《Fortune Favors the Bold》


 Chapter 1

    The dampened rhythmic sound of steel splitting wood woke Ash from a deep sleep. Each impact traveled through the cabin''s sturdy walls and into his room. His body ached. Even after a long night''s rest his muscles nonetheless screamed from yesterday''s training. This was nothing new, though. His body felt like this most mornings. He lay there for a moment, trying to shed the last vestiges of his unwillingness to start the day.


    With a grunt, he threw off his blankets and swung out of bed. A loud thud startled him as the book on Conjuration he was reading the night before slammed onto the stone floor. He cringed as it skidded to a halt only a few feet away from the hearth; faint whispers of last night¡¯s fire still playing inside. With a sigh, he picked up the book, inspecting it for damage. Satisfied, he gingerly placed it on the table across the room to rest among its similarly well-worn brethren.


    Now outside the comforting warmth of his bed, the room''s cold started to invade his lanky frame. He quickly threw on yesterday''s clothes and grabbed the thick fur coat that hung on the back of his desk chair. It was his favorite fur coat. This was due, mostly, to it being his only fur coat. He draped it across his shoulders, its white rabbit fur collar puffy around his face; the rest of the coat consisting of a thick black fur that reached down to his ankles.


    He wasn''t sure what animal it was from. Moradin, the man who was the likely source of this morning''s incessant chopping of wood, came home one day with 30 pounds of the stuff. When Ash had asked what beast it had come from, the oaf simply shrugged and said ¡°A big one.¡± Ash didn''t care too much. It was warm, and that''s all that really mattered.


    He tied it tight around his torso with the help of the rusty mirror on his wall.


    Hair''s getting long, Ash thought, playing with the white strands that hung in front of his eyes. Even the ones that framed his face were starting to mix with the rabbit fur collar of his coat. He''d have to deal with that soon.


    The rhythmic chopping of wood continued to sound through the door as if an impatient guest waited outside. He begrudgingly put on his boots, and with a sigh, opened the door.


    A heavy gust of cold air hit Ash like a wall. He pushed through it and closed the heavy wooden door behind him. Hand still on the handle, he leaned his head against the door¡¯s thick wood and strongly considered going back inside, starting a warm fire, and crawling back into bed. A subtle grin formed on his face at the idea, but he thought better of it. He sighed again and turned around, his breath forming a large cloud in front of his face. He stepped further onto the cabin¡¯s front porch and looked around at their little homestead. Two additional doors sat to the right. One led to a common area and the other to Moradin¡¯s room, the windows that sat next to both, absent of light. Bundling his coat tight around himself, Ash walked down the porch¡¯s creaky stairs and into snow.


    It was still dark out. The sun didn''t like to rise this time of year. However, a decently sized fire in front of the cabin proved ample light. The light flickered against the wide lumberwood trees surrounding their clearing and casted long shadows into the forest. The tall trees reached into the morning gloom like reeds into a murky lake. They made for good firewood, but their density made them impossible to cut. However, the giant of a man in front of him didn¡¯t make it seem that way. Steam rising from his muscled form, Moradin split logs like they were made of warm sourdough.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°A bit early, don''t you think?¡± Ash said, standing still as a stone. He hid his hands in the pockets of his coat and treated Moradin with a bleary eyed glare. The man was more than six heads taller than Ash. Not that Ash was short; he¡¯d like to think that he was an average height. Moradin was just freakishly tall. The man¡¯s brown hair, chiseled face, and half smile, that always seemed to be there, was a stark contrast to Ash.


    ¡°Good morning to you too, sunshine.¡± Moradin responded, his voice deep and affable. He gave Ash a smile as big as ever, before returning to hacking away at his pile of logs.


    Seeing that smile plastered on his face this early made Ash unreasonably upset for whatever reason. The madman didn¡¯t even have a coat on.


    Ash grunted and waddled over to a kettle of coffee in the coals next to the crackling fire, his steps crunching in the thin layer of snow. He warmed his hands before pouring himself some of the hot coffee into a small tin cup. The smell alone made him feel a bit better. He plopped on a nearby log, cupping the warm brew in both hands. Sitting there, arms and legs tucked in as much as humanly possible, he glared at Moradin hacking at log after log as he sipped his coffee.


