Tar Town was off in the distance. The night before, Lindra left to hide the gem. Try as I might, I couldn't track her, and considering it took her over four hours to return to our camp, the gem was well hidden. Everyone was tense, especially Korin. We were near the end of this quest; somehow, the moments before the fight with the dragon were less stressful.

  There were no attacks during the travel; I almost wish something had happened just to alleviate the growing discord. But no, the goddess was not that kind. The village was the same as before. A loose collection of wooden huts with thatched roofs; in the center of the village was a larger building that functioned as an inn.

  “Well, here we go; everyone put your best smiles on,” Morah said. For some reason, I felt the urge to kill the man for that comment, more so than anything else he’d said.

  The guards, in the fine enchanted armor, were milling about, and then they perked up at our approach. One jogged into the large building, and out walked the familiar elderly smile of Orian in simple leathers with a sword belted by his side.

  The wandering villagers cleared, scuttling away like rats in candlelight as we walked through the village.

  “Well, well, if it isn’t the conquering heroes. Come, come, we have much to discuss. But first, may I see it?” Orian said.

  Nara stepped forward, facing Orian without trepidation. “We were successful; however, the gem is not with us.”

  Orian’s face didn’t even flinch. “Really now? Then where is it?”

  “Hidden, for certain reasons that will become clear.” For an instant, his eye flicked to me, then he refocused on Nara. Whether he predicted it or simply wasn't fazed, he stated, “Fair enough, I suppose you have some concerns of treachery. A reasonable fear. Come inside; let us discuss things.”

  He turned to his guards. “Go to the edge of town and keep watch. Summon all the guards to join you. I will speak alone with our guests.” The guards ran off, leaving Orian defenseless. It was rather unexpected; I presumed he would do the opposite.

  “Think he saw this coming?” Lindra whispered to me.

  “Maybe. He’s an old man with decades of experience in whatever you would call this. It’s not impossible.”

  We walked into the building. The main room was devoid of anyone, even servants. Standing off to one side, Orian looked at us; with the faintest amusement in his voice, he said, “So, Norah has fallen. How unfortunate. In that case, his reward is passed to his brother. ”

  Morah didn't seem to have any reaction. Orian addressed the rest of us, “What is your suggestion?”

  Korin spoke first, even though we agreed Narah would. “Lindra is the only one who knows the location of the gem. We wish to do a delayed exchange.”

  Nara sniffed in distaste and spoke over her. “Caan and I will move the rewards to an undisclosed location. While you, Korin, Morah, Lindra, and Myr head towards the Gem. After the exchange, we depart on our own, ending the contract.”

  This time, Orian looked directly at me, as if he knew what was inside my mind. “This guarantees that you will, in fact, receive the rewards. With Lindra as the hostage, the rest of the Andregi will not simply flee without her and take the rewards for themselves. Morah cannot be trusted with Nara and Caan, so he remains. With only Lindra knowing the location, this leaves a single point of failure and the perfect tool for leverage. Very reasonable.”

  He had no inflection in his voice beyond mild amusement. It was grating on my nerves.

  ‘Is his mind so strong that he could deduce the entire situation? He knows I’m the catalyst for all this, doesn’t he?’

  “Very well, I can agree under one condition.” He stated after a few moments of thinking. I could hear Korin's teeth grinding due to her growing tension.

  “And that is?” Nara asked.

  “I take a single guard with me,” Orian said, smiling.

  “No,” Nara said, immediately rejecting his proposal.

  ‘Good, with him alone; I can easily….’

  “Unfortunately, this is nonnegotiable.” He sighed, exuding an aura of true remorse. “It seems this quest unfortunately ends in failure. I suppose I’ll have to have people canvas the Tar Flats and hope we can locate the gem before our deadline,” Orian said, so flippantly, so casually, that I almost believed that he was speaking the truth.

  “No, we cannot wait, Orian,” Korin said, the anger in her voice seeping through.

  ‘I know that tone.’

  My mind whirled as connections formed.

  “This is how it has to be. I cannot agree to such unequal terms.” He said to Korin calmly.

  ‘He’s bluffing. To put in all this effort and risk walking away with nothing? It has to be a bluff. But that calm confidence, as if even bitter failure would mean nothing to him, is disconcerting.’

