Chapter Thirteen: A Nighttime Surprise

The season began to turn. Soon it was Sypheros, one month before Eyre and the first year anniversary of the Treaty. The group of Warforged and Reforged headed to the Northeast, towards the Thrane-Breland boarder. They had covered so much of Breland territory that they wanted a change of scenery.

"Thrane is one of the places where most Warforged are indentured," Hunter said as they crossed into the Silver Flame-dominated country.

"So why are we going there?" Cutter asked.

"Eventually," Sever said, "their servitude will end, and if we present another option, they may be more inclined to take it rather than be restricted."

"Exactly," Hunter agreed. Max had noticed a change between Hunter and Sever. The spell caster had been speaking out more in the group, and Hunter had, in Max's opinion, been working with Sever a bit more focusedly.

Maybe he thinks Sever will Reforge soon, Max thought to himself, and it made him smile.

"But isn't Thrane, well, against our freedom?" Scout asked a bit nervously.

"Not so much against. More like they find it hard to reconcile a 'soulless' being, made by mortals, to being like them."

"Do we have souls?" Sentinel wondered. Hunter shrugged.

"Hard to say. We can be resurrected, which points to a yes, but there are no undead Warforged, nor have other races seem Warforged souls in Dolurh, which points to a lack of an afterlife and therefore a no. It's honestly a question I don't think will ever be answered."

"That was the Question of Souls, wasn't it?" Cutter asked.

"Yes. In the end, they declared our freedom based upon our ability to think for ourselves, rather than our possession of souls."

"And to religious people," Sever concluded, "the soul outweighs all. I, personally, don't care either way. If we don't go to Dolurh, who's to say we don't go somewhere else just for Warforged?"

"A good thought, Sever," Hunter complimented. "Perhaps if we encounter a Silver Flame worshiper, you might post the question to him."

"I might."

They traveled until late at night, then set up camp. It was as everyone was settling in that Sever pulled Max aside.

"Say, Rend, can we talk?"

"Sure." He followed the spell caster away from camp. When they were clear, Sever stopped and was silent for many minutes, until Max asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Rend, you know I have no components, right?"

"Yes." Max smiled. "You always said you were perfect right out of the forge." Sever chuckled, a bit.

"And that I am already Unarmored?"

"Or course." Rend abruptly beamed. "Wait a minute. Do you think you might have Reforged?" Sever nodded.

"I wanted to ask you... have you asked Hunter what his discovery was? I wondered if it was the same as yours."

"Because then you'd know, I see. But I haven't asked."

"Oh. Well, what was it like for you? What did you realize?"

"It was... indescribable. I felt hot all over, then ice cold, and then, well..."Max gestured around. "Everything fell off." Sever nodded.

"I see... What did you learn?" Now Max hesitated.

"Maybe we should get Hunter... or maybe I should ask what his was first - "

"No. I think it'll be okay." Sever patted Max's arm. "Like being in a desert, isn't it? Or I guess that one soldier, remember? When our unit and that human unit went after Vanguard Keep? He fell ill, and he was burning up with a fever, but kept saying how cold it was."

"I guess, yeah." Max beamed. "That's how it was."

"That's how it was," Sever agreed.

"How long ago?"

"Couple of weeks ago."

"And you never said a word?!" Max playfully punched Sever's shoulder. The caster chuckled.

"I honestly wasn't sure. But it felt the same for me, so I must've. I just didn't want the others to get excited, and then it be false. So... what did you discover?"

"I guess it's okay to tell you, since you Reforged too. I realized that life, to me, is belonging and the connections we make in life to everyone we meet. Like you and I. We exchanged a piece of our lives when we met, and it's grown stronger through all that we've been through."

"Hmm... Mine was different. I realized that there are many different types of power, and that in many ways, I have all the power I need." Max blinked.

"Power? For what?"

"Why, to improve our lives, of course. And to protect my friends from people who would hurt them, like happened to Bow." He looped an arm around Max's shoulders and began leading him back.

"Oh, I see. You confused me for a bit."

"In this world, Rend, there are people who can be reasoned with. That is where you excel. Then there are those... those who only understand power, and force. That is where I will step up." they rejoined the others.

Sever told of his Reforgement that night, and they celebrated with him, Hunter and Max giving him a gift of some of their gold, as he didn't have armor or components to sell like they had. All in all, it was a wonderful, bright conclusion to a wonderful, bright day, a prelude to an even more wonderful future.

But dark clouds always chase the rainbows, and the thunder was rumbling.