“Before we go, do you mind if I look at that sword you used against the infernal? I never saw where it came from, and you used it like a master.”

  I smiled. “I guess we each have our secrets.”

  “I’m glad about yours. Are you,” he paused, “are you really a paladin?”

  I thought about that answer. I was certainly no knight and no true warrior. I was willing to accept these treasures, which I figured paladins of old would never have considered. Also, my fighting ability with the sword was better than any journeyman warrior I had encountered, but I lacked the training, strategy, tactics, and useful skills that would be second nature to a true master.

  But the Bishop’s words to me as he departed still echoed in my mind, “Servants of the Light are called, they are not trained.”

  “I don’t know.” I finally replied after a long pause. “But I think that maybe I could be.”

  He nodded. “Gwydion, I think that maybe you could be as well.”

  I drew the sword from its sheath; it looked like I drew it from nowhere at my side. I did not hand it to him since that did not feel right to me. But I showed him the blade. He drew near but did not touch it.

  He whispered, “Being close to it, I can feel some things that I have done that were wrong.”

  “Atone. Forgive. Give. And make yourself whole once more.” I replied.

  He looked up at me wide-eyed.

  “I’m sorry, Richard. I don’t know where that came from.”

  He took a step back, not in fear, but in awe. “I think I do and do not apologize for it.” He tilted his head the way he does when thinking. “I think you should replace the gems in the sword before you head back. Maybe your staff as well.”

  “Thanks, I think I will.”

  I spent a little more time talking through options with him. He was not a mage, but he had an excellent tactical mind and looked at offense and defense a little differently than I did. It helped me make choices that were especially good for the coming battles.

  He walked me over to an area filled with statues and paintings. He said he wanted to discuss the dismal effort I had put into decorating my shoppe. He pointed out some pieces of art that would look good in the various showrooms and on my walls or pedestals. They were all pieces that were presumed lost centuries ago and would not link me with any thefts in the past couple of hundred years. After a short discussion of some of those that he was insistent about, he promised that they would get delivered later as well. We made our way to the exit.

  “At the exit, you will ask for the door to be made open so you may pass through, but as you depart, you pass on your mantle of Gray Master to me. This way, you leave safely, and I can stay inside or exit as I desire. It is traditional so that you don’t get left in here, and I come back a month later to find you had died of starvation and were wearing a hundred pounds of jewelry.”

  “That is too specific not to have a story behind it,” I said.

  He laughed. “My old master spent many hours with me in here, and told me many tales. I hope to share some with you. As a former Gray Master, we can share secrets with one another that we would not share with any other.”

  “I understand,” I said. “Will the fact that I will not disappear into seclusion and retirement be a problem?” I asked.

  “Probably. Some might seek you out for power, knowledge, favors.” He said.

  “So nothing new,” I replied.

  “True. But some might whisper in your ear about me and others.”

  “Let them. Better to know our enemies than have them lurking in the shadows.” I said.

  “Those will come after you as well. Your life just got more complicated. I can’t wait to see how you explain this to the Majordomo and the Duke.” He laughed. “Oh, to be a fly on the wall for those talks.” He laughed some more.

  “Yes, thanks for reminding me,” I said dryly.

  At the exit wall, the face reappeared. “Are you ready to depart, Gray Master?”

  “I am. After I walk through this exit, I relinquish the Gray Chair to Richard Ruble, who will become the new Gray Master.”

  “Understood, Gray Master. Fare thee well on your travels and may you ever remain in the light.”

  I was surprised by his words. “Thank you. May you protect these treasures from the darkness and may the light shine upon you as well.”

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  I glanced back at Richard, who just shrugged and said, “I’ve never heard him say anything like that before.”

  With a deep breath, I walked through the exit and back to my old life.

  Sort of.

  Only a minute had passed, but the Majordomo and War Wizard had already departed. Adriana and Steven told me that the two grandmasters had been led to the former necromancer’s private guild chambers by someone in the guild.

  A familiar face walked up to me. It was Hebel, the journeyman burglar, who joined me at the GrayMaster’s request.

  “Hello Patron,” she greeted me, “or should I say Gray Master?”

  “I’m back to being Patron again. By any chance, can you lead us to where the Majordomo went?”

  “Of course. How do you think he knew where to go in the first place?” And she flashed a grin.

  “Is it far?” I asked as she and I walked over to the teams.

  “Despite his elevated position in the Gray Brotherhood, his chambers are quite low and obscure. In hindsight, we probably should have suspected him. But yes, I can take you all there now.”

  I turned to the teams. “Team Two, remain here to help with undead cleanup. The Gray Master will be along shortly and tell him I asked that you remain for up to 12 hours to help him and his people secure their homes. After that, you are to return to the Shoppe. Is that understood?”

  Jesse replied, “Yes, Patron. It’s been interesting working with you.”

  Adriana laughed. “Welcome to my world!” They moved off to talk briefly, and Adriana shared two rings with Jesse. Seeing this, Steven and Chompers did the same with their counterparts.

  I waited another minute before calling over to the team. “We need to depart.”

  They said their goodbyes and rejoined Biff, Simon, and me. “Let’s go,” I said to Hebel.

  She led us along a long and winding path. We encountered some undead along the way, but they were in small numbers and posed no threat to us.

  Regardless, upon seeing them, Steven cast Holy Light, and I copied him. Better safe than sorry.

