Father Hi’s heart pound wildly, thundering within his chest as he felt his entire chest squeeze. ‘This Half Elf is going to be the death of me!’

Father Jag began to sweat too, closing his eyes, finding that the Half Elf was someone he couldn’t deal with.

Mother Jaghi clasped her hands together, waiting for someone else to take the dive. ‘Why don’t you two ask this time?’

Adam remained sitting there, smiling innocently at the High Priests.

“What was it?” Mother Jaghi finally asked. “What was it that you wished for from Lord Sozain?” Her fingers gently trailed along the intricate amulet at her chest, wondering if she would need to use it. 

“I just politely asked him not to kill my family,” Adam said, smiling innocently still. “Otherwise I’d have a chat with him.”

The Guards threw each other a look. 

‘That’s blasphemy, isn’t it?’

‘Well, he didn’t say it exactly.’

‘Do we kill him?’

‘I have no idea.’

The pair looked to the the trio of High Priests, who had held the same conversation with their eyes between one another. 

“Lord Sozain is nice though, I like him,” Adam said, nodding his head, oblivious to the thoughts of the High Priests or the Guards. “There may even come a time where I swear my Oaths to him.”

Father Hi, who had barely calmed down from hearing the madness of the Half Elf, clutched at his heart and keeled over, feeling how tight his chest had become. 

Father Jag reached around to grab the other Father’s back, rubbing it gently. “Ah, well, that’s quite a lovely thing, isn’t it?” His lips twitched into a gentle smile.

Mother Jaghi stared at Father Jag. ‘Traitor!’ Her eyes glared deep at the Father.

Father Jag had reached for Father Hi to help him, but it was mostly to give him an excuse to remain out of the conversation.

“What a lovely ambition,” Mother Jaghi said through her gritted teeth.

Adam’s lips turned into a wide smirk, just like Jurot’s when his mother complimented the boy. “It is, isn’t it?” He nodded his head, mostly praising himself. 

Dunes’ eyes flashed with terror for a moment, but they quickly passed. ‘Wait. Adam probably doesn’t understand what he said since he is queer like that.’ 

“You should be careful saying things like that,” Dunes said, placing a hand on Adam’s back.

“Like what?” Adam asked, not picking up what Dunes was saying.

“That you will swear your Oaths to Lord Sozain,” Dunes said, sighing. “Those who swear their Oaths to Lord Sozain kill anything and anyone with no qualms. That includes Nobles, which is a taboo, and the Iyrmen that you hold so close to your heart. In fact, you might even need to kill High Priests of certain Gods too, if the Lord wills it. Such an Oath is the most terrifying Oath.”

“I assumed that was the case, but I probably wouldn’t kill Iyrmen,” Adam said, nodding his head slowly. “They’ve been kind to me.”

“You shouldn’t kill Nobles or High Priests either,” Mother Jaghi said, smiling warmly.

“Why not?” Adam asked, staring into her eyes. He had asked like a young child, who did not know the ways of the world. Yet, he was a young man, someone who knew the reasons why one shouldn’t kill Nobles or Priests.

Or so Mother Jaghi had thought.

“Excuse me?” Mother Jaghi asked, blinking rapidly at him.

“If Lord Sozain asked me to kill a Noble or a Priest, of course I would,” Adam said, staring into her eyes deeply. “It’s not like Nobles have treated me well, and I have no qualms with killing a holy man if it meant the world would be a better place.”

The Mother stared at him, her eyes wide, her fingers gripping her amulet tight. 

The Guards glanced between one another again. ‘What did he just say?’

“You would kill Noble and Priests?” Mother Jaghi asked. 

“If Lord Sozain asked, of course. What is a Noble or a Priest in the eyes of the Gods? Do you think they’re on the same level?” Adam asked. “That’s blasphemous.”

“Nobles and Priests keep the order and the peace,” Mother Jaghi said. 

