As Adam waited, he could see how the colours passed the trees, before another set of brown and grey appeared, moving in the same direction.

“Two?” Adam whispered.

“Yes,” Jurot said.

Adam turned back to the cousins. “Drop the ‘quin and grab your javelins.”

‘Did he say ‘quin to be cool?’

‘Seems like it.’

The pair accepted the task, gently placing down their palanquin silently, before grabbing the javelins at their side. They each had three javelins, though one would have been their preferred amount.

Adam turned from looking at them to looking at Jurot, only to find him gone, vanished out of existence. It was like he had never existed the first time. ‘What?’ He blinked, half thinking the Iyrman had been a figment of his imagination. He looked around, only spotting Jurot further ahead, stalking the boars like a panther. He had donned his shield on his left hand, but held out a javelin in his right.

Adam blinked. ‘Wow, did he really leave me along to go and fight the boars without me?’ He stepped forward, hearing the gentle jangling of his armour, before stopping. ‘Oh, right.’

Battle Order

D20 + 1 = 10 (9)

Jurot gripped his javelin tight in his vice grip, thinking about whether to rage. ‘No, there is no need.’ He had given the others enough time to prepare, and so he tossed the javelin with all his might. The javelin whistled through the air, striking a boar square in its hind leg, causing it to squeal. The squeal marked the moment when they could no longer prepare.

Jurot returned to Adam, though was followed closely by the two boars charging after him.

Attack

D20 + 5 = 14 (9)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 9 (4)(1)

9 damage!

Adam readied himself as two more javelins whistled past him, though one of them barely missed his helmet, causing him to duck aside slightly.

“Sorry,” one of the cousin’s said, though he wasn’t sure which.

One javelin struck a tree nearby, splintering the wood, whereas the other struck against the wounded boar’s side. The boar squeal wildly in pain, and stumbled over it as it continued its charge.

Adam, seeing that the boars were already close, and with the fear of Jurot falling in combat against the boars, leapt forward, drawing his sword.

Adam skewered the boar as it charged forward, his blade piercing through the skull and falling out the other end. “Ra!” Adam exclaimed like a savage beast, feeling his heart pound. There was something about being on the receiving end of a charge which filled a man with vigour and a touch of fright.

Just a touch.

The other boar shifted its momentum towards Adam, aiming to gorge this man of metal. Adam pulled his sword, carrying the dead boar with it, but then side stepped as he let the dead boar slip, tripping the charging boar. He had wanted to use the dead boar a shield, but realised they didn’t want to damage the boar too much, otherwise their pay would be affected by the poor quality.

Jurot drew his axe in a fluid motions, hacking into the back of the boar, before stepping around it so it couldn’t flee. He didn’t feel the need to rage at the moment, as Adam was the one who was currently taking its attention.

Attack

D20 + 5 = 18 (13)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 8 (3)(1)

8 damage!

Two more javelins flew past Adam again, though only one of them found purchase in the creature’s side. The poor creature cried out in pain as the javelin struck through from one side to the other. Adam winced slightly, hoping that he could put it out of its misery. Taking a blow from both Jurot and another, and yet still not falling? What a tough little thing.

With a heavy blade in his hand, Adam pierced through the boar’s skull, pushing through to the other side. This time he saw the life fade from the creature’s eyes as it slumped, dead. He pulled his blade out, seeing the red of the blood and the bits of brain matter.

‘Eugh.’

Victory!

Boars

+40XP

XP

120 -> 160

He wiped his blade on the grass nearby, trying to clean it. All the while, the two porters began their real work. They grabbed their javelins, and Jurot went to grab his too, before they placed the boars into the palanquin.

“That was easier than I expected,” Adam said, using his Tricks to clean his blade properly.

“We can slay some more,” Jurot said.

“Did anyone get hurt?” Adam asked, glancing around at them all.

“No,” Remy said.

