[809] – Y03.109 – Life’s Rose V

[809] – Y03.109 – Life’s Rose V

‘Who does he think he is?’ Hope Thomas thought, his eyes narrowed towards Adam, who strapped on his gauntlets, stretching out his hands, before the young man started to... dance?

‘Wouldn’t be a good idea to pull a muscle in front of the kids,’ Adam thought. ‘I haven’t lost in front of my kids before, and I can’t embarrass myself by having these kids tell their future bosses about their old man being a loser.’

“What’s he doing?” a child asked.

“He’s praying cause he’s a priest.”

“That’s not praying.”

“It’s Iyrman praying,” the child said, as though it was true.

“Ooooh.”

Amira sipped her milk, eyeing up the young half elf in purple. “How can he be like that when he’s so terrifying?”

“He is Adam,” Sara replied, simply.

“I just hope he doesn’t cause too much of a mess,” Korin said, glancing to the side to Dunes. “Out of the desert into the storm.”

“He will hop out of the storm and enter the whirlpool,” Amira added.

“Then he will swim through it only to be swallowed by lava.”

“What is after lava?”

“The mountains?”

“Let us hope it is not Black Mountain,” Sara joked.

Amira thought about Adam and his effect on Black Mountain. ‘Lady Arya, we will do our best to keep him away, but please forgive us if we are unable.’ “No, after the mountains, it will be Adam.”

Korin didn’t like how it made so much sense.

Nirot let out a low groan, her arms crossed. Naqokan pat her back gently, understanding the frustrations of the young Iyrman. Her grandfather had been spoken ill of and she was not the one to fight. However, there was something else, the reason why Nirot was shaking ever so slightly. It was not the shaking of anger, but that of excitement.

“Hoo!” Adam said, having calmed himself down while warming up his body. “If I’m going up against the Seventh Hope, I think I’m going to need some help.”

“This is a duel between you and I under the watchful eye of Mother Soza,” Hope Thomas stated. “Do not sully the duel with any outside interference.”

“No,” Adam said, pointing his hand past the Hope. “Since my opponent is so powerful, I’m going to need some help. Who is going to support me with their prayers? Copper, will you support me with your prayers?”

The boy looked between Adam and the Seventh Hope. “Mister Adam, he’s a Hope.”

“Ack!” Adam reached for his heart. “Copper, you’re not going to support me?”

Thus Fate was forever changed.

The thunderous roar of Adam’s smite filled the air as Wraith clashed against the longsword of the Seventh Hope. Wraith struck with such violent force, that the Hope’s blade swung backwards wildly, while his entire body followed afterwards, tossed like a used rag as his body crashed onto the ground.

The explosion rocked through the temple, the thunder even reaching beyond the temple, even gently rumbling through the town proper. The children’s faces were stuck in a permanent shock and awe from the thunder, which caused them to clutch at their ears harder, while their gasps had been drowned out long ago by the rumble of might which emanated through the temple.

A second passed.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

The body of the Seventh Hope remained still on the floor.

Victory!

XP Gained: +1000

XP: 11 800 -> 12 800

“Hoo!” Adam exhaled, before raising his axe. “Thank t...” Adam noted the heaviness within the air.

Hope Robert clutched the blade at his side, almost ready to draw it. The older man had reached for it instinctively, and he only realised he was grasping the hilt of his blade when Adam’s gaze fell upon him.

“Oh ho, what’s this?” Adam asked, noticing how several of the Hopes and Rays had turned their attention upon him, a darkness seeping out of them. “To think I would feel such... murderous energy coming from the likes of the Hopes and Rays right within the Holy Temple of Our Great Mother.”

The shock rippled through the temple even harsher than the thunder. Though Seventh Hope Thomas was young and though he was the weakest of the Hopes, he was still a Hope, at least holding the strength of a Master. A Master in full plate, with the magical equipment afforded to all Hopes, those which had clashed in countless battles from his predecessors. His speciality was also his defence, for the young man was harder to strike than his peers, even if he bore no shield.

“You wicked fiend,” First Hope Robert called out. “What kind of sorcery is this?”

“Oh, come on now, surely you have something better than that,” Adam replied, casually putting his axe away, before motioning a hand to Thomas. “Might want to take a look at him, just in case he had a heart attack tanking that kind of blow.”

One of the Rays prayed, sending out waves of warmth magic towards the Seventh Hope, whose body jolted awake, his vision returning as he groaned, feeling his body tensing and relaxing repeatedly.

Adam wanted to make a joke, but feeling all the eyes on him, he let out a sigh.

“Mister Adam, are you fighting the order?” Leah asked, the smallest of the children.

“No, no, of course not,” Adam said, stepping towards the young girl to one side, before Robert stepped around, hiding her away from view behind his form. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Adam heard the shifting of the other Hopes and Rays, forming multiple layers of circles around the half elf, almost like a Rose unfolding, each with Adam in their sights.

‘...’

How predictable.