"Divxplanet this is the tale of the mystic land of Mirabilis." "Freed from a dark tyrant hundreds of years ago in an epic war." "a war over Bloodsteel." "a magical enchanted metal so powerful it was used by sorcerers and warriors alike." "Once bountiful. now nearly gone." "the fearful masses rooted for scraps with fading hopes." "the search began for its legendary source. the Crucible." "Elven." "Goblin and humans grew desperate with each day as the leader of the dread Brood." "Dragoneye." "unleashed his soilders of doom." "He needed Bloodsteel to save his son and an absolute dominion over Mirabilis." "Freedom itself hung in the balance." "Sire. it would seem this monk will tell us nothing." "and we have no word of the Crucible's whereabouts." "the Oracle of Mirabilis has knowledge of the map." "Find him." "Kill him if you have to and even if you don't." "Yes." "Lord Dragon Eye." "and you. you wish to be silent?" "then remain silent!" "tesselink!" "thank you for coming so quickly." "I have no time." "Once again. evil covets the source of all Bloodsteel. the Crucible." "Oracle. this is once I hope your visions are faulty." "the time of alignment is here." "Within six days the planets will align behind alcyon." "If evil gets it's hands on the Crucible whoever possesses it will weild untold power." "But. uh. the Magus died centuries ago in battle." "ah. but his heir." "Dragon Eye." "is after it now." "Even though his days are numbered." "still he is searching." "Only the four can keep the Crucible out of his hands." "Four legions?" "No. four knights." "Four knights." "I don't understand." "Who are they?" "these four." "How will I know?" "When Mirabilis burns under the Dragon's scorn four will join in one to mourn." "I have no time for riddles!" "Only you know where the Crucible can be found." "My friend. the Crucible is a curse." "But. the Crucible can provide a new hope for Mirabilis with an endless supply Bloodsteel." "an and endless appetite for more power." "For free people's to defend themselves." "Even now." "Dragon Eye's Brood cannot be defeated by our combined armies." "there is a map." "Please. continue. oh Oracle." "azenhawke." "You see what I do with those who would thwart me or question Dragon Eye." "Maybe you do not care what we do to you." "Can you say the same for your children?" "Speak." "then we will not stop until we have killed every soul in the valley." "Every village. every farm." "You monsters." "No. I do. however. work for one." "I will tell you." "But. know this." "knowledge without wisdom is a curse!" "and denying Dragon Eye his birthright is suicide." "Do you smell the eve of spring. my son?" "as sure as the stars align you will see it for yourself." "When I have the Crucible it will be so." "It is the salvation for my mortality." "your birthright as my heir and your rule of Mirabilis." "In times before the death of the Magus." "my forebears hid a map in a cave at the headwaters of the Mulapeye." "But. know this." "It is guarded by a dragon the likes of which neither of you have ever seen." "and you swear the legend is true?" "Oracle's speak only truth." "Grandfather!" "Was this the work of Dragon Eye?" "His lieutenant azenhawke." "thank the gods for our gifts of sorcery." "Perfidia. listen to me." "I fear he extorted directions to the Crucible before he took the Oracle's life." "You must stop him." "Go." "Go!" "Leave no stone unturned." "Peasants must know of the map." "For riches like this I'd slit my father's throat." "If you had one." "Go." "this way." "Breathe and die." "Good morning." "Magic lamp. sir." "Magic lamp." "Rub the magic lamp." "Only three left." "Malcolm. the uneasy truce between the Brood and your guard is about to become unraveled." "Do we want to suffer the chaos again!" "I warned of this." "While you humans and goblins argued the Brood took advantage." "Now the corrupt Brood underworld infects the Keep." "So. now you blame us again." "typical elven arrogance." "and misguided human pride." "Or goblin stubbornness!" "Please!" "Enough of this endless bickering." "Only united can this triune defeat Dragon Eye's brood!" "I don't think any of you fully appreciate the urgency of our situation." "If Dragon Eye fulfills his ancestor's promise and finds the Crucible he will take all of Mirabilis." "then what are we to do?" "Before he was murdered the Oracle made his own prophecy that the defeat of Dragon Eye" "and the quest for the Crucible will fall to four knights." "Just four." "I remember a time when blind men digging with soup spoons could fill their carts with Bloodsteel and be home by sleep." "Mm-hm." "So I've heard. repeatedly." "that Bloodsteel is deader than a goblin's tooth." "that's a genuine Bloodsteel compass." "fresh as an elf's cheek." "at least three moons on it." "three-hundred cherigs on the street." "and useless by morning!" "Ugh." "One day we'll wake up and we'll have squandered every last ingot." "One. two. three. four." "I win!" "Maybe that's what it'll take to ween us from it." "l. for one. am not addicted." "Not to Bloodsteel anyway." "Really?" "What keeps your brew cold?" "Your street torches lit?" "Your militia one step ahead of the Brood." "Oh." "Orion. come." "Since when did you become a politician?" "Be four years this March." "Such a commitment." "Pay up." "this should cover my gambling tab." "Quite a ruckus outside." "Good crowd." "You're missing an execution." "and it'll be yours too if you don't clean your debt." "Get a rope for it." "this potion is your weapon." "It may be painful." "It will pass." "Do your duty." "People of the Keeps. hear me!" "For the willful and brutal murder and mutiliation of the Oracle of Mirabilis." "by the orders of the duly elected members of the triune and the justice nimrod Perfidia aerie who captured him." "Lytreague azenhawke." "you have been condemned to death." "Damn you." "Swo...!" "Behind you!" "Stop him!" "No!" "Out of the way!" "Stay back!" "Don't let him get away!" "I knew Dragon Eye wouldn't let me hang." "Your Dragon Eyes had nothing to do with this and you have not been saved." "If you hate me so much stranger how is it you just saved my life?" "So that I could take your life myself." "Get up!" "You are mad." "What's this about?" "My taking the life of an Oracle in his dotage?" "Sheepherders in Orgenzal?" "Miners at the Labyrinth?" "Revenge for the Elven schoolhouse?" "Or. maybe I bedded your wife." "Listen to me." "take your leave and I can get you Bloodsteel beyond imagining." "I have a secret to a never-ending supply." "then you'll die with it." "Hey. gimme that. I found it first." "the hell you did." "I had my hands on it before you touched it." "and. even if you did." "this is from my claim." "that's not right." "You're just being a bully." "You are a thief." "Look. we split it down the middle." "all right?" "Even-ethan." "We each walk away with a nice bag and nobody gets cranked." "I don't think so." "a finder's fee. then." "Don't get any ideas." "this is my steel." "Look. I'm just helping you." "and. the name's talia." "I am Ber-Lak." "Ber..." "Lak." "It's a goblin name." "Never would've guessed." "I like the ear-loops though." "Do they hurt?" "Not really." "and we both know you were poaching." "Ugh. it's not poaching." "It's gleaning." "and you're not going back on your word." "What word?" "I never promised you anything." "Oh. right. I'm just a lowly human." "What would be the point?" "You know. I found that rock under that sluice first." "I still feel like I'm being short-poled." "Really?" "Poacher." "It's probably the luckiest day of your life." "Congratulations on your find." "Wow. try to keep a secret in Black Roc Keep." "Gotta go." "Don't play the fool." "You know the Brood gets a cut of everything on the street." "Now tell us the exact location of your claim." "this goblin?" "Yeah." "You don't wanna tangle with him." "Mean as they come." "talia." "take me to your claim." "and that one was for me too!" "Lord Splayven won't let this go unpunished." "Picks up the Brood scum and throws him like he's a baby!" "He is a goblin." "Goblin's do not fear the Brood!" "as if the Brood wasn't enough." "the dragons are waking up down there!" "the whole bunch." "You must have a set of steel coming back here." "We've not been formally introduced." "John Serragoth." "Your reputation precedes you." "as does yours Lady Perfidia." "I could have you arrested for robbing people of their justice." "Only momentarily." "and why would you say that?" "Have a wee look in the bag." "Why free him and then kill him?" "Man