Chương 967: [915] - Y04.015 - Trouble on the Road II

'Ah,' Adam thought, the entire world shifting all around him, the hydra growing much larger than previous.

'I've forgotten how it feels like.' Adam ran full sprint within his plate armour, hearing the soft and gentle sounds of his armour moving, like sifting grains, calming his exploding heart.

"…" Jurot stared up ahead towards Kitool, who was much further ahead than himself, and then the unmistakeable purple form of his brother, who was even further ahead. In his heart, Jurot understood Adam could do this, since it was Adam. Jaygak huffed, rushing beside fire giant prince as they charged forward, their armours clanging about. She inhaled, tensing her muscles before she barrelled past both the Prince and the Rage Dancer, before she started to slow once more, Jurot passing her with his greater swiftness.

Mana: 21 -> 17 Spell: Dimension Door"Let's," Adam began, channelling his spell through his voice, before the world around him shifted once more, the hydra suddenly far larger as he cleared another hundred metres or so, the child so close to him now, "go!" The child continued to run forward, her small legs forcing her ever forward, and yet the hydra's bloody maw seemed so close to snapping at her heels. She cried out, tripping over, before the shadow swallowed her whole.

Health: 91 -> 43"It's alright," Adam said, feeling the girl whimper within his arms, her face a sobbing mess.

"You're safe now." Adam's voice remained calm and assured as the hydra sank its teeth within his armour, its maws clamouring against his puthral.

"Huu!" the girl replied, hearing the echoes of hydra against metal. Adam winced, before daring to shift his head, looking towards the four running towards him.

"Come on," Adam said, his voice full of authority as he felt the magic pour through his body and through his voice. Mana: 17 -> 13 Spell: Dimension Door Within the blink of an eye, the scenery around them changed, while Adam rolled onto his back, causing the girl to scream and sob.

"It's alright, it's alright." Adam said, reaching up to rub her head.

"See? The hydra is so far away, and the Iyrman and the Prince are going to kill it."

'That was too close.' She continued to sob, while Adam rubbed her head. A shadow loomed over the pair.

"You don't want to fight?"

"They don't need me," Jaygak replied.

"I guess so," Adam said, glancing over to the side to see Kitool preparing herself to face the hydra once Jurot and the Prince were beside her. Within moments, the hydra and the trio clashed, though almost in an instant, the hydra froze in place, allowing the trio to cleave through it as though they were carving a cake. Jaygak knelt, removing her helmet to reveal her red skin and her horns.

"Hello."

"Huuu." The girl sobbed quietly, sniffling.

"My name is Jaygak," Jaygak said, smiling warmly.

"It's okay, you're safe now. Would you like to meet Ray Vonda?"

"Way Vonda?" the girl asked, still sobbing, as Adam pulled out some cloth to clean her face.

"Yeah, Ray Vonda," Adam said, glancing towards Jaygak in awe of her genius.

"Hello," Ray Vonda said, removing her helmet to reveal her face. The girl stared down towards her burns, but Vonda just smiled politely.

"I am Ray Vonda, of Life's Rose." The girl blinked, her sobbing quickly coming to a halt.

"What's your name?"

"Elsie," the girl said, sniffling lightly.

"Where are you from?"

"East Port."

"I'm from East Port too."

"Life's Rose's in Liferiver?"

"Yes, but I was born in East Port."

"Oh!" The girl's eyes sparkled with delight upon hearing the news, quickly distracted from the distant death which fell upon the hydra.

"Where did you live?"

"The Browns."

"Oh, I lived near the coast," Vonda replied, vaguely recalling the district, which consisted mostly of farmers.

"What's your favourite food?"

"Me favourite's porridge, with the milk." Adam reached up towards his heart, doing his best not to be defeated by the girl.

'Eh?' Adam reached back to feel the blood seeping against the back of his arm. Lay on Hands: 35 -> 25 Health: 43 -> 53 The gentle warmth filled through him, closing up his wounds. The half elf, glanced to the side to see two forms carrying the hydra back, while the third scanned across the horizon for threats.

