"And now that you are back in the world," the Spider started with the voice that belonged to a butler, "just what are your plans?"

"Dunno." If the sword could shrug—it would have done so. "Fuck around and find out. Never planned on personally returning—so anything's possible." If the sword could scratch its face—it would have done so. "Since fucknuts here is in charge, I guess we'll be doing whatever the hell he's doing."

Rodent glanced at the sword's hilt from over his shoulder. "Saving a village."

"Saving a village, really?" If the sword could roll its eyes—it would have. "Damn. Y'know… hearing that answer for real makes me wanna go back underground." The sword wiggled against Rodent's back as though trying to crack a spine no longer there. "Makes me think that if a proper hero did find me… I'd probably dislike them as much as I do you."

"Hey." Rodent turned a little harder. "I'm not a goody two shoes. I… just like to help people."

"And I'd bet you'd like to save the world while at it."

"No!" Rodent threw up his hands. "I mean, if it needed saving and there was nobody else, I'd—"

"You'd do nothing because nobody fuckin' else cares to hear the end of that." Even though it wasn't possible to tell, somehow, everyone felt the sword's attention pass onto the Spider. "I felt a little commotion before we came up. Everything okay topside?"

The Spider, above them and upside down upon a web, touched the ends of its legs together. "Due to our… guest, we've had a bit more activity than usual." As if to demonstrate his point, the sea of Deskar beyond the platform undulated, swirling and becoming more active, an aura of hostility rising. "But it hasn't been anything the trees or myself can't handle."

"Nuh-uh," the sword went. "It should know better than to not fuck around." Delt focused on Rodent. "You. Boy pretending to be a man. Hold me over the ledge."

Rodent shook his head and crossed his arms. "Don't tempt me with that—I might just drop ya."

"You really think this fuckin' pool is a threat to me?" Delt returned. "Drop me and see how well you do without a sword that can swing itself. Go on. Go do it, big mouth."

Rodent rolled his eyes and walked forward, his steps croaking against the aged wood of the platform, coming to the edge and beside where the Spider hung. He drew the sword and held it over the edge. "That big mouth is how I made it to you in the first place."

"I would also send you along if it meant I didn't have to fuckin' hear you anymore."

Rodent glanced up at the Spider. "Was he always like this?"

The Spider nodded. "Nearly killed me on his first encounter—before I even was a Spider."

Rodent let that float briefly before his head shook at the implications.

Before he would raise his questions, the sword spoke.

"OI!" Delt yelled at the sea of Deskar. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Afterward, a powerful blast discharged, nearly blasting Rodent back. That struck the waves, evening and calming them as the power travelled under the liquid.

Seconds later, the sea settled, the hushed whispers and screams silenced.

And Rodent, though affected, was left standing.

"And you." Delt switched to the Spider. "That was when you were playing for the opposite team."

"True!" replied the Spider. "The fact that I'm alive means that the barbarian actually had a heart."

"You had use." Delt settled in Rodent's hand. "Killing you was pointless."

"And that is the story we will keep telling, sir."

"Rodent? A favour?" Delt began. "Drive me through that Spider."

"What?" Rodent's face scrunched. "No!"

"Lucky again," Delt said.

The Spider nodded. "Indeed."

"Alright. I'm bored." Delt was then stashed into his home on Rodent's back. "Let's head to that village and see how you die."

"Don't pay him too much heed," said the Spider. "His mouth is foul and the same is generally true of his heart." The Spider turned upright on his web. "However, when the moment counts, you can trust him to do the right thing."

"Because it's worthwhile," the sword responded. "And not much has been worthwhile lately. And hey. Don't give the kid false hope. He already knew what he signed up for. He needs a sword and promised an interesting show. I'm gone once the latter stops happening."

The Spider nodded. "Of course, sir."

Rodent threw up his hands. "I appreciate your input, at the very least."

