Things would be so much easier if the entirety of the Dominion, down to every last individual, was remorselessly evil. Alas, though black and white morality do exist in this world, much of life is a frustrating gray. The fact that there exist any rebels at all is proof in and of itself that there are those in the Dominion whose eyes can be opened. Those who can still be saved. And that’s what makes things so difficult and complex.

  -Arvad Malachi

  Galen felt like a prisoner.

  Well… he had to admit he basically was.

  Though he was alone in one of the bedrooms of the mansion, he knew he was being watched like a hawk. Hell, he knew the Shadow, Agnar, was just outside of his room, standing like a watchdog, not moving a muscle even as hours passed since he was brought to this room.

  He sighed with both exasperation and boredom. This sucks… Do they really plan on just keeping me stuck in this room until they can commandeer that airship?

  He half expected Redian to make a snarky comment in response. He was reminded of the Sentient Weapon’s absence when no reply came.

  That made him feel lonely. He’d grown so used to having that sword in his head that not hearing him made Galen feel… incomplete.

  He sighed, briefly wondering if he should do some more push-ups or some other exercise to pass the time.

  Nah, how about I instead go bug Agnar? Worst case scenario he knocks me out and I can pass the time more quickly that way, he decided.

  With that, he hopped off his bed and made his way towards the door. It annoyingly opened just as he was reaching for the doorknob.

  “Yes, Champion?” Agnar asked. “Do you need to use the restroom?”

  The Shadow was out of his dark armor and was now wearing simple clothing. Not that that helped Galen at all. With the difference in power between them, hitting the man would do nothing but hurt him from the recoil.

  “No. I’m bored,” he stated simply.

  “Is that so? Would you like to go to the living room?” Agnar offered.

  Galen blinked. “…I can do that?”

  “Of course,” Agnar frowned. “Did you think you were confined to this bedroom?”

  “I mean, duh!” he snapped. “Didn’t Morpheus say to stay here when he brought me to this room?”

  “Ah, apologies, Champion,” Agnar had the nerve to chuckle. “By, ‘here,’ he meant the house as a whole. Not just the bedroom.”

  Galen grumbled a few profanities and curses Morpheus’s way. “He did that on purpose to mess with me. I just know it!”

  “I’ve noted it before, but you two certainly do seem rather hostile with one another.”

  He snorted. “Oh really? I hadn’t noticed.”

  “If you don’t mind, perhaps I can ask you a bit more about that? In the living room, of course.”

  “Not like I got anything better to do,” Galen grumbled.

  Agnar silently led him through the mansion.

  He took the time to inspect the building, as last time when he’d been brought in, he’d been too angry to properly do so.

  It was rather ornate, with comfy carpet flooring, walls decorated with fancy paintings, portraits, and even a couple of marble statues. It was just the sort of home a rich person would buy. He wondered, not for the first time, who owned the mansion, and if that person was part of the Second Circle or the First.

  Deciding to sate his curiosity, he asked Agnar, “So, who owns this humble abode?”

  “Morpheus,” Agnar answered.

  Galen got the sudden urge to break a few things. Maybe spit on the carpet.

  He restrained himself.

  Reluctantly.

  “Is that so? I should’ve guessed that you Shadows were loaded,” he commented.

  “Loaded?” Agnar frowned. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

  “Oh, um… I meant rich. Wealthy. As in, he has lots of money,” Galen explained.

  He found he sometimes spoke Durainese as though it were English. Clearly, not everything carries through direct translation.

  “Ah, but of course,” Agnar smiled. “Every Shadow is a part of the First, after all. We are all nobility.”

  “Figures,” Galen muttered.

  The rest of the walk to the living room was done in silence.

  When they arrived, Agnar gestured for him to sit, then asked, “Would like something to drink, Champion? Some tea, perhaps?”

  “Water is fine,” Galen answered, realizing only now how thirsty he was.

  “Very well,” the Shadow moved to get his drink.

  “Hold on.”

  “Champion?”

  “I want to SEE you pour my drink. I ain’t about risk you spiking it with anything addictive or something worse.”

