“You really won’t tihe story?” Adam asked, grumbling as he followed the Iyrmen through the thick forest. He focused on not tripping over the various trigs and bushes all around.

  “You will hear the rest of it iime,” Tazwyn said, smiling back towards Jurot.

  “You must not rush a good story,” Jurot said, repeating the words he had heard tless times within the Iyr. He g Adam, uanding the itess the half elf was feeling.

  Hearing half the story would have drove him wild too, but he was in the fortuuation of having heard one of the most important stories tless times. It was never b to hear the stories again as everyone reted it differently. The substance didn’t ge, but the way the person orated certainly brought out differeions.

  The main road tihrough it the thick forest, dividing it forest into two. The right side had been cut quite some ways, about a hundred metres, and there was a fence which ran along it, whereas the left side was forty metres away, with no fenbsp;

  The left forest was the same forest he and Jurot had been adventuring within, and seeing as that the forests tinued along the main road for so long, Adam couldn’t help but realise their rge size.

  It was most of the way through their day when Argon grunted something to Tazwyn. She looked to Eshva and Kandal, who slipped away, disappearing into the trees.

  “Be careful,” Argon said to the pair of youngster, not eborating further. The group tinued along, though Jurot and Adam stepped slightly clether, fingers creeping towards their ons, and Dargon stepped back slightly, being their shield from behind as his role entailed.

  It was long ter when the bushes swayed and the two returned, seeing Adam with his bde drawn, and Jurot with his axe. Jurot had only done so because he had heard the steel being drawn beside him. The two Iyrmen grunting something ton, causing Jurot to pce his axe aside, and the group tinued along as though nothing happened.

  “What’s going on?” Adam asked. ‘I really o learongue.’

  “A Watcher,” Argon replied back, as though that expined everything to Adam.

  “A what now?”

  “The Order of Wings,” Argon eborated, though that didn’t eborate anything to Adam.

  ‘Seriously, this guy.’

  When they approached the camp site, with its half walls and a lightly lit fire, five figures were revealed. Each was adorned in armour, carrying a variety of ons at their side.

  ‘Adventurers?’ Adam thought at first, but seeing them caused him to doubt his initial assessment.

  There was an older woman, in her early forties, with tan skin, brown eyes, and short red hair, which rinkled with grey. Her armour was full pte mail, nearly pure bck, except for the years of wear and tear painted all across it. At her side was a helmet, fashioned with a peculiar pattern of some avian. Adam he longsword, warhammer, and shortsword within arm’s reach.

  The other four were wearing breastpte, grey in colour, with a bird’s face printed on the front, and their helmets were pin and typical. They were much youhan the woman in bck, ie teens and early twewo women and two men, the you being a boy in his mid teens, barely a man. Each wielded a variety of ons, just like the older woman.

  “Greetings, Sir Magpie,” Argon said with reverence, bowing his head slightly as he waited outside the camp.

  “Greetings, Iyrmen,” the older woman said, fshing a smile. “I should have expected we’d meet, sidering the time of year.” She motioned an arm towards the camp, inviting them to sit.

  Adam gnced between them all, noting the symbols on their breastpte. “Order of the Wings, I see,” Adam said, chug. “Very on brand.”

  Jurot, oher hand, was beaming as he stared at them. “I am Jurot, son of Surot!”

  “Sir Magpie,” the woman replied. “An Iyrman who has just left the , I see.” She looked to Adam. “Who is this?”

  “Adam, son of Fate.”

  “Fate? You respond like an Iyrman, but you don’t seem like one sidering you’re keeping your face covered. Do you have something to hide?” Magpie joked.

  “Yes,” Adam replied back, raising his helmet to reveal his face, with his feyful features on full dispy.

  The you gred at Adam and reached for the sword at his side, but found the butt of Sir Magpie’s warhammer pinning his hand to the hilt.

  “I was afraid something like that would happen,” Adam said with a light chuckle. “I see you don’t like elves.” The half elf raised his brows.

  “You bas-“ The boy yelped as Magpie pushed the butt of the warhammer against the back of his hand a little harder.

  Adam raised his brow, having not expected such a hostile rea right away.

  “I hope you take no offence,” Sir Magpie said. “He has yet to plete his training.”

  “Well he’s very lucky he wasn’t able to draw his sword, otherwise I would have had to help him plete his training.” Adam cpped his hands together and chuckled lightly.

  Sir Magpie raised her brows in surprise towards Adam, having not expected such words. “You’d fight one of us?”

  “He’s no Iyrman,” Adam said, gng at the young man, before returning his gaze to Magpie. “I hope you take no offence.” Adam’s lips grew into a wider smirk, beaming at them pyfully.

  “Bast-“ The boy yelped once again, wing as Magpie dug the butt in deeper.

  “Enough,” Magpie said, withdrawing her warhammer. “I’d like to see you draw your sword with me beside you.” She gred at the boy who withdrew under his mentor’s sight.

  “I get a lot of suspi cast on me, but this is the first time that someone is ht hosti-“ Adam paused for a moment to think. “Well, no, there’s that one guy from before too…”

  “He’s one of the few survivors from the massacre,” Sir Magpie said, as though that had expined everything.

