683. Noble Problems VI

683. Noble Problems VI

Jaygak stared at her blade, which had glowed so brightly during their fight. They had only managed to defeat the creature so easily thanks to Adam’s ridiculous abilities, but her blade had also cut through it, the light banishing the darkness. ‘Is this what Adam feels like normally?’

Jaygak was certain that she had dealt enough damage to the being that she could have dropped a Master, and even a Grandmaster would have been staggered by her viciousness. Still, a single strand of doubt floated through her mind. ‘It was only because of Great Moon.’

Great Moon, the Greater Enhanced blade, made and gifted by a particular Half Elf. The Half Elf was still involved with in her successes. She sighed.

As the days passed, they continued to trek through the forest, encountering all manner of beasts. They were not quite as spectacular as the mandogs, or the great darkness which threatened to kill them, but Adam took them all seriously.

‘Why the hell did I get all cocky when the Iyr told me it was dangerous?’ Adam thought. ‘I almost got everyone killed!’ Adam glanced aside to Jurot, the young Iyrman butchering the beasts they had slain. ‘No, I suppose he wants that, but I still don’t want to die yet! My kids are waiting for me!’

Adam continued to patrol the area. ‘I shouldn’t die. If you’re going to kill me, at least let me feel the warm embrace of a woman, damn it!’ His eyes fell across the sky, before he let out a low sigh.

The group continued to force their way deeper into the forest, the group still cutting their way through any foe which dared to step towards them. Adam’s group formed the vanguard, and would march on ahead, clearing the path for the rest of the army.

“Careful, Barry,” Adam called, assisting the older man with the crate. “Can’t be hurting your back this young.”

The old man’s lips formed a small smirk, his thick beard rustling slightly as he did. “I’m too old t’care about tha’ sorta thing.” He stood up straighter, the thin, short man reaching around to his back to massage it, his bones cracking slightly. “Gunna get me some pik. Make sure you getta eatin’ too.”

“Will do, Barry,” Adam said, waving the older man away as he shuffled the crate further to the side, up against the rest. He wiped his brow, before walking around the camp, nodding his head and waving towards all the other labourers. He checked the casks of water to make sure they were at least half full as he made his rounds, before he made his way towards the centre of the camp, where the cooks were hard at work, baking bread and roasting meat.

“Ten gold a day,” Adam said, dropping beside his companions. “After the, you know what, I ten gold a day doesn’t seem like much, but since it’s been calm, I feel like I’ll grow old and fat.”

“Are you trying to call more disasters upon us?” Jaygak asked, narrowing her eyes towards the Half Elf, her lips forming a pout.

“I’m just saying, I’m liking how much money we’re earning,” Adam said. ‘We’ll have what, three hundred each at the end of the month.’ “Pay day can’t come soon enough.”

Jaygak raised her brow, wondering why Adam was excited by some gold coins. No doubt it was for something stupid, and upon seeing him making that face, she decided to ignore him.

As the days continued to pass, and Adam’s pockets grew heavy with coin, Adam wondered when they would be done. They had chosen to work for a little while longer for the baron, who seemed to be making his way through the land with some fervour.

“We will continue to clear the forest around, I fear there may be something else we have missed,” Baron Rockcastle said to the nearby knights, slowly tilting his head.

“Of course, my lord,” came the response from the knights, who were preparing for that for the next morning.

Omen: 13, 19

Adam sipped the soup, tasting something a little saltier than he expected. ‘A new kind of spice?’

Constitution Save

D20 + 6 = 15

Success!

Adam forced his body to action, smashing Wraith against the guard who had grappled him, instantly dropping the warrior. He glared at the warriors ahead of him, who stared at him in shock, before he turned, stepping beside Jaygak, who clashed with a mercenary.

“You stupid, fucking,” Adam began, before he swung his blade towards the mercenary who had kicked Jaygak away to meet Adam in combat. As the mercenary swung towards Adam, the Half Elf chanted the words to his magic, and he hacked into the mercenary’s head, slamming through the visor of the plate, cutting deep into the man’s face. Adam forced his axe into the man’s head, and before he could even scream, Wraith squelched deep, before the warrior’s lifeless body dropped.

Another mercenary dropped dead, as Phantom pulled out from the side of his neck, and Jurot turned to face another. Kitool broke the knee of one of her foes, before slamming her staff against the back of the head of one of the mercenaries facing Jaygak, causing him to drop.

Adam could hear Jurot still fighting behind him, but other than his brother’s senseless victims, no other moved. The flames from the Fireball crackled lightly, barely alight on the tent.

“Jaygak,” Adam said, holding out a hand towards her, though still staring at their foes. Though he had taken out at least a dozen by himself, there were still many guards all around them, though many with legs which shook beneath them.

Jaygak stumbled beside Adam, Great Moon in hand. She felt Adam’s hand against the back of her head, a gentle warmth filling her from head to toe, before she shuddered, shrugging off the chill of poison which had taken her.

Lay On Hands: 30 -> 25

Adam’s amulet glowed faintly, causing the others to take a step back, their eyes flashing with fear. “Jurot,” Adam called. “You should kill the knight.”

Jurot, who had almost struck another guard dead, paused. He turned, allowing the guard to strike at his back, though this guard decided against giving the Iyrman a reason to swing that mighty axe towards him, and fled. Jurot marched up to the knight, who swung his blade wildly towards the Iyrman, and though his blade cut against Jurot’s side, he barely cut even a nail’s width, before his head rolled on the floor.

Jurot stared down at the baron, and he raised his axe.

“No,” Adam said, stellping away from Jaygak and towards the baron, causing the warriors around to step away from his approaching form. Adam stared down at the baron, who had landed against his side. He was charred, but Adam could see the way the noble’s chest shifted with each breath. His eyes glanced to the side, where he saw the charred remains of the others he had killed alongside the baron.

Adam raised his axe.

Victory!

XP Gained: +1000

XP: 15 000 -> 16 000

Quest Complete: The Baron’s Betrayal

XP Gained: +100

XP: 16 000 -> 16 100

The four rode away silently on horses, leaving behind them a fiery mess. Jurot held the reins tightly in hand, staring out ahead of him, towards his brother. Kitool and Jaygak rode together, trailing a short ways behind the pair.

“Lala,” Adam said, riding up ahead. “That was the nickname Barry used for his granddaughter.”

“...” Jurot remained silent.

“The cook, the one with the ginger hair, she was caught in the blast,” Adam said. “So was her nephew.”

“I am sorry, Adam.”

“That bastard baron should have been my first.” A silent tear slipped down Adam’s cheek.

Damn.