Lani’s heart pounded violently as the group gathered together, their carriages gathered together, the various magical steeds at the ready. The blade at her side continued to send her nerves afire, the breastplate stamped with the sigil of her Order, that of a sword almost splitting a mountain in half, hugged her tightly over her chain. Her heavy cloak fell to the earth, a deep black, with a grey trim, since she was of Black Mountain.

‘I’m glad we’re leaving,’ Mork thought, his eyes scanning across the warriors around them. Though he had half a mind to flirt with them, the business was already stealing Dunes, and with Lani joining them, if he ended up trying to seduce one, the Order might have turned their blades towards him.

Tork pat his brother on his back. “It is fine.”

“You should be the one to sigh like this instead,” Mork joked.

“Someone from Black Mountain?” Tork shook his head.

“They’re just like us, aren’t they?” Mork asked.

“Are they?”

“You don’t think so?”

“You heard of a horc here?”

“There was a Sheath in a previous generation, wasn’t there?”

“Was there?”

Mork tried to think. Though his brother had a point, he was certain Black Mountain wasn’t like that, but at the same time…

‘Once I’m ah Master, they won’t be able ta ignore this ol’ greyskin,’ Tork thought, flexing his muscles, warming himself up, riling himself up slightly so he could grin with pride.

Adilnur, the Acting Malawi, placed a hand upon Dunes’ shoulder. “I entrust you will complete the task we have bestowed upon you.”

“I will,” Dunes promised.

“Once your children are old enough, bring them to visit,” Adilnur threatened, since if the young man was going to step out of their Order, he shouldn’t forget his roots. As much as he threatened the young Priest, he had to be careful, since he could feel the older Aswadian’s gaze upon him. Adilnur smiled. ‘What a troublesome family.’

‘How dare they covet my nieces,’ Adam thought. ‘You’re lucky you raised Dunes, and are so nice to me, otherwise I would have bullied you so much harder!’

Jurot stared at the sky, noting the expanse of blue, then the grey all around them and the distance forests, the Order able to see far and wide, and extend their influence all across the mountain, the same mountain which even the Shen could not oppress their authority. ‘The air here may be good for the children.’

Jurot inhaled deeply.

‘Not as good as the Iyr.’

The Order had gathered to greet the group as they prepared to leave, though there were still other matters to attend to of great importance. However, Adilnur had made sure they came to greet their guests, if not for the Iyrmen, the fool of a father, at least for the other father.

“The land is treacherous northward, you may come in contact with the Reavers,” Adilnur said. “Although they are not magical, I have prepared several swords for you.”

Several of the younger Order members, those who were once considered Lani’s peers, carried out the five cases, each filled with blades wrapped in scarves. Adilnur opened one up to reveal it to the half elf, motioning a hand.

Adam spied the sword, well made with a beautiful hilt, engraved with Aswadian designs, the blade as straight as an arrow, this one holding a slightly thinner blade. It wasn’t made of a special steel, that he could see, but as he picked it up, he let out a soft sigh of surprise. “Oh?”

“They are among some of the best our Master Smith, Mo Sumayl, has forged,” Adilnur said, his eyes beaming. The fact the swords were not obviously Masterwork, yet once one held them they realised, it was something the Master Smith had prided himself on.

“Five Masterwork swords?”

“Perhaps a Masterwork spear would have suited your taste?” Adilnur joked.

“I wouldn’t have minded,” Adam said, placing the sword back into the case, allowing them to close it. “Oh my, oh my, I suppose we’ll have to gift you something in return, or they will say that the United Kindom skimps out on their friendship.”

“Who would dare suggest such a thing?” Adilnur replied, his tone also light, the old man smiling brightly. “There is no need to press yourself just to return a gift, for we shall remain friendly for an age.”

“Dunes, do you think we have something good to gift in return?” Adam asked, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

‘This is how you want to…’ Dunes thought, but thought about who he was talking to, the young man letting out a sigh.

