The Infinite Bk. 01 Ch. 05

"Making Oath the spare of a spare."

The baron grimaced. "He spent his life working the fields while his brothers hunted and earned achievements. However, both Colt and Victor died in battle at the start of spring, so Oath is all I have left. He has a good heart..."

"But no talent, skills, courage, or reputation, and he's a bit of a brick."

"Unlike the son of my younger brother, Edwin, a baronet. He is petitioning the kingdom to revoke my title as baron and give it to him and his eldest son. I need to prove that Oath has what it takes to be a baron, and the best way to do that is to conquer a dungeon crab. I'm too old to sire another heir and time is running out. Oath already has an adventuring party that he trains and fights with, but their skills aren't good enough to conquer a dungeon crab. I would like you to join their party."

"Why me?"

"Because you are young. There are numerous older adventurers with skills like yours that I can hire, but then my brother will argue that they just conquered the dungeon and handed the prize to Oath."

"Which is exactly what you want me to do."

"But the fact that you are young means that you'll fit right in. No one will question one extra young man joining my son's party."

Noah gave a huff while weighing his options. On the one hand, a political squabble between family members was the last thing he wanted to get involved in, and there was no telling if he was even skilled enough to conquer a dungeon crab. It was an unnecessary danger. On the other hand, the idea of getting his hands on some avenium and other rare metals and gems was tantalizing. He could earn enough money to fund any venture he wanted for the rest of his life. Plus, it would get him to the capital and perhaps let him make some valuable connections. There were probably plenty of adventurers who would give their right arm for the chance.

"Would I be giving orders or receiving?"

"The team is yours to lead. They're ready to set out whenever you are."

"And how long do dungeon crabs normally remain surfaced?"

"A couple months. This one appeared several days ago, thirty miles to the northeast. It won't be long before its swarming with adventurers."

"Very well, we'll depart in seven days. I want to use that time to evaluate the team, see if there is anything I can do to polish their skills before we go."

This time, the baron stood up and shook his hand. "That would be a blessing."

Noah left the study and retrieved Tin from the parlor. As they stepped out onto the front porch, Oath came to see them off.

"So my father talked to you about the dungeon crab?"

"That's right, I agreed to go along with it. I'll return tomorrow."

"I appreciate it. I'll see you then."

Oath gave a deep bow of gratitude, and in the distance, Noah saw a flash of movement and then heard a sound that he was well used to. It was the sound of an arrow buried deep into muscle and flesh. Launched a second earlier, it would have hit Oath square in the back, but because he bowed, it found its mark in the center of Tin's chest.

Noah didn't say a word, but before either Oath or Tin could react, he had already leaped off the porch and sprinted toward the arrow's origin. He had left his bow with his horse in the stable, so he'd have to kill the assassin up close. He saw the man hiding behind a scarecrow, and though he didn't recognize him, his red bandana made everything clear. Oath wasn't taken by goblins, this man handed him over. Oath was never supposed to leave the forest alive. He must have spotted him in town and followed them back to finish the job.

The man nocked another arrow, aimed it at Noah, and released, but he deflected it with his shield. He closed in, seeing the shock in the man's eyes as the distance between them vanished with terrifying speed. He reached the man, drew his new sword, and beheaded him before he could even turn around to run.

The body hit the ground, but Noah had already left, sprinting back to the mansion. There, on the porch, Oath was gathered with several servants, giving Tin one healing potion after another. Despite the removal of the arrow and the wound closing, she wasn't getting better. Noah could see her veins darkening and her flesh getting pale, with every breath seeming to cause her pain. Everyone moved aside and Noah embraced Tin, cradling her head.

"It was a poison arrow. We don't know what was used, we have no antidote for it. Noah, I'm so sorry!" Oath exclaimed, shedding the tears that Noah should have. Instead, he stared at Tin, his blank silence unnerving those around him.

Tin looked into his eyes. "Master..." she whimpered. "Please, I want to go back to our room. I want to go back to our bed and sleep beside you. I want to help you train your magic. I want to walk with you through the woods and hear more stories. There is so much I want to do with you!"

She was crying, but Noah showed no emotion. Instead, he pulled out his phone and put the buds in her ears. Then, with the last few sparks of energy, 'Vide Cor Meum' began to play, slowing her tears. "It will be peaceful, I promise. Just let the voices take you there," he said.

He cupped her cheek, and she smiled. That touch was all she needed. "Thank you for making my life a beautiful one," she whispered. Then she closed her eyes and listened to the song, releasing her final breath as the last notes played out.

