“You did not have them pay into the party funds?” Lady Sara asked.

Adam eyed up the Aswadian party, which was in its own little corner, eating breakfast. He shook his head slowly. “No.”

“Why did you not ask it of them?”

“Ultimately, they’re not a part of our group, and they won’t have access to our party funds. Yourself and Korin, you’re Dunes’ friends, meaning you’re my friends. If I need to buy a diamond worth three hundred gold coins to bring you back from the dead, I’ll do that without any questions asked. For those guys? I’ll bring them back, but I won’t be happy about it.”

“You would revive us from death?”

“If I get to you quickly, yes,” Adam replied.

Lady Sara was beginning to understand what Dunes had explained to her.

‘Adam will say things you might doubt, but he is very much like an Iyrman. If he says ridiculous things, you should believe them to be true, and life will be so much easier.’

Adam was Adam.

“Are you adventuring?” Adam asked the Red River Squad.

“Yes,” Rose replied. “We plan on questing within the Cherry Wood.”

Adam looked at his party, with Jonn and Dunes heading out that day. “Would you mind if Jurot and I come along? I didn’t have anything planned today, and I think Jurot might be a little bored too.”

Rose wasn’t sure what Adam was trying to do. “You want to quest with us?”

“Yeah. It would be a good idea to quest together in the Cherry Wood before we trust each other with our lives.”

“How will we split the loot?” Rose asked. It was the most important question, the question of pay. There had been plenty of incidents in the past in which parties turned against another party, or even their own companions, for the sake of gold.

“Equal shares,” Adam said. “If there’s anything special about the loot, we’ll discuss it and come to an agreement once we’re back at the guild.”

Rose nodded. It was one thing for them to make a deal in the middle of the wood where no one would be able to help them, and another thing to return to the guild and have them oversee the deal. An Iyrman’s presence, especially one who was Bronze Rank, brought them great comfort.

“Before we go, let’s go do that,” Adam said, smiling towards Jurot.

Jurot nodded.

“Do what?” Rose asked.

Rose wasn’t entirely sure why they were at a bakery, but she followed them inside, enticed by the smell of fresh bread.

“I recognise that armour anywhere,” the chubby baker said, smiling towards the Iyrman and the Half Elf. Her dark eyes beamed at the pair as they entered the bakery, while she reached out to grab some jam buns.

Jurot placed down a gold coin as Adam tried to reach for his own pouch. “Bread.”

“Jam buns too,” Adam said, shaking his head. He let Jurot pay this time, aiming to pay the next time. “Whatever else we can spend eight silver coins on. You can keep the rest as a tip.”

“I’ll accept your tip kindly,” she said.

Adam winced, before realising she was actually talking to Jurot, causing him to smile. “We’re planning on heading to the tournament in East Aldland.”

“The Noonval Tournament of East Aldland?” Pam asked, her hands working on wrapping up the bread the pair had bought.

“Yeah, that’s the one,” Adam replied.

“Do you have a sponsor?”

“We know a guy,” Adam said. “We’ll see if he’s up for sponsoring us.”

“I’m sure you’ll both do well,” Pam said. “Place a bet for me won’t you?”

“What’s the bet?”

“A gold,” Pam said.

“Just a gold? Jurot here will earn you hundreds.”

“I don’t think we have that kind of coin to spare,” she admitted. “Why don’t you put ten gold coins for me?”

“I’ll put your gold coins on Jurot, then,” Adam said, before patting Jurot’s back. “Why don’t you chat with Pam, let her know about…” Adam tried to remember anything of note they had done since the last time they had met Pam. He turned to Rose, motioning his head out, taking the basket full of bread with him. He offered the jam buns to the others around.

“Where is the Iyrman?” Zishan asked, staring at the jam buns suspiciously.

Adam bit into the jam bun, tasting the sweet fruit within. “Talking to the baker.”

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“Is he not coming with us?”

“What’s the rush?” Adam asked. “He’s the one who’ll guide us through the forest, so let him have his breakfast.”

Rose furrowed her brows. “The Iyrman likes the baker?”

Adam smiled. “Something like that.”

She threw a glance to the other Aswadians, who were each exchanging glances. “The Iyrman is interested in a baker?”

“Yep,” Adam replied.

“I thought they would be interested in great warriors?”

“They are,” Adam replied, falling silent for a moment. “Don’t remind me. You have no idea how many women, and men, I’d have to fight off. Still, that doesn’t mean they’re only interested in great warriors. Sometimes, rather than the hardness of a warrior, one might want the softness of a baker.”

Antony, one of the Aswadians who wore heavy armour, paused to think about the Half Elf’s words. Ultimately, he nodded, understanding the point.

Jurot stepped out, a fresh jam bun in hand. “Let us go.”

Adam offered the bread to the rest of the Aswadians, but they were still left with a great portion of bread. They walked through the town before getting to Nobby’s home, leaving the bread there for Annie, who thanked them with a glass of milk, before they made their way out towards the Cherry Wood.

They followed the road for a short while, before they veered off towards the Cherry Wood, where many young adventurers found their glory, or death. Jurot led the group forward, barely throwing a glance here or there as he followed the tracks.

“There’s a civil war in Aswadasad isn’t there?” Adam asked. “Which side do you support?”

“We of the Red Sun have always worked closely with the Shen,” Rose said. “Our Order has answered his call.”

“Did that make it awkward getting to Red Oak? Since, I think, Aldland is currently in a civil war, and I know some of Aldland doesn’t like Aswadasad.”

“We were travelling through South Aldland originally, but we were able to pass through South Aldland towards Red Oak. The army kept us for some time, but allowed us to pass once they had interrogated us.”

