It was several nights later when I arrived at the outskirts of Frigidis. The night was cool, and the sky was clear. Pinpoint stars sparkled around the thin scar of a moon. In the village nearby, candles flickered in the windows of the few homes that stood.

I stood outside the village. I had not yet set up camp, so I was standing, cloak wrapped round me, by a tree.

My orders were simple. First, I was to come here, To Frigidis. In this village, somewhere, was the stone that Kos sought. The stone that had been used so many years ago to shatter the moon. After that I was too travel into the forest. There I was to find the book that Kos wanted, in the hands of an aged and dying old man.

I should have been planning. I should have been thinking on how I would go about seeking out the stone that Baliancia had. I should have been preparing my dagger. I should have been rummaging through my wagon, and finding all that might help me.

Instead, I leaned against the tree, and looked up into the moon. It had occurred to me, only shortly after Rico and Christen had left my presence, that the next time I might be able to see them, we would be fighting. Like Almond... Like Almond, they would take their loyalties, they would fight for what they believe in, and then, because of what I was, because I had no loyalties, they would find themselves against me. They would try to kill me.

I made sense. With no loyalties, you never know who you might be fighting. That's why I am the way I am. That is why I am such a great assassin, of course. It is because I don't let such things as loyalties get in the way of my job. People pass by, and if I need to, I kill them.

Was it always so? Would it have been so back when Cara was still alive?

I turned my back on the moon, and stalked back to the caravan. I had no time for such useless thoughts. If it was or wasn't back then, it no longer mattered.

What mattered was that I finish my tasks for Kos before I had an opportunity to see Rico and Christen again. That was what mattered.

Unwillingly, I thought of the night, many years ago. The night I took Cara's life, and cut myself off from Almond. Before that night, we had been family. They treated me as a child, yes, but they were sane, and cared if I lived or died.

The moment I realized that it was Cara who I had slain, I, coward as I was, ran. I fled the city. Almond was the only person I had then, and I knew that as soon as he saw that Cara was dead, he would kill me. I thought of reasoning with him. To tell him the truth of the matter.

I didn't know it was her. I didn't mean to. I wish I hadn't. Useless words when she was dead.

Fleeing that night, I felt somewhat like I did on this night. I suppose thats why it started to bubble to the top of my memory. Cara was dead, and next time I saw Almond, he woud be facing me.

Christen wasn't dead, but she was gone, and next time I saw Rico, he would be facing me. However, unlike Almond, I figured I could easily kill Rico... If I had to.

Dawn hadn't fallen asleep in the cold snow as of yet. She whinnied softly as she pawed on the ground. I had been so used to the constant chattering of Rico, of Christen, the silence unhinged me slightly. I was grateful for noise that disrupted my own thinking. I brought her and Night some hay, and stroked her nose. Night rose up from where he was, and gently pushed my shoulder.

“... You're a good horse too.” I said to Night. He really was. Not as good as Dusk, but he was a good horse. He had been true and noble all this time, he had gone to close to the flames of Artis, even though at the time, I chided him for cowardice. He had mostly pulled the wagon while Dawn recovered from her injury.

“You're both.. Great horses.” I whispered. I ran my fingers through Dawn's mane, and clutched at the loose strands.

I turned to what I had intended to turn into a campsite. I didn't want to make a fire, I didn't even need one. I wasn't hungry, and I was out of liquor, so there was no reason to stay up and sit around the comfortable fire.

I sighed, and walked into the woods. I had seen a srteam nearby, and I was thirsty. Water would at least have to do. Besides, I had to find the stream again so that I could lead my horses to it.

***

The stream was half frozen, and quiet. There were no animals about, but I could see their tracks. Briefly, I considered hunting, just to occupy my mind, just a little. But then, of course, what would I do with the pelts?

Christen would be able to turn them into something.

I shook my head, and made my way to the stream. I broke through a thin layer of ice, and dipped my hand into the water, and drank quickly.

A sudden shadow fell over me, blocking the moonlight from my hunched form. I was lifted from behind, and thrown into the stream. I was drenched in the freezing cold water, which thankfully wasn't deep enough for me to be completely submerged, and which I couldn't feel. I pushed wet hair out of my eyes and looked up at the figure before me.

Almond stood before me, his silhouette outlined in gentle silver light.

“Greetings.” he snapped. I nodded, and looked around for the shadow. “He's not here.” He said slowly “He's nearby, but not here.”

“I thought he was bound to you.”

“He is. I am able to have some space. He bores of hunting. Of course, he wouldn't if it were the right game.”

“I guess it's a shame he didn't come with you, then.” I muttered. “You found the game.”

“Where are your friends?” he snapped.

“Friends?”

“The girl, and the mage, Rico.” he said. I shrugged.

“Perhaps wandering the mountains, perhaps in a nice warm village, perhaps dead. How should I know? You know how quickly alliances dissolve in this business.”

He nodded, and pulled out his dagger. Even in the faint moonlight, I saw it glitter evilly, hungry for my flesh.

“I'm going to kill you now, Stiri.” He said slowly. “This revenge has slept too long...”

“If you do that.. that shadow will leave you?” I asked. He nodded, and rose his dagger.

Before he could drop his dagger upon me, I reached around my neck, and pulled the pendant from under my tunic. His hand stayed in the air, and hovered a moment.

“....Thats..”

“The pendant.” I said. “The one from the myth. The one that the first Magus used to freeze the lake.

“You expect to bribe me with that?” He demanded.

“I know how to use it.” I said. “I can't control it well, but I know how to use it. If you hurt me, I will.”

“You think I care if I live or die!” he snapped. “Do you really think I care? Ever since that night, I have cared about this, and ONLY about this!”

“I thought your shadow wasn't with you.” I muttered. His eyes narrowed in fury.

“You may not care.” I said, thinking fast, “ But would you leader? The leader of Baliancia?”

“Even if I die, someone else will find the pendant here.”

“Do you want to risk it?” I asked. “I have information that I am willing to give up. I know things about The Vanguard, about Vitam, that I am sure your leader would love to know.”

“You lie.” He snapped.

“That will be up to your leader to decide, won't it?” I asked. “You can kill me now, Or I will quietly go with you to see the leader. If he thinks I am lying, then I am sure he will not mind if you kill me.”

“And why should I bring you there?”

“Because I have the pendant.. and I know where the feather is, I know where the moonshard is. I know how to get it... I even know an extra hint that you don't know about.” I looked up intently at Almond, “For all intensive purposes, I could end this.”

Almond looked at me, then, snarling, he grabbed me by the tunic, and started pulling me along with him.

I was surprised he didn't take my dagger. Almond is usually more careful than that.