kills with no conscience." "he deserves to die the same way." "I'll have an ale for myself and a quartzfire for the lady." "What did azenhawke do to you?" "He was on my list." "So. it's true." "You're a paid assassin as they say." "You say that like it's a bad thing." "Killing for hire with no regard to guilt or innocence." "are you telling me you've sent an innocent man to the gallows?" "No. of course not." "But. you actually traipse around Mirabilis checking names off a list?" "aye. lt gives my life meaning." "as does your chainmail." "It doesn't come in your size." "No. not in yours either. thankfully." "try the quartzfire." "they say that. uh." "Bloodsteel flakes spur desire." "Yet. you choose to abstain." "Just from Bloodsteel. I'm only human." "For that you have my sympathy." "Perhaps you can assist me." "Well. I'd like nothing more." "Nothing more?" "Nothing." "Whatever happened to chivalry?" "Well. now. that's not a question that keeps me awake at night." "You just want your next beheading." "I'm after something far more important." "Oh. and what's that?" "You want information about azenhawke's cadre." "tomorrow I'm meeting someone who may have knowledge of their whereabouts." "I'm listening." "You are welcome to join me." "His name is John Serragoth." "the same newcomer from the Moorlands who saved azenhawke from hanging and then killed him." "an assassin for hire I'm told." "I sense a deeper purpose." "When he murdered azenhawke he may have snuffed out the secret of the Crucible's location." "Unless he extracted the secret from azenhawke first." "Find out more of this Serragoth." "His family. his weakness." "I want him alive at least until he serves his purpose." "Our man has been beaten and chased from the Keep." "We're being made fools of." "this is no time for half measures!" "We need to make an example of Mirabilis!" "Fear is the great deterrent." "If the residents of the Keep are growing emboldened. then so shall I." "Gather 'round citizens!" "Centuries ago we were pulled forth from the mud by that gift from the heavens." "It is the very magic that turns the gears of Mirabilis!" "I speak of course of Bloodsteel." "It is our life blood lt is the air we breathe." "the key to instant wealth." "Observe. what happens to one piece effects the other." "Heat it." "Spin it." "Just think it." "and it will be so." "But. what good is all this Bloodsteel if your love life is less than it might be." "Hm." "all that is in the past." "Starting today." "employing forbidden secrets from the lair of Dragon Eye himself." "citizens of the Keep." "I give you the Bloodsteel machina passionata." "a simple device that guarantees unbated nights of bliss." "all the Bloodsteel is dead around here." "ah. I know times. times are tough." "Pure steel rare." "For this night I will also throw in the Pyramid reanimator." "Guaranteed to extend the life force of your Bloodsteel twice fold." "Sentiments may vary based on personal usage." "Once these are gone friends I cannot get more." "How much?" "ten sherigs." "Guaranteed to earn its cost back on its virgin outing." "So simple. even a comp-." "even a refined gentleman such as yourself can use it." "You two know each other?" "No. I'm sure I would remember that defined and devout." "devout is what I meant to say." "Devout and ample..." "But. mainly devout!" "Hey. adric." "Can't you see I'm busy. talia." "Oh. I just thought you'd like to know that I found a twenty-cadder yesterday." "Sorcery grade." "Sort of." "aye. and you threw it all away by stiffing Splayven's men." "It's all over the Keep." "Well. somebody had to stand up to them." "You and this vagabond goblin are going to take on the Brood." "You do know that Splayven is a heart-beat away from Dragon Eye." "What are a few cads of Bloodsteel to crooks like them?" "You have no idea how serious this is." "then help me." "Pick a fight with those icebloods." "that's the beauty of it." "See. I already did that." "Honestly. I don't know why I even try." "Run." "Dragon!" "Man the pumps!" "Get those fires out now!" "What good is talk?" "We have had no dragons in Black Roc until now." "You tell us your plan for finding the cursed Crucible and we will give you anything you need." "Dragon Eye controls this beast." "Dragon Eye!" "?" "!" "a handful of knights against his power." "He has control of this dragon and you think that four can take him down when Malcolm's army is helpless!" "?" "!" "Well. forgive my cynicism." "but how long has Dragon Eye eluded us?" "We ignore the Oracle's augury at our peril!" "Did he happen to give you the identities of these miracle warriors?" "He said my sorcery would provide the names when the time was right." "Finding the four is only the first step!" "I need all of your assent in empowering them." "the reality is. if we do not find the Crucible before Dragon Eye does then we are doomed." "Fine." "Empower them." "Have no illusions." "Dragon Eye employs the greatest minds in weapons craft." "He uses Bloodsteel like no other." "Do not forget he decends from the greatest sorcerer of all." "Knights will have their own sorcerer on their side." "they will not fail." "What have we heard from Swope?" "Nothing. sire." "Yes. run." "Run as far as you can." "Sire. I still believe that Swope and his men will secure the Crucible and deliver it to your eminence." "Fool." "Swope is a self-serving mercenary." "We will let him do the work of finding the Crucible for us." "then. we shall deal with him as I shall deal with all those who oppose me." "they will see the truth and when I awaken my son a dynasty will be born." "they will worship him and he will shine for a thousand years." "With me. the mightiest of dragon's watching over him." "I'm sure they will." "Do not doubt me Lord Splayven!" "and never set yourself between me and my heir's destiny." "the day fast approaches when Mirabilis will be his." "Serragoth with tesselink's vixen of a granddaughter." "You couldn't ask for more." "Watch your words. fool." "He raised her well." "Capturing her will be no easy task." "apologies sire." "But. don't worry." "I know this kind well." "they will be in my han-." "our hands by nightfall." "Perhaps." "But. I tire of your schemes." "Let us introduce them to my little pet." "shall we?" "My sources in the Keep told me that certain Brood marauders paid you a visit." "Not two days ago." "they claimed I was concealing a Bloodsteel find." "Demanded I show them where it was." "they looked at my son." "said it would be a shame to see him grow up with no hands." "You're certain they were Brood?" "they called their leader Swope." "Did he have markings on his face." "Yes." "He complained it was a waste of time to keep scrounging for crumbs when the mother lode was in reach." "My boy angus heard them talk of a journey to claim a map." "Oh. the Crucible." "Crucible?" "You believe in that old legend." "Well. at least it explains what azenhawke meant." "and?" "Well. pleading for his life he mentioned something about an endless supply of Bloodsteel." "and yet. you killed him anyway?" "aye. he was on my list." "and you came within a hairs breadth of executing him yourself." "Do you never grow tired of this pursuit?" "Have you ever thought of fighting for a cause?" "For life?" "For freedom?" "aye. mine." "No Crucible is worth dying for." "Did you overhear where they were headed?" "He doesn't speak." "No." "Only that the map is guarded by a dragon." "they need our Bloodsteel to forge more arrowheads to slay the...dragon." "Run!" "Remarkable." "Enough games." "Soon you will be in my grasp." "John!" "Over here!" "What are you doin'!" "?" "!" "John!" "the Bloodsteel harness!" "You have one chance to dislodge it!" "Come on." "John!" "John!" "John!" "John!" "John!" "Whoo-Hoo!" "Whoo!" "Did you see that!" "?" "!" "Magnificent!" "a four-winger at that!" "Eh!" "?" "!" "I never stood a chance!" "I gaffed that dragon like it was standing still!" "and I was magnificent!" "ahh!" "I mean. you were good. but I..." "My sword. I..." "I..." "I've lost my sword." "Come her. lad." "Great hunting!" "Oh. now what have we here?" "Hello. you." "Bring me those two." "It is already done." "Ber-Lak. don't be afraid." "You must accept your fate." "What you are describing the invisibility." "the unexplained strength." "the lightheadedness." "the disorientation... lt's being around that much pure Bloodsteel." "It has happened before." "We are goblins." "Ber-Lak." "and. among the goblins there have always been a few." "an order of magnitude more susceptible to Bloodsteel's powers