ocean-life [1090] – Y05.090 – Despair VI
[1090] – Y05.090 – Despair VI
[1090] – Y05.090 – Despair VI
It marched into the fort as though it were the fort’s owner, wearing a long cloak, dark as death. It was adorned in full plate of the deepest of blacks, and at its sword rested a blade, ready and eager to be drawn. Upon its breastplate, carved into the armour, treated with magical flames, was a the symbol of a skull.
The symbol of the God of Death.
However, it was not the reason why the various Orders glared at it, for the stench of undeath clung to the creature like a stain.
“What are you?” King Merryweather asked, feeling his entire body burn with righteous fury.
It continued to walk towards them, even as several knights of the various Orders stepped forward to block its path, until it was only a few steps away from them.
“I have brought a list of the Iyr’s demands,” it said, its voice raspy, low, and calm.
Dogek tensed up, and Shagek narrowed his eyes, while Tonagek tried to place why the voice sounded so familiar. Jarot’s eyes remained firmly fixated on it, which smelled of undeath, like one of those beings.
“The Orders of the Thousand Hunts, the Floral Sun, and the Cherry Blades, in the form they take today, or the form they take in the future, will return to their stronghold, and to close their gates for one hundred years. Any members who steps outside the gates will be subject to our Right to Hunt.”
“Only I have the authority to state such a demand,” Elder Peace stated firmly, her eyes focused completely on it.
“Your authority is overruled,” it said, reaching into its cloak, before revealing a token made of obsidian.
Elder Peace almost floated towards the being, ignoring the complaints and demands of the Orders around her, before taking the token, closing her eyes as she listened intently. Upon hearing the advice of the Great Elder, Elder Peace bowed her head.
“Explain yourselves, Iyrmen! What is this creature which defies the will of the Divine?” Sun Sword Zachary asked.
“I am a Harbinger,” it replied, overruling even the Chief’s authority.
“Why do you wreak of undeath?” King Merryweather asked.
“Baktu has blessed me.”
“You are from the Iyr?”
“I am a servant of the Iyr,” it said, not even pretending to play politics.
“First demons, and now abominations?” Fifth Blade asked, reaching for her blade. “Before you leave today, you must explain yourself, Chief.”
“What is there to explain?” Iromin asked.
“You spit on the Divine!”
“We are blessed by Baktu,” called a gentle voice, and there she stood, upon the roof of a building, appearing from nowhere. She was a woman as old as time, adorned in thick clothing, black as the starless sky. She wore a medallion made of black wood, shaped into the skull of Baktu, and wielded a staff made of the same wood. Upon her forehead were small hollow circles, also a deep black, and unlike most of the tattoos in the Iyr, these tattoos were small and uniform, while the central circle held the symbol of Baktu. “We thank his grace for our existence.”
“How utterly profane!”
Suddenly, the Orders, who had hesitated to draw their blades, readied themselves, if not to slay demons, than to slay the undead which had caused them problems for millennia.
“You cannot,” Elder Peace said.
“What?” Sun Sword asked.
“If you wish to face them, do so under the understanding that even I will be unable to stop the Iyr from taking action. They are under Elder Story’s command.”
“Stop,” King Merryweather commanded, a shiver running through his spine. ‘Elder Story?’
Adam raised his brows in alarm, noting the look upon the Iyrman’s faces. Even they didn’t understand what was happening, and the confident Baztam, had withdrawn slightly, his eyes falling to the Chief, who also held an uncertainty.
Jurot’s breath hitched within his throat, feeling the gaze of the being before him focused solely upon the young man. Even though the being held no ill intent, Jurot could feel the gap between them, which was perhaps even greater than the gap between himself and King Merryweather.
“Those who arrived with the Bearded Dragon, come,” it said. “We will escort you away.”
“Will you allow the abomination to leave?” Vice Commander Harrison asked.
“Do you have the ability?” Amokan asked, his voice light, the Iyrman barely able to contain his vitriol. “When I am the Chief, I will not allow you to speak with such confidence.”
“If nothing else, I will claim the leaf ear’s head!” Harrison’s blade hummed to life, and steel rung against steel, as Amokan caught the Vice Commander’s blade, the young man growling in pain as the thunder exploded against him again. However, the Vice Commander brought up his blade, clashing against another blade, as Otkan, her body hot with rage, almost cut through his throat.
It drew its blade, formed of the blackness known as deathsteel, the scent of death filling the air, as it held its blade with both hands. The old woman, too, held out her staff, ready to chant her spells.
