Chương 1724: [1621] – Y07.121 – Black Lions I

The sun rose, and a fist gripped the half elf's shirt tightly in hand, an annoyed Jirot side eyeing her father.

"This time it's not my fault."

"…"

"You're the one who wanted to sleep with kakos instead of daddy."

"…" Adam, too, remained silent, for any more than this and Jirot would begin her oppression, so instead the half elf kept the girl close to his chest, holding his twins within his strong arms, providing them shade from the overbearing sun. The riverboats provided them greater shade, longships, each which were formed of wood treated by dragonfire, so even if they were dashed upon rocks, the rocks may find themselves crushed.

Each was black in colour, dragonheads leading them, large sails which were not required, for the serpents of water, tethered to the front of the ships through magical reins, were eager to pull the ships. Aisha joined the group, as the eldest of the Ashen Lord's children, but also as a Paragon who held great infamy across the land, from the villages to the towns, even to the capital, allowing her to deal with whichever fool, so few they may be, who would step towards the Iyrmen in such a precarious time.

As the ships flew across the river, the water burst outwards, and within the sky they saw a distant red form, far enough so he was only a thumb length long, and after a few hours of trailing them, the dragon slipped away.

The group passed through the various river villages, until they finally settled onto one to allow the water serpents to rest, for one was responsible for pulling along two, somehow, though there was no visible way it was pulling the other, save for it trailing behind, while one was responsible to pulling the ship with the children, and thus held the greatest burden upon its mind.

The villagers welcomed the Iyrmen, who brought them a spear within a scarf, and kept to themselves, for the sake of the villagers' hearts. Karot leapt into the air, landing with a heavy step, following his greatmother's words, the boy staring up at her in confusion.

"You will one day soar through the sky, but you are too young, and you have not yet managed to form your inner ki," the woman assured, brushing his hair gently.

"I do not like being too young."

"Oh? I like how small and cute you are." Karot flushed.

"I am not small and cute, I am big." Mulrot blinked, her lips forming a wider smile, meanwhile Konarot and Kirot both glanced their brother's way, and the two almost began to correct their brother, but the two paused, for it was difficult when he was so well behaved, and since he was so well behaved, he was not misbehaving, the two gathering around him, embracing him close within their arms.

"Your daddy can fly too," the half elf said, while his boy remained pouting. Seeing his son's eyes, so expectant, the half elf smiled, and then cast his spell.

"Woo!" came a scream as the half elf finished casting his spell, and the squealing and the cries of joy filled the air. Adam blinked. Bael smirked.

'Do you want to fight?'

'Can you even defeat me?'

'Did you forget who beat you?'

'Let us fight without holding back.'

'Did you think I wasn't holding back?' Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. The two's conversation ended when little Karot tugged on his father's sleeve, and within moments, the boy was flying in the air.

"Would you like to fly too?" Bael asked, looking down towards the twin who was waiting patiently.

"No," the boy replied, with the most clear tone, for though the boy liked to stay with his sister, in matters of flight, he didn't mind waiting for his sister to finish with her fun.

"I can fly slowly."

"No," the boy confirmed, blinking at the half dragon who was certainly a dragon, to the point that his sister grabbed Bael by his jaw.

"Are you bullying my papa?"

"No."

"Who gave you such courage?"

"…"

"…"

"Sorry."

"Hmph!" The girl grumbled, leaping off, though Bael's hands remained at her sides to help her land safely, and the girl grabbed her brother's hands and the two darted off to their father, who was currently wearing his triplets, and then wore all five of his children, much to the awkwardness of most of them, including their mother and the Iyrmen, save for those who moved so swiftly with their feet, and the half dragon who was certainly a dragon.

The next morning, the group continued barrelling across the land on their ships, until finally, shooting up the hill, they came across it, near the base of the mountain.

"If you wish, I can escort you to the capital," Aisha said.

"We thank you for your offer, but there are already so many within our party who are not Iyrmen, and we cannot allow them to think we are borrowing the powers of another in this matter," Karmin said, and though he spoke the words too openly, they needed to be said. Aisha sighed with relief, and made her way to the nearby village, and though it was that village, she was still considered a great figure, and thus was welcomed, even if she was one of them, one of his, and they were who they were.

The late afternoon sun basked the land in its grace. It was this place which was the gateway to Black Mountain. Rising high on top of the hill, the large carved statues formed into the shapes of lions, light and shadows dancing long each strand of their manes causing great nightmares for the children, who would often see the stone lions from afar, so lifelike were the statues.

However, it was always the sight of those in their black armour, their helmets forged into the shape of a lion's face, the chain dangling down like the mane of the lions, who proved greater than the grand walls forged of stone, even the eleven fortresses, each overflowing with loyal soldiers, the best of whom would be plucked to bloom into a Black Lion. The fortress even dared to blot out the mountain.

The soldiers did not glare upon them, for the three Black Lions stepped up to greet them, and unlike the soldiers at the front, they were each Masters of the Black Lions, considering the silver and gold of their masks, and without any trouble, they began to make their way up the long trail towards the fortress, which loomed atop the hill, hiding the rest of the world behind it. The villagers nearby worked the fields outside, men, women, the children too, though it seemed they were older children.

Each group was watched over by someone who wore a turban, wrapped in black, a white badge clipped upon the front, and who carried a blade at their side, and as they saw the trio of Black Lions, they made to move to greet them, only to stop with a hand. Even then, they would have gone to greet them, just in case, but with the large number of Iyrmen, they thought twice.

They group stepped through the fortress gates leading to a courtyard, which was currently empty, separating the rest of the fort, the inner walls looming over the courtyard just in case trouble was caused from the front, and with the arrival of the three Black Lions, workers swiftly set up tables along the stone floor, while snacks were brought, fruits and biscuits, along with tea, though, this time, Adam noticed, no soldiers lined the doorways.

'I guess they hold a healthy fear of the-,' Adam began, only for his thoughts to fall silent at the sound of the boot slamming into the earth. He appeared. Tall, strong, the Lion of Black Lion, adorned all in black, including that helmet of his, resting over his shoulder, tied by the mane of chain. It was black, unlike those which belonged to any other, whose helmets were white, silver, gold, or a mixture of white and silver or silver and gold.

At his side he wore the blade, that blade which many eyed up, for it was that blade so many would dare to covet, and many within would dare to covet so openly even in front of he, the man who was called the Fariq of Black Lions, Kal Agadun.

"I heard familiar faces had arrived," the man said, his eyes falling upon a particular half elf, though only for a moment, as he approached and greeted all the figures properly, first starting with the most important figure there, which was one of two, but he was still a man of his Order.

"Noor's blessings."

"Mother's blessings," Ray Vonda replied, assuring this man his life for at least the day. Fariq Agadun smiled warmly, and then greeted the other, the woman whose forehead was painted with a blue circle, flanked by blue diamonds.

"You must be Kal Sonarot, President of the United Kindom." Sonarot narrowed her eyes towards him, but her lips formed a wide smile, for he had managed to greet her properly. Adam's eyes slowly trailed to the side, apologetically towards Kal Uli.

'Sorry. If I had known he wasn't a Pargon, I wouldn't have beaten him that hard.' Kal Uli, for the sake of his heart, assumed the half elf wasn't thinking what he was thinking.

"Oh? Is that Duteous I spy with these old eyes of mine?" called a figure.