The Knight’s face was dark. Fury mixed with sorrow was mixed in and he leaned forward making the table creak.

“So Kester is dead?”

“Very few got out,” Raylas repeated. “I don’t recall seeing any of the merchants, just a few mercenaries which I recognized.”

“The world is a lesser place with Kester and his trade group gone,” Vodianus prayed. “May their souls find rest.”

Raylas held his tongue. If they were undead their souls would never rest until a priest would purge them, or until they fully rot away after the magic dissipates by cutting them to pieces. But to say such a thing to a mourning person was wrong. In every sense of the word.

Even Raylas had that much courtesy.

“The survivors who ran the other way should have arrived at Gloomcrest. There should be a guard coming this way with a priest to sanctify the area.”

Vodianus glared at him. Raylas sat in his seat, stone-faced. He didn’t say it out loud. He showed respect.

Vodianus took in a breath and released it.

“That should be true,” he responded after a moment. “The trail should be safe once the guard arrives here, but its the goblin activity you mentioned that concerns me.”

“They’re just goblins,” Raylas dismissed.

“Even goblins become dangerous if under a proper leader,” Vodianus warned. “If they’ve been put under the flag of a Hobgoblin, or worse, and ogre things would become very dangerous. Did you see any traces which might hint to a set hierarchy?”

The goblin holding the broken mace popped into his head, but the creature was still just a goblin. There shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

The concern of Sapphire popped into his head from when they were at the gate. The goblin was a goblin, but he was still the de facto-leader of the group, so technically there was a hierarchy.

Raylas explained the findings to the Knight who nodded along. His brow creased deeper as Raylas described the discipline and dancing. Raylas twisted the story to say they escaped by distracting them with fire instead of the undead, but the main message did get through.

“Very worrying,” Vodianus pondered. “I wonder if the goblin was a mutant or if the mace was enchanted?”

“You think it was an artifact?” Raylas swallowed.

“It cannot be ruled out,” he replied. “Treasures, dungeons, battlefields… at least two to three times a year a new one is found. The Cataclysm reshaped the world so who knows what is hidden where. This forest, as old as it is, might have even been a desert before the world was destroyed.”

Raylas glanced at the chain. Vodianus followed his gaze and watched.

“I assume that thing is an artifact as well?” he asked.

Raylas only nodded as the knight stood up.

“Don’t touch it!” Raylas hissed.

“If you know it's an artifact then it's already bound to you,” the Knight said. “Me touching it won’t do anything.”

He picked it up and marveled at it. He held the chain to the light, watching it reflect the light like shimmering water. He even swung it round a few times, but the chain looked awkward in his hands. He sighed and set it down on the table. Raylas flinched back, avoiding it as it spread out.

“This thing is beautiful,” the Knight praised. “I can’t tell the craftsmanship either. It's too graceful for dwarven hands, and the elves never touch metal.”

Raylas kept trying to avert his gaze from the chain to make it disappear, but his eyes kept getting drawn in. A portion which was smoothed out in front of him seemed to pop out and Raylas noticed the etchings.

“From Ialdir’s Flame shall Chaos be Purged. Blessed be the Battles of the Aasim.”

The world felt like it shifted once Raylas finished muttering the words. He took a hold of his head to stop the spinning. His mind twisted and his hands burned, then suddenly he felt a strong grip holding him by his biceps keeping him upright.

Vodianus’ face was in shock, and as soon as he noticed Raylas was back to normal he let him go.

“You never told me you knew the Language of Magi, Raylas of Eiliire,” he said.

Raylas blinked a few times to refocus himself. Language of Magi? What was he talking about?

“I do not know–”

“I will not share your secret,” Vodianus stated. “I am retired from my Knighthood duty, so I am not required to report my findings to the Baron. I do not know why someone of your stature is out here, nor do I wish to.”

He stood up and gave Raylas a respectful bow.

“I will discipline my grandson,” he said. “Please forgive us for our transgressions.”

“Hold on,” Raylas gasped out. “What are you even talking about?”

Vodianus looked back at the kitchen then the front door. The street outside was starting to fill with people who had finally woken up for the day, the sounds of morning greetings and shopping started to pick up, flowing through the door into the main room.

“I would like to invite you over tonight for dinner,” Vodianus said. “Please do me the honor of coming with your companion. If you have questions I’ll be glad to answer.”

He bowed again and left the tavern. Raylas tried to call after him but the dizziness continued for some time.

What the hells happened? Why do these things keep happening to him?

He looked at the chain and spit at it.

It was all that things fault. He was curious how much he could sell it for.

He smiled thinking of gold coins raining down on him as he sold the cursed thing to be melted down into a brick and used as an anchor. Lost and forgotten at the bottom of a lake.

He set his head down onto the table as the pleasant visions continued.

