‘How many times did I warn you?’ the Amira thought, and though she could try to brush it off, she could feel the intense pressure of the half elf before her, and the great warrior beside her. The two were not just any warriors, one who had recently claimed his position among some of the greatest warriors, and one whose name was known from Aldland to the Confederacy.
The Amira leaned back, letting out a gentle sigh, her entire form relaxed, for she would not court death from the Iyr, not from Life’s Rose, or even a particularly terrifying father.
“It seems I shall be able to grant the requests I have received from you both,” the Amira said, intertwining her fingers together, her eyes firmly fixated on the half elf.
Adam’s lips began to form a gentle smile, the kind which reached up to his eyes, and even went so far as to reveal his canines, slightly sharper than most, from his ancient fae blood. “I’ll go put on my armour.”
As the half elf stepped away, the Amira let out another sigh, and noted where the children were looking.
“Daddy, I will help you,” Jirot said, rushing up to her father, little Jarot following after, and the triplets’ steps echoed from behind.
“Thank you, thank you, my dears,” Adam replied, still smiling towards his children, who smiled in return and they assisted with the straps and buckles.
“Daddy, I am going to bet a thousand gold,” Jirot said.
“You cannot bet, you are too young, and you will teach little Adarot such bad habits.”
Jirot blinked, pulling back slightly, glancing at her father from the side. If he was going this far, it meant he wasn’t going to lose, so the girl held up a blade like finger, but after a moment, showed him mercy. “Hmph! You dare to lose, we will see who I call my daddy.”
“Dear, did you know?”
“I know,” Jirot replied, her eyes holding her father’s gaze. “We will be watching, daddy.”
The half elf’s lips twitched upwards and once he was finally within his armour, he donned his helmet, hiding his face from the world, and no longer did his smile reach his eyes.
“By Noor’s Rays, I must insist this is a gentle duel,” Amira Miriam said, mostly for the half elf, but part of it was for the Radiant Blade beside her, even though she was certain neither would go too far to kill one another.
“As you command,” the Radiant Blade replied, stepping forward, surrounded by the Iyrmen, her liege behind her.
“Jirot, Jarot, I know you’ll be watching carefully, but this fight, I’ll dedicate to you too,” the half elf said, his shield ahead of him as he raised his axe up high and then behind his shoulder, half twisting his torso, his cloak fluttering lightly. “This is your father’s axe.”
The twins stared out towards their father expectantly.
‘You should at least use my axe, you brat,’ the old fool thought, crossing his arms, but even his hair stood on end.
‘You don’t need to show me everything this time,’ Adam thought, for he wanted to see it clearly, as clear as everyone else.
The Amira stared towards the pair of them, and she glanced aside towards the Ray, who bowed her head reassuringly. “You may begin.”
‘To think I would-,’ the Radiant Blade thought, until the air suddenly grew cold.
Battle Order: 19 (18)
Fighting Spirit: 2/3
Attack: 31 (11/20)
Mana: 34/39
Damage: 77
Attack: 30 (7/19)
Mana: 29/39
Damage: 87
The ringing of magical steel filled the air, and as the Radiant Blade drew her blade to defend herself from the mountain that was Adam, she flew backwards, her arms aching from barely managing to fend off the half elf’s onslaught, and as she tried to stab forward, she found her arms trembling too wildly, and leapt away, and as the half elf would make to follow her, she would try her best to defend herself and then try to find the tiniest gap within his great armour. Though he had managed to force her back, in a way she had not felt in decades, the woman prepared herself.
Yet, where was he?
As her eyes took in his sight, she noted the way he was pointing at her, half holding his axe, a finger aimed directly towards her, and the woman prepared her sword to fend off the magic.
“Kal Uli. Kal Korin. Please heal her.”
‘What?’
Kal Uli turned to look towards the Amira, who stared at the half elf.
“She doesn’t realise it, but I almost brought her down with those blows, but the adrenaline is going to wear off in a moment,” the half elf said. “It’s not enough. I want to beat her twice in a single evening, so please, heal her.”
