“Even against Third Ice, you still won!” Jaygak pined. “I bet I couldn’t even nd a hit on him either!”

  The Iyrmen had rented a room to share drinks and snacks, allowing Jaygak to get rid of her pent up frustrations.

  Jurot poured Jaygak another drink. “You would be able to strike him, since he is not Kitool.”

  “You’re right. It’s not because I’m weak, but because Kitool is to! Kitool! Why did you beat me so easily in front of everyone? I’m your best friend!” Jaygak grabbed Kitool and hugged her tight, resting her cheek on top of Kitool’s head. “My best friend.”

  Amokan poured some wine in for the Iyrman too. “It was expected you would be the first to lose.”

  Jaygak opened her eyes to gre at Amokan. The handsome Iyrmaurned a soft smile towards her gre, pushing the cup of wiowards her.

  “You were the weakest out of all of us, even when we were young,” Amokan stated. “How could anyone bme you when you were born so small?”

  “Just you wait!” Jaygak picked up the cup of wine and drank it down. “Adam’s going to make me a Master and then I’m going to beat you!”

  Amokan fshed another smile, a smile far more charming and pyful. “I am certain that will be the case. Timojin and I have worked so hard to bee Experts, and you were all able to rest within the Iyr for half a year and still grow more powerful. Who but Adam could do such a thing?”

  Jurot bowed his head. He had informed Amokan, Timojin, and Ilyakan, of what had occurred over the years. Amokan, who had grown up with the three Iyrmen, had reacted as expected. He had almost cried from his ughter.

  ‘He has to be at least that crazy for us to beat him,’ Amokan had decred.

  “So, you have decided at least to bee a Master?” Amokan asked, looking to Jaygak. “You, who only wished to reach Steel Rank?”

  “A Master is still Steel Rank,” Jaygak replied.

  “Almost Silver,” Amokaed.

  “Almost, but not Silver.”

  “Iyrmen Steel is Aldish Silver.”

  “I might be an iyrman, but the Aldish still beat me.”

  “This tour proves y.”

  Jaygak grabbed a bottle of wine, and reached out to grab Amokan’s colr. “Don’t argue when you’re still sober!”

  Amokan opened his mouth, drinking the wine Jaygak poured down his throat, ughing once he was done drinking.

  Jaygak eventually drank herself to sleep. Kitoed her away to sleep, while Jurot ed up the area. Amokan accepted the bottles of wine ao share them with Timojin and Ilyakan.

  “Did she pin much?” Ilyakan asked, sipping from her tiny cup.

  “As she always does,” Amokan replied, still smiling wide. “I did not expect everything to ge. Jaygak wants to bee Silver Rank at least.”

  “The Jaygak that we know?” Ilyakan poured more wine for herself.

  “The Jaygak that we know,” Amokan firmed, taking a small sip from the cup. “Even Kitool has decided to ge her path.” He gave the pair a look, which told them what they o know.

  Timojin remained silent, falling into thought.

  “We have always wished to bee the Chief of the Iyr,” Amokan said. “Jurot had always wished to bee Gold Rank. Kitool, she always wished to reach Silver Rank, and Jaygak, she always wished to reach Steel Rank.”

  “Kitool’s decision to reach Silver Rank made little sense, siderirength,” Ilyakan said. “Jaygak chose to step down at a fortable position, since she was not as physically capable as you all.” Her eyes fell to Timojin, who was also quite the monster.

  Jurot, Kitool, and Amokan grew up within the shared estate together. Timojin, being Amokan’s rival, had all but grown up with them too. Jaygak, though possessi strength, was closer to the average strength of an Iyrman. Amokan and Timojin each ra the top of their age group in terms of strength, and though Jurot’s physical strength was not at the same level, his family’s abilities would leave him nearly unrivalled in terms of toughness. Even Kitool’s agility was nearly unmatched within her age group.

  These four, their natural abilities were monstrous, even among Iyrmen. They could all reach the heights of a Great Elder if they wished. There were often stories of such. Children, born in the same area, each being well known figures. Golden Children.

