The carriage rocks back and forth as it abruptly comes to a stop. Inside sit two men, both visibly weary from the long tiring journey along the scorching path that brought them here.

The older of the two addresses the other with an annoyed voice.

“We’re here, Nathan”

The Younger man simply holds up his hand in front of him, stretching out two fingers while the rest grip a small crystal.

With a clearly irritated voice, he snaps back at him.

“I’m not going to wait two minutes for you to finish that.”

The only response he gets, is the lowering of a single finger.

Seeing that he isn't going to budge, Shawn sighs to himself and tries to control his aggravation. After all, it is not his travel companion he is irritated with, and he knows him well enough to not waste time trying to interrupt him. Instead, realizing that he has to endure the heat of the sun baked carriage a few minutes more, he simply close his eyes to focus.

From the top of his neck a wave of blue and red light gushes down his back, wrapping around his arms and legs. With a small twist of his hands, he commands a small breeze through the carriage, cooling them both. He leans back into his seat, peering out the window.

“Fifteen years, huh..”

He mutters under his breath.

A short time passes, and Nathan slowly exhales before cracking his neck.

“Done?”

“Almost”

Nathan pulls out a chain with a small pendant hanging on it.

He pushes the crystal into an empty setting on the pendant, and it clicks into place.

Seeing that he’s done, Shawn release his aura and opens the carriage doors. As he steps out, he pulls his hood over his feathered head to shade himself from the blistering sun.

As Nathan step out of the carriage to follow him, putting the satchel containing his belongings over his shoulder, the coachman leans out of his seat and address him in a mocking voice.

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“Do you need a hand with that?”

As if to respond, Nathan turns around and toss him the pendant he just finished.

“For hot days.”

He says before he turns back around to follow Shawn, leaving the coachman holding the pendant with a confused look on his face.

When he catch up to Shawn, he is meet with a question.

“What did you make him?”

“Aircondition.”

He answers curtly.

“Are you sure you want to simply give those away?”

“I’ll be selling them openly and share the schematics anyways. This way he might be less inclined to harass me at a later point.”

He replies in a detached monotone.

As they walk, Nathan looks around the city and its inhabitants.

“These people are nothing like the people in Bightkeep.”

A slight strain can be heard in Shawn's voice as he answers.

“No, that they are not. As you might have seen from the few outposts and small towns we passed to reach this place, the culture of Bightkeep is not exactly the most mainstream one. You would be hard pressed to find a man here that would prefer a ballet to a brawl.”

“Suits me fine. I never did like the smug superiority that city oozes of..”

A venomous tone to his voice.

“So you say.. Nathan, now that we are here, are you sure you won’t change your mind?”

Shawn says with a slight pity.

Clearly annoyed, Nathan answers.

“Shawn, I’m tired of repeating myself. I made my decision.”

“But with your.. Condition.. You wouldn’t have to fight, and I could help set you up with a shop in a nice house. I’ll even give you some money to get started. We could really use your talents as a-”

“Shawn. Enough.

You promised me I could do my part. I’ll do my part, but I will do it my way.

Don’t worry, I’ll still work with artifacts, and I’ll share the schematics, but that is not my life anymore.”

A frown appears on Shawns face.

“So you think it’s that easy? This is not a playground, if you want to be part of the Order of the Dagger you will have to risk your life. There will be no putting your hands up and giving up. Come fire and death, you’re the one to suffer. Your life will be nothing but pain. Are you really ready for that? Why will you not just take the deal?”

A smile appears on Nathan's face.

“Ready? I’m looking forward to it. All these years I’ve lied to myself, told myself not to fight back, just stay in the shadows. Just shrink down and they’ll ignore you. Just stay down and they won’t hurt you. But you know what I realized?”

He leans in closer to the Shawn, and continues in what is almost a whisper.

“I like the pain. It makes me feel alive.”

As he leans back away from Shawn, he can see that the old man lets out a relieved sigh.

“Good. Your mother would have been proud.”

He says with great relief.

Shawn turn around and starts walking.

“This was your first test. You pass.”

Following him, Nathan asks:

“Test? Seriously? You were the one that wanted me to produce artifacts.”

“Oh I know. But that wasn’t the test. From the second you told me you wanted to fight, I had no intention of talking you out of it. The test was simply that you would be offered an alternative, one that would be more alluring. Help with your business, money, a carefree lifestyle. I still want you to make artifacts for us, but I’ll honor our agreement.”

“So a test of resolve. And if I had taken the deal?”

Having reached their destination, Shawn knocks two times before turning to address Nathan.

“We cannot allow those who can be bought to know our secrets. I would have had no choice but to kill you.”

He says, as the door opens.