[1372] – Y06.172 – ONWARD II

The carriages shuffled ever forward, towards the nearby town, which Dunes was eager to visit. He thought of his mentor, whom hadn’t come to see him that morning, instead visiting him the previous night to share tea.

‘Since the Acting Malawi will not kill you, I will return back to my duties,’ the woman had said, slapping Dunes across his shoulder. ‘Next time you come, bring Amira and the children, or do not come at all!’

Dunes smiled, finding it awkward that almost all his companions were out in the world rather than within the fort, but he had enjoyed speaking with his mentor whenever he wasn’t trying to keep Adam from killing himself.

‘Now that I think about it, Dunes didn’t really take me around much,’ the half elf thought, only for the guilt to rise within his heart. ‘Ah, right.’

As the carriages shuffled forward, Adam glanced aside, towards Amal, who cuddled Anka, the woman deciding to join them in order to make sure Amal was taken care of. Amal held the woman’s finger, staring up into her eyes, the girl smiling shyly, Anka smiling wider in return, causing the girl to bury her head within the woman’s bosom.

‘I hope we come across something to kill guilt free,’ the half elf thought, his eyes falling to Lani. ‘Right, I need to train her up too. I know I said I’d make sure she was an Expert, but if she really wants to make a name for herself, Master is probably much better for her. If she’s an Oathsworn like her brother, then that means a weapon like Thunder’s Triumph might be nice for her?’

“Are you excited to see your brother again?” Dunes asked.

“Who is excited to-,” Lani began, only to recall she was in the presence of three relative strangers. “I cannot wait to reveal my title to him.”

“You really are a little sister,” Adam joked, smiling wide as he thought of his own. ‘Now that I think about it, I’ve been spending so much time with my children that Lanarot…’

The carriages came to a quick halt, as those ahead called back. Tanagek and Chosen knocked on the carriage doors.

“What’s up?” Adam asked.

“The sky, but there are airisin approaching swiftly,” Tanagek said without missing a beat.

“The what?” Adam peeked his head out to see several tornadoes rushing towards the carriages. “Wind elementals?”

“Yes.”

“Ah,” Adam said, jumping out, crackling his neck from side to side. “We’ll deal with them.”

As the carriages came to a halt, the figures stepping out to see what was happening, Adam thought about who should face the rapidly approaching beings, stepping towards them as he cracked his knuckles. “Taygak, Yasha, Maharan, John, Lani.”

“Yes,” Jonn said.

“Sorry, I meant Father John, no, uh, that makes you sound like a Priest…”

“Executive! Behind you!” John, the father, called out, clasping his spear tight in hand.

“Hmm?” Adam replied, walking into an elemental.

Strength Save

D20 + 9 = 23 (14)

Health: 126 - 117

Fighting Spirit: 3 - 2

Health: 117 - 122

Seventh Sky: 1 - 0

Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage)

D20 + 10 = 1 (12)

D20 + 10 = 10 (21)

Hit!

Mana: 34 - 33

Ability: Divine Smite

4D6 + 2D6 + 8 = 27 (11)(6)

27 damage!

Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage)

D20 + 10 = 23 (13)

D20 + 10 = 23 (13)

Hit!

Mana: 33 - 32

Ability: Divine Smite

4D6 + 2D6 + 8 = 28 (10)(9)

28 damage!

Onward Soar: 1 - 0

Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage)

D20 + 10 = 17 (7)

D20 + 10 = 19 (9)

Hit!

Mana: 32 - 31

Ability: Divine Smite

4D6 + 2D6 + 8 = 32 (15)(9)

32 damage!

Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage)

D20 + 10 = 16 (6)

D20 + 10 = 24 (14)

Hit!

Mana: 31 - 30

Ability: Divine Smite

4D6 + 2D6 + 8 = 30 (13)(9)

28 damage!

“It’s just a few wind elementals,” Adam said, completely decimating one as it tried to lift him off the ground and toss him off the side, his axe gleaming brightly. The white and grey core fell to the earth, while Nirot charged forward, striking one herself.