  “He’s bluffing. No one can throw this much coin away and walk away with nothing. So tell us, what do you really want?” Morah said.

  “And what would your employer think of this?” I added.

  “My employer demands the gem within the set time.” Orian didn't seem concerned. “If a mission fails, it fails. We can only move on with life.”

  “I did consider forcing the information, but with you, Lindra, I don’t think that would work. Family is a tricky thing; Lindra alone knows the information, but what does she value more, the rewards or the life of her family? Torture rarely gives reliable information. So I am left with simply writing the quest off as a failure.” Caan and Nara took aggressive stances.

  “No! Orian, this is not our agreement.” Korin said, even more irate. At this point, she was giving me flashbacks. That tone was so familiar; it was a noble berating an unruly servant.

  ‘They could torture Lindra's brother for information. Damn, I should have thought of that. Attack the heart, not the person; Lindra would crack, wouldn't she?’

  Orian placed a hand on his chest. “Myr here would be forced to threaten your lives. Instead of one person being leveraged, it is now three.”

  Caan and Nara’s eyes turned to me. Orian’s words were sinking in.

  ‘He’s trying to turn me into a greater threat, not this mystery guard.’

  “To boldly threaten us like that, even with Myr as a proxy, is that supposed to get us to agree?” Caan asked, still sounding suspicious of the man.

  “It is by your own will that this quest will be a failure, simply because you cannot agree to bring a guard to ensure my safety,” Orian said.

  “Or the guard will kill us as soon as you retrieve the gem,” I said.

  ‘Orian hasn't walked away; he is waiting for a counteroffer. You have to give to get, but what should I give? His damnable calmness is throwing me off, as if all my responses were accounted for.’

  “Why do you need a guard anyway? Can you not protect yourself?” Nara asked.

  ‘Think, Myr, what is he looking for? Does he believe his guard would best me? If that is the case, then perhaps it is another magus.’

  “Indeed, I can, but not against three of you and a magus. Come now, I may be old, but why chase the grave?”

  “What if we agree to have Myr go with Caan and Nara?” Korin suggested.

  ‘Definitely not. I’d lose my chance at the gem.’

  “And what if they kill Lindra?” I said quickly, forcing concern into my voice.

  ‘If it is another Magus, do I believe I could kill him? It depends on his equipment.’

  “Why are you so eager to agree? Are you not concerned about yourself? You may be a noble, but that doesn’t mean you can’t die in an accident,” Morah said.

  “I prefer the accident to treachery.” Korin countered.

  ‘Is she so arrogant? With every word, you reveal yourself, Korin. You don't fear dying at the hands of Orian or his mystery guard. Why did I not see it sooner? Dammit, Myr.’

  “You see, Orian, this is our primary concern. What can you say to relieve us of this worry?” I asked.

  Orian shrugged completely unconcerned, “Fear is a potent paralytic. Once it is in your system, it's hard to remove with words alone. There is nothing I can say to convince you. Your worry is perfectly rational. I would do the same in your position.” He tapped his chin as if remembering something humorous. “In fact, we considered the idea. It was abandoned but not with prejudice.”

  That proclamation set everyone’s teeth on edge. Korin was staring at him with murderous rage.

  ‘What is he doing? I thought he would try to downplay the possibility, not increase the chances.’

  “Myr was right in the end, eh?” Morah asked no one.

  “Indeed. There was a good chance you all would have been killed. It depended on my employer's will.” Orian said, nodding with sympathy.

  ‘Is he betting on whether I’m willing to allow them to call the bluff? No, none of them would walk away at this point. He knows that; I know that. I never predicted he would take this tactic. Is there a way for me to get Orian to agree not to have the guard?’

  I looked at Korin, who was barely holding back her rage at Orian.

  ‘Let’s try it; maybe we can force his hand.’

  “Well, Korin, would you have had us killed?” It was as if lightning struck; everyone paused, staring at me.

  Orian clapped slowly.

  “About time. She isn’t the best actress, is she?” He said to me,

  Lindra looked at me. “Myr are you saying…”

  “Yes, Korin is our mystery employer; the individual in the robe was a distraction. Though who gets the gem is beyond me, someone in the magisterium, presumably. The weapons, the books, whatever pardon Morah desires. Korin isn’t wealthy enough to purchase them. But her grandmother was a magus.” I almost wanted to kick myself for not realizing it sooner.

