Those eyes had said it all. The face of a broken man, mixed with sorrow and despair. It was the look of someone who was vulnerable, empty and lost. When the words had slipped from his lips, Tycon already knew what had begun to stir in his mind was the truth. Just this once, he wished he was wrong.


    "She''s dead." Those were the words he had said. His voice shook and Tycon watched his composure break as he fell into a deep sob. Tycon had held him, letting him cry deeply into his chest. The shock of the reality had hit him like a brick through weak glass. The sudden rush of numbness overcame him like a veil. He hadn''t known her or Balin very well, but he knew how much she meant to him. So they wept together, silently. Tycon wept for him, for his loss. It hurt to see such a strong and confident man in a broken state. He worried that he''d never be the same, that he''d never truly heal and that worry made his heart break.


    *******************************************


    The fire was smoldering by the rise of the sun. The embers emitting little warmth to keep Tycon from waking. He had forgotten how cold the desert was at night and in the early morning. Tycon let Balin sleep in his tent, while he slept by the fire. It was the least he could do for him as he wept, unable to imagine the guilt he was going through.


    He sat up and watched the fire for a moment, deep in thought and reminiscing on the night before. For what it was worth, he was glad she hadn''t been killed by Sinclair. Knowing the guilt would amount on top of what was already there. The thought made him feel a little selfish, even, ironically a little guilty.


    She had been killed while taking a bounty with Balin Three months ago. By an arrow is what Balin had told him, a sniper they didn''t see got the drop on them while they were tracking and with Evaline in front, there was little time for Balin to defend her. She was shot right in front of him, gone in a split second. He couldn''t imagine.


    Tycon heard a brush of cloth and turned his gaze back toward the tents to see Zeke emerging. He had arrived long after Balin had fallen asleep and hadn''t seen the events prior. He was glad that they had gotten that private moment together. Zeke looked in a daze, probably still tired or hungover, Tycon guessed it was the latter. He drifted out slowly and sat down by the fire across from Tycon, his back to the pond.


    "Who''s the new guy?" He asked, nodding toward Tycon''s tent.


    "That''s Balin. We worked a job together eight or so months ago," Tycon replied.


    "He any good in a fight? I didn''t get a good look at him."


    "Who''s good in a fight?" Balin''s voice came from the tent, not long after, he emerged.


    "You," Zeke said.


    Balin looked to Tycon briefly and then back to Zeke. He said nothing and took a seat on the sand by the fire with the two.


    "I think what''s more important is how I ended up here and with you, Tycon of all people."


    Tycon was a little shocked. Was he pretending? or did he really not remember the night before? He thought perhaps it was best not to mention anything of it.


    "You were drunk, came stumbling here like a fool. I offered you my tent and you slept," Tycon lied.


    Balin nodded, "Thanks. It''s good to see you again!"


    "So, Balin. You any good in a fight?" Zeke asked again.


    "What do you think? I''m here right?"


    Zeke squinted and began looking to Balin, his eyes intense and focused, then suddenly his expression returned to normal.


    "Yeah, you seem decent in a fight," Zeke concluded.


    "It was rhetorical."


    Nice to see that Balin hadn''t lost a sense of sarcasm at least.Tycon thought. He thought the way Zeke had looked at Balin was a little weird, he certainly hadn''t seen anyone act like that before. Was he really able to read people that well? It all seemed odd, he decided to think nothing of it.


    "Okay then, Balin. Put your money where your mouth is and spar me," Tycon said.


    Balin raised an eyebrow and a smile crept on his lips. It was the first smile he''d seen from Balin since he had arrived.


    "Oh, a challenge is it?" Balin replied, his tone sounding rather amused at the proposition.


    "I''d like to see how you two go," Zeke said and tossed Tycon his Scimitar.


    Tycon recoiled at Zeke''s sudden motion but still managed to catch the Scimitar.


    "Swords only." Zeke said, "No daggers and shields. No lethal blows, the first strike wins."


    Tycon and Balin locked eyes and nodded in unison.


    He hoped that maybe the sparring match would help get Balin''s mind off the death of Evaline, at least for a little while.


