Chương 1041: [986] - Y04.086 - Confrontation IV

"Adam, you must hold back," Jurot said in the Iyr's tongue.

'Eh?' Adam thought.

'They're going to kill us and you want me to hold back?'

"You cannot use your greatest spells," Jurot warned, feeling the wave of confusion from his brother beside him.

"Okay."

"You should Flame Bolt those which require it."

"Oh. Okay." Battle Order D20 + 1 = 5 (4)'Five ice trolls!' Marshal Black thought, swinging his blade violently, his blade crushing a troll's side, before the warrior focused his strikes against the side of the creature's neck, repeatedly striking the same spot, the creature frozen in place, for some reason. His blade crushed the creature's neck with a great force, while another blade cut at its knee.

"Focus," the Marshal said, his voice calm, even though his heart beat wildly within his chest.

"It will be fine." Except, he was certain it wouldn't be fine, for there were five ice trolls, and though he'd be able to deal with one, with some assistance from fire, what about the rest of the warriors around him? Jane could already feel the chill within her heart as she stepped beside the Marshal.

'I guess they want me to shoot that one then?' Adam thought, holding out his hand.

"Flame Bolt." Trick: Flame Bolt D20 + 6 = 21 (15) Hit! 2D6 = 7 (1, 6) The Marshal turned as the fire seared the troll, ready to assist the others, his blade ready to crush another troll.

'Eh?' Jurot inhaled as the troll dropped behind him, charging forward towards the frozen troll, slashing and hacking it apart, while Mara's axe through its ribs, and Kitool assisted with her staff. Meanwhile, Jaygak and Lucy dealt with the last, the group having already slain the two trolls they had come across.

Their weapons moved smoothly in the air, with greater strength, greater accuracy, save perhaps Kitool, who had already reached the pinnacle of her natural abilities, and yet, she could feel a greater strength coursing through her. Though they were against such terrible foes, for even one troll had almost killed Jurot while he fought beside Kitool and Jaygak previously, their thoughts were not upon the creatures before them, but the sensation which ran through them. Victory!

XP Gained: +2000 XP: 1 500 -> 3 500'Eh,' Jane thought, noting how quickly they had dispatched the trolls.

'Wasn't that a little quick?'

'Eh,' Adam thought, noting how quickly they had dispatched the trolls.

'Wasn't that a little quick?' While the pair were stunned by the scene before them, the Iyrmen and Demons tensed up, noting the approaching force, at least a dozen figures, each heavily armoured, and heavily armed.

"How dare you!" called a shout from the woman, who undid her helmet to reveal her beautiful face, her hair as black as the ocean depths, her eyes dark grey.

"Who are you to interrupt my hunt?"

"Oh, excuse me," Adam said, taken aback by the viciousness within her voice, more vicious than even the trolls. Jaygak threw Adam a look, wondering if she needed to step forward, but his tone was rather gentle.

"I'm Adam Fate, and I'm sorry about that. We were attacked and defended ourselves." The woman pursed her lips, the annoyance still upon her face, but she scanned the group, then the trolls, then the wolves.

"State your names."

"Adam Fate," Adam began, before the others introduced themselves, the woman bowing her head to the Marshal of East Port.

"The wolves are yours?"

"They belong to some of us, yes." Jurot eyed up the group, noting each wore at least breastplate over chain, wielding great weapons, some carrying oils along their belts. Two remained near the woman, one of whom was a member of Black Moon, both no doubt Masters. He was fairly certain the young woman was one of them, so it made sense that she was surrounded by four other guards in full plate. The other guards remained fanned out, paying attention to their surroundings.

'Two Masters, four Experts in full plate, and four more Experts who are also heavily armed?' Jaygak thought.

'Count Westmoon didn't wield so many guards.'

"Well, we're sorry about the trolls. If you had already claimed them, then you can have them," Adam said, feeling the pressure from the guards around them.

