“Bury it. Take these as far away as you can and bury them as deep as your magics can achieve.”

Raylas was holding the bag and chain out to Sapphire who was shaking her head sadly.

“I cannot grant your wish, Master.”

“You said you’d grant my desires, and I desire this greatly,” Ralyas pleaded desperately.

“I must repeat that I cannot do this,” the girl insisted. “You are the heir and must bear with–”

“The gold alone is beyond me,” Raylas sobbed. “I would have to work half my life to earn one of those coins, and there is…” He paled remembering the staggering amount. The room was larger than the town. Almost as large as the castle he saw while passing through the capital city. Yet the entire floor was covered in mountains of the stuff.

“Every coin is yours,” she said proudly. “You can do whatever you wish–”

“The responsibility is too much,” Raylas cried out. “Take this and release me of the burden! I am a warrior.”

“The Aasim line is a line of powerful warriors.”

“They were monsters!”

“Indeed,” she agreed. “Warriors of monstrous strength who earned the respect of the Kingdoms. You will make them proud.”

“I am scum.” Raylas dropped to his knees, still holding the items toward the girl. “I am not worth this fortune. Give it to someone better, someone who can handle this. To the Earl, or the leader of a great mercenary company like the Golden Griffons. Just not me…”

“What's done is done, Master,” Sapphire apologized. “I have chosen to serve you and you were selected to be the heir.”

“I must go back,” Raylas decided. “I must find the body and return everything back to where I found it. I’m sure I’ll be forgiven if I do that. Things’ll go back to normal.”

She sighed and patted his head. Raylas flinched and dropped his arms. The items clinked on the floor and he felt his heart sink. The deeds were done. He should have ignored the treasures in the woods. He should have just taken the wolf and left the body, left it to rest for the centuries it had already lied.

Now he was cursed. The greatest of curses he could imagine. He was now imprisoned as the heir of a hero’s legacy, blessed by one of the forsaken gods to do who knows what.

And stuck with a girl who was so mana-touched that she believed she used to serve a great hero, one who likely was a trigger to cause the Great Cataclysm which destroyed and rebuilt the world.

Would being a zombie have been better? It would have been a simpler life. One of just pain, hunger, and if he was lucky a quick blessing by a wandering priest to be sent to oblivion.

“Master, you should start getting ready,” the girl said, lifting him to his feet. “It is starting to get late and you can’t mope here forever. We have a dinner to go to, remember.”

That's right, there was dinner. A dinner with a Knight. Scum like him was invited to eat with nobility. Why?

Because there was a misunderstanding between him and the girl. They thought he was a slave owner? How in the hells could he afford a slave, much less keep one like her imprisoned? He could barely keep his purse on him without Goodwill stealing it from his belt. How could he keep a mage?

But the deed was done, and he couldn’t disappoint a noble. Not if he wanted to survive longer than the next day.

Weariness filled him as the days built up. His mind was shutting down and he felt his muscles sluggishly give in. He collapsed on the bed and gave up.

“Master?” Sapphire called. “Master… sleep well Master.”

Darkness came to Raylas who didn’t resist this time. Maybe Oblivion would finally take him away from his troubles. Maybe he’ll wake up back at camp and would thump Goodwill for sneaking drugs in his water again.

Maybe this is all just a dream

He felt himself smile as he slipped away into a deep sleep.

* * *

Sapphire sighed as she watched her Master slip away into sleep.

Being honest she was surprised he had lasted this long. She awoke while he was in the middle of a horrifying fight with the risen, and continued to fight and move for almost three full days. The hour or so sleep he gained during their stay at the ruins was nowhere close enough for him to regain his strength.

She truly wished to be able to share some of her stamina with him, but he never requested it. In fact, he seemed to be repelled by her magic. Such an event had never happened during her life, though the age felt very different than when she was last active.

The air was stale, like stagnant water. Even if the world before was hot and arid, the air itself moved. Winds of magic blew through the skies filling her to the brim with life. Yet now it is the opposite. The world feels… hollow. Not quite dead as there was a slight pulse, but like an injured being stuck in a coma.

Much has happened while she slumbered and waited. The roads were surrounded by beasts. The only reason they returned to the town was due to her threatening predators with her aura. Her master seemed distracted, yet also observant. He noticed many minor changes to the roads, like carved trees, but missed the obvious like the breaths of the wolves and bear.

He was also surprisingly closed off from the townsfolk. He gave only the bare necessities of information and refused the credit he deserved. Slaughtering dozens of undead, then crippling a goblin tribe? Such tasks were something to celebrate, not keep hidden.

