Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG

“Why have you decided to reveal all this?” Captain O’Shan asked, his nerves fleeing up through his spine, and then around his neck, like a noose. 

“It would be good for our business to form a connection with the Windy Warhawk,” Jurot admitted.

‘So not the Iyr and O’Shan, but United Kindom and Windy Warhawk?’ the Captain thought, keeping the Iyrman’s gaze. 

“My brother has already rocked Aldland, but it has not understood that,” Jurot stated.

“Killing a Vice Commander is impressive,” the Captain said, already understanding the half elf was someone special. “To face Ashuk, he certainly is impressive, especially at his age.”

“My brother killed the Grand Commander of High Garden.”

“What?”

“…”

“…”

“…”

The silence remained for a long while between them as the hammer of the Iyrman’s words beat the atmosphere, the Captain’s eyes wide, for he had never quite heard of something so terrifying. His eyes fell to the side, towards Kitool, who eyed up Jurot, wondering why the Iyrman had revealed something like that. 

‘You wish to form a deep connection with the Windy Warhawk?’ Kitool thought, having not realised the extent in which Jurot was willing to go. 

“What is your intention?” Captain O’Shan asked. 

“My brother will cause great trouble,” Jurot admitted, without a hint of doubt within his voice. “There may come a time when we will not be able to assist him quickly. If you are able, please assist him.”

‘Why would they be unable to assist the half elf?’ the Captain thought, also under the assumption Adam would get himself into great trouble. 

“My niece…” Jurot paused for a moment. “My nieces and nephews too, if you are able to assist them. They are Iyrmen, but when they are older, no longer under the Iyr’s protection, please assist them.”

Kitool was pretty sure which particular child he was talking about, since she was the only one that could cause a bigger mess than her father.

“Are his children Iyrmen?”

“Yes.”

“He is not?”

“No.”

Captain O’Shan understood this was becoming more and more dangerous with every passing moment. He was sure he needed to stop the Iyrman from talking, but he already knew too much at this point. 

“Six and a half years ago, I started my journey into Aldland,” Jurot began, his voice heavy. “Adam and I were as strong as your putsul, and if we fought, I could have defeated him, six to four, seven to three.”

“Six years ago?”

“Yes.”

“Six years?” Captain O’Shan repeated, unable to believe the words from the Iyrman’s mouth. 

“Yes.”

“Do you mean to tell me, that your brother, the half elf, grew to such a height, to defeat not only Vice Commanders, but the likes of Ashuk, and even Paragons, within the span of six years?” Captain O’Shan asked, feeling his throat ache from even suggesting something so ridiculous, so stupid, so impossible. 

“Yes.”

Captain O’Shan remained glaring at the Iyrman, not with hatred, not with fear, not even with shock, but with an emotion that could only be described as trying to think, and trying to emote, and trying to keep living a life after learning of something so terribly dangerous. 

‘Lady Tempest take me.’ 

Upon the deck, Ashuk stood, looking out towards the east, towards where they said the new land had emerged, a giant mass of new land that was ripe for the taking, if not for the horde of Reavers who were laying claim to it, and using it to harass East Aldland and North Aswadasad.

“Seriously, that guy!” Adam grumbled, quickly shuffling towards Ashuk, glancing aside towards Bael, who continued to smirk at the sea beneath. 

“What is the matter?” Ashuk asked. 

“Bael’s being crazy,” Adam said.

“Crazy?”

“You know how he is.”

“I do not.”

“He’s… insane. Yeah, more than me,” Adam stated, noting the inasir’s gaze. “He’s a battle junkie who always wants to fight, and… I think he’s a Prince of some sort?”

Ashuk shook his head, not wanting to know more. “There is much land that has emerged to the east. You could stake a claim, with your strength, and with the Iyr’s backing, or with the backing of another noble you should have formed a relation with, if you were not a fool.”

