The one who had come was none other than Blaidd, the Half-Wolf sworn to Ranni.
A thick fur mantle draped his broad frame, a savage yet strangely noble wolf's head crowning his shoulders. On his back rested a massive greatsword that shimmered faintly with a cold sorcery.
Melina's voice whispered at Lucian's ear: "He is a Shadowbound Beasts… I do not know what that means, only that the name surfaced suddenly within my mind. Perhaps it will serve as a clue, in time."
Lucian listened in silence, making no reply. There were still many others present.
Dragging the corpse in hand, Blaidd strode forward until only a few paces separated him from Lucian. Then, in a deep, rumbling voice, he spoke first.
"My name is Blaidd. I am a warrior. If this one had escaped, you might have faced no small amount of trouble. Think of this as a gift of greeting."
He hurled the body of the Night's Cavalryman at Lucian's feet. It landed with precision in the dirt.
Lucian looked down at the corpse. A gaping hole pierced clean through the waist—his own spear had struck that blow earlier, dealing the rider a grievous wound. Beyond that, however, two more injuries marked the cause of death.
One was a sword thrust, brutal and direct, that pierced the ribs and tore through the heart. From it seeped faint wisps of frost. The other was the rider's throat—torn ragged by fangs, mangled beyond recognition.
From the wounds, the scene played itself in Lucian's mind: The Night's Cavalryman, wounded by his spear, fled into the Mistwood. He thought himself safe at last, evading the stormhawks' pursuit. But from above, unseen eyes had locked upon him.
Blaidd had leapt down from the canopy. His greatsword skewered the rider from crown to waist, the weapon's cold sorcery crushing and freezing his organs. As the rider struggled, Blaidd's jaws closed on his throat, ending him in one savage bite.
And now, the corpse had been cast before him as a token of meeting.
Lucian studied Blaidd. His arrival could only be on Ranni's command. That she would seek him out first was… unexpected.
Their eyes met—wolf and man—each regarding the other warily.
Even in deepest night, Blaidd's beast-born sight was keen. From the edge of the Mistwood, he had watched Lucian's battle.
The Night's Cavalry were formidable. Individually, each could be reckoned among heroes, and in groups their coordination was a terror few could withstand. Against two, Blaidd could still fight evenly. Against three or more, he would have no choice but to retreat.
Yet Lucian, without armor, without even a weapon in hand, had crushed them all with nothing but his flesh.
Blaidd, sworn brother to Ranni and raised alongside her, was no stranger to greatness. He himself was a warrior of no small might. And so he knew better than most just how fearsome Lucian truly was. Standing near him, the fur along his back threatened to rise.
"Well then," Lucian said at last, letting his form shrink back to normal, pulling the tattered cloak around his frame. "What is this accord? Speak."
Blaidd glanced at the Tarnished and Kaiden mercenaries behind him, then gestured toward the dark trees. "Forgive me. My lady's identity is… delicate. The terms of this pact should not be spoken before strangers."
Lucian gave a small nod and followed Blaidd into the Mistwood.
Only when they reached the shadow of a ruin did Blaidd finally speak again. "Sir Lucian, the one I serve is the witch you have met once before… Lady Renna."
He paused over the name. A slip nearly betrayed him—Ranni was how he knew her, never Renna. Only before outsiders did she wear that name.
But Blaidd did not know that Lucian already understood them far too well—down to secrets few could guess. In another life, in another telling, he had even wed Ranni herself, calling him "Dear Consort Eternal".
Tarnished—Promised Consort of the Stars
Feigning ignorance, Lucian said; "Ah, the witch Renna. Indeed, she has my thanks—the Spirit Calling Bell she gifted me has been of great use. And what sort of bargain does she seek now?"
Seeing no resistance in him, Blaidd continued, "In the Mistwood there lies a well leading down into the depths. My lady hopes to join forces with you, to explore that underground realm. What say you?"
Lucian did not answer at once. "And what do you ask of me? And what do I gain in return?"
"We need your men," Blaidd said bluntly. "The subterranean world is vast. It cannot be scoured without many hands. In return—save for the object my lady seeks—whatever else lies below may be yours. Resources, lands, relics, all of it."
Lucian arched a brow. "And why should I not claim it all for myself? Why share with you?"
