Chương 1803: [1700] – Y07.200 – Darkness on the Horizon X

A figure stepped into the complex. He carried within his arms a small child, red of skin, black hair, thick and curly, floating around the tiny nubs which formed her horns. It was not the man they expected to be holding the girl, but certainly, they were not surprised.

"Executive!" Remy half exclaimed in excitement, standing, alongside Rick, Jeremy, and the others who held such a position, though his voice was drowned out by the children, who excitedly rushed over to greet him.

"Stop!" called the only figure there who outranked even the Executive, causing the children to stop.

"I leave you all for just one or two months and you forget your manners? You must form an orderly queue, for this is the United Kindom."

'She's just so effortlessly funny…' Adam thought, tears beginning to form in his eyes as he tried to contain his laughter. Jirot let out a satisfied sigh as the children formed their queue, beginning from the youngest to the oldest, though some of the youngest children remained within the arms of their parents. The girl raised her hand, and then turned towards her father.

"It is time, daddy."

"Indeed, it is time."

'Ah,' little Jarot thought.

'It is time.' It was time. The ribbons, the scarves, the hats, the tokens, the jewellery, as Adam greeted the children he showered them in such gifts.

"Alya, Asya, do you think I would forget you?" Adam asked, peeking down at the devilkin girls, their beautiful skin, their tiny nubs, and their long hair, which was once curly, and now straight.

"Ahm…" the girls replied innocently, blinking up towards him.

"Since you know this fool is your ahm, I will forgive you for thinking so," Adam joked, pinching their cheeks, glad they were properly chubby, although it was their elder brother, Mustafa, who was so chonky. Once he had greeted all of the children, he was swarmed by them all once more, who jabbered away with a thousand questions, but he wanted to step aside to greet his three nephews, but he remained with the children for a short while, until finally he had to stop them.

"You'll listen to the story and that's where you'll learn what trouble your Executive caused." As Adam made the rounds, he greeted all the adults too, until finally coming across a particular figure, peeking down towards him, and then the triplets.

"Working hard?"

"I am trying, Executive," John, the father of the triplets, replied.

"Hardly working is the right response."

"I hope not."

"Anyway, anyway, I just so happened to bring a few gifts for little Garath, Owaen and Tristaen, just this and that, you know," Adam replied, but John had known the half elf long enough to know they were rather heavy gifts. Meanwhile, the half elf wondered how to…

'Wait. Why didn't I…' Adam stepped away, covering his face in shame.

'How is it that I didn't let Nirot show off? Am I an idiot? I can't covet my adorable nephews if I'm so stupid like this. Damn it! No wonder Jirot has been bullying me harder than usual, she must have instinctively known.'

"Daddy is thinking of something stupid," Jirot whispered into her aila's ear, peeking up towards the woman, who nodded, wrapping her arms around the twins tighter, as if trying to claim the two as her own. As Adam finished greeting the businessfolk, he invited them all to the central fire, in which the many Iyrmen would gather around in order to hear of the tale of the half elf, the one who was known through the Iyr, and his family, who had been known through the Iyr since its inception.

"Did you have fun?" Lead Fred asked, and Manager Jonn replied back with a gentle sigh.

'What happened?' Fred didn't need to wait long as they begun to speak the tale, mentioning the various Commanders, great warriors, and not just the name of the fool of a father, but the likes of Chosen, Tanagek, and others. It was when they heard the half elf had defeated the Fariq Thanwi, and then the Fariq, of the Amber Blades, then clashed with the Sleeping Dragon of Arisa, did they all understand the kind of tale this was going to be.

Then when they mentioned the New Moon, it seemed that was only an appetiser, for those of the business hadn't expected Adam to defeat the Radiant Blade. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Twice. In a single evening. It was their Executive who had now confirmed himself as one of the strongest across the lands.

When the tale mentioned this name and that name, from Strong Steel Sword, to others, most weren't sure who they were, however, there was one, a figure who remained within the shadows, who listened intently.

'It seems even I would be unable to defeat him…' Bilal thought, considering all that he had heard. He knew of many of these names, for they were thought he had brushed past in his time in Aswadasad, some of whom knew him, and some of them he had already fought, and others, he had killed their mentors. Once the tale was spoken, the business people glanced between one another, and even the children, having heard of how strong their Executive was, could feel the oppression on their shoulders.

Adam let out a loud, satisfied sigh as he finished his tea, leaning back in his chair.

"For the rest of the year, we shall remain behind, and next year, as we hand over the various weapons that we charged a pretty copper for, we, of the United Kindom, will step onto the battlefield to deal with the Reavers." Those of the business were full of a sudden surprise, for they had no idea he was going to make them step onto the battlefield with the Reavers.

