Artemis Entreri

Artemis Entreri (later known as Barrabus the Gray ) was a ruthless assassin and the arch-nemesis of Drizzt Do'Urden. Portrayed as a cunning and tactical assassin, Entreri lived an empty life, devoid of any kind of pleasure, existing only to kill. He was credited with being one of the best assassins in Faerûn.

Description
Artemis Entreri was not very tall (he was consistently described as "small" ) but he was compact with wiry muscles. He was possessed of angular features, striking high cheekbones, and prominent sideburns. Though he was usually clean-shaven, Artemis always seemed to need a shave. His raven black hair was thick and full, but his eyes were gray and lifeless, portraying the emptiness of his life and his soul. When he was about 40 years old, Artemis had the lean athleticism of a man half his age. While traveling with the drow elf Jarlaxle, Artemis was often seen wearing a small-brimmed black hat.

As humans age far more quickly than elves, Entreri first started to feel the bite of age in The Silent Blade, while Drizzt was still as agile and powerful as he was when the two of them first met. His age also caught up with him in the later novels, Servant of the Shard and Promise of the Witch-King. However, on the way to Damara, Entreri inadvertently stole the life-force of a shade with his vampiric dagger. He then appeared to have reversed age a full decade, and his aging slowed considerably. It was likely that he would live as long as an elf or dwarf would.

Personality
Artemis was professional and always had an air of control about him. Every move he made or word he spoke was calculated to achieve a desired effect. He never allowed emotions or the circumstances, no matter how dire, to master him. Underneath this facade, however, he was terribly angry, which he recognized in himself only with the influence of Idalia's flute.

Artemis tirelessly maintained himself in top condition, and constantly sought to improve his martial skills. He was terribly cunning, able to out-think as well as outfight his opponents. Artemis vowed to "never leave an enemy in his wake" and he did not take threats lightly. However, for the most part, those who were not enemies of Artemis or his allies had nothing to fear from him. He did in fact have his own code of honor, although it was sometimes obscured.

Artemis's greatest hatred and disgust was reserved for those who are willing to hurt or betray their children for their own benefit or to save themselves. This was because of events in his childhood.

Background


Artemis revealed little about his past to others, but some things are known about his early life. He was born into the streets of Memnon in Calimshan to a prostitute named Shanali. He was constantly abused by his 'father,' Belrigger, and was molested by his uncle Tosso. Eventually, his mother sold him to a pedophile merchant who was, if anything, worse than his uncle; presumably, this is how he reached Calimport. This betrayal was enough to put a block on Entreri's emotions. He hid from the world with a mental wall of cynicism and later anger. In Calimport, he was taken in by the thieves' guild ruled by Pasha Basadoni. Basadoni taught young Artemis the tricks of the trade, instructing him the basics of fighting and helping him master stealth. As Entreri practiced, he flourished, becoming the most efficient and deadly assassin in Calimshan and perhaps all of Faerûn.

Icewind Dale Trilogy
Under Pasha Pook's command, Artemis Entreri chased the halfling Regis for nearly five years before finding him in Icewind Dale in 1356 DR. There he kidnapped Catti-brie to hold an advantage over Bruenor Battlehammer, Wulfgar, Drizzt Do'Urden and Regis. He was met by some allies on the way from Luskan, though in his chase they each eventually died. Artemis finally located the Companions in Mithral Hall where he fought Drizzt for the first time, however, their fight was interrupted by the shadow dragon Shimmergloom and neither warrior could call himself victor.

To ensure that he would get his fight again, Artemis kidnapped Regis as well as Guenhwyvar. Drizzt and Wulfgar chased Entreri all the way to Calimport where Drizzt again fought Entreri. Their fight reached the streets of Calimport where the scared citizens broke up the fight to try and kill Drizzt, believing him to be a drow scout from the Forest of Mir and a prelude to an army. Entreri wanted to test who was the better fighter and so eventually became obsessed with destroying or defeating Drizzt.

Legacy of the Drow
To get his fight against Drizzt, Artemis went to greater lengths, allying with Bregan D'aerthe. In 1357 DR, the band of mercenaries were bringing Drizzt from Mithral Hall to Menzoberranzan and allowed Artemis to have his fight. The fight never truly ended due to various interferences and when Artemis managed to get his fight once again, Regis was the factor that resulted in his loss. He fell off the side of a mountain and was left for dead.

