Chapter Fifty

When Shuka had agreed to come along with her friends to meet a monk they apparently knew, she hadn’t expected it to turn into such a brawl. She was just glad she was never invited to join in, she knew that level of combat was far beyond her. It was entertaining to watch though, even if she did wince every time one of her friends took a particularly nasty blow. And it was worth it to see them so happy now. Well, Maryam was happy, and she showed it by running around, yelling, and throwing stuff. Xorvos was too unconscious to be happy, but that would probably change when he wakes up. Shuka was paying so much attention to her friends that she didn’t even notice Arlom until he sat down right next to her.

“How do you do Miss Shuka? It is nice to finally meet you.”

“Um, yeah. Nice to meet you too. Oh, if we’re going to talk, could you hold this talisman for it? I’ll need it back after though.”

Shuka took out her anti-curse talisman and held it out to the monk before her. Arlom however, just held out his hand to stop her and shook his head.

“It would be utter foolishness for me to take such an obviously cursed item. Or at least that is what my first instinct tells me, which I find quite odd. Everything I am seeing of you tells me that you are genuinely offering me this item out of goodwill, and yet, my instincts cry out in danger.”

“Right, uh, I’m cursed to make people not trust me.”

“An obvious lie. In fact, I am so certain that it is a lie that it must be the truth. There is no reason for me to not even consider that you are telling the truth other than outside interference. Especially since I detected no actual lie from you. I think I will take the talisman, but I warn you not to make the same offer to others. Only the extremely reckless and arrogant would accept.”

Arlom took the talisman from Shuka’s still outstretched hand and put it away in a pocket in his outfit.

“I guess I will have to get Maryam or Xorvos to offer it. Probably Xorvos. Still, it’s nice that it does seem to be possible to get through the curse with logic.”

“Yes, but this curse seems powerful enough to trick even the smart. The advantage I have is my talent in reading people. I was also predisposed to think well of you from my knowledge of your friendship with Xorvos and Maryam.”

“Right, that’s why it only kinda worked on them too. Xorvos knew me well enough to know that the feeling he was getting from me wasn’t normal.”

I hope it won’t be too hard to get people to take the talisman, I went through a lot to make them. Still, I think it’s probably too late to get Validus to use it.

“So what is it you desire?”

The question came out of nowhere and it took a moment for Shuka to respond.

“Um, removing the curse I guess.”

“And after? Removing your curse is an immediate goal, but what is it you want to spend your life doing? What brings you fufillment?”

Shuka really had to think about the question this time. What brought her fulfillment? She had never considered it before.

“I think… I just want to go back to the life I had. Hunting in a small village. I guess I enjoy learning magic too, but I don’t have anything in particular I want to do with it.”

“How unambitious. That is good, it means you will find happiness easily.”

“Really? Don’t you think my goals are too simple? I feel kind of dumb for not having anything more important to want.”

“I have met many people with even simpler goals than that, and I find they are often the most content with their lives. You had already achieved what many great people strive for their entire lives. Your life's purpose was fulfilled.”

I never considered it like that before. Although it’s making me even more annoyed about this curse, just let me get back to my fulfilled life already.

“So if you are all about helping people, does that mean you are going to help me remove my curse?”

“No. Not for any malicious reason, mind you. Curse removal is beyond my area of expertise, and I would rather help you return to a peaceful lifestyle yourself, rather than do it all myself. It is not the curse I believe you need assistance with, however.”

“If not the curse, then what? You said it yourself, all I need is the simple life of a hunter, and the only thing preventing that is the curse.”

“The only thing? And what of Validus? Or whoever it is that placed the curse on you? And will it be so easy to return to such a peaceful life after surviving such a stressful situation?”

Well, Mervil can probably deal with Validus since he’s the Grand Priest, and hopefully, Asheli will handle the whole Sandrin situation. Is returning to a peaceful life really so hard though? It seems like the easiest step to me. I might have to move to a new village, but compared to dealing with Validus that hardly seems so bad.

“I’m pretty sure the first two problems are going to be dealt with, and I’m not really worried about the third one, but if you have any advice I’ll listen.”

“Well if you don’t see the problem already, then I doubt you will until it is too late. Just try to remember what you truly desire when the time comes for you to go home. And if you ever get the chance, you should speak with Pommel, I’m sure he would help alleviate a plight such as yours.”

“Pommel? You mean the demi-god? I’m not exactly religious, I don’t know if he would answer any of my prayers.”

“Oh no, I don’t mean pray to him. I just meant that if you happen to encounter him in your travels it would do you well to speak to him. Although I believe he currently resides in Draconia so a chance meeting may be unlikely.”

When I asked for advice ‘go meet a god’ is not what I was expecting. And he’s in Draconia? That’s an entirely different continent, am I supposed to sail across the sea just to talk to one man?

“Is that it? You know, I was kind of hoping for something a bit more solid, like something I can actually act on.”

