When I awoke and untied Cali from her bindings the next morning, she didn’t say a word to me about the previous night’s events, like she’d forgotten what she said to me. Instead, she told me that we were going to the nearby Federation camp to get our payment for the job and started leading me through the forest like nothing happened.

It was only an hour long walk to the fort she mentioned. Halfway between the border and the Bend. The fort itself was more of a camp with wooden log walls surrounding it than a permanent structure or castle. When the gatekeeper spotted Cali approaching, the doors were quickly opened and a female officer wearing a green jacket emerged from inside to meet us. That was fine by me, I didn’t want to go in there and get surrounded.

The officer was a tall, blonde woman with a beauty mark on her left cheek. The long green coat was decorated with golden trim and frilly shoulder pads. A collection of medals rested above her left breast. The insignia told me that she was a High Warsister. The strange familial names of the Feddie ranks was difficult to wrap my head around. She was in charge of the garrison here.

“Cali, don’t tell me you’ve completed the job already?” she asked.

“Of course I did, I wouldn’t return had I not.” Cali reached into her bag and retrieved the man’s left hand, presenting it for [inspection.]

The blonde woman cast [inspect] and read the information it presented, “What do you know? It’s the genuine article. That was fast even by your lofty standards,” her eyes drifted from the stoic dark elf to me, “Ah. Don’t tell me you’re letting people take advantage of you again.”

“Hey,” I objected, “She invited me.”

“Yes. Without Ren’s assistance, I would have not been capable of dispatching the Nightwalker so quickly.”

“You’re telling me this guy knew where the heart was?”

I quickly stepped in before Cali let loose the truth, “Yes, yes I did. Giving her a hand for forty percent sounded good to me.”

She didn’t seem convinced, “I didn’t realize the thieves were into community service.”

I scowled, “I think you’ll find that we are the community, officer. I don’t see you illuminated men and women doing much to help.”

“That’s because we’re busy fighting a war out here. Don’t lecture me about doing my bit.” She reached into her pocket and withdrew several iron bars, handing the larger share to Cali and a smaller portion to me. “Thank you Cali. That Nightwalker was a serious threat to the safety of the Bend.”

“I should thank you Elise. He was an appropriately tough opponent, I almost died.” Cali shivered and I momentarily feared that she was about to descend into her faux-suicidal frenzy again. She restrained herself for the moment, perhaps because she was in front of polite company.

‘Elise’ turned to me again, “I don’t suppose you bought that armor and banner?”

I smirked, “Waste not want not.”

I’d specifically only taken the heraldry and armor from a dead Royalist, because I knew that this was going to happen. These people were sticklers for rules that didn’t matter. Who was going to benefit from armor strapped to a dead man, if not the first person to find them? If they didn’t like it – they should have taken an effort to protect the battlefield after the fact and take care of their dead.

“You people are unscrupulous. Do you have no shame?”

“Shame is for the dead. Everyone out here is trying to survive. Tell you what, next time you’re enjoying a nice meal in your fancy house, remember that there’s a thousand people like me being chewed up and spat out for your comfort.”

Elise didn’t take my jibe well. She placed her hand on the hilt of her sabre and postured as if to attack me. Some of the soldiers from inside the garrison had crept out to see what the commotion was about.

I had an unexpected saviour in the form of Cali, who stepped between us, “Please do not fight.”

Elise relented, “Fine. For you.”

The proceedings were interrupted by the thundering hoof falls of an incoming troop. I turned and my blood froze solid, it was the Inquisitors again.

Fuck me.

I couldn’t get away from these assholes. I tucked Stigma away under my coat and hoped that the knights in red wouldn’t notice her. There were twenty or so, all wearing the same red iron armour and wielding stainless weapons. Elise pushed past me and flagged down the leader. He pulled the reins of his horse and came to a skidding halt. Dust and dirt flew into the air. He swung his leg around and dismounted. “Warsister Xerces, the Inquisition has need of you.”

“Inquisitor Marcel, to what do I owe the displeasure?”

The knight harrumphed and blustered, “I shall not mince my words. Eight of my men were found dead when responding to one of your battles. What response do you have to this accusation most foul?”

This was typical Inquisitor behaviour. Throwing their weight around where they have no authority and accusing the first person they see of whatever crime they feel like.

Elise understood how to deal with them, “An accusation is nothing without evidence. I withdrew my men from there days ago, and none of them had aught to say of your knight’s presence.”

“If that wasn’t bad enough, the injuries they sustained as consistent with the use of forbidden magic. Pierced through their hearts and their bodies tainted with poison. A cursed weapon! In the hands of a soldier!” He rounded on me, “And here you are, consorting with a vagrant and a harlot! I dare say that the evidence is piling up.”

“I’d watch your mouth if I was you,” I warned.

“Hoh? Does the thief believe he can defeat me in a duel?”

I gripped Stigma’s hilt until my knuckles turned white, “Yeah, I do. It seems you spent more time practicing using your tongue than your sword, you tin-headed dipshit.” Elise desperately tried not to laugh, but the way her entire body shook as she tried to keep it down did not put up a convincing façade. “A case with no evidence, not that I expect much else from a pack of murderous thugs.”

“You…”

Elise nods, “It’s as our rogue says. You have no evidence of who is wielding the weapon, do you not? To what end do you come here to levy accusations against a Warsister? Might I remind you that the Federation does not take kindly to you and your kin.”

“I am seeking immediate remedy for the offense. In the form of monetary or territorial concession.”

Elise wasn’t happy, “If you think I’m paying you or packing up this camp, you got another thing coming. I could snap my fingers have the lot of you put to the sword post haste.”

