The Steel Oath

Chapter 8 | Unwieldy

"You have to look like you're a nice person in order for people to believe that you are a nice person. Scientific studies show that people will judge you literally within milliseconds of seeing you. Make them see what you want them to see."

-Benjamin Aaron Shapiro

Ben couldn't put words to the feeling in his gut. Ecstasy. Bliss. Rapture. Intrigue. Curiosity. None of these words covered it. He was simultaneously disgusted at the lack of understanding, and thrilled at the chance to learn more. To become more.

"So, what did you notice?" Dreyr said. Ben was broken out of his stupor. 

"You mean, apart from the rock exploding?"

"Yes."

"Well..." Ben thought hard. "I suppose you concentrated for a second. There was a bit of setup time for it. Nothing apart from that." Ben looked up at Dreyr. He wasn't all too much taller than Ben, probably only around 5′9, but he seemed to be much more. Ben felt as if Dreyr had somehow grown, his figure somehow becoming more imposing.

"Good. That's a very important thing to note." Dreyr nodded approvingly. "No matter what fantastic feats I perform, there are drawbacks and costs associated."

Dreyr walked over to Ben. "That's what it means to make an Oath."

"Checks and balances." Ben said, without thinking.

Dreyr looked at him for a moment, and a small smile crossed his face. "I suppose so." He offered Ben his hand. "I would say I'm not going to force you to become an Oathmaster, but that would be a bit of a lie. The best I can do is tell you that you won't be quite as defenseless as you were yesterday for very long."

"It's fine." Ben said. "I have a feeling that my meeting you has something to do with whatever force has put me in this world." Ben couldn't believe the words leaving his own mouth. It's as if his own sense of self was melting away at a rapid rate. Yet he couldn't help but feel excited. It had been a while since he had felt challenged or excited in his old life. Even if he missed his dear wife, Mor, he felt that his life was intertwined with the man who stood in front of him. "Besides, I'm not going to say that I wouldn't like to know how to do that." He pointed at the shattered rock bits on the ground.

"Well, I can't promise you that you'll be doing exactly that." Ben looked at him, confused. Dreyr sat down on a blackened stump in the clearing, across from Ben. "I should tell you what an Oath is."

Ben waited in suspense. He wanted to hold onto Dreyr's every word. Dreyr cleared his throat, and began. "You know what an oath is, don't ya?

Ben piped up. "It's a promise, usually invoking a divine witness of some variety, that regards one's future behavior."

"Uh... yeah. Right on the mark." Dreyr wasn't used to Ben's encyclopedic knowledge on some things, but complete ignorance of others. That reason above others had mostly convinced him that Ben must indeed not be from this world. "Well, the Oath that an Oathmaster makes is very similar in concept to that. You promise something, and consequences follow if you ever break that promise. But if you keep that promise, there are things you can get in return." Dreyr pointed offhandedly to the obliterated rock. "The ability to do that, for instance."

"Okay, so I follow you so far." Ben said. "But, who exactly are you making an oath to that can give you the power to do that?"

"Not who, Ben. What."

Ben looked at him, puzzled.

"Ben, I made an Oath with the air." A breeze passed through the clearing, rustling the leaves in the trees surrounding the heath.

"Oh." was all Ben could manage to say.

"You can make an Oath with essentially anything at all. I made an Oath with the air, and thus I can effect the air around me in small pockets of space."

Ben's eyes grew wide. "So that's how you did it! You made the air expand within the Gnawed's head, until it popped! You did the same thing with the rock, too! You found an air pocket and expanded it."

Dreyr smirked. "Something like that, yeah." Ben frowned. He didn't like the tone Dreyr used. It made him feel like he hadn't quite gotten it. "Either way," Dreyr contined, "my Oath has some hefty costs associated with it because of how ever-present the air is."

Ben was excited. He felt as if he was finally understanding something for the first time since he'd gotten here. "So, the more abundant or powerful the entity, the more costs or restrictions."

"Essentially."

Ben frowned. He didn't like how noncommittal and  vague Dreyr's answers were. But that didn't matter. "So I can choose anything at all?"

Dreyr nodded. "I'd be smart about it, though. Once you make an Oath, you're stuck in it."

"Well, I don't even know how to make an Oath."

Dreyr moved to open is mouth, but stopped as he heard a scream echo from the direction of town. He and Ben both turned as they heard the sound of more screams.

"Later." Dreyr barked. "Stick close to me."

They both ran toward town at breakneck pace.