  “Paranoid, I see.”

  “Shove it. I’d be a fool not to be given what you lot have done to me already,” Galen snapped.

  “As mentioned, that was mostly Arawn who-”

  “Then you can curse him as I give you a hard time for it.”

  Agnar sighed. “Very well.”

  And so, he followed him to the kitchen and, as he demanded, watched the Shadow very carefully to make sure he poured water, and ONLY water, into a large cup and handed it over.

  Galen eyed the cup in his hand suspiciously. He sniffed the water, only to find nothing out of the ordinary.

  He swirled it about, analyzing the clear liquid with a critical eye.

  Nothing.

  Finally, he took a very small sip, sloshing it about in his mouth, keeping it in there for a minute.

  No reaction.

  He swallowed.

  No reaction.

  He waited for another minute.

  Nothing.

  Agnar raised his brows, looking both impressed and perturbed. “Champion, I’ve dealt with literal criminals less paranoid than you.”

  “Good for you,” Galen responded before he gave his cup one final, suspicious glance, shrugged, then downed it all in one go.

  “All that just for you to drink it all at once?” Agnar chuckled.

  “I’ll admit that I did that partially to aggravate you.”

  “So I’ve guessed.”

  “That was only ten percent of the reason,” Galen clarified. “The other ninety percent was caution.”

  “I think you mean paranoia,” Agnar tried to correct.

  “Nope.”

  The Shadow sighed again. “So be it, Champion. I really don’t know what you think I, or the others, will do to you. I believe we’ve made it more than clear that Lord Athanasius wants you alive, not dead.”

  “Ah yes, because fates worse than death definitely don’t exist,” Galen responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm before growing more serious. “I know what your emperor wants. He wants to turn me into a tool. Specifically, he wants me to become the Dominion’s sword. A killing machine that will cut down his enemies to help him conquer the world. Well, let me tell you that I’m nobody’s pawn, so Athanasius can screw off-”

  “DO NOT DISRESPECT LORD ATHANASIUS!!!” Agnar suddenly bellowed.

  Galen jumped back, startled and, if he was honest, terrified. The Shadow was red-faced with anger, and exerting a crushing, oppressive pressure.

  Agnar, noting his reaction, calmed himself with several deep breaths. He still seemed tense as he uttered with rage noticeable in his voice. “I can tolerate you being obstinate and even rude towards us, Champion. I admit you deserve that much. However, I will NOT suffer your disrespect to holy Athanasius! He is our god! I’ve slaughtered countless for far less! I will not warn you again.”

  Galen’s fear gave way to anger, and he channeled that into snark. “Oh really? So if I ever want one of you lot to kill me and get it over with, then I guess I know what to do now.”

  Agnar scoffed. “Please, Champion. As I have already mentioned, Lord Athanasius wants you alive. We will not kill you, but we will beat you into a bloody pulp if need be! With healing Arts there is much less fear of doing too much damage, and we Shadows know exactly how much punishment a person can take before they die. So for your sake, do not test us by insulting our god!”

  “Fine,” he spat before jerking his head back towards the living room. “Let’s go. Didn’t you want to ask me about Morpheus?”

  Agnar nodded, now having fully regained his composure.

  ***

  They sat across each other on some fancy looking sofas, with the Shadow initiating the conversation. “So, Champion. What grudge do you hold against Morpheus?”

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  “You haven’t asked him?” Galen asked.

  “I have. But he insists that he doesn’t know why you seem to hold a special resentment against him in particular.”

  “It should be obvious. That scumbag lied to and deceived me.”

  Agnar frowned, looking genuinely confused. “Apologies, Champion… but in your eyes, did you not say that the Dominion as a whole did that? Why take it out on Morpheus in particular?”

  Galen mirrored the Shadow’s frown.

  He realized in that moment that the man had a point. As much as he hated to admit it. Why did Morpheus in particular seem to draw so much ire from him? They had ALL lied to and deceived him, so why…

  He then realized that it was not only Morpheus, but Callista as well who irked him. With that, the answer became clear.

