Vescrutia: Legacy

Bo entered from the crystalline walls and they turned to frosted glass behind him, shrouding the view of the sandstone walls behind and rolling dunes around them. The mass of light he saw from outside seemed to be magnified by the threshold's filter, it looked to be a perfectly spherical ball of some sort suspended within concentric rings spiraling around it at different speeds. It spinning emitted a sound almost inaudible to most people, infinitely unique to those who were able to perceive it. With it came a feeling of being drawn into the sphere, an undeniable gravity that called attention and respect to the device. Lambda stood closest to the device with her back turned, next to a figure clad in bars of light from head to toe. In front of her, stood a number of other individuals, between a number of modest obelisks surrounding the group and the device in the middle.

Lambda was speaking already when Bo entered the chamber, but his body morphing through the perimeter gave her pause.

"Oh, and here he is. The merc who beat you all to the punch, say hello to our new colleague, Bo!"

She raised her hand to direct their gaze to Bo and they all turned unceremoniously, welcoming him with silence.

Bo enters the chamber and disappears into a rippling wall, transparent enough to see a mass of light strobing in different directions, massive, shadowy bars gliding before and behind the shining light. There were foggy images of others behind the scenes, but no real features could be made out. Lambda waited within the Reverie Chamber with what looked like a host of other figures. The guard waved Bo off and returned to his duty, giving the beryl spear a quick and confident twirl. If Bo turned out to be who he said he was, maybe he could get a lesson in the ways of Beryl the Beryl Sun.

The scenery of the desert was gone. The space before him rippled as if he had dipped his toe in water. As he passed through it he was now within the chamber. His face flushed with the swathing shadows of massive bars orbiting around a mass of light. Looking around he noticed Lambda, the leader of the guard that detained Zero. Bo worried for him. Any man who would travel through a ghost-ridden lava-filled cavern just to return something he had already stolen couldn't really have been all that bad. Bo wished to believe in the vibes he got from Zero when they first met.

That he was someone to be trusted...that his heart was genuine. If he was a common brigand he could have gotten over on Bo at any moment. He never once gave the impression he would. There were a number of other figures present here with Lambda. Other authority figures? Come kind of council perhaps? Regardless he figured he should still greet them in the manner he was accustomed to. Though most of the natives he encountered so far did not outwardly profess distrust in Bo. He knew his very being here aroused suspicion let alone his tether to Zero. Threaniend or rude were the last things he wished to convey. He would bow.

"Ah Madame Ortiz, please do forgive my tardiness. I was asked to give the guard something important from Rafal. After his kindness, I couldn't refuse."

His eyes met the gaze of no one person in particular. In truth, his eyes were closed as he face the ground. His hand over his heart as he bowed. He would wait to be addressed first. He wasn't sure what their customs were. Bo would tread lightly.

"It's quite alright, we were just about to begin.

And now, I can thank you all for joining me here, on behalf of the Urani Historical Society and a citizen of the world at large."

Lambda spoke to her small audience, Bo and a clutch of characters from what looked like four corners of six seas. The eclectic bunch gave him a solid once over, still standing completely silent. The silence swelled for a bit and some of her guests shifted just a little further away from him to get their own listening space.

One of them spoke from the background, a sleek, shady character in loose fitting clothing set for the islands and long jet black hair contrasting against his outfits bright palette. The tenor of his voice matched the darkness of his hair and wafted through the shining chamber like a ship's wake.

"Thanks don't get us our vessel back."

He was tall, his hair draped over his face only leaving a single, cloudy blue eye piercing through. It cascaded down to his torso, keeping most of his face from view.

"But we made it in one piece, so I guess no harm no foul."

"I truly apologize, I you'll be treated to gracious care and hospitality while you're here in the city."

Lambda responded with a hand over her chest, knowing the citizens wouldn't make a liar of her. They had already given Bo a taste of the life, the following days might prove to outdo one another.

"I'm so happy that all of you were able to make it to this place, and that you were able to heed the request of the Historical Society. Given the... unprecedented circumstances, I'm a little surprised we're all in the same room."

Lambda turned from the crowd to the light behind her, waving her hand and beckoning forward a cylindrical prism bathed in white light. As it came into view, adopting its own form apart from the larger mass behind her. It floated evenly to a position a few feet in front of Lambda, dimming its glow to reveal its contents.