Or maybe the ways of the old Aasim have finally rubbed off on her? They adored the fame, so the new master might just want to do his great deeds in secret. What wonderful events would he show her when not controlled by the eyes of a country?

It boggles the mind!

She felt a presence move toward the door. It was Darling again.

She knocked and Darling opened the door. The kind woman peered in and saw her Master lying in the bed, sound asleep.

“Oh dear,” she said. “A messenger just arrived from the Knight to guide you to dinner.”

“Master won’t be waking anytime soon,” Sapphire whispered. “He is exhausted.”

“You did say he has been awake for days,” Darling sighed. “By how energetic he was earlier I thought you were exaggerating. But seeing him when you showed off your beautiful dress and now this? It's a wonder he didn’t collapse.”

“But he did,” Sapphire pointed out. “Right after the Knight left he passed out, but the man was stubborn and woke himself up to keep working.” She gave him a soft smile. “He’ll work himself to death if he keeps this up, but what can you do about a man’s stubbornness?”

“Train him properly,” Darling sniffed. “Men are idiots who need a good woman to train them. He might be your ‘master’, but how much can you serve him if he kills himself.”

Sapphire laughed and left the room with Darling, closing the door softly behind her. She cupped the knob in hand and willed the door to fuse slightly with the frame. Nobody was going to interfere with her Master’s rest.

“I’ll make sure to lead him properly,” Sapphire said.

“As you should… but what are we to do about the dinner?”

“I’ll go as the Master rests. If Sir Vodianus wishes to have another with the Master I’ll see to rearranging a new day.”

Darling gave her a sympathetic look, but nodded.

The two of them entered the dining area. Dave was chatting away with a scrawny boy who was fidgeting nervously. The kid held himself with barely restrained energy, and had the air of childishness around him.

‘Not disciplined,’ Sapphire thought as she examined him. A local boy who was either drafted by the Knight or a local bribed.

Darling gave her a slight push forward and Sapphire hopped a couple steps. The boy looked at her, his fidgeting ceased. His eyes grew large as she got near and crouched down to look him in the eyes.

“So you’re my little guide tonight?” She smiled.

The boy nodded, his mouth gaping.

“Where is Raylas?” Dave asked.

A smack resounded across the tavern. Darling had strode over and gave him a solid slap across the back of his head. A number of the customers chuckled at the innkeeper’s misfortune.

“He is sleeping after many days of stress and labor,” Sapphire chuckled. “I shall be going alone tonight.”

“It isn’t a good idea to ignore–”

Another smack.

“Idiot!” Darling hissed. “Do you expect a man who is at the brink of exhaustion to have an enjoyable dinner with a Knight?”

“But the knight requested–”

“I can handle this,” Sapphire interrupted. “Do not worry, both of you. Just make sure my Master is not disturbed until I return. Please.” She gave them both a respectful nod of her head.

Dave chewed his lip in indecision before he glanced at his wife. Darling glared at the man, causing him to sigh.

“Do what you want,” he moaned.

Sapphire clapped her hands in satisfaction, doing a small hop in joy that her Master could finally sleep. Her next task will be to get that Knight’s attention off of him so he can stay below the eyes of those in power.

“If you would please take me to Sir Vodianus,” she said to the boy who jumped, his daze broken by the Knight’s name.

“Yes, ma’am,” he chirped as he rushed to the door. He froze as he was about to run out and turned to her. “Um…please follow me.”

“I’m coming,” She laughed as she glided around the Tavern’s tables and left with the boy.

* * *

“This isn't a good–” Dave started.

“It's what they want, and she can handle herself,” Darling interrupted. “That girl is much smarter than you or I. Let her deal with the pompous defender and his brat.”

“That is my worry,” Dave sighed. “Raylas learned of… it.”

“And whose fault is that?” Darling growled, cracking a knuckle.

“Right next to you,” a patron laughed, pointing at Dave.

“It was just how the conversation was flowin–”

Darling punched Dave in the side making him flinch. He rubbed his ribs as the woman moved to the kitchen.

“I’m going to let her know,” Darling announced. “The Knight should be distracted for a couple hours, so now is the best time for a meeting.”

“Darling, please…” Dave coughed.

“You’ve done enough damage, blabbermouth,” Darling sighed. “I’ll linform the others so when we get a chance to slip out we could give her the warning. I’ll be back in an hour.”

She left to grab her cloak before Dave could protest further and snuck out the back of the Tavern, heading toward one of the side gates of the Town.