The line of heroes had thinned considerably by the time Owin spotted the ferry. A few heroes including Brimras and the Donotola twins still waited, mostly sitting and snacking on the thin sandbar.

Owin’s clothes had mostly dried after lying in the sun for a long time, and he wasn’t thrilled with the idea of getting back on the ferry. He was excited about getting back to Atrevaar, and the only way to do that was to ride across the ocean once again.

Katalin stood right at the front railing, gripping it with intensity as the ferry neared. She didn’t wave or even crack the slightest smile upon spotting Owin and Ernie. She remained still as a small group of heroes filed off the ship. They eyed Owin and glanced back nervously at Katalin as they joined the line outside the door.

“Come on,” Ernie said. He climbed up the ferry and joined Katalin at the front.

Owin hopped up the side and noticed the captain staring at him.

“I—”

She shook her head. “Stay on the deck this time.”

Owin frowned. The Thunderstrike Maul sat in the middle of the deck, right by Ernie and Owin’s bags. He took a second to watch Ernie and Katalin as the ferry set off before slinging his bag over his shoulder.

The Thunderstrike Maul acted as a makeshift seat again, giving Owin an opportunity to enjoy the breeze and watch the water slide past. He stayed directly in the center of the ferry, avoiding the sides. He didn’t expect to get tossed overboard again, but the extra distance did help give him a sense of comfort.

Several minutes passed before Katalin walked in front of Owin. She squatted, glared at him, then fell onto her bottom. Wind whipped at her loose black hair. It had curled and tangled as it dried. Her headband was still damp, leaving a few drops clinging to her forehead.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” she said.

“Why do you look angry?”

Katalin closed her eyes. “I’m not angry with you.” She shook her head and slowly opened her eyes. “I’ve been thinking over some things Siora and Nikoletta had said. I think now is perhaps the best time to tell you, but . . .” Katalin took a drink from the flask she had received from Ernie. “Do you know anything about a being called the Sovereign One?”

Owin’s eyes widened. He opened his mouth to answer, but his tongue suddenly felt dry and no words came out. Owin rested his head in his hands, blocking his face from Katalin. “Artivan,” he said quietly.

“After Siora killed him, they told me he came back as a lich and killed the rest of the heroes. They escaped before he killed them too.”

Owin squeezed his eyes shut. “The halo.”

He felt her hands gently grab his arm. “Tell me later, okay? I’ll be over by Ernie.”

Owin nodded without raising his head. What else was there to say? The Halo of the Doomed Harbinger had killed Artivan. From the moment Owin had read the description, he knew nothing good would come of it.

It hadn’t been worth the risk. The castle had nearly killed them both and it had given Owin’s location to all the heroes on the floor. All it brought was pain.

Owin could have tried to convince Artivan to skip the secret, to rush to the exit before Void Nexus could find them. They had been so confident. Owin wrapped his arms around his head, trying to flatten his ears, to block out the noise of the ocean.

See you soon, little goblin.

It had been a lie.

Artivan knew he wasn’t getting out. He knew he was going to die.

He had been doomed by the gods.

Owin squeezed his hands into fists. He had let Artivan stand alone, without his weapon, to die for nothing. What was Owin going to do with the life Artivan had given him? The old knight’s life had been worth more than Owin could ever hope his own was worth. Everyone had loved Artivan. People only wanted to kill Owin. It wasn’t a fair trade.

“Nope,” Ernie said. “Not interested.” His footsteps thumped on the deck before he slumped onto the ground directly beside Owin.

“Ern, you bitch,” Katalin said.

“Kat told me to leave you alone. It’s not happening.” Ernie’s fist gently bumped into Owin’s lower leg. “Despair is a deep, never ending pit, Owin, and you’re diving head first. I thought we had enough swimming for the day.”

Katalin groaned as she sat down beside Ernie. “He doesn’t want to talk to us right now.”

“Yes, he does. You know how it is, losing your way inside your own mind. No matter how lost you are, you want someone to pull you out. So, Owin, what are you thinking?”

“It’s my fault,” Owin said, his voice muffled by his knees.

“How?”

“Ern.”

“I found the Sovereign One’s tomb. I wanted to see what was inside the castle. The heroes were after me.”

“Artivan made his own choices, including saving you in the first place. He could’ve told you to piss off after and sent you to fight the scaltari on your own. What did he do instead?” Ernie asked.

“Gave me food.”

“And?”

“Helped me.” Owin slowly lifted his head until he saw only a glimpse of Katalin and Ernie sitting directly beside him. Katalin’s face was twisted in a frown and she avoided making eye contact with Owin. Ernie stared at him with no expression.

“Do you think Artivan regretted helping you?”

“He should.”

Ernie shook his head. “I didn’t ask if he should. Did he?”

“I don’t know.”