  “Massacre?” Adam looked to Jurot. “Instead of telling me about the Bckwater Crisis, maybe I should learn about this massacre instead? There are so many people who really don’t like me because of it.”

  “You don’t know?” Sir Magpie asked. She, along with the others, stared at Adam in surprise. It was something which everyone in the nd knew, Iyrman or not.

  “No,” Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. “No oold me about it.”

  “You came from Red Oak, didn’t you?” Sir Magpie g the dire they had approached from, sure that the road led to Red Oak.

  “That’s right.” Adam nodded his head, though it only caused more fusion.

  “You…” Magpie narrowed her eyes slightly, “came from South Aldernd, and have not heard about the massacre? It happened not so far from here.”

  “Really?” Adam raised his brow. “No wonder so many people reacted sly around these parts. I uand if it was in the neighbourhood.” He doubted that someone further up north would care.

  “You really don’t know?” Magpie eyed him up suspiciously.

  Adam looked to Jurot once more. “Is it that weird I don’t know?”

  “A little,” Jurot admitted. “We lost three hundred Iyrmen.”

  Magpie whistled. “Three hundred? I had heard that you had lost a few, which surprised me, but so many?”

  “Three hundred Iyrmen…” Adam wondered what kind of terribleness would cause three hundred Iyrmen to lose their lives.

  “Where are you from?” Sir Magpie asked, gng towards Adam again.

  “Very far away,” Adam said. “You’ve never heard of the pce.”

  “We’re well travelled.”

  “No Iyrman has heard of it, and you’ve certainly never heard of it either.” Adam threw a go the Iyrmen.

  “You have not yet told us.” Argon narrowed his eyes as well, w if Adam was starting a fight.

  “That’s because I’m not sure I’m allowed to tell you,” Adam said, sighing. “Let’s just say that I e from many thousands of miles away.”

  “Aldnd is about a thousand miles from North Fort to South Fort,” Magpie said.

  Adam narrowed his eyes. ‘Aldnd’s about the same size as home then.’

  “I’ve travelled to every town within the nd, including the ports.” Magpie sat up straight. “Many bring stories from afar, of Kingdoms ruled by beasts, floating castles full of metal men, and even uer kingdoms of fishmen.”

  Adam tilted his head up, imagining the various nds she was talking about. He returo his senses quickly, however, since he would find out the truth of those matters one day, if he wished to. “Either way, I’m not from around here.”

  “Where are you from?” Argon asked, w if he’d be willing to ao him, an Iyrman.

  “How about I tell you this instead?” Adam tried to recall how big earth was. “If you walked twenty five Aldnds in any dire from my hometown, no Iyrmen would have set foot in any of those nds.”

  The Iyrman stared at Adam for a long moment, w how he could speak such words so easily. “Very well,” they said, not wishing to press it further. If he didn’t want to tell them, there was nothing they could do. Nothing which wouldn’t shame their families.

  “See!” the boy growled. “You ’t trust elves!” He pointed an accusatory fi Adam. “He won’t even tell us where he’s from! He must be from White Forest! Just like those other leaf eared bastards!”

  Adam looked to the Iyrmen once again. “White Forest?” They had bee his guides, both to the Iyr, and for lore of this world.

  “It’s where the elves live,” Jurot said. “It’s to the south of the Iyr, south west of Red Oak.”

  “So what’s the story about the White Forest and the elves anyhow?” Adam was still intrigued about the situation which had killed three hundred Iyrmen. Not even ten dragons could kill three hundred Iyrmen.

  “They pletely destroyed Rock Hill within days,” Magpie said. “They sughtered the people like cattle, and ehem, before retreating to their forest. There was ion of war, just three days of wanton sughter.” She snapped a twig and added it to the fire.

  “You were there?” Adam asked the you.

  The boy grit his teeth, his eyes fshing with the se. “I watched them! Your people! Absolute cowards!” He almost spat with rage.

  “I assure you, boy, that they were not my people. My people are all long gone, so I hope you watch your tongue.” Adam cracked his knuckles.

  SpellGuidance1D3 = 2 (2)IntimidationD20 + 4 + 2 = 15 (9)

  The boy withdrew, uanding that he had been drawing closer towards a lihey came in the night and attacked without warning. I watched them tear apart men and women like bdes through butter, painting the streets red. They sang their songs, flinging their wicked magics. The soldiers tried to fight against them, but they were defeated with ease.”

  “Sounds like you were fortuo escape with your life,” Adam said. “I’m sorry for your loss. I uand the pain of losing your family, o see them again.” Adam’s eyes twitched.

  The boy’s eyes softened. He grit his teeth once again, before sighing. “Some of us mao escape thanks to the soldiers. They led some of us away as the leaf ears destroyed our town.”

  “He was one of a few thousand people who mao live,” Magpie said.

  “Hoeople made up Rock Hill?” Adam asked.

  “A huhousand or so,” the red haired woman said. “It was on the edge of the Kingdom, and people preferred Red Oak over it.”

  “Wow.” Adam blinked. One huhousand people? Almost all of them dead, just like that? In three days?” He shook his head. “Why?”

