“Stop it! Stop it now! Smelly boy!” Jirot pointed a finger up at Danagek, who pouted, and made to cry, only to stop as his father pulled him up.

  “Are you bullying your onagek asked. “Or is your niece bullying you?” His eyes fell down to Jirot.

  “I am not! I am not!” Jirot frowned, pouting, and gnced around for support.

  “What happened?”

  “I did not bully!”

  “Okay.”

  “Okay?” Jirot asked, blinking. “Okay.”

  Tonagek held out his hand for the girl, who waddled over and pced her small hand within his, feeling hh his skin was. Jirot bli the old man, who was the brother of her grandmother, like how Jarot was brother to her.

  “What happened?” Tonagek asked, gently rubbing his thumb along the back of the girl’s hand.

  “Papo is ing to py, but he ot!”

  “Why not?”

  “ying with Jitool!”

  “You will not py with Danagek?”

  “It is not time for pying with Danagek,” the girl replied.

  “Why not?”

  “It is time to py with Jitool.”

  “I see.” Tonagek fell into thought. “Will you py with Daer?”

  “Yes, I want to py with Danagek. y and then we eat. Danagek always so lovely, he always give me fruit.”

  ‘Ah?’ Tohought. “Okay, I will py with Danagek.”

  “Baba, you want to py too?”

  Tonagek blinked. “I wish to py with you.”

  “Okay! Baba and papo py.” Jirot pulled the older man along with her to her twin brother and kako.

  ‘Ah?’ Tohought. ‘It is not that she does not wish to py, but it must feel right to py?’

  While Tohought so deeply of his grandniece, who had finally returo the Iyr, her father actally caused a mess elsewhere.

  “That sounds too good to be true,” Jane said, a young woman with bck hair and dark eyes. She wore breastpte over , and carried a bde at her side.

  “A bunch o’ poppycock!” another shouted, ughing. “You’d find a more believable story in the docks.”

  “Like I said,” Adam began, gng aside to the thick, drunken fellow whose ughter almost drowned out his voice, “we work for the Enter, and they’re the ohat allow these great, and generous, terms.”

  “Yeah, and my mother owns the docks,” the drunken fellow said.

  ‘What with him and the docks?’ “Anyway, if you’re someone whose already Steel in the Guild, then we’d start you out a little higher, twenty gold, but once you pass through the training, which should st three to six month, you’ll get paid thirty gold a month.”

  ‘It’s not a terrible wage, especially if he’s promising a magical on with it ter on…’ Jahought.

  “My brother wields a on that makes even mine look like… well, mine is like a tiger, while his is a… no wait, mine is a bear, and his is a tiger.”

  “Are tigers strohan bears?” Jane asked.

  “I think so? I don’t know. Anyway, what I mean is, mine is strong, but my brother’s is stronger. Actually, you said ynised me from the tour, so you should know my brother. Jurot, he’s the guy that pced first, and Kitool, who pced sed, she also has a on from the Enter.”

  “I thought Sir Roseia pced first.”

  “In the martial only se.”

  “Oh! The Savage?”

  “Yeah, exactly.”

  “Steel Kick Kitool, wasn’t it?”

  “That’s the one.”

  “The Iyrman is your brother?”

  “He is, it’s a long story.”

  Persuasion Check (Charisma)Elegance bonus!D20 + 7 = 26 (19)

  ‘Damn, this kid’s eveig me,’ the drunkard thought. ‘No, no, what am I thinking, he’s just talkin’ auroch shit.’

  Jurot ehe inn a moment ter, with Kitool behind him, the pair making their way to Adam and Jaygak, the Iyrman napping in the er, figuring Adam wouldn’t get in much trouble beside her. It was tiring work to deal with Adam wheried not to be ge.

  “What a ce, we were just talking about you,” Adam said, pushing the chairs aside for Jurot and Kitool. “Jurot, Kitool, meet Jane, an adventurer.”

  “I’m a filler,” Jane specified, shaking their forearms, as they returned a nod of aowledge of the term.

