‘Did I do too much?’ Adam thought, finally having cooled down from the fight. ‘Oh man…’

Royce inhaled deeply, flexing his muscle. He commandeered the main tent and invited the group to sit with him, and as he poured them tea, he eyed each of them up.

“When did you become so powerful?”

“I’m not that powerful,” Adam replied, smiling innocently as he did, which proved the old man’s point further. “This axe is perhaps the greatest the Enchanter has ever made, and it allowed me to go toe to toe with you. Well, that and my armour, and so on.”

“How many times do you think I have bothered Harry?” Royce asked.

“Harry?”

“That’s King Merryweather to you, boy.”

“I don’t know?”

“You don’t know who King Merryweather is?”

Adam raised his brows, feeling the sense of disappointment rise within him. “I don’t know how many times you’ve faced the old man.”

“Do you think I don’t know what a Fourth Gate smite feels like?” Royce’s eyes took Adam within his sights, and seemed to look through him.

“Did I not hold back enough?” Adam asked, reaching up to scratch his chin, an awkward smile across his lips.

“Had we fought another round, I’m uncertain who the victor would have been,” the man noted. “You are difficult to strike.”

“My great armour is one of my greatest abilities, that’s for sure.”

“The Enchanter made the weapon?”

“Yes.”

“Even without it, you are among some of the most powerful I’ve faced,” Royce admitted, sipping more of his tea. “Have you had any business with the North yet?”

“Not yet. We’ve been busy for a while. We have been thinking about heading north for some ore from Jaghi, but…” Adam shrugged his shoulders.

“The Knight of Death needs a weapon, one like this maul of mine. It’s greater than most mauls, not Legendary Enhanced, but it’s among the best of the Greater Enhanced weapons. Can your Enchanter make something similar?”

“I’m not sure. I’d have to Identify it first to explain it to the Enchanter, if that’s alright?”

Royce allowed Adam to take it, letting him study it over the course of the next hour, while conversing with the others. “How have you been?”

“Well,” Jurot replied.

“I’m too tired to face you too, so relax those shoulders of yours.”

“Hmm.” Jurot groaned quietly, letting out a long sigh, trying to calm himself.

“Tell me about your stories,” Royce said, before listening intently to not only the childrens’ stories, but their family’s stories too.

Deathly Night

Requires Attunement

You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.

Deals 3D6 bludgeoning damage.

Headsmasher. When you down a foe with this weapon, increase it’s damage to 4D6 for an hour. Downing an enemy when Headsmasher is active refreshes the timer.

‘Damn, it’s not that bad,’ Adam thought, staring down at the weapon. ‘3D6 is already greater than most great weapons, but 4D6?’

“They could create something around this level, though exactly this? I’m not sure.”

“Then meet with the Grand Duchess of the North.”

“The Grand Duchess?”

“She is the greatest noble across the entirety of Aldland.”

“Isn’t there the King?”

“Did I stutter, boy?” the old man almost snarled.

“No, no,” Adam replied, raising his brows again in alarm. ‘Maybe I should have downed you?’ “A weapon like this will cost quite a pretty penny, more than any other weapon we’ve made, I’m sure.”

“You shouldn’t underestimate the wealth of the North!” Royce almost growled. “The North is rich in blood and gold!”

The Iyrmen nodded their heads, while Lucy’s eyes sparkled, wanting to see how rich the North was, especially when it came to a particular type of resource.

“Of course, since the Northerners are the best of Aldland.”

Royce didn’t register the compliment, deep in thought. “When you meet with her, mention that I sent you. I’m sure she’ll be angry, and that she’ll test you somehow. Tell the Grand Duchess that this old fool is sorry. I know she won’t forgive me for dying in the South, where flowers will grow on my grave.” The old man then sighed. “You can just take my maul to her.”

Adam blinked. “Sounds like I’d be doing you a favour, Lord Marshal Royce.”

“You would be, and I will remember it.”

“I’m not sure when we’d head to the North, but I’ll definitely do it.”

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“Can you do it this year?”

“We don’t have any plans to head north this year. My child is going to be born soon, and by that time, it’ll be pretty late.”

“Your child?”

“I managed to get married in the last few years, well, specifically last year,” Adam explained.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you. I was thinking about inviting you to the wedding, but I wasn’t sure you’d like that.”

“I was too busy anyhow,” the old man said, glancing aside, letting out a quiet huff.

“Would you like to come and visit? My children would love to meet you, Lord Royce, the previous Knight of Death, the man who is considered the strongest alongside King Merryweather!”

“You have more children?”

“Yeah. They’re still young, but they’re so smart. My daughter is a genius, so she causes me a lot of trouble. She gets her intelligence from her mother, and her troublesomeness from me, and it’s pretty terrifying to see how much trouble I could cause if I was actually smart.” Adam sat up proudly upon speaking of his daughter.

“How old are they?”

“My triplets are three, my twins are two, about to turn three, and my son turned one at the beginning of the year.”

“Three? That age brings the most trouble.”

“Right? Jirot’s so smart, but Konarot…” Adam thought about how the girl almost killed her mother. “All my children are so cute, what am I to do?”

“My oldest should be… fifty now? No, almost fifty. My daughters are a little younger. I have great grandchildren who must be around your children’s age, though I haven’t seen them in so long, some at all, since I’ve been down south.”

“Can you head up to meet them?”

“I’m just a traitor now,” Royce replied with a chuckle, seemingly unaffected by the title.

Adam frowned slightly. ‘Ah, right…’ “If it makes you feel any better, I like you and King Merryweather more than most Aldishmen. I mean, I did marry an Aldishman, but still.”

“Oh? Who is she?”

