Chương 1708: [1605] – Y07.105 – A New Moon Rises V

What was it? He was a statue before her, wielding an axe and shield. It was not just that he was a statue, but that he seemed to remain unmoving. He was a void of nothingness, feeling nothing emanating from him, not killing intent, not the martial spirit, not even life itself. A sigh escaped his lips, and once more air filled his lungs. Then, there was a step. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 15 (14) Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack: Heavy Axe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 17 (6) D20 + 11 = 21 (10) Hit!

Mana: 39 -> 38 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 30 (14)(7) 30 damage! Attack: Heavy Axe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 25 (14) D20 + 11 = 25 (14) Hit! Mana: 38 -> 37 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 32 (20)(3) 32 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 37 -> 34 Spell: Searing Smite Attack: Heavy Axe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 22 (11) D20 + 11 = 30 (19) Critical Hit! Mana: 34 -> 31 Ability: Divine Smite 8D6 + 8D6 + 6D6 + 9 = 98 (30)(38)(21) 98 damage! Attack: Heavy Axe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 12 (1) D20 + 11 = 20 (9) Hit!

Mana: 31 -> 30 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 30 (12)(9) 30 damage! Mana: 30 -> 29 Spell: Shield Defence: 26 -> 31 Adam stepped forward. He raised his axe, and willing forth his body to surpass its limits, he struck, and as the Moonsabre glowed brightly, the New Moon willing forth her great magic to stagger the half elf with her great spell, a Fourth Gate spell, in respect to his greatfather, the pair engaged in a clash of magical steel.

The half elf's axe glowed brightly, a shimmering white, and as he called forth Baktu, black fire engulfed his axe. The black flames threatened to sear the woman, who managed to slip back just in time, though the flames threatened to lick at her skin. It had lasted only a moment.

The bout between the other strongest of the Five Moons and the one who was called the strongest by a particular set of adorable children had lasted an eternity, though truly it was perhaps half a minute or so, and yet Adam and the New Moon had only clashed, and after their momentary clash, the pair each stepped back. However, it was the New Moon who had stepped back first.

"I surrender." The two words should never have been spoken by the New Moon, not to that man. Yet, the words were spoken, for they needed to be spoken. It was now up to him. Adam sheathed his axe, and tied his shield onto his back, and once he was done, he clasped a palm over his fist and bowed his head.

"It was my honour to face the sword of the New Moon. It was as terrifying as it was elegant."

"There is no need to speak words you do not mean."

"If I didn't mean them, I would have held back."

"Did you hold back?"

"I did not use any of my secret abilities, but otherwise, I did not hold back against you, in the same way I did not hold back against the Fariq of the Amber Blades, or the previous Fariq of High Garden."

Adam held the woman's eyes, the woman who could not refute his words, the woman who could see the look within his eyes, now so different, and though there was still the simmering anger within them, they were tempered by an exhaustion, and a new found seriousness, the kind a youth should not possess, for he was but twenty five, at the time of his life he should be getting into trouble, though it was because he got himself into too much trouble that he held such a look.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The New Moon bowed her head in return. The woman remained uncertain of why the half elf had raised his axe, in the same way he did not quite understand himself, but to him, he needed to raise his axe, and to her, she understood his axe needed to be raised.

However, the consequences of defeating both the New Moon and Full Moon would-,"Waxing Moon," Shayfev called, simply, as an Iyrman did, and as the women held one another's gazes for a moment, the Waxing Moon stood.

"For the sake of our youth, I cannot allow the Iyr to claim a whole victory against the Five Moons," Waxing Moon said, unstrapping her sabres, and half floated towards the soft grass.

"Let us spar without the need of magical weapons." Shayfev planted her spear into the earth and leapt onto the top of a leaf, and after a moment, crushed it beneath her boot. As she stood, her arms remained curled behind her back, for that was the Fev family way.

"It is my opinion the Fev family's way is the coolest," Malfev said, peeking down at the tiny children.

"Watch your greataunt carefully and tell me what you think!"

"Okay!"

