Aksak brushed his beard, and the other Princes watched with giant intrigue. Chief Joti crossed his arms, and the tip of his moustache curling upwards into a smile. The excitement in the air was electric, and though the giant Princes each had their own odds, Joti and Aksak were interested to see Adam’s true strength.

“When I defeat you, I will take the Winterdotr.” Oglok pointed his greataxe towards Adam.

“When I defeat you, I’ll take your Princedom. I will be the Prince of your people, and you will kneel before me.”

Oglok straightened up as he stared down at Adam. “You dare raise your blade against my Princedom?”

Aksak wanted to interject, but Adam smiled politely and said, “I hear you, Prince Oglok. I will allow you a chance to speak true of your cowardice, and I will only remove one of your arms of your choosing.” Adam raised his sword, the blade sparkling with the light around them. “Hurry it up. I don’t have the time to waste speaking to cowards.”

“What a little fool,” a Prince said.

“How are we meant to bury this guest?”

“It would be misfortune if we were to slay a guest.”

The giant Princes all around began to murmur as they head the little Adam’s words. Adam remained staring at the Prince who had dared to act haughtily in front of his presence.

“If you wish to seek death, you merely had to ask politely.” Oglok gripped his greataxe tightly, his knuckles popping out. He growled towards the half-elf. “We will fight to the death.”

Adam smiled. “If we fight to the death, how will you kneel before me? Kill me if you can, but I won’t kill you.”

The veins on the giant Prince began to bulge, his eyes narrowing. “Very well,” he said. “We will fight blade to blade.”

“Coward,” Adam replied. “You wish to fight with such a greataxe, one which holds so much power, but you won’t allow me to use my magic?” Adam was goading the Prince in front of all the others. He had done nothing to the Prince and yet he wanted to fight, so Adam would return the favour.

“Very well,” Oglok snarled. “Who wishes to judge?”

“I will,” Kriss said, flying above them.

“How can you be neutral?” Oglok asked.

“It will be difficult, since I have known the giants for a long while, but the connection between Adam and I aren’t to be underestimated either.”

Adam looked up at the woman, wondering if the pair knew one another. He glanced to Entalia, who held her knowing smile, but he didn’t think twice about it. This woman knew Paul, but he couldn’t piece anything else together.

“Unless you dare to say I, a White Mage, can’t remain neutral.” Kriss’ voice cut through the air and Adam could feel the poisonous smile on her face.

“I have no complaints,” Oglok replied.

“Since Adam is unwilling to kill you, I hope you will abide by the rules,” Kriss said. “This will be a fight between one another with whatever tools you have at your disposal.”

“I agree to the terms,” the Prince said.

“Me too,” Adam said.

“Please agree to them in the same manner,” Kriss said.

“I agree to the terms,” Adam said, forgetting how the giants prefer to speak bluntly.

“Then step towards one another.” Kriss shot down two Flame Bolts down to mark a pair of positions for both of them. “Take your positions.”

Adam stepped up to the mark on the floor not so far away from Oglok, donning his shield. It was close enough that he could step up to the giant right away. Now it was only a question of being able to react first.

Omen: 14, 17

“Begin!” Kriss called out, shooting up a Flame Bolt for dramatic flair.

Battle Order

D20 - 1 = 12 (13)

Attack

D20 + 10 = 27 (17)

D20 + 10 = 28 (18)

3D6 + 8 = 18 (3, 3, 4)

Mana: 44 -> 42

Divine Smite

3D6 + 3 = 18 (4, 5, 6)

36 damage!

Attack

D20 + 10 = 27 (17)

D20 + 10 = 30 (20)

6D6 + 9 = 36 (2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6)

Mana: 42 -> 39

Divine Smite

8D6 + 8 = 37 (1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 6)

73 damage!

Onward Soar: 1 -> 0

Attack

D20 + 10 = 24 (14)

D20 + 10 = 29 (19)

3D6 + 8 = 23 (4, 5, 6)

Mana: 39 -> 37

Divine Smite

3D6 + 3 = 16 (2, 5, 6)

39 damage!