“I’m never going to forget,” Adam called out, his voice cutting through the air. “Those of you who dared to deny me my justice! Those of you who dared to harm my friends and family! Those of you who killed my precious children! I won’t forget it! When the Reavers come, and you have a need for magical weapons to defend yourselves or your homes, the United Kindom’s doors will be closed to you. Greater Enhanced? Greater? I wouldn’t even piss on you if you were on fire!”
As Adam’s voice filled with life, Jurot gripped his axe tighter, while his companions prepared themselves. Even Dunes, who had thought they wouldn’t fight, realised that he should have expected it, since it was Adam.
“Will you fight?” Malfev asked.
“No,” Bear Mother replied.
“Okay.”
“Sir Dunnock, is the abomination not under your jurisdiction?” Sun Sword asked.
Sir Dunnock remained deep in thought, her eyes shut tight, while her companions remained at bay. She remembered it. The first time she had met Adam, he had worn puthral then too. It was only upon hearing the name of the business that Sir Dunnock realised why Adam sounded so familiar to her recently. He had donated to the Order of the Wings, to Sir Magpie, who had spread the silver and gold to the rest of the Order. However, she had also warned the other members of the Order.
“Sir Dunnock, have you forgotten your Oaths?”
“I will not draw my sword against it,” Sir Dunnock stated firmly.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“You must be, since it is a wonderful sword.”
“Can you dare to covet the blade?”
Bael sighed, shrugging his shoulders. “Since it is in your hands now, I can’t.”
Gangak smiled. “I will tell you the story of how we gained this blade.”
Bael smiled. “Thank you.”
“The Honeysuckle Sword stopped me from facing the King,” Timojin said, teasing Amokan, who had only fought a Vice Commander.
Amokan glanced aside, before his grandmother ruffled his hair, and the young Iyrman smiled like a little boy.
Lucy let out a long sigh, feeling her entire body ache. ‘I can’t believe I struggled against such a weakling!’
Mara escorted Lucy to the carriage, deep in thought. Even now, after the deaths of those who had harmed the children, her heart still ached.
“You may leave,” Iromin said to the figure.
“I must escort them back.”
“I will take that role.”
The figure turned its gaze towards the Iyrmen nearby. Its eyes fell upon Dogek, then Shagek, then Tonagek, and finally to Jurot. It almost turned away, but stopped. Then its eyes fell upon Adam.
“You cannot,” Iromin said.
“I know.” The figure remained still for a long moment, before it turned to face Jarot, whose shoulder pulsed, recalling the heavy blow he had taken. “Chief Iromin.”
“Yes?”
“Is this an Iyr worthy of pride?”
Iromin looked out to the group who embraced one another, from Mulrot holding her grandsons close, to the older Iyrmen each praising their children, and their children’s children.
“Yes.”
“You have worked hard.” It reached out its hand for Iromin’s head, and ruffled his hair, as though the Chief were a boy.
Iromin smiled slightly, for who wouldn’t have wanted to be praised by such a figure. “Not as hard as you.”
“I do not agree.”
Iromin refrained from smiling so boyishly. “Thank you, Harbinger.”
Harbinger. It thought of the word, and then turned back to look at the Iyrmen before it. He smiled from beneath his helmet.
‘They have grown up so well.’
“I will stay with Elder Peace,” Dogek said.
“You should go with him,” Shagek said.
“I cannot.”
“You have earned that right.”
“I have not.”
‘Shall I beat him?’ Shagek thought.
‘Can you?’ Shasen thought.
“I will go!” Baztam declared, already charging into the carriage, only to find the half elf slumped to the side, while his grandmother held the boy’s head against her bosom. Baztam stepped away, to his nephew in another carriage.
“You should sleep too,” Amokan teased Kitool.
“...”
“Sleep,” Jaygak said, and Kitool bowed her head, closing her sleepy eyes, instantly falling asleep.
“You fought well,” Jarot said.
Jurot’s lips twitched slightly upwards.
“Next time, it shall be your third time to face him. You should defeat him then.”
“Okay.”
Victory!
XP Gained: +1000
XP: 16 500 -> 17 500
Quest Complete: A Father’s Vengeance
XP Gained: +1000
XP: 17 500 -> 18 500
Quest Complete: Survive
XP Gained: +1000
XP: 18 500 -> 19 500
Elder Story out here causing more trouble than Adam for no reason.