A crackle of lightning had broken Adam’s words, as the onslaught of Stormdrake struck across him. Even with Adam’s attention solely on his brother, Jaygak was barely able to strike him cleanly, his armour still providing the Half Elf great protection.

Jaygak’s body had moved without her thinking, and she had been the first to act. Every fibre of her being had known that Adam couldn’t say those words. ‘Wake up, Adam!’

Adam’s head turned slowly, and he caught Jaygak’s eyes. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

Battle Order

D20 + 1 = 3 (2)

Omen: 18, 19 -> 19

Health: 73 -> 23

Jaygak readied her blade, but Adam felt a heat against his wrist, and he turned his head to meet Jurot’s gaze again. Jurot’s eyes were white, his entire body red hot. Adam watched as Phantom blurred, threatening to strike across his neck, but he plucked a Thread of Fate, and Phantom struck across Adam’s shoulder, and the intense pain of the psychic energy invaded his mind, but the Half Elf stood tall.

The Awakened Wolves snarled, but paused, realising that one of their owners was attacking the other, and the third remained still, watching.

“We will be merciful, Adam,” Jurot said, almost growling the words towards his brother.

“I won’t.” Adam replied, finding the fine blade was already in his hand.

Jonn, too, reached for his greatsword, but Uwajin, Laygak, and Faool stepped forward, reaching for their own weapons. “I swore my oaths,” the Half Elf said.

“So have we,” the Iyrmen replied, waiting for the Half Elf to respond.

“…”

Health: 23 -> 9

Constitution Save (Aura)

D20 + 6 + 3 = 19 (10)

Success!

Health: 9 -> 0

As Adam readied to attack, beginning to focus, the staff that he had enchanted rained down strikes against his back, almost threatening to freeze him, but with Jonn’s aura, he managed to shrug it off. He turned to try and meet Kitool’s next blow, but it was already too late.

The labourers remained still, eyeing up the Iyrmen, as well as the unconscious Half Elf, their boss.

Nobby stepped forward, but Brittany grabbed his wrist. She wasn’t sure which side Nobby was on, and didn’t want him to do anything he’d regret. She looked to Jonn, seeing he was still in two minds about attacking.

“What happened to these brats?” the Emperor asked in his language, staring at the scene before him. He wondered whether he should get involved, and left it to Umbra’s will.

“One of their minds was taken by the blade, and so there was a fight. It seems the other Half Elf also fought on his side, probably because they are both Faeken?” Umbra mused. “I believe the fight is over, but there is the matter with the sword.”

“Is that so?” The Emperor marched forward, and lifted up the blade, feeling it try to invade his mind, but he forced it away. “I will bury it.”

“I will come with you,” Umbra said, before shouting out to the others. “You, Iyrmen, come with me.”

Kitool and Jaygak glanced her way, while Umbra motioned a hand for them to come with them.

“Afraid I have been taken?”

“Yes.”

“I have not.”

“You may be taken while burying it.”

“I am too powerful for its likes.”

“We’ll see.”

The Emperor let out a curse, before leading Umbra and the pair of Iyrmen away, while the teen Iyrmen were left in charge of the unconscious bodies.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“His third loss?” Nirot thought about Adam’s three losses. Technically, he had lost five times, but the two times he surrendered didn’t really count. Once was to her grandfather, the next was to Emperor Shama, and the last was to the combined might of Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak. However, he was the strongest during this time. “My cousins are strong.”

“He’s my Cousin too,” Laygak said, squatting down as he reached down to poke Adam’s shoulder, making sure he had been knocked out.

Hours later, the Half Elf groaned, before his eyes fluttered open. He saw the handsome fellow that was his brother. “Jurot, who, you handsome bas-, guy.” He stretched out his entire body. “You’re never going to guess the weird dream I had.”

“What was it?”

“I think we won a tournament or something, and then we got swallowed up into another land. We found Strom’s daughter, who was super hot might I add, and I had this… this… golden axe? No. It was a sword, I think.”

“Did you use it?”

“Yeah.”

“You use axes.”

“Yeah, I do. I don’t know. It was a dream, so I guess I wasn’t thinking about it much… It was the sickest sword, though, bro. It was insane. Plus six to hit and damage, and it dealt so much more damage. It made Wraith look like a toy.”

“Yes,” Jurot replied.

