Jurot’s axe flashed purple, leaving a gash against the darkness, while Kitool’s staff blurred through the air, poking holes through its almost incorporeal body, as though water struck by cannonballs. Lucy and Mara both tore into the creature, fire bursting from its wounds. Jaygak remained at bay, with the thought that her mundane blade would not even mark it.

All in all, they had dealt enough damage together to kill even the mightiest of beings, like Urkina.

Finally, the creature dissipated into a pool of blood.

Victory!

XP Gained: +2 000

XP: 24 700 -> 26 700

‘Whoa!’ “That thing was crazy dangerous,” Adam said, feeling a bead of sweat running down the side of his neck.

“Yes,” Jurot replied, staring down at the pool of blood. “We should bring some of the creature for the Iyr, and burn the rest.”

Kitool did as Jurot requested, dipping a piece of string into the blood, before sealing it within a vial, slipping it away into her tunic. Fire burst out from Jaygak’s hand, marking the stone with blackness, while Adam held out his hand and cast his trick, Flame Bolt, repeatedly upon the blood, just in case.

“Hey…” Adam whispered. “We met a dragon, a dragon turtle, and now…”

“Yes,” Jurot said.

‘Too much is happening,’ Jaygak thought, understanding Adam’s point. ‘Even travelling beside Adam, things like this… they only happen throughout an entire year, not within the first month of dawnval.’

“Let’s go check on the village,” Adam said, quickly, feeling his heart beat quicker.

Jane stared at the group, which had easily dispatched such a creature, and yet her body, which was mostly calm, understood the creature had been terrifying. It wasn’t that it made her feel in any particular way with its presence, but rather, it held no presence.

“Adam,” Jurot called, motioning with his head to one side, taking Adam away from Jane. “Will you send word to the Chief?”

“Sure. What should I say?”

“We met with a powerful creature of blood and shadow which was difficult to kill.”

“Alright.” Adam glanced aside. “I don’t have much Mana, so if we fight again, I won’t be able to help much.”

“I understand, but you are strong without your magic.”

Adam smiled, though it was an anxious smile.

Mana: 10 -> 7

Spell: Sending

“Chief. Powerful creature of blood and shadow near Lipetal. It was difficult to kill, even for us. Jaygak says bad news.”

The long silence caused Adam’s heart rate to rise.

‘Understood. Be careful.’

The wooden wall surrounded the village, but it was more like a fence, considering the true walls the group had seen across the land. The guards, wearing their light chain, leathers and scale, greeted the group as they stepped out of the wagon.

“Is everything alright?” Adam asked.

“Aye, all fine,” the guard replied, eyeing up the group. “Trouble on the road?”

“Yeah,” Adam replied, though his body relaxed. ‘We must have killed it before it did anything.’

The Chief of the village greeted the group, adorned in heavy furs and scale armour, carrying an axe at her side, and a crossbow upon her back. “I didn’t expect you to come back so soon!”

‘Eh, what happened to the old Chief?’

“We have ill news,” Jurot said, before explaining the situation to the Chief.

“You… don’t know what it is?” the Chief asked, the worry in her voice only matched by the worry upon her face.

“I don’t remember the story exactly, but I’m sure it’s bad news,” Jaygak said.

“We will remain here for the day, but tomorrow we are to leave,” Jurot said. “We have sent word ahead to the Iyr.”

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

“We should leave some of the wolves here,” Adam said. “Just in case.”

“Sky may remain,” Jurot said.

“We should leave Mighty and Wolfy,” Lucy said. “Sky can remain in the second village, since it’s a little closer to the Iyr.”

“Okay,” Jurot said.

“What happened to Chief Herida?” Adam asked.

“She retired last nightval, about some time after you passed through.”

“Oh. Alright. Cool.” ‘Thank Baktu.’

The group remained within the village, which welcomed the Iyrmen and their companions with delight. The Chief, Poppy, sent word through the village to remain cautious, though the village was already prepared to face the undead.

‘Just one more day,’ Adam thought.

The group left swiftly, making their way to the next village through the forest. They moved swiftly along the road, approaching the next village before noon. At the village, Jurot left the Chief a warning.

“Understood,” the new Chief, a young man in his thirties said, also adorned in the best gear available to the villagers.

“Sky, you will remain and protect them.”

“Okay,” Sky replied, his voice gruff.

The Chief’s eyes fell upon the awakened wolf. ‘Will it really listen to me?’

“You better not cause any trouble,” Adam warned, brushing along its neck. “We’ll try and bring you before Lanababy’s birthday.”

“Okay,” Sky replied once more, before going off to laze around until he was needed.

