[1767] – Y07.267 – Nightval is Cold VII

As the snow fell that day, blanketing the Iyr in a gentle white, there were two, one with ears the shape of leaves, and one with the skin the colour of burnt bronze. 

“Good,” Afraz said, seeing as how Manager Jonn was taking to his swordplay. Although he was not young, since he had learnt the swordplay of the Thousand Hunts, he had already established a decent foundation, however, he was more used to the swordplay he had wielded his entire life, so he would need a few years to learn. Since he was older, in his prime, for he was a half elf, the young man could train quite hard each day to learn the swordplay, and potentially evolve the swordplay into something which inherited the characteristics of the swordplay that was to hunt a great number of beasts, and one of a man who had to become a beast to survive the cruelness of the world.

As Jonn swung Oathkeeper, the weight of the sword throbbing through his forearms, his arms, and his shoulders and back. The young half elf stepped forward, drove his sword with not just his upper body, but his lower body, and as he swung the sword, he understood the sentiment behind the sword he was beginning to wield, the sword of a particular half elf's jiddo.

'He will need someone to spar,' Afraz thought, and though he was within the Iyr, who was suitable for someone like Jonn? He supposed he could ask his dear grandson, or perhaps his grandson's brother, but from what he gathered, it wasn't just his grandson who was a monster, and he himself wasn't even confident against his grandson's brother, who was the grandson of a true monster of the Iyr. 'If there is such a large difference, there is a kindness in allowing the stronger of the two to watch over the weaker of the pair, but this one is senior in age, so it is difficult to allow someone younger to watch over him. Who am I able to ask?'

"Jiddo, how are you?" asked a dark skinned man with fiery red hair, and as he smiled, his smile faltered slightly seeing the older man's smile, the kind of smile was that too delighted to see him. Thankfully, however, he was a man of steel. 

Jonn stood opposite Korin, the pair adorned in their full plate, two figures, each beyond Expert. Indeed, with such a title, and with such equipment, even a Shen would wish to gain their strength, especially since the pair were those born and raised within an Order. The Order of the Thousand Hunts certainly had made a name for itself, and now that it had morphed into a part of High Garden, it was perhaps the greatest of all the Orders. Then there was Black Mountain, which was the singular Order dedicated to the Lady of War in Aswadasad, and its pedigree had allowed it to save itself in a land which preferred the Lord of the Sun. 

"You did not wish to wield Oathkeeper?" Korin asked, having drawn his steel, and such fine steel it was, though it was not magical. 

Yet.

"I wish to feel the steel of Black Mountain true," Jonn replied.

"What a shame, for I am not one who has inherited such steel," Korin joked, and with that, the two faced off against one another.

As the sky darkened, evening greeting the Iyr, the Iyrmen, and all those who enjoyed the bosom of the Iyr, the Mountain Tiger, and the Advisor Sword, remained, for the Iyr had requested they spend the rest of the year within the Iyr, as part of the compensation rightly afforded to the Iyr, due to the King's negligence, or so they had stated, and as the two stayed within the Front Iyr for the week, they had greeted a large number of Iyrmen, and enjoyed their time in imprisonment.

It was during this imprisonment they came across a particular figure, one they were certain they had heard of previously.

"How did you know?" Adam asked, holding his twins within his arms, their amber eyes staring out towards the Mountain Tiger of the North, and the Advisor Sword, who they had finally worked up the courage to greet. 

Mountain Tiger of the North and Advisor Sword's eyes slowly trailed down towards the twins who were staring at them with their amber eyes, each who looked to be those kinds of beings, and when it came to those kinds of beings, in relation with the Iyr, there was only one person this fool could possibly be. 

"A lucky guess," Advisor Sword said. 

"Aye," Mountain Tiger replied. 

"My children wished to meet with you, and since my children wished to meet with you, so, too, did my grandfather, who was excited to see you, for he is someone you may know," Adam said innocently, while Old Jarot grinned like a wild beast behind him, his eyes focused on the two as though they were prey. "Grandfather, stop looking at them like that."

"Like what?"

"Like they're prey," Adam said, speaking the words that should have gone unsaid. 

"Are they not?"

"They made the wise decision to protect their soldiers, and it wasn't they who dared to fire upon our children, were they?"

"I will step back if my greatchildren request it."

"Babo, we will see," Jirot assured, her eyes returning back to the two. "If they cause trouble, daddy will beat them up."

Mountain Tiger made a face as though to suggest he hadn't ever expected someone like her to ever speak to him in that way, and as he did, he noticed the way the half elf began to smile towards him, with such a delight. 

"It is indeed I who they call the Crazy Father, who slew the head of the Vice Commander Kris of the Thousand Hunts, now High Garden. Although, considering who I defeated upon my journey within Aswadasad, it's not quite as impressive to say I killed a mere Vice Commander."

"You must have slain quite the figure if you are calling him a mere Vice Commander," Advisor Sword said. 

"What? Slay? Who do you think I am? I am husband to a Ray, how could you dare to suggest I would kill someone upon my journey? Don't you know, I worked rather hard not to kill anyone!" Adam declared. "I mean, it's not like anyone, I mean, many of them dared to ask for death, most were polite, like the Vice Commander of the Amber Blades, Kal Idris, who I defeated in an exhibition, and then once more during a private exhibition, though he possesses a noble heart, unlike a great many Aldishmen, not to say there aren't Aldishmen who possess noble hearts, for certainly there are quite a few, I'm sure, certainly, although I cannot name them at this time..." Adam let out a sigh, trying to put the two in their place, but at the same time making sure his children understood. 'Why is politicking so hard?'

The Mountain Tiger of the North blinked. 'He really is the Crazy Father...'

"If you are able to defeat the likes of the Vice Commanders, you must be a Grandmaster at least."

"I'm actually slightly above a Master, it's just that the Lord of Death has granted me special privileges, so I'm able to fight those above my title, although once we speak of Paragons, it does become a little more difficult, and then those are the Peak, they're a little more difficult too."

"If you're that strong, you wouldn't mind facing me," Mountain Tiger said, grinning wide. 

"I really don't like to face Rage Dancers, but if the Advisor Sword wishes to don her armour, and wield her blade, I will fight without my... my armour or my axe, it's your choice."

Advisor Sword narrowed her eyes, but she bowed her head. "Since the young man has requested a spar, I assume it is fine for me to don my armour and wield my blade?"

"Since my grandson wishes to beat you, who will dare deny you?" Old Jarot almost exclaimed. 

Jirot glanced between her father and her greatfather. She wiped her face. 'I am surrounded by idiots.'

Thankfully, she knew exactly who to speak to. 

PATREON FOR 30+ CHAPTERS!

Adam ragebaiting just to beat up an old woman. How our GOAT has fallen.