Corvayne opened an eye, then closed it.

He took a deep breath, freezing air waking him up even as he tried to fall back asleep. He then opened his eye again, seeing that Lady Blood Claw had fallen asleep sitting in the folding chair, wrapped in blankets. Her squid was asleep on her lap, looking cozy in its knitted cap. They had been up working on their project and going over plans to leave. He had been meaning to leave his tent the previous day, and did for a few minutes here and there, but the painting and Bell implying he was painting from the distant past got him caught in thinking about himself and he ended up sort of just laying there. It felt like he had always strained to not stop, and suddenly he didn't want to move. Only for a moment. A spear moves forward. He had work to do. A quest to finish. His curse wouldn't fix itself.

Corvayne heard Lady Blood Claw gently snore and snort a little, and tried to smile as he thought of his friends rather than his heart aching, then covered his face and felt his tears go from hot to cold as they ran down his face.

Something ripped his tent flap open and with a flood of light kicked his foot hard.

Nyx cheerfully called out, “Uppy uppy you lummox! It's been a day moping! Cmon! Those assassins who followed you home are worried, you have drake riders who have been trying to find your tent for hours, and you need to rescue Bell from the reinforcements the Empire finally sent! Not to mention you've been hogging MY heavy!” A gauntlet clad hand whipped up to point at LBC who was somehow still asleep.

Corvayne forced himself to use Vitality and rolled over. “Hate me all you want. I want a day off.”

“You know, most people would kill to have as many ladies as you had hanging on you. And I don't hate you, that sick fucker Von Gronszvert was going to marry and eat my sister. I can't believe HE was here. And you killed him! You know that's what I owed Wick for, right? She warned me about him.”

Corvayne blinked. “If we have to do this again, I'll save that lava knife for him.”

Nyx perked up at that, “There's the spite I've always wanted to see in you!” then offered a hand to stand.

Corvayne let himself get helped up, then turned but had Nyx put an arm around him. “Right. Let LBC sleep, we got things to do!”

The camp had changed in the twenty four hours since he holed up to mope and paint and plan. Whereas it had been just him and one or two of his friends on the rise, now black tents lined his high point. The novice assassins had woken before him, sharping blades and building fires to heat either tea or brew poisons, as well as tending to wounds they got helping him get out of the camp. There was also a pink tent he spotted in the sea of black cloth that almost looked like it was slowly creeping towards his own. Down the rise he could see some of The Raven's former prisoners were also there. Namely the elf and a few of the girls fishing near Mister I.

Nyx snapped twice. “Ahem! Corvayne needs freshening!”

A hand lifted a steaming towel into his vision. Corvayne blinked. It was the old man who had been acting as The Raven's valet. Impressive that he erased his presence so well.

“Oh. Thanks. It won't explode, will it?”

The fellow smiled at the joke and patted Corvayne's shoulder, then after Corvayne had rubbed his face, the man held up a razor with a questioning look.

Nyx dabbed some foam on his own neck, and the man started shaving the noble. It should have been insane to let a stranger with a razor at ones neck, as much as doing any grooming with a pack of those wyvern-linked riders staring at them, but he also had a gut feeling the man was safe and he trusted his instincts. Instead, he just took a moment to enjoy the hot towel. It was hardly two minutes before the man had finished shaving Nyx's face and neck clean. The man turned to Corvayne then.

“You don't have to uhh... serve me. Let's have breakfast. Did you take a vow of silence like Grunt?”

The man shook his head. “No, if I speak too much I can't listen.”

Corvayne nodded. “Then you don't need to speak unless you want to. That's fine. Err, do you have a home you want to go back to, or a family?”

Corvayne got 'No' from the look. A hint of something else. [[Understanding]] sort of told him to leave it alone.

“Okay. No nest egg or anything buried under a floorboard?”

“Raven took it all.”

Well, that explained why he killed him. Corvayne gently took the razor from the man and started scraping his stubble, careful not to damage the blade on his tough skin. “Why did you work for him then?”

“Least bad choice. I'm Rupert, sir.” The older man coughed.

“What's your nam- ah. Well played.” Corvayne said, realizing that the predicted question had been answered as he was asking it. The man certainly had timing down.

