Thaycer returned, pushing a cart into the room, upon which rested three objects, all of them glowing softly in Cass's Mana Sight.

"These each hold ties to the Custodia," he said with another low bow to his mother.

The duchess's eyes swept over the offerings, a pensive frown on her lips. After a moment, she nodded. "Yes, you may choose any one of these three as your reward."

"Any of them?" Thaycer's eyes darted to the dagger at the far end of the cart.

"Any of them," the duchess confirmed.

Cass cast Identify over the lot, trying to figure out what the fuss was.

The first object was a worn notebook with a fountain pen slipped into a loop along the spine. The leather was a dark green and engraved with a circle inside a downward-pointed triangle.

Secretary's Journal

Class: Notebook

[The notebook of the Arcanum Custodia's secretary, filled with the details of their meetings and business, if only one can read it. The book itself is enchanted to never run out of paper and the pen to never run out of ink.

Holding this book provides a calming sensation and reduces headaches.]

The second was a small lantern about the size of Cass's fist. It had nine sides and was made of twisting bronze. A crystal lay dark in place of a candle or lightbulb inside.

Wayfinder's Lantern

Class: Artifact (Tool)

[An artifact from the Arcanum Custodia, built to light the path for the Wayfinder. The light is powered by the user's Stamina.

While unlit, holding this lantern aids in Focus recovery.]

The last was a dagger with a dark blade and a hole in its cross guard where the hilt met the blade. It absorbed the light of the room, a deep shadow hanging around it like a shroud.

The Table's Athame

Class: Artifact (Tool)

[A ritual blade necessary for the rituals of the First Era, and found in the ruins of an Arcanum Custodia fortress. Legend says conflict over this blade split the Custodia and ended the last Era.

Improves power and stability of ritual magics.

Calamity follows this blade.]

It was sinister for sure, and certainly storied. The thing that jumped out to Cass, though, was the last line. Up to this point, system messages always followed the same general pattern: they started with 'flavor text'—a fanciful description of the item or skill, maybe including a history or a physical description—then it would list the functional effects. The first two objects followed that pattern exactly. The dagger added one final line of text after its system effects.

Did that imply the description of 'calamity' wasn't flavor or hearsay? Was it actually cursed?

Cass shuddered.

If it was, she understood why Thaycer wouldn't want such an object wandering out of the Vault into just anybody's hands.

At least she had no interest in it. A dagger—especially a cursed dagger—wasn't going to get her home.

The other two objects, on the other hand?

"May I?" Cass gestured to the notebook.

"Please." The duchess nodded.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Cass lifted the notebook from the cart. As Identify said, she felt a wave of serenity fall over her as she touched it. It was like a blanket had fallen over her mind. She was still aware of the things plaguing her. She hadn't forgotten the urgency of finding Kaye or Robin. Fixing Salos was no less important. Finding her way home was no less her goal. But all of it felt lighter. Like she was floating above it all. Like it was all achievable in turn.

It was simultaneously a pleasant relief and unnaturally uncomfortable.

She pushed the feeling aside and flipped it open. Inside was scrawled penmanship. Cass couldn't read ancient Jothi, but even she had a feeling the mention of 'if only one can read it' had less to do with the script and more to do with the handwriting within.

Can you read this? Cass asked Salos.

She could feel him recoiling in disgust. Abyss. That's Jeris's handwriting. It was never good, but this is even worse than their official documents.

But can you read it? Cass pressed.

Probably. With some effort. Flip to the end.

Cass did as he asked, flipping to the last entries.

A humming floated over their connection as Salos attempted to make sense of the script.

Anything? Cass asked.

Nothing good and nothing useful, he said. Nothing I didn't already suspect.

You want to share any more details there? Cass poked him across their bond.

No. Salos grunted. But. He grumbled. The last entry is meeting notes from a discussion about stopping a demon uprising in Elben. My mistress agreed to go handle it. But I do not remember this expedition. And I would not have let her go on her own.

I see, Cass said softly.