Katalin sighed. “Owin, there’s something I haven't told you yet.” She took a deep breath. “Nikoletta and Siora both talked about Artivan, saying he had slaughtered their parties. Even after Siora killed him, he knew who he was. He had told Siora that you would never let them find peace, and that you’re a better human than she is. She left before he could attack because his lich form had killed everyone else. Those two are the only ones who survived. Artivan might have known he was going to die, but that didn’t stop him from helping, and he never forgot who he was or who you are.”

Owin sat fully upright. His fists were still clenched at his sides. “What’s it mean?”

“I don’t know, Owin. That’s up to you. Does killing them solve anything?”

“Death is peace,” Ernie said quietly.

“What? No, Ern. Dammit.” Katalin smacked him softly on the back of the head.

Death is peace? “What do you mean?”

“After you die, there’s nothing. It’s peaceful. Gone. Done. That’s the end of it. Living is painful. Injuries, disease, loss, grief. It all piles on, makes each step harder than the last.”

Katalin scowled. “There’s good in life too.”

“Sure, but not for everyone. Owin, killing a hero is a crime, and Chorsay already fought for you and kept you from execution or prison, or whatever the Unity Force planned to do. Hunting these Void Nexus heroes will only bring Veph’s rage and make you a criminal. You might act tough, but we both know you don’t want that. Instead, you follow Artivan’s last words. Don’t let them find peace.”

“How?”

“I don’t know, but I am sure you will figure it out.”

Katalin’s eyebrows furrowed, but she didn’t say anything.

Owin gave Ernie a single nod. He didn't know how he truly felt about the idea, but he would give it time to sit in his head. If Artivan didn’t want him to kill the heroes, he wouldn’t. But that wouldn’t stop him from getting some type of revenge.

“Revenge doesn’t have to involve violence of any kind,” Katalin said. “I know, I killed three Void Nexus heroes with pipe bombs.” She poked Owin in the chest. “They hate you. Becoming a famous Shard Hero will make them look like idiots. It won’t stop them from hating you, but others will support you. There are plenty of heroes all over Verdantallis that would be on your side. Get revenge by being a better hero, by getting the shards.”

Owin flicked his gaze back and forth between the alchemists. “You really don’t want me to kill them.”

“We don’t want you to end up dead, Owin,” Ernie said.

Katalin nodded.

“Okay. I’ll do it.”

Katalin smiled softly. “What dungeon is first? The Great Forest?”

Owin immediately shook his head. “Ruvaine will kill me.”

“I can’t say she won’t,” Ernie said. “Usually, I would say it’s unlikely. The gods rarely show themselves. A few say they’ve seen them, like Althowin, of course.” He rolled his eyes. “But for you . . . she might. If you had six shards and higher attributes, a god is closer to a normal mob.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Ernie, no!” Katalin shoved him. “The gods aren’t mobs! That’s terrible advice!”

“Owin’s not a normal hero either. He’s not limited to a hundred levels! What if he gets his attributes high and multiplies them?” Ernie gestured to Owin. “He could maybe do it.”

“I can do it. Great Forest is last.” Owin pointed over Katalin’s shoulder, back the way they had come from. “I’ll conquer the Ocean first.”

Ernie grabbed Owin’s arm and shook it gently. “Yes. See?”

Katalin took the flask from Ernie’s pocket and took another drink. “Let’s get you back to the Nimble Hogs first. We all need some rest and you need to leave your damn hammer before you jump back in the water.”

***

Minolitana Prima was a beautiful city in the sunlight, and one Owin would’ve enjoyed spending some time in. Instead, they rushed through the city, paid the portal fee, and hopped to Vraxridge before running across the circle into another portal for Atrevaar.

He was assaulted by darkness and pain before appearing in the familiar city center. The Nimble Hogs’ headquarters was being actively rebuilt with some unfamiliar people working on the front wall and doorway. Others were painting the outside, making the building look nicer than it had when Owin had first arrived.

Katalin led the way past the workers, stepping carefully to avoid nails, paint buckets, and other tools that had been scattered on a tarp. She walked right up to the counter and slammed her hands down.

Potilia, who had been fully immersed in her reading, squealed and threw the book at Katalin. It smashed into Katalin’s forehead and tossed the alchemist into Ernie. Both collapsed onto the ground.

“Oh!” Potilia scrambled around the counter, grabbed Katalin, and pulled her onto her feet. “Oh, no.” She rubbed her fingers on a small bump that had already formed on Katalin’s head.

Katalin slapped her hand away. “Stop touching me. That was my fault.”

Ernie sighed and stood. “You should’ve known better.”

Potilia looked at both alchemists, then down at Owin. “You’re back!”

Ernie gestured to Owin. “We followed through.”

“Chorsay!” Potilia’s voice was so much louder than it needed to be.