    This is really tasty today, he thought as he gingerly sipped from the cup; its warmth and pleasant aroma sent waves of comfort through his body.


    ¡°Not half bad, huh?¡± Moradin said jovially, glancing back with a cheeky smile.


    Ash responded with a glare and a dismissive grunt.


    Moradin laughed at the gesture before continuing his work.


    He didn''t understand the man sometimes. It was less than twenty degrees out and the freak acted like it was the first day of summer.


    He wished he could call him a dullard, but Moradin taught him everything he knew.


    Does that make me a dullard? Ash contemplated between gentle sips. He closed his eyes for a moment, finding comfort in the contrast between the cold winter air on his face, the rich taste of hot coffee on his tongue, and the pleasant warmth and crackle of the fire beside. This is what he valued most: comfort.


    A log being tossed into the fire pulled Ash from his thoughts. It seemed Moradin was done chopping. Despite his size, Moradin''s footfalls barely made any sound in the snow as he walked by Ash. He hung his ax on one of the cabin''s walls before joining Ash by the fire.


    ¡°You¡¯re coming with me to the ruins out east today,¡± Moradin said as he donned his coat.


    Ash perked up at the comment. ¡°Ruins? You finally got them open?¡±


    Moradin nodded with a grunt as he poured himself some coffee. ¡°We¡¯ll have to head there early if we want to make any meaningful progress inside.¡±


    Any lingering tiredness Ash had vanished like snowflakes into a fire. ¡°You think I''m ready?¡±


    ¡°I think you''ll do just fine.¡± Moradin smiled, giving Ash a hearty pat on the back. ¡°Also, it''ll be nice having an extra pair of hands for once.¡±


    A pat that hard would usually put Ash in a sour mood, but he couldn''t care less right now. He was finally going to enter a fresh set of ruins.

 Chapter 2

    Ash wove through the snow-covered forest, trying his best to match Moradin¡¯s steady pace. Being forced to ghost walk behind him made it harder than it needed to. The paranoiac didn¡¯t like to leave two sets of trails for whatever reason. Ash didn¡¯t understand why. It wasn''t like there was anybody out here. The Old Wood housed nothing but thousands of miles of difficult-to-traverse forest, a vast majority of which was unexplored. People simply didn¡¯t like coming out this far. Yes, the place had a surprising number of ruins; however, the ones at the outer edges had been picked clean hundreds of years ago, and going after those further in wasn''t worth the time or the risk for most people. The deeper you went into the Old Wood, the more dangerous it got. Hence the reason why Ash had never seen another person in the entire seventeen years they¡¯d been out here. Ash sighed internally but continued following nevertheless.


    The snow was beginning to fall a little harder now, making Moradin¡¯s already shallow footprints even harder to see.


    Damn snow, Ash cursed to himself, the wind¡¯s chill stinging his face. So focused on his inner rant, he barely realized they were moving at what most people would consider a sprint.


    He¡¯s seeing if I can keep up, he thought as he vaulted a fallen tree, being sure to match Moradin¡¯s hand placement going over it. The man didn''t seem to be slowing down; in fact, quite the opposite.


    Taking a deep breath¡ªfeeling the cold air biting as it traveled through his nose to his lungs¡ªhe increased his speed. Ash didn¡¯t consider himself the strongest or the brightest, but there was one thing he knew for a fact: he was fast. A small smile crept onto his face as he leaned into his already growing momentum.


    ********


    But for the ponderously falling snow, all was still and quiet deep within the Old Wood. Like charcoal and bone, the weighty black of the lumberwood trees contrasted heavily with the white blanketing the forest floor. The canvas-like stillness was shattered momentarily as two black cloaked figures cut through the treeline like specters. Much like a passing gust of wind, the figures were gone as fast as they came, leaving the forest to settle back into its quiet mundanity.


    ********


    Ash''s mind was empty as he and Moradin flew through the Old Wood. It took every shred of focus he had to maintain this speed. He had never moved this fast. In fact, he had no idea his body was even capable of this.


