As more time passed Kaden noticed some peculiar matters about Nosran. To understand the man better, Kaden had tried to find what god he worships. He expected it to be one of those many death gods, but he was not able to even find altar or any sign of worship. This kind of raised Kaden's opinion of Nosran.

He did understand Nosran probably required a god to cultivate mana. Thats just human weakness. At any rate, he decided to ask.

"Hmmm, due to certain reasons, I worship an extremely minor god", Nosran muttered as he was stitching together a meat construct after Kaden brought in some prepared body parts. "Very minor god. I know of no other worshippers. Necra. It's pretty personal matter."

Kaden had never heard of a god named 'Necra', but death gods usually had names like 'Mortis' or something like this god Nosran worshipped. Nosran did kind of pass over the matter of the god rather quickly. Kaden was not going to press on the matter. Having weak god usually meant they could purify less mana for you. With exception that the god was specifically matching for your needs. For stronger gods such thing didn't even matter, but minor gods usually stayed minor because no one wanted to worship a god that didn't benefit them any way. In Kaden's opinion none of the gods gave anything worthwhile.

"Speaking of which", Nosran continued as he examined his work a bit. "I haven't seen you perform any worship."

Kaden frowned, but then smiled. He had a perfect excuse.

"I used to worship Jorn", Kaden explained. "Does it surprise you that someone like me worships such a god?"

Nosran didn't say anything or look to have any particular reactions, but he did keep eye contact with Kaden rather than continue his work.

"As it happens, my belief is under presure", Kaden continued assuming Nosran was waiting for it. "My commanding officer in the Saint Empire military intruduced me to Jorn. Yet, recently, he saw fit to try kill me. My current wounds are from that encounter. This he did because he likely felt I had something to do with one of his old friends death. That friend having been exposed as a cultist too. His life was already forfeit and even if I did have something to do with it, my actions should have been commendable. To bring an evil cultist to justice, right. Yet, the man, who introduced me to Jorn and was a devout worshipper, saw fit to attack me for performing work of justice."

Kaden said nothing for a moment as he picked up another piece of meat to hand to Nosran, who said nothing either.

"Is justice so feeble concept that a devout worshipper of Jorn may throw it to the winds for personal reasons?" Kaden continued. It was his goal, even if just a bit, to smear the entire idea of Jorn's worship. In fact, he felt pretty good for doing so.

Even if the situation of how Erral's doom unfolded, was his doing, Erral was still, in Kaden's opinion, at fault of being part of buthering of innocent villagers such as those from Dashire, that had been thrown agains him. Not that Kaden cared much trying to explain that to himself. Justice in itself was, as he said, feeble concept. There was no point dwelling on it.

"So, at this time, I do not know what god I should truly worship", Kaden said to Nosran.

Nosran was nodding quietly as he inserted some enhanced organs into the construct and filled it with noxious alchemical fluids.

With that Kaden could explain his actions and he didn't feel like prying on Nosran's. At any rate, Kaden felt that Nosran was pretty close as it gets to being a fellow rejector of gods. It didn't matter to Kaden why Nosran chose such a path. It might even be the reason why he hangs out at the far edges of human territory in middle of nowhere. That or it was due to his profession as a necromancer. Even if his assumption was wrong, there was no way Nosran was a very religious person.

There were some details that came a bit later into Kaden's mind and with them a question. Was it a coincidence that the last few people with tendencies to ignore gods to some extent came from Brit?

Supposedly such people were rare. People needed gods to cultivate mana so who would try to ignore them? Then there suddenly was Emina, a half elf, whose people lived on Brit.

Sure they had their problems with both saints and Sacronan and their religions, but Kaden knew they worshipped their own set of gods that apparently both sides barely agreed to allow. Then there was Nosran.

"I think its because both churches mostly ignore this place", Kaden determined. "They have their concerns on the mainland. If one side eventually falls, Brit is easy to conquer. Therefore people who live here have their own minor gods that don't probably have the power to demand as much worship."

It was a curious matter to Kaden. Would it be a good idea to settle down on Brit at some point? To be as far as possible from the influence of gods while he plotted the demise of those who just had to die?

"I'll keep this in my mind", Kaden thought to himself. "It will have to be much later, if ever. I can't settle down yet. There is too much work to do."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

It wasn't all work and learning for Kaden. It was about six months after Kaden came to Brit that he finally met Emina again. She came to Nosran's place. It seemed Nosran had contacted the elves at some point and Emina had decided to answer.

Kaden wondered for a moment what Emina had been doing in between, but decided it probably didn't matter.

"Of course you would hang out with this guy", Emina told Kaden as they sat down to talk. Nosran was down at the lab. "Elders in my village have said to not cause problems with our neighbor and I take that suggestion seriously."

"Nosran is a sensible person", Kaden replied. It was the truth in Kaden's opinion.

"Whatever...", Emina said. "I assume you have seen Sacronan's people at the remnant location?"

