"And so the nefarious king assigned Jason a most dangerous mission: he should travel to the faraway kingdom of Colchis and retrieve the mythical Golden Fleece!" Striking a dramatic stance, Henry surveyed his audience, Scale and Cube, who eagerly stared up at him from their nest, which they would soon outgrow.

"Oh, I believe I have read that story before," said a new voice before he could continue, and Henry whipped around to face Cevian at the entrance.

"That is wonderful, but now I am telling it."

She laughed and lifted her front paws, indicating that she had no desire to intervene, and Henry shifted his focus back to the eager pups. "Hence, Jason rallied a formidable crew of companions and embarked on a journey to Colchis aboard the ship Argo. Along their treacherous path, they encountered numerous dangers." He theatrically spread his arms. "Yet, none managed to daunt them, so they eventually reached their destination. But if you assume that he simply walked up to the ruler of Colchis and effortlessly obtained the Fleece, you would be mistaken!"

The pups' eyes became even larger, and Scale nervously kneaded the nest material between his front paws.

"Unsurprisingly, the ruler would not part with such a valuable artifact just like so. Hence, he demanded that Jason undertake a series of supposedly impossible tasks first." Henry laughed. "Yet—just like I—Jason was not deterred by the prospect of impossibility."

"What tasks?" Cube squeaked.

"Which ones? Jason's or mine?"

"Henry!" Thanatos, who lay dozing in a corner of the nursery, raised his head.

"It does not hurt to ask!" laughed Henry.

"You have told them about your own tasks numerous times," said his flier. "Just tell the story."

"Story! Story!" wailed the pups, and Henry rolled his eye.

"Fine, fine. So, the tasks Jason had to undertake were indeed dreadful. He was required to plow a field using oxen that breathed fire, then scatter the teeth of a dragon in the same field, and ultimately slay the dragon himself!"

"How the hell did he do that?" Thanatos asked.

Henry grinned. "See, he had won the love of the king's daughter Medea—a sorceress. She promised to assist him with the tasks, should he agree to wed her. And so it was done!" exclaimed Henry. "With joint efforts, they overcame the labors and took the Fleece, sailing away together, as promised."

"Yes! Yes!" the pups chanted. "Happy end!"

"Not quite." Cevian suddenly stepped forth. "But perhaps we should indeed call it a story here for the pups."

She was cut off by squeaks of protest. "No! More! More!"

"What followed was not so happy, though," said Henry. "Despite initially appearing innocent while helping Jason, Medea's true nature was revealed when she murdered her own brother in order to fend off the king's pursuing army." The pups' smiles instantly fell, and Henry crossed his arms, grinning sourly. "Jason honored his commitment to wed her, but as time went on, he grew increasingly convinced that she had started to descend into madness."

"Hold on!" Cevian attempted to cut him off.

"At one point, the king offered Jason his daughter's hand in marriage," continued Henry undauntedly, "and so he left Medea, taking the king up on his offer." Before Cevian could interrupt again, Henry raised his hands. "I will acknowledge that this action lacked courtesy, but when Medea learned of his intention to leave her, she proceeded to poison not just Jason's new bride-to-be but also the king, and—"

"Alright, let us end it here, shall we?" Cevian's drowned out Henry's voice.

"Very well," he admitted after a pause, taking in the pups' large, frightened eyes. "My point was that there is no happy ending. Medea's jealous rage and thirst for vengeance ruined not only hers but many more lives."

"Hold on for a moment . . ."

"Why am I to hold on?" exclaimed Henry. "She was mad."

"Now, I am not saying that she was justified in killing," said Cevian pensively. "But were her actions not, in truth, enabled by Jason's betrayal? She had aided him in his quest for the fleece, and in return, he left her for a princess."

"But he did marry her initially," retorted Henry. "Is it a betrayal to fall out of love? To fall in love with someone else later in life?"

"I doubt he loved the princess." Cevian scoffed. "Far likelier, he married her because of her status."

"Please, you cannot assume that!" exclaimed Henry. "It is plausible that he had genuine feelings for the princess. And he remained faithful to Medea—he never betrayed her trust. She and everyone she dragged down with herself succumbed to her own selfishness."

"According to the version I read, the story unfolded differently," said Cevian. "Jason may have married her, but he displayed ingratitude toward her. She descended into madness and resorted to violence as a result of his negligence and lack of respect."

"I am not saying that he was flawless," retorted Henry. "But even if he did not love the princess, relationships end for numerous reasons, and ending this marriage would not have made him a traitor."

"I read that he went as far as to deny her involvement in the quest for the Fleece."

"Even that gives her no right to kill!" yelled Henry.

"Obviously," Cevian shot back. "What I am saying is that it is crucial to consider the circumstances under which acts we define as evil occur, as well as their underlying causes."

