He was a mountain of pride. Battle ready, his well polished yet worn breastplate gleaming under the noonval sun. A turban covered his head, though the black and white locks curled behind his ears, his moustache almost like two blades pointed along the contours of his thin lips. A long blade at his side dangled comfortably, ever at the ready to perform its duty. The blade was unlike many others Adam had seen, curved slightly, sheathed within simple leather, but the handle of the blade, wrapped in green, the silver engraved with various Aswadic runes, and the tiny green gem settled within its poml revealed it was no simple blade.
“Whirlwind Death,” Jurot said. “It is a good sword.”
‘If that’s all he’s going to say about it, it’s probably pretty amazing,’ the half elf thought, pondering on what abilities the blade possessed. It was beautiful enough, and the half elf hoped it was as deadly as it was beautiful.
“A day with the brightest of suns, for how many Iyrn am I honoured to host!” The Malawi almost exclaid, holding up his hands, as though praying to Lord Noor, though one might have been cut down for such a thought, considering where they stood. His voice was clear, deep, and oppressive with its lightness. The old man’s laughter filled the air, revealing rows of pristine white teeth, bright and strong, as one might a warrior of Black Mountain to be. “Asaym, Iyrn!”
“Walay,” Tanagek replied, since he had been briefed to take command, for now.
“That tattoo,” the Malawi said, his dark eyes staring at the purple and yellow so clearly. “Are you of the Gek family?”
“I am. My na is Tanagek.”
“Aryahabi! You share the sa na? How we are blessed this day!” The older man laughed, haughty, so full of life. His smile continued to radiate outwards towards them all, threatening to pin them in his delight. Those dark eyes of his darted to the side swiftly, sizing up Tanagek’s companion. “A relative of Bloodblade too?”
“I am Chosen, his grandnephew,” the Iyrman replied, standing taller and prouder, daring to match the Malawi’s pride.
“An honour indeed, for we are familiar with the Geks and Sens, for many years, though not as much as we recall the Dons,” the older man joked, chuckling towards the Iyrn, reaching out a hand to greet them one by one. “I am Mo Hassan, the Malawi of Black Mountain, I am but its humble Fariq.”
“I am Jurot,” Jurot said, shaking the man’s forearm as he began to greet the group, starting with the Iyrn. “I am the grandson of the Mad Dog and the Rising Swallow.”
“Shukhur, I know of this na, Mad Dog, but I do not rember how,” the old man admitted.
“He’s like the-,” Adam began, noting how many figures all turned to face him, and the half elf blinked. ‘I can’t believe I did that.’ “He’s like… the Butcher, Marmak, but for Aldland.”
“Yes, I rember now,” the old man admitted, his eyes completely fixated upon the half elf who had spoken up, taking him within his sight. He almost swallowed the half elf whole within his gaze, a pressure falling upon the young man. “Who are you?”
“I am Adam Fate,” the half elf replied. “From my brother’s side, I am the grandson of the Mad Dog and the Rising Swallow, and from my children’s side, I am the grandson of Fla Brand, and from my wife’s side, herself, Ray Vonda of Life’s Rose.”
The Malawi noted how the half elf had stood so tall and proud opposite him when he spoke of his family, and upon his silence, instantly deflated, feeling the awkward gazes of his companions, from the Iyrn to the Aldishn. Even the rman child covered her face within her hand, peeking aside to the half elf from beside the half dragon, who was certainly a dragon in disguise.
“I see,” the Malawi replied.
“Kitool,” Kitool finally said. “My grandaunt is one of the Ten Paragons.”
The Fariq turned to face the woman, blinking towards her in surprise, Samra also doing the sa, having no idea that the young woman had been related to one of the real monsters of the Iyr.
“Which of the Ten Paragons?” the Malawi asked.
“Shaool,” Kitool admitted. “Her na is not well known within these lands, however, last year she confronted the Platinum Shield.”
“I had not known so many grand Iyrn wished to visit us,” the Malawi replied, surprised to hear soone who was related to one of the Ten Paragons here. He had expected news of them if they had arrived, but had not even Samra known of her relation to such a monster?
“Laygak,” Laygak finally said. “Fla Brand is my grandaunt.”
“Fla Brand,” the Malawi said, nodding his head, for a mont his eyes fell upon the half elf, realising he had ntioned her too. “Gangak, yes. A woman who was like a sandstorm, who arrived quickly, blazed brightly, and… she wrote her na into history.”
