“To allow Demons to travel the nd, it is a-,”

  “Sir Markin, do not misuand,” Lord Zakaria replied. “I am gd for your sel, but you must remember there are many who know things you do not.”

  “If the order learns of this matter-,”

  “You should be wary to break our cohesion with your incessant pining about the matter,” the Baron replied, gring at the knight through his helmet. “Have you no idea why I may have decided against starting trouble?”

  “I do not.”

  “You heard how powerful they were,” the Baron said. “Even their porters are Experts.”

  “Tall tales, I’m sure.”

  “From an Iyrman?”

  “…”

  “You have no idea who that Iyrman is, do you?”

  “No?”

  “Apparently, his father assisted Sir Rond, that alone should be enough to stifle your pints, but if it’s not enough, then perhaps I should tell you of another who holds the same tattoo?”

  “…”

  “Did you receive news retly about a Viander of your order.”

  “Yes, he…” The rider fell silent for along moment, recalling the information he had received. He reached up to the amulet on his chest, that of a bck moon. “That young Iyrman, he…”

  “When I was a boy, I was expected to study in order to take the duties of a Baron. Every m I would run along the same trail before I would bathe. I do not remember the soap I had used, whether it was from Aswadasad or East Port. I would eat pe, but I do not remember which fruit I ate with it. As we age, our memories of our past ge, so we fet obvious details…”

  The Baron fell silent for a long moment. “We received a guest that day. A young Iyrman, around the same age as Sir Rond is noarently, he had visited our family once previously, in order to fight against the captain of uard. Do you recall of the one called Seasword?”

  “Dane Seasword?”

  “Dane Seasword,” Lord Zakaria firmed.

  “Are you talking about the same Seasword who went to the northern isnd aurned back alive?”

  “The very same.”

  “I know of him.”

  “He was the captain of uard.”

  Sir Markin raised his brows. “How did that e to pass?”

  “That is not important,” the Baron replied. “The Iyrman who had arrived that day challenged Seasword. They had met years prior, when I was still a babe who could but barely craarently, the Iyrman had forced his way in to fight Seasword, who was sidered a Grandmaster, and Seasword had almost cut him down. That same Iyrman had returned not even a decade ter to face Seaswain, having spent years adventuring in the north, even beyond Aldish nds, wetting his axe red. He wielded a red shield and a red axe. Some say it was from all the blood he soaked in.”

  “What a savage.”

  “He had returned, still not even half Seasword’s age, and the pair fought. Seasword erhaps in his fifties at the time, and though his body had grown frailer with age, Seasword was still no slouch. You could have sent two Experts to fight him at once, and he’d still cut them down like he was carving a roasted boar.”

  “…”

  “I do not remember the soap that I used. I do not remember the fruit I ate…” Lord Zakaria felt a cold sweat begin to pour down his back. “No, I do not remember such details, but I remember that wild grin. I remember that howling ughter. I remember the blue circle and the blue diamonds on his forehead.”

  The warrior from the order remained silent, staring at the Baron, who was leading the pany of mounted warriors, each great warriors in their ht, save a handful who were assisting with logistics.

  “I told you I would return,” the Baron reted, his voice low, almost like a growl. “I told you, you sea fucker. I told you I’d e and taste your blood.”

  “What?”

  “Those were the words he said when he loomed over the half dying Seasword,” the Baron stated, still looking to the past. “The Mad Dog. He, who had lost to Seasword, had returned not a decade ter, and had cut the great warrior dow, right as he had started to make a name for himself, the Iyrman disappeared. I had no idea where he had gone, and though I heard rumours that he we to Aswadasad to face a Dragon, I did not hear much else. Then, I heard that an Iyrman with one arm killed the Viander of an order, and not just any order…”

  “But the Order of the Bck Moon,” Sir Markin replied, holding his amulet. “Is it really the same?”

