The cliffs of High Cliff were the most perilous Adam had ever seen, and yet, they also held various villages. The villages swept upwards towards the large castle, which loomed over its denizens. The dock began towards the sea, but eventually seeped into the cliffs, before meeting the rest of the town.

“How do they get things from the docks to the rest of the town?” Adam asked, his eyes taking in the town as light of the evening fell across it.

“With difficulty,” Jurot replied, and after a moment to allow Adam to stew on the thought, he continued. “Much of the town is not within the cliffs. The tunnels lead to the town of High Cliff. Those who live within the cliffs are those who cannot afford to live within the town, sailors, and those who prefer to remain within the dark.”

‘Must be a lot of criminals in those tunnels,’ Adam thought. ‘Wonder why they let them so close towards the docks when it’s so important for trade…’ His eyes noted the large number of guards, each adorned in a cuirass made of light scale, carrying short blades at their side, and spears in hand. They were the only figures who carried weapons, or it appeared to be that way to Adam’s half fae eyes.

The journey to High Cliff had been thoroughly uneventful. The group stopped near the small ports of the various military outposts along the coast, and somehow there was little trouble.

‘I don’t like this,’ Adam thought, the group sailing on the seas once more, apparently only a few days away from East Port. He looked up towards the clear sky. ‘I don’t like this one bit.’

“You’re over thinking again,” Jaygak said, leaning over the rail. She didn’t wear her armour either, not stupid enough to joke about that sort of thing, though Great Moon rubbed against her thigh gently. “What is it this time?”

“We haven’t come across much trouble this year,” Adam said.

Jaygak blinked, glancing over towards him, raising her brow. “We haven’t?”

“I expect trouble to be bigger after meeting…” Adam threw a look over his shoulders, before raising his brows knowingly towards Jaygak.

“There is much trouble we will come across and not all of it will be divine in nature.”

“No, Jaygak, we always need to get into bigger trouble, that’s just how it works.”

“Why?”

“That’s how it is.” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “So this year it’s probably going to be her mother, or someone else, or something else, or maybe…” Adam’s voice, which first began light and forcefully playful, shifted.

“Maybe?”

“No,” Adam replied. “Nothing.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Adam narrowed his eyes. ‘As long as it doesn’t come, everything should be good.’

The sea was kind to the ship as they continued their journey, before finally the city known as East Port greeted them. The ships numbered in the thousands, many still sailing around the docks even as evening fell across the land.

Adam could spot the colours of the city even during the evening sun, the homes each painted or covered in bright coloured fabric. The entire city was about as large as South Port, big enough to easily get lost within the maze of side roads. Even as the day died down, Adam could spot all the figures still making their way through the city.

Once the docking procedures were dealt with by the captain, the group made their way onto the docks. The steeds were summoned once more to pull along the cart, while many eyes fell upon the pack of wolves which stepped onto the docks with the group. Thankfully, the dockguard had already come to escort the group, making sure none of the wolves would cause issues.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be sure to let you guys stretch your legs tomorrow,” Adam said, embracing Jay’a and Kit’a, who were almost twitching to bolt around the area. The awakened wolves were less twitchy, partly because they were terrified of what would happen if they would act up.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Adam wasn’t familiar with the docks of East Port, but even here, so many of the workers wore bits and pieces of vibrant colour, from sashes around their waist to bandannas tied around their heads, even tiny strips of cloth wrapped around their belt buckle.

“We’ll see you off here,” Vasera said, clasping Adam’s forearm. “We’re heading to an inn we like to stay at, Ol’ Sailor’s Way.” Her head turned towards the Hard Thorns, a wild A grin appeared on her face.

“You don’t want to stay at the Adventurer’s Guild?”

“I don’t like it,” she replied, snarling quietly, watching as the Hard Thorns left. “Not enough trouble for how many ears there are.”

“Right, well, it was a pleasure to travel with you. Hopefully, we’ll see each other again.”

“Will you be fighting in the tournament?”

“Not this year, I don’t think.”

“Good. I might be able to claim second or third, then.”

“Not first?”

“There’s probably a noble who will want me to fall again.”

Adam smiled. “I suppose that’s how it is.”

“Yes.” Vasera began to say her goodbyes to the Iyrmen too.