Adam sat up, finding himself in a fairly bare room, with Kitool and Jaygak sitting to one side. He only wore a pair of trousers, and a loose blanket for protection. He glanced around for Wraith, but found it nowhere. He tried to summon it using his Weapon Bond, but it did not appear within his hand.

“Are you still cursed?” Jurot asked.

“Of course,” Adam replied, before smirking slightly. “How else could I be this handsome?”

“I think he is fine,” Jurot stated, throwing a look to Jaygak and Kitool.

“We should make sure. Should I knock him out?” Jaygak asked, cracking her knuckles.

“What?” Adam asked.

“I will do it since it would hurt you too much,” Jaygak said, standing up, before she approached Adam.

“Careful Jaygak, wouldn’t want to slip on your own ego.” Adam cracked his knuckles too, before noting his Health on the blue baby’s stomach.

Health: 1

“Only you could slip on your ego.”

“Why do I only have one Health?” Adam asked.

Umbra stepped into the room. “I heard you awoke.”

Adam pointed to her, raising his brows to Jurot. “Told you.” He narrowed his eyes. “Hold up.” Adam glanced around, before noting the stone room around him, which was fairly bare in design. “Are we in an underwater kingdom?”

“Yes,” Jurot said.

“So it wasn’t a dream?”

“Yes.”

“Well, damn.” Adam inhaled deeply, before trying to remember what had happened the day before. “So… was I cursed by the sword?”

“Yes.”

“Right. Right. Right…” Adam chewed on his thoughts. He threw a look to Jurot, clearing his throat. He spoke in the Iyrman’s tongue, and barely whispered. “You know you’re my brother, right?”

“I do.”

Adam slowly nodded his head, remaining quiet for a long while. His lips twitched slightly. “Lanarot, she, and Ko-,”

“I know,” Jurot replied, firmly.

Adam slowly nodded. “Okay.”

“We rid the sword,” Umbra said. “You should no longer be under its spell.” She looked to the blue baby. “The baby doesn’t like to talk much.”

“It’s because he’s a voice in my head.”

“How did you not know you were under the curse if he was red?”

“I don’t know? How did you not know fighting an Iyrman was a bad idea when your dad didn’t dare to start a bother in the Iyr? We all do stupid shit.”

“You definitely aren’t cursed, but you should watch your mouth without your armour, weapons, or shield.”

Adam motioned a hand to his three companions. “I’d like to see you try.”

“I could still kill you.”

“I’ve only been killed by the Gods twice. Well, the same God, but you know what I mean.”

“No?”

“I mean, you’re no Ggod.” Adam raised his brows towards her.

“How can you be so casual at this time?”

“Humour is my defence mechanism,” Adam said, slowly shuffling on the bed so he could stand. “Plus, even if you did kill me, and if you somehow managed to escape, you’ll find that trapping yourself here would be a bad idea. The Iyrmen here used to hunt Gods, and I have no doubt they wouldn’t mind spending all of time killing you and your people.”

“You make it sound like they’re an unstoppable force.”

“Your father seemed to think so.”

“…” Umbra caught Jurot’s eyes. “Is he always so eager to die?”

“Yes.”

Adam chuckled. “Alright, enough joking around. Let’s figure out a way to get out of this damn place. The quicker we get back to our world, the quicker I get to see my cute little babbies.”

Umbra all but confirmed that Adam was finally free of the curse. “Did you have any ideas of how we can leave?”

“I could use my Omens a bunch and just pray it’ll work, but otherwise, maybe I make some other creatures into my pet?”

The Emperor appeared, and grumbled quietly to Umbra.

“What do you mean?”

The Emperor motioned his head outside, while the group followed him out.

Adam let out a long sigh as he stared above, pointing up towards it. “I, uh…” He met Umbra’s eyes. “I think that’s our way out.”

Umbra stared at the Half Elf, wondering what, and who, he was. “You believe that is the way out?”

The fishmen around stared above them, towards the sea sky, which was once so dark and stable.

“A whirlpool of colour? Yeah, I think that’s a pretty huge indicator, considering its exactly the same as the way we arrived.”

Jurot nodded.

“Within a pool of a myriad of colours?”

“Yeah. Alright, no offence, but I hate this place, so let’s get out of here.”

The teen Iyrmen approached, carrying parts of Adam’s armour. Nirot held up Wraith for Adam.

“Thank you.” Adam grabbed Wraith, feeling its cool wood against his palm. “I’m sorry, old friend. I’m sorry to you too, Nirot. I-,”

“Come on!” Umbra shouted, stepping towards the colourful pool.