Chương 544: 509. Oathkeeper

Omen: 7, 14"Adam," Jonn called, adorned in his breastplate, carrying his blade at his side. Adam placed Lanarot down, the girl panting from her laughter. She pointed up, wanting to fly again, but Adam brushed her hair, eyeing up the other Half Elf.

"Jonn."

"I wish to speak with you," Jonn said. Adam noted Jonn wanted to step aside. He fixed his sister's hair, and her clothing, before he stood, ready to follow the Half Elf out. Jonn, however, stopped in front of Jurot.

"Will you witness it?"

"Okay," the Iyrman replied, before following the Half Elves out. Jonn led them out to one side, to where a group of cabins lay. One housed a tinkerer who was in the middle of tinkering. Under the shade of a tree, Jonn turned to face Adam.

"Please allow me the honour of finally swearing my oaths to you."

"Finally, eh?" Adam smiled at his joke.

"It's been a while since you promised."

"I decided long ago, but I wished to wait until after your sister's birthday," Jonn said.

"Why?"

"I did not wish to take anything away from her."

"Mmm," Adam replied, nodding his head.

"That's a good response."

"I wish to swear to you the Oaths of Vengeance."

"Vengeance?" Adam replied, raising his brow. He hadn't expected to hear that, though he was unfamiliar with the various different oaths.

"I will swear my oaths to protect your children," Jonn said, having figured out the most optimal chance of finally swearing his oaths. He was still an Oathbreaker, having given up his oaths when he had been abandoned. Though he knew Adam loved his children, he was still an enigma, and Jonn wasn't sure that Adam would allow him to swear such oaths.

"If anyone dares to harm them, I will be the first to act."

"The second," Adam corrected.

"The third," Jurot further corrected.

"I can take the Oath of Sincerity, or the Oath of the Watcher, if you so prefer." Adam chewed on his thoughts for a moment, narrowing his eyes as he scanned Jonn. Jonn, who wore a breastplate, and carried at his side a sword, had duelled him long ago. They had met randomly, as if by Fate, and they had made a bet. The bet was won by Adam, and since then the Guardian had yet to keep his promise.

Adam had allowed the Guardian to follow him, and though they had fought side by side, the Guardian had yet to swear his oaths.

"You know…" Adam glanced to one side, looking towards the past.

"You promised me almost two years ago. You promised to swear your oaths, and I promised my armour, I think. Puthral plate mail, which probably would have fitted you. I shouldn't have bet it, but I was a bigger fool than now. I don't like liars. If you have already broken your oath, and you've already lied to me, what says you won't lie now?"

"I-," Jonn began.

"But," Adam interrupted the Half Elf, who was a few years his senior.

"They say that actions speak louder than words. You broke your promise, yeah, and I probably would have refused you, but… do you know what I'm thinking about right now?"

"The Lord of Flames?" Adam slowly nodded his head.

"He was a hell of a monster." Adam threw a glance to Jurot.

"I fell right away, but Jurot and you, you stood. You had the chance then to surrender, but you helped Lucy, and you tried to let her escape. She died, sure, but you still stood up for her, a Demon, when the odds were against us." Jonn remained silent. Jurot, too, remained silent.

He remembered the monster they had faced that day, a creature which would have been considered a contender for strongest across all the land, even including the Iyrmen, the Ancient Gold Dragon in Blackwater, and Lord Stokmar, the Lord of Earth. The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Vengeance is good," Adam said.

"There's nothing like vengeance to spur a man to commit atrocities. If you break this oath, though, I'll take it as you admitting you'll harm my children, and I'll hunt you down personally."

"I understand."

"Alright. I'll accept your oaths, Jonn." Adam looked to Jurot, and then back to Jonn.

"So, is there some kind of ritual?" Jonn dropped to his knees before Adam, clutching at his amulet, that of Baktu, the God of Death. The God was more familiarly known as Lord Sozain within Aldland, but the Iyr had their own name for the God. The amulet had been gifted to him by the Iyr, more than eager to share the faith of their patron deity, he whose presence was felt in its every nook and cranny. Jonn began to mutter a prayer, his words almost a whisper, though Adam could barely make out hearing their names.

After a short while, Jonn raised his voice slightly, allowing the pair to hear him.

"My sword, yours, I swear. My magic, yours, I swear. My future, yours, I swear. I will right the wrongs you face, I swear. If there are those who would harm your honour, your life, your children, I will draw my blade, I swear." A small pulse of magic emanated from the kneeling Half Elf. Adam could feel it, the electric feeling of magic. It invaded through his body, and caused his heart to pound harder. It grew hotter, so hot that Adam couldn't help but clutch at his chest.