One of the assassins, the one who looked the most assassin-like by Corvayne's standards of what he visualized non-Watcher assassins to look like, sauntered up to him hands on his belt, then bowed deeply. “Shadow, greetings from the dark camp.”

Corvayne stopped. “Is that what they are calling our camp now?” He looked over at Nyx.

The assassin saw this and looked a little worried, his face puckering up. “Is that not to your liking, Shadow on High?”

His mind instantly assigned this man to the 'Gary' category. “You're being sort of edgy with the names, but I won't stop you aside from saying what you want. I'd rather be just Corvayne. I'm also confused...”

The man straightened up again. “We watched over you during your repose, as requested by The Ogre.”

Corvayne thought about that. It explained why Lady Blood Claw chose to sleep in his tent. Watching the watchers. “What about the Sky-Guys?”

The assassin glanced back at the fishing pond, where about ten of the fliers were using weird long straws to drink without dismounting. “I am not sure. But, they surrendered and Undine The Death Witch had them swear themselves in service to you.”

Corvayne stopped in his tracks. “What? Wait. Why?”

“Because she likes flying?” Nyx guessed. “Why look a gift monster in the mandibles?”

“It makes no sense. I killed so many of them.” Corvayne guessed that between all of them hundreds had died, and he had slew at least twenty himself.

The assassin shook his head. “You must see it from their perspective. They prize those skilled with lances. And your method of fighting.... most of the kills were the best death they could ask for, slicing the link as to kill rider and mount at the same time. They also recognized the killing aura around your pet spider-”

Corvayne held a hand up. “Growl-Whine is not a pet. Heck, she's been training me in stealth.”

The man's neck cracked a little he snapped look in the direction where Growl-Whine rested, a large tent Hari had set up for her. He turned halfway back, eyes still locked in that direction. “Do you think she would accept another pupil?”

Corvayne had no idea and really wanted to dispense with people acting like he was in charge. “No idea mister...”

“Grim.” The assassin held out his hand. “Assassins don't choose their own working names.”

“Nice to meet you, again, Grim.” Corvayne looked him straight in the eye and shook the hand without comment. The man stood up a little straighter and had a hint of smile. Perhaps bad name camaraderie was real. Or he was just happy that Corvayne was in a good mood?

Nyx lead the way to breakfast over at the main tent, which had expanded to be a sort of long covered hall. It made him wonder how much camping gear they were pulling out of The Source, or if there was just a lot of canvas gear in their raids for Mosh to recycle. Out in front of the tent he spotted the standard he had replaced The Raven's with, a red banner with a white elephant holding a white thunderbolt in its trunk. In the other direction a camp with numerous tents had grown out of where their truck, The Juggernaut, was parked. The larger camp with orderly rows was impressive even before he saw that behind the ridge was a full army, a good third of which were riding horses and carts laden with gear and kicking up dirt.

Inside the now massive tent, Bell was sitting near a table where a man with a lot of decorations on his armor was pointing at the map. Corvayne came up and he saw a dash of relief cross her face, which meant some of her stress was about to transfer to him.

She stood and gestured. “General Corvayne was instrumental in our victory and has more details on the enemy and the state of their camp.” His [[Understanding]] kicked in here giving him a clear picture of how Bell wanted to be anywhere else but responsibility. He had figured she'd like to be the center of praise, at least before a grueling two months of fighting.

Corvayne internally shrugged and mimicked the sort of expression the general had, aiming to seem like he was also a peer. He scratched at his chin, moved his lips around as if he was thinking or tasting something he couldn't determine was fresh or foul. Then, the decisive finger jab onto the map, moving as he made something up on the spot. “With the Raven dead and a number of his elite forces in our pocket, I expect the next set of challenges will be herding the scattered army here before it forms around a leader, then driving them to retreat to Osteria through the wall, then reclaiming the gap to put a bottle on further incursions. I intend to give your men the honor of opening this campaign, as we're taking stock and regrouping. After all, we spent some serious resources to defeat him, and we can't hold territory with our numbers.”

He was sure this was technically true in some way, even if they also pulled insane wealth out of the Source whenever they dove into it AND he was pretty sure they could clean out the bandits given a few months. Even with all that B.S, the man looked impressed and Bell looked happy to have a chance to not talk, so Corvayne kept going, aiming to keep them from getting too entangled with what might be a collapsing Empire, even as part of his own mind knew that dune worm had burrowed.

