Chương 1718: [1615] – Y07.115 – Hearts of Fire V

No words were spoke, but the statement was loud.

"Kako, did you wash your hands?" Jirot asked.

"Of course!"

"Of coas."

"Of coas." Jirot narrowed her eyes.

"Of coas." Lanarot cackled, and stormed up to her niece, hugging her tight, the pair exchanging kisses on their cheeks, Lanarot first, she was the aunt, and the two held one another for a long while.

'Just how much has the Iyr changed?' Ramizash thought.

"Although it may be rude, may I ask a warrior of the village the honour of a spar?" an old woman said, the same old woman who sat beside the wooden arm and legged fool. She wore a spear upon her back which emanated a powerful magic, the kind that was more than likely one of the family weapons of one of the Iyr families, perhaps her own, or perhaps one of those from another family which wielded a spear.

Ash met his father's gaze and sighed, cracking his neck lightly as he racked his brain, and after a moment of thought, he beckoned one of the drakken forward, whispered into their ear.

"If you are to call for a great warrior, should I step forward too?" Malfev joked.

"One is enough to reveal the Fev family way," Mulrot replied.

"Then I shall step back."

"Then…" called a voice, of a woman who had inherited such a fiery blood from her grandmother and grandfather, "I will step forward too."

"Oooh!" the children called, all but confirming the girl was going to fight, and seeing the young woman step forward, the other young Iyrmen awoke.

"What is your name, girl?"

"I am Nirot." Ash's eyes fell between Nirot and her grandfather, noting the smell between the women who wielded a spear and herself too, and he bowed his head, and with the other young Iyrmen suddenly sitting upright, he sighed and whispered further into the drakken's ear, but he paused a moment. He noted the looks of the others all around, and then leaned in further to whisper something else. It was obvious who he had called for though there were quite a few who stepped forward, six were different.

They were similar to the other drakken, dark skinned, red haired, but these six held different colour hair, though all dyed, as splotches of red burst through, and it was they, these six each which held his very deep red eyes and red scales.

They were all attractive in their own way, but each held the handsomeness of their father, and his great build, some short, some tall, while one, the only man, certainly held giant blood within him, for he was a whole head taller than his tallest sister, who towered over all the strangers who had come, save for one, who was but a touch shorter, the diminutive sand giant. They were each adorned in the finest of steel, their weapons forged of dragonglass, each carrying greatspears.

"If it's the Iyrmen, it seems we won't be able to earn a hundred gold, just the fifty?" the younger sister said, musing to herself, feeling the tension in the air as so many half dragons appeared.

"Oh? It seems there are quite a few great warriors, though they don't seem to wish to step forward?" the eldest sister called, her tone equally playful, equally innocent, equally aggravating.

"Are you my opponent," one declared, pointing at the old woman who finished her stretches.

"Indeed, this old lady will accompany you," Mulrot said. Adam blinked, sitting upright. He was certain he had seen his grandmother fight previously, but was she always so playful with her words?

"So cool," Jirot whispered. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"So cool," the children confirmed.

"If you're already warmed up…" The half dragon dashed forward, daring to speed towards the Iyrmen, spinning her long spear behind her. As her greatspear blurred through the air, she found her opponent had disappeared, having hopped over the woman. It was she who was known as such. As Mulrot rose into the air, as though stepping upon invisible steps, her own spear spun behind her, and from the heavens rained wings forged of blurred magical steel, her own spear.

The half dragon twisted her shoulder, contorting her body as the spear fell to the earth, it threatened to still cut through her scale, and as her spear threatened to pierce the heavens, the woman descended, landing onto the floor with a foot, driving it down, firm as the roots of a mighty oak, and the other planted firmly upon the half dragons chest, forcing the half dragon to slide back and to drop to a knee.

"Are you not warmed up?" Mulrot asked, hiding most of her spear behind her back, beckoning the half dragon with her fingers. Adam almost turned, but the half dragon stood abruptly, and flexed her muscles, letting out a puff of dark smoke. She clasped her longspear tightly in both hands, and she cracked her shoulders, finally bolting towards the old woman with a fury within her heart.