  It was because what those two had done had felt personal. Because Galen had honestly believed before the whole Ignis mess that he’d been forming a connection with them.

  In learning of their lies and deceits, he’d felt betrayed by them.

  And that just pissed him off.

  As someone who greatly valued loyalty, betrayal was something that he particularly despised.

  Agnar stared at him, waiting for an answer.

  Galen ultimately shrugged, not feeling like sharing his newfound revelation. Instead, he asked, “Why are you so curious about this? It shouldn’t really matter to you. You have nothing to gain from this.”

  The Shadow remained silent.

  Galen narrowed his eyes. “Or do you?”

  Agnar gave his own shrug. “I’m simply curious, is all.”

  Galen leaned back on the sofa, closing his eyes as he thought for a moment. Finally, he opened his eyes as he took a semi educated shot in the dark. “Let me guess. The Shadows have their own internal political games going on, and you’re using this as a chance to fish up some dirt on Morpheus.”

  The Shadow smiled, not betraying any emotion in either his expression or his eyes. “And why do you think that? I assure you we Shadows are quite unified.”

  Galen returned the smile, and shook his head as he responded, “Since coming to this world, I’ve come to find that human nature is universal. Oh, you might be unified against any the Dominion and Athanasius deem a threat. Of that, I have no doubts. However, politics and its mind games are something that also seems to be a universal constant. So I’m pretty confident that this goes on even among the Shadows. After all, didn’t you yourself say that Arawn and others like him were the ones to push for drugging me and everything else? And that you and some others were opposed to it? Sounds like internal politics to me.”

  Agnar neither confirmed nor denied his claims, but he was pretty confident that the Shadows weren’t as unified a force as many believed them to be. They might all worship Athanasius as their god, but that didn’t mean they interpreted his actions and orders the same way across the board.

  Knowing he wouldn’t get anything out of the Shadow on this topic, he instead changed the subject. “So, you mentioned this mansion belongs to Morpheus, and that every Shadow is, by default, a member of the First. If that’s true, shouldn’t there be servants out and about? Where are all of them?”

  “Most were knife-ears,” Agnar explained. “Naturally, that meant they were killed following the purge order.”

  Galen felt sick at the utter lack of emotion from the Shadow. He spoke of such an atrocity as though someone talked about pulling weeds.

  “The rest of the servants, the ones that weren’t tree huggers, were given some time off by Morpheus,” Agnar continued.

  “Really now?” Galen asked.

  The Shadow nodded, “Yes. Though you will find it hard to believe given your strong dislike of him, I’ve found he’s among the more merciful and kinder members of the Shadows. Especially compared to someone like Arawn.”

  Agnar was right. Galen did find that unbelievable. He would concede on one minor point, however.

  “Though I barely know Arawn personally… EVERYONE seems merciful and kind compared to him,” he noted.

  Agnar chuckled at that. “That, I agree with.”

  Galen paused, thinking on what the Shadow had told him about Morpheus. He had a hard time believing it.

  Then again… he is Aleksi’s nephew, he remembered. And Aleksi is one of the best men I’ve ever known. Maybe some of that got passed on and survived whatever messed up brainwashing he went through to become a Shadow.

  Just as he thought about Morpheus, the front doors opened to reveal the young man in question with Callista right behind him.

  Speak of the devil and he shall appear… Galen thought with annoyance.

  “Ah, I see the Champion has finally come out of his room,” Morpheus noted.

  “I was only in there for so long because you failed to mention that I wasn’t confined there,” Galen responded.

  “Did I now? Silly me,” Morpheus responded with mock innocence.

  Surprisingly, Callista smacked him on the shoulder, and hissed, “What did we just talk about?!”

  Apparently, she’d put some Ether into the hit considering how Morpheus rubbed his shoulder. “Stop antagonizing him?”

  She nodded.

  Galen raised a brow, surprised that Callista had, in a way, stood up for him. Particularly since they still had beef last he checked. But he remained silent for now.

  She looked to Agnar, “If you could leave us for a time. We three need to have a talk.”

