Kai got plenty of sword practice on his journey toward the human settlement near the ominous forest. The black wolf licked blood from around its mouth. Green grass gave way to grey cobblestones and the first signs of human civilisation.

  How long had it been, with only abominations and his pet wolf for company? He had no watch, no way of telling the time. The unmoving red sun didn’t help. A few hours, maybe?

  He couldn’t afford long delays. He needed to reach the Nivisaras before the long night arrived.

  The glaring red sun and constant brightness could make one forget, but the Darklands were called that for a reason. When the darkness came, horrific abominations roamed the land. Abominations Kai had no interest in meeting. His knowledge of the Darklands came from Renzo’s meagre teachings - no telling what was true. But his instincts told him the creatures of the dark weren’t the friendly kind.

  A humble village stretched before Kai. Cleaner than the slums, but the people were the same: opportunistic, hungry, poor. The homes and buildings were of modest height, stone and wood construction. Worn from time and experience.

  Kai examined himself, searching for signs of his demonic nature. Nothing obvious. A quick glance at his adorable and murderous wolf made him frown.

  What if this wolf went crazy in the village?

  He crouched down and locked eyes with the black wolf.

  “Behave yourself.” He stroked the wolf’s head. “No biting, no killing, no transforming. Just follow me unless I say otherwise. Got it?”

  The wolf tilted its head sideways, as though pondering Kai’s words. Then it bobbed its head up and down.

  Smart wolf.

  “Can you tell me your name?”

  It stared at him. Kai sighed.

  “No good. I can’t keep calling you Wolf. Dark Wolf has a ring to it, though.” Kai shook his head.

  “If you can’t tell me your name, I’ll give you a placeholder.”

  The wolf lowered its head, raised it, and licked Kai’s glove.

  “Good enough for me.”

  Kai’s thumb stroked the infinity ring over his glove. Less tactile than he’d like. He couldn’t feel the ridges, but it helped him think.

  “I’ll call you Shadow.”

  A grin crept onto his face. A black wolf that travelled through shadows - fitting. On the nose, but nobody ever accused him of being a poet. He nodded and stood.

  Shadow let out a brief howl of agreement. Kai liked to think so, anyway.

  He stroked his chin. Walking into the village with the black wolf would draw attention. He studied Shadow. “Can you hide?”

  The wolf lowered his head. Then shrank, fading into Kai’s shadow.

  Useful.

  On second thought - Shadow could deter anyone emboldened by his frustrating and potent Curse. He glanced at his rippling shadow. “Come out, boy. Walk with me.”

  The wolf rose from his shadow, taking physical form. Kai concealed his envy. Teleporting was powerful but limited. Transforming into shadow was perfect for stealth and infiltration. Teleporting helped, but he still had to do the hard work of staying unnoticed.

  He couldn’t have it all - that would be unbalanced, wouldn’t it?

  Kai scoffed and took cover behind a building on the village outskirts. He retrieved his black bag of infinite space and grabbed his Darkshard stash.

  He’d learned the best way to get information fast: violence or money. Violence was feasible, but best not to draw undue attention. His arrival under the ever-present red sun was suspicious enough. And he had something to buy.

  Placing both bags in separate pockets, Kai stepped into the village. Shadow padded behind him.

  A massive church tower overlooked the quaint buildings, visible from everywhere. Made sense. Who could afford to be an atheist when gods gave Gifts to the worthy? Even a tiny village like this needed somewhere suitable to pay its respects.

  Cobblestones clacked under his heels. A curious smell wafted under his nose. A smell he wouldn’t have realised until recently - like the burning grey snake.

  Meat.

  Food vendors shilled their wares as Kai walked past. Trinket sellers waved him down to get his attention. He ignored them. The village was full of voices, noise, and interesting smells.

  As he’d expected, even the parts he’d hoped were wrong. Eyes pierced him from every direction. Could’ve been curiosity about a newcomer if he were someone else.

  Children in tattered clothes approached with hands out, unconcerned about the black wolf beside him. He dodged them. They were confident. Too confident.

  Kai sighed and shook his head.

  This ashen Curse.

  He’d handled his fair share of scammers in the slums. He adopted a friendly smile and searched for the blacksmith’s shop.

  Before he reached his goal, a man in black robes stood before him. Unfamiliar symbols covered his garment. Blue gloves covered his hands. Kai had seen his kind in enough books to know what he was: a priest. He nodded at the priest and sidestepped to pass.

  The robed man held up a hand. “You’re new in town.”

  Statement or question - either way, the priest knew he was an outsider. Kai frowned. Would the old man get in his way?

  The old man nodded, a smile blooming on his face. “Welcome. Nivis village welcomes all.” He gestured at the towering church. “Many outsiders come searching for the church’s protection.”

  Kai stepped beside the man. “That’s not why I’m here, priest.”