“We kept out of the way.” Jeremy and Remy exchanged high fives between one another.

Jurot shook his head. “We were fortunate.”

“I guess we can slay more then. I didn’t really spend any magic during that fight either.”

‘Magic?’ The cousins looked at him.

“I will find more tracks,” Jurot said, also unfulfilled by this fight. The boars had been smaller than the boar from the previous day, and were in no way fun to slay.

Once the porters were done pulling up the boars, they lifted up their palanquin with ease, huffing slightly.

“Heave!”

“Ho!”

With that, they were ready.

Jurot checked the ground once again, leading them away. “They should follow the same trails, so other boars may be nearby.”

It didn’t take long for Jurot to find some tracks. He brushed along some bushes, and then nodded to Adam. The porters readied themselves as well, though followed Jurot until he raised a hand.

There were another two boars, each grazing mindlessly, just being a pair of boars. Unfortunately for them, Jurot had his eyes on them, readying to slay them. The porters placed down their palanquin down, reaching for their javelins.

“Same plan?” Adam asked.

Then he heard a grunt as Jurot fell on a patch of earth, tumbling over and slamming up against a tree. He looked at Adam and the porters, who were upside down to him. They blinked at him and he returned the blink.

The boars squealed nearby, wailing angrily. They began to paw the ground, ready to charge at the strangers who had interrupted their day.

“Never mind.”

Battle Order

D20 + 1 = 14 (13)

Spell

Flame Bolt

D20 + 4 = 15 (11)

Hit!

1D6 = 3 (3)

8 fire damage!

Seeing that he still had some range, Adam raised his hand. “Fire Fist,” he called out, channelling his mana. He could feel the warmth of the mana flow out to his hand, which was set aflame, before he formed a fist and punched out, the fiery fist shooting out towards the boar. It struck the boar, which shuddered and squealed in shock from the fire hitting it.

Jurot, embarrassed that he had fumbled into a tree, channelled the heat of embarrassment into his rage. He clenched his fist and flexed, leaping into the fray. He gripped his axe tightly, swinging it down wildly. “Rargh!” He exclaimed, his axe sinking deep into the creature, almost cleaving through its neck.

The boar screamed in pain, trying to shove its tusks through Jurot, narrowly dodging the unseen javelins. The other boar tried to strike Adam too, but he raised his shield, dulling the blow.

Attack

D20 + 5 = 10 (5)

Miss!

Adam tried to thrust his sword into the boar, but with the trees around them, it was awkward to position around them.

Jurot roared, flexing his muscles tight as he cleaved the head clean off with a single swipe, gritting his teeth as he snarled like a beast. “My axe cannot be stopped!”

‘Whoa, Jurot is getting really into it.’ Adam crashed his shield against the tusk of the beast, giving a chance to the cousins as they tossed their javelins, hitting the side of the boar, piercing straight through it. It screams out in pain and tried to clamber against Adam.

Attack (Flanking)

D20 + 6 = 19 (13)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 13 (6)(3)

13 damage!

Adam caught the creature within his shield. “Good night, sweet prince,” he whispered, shoving his blade through its throat. All the while, Jurot hacked through its neck too, almost striking Adam’s blade as he did. His rage had consumed him for a moment, though seeing the creature fall limp, he let out a low growl which eventually turned into a low sigh.

Victory!

Boars

+40XP

XP

160 -> 200

“That was much better,” Adam said. “It almost hit me.”

“I was not wounded either,” Jurot said, nodding his head. “I still have some strength.”

“Let’s not push our luck. Four boars down in a single day is already good enough. Looks like we’ll be eating good tonight.”

Jurot nodded his head, smiling at the thought. “First, the bakery.”

‘These guys really like the bakery, don’t they?’

‘Look at the Iyrman. I don’t think he’s going there for the bread.’

‘He does look hungry though.’

‘Hungry for what?’

“Should we hunt some more tomorrow?” Adam asked, looking to Jurot.

