The camp quickly turned lively when the three emerged. Thomas and Johann graciously welcomed them back but when Erend climbed up, doused in blood, they paled.

"Son! Are you okay?!" Thomas elbowed his way past the others and felt Erend's body for wounds.

"I'm alright Dad. The blood's not mine."

"What the hell happened?!" Thomas demanded and glared daggers at Albert.

"Don't blame me! It was your son who started the whole thing."

Johann narrowed his gaze, "What's wrong with your eyes?"

Thomas jolted at the question and moved to take a closer look.

Erend shoved his father away and groaned, "Ugh, you too? I don't know. It's not like I keep a mirror with me."

"Here," Jack offered the side of his blade for reflection.

Erend's eyes glowed a pale white, like the moon's light.

"What the..." he muttered and ran his fingers over them.

"Just like your mother..." Thomas commented softly.

"Mind filling us in?" Johann asked but was met with nothing but silence. He sighed and shook his head. "Alright, we'll leave it for now. Albert, report. What happened."

"We found a pantry, and took a bunch of food. Erend's got it in that spell thing of his. Then we found a laboratory and he just went absolutely crazy. We couldn't stop him."

"Stop him from doing what?"

"Well go on then. Tell him Erend," Jack nudged and urged him.

"I don't know... I just saw the people in the buckets and felt compelled to avenge them. I couldn't resist."

"Buckets?"

Jack wrinkled his nose and shook his head, "There were buckets filled with heads..."

"Gods... and the blood?" he asked and gestured at Erend's unsightly appearance.

"Orc blood. I killed five of them. They seemed pretty well trained."

"You killed five... alone?" Johann asked, dumbstruck. He threw a glance at the other two who shook their heads. "And where were you two when this happened?"

"We guarded the tunnels so that he could make it back if the place got swarmed."

"You'll have to explain, Erend."

Erend groaned, "Alright... mind if I rest a bit before the interrogation? I used a bit too much Source."

Johann scoffed, "Impertinent. Fine. Go rest. The grown-ups will deal with your mess. Albert, go fetch the others. We'll map out the tunnels and place down some traps just in case. When we're finished we'll try to find the fort above ground."

"Got it, boss," Albert staunchly replied.

Erend started to walk off with sluggish steps. He felt a heavy hand settle on his shoulder.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Albert seriously asked.

"What now?"

"You fool. The food! Leave it!"

Erend chuckled, "You damn glutton. Here you go," he started fishing through Pocket, relieving it of item after item.

Once he finally got to leave the cave he could feel his eyesight darken with every passing second. Charles mouthed something, but he couldn't hear what.

As soon as his body hit the softened moss floor of his cabin he fell asleep and found himself on a serene wheat field together with the gray elf.

***

"Finally, you're here," she grumbled, sitting in a huddled squat in the field. She was playfully juggling three fist-sized stones with her Source. "Good job youngling," she commended him.

"How the hell do you speak my language all of a sudden?" Erend burst out.

The elf ground her teeth. The movement of the stones became more erratic. "Do not forget your place, squire," she hissed. You've grown stronger. Your ability to manipulate the dream space has grown alongside your Source."

"Why do you keep calling me squire?"

"Is that not what you are? An initiate. A pup who thinks he's a wolf..." she sneered at him. "You have much to learn before you can run alongside the pack."

"The pack?"

She groaned, "The order. Must I spell everything out?"

"The order of dusk?"

She let the stones fall to the ground and stood up, dusting off her clothes with a sigh, "Night Mother grant me patience..." she whispered and signed with her hand, "Just so."

Understanding dawned on him.

Of course.

He never felt that it made sense that she helped him with the channeling. Or that she gave him a spell impression, even if he gave her one in exchange. The power balance between them put him in a woefully subservient position. Finally, the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

"I'm sorry. I've not had the time to learn much of the teachings," he admitted.

She clicked her tongue at him, "I've gathered that much."

Erend had thousands of questions he wanted to ask, but the one in the forefront of his mind took precedence, "Will I always lose control like that?"

"No... one with a steady mind is not so easily swayed."

He nodded at that. Admittedly, he had lost his cool when he saw the mutilated bodies.

He carefully stepped closer and asked his second most prioritized question, "Who are you?"

Her brows shot up in surprise, "Does it matter?"

"Yes. I'd very much like to know the name of someone who's taught me so much."

"I see. Your upbringing has bestowed some odd values upon you. Not many ask for the name of a blade. I used to be known as Livune."

"Livune," he repeated in thought.

"Livune the blade," she clarified.

"What's a blade?"

"A tool. In this context a tool for the Night Mother."

"Elísitrá?"

Her eyes blazed, and the ambient Source grew into a rampaging storm.

"Do not utter her name!" she growled.

"Gods, sorry. Calm down!" he pleaded. The source felt heavy on his chest, it restricted his breathing and made him chip for air.