Those Reavers, who even Nobby couldn't deal with, and behind the Iyrmen, he stood tall and proud, he who was probably the strongest if you ignored all the monsters, and perhaps, was a monster himself.

"Those of you who wish to step out, you may join us, but I will have you know that it will be quite dangerous, so only do so if you are willing to risk your life, and potentially, never return." Adam's words were full of a heaviness, but once more, they realised who he was, for there was no way he would ever force them to step out.

"It will be a good chance for you to gain greater strength, but the risk is as high as the reward, and, obviously, I don't expect anyone to step out, so don't feel burdened by it."

'What kind of idiot would go and fight the Reavers?' Rowan thought.

'I should speak with the others,' Rick thought, for it was they who had fought alongside the Executive longest, save for his personal friends and family. How many years ago had it been since they met? Half a decade or so? In that time they had reached the realm of Expert, and beyond that, they had even met one of the Divine, and upon this battlefield, they would meet the Divine too, one way or another.

"Ah, right," Adam called, having just realised.

"Since it's dangerous, that dangerous, I'll say that you have to be at least an Expert to step out onto that battlefield."

"Good!" came a shout, of a figure who wore a long cloak, cut off at the elbows, and wore light chain, and carried a sword at his side. His black hair was cut short, contrasting his grey skin, tinged by the slightest of green. The tusks at the corners of his lower lip had been silvered, with tiny engravings within.

"Since ah had ta step back this time, ah was hoping ah'd be able ta have some fun, and if it's those who are at least Experts, then ah won't have ta watch over anyone during our fun!"

"I'll collect all the names and for those who wish to step out, you will be lent a magical weapon while we're out, and should you ever decide you don't want to step out, you may speak with me personally, and I will not hold it against you," Adam assured.

"Even if we are not as strong as you, Executive, we're still warriors with hearts of steel!" Tork declared loudly.

'Whoa,' Jirot thought.

'Mister Tork is so cool!'

"It's easy for me to say that sort of thing, because I can, with one hand, beat the day and night out of the Radiant Blade," Adam said, holding up his fist, clenching it tightly.

"I'm not the kind of coward who thinks everyone should think like me, when I am blessed by the Divine so, and I've never had to work hard for all my power. However, you all, are you as lucky as me? Even if I did defeat a great number of figures, did I do it only with my own skill? My own powers? No.

The only reason I can stand and fight against the likes of the Paragons you know is because I was blessed by the Divine, but you, each of you who had to crawl your way, bite your way, to become Experts, are the ones who must choose for yourself. I won't ask you, those of you have earned your place, to die for this business. Even I, am not that much of a fool."

"I'll need to go to watch over my brother," Mork said, holding Tork's gaze, who narrowed his eyes, but he had decided to keep his thoughts to himself.

"I will fight," Rick said, with Harriet turning towards him with shocked brows.

"Ah, why did you have to say that?" Archer John replied, letting out a sigh.

"I was planning on painting something big next year, but I suppose my arrows will be my brush?" Charley nodded, followed by Ivy's side eye, and the woman also nodded, and Greg sat up taller and prouder.

"Is that why you made us into Leads?" Remy joked.

"I suppose we'll have to earn our keep now," Jeremy also joked.

"I want to go too…" Brittany admitted, swept away with the mood, but as she thought back to the previous year, and the itch in her fingers, she wanted to step out.

"Are you going?" Vasera asked.

"Of course," Adam replied, and then came the echoes after his words.

"I have to go."

"You have to?"

"I'm going to beat up the Reaver King!" Adam declared, holding up a fist, as little Ranya turned, and she, too, thrust a fist into the air with a wail.

"Are the other Executives stepping out?"

"I must watch over Adam, for he may find himself in danger with the Aldish and the Aswadians," Jurot joked, his eyes trailing to the side to meet Mork's eyes, and the pair shared the joke within their eyes.

"I hope the Enchanter will consider that we will also step out," Vasera said, holding Adam's gaze.

"Don't worry, I'll inform the Enchanter personally," Adam assured, and a small smile appeared on his lips.

"I suppose I should banish the Reavers too," Korin said.

"Why?" Sara replied.

"If I don't, I think my niece will beat me, for I have not been able to give her any cousins," Korin said, peeking down at Jirot, who peeked up towards him.

"If you know…" Jirot sipped her tea. It was the thought of the Reavers which filled their minds.

'Did I accidentally mention the Reavers during a time when they're all amped up?' Adam thought, feeling as though he had accidentally pressured them.

'I guess I'll have to talk to them, or… I guess I'll have to make sure the weapons are decent.'