Luke steadily adjusted himself. The air was stagnant around him.

Other than the occasional shenanigans of Sooty or Lulu, the chamber was silent. Although the echo from Musai’s steps closing in started to bounce from wall to wall. Luke could taste faint blood in his mouth, with no idea what caused it to appear there.

Musai strode in, holding a book in one hand, multiple pages ripped out, and a dossier in the other. His swords veered with his hips. The metal bottoms of his boots clacked against the stone floor. He handed the dossier to Luke, “Here, youngest leaf, the dossier is a compiled list of professions that would best suit your and the Defier’s needs. We separated them by our experts’ assessment of you.”

Sooty landed on Luke’s shoulder and ogled the dossier curiously. Luke felt puzzled; the rough papyrus and freshly printed smell communicated an accelerated commission or job to make this.

He blinked, “Forgot my manners. Thank you for bringing me this, High Defier Musai. Why, no, how did you get an assessment of me?”

Musai deeply chuckled, “Call me Old Sword or Old Blade, young leaf. Consider me as you would an elder uncle.”

“Old Blade it is then.”

Musai inspected Luke, walking around him, occasionally nodding to himself, “We are often referred to as the tip of the spear for the Defier’s guild. But do not forget the shaft representing thousands of hunters. Their numbers often do easily what we few cannot.” Musai paused momentarily and pointed to himself, “Every hunter is bound to a degree to assist us. A single sentence from me and any hunter who has interacted with you revealed all they knew about you.” He glanced at Luke’s sternum, “Yes, even that.”

Knew one of those lot wouldn’t keep their mouth shut. Who was it? Cassandra’s group or the fanatic druid? The intimidation lasted what, less than half a day? The Spectral Heart had to take its sweet time. Absorbed in his thoughts, Luke fell mute.

The High Defier pushed past Luke’s lack of response, “Before you open that, it would behoove you to hear what I am to read aloud. Do you know what this is?” Musai held the book up before Luke; it was bound in abyssal black leather, and runes took place for its title.

Luke shook his head, “I can’t read the runes, Old Blade.” He experienced discomfort using that term but would rather appease the man before him. Every cell in his body communicated utter dread toward High Defier Musai.

“It is the Sin class book. Originally printed to a total of seven pages. Written by an unknown author. As four legacies have been lost, four pages were ripped by the streams of time. But three remain. One, in particular, may interest you; pay heed, young leaf.”

Gulping from Musai’s increasingly intense stare, Luke put the dossier into a pocket, “You have my full attention. I’ll skim over this later.”

“Good, let’s begin, Iona; you may stay if you wish.”

“Not like I’ve got anything better to do at the moment. I’ll stick around for a little longer.” The elf leaned against a stone wall and crossed her legs and arms. Lulu flew back over to her Beastmaster and perched on the ground.

Musai wet his lips, and opened the book and read the runes; he spoke in a booming voice, an energy glinting in his eyes, “Sin of Greed: The Essence Reaver.”

Ba-dump, Ba-dump, Ba-dump. Luke’s heart pounded, and his palms sweat. Dilation expanded his pupils.

This can’t be what I think it is, right? Where did I go wrong? Why can I never hide a thing?

Aware of Luke’s obvious bodily reaction, Musai spoke in the same voice, “You have nothing to fear from us, nor any reason to hide something to be proud of. Young leaf, the silent majority have been waiting a long time for you to appear. Sloth has been found, as has Wrath. Finally, Greed has been reborn.” After glancing at Xera, he fixated on Luke’s heart. He said, “Perhaps with the most ideal foundation yet.”

Iona, however, appeared shocked, as if she too were caught unawares. Lulu attempted to mirror her Beastmaster’s expression, much like a child copying their parent. Sooty cocked her head at them and cawed.

Ignoring the external reactions of the other companions and people present, Musai read on, “Progenitor: Mithula Primis. Crimes: Permanent theft and destruction of godly power, sacrilege and murder of multiple dethroned, slaying of the throned god, Taligious. Founded a heretical organization, the Defier’s Guild. Creator of the Defiling Barrier in the….”