    The wind whistling loudly by his ears and trees barreling past were like distant voices filtered through thick glass. All of his focus was locked onto Moradin, following the man''s every step, every shift of weight, every movement.


    He wasn''t sure how long they''d been going for. He honestly didn''t care. He just kept moving forward.


    Moradin¡¯s pace suddenly changed, his momentum slowing with every step. Ash, matching his movements, did the same. Soon they both came to a complete stop in a piece of woodland no different from any previous they had been through.


    It took a moment for the adrenaline clouding Ash''s mind to drain. He looked around, assuming they¡¯d reached their destination, but saw nothing but dark trees and white snow. He looked at Moradin. The man was still as a stone, focused on something in the distance. Ash¡¯s brows furrowed.


    ¡°Are we -¡± Ash was cut off by a quick gesture from Moradin, the man still staring off in the distance.


    Ash still didn''t see anything, so instead, he tried listening, and what he heard was¡­ nothing. It was quiet. Unnervingly so.


    ¡°It¡¯s pathing towards us,¡± Moradin whispered with slight frustration. He turned to look at Ash, the man¡¯s eyes full of a sharp severity. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Don''t make a sound,¡± he instructed, ¡°and, no matter what you see, remember: It. Can''t. See. You.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Ash nodded in response, confused.


    Moradin gave Ash a half-hearted reassuring smile, before turning back to the direction he was looking.


    Worry started to bubble up inside Ash. He still couldn''t see or hear anything in the distance, so he decided to try a third option. Closing his eyes, he reached out with his senses.


    His field of perception was nowhere close to Moradin¡¯s, but he could still scan a decent distance. He felt about for any sign of life, any hint of an aura. But there was nothing. Not even a mouse for a quarter mile.


    Alarm bells began ringing in his head. This felt wrong.


    A loud snap of a branch in the distance wrenched his eyes open. He looked in the direction it came from. Movement. Something big: its color blending into the trees, making it difficult to track, as it meandered in their direction. The density of the woodland made it hard to make out any discernible features at this distance.


    At around two hundred feet away, the thing finally moved into a patch of trees far enough apart that the back half of it was unobstructed.


    A deer, maybe? Ash guessed, but quickly discarded the idea. Its body was similar, but far too tall; its four hoofed legs unnaturally long, and strangely thin, like jointed stilts. They moved awkwardly as it eased forward, past the tree it stood behind, revealing the rest of it.


    Ash grew pale.


    A head attached to a reedy neck stretched out from behind the tree, stiff and serpentine. Plastered onto it was the face of a crying woman, its features grotesque and exaggerated. Thin black hair framed the still expression stretched onto the creature''s face.


    Its body stilled for a moment, its stiff serpentine neck swimming in the air searchingly, until, with a sudden jerk of motion, its eyes, large and bulbous, locked onto Ash.


    His instincts took over and forced his body to move: to run.


    Moradin¡¯s swift hand on his shoulder held him in place like a vice, grounding him. He tried to compose himself.


    It can¡¯t see you. Remember. It. Can''t. See. You. Moradin¡¯s words repeated in his mind.


    The thing started to lumber in their direction again, eyes still locked on Ash.


    One hundred and fifty feet.


    It can¡¯t see you.


    One hundred.


    It. Can''t. See. You.


    It wove through the trees, slow and steady, its gaze never leaving him. The neck twisted at odd angles in order to stabilize its head in place, giving the appearance that it floated in a perfectly straight line towards him.


    He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off it.


    Fifty feet.


    It can¡¯t see you.


    Twenty-five feet.


    He held his breath, heart beating like a drum in his ears.


    Ten.


    It! Can''t! See! You!  He screamed internally.


    It stopped.


    Besides its hooves lightly pressing into the snow, the creature was completely quiet. If Ash closed his eyes, he wouldn¡¯t even know it was there. It had no aura; it made no sound. But he couldn¡¯t stop looking. He had to keep his eyes on it. He had to know where it was.


    The head started to reach closer to him, the neck stretching unnervingly far.


    Five.


    It can¡¯t see you. Remember, it can''t see you. It can¡¯t see you. It can¡¯t see you, he repeated.