  “Like I said. . Magical ons, that are lent, but after a few years, reat service, you get to keep it. Doesn’t sound bad, does it?” Adam smiled.

  “You need me to sign anything?” Jane asked, sipping her ale.

  “Right now, we’re heading up north for the tour. If you want to sign up quickly, then head westward, follow the road to Red Oak, then once you’re there, head west along the road to the business, which is on the Iyr’s nd. Ask to speak with a Manager Dunes, he’ll test you.”

  “Iyr’s nd?” Janes narrowed her eyes. “You did mention something about that.”

  “The Iyr provides quite a lot of prote to the business, though some of our own workers hold their own, too. You might be signed up on the lowest rank for a few months, and maybe given some b or awful work. Of course, there are certain rules to follow. If you don't follow them, or are unruly, you'll be punished accly. If it's something unfivable, then...” Adam motioo his amulet. “Lord Sozain will wele you with open arms.”

  “You think you are special, boy?” called a voice from the er. It was a fellow who had blonde hair, silvered with age, and stark blue eyes, those which pierced through Adam’s soul. He was heavily tattooed too, all across the sides of his face, and along his neck.

  “A little,” Adam said, w why he seemed vaguely familiar.

  Intelligence CheckD20 + 3 = 6 (3)

  “Raging Bull,” Jurot called, causing more heads to turn to the Noskan, while those nearby began to pull away from him.

  ‘Who?’ Adam thought.

  The Noskan stood, leaving behind his greataxe, his eyes remaining on the half elf as he shambled towards them, grabbing the chair with a careful grasp, his fists almost tightening like a vice against the wood. The echo of the chair scraping filled the air, before he sat. He held out his hand, and the axe blurred towards him, before he rested it against the table.

  Lud Mara exged a look between one another, sipping their ale from the er of the inn. They hat Jaygak had awoken, the young woman yawning silently, before sitting up, eyeing up the newer who she reised.

  “Too young,” Raging Bull said.

  “What?”

  “You’re too young to be that arrogant.”

  “I’m nant, I just know my limits.”

  “If you’re talking bae, you don’t.”

  “That’s because me and my panions are together,” Adam said. “Not many threats we ’t face when we’re together.”

  “You think you children handle me?”

  “You wield Frostdrake?” Jurot asked, narrowing his eyes.

  “The very same.”

  “…” Jurot narrowed his eyes. ‘How did he gain Frostdrake?’

  “What do you think, Jurot, could we handle him?”

  “You and I together could defeat him,” Jurot said.

  “Together? Just the two of you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Willing to bet your axes on it?”

  Adam could feel the cold bead of sweat against the side of his neck. “Nht now. We’ve a touro fight in.” Except he could feel the eagerness of his brother beside him.

  “I wouldn’t injure you too badly. Just one arm. One leg.”

  “No thank you,” Adam replied, uo take his eyes off the older man.

  “I didn’t give you permission to refuse,” Fjord said, his eyes still pierg through Adam’s.

  “What will you bet?” Jurot asked.

  “I’ll bet my axe.”

  “We refuse.”

  “You refuse? Do you uand the situation you’re in, boy?”

  “You do not know the situation you are in,” Jurot said. “Together, our panions, defeat you.”

  “All six of you? The Iyrmen, the half elf, the demons?”

  ‘Demons?’ the thought passed through the inndwellers.

  “We defeat you,” Jurot said, his voice assured.

  Battle OrderD20 + 1 = 11 (10)

  Health: 112 -> 59

  It all happened so suddenly.

  Iime between the bead of sweat had fallen down from Adam’s jaw and onto his shirt, leaving a trail of dampness along his clothes, the shaft of the axe had struck against Adam’s elbow and side. Jurot had mao block the magical steel with Phantom, barely defleg it away from the half elf’s skin.

  ‘What the hell?’ Adam thought, crashing against the side of the ter, before swiftly scrambling up to his feet. His arm throbbed with pain, but he gripped Wraith tight in hand, pushing away his thoughts.