Artemis was rescued by Jarlaxle and Bregan D'aerthe, though none in Mithral Hall knew of the fact. They brought him to Menzoberranzan, where he felt like a prisoner and slave to the drow there, something he utterly despised. He was also used by the drow priestesses (including Berellip Xorlarrin) as a plaything; they were fondest of making love to him while dangling him over the Clawrift. When Catti-brie and Drizzt came to Menzoberranzan, Artemis entered into an unlikely alliance with the two in order to escape the Underdark.

Return to Calimport
By 1364 DR, Artemis had returned to Calimport to once again stake out his territory. His friend LaValle helped him rise once again in power. Eventually, however, he wound up in the hands of Bregan D'aerthe once more, with Jarlaxle seeing him as their opportunity to extend operations into Calimshan. Artemis, with the help of Bregan D'aerthe, took over the guild of Pasha Basadoni and as a reward, he was allowed a fight with Drizzt. Bregan D'aerthe took Crenshinibon from Drizzt and forced him into its crystal tower, Cryshal-Tirith, where Drizzt and Artemis fought for a final time with no outside factors. However, the heads of the two opponents clashed in the fight and eventually Artemis lost his sight temporarily, something that gave Drizzt the advantage in the fight and made Entreri lose. Drizzt was about to leave the crystal tower feeling the fight was over and that nothing was proved with it, but Entreri was enraged and went to attack Drizzt. Drizzt defended himself, but Kimmuriel Oblodra bestowed a kinetic shield to Artemis which resulted in Drizzt taking some serious wounds. Although Jarlaxle made Rai-guy Bondalek heal Drizzt moments later, Artemis was not told that his rival was in fact alive. He felt betrayed, unsure if he would have fairly won the fight or not.

He returned to Calimport once more with calculating plans. . With Bregan D'aerthe sponsoring his activities in Calimport, Entreri waged war against all other thieves guilds and the Basadoni Guild, now a faction of Bregan D'aerthe. Entreri obtained Charon's Claw, a powerful Netherese sword that he acquired by killing its owner, Kohrin Soulez. Eventually, Artemis became something of a king in Calimport. However, Entreri grew wary of Jarlaxle's lieutenants (Kimmuriel and Rai-guy), whom he hated, and of Jarlaxle himself, who was growing more and more fascinated with Crenshinibon. However, Artemis felt that he would be unable to escape the wrath of Kimmuriel and Rai-guy without Jarlaxle's protection, so he devised a plan to protect Jarlaxle when the lieutenants and Berg'inyon Baenre tried to steal Crenshinibon and supplant Jarlaxle as ruler of Bregan D'aerthe. Artemis was able to obtain Crenshinibon and resist its psychic influence through sheer willpower. He and Jarlaxle then fled to Spirit Soaring, where Cadderly Bonaduce and his allies waited for them, expecting an attack by the wielders of Crenshinibon.

Entreri and Jarlaxle made clear that they wanted the destruction of the artefact, which made them ally with Cadderly and his wife, Danica Maupoissant, in order to destroy it with the fire of the red dragon Hephaestus. Things were complicated by tension between Entreri and Danica as well as an ambush by Rai-guy and his allies, including the illithid Yharaskrik, but the team eventually completed the task and the shard was destroyed - or so it was believed. Entreri, who had experienced some development through his adventures, saved Danica's life instead of leaving her to die. Cadderly expected him and Jarlaxle to reform and renounce their evil ways, when they refused he left them to go their own way. Jarlaxle had the option of returning to his band, but he elected to hand over its leadership temporarily to Kimmuriel and adventure with the assassin instead of going back to the Underdark.<ref name.

The Bloodstone Lands
In 1367 DR, Artemis and Jarlaxle were assaulted by Shadovar hoping to reclaim Charon's Claw for the Netherese. Artemis used his vampiric dagger against a shade, which inadvertently made Artemis part shade, making Charon's Claw feel certain affinity for him and possibly giving it more sway over him in the future.