He looked to Jurot, who stood steadfast, staring down at Jonn.

"Do you witness, Ju of the Rot family?" Jonn asked.

"I, Jurot, son of Sonarot, witness you," Jurot confirmed.

'Hmm?' Adam thought, having noted something off about Jurot's words. Jonn reached to grab the blade, and he cut across his palm, before using his finger to paint a crude symbol of Baktu using his blood. Jurot undid the dagger at his side, before holding out his hand. Adam held out his hand towards Jurot, assuming the Iyrman needed it. Jurot turned it face up, and cut across Adam's palm.

Health: 65 -> 64 The blood pooled within Adam's hand, and Jonn held out his hand, allowing Jurot to bring Adam's hand over, to drip the blood onto the Guardian's bloody palm. As Adam's blood dripped onto Jonn's hand, it sizzled, and the blood withdrew into their body. Jonn winced, as though he had been struck, before he exhaled. Adam felt his body stiffen for a moment, before he relaxed.

He stared down at his palm, where the cut had disappeared, before looking to Jonn's hands, which were unmarked too, as though none of it had happened. Several Iyrmen swiftly marched onto the scene, hands at their weapons, before noting Jurot standing with the Half Elves.

"Okay?" one asked.

"Okay," Jurot replied. The Iyrmen glanced between the Half Elves, before withdrawing. They had felt it, the pulse of magic, which had spread a short way. They went to calm the other Iyrmen nearby, who checked to see what had happened, and exchanged nods with Jurot. Adam remained silent, glancing between the pair before him, who seemed to know what they were doing. Quest Complete: Oaths Sworn XP Gained: +100 XP: 19 500 -> 19 600 Jonn inhaled deeply, before letting out a long sigh.

"It is done."

"Well that was… alright, I suppose?" Adam said, quietly, glancing around the area, as though Baktu would appear.

'I do need to speak with you, so why don't you come out?' Adam looked around, trying to coax the God to appear.

"You should rest," Jurot said to Jonn.

"Ah, before you rest though…" Adam led Jurot and Jonn towards the shared estate. Adam entered a room on the first floor, where he had kept it bundled ever since he had enchanted it. The blade was long, long enough that it was obviously made for an Iyrman. The wooden handle which was white, something only Jurot could admire. The blade held a silver pattern across it like waves.

"I enchanted it before Churot's birthday, a few weeks before we even met Shama. It was provided by Elder Zijin, who promised me to inform you that it was gifted by the Jin family."

"Did you think I would swear my oaths back then?" Jonn asked.

"If you didn't, then I'd find someone else to gift it to," Adam said, holding the blade out to Jonn.

"It's a Greater Enhanced weapon. It can strike true more easily, and if you are heavily wounded, you will strike harder." Oathkeeper You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. You critically hit on a 19 or 20. When you are below half Health, deal an additional 1D6 holy damage. Jonn knelt and accepted it from the Half Elf.

"I will use it well, mast-,""Heughya!" Adam shouted, shuddering.

"Don't you ever call me that." Adam almost gagged, wincing heavily. He hadn't cringed this hard before during this life.

"Call me boss, or sir? No, Sir is a noble title, isn't it?"

"Yes," Jurot said.

"Damn. Alright, then how about…" Adam thought for a moment.

"Boss?"

"Yes, boss," Jonn said. Adam frowned. It didn't feel quite as good when Jonn said it.

"Alright, I suppose it'll do." Adam motioned his head for Jonn to leave, and after watching the Half Elf go, he turned to Jurot.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. It was my honour to witness a right."

"Right, right, but…" Adam paused for a moment.

"I've never heard you say your name like that." Jurot glanced to Adam's side, noting the axe for a moment, before he bowed his head.

"Father has been missing for too long. He is presumed dead. I must honour my mother when I can."

"Oh," Adam whispered.

"I'm sorry, Jurot."

"Father would not die easily," Jurot said. He swallowed.

"He would die a good death."

"Yeah." Adam pat Jurot's arm.

"Why did you give him a sword?" Jurot asked, noting how awkward it had become for his brother.

"He's not a Rot." Jurot bowed his head, accepting the logic.

"He'd be fifth, wouldn't he?" Adam asked.

"There's also Aunt and the old geezer." Jurot bowed his head, accepting the logic.