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The blade slides quickly, and delicately, through its target. I couldn’t peel my eyes away, it was as if it had caught me in a trance. With each jab, each slash, there was a level of skill to it that had to of taken years to master. The man looks up from his work with a smile peering through his greyed beard.

Without a single word, he hands me the small wooden fox he’d been carving. I pause before taking it. It was only slightly smaller than the palm of my hand. With only a brief moment of pause, I dig into one of my back pouches before pulling out a small purse.

Though before I can even open it, he shakes his head. I stare at him for another moment, thinking on how to utter a response. The words locked in my throat.

He then gestures once more for me to keep it. Without hesitation, I shake my head, pulling free a few of the coins Karter had given me. There were eight in total before this. Now there’d be five.

His gaze turns from questioning to acceptance. He takes the coins with a small bow, and I give the same in return. The craftsman smiles as I wave my farewell, before leaving to find Karter. He was still where he had always been, for the past four hours at least. Is he standing in wait, maybe watching? I can never tell with him…

He told me to go look around the shops while he ‘got my gear repaired’ but I don’t know where to go anymore… and I don’t want to lose him like last time.

My eyes meet the hanging anvil-shaped sign hung above the open porch-like building. “Thought you did not like the forge?” Karter questions before turning towards me.

His eyes glowed their usual white in the darkness of his helm. Eerie yet beautiful. I shake my head.

“Yes… rude of me to assume,” he laughs slightly before turning back to the, what I presume to be, craftsman as he hammers my chest piece. I furrow my brow at the new scene. “Do not fret. He is not going to break it.” Karter turns his head to face me with a cheerful glint in his eye. “It is almost as if you have never seen this done before?”

I shake my head in response. The closest I had come to this was watching my father sharpen knife blades. Much like how Karter sharpens his sword now.

“I take it y’ don’t ‘ave a lotta smiths back where y’ come from?” the man hammering my armour questions us.

“No. I have been the only one to maintain our equipment.”

“Well, y’ kept it in workin shape f’r the most part, I’m impressed,” he compliments before grabbing what appears like cleaning oil and a rag. “I only really ‘ad ta’ get out those more stubb’rn dings and polish it up a bit.”

“Good.” Karter nods before folding his arms without so much as a glance away from the smith. Though this wasn’t unusual, he was more patient than I could ever hope to be.

A slight giggle hits my throat before I turn away. How silly a dream of having better patience would be…

I drift into walking around this small, partly open, shop. Shields and pieces of armour lined the walls, hanging from any possible space they could be crammed into. Though I would’ve thought to at least see some kind of weapon, sword or not.

“This is an armour shop, there is not much for us here,” Karter states standing next to me without a sound.

‘You think I don’t know this?’ catches in my throat. With little hesitation, I turn just enough towards him to give a side-eyed glare.

“I meant only to state the facts.” I can tell he’s grinning underneath that helmet of his.

A brief moment of silence travels between us. A hesitant word holds firm, not letting what I want to say go. My hand tightens around the small fox carving I had forgotten about.

A small smile grows under my wooden mask as I present the little sculpture to him. He stares for a moment, then another. Though after a few seconds, he leans in, narrowing his eyes.

“Where did this come from?” judgement lingers within the tone of his voice.

I look away slightly, knowing full well he was going to ridicule me for spending money on something not important to the journey. However, my eyes reel back as his next statement leaves him.

“As I thought, a rune catalyst. The detailing is quite exquisite too…” his admiration spills as his eyes shift to me, “how-where did you get this?”

“An-an old-d m-m-man m-made it f-for m-me…” A wave of shame hits me harder than I can resist, forcing my head to bow under it.

“For how much?”

I fidget for a moment before raising three fingers. A breath passes before I peek up to see his response.

“Three?”

I nod without meeting his gaze. He grabs my hands and pulls the sculpture closer to his face.

“Three,” he repeats, “did you haggle him for the price?”

Haggle? The question passes me before I shake my head, hoping that was the right answer.

He releases his grasp causing me to look up at him, the feeling of dread awaiting his next statement. Yet, the look in his eyes told of a different truth.

“This is of great quality. You do know this right?” his tone of voice lowers ever-so-slightly, “whoever they were… they must be looking out for you. You did thank them right?”