Artemis and Jarlaxle ended up in Damara, where they were employed by the dragon sisters Tazmikella and Ilnezhara. They fought the lich Hermincle and the dracolich Urshula. They were then recruited to a taskforce instructed by King Gareth Dragonsbane to investigate a replica of Castle Perilous in Vaasa and the possible return of Zhengyi the Witch-King. In a bizarre turn of events, Jarlaxle claimed the castle and the surrounding lands for "King Artemis I," provoking the ire of King Gareth. Artemis, however, was more preoccupied with Idalia's flute and his past emotions than with Jarlaxle's antics. Artemis and Jarlaxle eventually retreated with the help of Bregan D'aerthe and Artemis headed for Calimshan. There he settled accounts with all those who abused him, killing Yinochek and allowing Pinochek to live only with an ultimatum. Artemis refused to continue on in the company of Jarlaxle, whose actions (particularly involving the flute) he viewed as gross manipulation.

At some point after their parting, Jarlaxle betrayed Artemis to the Netherese, who were seeking Charon's Claw, in Baldur's Gate. In truth, Jarlaxle had found himself trapped and forced to capture Artemis in an extra-dimensional pocket for the Netherese, but he had intended to rescue Artemis immediately thereafter. However, the drow was manipulated by Kimmuriel Oblodra and Matron Mother Quenthel Baenre and psionically forced to forget about that event, believing instead that Entreri had in fact betrayed him. However, Entreri was never privy to that information and never forgave Jarlaxle. The Netherese lord Herzgo Alegni then obtained Charon's Claw from Draygo Quick and tied Entreri's life force to the sword, forcing Entreri to serve him and making it so that Entreri could not die while in the service of Charon's Claw.

Barrabus the Gray
By the time of the Neverwinter Saga, Entreri, now known as Barrabus the Gray (pronounced "BARE-ah-bus" ), served Herzgo Alegni as spy and assassin in Neverwinter and Neverwinter Wood. Barrabus helped the citizens of New Neverwinter against the Thayans, giving the Shadovar the citizens' favor. In honor of Barrabus, the citizens renamed the Winged Wyvern Bridge as "the Walk of Barrabus", but Alegni, who held a fondness for the bridge, forced them to rename it "Herzgo Alegni Bridge", a feat he had achieved before Mount Hotenow had erupted. Alegni ordered Barrabus to kill Dahlia Sin'felle, but Artemis ended up joining forces with Dahlia and Drizzt Do'Urden, who were both out on a quest to kill the Thayan commander Sylora Salm. Artemis assisted them in killing Salm because he hoped they they might help him in killing Alegni.

The pair then decided to allow Artemis to help them get revenge on Alegni, and in the process free Artemis from the grasp of Charon's Claw. They succeeded in retrieving the sword, believing they had killed Alegni. In truth, Alegni had made it to the Shadowfell where he was healed and tasked with retrieving the Netherese artifact. Artemis's group headed for Gauntlgrym, where they believed they could destroy the sword and thus allow Artemis to die. Despite Alegni's forces, Drizzt was able to throw the sword over the rim of the pit where the fire primordial Maegera resided. The sword was presumed destroyed and its hold over Artemis broken. Artemis, unexpectedly, did not keel over on the spot but continued to live.

After being freed from the enslavement of Charon's Claw, Artemis ceased using the name Barrabus and returned to his old name. In Neverwinter, Arunika placed a magical dweomer on Artemis to spy on him unknowingly from afar. He continued to travel with Drizzt and Dahlia (as well as Ambergris, Afafrenfere, and later Effron), being lured to Port Llast by Drizzt offering the possibility of retrieving his lost jeweled dagger. Along the way, he developed a close relationship with Dahlia. He and Dahlia ended up petrified in the home of Draygo Quick after a botched rescue attempt for Guenhwyvar. They were turned back into flesh when Jarlaxle rescued the entire group. Artemis traveled with the group to Icewind Dale, where they spent a night on the edge of Iruladoon that lasted eighteen years in the real world. When they returned to civilization and found all that time had passed, Drizzt opted to stay and ended his relationship with Dahlia, who attacked him in fury. Artemis was last seen pulling Dahlia off of Drizzt, but not before the drow was gravely wounded.

