[938] – Y04.038 – The Road to Home IV

[938] – Y04.038 – The Road to Home IV

Vasera stood awkwardly, remaining at bay, as though she had been forgotten. She glanced towards Adam, who had thrown out a Flame Bolt towards one of the creatures from afar. Her thoughts wandering towards a particular question, before the question fell away. She had been paid to follow commands, and if Adam didn’t want her to step forward, that was fine by her. Her eyes fell back towards the children, who watched excitedly as the Iyrmen and the demons fought the elementals of earth.

Rook let out a soft, bored sigh, his wrist nestled between his sword and thigh. He exchanged a look with Vasera, the pair shrugging their shoulders, waiting to be commanded forward. It wouldn’t be long before the Iyrmen would need their assistance if they didn’t wish to die.

Indeed, it was only a matter of time before they would be defeated.

Kitool’s body was almost a blur as she struck the urtas, her tiger staff clattering against each of them, two of the mounds of vaguely humanoid earth freezing in place. It was Jurot’s axe which denoted which of the urtas they should strike, carving through an urta as his shield blocked the mighty blow of another, while Kitool spun between the rocky fists of another, rolling off of its back as she readied herself. While the pair were engaged with the urtas which could still move, the red skinned trio struck violently against the frozen urta.

‘What?’ Jasmine thought.

The large axes wielded by the two Rage Dancers struck violently, bursting into flames, while the last blade, which glowed in the air, finished carving through the urta to silence it forever. Within moments, the five had managed to kill one urta, and while Jurot and Kitool engaged the two moving urtas, the second frozen urta fell into the earth while under the focus of all five, axes, staff, and blade making short work of the elemental.

Morkarai stared at the fighting. He had been ready to throw a stone to assist, but watching the five tear through the urtas like this, he understood why the fire giants had long stopped trying to fight with the Iyrmen.

‘Bell, I’m married now...’

Victory!

XP Gained: +1 000

XP: 9 500 -> 10 500

‘Didn’t I tell you I’m married?’

[It was split seven ways.]

‘Eh?’

Adam blinked. ‘They’re worth more than even a Coral Guard?’

Vasera blinked. She closed her eyes and though back to the previous years. ‘It wasn’t surprising they managed to kill seven hydras since we outnumbered them by so much, and we had the assistance of the wolves, the Rays, and the Hope. Yet...’

“Good job,” Adam said, patting the returning group on their shoulders.

“Living Earth,” Jurot said, holding up the small bits of earth which seemed to melt almost like sand within his hands.

“Why does it look different?”

“Living Earth does not have one appearance.”

“Oh.”

Kitool took the Living Earth and the cores of the creatures, slipping them into her pouch, to be split between the business.

“Hold on.” Adam motioned a hand to the pouch, before taking the cores. He tossed one to Karza. “I appreciate you stepping back to allow them to have their fun.”

Karza clasped her fingers around the core. “Do you know how much they’re worth?”

“About a thousand or so.”

“A thousand, sometimes more,” Karza confirmed, smiling slightly wider. “I didn’t expect you to be so smart.”

“Good,” Adam replied, before glancing towards Vasera. “Are you going to be annoyed if I offer you one?”

“Yes.”

“Will you accept it anyway?”

“No.”

“Alright, alright. We’ll say one can go to the Iyr, and the business can keep the other two.” Adam handed the pouch back to Kitool. “No, we’ll say two can go to the Iyr, the business can keep one, and we’ll keep all the Living Earth.”

“It is fine for the business to claim it all,” Jurot informed.

“We should pay our dues,” Adam replied, not even wanting to think he was shirking the Iyr. “Even if the King makes that new army of his, I’ll still be more afraid of the Iyr.”

“Are you planning to cause a mess?” Jaygak asked, a small smile encroaching across her lips.

It was night when Jaygak approached Adam, who gently brushed his finger along his seatit’s beak. “You can’t sleep?”

“No,” Adam admitted. “You?”

Jaygak sat down beside the half elf, staring out across the wooden walls of the camp. “Urtas are difficult to kill.”

“Yeah?”

Jaygak raised her hand in front of her, staring at it for a long while. She noted the callouses against her fingers and her palm, those which she had gained from her upbringing. “It was easier than I expected.”

“Well, yeah, you’re strong.”

“I’m more than an Expert, but less than a Master,” Jaygak replied. “I am strong, for an Aldishman. I am almost there, to the point that I wished to reach. With this blade, I have surpassed it.”

“Just wait until you’re a Paragon,” Adam joked again, wondering how many times they’d have this conversation.

Jaygak remained silent for a long while. “Your child will be fine, Adam.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you know why?”

“Baktu won’t dare to take my child from me.”

Jaygak smiled. It wasn’t quite where she was going, but she bowed her head. “Yes.”

“You know, I’m glad that we’re friends, Jaygak.”

“I know. Me too.”

Adam slowly nodded his head. “Jaygak?”

“Yes?”

“Should I make another weapon for you?” Adam asked.

“This sword the Enchanter has made is good enough,” Jaygak replied, thinking on Adam’s behalf.

“I suppose it is,” Adam said, having not realised how much he had let slip in front of a dragon.

Meanwhile, Jasmine stared up towards the night sky, the stars sparkling. The expanse, so massive, so freeing, accompanied her. ‘Four urtas?’

The beating sun of noonval seared the group as they continued towards Hill Grave. Adam sighed, cooling his armour repeatedly, making sure to cool the water for the group too. As they rode forward, Adam noted a small critter to the side, which was panting off to the side in the shade. Adam stopped his carriage, before dropping down.

Mana: 25 -> 24

Spell: Goodberry

He formed magical berries within his hand and placed a few beside the squirrel, before placing down a bowl beside the squirrel, which continued to pant, having not realised there was a giant man beside it. Adam filled the bowl, before dropping a few drops onto the squirrel’s body, causing it to twitch. He picked up the squirrel and guided it towards the bowl, dipping his face within it, allowing the squirrel to slurp up the water, before finally letting it down.

“I hate the heat too,” Adam said, gently brushing along the creature, before leaving the squirrel be.

‘By all the Divine! What a gentlefellow! I shall remember your scent always, kind giant!’

Adam, having no idea he had met a squirrelkin, continuing to be oblivious to the chain of events he had set forth. Unfortunately for him, such a thought would disappear a couple of days later.

Looming atop the hill, the fort stood tall and strong. The thick forest provided some cover, but it was the heavily armoured warriors which were its greatest strength. Each adorned in bronze breastplates, wielding long spears also tipped with bronze. They stood like statues as they glared down upon the group as they approached along the road, shaded by the large hills on either side. The road had been cut into the hill, allowing the order to create small forts where the road had been cut into the hills, atop the cliffs which invited them coldly towards the order.

“They’re no walls of the Iyr, but...” Adam glanced around, noting how the area had been set up almost like the Valley of Death in the Iyr, the walls easily three Adam’s tall. The order itself, was half set through the hills, with the gates blocking the entryway into the hills themselves.

However, it was one particular figure Adam was more interested in, the long figure who was walking towards the gates. He was tall, pencil thin, adorned in long cloths. It was the crow atop his hat which caused the group to pause.

Adam inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh. ‘Damn it.’

The amount of times I've remade my encounter table to make this guy appear less is far too many and he STILL shows up?