"You'll see that the bounty I invited you all here for has... inexplicably already been collected."

The light dimmed enough to reveal Zero, in the same sly smile and relaxed position from their first encounter, strapped in discs of light lining his body. Lambda sighed, quietly resigning from her expectations of the situation. Word on Vescrutia does indeed travel fast, but most trips to Uran involve some sort of planning, there were spells and works in place to hide its location and twist the routes leading to it. She sent message through those particular lanes to each individual in attendance looking to harness a particular facet of their skillset.

Everyone but Bo.

"And so the reward goes to our party crasher, Bo!"

Lambda smiled as she motioned toward him with wide open arms, presenting the polite merc to the rest of the attendees gathered to join the hunt.

...

...

...

"You're not serious, are you?" spat out from the group.

"This has got to be a setup," said another one.

"I'm thinking the same thing," the first voice responded immediately.

Lambda's eyes narrowed, locking on to his with that same imposing fierceness she approached them with, though the breeze stayed constant and comfortable. Her audience seemed to trigger something in her, she clenched her fist and the shining shackles binding Zero gained luminosity while his frozen smile seemed to strain itself with the passing moment. Lambda looked through Bo, addressing the dissenting crowd around him.

"I'm glad you have a discerning eye, my friends. And we're going to need all of your expertise in vetting this charlatan," she said sternly. "It's been no less than a year of searching on T.U.S.K.U.'s part and both Zero and the Waves of Horus had all but disappeared from Vescrutia, and yet shortly after their reemergence..."

"It just falls into your lap," the same deep, dark voice from before muttered.

"And so it does..." Lambda said, frustration dripping from her lips.

They let the air fill with silence while they began their individual evaluations of him.

The silence was thick, palpable even. Yet Bo stood fast and confident. He was the crown prince of one of the most long-lived royal bloodlines on the face of the mother. In terms of the influential personalities and people meeting, he rarely found himself truly shaken. However, he was quite glad to find Zero still alive, he wasn't sure he was well. But at least he had not been executed. True to their hospitable character, the people of Ulran were not quick to the blade. Perhaps there was reason to be found yet. Everyone's eyes were trained on him like a family of hunters with arrows pointed at a potential threat. Their gazes were drenched in all manner of thoughts and assumptions about him. Drawing their own conclusions of who and what he might be and represent.

"I'm so happy that all of you were able to make it to this place, and that you were able to heed the request of the Historical Society. Given the... unprecedented circumstances, I'm a little surprised we're all in the same room."

So the bounty was by invitation only? That would make it even more sense why Lambda was so surprised by his arrival. The various dangers of one's voyage from Ulran aside, they must have been curious as to how Bo came across such information. He scarcely believed they would believe the truth of the matter.

"..."

Bo said nothing as he stepped forward. His eyes systemically made contact with each person present in the room. A gaze that was not hostile at all but one that made sure to echo the sentiment that he would not be rattled. They each spoke their disappointments. He did not take their frustrations to heart. He apparently had stumbled into quite the effort to retrieve the lost item. Then again, the item in question allowed one to travel through time. Such a relic and the one who claimed the bounty of an even rarer crook would surely spark such responses.

" I do not wish to be seen as rude so I shall introduce myself...In fullness."

He said as he removed his garments that were dropped over his shoulders. The two sleeves fell to his left and right sides. The hilt of his blade bore a triangular engraving etched with beryl stone. Bo was no mere vagabond like he had led on thus far. Anyone with an eye for it could tell that the very scabbard of his blade was crafted by a master artisan.

"Bo, is an alias it is short for Bolt, a nickname from my family."

He turned his back to them all lifting his ponytail up revealing a subtly glowing brand the same shape as the one on the hilt of his blade.

"I am Dazuma Ains Ri'ore Denkou. Prince of the noble house of Ri'ore seated in the Denkou Kingdom and 3rd son of its sovereign; The Emerald King."

He said as he turned and bowed slightly once more. He couldn't help doing so it was in his nature. He braced himself for their responses. It was high time the truth came out, after his conversation with Rafal, he had tired of lies.

"Emerald King? I'll never understand why such esteemed individuals associate with this vagabond," said one of the ladies. She stepped forward, a distinct air of dissatisfaction marked her acknowledgment of his pedigree. She crossed her arms underneath a layered cloak adorned with a giant starlike symbol on the front, scoffing at the luck Zero proved to have time and time again.

