The next night, Rico, Christen and I went to the castle. I believe that Rico wanted to be there to be the voice of reason for Christen. Or perhaps just because he didn't want to see me killed and the pendant taken.

This time, given that I knew the castle well and had actually snuck into it many times before, I decided to show Rico exactly what he wanted in the first place. He had wished to see me scale a wall, or some such stunt. This time, I prepared to do just that. I took, among other things, rope from my caravan, firepowder and a few canvas bags. We walked through the overgrown foliage around the castle as quietly as possible. However, we needn't have worried too much. I knew for a fact that there were no guards there. The castle was abandoned, mostly.

I led them to a small clearing, and pointed up to a window far above our heads.

“That's where we're going in.” I said simply.

Christen and Rico were silent for a few moments. Then, Christen looked at me. I had expected protests, to be honest. But I suppose that Christen was getting used to me at least.

“How?”

I smirked, and removed my gloves. I grasped the rocky wall, set my foot in place, and started to climb.

I remembered the first time I had climbed this wall. Before I reached the window, my hands had bled, and even now, in the light from the shining half-moon, I could see the scarlet bloodstains in the rock where many many years ago, my flesh had been torn off.

I reached the top and climbed into the window. I threw the rope down holding onto one end, and braced myself against the wall. Christen came up next, with the silence I expected of her as a now experienced thief, and then Rico clambered up over the wall.

“Be quiet.” I whispered once they were both in. I slowly drew my dagger. “I dont' believe there are guards here, but we cannot be too careful.”

“Yes, don't want a repeat of the situation with the halfling? Don't want me to save your hide?”

I motioned to her to be silent, and waved them in the direction I knew we should go.

There were three places that Lord Necanda could be.

The first place was, of course, in bed. It was very late in the night, and any sensible person would be in bed. However, Lord Necanda was not sensible. He was insane. This being so, there were two other places he could be.

The second place was the tower. It used to give him a sense of power to be able to see the entirely of his villa, and the forest. Even though it was not abandoned, he often stood there, just looking out, watching nothing. I did hope, however, that he wasn't there, and I intended that place to be the very last place I would check. This is because it's a very tall tower, with many stairs in a small, narrow staircase. If he was in any of the other places, I did not want to go up there.

The third place was the hall. The hall had been built back when there was necessity for it, back when the Lord of the villa was an important person, who had to carefully rule the villa. Now it was only used for show. Well, no, that's not quite true. Now it was used by Lord Necanda when he decided that he wanted to dress up and act as though he were a king. Or when he thought he was a king.

First I led them to Lord Necanda's room. The dust on the floor was marred by our footprints as we wandered through the halls. However, as I had predicted, there were no guards.

I opened the door to Lord Necanda's bedroom. The bed was made, untouched. I crept in and checked it. It was icy cold, and there was no fire in the fireplace. I went to the bedside table and brushed off a layer of s dust with one hand. Disgusted, I wiped my hand off on the bed. He had not been in this room for a long time. It struck me, suddenly, that he might be dead. Perhaps he starved himself in the tower. Perhaps he simply died naturally.

I suddenly hoped he was dead.

I waved Christen in, and we both combed over the room for any gold and coins that we could find. Rico didn't join in at first, but eventually, Christen piled him with a few golden chains and convinced him to.

“If you're traveling with us.” she snapped, “You may as well make yourself useful.” I smirked. She was learning quickly.

Then we left the room, and I decided that out next stop was the hall. With perhaps more haste and a little less care, we hurried down the twisting hallways to the great wooden double doors that led to the hall. I gave it a push. It creaked open, and revealed to us the hall.

The hall was mostly empty, save for the wooden throne at the end. Dust swirled in the air and around our feet as we entered. Bright moonlight beamed in through the tall, narrow windows, covered in glass

I moved to leave the hall, but Christen was already going up to the throne.

“Christen, what do you think you're doing?” I demanded.

