image [https://i.imgur.com/SkVr8TW.jpg]

I’d considered asking Fabulosa if she wanted to wait outside the dungeon while I triggered the rune. An earthquake could destroy the dungeon, but it wasn’t a tactful question after I’d pocketed the first core.

I triggered the rune, and the earth shook. I cringed, praying the masonry above the crypt held. After moments of tremors, the deep rumbling sounds ended.

I stood back, letting Fabulosa pick up the celestial core.

Item

Terralith, Unique Purple Core

Rarity

Celestial (purple)

Description

Level 65 core

Celestial Bonus 1 Environment

Celestial Bonus 2 Growth

Celestial Bonus 3 Harmony

Celestial Bonus 4 Elemental

Its bonuses puzzled me as much as the other core. Aside from the obvious nature references, I couldn’t fathom how properties like “growth” or “harmony” belonged on a demon-cursed relic or how they might affect a weapon or building.

“Grats, again!”

“Thanks.”

“Have you decided what you want to use it on?”

Fabulosa thought for a moment. “I’m not sure. Is there a difference between using a core to create or enchant an item?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t taken Enchant Object yet. But Rory and the crafters in Belden say enchanting isn’t as powerful as using it for item creation. The mithril might make a suitable weapon, or we could go to goblin territory to look for darksteel.”

Fabulosa grunted. “No more goblin dungeons for me, thank you, and I’m already wearing a mithril chest plate. I’m thinking of making a cape with that steel wool we found in the Rammons treasure room.”

“You’re going to become our friendly neighborhood superhero?”

Fabulosa held the Terralith to her eye, inspecting it like a diamond cutter. “Use it or lose it, baby.”

We collected the stick-candelabras as we left the temple’s tunnels. Their woodsy primitivism clashed with Odum’s wrought-iron equivalents, but the cold, ever-burning flames used the same magic.

A partial cave-in hampered our exit to the dungeon. Destroying the relic collapsed another wall, and giant stone blocks jammed up our way to the surface, but we possessed the magical means of exiting. I used Dig to create air pockets between the broken masonry, allowing us to Slipstream through the obstruction.

After climbing the rope, we left the temple ruins behind.

We had only been gone for six hours, and because Jourdain slept in the Dark Room, the Divine Bow didn’t reveal his direction or whereabouts. Luckily, we knew where we’d left the soldiers on our map and spotted the rope hanging down from the air after reaching the campsite.

We rekindled the campfire while they slept. Breaking their rest wouldn’t do us any good. They had Exhaustion debuffs to rid themselves of, and we respected that.

I summoned Beaker next to Fabulosa’s bedroll by the fire, hoping her proximity kept him quiet. And it did. At night, the griffon would scream his head off at any threat, making a good watchdog while Fabulosa and I slept.

The soldiers awoke before our internal alarms. When Beaker saw them sliding down the Dark Room rope, he clamored and beat his wings. It wasn’t a pleasant way to wake, and the Krek soldiers backed away until we shushed him.

He ruffled his feathers, making me notice how big he’d grown. On his rear legs, he stood nearly tall as me. His talons looked thick nowadays. Flying up and down the river had put meat on his bones.

Corporal Turan pantomimed the act of cleaning out her ears, but she grinned, harboring no ill will toward my pet. “Good morning, Governor, L.T., and accompanying raptor.” She cast a wary eye on Beaker.

I stretched my hand to scratch Beaker’s chest feathers. “These are our friends. Be good, you big turkey.”

My Familiar responded with a noncommittal squawk and pretended to ignore the corporal.

Corporal Turan pointed up toward the Dark Room. “The captain says he would like to see you two.”

Fabulosa arched an eyebrow, skeptical about being summoned, but thankfully, the corporal hadn’t picked up on it. Fabulosa kicked off her covers and reached for her armor. “Is everything all right?”

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“Yeah. That’s why the captain wants to see you. Commander Thaxter seems better.”

I grunted. “Okay. I guess that’s a good thing. Are your Exhaustion debuffs gone?”

Turan nodded. “Yes, sir, governor. We let you sleep in, but we’re ready to hump it back to base.”

I inwardly grinned at the corporal’s descriptions of sleeping in. Light barely graced the morning sky.

I followed Fabulosa up the Dark Room rope. Beaker craned his neck to watch us climb the dangling line, and before he started panicking about Fabulosa disappearing, I spoke to him with mental commands. “Cool it for a while. Fabulosa and I will be back—we’re just going away for a few minutes. Be a good boy. No screaming.”

As I followed her up the line, Beaker stared at the rope, probably wondering where we’d gone, but he acted docile. As the soldiers at the campfire started breakfast, he widened his eyes and cocked his head in their direction. Food always served as a perennial distraction.

Despite the soldiers’ promises, no bonds held the prisoner. Several soldiers crowded around Thaxter. Their body language showed no tension, and no one acted nervous or awkward. The night’s rest had cleared them of debuffs. It didn’t look like another mutiny.

When I climbed inside, Fabulosa and Jourdain had already started a conversation. “…and that’s when we noticed a difference. He quieted when we got him inside the Dark Room last night, but now he’s lucid. We think it could have been a lack of sleep, but the commander seemed like his old self.”

