A Platemaw emerged around the bend, its massive armored form knocking aside boulders and large chunks of rock with ease. Steam rose from its flanks. The beast had a shell like a fortress and jaws to snap a man in half. Its eyes fixed on me and it roared.

  "By the shifting sands," Nabeeh whispered, her staff clutched tight. "What is that?

  "That's a Platemaw," Eryn said, pulling an armor-piercing arrow from her quiver. "We've encountered one before."

  Memories of my last fight with an identical monster flashed through my mind. How its head had snapped out, catching me in the shield and sending me flying. How it had nearly killed me if not for my lucky throw of the shield and Roq's idea of smashing rock debris into its eyes.

  But instead of fear, I felt a surge of excitement course through me. This wasn't a returning nightmare. This was an opportunity to see how much I’d grown.

  "Perfect timing," I said, a grin spreading across my face as I turned to the others. "Stand back. I'm taking this one alone."

  "Ash, are you crazy? Is this Roq again?" Eryn said. "You nearly died last time!"

  "I wasn't classed back then."

  The Platemaw pawed at the ground, snorting and blowing more steam.

  “Roq?” Nabeeh asked, but no one explained anything.

  Knut moved to stand next to me.

  "We fight together. Protect our golden bird."

  I shook my head at him, practically bouncing on my toes with excitement.

  "I need to do this alone. Just trust me. The hive mind wants to see what I've become? Sure, I’ll give it something to remember!”"Now you are speaking my language, whatever it used to be!" Roq said. "Let's crush it and give me my breakthrough! Show the pathetic Hive Mind how weak its servants are! It lost me, failed to kill you, and even sent that rift-rotten kitty Arclight as fodder!”I rolled my shoulders and took a step forward, feeling the weight of Roq in my hand. The Platemaw's armored head lowered as it prepared to charge.

  "Is it really just your decision, Ash?" Eryn asked.

  "Who else would it be?" Nabeeh asked, climbing up onto the ledge where she'd fought from earlier. "And get your pretty behind up here, blondie. You’ve got some explaining to do."

  I swiped Roq into storage, winked at Eryn, and took him back out again, showing I was indeed in control. She nodded and scrambled after Nabeeh, who was watching us curiously.

  The Platemaw let out another roar and then charged, its massive form lumbering forward and way too fast for its size. The ground shook beneath its weight, and rocks were crushed by the heavy armored feet.

  "Nobleman's ballsack," Knut muttered, stepping to the side as I stashed my shield away and held Roq out toward the Platemaw."Forge Anchor!"

  I slammed the hammer into the ground, and steelhusk roots erupted from the beneath the monster, wrapping around the Platemaw's front legs, stopping the monster mid-stride. It gave a confused grunt as the roots dug deep into its legs, and then it face planted, the rest of its body flipping over and pulling the roots out of the ground as it landed on its back.“Perfection!”

  My three companions went silent as I jogged over to the monster, now writhing on the ground even as most of the roots had already snapped. “Finish it in my name!” Roq said. “Dedicate this kill to your benefactor and master.” He hesitated a moment before adding, “And partner and friend. But dedicate it to mewhen you strike!”

  I chuckled and activated Smash. Roq’s head glowed golden, and I felt a surge of power rush through us.

  “Armor Break.”

  The red glow added onto it.

  “Please,” Roq said, his voice tight.

  “Since you asked so nicely.”

  The Platemaw's head jerked towards my legs, but I’d seen its trick before, and stopped just short of its reach, letting its jaws snap on air.

  “Next time we meet,” I said, in case the hive mind was watching, “I’m going to kill you. Roq and I will make sure of it.”

  I remembered the weak spot from my previous encounter, and how its armor plates were weaker right where the neck met the body.

  With Roq gripped in both hands, I leapt, and brought him down on that precise spot with all my, now considerable, strength and activated abilities.

  “Vannash!” I shouted, because why not humor him. “Get him!”

  The impact was thunderous.

  Smash, Armor Break, Roq’s passives, and my Hammerlord bonuses combined with my enhanced strength to hammer straight through its armoured shell…all of it stacked so beautifully in this one single strike, that the head nearly came off the Platemaw’s body. It died instantly, and I winced, a pain shooting through my nose.

  For a moment, everything was still except for the roots slowly withdrawing into the ground, and the last bit of steam gushing out between the monster’s plates. Dust settled around me and I stood to my full height, proud and grinning in my helmet like a fool.

  “Get him? What? Am I a dog now?” Roq grumbled.

  “Deserter’s empty guts,” Knut said, approaching slowly. “Golden bird… impressive."