The floor creaked as Chorsay stepped out of his office. He appeared at the railing, leaning carefully to peer at Owin. “Welcome home, Owin. Come to my office.”

“You owe us a drink before we head back to Vraxridge,” Ernie said.

Chorsay nodded. “Wait inside. I’ll join you in a moment.”

“Anyone else here?” Katalin asked. She walked over and knocked loudly on the door beside the stairs.

It flew open, revealing Suta with his hands raised, ready to punch.

“Who is it?” Myrsvai asked from inside.

“Enemies,” Suta said.

Myrsvai loudly sighed. “Who is it?”

“Katalin and Ernie,” Katalin said loudly.

“I’ll join you in a moment.”

Suta watched Owin approach and nodded as he passed. The familiar didn’t even try to punch Owin. Owin nodded back and ascended the stairs. Chorsay returned to his office and sat behind his desk. Owin walked right inside and jumped into a chair.

Ernie, Katalin, Potilia, and Myrsvai talked downstairs, their voices quickly fading as they entered the mess hall.

“How did it go?” Chorsay asked.

“It wasn’t easy.”

Chorsay smiled softly. “It never is. Dungeons are unforgiving. The alchemists were happy?”

Owin nodded. They weren’t happy the whole time. Owin wasn’t happy the whole time either. They had all been close to dying at different points of the adventure, but all three had returned perfectly healthy.

“What’s next?”

“Ernie and Katalin said they have work to do for Althowin before they’ll need me again. While I wait, I am going to go back to the Ocean. I think I’m almost strong enough to go to the top to get my first shard.”

Chorsay gestured behind him as two shards appeared over his shoulder, humming quietly. The air shook and all the countless books on the shelves surrounding the room rumbled. “Shards are complicated. Being a career hero with shards is not feasible. Are you aware of this?” The shards stopped quivering and dropped, vanishing back into Chorsay’s shoulder.

“I can’t escort Ernie and Katalin again if I get a shard?”

“You can, but you are limited. Carrying a shard multiplies your own attributes, but it also increases the strength of all mobs on your floor. That makes it significantly more difficult to bring weaker heroes or to escort citizens. They need to be aware of this risk when hiring you. In organizations like Magna Regum or the Three Headed Hero Company, a hero with any number of shards is cheaper than a hero without because of risk. Right now, we have no heroes with shards in the Nimble Hogs.”

“Katalin and Ernie told me to get a shard.”

“Then perhaps they will be the only ones to hire you. You are free to do what you choose, Owin. I only want to help guide you to what will ultimately be your safest and best option. Do you have anything else before we go celebrate with Ern and Kat?”

Owin stared into Chorsay’s eyes. The old man was consistently calm. Owin thought about telling him of Artivan and the Sovereign One, but the soft smile on Chorsay’s face would vanish at finding out his friend had become a lich. They were celebrating Owin’s first mission, and sharing anything about Artivan or Void Nexus would only taint the moment.

“No.”

“Then let us all share a drink. Drop your things off in your room. There is a change of clothes if you wish. Miya helped find some that should fit.” Chorsay stood, immediately towering over Owin. “Do you remember where it is?”

Owin nodded.

Chorsay smiled. “Then join us as soon as you are ready.” He left Owin in his office and headed down the hall to the stairs.

Owin watched him go, imagining a purple halo bobbing above his head. The Doomed Harbinger. The Sovereign One. How much of Artivan remained in the Great Forest? If Owin found his way back to the tomb, would Artivan be waiting for him?

Once Chorsay was out of view, Owin headed down the hall, turned the corner, and found Artivan’s old room. Owin left the hammer beside the wall, dropped his bag, and shed his chitin armor. The orange shirt and pants were clearly made for kids and were bright compared to the filthy, worn out tunic and trousers Owin had on when he first awoke in the Great Forest.

The new clothes were comfortable and soft, which was worth the obnoxious colors. It made him stand out more than he already did with his purple hair and green skin. He moved around a little, even jumping onto the bed. The clothes moved easily and didn’t limit him as he hopped around the room. Once he was satisfied, Owin prepared to leave the room, only to find Suta standing in the doorway.

“What are you doing?” Owin asked.

“Watching.”

“Why?”

Suta blinked. “Fight?”

“No. We’re friends, remember?”

Suta nodded. “Friends fight.”

“That’s called sparring.”

Suta raised his fists. “Okay. Spar.”

“Can we do it a different time? Everyone is waiting downstairs for a drink.”

Suta approached and poked Owin in the chest. “We do not drink.”

“We’re not the same.”

The fins on Suta’s head flared a little. “Yes.”

“You’re a familiar. I’m a goblin.”

“I do not eat, drink, sleep. Do you?”

Owin frowned. “No.”

“We are the same. Owin is Suta, Suta is goblin.”

“Is Myrsvai downstairs?”

Suta nodded.

