Jaygak inhaled deeply. This was her third fight, and it was against another Oathsworn of an Order, a white scaled drakken woman from the Order of the Snow Storm. She wielded a bde made of icesteel, though certainly it was magical too, at least Basic, if not Greater.

  The pair engaged in a vicious battle, magical steel g against magical steel, ringing against the joy of the crowd.

  ‘She is at least four years my junior, but she go toe to toe with me?’ the drakken woman thought, the pair g steel. ‘Her ability is great, but…’ Her bde fshed white, and though she did not wield a shield, their defensive capabilities were the same. The woman had called forth magics, her entire body glowing slightly as her vi protected.

  Yet, even with her greatsword of icesteel, which had been ented with Greater power, she found herself dropped to a knee, a glowing bde resting against her shoulder.

  “It was a good fight,” Jaygak said, her heart pounding within her chest. It wasn’t just that she had pushed herself to her limits during the fight, but something seeped within her heart.

  Certainly Adam, Sir Roseiah, and the Nightval Bde were great, but this young drakken woman was no slouch, and nor was Sir Rory. Yet, she had beaten the pair. Two teo pce, and she had beaten them.

  “You fight well, Iyrman,” the drakken said, g Jaygak’s forearm, hoisted up by the Iyrman. “I thought my magics could help me close the gap, but I was wrong.”

  Jaygak smiled. “I was gifted with my magical bde, a bde which is one of the greatest which the Enter has made.”

  “The Enter?”

  While Jaygak expihe Enter and the busio the woman, she couldn’t help but think about what the woman had said. ‘She thought her magic could close the gap with me?’

  It was a statement which followed her for the rest of the day.

  ‘I thought my magics could help me close the gap, but I was wrong.’

  Someone else thought they were weaker than her?

  Her?

  Jaygak?

  ‘…’ Marshal Bck remained silent as he he group had e together to eat, exging a look with Jane.

  “You o give us a better show,” Lucy said.

  “If we slip up, we’ll lose,” Adam replied. “It’s the best yoing to get.”

  “The bets are so tiny now.”

  “What I say?” Adam shrugged his shoulders. “Did you bet on the first battle?”

  “Yeah, and I almost lost it all!”

  “You didn’t though. You should be happy that we’re making you all this money, you know?”

  “You o let me pin because I ’t get to fight.”

  “Fine, but then I should be allowed to talk about my kids a little bit!”

  “I didn’t make the promise not to be ge.”

  “This is ridiculous!”

  “It’s not my fault you made the promise.”

  “You kept bullying me.”

  “Deservedly so.”

  ‘Ah,’ Marshal Bck thought, uanding what the word finally meant.

  ‘I’m gd I didn’t joiour,’ Jane said. ‘I wish I had more moo bet.’

  Jurot remained silent. ‘I must win. I require three more tour wins before I cim the title of Champion. Champion.’ Jurot closed his eyes, thinking of his wife’s warm smile, sometimes tinged with ay from being so close to the Iyr, and his ugly son, who cried so loudly.

  ‘Hey, Bell?’

  [Yes?]

  ‘How e you’re not givihe XP for their wins if we’re sharing mine?’

  [It will be granted after the tour.]

  ‘Oh. How are you doing, anyway?’

  [Well.]

  ‘You, uh, wao make you a body and transfer your sciousness into it?’

  […]

  ‘The offer’s always there.’

  The day, Adam fought against a warrior whose bde moved like a s almost slipped through his armour several times, but somehow, didn’t mao slip through the ks of his armour.

  Victory!XP Gained: +300XP: 4 200 -> 4 500

  ‘Eh? That much?’ Adam thought. ‘That’s a lot!’

  […]

  Adam walked away from his oppo, who wielded a bde coated with a terrible poison, oblivious to how close he had flirted with Baktu.

  As the group gathered together, Adam he Order members who joihem, invited by the Iyrmen. He remained quiet, allowing the group to mingle, uanding he couldn’t give too much away this time.

  “Are you pnning on staying for the Twilight Month?” Rory asked.

  “We are,” Jaygak replied. “We will help defend North Amber.”

  “We were pnning to do the same,” Rory admitted.

  “There are rumours it will be more difficult this year,” Sir Eliza, the drakken Jaygak had defeated previously, said.