Tenderly, she stroked the throne. “Looking.” she said casually. Irritated, I let loose a string of uttered curses, but let her be. I suppose she had taken in a lot of information in the last day, and now she was in the room where her mother sat alongside what had been her stepfather. However, there were no traces of her mother left here. There had once been a separate throne just for her. However, that had been moved, destroyed, many years ago. If Christen was looking for traces of a mother she would never remember, she looked in the wrong place.

However, I was in no rush to ascend the staircase of doom that led to the tower. So I sat down noisily upon the dusty floor. Rico stood a moment longer, then sat, crossed-legged nearby.

“Let her look.” I whispered. “She'll sicken of this place soon.” I also knew that when we left, she would be entirely disappointed that she didn't discover anything about her mother, or her father. She was looking for something to redeem her mother, I think. A reason to further blame Lord Necanda for all that had befallen her. It seemed to me that she needed a reason for everything, someone to blame in all circumstances. 'Ill-fated' was not a reason she could live with.

I considered taking out my flask, when suddenly, the door shut with a slam. I was up faster then I thought possible, dagger out, ready to attack.

But there was nothing there.

“Perhaps this place is haunted too?” Rico suggested. Christen ran from the throne and came back nearer to Rico and myself.

“This castle had known no troubles, save for those of the living.” I said.

A slight whispering overcame the room, and turned into a deafening roar. Dust flew up around us and swirled overhead. The dust formed a great cloud, and covered the windows. There was blackness. I heard a scream as Christen was throw against me. I thought she had passed out. I held her up against me.

“Rico, light?”

Then, from the darkness, there was a simple, small spark. A moment later, Rico held a shimmering red flame in his hands, which illuminated the area around us.

“If you wished for light.” A strange, bored sounding voice said, “You need only have asked.”

Then, the candles and the torches that hung from the walls suddenly came ablaze. Rico let the flame die in his hands as it's light became insignificant. I looked at Christen. There was blood on her dress, and a thin slash in the fabric just under her knee. She was hurt badly.

I looked up to the throne, where Lord Necanda sat, surrounded by figures made of dust.

“Greetings to you, Stiri. After our last encounter, I was worried that I would forever be deprived of your company” He leaned back in his throne. “And I see you brought very interesting guests with you.” he said. “A flame-thrower, and a bastard.”

Next to me, I heard Christen emit a low growl. I ignored her for the time.

“These are my allies.” I said plainly. “I assume no harm will come to them.”

Lord Necanda waved his hand effortlessly. “For the time, nothing will happen. I intend only to talk for the moment. After that, however, if we have come to no agreement, then they may very well be slain, along with you,”

I heard Christen give a little laugh next to me. “You think he's in charge here!?” She demanded. “I'm in charge this time!” She walked before me. I put a hand out to try to pull the idiotic girl back, but she shrugged me off. “I paid him only to bring me here.” She took out her mothers dagger. “I want the pleasure of taking your life all to myself.”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. She really just wanted to get in trouble, of this I was sure.

Lord Necanda seemed to concern himself little with the threats. He waved his hand, and one of the figures sprung at her. It struck her and Christen gave an animal scream and was thrown to the floor. Rico ran to her and helped her up. I didn't move, but continued watching Lord Necanda.

“She's ok.” Rico said as he helped her to her feet.

“Lord Necanda. I am surprised.” I said, amused. “Last time we spoke of magic, you seemed to hate it. You hated all magic users, as did your ancestors. Now, you seem to be one of them.

Lord Necanda stood in front of his throne. I noted that he had a new, blue cloak around him. “Stiri.” he said. “Of all the things I hate. magic is the least of them. And look at what it's done for me!” He laughed and waved his hands. The figures next to him leapt into the air. Dust sprung from the walls, from the floor around us, from the rafters, and formed a giant, swirling cloud above us. “This castle may be abandoned now, that is true, but never has it had a better guard. In all the years I knew you, you always managed to get into this castle without any human guard noticing. However,” He waved to the cloud of dust. “ With my homunculi, I knew the moment you were in here exactly where you were, and what you were doing.”

