“They’re that strong?” Adam asked, chewing on a leaf which stung the insides of his mouth, the fizzy sensation running along his teeth. Twilight was beginning to creep across the camp, the group already settling down for the night.

“Yes,” Jurot confirmed.

Adam spat out the leaf and whistled. “It’s like a mini Iyr up north then.”

“No.” Jurot’s tone was firm.

“No?”

“They are not Iyrmen,” Jurot stated, his tone still firm. “They may have roots in the Iyr, but they are not Iyrmen.”

“I’m not saying they’re Iyrmen, but that they are like a mini Iyr up north.”

“They are not.”

“They’re similar.”

“In a way.”

“I’m not saying they’re Iyrmen,” Adam repeated, awkwardly. “They’re not Iyrmen.”

“Yes.”

With the conversation over, the group began to settle down for the night, with two people on watch at all times, allowing the knights, the nobles, and Adam, to rest up for the whole night.

‘These Black Rats are crazy,’ Adam thought. ‘It’s a good thing Entalia leaves them alone.’

Omen: 2, 5

“Adam.”

“Sir Landon,” Adam replied, sipping some water after finishing his salted fish.

“I would like to discuss the matter of the waterwyrm core.”

“Oh yeah?”

“I would like to offer two thousand gold for it.”

“Aren’t we already getting you a wraith core?” Adam asked. He didn’t want to give up the waterwyrm core, not when he could use it for enchanting.

“It will be in place of the wraith core.”

“Oh…” Adam blinked. “That does make sense.”

“Two thousand gold for the core and we can part at Life River. You will be free of the task, and two thousand gold richer.”

“Hmm. Jurot, what do you think?”

“It is a good deal.”

Adam reached out a hand. “Once we get to Life River you can pay me the two thousand gold and we can part ways.”

“As you say.”

‘Well, that was easy…’ Adam wondered why everything was going his way. He had way less trouble than he expected during the tournament, and the Duchess had even tried to form a close relationship with him, even if it was with slightly aggressive undertones behind it. He’d have to check the Adventurer’s Guild to see the offers from the nobles for the magical items.

Life River was built around the large river which made its way to East Port, surrounded by miles upon miles of farms. There were no walls as one might have expected, by rings of fences emanating out of the river like ripples.

Almost every building was made of wood, though that wasn’t unexpected since most of the surrounding area around was forest. One might have thought that the town was relatively defenceless, especially compared to Red Oak, which was about a quarter of its size, with walls at least twice as high as the several fences around the rings of the town.

However, in the middle of the river, on its own island between the bridge, was the imposing stature of a large fortress made of stone. It was the largest building he could see, easily five stories high. The island itself was large, like a village of its own, and the only bridge of the city went towards the island, but circled around it, like a roundabout, not connected to it.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

“Damn,” Adam whispered, noting the number of people crossing between the bridges during the evening, easily numbering in the hundreds, if not thousands. Each side of the river had its own docks down river of the fort, though Adam couldn’t see much past it.

There were guards at the front, but the pair were a young girl, perhaps ten years old, and an older man in his late fifties. They both carried a club or a staff, and wore very little in terms of armour, save for a cloak which held a symbol of Life’s Rose. The pair were eyeing up the group, but upon spotting the noble on the cart, they waved towards them.

“Sister Vonda!” called the older man as the group approached. “Mother’s blessings! You’ve returned?”

“Mother’s blessings,” Sir Vonda replied, stepping off the cart. “I have returned for a moment. I am currently still on my journey.”

“You aren’t to return?” the older man asked, raising his brows as he took her hands in his own.

“No, I am just passing by.”

“What unfortunate news,” the older man said, though his lips were a smile. The last time she had been around was when she had left at sixteen, and now she had returned almost five years later, still the same Vonda he recalled, but no doubt changed from her years of travels. Vonda only bowed her head in response, keeping the fact she returned as an Expert a secret. However, the old man asked with his eyes, but she gave nothing away.