  Korin looked at me with enough hate to set me on fire, then she calmed down and spoke. “Orian, we need to find a solution. One that doesn't involve postponing this beyond spring. You know why I can’t.”

  “Hells, why does life have to be so complicated?” Morah complained.

  ‘Alright, I sowed a little confusion. If I could just find a way to force Orian to agree.’

  Orian looked past Korin, who was glaring at him, and ignored the rest of the group, who were in discussion, to look at me. A simple smile came across his face. It was odd, not mocking or confident. It was like he was smiling at his child. Beth or Darion gave me that smile many times.

  ‘Nothing I did fazes him. It’s almost like I’m entertaining him. But for all his bluster, he still has to complete the mission. This is his real proposal; once I trounce him here, it will all be mine.’

  He bowed with deference to Korin and said, “Apologies, my lady, I will do so immediately.”

  He held my eyes. “Myr, I will give you a counteroffer. Accept my deal as stated; one guard and I agree on the rest of your plan. If you do not, I will order my guards to enter and kill everyone.”

  ‘What did he say?’

  “You will do no such thing, Orian,” Korin said, her eyes looking at me with fear. She and everyone else reached the same conclusion.

  ‘If he did that, then I would kill everyone around me to escape, including Korin. Is he mad? I suppose that answers who those men answer to.’

  “Myr? Myr? Is he bluffing?” Lindra asked me, filled with worry.

  He was calm as a still lake, calm as a warm summer morning. He was not a magus; he wore simple leather and armor. Yet, he threatened me with such boldness and apathy.

  “You would destroy everything? Your employer? The mission of the Gem. It would all be lost?” I asked.

  “Look into my eyes, Myr. Tell me, do you see any hesitation?”

  I activated my animus, forcing every ounce of my will to look for even the slightest hint of a lie or obfuscation. After a minute of tense silence, I found nothing.

  ‘He isn’t bluffing. He would really allow himself and Korin to be killed. If that happens, I walk away with nothing.’

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  It's one thing for him to give up the gem and fail the mission, but allowing Korin to die was far beyond my expectations. I followed this plan, believing that the gem and her safety would be enough to force Orian into agreeing. But this willingness to allow himself to be killed. I didn't know how to deal with someone like that.

  ‘I could just kill Orian and get the items myself…… No, no, no, he would have accounted for that. I don't even know where the items are.’

  ‘Take Korin hostage and… nooooo, a fight would ensue. If Lindra died, I wouldn't be able to find the gem, and I wouldn't get the Occularum.’

  ‘Kill Orion before he calls the guards and then… NO, he could have told them to attack if they hear fighting.’

  ’Torture the information out of Orian? No. A man like that wouldn't break.’

  ‘Kill all the guards…no.’

  ’What if I…’

  ‘Maybe if….’

  ‘Damn you, Orian.’

  It was a masterstroke. I couldn't find a path that would guarantee me getting both the gem and the Occularum. All roads lead to failure.

  ‘Are all my plans and effort I put in over the last several weeks worthless? What kind of madman was willing to roll over and die, condemning the mission to failure?’

  An old rage boiled inside, and a familiar warmth spread through my bones.

  To be defeated so easily, the insult was sickening. I was so furious that I almost killed him and everyone around me.

  ‘Ah, it seems you aren’t gone. What is this new fire? Alright, agree for now. We're still in the game; we're not out yet. Even those guards in enchanted armor wouldn't be a match for me.’

  “Myr, your thoughts?” Nara asked. Clearly, she was as out of her depth as I felt.

  “If your guard isn’t a magus, we accept,” I bit out.

  Orian smiled at me with that same warmth. As if this were the expected outcome. “We are in accord. We will mount and head to the Gem within the hour; you may inspect my man and your items at your leisure. They should be here within a quarter hour.”

  ~

  We stood at the edge of town watching as a large two-horse wagon came rolling towards us. Orian was stillness incarnate; driving said carriage was a man who nearly gave me a heart attack before my mind pointed out the inconsistencies.

  The form-fitting black steel armor of Heywood. And I was about to run before I realized the man was shorter with a thicker build.

  ‘Of course, he would be the one to deliver the rewards. This was preplanned.’

  Looking over to Korin, I noted her displeased expression.

