Darkness had settled over Dawnwatch when Eryn kissed me on the cheek.

  “Good luck,” she said, shooting me a wink before making her way down the keep's scaffolding. “Don't give him any slack!”

  “Thanks. I won't.”

  After having dinner at home, I'd climbed up there with Eryn to eat a few cookies, relax, and make out as the sun was setting.

  I'd put the inevitable off long enough. It was time to have the talk.

  I pulled Roq from my spatial storage for the first time since we'd killed the Platemaw, resting him and my hand on the wooden planks.

  “FINALLY! That took FOREVER! Do you have any idea how boring it was? It's undignified!”

  I dangled my legs over the edge but didn't reply right away. I'd picked the spot so nobody would hear me talking to myself, as this wasn't a conversation I wanted to have in my head. It was crowded enough there already.

  “After what happened today, you are lucky I took you out now at all.”

  “You mean our glorious victory? When we crushed that mighty beast with our mighty might?”

  “When you manipulated my emotions.”

  A heavy, uncomfortable silence stretched between us. Below, guards patrolled the First Steel, their lanterns already lit, and in the center of the wall stood the rift.

  “I wouldn't call it manipulation. Not exactly.”

  “What would you call it then?” I asked.

  “Encouragement? Motivation? A gentle push towards greatness?” The hammer's mental voice took on a defensive tone, which was very unusual for him. “You wanted to fight it anyway. I just helped you make the right choice. Nudged you in the right direction.”

  “By making me reckless?”

  “By making you brave! There's a difference in those two, and you know it! Thanks to that, I hit level five, and the master blacksmith got a great monster to work with! It's a win-win!”

  I lifted him up in front of my face.

  “Roq, you could have gotten us killed. And trust me when I say, that isn't even the worst of it all. Just think what it would do to Pa and Ma to lose another son and a...daughter-ish?”

  The hammer fell silent for a long moment.

  “I... may have gotten carried away,” he admitted after another long moment of silence. “The blood from those Shardfangs... it was intoxicating. And when I sensed the Platemaw, I couldn't bear the thought of leaving such power out there for the other bipeds to claim.”

  “So you pushed me.”

  “Yes.” Another pause. “No. Perhaps? It's... complicated.”

  I raised an eyebrow.

  “I'm all ears, Roq. Try your best.”

  “When you wield me, we are connected. Your emotions flow through me. Your desires, your ambitions. I can feel them.” Roq's voice sounded thoughtful. “I know you want to prove yourself and grow to be the strongest adventurer this world has ever seen. That hunger resonates with me. I like it. And once I hit level four, I found I could amplify it.”

  “Without asking.”

  “Would you have said yes to fighting the monster if I had just asked politely?”

  “No.”

  “Exactly! And look what we achieved! We killed the Platemaw! Do you know how DELICIOUS its blood was? The power boost it granted me? You haven't even asked me about the new ability! And, and, and, have you looked inside yet? What did you find? Was it something unique? I felt it! You know, I did this all for you.”

  I sighed, rubbing my temples.

  “That's not the point, Roq, and no, you didn't. You did it for you. For us, maybe. But it wasn’t just for me.”

  “If victory and loot isn't the point, then what is?” A hint of frustration crept into his voice. “We grew stronger. We proved ourselves. We—”

  “We betrayed trust,” I said, cutting him off. “Mine in you. Eryn's in me. Ma and Pa's in both of us.”

  The hammer fell silent again, but much longer this time.

  “Is trust important?”

  “It is the most important thing. If you couldn't trust me to bring you back out of storage, how would it feel?”

  “I... hadn't considered it,” he said finally, his mental voice subdued.

  “Clearly.”

  “But surely the results—”

  “Don't matter.” I shifted my grip, holding him up to the moon. I could still see the purple and green patterns on his surface. “Not if we can't trust each other.”

  “Trust.” He seemed to sigh. “Such a human concept.”

  “Maybe. But it's important to us. To me.”

  “And if I promise not to do it again?”

  “Would you mean it?”

  Another long pause.

  “No,” he finally admitted. “Not if I thought the prize was worth the risk.”

