“They’re that strong?” Adam asked, chewing on a leaf which stung the insides of his mouth, the fizzy sensation running along his teeth. Twilight was beginning to creep across the camp, the group already settling down for the night.

  “Yes,” Jurot firmed.

  Adam spat out the leaf and whistled. “It’s like a mini Iyr up north then.”

  “No.” Jurot’s tone was firm.

  “No?”

  “They are not Iyrmen,” Jurot stated, his toill firm. “They may have roots in the Iyr, but they are not Iyrmen.”

  “I’m not saying they’re Iyrmen, but that they are like a mini Iyr up north.”

  “They are not.”

  “They’re simir.”

  “In a way.”

  “I’m not saying they’re Iyrmen,” Adam repeated, awkwardly. “They’re not Iyrmen.”

  “Yes.”

  With the versatiohe group began to settle down for the night, with two people on watch at all times, allowing the knights, the nobles, and Adam, to rest up for the whole night.

  ‘These Bck Rats are crazy,’ Adam thought. ‘It’s a good thialia leaves them alone.’

  Omen: 2, 5

  “Adam.”

  “Sir Landon,” Adam replied, sipping some water after finishing his salted fish.

  “I would like to discuss the matter of the waterwyrm core.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “I would like to offer two thousand gold for it.”

  “Aren’t we already getting you a wraith core?” Adam asked. He didn’t want to give up the waterwyrm core, not when he could use it for enting.

  “It will be in pce of the wraith core.”

  “Oh…” Adam blinked. “That does make sense.”

  “Two thousand gold for the core and art at Life River. You will be free of the task, and two thousand gold richer.”

  “Hmm. Jurot, what do you think?”

  “It is a good deal.”

  Adam reached out a hand. “Once we get to Life River you pay me the two thousand gold and art ways.”

  “As you say.”

  ‘Well, that was easy…’ Adam wondered why everything was going his way. He had way less trouble than he expected during the tour, and the Duchess had even tried to form a close retionship with him, even if it was with slightly aggressive uones behind it. He’d have to check the Adventurer’s Guild to see the offers from the nobles for the magical items.

  Life River was built around the rge river which made its way to East Port, surrounded by miles upon miles of farms. There were no walls as one might have expected, by rings of fences emanating out of the river like ripples.

  Almost every building was made of wood, though that wasn’t ued since most of the surrounding area around was forest. One might have thought that the town was retively defenceless, especially pared to Red Oak, which was about a quarter of its size, with walls at least twice as high as the several fences around the rings of the town.

  However, in the middle of the river, on its own isween the bridge, was the imposing stature of a rge fortress made of sto was the rgest building he could see, easily five stories high. The isnd itself was rge, like a vilge of its own, and the only bridge of the city went towards the isnd, but circled around it, like a roundabout, not ected to it.

  “Damn,” Adam whispered, noting the number of people crossiween the bridges during the evening, easily numbering in the hundreds, if not thousands. Each side of the river had its own docks down river of the fort, though Adam couldn’t see much past it.

  There were guards at the front, but the pair were a young girl, perhaps ten years old, and an older man in his te fifties. They both carried a club or a staff, and wore very little in terms of armour, save for a cloak which held a symbol of Life’s Rose. The pair were eyeing up the group, but upon spotting the noble on the cart, they waved towards them.

  “Sister Vonda!” called the older man as the group approached. “Mother’s blessings! You’ve returned?”

  “Mother’s blessings,” Sir Vonda replied, stepping off the cart. “I have returned for a moment. I am currently still on my journey.”

  “You aren’t to return?” the older man asked, raising his brows as he took her hands in his own.

  “No, I am just passing by.”

  “What unfortunate news,” the older man said, though his lips were a smile. The st time she had been around was when she had left at sixteen, and now she had returned almost five years ter, still the same Vonda he recalled, but no doubt ged from her years of travels. Vonda only bowed her head in response, keeping the fact she returned as an Expert a secret. However, the old man asked with his eyes, but she gave nothing away.