    *********************************


    They were standing by the pond now, a few feet apart from one another. Zeke stood between the two, waiting for them to finish warming up. Tycon stretched his legs and arms then squatted for a moment, facing the pond and caressing the curved blade with his glove. It was a beautiful sword, one from the people who inhabited the land he was in. An odd design but aesthetically beautiful.


    He knew he was at a significant disadvantage in the sparring match. He, being only proficient with twin daggers and Balin being good with a single blade pretty much assured his loss, though it was all in the name of fun, so it didn''t matter much.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    He glanced over to Balin, who was also stretching. He paid no attention to Tycon but instead faced the water and didn''t shift his gaze for a moment. Tycon mentally prepared himself to be absolutely annihilated. It brought a smile to his face despite it all and he stood up straight and switched to a combat stance. Tycon watched Balin as he finished stretching and did the same.


    Zeke, standing between them, lifted his arms.


    "Ready?" He called.


    Both Tycon and Balin nodded in affirmation.


    "Okay then... Go."


    The two moved toward one another at a slow pace, carefully watching each other''s movements. Once they had reached one another they began circling, again watching their next moves. Tycon decided to make the first strike, a weak slash to the left which was, of course easily blocked by Balin.


    "Good block," Zeke called from the sideline.


    This time Tycon decided to wait for Balin to strike, hoping that he was going to expose himself for a parry and thus a win if he didn''t recover in time. The sun began to rise further accompanied by the heat and Tycon felt the sweat drip down his forehead. Every part of him wanted to wipe it away but it would lead to him exposing himself and he wasn''t about to go easy on Balin.


    I wanna see how tough he really is.


    Balin struck suddenly and Tycon recoiled then began stepping backward from Balin''s advance. His push was admirable but his speed was somewhat crippled by his large and muscular form. His attacks though were incredibly strong. With each slash that crossed Tycon''s curved blade, his arm shook from the impact. Balin ended his flurry of attacks with a strong downward slash. If it weren''t for the fact they were sparring and the fact that Balin was obviously intentionally only hitting the sword, he''d be dead for sure.


    Balin''s expression was intense, maybe a little too much so for Tycon''s taste and he began to worry. Suddenly he was blinded by sand, kicked up from Balin''s boots and he was hit by what he could only assume was the butt of Balin''s hilt.


    "Time," Zeke called, but the hits didn''t stop.


    Trying desperately to wipe at his eyes, he kicked back at Balin, aiming for his knee.


    "Come on, let''s see what you''ve got. The enemy doesn''t fight fair." Balin hissed, coming off more sinister than Tycon would have liked.


    The attacks stopped and Tycon cleared his vision. He saw Balin, waiting for him with his sword at the ready.


    "That was a dirty move," Tycon shouted, letting his frustration be known.


    "As I said, the enemy doesn''t fight fair."


    "You''re not my enem-"


    Suddenly he was interrupted as Balin moved in to attack again. His swings became rougher as if he were trying to get Tycon to get angry. That or he was letting out some pent up aggression, one way or the other, the fight had to end.


    "I said time!" Zeke shouted, but Balin ignored him and kept attacking.


    Tycon was on the defense, every strike he blocked hurt. He felt his arms getting weaker with every hit and felt his anger rise too. Waiting for an opportune moment, Tycon rolled to the side and with all his strength and anger, swung hard at Balin''s sword, knocking his arm outward then tackled him to the ground with a thud.


    "What the fuck is your problem," Tycon screamed then punched Balin in the face, "Huh? I get that you''re angry but she''s dead, you hear me? She''s dead!"


    Balin coughed and He realized that Balin was crying.


    "I''m sorry, Balin."


    "How did you know?" He whispered.


    Tycon took a moment to let himself calm down and stood back up, standing over him.


    "You told me last night when you arrived," Tycon paused a moment, "I''m not your enemy... I''m your friend."


    "What the fuck is wrong with you two?" Zeke said, running over.


    "Nothing," Tycon replied, "Forget it."


