688. Impending Doom II

688. Impending Doom II

“Nice place,” Adam said, taking a seat opposite the baron within the dining hall. Several guards stood nearby, some within the room, others at the various exits, while two knights stood beside their lord. ‘Are we going to Firstfield this place?’

Servants brought out food for the lord and his guests, though they were brought separately for each person. First came the soup, which the baron sipped from his spoon first, allowing the others to eat. Though, as time passed, Lord Moonglow realised the group weren’t going to eat.

“The baron has invited you to eat,” a knight said.

“No,” Adam replied. “The baron has invited us to talk. So, when the good baron wishes to talk, we’ll talk.”

“It would be rude to refuse the baron’s grace.”

“Is it rude for you to shut your stupid mouth?” Adam asked.

The knight blinked through his visor, before reaching for his blade, though the baron raised a hand. “Will you continue to antagonise my guards?”

Adam inhaled deeply, before tilting his head back as he closed his eyes. “By all the gods, the goddesses, the demons, the angels, and all the other higher beings, including the Night Lords, I’m asking for your help. I don’t want to kill people, even considering who I worship, but these nobles can’t help themselves.”

Adam let out a long sigh, before glancing to the side, catching Jurot’s eyes. Jurot bowed his head simply. “Jurot.”

“Adam.”

“The baron is far too close to my axe to be starting nonsense with me, don’t you think?”

“Yes.”

The knights and guards tensed up, while Moonglow stared at the young man, who seemed to have such a big mouth. ‘Is he asking to die?’

“You know...” Adam turned back to stare into Moonglow’s eyes. “Firstfield was about sitting about as far away as you were.” The half elf remained focused on Moonglow’s eyes, leaning in slightly, though he raised his voice slightly. “It didn’t help him. Ain’t that right, Jaygak?”

“That’s right,” Jaygak stated, the young woman resting her arm between her blade and thigh.

Adam raised his brows and made to speak, before pausing for a moment. “Sorry, one second. What was his name? Rock something? Rockcastle, that was it, sorry.” Adam cleared his throat. “Rockcastle, he was smarter, you see. He surrounded himself with more guards than you have right now, mercenaries too, and he poisoned us without us realising he was trying to kill us. The mercenaries also got the jump on us too. He stood so far away, surrounded by knights...” Adam continued to stare into the noble’s eyes. “It didn’t help him. Ain’t that right, Kitool?”

“That is correct.”

“Now,” Adam said, leaning away from the baron, his neck pulsing slightly as he tried to cool the heat of annoyance which filled him. “You wanted to speak with me, and perhaps, if you’ll forgive the unsolicited word of advice, you should remember that. The next time one of your knights starts acting up, I’m taking one of your fingers, baron. Not theirs. Yours. If you can’t control your dogs, you need to put them down, or you’re going to start losing fingers.”

“You seem to believe I will fall for your bluffs,” Baron Moonglow replied, still trying to gather what he knew about the young man before him. He certainly saw the young man do things he could only dream of, but that didn’t mean he could handle all the guards and knights around.

“The territory south has been overrun by all manner of wicked beasts, and if I am able to tame it, then I will be able to expand my territory. If I bring other barons to heel, I can gain a greater title, and I will be able to unite the lands against the darkness which encroaches across our lands.”

“You don’t work together?” Adam asked. “I thought you were all nobles?”

“Though we respect one another’s power and title, we are each independent from one another, for it has been difficult to extend our influence too far from our walls. The darkness of the night causes too much trouble for us to focus beyond our walls. There are some distant lands which have managed to deal with the darkness to unite, but such are but stories in these lands.”

“So basically, you want me to make you a count?”

“If you assist in making me a count, as you have mentioned previously, you will be able to knight your companions.”

Adam thought for a moment, wondering what the count really wanted. Power was obvious, but was there something else he wanted? How was he going to betray them?

“If you are willing to assist, I will also hand your companions titles of their own, if you are willing.”

“A temporary title might be nice,” Adam admitted. “We’re currently adventuring to make some coin, and to make a name for ourselves, and then we’ll head back home once we’re done.”

“You do not wish to stay in these lands?”

“No.”

“What if you are made nobles within this land?” Baron Matteas asked, eyeing up the four before him. “Would you not wish to bring your families here?”

“I would rather lay in a bed of fire than to stay in this land longer than I have to,” Adam stated, firmly. “I can barely tolerate you when you know we can kill you, but not everyone’s like you, Lord Matteas. Some people have no idea we have no qualms with killing nobles and getting away with it.”

Baron Matteas cleared his throat, shocked by how overt Adam’s words had become, but also how light they sounded. Adam was speaking about killing them as though he was about to go for a walk.

“We have no time to make you a king,” Jurot said. “It would take too long, and we have other business to deal with.”

“Though, perhaps making you a king isn’t the best idea for the future of the land,” Adam said. “Perhaps making a confederacy of...” Adam’s eyes drifted to the side.

“...” Jurot remained silent, staring at Adam, who seemed to be looking at something else.

The baron swallowed, a moment moment away from signalling his knights to attack, ready to draw his own blade.

“Just how lucky can you get, your lordship?” Adam asked, sighing, his eyes still glued to the side. “It seems like we’re going to make you a king.”

Hmmm?