The group set up camp. Nighttime approached, and Corin took the first rotation for the night watch. Ciana stood next to him as he peered into the surrounding darkness.

  “I am perfectly capable of watching the surrounding perimeter.” Ciana said after moments of silence. “You do not need to skip out on rest.”

  “It’s no issue. It’s hard for me to rest after an encounter like the one we just had.” As he spoke, he raised his hand. Even now he saw his hand twitching from the rush of adrenaline.

  “I would not have taken you for someone so easily predisposed towards violence.” Ciana replied.

  Corin was taken aback.

  “I only acted in self-defense,” he replied. “Had I not acted, Natwar could have been killed!”

  “I do not dispute that,” Ciana replied. “But you misunderstand what I say. When I first saw you fight Zaire’s pursuers, I glimpsed the thrill you seem to derive from perilous situations. That was only reinforced when you fought against the golems. It is clear that you are not one to shy away from a fight. And you are well trained to face such a challenge. A challenge such as that being pursued by the furtive army.”

  Corin listened quietly to Ciana. He had nothing to say.

  “So what? Now you can read minds as well?” Corin replied with rising frustration.

  It was clear that he wrestled with the thought of whether he ought to join the army.

  “No.” Ciana replied, ignoring Corin’s frustration. “An inner turmoil has stirred within you after Zaire and Natwar joined us. It is especially noticeable when you interact with Natwar. Your instinct is to protect those around you, which I admire, and it is easy to imagine what your heart might desire when coupled with your zeal for battle.”

  Corin stared at Ciana. Part of him stirred with anger.

  “So am I wrong? Am I a fool for thinking of joining the furtives?” Corin snapped back at her.

  Ciana seemed unbothered by Corin’s reaction.

  “Not at all, Corin,” Ciana said as she looked deep within his eyes. “I respect your moral compass. I only want you to know, should you decide to join the army, that I will continue what you have been doing and help Nanaua shepherd any lost furtives during this difficult time.”

  With that Ciana stood up and left.

  Corin sat quietly. He appreciated what Ciana had told him, but he also wished she had not mentioned it. The full weight of the upcoming decision weighed on him. Could he abandon Nanaua now? She, like him, had been searching for Zhi and Livia, and she knew they would be with the army. But she was firm in her decision not to join forces with them. How could they achieve both goals? Corin could not see how they could come to be. In his heart, he hoped Livia would return to him, but the life they once had only existed in the past.

  Several moments passed, and he heard movement behind him. He turned his head; it was Ciana.

  “Corin!” she whispered.

  “I heard you, I know-”

  “No, listen!” She hushed him.

  Corin grew exasperated once more with Ciana.

  “I already did and-”

  “No Corin!” She cut him off once again. “Listen!”

  Corin was quiet, and he heard something unfamiliar, a low growl coming from nearby.

  “What is that?” He said as he stood up.

  He peered into the darkness, but he could not see the source of the noise.

  “I don’t know,” she whispered.

  “Alert Nanaua and the others quietly,” he told Ciana. “Tell Zaire and Natwar to be quiet.”

  Corin moved ahead to a nearby tree and peered out from it. He stared out into the darkness. The low growl echoed once more. Corin heard the snap of branches now. Several furtives were walking around.

  Are they friendly? Enemies?

  Amidst the darkness, Corin saw a frightening figure emerge, something he had not seen in a long time. It reminded him of the creature he and Livia had encountered in the dragon temple, a drake.

  Not friendly!

  Corin readied his pistol.

  “A drake mount?” Nanaua quietly whispered next to him. “There’s only one group who would bring drake mounts with them.”

  “Zifors.” Corin replied.

  “Yes, they must be here for their priest friend.”

  “Not your friend?” Corin replied.

  Nanaua stared at him.

  “He might be annoying but the only way they leave here with him is if I’m dead.” Nanaua replied.

  Corin smiled. On the opposite side, he saw Zaire move up to a tree. His face betrayed an urgent sense of panic. He fidgeted while looking for something inside his robe.