“There are some small things that I could give you advice on, but I doubt you would listen to them with such a looming threat hanging over you. Before anything else, you must return to normalcy, but I don’t need to tell you that. As for things to act on, I am not all knowing. I do not know the perfect way to remove your curse and I do not know how to give you a peaceful life. I trust that it is possible though, and as long as you seek a solution, you will find it. Now, I must speak with your friends and then I think it will be time for you to leave. I am sure you have much to do outside of my monastery. Ah, and before I forget, here is your talisman back.”

Arlom handed Shuka’s talisman back to her and then made his way to Maryam, who was running around in circles on all fours. How she still had so much energy after the fight, Shuka had no idea. Xorvos was only just now getting up from where he landed, but both looked to Arlom as he approached. Shuka's two friends listened intently as the monk started to talk.

They sure are friendly with a person who was just beating them up. I guess he’s not so bad though.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

*

Arlom watched as the three newest visitors of his monastery left. They were an interesting bunch, and he wished he could’ve spent more time with them. They were not the only people who demanded his attention, however. There was an old regular who had been patiently waiting for quite a while now, although he almost seemed more interested in the poor cursed hunter than in the monk. Now that she had left though, his gaze locked directly onto Arlom. He was a plain looking man, average height, average looks, short brown hair and simple clothing. He could have been a farmhand, or a cobbler, or any number of other simple professions, it was impossible to tell. The name he had given Arlom when they first met was Richard, but he had since learned his real name. Sandrin. He had entered the monastery shortly after Shuka and her friends but kept far away from them the entire time. He sat on a bench on the far side of the training hall where Arlom had sparred with Maryam, and had a small wooden sculpture in his hands he pretended to carve. He had admitted to the monk once that he didn’t actually know how to carve and it was all an illusion, but it made him look busy and not spying on people. As Arlom got within a few feet of the archmage he felt the nearly imperceptible tingle of mana passing over him. He knew this meant he walked into a spell, and knowing who he was approaching, probably one that prevented people from eavesdropping.

“Richard, it’s been years. How have you been?”

The disguised archmage gave a faint smile, before giving up on the pretense and dropped his illusion, revealing his true self, to Arlom at least. He was sure that the spell he entered was keeping Sandrins identity hidden still. He looked different than what Arlom remembered, for one thing he had hair now. The Sandrin he remembered was bald, and had distinctive arcane tattoo’s on his scalp that was now covered by his head of straight black hair. And he wore glasses now, although he quickly removed them and tucked them away in one of his robes’ pockets. That was another oddity for anyone who knew the famed archmage of illusion and his disdain for mage robes. Now, Arlom surmised, he played up his hatred of robes precisely so no one would ever imagine him wearing them if he ever had to hide. Between the hair, the glasses, and the robes, it would be hard for anyone to recognize him unless they knew Sandrin very well, or had a very good memory. The one other thing Arlom took notice of, was that he was tired. Emotionally and physically. But still determined.

“I have spent every waking hour of my life for the last three years working on a project that is on the verge of failure. How have I been? Not great.”

“I don’t suppose you found the time to visit that lich I recommended to you then?”

Sandrin let out a weak laugh, and a bit of vigour returned to his face.

“No, but thanks for the recommendation. I didn’t have the time to go halfway across the world to meet her even before Mervil and Asheli raided me, so I coerced a local necromancer into helping me instead. If I hadn’t then the fake soul I conjured to trick Mervil into thinking I was really dead might not have worked.”

“Well I’m glad it worked out for you, but you really must be a bit more careful. There aren’t many competent necromancers in the Celestial Empire, and most aren’t very honourable regardless of their skill. They could have given you flawed knowledge, intentionally or unintentionally. Meeting the Ivory Horror would have taken longer, but ensured a favourable result.”

“If I could convince her to teach me in the first place that is. But what’s done is done, I’ve already learned all I need about souls. In fact, you’ve already seen my handiwork.”

“Shuka’s curse? Impressive work for a field outside of your specialty. I take it she factors into your plans somehow?”

“Of course she does, I wouldn’t just let a loose end walk around like that for no reason. Although the plan is starting to fall apart a bit. She was never meant to meet Asheli, and I don’t know how she’s going to interfere.”

“You always did struggle to consider her involvement. That’s why you got caught three years ago.”

Sandrin got a genuine look of surprise on his face for a moment before he controlled his expression.

“I had assumed one of the temple's spies had caught me. Was it Asheli?”

“One of her thieves. I believe he was simply looking to rob you when he encountered your more… incriminating possessions, and he reported it to Asheli without taking anything. She told Mervil and they assembled a team in secret.”

“I see… well, I’m not going to let her be my downfall again, I just have to take her into account this time. I should have been more careful though and ensured she wouldn’t assist Shuka. I thought the curse would be enough, but she’s too careful.”