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

“You made homunculi out of dust!?” Rico exclaimed.

“Well, why not? Surly, there was much of it here. It's so much easier to deal with than solid wood or stone, and faster than water. Besides, do you know how much effort it takes to use water for a homunculi?” he shook his head. “Far too much. Dust is so much easier. Mind you, Kos, swears by his corpses, but...”

“Kos.” Rico spat out.

“Lord Necanda. I never expected that you would have joined Kos. You always loved the solidarity of your own villa.”

He laughed. “Stiri, my mind was far too clouded then. You knew it. I had lost my sanity entirely. Kos came to this castle, searching for an item I had long since lost.” He pointed at me. “The pendant you wear now. He offered me my sanity if I located it. After I told him who had it, he offered me a sound mind once more. Mind you, I don't think he really believed me, but...”

“You were insane. Why would he have believed you?”

“True. Why? At any rate, I fulfilled my duty to him, and now I have my sanity back. However, I seem to be in a position, and much sooner than I expected, to get an item of power back as well.

“The pendant.” Rico muttered. I glared at him.

“Yes, flame-thrower, the pendant. I take it you wish it as well.” he nodded. Lord Necanda sighed. “Stiri, would you pass up the pendant willingly?”

I pondered a moment. He had ties to Kos. Kos had ties to Tenlon. I though of Foster dying.

“It's become a good luck charm to me.” I lied. “ I would rather not give it up.”

Lord Necanda sighed. “How sad...” he muttered. “I had hopes that you would.. well, never mind that. All that is left now is to kill you all and take what is mine...” He lifted his hand, and waved it at us.

The cloud of dust descended upon us

First, the homunculi tried to tear Christen to pieces. I heard her scream next to me. Her hands reached out and tugged on my cloak. I grabbed her arm, and wrapped my cloak around her, to at least protect her from being slain. Then I covered my own mouth with a corner of my cloak. The dust had tried to kill me, by suffocation, to get to Christen.

Rico, however, was holding his own, and I must admit, I was impressed. Through the dust, I saw his flashes of flames cut through, like a knife through water. However, he was not the target, he was an afterthought. Christen was the target, and myself as well. She was wanted dead, and I had the pendant.

Suddenly, the dust formed a solid being before me. I felt my dagger get pulled from my hand and float to the dust creature.

“Christen, give me your dagger.” I muttered. Christen moved to hand it to me. However, as she did, my cloak opened up. The dust raced against me, striking me like a charging horse. I flew halfway across the room and landed painfully on my back, the dagger flew out of my hands and clattered on the floor somewhere. Christen, however remained where she was. I couldn't see her. but I could hear her, her cried of pain muffled by the buzzing dust.

Rico gave a great cry from somewhere in the dust. A spark glimmered through the endless cloud, and then the great mass of grey dust caught fire and went up into flames. The force of the heat singed my face and took my breath away. The dust distingrated before my eyes, and from it came a blue light, which buzzed around the room like lightning, then disappeared.

I started to climb to my feet, looking around for my dagger, or even Christen's dagger on the floor.

Lord Necanda stood up from his throne and gave a growl of fury. He rose his hand out and flung Rico against the wall of the hall. He gave a weak grunt as he hit the wall and fell to the floor. Lord Necanda looked over at me and lifted his hand up. I was pulled off my feet, hovering with only my toes touching the floor. I tried to move; I could see my dagger glittering on the floor. However, my legs, my arms were frozen. It was even a strain to move my eyes to look around.

Lord Necanda stormed over to me. Without changing his pace, he flicked his hand at my dagger, which flew from the floor into his hand. He held it awkwardly, however, that hardly seemed to matter, I had no weapon, and I couldn't move.