  I stood over the fallen monster, breathing hard from the enjoyment of the kill. The contrast to my previous fight couldn't have been more stark.

  “You just killed an armored monster with a single hit,” Nabeeh said, staring at me. “How?”

  Eryn walked up and stood next to me, staring down at the carcass. She prodded it with her boot. Then she sighed.

  “I’m starting to think I might have underestimated your power, darling.”

  Her words made my grin widen even further

  "Told you I had it,” I said, taking off my helmet.

  “Betrayal!” Roq said. “I’m still stuck! Not even a single shudder of movement towards breaking through.”

  “Your nose is bleeding,” Eryn said.

  I swiped at it, and my glove came away red.

  “It’s nothing. Maybe I strained myself with the hit or something.”

  “Did you--” Eryn started and looked discreetly at Nabeeh, and lowered her voice. “Get anything?”

  I touched my wrist and chcecked my soul chart.

  LEVEL: 10 (5/11)

  Roq let out a renewed howl in my mind.

  "I'm at five out of eleven mind gems now," I said, keeping my voice low. "Up from four. The Platemaw gave me one gem's worth of experience."

  "But not the Shardfangs?" Eryn asked.

  I shook my head.

  "I checked during a lull in the fight. Nothing. I mean, it could be they pushed me towards a gem’s worth of experience and the Platemaw tipped me over, but I doubt it. I think they are too low in power for me to gain much from them. Despite being dangerous buggers.”

  “Powerful kill," Knut said, eyeing the Platemaw carcass. "Good materials."

  “If it’s alright with you all, I’d like to give this one to Pa as a token of our appreciation, and… well, an apology for me destroying his anvil earlier.”

  “How’d you destroy an anvil?” Nabeeh asked. “Hit it with Knut?” She nudged the northerner in the ribs. “Ouch,” she said, massaging her elbow and scowling at his plate mail.

  “I, eh, hit it with my hammer,” I said, holding up Roq.

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  The fire mage looked from Roq to the Platemaw and back.

  “Yeah. Guess that’ll do it. But what about the loot from the monster?”

  “Any gems we’ll keep in the group,” I said. “The gift is just the carcass.”

  “No objections from me then,” she said and smiled. “I’m sure it’s in my favor to be in the smith’s good graces.”

  I swiped the Platemaw into my spatial storage before subtly guiding Eryn and Knut toward the three Shardfang carcasses which Roq grumpily indicated had mind gems, as we all filled our spatials.

  "Good hunt," Knut declared as we started heading back, clapping me on the shoulder with enough force to stagger a lesser man. "Many kills. Good team. Practice cooperation. Keep friends safe. I like."

  As we made our way back toward Dawnwatch, Roq continued to grumble in my mind.

  "This is ridiculous. What’s it going to take? Do I need to kill another Titanfang? A flying fire breathing lizard? What?"

  “Maybe the hive mind?” I said jokingly.

  “You are right! Its shiny green gem. The one in its center. I felt its power. A hundred times the power of your class gem! That must be it! Let’s head to the dungeon again. Tonight. You’re strong now. We can take it!”

  “Let’s not get suicidal just yet. Give me some time to figure this out. Edwin has to talk to me sooner or later.”

  "He better. Or I'm going to start suggesting we have a taste of him instead of these monsters!"

  I chuckled, drawing a curious glance from Nabeeh.

  “Overactive imagination,” Eryn said. “You’ll get used to it.”

  The fire mage just shrugged, and promptly dropped her staff, caught it on her legs, and fell flat on her face.

  “You saw nothing,” she sputtered from the ground and pushed herself back up.

  “See what?” Knut said, grinning over her back at me.

  * * *

  As we passed through the gates of Sentinel Station on our way back, I noticed Edwin was nowhere to be seen, and I suppressed a sigh of frustration.

  “Think he’s gotten instructions not to talk to you?" Eryn asked quietly, noticing my searching gaze.

  “No idea,” I said. “Could be, but I doubt it. He’s too straightforward for that. If anything, it’s either fear of wanting to take Roq from me, or something related.”

  “Commander speaks little,” Knut said. “But not talking? Bad omen.”

  "Suspicious, considering what you told us of the hive mind. So what if the others didn’t hear it speak? I believe you,” Nabeeh said. "In my experience, when powerful men avoid conversations, it's rarely for benign reasons."

  We made our way through Dawnwatch, heading straight for Steel & Scale. I was eager to show Pa the Platemaw carcass as he’d enjoyed working on the first.

  The smithy door stood open, and the familiar sounds of hammering greeted us as we approached. Pa was at his anvil, working on what looked like a sword blade. I leaned over and peeked into the shop, seeing Ma at the desk, going over ledgers.