Adam glanced between the guards, wondering why a little girl and an old man was welcoming them, with little to no arms or armour. He eyed up the fences too, before throwing a look to Vonda, who was still speaking to the guard at the gate. ‘I should probably ask her when she’s free.’

“How are you?” Vonda asked the young girl, taking her hand in her own.

“I am good,” the girl replied, shyly, squirming under the young woman’s gaze.

“How is your little sister?”

The girl’s eyes sparkled towards Vonda, before she threw a glance towards the old man beside her for a moment. “Mari is good.”

“Good.” Vonda placed a hand on the girl’s head for a moment. “I have returned with donations for the order.”

“Speaking of donations…” the old man glanced across the entire group. “Since you’re all with Sister Vonda…” His eyes met Sir Landon’s, then he noted two knights and their attire, before he bowed his head. “A donation of a single silver will do fine for the gate fee. I cannot ask for less, since the donations are for our good Mother.”

“Just a silver?” Adam asked, reaching for his pouch.

“Yes.”

“Let’s make it a gold,” Adam said, handing over a gold coin from his personal funds.

“Mother’s blessings to you,” the guard said, noting Adam’s holy symbol. “May the good Son bless you too.”

Adam flashed a smile towards the guard. “You too.”

The old man almost frowned, but said nothing, allowing the group to pass on through. They made their way through the town with their cart, allowing Vonda to lead them now. Adam remained quiet, noting the few guards around, seeing they were all wearing the symbol of the order.

“The Order of Life’s Rose is not one of the three official orders of East Aldland,” Vonda said. “We are not beholden to the Law of Orders, which states the number of official orders which may be active in the regions. There are three in each state, but our order is not considered an order under the law. As such, the order can hold its own guard force, which it uses to guard the area around the river, and the gates along the main road.”

“Oh? That’s pretty cool.” ‘How do the nobles feel about that?’ Adam thought, before another thought passed through his mind. “How come its not a part of the Law of Orders?”

“It was negotiated when the law was first put into place,” Vonda explained, though she kept the threats their order made if they were included. “In war, there are a number of warriors expected to join the war effort from the various orders, at least a Master and a few Experts from each order, but our order is not expected to join in the same manner. We provide our healing to all those who require it, and as such, we send our order members onto the front lines a short while later to assist with keeping casualties to a minimum.”

“Doesn’t sound like a good idea for Aldland,” Adam said.

“We are not beholden just to the land we live in, but all the lands, even those across the seas, for that is the Mother’s will. Though it may be frustrating, we have garnered much sympathy from the surrounding lands. During times to call for peace, Aldland has gained many benefits due to our order, whether in victory or defeat.”

“Ah?”

“Our order carries weight even as far at the Confederacy, and Noska.”

“So the order is a little bit like the Iyr?” Adam asked.

“In some ways,” Jurot admitted.

“Cool.”

“I will escort you to the Adventurer’s Guild, but I must visit the order. Are we to leave tomorrow?”

“We probably will, yeah.”

“I will meet you in the morning at the guild.”

“Alright.”

The Adventurer’s Guild was about as Adam had expected, though seemed more plain in this town. However, opposite the Adventurer’s Guild was a tall building, and he spotted the symbol of Life’s Rose, that of a blooming white rose.

Vonda, and Sir Landon, went to visit the building once the group had been dropped off at the guild.

“I didn’t realise the Order of Life’s Rose was so big…”

“It holds the greatest influence in the land,” Jurot confirmed.

Adam leaned in to whisper. “If we make Vonda into a Master, you think they’ll be nice to me?”

“They will be nice to you because it is their role.”

“Do they like Elves?”

“They may hold some judgement against you due to the massacre, but they will not leave you to die if you need help,” Jurot said. “It is not their way.”

“Have they ever left someone to die?”

“If it was too difficult to assist them.”

“That’s pretty convenient, no?”

“No,” Jurot said. “If they do so because they did not wish to help, they would lose their magic.”

“Oh.”