than others." "the most extreme cases were recruited as vessels for powers." "vessels for lost souls." "I told you. I'm not a damn vessel." "Embrace your gift." "You want me to feel good about being inhabited by another soul?" "Like a puppet." "Without free will you're not really a person." "You're not a person at all." "It's a gift." "It's my own gifts I'm seeking." "Not someone elses." "the Brood!" "they've taken her." "they've taken talia." "Please. we must go after her." "Here." "take this." "You may need it." "Please." "Come now." "Go!" "Don't worry my dear." "I will be merciful." "What is it?" "It's unclear." "a child calling for help." "the Brood?" "Perhaps." "a trap. no doubt." "How do you know this?" "are you using Bloodsteel magic?" "Do you object?" "Magic used is magic abused." "Will they harm this child?" "If you know them. it will be the least of their intentions." "Well. how close are they?" "Let her go!" "John Serragoth and Perfidia aerie." "Mm-mm." "You didn't disappoint." "Welcome to this hallowed ground." "We only want the child unharmed." "aye." "Let the child go." "unless of course you'd rather negotiate." "talia!" "adric." "John Serragoth. I presume." "the same." "You have made this easy for me." "You've all answered my little invitation." "I told you it was a trap." "this will not end well." "Only if you fail to reveal what azenhawke told you about the Crucible." "Oh. well. unfortunately he lost his head before he lost his tongue." "Splayven. I have the information that you seek." "azenhawke wrote down the night before his execution." "He said he learned the path to the Crucible. from the Oracle." "You have no idea where the Crucible is!" "this is a fool's errand!" "Stop!" "Swope!" "Swope?" "aye. you find Swope." "you'll find the Crucible." "He seeks it for himself." "are you crazy?" "No. I'm desperate." "I'm telling you the truth." "Now let the girl go." "In point of fact. you have corroborated what we've suspected." "and now your usefulness has ceased." "He's yours!" "What took you so long?" "at least mine stayed down." "talia. talia. talia." "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. talia." "Help her." "Help her!" "I have Bloodsteel." "You have powers." "Please!" "Help her!" "I cannot bring her spirit back." "No." "No." "No." "No." "When Mirabilis burns under dragon's scorn the four will join as one to mourn." "What is it?" "Dragon Eye has unwittingly chosen the instruments of his own demise." "Fellow members of the triune." "Captain." "the Oracle's prophecy has come to pass." "We have our knights." "We have the four!" "they're untried amateurs." "What do you seriously expect of them?" "that they find the Crucible." "that they destroy Dragon Eye!" "that they save Mirabilis." "Have you been standing here for long?" "Nope." "What do you want?" "It's. uh. more what they want." "Don't feel so bad." "It happens." "Maybe you should try your Machina Passionata?" "Heh. lt doesn't work." "I mean. it works." "Normally." "Mm. that's what they say." "Who's they?" "Half the young women in the Keep." "they also say that you can get your hands on money as easily as you can the flesh of a maiden." "Get your things." "the triune wants a word." "It is a sacred trust." "John Serragoth." "Moreover. it is your duty to serve the free people's of Mirabilis." "Oh. I see." "they get to be free but we don't." "You'll enjoy your freedom when the job is done." "and what is this job?" "the one to which you alone have already devoted yourself." "Well. I have no interest in this knighthood." "ah. nor do l. to be honest." "Really?" "You must. uh." "feel very strongly to resort to honesty." "You don't want your young sister to have died in vain. do you?" "More to the point adric." "I've paid off all your considerable obligations and to be blunt. I now own you." "Yeah. well you don't own me." "Oh. and you John." "You need us as much as we need you." "I pledge the resources of the guard to help you track down each and every man on your list provided that you devote yourself to our mission first." "and." "Ber-Lak." "Orion tells me that you recoil at the roll of the vessel nature has thrust upon you." "I can tell you destiny has greater plans for you." "but they can only be found in service for this quest for the Crucible." "She should have told you that the only roll I seek is one of my own choosing." "Yes. well." "Sir John doesn't even believe the Crucible exists." "He doesn't need to believe in it's existence." "You just need to find it." "I wish we had answers." "You remain this world's best hope." "Find Swope. get the Crucible." "destroy Dragon Eye." "the Oracle placed his faith in the four of you." "I don't recommend you second guess him." "With this sword and with the zephyr of freedom lofting your wings." "I dub you knights of Mirabilis." "Will you come forth?" "the steel calls." "Listen for it." "then act." "Damn." "that's all right." "these things take time." "Grandfather. I've learned speed." "I've learned the second sight." "When are you going to tell me about the third gift?" "Such impatience." "Learn the first two." "Earn the third." "I don't understand." "ah. you won't for a while." "But I can tell you this." "both pale against the third gift." "Now. back to the first." "Excellent." "Excellent." "How fares the goblin?" "Ber-Lak?" "He must've become infected with invisibility when he came in contact with the Brood soldier I told you of." "Can you heal him?" "ah. well. dragon blood will help." "If fresh. taken in time." "it has been able to counter the poison." "What allows him to draw upon the Bloodsteel powers of others may be his undoing." "You should have forseen that." "Your mind is cluttered." "Distracted." "that's when we are most vulnerable." "I'm sorry. I have to force myself to look ahead." "But when I do. all I see is... darkness." "What?" "What is it?" "What have you seen that you have not told me?" "I wish I could tell you the darkness is merely an illusion my child." "But. I cannot. the truth is." "you must prepare yourself." "You have seen my death?" "Yes." "When?" "How?" "that chapter is yet unwritten." "How and when remains your choice." "If the fate of Mirabilis hangs in the balance then I have no choice." "Do any of us?" "Everyone dies Perfidia." "You have given the better part of your life to the people at great cost to your happiness." "that was my choice." "Was it?" "I armed you with knowledge." "all the skill you'll need to survive." "But it cannot change what is foretold." "No." "I can only tell you that the time of the reckoning will be of your own choosing." "and you must face it willingly." "I don't know if I can." "You don't have to undertake this." "You can say no." "No. grandfather. I cannot." "this is absolute madness." "this motley group taking on the entire Brood?" "We'll need to be armed to the teeth." "I'll say that." "Blacksmith. this blade's no good." "I just sold you this one hunter." "and I just told you the blade is cheap." "the metal is no good." "these are the finest swords in Mirabilis." "Yeah. so you say." "Sword is only as good as the swordsman." "Let me handle this." "Come." "that's good." "You brought the...you know?" "as promised." "and you vow this will beguile any maiden?" "You've seen me work my love craft." "Yes. but you so young and handsome and I'm less so." "Looks painful." "It's worth it." "Besides. I'd shutter your windows or word of your prowess will spread through the Keep like wildfire." "all right." "any news on the whereabouts of Swope and his men?" "I mean. look at that." "the Keep here." "the Savage Lands here." "Most of their attacks are along this corridor." "along the caravans and the trading routes." "Word has it they are after something." "and the weapons promised?" "I have the regular Bolts." "I can give you genuine Bloodsteel bolts." "Heart-seeking." "Properly aimed they will zero in on the beating heart of any foe." "Oh. and the crossbows." "I'll take them all." "Yes. and that one." "Here." "and this." "Nice doing business with you." "You'll be amused to know the triune has listed" "John Serragoth among others in their so-called Order of the Knights of Mirabilis." "Correct me if I'm wrong." "Lord Splayven." "but weren't these knights the very four who routed you and your men at the Crossroads?" "It will not happen again." "Perhaps humility would be a more appropriate response then mockery." "I am always humble in your company." "Dragon Eye." "I have teams strategically placed throughout the Savage Lands." "If these knights