[796] – Y03.096 – Vonda of Life’s Rose VIII

[796] – Y03.096 – Vonda of Life’s Rose VIII

‘Why is he doing so much for them?’ Lucy thought, eating her meal silently. She stared at her fried meat, poking at it, before slowly chewing it. ‘He’s going to risk his life not just for a sorcerer, but for them all? What is he thinking? He’s already risked his life for me, but we’re friends. These kids, they’re just...’ Lucy looked out to the children, who were listening intently to the Iyrmen’s tales.

Brittany clutched at her deadwood bow, sitting awkwardly at the table. Once the Iyrmen appeared, her want to tell them her stories disappeared into a puff of smoke. Her eyes fell to Nirot, who informed the children of how she had defeated a giant python by herself.

Fred sat opposite Brittany, sipping at his milk. “Why didn’t you join us?”

“No reason,” Brittany replied.

Fred gave her a look, which she ignored, deciding to keep to herself. His eyes fell to the Iyrmen too, who had taken away his spotlight.

The children were delighted to hear of the Iyrmen’s tales, who were loud in a quiet kind of way, understanding how to tell their tales without disrupting others, though the children hadn’t yet learnt such courtesy. Yet, no one had come to bother them, partly because of Adam’s payment, and partly because there were so many Iyrmen about.

Everyone knew Iyrmen were crazy.

Cobra eyed up the Iyrmen. Each of them were powerful, there was no doubt, each holding a bronze tag, revealing them to be Experts. She had already known that, since Adam had informed her of that, while she had missed the bronze tags while being in awe of them. Nirot’s tale of facing the giant python herself had caused Cobra’s heart to stir, a slightly envy seeping into her.

Everyone knew Iyrmen told the truth.

While she could barely believe Fred and the others, it was a completely different matter with the Iyrmen. Even so, she couldn’t help but think that they were still in a terrible position. Then her eyes fell to Laygak, one of the devilkin who wore full plate armour. ‘He should be able to fight well since he wears full plate, but the others might struggle.’

Her eyes fell to Naqokan, who relaxed to the side, ready to entertain the children when it was her turn, and then the sleeping horcish Iyrman, Uwajin. The pair wielded great blades, blades which could cut her clean in half. ‘They would do well too.’

Then she thought about the two Iyrmen who had left with Adam and the others, who apparently had some unfinished business within the city. One of them held the same tattoos as Kitool, an Executive of the business, meaning he was probably pretty tough, and the last? The last was a young man who was built like Nobby, and seemed equally meek. Yet, he didn’t seem to hold the same aura as the others. He didn’t seem to be related to the Executives either. ‘He’ll probably struggle too.’

Bavin marched alongside the others, the five marching through the city roads and alleys, slipping through this way and that. They gathered some attention, though not very much. One was a young man who wore a scarf over his head, but that wasn’t too out of the ordinary, but the four Iyrmen around him certainly brought some eyes upon them. He wasn’t entirely sure why he had come with them, but Adam had brought him along.

‘I am Bavin.’

They spotted a group of guards, five strong, stepping out from a particular alley, and Adam paused, veering off into an alley. He spent a few moments within the alley, raising his brows towards the Iyrmen, before they continued along their path, until they came to a gruesome sight.

Adam blinked, staring at the dead forms of the homeless folk all around them, and the tracks of boots which headed out in every way through the blood.

“What the hell?” Adam’s voice was a shocked whisper, almost trembling.

“The guards killed them,” Jurot said, eyeing up the tracks, recalling the bits of blood across the guard’s attire.

“...” Adam glanced around, not finding the appearance of Moons or the rest of his goons. Suddenly, he felt a chill run through his back. ‘Why did I come here anyway?’ He thought of the boy who had guided him here and had his tongue cut out immediately afterwards. ‘I would have taken his tongue, but... no, I wasn’t going to kill them, I’m better than that.’

Jurot placed a hand on Adam’s shoulder, having watched his brother cover his eyes with a hand, falling into terrible thoughts. “We should leave.”

“There is also a cask for young Max if he feels the need to throw up, and I will clean it with my magic whenever you call.”

“Okay...” Cobra was feeling more unsettled by Adam’s words with each passing moment. However, the half elf had created a patrol to watch over the children over the night, assigning all the Iyrmen, while also assigning a... Cobra looked up towards the owl which sat atop the wagon which was going to be pulled by Adam’s warhorse.

Adam smiled, before leaving them be, going off to meet the other folk of the business. Cobra eyed up the other adventurers who had appeared. One of them was an Iyrman who wore full plate armour, and was seemingly the elder cousin of the other Iyrman who wore full plate.

‘They had another Executive? The others are all Bronze Rank too, does that mean they’re all Experts?’ There were eight more Experts who had randomly joined the party, something which had also happened the previous day, though the others had been all Iyrmen. No, not all Iyrmen, there were those two too...

“Why can’t I sit in the wagon?” Lucy grumbled.

“I need you out here,” Adam replied. “Even though I’m feeling lucky today, I want everyone on guard. Plus, aren’t you going to ride your wolf?”

“I wanted to show off to the children too! They should know of how amazing I am! They’ll be so scared if I don’t.”

“Nirot’s already shown off, or do you intend to outshine the Iyrman?” Adam asked, raising his brow towards her.

Lucy fell silent, grumbling quietly, before going off to her wolf, brushing their fur gently. “Can you believe it? It’s utterly ridiculous.”

“Yes,” Mighty replied.

“Wouldn’t I make the best boss?”

“Yes.”

“That’s right...”

‘I believe you would make the best boss too,’ Mara thought, though she remained silent, brushing Wolfy’s fur gently.

Dunes assisted in the preparations, before catching Vonda’s eyes. The young woman revealed more of her nerves now that the children were out of sight.

“Have you completed your morning prayers?” Dunes asked.

“I have...” Vonda let out a long sigh. She had to prepare the kind of spells she preferred not to prepare. “Let us hope they are not needed.”

Dunes looked up towards the sky. A small smile appeared on his face. “You may hope, Sister Vonda, but I am a man who follows Lady Arya.”

Vonda’s lips formed the smallest of smiles.

I'm sure the journey will go smoothly!