Chương 1709: [1606] – Y07.106 – A New Dawn I

The sword within his hand was just a sword. A silver wheel pommel, a handle wrapped in brown leather, a guard which jutted out with little flare, a blade of steel grey slightly longer than one's arm. A hilt. A crossguard. A blade. It was just a sword. It was this sword Dogek wielded. As the woman burst forward, the weight of the Five Moons upon her shoulders, evident from her swiftness, her elegant blade, and her clear eyes, which slipped through her visor, to meet with Dogek's gaze within his own.

"Amalrot, watch carefully," Tanagek called, though it was not to Amalrot he spoke, the girl upon her grandfather's lap, glancing aside to her cousin for a moment, the chonky girl blinking towards him. Thankfully, the eyes of those who needed to watch remained upon their greatuncle's form. The woman's sword was elegant as it was deadly, and with a breath flowing into the world, her magical steel, shimmering brightly with great force, blurred through the air. The sword which stopped her sabre was just a sword.

The sword blurred through the air, with just a swing, with just a thrust, with just a parry. The way of the Gek family was simple, but it was not this simple. This was the simple and efficient swordplay of the Iyr, that which was only taken to its extremes by a handful of familiar, one of them being those who shared a similar name to the Geks, though with a different vowel. It was not just a fight.

As Dogek stepped forward to meet the woman, her sabre blurred through the air, his blade, too, blurred through the air. The clash of steel rung through the air, and as the woman pushed herself to her limits, she leapt backwards away, but the Iyrman did not step away to allow himself to breathe, to allow herself to breathe. As he approached, and as she had burst through her limits, he pushed forward through his own. The title of Paragon was heavy. It was the kind of title which also meant that.

As the woman flexed her muscles, and her glowing sabre blurred through the air, whipping through the wind, the weight of her blade like the wind itself, but the ringing steel filled the air as for every slash of her magical blade met with the steel of another magical blade, and once more she leapt backwards, this time forced away by the great might of the Iyrman before her.

Her panting filled the air, her eyes meeting Dogek's gaze, for he had pressed through his limits twice, due to the realm above her own, confirming the very fact he was a Paragon if she had possessed the folly of doubt.

"I can see how heavy your burden is," Waning Moon said.

"The blade of the Five Moons is light within the air, but heavy upon steel," Dogek replied respectfully. The Waning Moon sheathed her blade, the ache within her body screaming at her, for though their bout had lasted only a few moments at most, the strength of the Iyr was displayed so perfectly, so brutally, and… The Waning Moon's heart ached.

'To think he would not even display the Gek family's techniques.' Dogek stepped back to the rest of the Iyrmen, his step did not stutter, though he thought of approaching his greatnieces and greatnephews.

"Granduncle, you ended the fight too quickly," accused a little girl.

"It is the way of the Gek family," Dogek replied simply. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Babo's fighting is so cool," the most benevolent of all the children said, holding up a thumbs up to her babo, her amber eyes shimmering brightly.

"I am glad it pleased you," Dogek replied simply once more, though seeing the eyes of the children, his heart throbbed, and once more he felt the burden upon his shoulders. It was because of the look within their eyes that he could not drop the title of Duteous, not until he had grown too old, when he could no longer wield his blade in hand.

"Even though you did not fight a Paragon, you are strong too, babo," Jirot said, her eyes sparkling playfully.

"…" Dogek reached down to brush the girl's cheek gently with a leather glove, then tickled her leaf shaped ear.

'Granduncle has changed so much,' Tanagek thought.

'Uncle has changed so much,' Tonagek and Sonarot thought.

"What is it?" Shasen replied. Chosen remained glaring at him expectantly, for there was still another Grandmaster within the Five Moon, not one of the titular Five Moons, but no less skilled than a typical Grandmaster.

"Should I step forward?" Mosen asked, standing up, and as he did, another stood, and the middle aged Iyrman paused.

"I wish to show off in front of my sister," Jurot said, though it was not his sister he wished to show off to, and as the woman's eyes fell upon his broad back, she understood. Though his opponent would not be one of the Moons, she was still a Grandmaster, and would inspire one's hearts with her blade.

"She is not the one," called a voice, deep and dark, deeper and darker, for the words were hard to speak for the old man, but they needed to be spoken. Jurot paused, and slowly turned to meet the old man's gaze. Of all the Iyrmen, it was not his grandfather he expected to speak up.

"Is this the only Order we shall step within?" Jurot, upon hearing his grandfather's words, stepped back. It was not because the old man had explained himself, for he would not have stepped forward even if his grandfather hadn't explained himself, he was stunned it was his grandfather of all Iyrmen had told him to step back.

"Brat! Why are you sitting?" Jarot growled, an accusatory finger pointed at his nephew.

"Step forward and show the-," Mulrot jabbed her husband once more, and though he did not freeze in place, he stopped speaking, even though Mosen had stepped up once more.

"There is no need to-," Mulrot paused a moment, uncertain if she, like Dogek, could speak the words.

"The Five Moons has treated us well, and has humoured us enough," Gangak said, and with that, Mosen sat down once more, though he was eager to stand upon his feet once more should it be required.

"It is a shame granduncle did not wield the way of our family, for father and I are unable to reveal its intricacies, and granduncle's skill with the sword is unmatched in the Gek family, except…" Tanagek turned to look towards Shagek.

"Recently, I have been able to match his swordplay, but I would not claim victory," Shagek replied simply, though as his eyes fell upon the children, he thought to stand. However, though their eyes were so full of expectations, he could not stand up, for Gangak had spoken the words, and her words were as absolute as the likes of their mother and grandmother. Tonagek, too, had thought so step forward, but if Mosen was unable to face against her, he would be unable to face against her either.

Tonagek's eyes then fell across his sister's, who nodded, and it was not long after when Sonarot, grandmother of the children, as the President of the United Kindom, spoke with Mother Crescent of the Five Moons.

"We are most grateful for your gift, President," Mother Crescent said, for the blade was a fine blade indeed, a sword enchanted with a Basic enchantment, finely crafted, curved like their sabres, a gift that may be unmatched for the entire year, for very few offered such fine gifts to the Five Moons.

Sonarot had offered this much to the Order to keep any ill feelings from blooming from between them, from those of the great warriors who may choose to blame Adam, for Adam was Adam, and within the Five Moons, considering what he was, and who they were, he was the simplest target. This much would be enough, for now, but it was the discussions the pair held for the next half hour, from simple conversation to a business offer, that would make sure the Five Moons kept their steel at bay.

'Three Greater Enhanced blades for fifteen thousand…' Mother Crescent thought, and considering Sonarot's tone, the weapons would not be quite so simple. Even if they were of a fair price, a blade to be enchanted in such a manner was more than worth it, and even with the increased prices with the Reavers abound, she would accept the blades if they were not worth it.

"I hope such an offer is agreeable," Sonarot said, as though Mother Crescent was foolish enough to suggest otherwise.

"It is more than agreeable," the woman replied with a warm smile.

"Your kindness is more than appreciated, kal. I will speak with the matter of Kal Rubia's Moonsabre with my fellow Moons."

"My brother would tease me too much if I deny the Iyr its fun," Sonarot replied, smiling the smile of an Iyrman. Mother Crescent smiled in return, though the lines upon her face were not of her smile, but her stress, for the woman was not joking in the slightest.