“Perhaps next time we meet, I will have a child of my own to speak so adoringly about,” Rook joked, shaking Adam’s forearm.

“I feel bad for you Rook, since you don’t have any children of your own,” Adam replied, shaking his forearm back. “I’ll pray for you, and I’ll pray you join the business so you can see how adorable my children are.”

“With how much you have spoken of them, it must be true.”

“Yes,” Jurot stated. “His children are cute.”

“It must be true, for Iyrmen speak no lies.” Rook smiled.

As Fate’s Golden trekked through the city, passing from district to district, the colours continued to invade their sight. As they walked over the various bridges, Adam glanced around from atop them, taking in the sights of the town. There were still people moving and shifting about in the evening, and children carrying packs made of wood, filled with all manner of items.

“Do you think we’ll meet Kalid again?” Adam asked.

“He is not difficult to meet,” Jurot replid. “If you wish to meet with him, you may visit his stall.”

“True. I guess I should buy some more cloth… we’re going to be dealing with the business soon, aren’t we? Might as well buy some cloth…” Adam was fairly certain he had bought some cloth previously. ‘Hold on, how much did I buy last time? Did I have anyone tailor it yet?’

The Adventurer’s Guild was built as the guilds were typically built, but surrounded by water. This Adventurer’s Guild, however, was far larger than most other guilds he had seen, save for the guild within South Port. As they entered the guild, they were blasted by the noise of at least a hundred adventurers, each sitting and chattering away, with their own parties, and with other parties.

Jaygak handled the guild this time, Kitool having gone with the younger Iyrmen to deal with the wolves, but then also to disappear within East Port for a while to do Iyrman business.

“What’s that?” Adam asked as Jaygak returned with a large sack.

“Offers for the business,” Jaygak replied, smiling politely to the half elf.

“…” ‘Oh yeah.’ Adam rubbed his forehead. ‘I forgot we said we were going to take orders for a while from East Port. It’s been almost a year so the nobles are probably really pissed off.’

“We need to send back a reply to as many as we can, even if they have been refused,” Jaygak said. “If we shirk them so openly, we’ll get into trouble. Unless, you want to invite that trouble?”

“Not quite the trouble I’m looking for, no.” Adam sighed, smiling slightly. ‘We were running out of coin, so I guess if we accept some business, we can take half the money upfront and once we get back, I’ll enchant stuff passively?’

As Adam began to check the orders in the night, he smiled. ‘Ah, right.’ He let out a soft sigh of relief. The orders placed by the different nobles were similar to that of an auction. Who could offer the most amount of money for the least amount of items. ‘This’ll make it a little easier.’

However, since he was in East Port, he decided to do that.

Sonarot rubbed the top of Konarot’s head, the girl no longer pouting angrily at her baba, who had utterly crushed her in dragon chess. Konarot gave in to her nana, who kept rubbing her head, and even rubbed along the base of her horns with her thumb.

Sonarot froze, waiting for a few moment, before responding. “Yes, they are. I will tell them. They miss you too.” She noted the sets of eyes falling upon her. “They have made it safely to East Port.”

“Has he sent any news?” Shikan asked, holding his sleepy daughter within his arms.

“No,” Sonarot replied. She lifted Konarot up, brushing the girl’s hair tenderly. “Your father sends his love.”

“Message?” Konarot asked.

“Yes. Your father spoke to me with his magic.”

“Daddy is coming back?”

“Perhaps he will return soon, perhaps he will not,” Sonarot replied. “He will bring many gifts. He promises.”

“Okay…” Konarot rested her head against her grandmother’s shoulder, sucking her thumb gently.

“Daddy is coming?” Jirot asked, rushing over to her grandmother, her eyes bright and eager.

“Not yet.”

Jirot huffed. “Silly daddy. I do not like…” She turned around and crossed her arms. Her younger brother did the same.

“Stop it,” Konarot said, pointing at the girl. “Daddy is love.”

Jirot turned back to face her elder sister. She made to respond, but noted the way her grandmother was looking at her. “Silly daddy.” She rushed off quickly.

Konarot remained pointing at her sister, before gasping towards her grandmother to see what she would do.

“She does not mean it,” Sonarot assured, brushing the girl’s hair gently once more. She noted how cold Konarot would flash whenever she was upset, but it was only for a moment. ‘…’