Chương 1634: [1538] – Y07.038 – The Journey Out III

A pair of amber eyes stared up towards a woman, within those amber eyes, the most beautiful woman, whose heart was as pure as the sun. Those amber eyes were green, not like her skin, but of envy, for the girl held out her hands, pointing towards her elder siblings.

"I want to be as pretty as nano too!" Konarot blinked, the girl still looking towards her hands, each a deep red, like her younger brother, and as she reached up to her horns, she could still feel them, but as she looked to her tail, it was no longer quite as wide or thick, but they were long and thin, for no longer did she appear to look like someone like Vasera, but someone like her papo Laygak, who beamed down towards the children.

"Dear…" Vonda called, reaching down to brush the girl's cheek, for her heart was wounded, and yet to think the Iyr would wound her heart greater.

She had her assumptions about why the Iyrmen had not changed her appearance, for the appearance of three Iyrmen, who appeared to look like half dragons, may have sparked quite some interest from the various dragons across the land, especially the Talia family up north, whose blood flowed through the children's veins, or at the very least, those of the Talia family of a different world entirely.

"You'll just have to settle for looking as pretty as your mother," Adam said, causing the girl to glare at him, but as she began to understand her father's words, she hid her father within her mother's leg.

"Since when did daddy become so good at talking?" the girl grumbled quietly. The children, from the teen Taygak, to the little ball that was known as Amalrot, all wore a necklace, a black gem dangling at the bottom, while the triplets also wore an amulet encrusted with various gems, each hidden away under their robes. It was these necklaces, these amulets, which the Iyr should have ensured the children wore previously, but they would not make the same mistake again.

The riverboat was long and slim, the bow spirit carved into the face of a dragon, the sails formed of what looked to be liquid silver, like that of a famous boat some had travelled on the previous year, the wood dark, darkened by heat. As they boarded the deck, Adam followed Captain Samool, who invited him to the lower decks, and then to a small room, that was tucked between a pair of quarters, in which a large gem, the size of his head, lay dormant.

Captain Samool then raised a hand, revealing all five of his fingers to the half elf, who raised a brow, but reached out towards the gem.

Mana: 34 -> 33 Mana: 33 -> 32 Mana: 32 -> 31 Mana: 31 -> 30 Mana: 30 -> 29 The warmth left the half elf's body, causing him to shudder, but as he withdrew his hand, Samool closed the wooden plank, which seemed to melt back into the boat, as though it did not hold a gem worth tens of thousands of gold, and as the half elf returned back to the upper deck, he found the silver sails shimmered even more vibrantly.

Jirot and Jarot remained within their mother's bosom as the boat began to fly, for it moved with such swiftness, one couldn't say it merely sailed, the silver sails, more like wings, shifted into an infinite number of wings, flapping an infinite number of times every passing moment, like propeller, the water spraying all across the river.

'Ah,' Adam thought, glancing back towards Nobby, blinking towards the fellow.

'I forgot to greet little Merry and Joy…' He hoped the journey would not be plagued by such an ill omen. The Dancing Dragon flew across the wide river, heading southward, and shortly it came upon the horizon, the pathetic fortress which thought it could impose itself beside the Iyr. It was formed of thick stone, a large moat where the river forked, for the river's heart had been split in two ages past.

Thankfully, the children had stepped into the lower decks, unable to see the old Jarot who had almost flung himself to the Order upon seeing the various faces staring at him upon the walls, but thankfully Jurot and Mulrot kept a hand upon him.

"You would stop me?"

"We would not stop the boat," Mulrot said.

"If you go, the children will cry," Jurot informed. The old man flared red hot with rage, for how could they ask him to remain within upon the boat when they were right there, the Order of High Garden, who dared to ask for justice when they had slain his greatsons!

"Do not embarrass us in front of the Aldishmen," Marmak said, all the while holding up Lanarot, for the girl, too, had pretended to jump off the ship. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"I mean, in all fairness, couldn't we slaughter at least half of them before stepping out?" Jurot turned his head, towards the half elf who held their youngest sister within his arms, shocked to the point of silence, for within the half elf's eyes, he could see it, the fact the half elf was playing the scenes within his mind, again and again. The old Jarot calmed his heart, staring at his grandson, who was so unlike him, and yet, in this moment, was probably the most like him.

"It would disappoint our Ray Vonda," Mulrot said, noting the look within the half elf's eyes, and as the half elf blinked, the look disappeared.

"Ah. Right." Vonda held her husband within her gaze. She could not hold it against him, the whirlwind of fury which stormed within his heart. He would not have stepped out should she have called to him.

