Beyond Chaos

During the evening, they approached the small village, right at the edge of the mountain, built more like a fort than a village.

"You have come a long way, strangers!" shouted one of the guards upon the walls, glaring down at the four carriages, as well as the sand giant, who glared at him in return. "What business do you have within Jabal Adh Aswad?"

As the carriages stopped, under the watchful gaze of all the guards wielding their crossbows, a pair stepped out of the carriage first, revealing themselves to the fortress.

The guards narrowed their eyes, glancing between one another, before Anka raised a hand, and a guard made their way down the large fort, opening the gates, flanked by several others all wielding crossbows.

"Ka Anka, you have returned?" the guard asked, approaching the woman, holding up a fist in greeting.

"Another took my place to face the Poison Sword Dragon, and assisted the Order," the Ka replied, smiling warmly.

The guard turned their attention upon Mo Dunes, bowing their. "It has been a few years since we last saw you, Mo."

"Shukhur, I completed my task and have come to speak with the Malawi."

The guard eyed up Dunes for a long moment, trying to recall what it was about Dunes that made his mind race, but he couldn't quite recall. "Shukhur. Who are your companions?"

"Iyrmen, and more, who have come to escort me back."

"So many?" the guard asked, eyeing up the sand giant curiously.

"We picked a few others upon our journey," Dunes replied simply, smiling innocently, and the guard bowed their head, relenting to the pair. Even if it was Dunes alone, they could not deny him entrance to Black Mountain. If he was an imposter, the others would deal with him.

As the group entered the fortress village, noting all the large buildings, most made of stone, a figure adorned in the dark grey of Lady Arya approached, an older woman, almost venerable, her scarf wrapped around her hair and neck, bright blue, with white flowers spotted around, a blade at her side made of silver, and a bright smile of gold as she spotted the pair.

"Anka! Dunes!" the old woman called, reaching out to embrace each of them, hugging the pair, planting kisses on top of their heads. "Shukhur, shukhur, you are both safe."

"Aila, shukhur," Anka replied, Dunes replying the same.

"Hacho, hacho, quickly, you must be so hungry," the woman urged, ushering not just the pair, but the others around. "I have baked biscuits, bread, more biscuits, and cakes, but not enough for a sand giant, so I will bake more."

"Aila…" Dunes called lightly, though he couldn't deny the woman, who led them towards the large central building.

As she did, the other guards eyed up the Black Lion who escorted the group. Kal Uli ignored their glares.

Many had already gathered to eat, eating their meals upon the wooden tables, the large stone building keeping them cool within the noonval heat. Various figures stepped from the underground up the stairways leading to the ground floor where the others sat, while others remained to one side, beside the dumbwaiter, bringing forth the large meals from the basement. Opposite them, an acolyte played the flute, another gently thrummed upon the drums, like a heartbeat, while the last softly hummed, not missing a beat even as they spotted the new figures.

"I swear to Arya that's the Lion King," one guard whispered to another.

"Aryahabi, you think everyone looks like the Lion King."

"No, I think everyone looks like Shaki."

"He doesn't even have his mane."

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"I am telling you, I have seen him fight a hundred times, that is the Lion King, or I am a goat."

"You are a goat, so he must not be Lion King."

As the guards bickered between one another, Adam eyed up the designs around the walls, a single prayer running around the skirting towards the ceiling, unsure of what it said exactly, for the words seemed archaic in phrasing.

"Who are your friends?" the woman asked, while she had signalled one of the villagers to bring all the desserts, as well as to prepare the meals for the newcomers.

"You should sit down first," Dunes joked, though as he glanced to the side, towards the rest of the Iyrmen, he realised it was a good idea. The woman did as he asked, dropping down to a table, allowing them to sit beside her, waiting for him to speak of who his companions were.

The Iyrmen each greeted her one by one, the woman recognising almost all their family names, save for the Ool family, but how could she not know of the Bloodblade, Duteous Dogek, the Bearded Dragon, the Mad Dog, and of course, as someone who was so old, Flame Brand?

