Hearing Acala calling her a cursed object hurt Dawn. The Horsemen weren’t the mad creations of a foolish mage. They weren’t bent on world domination or any self-serving goal.
The Horsemen were the opus of Baba Yaga, the strongest and wisest white core on Mogar. They were her chosen children, entrusted with the sacred mission of helping her perfect her job and freeing the undead race from their flaws.
‘Yet I can’t deny that to our victims our behavior is hardly different from that of a cursed object. Night is even worse.’ Dawn thought, biting her tongue to keep herself from talking and bracing for impact.
“On the contrary, you have my thanks.” Acala gave her a polite nod of the head where once he would have held her hand. “It’s thanks to you that I’ve realized what true genius is and got rid of my blind pride.
“If not for our bond, I would have never learned what it means to care for someone other than myself and be taken care of in return. I want to believe that our bond made me a better man and that breaking it allowed me to understand how much I was lacking, but I’ve still got a long way to go.
“I need redemption, but not for the Kingdom’s sake or the Rezars we killed, only for myself. I can’t change the past and saying I’m sorry means nothing. That’s why I’m going to redeem myself through actions, by helping those I hurt in my foolish quest for glory.
“I don’t seek thanks or recognition. People might never forgive me and they have every right to do so. I’m going to do it because it’s the only way I can forgive myself.”
Dawn tilted her head to a side, remembering the rumors about a nameless Light Master who had appeared during the War of the Griffons and had even taken part to the Battle for the White Griffon.
Even after the end of the conflict, reports of the exploits of the mysterious Light Master had never stopped coming. He appeared where there was a crisis that the local forces of the Kingdom couldn’t deal with, solved the problem, and left without saying a word.
“Are you the rumored Spirit of Manohar?” Between Acala’s Light Mastery and skill as a healer, people thought he was the ghost of the late god of healing.
“Yes.” Acala nodded. “I don’t like the name much, but it’s better than the alternative.”
He put his wanted poster on the table, tapping on the huge bounty and the hateful words people had commented on his crimes with.
“So, what’s your answer?” Dawn asked, feeling more nervous by the second.
She could hardly recognize Acala and not because of his new look. Self-pity had been replaced by sadness and his previous indecisiveness by strength and resolve.
“You already have my answer.” He replied with a puzzled look on his scruffy face. “If I didn’t want to bond with you again, I wouldn’t be here. That or I would have reported your position to the authorities to settle our score without the need to dirty my hands.
“I’m the one who’s waiting for your answer. I’ve shared my resolutions with you to let you know who I have become and what my goals are. If you take me back, I’m not going to be your mindless tool or your henpecked husband anymore.
“I’ll help you to achieve your mission but I expect you to do the same for me. Otherwise we’d better part ways.”
Dawn opened her eyes wide in shock, realizing how foolish she had been. She had let her worries blind her to the point that she couldn’t see past the end of her nose.
‘I was expecting this reaction.’ Acala waited in silence. ‘Dawn is used to having her wants and needs come first. On top of that, if we divide our time equally between our respective interests, my work will become easier whereas hers will become harder.
‘Magical research takes countless hours and can seldom afford distractions-‘ Or so he thought until Dawn’s lips curled up in a smile and she leaned forward to close the distance between them, taking his hand into hers.
“By the Red Mother, I must have acted even worse than I thought if you have such a low opinion of me.” Her voice sounded sad and remorseful. “All this time I wanted you to be my partner. My equal. It was you who saw yourself beneath me and acted like I owned you.
“I wanted you to find your own purpose and goals. Of course I’m willing to support you with all my strength. You already had my answer the moment I contacted you.”
Acala took a deep sigh in relief. He was pondering what to say next when Dawn moved back on her chair, leaving something in his palm.
‘It can’t be her crystal. Only Baba Yaga or the death of Dawn’s current host can break her current bond.’ He thought and he was right.
There was a wooden tag connected with a key in his hand, with the sign of the Barrel Dragon on the front and the words honeymoon suite written on the back. Like most taverns, the ground floor hosted the restaurant while the upper floors were for guests needing a place to spend the night.
“Until our bond is restored and our cores are synched again, I won’t be able to form a body of my own.” She said, blushing in embarrassment. “So I thought we could use this time and my current host to make up in more than one way.”
“Wait. Is this supposed to be a date?” Acala asked and Dawn nodded in reply. “And you picked onion rings nonetheless?”
All the nervousness and tension of the moment couldn’t hide the smell coming even from a distance.
“Two wrongs don’t make a right, but maybe two stinks cancel each other.” She said while feeding him another piece. “That said, if you want to ‘bond’ with me tonight, I’ve a couple of conditions of my own.”
“Which are?” He asked with a chuckle.
“The long beard and hair have to go.”
***
Jiera’s continent, settlement of Darmoq, outpost of the Griffon Kingdom.
After the destruction of the Eternal Fortress of Thaymos, Orpal had patiently waited for Lith to leave while planning his next move.
‘I can’t attack Leech while Junior is here. One wrong move and the Guardian protecting the rug rat will end us.’ Even with Moonlight, he knew to not be a match.
The Dead King knew from Night’s memories that he was still weak compared to her past hosts and that she had survived her spats with Guardians only because Baba Yaga had always come to her rescue.
Now, instead, calling upon the Red Mother would have meant signing off their own death sentence.
The problem was that after the completion of the Warp Gate, reinforcement and materials flowed non-stop from the capital of the Kingdom and were often delivered by Royal Guards.
Orion wore a Royal Armor of his own and he never left the camp alone while Quylla and Friya never left at all.
