Chương 1329: [1245] - Y06.145 - Temple of War III

"Hey, you guys, check out these little cakes with the coconut shreds," Adam said, pointing towards the tray of desserts, feeling his stomach beginning to expand, so he pulled back, groaning, stretching out his back in order to allow his food to settle. Kizwolima lay her head upon the table, half asleep, her second stomach having been compromised by her first so long ago. One might have told her off, but with her company, one certainly thought twice before telling her off.

"I hope you do not complain you ate too much when I beat you," Ashuk said, narrowing his eyes slightly, his lips twitching into a smirk.

"I won't, but it'll be really funny when I beat you and I complain about being so stuffed," Adam shot back with a wide grin. Ashuk replied with his own wide grin, while the Iyrmen placed the armour to one side. The acolytes prepared them a place nearby, setting up the tent for the group against the wall, and as they did, Adam offered them the cakes with the coconut shreds.

"Kizwolima, are you okay?" Adam asked.

"Kizwolima, stay with me, buddy, you've got at least another hundred years to trouble us with."

"Guu," Kizwolima groaned, and she was glad Adam had thought twice about shaking her shoulders, even lightly, for she was definitely moments away from emptying both of her stomachs. Jurot eyed up the half elf, who constantly reminded him how much of a father he was, and how easily he was able to deal with children. The half elf was better with children than he was beating Grand Commander's senseless, and Jurot wasn't sure how he managed it.

'In his first life, was he someone who dealt with children?'

"Oh?" Zabir called, returning from assisting with the meals after their prayers, noting all the Iyrmen who had arrived, as well as those whose foreheads were not painted. However, it was the one with red skin and horns which troubled him the most, as she sat beside two others who were tattooed with a particular tattoo. Sahla decided it was a good time to silently withdraw back to her work, finding her heart too weak after hearing the insanity Zabir had stated.

"Hey, make sure you eat up, and," Adam reached motioned his head to the buckets.

"Silvers, alright, and write it down, the business will reimburse you."

"We should pay the tithe to the Divine out of our own pouches," Dunes said.

"When I say we pay the taxes and the tithes, I meant it," Adam said, tapping the table with his finger tips to accentuate the point.

"The money you earn should go on you and your families, not on temples a thousand miles away from home. I mean, come on, how much gold did I already hand over to the temple? Fifty? A hundred?"

"It is for a service they provide."

"Dunes, I am showing you the respect by showering them in coin, show me the same level of respect by knowing I'm not stupid enough to fall for that," Adam whispered.

"They are providing a service!" Dunes snapped back in a whisper.

"Do you know how many places you can spar freely, safely, privately?"

"Firstly, not free, secondly…" Adam fell in thought for a long moment.

"A very fair point, and let's, I don't know… should I hand over a bronze token?"

"I would appreciate it," Dunes replied, noting the apology within the half elf's eyes.

"I didn't mean, you know, I meant…"

"I know."

'Damn it, Adam,' the half elf thought.

'Dunes is good people! What the hell are you doing messing about disrespecting him? You absolute muppet.' The Malawi, Samin, approached the group, his eyes taking in the sight of the large group, mostly of Iyrmen, and one in particular which caused his hair to stand on end.

As he greeted each of the Iyrmen, Dunes leaned in to whisper something into his ear, causing his eyes to dart towards the red skinned Iyrmen, nodding his head lightly, but as Dunes continued, his eyes shot to Tanagek, his entire face freezing in place, not to give away any emotion.

'Hadi Tanagek?' Samin thought, shocked, for he had no idea that such a figure was within their company.

"Tanagek," Chosen called.

"I know," Tanagek replied.

"You do not need to be jealous, since Bloodblade is quite famous too."

"Jealous of who, you?" Tanagek smirked ever so slightly, doing his best to ignore Samin's gaze, allowing the Malawi to approach as he pleased.

"How are you so close with Tanagek?" Samin whispered to Dunes.

"We met earlier this year, but I am not close with him, but with his cousins, Jurot and Adam."

"They are related?"

"Jurot's mother and Tanagek's father are siblings," Dunes informed. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The Malawi nodded his head, his eyes darting to the side once more, while the entirety of the group kept to themselves, remaining to one side, while all the Aswadians around eyed them up. He also spotted the dark skinned fellow, the one with the spear, and narrowed his eyes, certain he recognised him somehow.

Then his eyes drifted to the drakken, or rather, the half dragon, who wore a blade wrapped in cloth, no doubt a gift, but he remained near the teen Iyrman at all times, chewing his cake slowly.

'What is this?' Samin thought, as Dunes returned back to the group, flashing a charming smile towards them.

'Hadi, Mad Dog, Flame Brand?' Dunes wondered if he mentioned Butcher Marmak, but decided against it, since the Malawi was still young, and didn't need that kind of stress to shave off years of his life. As the hours passed, the temple fed roughly a thousand different people, some of whom remained to help with the dishes, while others handed over another copper coin, sometimes a big copper coin, before leaving with their family.

"Did you notice?" Dunes asked.

"I think so?" Adam replied, eyeing up the group.

"They were mostly… I don't know, soldiers, guards, that sort of thing?" Dunes nodded, smiling lightly.

"Lady Arya's temples are often popular with active or retired guards and soldiers, for obvious reasons."

"So you take your entire family for a meal from the temple?" Adam asked.

