We rode for over an hour; Lindra confidently led us out of the Tar Flats to a stand of trees to the southeast. As soon as we were inside the group of trees, the tracks of the carriage were easy to find.

  “They should be right past this outcropping.” Lindra referred to a group of rock formations sticking out of the earth.

  And just as she spoke, we spotted the carriage. Nara and Caan breathed a sigh of relief as they spotted Lindra leading us.

  “Hells, I’m so glad to see you,” Caan said as we arrived.

  “Everything went well?” Nara asked.

  “Decent enough, no fighting, traded the gem, and booked it out of there before anyone had second thoughts.” I ignored her withering gaze.

  Morah coughed. “The rewards?”

  “Aye, a moment.” Caan walked off into the trees. “It’ll take him a few minutes,” Nara said.

  Considering their weapons were still sitting in the carriage, I wasn't worried about treachery.

  “So, what are your plans, Myr?” Nara asked.

  “Unsure. Head east, probably; I’ve never been to Duke Rembroses’s lands,” I lied.

  Lindra gave me an examining stare, then stated, “You have other options.”

  “That is?” I asked, knowing where she was going.

  “You could return with us,” Lindra said as if it were obvious.

  I long considered and abandoned that idea. It wasn't without merit; rocky, icy mountains would provide excellent protection against any of the empire tracking me. Not to mention, if I turn Clan Nerwellen into the most powerful group of Andregi, I would have strong warriors to use. However, there was a certain problem, chiefly the lack of natural resources, a limited population, and vestigial farmland. Magic could only go so far in improving the situation.

  The idea wasn't completely abandoned, but dedicating myself to the Andregi would impose many limitations that I wasn't sure I was willing to accept. Gathering the material needed to build and fuel an energy furnace was relatively simple in the empire, but for the Andregi, it would be an enormous undertaking.

  “I am unsure,” I said, not taking a firm stance.

  “We have no magic, Myr. If you joined us, we would unquestionably be the strongest clan. Though many andregi do not respect magic, Power is power, and they will bend. ” Lindra said, trying to talk me into joining. I nodded along as she spoke; her arguments were all ones I made to myself.

  “You do make a good point, but I just don’t know yet.”

  Lindra sighed in disappointment.

  “You’ll have to settle down somewhere, Myr. No one can keep running forever.” Nara added.

  “You do have a point, Nara. But if I am to make that decision, it must be after considerable contemplation.”

  “Alright, alright, you can’t decide now. But if you do,” Lindra looked over to Nara, who gave her a nod. Lindra reached into her pack and pulled out a map, then pointed to our location. “Follow this river north, head east, and continue along this mountainous region; our scouts will find you, and they will be told to escort you to us. It’s a difficult journey for a southerner, but you have magic.”

  At this point, Morah was sitting by the roots of a tree, chewing on a strip of beef.

  Lindra gave Nara a nod, and the soon-to-be chieftain walked off to check the carriage.

  “So, I suppose we will part soon,” Lindra said overly casually.

  “Indeed.”

  “Tell me honestly, Myr, was our dalliance just for your manipulations? Did you feel nothing?” There was little point in lying.

  “It was both a genuine attraction and a manipulation. I truly did enjoy your warmth.”

  Lindra smirked, “Well, thank you for the honesty.” She paused for a moment, nodding to Caan, who was returning with a familiar box and stack of documents.

  “If you ever feel like having another taste of home, do come visit us.” Lindra teased.

  “Nothing is impossible,” I said to her.

  ~

  Caan placed the box at my feet, and Morah came jogging over, a grin on his face.

  “Well, so ends our adventure.” He said.

  “So it ends.” Caan walked over to the carriage and started removing all the spare magical tools I created for the quest.

  “Keep them. And the ring,” I said.

  I had no use for them since I had my own equipment. It wasn't anything significant, just a few warmers, pots, pans, a water generator, and magical lights.

  “Truly?” Nara asked.

  I nodded and said, “Think of it as a gesture of goodwill.” Then I threw a glance at Lindra. “And an apology.”

  Lindra reached into the carriage and pulled out the bronze sword. “What about this?”

  “One moment.” Walking over to the carriage, I redid all the bindings on the box and created the most powerful passive binding I could on the sword.