Henry's mouth snapped shut. "Fine," he admitted. "I am the last person who will deny someone their voice or dismiss their perspective simply because they have been labeled "evil" by most." Inadvertently, Henry wondered how many of those who had never been given this label themselves would share the same viewpoint.

"And that is the only agreement we all can come to," Thanatos chimed in. "Considering this myth is ancient and there likely exist at least a hundred versions of it . . . arguing about which account is more "correct" seems rather pointless."

Cevian hesitated, then finally nodded. "Now, if we may also establish that you would no longer deny someone labeled as "weaker" their voice either, I would be entirely satisfied."

Henry groaned. "Oh, for how long will you keep bringing this crawler episode up? They revere me now."

"But do you revere them yet?"

"Whoever could revere a crawler?"

"Perhaps it would be prudent if you two took your moral arguments outside." Thanatos shoved forward, in between Cevian and Henry, leaning over the pups who sat in their nest, utterly confused.

"Moral arguments?" Curie suddenly stood at the entrance, holding an hourglass. "If they don't sleep soon, nap time will be over altogether."

Henry groaned again. "Think you it is time we resort to the song?"

The moment the pups heard the word "song", they instantly began chanting. Henry patted their heads, thinking that they may never tire of it after all, considering he had sung it nearly every day over the last six weeks.

And so Henry cleared his throat, gracefully taking a step back and pushing Cevian and Thanatos out of the way, granting himself enough room for his performance. He took an elaborate bow, clapped his hands, and then began tapping his foot for a beat.

"Dancing in the firelight / See the queen that conquers night / Gold flows from her, hot and bri-i-ight!" With a swift turn on his heel, he clapped his hands thrice. "Father, mother, sister, brother / Off they go. I do not know / If we will see another!"

Brimming with anticipation for the next stanza, the pups began scurrying and tried their best to sing along.

"Catch the nibblers in a trap!" Henry vaulted forward, his arms raised, in a mock attempt to seize the pups from above. Startled, they flinched before breaking into a fit of giggles. "Watch the nibblers spin and snap!" He snapped his fingers in perfect synchrony. "Quiet while they take a na-a-ap!" He clapped his hands thrice once again. "Father, mother, sister, brother / Off they go. I do not know / If we will see another!"

Cevian and Curie came up beside him and the three of them sang the final stanza in unison: "Now the guests are at our door / Greet them as we have before / Some will slice and some will pou-ou-our!" Henry clapped again. "Father, mother, sister, brother / Off they go. I do not know / If we will see another!"

On the final note, he struck a pose and acknowledged his cheering audience by lifting an imaginary hat.

"Again! Again!" the pups pleaded, and Henry had to sing the stanza about the nibblers three more times until he could lull them to sleep, just like the nibblers in the song.

"That song is a saving grace," Cevian acknowledged as she and Curie, as well as Thanatos and Henry, finally exited the nursery, leaving the peacefully dozing pups behind. "We should remember it for later as well. I've never witnessed those two fall asleep so quickly. They are quite adventurous rascals."

"Thankfully, I remembered it," replied Henry with a grin. "We may be glad that human children love it almost as much."

***

"So, where are we venturing tomorrow? Once more, the Fount?" Henry looked at Lovelace, across from him at the dinner table. He wiped damp strands of hair out of his face; it had not yet dried after the bath he had taken after sparring with Cylindra, Cevian, and her brother Pollux to become more accustomed to wielding Charos.

"Oh, right, tomorrow it will be my turn," said Lovelace. "Tomorrow's supplies go to the citadel if you would be so kind."

"Certainly." A smile lit up on Henry's face at once—not because he was very eager to see Zick and his crawlers, but because he expected news from Kismet.

On their first delivery to the citadel, a beaming Zick had announced to Henry that a few of his crawlers had braved the trek to her lair after all, and since they had established a quite efficient delivery system. So, Henry and Kismet had sent a few letters back and forth over the weeks, and he had been eager for a reply to his latest for over a week now.

"And after that?" Henry attempted to cram an excessively large piece of fish into his mouth. "We could not possibly make an exception so that I may work with Teslas a day earlier?" He forced himself to swallow. "There is something I am itching to attempt."

The only downside to the healing of his stab wound was that, ever since they had deemed him fit, Teslas and Lovelace had demanded that he work for them again. Well, it was not quite a downside, if Henry was being honest. He thought he would bore himself to death if he had no occupation, and Teslas and Lovelace had at least split his time fairly: For two consecutive days, he ran deliveries, and for the following two days, he assisted in the workshop. He had one day of leisure between these alternating commitments.

Yesterday, he had spent in Teslas' workshop, and tomorrow, Lovelace's shift would begin . . . apparently with a trip to the citadel.

"No, I'm afraid you will have to spend that second day taking the second half of the intended supplies to the citadel; it is more than your flier can carry in one stretch."

