One day Ogi saw the eyes rising from the crowd again. There was no fire or passion in them, no excitement or fear. Only inevitability. And even if the years have taken their toll, that look still burned a hole in your body. But this time, there was a crown of gold on his head. He walked towards Ogi’s workshop, accompanied by a group of ashenfolk guards with dragon sigils on their chests and Rhana’s city watch.

The authorities were making sure that nothing happened to the dragonslayer.

Jassen reached the wooden stand over which he first received Dreamer, the sword that was now famous all across the country. He breathed in, and just as the first word was about to slip from his tongue, someone yelled behind him.

“He crippled me! He butchered the entire squad. Murderer!” - a dirty man with stumps for arms yelled from the sidewalk and spat at Jassen.

“Go away, pal. Don’t deepen your troubles.” - one of the guards told the cripple calmly and pushed him aside with the shaft of his spear.

“He killed them and left them lying on the road like dogs!” - he yelled.

“He’s been living here ever since that night.” - Ogi said - “The church takes care of him, and people toss him a coin or two. Not that he can pick them up. It’s an ugly sight.”

Jassen heard the man’s screams of anger turn into screams of pain as the guards showed him that the mercy given to the crippled has its limits.

“Stay away from the dragonslayer!” - one of them yelled.

“Technically, you weren’t the dragonslayer when you butchered him.” - Ogi whispered to Jassen.

“I always was.” - Jassen replied with a smile.

“I see only you and Olena here. Where’s your bard? Where’s the grumpy one?” - Ogi asked.

“I lost them.”

“They died?”

“Only Niko. The bard I lost on a bet.”

“I don’t even want to know…”

“Either way, both their names are on Nava’s banner now. I won’t get to see them again.”

“Then I’m sorry for your loss, my lord.”

“I’m not your lord, Ogi. But I’m here on lordship business. I need someone of your abilities in my city.”

“A blacksmith?”

“No, more of an adviser. I need someone in my court I can trust. Have you thought about moving from the forge to a keep?”

“I’m not used to serving metal.” - he pointed at the man’s crown - “Metal serves me.” - the blacksmith said, nodding to the swords in the weaponry behind him.

“Plenty of swords to be made, and only one crown to talk to…” - Jassen continued - “I’m done with warring, now I need to create. And you’re the best creator I know.”

“I’m a better steelmaker than I am a politician, but I might as well open shop there. Your city will be bustling with work any time now. Just don’t expect much in terms of advice.”

They spoke like friends who’d shared half their lives together, even though it was only a few nights of traveling. The ashen guard helped Ogi put his life’s posessions together, and close down the shop he had spent a lifetime in.