    One.


    Time passed like a falling feather. Everything in his body, everything in his mind screamed. To run. To fight. To do something. But Moradin¡¯s heavy grip kept him still.


    It was so close, but he couldn''t even feel it. All his other senses told him there was nothing there, but his eyes said the opposite.


    It can''t see you.


    Ash heard a step.


    It can''t see you.


    Then another.


    The nightmarish visage was still locked onto him, less than a foot away, until, suddenly, it wasn''t.


    Ash watched as the head and neck slowly returned to float above the creature once again. It continued at its meandering gait towards the direction they came from, its unnatural form eventually disappearing into the dense obscurity of the Old Wood.

 Chapter 3

    ¡°What¡ªWhat was that?¡± Ash asked between quick, shallow breaths, his eyes like disks. He stumbled, reaching out for any kind of support. Finding a tree, he leaned his back against it and slid to the ground.


    Moradin¡¯s footsteps crunched in the snow as he walked up and crouched to his level. ¡°Deep breaths now, Ash,¡± Moradin said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. ¡°It should wear off any moment now.¡± Subtle worry played in the man¡¯s eyes.


    Ash clutched his hair in his hands, his breaths coming quicker and more panicked. The air around him felt heavy. Everything felt too close. It was as if his consciousness itself was trying to smother him.


    Moradin¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as an aura started to seep out from Ash, weighty and sharp. It was growing by the second. ¡°Look at me, Ash,¡± he probed, worry in his eyes.


    Ash instead curled deeper into himself, his breaths becoming gasps. He felt like he was drowning. He couldn¡¯t breathe. Tears and spittle fell from his face, mixing with the snow below him.


    His aura continued to grow, expanding like blood in the water. It reached Moradin, making the man wince, a razor-thin cut appearing on his cheek. The worry in his eyes quickly turned to alarm.


    ¡°Look at me, boy!¡± Moradin demanded, cupping Ash¡¯s face between two large hands, forcing Ash¡¯s wide, crying eyes to meet his. ¡°Deep. Breaths,¡± he continued, his tone soft but stern. ¡°Through the nose, down into your stomach, then up into your chest.¡±


    Eyes locked with Moradin¡¯s, Ash gave the man a shaky nod. He took a long, faltering breath in through his nose, then exhaled unsteadily out through his mouth.


    ¡°Good. Now, again.¡±


    Ash followed the instructions, his breath a bit steadier this time.


    ¡°Again,¡± Moradin repeated, a weight seemingly lifting off his shoulders as Ash¡¯s aura began to recede.


    Ash focused on the rhythm of his breathing, each inhale and exhale bringing him further from the grip of panic. The memory of the black doe still lingered, but its hold on him weakened with each passing moment.


    He looked up at Moradin, who watched him with a mix of concern and relief. "I''m okay now," Ash assured him softly.


    "Good to hear," Moradin replied, a genuine smile on the big man''s face. "Shall we continue?"


    *********


    Ash followed Moradin up a snowy incline, the last remnants of his panic attack beginning to fade. The wind had blessedly returned, blowing Ash''s winter-white hair about. It brought along with it the welcome oaky scent of the lumberwood trees. The sun shone past the branches that intertwined above and delivered a comforting warmth to Ash''s pale skin.


    The forest feels alive again, he thought as two red birds chased one another from tree to tree.


    They walked a bit longer in silence, their boots crunching in the snow, before Ash spoke up.


    ¡°So what was it?¡± he asked, a few feet behind Moradin, any sign of his previous panic seemingly gone.


    ¡°A black doe, I''ve heard it called,¡± Moradin responded casually, leading the two up an incline. ¡°Ran into one when I worked with the Solventum. Wicked things.¡±


    The conversation lapsed for a moment¡ªmatching the tempo of the unhurried pace they walked at.


    ¡°What did you mean when you said, ¡®it can''t see you?¡¯¡± Ash finally asked.


    ¡°Just that. The things are totally blind,¡± Moradin answered, stopping a moment to dig around the pockets of his coat. ¡°They rely on sensing movement.¡±


    ¡°But it was looking right at me. The damn thing didn¡¯t take its eyes off me for a second.¡± Ash countered.


