Steinith laughed.

It started as chuckles that lasted for a few seconds, before becoming laughter that sounded for a couple of moments, before becoming a bellowing that lasted for a minute.

Rodent stood there as well, smiling, starting to laugh with the giant as they locked eyes and engaged in this absurd happening together. Soon after, they waved each other off, Steinith wiping a tear from his eye.

"Y-Y'know... if there is one thing I have to give you... it's being amusing." Steinith towered over Rodent, who was too busy recovering from his laughing to care. "Almost everyone I meet is the same. Same fears; same weaknesses. It's rather boring. But you fools? You fools tend to be different."

Steinith raised his hands and cracked his knuckles one by one, the sounds loud and pronounced, hurting nearby ears. "Go. Speak. You have until my knuckles are cracked before they break your bones."

"You're researching Deskar's travel across this land." Rodent remained unfazed by all that he had seen. "So you're stuck here. You serve a council you actually believe in."

Steinith stopped cracking his hand as his eyes became murderous and dropped it. He tilted his head and looked at Rodent with murderous intent, his fury felt in the subtle, heated winds that whirled around the knight's presence. "How do you—"

"I survived Warro Woods despite its inhabitants and rampant Deskar." Rodent stood firm as a certain air formed around him, drawing out the villagers. "I can do something you can't. I might be new—but I'm not a total idiot."

Steinith barely restrained his anger.

"You can do nothing more than watch and record." Rodent rolled his head and cracked his body where he could. "Except head toward the sword. But you won't. You're worried about the Deskar blocking the way... or something about the sword itself."

Steinith stole a deep, troubling breath, exhaling steam. "Do you know what the Sword does, Rodent?"

"Nope."

"Think yourself special, then? The chosen one, perhaps? Succeeding where others failed?" Steinith spoke quietly and angrily for anything louder would reveal his repressed rage. "Has the world been waiting for your arrival? Nobody greater than you till now? The world's efforts all this time, nothing, to your sudden arrival?"

"I don't know about all that." Rodent waved off all that stuff. "I probably shouldn't even be here, to be honest. But these people need help. And that's what I'll do."

"You're testing my patience." Steinith bent and picked up his weapon. "You live... because you're a worthwhile unknown." He wielded his weapon. "But what great worth can one so easily killable possibly possess?"

"That's exactly it! I'm nothing special. So maybe that's what you need." Rodent opened his arms, tilting his head. "The Sword seems to be the answer to your problems. It's related to the Deskar." His arms dropped. "So I'll get it for you."

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"YOU! YOU! YOU WILL GET THE SWORD!?" Steinith roared, the ground cracking beneath his boots. The beast hunched over Rodent, faces inches apart. "YOU, SINCE THE TIME OF THE LEGEND, SINCE COUNTLESS ATTEMPTS... WILL BE THE ONE THE LEGEND SPEAKS OF?"

"You're puffing me up too much," Rodent spoke directly into Steinith's face. "I just said I'll get the sword. Nothing more than that. Besides, it all works out."

Steinith was exasperated.

"How…" the giant spoke softly "…does 'all this' work out?"

"Easy! My friend here, [Stick], can only transform into so much—and I don't like whacking a living thing against stuff." Rodent held up his cane for the giant to see. "And when Wolf and I fought, I realized that I'm going to need a sword for my travels."

Steinith could not believe where this was going.

"So it works out!" Rodent raised his hands. "I need a sword. You just need to study the sword. Then both of us can leave this place." His hands dropped. "The people are better off or actually allowed to leave."

The whole village blinked at the idiot.

And Steinith lost his anger.

"You think it's possible." Steinith rose to his height without flare. "You think you'll find the Sword and give it to me."

"Lend," Rodent corrected. "I still need a sword."

"You'll use the Legendary Sword… as a mere sword?"

"What else am I going to use a sword for?"

"You… are the world's greatest fool." Steinith stepped back. He was smiling. "Surely... you heard of the other? The one who did not return?"

Rodent was silent.

"Despite this… I'm rather indulgent when it comes to fools…" Steinith turned south to the mountains framing the broad, dull land. "Killing you now serves no purpose. Eventually finding your corpse when I venture to the Sword myself, well, there would be amusement finding exactly where and how you died—so long as there is still something to find."

Rodent didn't speak.

"Head south. That passage you see is called Onstein's Path. Follow it, and you'll reach Kularlro Forest." Steinith faced away and did not fear opening himself for an attack. "Few have witnessed the forest and lived to talk about it. Even then—they were changed." He chuckled. "The rest, however, have met their rest alongside the Ancient Hero."

Rodent came to stand next to the giant, who did not dare taunt the path they gazed at despite his size, strength, and power. Rodent, despite disliking this man for his atrocious crimes, felt a connection between them for a moment—something he could not describe.

"Kularlro Forest sinks the further you go in… with the proclaimed 'pit' at the forest's center." Steinith stared and was lost inside of it. His head shook slightly. "Besides that… not much is known. The site of the Sword has always been written about." His shoulders lowered. "But nobody… even with all the time that has passed… has come to learn more about it."

Steinith looked calmly to the side and down at Rodent. "And those who dared to attempt it… no matter how close they came to the Sword… ever returned."

Rodent returned the look with a smile. "I'll get your sword. Quit doubting me."

Steinith blinked, stunned for a second… until he, too, came to smile likewise. "You and I. We are enemies." The giant nodded. "But you are a pleasant enemy to have."

Rodent only smirked.

"I'll forgo the family's punishment since you're undertaking it for them." Steinith turned to his building. "You—and only you—may leave this village." He walked around Rodent, his steps impactful. "The villagers may offer you supplies and aid—but nothing more."

Rodent could only smile and nod, watching as the giant tin man ducked through the door into his hut, leaving Rodent out in the open.