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[1383] - Y06.283 - A Man of Trouble III
🕑 Added 2025-09-27 17:00:06 +0000 UTCKitool noted the way the half elf was avoiding her gaze, and within that instant, she realised the half elf had spent more money after saying he would be more careful. Her eyes met Laygak’s for a moment, and the young man shrugged his shoulders, asking for forgiveness on the half elf’s behalf. However, the half elf earned most of the business’ wealth all by himself, so it was awkward to try and moderate him. He had yet to go too far, so she allowed it to slide.
‘How many spears and daggers did he buy?’ John thought, the half elf staring down at them, holding the same thoughts as John.
‘I guess I’ll gift the daggers to the children, the businessfolk can use the spears?’ Adam then blinked. ‘Wait. Why did I buy all these daggers and spears when I could have just bought all the ore and then crafted them myself?’
Dunes raised a brow, surprised the half elf regretted buying so many items, for that was so unlike Adam. ‘…’
“Ahm,” Adam called, offering a firesteel spear to the Lion King.
“I do not require it.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am certain.”
“Alright, well, if there is anything you require, let me know, otherwise what will they say about me?” Adam approached Zabir next, holding out the spear. “Ahm, will you refuse me too?”
Zabir could see the way the half elf was plotting something within his mind, the old man doing his best not to burst into laughter at his own assumptions. “Since my nephew has gifted me a spear, how can I refuse?”
“That’s more like it!” The half elf eagerly handed the old man the firesteel spear. “Ahm, if there’s anything else you need, let me know!”
Zabir chuckled, accepting the spear within his hand. He clasped it tight, eyeing up the spear tip, which was forged of firesteel. When he was a young man, this was but a dream, but as he grew older, and after earning the title of Mulazim, he was able to wield such fine spears.
The group remained within the town for the next few day, each going about their business, spending silvers and gold. Maharan liked to walk around the town, though he spotted quite a few giving him looks, noting his robes were of a different style, more eastward, though few bothered him about him due to the presence of the two giant walls, one of whom was an Iyrman, the other who should have been an Iyrman, and the last was an older Iyrman woman who wielded a bow so expertly.
“What’s with all these newcomers wielding such fine weapons?” one asked another.
“I don’t know,” their companion replied. “They say a bunch of Iyrmen have come into town, all part of the same group.”
“Are they invading us?”
“Why would they invade us?”
“I don’t know…”
“Even if they’re a bunch of death cultists, they’ve always been polite, eh?”
“Aye, you’re right about that much at least.”
“Still…”
“Aye.”
“Shukhur, at least every time they come they spend piles of gold.”
The other smiled, raising their cup of pink tea, sipping it with joy within their heart. It wasn’t as though they raised the prices too high for the Iyrmen, but they still made a pretty sum from them, and was there a time the town was ever safer?
One particular fellow was ecstatic, for a Ka of Black Mountain had arrived within his shop and had bought a kahil oven, and had tipped the fellow quite a few beht.
“What’s this?” Adam asked as Ka Anka returned.
“This is a kahil oven,” she said. “You’ll see how good it is once we are on the road.”
‘Oh?’ Adam raised his brow, wondering what it would cook considering it had a giant hole around the base. ‘Alright…’
Those within the town also noted the presence of a particular fellow, the kind with azure scales and large horns, as he made his way around the town, seeing if he couldn’t spot anything he wanted. He found a few weapons that seemed acceptable enough, but nothing that inspired his heart.
“Mister Bael, look,” the girl said, pointing to…
Bael was surprised to see the girl wasn’t interested in the fruit nearby, but rather, she pointed towards a woman who wore such beautiful attire, white robes and a white scarf, the scarf covered in golden thread. It was the pair of daggers at her side, however, which interested the girl, for the steel was shown to the world, and it was that kind of steel, the kind that glittered beautifully under the sun.
“Do you wish to play with the daggers?” Bael asked.
“Yes!”
Bael approached the young woman, before sensing something emanating from her. He raised his brows, for once surprised by a mortal, for there the sensation was almost familiar to him. As he stared at the woman, she noticed his eyes, and the woman, in her thirties or so, smiled politely, though there was a sense of discomfort, for sometimes gaining the attention of a half dragon led to ruin.
“The girl would like to play with your daggers,” Bael said simply.
“Of course, my Lord,” the young woman replied with the greatest of respect.
“Just call me Bael,” Bael replied with a hint of annoyance.