“No,” Adam replied. “Iyrmen keep the order and the peace.” His eyes remained focused on the Mother’s eyes, piercing deep into them.

She had never met anyone like Adam before, someone who was so eager to speak about killing Nobles and Priests, especially not someone who would say so in front of three High Priests. Even now, if they wished for it, they could kill the trio with ease. The Iyrmen may have been slightly difficult, but they could kill the Half Elf within seconds.

“If I ever did swear my Oaths to Lord Sozain, it probably means I would have given up all qualms about killing people, or that I needed a great power to deal with any threat which comes my way, in which case, pretty much everyone is fair game.” Adam shrugged his shoulders. 

“Other than Iyrmen?” Jurot asked.

“Other than Iyrmen, and children, obviously,” Adam said. “Everyone else, well, they better not anger Lord Sozain.”

‘This guy is fucking crazy!’ 

“You don’t plan on swearing your Oaths to Sozain at this time, do you?” Mother Jaghi asked.

“No.”

“And you do not wish for the demise of Jaghi?”

“No.”

“Very well,” she said.

Adam was escorted out of the temple, where he could continue about his day in peace.

‘I feel like I said a bunch of stuff I shouldn’t have,’ Adam thought. ‘Oh well.’

Over the course of the next few days, the Half Elf noted the various figures following him. Each wore heavy cloaks around themselves, and a breastplate under their cloaks. They were keeping an eye on him whenever he stepped out the Adventurer’s Guild to go about his business.

He gathered that they were from the temple, but he didn’t really bother with them since they had left him be. He had even tested them, going into an alley alone, but they had merely kept an eye on him, and hadn’t come to try and kill him.

However, another figure appeared, blocking his path.

They were tall, though not as tall as him, and they were adorned in well worn breastplate, stamped with the symbol of a mountain, but not that of Jaghi. At their back was a large greatsword, made of Jagite, and at their side was a shortsword, also made of Jagite. At their back was a set of javelins, and they were the most heavily armed person who wasn’t a Guard. 

A single amulet lay on their chest, the familiar symbol of Death across it. 

“Do you have some business with me, stranger?” Adam asked, his fingers twitching towards Lightsear.

The figure removed their helmet, revealing a familiar, Half Elvish face. 

“Oh,” Adam said, blinking at the fellow. “Jonn. What’s up?”

“I am ready,” Jonn said. “I will follow you when you leave.”

“Alright,” Adam said. “We were planning on leaving soon, so we’ll probably leave tomorrow. We’ve done our business here, so there’s no point in staying any longer.” Adam’s eyes darted towards the figures in the distance which had kept an eye on him.

Jonn nodded his head slowly. “Very well.”

It was late in the evening when Father Hi received word about Adam’s daily activity, as he had done so the past few days. 

“So he’s just walking around and relaxing?” Father Hi asked, dabbing his sweaty forehead. 

“Yes,” the Acolyte said. “He’s been walking about, relaxing, and hasn’t been up to any trouble.”

“Suspicious,” Father Hi said, rubbing his pained chest. Ever since meeting Adam, his chest had felt such pressure. ‘I need to lose weight.’

Omen: 2, 13

“Father Hi! Father Hi!” shouted an Acolyte, gasping for air.

Typically, they would have been admonished, but the High Priest had allowed the Acolytes to call when one of two situations came to light.

Either Adam had threatened Jaghi, in which case they could send the Guardians, or…

“He’s leaving?” Father Hi whispered. 

“Yes, Father Hi,” the Acolyte said, nodding his head with a quivering smile on his lips. “He’s leaving.”

“You take good care of yourself, alright?” Adam said to Lady Elowen, who was still disguised as a Human. 

“You as well, Adam.” The woman smiled. “We can’t thank you enough for everything that you have done, and mere words aren’t good enough.”

“I just want you to remember the promise you made to me,” Adam said, shaking her hand. “You need to pass the message.”

“We will, you can be sure of that.”