"For the sake of our youth, I cannot allow the Iyr to claim anything but a whole victory against the Five Moons," Shayfev said, a gentle smile upon her lips. The Waxing Moon's lips formed a beautiful smile, like that of the waxing crescent.

"May I ask for your martial epithet?"

"My name is known within Aldland as Stormy Spear."

"Should I allow you to wield your spear?" Waxing Moon teased.

"There is no need," Shayfev replied, flashing a playful grin in return.

'The bout will be close,' Malfev thought.

"Daddy, you fought well," Jirot whispered, planting a kiss upon his cheek.

"Thank you."

"I am sad I could not bet," the girl pouted, peeking open an eye.

"Oops." Adam smiled, though it was the kind of smile that said he was not sorry.

"Daddy, you are so cool too," little Jarot said, reaching out to hold his father's sleeve. Adam flushed.

"Let's make sure to watch nano Shayfev carefully, okay?"

"Okay!" Shayfev was certain she would lose. The way of the Fev family was not exactly the same which brutally beat another, it was the kind which battered one's heart brutally, by forcing one down, or away, or to leap away with effortlessness, so one must chase after them. Even so, her body emanated a grave aura.

"Shall we spar with flesh and bone?" Waxing Moon asked, for feeling the intense pressure of the woman before her was a little much, even for her, and with her words the intense pressure disappeared.

"We will do as you request," Shayfev replied, glad the Waxing Moon had read the room, though it put the Five Moons at a disadvantage.

Instead of a typical fight, the pair held out their fists, and with that, their hands and fists blurred, half attacking one another, half defending themselves, but they did not move from their spots, instead they danced the dance of flesh and bone, that was to say, they did not wield any of their greater abilities, and only decided the matter with one's physical prowess, one's physical mastery of flesh, one's physical mastery of bone.

Their arms were like crashing waves as they stood, neither yielding to one another. The pair stepped away, for though it was difficult for those outside to see, the pair knew which of the two had managed to gain greatest ground within their spar.

"It is my loss," Waxing Moon declared.

"I defeated the Waxing Moon, and not the Five Moons," Shayfev stated respectfully, the pair bowing their heads respectfully. Malfev let out a soft sigh, for though a true battle between them may have been better, at the very least the children could see their greataunt's victory. The five children stared at their greataunt with renewed respect, and with their father's prodding, the children all gathered around their greataunt, who beamed down towards them.

"Greataunt is so cool!" the children declared, causing the woman to flush, who peppered them each in kisses.

"I shall step forward next," Bloodblade Shasen said, though as he stood, another stood.

"There is no need for you to step forward," he said, and as the Iyrman stepped forward, a hush fell before the Five Moons.

"I must insist upon my rudeness."

"Who can dare suggest that you of all Iyrmen are rude?" Waning Moon replied, standing, the woman drawing her Moonsabre, approaching the Iyrman.

"I thought I had buried the childishness when I took my vows, but it seems I also wish to show off in front of my greatnieces and greatnephews," Duteous Dogek said, his tone devoid of humour, and perhaps he did not speak the whole truth. Shasen did not need to step forward, for he had originally accepted the children, and for the first few years of their life, it was he, Dogek, who had refused them. The Grand Commander of Eagle Wing, Sky Commander Sienna.

The Wraith Blade of High Garden, who was even more powerful than the Sky Commander. No. It was not yet enough. As Dogek drew his blade, he stood opposite the one known was the Waning Moon, who was but a step away from the title of Paragon, a step away from the realm he had long stepped within. Yet, the gap between them was just that, a step. A step which could be no more than a finger width, or the entire land of Aswadasad. With his blade in hand, however, there could be no such thing as defeat. No.

As he stepped in front of the children, who would watch his back, the same back he had shown them when he had shirked them, he must show them the glint of his steel.

"Though my swordplay is not as grand as my grandfather's, I hope it does not shame the name of the Gek family."

"I am certain it will not," the Waning Moon said, and the woman clasped her sabre tightly in hand, adorned in lighter steel than her compatriots, for she would need the speed against the likes of Duteous Dogek.