Musai listed off feat after feat, half of them incomprehensible to Luke, the other half unbelievable. Taking a deep breath, Musai continued, watching Luke’s reaction in the meanwhile, “Confiscated weaponry: An unholy sword, tome, and wand. Companion unable to be located. Verdict: Shredding of Divine soul, confinement of remains to the depths of the Nightveil minor realm. Crusade declared on the blasphemers’ legacy. All Reavers, henceforth, shall be purged until the end of time.”

Despite Musai’s earlier assurance, Luke dropped to his knees, eyes wide, observing the floor. The rest of what Musai read blocked out by him. Part of him hoped the god-creatures had moved on, this book clearly stated otherwise. The sheer enormity of what came with being a Reaver crashing down on him. He placed his palms out, they shook slightly. He clutched them to get a hold of himself.

No, this is only one more roadblock out of the many I’ve been through before. He gripped his hands so tight blood seeped. Sentence me all you like, I’m not going down without a fight.

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A firm hand brought him back up, brimming with power, Musai spoke, “Reaver Luke, out of the founding four members of our organization, one of their legacies have been exterminated. If it were not for this page remaining, we would’ve thought the same for the legacy of greed. Do you know the last time an Essence Reaver was confirmed here in the Edgelands?”

Searching through his memories and experiences with Xera, Luke said, “A decade? Couldn’t be too long, Xera spoke of the several Reavers she’s been wielded by.”

“While I do not doubt your weapon’s memory, if she speaks the truth, perhaps most fledgling Reavers have died before they could be discovered. It has not been a decade young leaf. It has been over a century.”

Musai turned around, facing Iona. The she-elf kept her exaggerated expression, “Iona, compose yourself. Rather than remain astounded, consult with Tanniv, Eldacar, and Annika. We will prepare and research the measures required to conceal Defier Luke’s nature. Go now.”

Iona snapped to, oddly saluted, perhaps out of nervousness, and left the chamber. She forgot Lulu in her zeal. The owl blinked a few times but flew after Iona once the dust settled.

“Was there a need for her to look at me as if I were an exotic animal?” Luke said.

A smirk crept up on Musai’s face, “The person she admires is your progenitor, the most powerful woman to originate from one of the four races. Forgive her lack of composure.”

Luke stabilized his stance, “I’d freak out too if I met the daughter or son of my idol. That’s effectively what I am, from the looks of it.”

“From a certain perspective, you’re correct. You’ll need to decide if you have what it takes to fight against gods and their servants, Defier Luke.”

Fight against gods? The thought rumbled around Luke’s mind.

“How did you figure it out? That I’m a Reaver, I mean. I kept back quite a bit, lied about my class, and concealed my abilities where I could. It’s frustrating to be seen through so easily.”

Musai took out his left blade and pointed it at the mural above them in the chamber; Luke observed that section of the Mural. A hooded figure pierced their sword through the head of a lich-like creature sitting on a throne. Her other hand gripped around a phylactery.

Placing his shorter sword back in its sheath, Musai elucidated Luke, “My years are not meaningless. These old eyes have not gone blind. With experience, they’ve seen more than you can imagine. The gift the First Reaver left within you, the experiences described in that dossier,” Musai gestured with his index finger to Luke’s pocket, “They all color a portrait. The silver glow from Infusion, an ability given to all Reavers, is not a dead giveaway. But being able to gift that ability to your weapons, yourself, and your companion simultaneously, is.”

In the end, Infusion gave me away. Do spell swords only apply their magic to their swords or shoot it out of their hands? Visibly applying it to Sooty must’ve erased any vestiges of doubt.

“Fine, I was naive to think hiding many secrets at once could work out.” He stole a look at Xera, “Especially when one of them likes to talk or have inconvenient outbursts.”

Xera spoke, “You know you can’t live without me. Who else would slice off heads and blast monsters so well for you?”

