True to his word, it took less than half a day before I had a dagger hilt stashed in my armour. “The strength of my magic has waned thanks to soulburn, but you don’t need strong magic to enchant items, just precision and deliberation. Since I no longer get bored I have plenty of that, provided I have the motivation to get started.”

He handed the hilt to me. “It’ll only pull in a sphere about the radius of your handspan, it feeds pretty strongly, so don’t touch anyone while activating the blade unless you want to kill them right there and then.” He said, pointing out a groove in the handle, perfectly placed for my thumb to trace across. “That’s the activation, you take your finger, put it here and follow the curve.”

He stepped a distance away, motioning for me to try activating the blade. I nodded, I tracing the groove with my thumb, which lit up as I did so, the air at the blade rippled, sometimes sparking and shifting colour. I nodded to myself, stepping back to run through a few dagger drills.

It was light, the centre of balance already located within my palm, and it lacked the inertia of conventional blades. That’s going to allow a very different method of combat. I thought to myself, disengaging the blade. “That’ll be my legacy.” Gaven said, a small smile on his face. “Do good by her.” I gave a solemn nod. It was one hell of a weapon. I had to wonder, if the Aedolon had been usable, what would have become of warfare?

[It would have tipped the scales to extremes.] Page said. [Armour rendered completely useless by a weapon that completely bypasses it. I imagine countermeasures would be developed before long, but until then it would flip the scales completely.]

Kind of like every other warfare innovation then right? I thought to myself, stowing the hilt away in the armour. “Thank you.” I said, it still bugged me why he decided to give me such a thing. When pressed he simply said that he wanted his best work to be used, and no one else would be able to do that. Which struck me as positively amoral, another side effect of his condition?

In any case, Frejr hadn’t objected in the slightest, simply watching me test the blade with an inscrutable expression on her face. Gaven told me that he’d taken a few pains to disguise the runes, make them inconspicuous except to the most observant of Sensitives. Of course, activating it would give it away quite easily, what with all surrounding aether being consumed.

We left close to nightfall, trekking our way back to civilization. Frejr and Qent followed behind as I scouted ahead, checking the roads for any signs of more goblins or any other surprises. It slowed us down, but letting them surprise us would likely end with far worse than just flesh wounds.

The others had returned by the time we came back to the inn, having come back from selling off the wyvern scales and a job they’d taken on the way. Azarint and Rince were downstairs, Azarint greeted me with a nod. “I see you aren’t hanging on by a thread any longer. Had my doubts about not using potions, but it seems Numen’s advice was on the nose.”

Rince shook my hand. “I didn’t really listen at the beginning, sorry about that.” He said sheepishly. “It just didn’t make any sense to me not to give you any of the potion.” He drew out the piece of the Liaen I’d given him, passing it back to me. “Here, thank you.”

Numen was apparently worn out, having gone straight up to sleep. We joined Azarint and Rince drinking at the table, and several hours later, Qent launched into a small ramble about what we’d been through. I was sober, edging on a semi-pleasant buzz. The nanobots helped reduce intoxication, and I had resisted impersonating fish, as Rince and Qent had done. Heavy drinkers the both of them, though one apparently held alcohol better.

“There were almost ten goblins!” Qent protested, voice loud enough for people on the far end of the room to hear, if they hadn’t drowned it out with their own voices. “In metal armour! Came out of the forest like night crawlers.” He said. “Why are we always surprised?! We learn from our mistakes right?! So why don’t we have a manual on being ambushed?! It’s like that time when I snuck into the Enculd dorms, we had manuals and everything thanks to the previous seniors. Even…”

“Wait wait wait!” Rince bellowed to drown out Qent. “Aren’t the Enculd dorms the dorms for teachers? Why in the name of Nem would you want to do that? It’s not like you were having a tryst in the stables. With everyone snooping about its…” He caught our blank stares. “What? NO! It’s just the few quiet places the barracks have where your neighbours won’t sing to drown you out and annoy you all about it afterwards!” Can’t tell who’s handling better? Neither do I now.

Azarint watched with a wide grin on his face, seeming to get some amusement from Rince trying to dig himself out of the hole he’d dug. Frejr’s posture had grown more relaxed, leaning back into the chair with an inaudible sigh. “What do you think we should do?” She said, just loud enough to carry over Rince and Qent. Azarint looked over, and gestured upwards, as we dragged the intoxicated group to their rooms.

We talked in Azarint’s room, where Rince had flopped onto the bed and fallen sound asleep.

“I believe this is a conversation for sobriety.” He said, smiling wryly. “But if you ask me, I’d say we don’t have the time to deal with them. The dragon sightings are growing numerous, and very restless. The war against the demons is beginning to turn against us, and the Republic seems to be up to something. We need to prioritize. We don’t even know where the goblins are.”