"I wonder if they made enough to cover the costs."

"They do, for much of the food is donated, or paid as tithe, and whatever coin they are paid during lunch often take care of expenses. Tomorrow is the last day of the month, so many will bring their tithes and taxes too, and the temple earns a silver each for each they process. Also, there are handsome half elves who brings pouches of silver now and again when they are dragged to the temple by their niece's father."

"I suppose they are rather handsome, aren't they?" Adam replied, reaching out a fist, allowing Dunes to thump it. It wasn't long until they arrived at the temple, for Ashuk and the Iyrmen had also sent word to the crew of the Windy Warhawk, who had waited until after the midday break to approach, not wanting the attention. The Malawi greeted them, and watched as they settled with Ashuk and the Iyrmen.

'Are they friendly, or is this the calm before the storm?' Samin thought, hoping the situation didn't escalate. He was fairly certain no one would cause trouble in their temple, but at the same time, something in his heart told him there was certainly a troublesomeness within this group.

"Kizwolima, are you tired?" Adam asked.

"Yes."

"Do you want to nap?"

"Mnn," Kizwolima replied, nodding her head.

"Alright. I'm going to face Ashuk soon, so should I wake you up then?"

"Yes, please," Kizwolima replied, rubbing her eyes, yawning, before Jash picked her up, about to follow the acolyte.

"Aha," Adam called, leaning in to whisper something into Jash's ear.

"Please stay with her until she wakes up."

"I will," Jash assured.

"If you need someone to watch over her for whatever reason, call for me, and I'll take over the duty," Adam said. The Malawi could hear the playfulness in Adam's tone, but though he smiled, his eyes had been narrowed in such a way that implied something very different, and even Jash could hear the warning within his tone. It was not a warning for her.

'He is still so sensitive about the child, even in a place like this? Who would dare to kill a child within Lady Arya's temple?' Ashuk thought, not realising what Adam was actually implying. The Iyrmen remained, Kitool donated a pouch of silver to the temple and the bronze token Adam had promised, the woman explaining to the Malawi her own role and what the token meant.

'A free Basic weapon?' the Malawi thought, his eyes sparkling, for magical weapons in this time were valued higher, especially for those of the Temple of War.

'Quite the donation!' Dozens of people passed through the temple every so often, some to place down a coin, others to quickly pray between their tasks, while a few older veterans came to relax at the temple, some of them helping out with the temple's duties, all the while they eyed up the foreigners to one side.

"Oh? I think the food's settled," Adam said, and with that, the group made their way down the steps once more, this time heading through the large bathhouse, following a hallway down, the cool air coaxing them ever forward, until they finally arrived at an underground room, one was was easily fifty paces by fifty paces, and more than large enough to house the entire group comfortable for a show.

"Did you have a nice nap?" Adam asked, rubbing the girl's face with a damp cloth, who nodded in response, blinking away her sleepiness.

"Yes…" Adam smiled innocently to Jash.

"Was it all okay?"

"Yes."

"Did you stay with her at every moment?" Adam asked.

"I did…" Jash wondered if Adam was implying…

"Ahahaha! That's good!" Adam replied, as though he hadn't just thought about the insane mess he would cause if something had happened to Kizwolima.

'Can't be too careful.' Ashuk could feel the terrifying aura emanating from the half elf, though it quickly slipped away, the young man asking Tork and Mork for their assistance in putting on his armour, making a joke to lighten the mood, and to calm himself down. He looked to Jash and then to Kizwolima, suddenly realising why Adam was so nervous about letting the girl free within the temple.

'I wouldn't dare to even think of something like that in a temple like this,' Ashuk thought, wondering just how unafraid of death Adam was, for if the temple knew what he was thinking, they might have killed him in order to send a message. He then looked aside towards the Malawi, whose eyes remained focused upon Tanagek, and realised perhaps the temple might not have been able to kill Adam.

"Kizwolima, make sure you watch carefully, alright?"

"Yes!"

"Yasha, Zabir, I'll try not to lose," Adam said, his tone far too playful.

'He's really sparring against Ashuk the Spear?' Zabir thought, Yasha glancing aside towards her grandfather, whose eyes were completely focused on the fight.

"Are you ready?" Ashuk finally asked.

"Before we begin, I have to say," Adam began, rolling his shoulders, limbering his body up.

"I've never lost in front of my kids before!"

"…"

"Nor anyone I adore like my own child!" the half elf added, howling with laughter, holding out his magical axe towards Ashuk, who had finished stretched out his back against the longspear.

"Do not hold back," Ashuk said, pointing his spear towards the half elf, who hid behind the red shield.

"After the first round," Adam said, and Ashuk bowed his head.

"Do you wish to bet?" Jurot asked the Captain. Cumulus nodded.

"Ten gold on Ashuk."

"Ten on Adam," Jurot confirmed, before glancing aside.

"Would you call the fight?"

"Okay," Ashmir replied.

'Why does he look so familiar?' the Malawi thought towards the older Aswadian, before beginning the prayers. Adam could feel the pressure of the inasir opposite him. Though the Malawi prayed, he remained completely focused upon the insair, whose entire body was relaxed, waiting for the Malawi to call for the battle to begin, however, the pressure he exuded weighed upon the half elf's shoulders.

'This is going to hurt,' Adam thought, a bead of sweat dropping down the side of his face. Battle Order: D20 + 1 = 11 (10)