Thaxter looked haggard but possessed an awareness I’d not seen before. Instead of staring into space and mumbling to himself, he watched and listened when people spoke.

Fabulosa pivoted to Thaxter. “If that’s so, then I reckon the commander can speak for himself.” Her arms fell on her hips. Her defensive posture illustrated her disapproval of untying the man.

The commander raised a hand to still the soldiers’ arguments, then rubbed his eyes. He looked gaunt but spoke with resolve. “If it makes the lieutenant governor feel better, I’ll submit to restraint. I don’t understand what’s come over me these past few months, but my head is clear again. I’m so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused.”

Something in his words pricked the itch in the back of my mind. While the commander apologized to Fabulosa, I tuned out of the discussion.

This situation seemed vaguely familiar. Thaxter had grown increasingly delusional and obsessed with finding the relic. Had its destruction broken the spell?

I remembered what the kobolds told me about their queen. She, too, had gone insane, and that had also destabilized their government. Perhaps that’s how Femmeny and her wererats took control. That explained why the kobolds wanted to rid themselves of the relic’s influence.

The explanation clicked many things into place.

I regarded Thaxter. He looked like someone who’d been sleeping for a long time.

“Commander Thaxter, did you hear any voices when you—” I considered a discreet euphemism for madness. “Um, felt unwell?”

“I heard a voice, yes. At least, I thought so, but it seemed like a dream.”

“What did it want?”

The commander considered the question for a while before answering. “It said nonsensical things. It wanted to escape from prison. And I know how crazy that sounds. I don’t understand it, but the voice wanted me to find a helm of power.”

Fabulosa turned to me. “That was the relic. The demon inside it must have been calling him.”

“That explains a lot. We’ll be able to explain some of this to the command staff at Fort Krek on your behalf, commander. You and your people aren’t entirely to blame for what’s happened.”

The commander hung his head. The soldiers looked uncomfortable at his shame, although three put their hands on his shoulder to show their support. No one had anything else to say.

As the commander recovered, Captain Jourdain spoke. “Let’s get some chow and hoof it back to the fort.” With a loud clap, he adjourned the meeting.

We encountered no monsters on our return trip. I couldn’t get any more from Thaxter, but it occurred to me that his days of serving Fort Krek were over. Even if the fort’s command staff accepted their excuses, these renegades would never regain their trust.

I took Fabulosa aside during one of our breaks. “If it’s all right with Iris and Major Fischer, would you object to the commander and his people coming to Hawkhurst? We could always use more soldiers, and they seem to be in a transitional period.”

Fabulosa wrinkled her nose while she chewed on the idea. “Sure. That sounds fine—assuming that transitional period doesn’t include getting executed for mutiny.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. Maybe we should skip Fort Krek. Then I’d defer to Iris’s judgment.”

Fabulosa looked disappointed. “Patch, I hate to say this, but that’s up to you, not Iris. You’re the governor. It’s your call if Thaxter joins us. Iris is all-military—she’ll fall in line with your decision.”

Fabulosa was right, and I should have known as much. I wasn’t growing into a leadership role over time. I just had to do it and stop worrying about everyone else’s approval.

It took a while for me to muster the courage to bring the matter up with the soldiers. I crossed the subject over our trip’s last campfire. “Before we get to Fort Krek, I want to ask you something. Would you be interested in joining Hawkhurst as its town militia? Or, if private enterprise suits you, Captain Iris has a mercenary guild guarding caravans crossing the continent. You’re free to join her operation if she’ll have you—but if any of you are looking for a place to start over, Hawkhurst will extend citizenship.”

Like a hot potato of responsibility, their gazes followed up the chain of command. The footsoldiers looked at Corporals Turan, Lazaar, and Arikan, who looked at Captain Jourdain, who turned to Commander Thaxter.

“That’s a generous offer, Governor, but I cannot serve in a leadership capacity—not after this.”

“Would you be willing to serve in an advisory position? A person with your experience would be invaluable—we’re also hoping to build a castle someday, and you could help organize it.”

The commander’s eyebrows lifted, and he smiled for the first time. “I would, but I expect everyone here to make their own decision. Some of you have families and responsibilities outside command. Major Fischer might not grant clemency.”

Fabulosa stepped forward. “I wonder if surrendering causes Krek more problems than it solves.”

Thaxter shrugged and stroked his chin. “I daresay there’s truth in that. Punishing us won’t be popular with the Krek troops. Fischer is a good leader. She doesn’t worry about being loved, but I see no reason to put her into a tight corner if we can avoid it.”

Captain Jourdain placed his hand over his chest. “I’ll pledge to Hawkhurst if you’ll have me.”

After the corporals agreed, the rest of the soldiers voiced their support in less eloquent ways. They pounded their armor and whooped encouragements.

Beaker shrieked and beat his wings at the noise until I assured him everything was okay.

Thaxter bowed his head. “I, too, will go. But my days of decision-making are over. Perhaps you could use another farmer.” Thaxter didn’t meet anyone’s gaze.

His sincerity made me pity him.

Fabulosa consoled me with an elbow nudge and a wink. “Cheer up, governor. This completes our trip. We recruited a dozen new citizens, after all.”