    ¡°A conjured illusion. A strong one at that,¡± Moradin responded, pulling out a waterskin and taking a swig. ¡°It''s how it hunts. If you rely on sensing movement to find your prey,¡± Moradin continued, turning to hand Ash the waterskin, ¡°then you need a way to make them move,¡± he finished.


    Ash took the waterskin but didn¡¯t drink, instead pausing to think. ¡°But why the face of a crying woman?¡±


    The mention of that made Moradin pause for a moment, a hint of pity touching his face, before quickly disappearing. ¡°Everyone sees something different, lad. A mouse might see the face of a hawk, whereas a fox might see one of a hound. The illusion, along with its devastating aura, makes for an effective strategy for getting things to run,¡± Moradin explained, reaching to take back the waterskin.


    Ash took a hearty gulp and handed it back, Moradin storing it in his coat.


    Ash wiped the excess water off his lips with his sleeve before speaking. ¡°But it didn''t have an aura. I couldn''t sense it at all, even when it was right in front of me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it didn''t now?¡± Moradin''s smile grew as he turned to move up the incline once again. ¡°Then explain to me why you just spent the past hour curled up in a ball.¡±


    Ash''s eyes went wide in realization, but quickly went hot with embarrassment.


    Moradin gestured with a dismissive hand. ¡°Auras are complicated, kid. You''re still new at this, remember?¡±


    Ash stood there, trying to piece everything he had just heard together.


    Moradin reached the peak of the incline they had been climbing and looked back. ¡°Come on then. We¡¯re just about there.¡±


    *********


    The topography of the Old Wood changed, the dense woodland cutting off at a distinct tree line. The sun''s rays that had treated them only moments ago were quickly replaced by a windswept cloud-covered sky of twisting grays. With the tall lumberwood trees no longer blocking the view, Ash could now see the snowy expanse in front of him gradually rise into an enormous jagged peak that pierced the clouds. Ash had only seen the mountain from a distance¡ªeven then it seemed massive, but from up close it was monstrous in scale. Its white-covered slate surface towered over everything; immovable and unyielding.


    Ash bundled his coat around him, the lumberwood trees no longer protecting them from the wind''s chill. ¡°We''re not climbing that, are we?¡±


    ¡°Just a bit,¡± Moradin answered, walking forward and giving Ash a firm pat on the back, a white-toothed smile appearing on the large man''s face. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Ash stumbled forward and glared at Moradin''s back before reluctantly trudging after him.


    After thirty minutes of wading through knee-deep powder, Ash finally saw something man-made. A four-foot-wide jagged pillar carved of onyx stone jutted out of the snow at an odd angle, the top seemingly lost to time.


    Must be getting close, he hoped. The wind and snow were getting worse by the second.


    Another similarly worn pillar appeared, then another. The pillars soon accompanied crumbling stone walls, archways, and stairs leading to empty air. The elements did an effective job of wiping away their original purpose, whatever it was.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Soon, they approached a cliff face; its sheer top disappearing into the whiteout above. Built into it, Ash could barely make out a structure of stone similar in color to the dilapidated buildings that surrounded them. Whatever it was, it was massive; standing at what Ash assumed to be a hundred feet tall and fifty feet wide¡ªits rectangular base curving into a rounded arch at the top.


    Almost looks like a giant door, he thought, before quickly dismissing the idea. No way that could be right. Who in the gods'' names would need a door that big?


    ¡°Do you see the giant door?¡± Moradin yelled over the screaming wind.


    Ash simply stared at the man, his face flat and expressionless. Of course it''s a door. Why wouldn¡¯t it be?


    Out of the snow emerged a wide stone staircase. Large braziers, most destroyed, decorated its sides. The stairs led to the base of the imposing structure, the distance and angle still making it difficult to make out any discernible features.


    Ash climbed the staircase¡¯s many steps, meeting Moradin at the top. Embedded into the cliff face stood the mother of all doors. Thick stone covered in intricate geometric shapes framed the massive thing; the door itself was embedded a dozen yards deeper into the cliff.  Despite its size, the shallow grooves that ran up its surface were incredibly detailed. Ash couldn''t imagine how something like this was made.


