“Isn’t it interesting how judgemental the Archons are? , , , , , and many other very negatively-connotated Classes exist. Yet I have encountered no , , , , and the like in all my travels. Perhaps the Archons simply aren’t as interested in our best as they are in our worst.”

Oreanen Vainen, the Emerald Sage, on the nature of morality-specific Classes

“What’s your guys’ history with that Gailen guy?” Forrana asked them over dinner, while shoveling down a salad and cut of boar meat hungrily. “Bim seemed like he was ready to kill him.” Zara winced at the phrasing, and Bim blanched before reasserting control over his expression.

“He was a for a caravan of Desolates. You usually already have to be a little twisted to work a job like that, and Jules wasn’t just a ‘little’ twisted. He was horrible to everyone, and you got the impression that if he was in charge prisoners would get to eat every three days and have to drink their own piss to stay hydrated. He just radiated malevolence.” Coll gave his summary of the man while busy with a double portion of fresh roasted meat from the tusked pig that Dannek and a pair of younger had caught. They had toasted the two younger ones’ leveling up from the experience just minutes past, thought that enthusiasm had vanished, at least for their little clique, as soon as Forrana had asked her question.

“Okay, okay, I get the impression.” Forrana finished her plate, and just as she did, Marvin yanked it off the table to give her seconds. Ever busy, those too. Bim wasn’t sure when they even got the time to sleep.

Forrana went on with her line of questioning after taking a draught from Zara’s

mug of ale, who halfheartedly slapped at her hand for it. “So he’s an ass and a half, I got the picture. But why were y’all so nice to him, then? Zara seemed ready to bite his head off-- why didn’t you give her the go ahead, Bimmy?”

Bim sipped from a glass of milk and chewed and swallowed a bit of pork and a bite of salad, thinking on the question as he did. “To be honest, I know Marvin and Sharron see the best in people, and I want to follow their lead on this guy, even though I know he’s a piece of trash, if only because they seem like the sorts to inspire him to prove me and Zara wrong.”

Coll grunted in protest, mouth full. Bim laughed. “And prove you wrong, Coll. I didn't forget about you.”

Zara drank what was left in her mug before pointing one big finger at Coll as he swallowed and looked sheepish, if that was possible for him. “Okay, we’re asking uncomfortable questions a lot recently. Here’s an easy one for you: what’s your Class?”

Coll shrugged. “All right, I’ll make a deal. I’ll tell you all my Class is you tell me y’all’s strongest Talent. Fair is fair.”

Zara answered immediately. “. Pretty self explanatory.”

Forrana smiled mischievously, holding up Dannek’s mug. “.”

Dannek snatched back his mug, and gruffly answered. “. Every couple days, I can pick a target, and can’t lose its trail for 12 hours.”

“. Very useful as a .” Bim responded swiftly, curious to hear Coll’s side of the deal.

Coll sighed in mock-exasperation. “I’m a . I tell stories, teach, sell stuff, give news, aggrandize people and myself. I’m level 5, on my second Advancement. Of course, I’m also a Level 1 and a Level 2 — don’t ask.

Forrana laughed, Dannek seemed nonplussed, Zara had an expression of puzzlement, and Bim was just enjoying having new information. Coll looked at Forrana, a tad defensive. “What? What’s so funny about it?”

She chortled some more. “It’s just… unexpected. I expected you to be some kind of like Zara or something, from how you talk and act. I wasn’t expecting , is all.”

“It’s a useful Class. For instance-” Coll raised his head, addressing the entire room. “!”

Everyone looked up from their food before Coll waved them off. Forana clapped uproariously.

After a while, Jules sidled up from his place in the midst of the table. Offering a thin smile to the medical team, he turned and smiled much more broadly to Marvin. “Could I have a word with you, sir?”

Marvin seemed confused. “Just me? Why not both Sharron and I?”

“It is a… sensitive topic… best left to a man.”

The two of them nodded agreeably, and Marvin rose to accompany Jules out of the warm hall and into the chill night. Zara rose to trail after them, but Bim put a hand on one of her ginormous arms. “Give him the benefit of the doubt, Zara. This town… It inspires people to be better. There’s no involved in that.”

Outside, two men walked along quiet streets, past the occasional candle burning on a window sill, hearing coughing intermittently when the wind settled. It was a cool, clear night, and the stars were out.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Some feeling was nibbling at the back of Marvin’s brain, some unfamiliar instinct nudging him.

“I’ll pay you two hundred golden Rooks, more than you and your wife would make in five years, in exchange for you all leaving this town and letting me become .” Jules’ smile was oily, eyes alight with greed.

Marvin was quiet for a moment, then scratched his head. “Why would we do that? I should consult with Sharron normally, but on this I know for a fact she and I are of a mind.”

Jules rolled his eyes. “C’mon, . What do you want? Three hundred Rooks? Three-fifty?” Jules had looted more than 500 Rooks worth of Gold, silver, and gems from the caravan. He had stored his loot in a hole in the ground outside of town. He had more than 20 years’ worth of wages, and more than enough to bribe these small-town , he presumed.

Marvin shook his head as the Talent took ahold of him. “Four…” He grit his teeth against it, then the answer was finally pulled out of him. “Four thousand, eight hundred Rooks. That’s my price.”

Jules was aghast, then suddenly angry. “That’s a prince’s salary, you ingrate! I offered you freedom from this dump, and I receive IDIOCY!”

Marvin’s back straightened, and his smile completely vanished for the first time since he’d discovered Hill Fever had infected his and Sharron’s town all those weeks ago. “Don’t you dare call my town a dump, you… you… freeloader!” He held a hand up to his mouth, taken aback by his own ‘foul language.’

That was when the blade slid between his ribs.

Jules smiled a vindictive, bloody smile as Marvin let out a gasp. “You should have accepted my offer, you sorry fool. Instead, you get to die alone, here, in a side street of a town no-one knows of or cares about.”

He slid the knife in again and again, then let go and viciously kicked, hit, and finally spat on the cooling form.

Level 10!

Advanced!

Level 10 🠊 Level 11!

Talent — <🩸Revel In Bloodshed🩸> gained!

Talent — gained!

Jules felt strength flow into him as Marvin’s lifeblood flowed onto his hands. It seemed to course up his arms and merge into his veins, making him smile wide in satisfaction. Then, in a snap, the blood was gone from his clothes and his knife.

He felt five years younger, though he had a feeling the wonderful vitality would fade in time. Better yet, he had Leveled! He was so happy he could dance.

Meanwhile, in the feast hall, Shannon jumped to her feet and screamed bloody murder.