Prior to Iskara reaching Jacob

  Jacob wipes some grime off his face and looks at the few monsters he’s killed.

  Their carapaces have been cut thinly, but rot settled inside the creatures from the inside. They’re all at Diamond Rank and way too strong for Jacob to defeat through brute force. Even with The Devil’s Engine running and enhancing his personal power, the Iron Monsters’ Peak is a giant plateau up an impossibly high mountain surrounded by nothing but clouds. Said clouds edge this naturally formed arena. And monsters climb from the edges onto the plateau, reaching for Jacob with hides so thick not even King Baalrek’s sword has so far managed to pierce them without using Diavolo Hypercut.

  “Listen,” Jacob says, cracking his neck. “Did you mention that I might use some help? These monsters might kill me—I didn’t believe but… yeah, I’d like a hand.”

  “In the Iron Monsters’ Peak, you can bring one helper, Jacob Cloud.”

  Jacob takes a moment to reflect and then his face darkens.

  “I’d like… Iskara. Princess Iskara Drazhal.”

  “How come?” The Mithril Golem asks. “I believe that her parents placed her under some sorts of restriction—an oath probably. I’d like to help. Maybe if I can get her stronger… wait, is there something I could do with the Star Metal to help?”

  “As in,” the Mithril Golem frowns, “you’d want to use your Star Metal for her?”

  What is he thinking? Truly, he already gained so much through his generosity for his friends, but… I was there when he spoke to the first-year Champions—hidden away, but listening. He knows one of them will betray him. Or at least, he said so. Doesn’t he think that that someone might be the Infernal Princess he suspects already has been sworn to betray him?

  “Yeah,” Jacob scratches his chin. “If I could somehow make Iskara more powerful, with her and Vyrrak—hell, imagine if I could get Asterion to help too… Yeah, but I don’t have a good read on Asterion yet. I haven’t even seen his true capabilities. So, if I could get Iskara and Vyrrak on my side to humiliate the Dark Champions, imagine the impact. If it was only me and Vyrrak, while I hide away the Champions, only for them to sort of spring out in my help, it could look… not great. But now, two members of the Three Great Races fighting by my side, defending the Academy’s honor? Do you understand the effect that would have on everyone else?”

  “Junior Brother Cloud,” the Mithril Golem says stiffly, “I am not one to doubt your plans, since they so clearly seem to always work out. However, you’re suggesting wasting one piece of Star Metal on someone who wants to betray you, if you’re correct. Am I getting something wrong?”

  “If I’m right, she might betray me because of the oath she made.”

  “And you think that simply resolving the oath will make her loyal?”

  “No, I’m not saying that,” Jacob replies.

  The Mithril Golem shifted its massive weight, causing the very foundation of the plateau to groan under the stress. A puff of dust rose around its metallic feet

  “And what might you be saying?”

  “I am saying,” Jacob replies, wiping a smear of dark ichor from his cheek, “that there is a fundamental difference between an enemy who wants you dead and a weapon that is being aimed at you against its will.”

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  He gestures with his chin toward the edge of the arena where the Diamond Rank horrors are waiting the Mithril Golem’s command before they can finish their climb.

  “If I use the Star Metal on myself, what do I get, Senior Brother Liuthkrav?”

  “Power, talent, and a natural aptitude that you’re missing and you need dearly. Jacob Cloud, you can use Star Metal to break an oath. But I’m saying that you shouldn’t.”

  “Loyalty isn't a transaction, and it certainly isn't a shackle,“ Jacob replies, looking directly into the animated eye of the construct. ”If her parents bound her with an oath, that’s a cage. They made her a weapon for their use. If I use the Star Metal on her… She gets to make the choice.”

  “She gets to choose whether she wants to betray you or not.”

  “She does,” Jacob replies, looking pensive. “But what’s the other choice? I do earn something if she doesn’t. And why would she?”

  “Let’s assume she does,” Liuthkrav says, “you’d be giving up a priceless artifact. You need all three drops of Star Metal, Junior Brother Cloud. Your talent—and I don’t mean to insult you—but it’s terrible. No one I’ve known in the vicinity of my master has ever needed Star Metal more than you. You need it to match your kindness and courage, if anything.”

  “I’ll take the compliment, Senior Brother, but I still think I’m right. Anyway, you can dissolve an oath like hers with the Star Metal? Would it also help her become stronger? She’s not at the level of the Dark Champions, most likely.”

  “It would do both,” Liuthkrav comments, looking away. “The oath that she swore is probably much weaker than the oaths of old, the ones enforced by Devils. In this world, I don’t know anyone besides Gods and old, ancient monsters who could tie a soul so tightly that they wouldn’t be freed by Star Metal.”

  “So, how does that work?” Jacob asks.

  “You would also need to split the power of the crystal obelisk,” the Mithril Golem points at the still-dim crystal. He has already explained to Jacob that the real reward from this Trial wouldn’t be just the training, but an actual transfer of power from the Crystal. This, together with the Star Metal, would massively empower him.

  “Sure,” Jacob says without hesitation. “Then, Senior Brother Liuthkrav, let’s do it. Bring me Iskara.”

  “Junior Brother Cloud,” Liuthkrav says, hesitating. “Why would you do this when you know she can betray you?”

  “The choice has to be hers,” Jacob says, looking in the distance. “If the choice was mine,” he looks back at Liuthkrav with a smile, “then what would that matter? If she betrays me and, I don’t know, sells me out, I’ll figure out the next step.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “No, I’m not,” Jacob says. “I don’t want to know whether someone I consider a friend is ready to sell me out, Liuthkrav. And spending a mythical resource on someone who might backstab me is not something I like to do. But Iskara has given me several reasons to believe that, if I help her get rid of the oath, she would, most likely, come back ot my side. And she is strong. With the drop of Star Metal? Hell, she’d be a monster.”

  * * *

  The Present

  Currently, Liuthkrav watches in silence.

  The next horde of monsters is making their way toward Jacob and the Infernal Princess.

  His Junior Brother has made yet another gamble that he wouldn’t have made himself.

  If he gets betrayed, he is going to pay a dear, dear price. And, like my master, someone like him seems to attract terrible people. This girl keeps looking in the direction of the crystal with ravenous eyes. Please, do not betray him.

  Liuthkrav has seen many betray his master.

  The sadness that coursed through the man when that happened is hard to describe.

  The screech of metal grinding against stone tears through the howling wind, announcing the arrival of the next wave.