Attack

D20 + 10 = 13 (3)

D20 + 10 = 20 (10)

3D6 + 8 = 19 (3, 3, 5)

Mana: 37 -> 35

Divine Smite

3D6 + 3 = 15 (2, 4, 6)

34 damage!

Adam’s rage had begun to simmer, and the moment he had heard the word, his entire body moved as though a fire had been lit under him. He charged forward, almost becoming a blur, with his blade in hand.

He had already fought with the intent to kill before, and though he emanated the same aura, it was only to show the Prince what it meant to live in fear of a being stronger than one’s self.

“It’s good you have stepped towards me,” the Prince said, though before he could continue, he was already under Adam’s assault.

Adam’s blade moved as though it was a part of his body. He brought a whirlwind of death to the Prince, cutting into his ancient armour as though it had been made out paper. He clashed his blade against the Prince, his blade flashing white. His flashing blade was the lightning which a terrible storm had brought, eagerly hacking into the giant.

His blade sunk into giant flesh and a spray of blood covered the air, painting Adam in a visage of death. The attack had been so sudden, so vicious, that Oglok dropped to a knee with eyes full of confusion.

Even then Adam did not slow his ferocious assault.

There was one thing he knew from his history, and that was when faced with a great force of might, he needed to show that he was an even greater force of might.

As the giant raised his arms to attack, Adam brought his blade into the giant’s elbow, cutting clean through it. Flesh, sinew, bone and all.

The arm dropped beside him, and the giant Prince remained on his knee. There was confusion in his eyes, the unbelievable sight of a half-fey bringing a giant to his knees in seconds was more than the Prince could handle. His eyes filled with alarm, and he tried to stand to continue struggling.

“Kneel to your Prince,” Adam said, his voice clear and carried by the winds. He glared down at the giant, who remained startled.

Provoke

D20 + 6 = 7 (1)

D20 + 6 = 9 (3)

Omen: 14, 17 -> 14

17 + 6 = 23

The giant remained kneeling down before Adam. He coughed, hacking up some blood onto the floor. “I kneel before you, Prince Adam.” As he hung his head, his strength left him. The giant Prince knelt there, bloody and unconscious.

“I thank you, Lady Arya, for giving me the strength to protect my companion.” Adam was unsure of what he should have said, but a casual thank you should have sufficed.

Then there was a silence. The silence was the kind where several beings had each heard a tale of terrible calamities waiting to come and plague them, and it slowly turned into a silence where they realised there was a calamity within their homes.

A sharp sound cut through the silence. Then it repeated as Entalia stood and continued to clap. She stopped and walked towards the half-elf, but then walked passed him, taking a seat near the drakken people.

“I welcome you, Prince Adam,” Entalia said.

“I welcome you, Prince Adam,” Aksak followed.

“I welcome you, Prince Adam,” Kriss said.

“I welcome you, Prince Adam,” a voice said. Adam was unsure of who it was, though as he looked towards the direction of the voice, it came from the solitary Winterdotr. It was then that the other Princes began to welcome him one by one. The Frostwinds knelt and bowed their heads, welcoming him as their Prince.

Adam remained standing there awkwardly. He knew the giants held to their word, but he was still a little stunned. He had just become a Prince in the time it would take to raise a cup to sip on some tea and to place it down on its coaster.

Lay on Hands: 25 -> 120

Adam dispensed a single point into the giant on his knees, paying little attention to his ability. The white glow gently filled the unconscious giant, slowly knitting his wounds together. He opened his eyes as Adam stepped away towards Aksak.

“Hey, Prince Aksak,” Adam whispered.

“Prince Adam, what need do you have of me?”

“I didn’t actually think I was going to be Prince,” the half-elf admitted. “It would be rather troublesome if I remained the Prince of a giant clan.”

“It is trouble which you have brought to yourself,” the giant reminded him.

Adam flushed slightly, coughing into the side of his fist. “Yeah, I know…”

“Since you have come for my counsel, then allow me to ponder on the statement.”

Adam nodded. “Thank you,” he said, turning back to see Oglok kneeling, bowing his head.

“Perhaps you should first take care of your new subjects,” Aksak said.

‘Crap.’