The Infinite Bk. 01 Ch. 05

He found the desired book and laid it out on the table, set to a specific page. There were two pictures, the first of what looked like a hermit crab, with a pointed shell several times its own body and no claws. The second showed the tip of the shell poking out of the ground with a hole in the top, but just the size was the size of a lighthouse. Had the artist actually seen a dungeon crab fully revealed or was he just going by his imagination? For a creature of this size to move underground without being noticed, it would have to rise up from under the earth's crust. A few days ago, the town had experienced an earthquake. That must have been the crab rising to the surface.

"Because they dwell so deep in the ground, they accumulate precious metals and gems inside their shell, which form vast labyrinths, hence its name. A man can get rich in one day exploring it."

"But I imagine it's not that easy."

"You'd be right. The shell is teeming with parasites, ants when comparable to the crab, but deadly monsters to us humans. When a crab surfaces, the parasites will leave and become a danger to everyone and everything in the area. No one is quite sure why dungeon crabs surface like this. Some believe it does it when the parasites have grown too numerous and it needs to cut their numbers down, either by setting them loose on the surface or using treasure-hunting humans to cull their population. Others believe the crabs feed on the humans that enter its shell, and use the parasites to kill their prey for them. Many believe it simply surfaces to get fresh air, like a whale."

"And you expect us to capture one of these things?"

"It's just a figure of speech. To capture a dungeon crab means to get down to the deepest part of its shell, where the most priceless metal is."

"Avenium, I'm guessing?"

"Correct. Anyone who can secure a cup's worth and present it to the kingdom becomes a noble. That's why I need you to help Oath capture it."

"But as your son, isn't Oath already set to inherit your title?"

"Oath is... my third son. His oldest brother, Colt, was raised and groomed to be my successor, and the second oldest, Victor, was raised to be the successor if anything happened to Colt."

"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, 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 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 successfully 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 a tantalizing idea. He could get 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 one week. 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."

"That would be a blessing."

Noah got up from his seat. "I have some business to attend to tomorrow, but I'll return in the afternoon. Make sure everyone is assembled."

This time, the baron stood up and shook his hand. "Consider it done."

Noah left the study and retrieved Tin in 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 leapt off the porch and was sprinting towards the origin of the arrow. He had left his bow with his horse in the stable, so he'd have to kill the assassin up close. He could see the man hiding behind a scarecrow and recognized him as the fourth bandit from earlier. They weren't just random marauders, they had been hired to kill Oath!

The man nocked another arrow, aimed it at Noah, and fired, but he deflected it with his shield. He closed in, able to see the shock in the man's eyes as the distance between them vanished with terrifying speed. He reached the man, drawing 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 her one healing potion after another, as despite the removal of the arrow and the wound closing, she wasn't getting better. Noah could see it, her veins darkening, her flesh getting pale, and 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 just stared at Tin, his blank silence unnerving those around him.

Tin looked into his eyes. "Master..." she whimpered. Noah didn't say anything, but as he cupped her cheek, she smiled and tears began to flow from her eyes. That touch was all she needed. "Thank you for making my life a beautiful one." Then she closed her eyes and released her final breath.

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, it 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 carried her to the stable, getting onto his horse with her and being given a shovel.

The whispers came back. 'I'll just throw her into the woods.' "I won't be back for a day or so."

Cradling Tin, he gave his horse a kick and it took off with a cry. The sun had set, the woods now at their 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. When it tired, he would give it water and a health potion to restore its stamina, but that was the only time he stopped. 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 that were 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 home.'

'There is no point in risking my life.'

'Nothing matters.'

'It's all meaningless.'

It felt like all of 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, when the night was at its darkest, he reached the desired spot. It was the waterfall that he and Tin had camped at. There were some wolves drinking from the river, but he scared them off and ignored the small 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, deposited by the waterfall. He dug down as deep as he could, forcing aside any thoughts to give up and spare himself effort. He laid her down on the cold earth and opened up 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 telling him that 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 that 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 be simply washed away, like if he had simply drawn the letters on with a rock.

TIN

Those three little letters, a little twinkling light in his mind, like a faint star, told him that they 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? What was she in relation to him? 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, it had been a long time since he loved anyone. Did he even like her? She was loyal and helpful, and took care of 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, a classmate, a coworker, a husband, even a father. When was the last time he actually 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 who were remembered and those he didn't deem worth remembering. Who mattered to him? Whose death mattered? He had long since lost the ability to tell, and was struggling 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 own mind, trying to draw blood from 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 took a seat next to the clay basin, watching the sun come up while he searched his mind for that little twinkling light.

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