The young woman unlatched the daggers and offered them to the girl who instantly tried to grab them by the blade, though the Aswadian woman pulled them back, before turning them so the girl could clasp them by the handle. As Kizwolima did, she tried to grab the scabbards, which revealed much of the dagger to the world, but the woman quickly used a finger against the girl’s palm.
“Allow this aunty to help you,” the woman said, slowly undoing the scabbard before wagging her finger. “Do not touch the edge, okay? It hurts.”
“Do not touch the edge, it will hurt,” Bael informed the girl.
“I know!” Kizwolima replied though she was certainly going to grab the edge if she hadn’t been told.
Bael’s eyes then darted to the side, where he found an older man staring at him. From the way he was dressed, and the medallion at his chest, Bael assumed he was a Mulazim, but not the kind that rivalled Zabir, but a greater warrior, perhaps even so far as a Master. He could smell that he was related to the young woman, but he did not possess that familiar scent. ‘So it was her mother?’
The little girl held onto the blade with both hands, admiring the way the blade glittered, before holding it up to Bael. “Mister Bael, look!”
Bael held out his hand and Kizwolima placed it on his hand, telling him to be careful with it since it was so sharp, causing him to blink, before clasping the handle. He felt its balance within his hand, before holding it out to the young woman, who plucked it from his hands gently.
“Kizwolima, return the dagger,” Bael said.
“Okay…” The girl passed the dagger back shyly.
Bael eyed up the daggers once more. They were not magical, but they were made of stormsteel, and more importantly perhaps, were Masterwork. Since the girl had become so enchanted by them…
“Where is your mother?” Bael asked.
“Mother passed away.”
“Hmm…” Bael stared at the young woman. “I would like to gift the child those daggers. I will reward you.”
The young woman was unsure, however it was a half dragon, who was more than likely a dragon, asking. He was also a blue dragon, so perhaps related to the nightmare known as Forgryn. “As you say, Kal Bael.”
“Just Bael,” Bael replied, annoyed.
“I do not know where you think you are now-,” the heavily armoured man said, approaching, only to stop as Kitool stepped forward, Brittany sheepishly following.
“What are you doing?” Kitool asked the half dragon.
“I wish to procure the daggers, and will reward her for doing so.”
“What kind of reward?”
Bael raised a brow. “I do not impose upon matters of the Iyr, so the Iyr should not impose upon matters of my family.”
Hearing him speak so formally, Kitool remained silent, for this matter must have been that important to Bael. She bowed her head.
“Young lady, consider it Fate we have met, and whether you are able to grasp fortune is up to you,” Bael stated.
The young woman sat a little taller. “I will!”
Bael then paused. He glanced back towards the young woman, checking to see whether Adam would kill him first, before confirming he, probably, wouldn’t. “I will continue to peruse the market, so you may meet me at the inn in the evening.”
“As you say.”
Brittany glanced between Bael and the woman, curious as to their relationship. ‘Family matters?’
“What was that about?” the Mulazim asked, placing a hand upon his daughter’s shoulder.
“I think he knew mother.”
The Mulazim narrowed his eyes, and as evening fell, he surrounded the inn with his guards, who waited to see what would happen.
“Mork, come with me,” Bael said, leading the young woman elsewhere.
“Where are you going?” Adam asked.
“I have to reward the woman.”
“How are you going to reward her?”
“It is up to her whether she is able to accept the reward.”
“If you don’t want me to beat you up, answer my question,” Adam replied, letting out a huff.
“I will awaken her latent abilities.”
“How?”
“With my lightning.”
‘I guess he needs Mork because he’s got an affinity to lightning too?’ Adam thought. “Alright, but what will people say if two men take a beautiful Aswadian woman away? Yasha, keep an eye on them, and if they do anything inappropriate, tell me and I’ll beat them both up!”
“Do you not trust me?” Bael asked.
“It’s not about whether I trust you, but how it looks to people on the outside, and since you’re around us, we’ll get painted with slander if you do something weird.”
“It is not…” Bael paused. “It is a little weird.”
“Alright,” Adam said, waving his hand to dismiss them. It wasn’t long later when he heard the crackle of lightning and the rumble of thunder shake through the inn, as well as the screaming which fell silent soon after. The half elf charged through the inn, followed closely behind by Jurot and Kitool.
There he found a baffled pair, as well as Bael standing above a charred body of a dead young Aswadian.
“Bael! What the fuck!”