  “It would be to otherwise,” Jaygak said. She basked iention of the Order members, though hey sometimes gowards Adam.

  “We may e to cross bdes soon,” Eliza said to Adam. “I do not believe I would defeat you, but you should not uimate me.”

  “I’m pnning to wiour, so it’s not like I have the luxury of holding back.”

  “You shouldn’t uimate Jaygak either,” Eliza said. “Her bde is vicious.”

  “I never uimate Jaygak,” Adam said, smiling as he was about to tinue, before he found his throat grew dry. “I’m not in the business of uimating Iyrmen.”

  “I wish I had such wisdom earlier,” Rory joked, noting the shadoearing across the half elf’s face.

  Adam’s panions he stutter of thought. “Excuse me.” Adam excused himself from the table, smiling awkwardly towards the group, before he stepped out into the cold air of the evening, gng around to see the white of the snow. The chill crept into him.

  ‘Right,’ Adam thought. ‘Jaygak and…’ He had joked about it previously, but it was only then, in that moment, Adam realised the pair were going to e across one another soohought of Jirot, who stantly bullied him for ing in third, but the faces of other children fshed through his head.

  Raygak, who, though often bullied by his sister, held nothing but love and pride for her.

  Taygak, who had once spoken such horrendous words, because she was born a Gak, but was so fident and well behaved.

  Saygak, who had cried so much when he caused trouble in order to buck the Gak’s way, and to bee a Blood Mage.

  The four tiny little girls, or rather, four ky girls, who were so sweet and i, and had yet to hear of the Gak’s dire situation.

  “Fuck,” Adam whispered, reag up to cover his eyes. ‘Damn it. What the hell did I do?’

  The soft g of snow gave away his position, as Jurot stepped beside his brother, and crossed his arms. “Okay?”

  “Jurot. I messed up.”

  “It is okay.”

  “I don’t know. I just… I didn’t think about it, and now I’m regretting that I didn’t think about it.”

  “When you e to cross blows, you have to fight with your all.”

  Adam frowned. “I know.”

  Jurot remained silent. Since his brother had said so, it meant he wouldn’t hold back. Jurot had to believe it. He had to believe that when the pair crossed paths, Adam wouldn’t hold back. Adam, who wielded such a great axe. An axe which was like his own. An axe which…

  “Adam?”

  “I know,” Adam repeated.

  “Adam,” Jurot called once more, but this time his voice was more curious.

  “Yeah?”

  “… Later.”

  “Okay?”

  It was ter in the evening when Jurot sat opposite Adam, his brows furrowed. “What is the entment upon your axe?”

  “Same as yours.”

  “ you recharge it?”

  “Yes.”

  “ you recharge it whilst attag?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Strike me.”

  “Well, tomorrow you’ve got a fight.”

  “I will be fine, you heal me,” Jurot stated with such fidence, Adam couldn’t help but assume it to be true, only to then remember it was true.

  “Alright…”

  The pair went around to the Guild’s training area, the snow cleared off to one side even this te, before the pair faced one another.

  “It feels bad enough I have to attack you, at least, you know…”

  Jurot turned red hot.

  Attack - Wraith (Advantage)D20 + 10 = 23 (13)D20 + 10 = 26 (16)Hit!Wraith: 3 -> 22D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 26 (5)(12)Damage resisted!13 damage!

  ‘Damn,’ Adam thought, as Jurht up his shield, and shrugged off most of the blow, which would have staggered many others. ‘I fot how crazy tough you were.’

  “Attack with all the charges,” Jurot said.

  Attack - Wraith (Advantage)D20 + 10 = 19 (9)D20 + 10 = 23 (13)Hit!Wraith: 2 -> 02D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 31 (7)(15)Damage resisted!15 damage!

  “Now,” Jurot said, still red hot with rage, and still seemingly fier taking 10D6+18 damage right to the face.

  Adam blinked.

  Attack - Wraith (Advantage)D20 + 10 = 12 (2)D20 + 10 = 15 (5)Miss!

  Adam’s heart wasn’t in the attack, it gng off his brother’s skin too quickly for him to harm him. The half elf quickly gathered himself, and focused, swinging his bde more violently towards his brother.

  Attack - Wraith (Advantage)D20 + 10 = 25 (15)D20 + 10 = 30 (20)Critical hit!Mana: 25 -> 24Wraith: 0 -> 1Wraith: 1 -> 04D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 28 (9)(10)Damage resisted!14 damage!