are close we'll know it." "Perfidia aerie is the granddaughter of tesselink." "tesselink is a relic." "Dismiss a sorcerer at your own peril." "On the other hand." "no one is immortal yet." "Very clever. sire." "Making Orion's bar maid your weapon." "are you sure your black market friends know what they're talking about?" "they trade with these caravans." "If Swope went this way they'd know about it." "Besides. given the risk I can't believe we're not getting paid for this." "I'm sure you'll get what's coming to you." "You know. I can't help but think there's a bit of fate in our." "you know. working side by side." "Fate?" "as much as I've admired you from afar I must say the view from here is breathtaking." "Do you seriously think that a flirtation that works with the milk maid is going to work on me?" "I'm a helpless conscript in the army of the smitten." "at ease. soldier." "I can understand your reluctance." "I'm human. you're elven." "But. that doesn't have to stand in the way." "adric. please don't take offense." "But. to me you have all the charm of a sucking chest wound." "ah." "So. take it slow." "My family... they killed everyone." "they were Brood." "they tore my clothes." "Swopes men did this." "aye. that means he's close." "My scouts tell me five dead." "and they're certain it was Swope's men?" "Well. the good news is that it means the knights are not there." "Leave it to you." "Malcolm." "to find the good in a massacre." "Maybe we can use the knights as bait." "I will remind you." "Perfidia is my granddaughter." "Well. then I'd remind you tesselink that you were the one who put her name forth." "My hand was guided by an Oracle." "Well then. you can blame the Oracle should anything tragic happen to her." "I don't recommend you second guess him." "If you believe that... an assassin's claw." "this. this is Dragon Eye's doing." "He's determined to eliminate any obstacles in his quest for the Crucible." "For all we know." "he may already have it." "No. I would have heard something." "Yes. yes of course." "Your embedded source." "It's helped us more than you know." "But. you still can't possibly reveal his identity?" "Even after this." "I'm doing what I have to to protect the Keep." "Just going to have to take my word." "they took what little Bloodsteel we had." "and they killed my brother." "For nothing." "But. they couldn't kill me." "You should rest." "I didn't get your name." "adric. l. l didn't get yours." "Maya." "Maya." "I found tracks." "Probably Swope and his men." "they're headed up stream." "they're fresh." "We should leave now." "What ails him?" "He held the phantom warrior at the hanging." "He took on his powers." "I have seen such things." "He seems himself yet his spirit wanes." "My spirit still remains mine." "a few moments rest." "Besides. this skill I've taken on..." "You mean the affliction." "I can learn how to control it." "I can control it." "this might be useful." "She cannot come." "Maya. it's too dangerous." "You need to go back to Black Roc." "You think me weak?" "I have travelled these trading routes all my life." "I know how to hide." "I want my revenge." "Wait." "Maya." "You don't understand." "We..." "Or. are you going to make me go." "Elf?" "I only think of your safety." "My safety is none of your concern." "Ladies. ladies. we don't need to be so upset about this." "Maya. you'll have to understand that..." "Listen. you don't want to get in the middle of this." "Elven and human women don't get along." "ever." "Fine." "But. hear this." "I'm not going to let the Brood." "the elves. the goblins or anyone else run my life. especially her." "Maya. wait." "take these just in case." "Well. my good knight." "Return in one piece." "Women." "the map to the Crucible is within our reach." "according to the Oracle we have 'til the alignment to trigger the Crucible's power." "then we'll have all the riches we ever dreamed of." "More than Dragon Eye himself." "I'll never answer to that monster again." "Yes." "He's right." "Yes." "Drink up. my friends." "to me. the new Magus of Mirabilis!" "all that stands in our way is a dragon." "Drink to it!" "But. the Oracle warned we've never seen the likes of it." "to the dragon!" "and to Swope!" "this is my time" "It is time now." "Ber-Lak." "Ber-Lak." "to the Crucible!" "Putting a curse on Maya or looking into the future?" "Or perhaps the past." "Yeah. what do you see?" "Maya. when we found her." "It made you remember something." "aye. that the gods failed when they made mortals." "I don't believe you're an assassin." "Well. tell that to the men I've assassinated." "asssassins kill for hire or out of misguided zealotry." "When we first met I asked you what azenhawke did to you." "I answered." "No John. you didn't." "I'm not. uh." "I'm not from these parts." "as you might have guessed." "I come from the unsettled territory." "the Moorlands." "Our numbers are few." "We hunted and lived from the land." "that is until they came." "and. what happened?" "they demanded our knowledge and the whereabouts of this mythic mind of endless stone." "Bloodsteel." "Well. we told them it was nonsense." "No such place exists." "that their time was wasted." "and they wasted no time." "She was with child." "I never got to hold him in my hands." "to teach him the ways of life." "to watch him stumble." "to pick him up." "to show him right from wrong." "I'm so sorry." "they counted twenty-one." "We never stood a chance." "there were too many." "three died. however." "by my sword that day." "I was left for dead." "Since then. I have tracked eight including azenhawke." "Four others have died in battles or have been executed but six remain." "and. so you swore revenge." "You will never be satisfied until you've accounted for the rest." "Well. now you know." "Well. maybe it would have been better if you were an assassin." "they say that when a man seeks to cure his own pain with the pain of others that it's a bottomless vortex." "all this Bloodsteel and magic." "it's a curse upon this world." "Well. what will happen the first time my mission conflicts with your vendetta?" "I don't know. I guess we'll both just have to wait and see." "Ber-Lak!" "adric!" "I found them." "Good going." "Did they see you?" "I couldn't even see myself." "Well done. friend." "Swope seeks the map at the caves of the Malapi." "the waterfall. that's at headwaters." "I learned of a warning from the Oracle." "the Crucible exists." "But. we have to find the map before the alignment." "another thing. it is guarded by a dragon the likes no one has seen." "What does that mean?" "I can't imagine." "I've seen all types." "You know. maybe we should let Swope take the lead on this." "With any luck." "maybe the dragon has spent most of his fire on him and his men." "Well. they'll wish it had." "into the forest." "John. are we agreed on the task at hand?" "I know Swope is on your list." "Do I want Swope dead?" "aye." "Will I bide my time?" "Unfortunately." "is that the best you can do?" "Yeah. that's the best I can do." "It's lair must be around here." "Look. that's it. the waterfall." "So. that's it's home. huh?" "Nobody home l hope." "Run!" "Run!" "Where's he?" "It's invisible!" "I can't see it!" "It's invisible!" "I can't see it!" "I can't see it!" "Run!" "Run!" "Look!" "What is that!" "?" "!" "that's it. lt becomes visible when it breathes fire." "We will just have seconds to take aim." "Steady." "Loose!" "Damn it!" "You missed!" "I thought you could fire a crossbow!" "Well. if I could see the stupid thing!" "Use this." "Bloodsteel will find the heart even if you can't." "Listen to me." "When it comes in for the kill and takes a deep breath." "aye. and it's rib cage expands." "It gives us more of a target." "So. any last words?" "If I don't survive this I want you to know one thing." "that if I slay this beast you've enraged you'll offer your lips." "Your life for a kiss." "If that would steady your hand." "there it is!" "I can see it." "to the right!" "to the right." "Steady." "Steady." "Loose!" "thank the gods!" "Do you still doubt the power of Bloodsteel?" "I didn't use the Bloodsteel arrow." "I used my own." "I figured it was the least I could do." "I don't take joy in the killing of dragons." "It's all right Ber-Lak." "Don't try and move." "I'm all right." "adric. find the dragon's body and collect some blood." "We'll be back shortly." "is this fire-proof?" "You know. I've been thinking a lot about our little deal." "Which deal?" "the kiss." "Oh. I was only trying to humor you." "Nothing more." "Nothing