"That is fortitude," he said, gently. "And more importantly, that is restraint. Many confuse vengeance with meaning. You have not." His gaze softened. "Your resolve honors the dead far more than blind bloodshed ever could."
Lina let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
After a brief pause, Adam shifted slightly, his tone remaining respectful. "If I may ask something in return—purely out of curiosity. What are your Aspects?"
Varkass stiffened instinctively, but when Adam met his eyes, there was no hunger there. Only interest.
"I'll go first, I guess," Varkass muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Mine's simple. I can emit extremely bright light from my hands. Like… blinding flashes. No heat, no force. Just light." He grimaced. "Useful for escapes. Less so when enemies start adapting."
Jahness spoke next, more hesitant. "I heal," he said. "Fast. Faster the worse the injury is. But there's a catch." He hesitated, then continued. "I only grow stronger after going through serious ordeals. Pain. Near-death situations. The Spell… seems to reward suffering."
Adam's expression grew solemn. "A crucible Aspect," he said quietly. "Power forged through trial. You bear it well."
Finally, Lina nodded. "Mine lets me infuse Essence into objects and fire them like bullets. Stones. Shards. Anything I can lift and throw, really." She paused. "It's… very efficient."
"Direct," Adam agreed. "Decisive."
For a moment, the three waited. Then Jahness cleared his throat. "What about you?"
Adam did not hesitate.
"My Aspect allows me to read emotions," he said calmly. "From there, I can derive thoughts—not exact words, but intent. Motives. Direction of will." He lifted his eyes to meet theirs. "It works on any sentient being. Human or monster."
Varkass blinked. "That's… busted."
Adam smiled faintly. "It has its uses. I can detect hostility before it turns violent. Lies before they are spoken. And," he added softly, "hidden or invisible enemies cannot conceal their intent from me."
The trio exchanged looks.
That explained a great deal.
Adam let the silence settle, then inclined his head once more. "Thank you for trusting me with that information. Power reveals character—but how one speaks of it reveals even more."
Varkass chuckled. "You enjoy speaking verbosely," he teased.
Adam met him with laughter of his own. "Yes, Sasrir ad Athena are very fond of informing me of this. Alas, I cannot help it: it's just how I was raised."
The flow of people never really stopped.
Sleepers passed by in loose streams, boots scraping against cobble and stone, voices overlapping in muted fragments. Somewhere nearby, someone laughed—brief and sharp, like it had slipped out by accident. The sun hung comfortably above them, warm without being harsh, and the breeze carried the faint smell of salt and metal from the distant sea. For a fleeting moment, it almost felt normal.
Too normal.
Jahness hesitated only a heartbeat before speaking.
"You said you're basically just a paper figure on Gunlaug's council," he said, keeping his tone casual, almost idle. "So… what do you actually do? Why keep you around, specifically? If you don't mind me asking." He paused, then added lightly, "Does it have anything to do with that Sasrir guy?"
Lina shot him a sharp look. Varkass stiffened, clearly thinking the same thing she was. It was a dangerous question—too pointed, too close to things they had only heard in whispers.
Jahness ignored them.
Adam, however, did not react at all.
If the question surprised him, it did not show. His posture remained relaxed, one arm resting against the back of the stone bench, fingers loosely brushing the crucifix at his chest. He watched the people pass for a moment, as if considering his answer rather than the intent behind the question.
Then he smiled.
"A fair question," he said mildly. "And a reasonable one."
He turned his gaze back to Jahness, blue eyes calm and open. There was no tension in them. No probing. No trace of offense.
"Officially," Adam continued, "I exist to serve. I pour wine, deliver messages, stand beside Gunlaug during meetings, and act as a symbol of…good faith." A faint, almost amused note slipped into his voice. "He enjoys the irony of it."
Lina frowned slightly. "Irony?"
"A tyrant keeping a humanitarian on a leash," Adam replied smoothly. "It sends a message. That he is magnanimous. That he allows dissent, so long as it kneels."
He said it without bitterness, as if describing the weather.
"As for why he keeps me around," Adam went on, "there are several reasons. Some practical. Some…personal." He glanced briefly toward the road ahead, where the Settlement stretched out in layers of stone and scrap. "I am useful. I calm unrest. I keep the Settlement from boiling over. People listen to me, and Gunlaug understands the value of a pressure valve."
That made Varkass' jaw tighten.
"And Sasrir?" Jahness prompted gently.
Adam's smile did not falter.
"Sasrir is an associate," he said. "A protector, if you prefer that term. He follows me because he wishes to, not because he is ordered to. or because I have some sort of magically control over him." His eyes flicked to Jahness for just a fraction of a second—too quick to read as anything more than coincidence. "Our relationship is…misunderstood."
"Is it?" Lina asked carefully.
Adam chuckled softly. "Many seemingly complex things are actually very simple when you take a step back to see them clearly."
He leaned back slightly, letting the sun catch his face. "Gunlaug tolerates Sasrir because Sasrir is effective. He tolerates me because I am convenient. Neither of us threatens him directly, and so long as that remains true, we are allowed to exist."
There it was.
Allowed.
Jahness searched Adam's expression for any sign that the man had seen through his feigned ignorance. There was nothing. No irritation. No wariness. If Adam suspected anything, he gave no indication.
Instead, he met Jahness' gaze openly.
"Caution is wise here," Adam added lightly, as if offering general advice rather than addressing the question itself. "But not every shadow hides a knife."
Lina and Varkass both went still as they seemingly contemplated what he meant.
Adam rose from the bench, brushing dust from his robe. "Now," he said warmly, "you three should find somewhere to settle in. I try to show up every three days, and I always attract a crowd, so feel free to come talk to me if you need anything-I will try and see what I can do."
He smiled again, gentle as ever.
"Please, have a good day."