The half elf’s words were polite, and though his tone held a certain politeness, the tension in the half elf’s body meant he was fighting against something else, something internal, something from the Radiant Blade, but not from her might.
The woman’s blade continued to tremble, and though she managed to get a hold of the trembling blade, she could feel the ache begin to set deep within her entire body.
Kal Uli stepped forward, and as he held out his hand, his magic slipped through her, and though he wielded much of his healing magic, the woman still looked pale. Kal Korin stepped forward, and after apologising, he, too, healed the woman, with great magic, and yet she was still heavily wounded.
“How much did I warn you?” Kal Zahid asked, stepping forward, healing the woman, though only after offering his hands demurely, and the woman allowing him to hold but a pinky as he healed her. Even after the Kal prayed, the woman was still not at the height of her strength, but the Kal continued his prayers, and continued to cast his magics, healing the woman. ‘Paragon’s always require so much…’
The Radiant Blade stepped forward, and as she raised her blade ahead of her, and half turned her body. Her blade began to glow gently as the two glared between one another.
Battle Order: 12 (11)
Mana: 28/39
Spell: Shield
Defence: 31
The Radiant Blade’s sword was light.
It blurred through the air, and as it struck the tip of Adam’s shield, it burst with great light, threatening to blind many, but as Adam peeked over his shield, willing forth his magic to protect himself, the followed raised his shoulders, and tensed himself against the great swordplay of the woman before him, who tried to find the gaps between his armour, and yet the half elf shrugged off her blade.
‘Impossible!’ the woman thought, leaping away from the half elf.
“Why is your blade so dim?” the half elf asked, leaping after her.
Fighting Spirit: 1/3
Attack: 27 (13/16)
Mana: 25/39
Damage: 40
Attack: 28 (15/17)
Mana: 22/39
Damage: 37
Onward Soar: 0/1
Attack: 28 (7/17)
Mana: 19/39
Damage: 34
Attack: 21 (4/10)
Mana: 16/39
Damage: 34
It was their father’s axe.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Violent.
As the ringing steel continued to pierce through the air, the sparks of magical steel and magical light flew through the air, the half elf stepping forward as he chased the Radiant Blade, who continued to chase after her, even as her blade continued to slip through the air, trying to force the half elf away.
Mana: 15/39
Spell: Shield
Defence: 31
‘How can this be?’ the Radiant Blade thought as the half elf dismissed her sword with a swing of his shield, and his heavy axe followed a moment later.
Attack: 20 (9)
Miss!
Attack: 27 (16)
Mana: 12/39
Damage: 42
As she ducked under a swing, and her blade beamed towards the half elf’s neck, a blur of magical steel from the side of her vision struck her across the side of her temple, causing the woman to flip until her body thudded to the side, limp.
A shadow loomed over her.
Adam readied his healing magic, but as he made to sheathe his axe, he paused.
“One more time.”
“I believe that is enough.”
“Her eyes are too bright,” the half elf replied simply, glaring towards the young woman, whose fingers remained clasped together, and she seemed completely relaxed.
“I am certain she understands,” Miriam replied.
The half elf remained tense over the Radiant Blade, who hadn’t even managed to press him a single time, and yet he had struck her with such force, even though the Paragon known as the Crimson Blade had managed to heal her completely, she still found herself unconscious before the half elf.
“My grandson fought so well,” the woman said, raising a hot cup of tea, the kind that would have scalded any other, but as she sipped away, she let out a satisfied sigh.
Kal Zahid let out a soft sigh, glad the woman had spoken up, for he wasn’t sure if he would have been able to ask him to step back.
The half elf squatted over the woman, and with a single finger, jabbed the woman against her neck.
Lay on Hands: 50 -> 49
As the warmth flowed from his finger and flashed across her neck and her head, the woman’s body jolted, and the first thing she saw was the glare behind the steel, and though she weakly raised her blade, her body moving by itself, it did not reach the mountain that was Adam.
“You’re welcome,” the half elf stated, his tone dark and heavy.
Halifa understood the words weren’t meant for the healing.