“Did they torture you or anything?” Adam asked.

“No,” Rose replied, almost smiling. “They would not, as we held a token from the Adventurer’s Guild, and the King has sympathies for Aswadasad’s current civil war due to their own civil war. Once it was confirmed that our party was able to pass through the land, they set us on our way.”

“Ah,” Adam said, slowly nodding his head. “I think Dunes is on the side of the Shen too. It would have been awkward if you weren’t.”

“Dunes is from Black Mountain, and we are from Red Sun,” Rose explained. “If one was within the capital, they could travel the eastern river towards Black Mountain. They could also travel south, and then slightly westward, towards Red Sun. We often send our warriors to Black Mountain to train, though many of us were sent to other Orders within Central Aswadasad.”

“Aswadasad sounds amazing. It was one of the only places which managed to push back the Iyr at one point, and has held onto its power for about as long as Aldland, all without the Iyr’s assistance.”

“Not without the Iyr’s assistance,” Jurot said. “We have assisted Aswadasad a number of times.”

“Oh yeah?” Adam asked.

“There have been many warlords who conquered lands within Aswadasad, but eventually they assimilated within Aswadasad. We Iyrmen also enjoy Aswadasad, for though much of it is full of small villages and expansive cities, there is a wilderness within Aswadasad that is not the same as Aldland. The Iyr does not hold a great influence within Aswadasad, so many creatures do not fear trying to stake their claim across the land. There are many Dragons within Aswadasad.”

“Really? How many?”

“There are at least ten who are currently active within Aswadasad,” Jurot said, but allowed the Aswadians to explain more about the Dragons.

“The Iyrman speaks true,” Rose said, before she coughed, realising what she said. To say an Iyrman spoke true was to say that water was wet. “There are a great number of Dragons within Aswadasad. Many have allied themselves with various towns and cities, and others with the Orders.”

“Does your Order have an alliance with a Dragon?”

“Yes, the Princess of the Red Desert.”

“Ah. I think I’ve heard of her. Does she have a brother?” Adam asked.

“Veisswing,” Rose confirmed.

“Man, I’d love to…” Adam paused. “Did you say Veisswing?”

“Yes.”

“Wing?”

“Yes?”

“Is Veisswing a Bronze Dragon?” Adam asked.

“Yes.”

Jurot stopped, turning back to look at Adam. His lips almost twitched into a smile, before he continued to lead them.

“What is the matter?”

“Nothing,” Adam replied, shaking his head. ‘Seriously.’ “How strong is the Princess of the Red Desert?”

“She is extremely powerful,” Rose said. “She has ruled her land for five centuries.”

“Oh, she’s actually a Princess?”

“Yes, though she does exert her powers much.”

“You’re allied with her?”

“We are an Order which she had created when she came to power, and we have assisted in keeping the land safe ever since.”

“Oh, that’s cool.”

“Cool?”

“It means amazing, but in a…” Adam thought about how to explain it. “Awe inspiring, or so?”

“Ah.”

“We adventurered with a guy who was from Bronze Dragon. Is that a similar Order?”

“Yes, it was made by Veisswing, but he has distanced himself from it,” Rose said.

“Why? The Order started killing minorities?” Adam chuckled at his joke.

“Yes.”

Adam stopped, his face dropping into shock, a sheepishness overcoming him. “Oh.”

“They slaughtered Devilkin nearby their Order. Men. Women. Children. They slaughtered them all.”

“Was that recent?”

“No, it was over two hundred years ago. Almost half their ranks are Devilkin, and their current leader is a Devilkin too, Kal Zora.”

“Kal?” Adam asked. “Why do I know that name?”

“It is not a name, it is a title, like Sir.”

“Ah.”

“It is also the name of a Blakvatr,” Jurot said. “Kal Blakvatr.”

“Ah! The guy with the sword?” Adam asked.

“Drakkenslayer, the original blade of the Blackwater family.”

“That was it.”

“There is a civil war within Aldland,” Rose said. “Which side do you support?”

Adam glanced around, as though looking for someone listening in on their conversation. “Personally, I’m a fan of the previous King’s Sword. He was a nice old man. In fact, Jurot fought him, and got to face against a couple Fifth Gate spells.”

“Yes,” Jurot replied, almost smiling.

“I hear the King of Aldland hates Elves too, so…” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “Though, I’m not from this land, so I don’t care.”

“I thought you were not from this land,” Rose said.

“Oh yeah? How’d you gather that?”

“You call our land Aswadasad, it’s true name,” Rose said. “The Aldishmen have another name, Aswadia.”

“Ah, right, I did notice that. I just use whatever phrase the Iyrmen use.”

“Are you close with the Iyr-,” Rose began to ask, before Jurot stopped, raising up his arm.

The earth ahead of them pulsed and shifted, causing the trees to rock, before they fell. The stones and earth pulled upwards from the earth, as though gravity had reversed, before forming a large, vaguely humanoid shape.

“Urka!” Zishan shouted, magic crackling between his finger tips as he stepped backwards, ready to flee.

Rose stood in shock, coming face to face with such a creature for the first time in her life. For her and her party, this was certain death. “Oh, Noor.”

The earth around them continued to shift as they drew their weapons, and Adam and Jurot donned their shields, two more creatures forming as the earth shifted. Rose and her party stepped backwards, ready to bolt away from the impending death which swing down on her party, like the scythe of Lord Sozain.

“I’ll take the one on the left,” Adam said, feeling the tingling of Wraith gripped within his hand tightly.

“Okay,” Jurot replied.