All was silent, no one knowing what to say. Shadows began to creep into Noah's mind, a cruel voice making him shake. 'Great, now I have to do everything myself.' He shook the voice aside.

"Noah..." Oath began.

"I'm going to bury her. Give me a blanket to wrap her in and a shovel. I'm not asking." His voice didn't tremble at all, and there was no awkwardness in his words.

"We'll take care of the grave, you should—"

There was the slightest twitch on Noah's face. The gears in his mind were grinding together. "I'm not burying her here. I know a proper place."

The servants rushed to fulfill his order, bringing out a soft quilt that Noah knew Tin would have liked. He wrapped her in the quilt and got onto his horse.

The whispers came back. 'I'll just throw her into the woods.' Again, he forced the voice out of his mind. "I won't be back for a day or so," he said as he was given a shovel

Cradling Tin, he kicked his horse, and it took off with a cry. The night was when the woods were most dangerous, but Noah didn't hesitate to ride down a familiar road and into the wilderness. For hours, his horse galloped through the forest, and when it tired, he would give it water and a health potion to restore its stamina. Monsters routinely tried to attack him, but he ended their lives with his bow. As the moon moved across the sky, Noah, holding Tin in his arms, felt the warmth slowly leave her body.

It wasn't just the monsters outside attacking, but the ones in Noah's head. Evil whispers flooded his mind, trying to get him to turn back.

'She's just a slave.'

'I should just go back to the inn.'

'There is no point in risking my life.'

'Nothing matters.'

'It's all meaningless.'

It felt like all his muscles were just loosely within his control, and if his focus broke, his body would act against his will, throwing Tin aside and riding back to the village. He had to force himself forward, despite every selfish instinct trying to hold him back.

Finally, he reached the desired spot when the night was at its darkest. It was the waterfall that he and Tin had camped at. Some wolves drank from the river, but he scared them off and ignored the tiny slimes crawling around. The area itself hadn't changed in the last few weeks. There were still the remains of the fires he had made, and the clay basin was undamaged. He tied his horse to a tree and lit a torch, holding it while he carried Tin.

'I'll just dump her and go.'

He brought her behind the waterfall, where there was a small dry area with plenty of river silt. He dug down as deep as he could, forcing aside thoughts of giving up and sparing himself effort. He laid her down on the cold earth and opened the blanket, looking at her one last time. She looked peaceful, almost content. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver coin. When they first met, he remembered her saying she was only worth that much. He clasped her hands over her chest, holding the coin.

'What am I doing?'

'This coin is valuable.'

'I shouldn't just throw it away like this.'

He climbed out and buried her, then built a pile of rocks on her grave so no animals would dig her up. Finally, he turned to the stone wall at his side and began carving Tin's name into it with her dagger. The scratches were faint, but they wouldn't wash away anytime soon.

TIN

Like a faint star, a little twinkling light in his mind told him that those three letters looked lonely, and he focused on that. He should put more. She'd want that. But what should he write? What did Tin mean to him? Who was she? Did he actually care?

TIN

A FREED SLAVE

It was all he could come up with, but it didn't satisfy him. There had to be something more. He hadn't loved her; how long had it been since he had loved anyone? Did he even like her? She was loyal and helpful and cared for him when he was sick. He also took care of her. Was that enough to consider her important to him? He couldn't tell.

He had spent countless lifetimes pretending to be a friend, son, classmate, coworker, husband, and even a father. When was the last time he liked someone and wasn't just wearing the façade of politeness while putting up with them? When was the last time he told someone he loved them and wasn't simply lying to their face?

He had buried so many people, most of them more than once. It was hard to tell those who were important from those he pretended were important, those worth remembering, vs. those who were forgotten. Who mattered to him? Whose death mattered? He had long since lost the ability to tell and struggled to regain it.

Finally, some emotion. Noah punched the rock wall and split the skin on his knuckles. "Come on, think!" He shouted those words to himself over and over again. He was scratching at his mind, trying to draw blood from a stone. What had Tin meant to him? Or, at the very least, what would she have wanted to hear? Noah focused on that, trying to imagine what he could have said to make her happy.

TIN

A FREED SLAVE

A PRICELESS COMPANION

Satisfied, he stepped out from behind the waterfall. In the east, he could see the sky beginning to brighten. He sat next to the clay basin, watching the sunrise while he searched his mind for that little twinkling light, not wanting to forget it again.

Please comment! Tell me your thoughts!