“Tagak,” Tagak said, shaking the man’s forearm, holding his gaze firmly. “I am also her grandnephew.”
“I, Taygak,” Taygak said. “Fla Brand, grandniece.”
“Taygak, use your words,” Laygak said, patting her back gently.
“Shukhur,” the Malawi said, before switching to the crackling fire of their speech. “It is my honour to et you, Taygak, grandniece of Fla Brand. It is a na I have not heard in many years, but I will never forget it.”
Taygak held the hint of a smile as the old man spoke in the fiery speech.
The Malawi continued to greet all the figures one by one, including the little rman girl, and he even allowed Bael to show such blatant disrespect, since he seed to have taken the visage of an azure half dragon, and as far as he was aware, they preferred to remain in another Realm entirely, and so decided against prompting more from the half dragon.
“Ashmir,” Hassan called, clasping the old man’s forearm. “The spear, too, is one of the Lady’s favourite weapons. You should have retired here, in our humble mountain.”
“It was good fortune to retire in the Iyr, for I was able to finally et my son,” the Lion King replied, causing Dunes to raise his brows in surprise, the Mo turning to face Anka, who exchanged a look with the Priest, though the Malawi and the Kal hadn’t noticed.
“Your son? Shukhur, you should have brought him along, we would have welcod him too,” Hassan said, clasping over the old man’s hand, bowing his head gently.
Ashmir glanced aside, noting the half elf raising his brows, urging him to speak. “I wished to speak with you of that matter.”
“I will, of course, make ti for you, Lion King,” Hassan promised, before welcoming Sokikez, glad to see her return, and exchanging a small greeting with Kal Uli.
“It is good to see you, Mo Hassan, in these trying tis,” Kal Uli stated respectfully, bowing his head, before stepping away.
Once the greetings had passed, the old man greeting even the likes of John, Jonn, and the others, he led the group to a garden nearby, where flowers welcod them in, the long tables, each of simple design, filled with freshly made food, the steam still rising from the assortnt of fruits and vegetables, the rice, the soups, the curries, the hardy vegetables, and the various flat breads.
“I apologise for not greeting you earlier, but I lead the morning prayers and morning tutoring for those within Jabal Adh Aswad,” the Malawi explained.
Adam bit into the flat bread with the raisins, surprised Dunes hadn’t spoken about it to him, the half elf chewing it slowly, his eyes darting back to the Malawi. He tore off a piece for little Kizwolima, while Ashmir brought a small piece for Amal to chew, pausing a mont to think if she should eat such, before realising she was quite the chonky girl, and they had plenty of Priests around, so it should be fine.
“It is wonderful to see so many Iyrn within Black Mountain, Iyrn are always welco to visit, but what is the nature of your visit?” Hassan almost said more, but noted Taygak, so decided against saying sothing that made him sound stupid.
Tanagek inhaled sharply, the Iyrman glancing towards Jurot for a mont. “We were to take Taygak out to explore the world, for it is her right. The business of the United Kindom thought it was best to accompany us, and Dunes wished to return to speak of a matter.”
Dunes smiled awkwardly. ‘Malawi, please…’
“I assu this is the matter about Dunes wishing to join your business?”
“I am not a mber of the business,” Tanagek admitted. “Jurot.”
“If it does not offend you,” Hassan began, smiling gently. “I will speak to the one known as Adam.”
Adam swallowed. “Of course, Malawi.”
Hassan rembered what Korin and Sara had said, but then recalled what his elder brother had stated after drinking tea with the young half elf. “I hear you have quite the tale to speak.”
“Is there any chance I can pray to Lady Arya before we continue? I have so donations for her, but also, it’s to calm my nerves.”
“Why are you so nervous?” Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on novel※fire
“Ah, well, isn’t this the oldest temple to Lady Arya? Even if I follow Lord Sozain more closely, Lady Arya is soone I owe a great debt to.”
“What is this debt?” the Malawi of Jabal Adh Dahab asked curiously.
“It’s hard to explain, but when I was in need, she provided great assistance. It was during a rather terrible ti. I won’t forget that, so I make sure to honour her as I can, and now within this temple.”
“How honourable,” the Malawi stated, trying to judge the half elf. ‘Just what did your eyes see, brother?’
The poor Malawi has no idea what he's in for.
User Comments
0 comments from readers