Chương 1556: [1465] – Y06.365 – The Future of the United Kindom X

The Hallucinating Sword drew her blade, her blade cutting through moonlight, allowing her to fight off the chill within her bones. It had been many years since she retired, roaming the golden land of Aswadasad, for nobles, merchant caravans, even for the villages, before finally retiring within this particular inn.

It was this inn, which paid her pretty silver, and even prettier gold every season, which she could spend her days, she who had refused to settle with any man or woman, she who wielded a blade which had passed down from woman to woman, a blade crafted by a woman who had known only pain and suffering, a blade crafted for the sake of causing death neither swiftly, nor mercifully. It was this inn which would allow her to find a girl to pass on her techniques.

As she cut into the air, her blade blurred for an instant, then appeared to become several blades at once, for that was her blade, her path, which caused many to pause to face her, though she were between an Expert and Master, for while there were many who fought to kill, for the fight to last only a moment or two, her blade was the kind that did not finish a fight, but rather, to prolong it for as long as possible, so one could die by a death of a thousand cuts. She thought back to their spar.

"Sure, I'd be happy to face you," Adam said.

"You can get your armour and I'll get mine."

"I fight unarmoured, like your companion, the young woman who wears such beautiful tattoos."

"Ah! You're a Monk? Aw, man! If I had known that…" Adam reached up to rub the back of his head.

"Since it's for my dear Ranya, I suppose I'll have to do this much in order to steal her away from her father?"

"Will you fight me with your armour so shamelessly, you who fight Fariqi?"

"Aila, why are you bullying your nephew so much," Adam thought, flushing lightly.

"I suppose if you're going that far, then could I…" Adam paused for a long moment, unsure of what to say, but then he said something which surprised even Uli.

"Are you alright to allow me to swap weapons? I feel awkward fighting you with an axe, and I don't want to fight you with my fists, so if it's alright, I'd like to fight you with a quarterstaff, is that alright?" A quarterstaff? Adam stood opposite the woman, wielding a staff which once Kitool wielded, the half elf having meditated with it for a long while, before finally readying himself.

"You know, aila, I'm pretty sure I'll lose against you," Adam said.

"Why is that?"

"The only people I find scarier than Rage Dancers are Monks."

"Martial Artists?"

"Ah, right, yes," Adam replied, chuckling lightly.

"Why?"

"It's because you can freeze me in place and then you'll just wail on me for a little while and I won't be able to defend myself," Adam replied.

"…"

"So that's why…" Adam cracked his neck from side to side.

"I may not be able to hold back as much."

"…" Battle Order: D20 + 1 = (8) 7 XP: 31 500 -> 31 400 D20 + 1 = 16 (15) Omen: 1, 9 Omen: 1, 9 -> 1 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. His children were safe within the Iyr, and he had to spend his XP, for the woman could have held a greater bonus than he expected. Why? Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack: Tigerstaff (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 22 (11) D20 + 11 = 28 (17) Hit!

Mana: 34 -> 33 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 26 (9)(8) 26 Damage! Attack: Tigerstaff (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 17 (6) D20 + 11 = 17 (6) Miss! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 33 -> 28 Attack: Tigerstaff (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 13 (2) D20 + 11 = 15 (4) Miss! Attack: Tigerstaff (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 24 (13) D20 + 11 = 26 (15) Hit! Mana: 30 -> 29 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 5D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 40 (2)(7)(22) 40 Damage! Kitool had been surprised about Adam's request, though she passed along the quarterstaff.

'Sorry, Kitool, but I can't lose,' Adam had said. Adam, who had fought against Fariqi, and yet took this woman, not even a Master, far more seriously. Adam wielded the quarterstaff comfortably, though his discomfort came from fighting an older woman that he called aila. However, such a discomfort could only last for a short moment, for he had already come this far, and no matter what, he could not lose.

The staff blurred, meeting a blurry sword, though it had taken only a moment for the half elf, who preferred to wear heavy armour and to fight with a sword or axe, to overwhelm the woman. As the fire spread through the quarterstaff, the woman winced, her entire body bursting with flames, and though she still held some strength to press forward, she brought up her sword to defend herself, and just as Adam was about to strike, a blade met the magical quarterstaff.

"It is enough," Uli said, holding his blade with both hands, stopping the half elf from assaulting the woman any further. Due to the presence of the Black Lion, little trouble gathered around them, thankfully. The half elf had also gone so far as to heal her, the burning slipping away to the warmth of the Divine. Esmerey recalled the feeling that emanated from the half elf. It was that kind of feeling, the kind of feeling which came from the likes of great monsters, the kind of feeling which came from dragons.

Yet, afterwards, the half elf seemed so sweet, apologising for going so far, and merely wished her to consider his words. She assumed he might have tried to press her, but he did no such thing, and once he appeared, a figure in darker steel, aged by battle, a heavy cloak, as well as the pair of sabres, he approached the table which also held the half elf. To think the half elf had business with the Faro too…

'Well, if it doesn't work out, then that's Fate too,' Adam had said, leaving it at that. The next morning, the group gathered together, relaxing early in the morning, spending their silver and gold, hosting many who had heard the rumours of such a group, and spent even more silver and gold.

Eventually, however, it was time for them to leave, as Kal Fadi appeared once more to escort the group to the Faro's estate, from Adam to Bael, for thankfully there was only a dozen to host, and the Faro could easily host such a small cohort. The estate was beautiful, earthy, the greenery calming their hearts, and as the group entered, they noted quite a few figures who joined them, from wealthier merchants, to great warriors, and of course, the Faro herself.

The older woman was adorned in a deep red, with almost golden trim, her scarf covering her silvered hair, her shoulders weighed down by the great wealth of her jewellery. Adam could feel the gaze of all the wealthy figures around him, and it was a great fortune he wore his amulet so proudly, since they could not look at him as a dirty, low class leaf ear commoner, the half elf half smirking as he stood tall and proud.

"It seems we've intruded?" Adam teased the Faro, causing many around them to stare at him in shock.

"I wished to invited many special guests to introduce you all to one another, and to speak of various matters," the Faro admitted, motioning a hand for where they may sit.

"Then, shall we speak business another time?" Adam offered.

"We may speak of it now," the Faro stated, allowing the group to hand over the pair of shorter blades to the woman, the half elf choosing to keep the longer blade for a while longer, so as to not reveal how swiftly they were able to enchant such fine weapons. The smaller blades were settled within a pair of beautiful boxes, each crafted by the deft hand of a particular Iyrman, the soft pillows underneath allowing the blades to slumber.

"We should be able to bring the longsword early next year," Adam informed, flashing a smile towards the woman, allowing a servant to take him to one side. As a Mo, he should at least show he was not subservient to her, but to the Divine? As the group settled to one side, they found they were watched by many, from the various merchants who had gathered and already begun to mingle, to the great warriors who had been invited, and had begun reminiscing of the good old days.

An older woman stepped within, causing the atmosphere to shift. She was in her eighties or so, for she looked fifty or sixty, with silver hair, wrapped within a loose scarf, adorned in a beautiful breastplate, engraved with various Aswadic script. Upon her back she wore a long spear, tipped with what looked to be gold. She approached the Faro casually, greeting the woman with a hug, before noticing the figures nearby, and the Black Lion.

"Kal Uli, is that you, I spy?" the woman asked, sauntering her way towards the group. Kal Uli inhaled sharply.