more?" "Nothing more." "Well. it appears we're not the first visitors here." "Help me with this." "there's something inside." "that's not the Crucible. is it?" "No. but a map that leads us there." "lndeed. it is." "I wouldn't do that." "Just as the Oracle described it." "I can't tell you the trouble the two of you have saved me." "It figures the apprentice of a sorcerer would have a better shot slaying that beast." "Drop the sword." "Or you die." "Drop your sword or my men will kill the human dog." "She will die." "Drop it!" "No!" "and now your turn." "Drop your sword." "Do it!" "I promise you this." "Swope." "You will not walk away from our next meeting." "You won't be walking at all." "that I promise. I'll take that." "I'll see the two of you in hell." "three hundred years after the free peoples of Mirabilis defeated the tyrant Magus... ln a war over Bloodsteel." "Reserves of the enchanted metal were all but gone." "Hope turned to finding the Crucible." "the steels legendary inexhaustible source." "Only one knew were the Magus had hidden the Crucible." "the Oracle of Mirabilis." "and. he was loathe to share the secret fearing its power would turn good men bad and drive evil to untold depths of depravity." "Dragon Eye. heir to the throne of Magus." "had strong reason to get to the Crucible first." "to regain absolute dominion over Mirabilis and undo the curse of endless sleep that gripped his own beloved son." "and the only thing in his way." "four less than eager." "less than accomplished champions of justice." "the newly dubbed Knights of Bloodsteel." "With a clear mission." "find the Crucible." "defeat the Brood and save Mirabilis." "Ber-Lak." "We can't waste time." "Right." "and a moon filled my shadow." "My heart yearns to rest." "Where neither power nor fear rule my soul at it's best." "Oh sacred darkness take my mind and leave me to thee where until eternity I shall labor until goblin-kind be set free." "What happened?" "I heard the explosion." "We'll explain later." "Did you get the dragon blood?" "I did." "Ber-Lak is fading." "Hurry." "He must take the blood before it rots." "any improvements?" "He's still breathing." "Beyond that." "Every minute wasted here puts more distance between us and Swope." "We can't leave a fellow knight out here to die." "So." "Swope believes you've died?" "aye. it stands to reason." "Well. that can work for our advantage." "If we can find him again." "Chances are his guard will be down." "that remains a very significant if." "take another sip Ber-Lak." "Smells good." "What is it?" "Filet of dragon." "Here." "Welcome back. brother." "Dragon Eye sends his regards." "You have won nothing." "Perfidia." "l don't know." "this terrible darkness just came over me." "My son." "Swope will find the source and then I shall pluck the prize." "I promised I would make everything right again my son." "as my father wished. as I wish." "you will not be cursed as I have been." "and soon I will awaken you to a new world." "this I vow!" "Look at him!" "Behold the body of the great sorcerer tesselink." "Show your respects." "You will not see his like again." "the great sorcerer tesselink." "You will not see him again until the great after." "My friend." "Dragon Eye will not go unpunished for this cowardly act." "We must act with force and as one." "the assassination of a triune member." "It doesn't get much more brazen than that!" "this time they made sure his magic could not heal his wounds." "I'm assigning guards for each of you." "If they can get to tesselink then any of us are at peril." "and what of Swope's cadre?" "Have the knights managed to intercept them?" "Reports say that Swope and his men continue to decimate the countryside in their search for this Crucible and Savage Lands." "So. they've hardly been neutralized?" "No." "My sources tell me that their looking for a translator of the ancient language." "Perhaps it has something to do with the Crucible." "Perhaps." "Do we trust him?" "Do we trust anyone?" "these are definitely Swope's tracks." "You're certain?" "I would've thought the word definitely might have conveyed that." "It's just that their progress seems aimless in this barren place." "they've been this way." "What is this place?" "a mining commune of the old world." "Looks abandoned... take cover!" "Wait!" "Wait!" "Perfidia. get down!" "Who dares to step on our land!" "?" "!" "You always shoot first and ask later!" "?" "!" "Don't get smart with me ya Brood low-life." "We are not Brood!" "How do I know that?" "Because we haven't killed you!" "Yet." "Heh. that was just a warning shot." "I aimed six feet above your head." "You damn near killed me!" "What. are you blind!" "?" "!" "Well. yes. in point of fact." "I am!" "Oh. he's really blind." "Weren't for these Bloodsteel lenses I couldn't see the little I do." "Hurry!" "Get in before they come back!" "Run!" "Read me these words!" "l. l don't know the old words." "Brother Klegg translates." "What!" "?" "!" "Klegg!" "Klegg translates!" "Now. which one is Brother Klegg?" "answer me!" "this time we burn that garbage pit to the ground!" "Follow me!" "We're under siege." "this morning a whole band of them came and raided what little Bloodsteel we had." "they took Brother Grell." "Please tell me he lives." "We've seen no one." "and who are you?" "Brother Klegg." "amazing. I've heard tales that Bloodsteel gives sight to the blind." "but nothing like this." "the wizard that sold them to me promised I could should shoot a gnat off a dragon's tail." "What brings you here?" "We are knights ordained by the triune." "Knights of the triune!" "this is all there is!" "Where were you this morning?" "What happened?" "attacked. almost everyone is gone." "Run off. dead." "Only a handful left after the Brood came." "the Brood?" "What can you tell us about them?" "Well. they eat a lot of garlic." "and they call their leader Swope." "Just point me in the right direction." "I'll take care of Swope." "Swope. huh?" "Well. that will be my particular privilege." "Besides. we don't want you shooting one of our own." "I told you my source is unassailable." "Fine. and what does this unassailable source tell you!" "?" "that Dragon Eye's machinists are working on a device that draws upon Bloodsteel's most profound power and that he intends to use it to awaken his malformed heir to rule over Mirabilis and to watch over him as a Magus." "What monstrosity of a child as one can only imagine." "His only stumbling block is the amount of Bloodsteel required." "One needs a limitless supply." "Or the Crucible." "Yes. lf he gets to it before the knights do then Dragon Eye and his Brood will be invincible." "Enjoying yourself?" "She's fine." "She's the new bar maid." "We need to get this information to the knights." "Unfortunately. their whereabouts are a complete mystery at the moment." "Not to this." "I've discovered the purpose of the device found on tesselink's body." "this compass contains a twin to Perfidia's own amulet." "It will lead us to her." "He did say that he would not send his granddaughter into the fires of hell without the means to find her." "then we have no time to lose." "tell them to be vigilant and that tesselink is dead." "trust no one." "Speak only to me." "Go." "Go now." "Has anyone said anything about a map or a scroll?" "as a matter of fact." "they were in need of a translator of the old tongue." "that's why they took Grell." "they thought he could translate the old word." "You are of this order." "Can you speak the old language?" "No." "No?" "I don't believe you." "Klegg doesn't lie." "Neither does my amulet." "If you're with them." "so help me. I'll... they'll be coming back." "Klegg!" "I told you to have your people reinforce the fences!" "We don't want to invite more trouble." "What do you think this is?" "Some of us feel that at least we still have our lives." "Why should we put that at risk?" "and when they've broken down the fences are you so certain you'll be spared?" "What if our best hope is in appeasement?" "Look. you can't feed a wild beast raw meat and not expect it to view you as it's next dinner." "Citizens. miners." "free men and women and followers of the old word." "hear me now!" "Your legends of Mirabilis tell of how the skies opened and gave forth Bloodsteel as a gift from the gods." "For years. you have worked these mines until your fingers bled but just as your moment of revelation nears you are faced with brigands no better than animals who would take this away from you!" "Yes." "Yes." "they have no regard for life or