“We can't police or patrol for the empire, nor would we want to claim any other land but this patch we are on.” Every time he said we, Corvayne was quietly hoping the man would understand that Corvayne was not interested in cleaning up The Raven's mess. He did not want to commit his friends to more than they had already done. Nor himself, given he was about to slip away.

Stolen novel; please report.

The general looked at his staff, then Corvayne. “Oh well, I'm sure we can award this old heap to you. I'm somewhat surprised that you're not pushing for Bell to be the new governor of Ebolt. Or a joint rule?” He said, searching for something on their side of the table. He coughed. “Between you two, I was prepared for a... more ambitious discussion.”

Corvayne looked over at Bell and caught a faint shake of her head. “I'm an adventurer first and foremost. I let her handle the politics, and given The Empire needs strength, she'd rather be free to hunt and head off the next big threat.”

Bell nodded. “I need power. The Raven will not be the last threat like that.” While she was looking somewhat in the general's direction, she was also looking at him. Training? Better yet, drag her through a tower, show her how to do it, and let her go save her own empire.

“It was always the plan to show you more. Assuming you don't have pressing duty.” That, and he felt like the locals would figure out The Tower in a few weeks if he didn't.

Bell shot to her feet. “There is nothing more important right now!” She sounded angry again, which confused Corvayne as she had shed so much of that simmering rage in the last few weeks.

Corvayne looked over at the general and felt his eyes narrow because the man looked pleased with something that had happened. He tried to look over at Bell's face to get more clues why her blowing up would make him happy, but his vexing imperial princess charge had schooled her face. How did his friends not get mad when he did that himself? He tuned back into the general before him as the man continued speaking, “Well, you've done the empire a tremendous service. From what I understand, it was an all hours campaign on your part, and any rest your group takes will be well earned. I'm sure whatever other rewards you could want, be they material, or position in the army, or perhaps a favor from The Emperor himself... ” He adjusted a ring on his finger nonchalantly. Was he trying to suggest he ask for Bell!? When he darted his eyes over at the Princess, who was glaring at him, then back at the general before him, the man winked once.

Corvayne shook his head. Enough man, Bell probably would shank them both if she had any idea what they were thinking. “I'm good for now. I saw a monster, and I killed it. I also have a duties to attend to that will take me away from camp and possibly the plains.” He rubbed his chin. “Actually... I did had a favor I was going to ask for... The Wanderer. I want to know more about him.”

Nyx snorted. “Good excuse to sneak off there, Corvayne.”

Corvayne felt a rough hand squeeze his, and saw Bell glaring at him. “You will have that. I owe you Corvayne. More than I can repay.” Her tone and words didn't match how intense she looked. A part of Corvayne was very worried, as he felt like he was trying to stare down a roc all of the sudden. Another newer part of him was considering how he WAS currently single and when she wasn't snarling, she wasn't that bad. He gave her a smile.

She looked away, and a glance back saw the imperial officals eyes were bulging. Corvayne felt that there must be something more he didn't understand and that he was walking into trouble, but before he could start to sift through what that was, he heard a small but rough voice cutting through the crowd.

Corvayne glanced between soldiers looking stunned and saw Mosh wiggle between them. “Hey! HEY! Move it! I gotta show Corvayne the shrine!” One of them started to draw a blade but Mosh clamped a hand on it and started waving. “Yeah yeah fella, I'll fix it later.”

Corvayne got between the clueless soldiers and his goblin friend. “Mosh! You must meet General...” he realized he didn't have the man's name.

“Mateo.”

“Great! Nice to meat you Matty. Look Boss, I got something you gotta look at.” Mosh turned and started tugging him.

He let himself get dragged away from the table and the confused imperial general and his equally bewildered staff. “What?”

Outside the tent Mosh's pace slowed. “Easy Boss, I can tell you're getting overwhelmed.” The goblin let go of his hand and gestured. “Besides, I gotta show off what we've been working on!”

