The silver fox of a man, in his mid to te sixties or so, brushed his scruffy silver beard, his long hair down to his shoulders. He was heavily armoured in full pte, and upon his back was a giant maul. The maul itself was carved out of a dark gem, bck as night, with specks of light within the gem which shifted about like fireflies.

  “Who in the Divine are you?” Lord Royce asked, his eyes curious.

  “You don’t remember me?”

  “No…”

  The ander’s eyes turowards the half elf, his posture ging slightly, the handsome noble reag down towards his bde.

  “Wait a moment.” Lord Royhaled the crisp air of Floria, which was far earthier than the air of the north. “That stench of trouble. Perhaps I do recall a half elf and his Iyrman brother?”

  Adam shook his head lightly. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Lord Royce.”

  Royodded his head slowly, a wild grin encroag his face. His eyes theo Jurot, who had fought with the King Merryweather previously. “What brings you two so far south? Have you e to haunt this old man?” His eyes sed across the others he vaguely recalled, but it was Adam and Jurot who had seared themselves within his mind a few years ago.

  “I’m here to speak with you, actually.” Adam smiled politely, in the way that meant he was going to cause just a little trouble.

  “What is it?”

  “An offer, though…” Adam motioned his head to the soldiers. “It seems they don’t like us here, and if we’re not wele here, well, perhaps there might be fewer magical ons making their way into Florian nds.”

  “Magical ons?”

  “We’ve e to offer the great King Merryweather the ability to procure from our business, if his majestiess should wish for it, and if his treasury hasn’t been drained by the war.”

  “Which magical ons do you have on offer?”

  “Right now, Basic ons, but iure? Who knows.”

  Royce reached up to scratch his beard, narrowing his eyes lightly as he thought. ‘He’d definitely want some magical ons, since he’s got to try and deal with Aldnd when that boy gathers himself.’ “I see.”

  “We have had some business with the Duchess of East Port,” Adam said. “We’ve done some business with various Aldish nobles, and I didn’t want the good King to think that I was ign him, it was just that our business has retly stabilised.”

  “Did you supply Aldnd with ons during the war?” Royce half growled.

  “I don’t think so?” Adam replied. “We did au some ons off in Red Oak, and we did end up selling a few to Duchess Dalia Eastport.”

  “Eastsea,” Jurot corrected.

  “Very bad with names,” Adam admitted.

  “So you sold magical ons to our enemies and expee here with open arms?”

  “We worked with whoever was closest and whoever wao work with us at the time. We didn’t necessarily choose them in particur for any reason. Like I said, I wao make sure the King khat we didn’t ignore him during the time, it was just, we were still stabilising our business. Now that everything is settled, and we sistently create such wonderful ons, we offer the King something that might suit his taste.”

  “You make any excuses you want, but… I won’t allow you to walk away from this unscathed.” Royce grinned wide. “Is that axe of yours something that was crafted by your business?”

  “Indeed, it was.”

  “Then draw it, and once we spar, I will see how good it is!” Royce grinned even more savagely.

  ‘Should I threaten him?’ Adam dared to think. “How about this…” Adam smiled slightly. “Give us a few hours to prepare, and I’ll show you something eveer.”

  “Something eveer?”

  “This on isn’t reatest, but should you give me a while, I figure out a way to make the fight most fun for you.”

  “Fine. If you don’t please me, don’t expect to travel so freely in Floria.”

  Adam bowed his head. “About the misuandiween us, ander?”

  “It seems you’ve spokeruth, half fae.” The ander bowed his head to Royce, who was the highest ranking individual here, areated away.

  “Jurot, let me borrow Phantom,” Adam whispered ohey were off to one side.

  “Okay,” Jurot said, hoisting the axe up, handing it to the half elf.

  “Thanks.”

  “Adam?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you pnning to win?”

  “Win? I don’t know about that, st I checked, he’s one of the stro across this nd. I just want to give him a good showing, so he knows how good our Enter is.” Adam winked, before stepping aside to meditate.

  “It’s not fair that Adam gets to get so close and hot and sweaty with such a hunk,” Lucy said, beginning her own ge.

  “…” Jurot and Mara decided to remain silent.

  Evening fell across the fort as Adam prepared himself. He could feel the great magic of Phantom. ‘Hello, my old friend. How is my brother treating you? I’m sure he’s treating you well, but do you miss me? I miss you too. No, no, it’s not like that. You know I wouldn’t cheat on you, it’s just, we’re different people now. It’s not you, it’s me.’

  “Adam, stop making those stupid faces, and hurry up and-,” Lucy swallowed, trying to calm herself. “I want to see him in a already!”

  Lord Royce stretched out his back with his maul between his elbows. “Oh yeah. Ah. Hoo.” His back cracked in multiple pces. ‘How dare he make this old man move so much? Harold, what are you doing with me too? I came dowo retire, damn it, now I’m fighting little pups?’

  ‘I did not force you to fight him,’ he could already hear from the King.

  ‘Let me pin in peace, damn it! I already took the position of Lord Marshal, so give me this much at least!’

  Adam swung Phantom in front of him, inhaling deeply. ‘I’ve got to make sure I give him a good show before he beats me. If we sell to Floria, ahe King to outw goblin sying, then why do we o work with Aldnd? We’ll still work with the Duchess, she’s further east, so it should be okay.’

  “Are you ready, child?” Royce asked.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be,” Adam said, inhaling deeply. He gnced aside.