    "Tycon," Balin said, "I''m sorry."


    "It''s fine, we''ll talk later,"


    Tycon tossed the Scimitar over to Zeke and walked away.


    "Let''s go and see the contractor."


    It was at that moment he knew that Balin was no longer the same man he had met in Selenicar. He was someone different. Someone that maybe could never be the same again.


    *******************************


    The shelves were cluttered with treasures which made the room the three were in seem much smaller than it really was. The floor was lined with a thick, wool carpet that was colored red with gold patterns weaved within. Sunrays pierced the small vertical windows of the sandstone building, casting light within. Despite this, candlesticks were still lit which seemed like a waste to Tycon. Sitting behind a large wooden desk at the end of the room was a man and a beautiful woman stood in front of it.


    The man was old, roughly sixty in human years. He had pale skin and was clearly a foreigner with greasy grey hair that was tied in a ponytail and a thin mustache. He wore a red velvet shirt and pants that, like the carpet, were also lined with gold embroidery that formed circular patterns at the cuffs of the wrist and neck. It was clear to Tycon that this man was incredibly wealthy. He had to be Zarek, the contractor.


    The woman, however, was young, around twenty human years and donned in armored robes. The robe colored a stone-washed blue with silver shoulder pads, cuirass, boots, and gauntlets over the top. She wielded a longsword on her hip and her blonde hair was tied carefully in a bun. She turned to face the three as they approached and that was when Tycon admitted to himself that she was the prettiest human woman he had ever laid eyes on. Her wide ocean-blue eyes stared at them intensely, her perfectly shaped face scrunched up in an expression of disgust at the three. Tycon felt a flush of embarrassment wash over him and he blushed.


    "That''s who I''m going in with," She said sarcastically.


    "Yes, so it would seem," Zarek replied.


    The three reached the desk where the old man sat and bowed. The man nodded and began brushing his hand over the wooden table, seemingly in thought. Tycon guessed he was deciding if the three were worth his time.


    "So you''re here for the bounty I assume?" Zarek began, stroking his mustache.


    Zeke stepped forward in front of Tycon, "Yes we are," He glanced over to the woman, "Is she coming too?"


    "You bet I am!" She said enthusiastically and smiled.


    "Quite," Zarek said, "I''ll give you a briefing of what I know. Whats to come once you''re in there is unknown to me."


    Zarek reached to the left side of the table and grabbed a bottle of wine and a chalice then began pouring. Speaking as he did so.


    "You''re to journey east. A two-day trek across the desert, so make sure you''re prepared when you head out," He finished pouring and took a sip.


    "According to the ancient texts I''ve read, there''s to be a golden eye deep within an ancient tomb. Who the tomb has buried inside, I''m yet to know. Bring me the eye and you''ll be paid five-thousand Uon''s each," He shrugged, "Assuming you all don''t die in there. Because of this risk, there will be no upfront payment."


    "What?" Tycon and Balin blurted and Zeke quickly hushed them.


    "We accept the bounty" Zeke spoke for the three.


    The woman, however, didn''t seem phased by it and stood in silence, twiddling her thumbs and listening.


    "Good," Zarek said, "Set out tomorrow at first light,"


    The now-four turned to leave but was stopped by Zarek.


    "Wait, before you go, here." Zarek gave each one of them a letter sealed with his initials.


    "I''m having a party tonight, might as well come for some good food, drink, and whores before you head out in the morning."


    Tycon and Balin reluctantly took the invitation, Zarek and the woman however graciously took theirs. Perhaps Zalek wasn''t as much of a prick as he thought. He would take the party invitation as an upfront payment and eat and drink as much as he could the coming night. The four turned and left the room, making their way from the building completely.


    Tycon turned to the blonde woman as they walked.


    "Hey, what''s your name?" He asked, sheepishly.


    "Ambre, Ambre Sparrow."


    They smiled at one another and followed the road. The night was still yet to come and the four had many preparations to make before, not only the party but the journey in the coming morning. Tycon decided to make the most of the party, he fully intended to make up with Balin, for this was perhaps the last time they''d see each other.