  “I heard it was an Iyrman with one arm, but the tattoo on his forehead, and the fact that he seemed to enjoy it…” Lord Zakaria thought back to that memory, one of the first memories in his mind. “That young Iyrman pced first iour. The very same tour in which Sir Gordan was gifted First Ice to face against several Iyrmen, a pced fourth.”

  “…”

  “That young man no doubt beat Sir Gordan, but he mentiohat his panion, Kitool was it? She pced sed. Meaning she, too, beat Sir Gordan when he wielded First Ice, but… I don’t recall her tattoos o. It is ohing to be reted to a monster like Mad Dog, but it is another for the young woman to be reted to nobody signifit and still pce sed amongst the greatest of warriors of their age.”

  “Our warriors did not fight.”

  “How fortunate you are not embarrassed,” Lord Zakaria replied. “If the Demons act up, it will be up to those above us to deal with the matter.”

  “They may bme you.”

  “They may, but I would rather face the Demons I know, than a Demon I do not.”

  Sir Markin remained silent, allowing the Baron the slip of the tongue, sidering how tense he seemed. It expined why the Baron didn’t decide to demand for war tax from the group.

  Meanwhile, Adam’s group were finally allowed to enter West Fort, which was definitely more like East Port than it was to South Fort. A rge district made up the docks, a swarm of ships docked, with many more out fishing and patrolling the nearby waters. The dock workers seemed to be an anised mess, though sometimes it bordered on disanised as some workers cshed together, cursing at one another before they tinued about their business, all in a rush.

  “Why do they call it West Fort and not West Port?” Adam asked.

  “The fort is towards the mountain, and houses a rge number of soldiers,” Jurot stated.

  “How many soldiers?”

  “Five thousand.”

  “Is that a rge number?” Adam asked, sidering the city could easily raise a huhousand.

  “There is a rger number of soldiers in the north, where most skirmishes occur,” Jurot admitted. “The five thousand within the fort are veterans. It does not include other outposts nearby, they house an additional five thousand soldiers, a thousand of which are riders, like those who had left.”

  “So about ten thousand?”

  “Five thousand in the main fort, and a thousand in each outpost nearby,” Jurot firmed. “There are scripts who are trained and used as a reserve force for polig too, and they number five thousand in this city, and a thousand in other towns and cities withiral Aldnd.”

  “Do the cities have their own guard?”

  “Yes. The reserve force are additional warriors, those which are gathered first to be led by the experienced veterans.”

  “Oh, makes sense.”

  The Adventurer’s Guild withi Fort was built he docks district, beside a stream. It was built as rge as the Adventurer’s Guild i Port, and could easily house dozens of parties with ease, and perhaps hundreds if required. Nearby was a guard outpost, and ae full of artisans.

  As they ehe guild Adam noted how rexed everyone was. Though adventurers rexed iher guilds, here most people only carried a bde at their side, and there were fewer people adorned in any bit of armour.

  ‘What’s this about?’ Adam thought, befng to the side where he saw the familiar form of his panions. “Dunes!” Adam called out as Jurot went towards the reception to speak of their business.

  “Adam!” Dunes replied, standing up quickly to greet the Half Elf. “Were your travels safe?”

  “They were, they were,” Adam replied, shaking his forearm. “How have you all been?”

  “We’ve been well.” Dunes fshed a charming smile towards the Half Elf. “It’s good to see you, Adam.”

  “Everything okay?”

  “It’s… fine,” Dunes sighed lightly, though his face was still filled with half a smile. “We’re still looking for Amira, but we have been uo locate her.”

  “It’s alright, I’m here now.” Adam pat Dunes’ back. “We’ve got quite the story to tell you, my friend.”

  “I noticed,” Dunes replied, motioning his head to Jonn. “He would not tell us.”

  “Why not?”

  “He said that it would be best if it came from the lips of Adam, or the Iyrmen.”

  “He’s n.” Adam chuckled, befoing to greet Lady Sara, Korin, Fred, and finally Jonn. “You alright?”

  “Yes,” Jonn replied, before falling silent.

  Well, he was the first oo beat Adam, so he must have been kind of strong?