  "We're back!" I called, entering the smithy.

  Pa looked up, his face breaking into a smile.

  “Successful hunt?"

  “No,” Roq grumbled. “Worst ever after the Hive Mind battle.”

  "Very," I replied with a wink. "And I've brought you something special."

  I swiped the Platemaw carcass out of my storage and onto the workshop floor. The massive armored beast materialized with a heavy thud that made the tools on the wall rattle.

  Pa's eyes widened, and he set down his hammer immediately, approaching the carcass with the reverence of a priest before a sacred relic.

  "Another Platemaw," he breathed, running his hands over its armor. “How? I thought they were rare!”

  "Don’t know, don’t care, Pa,” I said. “It's a thank you from everyone here and for all you’re doing. And, umm, for the anvil."

  Pa circled the carcass, examining it from every angle. “I’ve dreamt of having another of these to play with, son. The plates alone were to die for. Every blacksmith’s wet dream!"

  Ma had abandoned her ledgers and joined us, eyeing the massive carcass.

  “Gold in monster form,” she said with a tight-lipped smile.

  “But the head,” Pa said, looking up at Nabeeh, “that’s the most unique part. Hard as steelhusk, it is. I wanted to make myself a new experimental hammer after…” he glanced at Roq. “Let’s just say my old one was inherited quite a bit earlier than intended.”

  “Inherited?” Roq scoffed. “Upgraded to a higher being more like it. Tell him that! I am a greater lifeform in any way that counts. Tell them all!”

  “Why no hammer?” Knut asked.

  “An investment in my daughter-in-law,” Pa said, winking at Eryn, who rolled her eyes.

  Knut frowned.

  “Which item?”

  “Helmet for Ash,” Pa said and laughed. “Can’t afford him getting his nose bit off, can we? Can’t imagine Eryn’s with him for his brains, so it’s got to be the looks!”

  “Pa!” I said, as Nabeeh and Knut laughed. Eryn just face planted my shoulder and sighed.

  “Besides, she’s clearly with you for me. Girls are attracted to powerful men who can provide and protect.”

  “Ahh! Father joke,” Knut said. “Dry. Good.”

  “This time you should make a new one,” I said, desperate to move the attention off me. “And I think it’s despite you.”

  Pa nodded eagerly.

  “I will, son.” He walked over and opened his arms. I pulled him into a hug and started squeezing, slowly ramping up the pressure in our ritualistic battle squeezing the life out of the other.

  We hadn’t tried it since my breakthrough, and I nearly laughed at how our strength differed now. But I didn’t want to shame Pa in his own smithy, so when he made a sufficiently pained sound I let go and patted his back.

  “I yield,” I said, faking my cry of pain.

  He stepped back, a slight panic in his eyes, muttering under his breath about class cursed adventurers.

  “Yeah, you better yield, whelp. It will be the day my own son can squeeze the life out of me,” he finally managed, walking over and leaning against the door.

  "We've got Shardfangs, too," Eryn said, taking the focus off Pa, and she started swiping her carcasses onto the floor by the corner.

  “Wait!” Ma said. “Just how many are we talking?”

  “Over four times two hands,” Knut said with a wink.

  “By the three bells,” Ma muttered. “Here won’t do. Put them out back, except the ones with gems.”

  We all went quiet, except for Nabeeh.

  “The ones with the gems?” she asked, looking from her to me and the rest of our group. “Oh,” Ma said. “You haven’t yet...” she started, glancing among us. “Haven’t you checked them already?”

  “Why would we need to store them inside if we’d already taken the gems out? And you can clearly see not a single one has been dissected,” Nabeeh said.

  I looked between Eryn, Knut, and Pa, before sighing.

  “Do I get to taste her blood now?” Roq asked. “No ‘brain freeze’ excuses this time! Just good old slaughter to keep our secret safe.”

  "We have a secret that we didn’t share yet with you,” I said, tensing.

  We’d have to tell her at some point, but I hadn’t planned to do it just yet. Thanks Ma for that one. Could have asked me in private first…

  "Another secret?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Ash full of secret,” Knut said. “But good secrets.” He nodded to me, clearly expecting me to explain.

  I sighed. Hopefully it would be as easy with her as it had been with Knut.

  "I can sense which monster carcasses contain mind gems,” I said, going with the white lie we’d originally used with the northerner.

  “Ooooh, tell her about me! I bet it’ll set her hair on fire from how awesome the knowledge is!”

  To my surprise, Nabeeh didn't look skeptical or disbelieving. Instead, her expression darkened, and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

  "You can do what?" she asked, her voice deceptively soft.

