--- Tolwin

Tolwin and Svonn had grown up together without knowing much about what lay outside of their village. In the memories of his childhood, the paladin treasured him as one of the most genuinely good people he had ever met, someone he had long forgotten about but could still bring a smile to his face as a memory. Their relationship, sadly, had ended after the abrupt evacuation of their lands in order to shelter the population from one of the invasions from Ekhar. Having lost their houses, many had just chosen to settle somewhere else, and Svonn's parents were among those who had never come back.

Finally reunited after all that time, the two men spent hours exchanging stories and anecdotes collected across the years. Svonn explained that he had tried many jobs and was currenty carrying out a generally adventurous life, but he also seemed really impressed that his old friend, who constantly clung to him back in their village, was now a fairly important member of the Order of the Light.

"A paladin!" he exclaimed, downing his second beer. "You could become anything you wanted, yet you chose the armed wing of justice. Why?"

"It's not as bad as people say," laughed Tolwin. "They told me I had the potential, with my degree of attunement. I had, of course, my reasons for accepting. There were definitely a lot of bright sides."

Svonn nodded, tapping on the edge of the table and relaxing on his chair, and didn't venture any further into that topic. It wasn't like talking about the Eye of Judgment was forbidden, but the less people knew about it the better it was.

It's good to be together once more.

The paladin had really missed the feeling of mutual understanding that only a close friend could provide. Nonetheless, seeing that Svonn wasn't talking anymore, Tolwin tried his best to keep the conversation alive.

"So, are you here for work or just passing by like me? I was planning to leave tomorrow, but if you are staying I see no problem in delaying my departure of a couple of days, for the sake of the old times."

"Work... It's always work," replied his friend, letting out a loud yawn. "Orinna is a city full of opportunities, my friend, but I'm afraid I've already overstayed my welcome here. It's so tiring... I'll also have to move soon. Thanks for the offer, though."

"Same for me, Orinna isn't for everyone," agreed the paladin.

It was getting quite late and the tavern was about to close its door. With a sigh, Tolwin decided that their pleasant meeting was over.

"Well, I need some sleep."

"Same," said Svonn. "Take care of yourself."

"Till the next time. Come visit me if you happen to pass near Balinar, alright?"

The other man waved and left, splitting with the paladin who was going upstairs. A couple of seconds later, Tolwin reached his room.

Finally. As much as I enjoyed this little reunion, it couldn't go any further.

He locked the door, got rid of his boots and opened the window. It was a cool, breezy early summer evening. Fresh air blew inside, carrying the strong scent of the sea. The paladin yawned, glancing outside one last time.

I'm going to sleep like a log tonight. I just need to wait until the noise from downstairs fades a bit.

Luckily more and more people were leaving the inn, some clearly less sober than others. Despite the fact that he wasn't looking for anyone in particular, Tolwin couldn't help but notice Svonn walking on his way, wrapped in an old black cloak.

From what he said I thought he had a room here, as well... But then he had to leave. He did mention living in Orinna, didn't he?

Watching his friend from afar, the man carefully made a quick recap of everything they had talked about in the previous hours. He hadn't put too much attention on the small details, tired as he was, but Svonn seemed exactly as he remembered. A nice and simple person, fond of stories and adventures. Maybe he just worked overnight at some storehouse.

Why, then, the way he left the building looked so unusual? A vague suspect crossed the paladin's mind. It was just a moment, but enough to make him shiver.

No, I must be mistaken. Our meeting seemed so... Right. Too right.

Incapable of giving himself any satisfactory answer, Tolwin closed the window and sat on his bed. He tried to dismiss those thoughts as a mere product of his job. Still, the more he struggled to forget about his uncertainty, the more it arose. There was definitely something he was missing.

"Svonn," he murmured. "Are you hiding something?"

It was none of his business. All the paladin had to do was to close his eyes and leave that story behind. But he didn't feel like sleeping anymore.

Damn it. Ordinary people don't go around at night like that. Maybe it's just a false flag, but I have to check if he got caught up in something shady. Orinna can be a dangerous place if you don't know who you are doing business with.

Silently, he reached for his boots and went down the creaking stairs, ready to follow the trail of his old friend.

***

Thanks to his skills, following Svonn without being noticed was an easy task.

It didn't look like the man was in a rush and Tolwin knew well how to be discreet. His friend walked for at least half an hour until he reached a plaza that was still fairly crowded, sitting on the edge of the ornamental fountain that decorated its center. Meanwhile, his pursuer moved between the shadows and searched for a good spot from where he could keep watch.

The paladin found a deserted porch and checked if anyone was around.

This place is perfect. Now let's see if something happens.

A couple of minutes later, a man approached Svonn and gave him a small leather pouch. The two nodded at each other and the stranger went on his way without saying a word. Tolwin gulped, fighting back the temptation of looking into his friend's future.

I can't use my power like this. I know Svonn and he is not a criminal. Still...

Covering his right eye with the hand to hide its brilliance, the paladin tapped into his spirit.

A knife. Screaming. Blood. Torture. Death.

He stopped, panting from the shock. Svonn's future was mainly composed of those dreadful images. Mustering his courage, Tolwin kept following the river of fate. It reminded him of his first times using the Eye of Judgment, of the terrible images that had tormented his sleep for months and months.

So Svonn is a murderer. An incredibly vicious one, by the looks of it.

He liked to kill his victims slowly, savoring their anguish as they begged for mercy. There was nothing but pure malice in the future of that man, and who could know if his past was the same. He had just received a bag of coins to get rid of a person, Tolwin guessed, and it would have happened that night. The assassin was going for the kill.

I have to stop him. There is not even the time to call the guards and have him detained.