“Okay. Maybe you should come too even if you aren’t going to drink.” Owin tried sidling around the familiar, but Suta moved incredibly fast, side-stepping to block Owin.

“I will lead you.”

“I know the way, Suta.”

Suta nodded. “I will guide.” He dashed out of the room and down the hall, vanishing from sight.

Owin remained in the room, unsure of exactly what had happened. He didn’t have a ton of experience with familiars, but the ones he had seen never acted quite like Suta.

“Follow,” Suta shouted from around the corner.

Owin left the room, walking slowly. Suta waited at the top of the stairs, hopping back and forth on his feet. As soon as Owin got close, the familiar sprinted down the stairs, turned, and disappeared into the mess.

Owin followed the path and found Potilia, Chorsay, Ernie, Katalin, Mysrvai, and Miya all sitting together with two bottles of a brown liquid . They each had a small cup that seemed too little to get any real drink out of it. Suta had sprinted all the way across the mess and out into the courtyard where he waited with the door open.

Owin sat beside Katalin, who poured him a small amount of brown liquid.

“It’s good whiskey,” she said.

“I don’t know what that is.” Owin took it and drank it. It felt like fire burning through his mouth and down his throat. He even felt it continue to burn while sitting in his stomach.

“Wow. You really just went for it,” she said.

“Sorry about Suta,” Myrsvai said.

“You could always unsummon him,” Ernie said.

Miya snorted as she took a drink of whiskey. The liquor shot out her nose onto the table top.

“Is that funny?” Ernie asked.

“Suta is . . . complicated,” Mysrvai said. “There are times I unsummon him, but he is not like other familiars. Perhaps it is the abyssal aspect, or perhaps it was part of my personality that was imprinted when I first created him as a youth. I don’t know. ”

Everyone looked at the doorway where Suta stood, waiting for Owin to join him for sparring.

“He refuses to use any spells, yet he is perhaps the strongest familiar I have known.”

“A boxer at heart,” Miya said, wiping the liquor from her face.

“Certainly is. If I unsummon him, he is testy for days afterwards. It is better for us all if he remains out, rowdy as he is.”

“Fight,” Suta said.

“Later, Suta. Come enjoy a drink with us,” Myrsvai said.

Suta crept back into the mess. “Same as goblin.”

Owin held his empty glass up. “I already drank one.”

At that, Suta sprinted over and forced a spot between Ernie and Mysrvai. Ernie took Myrsvai’s glass and poured a drink for the familiar. Suta took it, downed it, and set the glass back onto the table with force.

“Disgusting.”

“Yeah,” Owin said.

“You acquired all the mushrooms?” Chorsay asked, changing the subject. As soon as the huge man talked, Suta calmed down and went silent.

“Every cluster on the fourth floor. Owin fought Olma while we harvested one cluster, but we left Olmu and snuck out the exit,” Ernie said.

“Why leave one of the olm?” Myrsvai asked.

“I didn’t want to kill something innocent,” Owin said.

Chorsay smiled and raised his glass. “Honorable choice, Owin.”

Potilia, Ernie, Katalin, Miya, and Myrsvai also raised their glasses.

“To Owin,” Chorsay said. Everyone repeated after him and took a drink. “Owin, who will be one of the next Shard Heroes.”

“Will you?” Myrsvai asked. He glanced at Chorsay, who nodded.

“Is it time, Myr?” the old man asked.

“Perhaps it is.” Myrsvai elbowed Suta. “What do you think?”

The familiar shook his head.

“A shard would make us both stronger.”

Suta played with the glass. He slowly nodded without looking at anyone specific.

“What dungeon are you going to conquer first, Owin?”

“The Ocean. I already know the first four floors.”

“If you’ll have me, I will join you. We can win our first shards together,” Myrsvai said. He extended his one arm.

Owin took his hand and shook. “Okay.”

“You two are going to make me hire new heroes. Lera, Raif, Cixilo, and Sanem cannot do all the jobs on their own.”

“Come on, Chorsay. You don’t have that much business,” Ernie said.

The old man laughed. “Harsh, Ern. Though it is difficult to argue.”

Katalin downed another glass of whiskey. “We’re already late on our delivery. Thank you, Chorsay, for the drink. And thank you Owin.” She rubbed his head, flattening his hair.

Ernie finished his glass, filled it up, and slid it to Suta. “She’s right. We better be off. I’ll be in touch soon, Owin. Okay?”

Owin nodded.

“Give my regards to Althowin,” Chorsay said.

“You know, if you fused, she would be more interested in meeting you,” Ernie said.

“My time in dungeons is long past.” Chorsay stood and shook hands with Ernie and Katalin. “Thank you for taking a chance on Owin.”

Owin climbed off the bench and hugged both Ernie and Katalin.

“It was the right choice,” Katalin said. “He’s a damn good hero.”