  The older Shadow looked hesitant, but upon seeing the unwavering look in Callista’s eyes, he nodded. Apparently having recognized he wasn’t going to convince her otherwise.

  “Very well. I could do with a little shopping trip into town. I haven’t been in this area for years. It will be nice to be out and about somewhere where it isn’t quite so hot.”

  With that, Agnar left the mansion, leaving Galen alone with his two least favorite people.

  He made sure they knew it too, as he let out a groan of irritation. “Why do I have to be stuck with you two?”

  Callista shot him a glare before taking a deep breath and calming herself.

  “You’re here with us now because, for one, this is Morpheus’s home.”

  “So I’ve been told,” Galen leaned forward, looking to him and asking, “by the way, are there any particular items here you’re fond of?”

  Morpheus opened his mouth to answer, then thought better of it. He likely realized that Galen might vandalize anything he valued.

  “That, Champion, is one of the things we need to talk about,” Callista sat across from him on the other sofa, crossing her arms and legs.

  “Wrecking his stuff?”

  “So that IS why you asked me that,” Morpheus grumbled.

  “No,” Callista gave him another glare. “Champion… look, I understand your circumstances-”

  “No, I don’t think you do,” Galen returned her glare. “Until you’ve been taken from your home against your will, forcefully transported into a strange land, and then forced to work with a group of people you don’t even know, who then proceed to betray your trust and try to turn you into an obedient pawn, I’m afraid you won’t understand, CALLISTA!”

  She didn’t react angrily.

  She didn’t rage at him or express frustration.

  She merely nodded.

  Galen frowned. “That’s it?”

  Her shoulders slumped, and she suddenly looked very tired. “Just what do you expect me to say, Champion?”

  “I don’t know, but staying silent wasn’t what I expected.”

  “Well, what you said was true,” Callista admitted, placing her hands on her lap.

  Galen took a deep breath, then asked, “Look, why are we here? What exactly do you hope to gain from conversing with me? I’m pretty sure I’ve made it clear I have no intention of joining you lot.”

  She bit her lip, then looked to Morpheus and gestured for him to sit. He did, sitting next to her. Galen noted how closely he chose to sit, and how she didn’t seem to mind.

  Callista sighed, looking a bit less drained now than she had a moment ago. “Let me be straightforward with you, Champion.”

  “That would be a first,” he jabbed.

  Morpheus gave him a glare. “Champion, please save the snarky comments and just listen. At least until we’re done here… Please.”

  “Did you just say please?” Galen wasn’t being sassy… for once. He was genuinely surprised. “Alright, fine. But I still think this is a waste of time.”

  Callista nodded. “Thank you. Now to begin with, one thing I hope to accomplish is to set the record straight. Between us, I mean. Am I correct in assuming your ire towards me is due to how I tried to seduce you back at the feast in Ignis?”

  Galen frowned as he flushed. “Being a bit blunt with that, aren’t you?”

  She blinked. “You know, Champion… I’ve thought this ever since we spoke after you ran out on me in that bedroom… you’re rather prudish when it comes to sex, aren’t you?”

  His flush deepened. “Hey! I have my own beliefs when it comes to that sort of thing.”

  One of the many things he’d learned during his studies back in Ignis was how the Dominion treated… that sort of thing. Apparently, both the empire and the culture were rather casual about sexual intercourse. The only thing the Dominion was strict about was having children and the health of would be parents what with the eugenics and all that. However, make sure you don’t have kids or contract some kind of disease, and the attitude towards intimacy in the bedroom was rather lackadaisical in his opinion.

  It was much like the West back on Earth in that way.

  “If anything, you lot are way too casual about it,” he grumbled.

  Callista rolled her eyes. “You sound like a knife-ears-”

  “Hey,” he growled. “None of that now!”

  She raised her hands in a placating gesture. “Alright, alright! Anyway, back to my question. Am I right or am I wrong?”

  He hesitated, then nodded. “You’re correct. Particularly after I learned why you tried it.”