“Ray Vonda of Life’s Rose,” Adam said. “She used to be a noble of Eastlake, but she gave that up. Now she’s, I was going to say just a Ray, but she’s definitely greater than a Baron’s daughter in every way, not just her title.”

“You married a Ray?” Royce asked.

“Somehow, yeah.”

Royce’s laughter filled the tent. “Those of Life’s Rose are decent folk, for Southerners. It’s because they’re so close to the North.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Adam replied, holding up his cup before sipping it. “I’m lucky to have married a Ray. You can’t imagine, well, you probably can imagine how many times she’s saved me from my stupid actions.”

“You met the perfect match to keep you out of trouble,” Royce said, now having to think twice about killing this boy in front of him. “Your weapon is too dangerous, so you should try not to wield it too often.”

“It’s my brother’s weapon now, but we live in dangerous times, Lord Royce. Even the other day, a bunch of vermin tried to attack my children. I should have slaughtered them, but what can I do?” Adam stated, his face taut.

“The world has split in two twice, so the land must be more dangerous now,” the Lord Marshal stated, thinking about how the two greatest countries had somehow broken apart. “I recall a warning I received, you should be careful. The young lady of the Order of the Wings informed me that a Wizard has gone rogue and has been creating all manner of beasties, chimeras.”

“That sounds terrible,” Adam replied, wondering how difficult a chimera would be. ‘Didn’t I already face one? Am I confusing them with something else?’

“They’re hard to track, but we think they went eastward, to Aswadasad. Hunting down the chimeras and the Wizard have been pretty difficult for the young lady and her companions.”

“The young lady?”

“Sir Robin,” Royce said, smirking slightly.

‘Sir Robin? The Paragon? Isn’t she like sixty?’ “You said they need to recuperate? How bad is it?”

“A few of their heirs have died, so they need to take a step back to recuperate. Terrible news, since they’re one of the only good orders around.”

“I wonder if they’re in the business of buying magical weapons?”

“They couldn’t afford it. They pass down their items from generation to generation. They receive gifts from nobles or wealthy merchants, and payments from villages now and again, but it’s far too little. There are Orders which remain held up in their walls near villages and towns that are treated better then the Order of the Wings, who work harder than maybe every Order combined. Save Life’s Rose, perhaps.”

“Perhaps,” Adam replied, keeping his eyes glued to the old man. ‘That really sucks for them.’

“The Order of the Wings is too small. Too insignificant. Even if most of them are quite strong, I hear everyone but little Maggie is a Grandmaster at least, but no one important would bother to look at them if their leaders weren’t Paragons.”

“Damn…” Adam frowned. He had met a couple of them during his journey, and though tone of them had an apprentice who was rather rude, they were decent folk. “What do you think of them?”

“An Order that actually does what it says it does? A neutral force who does their job even if no one appreciates it? Aye! They may not be Northerners, but I’ll respect them as much as anyone can be respected, even little Maggie. I have to do that much since I’m sitting in a comfy little castle now, keeping my arse warm beside the candle fire, with maids bringing new flowers every morning, not even giving the flowers proper respect to allow them to wither first.”

“Sounds like you’re enjoying your new life down here.”

“It’s too damn hot!” Lord Royce growled.

Adam chuckled and finished his tea. “Well, it seems like someone should start supporting the Order of the Wings properly if no one else is going to.” ‘We could enchant them some weapons and have them advertise. The Order of the Wings is maybe the most well respected Order, even if no one puts their money where their mouth is. Plus, they’re decent enough folk.’

“Can you afford it?” Royce asked.

“Well, maybe it won’t be too much, but it should be at least something if no one else is going to step up. I’m sure it’s cheap for a nation to support them, especially when they do so much, but I guess since they’re willing to work for free, the nations aren’t going to throw them even a copper?”

“They get their coppers, but they need silvers to live. Damn shame. Orders going about wasting gold, but the one right and good Order?” Royce shook his head.

“Yeah,” Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. “Ah, right. Lord Royce, you’ve faced me, so I’d like your opinion. Do you think I could beat the Bloody Knight? Azazael, was it?”

“I haven’t fought him properly yet, but… I’d bet on him.”

“Even if I had Phantom?”

“He’s… strange,” Lord Royce stated, uncertain even he could defeat such a fellow.

“Alright…” ‘Damn, seriously?’

Night fell upon the camp, and Royce, who had interrupted Adam’s ability to rest, decided against killing him. It would have been difficult, considering the Iyrmen beside him, but upon listening to the boy’s words, he was either an idiot, or a genius posing as an idiot to lower his guard, or perhaps a bit of both.

‘Since he’s promised to do me the favour, and the Iyrman promised to assist, it should be fine.’

Mana: 11 -> 8

Spell: Sending

“Greetings, Sir Magpie. This is Adam. Half elf. We met a few years ago in front of the Iyr. Are you busy?”

‘Greetings, Adam. I vaguely recall you. I am always busy, my Oath is eternal.’

Mana: 8 -> 5

Spell: Sending

“Great news. I wish you great fortune with your Oath. Are you too busy to accept magical weapons and coin?”

‘Do you wish to donate to our cause? We can meet soon to discuss. We are in West Aldland at the moment.’

Mana: 5 -> 2

Spell: Sending

“Correct. Currently out. We shall return to Iyr by nightval. Please come around then. All the best, Adam.”

‘We appreciate your kind words. We shall busy ourselves until nightval. Many blessings upon you and yours.’

Adam smiled slightly, hearing the woman’s voice fill his mind. ‘As long as you don’t try to kill my kids, I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of, Wings.’

Before Adam slept, he completed a shorter rest in order to regain some Health and Mana, but, somehow, nothing happened during the night.

Perhaps his fortunes had turned?

‘Also, Belle, you don’t need to show me the die rolls for the damage any more, it is getting to be a bit much.’

[Okay.]

‘Thank you.’