Part of the jagged porcupine of black crystal had been sheared off, forming the first hints of a woman holding a shield and hammer. The tools used to make it included a lot of new industrial equipment. There were lifts, carts, projectors of some sort with screens, and what must be cutting tools. They looked like a blue glowing energy loop with an industrial handle, lined up in a cage with cords hooked up to the battery he had pulled out of the fake version of his Watcher town. He was very alarmed that battery was hooked up to anything, but Mosh held up a hand. “Buddy, you think I don't know what that is? Relax.”

“And you used it to make light sabers from that one movie.”

Mosh laughed. “More civilized age my ass, what kinda cop picks the most lethal weapon they can find?! No, no laser weapons. This is your favorite goblin making a tool that works just good enough.”

He got a chance to see one in action, as he heard a very satisfying noise like punching a hole through armor mixed with bacon sizzling. Glancing up where he saw glowing blue chunks of rock dripping to the ground, he saw June on a lift helping carve out the massive form. Every so often, she'd point to the stone after shearing off a chunk, and it would react to her, quivering to help the rough form of the woman emerge.

“In a month, we'll have a really stunning figure of Lythandies. Hari and Seru are working on the elf side of the quest.”

Corvayne frowned. He had to say goodbye to Hari. Even if the letter she had written was... cowardly, it was at least something. At least, unlike Wick, it was sort of a mutal dumping in her case.

“I'll come back and take a look at it.” Corvayne said.

Mosh's ears dropped. “You really going to cut us loose boss?”

“If I don't, it's going to kill Wick.” He adjusted his storage ring where the letter was. “It's not forever, but-” He huffed as the little goblin slammed him with a hug.

“I gotta get you some goodies before you leave!”

“I'm not leaving immediately forever. I have some business with The Source. I'll come back so you can show me some new toys.”

Mosh shook his head. “At least a few things! You're as stubborn as you're tall, ya know?” Corvayne wanted to argue that that was the opposite of what his main problem was, but as Mosh scurried off, June was making her way over to him. At the same time he saw Varia also approching, with her standard sour look.

June went first. “I understand you were the person who changed Mosh, and by extension changed me. I hope your journey goes well.”

It was always hard to remember that she was a sort of lustful washerwoman and party girl when she was a part of the Tower... well he couldn't be sure exactly what Towerfolk were, aside from people. It felt like more and more she seemed natural, though still sometimes she looked confused as to why people did the things they did. In that way, Corvayne understood her all too well.

Varia was more direct. “Listen, I don't like how Mosh calls you Boss all the time and runs around singing your praises, nor do I trust you given how little you give away... BUT... you decided to go out and do good, this time. So don't die, you useless bastard. And you better come back every once in a blue moon, or I'm going to have to follow him all over looking for YOU.”

She punctuated her last point by jabbing a finger into his chest. He gently caught it, to Varia's annoyance. “Okay. I'm sorry I couldn't help you with your romance with Mosh. I'll ask Grunt to shoulder some of that for me.”

For as angry as she always got, watching her go beet red for other reasons was very, very satisfying. He looked around.

“You did good fortifying our camp. I look forward to seeing you continue to master earth magic.”

She rolled her eyes. “Meanwhile, you'll probably have entirely new bullshit the next time I see you. Fine. Have a good journey.”

For her part, June looked a little apologetic. Corvayne just smiled. He hoped Mosh's harem ended better than his did.

Leaving them, he went over to the truck. The spider was buried in the ground, head a sphere of red eyes blinking. A single claw popped up from the ground and wiggled at him, which Corvayne considered a wave. Probably.

“Good to see you too Growl-Whine. No training right now. I might be gone for a while, look after them, right?”

She didn't seem to get it, but it was fine. He waved to Grunt, sitting on top of the truck, bike parked near him.

“Hey buddy, I have to go pretty soon. Maybe for a long while.”

Grunt frowned.

“It's complicated. You see...”

Grunt just nodded, then smiled and tapped his heart once: I got you bro.

Corvayne did the same back, feeling a little choked up. He stepped into the truck, heading down to the workshop where Mosh was rummaging through bins. Corvayne gave him a little room.

Horton was there too, and the man nodded. “I got to watch you pulling off that stunt. The mirror... it's like one of those classic war tales. What else do you have up your sleeve?”

Corvayne shook his head. “I was just going to ask you to help Wick when she gets weird impulses to chase UFOs while I'm gone. Everyone does, I mean, but you are the only person who gets her...”