I nod without hesitation as the last word lands. Then heat hits me as I realize the smith had been listening in on our conversation. His slight smile forces me to shrink away, putting the small carving into one of my belt pouches.

“Y’r breastplate is all ready ‘n waitin’. When y’ ready, of course,” his words drift over the building as he walks over to retrieve my equipment.

“Good.” Before I can even react, Karter is already handing me the armour. “Here, make sure it fits correctly before we set out.”

The buckle jingles as I clasp it around myself. It reaches just above my abdomen, mainly protecting the ribs. If we could afford it, I know he’d put me in a suit like his… I stare at Karter for a moment before turning back to the armour on the wall, would it really be that awful?

“El.” My mind snaps back to Karter. “We are setting out.”

Right, I nod to him before waving farewell to the still cheerful-looking smith. He returns the gesture before I turn to the ever-so-busy market street.

“We cannot linger,” Karter’s voice emanates just above the crowd as he only turns his head to make sure I was listening. “We have an appointment to get to.”

My eyes perk up at the realization that it was probably past noon. Though before I get too caught up in thought, again, I catch up with him just as he enters the river of bodies. His height alone still allows me to spot him, even as he seemingly dissipates within the throng.

I try my best to stay behind him, not for the fact of losing him but people always move out from his way. Usually, I just get stares. Do they think we’re royalty because of him? A light giggle erupts within my chest as the sudden thought passes me.

Without warning, I slam into his back, forcing a raised brow from me as I look up at him. He turns towards me with a hint of worry before gesturing towards the tavern in front of him. “We are here.”

The door’s clatter echoes through the open room. Several heads shift in our direction, and my skin ripples as their eyes fall upon us. However, I try to keep my gaze on the back of Karter. Somehow my chest still seems to knot under the sudden pressure.

Why were we here again? I grab at the neck opening of my chest-piece and try to shift it into a more comfortable position.

“Welc’m! Welc’m! Always ‘appy to see a new face!” the barkeep shouts over to us with happiness slicing across his face.

“We have been requested,” Karter responds as he steps up to the counter, “we were told to meet a sir, Arnold, here.”

“Ah, ‘at’d be ‘im over ‘ere,” the man pointed towards a table of two before giving a light chuckle, “though not much ‘sir’ to ‘im.”

Karter takes no hesitation as he steps away from the counter and straight to their table. I could almost see the metal rise and stiffen on his armour. Hopefully, we won’t get to that point, right?

With a sigh, I rub my hand down my mask and follow his footsteps, though sticking a few paces away. Trying not to be directly in the conversation. Just let him do the talking, it’s easier this way, right?

“Are you sir Arnold?” Karter looms over the table as he asks his question.

“Who’s askin’?” the man responds with a cocky tone as he lays his head on his fist.

“I took up your request in Hulden. You needed help with–”

“Yeah-yeah-yeah,” the man suddenly rises in posture as he quickly cuts off the conversation. The seat under him screeches as he hastily stands up. “Not here. Follow me.”

“Where y’ ‘eadin’ off to in such a rush?” the barkeep shouts over the bustle and the man halts for a second.

“I’ll be back in a minute, Hugo, seems I’m needed for something important. Just put it on my tab, ya know I’ll pay it back.” The barkeep, Hugo, rolls his eyes at the calm gesture.

My gaze lowers away from them and to my feet. A lone breath escapes me as I follow the two out and into the bright, busy street. Wish I could be so carefree…

I look up to meet one of Karter’s eyes. He nods before turning away, he knew what I was feeling. A wave of heat hits me at the implication, causing my nerves to tense.

What would he think if I told him my wishes? He’d probably think them far too simple, far too silly… He’d probably just blow them off as a ‘child’s wish’.

A sigh sits in my throat as the thoughts run rampant through my head. I want this job to be over already, I just want to rest…

“So, to answer both of your questions in one go… Yes, I am Arnold, and yes it was my request that you accepted in Hulden. But…” He states as he leads us into a seemingly abandoned alleyway. My hand slips to the hilt of my dagger on instinct, never good to be in closed off areas in a city you don’t know…

Karter grumbles as his hand relaxes upon the pommel of his sword, “why drag us out here?”

