690. Impending Doom IV

690. Impending Doom IV

Baron Moonglow remained silent, while his guards and knights nearby glanced between one another, unsure of what to do. From the moment Adam opened his mouth, he had been speaking utter nonsense, and yet they couldn’t deny that he had been so open and candid. Either he was the world’s greatest scammer, or he was an existence that was borderline unexplainable.

“Pick a sword and I’ll enchant it for you,” Adam said. “Ah, I’ll need gems too.”

The Baron blinked, while Adam glanced to the side, his brows furrowed questioningly.

‘Holy on. Do I need gems? That’s only for the Iyr, isn’t it? Bell?’

[The price to pay is dependant on the shrine.]

“So how exactly do you use the shrine?”

“I do not know,” Baron Moonglow admitted, furrowing his brows. “The knowledge had been passed to my ancestors, but I am uncertain of the specifics. I hear magics and the moon are used.”

“The moon?”

“Yes.”

“Ah...”

Matteas thought for a moment. ‘Is the full moon not tomorrow?’ He narrowed his eyes. ‘Did the Sun Father send such a ridiculous figure to me for this purpose?’

“Then I don’t think I need gems?” Adam replied, unsure. ‘I thought enchanting required a cost?’

[Yes.]

‘...’

“Either way, aren’t you happy? You met me and didn’t annoy me enough to not help you, and now you’re going to get a magical weapon.” Adam grinned wide towards the noble.

Kitool remained still, thinking deeply on Adam’s erratic behaviour. ‘Is he cursed once more? Is it because he misses his children so much?’

“If you are truly an enchanter, then tomorrow’s sun will be the brightest,” the Baron said, wondering if he could truly place his faith in the crazy young man in front of him.

“I’ll help you out and the magical weapon I make you should allow you to keep a hold of the power once we’ve given it to you,” Adam said, before his eyes fell across the rest of the knights and guards. “Such power is intoxicating, and turns even brothers against one another.”

Matteas frowned. Adam had surely planted a seed within each of them, even mentioning that they could betray him would spur some thoughts. ‘Is he trying to make me a king, or is he trying to kill me with the blades I’ve raised?’

“Obviously, Jurot and I wouldn’t do something like that, but then again, no one’s quite as queer as us.”

“No one is quite as queer as you,” Jaygak confirmed, letting out a short sigh. Adam behaving like this put her at ease, since he had been far too serious for far too long.

“I’m just saying, if I was a king and Jurot wanted to be a king, I’d give it up for him.”

“I do not wish to be a king,” Jurot said.

“That’s why you’re my brother,” Adam replied, smiling slightly. “Anyhow, I believe there’s enchanting to be done?”

“It would be best to start tomorrow since the full moon will bless us,” Matteas stated, still not entirely certain he should trust the young man.

“Sure, sure,” Adam replied, smirking slightly still. “What kind of enchantment would you like on the sword?”

“...”Matteas narrowed his eyes slightly. “Something which can hold against the vile darkness.”

“Do you have anything less vague?”

“I do not entirely understand the question.”

“Don’t you have enough children.”

“There’s no such thing!” Adam huffed in response. “Anyway, it’s not like that. I want to find a kid so I can...” Adam was about to say he wanted to adopt them, but that wasn’t quite what he meant either. “I want to train a kid.”

“You want to train a kid?”

“It’ll be good practise for when I train Asorot, and when I teach and train my own kids.” His eyes glanced between the townsfolk who spotted the heavily armoured four making their way through town, leaving them a wide berth.

“What are you going to do with them?”

“Just... train them?” Adam replied, having not thought too deeply about it.

“There’s a boy whose been following us for a short while,” Jaygak said, motioning with her head back towards a boy who was about ten. He had short, dark hair, cut into a bob. He was mostly clean, still partly wet from having dipped himself in the river recently.

“Come here, boy,” Adam called, eyeing the boy up.

“Yessir,” the boy replied, his voice weak as he shuffled his way towards Adam.

“What’s your name?”

“They calls me Bobby.”

‘Of course it is.’ “What are you doing following us around?”

“I’m hungry.”

“That doesn’t quite answer my question, but why don’t we grab some food?” Adam asked, leading the boy to a nearby stall, placing down some copper coins for some bread, and some more for a bowl of fresh porridge. “Shouldn’t you be at home, or... work?”

“Ain’t got no home, ain’t got no work.”

“Where are your mother and father?”

“Never had no ma.” The boy slowly formed a small smile. “Pa died from the wolfman.”

“You’re happy about that?”

“They’re mean to be now, callin’ me a beast’s boy, but I don’t mind. Pa always hit me. It hurt.”

Adam frowned. “How old are you?”

“Twelve.”

“Is that why you’re so thin? You don’t have anyone to look after you?”

“Mm. Sometimes they give me food in the market at night. Sometimes they give me bread in the morning, from the temple, but I’m still hungry.”

Adam frowned. “Alright.” He glanced to the side. “Jurot, what do you think?”

“He is small. Weak.”

“Yeah. Think you can train him with your rage?”

“It will be difficult,” Jurot thought. They had less than half a year, and seeing how small the boy was. However, Jurot had to take into consideration his brother. “I can.”

‘What are you planning, Adam?’ Kitool thought.

“Hmmm.” Adam thought for a long moment. “No. Maybe he shouldn’t learn to rage.”

Adam is Adam.