  “Mason, good to see you, old friend,” Orian said.

  “We didn’t agree on outside mercenaries, Orian,” Korin said.

  ‘How did a mercenary get his hands on this kind of armor? Korin doesn't even seem surprised by it. I am sorely lacking information.’

  Orian shrugged nonchalantly. “You wanted success; thus, I needed additional support.”

  The man parked the wagon and hopped down. I didn't think it was possible to walk threateningly casual, but somehow the man achieved it. He was covered in weapons: daggers, two swords, and a small hand crossbow with a grip and trigger. I had never seen the like before. By the rings along the body, I knew it was magical. As he extended a hand to Orian, I noted odd switches and dials on the inside of his bracer.

  ‘To control the magic? Interesting.’

  ‘Who is this man, and where did he get that armor? Could I kill him? I’m guessing not if Orian brought him here for me.’

  Mason looked at me, and his eyes seemed to smile behind his visor, which was a similar design with an odd, clear crystal across the eye slits.

  ‘If it’s anything like Heywood’s armor, it would be impervious to my fire; hell, it could even withstand explosions.’

  “Your items are in the carriage; feel free to examine them,” Orian said.

  ~

  I stood off to the side reviewing the Occularum; it was the same, down to the diagrams, wear and tear on the pages, and tarnishing of the gold layer of the cover. It was inside a heavy steel box with a key still in the lock.

  Lindra, Caan, and Nara were examining the massive pile of weapons; all were of stunning make. They could have been one year or 50 years old; enchanted weapons were that durable.

  Morah was smiling and nodding as he examined a set of documents.

  All the while, Lindra, Orian, and Mason watched us.

  ‘If we had delivered the gem immediately, would they have tried to kill us? I think so at least.’

  “Alright, I think cursory examining is done; you two can depart with items, and the rest of us head into the Tar Flats,” Orian announced.

  ‘Alright, one last play. Let’s hope they don't go too far.’

  After putting both books into the heavy lockbox, I used a bit of magic to make it impossible to open by melting the hinges and the lock. However, no one noticed that I left a small stone on the bed of the carriage.

  ~

  We rode towards the location of the gem in a full gallop. The further we went, the greater the pain in my mind. I had a dual binding on the stone. As Nara and Caan rode away with the carriage, the distance between them and the binding increased.

  “Something on your mind?” Orian asked over the thunder of the horses.

  “Not particularly,” I said.

  “Still plotting, aren’t you?”

  I didn’t answer; instead, I asked, “Were you really willing to allow yourself and Korin to die?”

  “Certainly, it was the only play I knew would work on you.” I raised an eyebrow at him. He smiled and continued speaking. “You’re a goal and ambition-oriented woman. You couldn’t let this all go to waste, whereas I could.”

  “Do you not value your life or the life of Korin?” I asked.

  “Something that can’t abide being destroyed is something that can be used against you,” Orian smirked and said. “Tell me, what would my response be if Korin actually died during the battle?”

  “Order our deaths or simply abandon the quest?”

  Orian nodded and asked, “Now, imagine every other situation where Korin survives and you succeed. Take a moment and think: Which of those would my tactic of self-destruction not work on?”

  “I see, if I died and they had the gem, then you could kill everyone; you and Korin walk away with the gem. The only thing you had to plan for was my treachery. So long as Korin was alive and we had the gem, the end would have been the same. I lost before I even started playing.” I numbly said.

  In any case, Korin’s life and the delivery of the gem are something that I believe Orian would not jeopardize. That’s what I planned for; much to my dismay, I was wrong.

  He nodded like a teacher. “Indeed, remember in relationships, politics, and war, there is power in apathy.”

  I stared at the man, confusion flowing over me. His words were madness.

  “You seem confused?” He deduced.

  “A bit. How could apathy be powerful?”

  “It’s quite simple, really. If your lover cares deeply for you and you care little, you have the most power in that relationship. A king who cannot stand to see his people suffer is ineffectual and weak. However, even worse, a king unwilling to put himself at risk or to risk the very existence of his empire to defeat a threat is useless.”

  “Anything you are unwilling to destroy can be used against you,” I mumbled.

  “Wouldn’t apathy lead to inaction? Passivity most often leads to death in my experience.”