  The priest ran wrinkled fingers through his white hair and glanced at Kai. “Oh?” He frowned. “You’re not here to rob the church, are you?”

  Kai shook his head. “Not unless they have what I need. They won’t.”

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  The priest laughed and thrust his hand toward Kai. “I’m Pietre. Priest of Our Lady’s Church.” Kai shook the elderly man’s hand. Wouldn’t do to be rude to a priest in public.

  “The Church of Ice God?” Kai asked.

  The old priest shook his head. “Some call it the Church of Life,” he said. His chin rose. “And they’d be right, in some respects. The church protects the village from the things in the night. But no, we don’t worship Life God.” He shrugged. “But without Our Lady protecting them, everyone would die.”

  He gestured to the surrounding villagers watching from the corners of their eyes.

  “Water God,” Kai said.

  The priest nodded. “You’re a smart one, aren’t you?”

  “Thanks for the compliment.”

  “No need for thanks, boy.” The old man tilted his head toward the church. “Thank Our Lady when you have time. Perhaps you’ll find what you’re looking for inside.”

  Did this priest just invite me to rob him?

  Kai scoffed. “Better chance at the blacksmith.”

  The priest studied Kai’s waist, searching for a blade that wasn’t there. His gaze moved to Shadow. “Do you mean to saddle this poor creature?”

  Kai held back his laughter. Sure, Shadow was small and cute right now. But it wasn’t unreasonable to saddle him when he grew larger than a man. He doubted the priest would appreciate his argument.

  He crouched and stroked the dark wolf. “This little guy’s stronger than he looks.” Shadow tilted his head toward him. Kai looked up at the priest. “You know the way to the smith?”

  Though his brows furrowed with worry for the dark wolf, the elderly man gestured toward a long street. “Down there, on the right. You’ll see it soon enough.” He sighed. “When night comes, find me in Our Lady’s Church. Her wisdom may surprise you.”

  Kai stood, nodded at the old priest, and stepped toward the long street. He had little desire to visit a church. He’d probably burst into flames if he set foot in one - though that’d be out of character for Water God.

  The elderly priest stayed behind.

  Kai glanced at Shadow padding alongside him. “Not much of a deterrent when you’re small, are you?”

  The wolf looked straight ahead, playing deaf.

  After minutes of dodging peddlers with greed in their eyes, Kai found the blacksmith’s shop. Small like the other buildings in the village, except for the church. Maybe that meant small prices too.

  Kai had an inkling his new Curse wouldn’t allow that.

  Hot air slapped him in the face as he walked through the wooden door. The forge’s light cast an orange glow over the shop’s interior.

  He glanced around, searching for something that fit his taste. A young woman studied the swords on a weapon rack. A young boy, no older than thirteen, pulled at her tattered and stained dress. Both mother and child were brunettes. Her once-white dress had faded to a dingy cream. The child wore rags barely nicer than the beggar children Kai passed earlier.

  “Mum, please” the boy said. “It’s too hot. Let’s go.”

  His mother shushed him. “We need to find a new sword for Daddy,” she said. “Wait a bit longer, and I’ll get you one of those meat sticks you like.”

  Kai ignored the family drama and approached the blacksmith. The bald man sat at a wooden table masquerading as a desk. He looked up at Kai, saw the exquisite suit, and his eyes shone. His mouth curved into a smile.

  “What can I get for you?” the blacksmith said.

  “A scabbard. Black. Sturdy,” Kai replied.

  Summoning his ominous blade was convenient, but eye-catching. Better concealed in a scabbard than called from the abyss.

  The bald man eyed Kai’s empty waist. “Just a scabbard? Don’t need a blade?”

  Kai shook his head. “Just the scabbard.”

  The blacksmith raised his arm and pointed behind Kai. “Scabbards over there. Fair warning, prices are up. Material costs, you understand.”

  Kai narrowed his eyes. For once, his expectations were met.

  He followed the path of the blacksmith’s chubby finger. Nothing there could contain his malevolent blade. He met the blacksmith’s gaze.

  “Those won’t work. I need something stronger.”

  The bald man scoffed. “A stronger scabbard? What do you need that for?”

  “I’ll pay in Darkshards, not information,” Kai replied.

  The man nodded. Something crossed his face - uncertainty, maybe reluctance - before he continued. “I have…something in the back.” He gestured to the area behind him. A wooden door blocked the path to the unknown.

  Kai nodded. “Show me.”

  The man rose and made his way to the door; Kai followed, Shadow after him. The blacksmith’s shoulders tensed.

  Not happy with me following him into his secret lair?

  Kai smiled.

  Where else would we get a little privacy?

  They moved through the back door - blacksmith, then Kai, then Shadow. A flight of stairs led downward. The bald blacksmith moved with practised ease. The basement was dim, but Kai could see well enough. Shadow could probably see even better.

  If the blacksmith wanted to try something, he’d regret it.