He stopped before me, and cut my cloak from my shoulders. It fell around my feet, and my neck, and the chain of the pendant was exposed.

“I will have the pendant back.” Lord Necanda said, “Even if I have to cut through your throat to get it.” He grabbed the front of my tunic and pull me up, staring down at my frozen, expressionless face. “It's a shame; You could have made a powerful alley.” He drew back the dagger.

I braced myself for the bite of steel through my skin.

It never came. I watched instead as Lord Necanda's eyes suddenly widened in surprise. Blood began to stain his new cloak. He let go of dropped my dagger to the floor, wavered on the spot a moment, than as I felt his power over me die, and I fell with a gasp to my knees.

Lord Necanda was laying face down on the floor, blood pouring out of a wound, caused by the dagger of his late wife. I looked up, and Christen stood before me, shaking all over.

The pain started to subside. I sat up slowly, and took the dagger from Lord Necanda's back. Then, I set it before Christen on the floor.

It was at that moment that she broke out in tears, and cried until she passed out.

***

It was really thanks to Rico and we were able to return to the caravan. Christen was weak, and her leg was in bad shape. She had lost a lot of blood, and without the concoctions in my caravan, she may not have survived.

“Rico, just get to the caravan.” I said, “I think we're all in bad shape.” Rico carried Christen on his shoulders, while helping me limp out of the castle. I was still very weak, and my head hurt badly. I wanted to have a nice long drink and lay by the fire.

He managed, to get Christen and I back to the caravan. He lay Christen down on the ground, and I limped over to the fire pit. Rico used his power to set a quick flame going.

“You haven't used your powers this much. Ever..” I said.

“I know... It's hard to explain, but I have too much energy now. I have to use it, or it could get out of hand. It's momentum. I used a lot to get rid of those homunculi, Necanda had them protected with special magic.

I didn't care. I drank a few remedies to dumb the pain, a few concoctions to quicken the healing, and a lot of liquor. I took a look at Christen's leg, and did the best I could at wrapping it. I forced a concoction down her throat, and then let her sleep. I told Rico to set her in the caravan for the time.

Then, as the sun came up, and the fine layer of snow that had accumulated overnight melted. We slept in the caravan.

***

When I woke up, I was alone.

The caravan was empty, and everything was quiet save for the chirping of birds and the scuffling of my horses. I pulled myself up, and dragged myself out of the caravan. It was evening, and the night was getting cold. A warm fire crackled nearby

I went up to Dusk and patted her on her head. She and Night were gnawing on some hay I had given them last night. I figured that I should take them to the pond nearby to drink.

Pulling the horses behind me, I made my way to the pond. However, I reached it and realized that it was not abandoned as I had hoped it had been. Rather, Christen and Rico were by the side of the pond. I supposed Christen was washing up. I could hear them talking, though, and hid myself and my horses in the bushes.

“You're going to do it?” Rico asked. He sounded angry.

“Yes.” Christen replied sadly, “I don't see why not. I proved I could kill. I'm sure he'll teach me.”

“But why? You didn't want to do that, did you?!” There was a pause as Rico paced around a little. “I mean, you seemed so upset after-”

“Do you know why I was upset?” Christen snapped, “Do you know what I expected?” There was a pause, so Christen continued, “ I expected it to be over. I expected to feel bad that I killed someone. I expected I would feel better. I was so angry at him... I told you what Stiri told me?”

“Yes.”

“Even after that, I was even more angry. Lord Necanda... Everything that happened in my life I was able to blame on him! Where I was born, who I lived with. My mother...”

“... And you expected everything to feel better after.” Rico said.

“Yes. I expected to feel terrible for having killed someone, and I expected to feel better, having avenged my family, and punished the person I could blame for everything that had happened. I could believe I was a better person, and...And I don't know. Maybe just continue being a thief as I am.”

“And what happened?”

There was a long pause during which I pondered expectations, and what they did to people.