"It would be difficult, for they outnumber us, and the children would not wish to see it, not at this time," Shaool stated, as though contemplating his words seriously. If they had issued an order to slay the Order of High Garden, Adam's presence would have simplified much, for the half elf would be able to soften most up for their steel, if not outright kill several of their warriors outright, and perhaps even go on to clash and slay several of their greatest warriors.

Her eyes then darted to Jarot, who, though only considered a Grandmaster, would probably be able to press forward greater than even the Bearded Dragon or Marmak, for though they were Rage Dancers, it was the Rot family which could shrug off the most terrible blows the Oathsworn could wrought.

Korin, Sara and Lani all decided against listening to the Iyrmen, for certainly if they could slaughter the Order of High Garden, considered the greatest across the lands, then they would be able to speak so easily of even their Order, that of Black Mountain. As purple kissed the sky, they were no longer upon Aldish lands, but those of the Florian's, the ship halting at the docks beside the outpost, in which a handsome fellow awaited them, flanked by several heavily armed figures.

He was pale skinned, his hair the colour of fresh blood, his eyes like rain, his smile like that of a child, adorned in steel, and at his side he carried a blade that was undoubtedly magical, the steel fiery, the handle a gleaming silver. A cape of a deep purple fluttered in the dawnval wind.

"Iyrmen!" called the handsome fellow, clapping his hands, causing the soldiers to tense up.

"To think it would not be any Iyrmen, but those of the fine Gek family." Tonagek stepped forward in place of his uncle, for the Commander stared directly towards him.

"Good evening, Commander Greyfort."

"I assume you must be Tonagek, Cloud Splitter?"

'Damn,' Adam thought, further annoyed people had tried to call him Purple Adam when his uncle was named Cloud Splitter.

"I am," Tonagek replied, though he possessed several steel names.

"My aunt is married to Sir Harvard Longtree," Commander Greyfort explained.

'Ah,' Tonagek thought.

"If I had known you were related to Sir Longtree, I would have brought a gift. Tanagek, come and greet Commander Terryn Greyfort. This is my son, Tanagek, who has made a small name for himself in the north."

"Good evening," Tanagek greeted the fellow, though to say he had made a small name for himself wasn't exactly right, for even that small name was quite decent, wasn't it?

"What a sharp look within your eyes!" the Commander half exclaimed, a wide grin upon his face.

"I can see that you are just like your father, and, if I am correct, your… granduncle?"

"Yes," Dogek replied.

"I am Duteous Dogek." The soldiers tensed up further, for the Iyrman was probably twice as strong as even their greatest warrior.

"It is only to be expected that the Gek family has claimed all three generations under their steel," Sir Greyfort said.

"I was informed there are Iyrchildren aboard?"

"Yes."

"Then, please, step inside the fort, though not quite as impressive as the forts of the Iyr, certainly it is fine enough to assist upon such a dangerous journey," Sir Greyfort said. The soldiers glanced between the Iyrmen, for though they may have brought a number of children, didn't the Commander still have his pride?

"Darling," Adam whispered, before leaning into Vonda's ear, and then the woman glanced down towards the twins, who clutched at her sleeves tightly. However, Jirot held a hand over her stomach, and her face remained strained, and while the Iyrmen began to step off the boat, only a handful did so, before they paused, making the soldiers wait for quite a long while.

"I see there are many great…" Sir Greyfort began, before noting the amulet upon Adam's chest, pausing.

"May I know of your name, Father?"

"I am Executive Adam, of the United Kindom," the half elf replied.

"I see," Sir Greyfort replied, for he instantly recognised the name. The half elf had not been wearing purple, so the Commander had counted his blessings, yet it had been too soon.

"Is there a problem?"

"No," the Commander lied, saving his life.

"…"

"…"

"Did he say Adam?" a soldier whispered into another's ear.

"He did."

"That Adam?"

"I imagine so." Adam stood, tall and proud, a wide smile upon his lips. So what if he had killed a knight within their King's peace, and ruined their liege's position on the regional stage? It was then the soldiers noted the appearance of the purple and grey women, their horns, their stone like affects upon their skin. As a soldier leaned in to speak words into the Commander's ears, the Commander held up a hand.

"It is a great blessing I am able to meet with so many great figures of the Iyr," the Commander said, having noticed just who else formed up those upon the ship. Even if each of them held a bounty of ten thousand gold, there was nothing he and his soldiers, but two hundred strong, could do, and certainly the King had ordered him not to bother the Iyrmen, not this time, while the children were within their company. No. The Commander had no thoughts of dying this day.

Then, as Tanagek drew steel, he had confirmed his wisdom.