John’s heart pounded wildly within his chest as he stepped forward, Taygak also doing the same, though Laygak’s presence provided them warmth as the trio fought their own elemental. John found his spear was unable to pierce as effectively as he wanted, as another spear from the side of the creature almost reached its core, which swung about within its depths.

“They are difficult to hurt!” Yasha stated to John, who had felt the resistance against his spears.

“Ah, right, you need a magical weapon to wound them properly,” Adam informed casually, while Maharan drew his sword, just in case, but others stepped forward to assist, dealing with the remaining three, easily killing the trio of elementals.

Ashmir’s eyes glanced around between them all. They had outnumbered the creatures roughly three to one, though perhaps it was more accurate to say four to one, since Adam had slain one himself, although Nirot, too, had fought one herself, while Jurot and Kitool hovered about to assist. Even so, one would know it required at least a team of Experts to deal with these figures, and though many of them were, the ease at which they defeated the creatures was something that was closer to a group of Masters.

Tanika thought about how she could probably deal with one, but she was her. She supposed the half elf did defeat the First Blade, but then her eyes fell to Nirot.

Nirot let out a grunt of delight, flexing her body, having eagerly faced her own wind elemental. It was not quite as impressive as facing a giant python a few years back, but it was almost as impressive. She wasn’t sure if she would have been able to defeat it if her axe wasn’t magical, but she would have to thank her good fortune. Perhaps she might have, since her shield would have given her the edge against its mighty blows? Except each of its blows were almost worth two of hers.

“You fought well,” Jurot assured, breaking her out of her doubts. “There are few who have fought such a creature alone at your age.”

Nirot blinked, flushing slightly. She had been surrounded by such a monster for about a quarter of her life, and she had all but forgotten, yes, she was quite impressive. Her eyes fell to John, who was sweating profusely after his fight, staring down at the tip of his spear, feeling the vast gap between himself and the world.

Maharan’s eyes fell upon the half elf, who had so easily defeated the wind elemental with ease, while he had barely been able to step forward to strike it once, before it threatened to overwhelm him, Nobby and Bavin stepping forward to protect him.

Victory!

XP Gained: +200

‘That should be enough for Kizwolima and Amal,’ Adam thought, having split the XP with everyone within the party, hoping it would assist. ‘I should have asked for Barak to come along, I would have spoiled him so much.’

“Since there are four cores we’ll hand one to Nirot, one to the Iyr, claim the other two for the business?” Adam called, though he looked to the three figures that were technically not a part of his business who had stepped forward. “I’m not sure what you’ll do with a core, but since the business is claiming these shares, I’ll write a note down about magical weapons for you, and for you, Kal Lani, something else?”

Adam did just that, writing within his journal. He couldn’t tell them that he was speeding along their XP gains.

Could he?

“At least defeating the airisin is going to help you all gain greater strength,” Adam snapped his journal shut, grinning wide. “Plus, once we face against a few more, who knows? You all might become Masters before the year ends?”

Adam’s laughter echoed across the mountains as the group returned back to their carriages, stopping abruptly.

‘Hold on? Could I…’

The others realised the half elf was thinking something dangerous, but decided to ignore him. Meanwhile the group continued along, heading to the shelter that was halfway between the Order and the nearby town, made of hardy stone, the kind that had endured the terrible winds, the storms, and even the beating noonval sun for generations.

As they made their camp for the night, the half elf summoned the tower, as usual, and allowed them all to bathe. He thought about summoning another, but decided against it, since he didn’t want to give the newbies heart attacks about his ridiculous abilities. He made sure to use his magic to warm the water, to clean it, and to flavour the food during dinner.

‘It’s so easy to travel with the Iyrmen,’ Maharan thought, recalling how everything had been so scary as a child.

“What is it?” Dunes asked, noting Lani’s gaze.

“I thought he was an Oathsworn?” Lani asked.

“Adam is Adam,” Dunes said.

“What does that mean?”

“Adam is Adam,” Dunes repeated.

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Adam is Adam.