Abilities
Artemis specialized in a two-weapon fighting style with the use of a dagger and a sword, equaling Drizzt in fighting capability. He generally wielded his jeweled dagger as a main-gauche in his left hand with a sword or saber in his right. He was a tactical master, taking every advantage offered him and seeking to create more. Artemis was also a very fast learner. Even if he observed a particular combat maneuver just once or twice, he was able to adapt it to his choice of weapons and duplicate it effectively in battle (these tended to be Drizzt's maneuvers, since their styles and skill level were so similar). He was also excellent at improvising; he could use his surroundings to excellent effect, when he would otherwise be at a severe disadvantage. Artemis was also a consummate warrior, combining his ambidexterity, thieving training, and warrior's weapon skills to be one of the most dangerous swordsmen in the Realms. Few men indeed could have so repeatedly crossed blades with Drizzt Do'Urden and lived to tell of it.

Later in his life, Artemis was able to see in the dark innately, a gift from Jarlaxle. Before that, in Menzoberranzan, he had worn a cat's eye circlet to be able to see in the dark.

Possessions
Artemis carried a number of signature items over his years, many (but not all) of which were lost later in his life when he became Barrabus.


 * Vampiric dagger / Jeweled dagger: This emerald-studded dagger was Artemis's signature weapon as an assassin. It was long the most recognized and feared weapon in Calimport. With a single strike, the magical weapon could drain the life force of the victim and use it to heal the wielder. The blade could also emanate a fiery white light. For a time, the blade was in the possession of Regis, who had retrieved it from Artemis's body; Regis then gave it to Catti-brie, from whom Artemis retrieved it once more when leaving Menzoberranzan. Artemis sometimes used the dagger in interrogation, pricking his victim on the palm and starting its life-draining magic; he rarely had to wait long before the victim yielded. When Artemis was seriously hurt, he could use the dagger to heal himself at the expense of a poor beggar or drunkard who happened to pass by. At some point (likely during Jarlaxle's betrayal), Artemis lost the dagger and it wound up in the hands of Beniago, a Bregan D'aerthe lieutenant posing as a human of Ship Kurth. Drizzt used the retrieval of the knife as incentive for Artemis to go with him to Port Llast.


 * Charon's Claw: In 1366 DR, Artemis took the artifact from Kohrin Soulez after tricking Soulez into grabbing the blade without the proper gauntlet. It became one of his signature items, but also made him a target for the Netherese. Later it enabled Herzgo Alegni to enslave him.


 * Bolero: Artemis received a small-brimmed black hat, called a "bolero", from Jarlaxle. Though looking inconspicuous, the hat, like every item of Jarlaxle's, has beneficial properties, magical and mechanical in nature. It had the ability to chill its wearer's body temperature to better help him or her hide from eyes seeing in the heat-sensing spectrum and it had a wire inset into the band that held the hat in place on top of Artemis' head even when falling off a horse.


 * Idalia's flute: Artemis received Idalia's flute from the dragon sisters Tazmikella and Ilnezhara in 1367 DR. For Artemis, playing the flute helped to clear his thoughts. However, the flute also brought up old, unwelcome memories and placed Artemis in a state of emotional turmoil. He eventually broke the flute into two pieces and threw them to the ground at Jarlaxle's feet, wanting no more to do with it (or Jaxlaxle). He viewed that flute as part of Jarlaxle's attempt to manipulate him.


 * Nightmare statuette: A figurine of wondrous power in the form of an obsidian horse was given to him by Jarlaxle. When summoned from the Lower Planes, it turned into a nightmare with flaming hooves. The summoned horse never tired and was resistant to most non-magical attacks. The magic was limited however, and the horse disappeared when the magic of its statuette ran out. The magic recharged after some time, leaving the horse ready to ride again. The nightmare could be dispelled by powerful countermagic and temporarily sent back to the Lower Planes. The steed was fearless and charged forward with reckless abandon. Artemis continued to carry the statuette as Barrabus.


 * Belt-buckle knife: As Barrabus, Artemis wore a belt buckle that could turn into a knife.


 * Cloak: Artemis possessed a cloak that could transform into a pair of bat wings that allowed him to fly, but nearly resulted in his death.


 * Sword: Artemis at one time carried a sword that emitted a greenish blue light.


 * Circlet: A gift from his ally and friend Jarlaxle, it allowed him to see in the infrared spectrum to an extent.

Dwahvel Tiggerwillies
Artemis's first true friendship was with the halfling Dwahvel Tiggerwillies, with whom he spoke openly, sharing opinions and thoughts he shared with nobody else. He trusted her as a confidant, informer and helper. When they parted ways, Artemis wrote her a very moving letter written in a way that caused Artemis himself to doubt that he was the letter's author.