“It wasn't like that at all.” she said. “Even though he's dead, the damage is still done. And I didn't hate it...” she took a deep, shuddering breath. “I.. I enjoyed it. I was so angry, I hated him so much, I loved it! I loved hurting him! I...”

“You wanted to hurt him more, didn't you?”

“... I didn't want you to think I was more of a monster than I am.”

“And because of that you want to be an assassin?”

“Christen sighed. “I don't see a reason not to.” She said. “I am a killer of men... and I enjoyed it.” I heard Christen stand up, “There's no reason for me to be anything else anymore! I've learned what I'm good at, what I enjoy, I-”

“Stop!” Rico demanded. “Listen”

For a moment, I thought they may have heard me, but Rico continued.

“There is a world of difference between doing what you did... between killing a man because of personal grievance, and what Stiri does! He kills people who he doesn't care about, who he doesn't even think about. He does this only because someone passes him some gold! Do you really think it's better to do that?”

There was a long pause. An owl hooted off in the distance, and I stroked Dawn's nose to keep her from neighing.

“Christen... I don't like killing people. No, I think it's horrible. Yes, I've had to, and I've hated doing so... But I knew that... I know that when I do, I'm working towards something I believe in.”

“And what do you believe in.” she snapped.

“I believe that Kos is wrong. I believe that the resurgence of magic will destroy the world and kill thousands, perhaps millions of people. It's not just this little kingdom that would be effected, but the world... Others say I'm wrong, but so long as I believe in what I'm doing, So long as I know I'm helping people, I'll do it. You worked with your heart as well, killing the man who you thought ruined your life and the life of your entire family!”

“... And Stiri?”

“He kills for money. He has no link to the people he kills so sympathy, no feeling... He's a heartless bas-”

“He's not heartless.” Christen snapped.

I leaned against a tree and listened as Rico asked the question I was thinking. “ Why do you think he's not heartless?”

“...He's done great things for me.” she said slowly. “He helped me when I was so desperate, I didn't know what I could do. Without knowing me, he defended a barmaid in trouble... He misses his horse... And he didn't even want to go to Artis, remember?”

“What does that have anything to do with anything?”

“What about Tenlon?”

“How do you know he wasn't hired to kill him?”

“He would have done it differently.” She replied. “He wouldn't have run off. He would have followed him, he would have watched him. He would have killed him when it was safest for him to do so... I don't know what, but something, some hate made him chase after Tenlon.”

“And is he an assassin for any personal feeling?”

“I don't know... I don't really know why he became an assassin...”

I pondered a moment. I had told her it was expected of me to do so...Why didn't she tell Rico that?

“Whatever the reason.” Rico said. “Even if he isn't heartless, he can be, and you know it. He denies himself feeling when he kills, when he works... It's like he's not even human! When I was younger, I heard so many stories about him... I never believed he was truly heartless until I saw him work myself. He isn't human when he works.... He's..”

“A weapon.”

There was another long pause. I thought I should get back to the Caravan before they did. I would bring my horses back later.

“Christen,” Rico said. “ You... could never just be a weapon. You could never be heartless, not even for one moment. I think Stiri knows that... and that's why he won't teach you. Even if you could kill people, I think it would destroy you from the inside.”

“But.. I've already killed one-”

“Then accept that!' Rico pleaded. “Accept that, and accept whatever fate may throw at you as punishment! But why does that mean you should kill more? Why does it mean you have to kill more? Be a thief if you want. Move to a larger city and... I don't know, make clothes, tell stories on the streets! Just because you...” He stopped a moment and calmed down. “I don't condone what you did, but why should that one act make you... Make you a monster for the rest of your life?”

I made my way back to the caravan, waiting for them to return so that I could make my way back to the pond. I sat down near the fire, and started to drink once more from my flask. Before I was even able to take the first sip, a question formed in my mind.

What if Cara had been more like Rico?