The group continued on in their carts, making their way to the business, only for Adam to stop them at the first major river.

“Oh no,” Adam said.

“What?” Jaygak asked.

“Didn’t we leave most of the gifts at the Guild?”

“You only remembered that now?”

“I forgot!” Adam cursed himself internally for all the gifts he had left behind at the Guild. ‘Damn it!’

The group approached the third village, that which lay beside the river which marked the Iyr’s boundary, and of course, the boundary of the business. The carts stopped at the front gate, Adam stepping out hurriedly, throwing a nod and a gem to the guard, before rushing in. “Where’s the Chief?”

“Chief’ll be on her way now.”

“Which Merl’s the Chief?”

“The old one.”

“The old one, or the old one?” Adam asked.

“What?”

“I just realised that was dumb, never mind.”

“Welcome back!” the old woman shouted. She was short, barely reaching Adam’s chest with the top of her head. She wore thick furs around her body, as well as a set of scale around her chest, which fell down towards her waist, a belt wrapped around her front to keep her armour pinned to her. An axe hung against her belt, though she carried her trusty spear upon her back.

“Chief Merl, how are you faring?” Adam asked.

“Well, well, and you?”

“Much better now that I’m almost home,” Adam admitted, allowing the woman to greet the rest, while his eyes darted to the large figure. He was tall, almost as tall as Adam, but about as wide even without full plate armour. His face was still boyish, though the beginnings of the beard tried to keep the boyishness at bay. “Nobby, my boy, how are you?”

“Good,” he replied, almost sheepishly. “Welcome back, mister boss.”

“You’re back?” Merl, the younger, beautiful, and almost equally as short woman, said.

“We are, we are,” Adam replied, eagerly. “Where’s Merry?”

Merl blinked.

“What? I’m just making sure the future Chief’s growing well, that’s all! Plus I brought a gift…” Adam frowned. “Oh. I mean. There is a gift, but it’s back at the Guild.”

“It’s fine, you don’t need to bring him a gift,” Merl said. “He’s sleeping.”

‘I bet he’s such a chonky boy,’ Adam thought. “I’ll let him sleep peacefully, I’ll spoil him another time. I mean, I won’t spoil him, but I should do a little bit since he’s our Nobby’s son, shouldn’t I?” Adam could feel Merl’s judging eyes, trying to keep the half elf at bay. ‘Come on! It’s not like I got him a magical weapon, or anything!’ “Ah! Actually, we ended up saving a merchant and managed to get some cloth. It’s pretty good cloth, from what I saw, so why don’t we gift him that? That’s more sensible than what I got him.”

“What did you-, no, never mind,” Merl said, having realised she probably shouldn’t ask.

‘Damn, I can’t believe you of all people are bullying me like this,’ Adam thought.

While Adam annoyed Merl and Nobby, the Iyrmen spoke with the Chief, informing her of the various matters.

“There are a few more Iyrmen in the fort, and your cousins joined our scouts,” Merl said, reaching up to her chin, rubbing it gently. “Is it that dangerous?”

“Yes.”

“It’s a good thing you’ve returned then. Your boys, Fred and Jonn, they’ve been assisting us too, but it’s good to see you all are back.” Merl then glanced between the Iyrmen. “So…”

“We will return to the fort first and speak of our tale there,” Jurot said. “We will speak our tale tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Merl beamed up at the group. “I’m sure you all placed well.”

“I will bring you your bets tomorrow upon speaking our tales.”

Merl winked at them, allowing them to leave. The group continued through the village, finally taking the bridge towards the fort, which stood tall and mighty upon the islet, splitting the river. The islet, like the fort, was made by the hands of the Iyrmen. The fort loomed over the nearby village. The thick stone walls were easily an Adam and a half tall, with several watch towers on each side. The large river also providing the walls protection on each side.

‘Damn!’ Jane thought. ‘When they said fort, they really meant fort!’

The carts pulled to the side, and the group stepped out, slightly fenced away from the small fields, which lay in front of the estates which formed the businessfolk’s living quarters, at three stories tall. They were rectangles, with large open archways in the centre of each side for the pathways within, with an inner courtyard reminiscent of those of the Iyr’s estates.

While most of the children in the business were kept at bay by the adults, there were a handful who dared to break away. The leader of the break away children squealed with delight, charging the returning figures. To the business, these figures were the Executives, but to her?

“Papa!” Lanarot squealed, followed by five more children, each of whom darted after their aunt.

‘What?’ Jane blinked. Her eyes remained glued to the children behind the little girl. Some who would have called the girl a human, but she understood this girl was an Iyrman. However, the children behind her, they were definitely not Iyrmen.

Were they?