"You will do good to remember this warning," the threat in her voice was palpable.

"I will!"

The Source stilled. Erend gasped for air. He couldn't understand what the issue was. Elísitrá had been so kind. He'd half expected the entire order to be filled with like-minded people, but this woman, Livune, was like a ferocious beast. A wolf in sheep's clothing.

She sneered at him as he fell to his knees coughing. "One of elven blood should know better."

"I recently just found out about that as well."

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"A pity... though it explains why you lower yourself to fraternizing with lessers."

Erend felt his brow wrinkle, "Those are my friends and family you're talking about."

"And? You'd do well to understand that an elf lives a great deal longer than humans normally do. They are but a moment in the face of your eternity."

What.

She noticed the turmoil that she awoke in him, "Forgive me. You are still young and unfazed by the ravages of time. Leave it for the future."

Her words had a sort of calming air about them. He didn't understand why, but he took them to heart and found his bearings again.

She continued, "You balanced the scales, and as such you will be rewarded. Tell me, what is it that you want?"

"I don't know... knowledge I suppose?" Erend felt unsure. The prospect of reward had come suddenly.

"Enough with the questions, squire. I am not here to act as your pitiful servant."

"I want to know how to grow strong quickly," he answered decisively.

She grinned, "A ravenous pup? How funny. Your experiments with inscriptions are on the right track. It is a little more than what I'm supposed to give, but I suppose I could push you farther along as thanks for avenging my brethren."

"Really?!" Erend excitedly asked.

Her grin grew wider, until if formed a wicked smile, "I'll grant you control. It should be a good lesson for you. Learn to choose your words. Now grit your teeth."

He didn't have the time to question her before he was crippled by the pain. A searing heat blossomed out from inside his body. It settled at his throat. He breathed a hellish for what felt like an eternity before he passed out.

***

He awoke in the real world with a terrified wail. He gripped his throat with both hands and felt the red hod blood soak them.

"...." he tried to plead for help, but the sounds leaving his throat couldn't be likened to words. His scream, however, had already alerted the camp to his predicament.

Thomas burst through the cabin door. His eyes immediately fell upon Erend and grew wide.

"Jack! Help!" he screamed desperately.

Erend could feel the pumping force of his blood push against the flats of his hands. He could feel the rhythm of his heart pounding in his temple. His vision clouded with each heartbeat.

"Jack's in the tunnels. What's going on?" he heard Cordelia's voice.

"Heal him!" Thomas ordered and shoved her inside.

"Oh Gods, Erend. What the hell did you do?!" she sounded worried for him. Even in this chaotic situation, he had to admit it felt nice.

Her warm Source settled atop his throat. It stitched together his blood vessels, muscles, and skin. He felt the wound close and saw her frown deepen, "You promised..." she muttered.

The sleep that followed was divine. He woke up feeling more rested than ever. The pain in his throat had subsided and his muscles felt stronger than before.

Just to make sure, he hummed at an old song. His voice was back.

Erend left the cabin only to see that the skies had already darkened. He'd been asleep for hours. The camp was eerily quiet. Muffled voices sounded out from the cave.

The gate creaked open, as noisily as usual.

The group stood huddled over Jack who excitedly explained some incomprehensible drawings of snaking lines. They all glanced his way as he entered. Some wore angry looks, others worried. That much he could tell.

"Oh? The sleepyhead has decided to grace us with his presence," Johann laughed, in an attempt to alleviate the strained mood. Then he turned serious, "Come with me. You've got a lot to explain."

Thomas started to walk along, but Johann stopped him, "Not you. Only me and Erend," before Thomas could disagree, he was calmed, "It's alright. He's a grown man. You've already agreed to that much."

Johann clapped Erend on his shoulder as he walked past, "Glad you're feeling better. Come on."

He brought Erend to a particularly large cabin that Anya had stayed in before. It had a large table that fit about six people, making it the best choice by far for quiet meetings.

"Sit," he offered and gestured at one of the crude chairs.

A stray twig pricked Erend's buttocks as he sat down, making him grimace.

"Alright then. What happened?"

"As I told you, something just compelled me to avenge the people. Some sorcerer thing."

Johann pulled a dagger from his belt and laid it on the table. He rummaged through a half-empty sack in the corner of the room. With a hushed celebration, he pulled out an apple that hadn't yet been taken by mold, then he sat down at the table, across from Erend, and started meticulously cutting it into wedges.

"Want one?" he asked.

Although Erend felt a bit unnerved, he graciously accepted. He was famished.

"Listen," Johann started as he munched on a wedge, "I can tell that's bullshit. But I won't pry. All I need to know is if it will happen again. And don't you lie to me. I'll be able to tell."

For some reason, Erend didn't doubt the bald man. This didn't feel like his first interrogation, "I... I can't say for sure. Only if I really lose my cool."