They picked him apart with their eyes, thirsty for him to fess up to something, anything to give Zero a swift comeuppance. Lambda sneered, staring right down her nose at this self proclaimed Emerald King bringing the object of ire to their doorstep.

"Emerald King, I regret to inform you that you are under suspicion of membership to the terrorist organization, Leviathan Order. You are also under suspicion of conspiracy to violate laws of the natural order. The Urani Historical society and the jurisdiction granted to them by the Janus Conscription will deliberate with their esteemed guests in this one of a kind arraignment.

The Historical Society and by proxy, the rest of the world ask you, Bo, How do you plead?"

She had to begin with formalities before laying into the man. Zero had no defense, he was caught in the act and laughed on his way out the door. The grace of Uran also came with the wrath of the scorned, especially when bringing their well preserved history into the fold. The one who brought him in, however, might have been who he claimed to be, Emerald King, third of his name, and still in cahoots with Zero. Unlike their first meeting, Zero's reputation preceded him and she had a sense of what to expect. This particular situation unnerved her and she needed Bo to produce a legitimate explanation for how he found himself in this chamber uninvited with a world class criminal in his possession unscathed and unbothered. Something didn't add up.

"The Alsace hank you for having us," the woman from before said, making a small but formal gesture with her hands.

Bo was definitely in for a crazy ride.

"Emerald King? I'll never understand why such esteemed individuals associate with this vagabond," said one of the ladies. She stepped forward, a distinct air of dissatisfaction marked her acknowledgment of his pedigree. She crossed her arms underneath a layered cloak adorned with a giant starlike symbol on the front, scoffing at the luck Zero proved to have time and time again.

Seem it was routine for Zero to be in the company of nobility. Considering his charming demeanor Dazuma could contest that he could swiftly capture the heart of many people. It was no surprise to him now having traveled with him and witnessing the love Uran showed. He had no doubt their aggression toward his compatriot was well-founded. Regardless of their nor his personal views of Zero one thing that Dazuma prided himself on was his creed. He would not lie, he refused to and in this scenario doing so would be to his disadvantage.

"Emerald King, I regret to inform you that you are under suspicion of membership to the terrorist organization, Leviathan Order. You are also under suspicion of conspiracy to violate laws of the natural order. The Urani Historical society and the jurisdiction granted to them by the Janus Conscription will deliberate with their esteemed guests in this one of a kind arraignment.

Ah, so he was to also stand trial? What better way to lure any adventurer in than with the promise of a reward? After all, you attract more flies with honey. He wanted to reach out telepathically to Zero to ask him why he went through the trouble of betraying these people. However, since Lambda's power was still in effect it seemed that even Zero's brainwaves might've been halted as he had not been able to communicate with him since she activated it.

"Me the Emerald King? My lady, even now you unduly honor me."

He said with a stone-solid face. He knew what needed to be done, what needed to be said. What is important to the prey is pedestrian for the predator.

"I am merely a prince, not even fit to rule such a domain. My elder brother is the current king and..."

He paused his fist tightened. He had only disclosed the state of his people to Zero, no one else, the entire time he had been carrying the burden alone. It was time, time the Denkou name was taken out of the light and its darkness revealed...only then could the path to healing his nation begin.

"Before I give my plea, I think the bigger inquiry that everyone here wants to know. Is how I even crossed paths with the culprit and how it was that I came to apprehend him yes?"

His gaze met that of the cloaked woman who bore a star emblem. She seemed to have some notion of familiarity around his kingdom. Perhaps she belonged to a neighboring kingdom that the Denkou traded with? Dazuma's gaze lay now solely on Lambda. It was time he told her the truth, she had been so kind to him up until this point and even now sometime told him that she was some kind of conflicted.

The Kingdom of Denkou was once a land saturated with peace and prosperity, now it is a land rife with civil war chaos, and death. I was a prisoner of my own home. My power, stolen from me by the Emerald King. A malignant force has corrupted my elder brother and is wreaking havoc on the people who I love and care for. But for all my wittiness and smarts I was powerless to fend for them let alone myself.