liberty." "and what are we if we let the Brood make a mockery of our lives?" "No. I say!" "Never!" "Fight now and you will have made a powerful statement!" "there're children here." "Yes. children." "Children." "Children who need a world safe enough to grow up in." "I know what it is to lose someone you love." "My own sister talia." "so young. murdered by the Brood." "We can beg for mercy." "But. unfortunately this war will not end with surrender." "It will end with your fatherless children enslaved." "Surrender only stokes the enemy's fire." "Fight now and you will have made a powerful statement!" "Not just to Swope." "but to Dragon Eye and all of his ilk!" "that we are free men and women!" "Fight now for the very freedom of Mirabilis!" "Move and I'll anoint you with a third eye." "You woo a woman." "you get literary." "You want to scare the forcemeat out of a man be direct." "You doubt my deadliness?" "I doubt your gender." "You're late." "I assume this is about tesselink's death." "that old sorcerer was a thorn in Dragon Eye's side." "If he wanted to galvanize the free nations he couldn't have done a better job." "Dragon Eye's a madman." "He dotes on his spawn ranting of the reawakening of his heir and his own pathetic mortality." "this heir?" "to look upon the child sickens my stomach." "He is the son of your nightmare." "Imagine passing all that power to it." "Rather than to you?" "Will there be a replacement for tesselink or will the Elven nation go it's own way?" "Well. if that's what your misshapen leader was counting on it was a serious miscalculation." "I was hoping you could influence the triune." "Head off anything untoward in the way of retaliation." "all that war is to neither of our advantage." "that's what I love about you Splayven." "You're not an ideologue." "You're no zealot." "You're an old academy." "murderous bottom-feeder just awaiting to assume the mantle." "Like you." "I trade in steel and blood." "Other currencies are always greatly accepted." "My reign will be profitable." "You give me assurances that attacks in the Keep will stop and that no more political figures will be targeted." "I'll see about avoiding a bloody consequence." "You could start by disbanding the knights." "When they've brought home the Crucible." "then we'll talk." "You have great faith in them." "More. indeed." "than I have in Swope." "What is Dragon Eye up to?" "Rumor has it that he's building some kind of super weapon." "Weapon?" "No. no." "What you are facing is far more serious." "How serious?" "a Dragon Eye so powerful you will have no choice but to surrender to his tyranny." "Oh. you're a miner. like us." "Yes." "Black Roc." "ah. you're a Black Roc." "I was a merchant in Black Roc." "Several years ago when there was so much Bloodsteel they didn't know what to do with it." "Prices going through the roof." "scruples in the other direction." "Neighbor killing neighbor." "and for what?" "the power to watch our butter churn by an enchantment?" "the well has run dry in Black Roc." "Now it is just another dying mining town." "Perhaps one day it will be reborn." "Yeah. well. when we finally do run out of Bloodsteel." "maybe we'll find something stronger." "Yeah. and what's that?" "Our own power." "Klegg!" "Come out or your friend dies!" "Klegg!" "Show yourself!" "they're back!" "Come on you Brood scum!" "Come." "Choose your side now. old man." "alright. I could have translated that wretched scroll but they took Grell instead." "Grell doesn't know how to translate." "I'll go." "Hold your positions!" "Listen to me." "if you go out there you will surely die." "Now get your people and barricade the back gate." "It'll never hold." "Ber-Lak!" "I'll. I'll try." "Your amulet really told you Klegg lied?" "actually. no." "Depleted yesterday." "I need a fresh infusion of steel." "Well. you really are a liar then. huh?" "You do live up to your name Lady Perfidia." "and will you live up to yours." "Sir John?" "Fools." "Must I do everything myself!" "?" "!" "Bring me the rain of fire!" "You think Swope knows we're here?" "Not sure." "Faster!" "Let it fly." "Rain of fire!" "Get down!" "Make way!" "Get down!" "Get out of here!" "are you all right?" "that thing tried to kill me!" "Of course I'm not all right!" "Damn. I knew Swope was a marauder." "I just didn't know he was a wizard too." "Swope?" "He's not a wizard!" "I'll take care of him." "Swope is mine." "No!" "I gave my word as a Canthus Sorcerer." "He will be tried by the triune." "Your word means nothing out here." "Kill him now and you will answer to me." "I don't respond to threats that don't draw blood." "John!" "I need you." "I need to know that I can trust you." "they're on the move." "I am putting down my weapon." "Devoted miners." "no more blood need be spilled." "Send out the monk Klegg to translate this map." "You cannot survive this siege!" "I have dozens of machines who merely await my command." "But. if you noble workers give up I will spare Grell's life and we will share the riches of the Crucible itself." "the Crucible." "Do not believe him." "Do not surrender and you will be sent to Gloom Fire!" "too late Brood scum!" "Serragoth!" "?" "I killed that human dog!" "Wrong again." "What about the sorcerer whore?" "Hold your tongue if you value it!" "I'm the one that beheaded your leader azenhawke!" "It's my blood you want." "Swope!" "You come and get it." "You tempt me greatly citizen." "Well. does fear loosen your bowels?" "Let's do this." "Just you and I goblin." "No swords!" "No arrows!" "Bare fists." "Or was azenhawke correct when he said you were a coward?" "I will taste your blood!" "But. first." "I want the word of the sorcerer." "You will surrender when I win." "I." "Perfidia aerie. give you word as a Canthus sorcerer." "You better win." "then let's end this!" "If you kill Swope before we get the scroll." "you won't just damn yourself you'll invite the gods to damn Mirabilis." "I answer to a far baser power." "Come on!" "Don't rush me. goblin." "I want to savor this." "every minute of it." "Shut up human dog!" "You have no idea how I live for this." "Oh. I think I do goblin." "Give yourself up now." "and the monk called Klegg." "and I will spare the others." "You put up a better fight than azenhawke." "I'll give you that." "Shut your mouth." "or I'll fill it with your entrails!" "that's just plain rude. goblin." "John. don't!" "We'll never get the Crucible!" "ahh!" "I didn't think you'd be that stupid." "Peasants." "Humans." "Hey. look at this!" "I found a sword." "It's a nice one." "It's not mine. but... that's my sword!" "You'll never live to find the Crucible." "If you return to Dragon Eye empty-handed. neither will you." "What makes you think I work for that. that relic." "this map is nothing but a bunch of chicken-scratch." "Reguatt carvase petrall voro." "Estrone?" "You can read the language of the ancients?" "Read it. yes." "Understand it. no." "It lies inside a hollow chest 'neath troubled skies that know no rest." "a hallowed ground of endless death." "War?" "Where darkness lives forever more." "Be forewarned. no." "'neath the root of...oh." "I really didn't study this as I should have." "this is gonna take time." "We don't have time." "You have to come with us." "I can't believe you've traded this murderer's life for a load of rhyming nonsense." "Without Klegg and his map we will never find the Crucible in these mountains." "We deliver Swope to the triune." "I gave them my word." "Does that mean anything to you?" "their idea of justice and mine differ greatly. my lady." "a. a hallowed ground of endless graves." "the last stand." "What's that?" "Legend has it that there was a great battle in the mountains where the Magus died." "Battlefield is a graveyard." "Maybe that's what it means." "there was a great battleground where the Magus was buried." "So. we find the Magus." "we find the Crucible." "How do we find it?" "that's why we have our blind man." "You have no idea how ridiculous that sounds." "as ridiculous as your lust for killing this bastard." "I remember a day when maidens didn't curse like the town sot." "Easy. my lady." "Easy." "I don't remember the poem saying anything about the need for mass murderers." "Don't we have you for that." "John?" "Must you go?" "ah. yes." "Knightly duties await." "thank you." "thank you." "Your heart is true." "My Lord." "I assume you have good reason for interrupting." "I do. sire." "Who's this?" "a mercenary?" "One of Swope's renegades." "Perhaps their only survivor." "One of our detachments found him near the