"Then you'd best stay calm in the future. You might be one of our only casters, but you're only important to us if you don't get us killed," Johann spoke casually like it was the most normal thing in the world. "But remember that we have one more if you pull a stunt like that again." He pointed his dagger at Erend's throat, "What about that?"

"Sorry?"

"You're sporting a new tattoo."

"I'm what?!"

Johann laughed at him and offered a shiny metal plate as a mirror.

Just like Johann had said, Erend could see a pale mark just barely peeking over the collar of his shirt.

"What the fuck..." he exhaled and plopped down on the seat.

"On a positive, your eyes have gone back to normal," Johann tried to console him. When he didn’t get a response, he continued, "If it makes you feel better, it kind of suits you. Makes you look a little bit more mature at the very least. In a sailor kind of way."

"I don't even know how to respond to that."

"Do you know what caused it?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to tell me?"

"No."

Johann sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You're a real handful, you know that?"

"So I've been told."

"You can trust me. I hope you understand that. Or that you at the very least will come to realize as much in the future."

Erend shifted in his seat, "I'm sure I can. Trust me, I'd like nothing more than to speak of it with everyone. But I've made a promise not to. Not unless I can help it."

"Fair enough..." Johann relented. "While you were resting we caught a glimpse of what the tunnels lead to, the outside of it. It's a prison. A prison camp to be precise. They've got people of more races than I can count on one hand digging away in a large mine."

"That explains the human bodies."

Johann rocked his chair back and forth, "Probably Hillsmen. Can't say for sure without seeing them for myself. On that note, the orcs finally plugged up the tunnel. We could probably dig through it, but I reckon that's a really bad idea."

"Probably," Erend agreed. "What's the next step?"

"Unchanged. We gather food and hope for Bernard to gather manpower on Exodus. The prison does present us with a few unique opportunities though. You're still on point for that. But do not, and I can't stress this enough. Do not act without my permission or knowledge. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

Erend looked questioningly at him, "Yes, boss?"

"Good. At ease," Johann said with a smile. "Oh, before I forget. You should probably talk to Cordelia. I've never seen a woman that angry. Quite frankly I was surprised she didn't kill you herself."

Erend felt his heart skip a beat, "Shit..." he sighed. "Do you know where she is?"

"I reckon she's sulking in her cabin. I wouldn't bring anything sharp if I were you."

Erend took the advice to heart and dropped off his weapons in his cabin. Then he walked over to hers and gave the door a knock.

Seconds passed, no answer. But he could hear her moving around inside.

"Cordelia?" he prodded.

Still no answer.

"Cordelia, I'm coming in," he announced.

Just as he gave the door a tug, it was flung open, hitting him in the face. He took a step back and massaged his nose.

Before he could step too far, Cordelia's arm snaked out like a viper and grabbed him by the collar, "You Gods damned stupid, dumb, idiotic, fucking boy!" she screamed and pulled him inside the cabin. Shutting the door behind them.

"I'm sorry, bu-"

"No buts," she interrupted. "You promised me! Why would you do something so utterly braindead like inscribing yourself when you can't even inscribe a tool?!" her breathing was erratic, her face flushed.

"I didn't do it!"

"Oh give it a rest already! Who else could it have been?! Charles?!"

"No. Livune did."

Cordelia rolled her eyes at him, "Very funny."

"I'm being serious. I'll tell you everything if you sit down. Oh, and I have this for you," he said and fished up the glyph-covered rock. "No idea what it's supposed to do."

Cordelia snatched the stone from out of his hands. He could feel that her anger still hadn't subsided.

"Alright. Promise me you won't tell anyone about this?"

"I promise no such thing."

Erend sighed but went through with it anyway. He told her of his dreams and meetings with Livune but made sure to leave out the parts about the goddess who took him in as an adoptive child.

"Let me get this straight. You mean to tell me you've had a secret teacher this whole time? And that she inscribed you against your will?"

"Pretty much..."

"You do understand that this is quite hard for me to believe, right?"

"Would it help if I told you that I'm part elf?"

"Oh please, you don't even have the ears."

"I'm serious. You can ask Thomas, he'll support my claim. Don't ask him in front of Elle though, she doesn't know yet."

Cordelia snorted at him and left the cabin with unhurried steps.

Erend sat alone for a while. He looked around in the room, but immediately felt like he was doing something he wasn't supposed to.

As he wrestled with his conscience, time passed. Suddenly he heard someone scrambling around. Cordelia rushed through the door, breathless, "What the hell!" she wheezed at him and made sure to close the door behind her.

"That's what I've been thinking," he chuckled.

"So the woman, that's true?"

"I swear on all that is holy and the Mother herself," he said and signed.

"Gods... what glyph is it?" she asked and snuck a peek at his chest.

"Not sure. She said something about control and learning to choose my words."

"Have you channeled through it yet?"

"No. Should I?"

"Absolutely!"