We have both been alive long enough to know that evil only wins when it spreads. It can cause destruction, it can cause death—but those are consequences of its nature, not its victory. Not its goal. The danger of evil, the

purpose of evil, is that it causes those who would oppose it to become evil also.” He looked Caeden in the eye. “And that, my friend, is what happened to you.”

Caeden uses the bronze Portal Box again. He this time finds himself in the Wells of Mor Aruil and meets an Augur named Asar Shenelac, who appears to recognize him.

The true evil is always in the reason and the excuse, not the act. I was fooled. I was angry. I wasn’t thinking. I had to do it, else worse things would have happened. It didn’t hurt anyone. It hurt less people than it would have if I hadn’t. It was to protect myself. It was to protect others. It was in my nature. It was necessary. It was right.” H

The lesser of two evils, and the greater good. The most dangerous phrases in the world.

You saw the man in chains on your way in?” he asked quietly. When Caeden nodded he continued. “He lost his temper over a small matter of coin, and ran his neighbor through with his sword. These facts are undisputed. He awaits only my judgment.” He looked Caeden in the eye. “The law demands death for death. So which should I throw to the cleansing

our actions matter, and it was simply that what will happen, has already happened. We shape the future. It’s just that how we shape it—the results of our efforts, our decisions—has already been determined.

Caeden bowed low. Servants were venerated here, in their position because of their willingness to put others above themselves. It was not easy to become a servant in Kharshan; there were only a few dozen of the official positions, and those were vied for constantly.

“It is an honor to be served,” he said formally, carefully pronouncing the words in

You and me. Gassandrid. Alaris. Cyr. Isiliar. Andrael. Diara. Meldier. Wereth. Tysis. Three and a half thousand years ago, Shammaeloth brought us all together. We were immortal before we ever met him, but Shammaeloth is the one who first showed us how to use kan