Spires." "Mercy." "Dragon Eye." "We were attacked by the Keep's knights at the mining colony due east of the Ballentin gorge." "and yet you kneel before me." "I begged Swope to listen. sire." "But he was mad with bloodlust." "and Swope?" "Either dead or captured like the others." "He had a map." "a map?" "a map to the Crucible." "Only indecipherable writings." "We were looking for a translator." "these writings." "do the knights have them?" "I cannot say for certain." "But. if they tortured Swope then it is possible." "Your lordship. I bare a gift." "I found it on an envoy I killed in your name. sire." "ah. tesselink." "You think it might point the way to the Crucible?" "More likely to the knights." "these knights. they are doomed." "Yet. they do not abandon their cause." "But. you. you have abandoned those closest to you." "No. I would die for my leader." "You are not the first to say you would die." "Please. my liege." "But. tell me. would you suffer?" "I don't understand." "No. I did not think you would." "How I wish I could bargain my life so easily!" "Get out!" "Let us end this now!" "Perfidia?" "He's gone!" "You were on watch!" "Damn." "Who did this!" "John!" "If I had done it I'd have used my bare hands." "Make me believe that!" "I gave my word as a Canthus sorcerer!" "Murderer!" "Murderer hell swawn!" "Maya!" "adric!" "What in the gods are you doing here!" "?" "!" "I was coming to help you." "I was following this guardsman." "He was carrying this device of tesselink's." "a compass which pointed to Lady Perfidia's amulet." "that means Dragon Eye can track us." "Only if you hang on to the amulet." "What have you done!" "What he deserved!" "He is one of them!" "He killed my brother!" "He murdered them all!" "Just like they butchered tesselink." "Or don't you elves feel anything?" "Perfidia!" "Stop!" "Yes. it's in your hands now." "Guard it safely." "Once again I doubted you." "Forgive me." "there's no forgiveness necessary." "Look. I'm sorry you lost your grandfather." "He gave me that amulet and told me never to take it off." "Perfidia. you've done what you had to do." "the last time we were alone there was something in the way he talked about the future." "Like he knew what was coming." "He was a sorcerer." "Perfidia." "Yet. his second sight couldn't save him." "Well. no one's safe anymore." "Not in the keep." "Not anywhere in Mirabilis." "Not now." "there's so much he needed to teach me." "So much more I needed to learn." "You'll find new ways to learn these truths." "I don't think so." "He. he said I would and trusted me to forge ahead." "but I don't know how." "Look. our position has been compromised." "We must leave now." "the truth is I never felt worthy of his gifts." "Well. I doubt very much if he would agree with you." "When this is over. you'll see." "and. for the first time I'm beginning to doubt if I can do what is asked of me." "You're talking like your fate has been sealed." "More than you know." "this. this destiny your grandfather spoke of." "what did he mean?" "What has been asked of you?" "It means that I will not be returning from this journey." "and you believe that?" "I won't let it happen." "What was that?" "What did you do before this?" "Before you. you were a knight?" "Oh. uh. entrepreneur." "Inventor." "Jack of all trades." "then why do it?" "I'm sorry?" "Risk your life." "I mean. why put yourself out when you really don't have to?" "Oh. that. uh. well." "just doing my job." "You know." "Being a knight." "I'll tell you what I think." "I think you're a fake." "Well. I think you might be right." "No. no. I think you want people to think you're a selfish scoundrel." "I think you feel more comfortable that way." "You don't think it's just possible that I am a selfish scoundrel?" "Do you think that I am just a woman of the caravans?" "I don't." "Some may see that as my fate but I am much more." "Oh. I know." "Yeah. I can see." "am I wrong about you?" "Maya. l. l don't mean to shatter any illusion but I make my living fooling people" "and right now I think I'm fooling you." "I still think you're more caring than you let on." "Yes. well. I have to admit this." "this journey. my knighthood." "it has made me see things differently. but. ..." "But. I am far from the man you see." "Honestly." "Maya." "Look. someone has to go back." "there's no telling how many scouts Lord Splayven has dispatched." "Not you." "We need your sword." "We have to get word back that we have the map to the Crucible." "they must know before the Brood knows." "I'll go." "You're in no condition to." "Wait!" "Perfidia. I'll go." "I can do this." "I know that you think me only human but I can do this." "Kneel." "I kneel for no one." "By the powers of the court of Black Roc." "I dub thee Lady Maya Duvais." "protector of Mirabilis." "Rise." "Follow the tree-line back to Black Roc." "Stop for nothing." "Succeed Lady Maya." "Go." "Good luck." "Father. time is moving past." "I feel the end grows closer." "Splayven. look upon my son." "He will soon be your ruler." "Our path takes us straight through this gorge." "Well. it looks quiet enough." "Dead end." "aye." "Doesn't smell good." "You sure you're reading that map correctly old man?" "this doesn't feel right." "Ber-Lak." "Ber-Lak!" "this was the Oracle's." "Swope's taken it from his body." "Be forewarned." "not one moon left." "Who are you?" "Who's speaking?" "are you the Oracle." "Death awaits." "Oh. just great." "the demon." "What?" "a demon!" "Wait!" "Stop!" "Klegg. stop!" "Get back." "Perfidia." "Oh. what have I done?" "Klegg. he's dead." "I thought it was my time and I couldn't do it." "I couldn't do it." "Forgive me tesselink." "I leave as the leader of the Brood." "I shall return a god." "Yes. that oft repeated phrase." "Your faith in me is lacking." "Not for a moment." "l. on the other hand." "have reason to doubt you." "Sire?" "Did you really think that you could collude with the enemy without my knowing?" "Someone has been feeding you lies." "Yes. and I'm looking at him." "Despite your precautions." "I saw you meeting with the captain of the guard." "With the sole intention of making the enemy so fearful that they would surrender at the next provocation." "What were you going to do?" "Wait until I returned with the Crucible and then assassinate me before I could use it?" "Perhaps to murder my son in his sleep and feed him to the rats!" "the things you say!" "Never!" "tell me your plans!" "I will prove my allegiance." "I will lead the hunt." "It's too late." "Splayven." "What I do. I do for the world." "For the world?" "You!" "You abomination!" "It was I who cursed your son!" "You will both rot in hell!" "No." "No." "No!" "Remember. the Crucible or death." "Grandfather. when are you going to tell me about the third gift." "Such impatience." "Learn the first two. earn the third." "Everyone dies Perfidia." "I can only tell you that the time of the reckoning will be of your own choosing." "I don't know if I can." "Swope." "Can you not heal yourself?" "I'm too weak." "My second sight fails me." "It takes all my will to continue." "that's it." "Perfidia. will." "that is the power that no one can give you and no one can take from you." "Learn the first two." "earn the third." "this power." "is that what it is to be human?" "aye." "You're hurt." "Rest." "So. without the map or Klegg." "how are we to find this battlefield?" "Before the alignment at dawn." "your guess is as good as mine." "How. how long can." "can spell like this persist." "the Oracle can't." "You have to fight to rekindle your will." "Fight." "Or give in." "Perhaps it's better this way." "Ber-Lak?" "that's it." "Can you let the Oracle in?" "I've been trying to hold him back." "No. lf there's any time to talk to the old man it is now." "Who are you?" "Oracle?" "talk some sense into this vessel." "there's no time." "Oracle. can you tell us about the great battle to defeat the Magus?" "the great battle. yes." "Yes." "So long ago." "I've almost forgotten." "the great battle of the last stand." "Do you know where it was?" "Can you lead us there?" "You wish to go to this dark place." "Do you think you are worthy?" "the Crucible should stay buried." "too many people have been sacrificed in its pursuit." "the Magus was a hero." "then the power and wealth of Bloodsteel twisted his soul so much so that his offspring" "Dragon Eye was born an abomination." "Do you worship such power." "Perfidia?" "Do you seek such riches. adric?" "Do such ambitions rule your soul." "John Serragoth?" "Would you trade your spirit for the