  “Fihen,” Adam said, inhaling deeply.

  Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2Health: 59 -> 64

  Attack - Wizard’s Axe (Advantage)(Fnking)D20 + 11 = 16 (5)D20 + 11 = 23 (12)Hit!Mana: 25 -> 24Ability: Divine Smite2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 25 (6)(10)Damage resisted!17 damage!

  Attack - Wizard’s Axe (Advantage)(Fnking)D20 + 11 = 17 (6)D20 + 11 = 31 (20)Critical hit!Wraith: 3 -> 0Mana: 24 -> 20Ability: Divine Smite4D6 + 12D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 102 (9)(48)(36)Damage resisted!69 damage!

  Onward Soar: 1 -> 0

  Attack - Wizard’s Axe (Advantage)(Fnking)D20 + 11 = 24 (13)D20 + 11 = 30 (19)Critical hit!Mana: 20 -> 16Ability: Divine Smite4D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 49 (14)(26)Damage resisted!38 damage!

  Attack - Wizard’s Axe (Advantage)(Fnking)D20 + 11 = 13 (2)D20 + 11 = 28 (17)Hit!Mana: 16 -> 15Ability: Divine Smite2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 15 (4)(2)Damage resisted!8 damage!

  Tough Spirit: 1 -> 02D6 + 8 = 14 (1, 5)Health: 64 -> 78

  Adam focused upon the Noskan, bursting red with rage. The half elf’s axe carved through the air as he focused, g with the Rage Dancer, while Jurot fnked beside him, and Kitool’s shadowy form blurred beside him. A pair of axes fell against the Noskan, and the staff crashed against him as Kitool willed her irength into the Noskan, trying to freeze him in pce so they could defeat him.

  The Noskan’s focus had been upon the half elf, who had spoken of this mythical business, one where they seemed to apparently look after their own. The fshes of memories, the charred buildings, the bde through his side, slipped through his mind. He roared, and though he had barely reised the tattoos on the Iyrman’s forehead, of the blue circle and diamonds, he cared very little. He wahis half elf put down, and even if some crazy Iyrman’s grandson struck him, he didn’t even bother to think of much else.

  Except, he had also ighe other Iyrman. As her staff crashed against him, the young woman also struck him through his side, at a particur point, exploding forth her inner energy. He had blocked it out. Owice. Thrice.

  Eight times. That’s how may times Kitool could force her inner energy into someo had been seven not long ago, but now, she could do so eight times.

  Pierg through his great fortitude had been difficult. The first time, she had failed. The sed time, she had failed. The third time, the fourth time? Failure.

  The fifth time?

  The fifth time, the Noskan, as he swung his greataxe, threatening to bisect the half elf without his armour, froze in pce.

  Jane and the Noskan hadn’t realised that Kitool was not the same Kitool as she was withiour. Iour, the woman did not use the staff within her hands, the staff that had certainly would have allowed her to defeat even Jurot.

  “Step back, Adam,” Jaygak said, noting how Adam had paused, unsure of what to do. “The fight is over.”

  “Yeah?” Adam asked, noting the way the frozen Noskan tie, even after having beeen. “Doesn’t look like it.”

  Jaygak drew her bde, and with a single swipe, she tore into the Noskan’s frozen front, barely cutting through a yer of flesh as her bde swam through the air, while Kitool’s staff crashed against him once more.

  The redness faded to white, almost like fresh snow, and the Noskao the ground, still.

  Victory!XP Gained: +1000XP: 0 -> 1 000

  Adam could feel the way his heart pounding, and now that the adrenaline began to fade, he felt the ache at his shield arm and his side, which had been bruised so terribly.

  “Adam, heal him lightly,” Jurot said.

  “Alright.”

  Lay on Hands: 40 -> 39

  Quest plete: A Refusal of DeathXP Gained: +100XP: 1 000 -> 1 100

  Well that escated quickly.