    Following Moradin, Ash approached the door. He let out a sigh of relief as they entered the frame, the blessed thing giving them a reprieve from the wind and snow. Looking the door over, he couldn¡¯t find a way in. Seeing neither a handle to turn nor a knob to twist, Ash instead bunched up his coat tight around himself and looked at Moradin. ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°We enter, but first, a few ground rules.¡±


    Ash frowned slightly, clearly impatient, but nonetheless nodded for Moradin to continue.


    ¡°First, we don''t know what we''re walking into. Old places like this can be strange and deceptively deadly. Things that might have been common sense for the people of the old could go right over our heads. How dangerous does a knife seem to a man who''s never been cut?¡±


    Ash nodded, his previous impatience now replaced with focus.


    ¡°So,¡± Moradin continued, ¡°we move with a cautious curiosity.¡± He pointed at the ground. "If we get separated for any reason, your only objective becomes to meet back here.¡± Moradin paused for a moment and looked at him with serious eyes. ¡°I expect you to hold your own.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Ash said.


    ¡°Good!¡± Moradin replied with a smile, his serious gaze melting away.


    The large man turned toward the door and flared his aura, making Ash take a step back. It felt like hot steel. It radiated off of him like fire in a forge.


    Moradin raised his hand out to the side as if he was reaching for something. A heartbeat later, a hammer of solid steel appeared in his outstretched hand, seemingly formed out of thin air. The handle, marked with bronze filigree, was almost as long as Ash was tall. Pressurized jets of steam hissed loudly from the back of its massive head; the weapon seemingly trying to push itself forward in Moradin''s grasp.


    Although Ash wished for nothing more than warmth at that moment, the steam shooting from the hammer was uncomfortably hot, even from this distance. Thankfully the steam quickly abated, instead only releasing thin wisps of smoke. Ash had seen Moradin conjure a multitude of weapons over the years, but the war hammer seemed to be a favorite.


    Moradin spun the handle a few times in his grip¡ªas if trying to get reacquainted with it. After another moment, he looked at the door and began to raise his hands towards it.


    ¡°Hey! Big man with hammer,¡± Ash called from behind¡ªbeing sure to over-enunciate his words. ¡°Forget about something?¡± He held his hands out in front of him to emphasize their emptiness.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Moradin said with mischievous eyes, ¡°almost forgot.¡±


    Ash assumed he was going to conjure a weapon for him like he usually did during their training. Instead, Moradin reached into his coat pocket and searched around.


    ¡°Not in that one,¡± Moradin said with clearly fake confusion. He let his hammer fall to the ground¡ªthe weight of the head keeping the handle upright¡ªand began to search the other side of his coat with a furrowed brow.


    Ash''s bored eyes and straight face screamed that he was unimpressed at the man''s spectacle.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Moradin exclaimed with faux relief, ¡°there they are.¡±


    Surprise alighted in Ash¡¯s eyes as Moradin pulled out a long rectangular case of polished mahogany and presented it to Ash.


    ¡°Happy nineteenth name day, lad,¡± Moradin said, a warm and genuine smile reaching his eyes.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Ash didn''t know what to say as Moradin placed the box in his hands. It was surprisingly light. ¡°I had completely forgotten.¡±


    ¡°And what a day it''s been,¡± Moradin chuckled, ¡°if I had known we''d run into a black doe, I''d maybe have given you these sooner. Better late than never.¡±


    Ash looked down at the box, rubbing its smooth surface with his thumbs. ¡°Thank you,¡± appreciation clear in his tone.


    ¡°Oh stop. You haven''t even opened it yet. Go on,¡± Moradin said, his smile only growing bigger.


    Ash flipped up two metal latches on the box''s side and lifted the lid. Resting in padded slots lay two daggers; their design incredibly simple. Steel wrapped in thick dark leather made up the handles. Above their minimalistic pommels gleamed two glossy white blades the shape of spearheads. The only unique details on the daggers were a small red gem embedded in each handle and the crafter¡¯s mark  engraved in the blades¡ªa lowercase ¡°t¡± with an extra line crossing the bottom.