  We passed a couple of thieves on our way down, who Hebel stated had led the Majordomo and Master Draconis below. Eventually, we came upon a large, natural cavern that had smoke billowing out of a hole located between a few tightly packed stalactites. Standing outside the hole were the mages we were seeking.

  “I take it you found the necromatian?” I called out as we approached.

  Chompers whispered loudly, “Doesn’t he mean the necro box thingy?” The other journeymen laughed.

  Adriana said as we walked up to the two war masters, “You had me in stitches, Gwydion. I thought the necromancer was going to burst a blood vessel. He was so mad with you, and yet he kept listening. You had him well hooked and netted.”

  Adriana’s family came from a long line of Keelwell fishermen, and her metaphors often had a nautical air to them.

  “What’s this?” The Majordomo asked.

  So as a tag team, the journeymen told the story of the necromancer, emphasizing little bits that I did not even recall saying. Most of it was a blur to me. I just went with it and let them have some fun retelling it.

  When we got to the fight with the infernal, the conversation turned more serious. They still joked a little about the semi-bluff but were in genuine awe at my swordsmanship.

  Steven said, “Patron, at some point you spoke and it made the hairs on my arms raise up. It didn’t sound like your voice. Or it was, but more.”

  “I was not alone,” I replied, recalling my experience with the Bishop and some powerful force of joy that made me laugh in the face of terror. I shared my discussion with the Bishop. Steven stared open-mouthed and actually teared up at the end, so strong was his love for the Bishop and their faith.

  “I don’t understand it.” I finally said at the end. “But it was real. Whatever it was.”

  Master Draconis asked, “Can we please see the sword?”

  I drew it.

  Isaac knew about it, of course, since he gave it to me. As I drew it and Wizard Draconis examined it without touching the blade, Isaac said, “It was Sir Will Marshal’s blade.”

  “Oh.” The old wizard replied. He looked up at me. “That sword has some history, lad. And it appears to have chosen good hands once more.”

  I started to ask what he meant by the sword choosing when Simon asked a question.

  “Who is Sir Will Marshall?”

  Isaac replied, “Perhaps one of the greatest paladins in our realm’s history and a name few know, so humble was he. He is also known as the tenth. He joined The Nine against the Great Necromancer and sacrificed his life in order that they might enter the final chambers. It is a story the Archmage is best equipped to tell now that the Bishop has passed on.”

  Everyone thought briefly about the Bishop, both in sadness at his tragic departure and in wonder at his unlikely return less than an hour ago at a time of great need.

  I put the sword back in its sheath.

  I don’t think we had noticed it, but when it was drawn, we all felt warm and surrounded by light. When I sheathed it, the damp coolness of the cavern seeped back into my bones.

  We all looked around, expecting a sudden onrush of undead.

  Isaac said, “Yes, the blade has an aura that fills allies with a sense of confidence and well-being even in the presence of great evil. Illusions will not hold, nor will fear take your hearts. The blade will grow as you grow, but that has always been a part of its very being.”

  “Is there any need to remain here by the smoke?” Adriana asked.

  Isaac chuckled. “No, after several misdirections, we located the necromancer’s lair. He was bubbling in his vat and could sense us, but he could do nothing to prevent its destruction. He, too, has passed on.”

  Steven said, “To personal judgment.”

  “I’d say he had some explaining to do, then,” Chompers remarked darkly.

  We moved away from the smoking remains and into cleaner, albeit musty air.

  I said to the mages, “I am concerned that the alchemist tower has been left alone. There are still missing apprentices and journeymen. And there is a library filled with important, and likely dark power that should be addressed.”

  Wizard Draconis said, “Isaac, you are best situated to handle that as a grandmaster alchemist. I will report back to the Duke and Mage Council about the necromancer.”

  Isaac looked at our group. “Then that leaves seven of us. I will teleport us to the city fountain, and we will head directly for Watch Keep.”

  Biff said, “Since we are that close, I will get the Patron’s guard to accompany us. The extra hands could be helpful.”

  Isaac nodded and said to the War Wizard. “I’ll meet you in the War Room when this is settled.” He looked at me. “And I’ll bring the Patron along so he can inform the Duke of his temporary promotion.”

  The wizard’s eyes were alight in laughter. “Ah, yes, our young Gray Master.”

  I felt my cheeks burning, but before I could think of something to say in reply, the wizard teleported away.

  “Ok, everyone, gather close.” The Majordomo said, “It’s been a minute since I teleported others. I think I remember how to keep all the body parts in their original places.”

  Chompers raised his hand to either ask a question or offer to walk, but he never got the chance. With a whirling and slightly nauseating experience, we all found ourselves Topside and in the Round beside the fountain.

  Biff jogged off toward the Shoppe, and the rest of us started down St. Michael’s Way toward the Duke and Watch Keep. I did not feel great excitement at my next conversation, at least, not the part about briefly being the Gray Master. I wasn’t sure how the Duke would react, but I was pretty sure the other Commanders would be less than impressed.

  As I walked alongside Isaac, my mind wandered across the events of this tragic day. The blood had dried, the fire and wind had faded, treachery was revealed, and the silence it all left behind was louder than any infernal or necromancer’s scream. I didn’t know what would come next, but my friends and I were still breathing, and that would have to be enough.