  At least he was honest. That was important, and something to encourage.

  “Thank you for telling me, Roq. Honesty is also important. But, without trust we have a problem.”

  “Do we?” His tone turned calculating. “Think of the power you gain from me.” Warmth moved up my arm and it was all I could do not to throw him into storage. “You need my power. I need your... everything else. We're bound together whether we trust each other or not. And let's be honest... what would you do without me? Become a scavenger again? Not if you want to become strong.”

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  “If you don't stop trying to influence my emotions now, I am throwing you into storage and leaving you there. Forever.”

  The heat withdrew.

  “You wouldn't,” he said, but there was a tremor of uncertainty in his voice.

  “Try me.”

  “You need me.”

  “I managed before you came along. I can manage again.”

  “But...” For the first time, I heard real fear in his voice. “The storage, it is so empty. Lonely. Just endless nothingness stretching on forever!”

  “Then we need to figure this out. And just so you know, I'm onto your trick, so I'll know any time you try to influence my emotions now.”

  Silence fell between us again. Down on the ground, someone laughed and a dog barked. Life continued, oblivious to our conversation and what its impact on the entire town could be. Maybe I was overthinking it, but deep down in my soul, I knew that if I worked hard enough, and used Roq in the right way, I would do great things one day. What a shame it would be if I had to throw it all away over an arrogant hammer.

  I had no idea if he'd be able to influence me without the obvious tell of my arm growing warm, but if he believed it, it might make him think twice before trying again.

  “What do you want from me?” he asked finally.

  I slowly counted to three, nodding my head as if considering, not wanting to sound too eager. A little trick I'd picked up from Ma's negotiations.

  “Partnership,” I finally said. “Real partnership. Not you trying to control me, not me threatening to lock you away. But working together.”

  “And if I sense another powerful enemy? One that could make us stronger?”

  “Then you tell me. We discuss it and then decide together.”

  “Even if you choose not to fight?”

  “Even then.”

  “That seems... inefficient.”

  “Welcome to working with humans.”

  “Hmph.” What he did was the mental equivalent of an eye roll, and I had to say I enjoyed it. Roq wasn't evil, he was just... self-caring and genuinely thought he was better than anyone else. “And what do I get out of this... partnership?”

  “Besides not being locked in storage?”

  “Besides that.”

  I thought of Ma's advice.

  “What is it that you truly desire?”

  “Power!”

  “Is it?”

  “Isn't it?”

  “If power is truly your wish, why would you risk defeat and potentially lose everything for a fleeting moment of glory?” I shook my head at Roq. “True power isn't just in the bloodshed. It's in strategy, in patience, in knowing when to fight and when to hold back.”

  “But the thrill, Ash! The rush of battle! The taste of victory! You can't deny it feels good to crush our enemies!”

  “Yes, it feels good,” I said. “But that's short-term satisfaction. If you keep pushing me into reckless fights, you risk everything we've built so far. We need to be smart. Think we can take on just about any yellow or orange threat level monster?”

  “Maybe?”

  “That's monster muck, and you know it. We picked our battlefield and the shardfangs carefully, stacking the odds in our favor. How can we do that if you have us chasing the next big fight like an addict? I know blood and smashing things are what keep you going, but I'm not you. I'm just human, Roq. I can't take the abuse you can.”

  “Why do you insist on this slow path?” Roq asked, his frustration rising. “I can feel your ambition! You want to be the strongest, to prove yourself! Why not seize that power when it presents itself?”

  I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. Suddenly, a smile crept onto my face.

  “Why so happy?”

  “Because Pa has talked about this my entire life. Power is just like forging.”

  “How so?”

  “That which is gained through recklessness can be lost just as easily. If we want to become unbeatable, Roq, we need to conquer our own impulses first. You know how many years I worked on nails and hooks before Pa let me make my first horseshoe?”

  “What's animal footwear got to do with this?!”

  “It's all about control, Roq. It's about us mastering our desires instead of letting them control us.”

  I waited for Roq to reply.

  “Control... is a foreign concept,” he finally replied, his tone softer. “But you speak of it as if it's the key to everything.”

