“We must insist upon an escort,” Sky Commander Sienna said in the morning. She had already given up on convincing the Prince to remain, but she wouldn’t allow him to leave with a pair of demons, without also sending along a few of her own. She vaguely recalled the nearby dragon, but she was certain Karza wasn’t stupid enough to cause trouble in the order.

“I will consider your intentions well, but I am already receiving an escort from the United Kindom,” the Prince assured, but he could see how resolute she was, not just within her eyes, but within her authoritative voice.

“I ask that you consider our position. We are the Order of Eagle Wing. How can we allow you to walk the nearby lands without the reliable bronze of our order?”

Morkarai’s insistence would only become more awkward if he continued. He glanced to the side towards the businessfolk, since he was technically escorting them. ‘How troublesome.’

Adam glanced towards his brother, who was deep in thought, something which unnerved even the half elf. ‘Are we going to get ourselves killed? What are you thinking about so deeply?’

“We will allow you to escort the Prince to Eagle Wing, and to the nearby fort, in exchange, we Iyrmen would like to drink tea with the Grand Treasurer before we leave.”

“Who are you to request a meeting with our Grand Treasurer?” Sienna asked, suddenly taking in the sight of the Iyrman.

“I am Executive Jurot of the United Kindom,” Jurot replied. “You know of my grandfather.”

“Do I?”

“He is the Mad Dog.”

Sienna blinked, but though the blink lasted an instant for those looking at her, the blink lasted a near eternity for the Sky Commander. The Order of Eagle Wing had barely changed in the last century, though it had added a few extra estates for its growth, the walls of the order were the same, the nearby fields were the same, and even the large courtyards were the same.

The large courtyard, but a hundred steps away, had been the same when she was a girl too.

She had played often in the courtyard, kicking the ball with her compatriots, some of whom had long passed due to blade and beast. It was the same courtyard in which she had watched her mentor leave, a Vice Commander at the time, who returned as the Sky Commander when the Sky Commander of that time was killed upon the battlefield. When her mentor returned, he had gained a new scar, that which had taken his left eye, as though an axe had threatened to cut through his skull, though his blade had managed to stop it in its path, barely.

‘It was my mistake,’ the Sky Commander had said back then. ‘I should not have underestimated the threat the Iyrmen pose.’

The one who had taken the previous Sky Commander’s eye had been Mad Dog, that Mad Dog who gained so many nicknames, one might have thought him a myth. It was a name, however, which the newest generations had all but forgotten, but not the likes of Sienna, and not the likes of the Right Wing, the Grand Bishop, or the Grand Treasurer.

“You… are the Mad Dog’s grandson?” Sienna asked, calming her heart.

“I am,” Jurot replied, inhaling deeply, pride filling his lungs. He didn’t want to show off too much, but it was a chance for the Iyrmen to meet with the Grand Treasurer.

“Our warriors will escort the Prince to your business.”

“To a fort before the forest,” Jurot replied.

“We will send four of our own.”

“Okay.”

“If the demons are seen as a threat, our members will have full rights to kill them.”

“Please send your best so that we may enjoy the fight.”

‘He is definitely the Mad Dog’s grandson.’

“Seriously, how many Orders are we going to have to beat up this year?” a voice broke through the silence, the young half elf letting out a sigh.

“If the Order of Eagle Wing wishes to slay them, they must first request permission from Life’s Rose, as I, Ray Vonda, have been tasked to watch over the demons.”

Sienna glanced towards the Priest of Death, adorned in his heavy plate of purple, wearing an obsidian amulet of the Iyr’s Lord of Death, then her eyes fell to the Priest of Life, who wore an amulet of a silver sun beneath the amulet of Mother Soza, Goddess of Life.

“If you fail in reigning them in, we will be forced to act,” the Sky Commander stated.

“I will not fail in my duty,” Vonda replied.

“I pray that you do not.”

The Ray bowed her head lightly, and the Sky Commander bowed her head in return. Vonda was fairly certain the Order members would behave, for they weren’t of the Thousand Hunts.

The Iyrmen made their way to speak with the Grand Treasurer of the Order of Eagle Wing, while Jasmine watched, wondering why the Iyrmen were so interested in meeting such a figure. Her eyes then fell to Crowseer, following him as the being said his goodbyes, stepping out along the road with his cane in hand. She recalled his gaze upon her the previous evening and shuddered. Though she couldn’t see his face, nor his eyes, she had a strange sense this figure was something more than even she expected.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“Your land has had little interaction with Crowseer,” Morkarai said, keeping most of his thoughts tempered. He thought little of the Iyrmen’s want to meet with the Grand Treasurer, or the figure known as Crowseer.

“I do not recall.”

“It is not as though you are unfamiliar with his work.”

“How so?”

Morkarai shook his head, smiling politely towards the woman. His eyes glanced across her companion for a moment, before his thoughts drifted away.

“I am Vice Commander Evelyn,” the woman said. She was lightly tanned, with dark hair and dark eyes. Her bronze full plate gleamed under the noonval sun, and she wore a blade at her side, and upon her back a large round shield, which covered her pack. “I will be leading the group which has been tasked with escorting you all, and the Prince, across the land.”

“I am Executive Kitool,” Kitool replied, before bowing her head lightly towards the Vice Commander. “We are grateful for your assistance.”

The Vice Commander’s eyes darted towards the demons. As the group began to leave, the Order flanked the carriage of the Prince, while the Vice Commander and another followed the carriage of the Ray, which held both demons.

“How come you went to go meet with the Grand Treasurer?” Adam asked, relaxing in the driver’s position, his brother carving wood beside him.

“The Grand Treasurer is the most powerful member,” Jurot replied in the Iyr’s tongue.

