Luke waited, the two ceased all arguments upon hearing his voice. Both sides were unsure how to start speaking to one another again.

He did tell them to speak only if spoken to. With both artifacts uncharacteristically mute, Luke figured they remembered his command. More afraid of what would happen if they didn’t listen to him again.

The arid ground and rough wind painted an orange-red landscape. A dim crimson sun shone through the newly appeared gray-tinged clouds. Shuffling around the dry land with his boots, Luke followed his moral compass come what may.

Swallowing his pride, Luke began with an apology. “Sorry, you two. Everyone has their own considerations. Blowing my top on both of you was foolish. I’m not going to ask for forgiveness. Instead, I want to ask for your help.”

Xera tentatively asked, “Does this mean we can speak now?”

“Yes, Xera, forget about what I said when I was too angry to think straight. I’m not going to command obedience like an edge lord.” Glancing at Wayfinder, he said, “The way you two speak to me reminds me of some people I’d rather forget. Add in that my heart is nearly done, and I can’t trust my sword wand to sword when it’s time to sword and wand when it’s time to wand. Yes, I grew upset.”

A few repressed memories surfaced quickly. Luke pushed them back down just as fast.

Pick up the gun, maggot.

Those recruits died because of you.

Times are so dire they even let an idiot like you in.

Xera had gained permission, yet she didn’t know what to say. Wayfinder took over the conversation, “Ai lad, the wand sword, and I have been having a bout of words for quite the while. It made me see some of our issues as a group. But, just as much, me own bad habits.”

Luke scratched his face, waiting for Wayfinder to complete his view.

“If I lived this long, yet I couldn’t bring meself to admit me faults, what use would it be? This old compass has scars of his own. Do you know how I got in this cave, paired with me fishy friend?”

The question seemed rhetorical to Luke, so he didn’t answer, letting Wayfinder say his piece.

“Me last bearer threw me away in that pond you found me in. Said I wasn’t powerful enough for his goals. That ungrateful lout would’ve died many times over had he not met me, yet he tossed me, like some strange curiosity. That pond was me new home for centuries or longer now; I’ve lost track.”

“Couldn’t he just keep you and get another powerful artifact? What’s the point in getting rid of you like that?” Luke said.

“It has to do with this world's asinine rules, lad. I’ve referred to myself as a numbered artifact. There’s roughly 100 of us.” Wayfinder’s voice concealed emotion, “Some are no doubt more powerful than some old compass. Not to mention, I need plenty of experience to grow into something worthy of my title.”

“That still doesn’t explain it.”

“I’m gettin’ there, let an old compass talk. I’ll mellow out after I get it all off me chest. You see, choosing me is a commitment. If you wear me, you can’t wear any other numbered artifact. No matter if it's the 1st ranked artifact or the 91st, you can only wear or use one.”

“What about Xera? Isn’t she an artifact?”

“Aye, but not a numbered one. She’s bound to your class. Considering the rules around artifacts, you’re likely never able to use another sides’ the two of us. All artifacts are either numbered, like me, or class-bound, like the lass. It’s possible there’s another Reaver-made one, but I doubt it. Most classes don’t have one, let alone two.”

“Ha, I think a third would ruin my brain by now,” Luke commented.

“There’s danger too, lad. I didn’t say, ‘cause you’re my only ticket out of this ride, but plenty would kill you to take me out in the wider world.”

Luke took that in stride. Powerful items always had others after them. He was no different so far.

“Mm, kill me? Not just steal you away?” Remembering the tooltip of Xera, an answer came to Luke, “You must be soul-bound now, like Xera.”

“You’re picking up quick, lad. That will serve you well once we get out of here. Anyway, I know me and wand sword lass arguing constantly is part of the kerfuffle we’re in. I’ll keep to me gears, at least until we’ve escaped this damned place. You have me word.”

Luke would take it, that resolution of Wayfinder was a start, even if it didn’t fix the deep-rooted issues his group formed. One step at a time. That was the only way to keep facing the challenges of life.

Feeling like Wayfinder had said what he needed to, Luke spoke to Xera next. “And you, Xera, anything you want to say? I’ll need you at your best if we’re going to get out of here.”

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“I only thought about what was the most fun or entertaining. But I never meant it as anything bad to you! I guess part of me had given up ever leaving here, with you being my seventh Reaver. But I changed my mind. We’re breaking out of this place, no matter what. I’ll not be picky on what form to take anymore, I promise! ”

Then, Luke heard another barely audible sentence.

“…And I’m sorry.”

Having just apologized, he knew how hard it could be so that that attempt would pay its dues for now. Not that he had spare time to pry more out of these two artifacts. They needed him, and he needed them. That’s all that mattered for now.

Luke walked over to his two talking companions. Both sides were in the wrong, so he’d let bygones be bygones. Men were made, and this was one step in the process. He wore Wayfinder around his neck once more.

And Xera took her rightful place back in his right hand. Once they reunited with Sooty, the team would return better than ever.

“Before we go, I’ve got a question or two. The first isn’t addressed to either of you specifically, so I’ll ask you both.”

“Does the resource a class uses ever change? Ever since that lich mirror realm, more of my essence has been mixed with frost. At this rate, it’ll all be ice-focused eventually.”

