Michael walked through the hallways in silence. He wasn’t exactly holding his breath, but either was he making a lot of noise. He had a cover story and he’d been strongly reassured that even should someone meet him, see him or interfere by any other means, nothing could happen that would reflect badly on to him.

Still, meeting Melissa’s superior was somewhat of a nerve-wracking experience. And he hadn’t even reached the meeting spot yet.

Yes, that is why he was traipsing through the corridors at night. It must have been close to midnight. He had finally learned the third ability of the amulet and didn’t waste any time informing Melissa of the fact. To say that the girl had been joyous would be a massive understatement. Because this meant that half of her ordeal could soon be over. A secret worth passing on. Michael couldn’t tell her the secret, since his secrecy contract was still active, but she reassured him that her superior could break such magic with ease.

Yet, he thought that even if he could, he still probably wouldn’t have told her. He trusted Melissa more these days, but not enough to directly hand her such a prize. Not without cost. That is why earlier this day, he had met with Micah and Bob once again. The two had been hard at work obtaining another copy of the same magical contract they had used between themselves. And they made it.

This meeting? This would be his show of good faith. Half of Melissa’s punishment taken away. And that is before any signature on her part. Just to show her that he planned on dealing with her in good faith. And if the girl didn’t run away with the prize and refuse to sin the contract after this, he’d deal with the monetary aspect as well. Somehow.

After all of that was said and done, she informed him that her superior in the ‘Artificers’ faction would meet with him at a set time and location. Right. Michael knew exactly which of her superiors he would be meeting.

I finally get to see who First Shadow is. And live to tell the tale too.

Well… maybe I’ll hold off on the telling part.

He walked and reached the entrance to a room he had been told they would be meeting in. Just a regular room, bit Michael knew for sure it must be warded to the high heavens. He drew in a breath, calmed his nerves and exhaled.

He knocked twice and entered.

Inside Melissa was waiting for him. The size of her grin upon seeing him might have made an uninformed observer mistake her reaction for infatuation. But Michael knew what this meant for the girl. An unexpected save, from someone she had no reason to expect benevolence from. He hoped she’d be true to her promise.

And next to her, sitting down at a desk, was a …woman? Michael’s entire suave, calm put-upon demeanor got blasted to pieces, as a few thoughts flew through his head in rapid fire mode.

Wait, First Shadow is a young woman?

I though he was an old man.

Does that make me sexist? Why did I expect that?

And there goes my focused mental state.

In truth, the woman wasn’t that young. She must have been thirty or so, but she had a youthful appearance to her. Long dark hair, dark eyes and caucasian skin. She seemed to be of a normal height too. In he would have met her in the hallways, he wouldn’t have looked twice at her. She seemed… average. Tonight, though? Her light smile made his hair stand up.

“Greetings, Mage Michael. I am Narana, of the Artificers.”

“Hello. I’m Michael. Of the Ascentionalists. It’s good to meet you.”

“Is it?” she smiled. “Well, it’s certainly good for Melissa. Isn’t that right, my dear?”

The girl nodded, seemingly bashful. Fully deferential.

“Yes, master.”

“No need to call me that in public. After all, our Artificer traditions are not common knowledge to the larger student body.”

She said that smilingly, but Michael still saw Melissa flinch as if struck.

Yeah, you’re an Artificer like I’m a toad.

“I understand that this information will absolve Melissa of her past mistakes.”

“Mistakes. Such a light word. Yes, I believe this information will… endear me to her again. Enough to allow her back in our faction.”

Michael stole a look at the girl and noticed her cheeks were red.

Huh. She didn’t tell me they kicked her out. Was it shame?

Or did they kick her out from just the shadowy faction, not the Artificers?

“I see. Then I am happy to share it.”

“Are you? Tell me, Michael? Have you taken sweetly to dear Melissa?”

“…wh- wait, what? I, uhm, already have a girlfriend.”

“That is not an answer.”

“No, Mage Nanaran. I have not ‘taken sweetly’ to her her.” He answered, a bit peeved by the intrusive question.

“Her loss. Then, do you desire her in a more carnal sense?”

“No.” he said, with a bit of iron in his tone.

The woman seemed to be enjoying her game.

“No. You speak truth, this I sense. But this presents a riddle. You have not fallen for my pupil and you do not desire her as you do the elf. Not love or lust. You do not seem unintelligent. And you have already made something of a reputation in Gnosis. Tell me, what do you wish to gain from this act of ‘kindness’?”

“It might escape you, Mage Narana, that some people are capable of actual kindness.”

The woman gave him a piercing gaze, though her light smile remained. It lasted long enough that Michel moved on from the regret he felt at letting his temper get the best of him and start to feel actual dread. But the woman spoke once more.

“Perhaps. Though, I believe I will still consider your ‘kindness’ to be the follies of youth. Still, that is for you to experience and learn in your own time.”

So, saying she muttered something and Michael felt a blast of magic hit him. Like a muted pressure.

“You are now able to tell of what you’ve learned. On my honor, Mage Michael, for this information, I will reinstate Melissa back in… our faction. Her past deeds will be forgotten and forgiven.”

“Very well.” He said, taking in a deep breath.

Time to make the trade

***

“Kill you? Kill? As in the end of your life.”

The two nodded.

“…no. I mean, what?”

“Come of it, lad.” Darun said. “It’s not real murder. We just want you to find a way of erasing our existences from this artifact.”

“If you could do it without endangering it, we would prefer that.” Silenan added. “But what matters most is that you do it.”

“But… don’t you want me to find a way to get you out?” he asked. “I mean, I don’t think I can, but wouldn’t that be better?”