"May I know of your name?" Rianna's eyes fell upon the half dragon, assuming he was a dragon in disguise since she didn't recognise him.

"Bael," Bael replied.

"I see you have come too, Lion King," Rianna half accused.

"Yes," Ashmir replied simply.

"Always, a pleasure to see you, Raining Bow."

"You as well, Ka Rianna," Sokikez replied, reaching out her hands, allowing the woman to take them.

"Have you come all this way to escort the Ka and Mo?" Rianna asked, already trying to coax out their true intentions. She followed their eyes towards Dunes, only to realise they weren't looking towards Dunes.

"Something like that," the half elf replied.

"Adam, yes?"

"Executive Adam Fate of the United Kindom, but aila, you can just call me nephew," the half elf said, tilting his head casually, his lips forming a gentle smile.

Rianna smiled towards the audacious young man. "I see you are close to Mo Dunes?"

"He and I travelled together for a while, six years now, we both assisted one another, and we went through life and death beside one another," the half elf replied.

"Aaah," the woman replied nodding her head lightly, before her eyes darted to Dunes. "Where is Amira?"

"She is at the business."

"Magical items?"

"Yes."

"I have heard of this business," the woman said, gently nodding her head, before her eyes returned back to the half elf, remembering who he was. She smiled knowingly and gently nodded her head towards the half elf, the meal interrupting them as she allowed them to eat peacefully. She decided against prodding further, for there were too many ears which did not belong to the Order here. Her eyes then fell upon the Black Lion, who kept to one side, standing in such a way that implied he did not wish to be noticed, and so the others acted as though they did not notice.

The Iyrmen each dispersed into various groups, speaking their tales to the villagers, each of whom wielded at least wooden blades at their side. Meanwhile, Adam stuck with Bael, Dunes, Anka, Kizwolima and Amal. Amal sat upon his lap, now used to the half elf, who so often fed her. The girl spooned her own meals, but when it came time for dessert, she allowed the half elf to feed her, chewing the various fruits. The girl looked to Kizwolima, who also enjoyed her own fruit, before offering the toddler pieces of her ownt.

"You eat so well, Amal," Kizwolima said, reaching out to brush the girl's hair, causing her to draw away towards Adam's chest, causing the half elf to smile bashfully towards Dunes.

"Our cousin is so cute, isn't she?"

"She is," Dunes replied.

'Aaaaaaaah,' Rianna thought, suddenly recalling more about the half elf, about how he was apparently quite strong, insane, and quite the father.

As the evening drew closer, the Iyrmen each sparred with some of the villagers, Taygak also exchanging blows with a villager, who found himself upon the floor shortly after. Laygak and Tagak watched as the young teen fought another villager, defeating them with ease too. She turned to face her brother and cousin, before they glanced between one another and the other Iyrmen each surrounded the young woman.

"I will check," Kitool said, allowing the young Iyrman teen to exchange blows with her, and as the one who had fought Jaygak countless times, she could assess Taygak's skill properly, outside of perhaps Faool and Jurot. As the pair clashed, the others noted Taygak's skill, lasting quite a few clashes further than they originally expected. Kitool, however, could feel it. It hadn't been long since she had felt it, for she had fought against Jaygak a few years ago, and she had also assisted Laygak. "You are able to use your family's techniques well."

"Taygak, good?" Taygak asked.

"Yes," Kitool replied.

'She can already wield her blade so well?' Laygak thought. She had fought against the warrior previously, and though he had noticed she fought well, this time, they had each seen her wield the blade better, not just exploding forward with an Onward Soar, but this time, she could fight harder, and she could find the weak points of her opponent twice as easily. It was a simple technique, not as complicated as the technique's of the Gek family, but the Gak family was still considered a great threat with such an ability. 'How could this-,'

"Why are you guys acting like she's an Expert when she clearly isn't?" a fool called out.

As Laygak's eyes darted towards the half elf, he couldn't help but think the half elf should at least hide his prideful smirk before saying such words.

"It's fine though, since before we head back, Taygak should become an Expert," Adam said, yawning, before a ringing bell cut through his ridiculousness.