  He shook his head. “I never said to do nothing; I said not to care. Without the mind being clouded by emotions, you can choose the best option.”

  “Even if that option is self-destruction?” I asked. It wasn’t very different from how I’ve lived my life up until now.

  ‘Could I do that, passively place my fate in the hands of another, accept my death and bitter failure, and call their bluff? I’ve certainly thrown myself into the abyss before, hoping that I come out the other side stronger. Is the dragon any different than this situation? Certainly not, but why am I hesitating?’

  I glanced at Orian.

  ‘It’s that damnable calm. Is he so sure of Mason that he need not worry his li….’

  A spike of pain rippled through my mind.

  ‘Damn it all, the binding broke. They’re outside my range. Alright, what do I have left? I can kill Mason? I think I worked on Lindra enough for her to convince her to side with me. But if Mason targets Lindra instead, I couldn't get to the books.’

  “You can try to kill him, Myr,” Orian said, as if reading my mind.

  “You’re debating it, aren’t you? Can I kill him and walk away with everything? But then there’s Lindra to think about. How would you get her to assist you? Only she knows where Caan and Nara went. That had to be the plan, right? Can you tell me how you would do it? They’re a rather honorable lot, the Andregi.” Orian was grating on my nerves with how accurate he was being. A non-answer was an admission, so I didn't stay silent.

  “I’ve had sex with her several times, and I’ve been slowly feeding her the idea that her true loyalty is to her people; the greater sin would be not returning with her prize.”

  Orian laughed in good humor, “Ah, the oldest trick in the book. You’re a woman after my own heart. I did wonder why she was deferring to you. It would have worked, too.” Then he flippantly said, “In fact, it still could work; just take care of Mason, and you’ll have everything.”

  “Why would you bring him if you thought that I had a chance of killing him?” I asked.

  Orian shrugged, “He failed at his last attempt at killing an imperial magus in single combat. But you never know with these things.”

  ‘I barely survived Heywood, and you mean to tell me this Mason actively tried to kill someone like him.’

  I stared at the white-haired man. “Who are you?”

  “I’m just a man whom rich people pay to get things done. But you have been rather entertaining, Myr. A bit too green, though; you need time to mature. You’re not ready for this game. You had many points of failure in your plan; simplicity is king. Instead, you prioritized short-term tactics over long-term strategies. Plots within plots can even get schemers tangled.”

  ‘Is that my problem? A lack of future thought? Should I have simplified?’

  “How long have you been tracking me for this quest?” I asked.

  “Months, actually; most of it was difficult. Your play with the heist was brilliant. However, you made a gigantic mistake.”

  “That is?”

  “You stepped into Felantir. That would have been a death sentence for you.”

  I thought back to my time in the city; no one was following me beyond him. I changed inns frequently; my hair color was different, and I made sure to obscure my face.

  “You wonder how I found you.” He stated. I didn't like his annoying mind-reading.

  He chuckled. “It’s rather simple; your tactics might work on the outskirts of the empire, but Felantir has been the center of imperial power for thousands of years. Those peasants have been conditioned for generations to be loyal. Your presence was reported as soon as you walked through the gate, you and no doubt hundreds of others. I have connections, so it didn't take long for me to find you. A shopkeeper here, a merchant there, and finally one innkeeper who noted that one of her guests was a woman dressed as a man. That was a bit of luck.”

  A bit of worry crawled up my spine. “By that logic, would the magisterium also not know of my presence?”

  “Bureaucracy is the bane of proper decision-making. So it would have taken a few more days for the thousands of reports to be examined and followed up on. The large number of false reports and misinformation was certainly causing headaches. Again, wonderful work in Greystone.”

  ‘That’s nice to know at least.’

  “Why are you telling me all this?” I asked.

  “You remind me of myself when I was young. And it kept you from plotting.” He answered, smiling at me.

  ‘Damn him.’

  ‘How well connected is Orian? Who is he? Who is this mercenary sporting enchanted armor and weapons? What is azurite used for? Who is Korin? What connection does she have with the Magisterium? What does she get out of this quest? Why did she risk her life by taking part? Why couldn't she get a proper magus to help and was forced to choose me? So many questions, so many unknowns. All I have are half-baked guesses.’

  I sighed and stared up at the sky, feeling tired again.