“We can, but we should be careful. Soon, the dead will begin to rise.”

“What?”

‘What? This guy wants to work again after this haul?’

‘Maybe he is a psychopath…’

‘Seems like it.’

“What do you mean the dead will begin to rise?” Adam asked, blinking wildly at Jurot.

“It’s the first week of First Dawn, but during the second and third weeks, the undead begin to rise.”

Adam continued to blink at Jurot behind his helmet. “I see…” He had no idea what Jurot was talking about. ‘The undead rise? I don’t remember this. Well, except for that one time…’ Yet as he thought about what Jurot said. “The undead rise yearly during the second and third weeks?”

“That’s right.”

“Jurot.”

“Yes?”

“When did you leave the Iyr?”

“A month ago, before the Beast Wave.”

“Right. A month ago. Before the…” Adam blinked again. He shook his head. “Did you say Beast Wave?”

“Yes.”

Adam kept blinking. His brain kept restarting, as though his brain was crashing with every word coming from Jurot’s lips. “Right, uh…” He wasn’t sure what he should ask about. There were so many things he wanted to ask, but he wasn’t sure where he should start. “Anyway, your mother… did she…” Adam wasn’t sure how to ask this politely. “Did she… eat more food before you left the Iyr?”

Jurot squinted his eyes to think. “Yes. Mother made sure to build herself stoutly for strength! She said she needed to recently in order to bear the hope of the future.” He nodded his head.

Adam chuckled. “I see. Right. How about we go and slay a boar and offer it to your mother?”

Jurot nodded his head. “That is a good idea.”

“Should we go soon?”

Jurot shook his head. “No. We will be needed to deal with the undead.”

Adam wondered how he could get Jurot to take him to the Iyr. “What about clearing up the undead on the way to the Iyr?” It was the best logic he had. ‘Come on, Jurot…’

“We can do that,” Jurot replied. ‘Adam son of Fate, why are you so eager to go to the Iyr?’ He paused for a moment, staring into Adam’s eyes. “There are small village communities on the way to the Iyr. Usually a few Iyrmen are sent to assist.”

“Then we can support them on the way, and celebrate the fact you’ve become an adventurer.”

“A Copper Rank adventurer is no high feat for an Iyrman.”

“Oh?” Adam leaned in. “Perhaps not to an Iyrman, but isn’t that only because you were born in the right place at the right time? Random villagers would find it difficult. Are you telling me that Jurot son of Surot won’t even return to his home to pay his gratitude to his family for raising him so well now that he’s taken the first step to being a great warrior?”

Persuasion Check

D20 + 4 = 18 (14)

Jurot pursed his lips together and looked aside, slightly ashamed with how Adam had put it. “I should return to the Iyr soon.”

“Right.” Adam chuckled.

‘Wow, he is truly evil to the Iyrman.’

‘Seems like it.’

“Should we bring a few people along?” Adam asked.

‘Oh no!’

‘Don’t ask us!’

“I will speak with my uncles,” Jurot nodded his head.

“Right, they should also be thanked for their hard work too.” Adam sighed. ‘That was easy.’ He sighed a little deeper. ‘Though I should probably level quickly, but if we take too long, we might miss the birth.’ The anxiety of death loomed over Adam still. “Should we go tomorrow?”

“We can. It would be best to go when the undead begin to rise. Once they rise, we can be sent out to the villages on the way back through the guild.”

“Alright. I’ll let Emma know once we get back with these boars.”

Jurot nodded his head. ‘I still need to keep an eye on you. Is this a good idea? No, it would be best to speak with the elders once I return.’

With that, Adam's first steps were decided. He had to make sure that Sonarot and Lanarot we're safe. Since things had changed, that meant that the situation back in the Iyr could be worse. If something was wrong with Lanarot’s birth… Adam shook his head, looking away. ‘Enough! There’s no need to think about things like that…’

‘Suspicious!’