Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG
[1270] – Y06.170 – Young Man

Ellani was certain Adam was a fool. It was not because he spoke of his plot so openly, that was cute, and perhaps it was a ploy in lowering her guard, something which wouldn’t work, but there was something far scarier, far more threatening in his words. The plan made sense, but it was not the plan which seemed so ridiculous, but the implication that he could defeat the Fariq that hung upon the air. What anchored her heart to a darkness was that even she, the Mother of Black Lion, could not place his strength. He, who had spoken so loudly, so proudly, so shamelessly of his affiliations, spoke in a way which prickled her pride, and the pride of Black Lion. 

“Just to be clear, I want to spar with your Fariq because we both get something out of it,” Adam said. “You get to see just how strong I am with your own to eyes, and perhaps it will confirm how worthy I am to speak with the Shen, potentially.”

The old woman could feel something stir within her heart. Frustration. Just how many years had it been since someone dared to speak to her in such a ridiculous tone? She remained silent, her eyes narrowed, focused upon the half elf. 

“What do I get out of it?” Adam continued. “To this day, I have never missed any of my children’s first birthdays. This year, I think I won’t be able to keep that. Perhaps if we rushed, I could return to see my daughter and my son.”

“She is my daughter,” Jurot corrected.

“This guy!” Adam huffed. “Do you see this? He already has a beautiful wife, why won’t he surrender his children to me?”

“I will not trade my children even for yours.”

“This guy! He’s even a better father than me!” Adam reached over and slapped Jurot’s arm. “Damn it! Look at him, Mustashalur! So handsome! Such a unit! He’s built like a lion! He’s not from Aswadasad, but Iyrasad!”

Dunes raised his brows, unsure if he liked this Adam who made decent jokes. The half elf winked in return, nodding his head lightly. 

“For me, it would be a good gift for my son, the tale of how I heroically faced the Grand Commander of the Black Lions, he who wears the mask of not white, silver, gold, but a mask of black. The Black Lion of the Order of the Black Lion.” Adam closed his eyes. “If I do that much, won’t he forgive me?”

The old woman could hear it, not the arrogance that he had displayed, but the sweet and tender sadness. 

“No, I’m sure he’ll forgive me, if I don’t, since he is such a sweet boy, but in case my daughters corrupt him to bully me, or perhaps it’s just to soothe my heart, I have to face the Grand Commander.”

“If you were not so humorous, I would take more offence,” the old woman admitted, though if looks could kill, Adam would have died a hundred time before her. 

“We’ll see if you need to take offence,” Adam replied, catching that glare within her eyes. “I promise not to disappoint you.”

“Bring me the Fariq,” the woman called, her voice heavy, almost battering the nearby workers, one of whom half tripped over as they rushed away. 

Fariq Agadun appeared, tall, strong, the Lion of Black Lion, adorned all in black, including that helmet of his, resting over his shoulder, tied by the mane of chain, also completely black, unlike every other figure, whose helmets were white, silver, gold, or a mixture of white and silver or silver and gold. At his side he wore the blade, that blade, that which the Gaks, Geks, and Sens all eyed up, for there was a slim, almost infinitesimally small chance they could wield such a blade in their life times, if the Black Lions somehow fell out of power. 

“Mustashalur,” the Fariq called, he who could not dare to show disrespect to the old woman. 

“This young man wishes to spar with you,” the old woman informed. “If you defeat our Black Lion, I will guarantee a meeting with the royal family. If you lose, since that sword belongs to your niece, we will claim that shield.”

Adam’s eyed darted to the crimson shield within Nirot’s grasp, and his eyes returned back towards the old woman’s. Though his lips formed a smile, his eyes darkened. “Okay.”

‘Huh?’ the Fariq thought, utterly baffled by the situation, even though he reached for his helmet without thinking of it, the need to obey the old woman beaten into him over multiple generations.

“You should be careful against my nephew,” the older Aswadian said, he who wielded a spear upon his back, and had caused a Great Elder to retire. “He is strong.”