His teeth grit

So I fled, fled in search of the truth behind the origin of my people. A lead to anything that would point to our past to help me uncover the history behind the darkness that now clouds my kingdom. Though, now as a runaway, I had no money nor any way to fend for myself, so I began mercenary work. Taking on odd jobs here and there. I was visiting DUSTERS a tavern that served as a hub for such work...it was there. There I found Zero, though, at the time, I knew nothing of who or what he was."

He sighed releasing his fist and calming himself

"I approached him, and in the brief time we spoke he offered for me to accompany him on a journey to return a package. He never disclosed to me its content or where we were even going. Me, being so desperate to outrun the shadows of my past I hurriedly agreed. From there we set out and it was only by Zero's guidance that a naive pauper such as myself could have made it here, the Uran defense is quite deadly. When we arrived we were confronted by Lady Ortiz and in that very moment is when the truth was brought to me...and the very cuffs that Zero now wears were handed to me to place on him. I've never even heard of this Leviathan Order."\

He looked at his friend and smiled softly

"Needless to say I was just as taken aback as everyone here to learn what had happened and even more so to know that it happened after the love and precious hospitality the Urani people showed me. I stared into his eyes when we first met, and I cannot assume the entirety of his character. But..."

He looked back to the entirety of the group before him

I would stake my very life on the fact that I believe Zero to be remorseful for his actions and it is that very remorse that caused him not to risk his life yet again to travel back here to return what he stole...if he was truly malicious I could not fathom why he would return such a powerful artifact when no one here could find him...

His naten began to thicken...the conviction behind his words rang true. It was how his magic operated, whenever he felt strongly about something his power grew in tandem. He hoped not to alarm anyone but his next choice of words could leave no room for misunderstanding.

"I plead, Not guilty on the charges of terrorism

Dazuma wrote: Wed Jun 14, 2023 9:18 amif he was truly malicious I could not fathom why he would return such a powerful artifact when no one here could find him...

"He went back to Duster's? Fenri would have killed him if he caught him there," the disgruntled gentleman said, baffled at the audacity of that man.

"I understand that he was a member of your organization before, David" Lambda said.

"Yeah, he was great. Suuuuper cocky," David said, with a slightly wistful tone. Their organization, Diamond Dust, was a world spanning operation in humanitarianism. David and Zero worked together during the Eruption of Mount Volvagia, an event they used to argue who carried the team during. Zero never conceded his position and they would joke about it for days, but they always agreed they would tackle as many volcanoes as they had to to settle the score.

"Duly noted," she replied. Her skeptical smirk belied her acknowledgment of his skill. Her shining bindings locked his mind and body, a precaution to make sure he doesn't slip away for another year. The theft of the Waves of Horus was a caper that some had already turned into song and story, and then the culprit disappeared off the face of Vescrutia like a ghost of Arcturus. Lambda expected the leader of the Leviathan Order to be a bit more boisterous with his quarry, a mistake she intended to not make again. Zero's laid back demeanor and general likability made the pain of his betrayal and cunning of his actions that much more diabolical.

Her eyes stayed locked on Bo, still unsure of his connection to all of this. The Leviathan Order was made up of Atlanteans , specifically the Jaigao Rays and other humans from around the Jaigao Sea. It looked to her like his outfit at least helped sell his story.

"You're right, and our inability to find him was the whole point of this meeting. It is quite interesting that you were able to show up at the exact moment we intended to double our efforts to head off calamity. The Fall of Arcturus was an omen we thought it best to heed, and returning the Waves of Horus to this vessel became our first priority."

The Fall of Arcturus marked a tipping point in Vescrutia's history, taking the most permanent monument to collective prosperity disappeared in a night, a sacred place said to have stood since time immemorial, vanished unceremoniously.

"They say bad things come in threes so we had been waiting for the shoe to drop, waiting for a sign he was abusing the powers of the relic, but things were quiet. Our only lead was some of the connections he made through Leviathan Order which led us to our guests," she said motioning to either side of Bo. "Alsace d' Marlboro and Diamond Dust. I extended an invitation to the Kingdom of Chaos as well, but we received no reply. I'm sure we can manage with this guest list. "

While Lambda sized up Bo, the woman standing next to David scoffed again. "I bet Zeik is covering for him, think you could put him on trial for being an accessory?" she asked, groaning impatiently.

"Ah ha ha she's right, Diamond Dust is honored to be here to assist with this. Fenri sends his regards," David tried to clear his throat extremely audibly, hoping nobody else heard her implicating one of their best allies in this trial. He dug his elbow into groaned again, turning away from the conversation.