'She's probably a really high ranking noble if she can look down on the Marshal of a Duchess.'

"You will not claim them?"

"I'm not in the business of claiming other people's hunts," Adam replied, smiling innocently.

"The North has treated us well so far, and I expect it to treat us well in the future, so consider it our gratitude." The woman narrowed her eyes towards the group, glancing between them all again. While speaking with the group, several thoughts slipped through her mind. Ice trolls weren't exactly easy to deal with them, and they all seemed so relaxed after facing them, and not just that, they were all also unharmed. Unharmed.

Even if they were all Grandmasters, they would have had some trouble, not a lot, but some. There would have been a fresh scrape or too along their bodies, and yet they were all as fresh as bluebells. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"What is your group's name?"

"We're a part of the United Kindom," Adam replied.

"We are Fate's Golden," Jaygak said, understanding what the woman meant.

"That is our party's name, but we also work for a business by the name of United Kindom." The woman bowed her head.

"Then I will claim the creatures, and I will remember your gifts."

"Thank you." Adam bowed his head, while Jaygak placed a hand on his shoulder, motioning with a head, and the group entered their carriages once more. As they left, the woman eyed up the creatures, noting how they were killed. She spotted the searing flesh of a few of the wounds, the heavy axe wounds, and the excellent sword play.

'Was this… no, it must have been the young Iyrman.' The woman drew her own magical blade, holding it out in front of her, feeling the tingling through her gloves. She held the blade out for a long moment, and wondered if she should channel her magic through it, but let the thought pass. She felt the blade's balance, felt the air brush against the magical steel, while she lost herself within her thoughts, to the memories of using the blade to cut down beasts and people. She sheathed her sword.

'Jaygak, was it? She would make a good sparring partner.'

"Who was that anyway?" Adam asked as the group sped away.

"A Princess of the North," Jurot replied.

"You what?"

"She must be the Duke's daughter."

"How come she wasn't walking around with a banner?" Adam asked.

"I would have treated her more respectfully, and I would have held a deeper disdain in my heart."

'…' The walls of North Amber were grand, large, and had, in some places, stood for thousands of years. When the Iyrmen said that North Amber was one of the capitals of the region, they understated the town. It was set within the mountains, the entire town more like numerous villages which dotted along through the mountain from the eastern side where the docks greeted the sea.

"Iyrmen," a guard called own, wearing heavy chain, wielding a thicker, sturdier shield, and a hefty spear.

"What brings you to North Amber?"

"The tournament," Kitool replied.

"Ho! So many of you?"

"Yes."

"What a year it's going to be! Iyrmen, the Princess, and even the King's Sword's girly."

"Hmm?" called a voice.

"Did you say the King's Sword's… daughter?"

"Aye," the guard said, rubbing his chin.

"Sir Rosaya?"

"Sir Roseia?" Adam asked.

"Aye, that's what I said."

"Of course," Adam said, reaching down to pinch his helmet, as though he was going to take it off. Instead, he remained quiet.

"Hmm."

"Is he alright?"

"He previously had to surrender to Sir Roseia."

"He had to surrender?" the guard asked, daring to ask that kind of question.

"He surrendered," Jurot confirmed.

"Must have been the South."

"The Noonval Tournament," Jurot confirmed.

"Aye, the South." The guard smiled.

"If you're strong here, then you'll be alright, lad."

"Hehe," Adam said.

"Finally, I can-," Adam whispered, though stopped when Jaygak grabbed his shoulder.

"Adam. She's older than you."

"What?"

"She's a little older than you, and you're almost too old to fight in the age bracket," Jaygak said, her lips forming a wide smile.

"Can we fight in the older age brackets?" Adam asked.

"They'll be stronger, but you can."

"No matter what, I need to beat her up." The guard eyed up the suspicious fellow in puthral, who was definitely no Iyrman, even if he was adorned in the Iyrman's steel.

"If I don't, Jirot will keep bullying me."

"You don't want to be bullied by Jirot?"