“You are the Lion King,” Agadun began, donning his helmet, dropping his visor to hide the playful smirk upon his face, “but you are not the King of Black Lion.”

Adam stood opposite the Fariq of Black Lion, the Grand Commander whose name was spoken among those like New Moon and the Full Moon, and from today, the half elf thought, they shall be spoken among the likes of Honeysuckle Sword and the Grand Commander of High Garden. 

‘It looks like I won’t be able to hold back,’ Adam thought. ‘Since you dare to covet my adorable cousin’s shield, I’ll need to beat the greed out of you.’

“You must beat the disrespect out of his flesh, blood, and bones,” the Mustashalur whispered into the Fariq’s ear, fixing his long cape of black, lined with golden thread. ‘It would be best for him to learn his manners before he speaks with the Shen.’

Adam clutched his magical shield tight in hand, feeling its magic tingling through him. He stared at the design from above, catching the way the light hit the gentle groove. This was the shield his Aunt had given to him to make sure it would keep him safe. He wondered, for a moment, if this feeling of warmth in his heart was the same kind of feeling the others felt when they received weapons from the business. 

“Are you ready?” the old woman’s chilly voice called, cooling the half elf. 

“Xarot!” Adam shouted, flexing his entire body. “This one’s for you!”

Battle Order

D20 + 1 = 12 (11)

Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2

Seventh Sky: 1 -> 0

Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage)

D20 + 10 = 12 (2)

D20 + 10 = 16 (6)

Miss!

Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage)

D20 + 10 = 16 (6)

D20 + 10 = 19 (9)

Hit!

Mana: 34 -> 33

Ability: Divine Smite

4D6 + 2D6 + 8 = 29 (15)(6)

29 damage!

Onward Soar: 1 -> 0

Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage)

D20 + 10 = 15 (5)

D20 + 10 = 28 (18)

Hit!

Mana: 33 -> 32

Ability: Divine Smite

4D6 + 2D6 + 8 = 30 (12)(10)

30 damage!

Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage)

D20 + 10 = 13 (3)

D20 + 10 = 20 (10)

Hit!

Mana: 32 -> 31

Ability: Divine Smite

4D6 + 2D6 + 8 = 26 (11)(7)

26 damage!

It was upon the first clash, the ring of steel striking jeticule, which confirmed the words of the Lion King. 

‘He is strong.’

The pair engaged in a heavy clash, with the half elf forcing the Fariq onto the back foot immediately. The older Aswadian man’s body ached from wounds of old, but it was these new aches, born from blows that came from a giant in the form of a half elf, which ached deeper within his bones, and deep into his heart. The thought of what this half elf was, no doubt a dragon in disguise, quickly gave way. 

“I am Fariq Agadun!” the older Aswadian exclaimed proudly. “Son of Asad the Lion!”

The old woman’s brows raised in alarm, for the Fariq’s voice, full of conviction, guided his blade righteously, and their glowing blade and axe struck viciously. Though the older Aswadian was like a beast, a proud lion who lashed so violently, all the old woman could see was…

No. 

The Fariq was still a violent beast, his fangs still sharp, but what could a lion do against a mountain?

Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1

Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage)

D20 + 10 = 14 (4)

D20 + 10 = 21 (11)

Hit!

Mana: 31 -> 30

Ability: Divine Smite

4D6 + 2D6 + 8 = 30 (10)(12)

30 damage!

Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage)

D20 + 10 = 13 (3)

D20 + 10 = 20 (10)

Hit!

Mana: 30 -> 29

Ability: Divine Smite

4D6 + 2D6 + 8 = 27 (19)(8)

27 damage!

Agadun continued to lash out fiercely, their blades ringing together, sword against axe, in a dance, but as they clashed once more, the searing pain rocked through his body, and into his legs, and as the old man swung towards the half elf, his blade continued as Adam bobbed his chest back, the half elf raising his axe, but he paused, standing over the fallen lion with his axe ready to strike. 

‘Huh?’ Adam thought, doing the calculations in his mind, twice, since he was so poor at maths. ‘He’s not a Paragon?’

Poor Agadun.