  "I can tell which carcasses have gems in them," I repeated. "It's... a special ability I have."

  "And just how long have you had this ability?" she asked, still in that dangerously quiet tone.

  “See? She’s already halfway there! Just let it all out and watch her burn!”

  "Since... well, since I became an adventurer,” I said, glancing at Eryn, who had stepped away from the fire mage and towards Ma.

  Nabeeh's expression shifted from anger to outright fury.

  "So during the dungeon run, when we were all risking our lives together, you knew exactly which carcasses had gems?"

  My eyebrows rose, and I nodded slowly, beginning to understand her reaction.

  "And you made sure to snatch those for yourself and your friends, didn't you?" she continued, her voice rising. "No wonder I didn't get a single mind gem from my carcasses in the dungeon. Not a single bloody one!"

  "Nabeeh, it wasn't like that—" Eryn began, but Nabeeh cut her off with a sharp gesture.

  "Oh, I'm sure it wasn't," she said sarcastically. "You were just looking out for yourselves, right? Just like every other bastard party leader I've ever worked with, taking everything valuable and doling out gems like they're doing the party the biggest favor, just by giving them the gems they fought for!"

  “Oh,” Roq said. “She grasped it immediately, didn’t she? She’s clever. At least now one person in the party will be appropriately grateful.”

  “Please, just…shut up for a second. You’re even denser than I am sometimes, Roq.”

  Her words hit like a mallet to the face. I hadn't thought of it that way—hadn't considered how it would look from her perspective.

  "I didn't—we didn't mean to—" I said but lost my voice for a second.

  "Save it," Nabeeh snapped. "I've heard it all before. 'It's for the good of the party.' 'The leader needs to be the strongest.' 'You'll get your share eventually.' Lies, all of it!"

  She turned on her heel and stormed toward the door.

  "Nabeeh, hold on!” I called after her.

  She paused at the threshold, not turning around.

  "I thought you were different," she said, her voice tight. "I thought this party might actually be fair and like a family.” Her head snapped around and tears rolled down her cheeks. “You promised! Ash! You promised!”With that, she rushed out the door and ran off. A heavy silence fell over the workshop. Pa and Ma exchanged uncomfortable glances.

  “Why’s she angry? She understands we actually will do her the favor of giving her gems now and then, right?”

  “I’m so sorry,” Ma said, wringing her hands. “I didn’t thinkthat--”

  "I'll go after her," Eryn said, already moving toward the door.

  "No, I should—" I began, but Eryn shook her head.

  "Let me handle this. Woman to woman." She glanced from Knut to me. "You two stay here and help Pa."

  After Eryn left, Knut chuckled.

  “Mages and us? Unlucky.”

  “She sees it as stealing, Roq. When we kill things with Knut and Eryn, we share the gems, and it’s all good. But when we took nearly all the carcasses with gems in them during the dungeon run, we kind of robbed the other adventurers of their share. And I now see just how much of an asshole move that was.”

  I sighed, running a hand through my hair.

  “Rift-breeched monster balls, yeah. We should have told her sooner. Some version of the truth at least. I just... I didn't think about how it would look."

  “Has point," Knut admitted. "In north, this stealing. Very bad. Equal risk, equal reward."

  “It’s not like we meant to cheat them,” I said. “Right? I was just so focused on getting Eryn her class gem, and paying you back for the help you’d given, and..."

  "Intentions good. Execution bad," Knut said, nodding wisely. “Can’t blame you. We all agree. We were wrong.”

  “But…but, what is wrong with you all? She’s right. The leader needs to be the strongest, because you wield me. It’s not robbing them when it’s ours by virtue of being the best and pure awesomeness.”

  “She meant that as a negative, Roq. Not a positive.”

  “Oh. Ohh! Hah! Yeah, I still don’t see it.”

  Pa cleared his throat, drawing our attention back to the present.

  "While the ladies sort that out, perhaps we get some work done? Some gear and gems might help smooth this thing over.”

  “Might as well,” I said. “This’ll either be fixed, and we’ll need gear, or it won’t and we’ll still need the gear.”

  Ma came over and gave me a hug. “I’m sorry, Ash. I really didn’t mean to. It’s just hard to keep it all straight.”

  “Don’t worry. It’s not your fault. We’d have to tell her sooner or later. At least we’ll get to see which type of person she is now.”

  “I’ll go make some food for you to bring home later,” she said and hurried into the shop. Not even a few seconds passed and we could hear the rattle of pots and pans.

  “Treasures?” Knut asked.

  Pa grinned.

  “Many. I’ve got gifts for both of you.”