  “If you can repair it without damaging the runes, the sword will be a fearsome weapon. Do be careful. As I warned before, the lightning could be dangerous.” Lindra smiled.

  “The Clan will lose their minds when they see our bounty. ” Lindra smirked at Nara.

  Caan nodded, a grin spreading across his face. “Aye, no clans have even come back with more than a few trinkets; this will shift the balance. Blood will be spilled.”

  “And it shall drown our enemies,” Lindra seemed to finish for him. Lindra and Nara shared Caan's grin.

  ‘Right, they are northerners in the end.’

  The Andregi hopped into the carriage, and with a final wave, they drove the carriage north.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  ‘That silver-gold energy ring wasn’t cheap; I wonder if this will pay dividends in the future.’

  “Well, so ends an epic journey. This makes for a good campfire tale.” Morah said.

  I was rather surprised he hadn't run off already. Glancing at the stack of papers, I asked, “What was your reward?”

  “Well, you’re looking at Sir Indal Summerson. Long-lost grandson of Minilan Summerson.”

  If Morah were a noble, I would eat my own undergarments. My doubt must have been clear on my face.

  He smirked and said, “At least that’s what these documents prove. Officially stamped and sealed by the imperial magistrate’s office.”

  “Summerson? Never heard of him.”

  “Why would you? He’s a backwater Helosian noble with nothing but a tiny rundown keep and a few decrepit villages to his name that fled to the empire a few decades ago.”

  “And you can just assume the position?” I asked.

  “No, it will take a bit of verification, plenty of coin, and a few backdoor deals. But over the years, I’ve made sure to stash away most of my earnings.” He took a deep breath, staring into the distance. “I think it’s about time I settle down, find a wife, sire a few children that I’ll hate, and die fat and old.”

  I chuckled to myself, “So, after a lifetime of murder and mayhem, you ride off into the sunset.”

  He grinned maliciously. “That's the plan. Having you come with me would have been the perfect end.” He shrugged. “But we can’t all have everything now, can we?”

  “I suppose this is farewell, Morah.”

  Morah did a decent imitation of a nobleman’s bow and said, “Farewell, dear maiden.” He turned and started walking away. “If you ever find yourself in my lands, do look me up.”

  As Morah walked towards his horse, I raised my palm at him. He was human scum, a murderer, a rapist, and generally annoying. Killing him would be a net positive for the world. It would be poetic in a way; at the very moment of his triumph, the moment he would walk away and leave his past behind, he would die a painful death, never having achieved his goal. I would enjoy it immensely.

  ‘When have I ever cared about the world? Do I care about the innocence that would suffer under him? What do I really gain from killing him? Mild enjoyment? I certainly don't care enough about justice. But I have a connection to a member of the Helosian nobility. Granted, it’s apparently a complete backwater with basically nonexistent power, but it’s a connection nonetheless.’

  I lowered my hand and stomped out the flames of my bloodlust.

  I watched Morah mount his horse, and, with a final wave and grin, he galloped away.

  Morah faded into the distance. Staring at the forest around me, I sighed and mounted my horse, a brown gilded stallion.

  I sat on my horse unmoving, my mind a whirlwind of thought.

  ‘No more hasty decisions, no more stupid risks. Entering Felantir, this mission, the gem, Orian, and a cornucopia of hasty actions built upon my lust for power. Orian played me like a child. I'm too used to success; as soon as someone's actions defy my expectations, my confidence wanes, doubt creeps in, and someone with a strong enough will can make me bend to theirs. Such a glaring weakness.’

  I shook my head, disgusted at how I handled that entire situation. I took a deep breath, letting the anger at Orian, myself, and my own failings fade away.

  ‘No, what I should feel isn’t anger, but gratitude. Orian showed me my own weaknesses and demonstrated how they could be used against me. But it's more than just a weakness in myself. Orian could never have made me capitulate without his connections, allies, and resources. Mason was an old friend, a power he could rely on; I have no such thing. But that armor does give me ideas. Whoever holds his leash has a potent creature at their command.’

  A cold chill radiated through me, killing every flame inside, leaving nothing but clear thought.

  ‘I should head south, far away from the empire. Or, would the north be better? Assuming the magisterium was involved, then it's likely they would be expecting south.’