Jarlaxle
The relationship between Jarlaxle and Artemis was often strained, but the two traveled together for many years and seemed to have developed some form of friendship — perhaps more so on the part of Jarlaxle, who considered Artemis a friend and even a century later grieved at the idea of his death. Jarlaxle and Artemis met when Vierna Do'Urden employed Artemis to help find, capture, and fight against Drizzt Do'Urden. After Artemis was trapped in the Underdark, Jarlaxle grave him advice and missions, perhaps his only solace from the drow. In Calimport, Artemis rescued Jarlaxle — claiming he needed the drow for protection — and escaped the wrath of Rai-Guy and Kimmuriel during the Bregan D'aerthe takeover. The pair continued to work together as mercenaries and treasure hunters in the Bloodstone Lands. During their many travels, Jarlaxle tried to use Idalia's flute to make him resolve his emotional problems, but Artemis came to view that as part of Jarlaxle's manipulation of him. Artemis was later betrayed by Jarlaxle to the Netherese and never forgave him, although he did not know the full story, which was that Jarlaxle had every intention of rescuing him but was manipulated by forces outside his control.

Drizzt Do'Urden
After their first meeting, Artemis knew that he and Drizzt Do'Urden were virtually equal in skill. The primary difference between himself and Drizzt noticed by Artemis was Drizzt's virtue, specifically Drizzt's caring and concern for his friends. Artemis, by contrast, had a life that could only be considered empty. He had no real friends and no loved ones. He considered such emotional connections to be hindrances, believing that the reason he was so skilled with his blades was because he had dedicated his life to being the best, and had done so to the exclusion of all other pursuits.

But then there was somebody seemingly as good as he was, somebody with friends and loved ones and a full life. For Entreri to accept that Drizzt was his equal in fighting skill, he would be forced to accept that it was possible to be an effective fighter while still pursuing and finding friendship, love and happiness. If this were true, it would mean that Entreri had wasted his life. This was something the assassin vehemently refused to admit to himself. Thus he became obsessed with proving once and for all that he was the better fighter, and that he was the better fighter because he had chosen to forgo such things as friendship and love.

Entreri said as much to Drizzt. He has taunted the drow by telling him that all one needs to do to manipulate him is threaten one of his friends and that he, Entreri, could never be manipulated in such a manner.

Artemis was never able to trust anybody as a friend as he grew up, and developed a belief that the only person he could truly count on was himself. When Artemis looked at Drizzt, he saw the kind of person he might have become if things had gone differently in his life, while Drizzt saw the same thing when he looked at Artemis. This was one of the reasons for their extreme rivalry. Artemis saw Drizzt had found friends he could count on and enjoy life with.

When Drizzt ran into Artemis as Barrabus the Gray, Artemis found that he was no longer jealous of Drizzt (claiming he had grown "bored" of him) and found that he now trusted the drow. For his part, Drizzt had the chance to kill Artemis and decided not to, finding that he was a welcome reminder of the past. Drizzt even gave up the chance to exchange Artemis/Claw for the captured Guenhwyvar, although he felt like a "miserable friend" afterwards. He became somewhat jealous of Artemis when the intimacy between him and Dahlia became clear, but Drizzt later let that go.

Just before believing he would die, Artemis admitted he had always envied Drizzt but "not for [his] blades."

Dahlia Sin'felle
During their travels, Dahlia Sin'felle and Artemis bonded through an understanding that came from shared past experiences. Dahlia was the first person in his life he ever told about the traumatic events in his childhood. Dahlia grew quite close to him and didn't want him to die. They became quite intimate, sharing a bed at least once. It was Artemis that tried to prevent Dahlia from killing Drizzt.

Novels
The Icewind Dale Trilogy:
 * The Crystal Shard (1988) — First look at Artemis Entreri, he only appears at the very end, but it leaves much to the imagination.
 * Streams of Silver (1989) — Entreri is on a quest to capture the halfling Regis and recover the stolen gem, then return both to his guildmaster, Pasha Pook.
 * The Halfling's Gem (1990) — Entreri successfully returns Regis and the gem to Pasha Pook, his guildmaster, though he was closely followed by Drizzt Do'Urden and company.