  “Not yet,” Corin muttered to Zaire.

  Zaire looked at Corin and Nanaua. Corin held his pistol ready, and Zaire nodded.

  Corin peered out once again. He counted around ten furtives and the drake. They were too far for him to discern any further details. The numbers favored the opponent; Corin and the others would need to cut down as many of them as they could quickly if they were to leave here alive.

  He gripped the pistol tightly, his heart raced, and his mind cleared. There was only one thing in his mind, what Ciana had told him.

  “Your zeal for battle.”

  That doesn’t matter now.

  The Zifors stopped. They were close enough now.

  Corin looked at Zaire and nodded. Zaire dug inside his robes and pulled out two metal spheres. He dragged their wicks across his arm guards, and they were lit. He threw the objects to the Zifors and hid behind the tree.

  “What is that?” someone shouted behind the trees.

  The answer came as a loud explosion. Corin and Nanaua sprang out from behind cover and charged at the confused furtives.

  The drake!

  Corin eyed the creature, one with a fearsome strength that he was acutely aware of. He shot at it twice, making sure each shot hit the target dead center. The creature yelped in pain, but its agony was short-lived.

  “Ambush!” a voice cried out from the opposing group.

  Nanaua was fast on the attack, moving into the dispersed crowd and putting down those that had yet to regain their footing. Corin moved in close behind her, going after those that regrouped. Corin locked eyes with a horrified dragoor. Corin’s blade, an extension of himself, moved on its own, plunging into the dragoor. The target moved no longer, and Corin quickly scanned the battlefield for the next opponent. An ape-man held onto a spear and pointed it straight at Corin. The ape-man lunged at Corin, who parried the thrust, closed the distance and pierced the ape-man through.

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  As the ape-man groaned, he grabbed onto Corin, his eyes wide with fear and shock. Corin pushed the ape-man away, his foe vanquished; he knew he had to move onto the other enemies.

  Corin stood and Nanaua stepped up next to him. The two surveyed the site of the battle now. Before them four remaining furtives stood; two seemed injured from Zaire’s initial attack and the other two struggled to balance their options.

  “We still outnumber you!” One of the Zifors shouted at Corin, his voice tinged with panic.

  “Leave that one to me!” Nanaua shouted.

  Nanaua closed the distance against her opponent. The Zifor did not move as he weighed his options on running or fighting. Nanaua made the choice for him and forced him to draw his blade. It did not matter as the furtive soon lay on the ground.

  Corin lunged at the other unharmed opponent, who promptly threw his blade on the ground.

  “Wait!” the human cried out as he staggered back and fell. He held his hands out so that Corin could see them.

  Corin halted. He held his blade ready, his blood running hot; he eyed his prey on the ground. The man shivered in fear, knowing his life hung in the balance.

  “Corin!” Nanaua shouted at him.

  Corin looked at her as she made her way towards him. Along the way she saw one of the injured Zifors try to stagger towards a sword on the ground. He never reached his target.

  From the corner of his eye, Corin saw the man on the ground launch himself at him. Corin fell backward as the man pushed him down. As he came down on Corin, the man swung at him with a dagger, the glint of which caught Corin’s eye. The man pushed down with all his strength as he tried to bury the dagger in Corin’s head. The best Corin could do was push it away from his face and down.

  “Argh!” Corin yelled as the blade plunged into his shoulder.

  “No!” Natwar yelled from a distance.

  “Get off him!” Zaire yelled as he threw himself at Corin’s assailant.

  The two tumbled on the ground until the assailant pinned Zaire to the ground.

  “You’ve caused a lot of trouble for us, priest!” The man yelled at Zaire’s face as he tried to choke the life out of him.

  “There will be no more trouble for you now!” Nanaua shouted at him. She swung her pike and nearly split the man in half.

  Zaire gasped for air as Nanaua moved to Corin.

  “How serious is it?” She asked Corin.

  His right shoulder flared with pain as he looked down. Ciana ran up and kneeled next to Corin, putting her hands around the wound and looking at him.