“Well, yeah, but that sounds like a lot of work,” Adam said, grumbling to himself. “I could spend a few years warring and skirmishing, but I’d rather just make a ton of gold and then buy the land once the nobles destroy themselves over it, or… I don’t know, do I need the land? It’s so far away from my family, and it’s not like there are planes or trains about.”

Ashuk wasn’t sure what Adam was talking about, but hearing that heavy sigh, he understood the half elf was annoyed by something on a deep level.

“I didn’t realise the ship was this fast,” Adam admitted, still feeling a pressure against him, somehow the ship travelling close to four times as quick as the typical ship, more or less, though Adam wasn’t sure exactly how quickly. 

“We like to travel two hundred miles during daylight,” Ashuk admitted. “There are also twenty more who remain in their rooms until they are required to row if we are in such a place without magic, though that is rare, once or twice a decade, and not near the coast line, where we can ask for assistance.”

“The sea is so scary,” Adam said, taking a half step back from the railing. “Though, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so safe.”

“You feel it too?”

“Yeah. What is it?”

“This ship is made of the ocean’s essence.”

“The O’Shan’s essence? What did they do to it.”

“Not the O’Shan’s essence, the oceans, the seas, the water itself. There are not many ships which can match the closeness with the water. We may not know its true connection even after all these years. We may be too weak. We may be too unworthy.”

‘This guy sounds like he’s in a cult, and that look in his eyes, maybe he is?’ Adam smiled at his little joke, shrugging his shoulders in response to him.

They continued to speed along across the sea, the ship pushing even beyond the Florian town, and speeding further along towards the strait, where Merc City awaited them. It was almost evening by the time they had arrived at the Aswadian fortress town, which lay just west of Mercenary City.

‘I think Big Ebony is right above is, right?’ Adam thought, looking towards where the wasteland was, which had suddenly sprung forth, bringing him the gift that was Lucy. ‘Sorry about not bringing you along, but apparently it’s rougher in Aswadasad for you guys.’

The Aswadian fortress town was no joke, as Adam would have put it, and though the town was rather large, it was the fortress which imposed upon the land. Adam spotted at least a hundred soldiers near the port, and the various ships, easily twenty ships, each large galleys at the ready to speed off. Each soldier wore well made scale, their spears long, their blades eager for blood. A small army sat at the ready, though Adam wondered if this was the entire army, since the Reavers were around. 

The Windy Warhawk settled into the busy docks, eyes full of suspicion upon it. The Captain paid the necessary fees, though the half elf passed on a pouch of silver which assisted. Dunes and Mork each wished to speak with the Captain, but left the half elf be, noting the aura which emanated from the Captain, who kept eyeing up the other fool of a half elf.

‘Did Jurot inform the Captain of Adam?’ Dunes thought, while Mork thought the Captain was just getting used to how annoying Adam was, especially since he had already begun to show off about his children. 

Ashuk wouldn’t have minded if they continued on their journey, to the next proper town, but unfortunately he was feeling rather rough after the bout, and the Captain had spent much of his power propelling the ship to the fortress, so it was best to take it easy for the next few hours than to spend it trying to get to the town and exhausting themselves.

They approached the dock inn, feeling the gaze of the various guards and soldiers upon them. The dock inn was as one might have expected, perfectly suited to deal with the issues of sailors, the desires of their stomachs, to the desires of their hearts, though Adam quickly retreated to his room, wanting to spend some time alone to himself. 

John remained silent, eating his meal, drinking his drinks, his eyes darted from side to side. His stomach felt the awkwardness of being out to sea. ‘We’re in Aswadasad already?’

Once evening approached, Bael, settling himself atop the roof of the inn, held his black and blue blade, glaring at it. Lightning crackled all through it, as he had tried every so often during their journey.

“Why are you being so stubborn?” Bael asked, narrowing his eyes at the blade, still feeling something within it that he disliked. ‘Should I just burn my Spark?’

Bael is so casually unhinged, no wonder they are friends.