    ¡°Moradin¡­ I¡­¡± Ash again didn''t know what to say.


    ¡°Well don''t just stand there and drool on them, they might rust,¡± Moradin teased. ¡°Take them out!¡±


    Ash did as instructed and carefully grabbed both blades¡ªMoradin taking the box and returning it to his coat.


    They were light. Incredibly so. Ash flipped them around his hands, playing with the weight¡ªperfectly balanced.


    He went to go test the sharpness with his thumb, but Moradin spoke up, ¡°Whoa there. Calling those blades sharp is an understatement. If you''re trying to see if it catches on your skin, I''ll tell you right now, it won''t at all.¡± Ash''s eyebrows rose at the comment.


    ¡°They''re made from Iron Drake bones,¡± Moradin commented with pride. "Keeps an edge better than steel, it''s a tenth the weight, and four times as strong.¡±


    ¡°Moradin, you didn''t have to¡ª¡± Ash started, but was quickly cut off by the excited man.


    ¡°I had some lying around. Thought it could go to better use than collecting dust. But don''t mind that. What''s important is, how do they feel?¡± he asked, a knowing glint in his eyes.


    ¡°Amazing,¡± Ash said, beaming, ¡°beyond amazing, honestly.¡± He looked back down to the blades¡ªa wide smile finally appearing on his face. ¡°One quick question though. Where am I supposed to store them? I didn''t see any sheaths in the box.¡±


    Moradin grinned as if he was waiting all day for that question to be asked. ¡°That''s the best part,¡± he answered as he revealed a cherry-sized red crystal between his fingers¡ªthe color a perfect match to the ones in the daggers¡¯ handles. ¡°Open,¡± Moradin said, gesturing to Ash''s mouth.


    Ash went to ask why, but the second he opened his mouth, Moradin flicked the crystal, with surprising accuracy and speed, directly into the back of his throat.


    Curses and the sound of choking filled the air¡ªthe mixture of both making Moradin laugh as if it were the funniest thing he''d ever heard.


    After struggling for another moment, Ash finally decided to just give in and swallow that damn thing. ¡°It''s really not that funny,¡± he said between coughs.


    Moradin''s only response was to laugh even harder.


    While plotting his revenge, Ash suddenly felt a burst of energy wash through his body, dissipating as quickly as it appeared.


    Moradin seemed to sense this and calmed himself down a bit. ¡°See? Not too bad. It will be worth it, I promise,¡± he said with the occasional giggle escaping as he collected himself. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, wiping a tear from his eye. ¡°Try asserting your will over the blades.¡±


    Moradin had made him try this plenty of times in the past, but the most he could ever do was move a pebble a few inches. Ash nonetheless gave it a shot, focusing his will on the two blades. When he had tried this with other things, it always felt like wading through quicksand; here, it felt as simple as breathing. The second his will touched the blades, they disappeared, leaving faint wisps of red behind. Ash''s jaw dropped.


    Moradin just stared at Ash with his arms crossed, a knowing smile on his face.


    Ash was about to ask how to bring them back, but he quickly realized that he already knew the answer. He could feel them. Floating in a space he couldn''t describe¡ªwaiting to be called on. So he did just that. The two daggers instantly reappeared in his hands, the same red wisps as before drifting off the weapons. ¡°Holy shit,¡± Ash said under his breath.


    Moradin laughed. ¡°I thought you might like that part.¡± Without warning, he grabbed Ash by the shoulder and pulled him in close¡ªAsh dismissing the blades almost by instinct. Moradin ruffled his hair with a giant hand, the large man beaming. ¡°Happy name day, kid.¡±


    Ash thought he would get mad at the gesture, but found himself laughing instead.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Moradin said, letting Ash go from the embrace, ¡°let''s see if you can put those to good use.¡±


    Ash nodded in agreement.


    The giant man hefted his war hammer over a broad shoulder and turned towards the door. He once again extended his hand toward it, this time, pressing his massive palm against the marked stone. Moradin''s aura flared, more vibrant than before.


    Moments later, the stone began to shift.