“This,” Adam said, gripping Phantom in hand tightly, “is going to be ruff.”

The group had travelled into the forest, this time searching for Winter Wolves within the not quite so deadly forest.

Jurot was confident he’d be able to track them, and Lucy was itching for a good fight.

However, Adam hadn’t expected to find so many.

Seven Winter Wolves, and three Elder Winter Wolves growled towards the party, ready and eager to tear them limb from limb.

Battle Order

D20 + 1 = 8 (7)

“Did you really say ruff?” Lucy groaned, summoning her Destroyer, the giant, flaming greataxe.

Jurot did not say anything as he raised his shield, all the while the ten Wolves bounded towards the pair of them.

As a White Wolf struck Jurot, thunder rumbled in the air as the White Wolf’s body spasmed, thunder rocking through its entire body, shattering its bones, managing to scare away some of the other Wolves from attacking.

“Damn, Jurot, since when could you-“ Adam shut up, as some of the Wolves who slipped away from Jurot, charged for him and the Porters. ‘Oh, right,’ Adam thought, remembering how he had enchanted the shield.

Health: 65 -> 58

Strength Save

D20 + 6 = 14 (8)

Soon the group was overwhelmed by the ten Beasts. One leapt up at Adam, and tried to tackle him down, but he managed to punt it back.

An Elder White Wolf struck Lucy across her side, and tried to drag her down, along with the help of another smaller White Wolf, but she managed to stay up, slamming her flaming Destroyer down onto the smaller White Wolf, splitting it in half.

Jurot also managed to cleave through a White Wolf with a single blow, and as another tried to nip at his heels, he sliced through its head.

Remy and Jeremy, who had dropped their palanquin quickly, managed to hide behind their spears, with Remy even managing to poke one away from him. Nobby his behind his shield, and swung his axe wildly, but the White Wolf was too nimble for him.

Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2

Health: 57 -> 62

Attack

D20 + 8 = 12 (4)

D20 + 8 = 15 (7)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 14 (2)(6)

14 damage!

Attack

D20 + 8 = 18 (10)

D20 + 8 = 23 (15)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 14 (4)(4)

14 damage!

Onward Soar: 1 -> 0

Attack (Flanking)

D20 + 9 = 11 (2)

D20 + 9 = 20 (11)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 18 (6)(6)

18 damage!

Attack (Flanking)

D20 + 9 = 28 (19)

D20 + 9 = 28 (19)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 15 (3)(6)

15 damage!

Adam was a flurry of death, his Phantom weaving through the air as he cut into the White Wolves all around him and the Porters. He tore through each of them as though he were carving a cake, as the seconds passed, the four White Wolves lay dead between his feet.

Jurot and Lucy both heard the bodies of four White Wolves drop, and the three Porters stared at Adam, mesmerised by his swift movement, and how quick he had dispatched the four White Wolves, each of which held much greater strength than typical Wolves.

‘Whoa!’ the twins thoughts.

Nobby also stared at Adam, his eyes twinkling. ‘I can be that strong?’

The three Elder White Wolves roared as their followers were killed, but they charged forward to strike. Jurot intercepted two of them, slamming his shield against one of them, and keeping another at bay with his flaming axe.

Lucy, who was having too much fun, swung wildly, allowing the Elder White Wolf to strike up against her thigh. As it snarled, dragging her down, she wailed with laughter.

“Yes!” She the Elder White Wolf right against its skull, her flaming axe sinking deep, and yet somehow she did not manage to kill it.

Jurot managed to sink his axe deep into an Elder White Wolf’s shoulder, which roared in pain, as the last crept backwards away from the raging Iyrman.

Warrior Spirit: 2 -> 1

Health: 62 -> 65

Attack (Flanking)

D20 + 9 = 20 (12)

D20 + 9 = 21 (13)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 9 (1)(2)

9 damage!

Attack (Flanking)

D20 + 9 = 10 (1)

D20 + 9 = 23 (14)

Hit!

1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 11 (2)(3)

11 damage!

Adam charged in towards Jurot, who was surrounded by the two Elder White Wolves, and swung his axe wildly, managing to hack against the back of the injured Elder White Wolf. It turned to snarl at him, but found Phantom slicing through its neck, causing it to drop.

The other two Elder White Wolves slipped back in the commotion and fled, though one found a javelin striking its hind leg, though it continued to bound away from the bringers of death.

