The Inquisitors, sans one, gathered around the table within the safehouse. Between them lay the sword that was supposedly the one to change their twisted fortunes. John had not hesitated when he learned that the holder of the legendary blade was the very same person they had attempted to interrogate earlier. Upon learning that information he immediacy gathered everyone together and sallied forth to claim it for himself. With the benefit of their previous encounter, the Inquisitors were able to keep the man separated from the sword.
It was a messy and chaotic endeavour. Joseph stared at the sword, partly in awe, and partly in guilt. When he had joined the Inquisition as a full member – he had never expected to stoop so low as to break into a disable man's home and steal his weapon. He could only imagine the outrage that he must have felt at being robbed by them. It was enough to counterbalance the defiant attitude he had taken with them before; he was right to be worried about strangers breaking into his home.
Things had moved so quickly that he didn't have time to air his reservations about the plan. Had John abandoned the values that he had repeatedly told him were essential to being a warrior? What kind of Inquisitor broke into a presumptively innocent man's refuge and robbed him for the sake of completing a mission? Joseph knew that he had resisted their previous visit, but many things over the previous days had dampened his usual zeal significantly. He couldn't find the will to be angry at him.
"Who's going to use it?"
Joseph snapped to attention. Maritan was hovering by his side, looking over the long, curved blade with twinkling eyes. It was obvious that she wanted to be the one chosen. Joseph had never seen a sword of this make before, even during his most far-flung adventures to the Eastern Islands. It was very thin. Joseph wouldn't be able to use it in confidence, he believed it could snap clean in two at any moment.
"I will," John declared. Maritan knew hat it was coming, but was annoyed regardless.
"Why?"
"I will take on the most dangerous job. As the leader of this mission, it's my responsibility. We've already lost a knight to them. The next, if any, will be myself."
Maritan sighed, "If that is what you wish."
Joseph wasn't on the same page; "And if you die?"
"If I die and lose possession of the sword, then I expect you all to retreat."
"You expect us to leave you there?"
John nodded, "You have many years of service ahead of you. Do not die purely for my sake. Without this sword, I believe that defeating the cursed will be beyond us."
"But…"
"We must act with honour and nobility – but we must always remember that we seek to attain results. Salvation for the people is not predicated on the deaths of young warriors such as yourself. You will return to the fort and tell them of what happened here, and a more appropriate response can be taken by the council."
"If we live, then you should live too," Joseph contended.
"I have no intention of dying. That is the very reason we sought this weapon in the first place. I simply wish to ensure that you all take an appropriate course of action should that occur. Never abandon your rationality to emotion. It is said that emotions drive much of the corruption's menace. It appeals to our worst natures and manipulates us to do harm."
Maria looked away, trying to hide the expression on her face. How could he of all people say that? Was this mission not irrational in its own way? John had bet his reputation and pride on this. If he believed now that Kageyama was too strong to handle, why did he not make a hasty retreat and share what he had learned with the council himself? She had never begrudged John. She admired him greatly, but he was a man whose rote memory of those principles often did not apply to his own behaviour.
John was trying to find a way out. A redemption that would be earned in blood. Should he succeed, his already stellar record and legend would grow further. But this was not, and never would be a rational course to take. They needed an army – not a group of loyal officers with second-rate equipment. If there was anything to take from this ordeal, she wanted it to be knowledge of the sword – Raiju.
The sword's most famous wielder, Stennis the Blue, beheaded the marauding Tarcan Warlord Elbis during the collapse of the Empire. There it was – immortalized onto the very body of the weapon used. A profound mural of him leaping into the air and cutting clean through his neck, even as he charged at him on horseback. To think that this had been held by Stennis, hundreds of years in the past. It sent a shiver down her spine. To even bear witness to such a historied weapon was more than she could have asked for.
Said to appear in a bolt of thunder before worthy holders. A weapon that represented a steadfast sense of justice and righteousness. The ornate gold engraved into the blade must have taken a master craftsman years of hard work. The pictures were so small that only a close inspection revealed their true meaning. Each depiction showed a detailed snapshot of the weapon in use by various individuals. Though the blade had long since run out of clear space for any further stories to be told.
Yet here it was, held in the possession of a maimed man. His quickness was proof that he was a worthy user. Very few could claim to intimidate a group of Inquisitors in such a manner. Martian wondered if he had gained those injuries in the path of a noble feat. If that was the case, then why did he dalliance with a corrupted madman like Kageyama? Martian did not say so out loud, but her urging during the robbery was partly an attempt to keep him out of harm's way. She had no doubt that John and Maria would have put him to the sword given the chance. Luckily, she managed to panic them into leaving without pushing things any further. She wanted to believe that Raiju's judgement was unsullied.