Legacy of the Drow:
 * The Legacy (1992) — Accompanied by his future friend, Jarlaxle, among other drow, including Drizzt Do'Urden's sister, Vierna, Entreri is sent to "take care of Drizzt and the others."
 * Starless Night (1993) — Entreri returns to Menzoberranzan after his near-fatal experience on the surface world. His loathing of the city leads him to deciding whether he should save a hated rival, or risk a life in the Underdark.

Paths of Darkness:
 * The Silent Blade (1998) — A split book in which it follows many different points of view, Entreri is granted his one wish, competing with Drizzt Do'Urden in a duel to the death.

Double Diamond Triangle Saga:
 * The Mercenaries (1998)
 * An Opportunity for Profit (1998)
 * Conspiracy (1998)
 * Uneasy Alliances (1998)
 * The Diamond (1998)

The Sellswords:
 * Servant of the Shard (2000) (also the third book in the Paths of Darkness series) — This story follows both Entreri and Jarlaxle in their struggle through the port city of Calimport. Jarlaxle's new toy, the Crystal Shard, begins to slip its own thoughts into the mind of its master. Entreri, noticing this, goes out of his way to save his friend and destroy the evil crystal.
 * Promise of the Witch-King (2005) — Entreri and Jarlaxle have become bounty hunters, mercenaries for hire, and assassins all at once. They are hired by two dragon sisters to recover lost magical items of Zhengyi, a powerful lich who ruled over the region for many years before his downfall. Their journey eventually leads them to a small half-orc community where a Zhengyi artifact has been uncovered.
 * Road of the Patriarch (2006) — Ilnezhara and Tazmikella have ceased their working relationships with Jarlaxle and Artemis. The pair have attracted the attention of both the Citadel of Assassins (especially Entreri) and Spysong.

Neverwinter Saga:
 * Gauntlgrym as Barrabus the Gray.
 * Neverwinter
 * Charon's Claw
 * The Last Threshold


 * The Companions (mentioned)

Short stories:
 * "The Third Level" - A short story of Entreri's early years in the Realms of Infamy anthology.
 * "Empty Joys" in The Best of the Realms.
 * "That Curious Sword" in Realms of Shadow.
 * "Wickless in the Nether" in Realms of the Dragons.

Video games

 * Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II: Entreri appears as a hidden playable character in the game after playing through all difficult levels, plus one extra-difficult secret level that enables the player to choose Drizzt Do'Urden.
 * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn: He was originally intended to appear, but he was cut from the final game. He can still be summoned by using the CLUAConsole:CreateCreature("Artemis") cheat code. He can also be restored to Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn via the Unfinished Business mod.
 * Neverwinter Nights: Entreri appears in Tyrants of the Moonsea, a freely downloadable module for originally intended to be marketed as a NWN premium module. In the module, he is hired and attempts but fails to assassinate Astar Greysteel, a companion of the hero.

Quotations
"I learned at a very young age that I cannot trust in or count on anyone but myself. To do so invites deceit and despair and opens a vulnerability that can be exploited. To do so is a weakness.

With each kill I grow wiser, and with added wisdom I grow stronger.

Jarlaxle: "Charm is a learned art."

Entreri: "So is murder."

Ellery: "We will not be caught by surprise."

Entreri: "Almost everyone I've killed uttered similar last words."

Jarlaxle: "Then I am glad once again that you are on my side."

Entreri: "They've often said that too."

Entreri: "You are lucky you did not strike him blind."

Jarlaxle: "Wouldn't have been the first time."

Entreri: "Stunning."

(In reference to a halfling's shocked reaction after casting a detect magic spell and scanning Jarlaxle.)

Entreri (to Sharlotta): "And everybody wins."

Sharlotta: "And Artemis Entreri gets a new blade."

Entreri: "Like I said, everybody wins."

Entreri (to Dwahvel): "You understand your role in every contingency?"

Dwahvel: "In every contingency that you have outlined."

Entreri: "Then you understand every contingency."

Ilnezhara (regarding Kane): "And the most dangerous man in all of the Bloodstone Lands."

Jarlaxle: "Artemis Entreri is in the Bloodstone Lands."

Drizzt thinking to himself in 1464 DR: He glanced again at the dagger and laughed at himself, certain now that it was a different blade. But only because it had to be. The world had moved on."