“Let ‘em go,” Adam said. “No point chasing them.”

“No point? I almost killed it!” Lucy cried. “Now I can only claim one White Wolf!”

“There are plenty more things to kill, Lucy,” Adam said. “You three alright?”

The trio stared at Adam, who always shocked them, with a greater sense of awe.

“Yes, boss!” the pair replied.

“Yes,” Nobby replied, still staring at Adam with those sparkling eyes of him.

Victory!

White Wolf Pack

+150 XP

XP: 2925 -> 3175

The porters tossed the bodies on the palanquin, and Adam turned to Zeus.

“Oh,” Adam said. “I forgot you were here.”

‘Protect Nobby,’ Zeus said.

“Good job,” Adam said, rubbing the back of its head.

When a White Wolf had come for Nobby, Zeus was right behind, ready to stomp it aside, though Adam had dispatched of the White Wolf so quickly it had no chance to enter the scene.

“I stole your thunder,” Adam chuckled, before laughing harder at his terrible joke. “Man, I just don’t miss. Ruff. Thunder. God, why am I so funny?” Adam kept laughing, but no one understood why he found himself so funny.

Eventually the group started to make their way back, the body of the Elder White Wolf slung across Zeus’ back, which made the trek back far more bearable.

“Let me know if you see anything, Hades,” Adam said, allowing his Familiar to fly about as he pleased to keep an eye on the area around them.

“The shield is very useful,” Jurot said. “Though I should not use it too often, for more enemies may appear.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Adam asked.

“You do not want us to be in danger,” Jurot said. “So I cannot rely upon the thunder magics within it.”

Adam smiled. “Damn. I’ll try and make one which does a different type of damage then.”

“The shield is useful still,” Jurot said. “There is no need for another shield.”

“Then maybe I’ll take the shield and make you another one?”

Jurot wondered how he should refuse, but remained silent. He could not fault Adam’s logic. No, there was a way.

“You made this shield for me, Adam,” Jurot said. “In the same way you made Dunes’ Sword.”

“Fair enough.”

They eventually returned to the Guild, which eagerly accepted what the group had brought back.

Quest Complete: Slay White Wolves

+250XP

XP: 3125 -> 3375

Stamps Gained: +2

Stamps: 0 -> 2

“We would like to buy some of the claws, teeth, and pelts,” Braun informed.

“How much?” Adam asked.

“Half, for one hundred gold.”

Adam whistled. “I mean…” Adam looked to Jurot. “We should probably send some back to the Iyr.”

“Half is good,” Jurot said. “We will be hunting much more during Nightval.”

“You’re right,” Adam said, nodding his head. “Alright, since the Guild always treats us so well.”

Braun nodded his head. “Thank you.” He handed Adam the gold and gems, which he took to split with the others.

“Here,” Adam said, placing down the coins for the Porters.

“So much?” Remy asked, swiping the five gold coins for each of them.

“You know it,” Adam said. “Remember, you’re on my payroll until the fourteenth. After that, you’re going to be having a fun time with the Lord and us on the road.”

Remy nodded his head. “Thank you, boss.”

“This party fund idea is really good,” Lucy said. “Is that how you’ve been paying for my stay?”

“Yep,” Adam replied. “I’ve put in a lot in the party fund so I can pay the Porters through it too, though I also use my own gold to pay them sometimes.

Lucy nodded her head. “I’ll put in the same amount as you, then.”

“I, too, will put in the same amount,” Jurot said.

“You sure?” Adam asked. “What about the Iyr tax?”

“I will pay it separately,” Jurot said.

“If you’re sure.” Adam smiled. “Well, since we’re done with our work…”

Remy and Jeremy smiled, with Nobby nodding his head.

Adam bit into the jam bun, staring at Jurot and Pam talking.

“Sometimes, Adam,” Lucy said, between taking bites of her own jam buns, “I think you’re a genius.”

“I like to keep you guessing. Is Adam an idiot, or is he a genius, or is he both? No, he’s definitely both, but which will he be today?” Adam smiled. “You will never know.”

“I’ll just assume you’re an idiot all the time.”

“Assumptions make an ass out of you and me,” Adam said.

Lucy stared up at him with a quizzical look.

“Oh come on,” Adam said. “That one was actually good.”