"You're either a saint or a fool joining a man delivering a 'package'," Lambda makes air quotes with her fingers, "without asking a single question, and then arrested him just because he told you to. You didn't seem to have the makings of a 'bounty hunter' either when I approached you." She made another air quote. "Especially considering I literally saw you put the cuffs on him..."

"Also, I know most of the guys in Leviathan Order,' David interjected. "If he's in their crew, he's new."

"Noted. However unlikely you are a member of Leviathan Order, there's still the matter of disruption of the natural order... And you just met him in a bar... You seriously joined him on a whim?"

Lambda sounded more confused than stoic now, how immensely foolish of Bo to get caught in the crossfire of Zero's comeuppance.

Dazuma waved his hands in the air shrugging. Indeed it wasn't very smart of him. They could chalk it up to his age, after all, he was but a tender 16. He was sheltered from the world around him with only the people of his domain to interact with. Not much experience with the litany of personalities that walked the planet. At least those of the deceitful kind. Most people tended to be honest with him, whether it was because of his stature or just his general likability. One thing he did have though is an insanely keen sense of intuition. Enough to persuade himself to accompany. At the core though, of every adventurer's heart though is the adrenaline that the fear of tackling the unknown creates. A gnawing desire to know that which you do not, even more so when that knowledge is connected to your people.

"You're either a saint or a fool joining a man delivering a 'package'," Lambda makes air quotes with her fingers, "without asking a single question, and then arrested him just because he told you to. You didn't seem to have the makings of a 'bounty hunter' either when I approached you." She made another air quote. "Especially considering I literally saw you put the cuffs on him..."

Dazuma's brow furrowed he would not attempt to persuade them otherwise. He would though provide as much clarity around the ambiguity of this situation as much as he could

"I could never claim the title of saint, regardless of my reasons I fled my home while my people still suffer. These days I've felt more fool than savior"/b]

He took a deep breath; it had only been a few months since he defected, and the faces of his people echoed in his mind constantly. His family was in shambles it was still so raw for him. However, he needed to keep himself together.

"I never claimed my bounties to be people. For I am a hunter of knowledge. At my core, I am an adventurer. He presented the idea of going to a lost city that has existed for thousands of years. My kingdom was the only place I knew of that has lived so long, I felt, felt like I could find a hint even a clue to a knowledge older than my own, to a truth possibly tethered to my own."

He palmed his forehead lightly with his right hand.

"Yes, quite foolish indeed. Though, I am sure many of you here could claim to understand how a naive teenager could get tangled up in an unscrupulous web of when the possibility of laying eyes on such an unfathomable unknown. The daringly brazen passion of a youthful scholar? Or, am I truly alone here?"


They all looked to be well-sanded patrons. He's sure some of them have been in their respective roles since their youth. Was it really such a foreign concept that a young naive noble could have wound up on the coattails of conspiracy when searching for secrets?

"Aaaaah, the age card. Won't do you any good here, your homie's been pillagin' the high seas and low valleys since he could walk," the dark haired man said, patting him on the shoulder as he walked past him, Lambda, and the effigy of a man stranded before them. He walked toward the orbiting wheels of the light clad construct huffing a heavy sigh, staring at it with a hand pursed to his chin, completely hidden by his jet black hair streaming from his scalp. Looking up into the light, his head drifted to the side, cocked in curiosity, trying to make sense of the intervals.

"Lambda," he said, his deep tenor dripping from behind his hair. "If it pleases the 'court'" he said making similar gestures to hers, "could you hand me the Waves of Horus. There is still work to do here."

"Ah, yes, please forgive me, Azul." Lambda turned away from Bo to reach into a satchel at her hip. From it, she pulled another pair of smaller, cloth satchels that knocked together with a muffled, but solid clack. The clack seemed to create a wave in the air, a ripple in space from where the bags met. Azul reached for them, extending a palm that beckoned them from her hand with a small, airy vortex. They orbited one another as Azul brought the rotating system to his eye, the bags falling from the shining orbs inside like clothing off a shoulder.

"He scratched them..."

"That's the least of our worries."

"That's exactly our worries. The proper works are gonna take quite some time and are independent of your verdict with him. I'll get started and let me know how it goes."