  “It is,” I insisted. “So I ask again, what is it that you truly desire?”

  “I told you.”

  “Say it anyway.”

  “To become the most powerful soul weapon in the worlds.”

  “Imagine our way there. You need me, and we need allies, knowledge, and resources. That requires trust.”

  “And if we miss an opportunity?” Roq pressed. “What if the next monster is even greater? What if we could have gained an edge but decided to throw it away because of some... trust?”

  “If there is one thing I know about going Riftside, it is that there are always monsters, and there will always be a bigger one. So, Roq?”

  “Yeah?”

  “If you work with me, as a true partner, I'll guarantee you one thing.”

  “What is it?”

  “We'll seek out the biggest and baddest monsters out there and pit ourselves against them.”

  Roq's voice softened, the challenge in his tone fading.

  “You really mean it?”

  “Yes. But—”

  “But what?”

  “We'll do it smart. Step by step, because I'm not dying halfway to sixty. I'm going all the way, and I need a weapon who is committed to the journey, not the short-term fun. No more manipulation, no more reckless urges, but two partners working towards the same goal.”

  He hesitated for a long moment.

  “What if I find myself wanting to push you again? What will stop me? When I'm covered in blood, Ash, I... I'm not sure I can.”

  “I'll remind you of what we discussed. I'll be honest with you, just as you've been honest with me. If you feel the urge to push, we will talk. But you have to promise to listen this time.”

  “And if I don't?”

  “Then I'll do what I must to keep us safe. I'll lock you away if I have to, but I hope it never comes to that. I want us to work together, Roq. I want a partnership where we both grow stronger without losing ourselves or those we love in the process. And I'll throw in a carrot.”

  “What exactly do you think I'm going to do with an oblong and orange vegetable?”

  I sighed. “I mean there is one more thing I'll offer you.”

  “Oh.”

  “The freedom to forge.”

  “What?”

  “Our side-quest. You enjoyed working metal. Shaping it? Making it bend to your will?”

  “I... may have found it somewhat satisfying.”

  “Then in between our hunts, I'll let you work on... defeating the most powerful materials there are.”

  “And you'd consider my input about targets?”

  “As long as you consider my concerns about risk.”

  More silence as he processed this.

  “It's not a terrible proposal,” he said finally. “Though I still think you're being overly cautious about combat.”

  “And I think you're too focused on immediate power gains.”

  “Perhaps.” He gave me a mental shrug. “We are what we are.”

  “But we can be better.”

  “Always with the moral lessons.” But there was a hint of fondness in his tone now. “Very well. I accept your terms. Partnership.”

  “No more emotional manipulation?”

  “As best I can,” he said. “Though I reserve the right to freely offer strongly worded suggestions.”

  “I wouldn't expect anything less.”

  “And we'll forge?”

  “As much as you want. Though we'll have to be careful about who sees.”

  “Naturally. Can't have everyone knowing about my... versatility.” He practically preened at the word.

  “Good. Then tomorrow we go out to hunt again, but for now, we’ll head back.”

  I took one last look at the Keep's skeleton, imagining how it would look when finished.

  “They better make it impressive,” Roq said, “To be worthy of our legend.”

  “Built by many hands working together, it will be.”

  “Was that another lesson about partnership?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Humans.” But there was a definite fondness in his voice now, one I even enjoyed. “Always with the metaphors.”

  “You love it.”

  “I tolerate it. For now. Speaking of tolerance... storage time?”

  “Unless you want me climbing down one-handed?”

  “Pioneers' plight, no. The storage it is. But...” He hesitated. “Perhaps look for some satin while you are out and about?”

  “We'll see.”

  “And maybe a small weapon rack? Nothing fancy. Just a simple one. With a few spikes?”

  I shook my head, smiling as I stored him away, hoping this would solve our issue.

  The scaffolding creaked ominously as I began my descent, and I couldn't help but think if a single conversation was all it took to solve the problem. I didn't think so, but I'd even take progress at this point. Having to go back to wielding a normal weapon would set me back years, but I would if I had to. There were more things I wanted to live for than die for, and one of those was a life with Eryn.

  Wouldn’t have that if I was dead.