‘That should be good enough,’ Adam thought. ‘Kitool’s an Executive, and Vonda is a Ray, so that’s enough respect from our end. They’d better understand we’re being nice by offering them such fine stuff.’

Adam was still uncertain if the items they had sent over were considered decent, but after stressing about it for a short while, which was already too long to stress about nobles, he let out a soft sigh, allowing the stress to escape him. ‘No need to worry about nobles.’

He was glad they had moved from the expensive inn to another inn, one which was still fine enough for the children and the others, but also didn’t lighten the pouch too much. Jurot stepped into the inn, noting the glances towards him, before he approached Adam.

“What time do you call this?” Adam asked. “I’ve been worried sick.”

“It is early evening,” Jurot replied, sitting opposite his brother.

“Where were you?” Adam asked, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

“I walked with Pam.”

“You just walked?”

Jurot nodded.

“What a gentleman.”

Jurot narrowed his eyes slightly. “You have a new sword?”

“That’s right,” Adam said, placing the sword onto the table. “It’s dwarven made.”

“Yes,” Jurot replied. “Did Thundersmith gift it to you?”

“How did you know?”

“You had not received a reward from him.”

“It has been a few years…” Adam thought. ‘Four years now?’

Jurot eyed up the wood, feeling how smooth it was to the touch. “It is good wood. The woodwork is dwarven too.”

“I didn’t realise he was so good at woodworking.”

“It was not Thundersmith. This work was done by a dwarf who is a master at woodworking.”

“How can you tell?”

“I cannot sense any imperfections. Thundersmith’s abilities with wood are similar to my own, but this is greater.”

“High praise.”

Jurot nodded, his eyes taking in the sight of the sword’s colour, before holding out the blade, feeling how heavy it was. “Will you use a sword?”

“How can you tease me like this?” Adam asked. “Aren’t I your brother? I should use a sword and shield.”

“Axe and shield?”

“That’s what I meant,” Adam replied, his lips working quicker than his mind. “Even if swords are more romantic.”

Fred glanced towards his boss, his eyes cautiously eyeing up the dwarven weapon. It was a beautiful weapon, a weapon beyond his wildest dreams, though so Lifeblade had been too. The lack of a magical blade at his side almost made him feel lonely. ‘I don’t need a magical weapon, I’m just a farmer’s boy.’

George remained beside Fred, his eyes glancing across the children. He listened to the children as they talked at him, nodding every so often, but not making any noises in return. So many of the children liked to talk at him, wanting to rant about this thing or that thing. Sometimes Alex would sit beside him and talk to him, very different to the other children.

The days in Red Oak began to pass by. Somehow, Adam managed to keep himself out of trouble. The Hope and Marshal kept an eye on him, just in case. After buying some more gifts within the town, Adam was finally ready to leave.

The cool wind whipped through the air as duskval began to engulf the land.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“I know it’s only been a few days, but once we’re at the business, we probably won’t have much else to do for the rest of the year,” Adam explained to the farmers and the porters. “We’ll escort you to gather your families and make your way back at some point.”

The farmers and porters replied affirmatively, before the group made their way out of the town, heading westward.

‘Just a few more days now…’ Adam could feel the ache within his body. The travel had begun to catch up to his bones. ‘I can’t believe we used to make our way without taking a break…’

“Did you enjoy yourself in Red Oak?” Fred asked.

“Yes,” the children all replied.

Fred glanced towards George, who nodded his head, clutching at the bracelet he had bought from one of the merchants. He stared down at all the colours within it, not quite as vibrant as the colours which could be found within East Port, but they all belonged to him.

“Adam,” Jurot said, returning from his scouting atop Sky. “There is a military outpost ahead.”

“An outpost?” Adam asked, furrowing his brows. ‘Since when was there a military outpost?’

As the group approached, they could spot the wooden outpost, still in the process of being formed. Adam spotted at least a hundred soldiers all moving about, with a hundred labourers assisting. The outpost was currently just a large estate, with raised wooden walls, a ditch, and a few dozen large buildings. The soldiers, wearing their chain, and carrying short blades at their side, eyed up the large group.