Azul retreated deeper into the Janus Ring, straight in the middle of the mass of light and disappeared from sight with the Waves of Horus with him. Lambda turned back to Bo and the remaining crew and mulled over the information left before her. Azul reminded her of the severity of the situation, not only with the items being stolen, but coming back damaged as well. Lambda made a point to highlight.

"I'll let you know, Bo, your naivety isn't a good look. For a seeker of knowledge you should be more discerning with your company. You have no idea what people are capable of until they show you..." She waved her hand and Zero's frozen body floated to the side and was puppeted into a seated position. She took a deep breath and ran her hand through her hair, wiping some of the sweat from her brow, neck craned backward, begging the sky for an answer. "David, you're sure he's not in Leviathan Order?"

"I mean, they're mostly Atlantean?" David asked.

"They tend to be. Bo, at least for the time being, can you promise me that you won't steal anything from this city? You seem to have a decent head on your shoulders so I can trust you with that much, right?" she asked shaking off some of the tension in the room. It seemed everyone was growing weary of the questions and they weren't getting them very far. Bo didn't seem completely untrustworthy, just uninvited. With Azul already working with the relics and Zero subdued, the cast here all seemed to be able to play well together except for the woman sulking a few feet away.

"Aaaaah, the age card. Won't do you any good here, your homie's been pillagin' the high seas and low valleys since he could walk," the dark haired man said, patting him on the shoulder as he walked past him, Lambda, and the effigy of a man stranded before them. He walked toward the orbiting wheels of the light clad construct huffing a heavy sigh, staring at it with a hand pursed to his chin, completely hidden by his jet black hair streaming from his scalp. Looking up into the light, his head drifted to the side, cocked in curiosity, trying to make sense of the intervals.

Dazuma scratched the back of his head while also sighing. He figured it might be a reach but nothing beats a failure but a try. Still, the tension in the room began to die down at least, the fearsome intensity he felt from the collective had watered down some. Meaning that while he didn't believe any of them trusted him per se, they could at least have surmised he was not an enemy or another cog in whatever underground black mart plots they had going on here. What this all did tell Dazuma however is that there was far more going on here than Zero would've ever let him in on. Part of him understood, after all, he and Zero were still strangers to each other. He wondered though, what made Zero so keep on leaving such a delicate matter in his hands. He could've easily swindled Zero's character for a reward and come up with some ploy that could've possibly made him seem more of a hero who bested the lecher.

And yet,he trusted me.

He could not help but think. Maybe they could just, well, read each other. How odd.

Then, a chill up his spine and a warmth that soon followed.

Because despite how little you think of yourself the very cosmos themselves are destined to sing your praises. You who's coming dawns the age of change. Bringer of Azure light, Dawn of the Beryl Sun, whose flare is fated to wash over all planes all domains. The Emerald King. He can see it, even if he does not know that is what he sees. You must learn to see...feel... trust.


The voice again, from when he first stepped in Uran. The power behind it was thick here, he was close to whatever or whoever was channeling their thoughts through him. Ther Beryl sun, his time in Uran was the only time he'd ever heard such a phrase. The Emerald Ocean he was more than familiar with. It is the context in which they measured the depth of the previous Emerald King's power, the limitless bounds of his father's might. Was the context of the Beryn sun similar? He couldn't even conceptualize it honestly. He could barely muster enough of his birthright as is, let alone to the extent prophesized.

"I'll let you know, Bo, your naivety isn't a good look. For a seeker of knowledge, you should be more discerning with your company. You have no idea what people are capable of until they show you..."

Lessoned learned, truly. The importance of asking the needed questions, but moreover, not accepting blanket statements and demanding the true scope of what he was getting into. It would be the last time he allowed himself to be placed in such a potentially hazardous position. This time it was the hospitable people of Uran. Next time it could be bloodthirsty bandit pirate monsters. A thought that made him shudder.

"They tend to be. Bo, at least for the time being, can you promise me that you won't steal anything from this city? You seem to have a decent head on your shoulders so I can trust you with that much, right?"

"You and everyone here have my solemn vow. I wouldn't dream of stealing from the good people of Uran"

He had always been able to ask for whatever his heart desired so the thought of thievery never crossed his mind before today. Even with something as powerful as a time-traveling artifact, he wouldn't dare to trample on that trust.