One more heavy look was shared between the two, but this time it was the dwarf who spoke.

“Listen, lad. Do your people believe in an afterlife?”

“Uhm… Yeah?” he said, taken aback by the question.

“Good. Mine too. And his.” He said, pointing at Silenan. “But here’s the kicker. You have to be whole to get there. Only one of you, not many chunks. Both dwarves and elves believe that.”

“Some say we have cause to know that.” Silenan added.

“Wait. You know there’s an afterlife?”

The elf just smiled at him in response.

“Take it from me, lad. There’re things better left unknown. And that’s beside the point. Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not. But it maters to us. And even without that… we’re tired. We want it to end.”

“Please, Michel.” Silenan said, sounding serious for the first time. “We have long ago made up our minds. We have just been waiting for an opportunity. And you are it.”

“There’s no magical agreement we can use. So we’ll just go for trust alone. But if you promise this to us, we’ll believe you lad. You’re our last best hope.”

Michael stood there, looking at them. He would normally at least try to think about the ethics of it all. Because it was basically… assisted suicide. But the looks in their faces convinced him. Old. Tired. Hopeful. Hoe could he say no?

“Alright. I… I have no idea how I’ll do it. But I will. And I suppose no one else should know about this?”

“…me trust in your judgement.” Silenan said. “You might need to inform others. But we hope that you do it with caution.”

“Some mages are more finicky than others.” Darum spat. “They might think they know better what t do with us than we do ourselves.”

“I see. Alright. I guess… I accept.”

“Thank you.” The two chorused.

It was a heavy feeling and an important promise he had just made, but he still had to learn what he came here to learn. He had no idea how much time he had left out in the real world. So, he steeled himself and asked them.

“The third ability. What is it?”

“Oh, you’ll love it.” the elf said, face lighting up again. “Since the three works together for a common cause.”

“Every artifact has a purpose, lad. This one’s no different. It will protect you from most dangers and heal you from the others.”

“But you see, that still means nothing if you can’t remove yourself from danger. Mana is not infinite. Noy bound mana, anyway. So the third ability allows one to become ethereal. If you wore it and used its last power, the amulet would let you walk through anything, physical or magical alike.”

“I see.” Michael said, thinking. “So it’s basically a perfect amulet from getting of tight spots.”

“Or walking in them.” The elf laughed.

“What do you mean?”

“Think, lad. The amulet lets you move unimpeded, shielded and continually in top shape. What do you think it was designed for? For what purpose?”

Michael thought, but he didn’t come to a conclusion fast enough. So Silenan just told him.

“The upper and lower floors have been locked away for centuries. Millennia, even. Because the danger there far surpasses even the best of mages. But if a high leveled mage were to wore this… well. Let’s just say that the mage in question would be the first to walk those floors in many, many years.”

“And the first to reap their secrets.” Darum smiled.

***

“The artifact’s third ability is to allow its wearer to become ethereal. To pass through barriers physical and magical unimpeded. One needs to know of its property to be able to use it, that is why no one had been able to figure it out.”

“Interesting. Healing, protection and… this. I wonder why… oh. Oh! I see now.” Narana said, eyes wide.

“What is it?” Melissa asked, looking between the two.

“With this amulet, a powerful mage could walk the upper floors. The amulet’s mana is nor infinite and the enchantments are probably not perfect, but yeah. That’s what is it was made for.”

Narana’s eyes snapped back to him, her look of wonder gone.

“So much certainty in your last statement. I wonder. How did you find out the amulet’s third aspect?”

“I’m afraid that must remain a secret.” He smiled.

A moment of tension came and went, before Narana smiled again.

“Very well. You have given me a great secret, Mage Michael. As well as, from what I can imagine, an impending headache. But that is neither here nor there. For this, I formally absolve Melissa of all her past mistakes. She is once more… an Artificer.” She smiled.

“I’m happy to hear that.” Michael said and he meant it.

The girl was literally tearing up.

“I will not force a magical contract on you, in order to make sure you tell no one else of this secret. I will not, because what magic makes, magic can break, as you’ve just seen. So, I will instead take advantage of your… ‘kindness’. Should anyone else learn of this or should anyone learn that you’ve told me, Melissa will suffer. And trust me, Mage Michael, banishment would be the least of her worries should this happen.”

I will break your sorry excuse of a faction into a million flaming bits.

But he didn’t say that. He still needed to play nice. So he just nodded and smiled.

“Good. In this case, Melissa, with me. We need to publicly reinstate you and I have an announcement to make. Mage Michael, you will not see me again. Not in the corridors or any other place. Suggest you forget we ever met.”

“We met before?”

“Very good.” She laughed. “This has been interesting. A fair night to you.”

“To you too, Mage Narana.”

She walked away, with Melissa in tow, while the girl kept trying to grin at Michel. The young man walked away too, back to is room. He did nothing and said nothing until he reached it. Only then did he extract a piece of paper from his desk, one folded to look like an origami swan.

“Mage Michael to Mage Regitris.” He spoke into the enchanted piece of paper the old elf had given him. “I have learned the identity of a mage belonging to the shadowy faction I have informed you of. I have cause to believe them to be the faction leader, but cannot prove it. Even should I somehow be wrong, they are at the very least a high-ranking member. I have a name and a description. I am open to trade this information for the formerly agreed-upon sum. Please contact me at your leisure.”

Finishing his message, he channeled a bit of his magic into the paper and saw it burst in quick flames, the paper construct disintegrating into ash after a few seconds.

It was a dangerous thing to play with fire, true.

But if you must, you might as well make it a blaze.