  Each of the Great Elders worked alongside their rivals, many of whom they grew up alongside, and each which aimed for the same spot. It was more than likely that if Amokan or Timojin became the Chief, the other would work alongside them as their aid.

  Jurot had decided to adveaking most of his inspiration from his father. Kitool’s inal pn was to reach Silver Rank, and then would decide whether she wao give herself to the Iyr. If she had wao, achieving Gold Rank alongside Jurot was more than reasonable for her. Yet, Jaygak…

  Jaygak, being of born with a weak body, and only being as strong as the average Iyrman, just couldn’t keep up with her patriots. She had resigned herself to retiring after being Steel Rank, before being a Master.

  To think that both Kitool and Jaygak would ge their pns, to reach eveer heights, it filled the group with a different buzz than the buzz of the alcohol, that of a great pride.

  “He,” Amokan said, speaking iongue, “is terrifying.”

  His panions knew who he was talking about. They raised their cups of wine, agreeing with his se, before drinking.

  Adam was an anomaly no one had expected, and to think he held such great abilities, in martial, magid even his other skills. It was a surprise to them all he was allowed to live, especially sidering the Iyr had closed its gates.

  ‘He will force me to work hard once I am Chief,’ Timojin thought, and upon seeing Amokan’s wide grin, realised he was thinking the same thing.

  Omen: 7, 11

  Jaygak wolfed down a rge ptter of food at the arena, enjoying all the special food stuffs on offer to her. Baked potatoes, soft and fluffy, thered in butter and other herbs, to steaks which had been fried i he doors, the smell wafting through the area to ehe others to order. Adam had allowed them all to use the party fund to buy more food and drinks for themselves, and Jaygak had decided to buy as much as she could until she was stuffed.

  “Sponsored by Sir Tamon Littlesea, defeating his foes with his bzing bde, Fming Hyena of the Golden Savages!”

  ‘Tamon Littlesea?’

  “Sponsored by Sir Landon Littlesea, standing firm like an immovable wall like his brother, Chief Executive Officer Adam!”

  Adam smiled at the introdu, raising his axe in the air as he stepped into the arena from his wall. ‘An immovable wall?’

  The crowd was already shouting, filled with a fervour of excitement. One of the warriors was adorned in purple pte mail, and had made a name for himself as defeating one of the top tenders from the he other wore full pte too, though his helmet was fashioned in the shape of a hyena. At his chest was an amulet made of diamond, one worth three hundred gold at least.

  ‘What a nice sword.’ Adam was uo tain his smirk as he circled around the arena, before finally ing across his foe.

  “So you’re Adam,” Fming Hyena said, untg the lower jaw of his helmet, allowing it to drop. He had tan skin, that of am Aswadian, and his dark eyes stared at Adam fiercely.

  “That’s right,” Adam replied. “I see you’re under Sir Tamon Littlesea.”

  “He paid a pretty penny.”

  “How much is a pretty penny?”

  “More than you-,” Fming Hyena cleared his throat. “Five hundred gold upfront, and one hundred gold each month for each member of roup to be paid monthly, for a year.”

  “How many of you are there?”

  “Six.”

  “Are you the stro?”

  “No.”

  Adam smiled from behind his helmet, before realising how rude he was being. He shifted his visor so his oppo could see his face too. “Let us have a fair fight.”

  Fming Hyena tched his helmet together once more. “Yes. May I have a moment to yself?”

  “Of course,” Adam said, stepping away, while stretg out his muscles, and he waited for the man known as Fming Hyena.

  Jurot stared at the pair as they prepared themselves. He had thought to mention the Golden Savages to Adam, sihey were quite det. In fact, in terms of power, Jurot may have bet oo win their segment. However, there was one fw the group possessed, and it was that they did not use shields.

  ‘It deals 1D6 plus 1D6 fire damage, so it match a greatsword, but why does he have no shield?’ Adam thought, trying to figure out what his oppo to. He remaianding still, his hand the hilt of his sheathed bde. ‘Isn’t it weird that my swords have e to hauwice from the same family? What are the ces of that?’

  “Are you the stro?”

  “No.”

  *Increases bet.*