Though he intended to ally with Ranni regardless, he would not be treated as a pawn.
Blaidd raised his hands quickly. "No, you misunderstand. Those are but the surface terms. To seal our pact, my lady will also offer things of more immediate value. Intelligence. Sorceries. Weapons. Whatever might interest you. If you are willing, she said she will speak with you herself."
Lucian inclined his head. That was more fitting. "Very well. I accept."
Ranni would pay her price to win his aid. His men would labor, she would claim what she sought, and all else would be his. Reasonable. "When will she meet me?"
"I am arrived afore thee."
The voice was cool and soft, yet carried weight. Lucian stiffened.
From the ruin before them, pale-blue mist rose. A figure emerged slowly from its veil.
Ranni.
Blaidd stepped back at once, yielding the space. As her sworn brother, he need not bow, yet as her vassal he would never risk tarnishing her dignity before outsiders.
Seated upon the ruin's fallen wall, Ranni regarded Lucian with a faint smile. "It has been long, has it not? You have grown swiftly. It seems this land suits you well. Torrent chose a worthy master indeed."
Lucian was stunned. He had not sensed her arrival at all. Even in his newfound strength, Ranni's presence had eluded him completely. A sobering reminder—he had slain only the weakest of the shardbearers. The demigods were not to be underestimated.
He steadied himself, forcing aside pride.
Ranni's azure eyes glimmered, then blinked slyly. "Mmm. I do not mind… but perhaps you should find other attire before we continue?"
Lucian glanced down. His garments were little more than tatters, cloak barely preserving modesty. He coughed. "Forgive me. I have nothing else to change into. Best we settle matters now rather than delay."
Ranni inclined her head. This was no time for trifles. Her fate itself hung upon this pact.
"I wish to make a bargain," she said. "Blaidd has told you already. I seek to delve into the underground, to find a way into Nokron, the Eternal City. There lies what I desire. In return, I offer intelligence, sorceries, treasures. Whatever suits your need."
Lucian knew she would not succeed. Nokron could not be reached from this path. But for now, he held his silence. To say so would be folly; she would only think him mad.
"And what do you offer, specifically?"
From her sleeve, Ranni produced a rolled parchment and handed it to him.
Lucian unrolled it carefully. It was a catalog, names upon names—armaments, Ashes of War, sorceries, incantations. Countless, and of high worth.
"If you agree," she said, "all this is yours. And should it not suffice, we may speak further."
Lucian closed the parchment and smiled. "In that case, I have no reason to refuse."
Ranni's lips curved faintly. "Then let us speak thus—our pact is forged. And as thou art now mine partner in shadow, I shall veil myself no longer. 'Renna' was but a name of convenience, naught more. My true name... is Ranni the Witch. I see no cause to keep it hid from thee."
Lucian feigned surprise. "Ranni… daughter of Radagon and Queen Rennala. The Lunar Princess?"
Her voice was calm, betraying neither joy nor anger. "The Lunar Princess… a title long since past. Yet yes, that is I."
Her form blurred, wrapped once more in mist. "Enough for tonight. I offer thee mine thanks for thy gracious accord. Until next we meet… I have a feeling our fates shall be bound for long to come."
With that, she vanished.
Blaidd returned from the shadows. "To fight beside one such as you is an honor. My thanks."
"No need," Lucian replied. "Our interests align. Cooperation serves us both."
Blaidd hesitated, then spoke. "There is… a personal matter. A request outside of my lady's designs. If you refuse, think nothing of it. I will not let it burden our pact. But if you accept, I shall repay you well."
Lucian's eyes narrowed knowingly. This could only mean one thing. The traitor of the Bloodhound Knight. Darriwil.
"I see. Speak, then. Who is it you seek?"
"A man named Darriwil. Once a Bloodhound Knight, now a traitor. His betrayal is unforgivable. If you should find him within your lands… I ask you end him."
Lucian gave a sharp nod. He remembered the Bloodhound's Fang—one of his most beloved weapons, a companion through many trials.
"No one suffers a traitor. If he skulks within my realm, I shall see him ended. Tell me his traits, and my men will keep watch."
Relief showed in Blaidd's golden eyes. "Then I thank you. I have hunted him long, with no trace to find. My lady is patient, but I cannot rest until he is brought to heel."