If the Spider could smile, it would have. "But of course. It is you that the forest is interested in."

Rodent tilted his head. "What do you—"

"Don't you have a village waiting for you?" Delt interrupted. "C'mon. I'm bored being here."

The Spider chuckled, swishing his legs forward. "Go now. Delt is right. There is nothing more for you to gain here."

Rodent was hesitant. "You'll be alright here, though, right?"

"Nothing that I haven't managed before," the Spider said. "Now go. There are more pressing matters for you to attend."

Rodent still didn't want to leave and looked at the Spider even as he turned and left, wanting to make some promise but knowing that he couldn't hold any—feeling it in his heart that he would like to return. Waving to the Spider, he sped off.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

The croaking of his boots against the platform could be heard. He rounded around it before coming to the bridge connecting it to the next tree.

Enough time and distance passed before the Spider felt a rumble in the air.

He looked up at the tree he was attached to.

"Yes… yes… perhaps this is for the best," the Spider said to the tree. "By a normal hero, he would just be used, and that would be that." The Spider looked to where they had gone. "But allowed to be himself with no obligation placed upon him… just maybe… something will come about it. Even then. That Rodent. There is something about him that… gives me hope."

The Spider then looked back up at the tree. "Then again, there have been a few like that, haven't there?"

His tone became sad.

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"What the fuck is that thing?" Delt asked from Rodent's back as they approached the pole left in the way; Rodent was happy as they stopped before the tool. "It come off one of the trees?"

"No," Rodent said as he smiled and drew Stick from the ground, holding it in his hands and feeling its vibrations. "It's a friend that I brought with me. It's what I was using before you."

"Ah." Delt paused—feeling Stick's vibrations as well. "I see. I'm not your first talking object."

"I'm back," Rodent said, ignoring Delt. "You do okay without me?"

“…all…is fine…” Stick said. “Good to… see you…”

Rodent nodded.

"Can we cut this reunion fuckin' short?" Delt said. "I'm bored as fuck seeing all this sappy crap. It's been god knows how many years since my last fight. I need a little fire and blood and guts in my life."

"Don't mind him," Rodent interjected. "He's… yeah."

Feeling his owner's request, Stick shrunk into a small stick that could fit into his pocket. And that's where it went to warm up and be comforted by the presence of another. What was left, however, was the necklace left by Issac. Holding it before his face, Rodent took a moment, before clasping it around his neck.

"Done with your little moment?" Delt asked. "Good. Let's get going."

Rodent, wanting to say something, said nothing as he went.

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[Dula Village | Day Time]

Dula Village's outskirts were dim and gray with a circling wind that was more than just harsh. The area had become a vacuum, and what remained was stale and terrible. The people inside the village had been gathered outside, with some allowed to resume the village's needed efforts, though watched with an attentive eye.

Steinith sat before the crowd with his arms crossed and head lowered, a constant smile on his lips as he felt the generation given to him from the people's fear. They couldn't help it. Couldn't stop—in their timeless imagination—what the man would do against them.

It made him stronger in that respect. Faster. Bigger. More powerful. It was enough to feed a man for a year. However, Steinith kept himself calm and collected. He waited for his foe—for his attempt to amend a possible mistake.

The head of Rodent and the snapped Sword would appease the Council of Eight and secure Steinith's place in this world.

"Hmm." Steinith raised his head to the eyes of everyone focused on him. "He's here."

Steinith casually pressed against the ground and rose to his imposing height, cracking his neck and arms and wiggling out his body—not wearing his armour for once. Instead, he wore simple trousers and a white sleeveless shirt specially made for his size.

He then shambled over to the village's north entrance, and though his attention was no longer focused on the gathered, they could not leave… not when a violet, magical, and transparent thorn weaved over their laps and held them against the ground.

Though their naked eyes could not see the magic or the happening, they felt it, wiggling and becoming pained from the motion. They were forced to become still as they were left there. All of them looked at the giant as he came to stand in the middle of the village with his arms crossed.

