Centuries ago…

The Dwarf stood atop his great stone walls, staring at the horde of undead before him. To his left was the rest of the dwarven army of Pregov, standing shoulder-to-shoulder and dressed in the finest armor available. Their axes had been sharpened by the overwhelming number of their country's blacksmiths, the walls they stood on were dozens of feet thick, and their king stood behind them in his golden armor, frowning.

The lines of undead parted, making room for the Lich that had gathered them up. Its black robe flapped in the wind, showing his hollow body and its eyes, which were blue flames. The dwarves recognized the faces of their ancestors even with the flesh rotting off their bones. "Dwarf king," the Lich boomed. "All I want is your country's magic. Just send out a single one of your country's greatest magicians to teach me, and I will let you all live. I know Dwarves are stubborn, but this is ridiculous." It cackled as it reached out a hand, like he was extending a generous offer. The Dwarven king stoked his long beard as he simply held up a middle finger. The Lich stopped cackling and walked to the back of his army. "So be it," it mumbled. The undead charged.

Three days later…

Doevm strapped in the Dwarven mage to a chair inside his library. "I'll never give in," the dwarf spat. "A dwarf can live for a hundred years and still remember a grudge. My country's people will never forgive you."

Doevm removed his hood, letting the blue flames light up his expressionless skull. "The Undead are much more patient than a dwarf. If a century is all it takes to break you, so be it. Your people were nearly driven to extinction all to defend you, and now, with your magic, they will finally be free of my wrath. Think of all the lives you can save if you just tell me how to cast your magic. That is all I need."

The dwarf squinted in the darkness, looking at all of the bodies lining the library's floor. "And who are they, other people who've given in?"

Doevm looked back at the various corpses of different shapes and sizes. "I should probably clean those up," he mumbled. "If maggots crawl over them, they could trace dirt over my books." Scratching his skull, he turned back to the dwarf and pried off one of his nails. The dwarf screamed, pulling against his chains.

"They're not Dwarves if that's what you're wondering. No no no, they're your predecessors. Humans, Elves, Goblins, Orcs, Succubi, and even part of a dragon." He pried another nail off the Dwarf. "I just want to learn magic."

The Dwarf screamed and after calming down, said, "After me, you'll just go around stealing peoples' magic? That's all you're doing with your near-immortal life?"

Doevm shrugged: "Pretty much." He put the bloody pliers down and pulled out a needle. "Oh, I've also got a poison master there from the Savage tribe. With his magic, it shortened my time to break someone." He waved his skeletal hand and a purple vial appeared. He dabbed the needle in it then jammed it in the Dwarf's hand, who screamed so loud that Doevm put a gag on him. "I get it, I get it, you're in pain. You don't have to cry about it. It's not like I'm going to kill you…yet." He shrugged and sat on his throne. An Undead brought him a book, which he read while he waited.

Back to the present…

Doevm woke up with a start. Sitting up, he held his head and sighed. After wiping the dead grass off himself, he tucked it and his tent into his spatial ring. It was a warm morning. While they were away from the forest, that only meant the humidity was down and there was no longer any shade. When he got outside, he found Wade, who was stretching his sore body out. Frey had just cleaned his own tent up and packed his things.

He looked at Doevm, but not with the cold anger from last night. "I've cooled down. Have you?" Doevm nodded. "Good, let's go." He picked up his bag and walked in front of everyone. Doevm and Wade exchanged looks, then walked behind him.

'Just like that?' Doevm thought. 'I called him weak and nearly beat the crap out of him and he's acting like nothing happened.' Upon a second look at Frey, he found himself looking at someone else. 'No, it's not like that. It's like his temper has solidified. He's walking with purpose and his head held up high, but something's different.' He kept staring at Frey, wondering if he should use a mind reading spell when a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Doevm," Wade whispered. "Do you understand what happened?" Doevm shook his head. "He's forgiven you and now knows who he's angry at. You were both in the wrong and he realized that."

"Oh," Doevm said, but on the inside, his mind was blown open. 'Just like that? Even if he realized we were both in the wrong, he should at least want to fight. Isn't that what I was prepared to do today?' He looked at his fists, his knuckles white from being tightened for so long, then looked to Frey. 'I was ready to fight, but looking at him, I don't feel that anymore. That's another emotion I don't understand, forgiveness. What caused us to forgive each other without nearly killing one of us?' He kept staring at Frey. 'Why do I feel like, if it was anyone else, I would have killed them for putting their hands on me?' He kept walking, his head filling with various theories and dissolving under the lens of logic.

