Adam stared at the Duke’s face, his eyes still open, staring ahead of him, propped up on his grandson’s shoulder.

  The air grew thid heavy. The shock of the Duke’s death rippled through the lords, like a pebble dropping into a still ke. All remained silent for a moment before the gasps of the oners broke the silence. Duke Ironrock stepped forward, though stopped as Adam almost leapt beside the Prinbsp;

  The Priurned, staring at Adam, his eyes lost like a deer struck by headlights.

  “Duke Moonglow has worked hard and now he must rest,” Adam said, trying to find his thoughts, swallowing deeply. “Sir Charles, please take the lord’s body and prepare him for the funeral.”

  Duke Brasswall stepped forward, but stopped upon seeing Adam’s sharp look towards him, threatening to cut him like a bde. Duke Gerald Brasswall gred at the half elf. “I was the closest with the Duke.”

  “You were,” Adam relented, “and you were greatly rewarded for your service to a higher station. This matter should be dealt with by his knights and household, not by the nobles of other houses.”

  Duke Brasswall remained gring at the half elf, but he couldn’t step forward, not when it wasn’t his pce to do so. He, who had stood by the Duke’s side for so long, couldn’t step forward at this time?

  An older man stepped forward from the crowd, a man in his te sixties, stopping Duke Ironrock’s words as they all turo face him. He wore finer clothes than a typical ohough not quite as fine as the lords around. He carried a short bde at his side. His hair was thin, though he had still grown it out, yet his moustache was thibsp;

  “Sir Hadrick,” Duke Brasswall greeted the older man.

  “If it will please your lordships, I will assist with the funeral,” the old man offered.

  “I will leave the former Duke in your capable hands,” Duke Brasswall stated.

  “Prince Moonglow, we should proceed with your ceremony before we tinue discussions,” Adam said.

  “What an ominous sign,” Duke Ironrock called. “The former Duke wished to be a king, but the Sun Father took him away.”

  The lords nearby grumbled.

  “The Sun Father took him at great light for his hard work in life,” Adam replied, gring at the Duke.

  “How suspicious that the Duke had fallen as you caused trouble.”

  Adam narrowed his eyes. “I believe you may have a point, Duke Ironrock. You caused trouble for the former Duke and now he has passed.”

  “It was the former Duke Moonglow whht us here together, but now what? You want us to ate his young son as the King of Maronia?”

  “With the blessing of the Steward of Maronia, I do not see why we ot,” Adam replied.

  “I will not agree,” Duke Ironrock stated.

  “I will not agree,” the Duchess added.

  Duke Brasswall stepped forward, his entire body tense as he gred at the pair across from him. “I will agree with the ation of the Prince.”

  Adam sighed. ‘I wasn’t sure if he would step forward, but that makes it easy.’ “I also agree with Duke Brasswall.”

  “I will not accept the words of a fner,” Duke Ironrock stated. “Such a state born from the meddling of fners will only lead to disaster.”

  ‘It’s not like I refute that, sidering I’m a Brit,’ Adam thought. “I was brought up to the rank of Duke by the former Duke, and so I will do what I for this nd in his honour.”

  “You all speak so easily while my grandfather has passed,” the Prince said, his entire body shaking red hot with rage.

  “Prince Moonglow, what were the st words of yrandfather?” Adam asked.

  The Prince blinked, his fury tempered by fusion. “Please?”

  “And to whom did he say such words?” Adam asked.

  “You?”

  “Yrandfather, with his dying breath, requested I make you a king, and I io do just that,” Adam said. “It doesn’t matter how many more nobles I have to kill to do it.”

  “This farce should e to an end,” Duke Ironrock shouted. “I will not kneel before some puppet king of a fner!”

  “I agree with the good Duke Ironrock,” the Duchess added.

  The lnced between another, w what was going to happen here.

  “You!” Duke Brasswall growled, reag for his bde, but he found a firm grip against his elbow.

  “No one will dare to spill blood here uhe sight of the Sun Father,” Adam stated, firmly. “Those who wish to remain within the prote of the Kingdom of Maronia may remain, and those who wish to leave, may do so peacefully. Ohe ation of the young Prince is dealt with, we shall e and bring you to heel, and you will see what it means to refuse the mercy which had been gifted to you.”

  The lords all g the two ducal lords, the pair throwing a domineering look towards their own nobles, leaving no room to disagree, before they made to leave.

