Corin bit into the meat he had just prepared.

  “Hmm,” he mused to himself. He did not want to say anything out loud. He felt that if he said anything, he would influence the others’ opinions.

  I think this tastes pretty damn good. To think there are other flavor profiles such as this that I have yet to try before! What else is waiting out there for us to try?

  “Finally, something new!” Zaire exclaimed in between bites.

  “Very good, Corin,” Nanaua chimed in.

  “Oh, it’s nothing.” Corin replied.

  I know it is very damn good!

  As they all ate, Corin heard a sizzling sound coming from around them.

  He instinctively looked at the fire. But there was nothing cooking there.

  That’s odd.

  The sound only grew.

  “Corin, your food is going to burn,” Nanaua said without looking.

  “It’s not me,” he replied.

  “I don’t get it,” Zaire said as he stood up and looked at the flame. There was nothing burning in there .

  “All of you, look!” Ciana said.

  Corin turned his head to look at the sky.

  Above him, a gargantuan piece of stone flew through the air over the horizon. He and all the others knew instantly what they were looking at.

  “That’s a large piece of a Dragon temple!” Corin shouted. “It’s crashing!”

  Corin remembered what Nanaua had told him about the reason the dragon temples came crashing down.

  “If it is that large, it can only mean one thing.” Corin said.

  “What?” Ciana asked him.

  “A Dragon was killed.” Nanaua said.

  Ciana looked at Corin. She locked eyes with him; he nodded. They both turned to look at the sky as they stared at the mammoth rock as it flew over the horizon. Within moments it crashed far in the distance. The impact was felt mere moments later.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Silence washed over the camp.

  “The furtive army!” Zaire said gleefully. “They must have taken down one of the dragons!”

  “If dragons are involved in this fight now, this just makes things more complicated.” Corin said as he still stared into the distance.

  “It was a matter of when, not if,” Nanaua replied without taking her eyes off the horizon.

  “The dragon temple — we should go to it!” Zaire said.

  The rest looked at Zaire with confused looks.

  “What is there that you would want from a dragon temple?” Corin asked.

  “There are items from the temples that cannot be found elsewhere.” Zaire began. “Using those, I have been able to fashion many tools and weapons that have helped me.”

  Nanaua and Corin exchanged looks of surprise.

  “I am not lying!” Zaire began as he searched the inside of his robe. He brought out some round objects. Corin remembered seeing them when they were first attacked by the Zifors.

  “That’s not it.” Nanaua began. “We know that you are being truthful. One of our former companions was quite gifted at repurposing items from the temples to fashion weapons.”

  A former companion.

  The words stung. That is what Livia was now to them.

  “A former companion? Was it another temple priest?” Zaire asked, his indignance replaced by intrigue.

  “No,” Corin interjected. “My wife.”

  “Your… wife?” Zaire’s tone changed.

  “Yes, a furtive unlike any other.” Nanaua spoke up. “She crafted weapons that could make even the feeblest amongst the furtives an equal to a well-trained swordsman.”

  “What?” Zaire replied. “How? Do you have one of these weapons?”

  They all looked at Corin. He felt as if a heavy weight had manifested itself around his waist. It is where he kept the pistol from Livia. He had not fired it since their encounter with Bellum, despite that he kept it well maintained.

  “Yes.” He replied, his mind still lost in thought. “Yes, I have it, right here.”

  He reached for the pistol and grasped it. He firmly squeezed it, as if he was being forced to give it up. He looked up to see the excited Zaire. Corin pulled out the pistol. It was spotless, the wood finish around the metal grip as finely polished as the day he had received it.

  Zaire came over and inspected it from every angle.

  “What does it do?” Zaire finally asked.

  “It’s best if I just show you.” Corin replied. “Let’s see how atrophied my aim is.”

  He went over to his bag and picked out a dim light fruit. It did not have much life left in it. He handed it over to Nanaua and walked far away.

  He held the pistol in one hand, pointing it down.

  “Let me know, Corin,” Nanaua said.

  Even Ciana was intrigued by what was happening.

  “Now!” Corin shouted.

  Nanaua threw the fruit high into the air. As it arced down in the distance, Corin quickly pulled up the weapon, looked down the barrel with his eye, and shot. The fruit exploded, and in the air, bioluminescent spray danced with the wind.

  “Oh, what!? Amazing!” Zaire exclaimed. His head constantly moved from the fruit to the pistol. Once his wits rejoined him, he ran over to Corin.

  “Can I please see it?” Zaire asked.

  Corin stared at the furtive. He felt as if he was being asked to part ways with his own heart.

  “Zaire, Corin never lets go of that.” Nanaua said as she approached the duo.

  “It’s fine.” Corin said. He carefully grabbed the weapon, emptied out the chamber and handed Zaire the gun.

  “What is that?” Zaire asked as he looked at the bullet.

  “The ammunition.” Corin replied. “I don’t want you to shoot yourself, or us, by accident.”

  Zaire studied the weapon, opening it to look down the barrel. He marveled at all the intricate pieces.

  “This is amazing!” Zaire said, but then he was silent. “How come you didn’t use this weapon the other day? When the Zifors were attacking?”

  “Well, my wife not only made the weapon, but she also crafted the ammunition.” Corin replied. “And after this little demonstration, I have only seven more shots left.”

  “And how about you? You don’t have one of these?” Zaire asked Nanaua.

  “I prefer to use my pike. Besides, that same pistol almost killed me.” Nanaua replied.

  “I see,” Zaire said as he kept studying the weapon.

  “May I see the ammunition?” Zaire asked, extending a hand out to Corin.

  “Be careful with it.” Corin said as he handed him the bullet.

  Zaire studied the small metal projectile.

  “There’s two pieces here?” Zaire said out loud. Then he muttered something under his breath.

  “What?” Corin said out loud.

  Zaire did not even reply to Corin; it seemed as if he was talking to himself.

  “If possible, could I see you load the weapon? And use it?” Zaire asked Corin.

  “I just said I only had seven more shots!” Corin said bewildered.

  “I think I know how the weapon works, but I need to be sure.” Zaire replied.

  “And so what if you understand it? How does that help me if I need to shoot and I run out of bullets?” Corin asked.

  “Well, if I’m right, when we go to the temple, I should be able to make more bullets for you.” Zaire replied.

  “You think you’d be able to make more bullets?” Corin asked with an incredulous tone.

  “I won’t know until I see you use it.” Zaire replied.

  “Here goes nothing,” Corin replied.

  He quickly armed the pistol.

  “Take a good look.” He said to Zaire.