Taking this isn't a bad choice. I am sure if we inspect it closely, we will eventually find something useful inside. But it will be slow. Very slow.

Cass set it back down and picked up the lantern. With it, she felt a burst of clarity, her Focus quickening. She turned it over in her hands. Little symbols were drawn along the base of each panel, and another twisting symbol, reminiscent of an eye with wings, was engraved on the bottom.

How did she light it? Did she just—

With a little effort of Will, the crystal in the lantern burst into light, glowing a soft gold.

"Oh," Cass muttered at the light. That was neat. Was it more useful than the flashlight still in her Bag somewhere?

Probably, if only for the Focus recovery function. But would this be the critical difference between sending her home or not? That seemed unlikely.

Is that—A searing pain flashed across their bond. Salos winced. No, the name is gone. They're a god, too? Abyss, this era is in trouble. Salos shook aside the thought. I think that belonged to one of the Custodia I knew. Much like my mistress, it appears they're a god now.

Do you know if it does anything else? Cass asked.

They always wore it on their hip. It would flash different colors sometimes. They refused to explain what any of it meant. The only thing I had figured out was it flashed red when demons were nearby. No idea if that was their personal skill or a trick of the lantern.

Is it wise for me to take the belongings of gods? Cass turned the lantern over again.

Depends strongly on which gods and which belonging. That they haven't tried to reclaim it in all this time suggests it's fine. Salos added the impression of a shrug to the end of his sentence. It didn't exactly fill her with confidence.

Maybe it was safer to give this one a pass. Focus recovery would be nice, but—

Wait! Salos snapped. Look closer at the base.

Cass squinted at the lantern's foot again. There was a simple design engraved on it, an eye surrounded by a set of wings. Someone's insignia, perhaps?

You don't see it? Salos asked.

Cass honed her Perception, forcing her eyes to sweep across every inch of the brass foot. The image melted before her eyes.

Around the eye and wings, a ring of runes appeared.

Arcane Key

[A runic circle that unlocks something.]

Any idea what this unlocks? Cass asked.

I have a few. Salos said. Finding any of them might be tricky. But we were looking for the places they'd be, anyway. And if anyone in the Custodia had a method of sending you home, the Wayfinder would be in my top three bets.

So, this or the notebook, which is a better option? Cass asked. A potential method of finding a Custodia stronghold or a tool for opening Custodia secrets once they were there? They both ignored the probably cursed dagger.

If we were sure the notebook would find us the bases, it would be no contest, Salos said.

But it might not do anything for us, Cass said.

There would have been little reason for Jeris to write a description of the Scholar's Spire's location in meeting notes. There may be other clues, but that is all they will be.

A definite key was better than the possibility of a map, even if the key didn't necessarily unlock what she was looking for. "I'll take the lantern, thank you."

The duchess raised an eyebrow. "You didn't look twice at the dagger. Are you sure?"

Cass shrugged. "Did you expect me to take the cursed knife?" That was probably ruder than was strictly wise. "Your grace?"

The dragon behind the duchess chortled. It was a deep, unnerving sound that Cass was only half sure was laughter because an amused smile had spread over the duchess's face, too. "Well, rumors of curses often go hand in hand with great power."

Was she trying to convince Cass to take the cursed dagger? Cass didn't get it. "I already have a pair of very nice knives."

Thaycer scowled, his eyebrows scrunched in a confused knit over squinted eyes.

The duchess waved the conversation over. "Alright, alright. I understand now. Wander back this way sometime."

Cass didn't understand this woman at all.

She likes you, I think, Salos said, his confusion no less than hers. The powerful can be capricious. It's wise to bow to them, but perhaps she enjoys that you don't? Or perhaps she just enjoys how you confuse her son?

I'm not a clown for her enjoyment.

Well, good thing we don't have to come back then.

"Of course," Cass said aloud. "If my journey brings me back." Not a lie exactly, but she didn't intend to come back if she could help it. If she never saw a noble again, it would be too soon.

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