And then, at the village entrance, dressed in adventurer's garb with a Sword on his back… was the man they all had been waiting for. Rodent stood with his head already tilted back at the beast.

His face was calm and expressionless, and his hair seemed grayer now than it had been before.

"Rodent," Steinith said without emotion in his voice. "You weren't supposed to return. You were supposed to die."

Rodent turned his head and smiled. "Not the first time I heard that." He cracked his neck as well. "And I doubt it'll be the last."

"Unfortunately… it will be." Steinith remained in place. "You have my respect for making the trip. You are the first perhaps in history to have done so."

Rodent shook his head. "No." He looked down and held up Issac's amulet. "Issac made it there first. He showed me the way in." He let it rest against his chest. "All I've done is make it back."

"Hm. So you stumbled on the Sword's secret as well." Steintih glanced over Rodent's shoulder at the blade itself. "So what? You are the chosen hero, then? You now possess limitless power?"

Delt chuckled upon Rodent's back, whispering. "Was that your plan? Fake out your foe in thinking I'm all juiced up?"

The people to the side also looked at Rodent with hope.

But he, with a smile, shook his head and drew the blade forward—revealing it to be ordinary. "Nope. This is the Ancient Sword… but has no power." He looked at the crowd, still, with his smile. "But all I said was I needed a sword. Nothing more." He looked back at Steinith. "You're the one that broke your side of the deal."

"Hmph. True." Steintih chuckled and rolled forward and back on his feet. "And you're right. I'm not a fan of having to break it. Truth is… I'd like to examine that useless metal and be on my way, but… what's at stake here is too important for me to just let go."

"So you don't intend to release the people here?"

"To what?" Steinth's face was plain as he shrugged. "To say in dying lands that soon will consume them? To make a trip that they won't survive? To remain in a world that won't be remaining for much longer?"

His head shook. "Face it, brother. We're at the end. Either we adjust to what comes after… or be swept underneath it."

Rodent smirked. "And… so what? Everything's useless… so you make their choice for them? Seems too easy to make that argument."

"Might makes right," Steinith returned. "Don't like it? Change it."

Rodent lowered his sword to his side and drew a deep breath. "I'll fight you. I'll even die to you if that's needed." He looked at the crowd once more. "But it makes no difference if they are here or not. You get me. You get the Sword. And you can do what you want with the Deskar around here."

Steinith laughed, smiling the whole while, returning his gaze to Rodent. "Look. Listen. I like you." His smile stretched. "I really do. There's a lot of duds in these lands… but you're the first person in a while that felt like being around a small fire."

He exhaled and nodded. "And look. As much as I hate to do it… I have to snuff that fire out beneath my boot." He raised a giant leg and dropped it, doing the same with his other, casually rocking the ground. "And I cannot leave a single thing to chance. Not one ember of that fire to burn and chance relighting itself. I can't even depend on myself to finish you wholly—there's too much at risk while this thing is still small."

Rodent laid a hand on his chest. "I'm not anybody."

Steinith pointed at him. "And that's just the thing! You ain't anybody! No strength, no magic, no power—just immense willpower." He held out his arms. "But look at you. Some below ordinary fellow just went on an impossible adventure and, regardless of the state of that Sword… you still brought it back here."

He nodded. "You're dangerous. And with time… you'll become even more dangerous." His hands turned to fists. "You need to be killed. That Sword needs to be snapped. And this village needs to die for what it has seen and for what it can contribute."

Delt couldn't help but talk aloud. "Holy fuck. You brought me here just to be snapped, motherfucker?"

Steinith blinked, snapping from his focus, looking at the Sword. "I-It… can talk?"

"Sure can, motherfucker." Delt had changed its language to Kralven. "Now, what was this about fuckin' snapping me?"

Rodent, making a face, stashed the sword, hoping to silence it.