Arlom looked upon Sandrin and saw anxiety and stress. Stress that had been there for years. He had always known Sandrin to be an anxious man, but never had it been so severe. But there was one other thing the monk saw in him, something he had never seen in the archmage before. Guilt. Where could that have come from?

Ah, the hunter. I do not know how she factors into Sandrin’s plan, but a stranger would add too much uncertainty. He must have gotten to know her quite well in the last three years.

“Out of curiosity Sandrin, did you happen to take Shuka as your apprentice?”

“How did you… yes, I did. I finally took your advice and got an apprentice.”

“And? Did you find it an annoying chore like you claimed it would be?”

“Alright fine, you were right, I really enjoyed it. It was a bit frustrating at first since she was learning slower than I had hoped, and I’m on a time limit, but eventually teaching her magic was my time to relax. I was worried I had messed up picking her, but she’s done remarkably well. If I just picked up a kid with talent, they would have probably panicked in their first fight and gotten caught, even with my help.”

While his eyes were still tired, Sandrin started to smile, if only slightly. And he wasn’t just happy that he found a good tool to use.

“There are few people you feel guilt over sacrificing, could you not have found someone you cared less for?”

“I considered it. Actually, that quanso, Xorvos, almost got cursed instead of Shuka. I certainly wouldn’t feel guilty about that. But then Shuka would have probably gotten involved anyway, and he was less likely to follow my orders. No one else in the village was a good candidate, and I couldn’t afford to search elsewhere.”

“You require the best possible candidate to ensure your plan works, but if it brings you turmoil, then will you not be getting an imperfect result?”

Sandrin scoffed at the remark.

“The result is already imperfect. If it was perfect I wouldn’t need a plan at all, and I wouldn’t need any help from a narcissist who thinks being called a tyrant is a good thing. As long as I get what I want at all I will be happy. Would I be happier if Shuka didn’t have to suffer for it? Yes. But I would also be happier if some thief didn’t stumble into a pentagram while looking for a fancy bottle of wine to steal.”

“I take it you are still working with your patron then?”

“I have to. It’s not like I’m going to get good enough at demonology to summon an archdemon in time for the penta. Like it or not, I need him.”

“What you like is often more important than what you think you need. Even if you two share a goal, you do not share your desires. Eventually you will come to a disagreement severe enough that it cannot be reconciled. Do you have a plan on how to betray him when that happens?”

“I have a few, but they all require me to summon the demon first. That man ruled a kingdom of backstabbers, a few simple illusions aren’t going to do him in. I don’t think he is going to betray me first though, not directly at least. We made a deal, and I think he will honor it. The only question is, how long will it take for him to turn on me once the deal is over? He doesn’t seem like a man who likes people more powerful than him, and if all goes well, I will be stronger by far.”

It was a bold statement, but Arlom knew what Sandrin’s end goal was, even if he didn’t know how he would get there. If he really did get what he wanted, then there would be few who could take him in a fair fight. It wasn’t a fair fight the archmage was worried about though.

“So you are already compromising by working with your patron rather than doing it all on your own, could you not make another with Shuka? She at least will weigh on your conscience.”

“She doesn’t need to die for my plan to work. I can’t take back what I’ve already done, and I need her for one last thing, but after that I will leave her alone. I might even make sure she gets out of Sidus alive, as long as it doesn’t put myself in jeopardy at least.”

“Will that be enough? What you need is not to commit lesser evils against her, what you need is closure. You are right, you can’t take back what you’ve done, so do not try to redeem yourself in her eyes, but at least talk to her one last time. Tell her you are sorry, even if she won’t forgive you. If you avoid her then you will be running away from the price you are paying to achieve your goals.”

“Well what am I meant to say to her then?” Sandrin near shouted in distress. “Hey, I’m sorry I ruined your life for my own selfish goals? How is that going to make things better for either of us? I don’t have the time or resources to remove her curse, and even if I did it wouldn’t fix her reputation. I’m not even done hurting her yet, but an apology is meant to make everything better? Why bother at all?”

“An apology won’t make everything better, in fact, it won’t change anything at all. Your actions will still harm her, she will still hate you for it and you will still feel guilty. But you don’t apologize to gain something out of it, you apologize because it is the right thing to do.”

“Wouldn’t the right thing for me to do be not harm her in the first place?”

“If it came at the cost of your dream? Then no. Not for you at least. I know what you value and I know that if you did give up on your dream for her sake you would end up resenting her for it. Perhaps there is a world where you could achieve your goals without harming her, but we are not in that world. So stab her one last time, but at least give her the courtesy of stabbing her in the front, and not the back.”

Sandrin was uncertain, conflicted. Anxiously weighing his options inside his own mind, even in matters so emotional. But then he stopped, calmed himself and took a deep breath, just like Arlom taught him. He had come to a decision.

“I won’t let her distract me any longer. I will meet her one more time, and then remove her from my life.”