  “There was no reason.” The boy growled, g his teeth, his brows twitg in rage.

  “Every side has two stories,” Adam said, looking to the Iyrmen. They would know, sidering how many Iyrmen they had lost.

  “The King had pced five thousand soldiers at Rock Hill, and a thousand in Red Oak,” Argon said. “There were another five thousand whoing to head to Ever Green, where the previous King’s Sword retired.”

  “The previous King’s Sword retired to Ever Green?” Adam asked, though quickly brought his curiosity back to the massacre. “Why did the King move so many soldiers towards the towns near White Forest?” Adam assumed Ever Green was he elves too. “Surely he uood what that would look like.”

  “The reason which had been publicly stated was tthen the south against invasions.” Argon shook his head slightly.

  “The King provoked the elves,” Magpie said, adding more twigs to the fire, “and the elves retaliated against what they thought was a build up to an immi invasions. No doubt they didn’t want the King to solidify a foothold against them.”

  “They were tolerant of the army at Rock Hill and Ever Green before they were reinforced.” Argon nodded his head. “Every town and city has some prote, partly against the beasts, and against other threats as well. They were cautious of Ever Green, which is within a week’s march towards their nds, but were probably rexed once Sir Merry had retired there.” Argon spoke the name respectfully, giving it the highest honour.

  “Sir Merry? Is that the name of the King’s Sword?” Adam asked.

  “The previous King’s Sword,” Magpie corre. “He no longer holds the title.”

  “The elves wouldn’t dare to attack Ever Green with such a presence,” Jurot said, recalling all the stories about Sir Merry. “He may be the stro in all the nd.”

  Adam looked to Jurot, blinking at him. “The stro? Even pared to the Iyrmen?”

  “It is what I have heard,” Jurot said. “They say Chief Iromin would find it difficult to face him.”

  ‘Whoa.’ Adam blinked. “Whoa.”

  “Sir Merry was always friendly with the elves,” Argon said. “He had an elven lover. However, the King had called for the eradication of all elves withiowns and cities ohe war began.”

  “What happeo the elves? What about Sir Merry’s lover?” Adam narrowed his eyes, finding the current King to be quite the distasteful fellow.

  “They were sughtered in four of the regions, though I’m sure none y a hand on Nariabelle, the White Cloak,” Argon said, adding the same level of reverence as he had used when speaking about Magpie and Sir Merry. “Those in the north mao escape persecution, for the north was far removed from the war.”

  “One of the few wars they were far removed from,” Tazwyn said, sharing a look with Magpie, who smiled at the joke.

  “Even if there was an army building up at their border, why did the elves react so viciously?” Adam asked. “They didn’t o be so sensitive, unless something like that happened before?”

  “That’s right,” Magpie said. “When they first took cim to the south west, not so far from the Iyr, they remained as the Iyr had. The old Aldmen had begun to build up some towhem, including Red Oak, and had unched an attack against the elves suddenly. I’m sure there are still elves alive who lived through that time, though I’m sure you know more about how elves age than I do.”

  “Either way, I’m not an elf from that way, so you should keep your hands and steel to yourself,” Adam said, looking at the boy.

  He shrunk under Adam’s gaze, gng aside.

  “You really aren’t from around here,” Magpie said. “No one would dare bother the Magpie.”

  “I don’t pn on being this weak for the rest of my life,” Adam said. “That’s why I have Jurot here.” Adam pat Jurot’s back. “He’s one of the feill be able to keep up with me.”

  Magpie ughed, shaking her head. “You’re cocky, aren’t you?”

  “No,” Adam said. “When you die as many times as me, you ge.”

  “You’ve died before?” Magpie squi him, w if he was telling the truth.

  “Twice,” Adam said, smirking at her. “Both at the hands of a god, for only a god would dare sy me!” Adam threw his head ba ughter, his ughter filling the forest. He turo Jurot, only to realise he wouldn’t get the joke. “Nevermind,” he said, wiping away a tear from his eye, still chug. “I hope your boy won’t go slitting my throat in my sleep. If the gods find out he thinks he’s a god, they may get angry.”

  “He won’t do anything with me here,” she said. “You sure are a queer one, Adam.”

  “I’m a half elf, what do you expect?” He csped his hands together in a light prayer. “I just hope the lot of you like me as much as I like you.”

  SpellGuidanbsp;1D3 = 2 (2)Charisma CheckD20 + 3 + 2 = 16

  “We have nothing against your kind,” she said, pg a hand on the boy. “You o let go of the hatred in your heart. Remember, we are to remairal, always, even if you meet an elf, including the very same elf who had sin your parents. The moment you swear your oaths, you ot draw your sword so lightly.”

  Adam leaned in. “Tell me more! What are you? What’s the history behind the Order of Wings? What’s this ral stuff around? Are you going to go beyond the wall, or something? Is Magpie a title? Are you passing it down to your disciple? What about the others?” Adam bombarded her with one question after the other.

  ‘Oh,’ Magpie thought. ‘He’s a tourist.’

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  From Bckwater Crisis to the Massacre at Bckhill, Adam sure is learning a lot about the world.

  There's no way the author is hinting at something.

  Right?