  Jurot could feel something greater within that blow, feeling the ache through his bohough after a moment, the feeling passed with his rage, and he flexed his muscles.

  Adam blinked. He had done about enough damage to almost knock himself out, a his brother retty much fine, as though it had been barely an invenience.

  “You know, Jurot…”

  “Yes?”

  “You’re so scary too.”

  Jurot slowly nodded his head, his lips almost twitg. “Did it work?”

  “…” Adam let out a soft sigh. “Jurot. Would you believe me if I told you that I thought about this before and somehow fot?”

  “Yes.”

  “I have mixed feelings about that.”

  “It is okay.” Jurot pced a hand on Adam’s shoulder and squeezed it.

  “Please help me raise my children. If their daddy is this stupid, I’ll worry for them.”

  Jurot blinked, uain of whether he would do much better. “They will be fine.”

  Adam sighed once more. ‘Damn it. How did I not realise that? Aren’t I even more powerful than I realised. Also, Jurot, why did you tell me now?’

  The tour tinued, with the four rag up victory after victory, against all manner of those who beloo the Orders, meraries, adventurers, and worst of all, noblefolk.

  Jaygak fought against an Oathsworn who was sidered weaker than both Rory and Eliza, a, as their bdes cshed, she could feel how heavy her arms had bee. For a moment, Jaygak thought she would fail to defeat the woman, a young woman roughly her own age, who was no doubt just barely above an Expert, a somehoushihis far back. Then, somehow, Jaygak’s bde mao strike her though a k in her armour, causing a grave wound that would have killed her, if not for her own timely magics, and the Priest who swiftly rushed over.

  Jaygak panted. “A great fight!” The Oathsworn remain on the ground, k, but grunted as the Priest teo her wound, and the Iyrmereated. ‘I have to be careful not to let down my guard.’

  “You worried me,” Adam admitted. “I almost lost a thousand gold!”

  “A thousand gold? Did you lose faith in me?” Jaygak teased.

  “A thousand gold is my limit now, just in case I mess up,” Adam replied, flushing slightly, taking the words too close to his heart.

  Jaygak winked.

  Adam, Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak, all had mao remain ued, even as the sed week began to pass.

  Then it happened.

  “Ah?” Adam said, smiling wide.

  Omen: 9, 18

  ‘No crit? I guess I ’t do that again.’

  A servant approached Adam within the room, the hters all gng towards the half elf. It wasn’t right for a servant to be here, but upon seeing the Grand Duchess’ symbol upon the servant, the fighters gnced away.

  ‘Right, if it’s the Bow family, it’s okay, sihey’re good.’

  Good?

  Powerful.

  Adam checked the note, and as the servant pulled away, the hters quickly gowards him.

  Why?

  Because Adam had dared to speak up.

  “Hey,” Adam called. “I believe I informed the Grand Duchess I io win.”

  “That has not ged,” the servant assured, tossing a o the fire, a fake note, just in case someone used magic to reform it. “If you are able, with your own strength, to win, then win.”

  The fighters blinked, shocked, for the Grand Duchess was saying he could win?

  Then what was the note about?

  “Good,” Adam replied, as his name was called out, aepped up, donning his shield. Adam almost ighe announcer, but he raised his axe and shield, cirg around the arena. Theepped out.

  She was adorned in full pte, silver and red. Her armour was no doubt magical, due to the tiny runes along the trim. A heavy cloak, which fell to her knees, billowed even in the slightest breeze, glistening as though it was made of the blood.

  “Sir Roseia Drakkensyer!” the announcer shouted, to the eruption of cheers.

  “Have you e for your revenge, leaf ear?” Sir Roseia asked, wielding her greatsword within her hands.

  “…” Adam smiled from behind his helmet, feeling the butterflies in his stomach. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”

  “There were distasteful rumours previously. This time I shall dispatch you with ease.”

  Adam inhaled deeply. ‘Uh oh.’

  Jaygak, Jurot, and Kitool were all ready to fight that day, therefore they weren’t watg the fight, much to their chagrin. However, Lud Mara exged a look.

  “He’s not going to…”

  Mara was uain of how to respond to Lucy’s worries. ‘He is fortuo be so close with so many Iyrmen.’

  Uh oh.