For nearly a week they traveled, stopping to hunt and sleep. Frey returned to his normal self and even talked with Doevm like before. Doevm kept wondering what happened, not daring to bring it up to Wade, as he felt enough of his weaknesses were exposed already. Handing Wade more rope to hang himself was just futile. They were silent, but it wasn't painful. They just rarely had something to say to each other while still getting over Hopi. Eventually, they walked to a familiar red forest. Wade glanced at it and kept walking, but Doevm and Frey walked towards it.

"Why are we going there?" Wade asked. "We need to get back to the Virility household and report in. Besides…" he squinted and brought his red life essence around his ears. "I hear voices inside."

"It's fine," Doevm brought out his own life essence, realizing it was now blue.

"I'll be damned," Wade said. "I didn't realize, but you advanced to the next stage after your fight. Congrats." Frey frowned and brought out his own life essence to discover it was also blue. "Frey, you too? What the heck are you two?"

Doevm smiled and said, "I guess we're just talented." He and Frey walked into the forest with Wade behind, muttering about how unfair life was. Doevm informed Wade of the dwarf and the Bloodwood as they walked, taking note of the various paths that had formed. If before the forest was chaotic and deadly, now it was orderly…and deadly. The Ploly-brick paths through it were made around the vegetation, as not to draw the trees' wrath. Judging by the number of footprints in the Ploly, the path was heavily used. They walked down it, remarking at the various trash items, they soon discovered why the change occurred.

Inside the middle of the forest, a large crowd was cheering on the latest fight. On one side was Kilot, and the other side had a commoner. They exchanged a few blows, but at the end, the commoner collapsed. Kilot raised the axe over his shoulder: "Who's next?" The crowd fell silent. The simple villagers and farmers looked at each other. Doevm laughed when he noticed each of them were covered in cuts and bruises. He approached the crowd and raised his hand. "I see a challenger!" Kilot roared as he signaled for the crowd to part.

"Long time no see," Doevm said as the Dwarf's face paled. He brought out the pieces of his Bloodwood spear. "I need a repair. Think you can help me for free?"

"Will you pay me with materials and gold or do you want to pay by defeating me?" Kilot asked, trying to look as confident as could be, pulling at his beard. "I warn you; I won't go easy." Doevm smiled and pointed to Frey.

"He wants to fight you, not me. Good luck." Before Frey could react, Doevm went around the crowd, making bets with people. Frey brought out his weapons. Doevm voice drifted over the crowd. "I've got five power stones on you. Don't you lose now!"

"Of course you do," Frey mumbled as he got closer to the dwarf. His shield was held in front of him with a single hand on his Bloodwood Spear. "I don't know why, but I've always wanted a match with you." He examined the Dwarf, thinking about a good approach.

"That's funny," Kilot said. "Usually, people don't want to get their asses kicked but I'll gladly you lend a hand." Blue life essence escaped him but before he could step forward, he punched himself in the face. He dropped his axe and held his chipped front tooth. "I should have seen this coming." He punched himself again. "I give up!" He roared. "I should have remembered what you've done for me. I get it, I shouldn't have messed around." He picked up his axe and stormed into his house. "You coming?" His voice shook his little shack. Doevm gathered his earnings and skipped inside with a shocked Wade and Frey following behind.

The crowd looked at the three of them with their jaws on the floor. "How could you just cheat us like that?" One yelled, followed by other complaints. The commoners surrounded the house, threatening to cut off Kilot's beard.

"Listen to me you bunch of parasites," Kilot yelled while examining his newest "customers'" equipment. "You've been hanging around my house demanding a fight for nearly a month now. What do I owe you? I've fought you all and won. If you don't have the materials or the money like the occasional noble house that shows up, go home. I can't focus with your constant bitching." He turned away from his window, filled with the disappointed faces of the commoners, and sighed. "What do you guys want me to do for you?"

"My spear," Doevm said. "I'm ready for it now. I also need two sets of armor and a mask."

"A mask?" Kilot asked. "Why would you need one of those?"