“In a way, you’re right, but don’t get self-absorbed in that. Wayfinder, you may as well speak too. If Musai can see I’m a Reaver, he knows about you.” Luke walked around to decompress. Sooty jumped down and hopped over to Musai, curiously inspecting him.

“Take care of the lad well, grandmaster swordsman. The tyke can be thick-headed at times, but he’s got a hellish will within him.” Wayfinder said.

Musai walked to the nearest pillar but waited on Luke; as he moved, he said, “Forgotten Numbered, you don’t need to sell the importance of that young leaf to me. Guide him when I cannot.”

Wayfinder shook from Luke’s neck, “Me gears are workin’ on it. I owe the lad too great a debt to leave him for dead now that the situation’s clear to him.”

Luke looked up while walking to enjoy the mural above him. With further inspection, the art piece focused on four figures, each slaying gigantic monsters, beasts, and creatures. The tora roared, the monic fired legions of arrows, the elf summoned a Fae army, and the First Reaver beheaded multiple beings in a single swing. A white drake flew beside her.

Detracting himself from the external stimulation, he began to think.

These Defiers learned everything: the artifacts, my class, even the Spectral Heart. I can’t feel any hostile intent from them. If anything, Musai is looking at me like a treasure showed up at his door.

He kicked his foot against a platform step leading up to the yellow circle in the chamber’s center. Sooty appeared to be attempting her version of a conversation with Musai, using various coos, clicks, caws, and rattles.

Once Musai retrieved pieces of dried fruit, she became more ‘talkative.’ Smiling at her carefree nature, Luke deliberated further.

If I can’t trust these people, then who can I trust? Surviving against creatures that can send their lackeys to raze kingdoms is beyond me. I need their help, and they have one of the same goals as I do.

Standing still, Luke turned his head to Musai. They were only a few feet apart at this position, “I’ve decided to trust you, but how do I know that all eight of you are against the god-creatures too?”

Musai revealed his left hand, the palm facing him; Luke saw a black-lined pentagram with a yellow mark in the center around red dots, “This mark. As long as a Defier can show you this mark, you know they stand against the gluttonous gods. Free from their influence. This mark will dissolve if one ever turns against their brothers and sisters.”

“About as much as I can ask for. Can I have time to clear my head?”

The sword master appeared to have expected that reaction. He began to exit the chamber. “If you decide to travel this path to the end, Defier Luke, come see me. I will help mold you into someone who fears no god.”

Luke watched as Musai left the chamber. He plopped down against a nearby pillar. He enjoyed the air and the relaxed feel of the stone around him. Sooty landed next to him.

“I shouldn’t have to ask, but I will anyway. Sooty, it turns out this class is marked for death. Are you with me?”

Sooty released a resolute caw, judging Luke with her eyes as if asking: How could you believe otherwise?

“Glad to hear it. Hopefully, me finding or searching for Dad doesn’t put him in danger. I’d hate to implicate him.”

Wayfinder vibrated slightly, “I’ve not met your da, Luke. But if he’s managed to raise someone like you, he’d not back away. He’d pay any price if that’s what it took to see his little runt. Before you ask, this changes nothing, lad. You’ve got me needle and power to use as you need. This old compass is tougher than ‘holy’ busybodies.”

Pay any price, huh? That’s exactly what I thought about a year ago.

Luke palmed the floor, scratching with his nails subconsciously, “And you, Xera? I can’t promise we’ll manage for long. Will you fight with me?”

Xera spoke with excited desire, “You know I begged to fight one of those Diplomats from the start. Why not go all the way? Let’s slice up monsters and blast beasts to the top, Luke. Sword-wands shall reign over all!”

With his team’s intention each made clear, Luke brought essence to his right hand once more. As the power fluctuated around his palm, he infused it with frost, and white ice grew across his arm. He felt the Spectral Heart thump within him. The silence in the chamber invited resolution.

“I will do whatever it takes to carve my place in this world. Gods be damned.”