Mulrot huffed, her entire body flexing as she leapt into the air once more, her own spear meeting the half dragon's, striking the side of the spear as she shifted her body around it, and as it threatened to skewer her, the woman kicked up into the air once more, leaping away from the spear. However, she had begun to sweat, her breathing ragged. To face one of the children of the Rais was rather difficult.

Malfev watched, his arms behind his back, for Mulrot's fighting was always slightly flashier than the typical Fev.

'You will burn yourself out if you continue to strain yourself in such a way…' However, though Mulrot moved far more than the typical Fev in a battle, it was exactly that reason why she was able to reach the heights that she had. As she clasped her spear behind her back once more, she half stepped forward, and as though she were an arrow ready to loosen, she awaited her opponent to step forward. Then, the pair engaged once more, except as the half dragon burst forward, she found Mulrot's movement had shifted.

The old Iyrman moved as though she were floating, as though a leaf, and as the spear threatened to cut her, she floated around the spear, and while the half dragon had jerked away from the woman's spear, Mulrot's movements could only be described as a leaf, following the wind around the tip of the spear.

Mulrot's entire body flashed hot, her ki spreading throughout, but her ki slipped through her feet, and with that, her movement remained graceful, and as she leapt upwards once more, she landed atop the tip of the half dragon's spear. The half dragon stared at her, her eyes full of sheer surprise.

The Iyrman stepped up into the air, moving three steps with one, walked on the air above and over the half dragon, and as she made to land behind the half dragon, a spear aimed for her back, and yet, as though she had slowed in midair, she landed on the tip of the spear once more. A moment of silence filled the air as the woman stepped off the spear tip, and though she took a single step, it was a step which cleared three.

The half dragon remained speechless, but within her heart, once more she found how aggravating it was to face a martial artist.

"What do you call that technique?" As the Iyrman turned to face the woman, an eye was closed as she thought.

"It is a technique passed down through our family, often called by others, Bouncing Leaf derogatorily, whereas those who wish to show us kindness, it is known as the Leaping Leaf Step."

"What is your martial epithet?"

"The Ascending Swallow to some, the Rising Swallow to others," Mulrot replied.

"They call me Vicious Spear Drake," the half dragon huffed readying herself.

"A fine name." Mulrot reached out her hand, beckoning the woman once more.

"Shall we continue?" The half dragon blinked, and again, she felt the heat of hatred run through her. She inhaled and charged forward once more, and again, Murlot's movements seemed to place her a step or two away from the tip of her spear, meanwhile the Ascending Swallow's spear threatened to take an eye or two. Thankfully, after the first clash, it seemed whatever magics within her spear were spent, and the half dragon fought with a vicious fury, her muscles screaming at her.

As Mulrot began to sweat, feeling her thundering heart, she realised perhaps holding back so much had backfired. The two continued to clash, with Mulrot always but a hair's width away. The woman continued to remain half within the air, and continued to step upon the tip of the spear with every clash, though she was as light as a feather.

As their spears continued to clash, Mulrot and the half dragon were only a clash away, and so as the half dragon spun violently to chase the Ascending Swallow, the Iyrman followed the half dragon's shadow, and then with a spinning back kick, forced the half dragon away, the woman flying through the air, skidding and rolling until she managed to stop herself, upon a knee, spear planting firmly on the ground. The sheer audacity of the move had caused a silence in the air.

The half dragon panted, inhaling sharply for a short while, before finally standing, flexing her muscles, and letting out a long exhale.

"You held back."

"I only followed your lead," Mulrot replied simply, causing the half dragon to smile. However, Mulrot didn't want to admit just how much she had held back, for her spear was still rearing to pierce her opponent, and should she had wielded it appropriately, the bout would have lasted half as long. However… Mulrot turned to look towards the beaming children, whose tiny lips formed tiny circles, and saw their greatmother in a new light.

'So cool!' Lanarot blinked.

'Grandmother is strong too?'