Henry sighed. Well, he had not honestly expected her to agree anyway. His thoughts ran to the design he and Teslas had nearly finished yesterday . . . It would have to wait two more days. But then, it was time.

Henry cast a glance at Thanatos across the room, wondering for the hundredth time whether he would actually go along or whether Teslas and he would have to put some work into convincing him. If so, he might need to allocate additional time for that.

***

"Tomorrow is the day!" Henry fell onto his sheet, blowing out a breath, and Thanatos, who already lay against the wall of their cave, winced.

"Is tomorrow not a free day?"

"I care not!" exclaimed Henry. "I spend my free days however I see fit. And I am spending this one in Teslas' workshop. We are so close to finishing the prototype; I cannot wait another day."

Thanatos groaned, but Henry barely heard him over his own yawn. "I would go at once, but I am spent." Instead of getting comfortable to sleep, he fished for the tattered paper he had left by his bedside yesterday.

You will never stop sending letters, will you?

For the last time, I am well. I have relished the peace and quiet here ever since there is no loudmouthed brat to disturb me anymore.

I will still take you up on that offer to visit soon—if anything, to collect the wretched figurine collection you left here, where all it does is clutter my space and collect dust. And also to rip your useless head, which did not stop you from pursuing Longclaw in that state, off your shoulders. Or maybe your flier can do that for me. Ask him, will you?

No gnawer has bothered me yet. Longclaw's former arena seems relinquished for the moment, although I am uncertain whether I trust it. I will inform you if anything changes regarding the gnawer population in the area.

For now, I shall repeat what I always tell you: cling tight to your spirit—never dare lose it again. Make use of your abilities, remember your strengths but also your weaknesses, work on your mastery, and never think yourself invincible. And come visit sometime.

See you soon.

"I believe I neglected to mention that Kismet said I am to ask you if you may rip my head off in her name." Henry shifted to grin at his flier as it suddenly occurred to him that, despite reading the letter over and over again, he had never relayed that specific request.

"Maybe tomorrow." Thanatos yawned. "Now sleep. That letter will not suddenly read something different, no matter how many times you read it."

"I shall try. If I can, excited as I am." Henry joined in his yawn and stuffed the scroll into his pocket. "We have to visit her soon. So that—agh!" Startled, Henry let out a scream as his foot accidentally grazed Charos, which rested in a corner. Gradually, the enormous sword shifted until it smashed onto the ground with a resounding crash.

Thanatos flinched, and Henry apologetically scrambled up to lift the sword again. "It shall have a sheath soon," he assured. "But unfortunately, you were correct when you claimed this would have to be a special sheath. Teslas and I have a few ideas."

"At least you can use it now." Thanatos eyed the large sword. "With how often those three nibblers spar with you. It is different from wielding a normal blade, is it not?"

Henry nodded, recalling his frequent sparring sessions with Cylindra and two of Teslas and Lovelace's eldest children.

One notable distinction he had immediately noticed was the need to adjust his stance to accommodate the significantly longer blade, as well as mastering the art of dual-handed wielding. Due to the unexpectedly light weight of the blade, he also occasionally found himself overemphasizing his movements, causing him to lose balance. Additionally, he soon realized that attempting to swing it like a hammer, as his initial instinct dictated, was ineffective. He had made a deliberate effort to break this habit and practiced various techniques, such as using the wide blade as a defense against teeth and claws, internalizing false edge strikes after each miss, and harnessing the double-handed design to effectively turn the blade into a lever for maximum force.

While he still hadn't grown as accustomed to it as his considerably shorter previous sword, he at least had a few tricks to rely on now. "Without them, I may have run straight into battle, thinking I could wield it like any sword." Henry stretched to give a pat to the pommel he had carved to look like a flier spreading his wings. "Oh, how I am enamored with this thing."

When Thanatos didn't reply, Henry turned to look at him and found his flier staring at him serenely.

"What?"

"I am merely relishing that you have not shown existential fear in weeks."

Henry flicked at his ear. "I have enough existential fear; I merely wish not to wine about the same thing every night." Before Thanatos could speak, he continued: "But perhaps it is that I have too many things to be excited about to have proper fear. I am doing my very best to ignore the fact that I have no goal of my own, to tell myself that I am searching. Searching—meaning, dedicating a portion of my life to preparing for what is to come."

Thanatos raised his head, a mix of astonishment and fondness in his eyes. "I cannot believe you retained that."

"I retain most things you say, even if I sometimes pretend like I do not."

His flier nudged him in the side. "You will find what you are looking for," he assured. "Even if you currently do not know what it is. Or perhaps it will find you."

Henry yawned. "One ought to tell it to hurry up." Part of him thought he should relish the tranquility of the moment; once upon a time, he had found himself regretting it every time he had sought out an adventure for the sheer sake of it. But then and there, Henry thought he had never been more prepared for yet another wish such as this to be granted.

No matter whether he would regret it in the end or not.