The next morning, after a quick breakfast and some last-minute preparations, the group was ready to go.

  Andy, Arlene, Kermit, and Verin walked out to the main road as Natham, Morwen, and Sven waved. PL would have been waving too if he were a human.

  “This is it, people!” Verin called as they began their march. “This is the trip where I finally bag the Chimera’s Crown Diamond and go down in history among the successful chimera hunters!”

  “Crown diamond?” Arlene asked in a hushed whisper.

  Andy shrugged as they continued on their way.

  The landscape was idyllic. After a few patches of forest, the highway began to stretch out across rolling, green hills.

  “What's a crown diamond, again?” Kermit asked loudly after an absurdly long time had passed.

  “Ah, only the most coveted huntsman's trophy in the whole region!” Verin said. “But beyond that, it's considered precious to enchanters, since it's a form of alchemical binding.”

  “What's that? Kermit asked.

  “It's a material that can store magical enchantments. Many enchanters make use of alchemical binding to create magical weapons and technology.”

  “Cool!” Kermit said.

  “So you could use the crown diamond to make a sword magical?” Andy asked.

  “Why yes, of course!” Said Verin.

  The idea excited Andy. Not only could he level up his own skills and feats, he could also upgrade his weapons with enchantments.

  “What are the other forms of alchemical binding?” Asked Arlene.

  Andy looked toward her with a knowing glance.

  She's already one step ahead of me.

  “Oh too many to count,” Verin said. “You'd have to ask an enchanter. I'm fairly certain some precious metals can be used as alchemical binding. For example, the spikeshields of the Cresthaven guard. Have you seen them in action?”

  Andy's face fell. His mind immediately flashed back to Rinold’s spikeshields shooting a beam through the chest of that innocent man.

  “I don't think we have,” Arlene said.

  I wish I hadn’t.

  “Well, they're quite powerful,” said Verin. The enchanters imbue them with energy with, I believe, a newt’s liver embedded in a spike of platinum. Don't quote me on that, though. The newt is a quite powerful and often underestimated magical creature. Its liver can contain several hundred thousand casts’ worth of Blinding Blast."

  All that destruction… contained in the liver of a Newt?

  “Some precious stones, certain amethysts for example, make great alchemical binding as well. In fact, many magic shops sell amethysts that come pre-charged with spells and enchantments.”

  “How do you imbue it into your weapon?” Andy asked.

  “Well each enchanter is different,” Verin said. “Quite often, swords and other weapons will come with the binding built into it. Many magic swords, for example, will have a hilt crafted out of a precious metal, or will contain a stone of some sort to bind the enchantment to it. Some weapons are even modular. They have different slots you can put different bindings into.”

  “So people make, like, swappable enchantments that can change the magical makeup of your sword?”

  “Yes,” said Verin. “Exactly.”

  Andy drew his sword and looked at the hilt. It had no such slots.

  “That's a starter sword, I'm afraid,” said Verin. “You'd be looking for a finer blade. Having slots for alchemical binding is more of a thing for nobles.”

  “Ah,” said Andy, sheathing the sword on his back again.

  “And can any alchemical binding fit on a blade with binding slots?”

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  “There's a standardized size that most crafters have agreed on, about like this,” Verin said, making a circle with his fingers about the size of a ping pong ball. “But that's only for people who lack enchantment skills. A skillful enchanter doesn't need slots.”

  Andy nodded. “What's the most powerful binding?”

  “Well, I'm sure that's a matter of academic debate, but I know of none that exceeds the capacity of the chimera’s crown diamond. At least not by much.”

  “Ah,” said Andy. “Are you going to use it to bind an enchantment?”

  “Oh, well…” Verin began, as if considering it for the first time. “I haven't planned that far. Perhaps one day, if I find the right use for it. But for now it will be a trophy, and it will serve as a token for my entrance as a knight into the Order of the Chimera.”

  “What about bows?” Arlene asked.

  “Oh yes,” said Verin. “I've seen plenty of bows with alchemical binding slots carved in them.”

  “I want to get a weapon like that,” Andy said, imagining the power of a sword that could throw flame or electricity or dark matter.

  “It's not out of the question,” said Verin, “but you're still level one. It will take you a lot of grinding to achieve enough status to purchase or earn a weapon of such quality.”

  Andy nodded, but inside he made it his mission to upgrade his sword to one with modular slots for alchemical binding.

  Andy allowed his mind to wander. He had intended to progress along the Fighter class, hacking and slashing his way through his levels. But his future was looking more complex.