“Then what do you suggest?” She asked, her eyes entirely clear. How much did she actually drink? I wondered, thinking back, though I stopped myself just as Azarint began to speak again.

“Let Sel investigate the goblin’s whereabouts.” Azarint said. “She won’t be able to take them on there and then, but she’ll gain valuable intelligence on their location and their forces. If we take too long to return, several other irregulars can be asked to assist. In fact, soliciting their aid would be useful even if we return early, help ensure the threat is completely dealt with.”

Frejr seemed to mull the idea over. “It’ll be risky for her on her own.”

“She won’t be. I know she has a small network of friends nearby, not irregulars themselves, but they’ll help her out for something like this.” Azarint said. “I’ve never met them myself, but the stories I hear are generally positive. We can trust her.” He said with conviction.

Frejr nodded. “We’ll discuss this further with the others tomorrow then.” She said, favouring Rince with a long look. “It’s been a long day for you, good night.”

I retired to my room, opening the door and stumbling inside. I sunk into the bed with a sigh, there were times like this when I couldn’t help but be reminded that it was a far cry from my old soft downy sheets. Even so, sleep took me quickly once I closed my eyes, too tired to put up with nostalgia.

A shadow hung over my face as I woke, and hazily I opened my eyes to see Numen hovering nearby. She noticed that I was awake, and grinned. “It’s so hard to believe you’re actually better now.” She said, then frowned a little. “No wait, it’s great to see you better now. When I woke up they were so worried about you, you were pale, sick and your wounds weren’t healing.”

I sat up, pressing the back of my hand against my eye. How did she get in? I thought, then kicked myself internally. Right, we’re sharing the bloody room. I grimaced, head tilted so she couldn’t see. “You and Qent told them to stop using the potions right?” I said. “Thank you.”

“It took me a day before I woke up, so when I learned they’d been giving it to you I was worried.” She said. “When they first tried to give it to you you were delirious, Qent said that you called it poison.” I nodded a little.

“Yeah, it is to me.” I said quietly, removing my hand. “We should get going. If I recall Frejr and Azarint will want to discuss the metal armed and armoured goblins we came across.”

Numen’s eyebrow quirked upwards. “Goblins clad in metal?” Her eyebrows then drew together, and she clicked her tongue. “That sounds really bad. Do we have time to deal with them though?” She frowned, thinking to herself. “Anyway, it’s great to see you well again, and thank you. Qent said that if it wasn’t for you they’d never have found me and Rince in time.”

We made our way downstairs, where Qent and Rince were hunched over, seems the alcohol caught up to them. “By Kio, why did I do this to myself?” Rince muttered under his breath, he massaged his temples, trying to stand upright as he heard us come down.

“Are you two going to be alright?” Numen asked, looking at them worriedly.

Frejr waved off her concerns, rolling her eyes. “They’ll be fine, a little exercise will get it out of their system.”

“Or we could have a drop of that healing potion.” Rince suggested.

“That’d be complete waste, save it for the fighting.” Frejr scolded. “You shouldn’t have to rely on this to function, especially when it’s so expensive.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it.” Rince said. “Just… lower the volume please?”

Frejr outlined the goblin threat, both repeating and expanding on things Qent had spoken of the night before. She also talked about Azarint’s idea, that Sel might be able to reconnoitre for the goblins’ whereabouts and their numbers, along with their strengths.

“I think Sel can do it.” Numen said. “She’s not the stealthiest person I know… but she knows how to be quiet, and she’s got a friend that can sneak pretty well. Let me tell her about it?”

“That would be a prudent decision.” Frejr agreed. “Rince can accompany you, and we’ll wait for you at the Nosrad crossroad.”

“Me?” Rince asked, head jolting upwards.

“Yes, you’re the most logical choice.” Frejr said. “Your spear manages to threaten creatures in a wide radius and long range. Ideal for keeping enemies at a distance for Numen.”

Rince simply nodded, while Numen cocked her head a little, but no one raised any objections.

We set out just before noon, Numen heading to Lrash along with Rince, and Azarint, Frejr, Qent and I heading further north. The further we went the colder it became, and I was glad for the insulation I’d gained from my armour. The others had brought warmer clothing, cloaks, and gloves. It would hinder them a little in a fight, but frostbite was an alternative far worse.

We arrived at an outpost of the northernmost nation Valkyr. It was a hardy group, and remote as the north was they were the point of contact with many of the more fantastical tales that I’d heard. Selkies, kelpies, sea serpents and dragons. Many would swear to have seen one or another swing by in their time here, they made riveting tales for bored fops.

I looked at the land across the sea. That was where the dragons were said to live, no one knows why, and I can’t understand why a cold-blooded reptile would have its habitat so cold, but it was true that once in a while, you could see a winged reptilian form rise past the peaks.