The paladin couldn't afford to think, because Svonn had already resumed walking. On the other side of the plaza, Tolwin spotted his victim.

What do I do? Makers, give me strength...

His body moved by itself, continuing the pursuit through the narrow streets of the city.

Maybe what I just saw isn't real. The Eye hasn't been wrong once, but what if this is that first time? It might just be one of Svonn's romantic interests. It's not my business. I still have a chance to turn around and...

As much as the paladin wanted to believe that, reality showed him how wrong he was. The girl went inside a dark alley, the same he had just caught a glimpse of in his vision. Her killer trailed behind. The two were already so close that any small sound would have been enough to alert the girl of his presence.

A glimpse of shiny metal. A short blade slipping out of its scabbard.

Without any delay Tolwin charged forward, his hammer ready. The chainmail made a lot of noise, making both the girl and the murderer turn towards him. Svonn's expression, in that moment, was of pure surprise.

"You there! Run!" yelled the paladin, engaging the criminal. "He wants to kill you!"

He punched his opponent into the stomach as strong as he could, throwing him against a wall. The maiden screamed, fleeing away at once. Svonn quickly got back on his feet and jumped in her direction but Tolwin was faster and blocked his way.

"You," growled the man.

There was no trace of his childhood friend in that man's face. His eyes were bloodshot, his every muscle in tension. He lunged forward, attacking the paladin with fast, skilled blows.

He will kill me without hesitation if I let my guard down.

Tolwin dodged the sharp dagger and deflected its stabs before they could reach his vitals. Without his training, he would have never be able to compete with someone so good. Seeing that he was a difficult prey, Svonn stepped back to catch some breath.

"I won't even ask how you found out about this, Tolwin," he panted. "But I can't allow you to live now that you know."

"It's me who can't let you go," replied the paladin. "To think that you tricked me like that. Just what have you become..."

Svonn kicked the ground in rage. "I was hungry! My family was so poor I had to start working with the local crime lord. Killing people is profitable, and easy enough. Especially if you have a strong motivation."

"You enjoy murdering. It's disgusting."

"Yes, I do. I had a hard life, unlike you. I have to savor every little slice of enjoyment."

I can't believe it's true.

"The guards were following me and I just stumbled into you. Lucky me. I think they got another guy while we were drinking, and you didn't even notice."

"You monster," commented Tolwin. "What about all the lies earlier? A little game of yours?"

The other man burst into laughter.

"Lies... Lies!" he exclaimed. "Are you blind? We spend all our lives swimming in a sea of lies, because reality sucks. And paladins like you do that too, all while playing with the fate of others."

Tolwin felt his nerves breaking. How could such a man, devoid of any morals, talk down to him like that? How could a worthless criminal judge him? Unable to control himself anymore, he ran forward and after a brief exchange of blows his hammer bashed into Svonn's head, cracking the bone and warping it towards the inside.

Once again, there was silence. The body of the person who had once been his best friend lay in the alley, motionless. The paladin turned around and ran away from that place, tormented by the same feeling that assailed him every time he sentenced someone to death. Only this time he knew what it was. It was guilt.

Why did I use the Eye? Nothing would have happened if I'd just let it slip by.

He would have just gone on with his life, treasuring that happy evening in his heart.

No, what am I thinking? I just saved a person. That girl was bound to an horrible fate and...

Tolwin didn't go back to the tavern, and spent the entire night sitting on a wooden box near the docks by himself.

What is justice, anyway?

He couldn't say to have ever questioned his beliefs before. How could he do something like that? Paladins had to follow the teachings of the Order without a trace of doubt. Why did he feel like what he had just done wasn't any better than the actions of a criminal? After watching the sunrise, Tolwin retrieved his horse from the stables and rode away from Orinna, never to return. On the road for the Holy City, the pillars of his confidence crumbled one by one.

How can I judge a person guilty of something he still hasn't done?

Punishing evil was a thing, but wasn't believing in human goodness one of the principles taught by the Makers themselves? What Tolwin had done, until that day, was really playing with the fate of others. He, who was blessed with the all-seeing Eye, was the only one who could see the future.

Who would stop me if I decided to use it for my personal gain?

He could have ruined so many lives. He could have obtained so much power. And nobody would have ever discovered it. The responsibility of possessing that ability started weighing on his heart like a boulder. For how long had he carried it around, ignoring it out of convenience? How many had he sent to their deaths, without even knowing if they were going to repent for their actions in the end?

Days passed, and the paladin reached his destination. He crossed the gateway and went back to the golden temple at the center of Balinar, an immense round building that got thinner towards the top. Its outward ring was a long spiral of stairways and corridors that went constantly up, to show the determination of those who served the Makers. Still, in that moment, Tolwin wasn't so sure that his place was there.

I can't bear this... A gift? It's all a big lie. I'd rather decide what's true by myself.

After turning in his report, the paladin shut himself inside his room. He was exhausted.

A couple of months later, he decided to retire from judging. Now aware of his own internal conflict, he became disgusted by the Eye of Judgment. It was a power no mortal should have ever wielded, so he vowed to never use it again.

Tolwin's choice was harshly criticized among the high ranks of the Order, but he was adamant and as a result he lost most of the prestige he had worked so hard to obtain. To show the scale of his conviction he asked the Elders to seal the power with a ritual bound to his own life and with that burden finally gone he left Balinar forever, to seek redemption by helping people regardless of their guilt.

After rejecting his gift, Tolwin was forgotten by the Order. He brought his aid to everyone who needed, through his knowledge of herbs and healing powers. Soon enough, he realized that he could make the world a better place without relying on any peer into the future.

***

The priest stopped talking. Roric looked blown away.

"And that was how I left my old life. On that day, I chose to stop being a judge and I was reborn as a man."