The Sage's Vow

13.3 || Tzanach

The dragon didn't answer immediately, and in the silence, Cale's heartbeat echoed in his ears. There had only been one item in the part of the realm he fell from—the dagger. A dagger which a crazed human with trickles of dark energy obsessively tried to obtain, and when he almost had, the realm shattered.

He could be wrong, but he only knew of one reason the Shadow Knights would seek a random item: the keys. Was this, like the dragon's scale, another one?

If it is a dagger that you seek, Tzanach finally said, then I believe I know where it is. She took a few small steps, shuffling her large frame to the side, and dipped her snout down. Would this be it?

Cale followed the gesture, and he cursed. She had directed their attention to the corpse of the crazed man. In Cale's shock over the man's death and rush for his own sword, he hadn't noticed what Tzanach had. There, barely breaching the water of the stream less than a foot from the man, lay the dagger.

A war raged within Cale. He couldn't sit here and watch the Shadow Knights potentially get another key, but he was trapped by Tzanach's barrier. If he could break it or draw the Shadow Knights' attention to himself, though... then what? He couldn't even reliably draw upon his magic. His own death didn't do anything except ease the sting of his pride.

And if they saw one Paladin was there, would they be more extensive in their search for another? As of now, Mara was still out cold and safe because of it. A rash decision on his part could make her a target.

Fists clenched and jaw locked, Cale did nothing but watch as the woman walked over to the dagger.

The woman picked up the weapon and examined it. From where Cale stood, it appeared to be a plain dagger, though well crafted. The silver-blue tint of the blade implied ildium was used in its creation. Some soul-bound's weapon then?

"This is it." The woman spoke to the dagger more than to a person, making it unclear if she directed her words to the other Shadow Knights or Tzanach. She deposited the dagger in a leather satchel she wore around her shoulders before returning to her group. "Thank you for your cooperation, Elder Dragon."

Tzanach growled, but it was little more than a low rumble. Now that you have what you need, you have no more reason to be here. Out. Leave me in peace once more, and if I see you in my domain again, you shall be given the same treatment as any other pest that scuttles on the ground.

A definite shift of attitude rolled over the group. Some hands twitched toward their weapons. Even the woman, who had been acting as their leader so far, cracked.

She stepped forward, her hand going to her spear as she snarled, "You realize it is our own kindness—"

One of the two Shadow Knights who had kept their composure placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. He leaned forward and whispered harshly into her ear, and she forcibly calmed down.

"We will be leaving now," the man said, still not taking his hand off the woman. "Thank you for your mercy."

The Shadow Knight man whispered something to the others that Cale couldn't catch, and they turned to leave. The woman took a few steps back, slower than the others to show her back to Tzanach. It wasn't until the man yanked her by the shoulder that she did. By the time they reached the exit, they seemed certain the Elder Dragon wouldn't attack. The group moved more easily, almost jovially, their success hanging over them.

They had come for the dagger, found it, and left. All right before Cale's eyes, and he had done nothing.

He hung his head, closed his eyes, and breathed. There was nothing he could do but let the intense emotions roll over him. Guilt and rage crashed together until they almost morphed into one frustrated behemoth at this entire situation. The realm, the separation from the other Paladins and Ezraim, now the dagger and the implications of the Shadow Knights being here.