"Huuu!" The girl ran behind Vonda upon seeing the hydra. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"Don't worry, it can't hurt you any more," Adam assured.

"It's been killed."

"It can't be killed, it's too strong!"

"Don't worry, we've killed lots of hydra before."

"You can't kill hydras."

"What do you mean? Our group's killed about ten!"

"Adam, you shouldn't…" Lucy began, before her mind scanned towards the previous year. They had killed at least seven the last year, and she was certain they had come across more hydras during the year too, plus there was the hydra in the previous years before it.

'We really have killed a lot…' Victory! XP Gained: +600 XP: 3 800 -> 4 400"See," Adam said as Jurot and Prince Morkarai dropped it before them.

"It's dead."

"Dead? Like the sheep?"

"Yeah, like a sheep." The girl stared at it from before Vonda's leg, still not daring to go forward.

"Do you want to touch it?" Her hair shook almost as violently as her head, while the girl clutched at Vonda's cloak, almost hugging her leg.

"Did you come with a caravan?" Jaygak asked.

"Yes. I was ridin' and then the wagon fell over. They were fighting and mommy and daddy shouted and I ran with Ella."

"Who is Ella?"

"Ella is my big sister! She tolds me she'd find me after." Adam exchanged a glance with the rest of his companions, who slowly nodded their heads.

"Well, Elsie, why don't you stay with us until your family comes to find you?"

"Okay! Miss Ray, I can stay with you?"

"You can stay with us," Vonda smiled.

"Kitool and I will go check," Jurot said in the Iyr's tongue.

"Just you two?"

"We are swift and silent."

"Alright. But no fighting the hydras, not unless it's to help any stragglers." Jurot nodded, before leaving with Kitool, the pair jogging away to follow the trail of death the hydra left. They pair were among the swiftest of the group, and the quietest.

"It has been some time since I last fought a hydra," Morkarai admitted, cracking his neck from side to side.

"My elder brother and I fought one together for our rites."

"You guys kill hydras for your rites?"

"Hydras, or if we are particularly courageous, behir."

"Behir?" Adam vaguely recalled the name of the creature.

"Serpents of lightning. I wouldn't wish to face one even now, though side by side with my brother, I may be more courageous.

"They're not quite dragons, but they do speak the tongue," Jaygak said.

"They talk?"

"They aren't that intelligent, but they can talk. Their breath charges forward in a beam, but it is extremely dangerous, and though shorter than a blue dragon's breath, it's equally as dangerous."

"Trust you to know stuff about blue dragons," Adam joked. Jaygak smiled, eyeing up the girl and Vonda together.

"Adam, will you create a tower for the girl to clean herself?"

"Sure."

'How many spells can you bring forth?' Morkarai thought, but he dared not to ask. He already knew too much about Adam, and he wasn't sure he should learn any more about the half elf, who continued to exceed his expectations.

'The spell to slip through the world thrice…' Mana: 13 -> 10 Spell: Tower of Adam Once the tower was formed from magic, Morkarai sighed.

"Adam?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know Fifth Gate spells?" Morkarai asked, feeling the sharp gaze of the Iyrmen beside him, and moments later, the gazes of the demons.

"Fifth Gate spells?" Adam asked.

"No, I don't."

"Do you have the ability to call forth such magic?"

"No."

"No?"

"No."

'That's impossible.' Morkarai thought deeply.

'If he's not a Master with magic, then he must be a Paragon as with the ability of half a mage. Except, Adam does not know Fifth Gate spells? Is he lying? No, he does not lie. He may lie to save himself, but he seems clueless of my intentions. Then how can he cast so many Fourth Gate spells? Is it not the exclusive domain of that of Masters or Paragons?'

"What are you thinking about so deeply?" Adam asked, having no clue how close to death he was flirting.