  Taking out my map, I examined the surrounding area.

  ‘It’s quite a distance south, months of travel. If I were the magisterium, I would have people stationed at the highways, major towns, and villages. Anywhere someone fleeing south would stop. No more interacting with any civilization. Stick to the forests and plains of the north. At the very least, until I memorize the process of enchanting. ‘

  I searched the map for some time, deciding on a destination.

  ‘Here,’ I pointed a finger to the northern region of the empire. ‘Windward plains; to the north were the Gracian mountains, and to the east the Dalinar Forest. There was almost no population, major roads, or highways. Other than the Tar Flats and Storm Peaks, there was no other more remote location in the empire.’

  It was almost as far away from the imperial capital as Redstone.

  ‘Hide there for a few weeks, let them twist in the wind, and allow the heat to die down. Then I slowly and carefully make my move south.’

  It would take a few weeks to reach the Windward Plains, weeks that I intended to reexamine everything about myself. There was much more to be learned from failure than success.

  ‘I will review every conversation, every action, and reaction, and rid myself of my foolishness.’

  As my mount walked along the forest north, I opened the Occularum of Thermal Conductivity Transformation and started reading.

  Four Days later - Lord Enthir Heywood

  Markus and I stood in a private solar in the imperial castle, staring down at the stunning sunset, shining off the imperial city of Felantir.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it? I never tire of staring at it.” Markus said.

  I nodded in agreement. Thousands of years of effort maintained stability and curbed the direction of the empire from devastation.

  “Indeed, and how is our dear Emperor?” I asked.

  “Taking the news well, he’s a bit stubborn given his position, but the boy doesn’t have the strongest spine.”

  Markus walked over to a wine rack and poured us two glasses.

  “All he needs to do is listen, and his rule will be successful and long,” I said.

  We clinked glasses and savored the rich, fruity flavor.

  Markus laughed to himself. “You should hear the tale of how the dragon died; it is rather amusing what the peasants can conjure.”

  I shared a knowing smile with him and returned my gaze to the city.

  “How is that girl of yours?” Markus asked.

  I rolled my eyes with exasperation. “Worthless, Anier tested me repeatedly with her. Three girls and two sons, Markus, and all equally worthless.”

  Markus openly laughed at my misfortune. No one else would dare to do such a thing with me.

  “I can still arrange it, you know. You have plenty of years to sire a new set.” Markus suggested.

  I was just about to agree when I sighed, “I’ll give it another year. If Namura doesn’t show any improvements, I will sell her to the highest bidder.”

  A brilliant idea entered my mind: ”The old tub of lard is still looking for a new wife, isn’t he?”

  “That he is,” Markus said.

  “I’ll open up talks with him, spread the rumor, and make sure she learns it. And we’ll see if she stays as disappointing as the rest. If her mind is worthless, at least her womb will have some use.”

  A knock at the door interrupted our conversation. A well-dressed servant entered and passed a note to Markus.

  After a few minutes of reading, he passed it to me.

  “Anier takes with one hand and gives with the other. ” I said, smiling. After finishing the note, a quick application of magic turned it to ash.

  “I presume you’ll leave within the day.”

  I nodded, finishing my glass of wine. “Aye, he has been a useful tool, and I must say your predictions of Myr’s actions have been precise.”

  “She may despise the empire, but she offered us a great boon. It would be a disservice not to remember her fondly.”

  I thought back to the precocious girl. It was such a shame she was too willful. “The magisterium will officially announce our support at the spring festival. I should be back before then.”

  As I prepared to leave, Markus said, “She would have been your perfect heir if she were your child.”

  I nodded. “She, unlike my worthless spawn, actually awakened the animus.” I sighed once more, cursing my bad luck, and for a moment wondered if there was anyone as unfortunate as me. ”But the only thing she cares for most is herself, a poor replacement for me. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. Myr is but a footnote in the grand history of our empire. ”

  Markus nodded in agreement. “On that we can agree. What’s the time frame for completion?”

  I turned my gaze to the city below. “My best guess?” I considered travel time at a full gallop and changing horses at each town. “By this time next week or two at worst, the maiden of fire will be dead. ”