“I wish you luck, brother Ashmir,” Zaki said, shaking the old man’s hand.

“You as well,” Ashmir replied, enjoying talking to someone who was around his age. They were both older men, unlike the young whippersnapper who wasn’t even sixty and yet had retired?

“Ahm, I hope your family remains blessed,” Makdur said, shaking the old man’s hand, clasping the back of the older Aswadian’s hand with his second hand, bowing his head respectfully.

“I hope your family remains blessed,” Ashmir said. “If the Sand Walker Swords find themselves in Floria or Aldland, tell them they should visit the Iyr, so we may speak.”

“I will tell them,” Makdur replied, though he found that would have been difficult, since the Iyr was on the opposite side of the island. However, even if it did take some time, it was probably a good idea for them to visit. As his eyes fell to the side, his suspicions were confirmed.

‘Why did you not hand this blade over previously?’ Adilnur thought, the eyes of the various Order members staring at the box which Jurot had hesitated to part with, which contained the blade, that which held a copper triskelion.

“Dunes was the one to recover this sword for Black Mountain, so I suppose I’ll have to come by another time with a proper gift,” Adam said, a giant grin upon his face, while the accompanying silence filled the crowd. ‘Adam, don’t say anything else. Don’t do it. This is good enough! Don’t ruin the moment.’

‘My brother is maturing,’ Jurot thought, noting the half elf closing his eyes, scrunching up his face not to speak, nor to laugh.

The members of the Order eyed up the blade, for it was a familiar enough blade to them all, who didn’t know the existence of such a blade? Adam, if he so wished, could have taken a small detour to the Order, but he decided against it, all to allow Black Mountain to gain the honour. He went so far as to give the honour to Dunes, who may very well have found the blade, but…

‘We will gain great favour with the Guardians of the Union of Emerald and Copper,’ Adilnur thought. His entire body grew tense at the thought of going to meet them, for each were great warriors, like their own, but they were intense, even more intense than Iyrmen, some thought. “Do you not have greed within your heart?”

“I would say I am perhaps the greediest fellow you’ve ever met, and I’ve shown that time and time again,” Adam replied simply, flashing a wide smile towards the old man. “I don’t need to use the sword to get anything else, do I?”

“There is much we have to offer.”

“I’m just messing around.” Adam waved his hand dismissively through the air. “I had no intention of using the sword to coerce you into anything. I might be a fool, but my pride can’t be bought that easily. No, well, I suppose I would have stooped that low for Dunes, since he’s worth that much to me, but…”

Adilnur waited for the half elf, noting he was arguing with himself within his mind.

“If Black Mountain wasn’t wise enough to extend a hand out to me after all I’ve revealed, then that’s all Black Mountain would have amounted to,” Adam stated firmly, his eyes holding the old man’s eyes. For once, the half elf’s tone was serious, his eyes revealing he understood what his words had meant.

“You are quite the audacious young man,” the Acting Malawi said, feeling the aura within the Order shift.

“I made a bet to see if I was right, and it turns out, I was right,” the half elf replied.

Adilnur narrowed his eyes, only to realise the half elf, though sounding like he was criticising the Order, was actually complimenting it. “You should speak with a gentler tone, otherwise many will misunderstand you.”

Adam laughed, his smile reaching his eyes. “I know, I know, but what can I do? I felt comfortable speaking this way since Black Mountain is a friend to me, and I, a friend to Black Mountain.”

“Is the friendship between the United Kindom and Black Mountain, or yourself and Black Mountain?”

“Both.”

Hassan watched as the half elf stepped into the carriage with the rest of his companions, the fellows having said their goodbyes before making their way out. He reached the stub that was at the end of his elbow, rubbing it gently.

‘I hope I am right,’ Hassan thought.

Quest Complete: The Manager

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PATREON LINK

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It's time to leave!

Also I will post up the chapters I owe soon, in the next week.