“They do control all the gold, so I can see that,” Adam whispered in Iyrspeech.

“No, she is the most powerful. She is almost a Paragon.”

“Oh… really?”

“Yes. She is a contemporary of King Merryweather.”

“Oh. Cool.”

“Sir Harper took her position as Grand Treasurer many years ago, before even Sir Arthur, who became the Right Wing of the order.”

“Right Wing?”

“One of the Two Wings of the Order of Eagle Wing. The Right Wing is considered senior to the Left Wing, and is usually granted to the stronger between the two, but Sir Arthur is considered slightly weaker than Sir Leo.”

“So how come he has the position?”

“The Grand Treasurer, the Right Wing, and the Grand Bishop are from the generation previous to the Sky Commander. They hold the greatest influence through the Order with their positions, from controlling the gold of the Order, to controlling the ear of the Sky Commander, to controlling what the future Order members are taught.”

“Yeah that makes sense…”

“Sky Commander Sienna is still considered one of the strongest in the Order, second to the Grand Treasurer, along with many others.”

“How strong is she?”

“Greater than a Grandmaster, weaker than a Paragon.”

‘So about fourteen to fifteen then?’

“It is assumed she has the abilities granted to her from her Oath.”

‘So she’s probably about fifteen then?’ “Hold on, isn’t she kinda young for being so strong?”

“Yes.”

“Whoa.” Adam thought about how strong Jarot was, and to think that old man was technically weaker than the Sky Commander... “I really shouldn’t mess around.”

“It is wise to be cautious.”

As evening fell across the land, the walls of Eagle Wing greeted the group. The walls were long and wide, wrapping around the hill, which the layered town was built upon. The guards stood tall and proud, adorned in their breastplate, stamped with the symbol of an eagle, with dusky tan cloaks around their shoulders, compared to the vibrant brass cloaks of the Order members. The guards carried short blades at their sides, but wielded spears in hand. Their helmets were patterned with wings across the side, though did not jut out much, especially compared to the Order members. While the guards in the other towns were more lax, these guards were completely focused upon their task, and though they but shadows compared to the Order members escorting the group, these guards were still far more impressive than those found in most other towns.

“Halt!” the guards exclaimed as they approached the gate, the pair throwing out a hand simultaneously.

“Sir Evelyn, Vice Commander of the Order of Eagle Wing,” the Vice Commander called, handing over a small badge to the guards, waiting for the to process the group.

“What brings a Vice Commander along with such a group,” the guard asked.

“We are escorting Prince Morkarai through the land.”

“Prince Morkarai?”

“Seventh Prince of the Fire Giants.”

Once the guards finished confirming the identification of the Vice Commander, double checking the information they had received that morning, they allowed the group in once the gate fee was paid.

The pathway was wide, easily allowing fifty people to walk side by side. The next tier of the city began a half mile ahead, with its own set of walls and guards, but the bustling people within the town made it difficult to see. The floor was smooth, the buildings to the side made of stone or wood, each small cubes. Muted tans and creams dominated the city, even the people, who wore very little colour, as opposed to those in East Port. Many of the cityfolk within wore small blades or axes at their side, while some walked with a staff in hand.

“Let’s stick to an inn on the outside.”

“Okay,” Jurot replied, already feeling the gazes of all manner of figures eyeing them up.

As the group settled within a large inn, one which was more like a large estate than an inn, a group of guards approached. These guards were not like the guards of the town, who were already impressive, but those who wore bronze breastplates, almost like the order members, save their bronze was slightly darker, and their capes were white with silver trim.

‘Oh man…’ Adam thought, preparing himself for trouble. He blinked, watching the guards escort Prince Morkarai away to the Count’s estate. ‘Oh.’

Jaygak followed the Prince with Kitool, letting out a sigh. ‘Why do I have to go too?’ She glanced aside to the pair of Order members following them. ‘The Vice Commander should have followed.’

Jurot thought about whether he should remain within the inn since the Vice Commander was there to watch over the demons, but his eyes then fell to Vonda. He inhaled deeply and made the decision to leave, to go deal with matters of the Iyr, noting the plainly clothed guards following him. It was always awkward for the Iyr to move freely in Eagle Wing, so he made his way to the nearby market stall, procuring some wood quickly, and trapped between two pieces of wood, a small slip of paper.

Jurot prepared himself to fight as he returned back to the inn, only to find it peaceful, with the Vice Commander sticking to one side, keeping an eye on the demons, while Adam assisted the Aswadian toddlers with their meals.

“Mustafa, I know you’re cute, but you need to eat your vegetables.”

The boy blinked at the half elf, before being distracted by the cup of milk brought to his lips, sipping it slowly.

“Seriously, this is all your fault for spoiling them, Bilal.”

Bilal was still unsure of how close Adam was getting to the children, but he had already complained about how he was going to take good care of them at the business as part of the deal previously.

‘You must be very stressed if you are behaving so adorably,’ Vonda thought, before continuing to feed the youngest twins.

Jasmine’s eyes remained focused on the half elf, unsure of how to consider him. She glanced between Adam and Vonda, and considered how complicated and how simple the half elf seemed. ‘Is he… just a husband and father?’

While the group were relaxing within the inn, Kitool and Jaygak were full of stress as they watched over the Prince while the Count entertained him. As the Prince dismissed himself, Kitool and Jaygak stood, ready to follow the Prince, before the Count called for them.

Jaygak and Kitool glanced between one another. The pair were tasked with watching over the Prince, so Jaygak glanced towards Kitool, allowing her to refuse the Count.

“Executive Jaygak will remain to speak with you,” Kitool said.

‘Eh?’ Jaygak thought. ‘Me?’