  “Knights, escort the lords out of town and bar the gates,” Adam ahe knights of the town gowards Adam, a duke uheir own lord, but he was still not their liege lord. However, it was the knights Adam had knights who escorted the ducal lords out, though the trio of Iyrmen remained near Crowseer.

  Two thirds of the lords remained, many the previous Duke had personally lifted into their positions.

  “Are there any here who will refuse the Prince’s rights?” Adam asked, no longer ied in going through the ceremony as he had inally pnned. Silence followed. “Good.”

  Adam o Prince Robert, the little boy he had adopted as his trainee months ago. The boy wore heavier armour, which jangled as he stepped forward. “I uand that many of you do not trust me, partly because those who held your titles before you had the misfortune of meeting me. I will inform you now, I do not io keep my title for long, for I must return home. The title of duke does not i me in the slightest, and I do not know my people enough to lord over them for I e from another nd, another culture.”

  “However, Prince Robert here was born as one of you. No, he ecifically born in this town. He had suffered plenty of injustices in this town. From the treatment he had received from some of his unity, to the suffering he had received from the hands of those who worked with Night Lords.” Adam held out a hand, and Sir Charles Junior, the son of the knight who had taken the previous Duke away, brought a bde which had beely crafted, and even more retly ented.

  “There must be someone whs justice to this world, tht the wrongs itted by the nd and its people. For the weeping mothers who lost their husbands and children to war. For the children the world abandoned after tearing them away from their parents.” Adam raised up the bde. “Oathbde, for the one who will take the title of Oathbde.”

  Prince Robert k before Adam, the young boy having practised for the st few days. Adam had him swear his oaths, the same oaths he had prepared previously, and the same oaths which would form him into a true Guardian.

  “Arise Prince Robert Littletree, for yrahe title of Oathbde. From now until the end of time, it shall only be those chosen by the Oathbde who will forever hold the title.”

  The bde Adam had ented for him had been te for the boy, a bde which could be found in the hands of Amokan or Timojihe boy wore his iance, his body not quite as thin as it had been previously, his cheeks full of fat, puffed out with pride.

  The oners cpped, watg as the boy stood, though they were still unsure of what they were witnessing. Such a ceremony was typically from the past, not from the days of now.

  The ceremony tinued, with the Steward of Maronia taking the title of duke. Thus were borhree Dukes. One who took the title of Steward, one who took the title of Sword, and the st, that of the Brasswalls, who took the title of Shield.

  Adam looked towards the Steward, passing the and the bde to him, each which tingled with magic. The Steward’s eyes fell to Adam, who merely bowed his head. Adam had dooo much alread, and in order for there to be stability and bahe future dukes and kings would heir own specific roles.

  Quest plete: DukedomXP Gained: +100XP: 15 500 -> 15 600

  Quest plete: ferring KingshipXP Gained: +100XP: 15 600 -> 15 700

  Adam stared at the rewards. It was already so te in the year, but he couldn’t stop now, not when he could taste the rewards of the final quest.

  ‘I’m really going this far just so the Iyrmen kill me?’ Adam shook his head, smirking slightly. ‘I should deal with the most important thing, though…’

  Adam and Jurot sat opposite Crowseer and the young woman, who seemed to be in her mid teens. If Adam passed her by he wouldn’t even have registered her, but upon seeing her, he found the averageness of this young woman to be suspicious.

  “So you’ll follow me even to this nd?” Adam asked, p them eae tea he had procured from the King’s pantry.

  “I o speak with you,” Crowseer replied.

  “You wao… speak with me?” Adam stared at Crowseer. Though they had crossed paths a few times, Crowseer had never e to specifically meet with Adam, as far as he was aware.

  “Crowseer…” Jurot gred at the figure. “How have you e here?”

  “I have my ways.”

  “You will be punished for your transgression.”

  “I will ask for mercy wheurns,” Crowseer replied, smirking slightly, for Jurot hadn’t realised which Great Elder he referred to. “I wish to speak with you alone, Adam.”

  “Anything you say to me you say to Jurot,” Adam replied.

  “It must be only you.”

  “Why?”

  “They should not hear of this.”

  “Crowseer, there is no way I’m going to be able to keep what you tell me a secret, especially sidering an ability I will gain iure.” Adam shrugged his shoulders.

  Crowseer remained silent for a moment, closing his eyes as he thought deeply. It was true enough, for Adam was someone who was still being judged by the Iyr. “The Iyr’s trust is hardly earned and easily lost.”

  “Not so easy,” Jurot corrected.

  “No, perhaps not quite so easily, but to most it may be sidered easily,” Crowseer replied, fshing a smile. “Very well. I wish to ask you to take the girl with you.”