“I can be sure, since these two reliable fellows are going to be going with you,” Adam said, chuckling. 

“You don’t have to worry about them,” Lanban said. “We will deal with any foes.”

The pair of Iyrmen had been informed, roughly, of the business White’s Grace had.

“Who would be able to handle the pair of us?” Aizaban asked. “Even if it was the Death Knight, he wouldn’t dare attack us lightly.”

“I remember that going very differently,” Adam said, raising his brow.

“Did he manage to land a blow?”

“Fair point.”

“I hope that we can talk properly,” Ylra said, shaking his hand. “You seem like a bundle of fun.”

“I’m more than a bundle of fun,” Adam said. “I’m a… a blanket of fun.”

“A bundle is bigger than a blanket.”

“Is it?” Adam asked, thinking for a single moment. “Oh, right.”

Ylra couldn’t help but smile. She wasn’t sure if he was an idiot on purpose or on accident, but he was quite charming all the same.

“Don’t forget about me, okay, Princess?” Adam asked, staring down at the Princess, reaching out with his finger. 

The Princess grabbed it and brought it to her mouth, sucking on it. 

“Don’t be stuck up like those other Noble bastards,” Adam said. “If you end up like Harvey or that Dorian, I’ll be really sad.”

The Princess nibbled around his finger with her sharp teeth, but she didn’t break through his skin.

“Be a good girl and eat your vegetables. Listen to your elders properly. If anyone bullies you, send me a message and I’ll beat them up, okay?”

The Princess stared up at him and then slapped his hand with her tiny hands, giggling as she did.

“Is she calls for you, will you answer?” Lady Elowen asked.

“Of course,” Adam replied. “I should take responsibility now that I’ve come so far. When you’re done with your business, will you head to the Iyr to find me? I’ll give her a gift to protect herself with.” 

“A gift?”

“That’s right,” Adam said, leaning in to tickle the Princess’ nose. “I’ll make you a magical dagger, so if anyone bullies you, shank ‘em and run!” 

“Aboo!” the Princess said, throwing up her hands.

“You should be careful, Adam,” Lady Elowen said. “That sword of yours is one of the greatest of its calibre. There will be many who wish to covet it.”

“Don’t worry,” Adam said. “I knew the risks when I made the sword.”

Lady Elowen hadn’t been sure if she had heard it right the first time. “You made that sword?”

“Yeah.”

“He did,” Aizaban confirmed, knowing the weight of her words, for they were the words of an Iyrman. “The price to assist you was a magical weapon made by him.”

“You aren’t joking, are you?” Lady Elowen said. 

Adam smiled. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to me soon enough.”

“Yer a good man,” Redboulder said, patting the Half Elf’s arm.

“That means a lot coming from you, Master Dwarf,” Adam said. 

Redboulder nodded. “That warhammer by yer side, it’s of a good Dwarf make, isn’t it?”

“Your eyes are as keen as I expected.”

“No man of Elvish blood can carry a Dwarf make without being a decent man,” Redboulder said. “Ah trusted ya the moment ah met ya!”

“You were the one to say we should kill him because he knows too much,” Ylra stated.

“What are ya talkin’ about?” Redboulder shook his fist at her. “Ah only said that we may have ta!”

Aizaban and Lanban nodded their heads, understanding their worries. After all, it seemed that Adam had the same effect on the Iyr when he first arrived. Paul had warned them too, that Adam was someone who was too weird, that they should keep an eye on him.

“I’ll wish you the best of luck too, Rojer,” Adam said. “Perhaps we can talk more about magic when your business is done.”

“I’d be interested in learning more about you and the way you cast magic,” Rojer said. “You’re unlike any other I’ve met before.”

Adam smiled. “You’re right about that.”

Adam stepped out the room, but threw a look over his shoulder. “Send the Vice Master my regards, won’t you?” 

Aizaban smiled. “I will.”

 

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Will there ever come a time when Adam doesn't commit blasphemy or terrify people?