"It is impossible to cast so many Fourth Gate spells while not having the ability to cast Fifth Gate spells."

"What if I had a magical item to cast it?"

"Do you?"

"No, but you know, still…" Adam shrugged his shoulders.

"Why are you thinking so deeply about that anyway?"

"It is my duty to make sure to know of such."

"Why?"

"We have signed the treaty."

"The treaty?"

"To watch over those with the ability to cast Fifth Gate spells." History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 10 (7) Adam thought deeply.

'Why does that sound so familiar?'

"If Adams says he does not know Fifth Gate spells, he does not know Fifth Gate spells," Jaygak said, simply.

"It's Adam." Morkarai let out a long, defeated sigh.

"Of course."

"Besides, Adam is not a citizen of the nearby lands, and he is close with the Iyr," Jaygak said, smiling politely towards the Prince. Morkarai could hear the veiled threat within Jaygak's voice.

"I have not forgotten the fact the Iyr has not signed the treaty."

"The Iyr does not mind if you forget." Morkarai smirked lightly.

"It is good fortune the Iyr has not betrayed our trust."

"Good fortune for who?" Morkarai smiled wider.

"Do you believe the Iyr can face against so many of the nearby lands at once?"

"Who would wish to sacrifice their people so eagerly to our blades?" Morkarai thought back to the Iyr, even just the Front Iyr, never mind the rest of the Iyr land, which was protected with greater magics he had felt and not seen. Plus, there was the rumour of the hidden Guardians within the Iyr's lands, and the many secrets they hadn't even dared to think of.

"It is good fortune the Iyr has little appetite for ruling others."

"Jurot can tell you better than I, but trees which grow rapidly cannot uproot a tree with stable foundations."

"I'm not certain that is true."

"It is when it is the Iyr." Morkarai bowed his head, relenting to the young Iyrman, whose eyes filled with great pride.

"I am very glad we have formed our treaties together, Iyrman."

"I am too, Prince."

"Are you two going to stop threatening each other now?" Adam asked, letting out a huff.

"It's not fair that I can't walk around doing as much as I want while you two get to threaten each other like this with your people."

"You should think to join the Iyr if you want such strength."

"Join the Iyr?" Adam asked.

"I don't think the Iyr would want me."

"Why is that?"

"I'm too dangerous, if I was an Iyrman, then… no, rather than the Iyr not wanting it, it should be you who shouldn't want it. I'm dangerous enough without being an Iyrman, if I was an Iyrman, would you ever feel safe?"

"No, perhaps not."

"Exactly." Adam smiled innocently before the group began to form an encampment. Meanwhile, Vonda washed the girl, who was still in awe of this random two storied tower appearing from nothingness.

"When I grow up, I'll learn magic too," Elsie said.

"Yes," Vonda said, hiding the sadness in her heart.

"Perhaps you can join Life's Rose?"

"Can I?"

"I will write you a…" A though flashed through her mind. The girl probably didn't understand what happened, but Adam had used three Fourth Gate spells at once, and if Life's Rose knew that, it would become awkward for Adam. The treaty to pressure those who knew Fourth Gate spells provided even greater pressure against those who knew Fifth Gate spells, and though Adam didn't know such a spell, Vonda recalled their discussion when they had married.

'Fifth Gate? No, I won't stop until at least Seventh Gate.'

'Oh, Adam.' Vonda sighed, feeling how much trouble her husband would cause in the future. While there were discussions of great trouble at the encampment, the pair of Iyrmen found the sight of death, and the pair of hydras, each with more than ten heads. The pair of hydras feasted upon the bodies of the caravan, having torn through much of the caravan and its people. The sickening crunch of teeth crunching bone filled the air.

Jurot raised a hand towards Kitool, and though he motioned for a retreat, he felt the gaze of a hydra's head turn towards him. Several others began to glance towards the pair of Iyrmen, the hunger deep within their eyes, matched only by the hunger within the pair's eyes.