Horton snorted. “I'd do that even if you didn't ask me. Go do your edge-lord exit. We'll see you when you come back with an eye-patch.”

“Not a bad idea. Thanks.” It was pretty much what anyone got from Horton.

Moving further into the truck, Gary and Shaellee were watching cartoons, curled up in a blanket on the couch.

Gary saw him and looked down at Shallee, who wasn't moving her head away from the screen. “Master, sorry, I'd salute but...”

Corvayne shook his head. “I'm making the rounds because... I have to leave soon, and I don't know if I'm going to have the help she needs.”

Seeing Gary start to tear up and not wanting the man to have to choose, Corvayne had to hold a hand up. He tried to copy his spear instructor Waves-Within, belting out orders. “Pupil! I expect you to start drilling in every weapon you can find! If you wish to copy my style, you must train as I did. Your hands will bleed. But you're tougher than that pain! You stood up The Spider and LIVED. So be strong, and protect your most important things.”

Gary looked down at the girl curled up with him, then back up. “But what about you? You're...”

Was Gary worried about HIM? “I'll be fine. I got business with my own past.”

Shallee looked up, blinking. “It's not fair. You won.”

Corvayne nodded. “I did win. But... sometimes things don't work. Don't look so sad... I'll be back before I set out for the horizon.” He wasn't sure if she or Gary needed to hear that more.

“Corvayne... I know you are wise and everything, but...”

Gary gave him a serious look. “You need to do what other men can't do.”

Protect Wick? Climb The Tower? Undo his curse? Find The Watchers?

Gary pointed a finger. “You have to get a new set of girls!” Shallee grumbled. “Not me, him! It's something only Corvayne can pull off. It's a man's dream!”

“What about Mosh?” Corvayne asked.

Gary looked confused. “He's got a single girlfriend already... what about him?”

“Take care Gary. Shallee, try to keep him out of trouble.”

The girl turned and saluted.

Ears-of-Steel was waiting for him on the upper floor. “Hey, I heard you're booking it chief. You know where you're off to yet?”

“I need to set up to finish my quest so... I'm going to go into the tower and find those dragon hearts. Then... maybe see if they know more about the Wanderer at the capital? I might lean on Bell to pay me back with info about it.” The painting he had made last night was also a clue to something.

“Okay. Come back kiddo.” She crossed her arms. “I don't want to have to deal with Grunt worrying about you.”

Corvayne laughed at that. “He wouldn't worry-”

She rolled her eyes. “Every time you snuck into the enemy camp, he was worrying! He's a big softy!”

Corvayne nodded at her. “Well, he's your boss too. So just keep him busy. Keep sparring... you guys are did a number on the adventurers.”

She laughs. “Compared to trying to fight you or Lady, no contest! Not to mention, we had Bearer doing most of the work!”

Interesting. Leaving the truck, he made his way back to his camp and the fishing spot. Mister I was casting his line next to Reaper, the two former prisoners likely finished getting mended or listening to Mister I's advice.

“Ah Corvayne, I heard you were leaving us.” Mister I spoke before Corvayne had even thought about how he was going to breach the topic.

“Reaper knew?”

Reaper laughed. “I don't know shit man. But I do know people are going to be bummed.”

Corvayne looked around. “I'll be back at least once in the near future. I mean, I gotta bring the hearts back here, don't I?”

Mister I set his rod down and turned to Corvayne, opening an eye further than Corvayne had ever seen before. “You bear an awful burden under a light heart. Remember we are here, your friends, when you need help. I want to see you grow... Some day, when the shadows are gone, I want to see the man you will become. However! This is a good time to retreat a little from what you think of as your day to day life. Cast down who you were, and become better.”

Corvayne felt his shoulders sag. “That's a rather imposing request Mister Icarriii.”

The old monk lit his face up in a smile, winking. “When a door closes, another opens. The universe will balance things out, I'm sure.”

Corvayne didn't know what that meant, but nodded as if he did then walked up the slight rise to where he was camped overlooking the pond. Nyx was waiting by his tent arms folded.

“You really going to book it rather than live out here? Everyone is saying you're acting like a broke guy with cancer.”

Corvayne nodded. “I've got to sort myself out. I mean, I'm going to be back after I get those hearts.”