"Obviously", Kaden replied. "They got there first and neither you or I have the ability to get past them. I have even considered simply letting them have it. I could contact saints, but I'm not ready to do that yet."

Emina didn't show much of reaction.

"Sacronan has a fortified base at the western shores", Emina told Kaden and even showed the place on the map. "My people usually keep eye on stuff like that and we know they are brinning some heavy materials that they are hauling right here at the remnant."

"It's probably inaccessible and they haven't been able to get in", Kaden replied. He could easily tell what was going on. "Considering the time they have been beating their heads against whatever blocks their path, they have finally decided to break in forcibly. I don't see how this changes mine or yours objectives. This is all to be expected. You aren't planning to have your people butchered by trying to sabotage things and attract their ire, right? When was the last time elves were culled by one of the empires? Anyway, keep me out of that. I have no intention of commiting suicide."

"We could use your connections to Saint Empire", Emina finally decided to get to the point. She wanted to convince Kaden. "Why are you letting Sacronan have their way when you have an easy way to put an end to it?"

Kaden smiled.

"Saints are just means to an end", Kaden said matter of factly. Emina wasn't going to say anything to anyone. Kaden knew her secrets. With what he knew, either of the churches would come do one of the previously mentioned 'culling'. Elves and churches didn't get along. Then again, elves in general prefered to stay away from rest of the humanity. "There is no loyalty, duty or anything idiotic like that involved. There are no benefits for me other than the pleasure of watching Sacronan's people get butchered. To begin with, I have my own problems to deal with right now and Nosran offers me good work and actual benefits for it."

"Benefits?" Emina said. She seemed somewhat annoyed. "What do you need?"

"I'm already getting everything I need by working with Nosran", Kaden pointed out. "Even if elves give me a better deal, I'm already commited and, despite everything, I have certain sense of pride. I have made a deal that I intended to keep, so I will keep it."

"What of our plan to explore that remnant", Emina didn't give up. "Both empires and their churches are interested in these remnants."

Kaden had expected this. There was something strange the way churches were interested in some remnants. It was most likely a slip from Emina, but the way she worded it, suggested that there were even more of them. He couldn't deny that his curiosity had been sparked. Did the elves know?

"Exploring this remnant is probably impossible. You should understand this too. So what is the elves interest in all this anyway?" Kaden decided to ask. "The church will, yet again, easily butcher your people, if they think you got something they want or had any connection to any mishaps they might have had along the way."

"I can't tell you that", Emina told Kaden.

"Well... I can imagine your people feel it will result in their safety", Kaden continued. "Or will never anger churches to begin with."

That was pretty sensible reason. Elves were like a beaten dog. Perhaps only a half elf like Emina could go about in human territories without suffering any consequences for it and that was because her elf features were barely noticeable. It was likely she was working as their agent and go where rest of them couldn't. If the elves could arrange themselves some kind of protection, they would go pretty far. If Emina wasn't going to speak of it, Kaden assumed his logic was, at least to some extent, true.

The felt they needed to stop Sacronan, but would Saint Empire be any better? Perhaps they were hoping to get what they needed in the chaos?

"No", Kaden told Emina. "Whatever benefits elves have and what I could gain on the side, I still cannot act. Things happened after we parted. Nor will I gain much of this."

"But...", Emina started, but was then interrupted by Kaden.

"Yes, there is a 'but' in this", Kaden explained. "I am very curious. I will complete my work with Nosran, but once that is completed, should a chance occur, I will help you. So hope you are lucky and Sacronan nor Saint Empire manage to get into the remnant before that."

Protection would require power. Kaden wanted that power. Weapon? Knowledge? Artifact? Whatever it was, if it could protect entire population of people, it would surely protect one, that being Kaden himself. If possible, he would kill Emina and take whatever it was for himself. Elves could rot as far as he cared. If it wasn't anything he could simply take, he could gain favor from the elves. They being opposed to the church and empires, it could be useful some day.

Yet, he wanted the black fragments from Nosran even more. Not to mention the things he was able to learn of necromancy and the sort of knowledge Nosran had in his personal collection of books and crystals. Those were things that were already going to be in his reach. He wouldn't throw that away for some questionable gain.

"If you feel like this isn't acceptable, you can always contact saints yourself", Kaden pointed out. "You can still pretend to be a member of that mercenary group that was annihilated at the remnant. Then hope that saints don't bother checking who you are and your background. I'm not sure how far they would trust a half elf. Also hope that drawing attention to your people won't end up badly."

That was probably why Emina needed Kaden.

"Hehe, that would also reveal to saints that elves have interest in this and you would likely be conscripted to help and you would gain nothing", Kaden still decided to add. "It seems to me that unless you find someone else who can do same as me for you, you have no chance but to wait and hope luck is on your side."

Emina looked unhappy. Kaden didn't really care, if he would lose Emina's potential help in all this, but he was pretty sure Emina and the elves behind her orders would understand that he had his circumstances. It was just business.