Chương 1638: [1542] – Y07.042 – Iyrmen II

The carriages could not be called ornate, save by those whose eyes were for wood, and regardless if one held such a talent, all could see they were well built. The steeds ahead were large, giant elks, so well built, they put the carriages to shame. The creatures were raised by generations of care, or those formed of magic.

Adam side eyed the Iyrmen, partly annoyed, for how many times had he thought, and forgotten, to craft such fine magical items to allow them to ride such glorious creatures, each twice as swift as himself, and would allow him to clear far more than the typical twenty or thirty miles the magical warhorses typically pulled?

The carriages thundered southward towards the town, in which they spent little time, but a night, and in the next morning, they greeted the Captain of the ship, a figure not unknown to them, the fellow's ears leaf shaped, his golden hair and eyes sparkling with apprehension, and the knowledge his pouch would soon be filled with the chill of gold and tiger eyes, which the Iyr so adored.

His name was well known across the seas, though not quite as well known as O'Shan, though standing before the Iyrmen, especially the handful of Iyrmen without painted foreheads, he held no pretences, for he had lived for five decades, and wished to live for another century.

The ship, wide and flat, so long was it, a half dozen sails towered towards the heaven, the ship painted white, with blue accents, silver trimmings sparkling under the dawnval sun, and at least a hundred sailors called the ship their own, another hundred more temporarily.

As Bael stepped onto the ship, his eyes trailed to the side, meeting the gaze of another who wore the face of a half dragon, scales of silver, and as their eyes met, the two clashed within their minds, and though the older silver scaled half dragon assumed his victory, Bael smirked, for the figure did not know.

The sand giant who followed Bael decided against thinking too deeply of the way the paired glared between one another, and nor did she consider the colour of the half dragon's scales, instead staring up at the sky, letting out a soft sigh.

'Father, why didn't you warn me the world was full of those crazier than I?' Dogek approached the silver scaled half dragon, and held out a small pouch, though keen eyes noted the bulging was not the bulging of coin, but gems, at least fifty, worth between ten or a thousand, who could know? If they were worth ten a piece, five hundred gold, such was a princely sum for a half dragon, but should the number reach a thousand, no doubt there was nothing half about the fellow.

However, not even the silver scaled half dragon understood the blatant disrespect the Iyr had shown to him, for it was not quite as blatant, as the three red skinned, horned children each stared at the silver half dragon, who held upon them a familiar scent, yet as they admired the figure's beautiful silver scales, horns, and even his tail, their mother's arms swallowed them whole.

"Captain," Malfev called, smiling warmly towards the half elf, holding out the flag, which would need to be raised high, even above the Captain's own.

"Ah," the Captain replied, at first handing the flag over to another, but instead took it upon himself to climb all the way to the top and pin the flag above his own, which was that of an open blue, with a pair of crossed golden blades, while the Iyr's was that of a black flag, which meant something upon the open sea, but it was the white circle within, and the symbol of the Iyr's Lord of Death, which spoke greater.

The ship flew away from the port with a swiftness one could expect of an unladen Aldish swallow, however, the Iyrmen did not relax, for upon the sea they were subject to the whims of not just Lord Gale, but of Lady Tempest. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

'We should have brought along Brother Mork,' the half elf thought, his eyes scanning the sea, and as he approached his children, he paused, feeling the ship coming to a crawl, the town behind them but an ant on the horizon. The waves shook violently, causing the ship to sway backwards, though it remained steady.

Its shell was formed of jagged mountains, skin scaled blue and green, like that of an algae seen through clear water, each tooth of its mighty maw was larger than even Adam in his full plate, and no doubt, it could crush him with ease. Yet, she did not reveal such large teeth to such a group, instead she waited, as Sonarot approached, the woman taking the lead at this time, carrying a large chest.

"Great Urkina, it is our honour," Sonarot said, resting the chest upon the large railing.

"I have come to heed the call," the dragon turtle replied, her voice reverberating through the air, as the Iyrmen approached the side to get a better look of her, meanwhile the group of Iyrchildren stared at her, save for Amalrot, who turned up to look at her grandmother in surprise, though Mulrot brushed her cheek tenderly, causing the girl to relax.

Sonarot dropped the chest into the ocean, which the Great Urkina slurped up towards her with ease, swallowing it, though another stepped towards the edge, the woman adorned within her modesti, as she held onto a shield wrapped within a scarf.

"Great Urkina, it is my honour to finally meet you," the woman said.

"It is my honour in return, Ray," Urkina replied, and a pair of lips formed tiny circles of surprise at her words, for she was considered among the greatest of creatures, she who claimed to rule the waters across the west.

"My name is Ray Vonda, I wished to thank you personally for your assistance at this time, so I hope you are willing to accept a gift from myself, and my family."

"You seem to have brought a heavy gift," Urkina half accused, and though she did not wish to refuse, she could not tie herself to Life's Rose.

"The children you escort are my family, my sons and daughters, my sisters, and my cousin," Vonda said, and the words caused a stir within the sailors, who had wondered why the Ray was so close to the Iyr, for Life's Rose was an Order of Mother Soza, Goddess of Life, whereas the Iyr was a nation of Baktu, Lord Sozain, they say, the Lord of Death.

"If that is the case, I shall accept your gift," Urkina replied, and as Vonda tossed the shield into the ocean, the dragon turtle quickly slurped it up, but as she did so, another stepped towards the edge.

"It's good to see you again, Great Urkina!" the fool exclaimed.

"It has been a couple of years, but I'm glad to finally see you again, so that I could show you the appropriate respects." Pam stared at the giant dragon turtle, blinking, for she was but a baker's daughter, and Urkina was a myth, and yet the myth was very real. Her heart pounded heavily within her chest, her eyes trailing to the side, only to recall her husband had met her a few years ago, and seemed to be completely unphased about meeting her.

"I recalled a few familiar scents," Urkina admitted, her eyes falling across the group of Iyrmen, and as she thought back to two years ago, she recalled the red skinned Iyrman, who had tossed her such a fine weapon.

"Last time, I only handed over a little bit of gold, but thankfully, the Iyr informed me that you would be assisting, so on behalf of the United Kindom, I hope you're willing to accept our gratitude," the half elf said, and he reached into his cloak, he summoned a small pouch from his ring. He half tossed it to the ocean, and as it sunk, Urkina swiftly swallowed it whole silently.

"I hope you are also willing to accept this gift from me, for the children you are escorting are my lovely sisters, my lovely sons and daughters, and my cousin, Taygak, whose cousin you know, for though the magical blade I offer is decent, Great Moon was a far greater blade."

"Yes, I remember such a fine blade, from young Jaygak," Urkina said, causing the twins to gasp, the pair staring into one another's eyes, whispering in shock in the Iyr's tongue. Urkina, whose eyes fell upon the children for a moment, skin of green, eyes of amber, blood of Iyr. Adam reached into his cloak, and then brought out the sword, which caused the onlookers to understand Adam was carrying some kind of magical item that hid away such treasures.

The half elf tossed over one of the blades he had enchanted so long ago, that which one recognised, for it was almost identical to the sword he currently wielded. It was an acceptable gift, Adam assumed, though he regretted being unable to craft another blade which matched his current axe, for Urkina was worth at least that much. However, was the half elf so cheap?