Bloodsteel?" "Would you like to die a second time. old man?" "I have no faith in any of this." "then what have you faith in?" "Not in magic." "So. damn your prophesy." "Damn Bloodsteel." "Damn the Crucible." "and. damn you. old man." "Well said." "Yes." "this way." "Perfidia. may I have a word with you please. alone." "If this is another one of your rants coming." "In answer to his question." "there is one that I have faith in and that's you." "Perfidia's amulet." "Mm. tesselink's toy." "this is it." "the canyon of the last stand." "the Magus met his defeat here." "Untold scores gave their lives." "Such pain." "about the right vintage for the Magus to have stashed the Crucible." "But quick." "Soon it will be dawn of the last day." "the stars wait for no one." "So. uh. anywhere in particular we ought to be digging?" "Ber-Lak?" "I cannot tell you what to look for." "Great." "Well. I'm sure it's something that's." "you know." "Crucible shaped." "I feel like I'm being watched." "the spirit of your grandfather maybe." "If so. it is to my shame." "Beneath the root." "It's beneath the root." "the map said it was beneath the root." "Long dead." "the mark of the Magus." "Here he must lay." "Well then. let's get our backs into it." "Huh?" "Let's go." "this is a warrior's burial site." "How are we gonna move his?" "thank god." "Look!" "Hurry. or the Crucible will become powerless." "Let's get busy then. huh?" "that's Dragon Eye's ancestor." "Well. so much for the Crucible. huh?" "Maybe it crumbled with the rest of him." "Ber-Lak. are you back?" "What?" "Just checking." "It lies inside a hollow chest." "anyone else think we've been conned?" "Listen." "What?" "Can you hear it?" "Hear what?" "It's coming from in there." "It's a chest." "It's. it's a chest!" "I think this is what we've been looking for." "anyone want to do the honors?" "Just open the damn thing." "Does it have a lock?" "Pry it open." "No. we can't risk breaking what's inside." "Look. it's not a damn chastity belt." "If we don't get to what's inside before sunrise it won't matter what the hell condition it's in." "Please. allow me." "Just give me a moment." "Wait a minute." "Just. there's always a catch." "I've never seen anything so pure." "the original shard of Bloodsteel." "Some say it came from the sky and from it all Bloodsteel sprang forth." "See. it will cause more harm than good." "Let it be. lf none of us touch it then..." "Listen to me." "Ber-Lak." "We are at war against zealots who are sworn to destroy us." "Seeking advantage is more than right. it is just." "the only guarantee is more suffering." "Not if we use it for the common good." "the people will be spoiled." "they will become drunk with their power." "Do you really want all that power in unwashed hands!" "?" "!" "Do you want it in Dragon Eye's hands?" "You wish to be gods!" "We violate the domain of the gods every time we think." "every time we imagine a better day." "Bloodsteel is our best hope." "Destiny will intervene." "It always does." "We will make our own destiny." "We?" "You always said you were more than a vessel." "Ber-Lak. this is your chance to prove it." "l. l pray for your strength in carrying this burden." "the gods be with us." "I never actually believed it existed until now." "You are every bit as good as they say." "Now please surrender the Crucible before your blood soaks the sand." "So. this is where my father." "the great Magus. died." "No tombs for his honor." "No great ziggurat for his afterlife." "Just an unmarked grave." "a battlefield burial." "Do not do it." "Sir John." "Your friends will be dead in the time it takes to lift your weapon." "You're too late." "Oh. I'm going to take the Crucible." "that is not at issue." "What is at issue is whether I will allow any of you to live." "You have already desecrated my ancestor's grave." "there wasn't much left of him." "Perfidia. do you really wish to join your grandfather in the after?" "Go to hell!" "Enough of this farce." "Kill them all!" "Ber-Lak." "You are no Oracle." "You are a guileless." "slow-witted goblin." "My name is Ber-Lak!" "then." "Ber-Lak. 'til the day you die you shall be remembered for your part in seeing the Crucible in the hands of it's rightful heir." "Ber-Lak." "Ber-Lak!" "No." "the Crucible." "Now!" "Don't listen to him John." "as long as you hold it he'll be too helpless to take it." "Give me the Crucible." "Give it to me and she will live." "Let her go." "Without this you're nothing but a twisted madman." "am I?" "the rule of elven kind is over." "the rule of goblin kind and human kind. over." "We are entering the true age of miracles." "the true ruler of Mirabilis shall be reborn." "What is the Crucible to you?" "Do you care of their world human?" "Where is your wife." "your child?" "Did elven or goblin come to their rescue?" "Your wrath is your answer." "Give me the Crucible and know what it is to be watched over by a god who will honor and complete your vengeance." "is the Crucible worth one single life?" "Her life?" "You love her." "Yes." "John." "then know what it is to be a husband and father again." "Stop it." "Nothing is worth losing that." "Imagine your life without your beloved." "Moments. days. years knowing you were helpless to save them." "You would do anything." "Burn the world down just so they would awaken." "I'm sorry." "No!" "Perfidia." "No." "No." "You'll destroy everything!" "then I'll see you in hell!" "What have you done!" "?" "Perfidia!" "Don't go." "Don't go." "Oh." "God!" "Oh. come back." "Come back." "Grandfather. when are you going to tell me about the third gift." "Learn the first two." "earn the third." "It takes all my will to continue." "that's it." "Perfidia. will." "that is the power that no one can give you and no one can take from you." "I love you." "Citizens. free men and women of Mirabilis." "it is a new day." "a new world." "It is also a day to remember the goblin knight." "Ber-Lak. who gave his life so that we may live in freedom." "In his spirit. and in the spirit of the great tesselink." "the elven council has voted in a new representative for the triune." "Lady Perfidia aerie." "knight of Mirabilis." "I pledge as a Canthus sorcerer and granddaughter of tesselink." "that I will serve this triune and the people of Mirabilis with all my heart and all my being." "until the day I die." "and. to those who dare hope to challenge for the office of nimrod." "with the powers of the court of Black Roc." "I put forth one command and one command only." "succeed." "It seems that the triune will be all female." "I'll drink to that." "We came so close to getting the Crucible and endless Bloodsteel." "Perhaps we're better off that." "a toast." "thank you." "to a new era in Mirabilis." "without Dragon Eye." "Maya!" "tell me that doesn't make you feel proud." "Oh. it does." "Very proud." "adric. I hope that I haven't raised expectations too much." "things are different now." "Hm." "How so?" "It's a new world." "Now that we can't count on Bloodsteel to do everything for us we're going to have to find other ways to make this a better place." "I have a chance to become a justice nimrod." "Really?" "What about us?" "Us?" "Being a justice nimrod." "So much dangerous work." "Such a commitment." "Something that you know a little about." "Yeah. well. when it comes to commitment. well. you know me." "Yes. adric. I think I do." "Well." "Vosjek. I think you've finally made a decent blade." "Just don't lose that one." "John." "Well. I did not lose the others." "I discarded them." "Really?" "aye." "Now. what is that nonsense you put on the blades?" "an oil from far east with amazing virtues." "thank you. my friend." "God speed." "there's so many toasts made in our honor." "John." "Especially to Ber-Lak." "Deservedly so." "He was a truly decent soul." "We are diminished without him." "We're so much better together." "Better than any of us could have been on their own." "aye. but we all have our own paths." "I must continue down mine." "Didn't you learn anything out there." "John?" "Oh. but I did. my lady." "then you will consider returning as a knight to serve?" "Hm. there is nothing I would rather do." "Nothing more?" "Nothing." "Our tale ends as all tales do." "at the beginning." "the Crucible was gone but everything important endured." "Hearts were joined and spurned by something stronger than Bloodsteel." "and the citizens of Mirabilis looked to the heavens once more." "In fear. but also with hope." "Our tale ends as all tales do." "with the possibility of a beginning." "Divxplanet"