer abide by the Awakened Dead’s rules.” His eyes glinted. “There will be a reckoning.” A moment later, he shook himself and turned back to me. “How shall I make payment?”

I stared at him blankly.

“Once the shaman pledges himself,” Talon clarified, “how do you want your money? In gold bars again?”

I shook my head. “I may be gone from the sector by then,” I said. “But you may deposit the money into a bank,” I added and gave him the details of my Albion Bank account.

A frown flickered across the captain’s face, but he didn’t pry as to how I hoped to accomplish leaving the sector.

“Well, if that is all, I best be going,” I said, rising to my feet and turning towards the door.

“There’s one more thing,” the captain said, stopping me.

I turned around and, to my surprise, saw hesitation cloud Talon’s face as he stood up himself. Patiently, I waited for him to go on.

Withdrawing an elongated object from his desk, the captain placed it in front of me. It was a shortsword. “This is for you too,” Talon said. “As repayment for saving my son.”

Casting my gaze downwards, I inspected the sword. Both the blade and the hilt were jet black. The blade had been forged from a metal with a dull obsidian sheen, while the handle was wrapped in scaled black leather.

It was a beautiful weapon and, from appearance alone, expensive. Probing deeper, I analyzed the short sword.

This is the rank 4 soulbound shortsword: ebonheart. This item increases the damage you deal by: 30% and bears the enchantment: unbreakable. Neither its edge, blade, or hilt will ever fail you in battle. This item requires a minimum Dexterity of 16 to wield.

The ebonblades are weapons carried by the centurions of the famed Ebonguard Legion and are regularly farmed from the Twilight Dungeon by them.

Soulbound items are exceptionally rare. They will remain with a player even after death and cannot be stolen. The art of creating them is unknown to both players and Powers alike. These powerful artifacts are one of the few truly Game-created items and, once bonded, cannot be unbound. After a player’s final death, it will be destroyed.

My gaze whipped upwards to stare at the captain in shock. “Are you sure? This weapon seems priceless.”

“I am,” Talon replied. “I’m not ungrateful for what you’ve done for my son, you know.” He smiled wryly. “And neither is Sturm himself, no matter how much it may appear that way. If Erebus’ minions took him down into that dungeon, my son would never have returned to me, no matter how many lives he had left.”

“But this... surely it is too much?” I protested.

Talon chuckled. “For my only son’s life? Definitely not. And as valuable as the blade is, as soulbound weapons go, ebonheart is amongst the least of them. You will find many non-soulbound weapons that have better enchantments. But when you’ve lost everything else—and you will at some point—ebonheart will remain faithfully by your side.” Seeing that I still hesitated, he added encouragingly. “Go on, take it.”

I did as the captain bade and took up the blade in my hands.

You have acquired the rank 4 soulbound shortsword, ebonheart. This weapon is presently unbound. Do you wish to soul-bind this item?

“Ah,” I breathed as I replied in the affirmative to the Adjudicator and felt bonds slip into place between the blade and myself.

You have soulbound ebonheart. From this point onwards, this weapon cannot be wielded by any other, stolen, lost, or kept from your hands except by the strongest of enchantments.

The captain smiled on seeing my awed expression. “I can still remember my first ebonblade. May this one serve you as well.” He sat back down. “Now, if you will excuse me, I must prepare my people to join the Howlers, and I’m sure you have things to do,” Talon said in what was a clear dismissal.

I bowed to him, hand over waist. I wasn’t sure when the captain and I would meet again, and I suspected when we did, it would be on less friendly terms. Still, I would not forget his generosity.

“Farewell, captain,” I said and left.