"Incredible. I had hoped to see this sword with my own eyes one day. To think that it was here the entire time."
"Maybe that guy should learn to keep his mouth shut about it. Every damn drunk in the city knew what it was!" Joseph snarked. "You saying that this thing is rare?"
"Of course it is!" Maria gasped. Joseph ignorance plumbed to new depth with every statement. "There are only nine legendary weapons in recorded history, some of which have been permanently lost. And inspect it for yourself, the power of Raiju alone is enough to abolish such scepticism."
Joseph did as he was told and [inspected] it for himself. Maria was right. The statistics were incredible. More than any other weapon he had seen. It was fast, deadly, and came with more bonuses besides.
"Kinda' like Stigma."
John glanced up at him, "Stigma? A corrupted weapon cannot hope to match the likes of this."
Maria held up her hand, "I know this is 'heretical' speech, but some scholars have long debated the origins of Stigma. Considering the immense power it holds, it only begs to reason that Stigma may be a legendary sword as well."
John's face twitched. He really hoped that Maria's inquisitive nature wasn't leading her to a more empathetic path.
"I thought you said those records were locked away?" Joseph responded.
"They are. The only evidence I have is circumstantial. Some of that discussion leaks through into other tomes, often unrelated to the core subject. I suppose the librarians didn't have time to read all of them."
"And you did…" Joseph muttered, "No wonder your swordplay is left wanting. How do you even create a legendary item in the first place?"
Maria smirked as an opportunity to demonstrate her knowledge sprung upwards, "It isn't enough for the weapon to be of a high quality, though that certainly assists in ensuring it's longevity. Legendary items are forged by the fundamental magical forces that permeate our world. A strong sense of belief from a collective can grant them additional powers that they previously did not possess."
"Okay," Joseph said – he didn't get it.
"Take Raiju for example. When it was originally forged, it didn't grant the user such incredible speed. Its users were simply the fastest and most skilled swordsmen around. Similarly, it was once a creation of mortal hands. Yet as its reputation grew, the story behind its origins became more fantastical, and so did the abilities it granted. When millions upon millions of people subconsciously use their magical powers, they care capable of feats that even great mages would be envious of."
"Oh. I get it."
Maria was getting carried away; "The most interesting part of the legend behind Raiju is how it appears. Did people's faith in the righteousness of the past wielders create a higher consciousness that is capable of judging a mortal's character? Or did a God see to it that such a powerful tool was passed into the hands of the worthy, adopting it for themselves?"
Joseph sat back down, "No, I don't get it."
"This is basic magical theory, Joseph; did you pay any attention in class?"
Joseph was about to throw a punch. John put a stop to things, "Not everyone can be gifted in the ways of study like you are, Maria. Whatever the purpose or reason, it is now within our possession. We shall decide what to do with it at a later time. I do not enjoy the idea of returning it to someone familiar with Kageyama."
"We don't enjoy the element of surprise anymore," Maritan observed, "What should we do?"
"I think he's too stubborn to go into hiding. If he's friends with Raiju's owner, then he must have made plans to get it back somehow. He's going to be looking for us. That means we can lure him out to wherever we choose. We need somewhere that gives us a big advantage over him, but I can't imagine where that place could be."
There was another problem. Sequester and Maritan had failed the remove the mage from the calculation. They were going to stick together now that they knew someone was out to kill them. The location had to be urban enough to split his group into multiple pieces, while also allowing vantage points from which Maritan could let fly with her bow. This was a serious problem.
"Allow us to search for an appropriate venue," Maria offered, "You should worry about defeating Kageyama."
John reached down and touch Raiju into his hands. The weight distribution was different to his usual weapon, it would require significant focus and training to become adept with it. "Very well. I must make the most of this sword's power while I have the chance. I will dedicate myself to learning it before we launch our next attack."
John left the room and headed to the back yard. It was a small allotment that was originally intended to be used for growing small amounts of vegetables. It hadn't been used in that manner for many years, not since the Inquisition acquired the building through a false identity. Maritan, Joseph and Maria stared at his back as he went.
"Sequester dying is messing with his head," Joseph grumbled. Maritan had spoken the news with such confidence before; did she even care one bit that one of her compatriots had fallen in battle?
"All we can do now is make the best of it," she nodded, "Whatever John's reasoning, we are here to support him. Take that bitter feeling and turn it into strength."
Joseph scoffed. His bitterness was directed firmly at her.
He didn't trust her, not for one second.