"I want to be bullied, but I-," Adam paused.

"Excuse me. What I mean to say is that I want to regain my honour so that my daughter will be able to look at me with pride." Jaygak frowned, feeling bad, not only because she was teasing Adam a little too hard, but also because this version of Adam who was far too polite and not cringe enough, it was too painful to see.

'This isn't better than when he's a fool.'

"Ah? You're fighting for your daughter?" the guard asked.

"My daughter, she asked me who was stronger. Her father, or the moon." The guard blinked hard, doing his best not to burst out in laughter.

"What did you reply?"

"Well, the moon is strong in some ways, but aren't I strong in other ways?"

"You should be stronger, because you're her father." Adam let out a sigh. He bowed his head, ashamed.

"You're right. I should be stronger than the moon, since I'm her father."

"How old is she?"

"She's three."

"At that age? That's the most troublesome age. Troubling twos, terrible threes."

"You can say that again," Adam said.

"My daughter, when she was about two, my other one, she almost ended up killing her mother."

"What?"

"It was an accident, of course, she didn't mean it. It wasn't her fault, it was all because-,""Adam," Jurot said.

"You cannot speak so vaguely, they will misunderstand."

"Oh, I just, well, yeah, I suppose…" Adam cleared his throat.

"Anyway! I'm definitely going to win this tournament! She knows the North is stronger, so if I get first place here, it'll be even better than winning the Noonval Tournament."

"Alright, well, that'll be a silver for the lot of you, and a silver for the cart and the steeds."

"The steeds are magical."

"Oh? Yeah?"

"Yep." The guard looked to the Iyrmen, who nodded, while Jaygak verbally confirmed, because it was best to be forthright with the Northerners.

"Take ten gold anyway," Adam said.

"Since we are kindred spirits, and the North has treated us so kindly."

"I'm not going to decline," the guard replied with a chuckle.

"What's your name?"

"Robert."

"Robert, eh?" Adam reached out to shake his forearm.

"You're a much nicer Robert than I've met previously."

"What was he like?"

"He was from the South."

"Ah." Marshal Black followed Adam in.

'Does he mean…? No, it can't be.'

'At least he didn't mention it was the First Hope,' Jaygak thought, impressed Adam had begun to grow up. It wasn't quite anything Adam could see that impressed Adam, but the feeling. As he stepped through the mountain town, he could feel it. The town held the aura of great pride, people walking about like they owned the North. Compared to the other Northern towns, Adam could spot an even greater numbers of heavy arms and armour, and greater walls.

Adam's eyes darted to the side, where he spotted something he hadn't expected. Large, black, feathered birds.

"Rukhs?"

"Some like to nest nearby," Jurot said.

"The town provides them food, and they deal with the wyverns."

"Does North Amber need to worry about wyvern attacks?"

"Not any more."

'What the hell?' The roads were large and wide, carved through the mountain and around it. In the same way the Iyrmen had sculpt the landscape of the mountains to form the Iyr, the Northambrians had sculpted the mountains to their liking, which just so happened to be to allow warriors to move swiftly through for war. The Northerners noted the appearance of the Iyrmen and the others, exchanging nods towards them.

"I noticed that the Northerners treat you guys pretty well," Adam said.

"Though the North is outnumbered by the rest of the nation, they hold the greatest of warriors," Jurot said.

"We like to adventure in their lands."

"You know, I feel like you've said this before."

"I am certain I have."

"You know, I feel like I've said that I've said this before." Jurot shrugged his shoulders.

"I didn't realise the North was so cool," Adam said, before raising a hand.

"Don't." Jaygak smirked.

"What else would you expect?"

"You're better than that, Jaygak."

"You should be careful."

"You should have more self respect than to make a joke like that."

"Hearing you speak about self respect hurts my lungs from containing all this laughter."

"Why do I need self respect when I'm so much stronger than you?"

"I'll tell Kav-,""Sorry."