There was one thing that Inquisitors hated, and that was when someone exploited their ‘weakness.’ They commanded authority mainly through fear and institutional links to the nearby Kingdoms. They were not officially designated by the Kingdom, and did not enjoy the same legal authority that a regular bailiff did. In practice this didn’t mean much. I’d seen Inquisitors walk free after some truly heinous crimes. Accusing the victim of being a heretic or using a cursed weapon was an easy defence.

The Federation didn’t have time for that nonsense. Their army was big enough that any threat from a Feddie officers was a real one. They hated the Inquisition and refused to comply with them, which was why they had come knocking today – they wanted to cause trouble with one of their primary rivals.

“I am Inquisitor Dolth Brightright Marcel, you would do well to remember my name. This insolence will not soon be forgiven.” Thoroughly spurned by both me and Warsister Xerces, he remounted his steed and prepared to be off. Thoroughly spooked by the presence of Inquisitors, I turned to leave. My entire body was on edge as I passed the line of knights waiting behind me. They didn’t attack me, but I did hear a pair of footfalls following me. I twisted to face the culprit and found Cali tagging along.

“Why are you following me?”

I already knew the answer, but I hoped that she’d understand my disapproval.

She did not, “The stench of death hangs heavy over your head. I will assist you, provided that you endanger me appropriately in return.”

“I really don’t need any help.”

She tilted her head to the side, “There are plenty of things that only I can do. For example, should your member grow engorged, you may sate your desires on my body.”

“I’m not going to rape you.”

“It is not rape, it is a mutually beneficial agreement.”

“I don’t think you have the maturity to consent,” I insisted, “There’s something wrong with you. It’s rape. And for that matter, I didn’t give you permission to follow me anywhere.”

“Can you stop me?”

“I could easily sneak away from you. What experience with stealth do you have?”

“None.”

“Exactly. You know the kinds of job that I take are usually about robbery, skulduggery, quick wits and quicker feet. No place for a warmage without a lick of common sense.”

“You and I both know, that this is no longer the case. You need to consume the souls of the living to continue your existence. Attempting to hide in the shadows does not afford you the opportunity to lay claim to other’s lives. You will search out increasingly dangerous foes, and I will be there by your side.”

“And what do you get out of it?” I demanded, “Nobody does anything without a good reason.”

“I merely wish to push myself to the limit, that is all.”

“It sounds like you have a deathwish to me.”

Stigma cut through the noise with her own opinion, “I don’t want to impose, but bringing this man-snatching whore… may not be such a bad idea. She’s a powerful warrior with connections to Federation officials. It would significantly ease your way of life, as well as provide us with an extra pair of hands when hunting down powerful enemies. If she dies, she can serve as a soul for us to consume. She’s rather filling judging from her aura.”

But I wasn’t thinking in terms of how filling she was. I hadn’t worked closely with someone I didn’t know for years, and the last time I did I nearly died for it. Rogues were rogues. We were a bunch of unscrupulous opportunists, but there was honour among thieves. Stabbing another rogue in the back was a bad idea. News travelled fast, people wouldn’t work with you, you’d be turned away from most fences. It was bad for business. It brought heat onto everyone involved.

It all stemmed from a particular incident in the capital city of Sull. Some hothead decided to stab his friends in the back and claim all the loot for himself. The bailiffs found out who he was and traced him back to the local fence and other popular haunts. Days later it was a complete shut out. Hundreds of people were arrested on trumped-up charges ranging from burglary to vandalism and murder. The King proclaimed an ‘end to crime,’ but even when you flush out one pack of rats, another is waiting in the wings to take their place.

 That happened before I was born, but Cassie apparently saw it first-hand. Only got out of the city thanks to a kind stranger letting her hide in a pile of hay they were transporting.

“If you still have your doubts… you could always ask me to adjust her.”

“Adjust?”

“They don’t call me the corrupting blade for no reason,” Stigma smirked, “My power extends beyond what a simple inspection will tell you. I can command the loyalty of any creature, should they agree. Anoint them as one of your chosen and they’ll never betray you again.”

“You’re talking brainwashing.”

She shrugged, “Is it brainwashing if they agree? If you wish, it can be nothing more than a vow of loyalty. But if that isn’t enough you can twist them into a new shape; one that is more malleable to your way of doing things.”

I had an idea.

“Cali!”

She stopped, “What?”

I unwrapped Stigma and held her out for Cali to see. “If I asked you to become my subordinate, would you? Would you be willing to be touched by this corrupted blade?” Cali did not react to my question verbally. She merely hummed to herself and nodded a moment later. So quick to throw herself into a position she wasn’t familiar with. “There’s no way to take it back.”

She continued regardless, “That’s okay.”

“Kneel for me.”

Cali placed her Halberd against the nearest tree and did as I asked. I drew the wicked blade and placed It flat against her left shoulder. “Stigma,” I whispered, “Don’t actually do it.”

“Why?”

“Just trust me. What are the words?”

Stigma fed me my lines, “By the grace of the thousand maws, the eternal hunger, I pronounce thee as bound to an oath. Never shall you draw your blade against me. Never shall you doubt my command. We are one in spirit and body. You are my arm, I am your mind,” I lifted Stigma over her head and placed her on the right shoulder, “I [anoint] you as my thrall, eternal and ambitious.”

A bird fluttered on the branch above.

Cali looked up to me, “I don’t feel anything.”

I withdrew Stigma and stared down at her, “That’s because I didn’t actually do it. If you’re willing to throw away your life that easily, I guess I can trust you to help me out.” I pulled the elf back to her feet and returned her halberd, “But if we’re going to do this, I don’t want to see any more heroics out of you. And for the love of god, don’t ask anyone to rape you, not even me.”

Cali nodded, “I can do that.”

“An interesting arrangement, master,” Stigma purred, “Let us see if your judgement is correct.”