While resting before tackling the round room with seven pillars, Rask approaches Alexis.
“Alexis, if I may, I hoping we can talk more as a team about the… magic here… the treasure we have and the treasure we seek?
Rask waits for Alexis to accept his request.
“You said that the crystal ball is corrupted and the magic here is corrupted, right? It seems like this is all connected… The Tear must be corrupted too, right? If it is corrupted, can we really use it against… our Adversary uncleaned? Can we cleanse the taint of the Tear? Can we learn how by trying to cleanse the taint of the the crystal ball? Do you think we have to cleanse the taint of the Maiden to do so?”
Alexis nods slowly, letting Rask finish.
“Bandesingh is trying to open a door that doesn’t close. People dying in the streets. Children. Suffering that goes on and on with no end and no mercy and no explanation. Whatever he’s calling through, it will not stop. It will not negotiate. It will not get tired.” He lets that sit for a moment. “That’s what we’re here to prevent.”
He looks at Rask directly.
“The black blade was eating you alive. I know that. I’m not suggesting you go back for it. But if it were somehow in your hand, and it was the thing that put Bandesingh down? I hope you’d use it. One terrible thing to stop something worse.”
He glances away briefly.
“Dauntless wants what we want. Gus was convinced it was going to corrupt him the same way the black blade corrupted you. He was wrong about that. But you know Gus.” A small, tired smile. “I could make the same case for Red and Carm in their own ways. The point is, if humanity is on the table, I’ll take some corruption. I’ve sworn to stop this man.”
He goes quiet, eyes closing, and recites from memory.
“He was born of two hatreds. He sought a crown not forged for him, but one he wished to see forged. He broke the Second Sun and called it progress as he stepped on the ruins he had wrought. He climbed the ladder of the gods with mortal bones and was denied entry, but his hubris never ends.”
He opens his eyes.
“Bandesingh gets stopped. I’m not letting vanity or squeamishness get in the way of that.”
Rask nods in agreement and understanding. His face and eyes show agreement, fierce determination, loss, sympathy, empathy and concern as Alexis discusses Bandesingh, the Black Blade, willingness to defeat the enemy at all costs. And sadness.
He takes a deep breath.
“I understand all to well. I miss it still. Without the corruption of Zrithak and the need to free myself from that I don’t know that I would have ever given it up. I still dream about killing him with it, pulling his soul into the black raging void.”
The deadly warrior takes another deep breath, regarding Alexis with deep empathy and concern.
Finally, he nods grimly.
“Thank you. You know far more about these things than I do, and this seems like powerful and dangerous magic, but I trust you to lead us to victory… no matter the cost.”
Rask seems satisfied, not happy exactly, pleased perhaps, but no less grim or determined.