The group had run for a long while, before they stopped panting for air. The giant elk which Adam had summoned did not need any rest, but it was surrounded by mortals who needed to catch their breath.

“Who the hell is that guy?” Adam panted, trying to gather his bearings. His mind was racing as to all the possibilities as to who that old man could have been, all the while his heart was pounding wildly. ‘He’s definitely strong.’

Vonda placed a hand on Lucy’s shoulder, calling forth her magic to heal the young woman, healing her with a First Gate spell. Lucy’s shoulder was hot to the touch, and the Demon winced, but the soothing magics filled her entirely. Upon feeling the heat, Vonda quickly withdrew her hand, swallowing hard.

“Are you alright?” Dunes asked, speaking to Lucy, though he kept an eye on Sir Vonda. He also used a First Gate spell to heal the Demon, though she still looked rough.

“I’m fine,” Lucy said, not liking the fact that two Priests were laying their hands on her. Their touch was repulsive, though it wasn’t a feeling Lucy could control, not until she grew more powerful.

Mana: 18 -> 17

Spell: Cure Wounds

1D6 + 3 = 6 (3)

Mana: 17 -> 16

Spell: Cure Wounds

1D6 + 3 = 8 (5)

Mana: 16 -> 15

Spell: Cure Wounds

1D6 + 3 = 6 (3)

“It’s going to be okay,” Adam said, placing a hand on her back, before healing her three times. Vonda’s healing was much better, but Adam understood that his Mana worked differently. He could cast as many First Gate spells as he had Mana, whereas the others were only able to cast a limited amount of the various tiers of spells they possessed.

Lucy looked down towards her hands. She had some resistance to fire, due to her nature as a specific type of Demon, but the fire that the old man used was terrifying. She didn’t dare to make a joke about how hunky he was, a low chill having seeped deep within her.

“We should…” Adam caught Kitool’s eyes, which were glued behind them. He followed her eyes, and stared out towards the path they had fled from. It was too hazy to see through, though they should have been able to see some figures in the distance. “What do you see?”

Kitool gripped Seekerstaff in hand tightly, and Jaygak drew Stormdrake, while Jurot donned his Mighty Roar and held Phantom tight in hand.

There was a figure in the distance. He was no bigger than a finger nail at the distance, but as the moments passed by, they could see him more clearly. He flew towards them, his feet only slightly above the ground. Minutes later, the haziness disappeared, and the figure began to slow to a halt, before dropping down onto his feet no more than twenty metres away.

Adam’s mind was blank as he tried to figure out a way to not die, but whatever came to mind quickly slipped away. He swallowed. ‘Okvar is quick.’ Adam knew that much at least, but if the figure had flown towards them without the pair of Iyrmen chasing him, then it could only mean one thing.

“Do you wish to surrender?” the old man asked, politely.

“We don’t want to hurt you, old man,” Adam said, managing to find his voice. Whatever fear had gripped him earlier had simmered down into apprehension. There was still the slight darkness in his heart, but it didn’t stop him from trying to get himself killed.

“You? Hurt me?” The old man remained quiet for a moment, ruminating on the words. “Your Iyrmen could not stop me, and yet you believe you could stop me?”

“If we grouped together, even we could defeat Okvar and Rasam,” Adam said. “Two against one is difficult, but there are over a dozen of us.”

“I only need a moment to kill half of you,” the old man said, his eyes gazing over the young Iyrmen and those who were Experts. He spoke the words as though they were true, and to him, they were. However, deep within the old man’s heart, he could feel the apprehension. ‘If I kill these young ones it will only aggravate her. I will just beat them and kill the Demon before making my way.’

Adam could see the old man was thinking, which gave him a moment to think too. The old man seemed fine, and not just fine, but it looked as though he hadn’t even broken a sweat. However, Rasam and Okvar alone could have pushed back a large number of great creatures, even a Dragon would have to think twice.

‘He must have used something to heal himself,’ Adam thought. ‘How many items does he have?’ His eyes fell to the man’s rings, wondering if they were full of items like his own.

“Hand over the Demon and I will leave you be,” the stranger said.

The group remained on high alert, weapons out. Some of their eyes fell to Adam.

‘What are you going to do?’ Brittany thought. ‘I don’t want to die!’

Vonda held her thoughts in her mind too. Her path was that of Life. However, if they didn’t hand over the Demon, there would be a lot of Death. If they did, there there would only be one instance, meaning more Life would be safe and sound.

Dunes could feel the tingle of his sword, ready and eager to fight. However, he couldn’t die here, not when he hadn’t managed to find his friend. ‘Lady Arya, please guide us.’

Jurot gripped Phantom tighter, feeling the darkness in his heart. It had barely been over a week since he had left, and yet they had already managed to lose two Mithril Rank Iyrmen, and someone had come to kill a friend. Why did they have to leave then? Why leave at all? Why did he come out of the Iyr?

Lucy swallowed, looking to Adam. She knew how good the deal was. The old man didn’t seem to be hostile to them, only to her. He had defended himself only against those that had attacked him, and had only harmed her actively. Lucy slowly moved her foot backwards.

“No,” Adam replied. “You can’t take Stormdrake, and you can’t take Lucy either.”

The old man sighed. What a troublesome stranger this boy was. “I will pay for her life.” He revealed a ring made of blackness. “This ring once belonged to a great hero, a woman who was chosen by Lady Arya. If you were to sell it, it would be worth at least a few thousand gold, perhaps even more than ten thousand.”

Adam swallowed. “At least you know she’s worth that much. How about you hand over a ransom for your life, and we’ll let you go. Ten, no, five gold should do.”

Jaygak gripped Stormdrake tighter, wondering how Adam could dare to joke to such a terrifying foe. She could feel the temperature in the air begin to rise, though the old man made no aggressive movement.

“I am showing you mercy, boy. I should kill you, considering you too are foreign to this world.” The old man’s eyes stared down at Adam, and even from this distance, the pressure weighed Adam down.

Adam inhaled deeply. “You’re going to have to if you want Lucy.”

“Since it has come to a fight, then so be it.” The old man’s eyes fell across the rest of the group. Iyrmen, Priests, and commonfolk. “I have no qualms with the rest of you, so you should step aside.”

The others remained where they were.

Brittany had an arrow drawn, but she had no intention of firing it. She was nimble on her feet, and so could quickly retreat away if needed.

Nobby held a shield in hand, though he wasn’t sure what to do. Whatever this person was, they were strong.

Nirot’s heart was pounding in her chest. She had just left the Iyr and though she was to be trained by Adam, she had managed to meet a terrifying foe. It was her first journey out and she would earn a good death. There were few Iyrmen who could earn such a good death immediately after leaving the Iyr.

“Step back,” came the command. Adam remained ahead of the group, with Jurot behind him. “Anyone who isn’t an Expert should step back.”

“You would ask us to step back?” Nirot asked, her voice calm and collected, though she could feel the rage bubbling within her.

“You would not keep your word?” Adam replied, his eyes fixed on the old man, who had yet to make a move.

Nirot’s eyes grew wide for a moment, but as Naqokan placed a hand on her shoulder, she stepped back.

“You too, Nobby, Brittany,” Adam said. He wasn’t sure what the old man was thinking, but he had given Adam a chance to protect those in his charge. If the old man had an ability like Fireball, then it would be best to keep the others away, otherwise they’d die in an instant.

That left those who were Experts. The Iyrmen who Adam had fought alongside for over a year, the pair of Half Elves, the man who wished to die, the Demon Lord, and the Priests.