  “It didn’t hit anything vital.” She said. “I’ll make a salve for him.”

  “Take care of the last one.” Corin groaned as he spoke to Nanaua.

  Nanaua got up and walked to the last Zifor remaining. The man held onto his stomach and could barely sit straight. He was leaning against a tree when Nanaua approached him.

  “Wait!” Zaire cried out. He coughed as he struggled to get up.

  Nanaua held her pike up and looked over at Zaire. The man in front of her did not even bother turning to look at her.

  “You ask me to stop? To spare this man who mere moments ago attempted to hunt you down! I shall do no such thing!” Nanaua asked in a bewildered tone. She raised her weapon.

  “No! He’s my uncle.” Zaire shouted at her.

  Nanaua froze and lowered her weapon. She looked at the man.

  “How many times have I asked you to stop saying that,” the injured man groaned as he slumped on the tree. He could barely look up as he held onto his stomach.

  Nanaua gripped her pike, unsure of what to do.

  “That man is not long for this world.” Ciana whispered to Nanaua.

  Nanaua observed the man and Zaire.

  “Hmph, fine,” she said as she put her pike down.

  “Let me see your wounds, uncle,” Zaire said as he walked up to the old man.

  “Will you stop calling me that!” The man barked at Zaire and coughed.

  Corin stood up and walked up to Nanaua. His shoulder ached.

  “Natwar, stay back,” Ciana said.

  Corin turned and saw the boy peeking from behind a tree.

  “I can patch your wounds.” Zaire spoke to the man. “You are in pain, but you will see tomorrow.”

  “Hah!” The man laughed in Zaire’s face. He raised his face, and Corin saw it. It was a weathered, scarred face belonging to an old man, and he was missing many of his teeth. It was clear he had seen his fair share of combat. He had a bushy beard and a bald head. Aside from his dark skin tone, he bore no resemblance to Zaire.

  “You have always been a fool, boy,” the old man laughed as he spoke to Zaire. “There is no tomorrow for me.”

  “No, you can join us!” Zaire implored the man. “I will tend to your wounds, if you just let me-”

  Zaire reached out to the man, but the old man swatted his arm away. After moving his hand from his torso, Corin saw the full extent of the damage. The man struggled to hold his insides in his body; he would not survive.

  “You were always a terrible listener, Kijana.” The old man spoke with increased difficulty. He coughed once more. “Have I not told you that before?”

  “Why have you always been so stubborn, Mehzee!” Zaire shouted in frustration. “Why can’t you let me help you!? You no longer need to serve Telletioh! Let me help and you can join us!”

  Zaire reached once more to the old man, but instead of swatting his hands away, he only grabbed his hands.

  “Listen to me, Kijana.” Mehzee coughed as he spoke. “Just this one time, listen.”

  “But Mehzee, I can help you, I can-”

  “There is no saving me, Kijana.” The old man spoke. “Do you understand? This is not about my wounds.”

  “What? What do you mean? I am sure I can-”

  “Kijana.” Mehzee cut him off. “I am sure you could tend to my wounds. If there is anyone in this world that could heal me, I know it would be you. You are the most brilliant person I have ever met. The things you dream of are beyond amazing. I do not doubt your ability, and never have.”

  Mehzee began coughing, interrupting him.

  “Then why do you not let me help you, Mehzee?” Zaire asked, his voice faltering.

  “Because there is no more that you can do for me, Kijana.” Mehzee said after he caught his breath once again. “I have been a Zifor for a long time, Kijana. From before you were born. I have hunted down many furtives. Some I have brought back to Telletioh; others have died by my hand. I know what I am, Kijana, a monster. A death like this is far too kind for someone like me.”

  “But that’s not all, Mehzee!” Zaire pleaded with the old man. “I know you, the real you! You were kind to me. You were like family to me! Those things you did, you had no choice!”

  “The real me?” Mehzee replied. “I don’t know who that is, Kijana. All I know is that I caused a countless furtives pain because they only wanted a better life.”