  Adam gnced between the guards, w why a little girl and an old man was weling them, with little to no arms or armour. He eyed up the feoo, before throwing a look to Vonda, who was still speaking to the guard at the gate. ‘I should probably ask her when she’s free.’

  “How are you?” Vonda asked the young girl, taking her hand in her own.

  “I am good,” the girl replied, shyly, squirming uhe young woman’s gaze.

  “How is your little sister?”

  The girl’s eyes sparkled towards Vonda, before she threw a gowards the old man beside her for a moment. “Mari is good.”

  “Good.” Vonda pced a hand on the girl’s head for a moment. “I have returned with donations for the order.”

  “Speaking of donations…” the old man gnced across the entire group. “Since you’re all with Sister Vonda…” His eyes met Sir Landon’s, theed two knights and their attire, before he bowed his head. “A donation of a single silver will do fine for the gate fee. I ot ask for less, sihe donations are for ood Mother.”

  “Just a silver?” Adam asked, reag for his pouch.

  “Yes.”

  “Let’s make it a gold,” Adam said, handing old from his personal funds.

  “Mother’s blessings to you,” the guard said, noting Adam’s holy symbol. “May the good Son bless you too.”

  Adam fshed a smile towards the guard. “You too.”

  The old man almost frowned, but said nothing, allowing the group to pass on through. They made their way through the town with their cart, allowing Vonda to lead them now. Adam remained quiet, noting the few guards around, seeing they were all wearing the symbol of the order.

  “The Order of Life’s Rose is not one of the three official orders of East Aldnd,” Vonda said. “We are not beholden to the Law of Orders, which states the number of official orders which may be active in the regions. There are three in each state, but our order is not sidered an order uhe w. As such, the order hold its own guard force, which it uses to guard the area around the river, and the gates along the main road.”

  “Oh? That’s pretty cool.” ‘How do the nobles feel about that?’ Adam thought, before ahought passed through his mind. “How e its not a part of the Law of Orders?”

  “It was iated when the w was first put into pce,” Vonda expihough she kept the threats their order made if they were included. “In war, there are a number of warriors expected to join the war effort from the various orders, at least a Master and a few Experts from each order, but our order is not expected to join in the same manner. We provide our healing to all those who require it, and as such, we send our order members onto the front lines a short while ter to assist with keeping casualties to a minimum.”

  “Doesn’t sound like a good idea for Aldnd,” Adam said.

  “We are not beholden just to the nd we live in, but all the nds, even those across the seas, for that is the Mother’s will. Though it may be frustrating, we have garnered much sympathy from the surrounding nds. During times to call for peace, Aldnd has gained many bes due to our order, whether in victory or defeat.”

  “Ah?”

  “Our order carries weight even as far at the federacy, and Noska.”

  “So the order is a little bit like the Iyr?” Adam asked.

  “In some ways,” Jurot admitted.

  “Cool.”

  “I will escort you to the Adventurer’s Guild, but I must visit the order. Are we to leave tomorrow?”

  “We probably will, yeah.”

  “I will meet you in the m at the guild.”

  “Alright.”

  The Adventurer’s Guild was about as Adam had expected, though seemed more pin in this town. However, opposite the Adventurer’s Guild was a tall building, and he spotted the symbol of Life’s Rose, that of a blooming white rose.

  Vonda, and Sir Landoo visit the building ohe group had been dropped off at the guild.

  “I didn’t realise the Order of Life’s Rose was so big…”

  “It holds the greatest influen the nd,” Jurot firmed.

  Adam leaned in to whisper. “If we make Vonda into a Master, you think they’ll be o me?”

  “They will be o you because it is their role.”

  “Do they like Elves?”

  “They may hold some judgement against you due to the massacre, but they will not leave you to die if you need help,” Jurot said. “It is not their way.”

  “Have they ever left someoo die?”

  “If it was too difficult to assist them.”

  “That’s pretty ve, no?”

  “No,” Jurot said. “If they do so because they did not wish to help, they would lose their magic.”

  “Oh.”

  Woke up not feeling too great since my sleep is rough again but I caught so many typos in this chapter so I'm happy.