Ca’armine, moving through the group as we walk along, pulls Gustav aside for a word.
“My friend, we have a problem. I need your help to solve it—though we may both perish in the attempt.
Rask has a cursed sword, and his increasing disquiet—even with the sword out of reach—tells me he may be hosting an evil soul. Perhaps Zrithak is joined with him.
I am asking him to give me his swords, to fight with batons only for now, but this is a stop-gap. If the evil inside him concludes he must move against the party—and Red heard him say as much in his sleep!—there will be serious trouble, mainly for me as the keeper of the Black Blade.
Please keep close to me and be ready to defend me if he tries to take the sword from me?
In my prayers it has become clear to me that the sword, and perhaps the evil soul, are avid to destroy us all. If Rask is under the thrall of these evils, he is the most dangerous foe we have faced together, and we will need to be resolute.
In Raiden’s name I charge you—NONE OF US may wield the black blade even one more time, and he that attempts it, must be stopped, even if his death is the only way. Will you accept this charge?”
Gustav reflects back Ca’armines seriousness back to him in his face.
“I can promise to defend you if he tries to take the sword from you by force. I offer to sleep next to you as well so that I would be awoken if you are molested in any way and can help shield you.
I assume you have spoken with Alexis on these matters and he is in agreement that no one can use the black blade? I of course have no interest in wielding it and am very suspicious of its power. What of the rest of the team? They are all in agreement?”
Ca’armine responds. “I have not spoken to the rest of the team, so evident does it seem to me, that the black blade is powerfully evil. I would not want to be in the vicinity, if another of us would choose to take it up. However, neither do I intend to be making a permanent decision for anyone on this team. Burying the blade does not make it go away. If we learn that Rask can live without it, keep himself from going back for it, and turn away from it when next we are in its presence, then I will ask for the will of the group. I hope that Rask will understand that he cannot again take it up, except at great peril to his soul, and to those of all of the party. I would not wield it, because I do not know that my own soul is stronger than the will of the blade.”
Ca’armine thinks again, then says: “If you, or Red, or Alexis were to take out the black blade now, and tell me that it had been secretly retrieved– I would be torn between running away, or fighting the wielder. I would not be relaxed about it.”