“Good evening, Hope?” a soldier said from atop the wall, though their tone of voice betrayed their confusion. He also wore light chain, and wielded a spear in hand.

“Mother’s blessings upon you,” the Hope replied. “How fare the soldiers?”

“Well,” the soldier replied, while another heavily armoured soldier, this one wearing a breastplate over chain, stormed up front to see the newcomers.

“Hope?” she asked, glancing across the group, noting the appearance of the figures she was warned about.

“Mother’s blessings upon you,” the Hope said.

The Sergeant blinked. “What brings you this way, Hope?”

“I am escorting the children to the business,” the Hope said.

“The business?”

“There is a business upon the Iyr’s land, and these children are to be escorted that way.”

“…” The Sergeant wondered if she should ask for any more information, but she decided against it. She glanced across the entire group, which was far too large to truly allow without any resistance.

However, they were being escorted by a Hope and several Rays…

“We welcome you within our walls, Hope.” The Sergeant bowed her head.

‘That was easy,’ Adam thought. ‘I guess there’s no Grand Commander about?’ Adam spotted several heavily armoured figures about, each glaring towards the group, to a particular pair. ‘Ah.’

Jonn’s eyes remained focused on the Vice Commander as they approached the group, though the Hope stepped forward to speak with them.

‘Seriously…’ Adam exchanged a glance towards Jurot, who nodded, and Jaygak and Kitool stepped beside Lucy and Mara.

“Do you intend to protect the demons?” the Vice Commander asked the Hope.

Hope Willow fell silent for a long moment. She inhaled deeply. “Your Grand Commander tried to deal with the situation. He failed.”

“…”

“…”

The Vice Commander narrowed his eyes towards the Hope. He had received word of demons passing through and that he should do his best to deal with the situation.

‘What do you expect me to do against a Hope?’ “What if I press the issue?”

“I have no doubt that you could press the issue, but you have other matters you should prioritise,” the Hope replied. “The land has only begun recovering from the death which was wrought by the civil war. Let us wait to heal before you must draw your blade again.”

“They are demons, Hope.”

“They are within the care of a Ray.”

‘Grand Commander…’

‘Damn, having a Hope accompany us is like having a cheat code,’ Adam thought. ‘Iyrmen, Hope, Rays, and even members of Black Mountain…’

Adam decided against summoning a tower that evening, not wanting to give the soldiers or the order any reason to pick a fight. Adam also spotted a road currently being dug out towards the south west.

“They are creating another outpost to the south,” Jurot said. “They will create this one first and prepare to create the southern outpost a day’s journey south.”

“Why are they making another outpost to the south?”

Jurot glanced around. He switched to their tongue as he spoke. “It is where the Tribesfolk we met make their home.”

Adam slowly nodded his head. ‘They must have found out about them, eh? That sucks for the Tribesfolk. I hope they’ll be fine.’

It was the next day when they approached the village, noting another one hundred soldiers within the village. Adam left the Hope to deal with them, keeping to himself.

‘Almost…’

Lucy and Mara also kept a low profile, with Kitool and Jaygak remaining beside them.

‘Another outpost?’ Jurot thought. He made a mental map of the area, realising there were going to be three forts so close to the border of the Iyr.

“I heard the soldiers say they’re making a few forts all about,” a villager said, having sold off some grain wine to the Iyrmen. “One north of the next village over, one north of ours, and apparently one south of Eagle Wing too. They say they’re making a few more along the road of from the towns, like those near Hill Grave.”

‘So many forts?’ Jurot thought. It would mean just a few days away from the Iyr, there were at least five forts, something which hadn’t been seen in generations. ‘Is he planning to tame the land of Tribesfolk? Or…’

The only Tribesfolk near the Iyr were those far to the north, those a few days south from them, and those to the east, deep within the forest, towards Deadwood. However, the amount of forts the King had begun to build…

‘You will need more than five forts for the Iyr,’ Lucy thought. ‘I thought the King was meant to be a military genius?’