  Omen: 1, 11

  ‘Damn. If only…’ Adam frowned. ‘No. Never mind. I don’t , I’ll ma through the fight, I just o survive that long.’

  “ander, officiate the fight. Isn’t that what you Silverskys like to do? Officiate fights?”

  Silversky wasn’t sure what the Lord Marshal was getting at, but he stepped forward, and held out his hand. He knew better than tue with the old man, who loved to pick fights with the Southerners, as he called them. “Are you both ready?”

  “Hoo,” Royce replied.

  “Yes, ander,” Adam replied.

  “Yes, ander?” Royce replied. “Are you Florian, boy?”

  “Just showing my respect, that’s all.”

  “Respect? Is respect going to save you from me?”

  “Well, I suppose that… I’ll have you put some respey name?” Adam replied, grinnih his helmet.

  Royce wasn’t sure what that meant, but he ughed all the same. The moment the ugh was over, the ander called for the fight to begin.

  Battle OrderD20 + 1 = 18 (17)

  Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2

  Attack - Phantom (Advantage)D20 + 10 = 15 (5)D20 + 10 = 18 (8)Miss!

  Adam’s body screamed at him as he charged forward, ready to strike with Phantom. The pair cshed, and Adam realised that the old man’s armour was better than typical pte, his axe barely scraping across it, while he stepped aside from the massive swing of the maul, which kicked up dirt beside him.

  ‘Scary!’

  Adam’s heart throbbed as he focused himself, aiming his axe against the old man once more.

  Attack - Phantom (Advantage)D20 + 10 = 23 (13)D20 + 10 = 30 (20)Critical hit!

  Ah.

  Yes.

  There we go.

  It had been so long since Adam had used Phantom. Phantom, which was still perhaps Adam’s greatest creation. It matched Wraith in some sihey were both Greater Enhanced ons, meaning they held a +2 Bonus, while also taining an additional effect.

  Wraith had a few.

  WraithRequires AttuYou gain a +2 bonus to attad damage rolls made with this on.Deals 2D6 sshing damage.May be used as a spell focus. morph between a ring and on at your and. store up to 3 charges. 1D3 charges are regai dawn, or by expending Mana whilst holding the axe, at a rate of one Mana per charge. Charges only be spent when holding the on, but require no a.On a hit, spend 1 charge or more to deal 2D6 cold damage for each charge spent.

  Wraith was on the cusp of what the Iyr allowed Adam to hold.

  Phantom?

  Phantom had been too much.

  Phantom: 3 -> 0Mana: 25 -> 21Ability: Divine Smite2D6 + 20D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 124 (1, 2)(1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6)(1, 1, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6)124 damage!

  Far too much.

  ‘I told you, didn’t I? I missed you so much, my dear Phantom. Ah, right, I should try to impress him, shouldn’t I?’

  Onward Soar: 1 -> 0

  Mana: 21 -> 20Spell: Thunderous Smite

  Attack - Phantom (Advantage)D20 + 10 = 19 (9)D20 + 10 = 20 (10)Hit!Mana: 20 -> 16Ability: Divine Smite1D6 + 1D6 + 2D6 + 5D6 + 9 = (3)(1)(5, 6)(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)39 damage!

  Attack - Phantom (Advantage)D20 + 10 = 13 (3)D20 + 10 = 23 (13)Hit!Mana: 16 -> 12Ability: Divine Smite1D6 + 1D6 + 5D6 + 9 = 37 (5)(4)(2, 2, 4, 5, 6)37 damage!

  Mana: 12 -> 11Defence: 25 -> 30

  Health: 91 -> 20

  While Adam stepped forward, his focus intehe Lord Marshal attacked like a wild beast. Except, even though he attacked like a wild beast, and even though he pushed forward, he realised that Adam, regardless of how he seemed like a little mouse, was more than he expected. It wasn’t just that the half elf was more than he expected, but that he had brought the old man so low so quickly that he wasirely sure if the boy was truly a half elf, or perhaps something greater.

  The agical steel on magical steel echoed as the soldiers watched on, and it was only when Adam’s puthral was struck square in the chest and the half elf almost smmed through a tent, did they catch their breaths. Adam dropped to a knee, reag up to his chest, feeling the heavy blow which had certainly cracked his ribs. His arms burned, his lungs heaved, but he could hear it.

  Ragged. Weak.

  The old man was on his st legs.

  ‘I do it,’ Adam thought. ‘I beat him!’

  Jurot could se too. Adam had struck true with a blow, and not only did he strike true, but the half elf had dohat. It was something Jurot had mao do i year when he faced the Red Bear. Jurot, too, had expended every charge and had bisected the creature.

  “Hah!” Adam coughed, dropping to his side. “I surrender.” He y on his side, panting for air, groaning and grunting. It artly acted, but his heart pounded as the half elf felt the ache deep within his bohey had cshed for only moments, but the old man was definitely a Paragon, and his maul definitely struck deeper than any other.

  Royce could feel it, the pumping of blood rushing through him, the throbbing and the ache, a throbbing and ache he only felt when g against the stro. ‘This boy…’

  Defeat!XP Gained: +1000XP: 11 600 -> 12 600

  “Brat…” Royce said, almost growling, feeling the rage within him grow. Except, he stopped, gng around towards the soldiers and the ander, whose face was full of uncharacteristic shock. “I will let the King know of your business.”

  Quest plete: Saving FaceXP Gained: +400XP: 12 600 -> 13 000

  ‘Phew.’

  Damn! Phantom is such a great on!