It would have been a struggle to get everything to Atal's palace, but I had magic and lifting things was for others now. People gave me quite a lot of odd looks at the bundle of floating spears and the tool tied to my back as I picked my way through the streets, but it wasn't the oddest thing that had ever happened in Atal, so they let me be.

Though as I came to the gates where the guards to Atal's home were it occurred to me that it might just be that I was being followed by well over a hundred pounds of metal that had them looking, not that it was floating. There was a zero percent chance that someone wouldn't come looking for the new material, but at this point I didn't really care. They didn't know how to make it, and I wasn't going to share just yet, not until this war was settled.

“I've a delivery for Atal,” I told the guard.

“You're Justin right? Bring it in.” The man waved me through and had a servant show me to a side room. Having called ahead and gotten a rough appointment really helped.

“Should I just leave these?” I asked the man.

“I believe the ancient will wish to speak with you. He told us that should you bring something he was to be notified with haste, so would you please wait?” the servant asked nervously. I supposed he was in a similar boat to Ida based on his markings, and it was a request, not an order.

“Certainly, I'd like to speak to him as well,” I answered, trying to keep the stress from my voice.

Long waits were not a thing for me apparently because soon enough Atal appeared, a smile on his face as he nearly bounced into the room.

“Ah, Justin, or should I say Elian? Regardless, welcome. What do you have for me?” he enthused as he moved over to the spears and the stone chucker. Concerning, he must have heard the report about Isha and Atie, who knew how he'd react.

“Same design as before, though this material should be significantly more durable. I doubt it can fully stand up to you, but this metal is far more common than copper, if harder to work with,” I said as he moved to pick up one of the spears.

Atal lifted what was effectively a solid rod of iron as if it were made of wood, turning it and swishing it around in his hands. These movements got faster and faster, though he did at times stop to examine how it was holding up. It didn't take long for a smile to form on his face, blooming bigger and bigger as he played with his new toy.

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“I'll need to test these, but they do seem better.” On a seeming whim he reached forward and bent one of the spears, which was saying something as they were almost an inch thick of steel. “Probably not quite there, but excellent progress. I was hoping that you might have worked magic into them though, but you have not?”

“I was trying to, but have come to an impasse with the crystals,” I answered with a frown.

“Yes my granddaughter told me that you were quite interested in the one I gave her when she was little. Jina is a dear isn't she, and used to be so terrified of the darkness that it seemed the thing to help her. Shame that they're so rare.”

I nearly laughed as it struck me that the rare material that I'd wanted so badly had actually been that cruel woman's childhood nightlight. That did explain some of her reaction to me desiring it as well, a gift your grandpa had given you when you were a kid to bring you comfort was a rare thing.

“And difficult to make,” I agreed, nodding.

That was apparently not an expected answer, as his head snapped towards me. “You made one?” he asked with slightly widened eyes.

“Not like hers. It's small, about the size of a grain of sand, and making it took everything I had. I think that in the future they may be a basis for greater weapons yet, but after finishing it I realized that any try at that will take a very long time.” He might want more from me now, but that was a risk I could take, because I needed his attention too.

“That is something I would like to see, but I get the feeling you have something else?” Atal asked with slightly more seriousness.

“Yes, you've heard about the attack on Elayatol haven't you?”

“I have, a worrying report. I don't mind you lying about your name, though I don't understand it. If that's what you're worried about?” he said with a shake of his head.

“Didn't think you would, though appreciated. No, I'm worried about the village in general. How will you respond?” This was a real worry of mine; if he let it go, then I'd have to figure out how to kill this other ancient as well.

“I haven't decided, there will need to be retribution of course, but attacking such a remote village is odd. Honestly I'm not sure why he bothered,” Atal answered. “Not like there's anything there.”

“Do you know the full story of why I was banished from my village?” I asked.

“No.”

I proceeded to tell him everything about Rindal, about Cala, about the kids. As I went on the slightly jovial boy who wanted a new weapon to play with disappeared. Before me once more sat a ruler, eyes sharp and ears tuned to what I was saying. He didn't interrupt, letting me go until it was done.

“Since Cala was with them I suspect they may be after the pool,” I explained.

“Indeed. You may not know this since you've never gathered them, but those potions use rare ingredients. Using them on for instance, an army has never been possible, but with that much...” His eyes drifted away as he thought. “You said these were made from a common material,” he said, indicating the one he held. “How common?”

“It will take time to make them, but I can make as many of those spears as you want.” It was an easy truth.

“Good, because I suspect I will need more, and more for my best warriors. Justin, do you prefer Justin?” he asked.

“I do.” I nodded.

“Justin, make spears as you can, and if you can improve them, excellent, I'll buy them all at whatever price you find fair. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.”

With a conflicted face I spoke. “I'll freely admit to it serving my own wants ancient. They likely killed my family, and I'd like to see them dead.”

“True, but if you speak the truth about that pool it must be secured. I notice you didn't seem to object to your banishment?”

“No, in the end I did cause quite a lot of damage didn't I? I didn't like it, but I understood.” I could only shrug to that since Elaya did have a point. You couldn't have people known for starting forest fires in a village surrounded by forest.

“With Elaya's death it will be over, something for you at least. A banishment dies with the one who issued it after all,” he said with a neutral face.

I was a bit taken aback by that. “I didn't like her, but I didn't want her dead.”

For a moment I saw something flash in his eyes. Had that been a test? Had I passed? I didn't know, but I was alive, so I couldn't have failed too badly.