Xera was the first to answer, almost racing to do so. “Oh! My second Reaver had the same thing happen to him! What was his name again… fire boy?” Xera struggled to remember, “Anyway, he already had an element added to his essence by the time he found me. If he hadn’t been so dismissive about his companion and me, I think he would’ve gone further than my sixth Reaver.”

Gazing out into the blazing land, Luke caught something in Xera’s words.

“Go further, not beat the Spectral Lord?”

“I don’t know,” Xera said.

Wayfinder tactfully gave his knowledge, “You’ve started to undergo elementalization lad. It’s uncommon to see this early on, as most combat types never reach that stage, but it’s not surprising either. At least not here, in a trial.”

“Ok, so I’m not becoming a mutant or something. Good to know.”

Luke began to make his way out of the Infernal Realm. The trio talked as he walked.

As an afterthought, Wayfinder added, “Some elements are harder to adjust to than others, careful lad, those with frost have managed to freeze themselves to death if they don’t give their body enough time to adapt.”

“As for the other question, Xera, did any of the Reaver’s companions have something similar happen to them?”

“Something similar? Meaning what?” Xera said.

“As in, did they gain an element of their own?”

“Nope! Why?”

“Sooty has started using some sort of shadow in her abilities and even her normal attacks.”

“That’s so interesting! I want to see already. C’mon, let’s go.”

Giving a moment to Wayfinder, the compass didn’t add anything else. Neither of them had experience with Sooty’s situation.

Luke thought I’ll take it as a good sign.

He reached the exit out of this mirror realm, squatting to feel the soil one last time. He stood up and left.

As Luke’s feet touched the stone floor, Sooty let out a click behind him. More of her way to let him know she was there. The crow landed on his left shoulder. She pecked at Wayfinder before letting out a caw at Xera, who was too far for her beak to reach.

“Did you enjoy your relaxing roost on the crystal, Sooty?” Luke said. Strangely, both the artifacts accepted Sooty’s treatment without a word. Sooty was preparing to keep the two in line. At least, that’s how Luke interpreted her actions.

Sooty rubbed her body against the side of Luke’s face. He’d take that as a yes. Luke enjoyed the slightly cold air once more. He was beginning to like cold places.

“You two going to say hi back to Sooty?” Luke asked.

“Aye, nice to see you again, feathered clatter trap.” Wayfinder acquiesced.

“Hi Sooty! Sorry if I yelled at you a bunch when you threw us into that hot place. Let’s work together again.” Xera was nominally cheerful.

“Let’s get down to business then. Sooty and I cleared out the remaining gray crystals. A black mirror formed, shattering all other mirrors except the fifth set of the five rows. By my guess, Xera, you’re required to enter it.”

“What makes you say that, Luke?”

“There’s a slot right beside it that fits your wand form perfectly. Unlike the other mirrors, it won’t shatter when I look at it,” Luke said.

“That’s as good a reason as any. We explore it then,” Xera said.

The reunited party made its way toward the black mirror. Luke spread Infusion across Sooty and Xera. Then, he cast Essence Bond over Xera on instinct. Blue runes pulsed across her as he did so.

“No need to worry about the Leviathans or Siege Beasts anymore. As you can guess, they shattered as well.”

“Aye, that’d be for the best. Those nasty horrors of the depths have no business in a low-end trial like this one. The wall breakers could’ve been a good way to sharpen you up. The other mirrors will do that for us then.”

Wayfinder had a similar opinion to Luke on the matter.

Taking a few steps, Luke found his reflection in the black mirror again. A muted smirk hung on his face. There was energy to his steps, purpose, and progress kept his mood up.

Transferring Essence to Xera, the sword wand shifted back to her wand form. A noticeably icy mist radiated out from her. Placing the wand into the presented slot, the black mirror began to rumble.

As cracks slowly began to form, Luke took Xera back out of the slot. The condition had been activated, so the mirror continued to break apart. While Luke could see his reflection, he couldn’t see what was hiding behind the mirror—a trade-off.

He kept Xera in wand form for now, ready to cast at a moment’s notice. Her ruinous echo passive had always been helpful. Frost swirled around the wand head especially, forming a contained circular globe.

The black pieces of glass fell onto the white-red stone floor. A dark miasma invited Luke in, but no monsters came out. Letting the black and gray wisps gather around his feet, Luke tried to peer in.

Even with the vision stat of Wayfinder returning and essence flowing to his eyes, there was only an impenetrable wall of black before him. Releasing air, he accepted the only way to find out was to go in, uninformed this time.

It wasn’t like he could refuse to go after what this mirror held. Or rather, doing so would be an utterly ignorant thing to do. Luke wouldn’t say he was the sharpest tool in the shed, but he at least tried to think about his situation when possible.

Taking Whispering Edge out, on account of Xera being kept in wand form, Luke boldly pressed into the unknown. A feeling of weightlessness enveloped Luke, and Sooty tightened her talons against his shoulder. Her nails managed to bunch up more of Luke’s clothing.

Luke felt he needed something over his shoulders already. It would give Sooty a better seat and fewer scratch marks on his shoulder. Everyone’s happy. Luke’s body found solid ground. Once his eyes adjusted to the dim light, the young man couldn’t help but utter a few words.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

Around Luke was a veritable sea of monsters, their hungry eyes focused on the new arrival.