  At the bottom of the stairs, the blacksmith retrieved something from his trouser pocket. A metallic clink broke the silence. Then there was light.

  Flint and steel.

  A wooden torch mounted on the basement wall had burst into flame.

  The basement was sparse. Light reached every wall of the small room. Three large metal chests took up most of the space. The blacksmith gestured for Kai to wait as he moved toward a chest. He did as the man asked, focusing on the blacksmith and the chest he was opening.

  This was a perfect opportunity to retrieve a weapon and attack Kai while he was unprepared. The blacksmith saw him as easy prey, after all. Kai couldn’t be too careful. Any weapon the blacksmith had was unlikely to pierce his suit. But unlikely wasn’t impossible.

  It had been unlikely for Kai to survive being sacrificed in a profane ritual, but here he was. Survived was a strong word since he was undead, but the point stood.

  The blacksmith soon retrieved a long, dark scabbard from the chest. Two more chests sat to his right.

  I wonder what else he’s hiding down here and why.

  Unsavoury thoughts flitted through Kai’s mind, but he composed himself. He focused on the blacksmith, who stepped towards him. The bald man presented the scabbard to him.

  “This,” he said, “I got from my father. Gave it to me before he died. Told me one day someone would come for it.” The blacksmith shook his head. “Said the scabbards upstairs won’t be enough for them, but this will be.” The man’s eyes were wide with reverence.

  Kai scoffed. “You expect me to believe that? Think I don’t know you’re trying to drive up the price?”

  Kai couldn’t care less whether his dead father gave him the scabbard or not. He wasn’t paying more than five Darkshards for a scabbard. The next sentence that came out of the blacksmith’s mouth was important. It would determine how this was going to go down.

  “I tell the truth, I do,” said the blacksmith. “No reason to lie. I thought it was weird at the time.” He shook his head. “Didn’t believe him. No one came asking for a stronger scabbard before.” His eyes locked onto Kai. “Most scabbards hold a blade just fine.” The blacksmith pointed a shaky finger at him. “Only you. Only you needed this one.”

  Kai sighed. What kind of haggling tactic was this?

  He shook his head.

  Maybe it does have something to do with fate. But I’m still not paying more than five Darkshards.

  “How much?” Kai asked.

  “Well...” The man hesitated. His eyes darted around the room and returned to Kai. “This isn’t just any scabbard. My father told me himself. Of course, it won’t be the same price as the ones upstairs.” The blacksmith lowered his bald head in false humility.

  Kai wasn’t buying it. And if it came down to it, maybe he wouldn’t pay a shard. Maybe this blacksmith would disappear. It’d be a tad suspicious, but his dark sword had answers for many questions.

  “How much?” Kai asked, a harder tone creeping into his voice.

  The blacksmith raised his head. “It’ll have to be twelve Darkshards, my lord.”

  Kai’s expression darkened.

  My lord, he says.

  Suits marked someone as wealthy, powerful, noble. Earth materials rarely survived the transition to the Darklands, resulting in an abundance of shabby clothes. Only nobles had the privilege of being fashionable. Common people wore rags until the situation demanded armour.

  Some skipped the rags and stayed in their plate armour.

  Exhausting and inconvenient.

  Kai revealed a sharp smile. He nodded at Shadow. The small wolf growled. The blacksmith flinched.

  “I was thinking more like...three Darkshards.”

  “Three? Too low. Even the scabbards upstairs are worth more. This is special - an artifact!”

  “I’m sure it is.” Kai raised four gloved fingers. “That’s why I’m willing to pay four Darkshards.”

  The blacksmith huffed. Shadow’s growl deepened.

  “Five Darkshards?” the blacksmith asked, sweat gleaming on his bald head.

  Kai nodded.

  What a good boy. Not completely useless when he’s small. Have to reward him later.

  He didn’t even need his bloody aura.

  Kai took the black scabbard from the frightened man and pulled five Darkshards from his pocket.

  “Pleasure doing business.”

  The blacksmith grumbled under his breath but kept his face neutral. Kai fished another Darkshard from his pocket and handed it over.

  “What’s this for?” the blacksmith asked, eyebrows raised.

  Kai felt a cold, deathly aura emanating from the dark scabbard. He fastened it to his waist. The soothing cold seeped into his bones.

  “You said it’s special.” Kai nodded at the man’s hand. “That’s a bonus.”

  Better to leave a mark happy than bitter.

  The blacksmith smiled and headed for the stairs. Kai followed, Shadow behind him.

  They returned to the upper floor. The woman in the cream dress remained, her child insistent as ever. He ignored them and headed for the exit.

  The door swung open. Kai stopped. A man with a vicious scar from forehead to cheek stepped inside.

  His voice rasped. “Heard there’s a Demon around these parts. Seen anything?”

  Kai froze.

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  How's Kai gonna get out of this one?