“Don’t be rash, I have my reasons,” he laughs while rubbing the nape of his neck, “I’ve got a lot of ears and eyes you know… but when you get to be an info-broker like me, death is always one step away…”

A sigh slips from him as he knocks on one of the many doors within the alley. A small wood panel slides open and a pair of eyes narrow at the three of us. Without a word it closes and locks click from inside.

The door opens with a not-so-amused-looking woman standing on the other side. “What y’ want, y’ measly weasel.”

“Ah, right-right, I forgot to inform you we have guests!” Arnold gestures to us before adding, “and between me and you, we could really use the help.”

“Go on with it then,” she states before turning her back to us.

“Don’t mind her, she’s always been a little cranky to strangers,” he scratches the back of his head as a strained laughter echoes under his voice, “but do follow me inside.”

Karter peers over his shoulder and the glint of his eyes catch mine. I could almost feel what he wanted to say. My muscles tense as I take a deep breath, recounting the fastest casts I could call upon.

However, deep within me, I hope I won’t have to release that power.

Casters are feared and resented after all.

I follow close behind Karter as we enter the building, the shorter man closing the door behind us. The interior was small and felt even more cramped due to the many shelves of baubles and trinkets. Yet, somehow in the centre of the room a table, with four chairs surrounding, sits alone like an island within all the clutter.

“Come, take a seat.” Arnold gestures as we enter. “I can have anything readied for you–”

“No need.” Karter cuts him off before pulling a seat for me.

“Right, uh… straight to business?” He places a few papers in the centre of the table before taking his own seat. “This is why I asked for help, seeing as I’m not suitable for these kinds of situations.”

“Why not ask your boss?”

“Haha, yeah, that is also outta the question as she manages what goes on around here.”

“This affects us how?”

Arnold taps on the few pages, forcing my eyes to widen at the illustration presented under his finger. “This means that we can’t deal with this thing, and I don’t think neither of us wants that getting loose.”

“A Shade,” Karter states with a stern voice.

“That is what I need ya to subdue. And yes, I know that ya can’t quite kill the thing, but ya should be able to get it to a state that it can be driven out of its resting place, at the least.”

Silence drifts in as I pick up one of the papers and read through it. An unkillable creature? How could such a thing exist without…

I look up to Karter with a worried expression.

“A Shade is the complete corruption of the soul. It is more demon than man,” Karter explains though my chest tightens for another moment. “Do not fret. We will be able to take it down.”

“Is that an agreement then?” Arnold raises a brow before Karter can turn back to him.

“Yes,” Karter speaks with a low tone, “expect it gone within the coming days.”

Arnold nods before we rise from our seats. He then pulls a container holding a crystal within from one of the many shelves. “Before ya leave, take this with ya.”

“What is this?” Karter takes hold of it without much thought and begins examining it with squinted eyes.

“It’s a catalyst of sorts… though it only has one rune engraved onto it.”

“You want us to bind the Shade?”

“Essentially yes.”

Karter turns to face me and I can only stare back. How hard could binding it be? We have to ‘subdue’ it anyway.

A groan erupts from him before he turns to the grin still resting across Arnold’s face. “This is not what we agreed upon.”

“No… it wasn’t the orig–”

“You know what that thing can do.” Karter’s eyes flare for a moment. “Death is the least of my concern.”

A gulp scratches my throat as I stand a few paces away from the rising tension. Confusion wraps around me as I remain silent, unsure of what to say.

“Ah… uh… what if I raise it by fifty?”

Karter’s glare stiffens as his hand tightens around the pommel of his sword. “Double.”

“Dou… Double!?” Arnold leans back as he shouts, “you can’t be serious.”

Karter tilts his head by a thread while still eyeing the man. He squirms under the gaze before finally giving a breath.

“Fine! D-deal, but I want it back here in a full bind! Not some half-fast cast, and uh… don’t break that crystal, it’s a relic, got it.”

Karter turns away without giving another word, and I watch as he steps towards the door. With nothing left to discuss, I give a short bow to Arnold, and a quick smile emerges from his drooped face as he gives one back in kind.

Then without another lost moment, I quickly catch up to the fleeting knight as he peers over his shoulder to make sure I was behind him.

↢ To be continued ↣