  “No,” the Iyrman replied instantly. “We ot.”

  “Her aor made a deal with a Night Lord,” Crowseer said, looking towards Adam. “She will die if she remains here. You must take her with you.”

  “I don’t quite believe that’s the end of the story.”

  “She is an enter, one who would be useful to your business,” Crowseer said. “I ot say more, except she will, more than likely, only be a boon to you.”

  “What’s in it for you?”

  Crowseer smiled wider in response, his smile sickly i. “I would not fet this favour.”

  “Hmmm…” Adam wasn’t sure. He retty sure he wasn’t allowed t the girl back over to the other side. ‘The Iyr might really kill me if I mess about too much.’

  Crowseer reached into his cloak and took out a small crystal, one which was no bigger than his thumb, before pg it oable. “Expend yito the crystal and it will grow. You will be able to harvest the material to smith into ons and armour iure. I believe you picked up anem, one which will require your blood and magic. I would reend you do so. I hope that is payment enough to ease your worries.”

  “You’ll owe me ooo?”

  “I will surely repay you for your faith in me.”

  “Faith and not trust?”

  “Should you trust me?”

  “Fair point.” Adam sighed. “It’ll be difficult to keep her protected sidering what I have pnned.”

  “You may allow her to remain with Duke Brasswall, who will appreciate her presence while you assist the King.”

  “Crowseer, you’re one scary guy…”

  Crowseer smiled once more. “I am nothing pared to those you surround yourself with.”

  Adam sighed, looking towards Jurot. “ we take her?”

  “Crowseer’s pns are not the Iyr’s pns.”

  “You will accept, for you are Adam’s brother,” Crowseer said, fshing the Iyrman another charming smile.

  “…” Jurot remained silent, his arms crossed.

  “I have gifted the Iyr with the presence of another Fate Enter,” Crowseer said. “Are you certain she should remain in my hands?”

  “A Fate Enter?” Adam asked, looking to the young woman. “I see…” ‘Damn!’

  Jurot tapped his bicep for a long moment. “Adam, will you call Kitool?”

  Adam gowards his brother, w why he didn’t go get her himself, but then his eyes fell to Crowseer. He stood up ao find the Iyrman, who had remained nearby, before they returo find the air between Jurot and Crowseer much calmer.

  “Kitool, we must take the girl with us,” Jurot said.

  “It ot be done.”

  “It must be done.”

  “Okay,” Kitool replied, seeing as how Jurot ushing for it.

  “Okay.”

  “Okay?” Adam asked.

  Jurot nodded, a it at that.

  ‘What just happened?’

  “It leasure to meet you all again but I have some business I must attend to,” Crowseer said, before standing to excuse himself. He had so much work to do due to the Prince’s death.

  “What a shame that yoing so soon. I’ll see you year, Crowseer.”

  Crowseer fshed a knowing smile, before exg himself to the door, but he paused as Jurot spoke to him.

  “How do you know the Iyr’s symbols?” Jurot asked.

  Crowseer turned baeet Jurot’s gaze, still smiling ily. Then his eyes fell to Adam. “I almost fot. gratutions, Adam.”

  “Yeah?”

  Crowseer just bowed his head lightly, Maurice pulling back so she didn’t seem to be bowing her head, before Crowseer stepped out a.

  Adam sighed, leaning back. “I ’t believe we met him again.”

  Jurot nodded. Kitool sat beside the girl, opposite the pair. She caught Jurot’s eyes, and saw the look within the young Iyrman’s eyes. Jurot shook his head.

  “Alright, let’s focus oask at hand,” Adam said. “We’ll form ae team with us, the knights, and the King. Then we’ll go on and deal with everything ourselves, and once we’re done, we’ll return bad leave with our spoils and the girl.”

  Adam, Jurot, Kitool, Jaygak, the knights, and the King. A small army of perhaps twenty figures, ea horseback. If it was just twenty of them, Adam would o expend but two Mana in order to cast Goodberry, and he could feed the lot of them. ‘Ah, wait, I’ll o expend four casts, for the horses too. I’ll need enough for three or four Fireballs, and if we o run, we’ll ride our horses away. That should be enough to quer the nd, especially since most of us will be Experts before too long.’

  Jurot thought on Crowseer’s words for a long while. ‘Yes. I am a good brother.’

  Adam in a low magic world is just too broken.

  chapter is an interlude and the st for Year 02 of Beyond Chaos!

  Expect the chapter not the following Monday, but the Monday after?