  Even without spellcasting abilities, he could enchant his weapon. On top of that, he would be taking classes in Warlock, with all the magic involved there. He wasn't going to be a simple tank, so he had to make the most of the weapons upgrades and warlock feats available to him.

  Which reminded him…

  “What feats do level 1 Warlocks get?” Andy asked.

  Verin just shrugged. “You'll have to talk to Natham about that.”

  Andy's mind continued to race, thinking about what kinds of enchantments he'd want for his sword one day. But it was no use… synergy was the name of the game, and he didn't know what sorts of feats he'd be getting from the Warlock class.

  He'd have to figure it out later.

  ***

  The day stretched on.

  On occasion, there would be a shack or small village, but soon enough the dirt road narrowed into a lightly treaded path that shot out into largely uninhabited meadows.

  The sun began to set as the group crested a steep hill. At the bald top there was a minimal, three-walled covered shelter made of stone, with a large fire ring nearby and some stone benches.

  Andy could see miles in every direction. Behind them was patchy forest, the mountains surrounding Cresthaven barely visible on the horizon.

  Ahead of them was more of the same: meadows punctuated but woods.

  “only a few more miles of this before we get to the cliffs,” said Verin, “but we'd better stop for the night.”

  Chilly gusts of wind punctuated the otherwise temperate evening.

  Behind the primitive shelter there was a small stack of fire wood.

  “I'll get the fire started,” said Verin, carrying a few logs to the fire ring.

  Kermit laid his pack down in the stone shelter before jumping up onto one of the benches to stare out onto the horizon.

  Andy followed Arlene to the shelter, setting his pack alongside Kermit's. He thumbed through his pocket, feeling the twig that he kept there, the object he had used to anchor his meditations.

  “You good?” Andy said.

  Arlene nodded as she sat down, unzipping her pack and retrieving a snack.

  Andy unstrapped his sword and set it alongside his pack, feeling the lightness of his shoulders. He could breathe more freely without the heavy weapon attached to his back, but he kept his slender dagger sheathed in his belt.

  Just in case.

  He wandered a few paces from the shelter and sat in the soft grass, looking out at the sunset. He took a breath in, and a long breath out, allowing his shoulders to relax and fall. Finally, he set the twig down in the grass before him, bathed in the sun’s orange rays.

  It came more naturally to him than it ever had. Within a few breaths, he felt perfectly centered, perfectly clear.

  He remained there, feeling the heaviness of his body on the grass, sinking deeper into a blissful stillness…

  ***

  “You ok?” Arlene asked, her hand gently resting on Andy’s shoulder.

  Andy jolted into wakefulness, still in a meditative posture on the hillside. The sun had long set and the landscape was illumined only by the moon, stars, and the dying campfire behind him.

  “How long was I out?” Andy asked.

  “Quite a while,” said Arlene. “At least an hour.”

  Andy felt rejuvenated and relaxed, rising to his feet. He hadn't fallen asleep, at least not quite. He had fallen into a meditation so deep he had lost all awareness. “Well I feel fantastic.”

  “Good,” said Arlene, “because I have a favor to ask.”

  “Oh yeah?” Andy said, rising to his feet. He bent over and picked up the twig, dropping it back into his pocket. “What's up?”

  “Well, I… my pack–” she began. Andy faced her. She had shed her heavier gear and stood in only a light tunic as a gust of wind blew. She shivered instinctively, wrapping herself in her own arms.

  “Your pack?” Andy asked.

  “My pack was missing a bedroll,” she said, gritting her teeth. “I was wondering if I… could… sleep with you tonight... Not like that.”

  “Oh,” said Andy. “Oh yeah. Of course.”

  He tried his best to look unbothered, calm, collected. But inwardly his guts were turning with nerves and excitement. It was a stark contrast with his meditative equanimity just moments before.

  Andy followed her back to the shelter. Verin lay sleeping on a small, single bedroll with covers tightly wrapped around him. He snored every few moments.

  Kermit slept in a smaller child’s bedroll on the other side of the shelter. He snored loudly and almost constantly.

  “Here,” said Andy, reaching into his pack and unfurling his bedroll. It would be tight, but it was certainly bigger than Verin’s. He had a large blanket covered in animal fur.

  Andy took off his outer gear and shirt, keeping on a pair of shorts before sliding onto the roll and under the fur blanket.

  Arlene nervously looked for the least intrusive way to enter the bedroll before a gust of wind blew on her, causing her to shiver and immediately dive under the blanket, burying her face in Andy’s chest.

  “Sorry,” she said, looking up at him. “It's just so cold.”

  Her body pressed against his. It was surprisingly… comforting.

  Everything felt right.

  “Don't apologize,” Andy said before drifting off to sleep.