  “But that’s not the person I know!”

  “Because I didn’t want you to know the real me!” Mehzee shouted back and coughed once again. “The real me is a monster! You were the only one foolish enough not to see it!”

  Another coughing fit caught Mehzee. Zaire seemed hurt by what the man had said.

  “The dragoor is right. I came here to hunt you down! How do you not see that?! You should have let her finish me!”

  Zaire was silent.

  “But those things you did, you had no choice.” Zaire could barely speak; his voice wavered.

  Mehzee saw the anguish in the young man’s face.

  “No Kijana. Everyone always has a choice.” Mehzee replied. “I was just too much of a coward to make the right one. Unlike you.”

  “What?” Zaire asked.

  “You have always been too na?ve Kijana, but never a coward.” Mehzee told Zaire. “Once I heard the rumors of the furtive army, I knew it would not be long before it would be you I was hunting.”

  Mehzee began coughing and had to stop speaking.

  “Mehzee, please-”

  “Listen to me, Kijana,” Mehzee said as he held his hand. “When we heard the explosions earlier in the day, I knew we were close to you. I had heard your crazy contraptions too many times. As we neared you, fear took a hold of me. I did not know what I would do once we actually came across you. Thoughts of jeopardizing the mission crossed my mind, or even hurting the others, but I was too afraid. Because that is who I am, a coward, Kijana. I let my fear control me. But now that fear has left, now I feel relieved. I feel a peace I have never felt in my life.”

  Mehzee turned to look at Corin and Nanaua.

  “I know the word of a Zifor does not mean much, but thank you for risking your life to protect Zaire.” Mehzee said. “I promise you he will be an invaluable ally.”

  “We know.” Nanaua replied curtly.

  Mehzee smiled. Zaire was silent.

  “High up on the edge of the world, where the clouds meet the sky

  There’s beauty quite unlike any, you might have heard it in a lullaby”

  Mehzee sang weakly. Zaire quietly sobbed.

  “Come on Kijana. I know you know the words.”

  “Mehzee, please,” Zaire plead with the old man.

  “Sing with me, before I perish,” the old man asked him.

  Zaire took a deep breath and softly sang with the old man.

  “Some say this world is not for us, that this is no life for you or me

  But I know that there is life without chains, I know we can be free”

  “This freedom might seem foolish, I have been told its false,

  But I cannot stop now, I won’t hear you, or give pause.”

  Zaire stopped. Mehzee had stopped singing at some point; he was no longer among the living.

  “Kwaheri Mehzee.” Zaire said to the old man. He held onto his friend’s hand.

  Corin had seen death too many times since arriving on Khorsor. He had lost count of how many furtives he had seen die, but it was moments like this that reminded him what was at stake.

  Nanaua walked up to Zaire.

  “Zaire-” Nanaua said as she stood next to him.

  “You must think me a fool, to shed tears over a Zifor,” Zaire cut her off.

  “No Zaire,” Nanaua quickly replied. “I can tell that this man cared for you deeply. Many times we do not choose the circumstances under which we live. But we can choose how we interact with others who bear a similar fate. I know what life is like under a dragon’s dominion, and it is clear Mehzee tried to shield you from the worst aspects of it to the best of his abilities.”

  “So I’m no fool?” Zaire asked.

  “No, I am not one to begrudge how you mourn someone who did his best to guide you in a difficult situation. To you he was a mentor and a friend, to many others he was a Zifor.” Nanaua replied. “When the morning comes, we will give you time to bury him.”

  “Thank you,” Zaire replied, still holding onto his friend’s hand.

  Nanaua walked away towards Zaire.

  “Come, let us tend to your wounds,” Ciana told Corin.

  Corin and the others returned to the camp, where Ciana tended to his shoulder. When morning came and the group returned to the field of battle, they found Zaire in the same spot. His friend was gone, and a fresh mound of dirt was visible.

  “Are you prepared?” Ciana asked Zaire.

  “Yes,” he replied. He turned to the group. “Let’s head to the furtive force.”