  ‘I’m just one person against an empire thousands of years old. Organizational connections, alliances, and political intrigue. It’s all so far above me.’

  For the first time in my life, I realized an unfortunate truth.

  ‘I need help. Not just tools but proper allies. No, I needed far more than that.’

  “Up here, just past those decayed buildings,” Lindra shouted from up ahead.

  “Decision time, Myr. I can’t wait to see what you choose.” Orian said.

  ~

  Morah, Korin, Orian, Mason, and I stood to the side while Lindra dug; after a minute, she breathed a sigh of relief. Mason Korin and Orian were to my right; I could just raise my hand. While I wasn't at full charge on my amulet, 60% was more than enough to do some real damage.

  Lindra pulled out Caan's old sack and brandished the Gem towards us. Korin released an audible sigh.

  ‘Can I kill Mason?’ Would he go for Lindra immediately? Could I stop him beforehand?’

  The thought repeated itself over and over.

  “Lindra held the gem in her hand, placed it next to the hole, and walked towards us.”

  Korin turned to me, resolute. “You have your rewards; walk away, Myr.”

  Looking into her eyes, I noted they were calm and confident. Perhaps my acquiescence to Orian stiffened her spine; I didn't know.

  “For once, I agree with the noble Myr,” Morah said.

  “Aye, Orian could have ordered Mason to attack us by now. Let’s just leave.” Lindra pleaded.

  Lindra and Morah were behind me at this point, and I faced Korin Mason and Orian.

  “As I have said, you all may leave. Mason, toss your weapons over there.” Orian said. Mason shrugged and tossed the small crossbow, daggers, and swords over to where the horses were.

  “That is a decent gesture, Myr. If you deny it, I will not stand with you.” Lindra said.

  “Nor I,” Morah added.

  ‘I can still attack. Mason isn't a magus, or so Orian says.’

  My blood was practically screaming at me to act. But the damned uncertainty was holding back the fire.

  ‘Why am I hesitating? Is it that Orian has played with my mind so well? His words and actions so perfectly placed that they douse my will to act; even now they cloud my mind with uncertainty.’

  I pushed away the flame within, my pride, anger, and desire for power, until my mind was as still as a lake. Then I truly examined my feelings. I took a deep breath of tar in the air, feeling the strength of the binding to Dragon’s breath. Then I thought and truly searched myself.

  ‘I see. I’m tired of throwing my life into danger for power, risking it for the uncertainty. What is next after this, another daring, life-threatening attempt to grab scraps of power? Another deal, another agreement. I may have lost out on azurite today, but there is always the future to think about. You were right, Beth, the older you get, the more significant the future becomes.’

  ‘That’s why I went for the tactic of manipulation with violence as a last resort. I don't agree with Morah's thinking; such willingness to throw your own life away for their goal was not admirable. But there is something to learn here. And that is, I am changing. My life matters to me now; I don't feel the urge to throw it away anymore. Orian’s behavior is anathema to me, but if I could forge someone to be like Orian in my service…’

  ‘Orian was just a tool for others, incredibly effective, but just a tool.’

  My heart slowed. ‘When I had not a scrap of magic, it was easy to throw myself into the abyss, but now I have started to covet it. Very well, I accept the momentary defeat. I will deal with the new paradigm in my mind…this unexpected change. And when I reach a catharsis, I will have everything. I think it's about time I grew up and planned for the future.’

  ‘No longer will I be a weapon that others wield; it’s about time I become the hand. Thank you for this lesson, Orian.’

  “Our deal is satisfied. We will leave first.” I turned and walked towards the horses and gestured for Morah and Lindra to follow. They didn't hesitate.

  “Well, now, it seems I was wrong,” Orian mused to himself. Some part of me was satisfied that I did something he did not predict. Korin threw a glare at him, but she couldn't hide her relief. I looked down and noted the odd hand crossbow.

  ‘Might as well be petty.’

  Shrugging, I walked over and picked it up. The grip fit comfortably in my hand with grooves for my fingers.

  “Oi, that’s expensive,” Mason said.

  “You’ll be reimbursed,” Korin shouted at him. Mason grumbled angrily.

  I threw a glare at him and the rest and, with a malicious smile, raised a hand and set their horses on fire.

  “You can walk back,” I said and ran over to my own mount. We took off, Lindra leading the way at a full gallop.