* * *

Sir Vodianus left the tavern and noticed Sim standing by the door.

"Watch them," Vodi ordered.

"Is he really a–"

Vodi waved him silent. He could feel curious stares from the townspeople, all looking for a snippet of info to tell their neighbor.

Small towns mean loose lips when it comes to gossip, and when the next trader comes through them the rumors would spread. Vodi wasn't sure what to expect from the unusual man, though, so he wanted to avoid potentially angering someone of influence.

"Have someone keep an eye on them and send me periodic reports," Vodi said.

Sim gave a salute and left to return to the side gate.

Vodi sighed and started toward the jail. His grandson did something very stupid, as such the responsibility of the patriarch to correct it.

He passed the streets and gave passing greetings to the townsfolk. They were a very friendly bunch, unlike some other villages. Maybe it was due to the frequent traffic flowing through the village? Maybe it was just an aspect of the region. The dangers of monsters helped them unite against a common foe.

In any case he enjoyed his short time here. But Vodi had to keep moving. Despite being retired, a Knight's duty was never finished.

He arrived at one of the few stone buildings in the town, the guard outside saluted and Vodi went inside with a nod. The main room was spacious with a single desk sitting in the middle. The head guard was scratching his head while looking at the key held in his hand.

"I'm here to see my son," Vodi announced, causing the man to jump.

"Then it wasn't a mistake," he coughed. "He was brought in but was saying–"

"Just take me to him," Vodi sighed.

"Yes, my lord!"

The man jumped out of his seat and rushed through the back door. Vodi followed and entered the cell area, the necessity for the facility giving him a foul taste.

A click resounded and one of the cages opened. Aymar stumbled out and gave him a furious glare.

"Grandfather! I know that man is a slaver!"

Vodi sighed and waved Aymar to follow him out of the cage room. He took a seat at a table and took off his gloves. His grandson plopped down on the other side, still talking.

"There is a wall between the two, and an unwilling one. The man looked at the girl passionately, and when I checked she was barely dressed. The woman’s body language screamed she wasn't familiar with the man, the distance between them far too unnatural for a couple, and she wouldn't even look him in the eyes. She was too submissive, unnaturally so."

"They are two strangers who met while traveling," Vodi interrupted.

"There is more familiarity between strangers than them. I sensed slight hostility from the man as I approached, signaling possessiveness."

"The common folk do not read into things that much," Vodi sighed. "Those two come back from a slaughter, apparently being one of the few survivors." An ache of sorrow panged him, but he held it down. It wasn’t the first time he lost a friend.

"That's the thing!" Aymar shouted. "There was no white haired man in Kester's caravan. Once we got the stolen goods back from those women I double checked each of them. Those two weren't with the group."

Vodi frowned and scratched his beard. The boy was good at observation and Vodi purposefully brought him out into the wild to practice his hunting skills. For him to miss a distinctive member like Raylas is highly unusual.

"You suspect foul play?" Vodi inquired.

"Doubtful," Aymar pondered. "He has the presence of a warrior, but not one strong enough to take out those mercenaries."

"Even if he could use magic?"

"Only the girl had an air of magic,” Aymar dismissed. “The man did not. In fact, from the will I felt from the girl she is easily a full mage. How he made someone of her power so submissive I have no clue."

"If you are so certain he can’t use magic, then how could he speak the Language of Magi?" Vodi thought.

Aymar's mouth dropped and he stared at the old man. He quickly recovered himself and leaned back as well to think. Minutes passed, him scratching his head and contorting his face as he played through multiple scenarios. It was enjoyable to see the boy work on a difficult puzzle, though Vodi wished he knew the answer to this one.

"If what you say is true then it doesn’t make sense," Aymar eventually relented. "Nothing fits… The woman’s understanding of Will would let her counter his words. But for his words to be powerful enough he would have to be God-gifted, which is impossible since the Gods abandoned the world after the Cataclysm. Only thing I can think of is that he is a Hero, like from the stories, which is preposterous."

Vodi sighed, about to give up as well, but then the sparkling chain popped into his head.

The woman spoke of a made up kingdom, her mind addled. He was an obvious foreigner due to his physical traits. And even their clothes were off, the man's being far too large and hers being ill prepared for winter. After an attack those things can be explained off as scraps which were either saved or recovered from the wreckage.

But that chain? The composition was a complete mystery, and the man admitted it was an artifact. Despite that, he was not afraid of it. He appeared to be disgusted with it more than anything.

"A storybook, eh?" Vodi mumbled.

Aymar stayed silent as he contemplated, then Vodi rose from his chair and started to the door.

"We won't find anything out here, but perhaps we will find the missing piece tonight."

"Tonight?" Aymar asked.

"At dinner," Vodi smiled. "We have a couple of very interesting guests joining us tonight. Let's go warn the girls, shall we?"