  She nodded, then gestured towards Morpheus. “And what about him?”

  He’d been about to ask rather rudely, ‘What ABOUT him?’

  He bit his tongue, however, and instead responded, “Him? It should be obvious why.”

  “Enlighten me, Champion,” Morpheus said, leaning forward. “Because I’ll be frank. I don’t have a clue why you seem to hate me in particular.”

  “Oh, we both know that’s a lie,” Galen challenged.

  Morpheus, hesitated, then nodded. “Well, I suppose I have a few theories. In case one of them is right, let me make this one thing clear. I was among those AGAINST lacing your medication with addictive drugs.”

  Galen gave a bitter chuckle.

  “See now, this is why I think trying to have this talk is pointless,” he gave them both a serious look. “You both have lied to me before. You’ve admitted as much. So why the hell should I believe a single thing you have to say?”

  They both looked genuinely at a loss for words.

  “Allow me to ask again,” Galen pushed. “Why. Are. We. Here?”

  Callista sighed. “I’m hoping I can convince you to join the Dominion. Of your own free will. Or at the very least get you to consider it.”

  “And there it is!” Galen shook his head. “Confirmation that this is a waste of time.”

  “At the very least, hear us out, Galen,” Morpheus pleaded with a tired tone.

  “Morpheus!” Callista gasped, aghast that he used his actual name rather than his title.

  “He called me by my name. So what? Big deal. I’d prefer that, actually,” Galen said before teasing. “With your aghast reaction at using my name, you almost sound like an elf, Callista.”

  That drew a glare, which he took as a win.

  “You really don’t that much about Athurai, do you?” Callista asked, as she ignored his jab.

  “I’ve studied some of your mandated religion, but I didn’t have much time to learn everything about it,” he admitted. “I do know you all view my role as ‘Champion’ as a holy position, and as someone thrust into that role, my status is akin to that of a saint’s.”

  “This is another reason why we’re having this talk, Champion,” Morpheus sighed. “At the very least, we want you to hear things from our perspective. Hear our side of things before you fully commit to one side or the other.”

  “You had your chance back in Ignis,” Galen spat.

  Morpheus grew frustrated, and bellowed, “We were under ORDERS!”

  “That age old excuse?” Galen scoffed before saying in a mocking impression. “’I know I’ve committed crimes against humanity, but darn it I was just followin’ orders!’”

  “We’re trying now, Champion,” Callista pleaded. “I’ll have you know that this conversation is… off the books, so to speak.”

  Galen perked up. “Is that why you had Agnar leave?”

  They both nodded.

  “And how do you know he isn’t spying on us in some way? I mean, that’s a specialty for you guys, isn’t it?”

  “Different Shadows have different areas of expertise,” Callista responded. “But that is a valid concern. One, however, you don’t need to worry about. We have our senses on high alert for any eavesdropping, and our Sentient Weapons also have an eye out. For both any kind of Ether related methods or technological.”

  Hearing her mention their Sentient Weapons made Galen feel lonely again. Damn, he missed Redian.

  He eyed the pair. He still didn’t trust them. Not even remotely. But… damn it now he was curious.

  “Fine, I’ll listen. For real this time,” Galen relented. “Though I still have no intention of joining you people.”

  “Fair enough,” Callista nodded.

  She and Morpheus looked each other in the eyes. They held eye contact for a moment, seemingly having a silent conversation.

  Don’t tell me Shadows can telepathically communicate… he thought with worry.

  However, that didn’t seem to be the case. Rather, their silent conversation seemed an indicator that Morpheus and Callista knew each other very well.

  Very, VERY well…

  Are they… Galen thought. He blurted out the question before he could stop himself. “Are you two a couple?”

  Next chapter will be released Thursday, February 12th, 2026 at 3:00 PM PST.

  A huge thank you and special shoutout to my Page Tuner tier Patron, LOOKOUT, and my Lore Master tier Patrons, Mountain Knight, Conman2731, ThoMiCroN, MCE 2 Munchen 2, and Voltrus. Your support is sincerely and greatly appreciated.