523. Deadwood I

523. Deadwood I

“I don’t like the fact the journey has been so...” Adam began, only to realise he was tempting the Divine. “Let’s keep our wits about us.”

“We will reach Deadwood by dusk,” Jurot said, his eyes focused on the area around them. “Our journey is safer with all these warriors at our side. Beasts will not attack us with so many, and others will think twice.”

“So the things that will attack us will be things we really have to worry about?” Adam mused, stepping over a fallen log.

“Yes.”

Adam still didn’t like the quietness of the forest, hearing only sparse cries and calls of critters in the distance. Jurot stopped. He placed a hand against a thin tree, taking a moment to feel it.

“Is that some nice wood?” Adam joked.

“No,” Jurot replied, before he donned his shield, and bolted forward.

Adam grabbed his shield and followed him, though Kitool rushed past him with ease, kicking off trees to avoid large bushes in her way, while Adam barrelled through them, followed closely by Jaygak.

Terrible screeches echoed through the forest, the sound bouncing across trees, echoing within Adam’s helmet.

“Kitool,” Jurot called from ahead, causing the Iyrman to veer off to one side, as the roar of a woman greeted them.

Adam exploded out of the bush, bits of wood flying all around, to see Kitool in mid air, her Tigerstaff crashing against the side of a black bear triple her size. It cried out in pain before its body twisted and froze, allowing the Iyrman to kick its head before she dropped, the black bear dropping behind her. In front of the Iyrman, a heavily armoured woman, crouched, panting with effort. She wielded a blade made of a dark wood, which was almost as tall as her.

Jurot’s axe cut through another black bear, splitting its skull in half with a single blow. He kicked the large black bear off of his axe, before a third giant bear crashed against him, claw meeting flesh, only to find the flesh was more like steel. Jurot turned his head to meet its gaze, unbloodied by its claws.

Battle Order

D20 + 1 = 6 (5)

Mana: 18 -> 17

Spell: Thunderous Smite

Attack - Wraith (Flanking)

D20 + 10 = 18 (8)

Hit!

Mana: 17 -> 16

Ability: Divine Smite

2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 36 (2, 4)(6, 6)(5, 6)

36 damage!

Attack - Wraith (Flanking)

D20 + 10 = 13 (3)

Miss!

Onward Soar: 1 -> 0

Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2

Attack - Wraith (Flanking)

D20 + 10 = 17 (7)

D20 + 10 = 19 (9)

Hit!

Mana: 16 -> 15

Ability: Divine Smite

2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 21 (3, 4)(1, 6)

21 damage!

Attack - Wraith (Flanking)

D20 + 10 = 11 (1)

D20 + 10 = 28 (18)

Hit!

Mana: 15 -> 14

Ability: Divine Smite

2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 26 (3, 5)(5, 6)

26 damage!

“Thunder!” Adam chanted loudly, charging forward with Wraith in hand, followed by Jaygak, whose blade crackled with lightning. His axe vibrated with great power as he slashed at the creature, an explosion of thunder echoing through the air, his axe flashing white hot with holy magic.

Jurot’s axe struck across its neck, Kitool’s staff slammed down against its head, and Jaygak’s blade also pierced through its back. They continued to assault the creature until it had fallen, requiring the might of all four figures to drop it.

The woman watched as the four assaulted the creature. It made sense for a big black to fall under the force of four Adventurers, though it was surprising that they only wore bronze tags, denoted their rank. It wasn’t strange for the Iyrman to have slain the bear she had been fighting either, for she had wounded it greatly.

It was completely strange that the Iyrman with the axe, who had leapt into the fray against a single big black, had managed to cut it down in a single blow. ‘Lord Sozain, have you taken me already?’

The remaining big black fell before the four, its claws, which had aimed for Jurot, had fallen before it could even pierce the Iyrman’s flesh.

Victory!

Big Blacks

XP Gained: +600

XP: 10 400 -> 11 000

“You did not use Wraith?” Jurot asked.

“Didn’t feel the need to,” Adam replied, sheathing Wraith to his side, before drawing it again, realising they may not yet be out of danger.

“Thank you, Iyrmen,” the woman said, still holding her blade, though it was pointed towards the ground. “I am Sir Kanna, Darkknight.”

“I am Jurot, son of Sonarot,” the Iyrman said, bowing his head.

“Darkknight?” Adam whispered.

“You have met Sir Enna, the Darkknight who accompanied us before you slew Vandra,” Jurot reminded the Half Elf.

“Oh yeah,” Adam said, nodding his head. “I don’t think I liked her?”

“You did not dislike her either,” Jurot said.

“Did she know the tale of the Iyrmen?”

“She did.”

“Sounds like I liked her then,” Adam said.

“No,” Jurot replied. “He is not.”

“You call an outsider a brother? You Iyrmen have always been queer.”

“It is not we who are queer,” Jurot replied simply, taking no offence to her words.

Sir Kanna smiled, working her dagger through her trusted steed. “To the world, you are.”

“Yes.”

They continued to butcher in silence for a few moment, but Sir Kanna’s thoughts were clouded by what she saw.

“How did you manage to slay the big black in a single blow?”

“My axe holds great magic.”

“Is it for sale?”

“No.”

“Where did you get it?” Sir Kanna replied, smiling at her joke. She had no doubt the Iyrman wasn’t going to sell it.

“An enchanter made it and gave it to my family,” Jurot replied, not lying, but not telling the whole truth.

“They gave it?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“The Enchanter made the weapon to be used in combat,” Jurot said, trying not to lie. “My mother is the President of the business, and the Enchanter has a special relationship with the Rot family.”

“Was this was a recent matter?”

“Yes.”

“Your mother is the President of the business?” Sir Kanna asked.

“Yes.”

“Is it an enchanting business?” Sir Kanna thought of Red Oak and the Iyr. The Iyr had brought weapons to be auctioned off within the town.

“Yes.”

“I heard there was a sword which held certain enchantments of fire which was auctioned in Red Oak recently,” Sir Kanna said.

“Yes.”

“Was that from your Enchanter?”

“It was from our business, yes,” Jurot confirmed.

Sir Kanna realised that the Iyrman was speaking truthfully, but in a very specific way. “You are fortunate.”

“Yes,” Jurot replied. In truth, it wasn’t his fortune that the axe came to his position, but Adam’s misfortune.

“Which enchantments are imbued within your axe?” Sir Kanna asked.

“It strike a creature’s mind, and holds an ability similar to a Guardian’s smite,” Jurot replied.

“A Basic Enhanced axe with the ability to smite? It is a wonderful axe,” Sir Kanna said.

“It is a wonderful axe,” Jurot confirmed, “but it does not hold a Basic enchantment.”

“...” Kanna remained silent for a moment. “Is it a Greater Enhanced axe?”

“Yes.”

‘What?’

Poor Jaygak. She's actually quite strong, but she's surrounded by monsters.