Nyx rolled his eyes. “You dipshit. We have TEN strawberry dragon hearts. Nobody else was going to tell you! It was pissing me off. If you want to stay, don't be such a drama queen! Just fucking camp out on a rock so we can come see you.”

Corvayne smiled at that. “I can't. I'm killing Wick, and I gotta sort out my past anyway. I'd go for good but... Mosh promised me goodies.”

Nyx stepped to the side and picked up a backpack, tossing it over his shoulder. “Right. I figured you'd say something like that.”

That suprised Corvayne. “You... want to come along?”

Nyx sighed and put an arm around Corvayne. “Corvayne, first off, you were never going to get out of here alone. Second, you are almost certainly going to drag Spears after you. I bet she's camped out on your hover bike right now. I am perfectly happy to take the long shot.”

A few minutes later Corvayne saw he wasn't wrong. Arrayed on the far side of the truck were four bikes.

Lady Blood Claw was sitting on Corvayne's bike, eating while looking at a map. Spears had parked next to her, and looked up and waved. Bell sat on a fourth, with the weird sex cultist woman wrapped up behind her in her white elephant marked banner, squirming and swearing. Now that was an odd pair.

The last bike was one he didn't expect. Bearer of Burdens and Brines. Brines was clearly looking between Bearer, the truck, and Corvayne. From this distance, Corvayne couldn't hear him, but could tell he was arguing something. Brines nodded, then put her hand in his face and turned it as Corvayne walked close enough to speak.

“Corvayne, you ready to go bud? Ready to run a dungeon? Great. Let's go.” She smiled and tilted her head, still wearing her brown messenger outfit and cap.

“Yeah, well... I had some guesses who'd be here, but I was off on a few.”

Lady Blood Claw looked up, then pulled her fork out of her mouth. “We snhnow.” She said as she chewed.

He had a moment where he saw Spears coming at him, a blur of blue in the corner of his eye, then she splatted into him, giving him a solid squeeze before backing up, sunlight passing through her making her glitter. “We finally get to go on a real adventure!”

He did his best not to look down, given that he could stare through her cleavage to the back gap between her pants and shirt. He wondred if she picked white undershirts on purpose. Instead he looked over at Bell. “You sure you want to come with me?”

She stared back, defiant. “You wanted to know about The Wanderer? The best records are in the palace. I refuse to let you saunter off after saving the empire without doing SOMETHING to repay you.”

“It was nothing, anyone could-”

“No.” She interrupted. “We are all here because you are more than just a man swinging a spear.”

“You don't owe me-”

“I OWE you. If I am to EVER be the person you've been trying to make me, and I want to be her, I'm going to make sure to pay you back.”

Corvayne keep his face neutral, while thinking she had a talent for making a favor sound like a threat.

Bearer-of-Burdens nodded. “Friends, Lovers, Rivals, Pupils, and whatever that girl struggling on the back of her bike is.”

That was a question he had for Bell. Why did she have The Raven's girlfriend tied up on the back of her bike? He forced his mind back to Bearer. Bell would tell him once he asked her. Bearer, on the other hand... Hari had told him she had been acting weird while he was out of commission. He had sort of pegged her as along for the ride, in it for either fun or money. Something about the way she was waiting, the smile... it felt weird. Like if he ditched her, she'd be setting up her tent wherever he decided they were going to camp for the night. He watched her clamp a hand on Brines shoulder.

Corvayne looked back at her, and really looked. Bearer was smiling, but her stance was odd. Something about how she held herself made him think of an actor, playing a part. The Dust Man's warning played in his head, of danger from within. He was thinking about if he could get her to stay and keep Brines with her when Bearer gently dipped her fingers into the front of her shirt, and produced a bloody black shard emerging from the skin in her neck, then tossed it over her shoulder.

Corvayne felt his eyes narrow. Whatever game Bearer was playing, she was looking right at him as she did that.

“We'll sort out why we're all heading off some other time. Did you let Wick know you're planning on taking off with me?”

Lady Blood Claw turned her head and jerked her hand behind her. “Yes. Corvayne, stop stalling. If you're going to go, lets go. Together.”

He got on behind her, and she pulled a pair of goggles down, then pulled his arms around her. With a rev of the engine, the front of the bike buckled and then dropped as they shot across the plains to The Source and the worlds beyond.