The King stared at the wall of Iyrmen ahead of him.

  His scouts had not seen signs of the Iyrmen, ahey had suddenly appeared along the hills, with East Wing behind them, yet they seemed unbothered by such a fabsp;

  “They’ve sent a bunch of old men to fight us?” King’s Sword said, in utter disbelief. Each man was at least ten years his senior, and some were as old as his father, who could barely walk.

  “An old Iyrman is a deadly Iyrman,” King Solomon said. He he Iyrmen’s equipment, for each of them wore cloaks of varying colours, though they were grouped by such. Those with yellow cloaks stood to one side, those with bck cloaks beside them, and so on. Their ons varied wildly, oher hand, from spears, to staffs, to bdes, made of a myriad of materials. ‘Just how many dragons have you sin, Iyrmen?’

  He tio gaze all along the Iyrmen, noting two cloaked figures who were casually sitting and drinking tea with a pair of Iyrmen, who fiheir cups and began to make their way down.

  Elder Wrath and Elder Peace walked side by side, without any other Iyrman to follow them, going down towards the King and his army.

  “King’s Sword, ander, e with me,” the King called, riding forward to meet with the pair of Great Elders. He was keenly aware of the bde at his side, the very same bde which he had been gifted by King’s Sword. It filled him with great power and fidence.

  The Royal Guards gnced between one another, w if it was fio allow their King to leave with so few men. “It should be fine,” one said. “King’s Sword and ander Roger are two of the most powerful warriors here.”

  The King looked down at the Iyrmen, who stepped about twenty paces in front of the bottom of the hill, staring down at them from atop his horse. “I’ve heard great tales about the Iyrmen,” the King said, bowing his head to the Great Elders. He should have expected to meet them, but had thought that he would meet with the Chief, who he had met before. “You only imagine my disappoio hear that you would so suddenly sughter my people.”

  “Save your propaganda for your own people, whoever remains once we are done,” Elder Wrath grunted. “You only imagine my excitement to hear that you would break the treaty.”

  King Solomon just bowed his head slowly. “Your man it treason by marg into the capital armed without my permission. It is forbiddeook and of my Royal Guard, with their bloods on his hand, and brought back the st living Royal Guard, pregnant with his child, another act of treason, with him to bme.”

  Elder Wrath almost snapped in a rage at the King, but Elder Peace stepped forward, pg a hand on Elder Wrath’s shoulder. He uood what Elder Wrath wao say, but it would have oed the issue. He was aware of all the Iyrmen ready tiven the ce. Oh how badly they wao make these golden fields red with blood.

  “That was not ireaty,” Elder Peace said, his voice calm and low. “The treaty was clear. I am certain you’ve read of it, as have I, dozens of times in the past few days. Iyrmeo be tried within the Iyr, by our own, for any crime they itted.”

  “The w is very clear oter,” Solomon replied. “Treason is to be judged by the King and the royal family, alone.”

  “We followed your rules and ws, and had they been broken, the treaty made it very clear how the such a crime would be punished.” Elder Peace shook his head, uanding that the King couldn’t give in order to save face.

  “He marched and fought for a hundred days for you,” Elder Wrath said, being careful not to allow his too falter. “He pushed batalia the Silver. He forced Rogryaen of the Lightning Sun back. He slew Daegyar the Dark Wing, whereas your King’s Sword only mao sy the dragon’s ander.”

  Elder Peace allowed Elder Wrath his simmering rage. He hadn’t been able to fight this entire way, and he was so hungry for blood. The Great Elder ime to cool off, to get his thoughts out, finally. “He fought for the Kingdom, as expected of an Iyrman,” Elder Peace said.

  “He returned your Royal Guard to you only when his body was battered and bruised, a you killed him.” Elder Wrath narrowed his eyes.

  King Solomon uood that he was only angering them further with his words. He didn’t wish to fight the Iyrmen, even if they had sin so many of his people. “I am certainumber you,” the King said, trying to appeal to their intelligence.

  “At least three to one,” Elder Wrath replied.

  “It is closer to four to one,” Elder Peace aowledged.

  The King stared up at all the Iyrmen once more, each of whom were ready to fight to the death. He certainly did outhem, four to one as the Iyrmen had said, but most of his soldiers were naive children. In front of him were hardened veterans, each worth at least two or three of his own men, and willing to fight until the bitter end.

  "His name was Akrat," the King said, bowing his head. "I met him once before, five years ago. It was at the Battle of Westhall, though it appears that the results of that battle are now irrelevant. I saw him there, a young man no older thay. He fought like one of yours, like an Iyrman.” The King recalled the battle from long ago and sighed. “When he came to the inner city, armed, with a pregnant Royal Guard, by whatever means that occurred, he spat on my authority. He it treason by taking and of my swords without permission, killing them to pursue his own means. It was not just he who I killed that day, but another, one of my own. It was a hard choiake, but it was a choice that had to be made. Do you truly wish to war over one Iyrman?”

  The figure from above, who was sitting and pying dragonchess with the other hooded figure, sighed, shaking his head. ‘Really, did I raise such a fool?’

  “One Iyrman?” Elder Wrath growled, with Elder Peace bowing his head slowly. “We will go to war over a single Iyrman, for any fool of a King who-“

  “Stay your tongue!” ander Roger excimed.

  “You!” Elder Wrath snarled, gring at ander Roger. “What else would I call him but a fool of a King? A King who dared to earn the ire of the Iyrmen and then try to spin a tale! He should be so lucky we have allowed him to live for so long! If it were not for-“

  Elder Peace pced a hand on Elder Wrath’s shoulder, watg as he shook violently.

  “It was not a single Iyrman, oh King of Bckwater. You slew a brother of the Iyr, yes, but you also slew a sister of the Iyr.” Elder Wrath inhaled deeply. “And the soul of our unborn child cries! This unjustice shall be paid by blood!”

  The r of a thousand Iyrmen echoed along the hills, the howls of their rage filling the pins.

  The King’s horse pulled aside, and the King slipped off as the beast fled away, running through the pins. King’s Sword and ander Roger mao leap off their ows to stand beside their King, not thirty paces from the other Iyrmen.

  “You’re right,” the King said, managing to stand. “I broke the treaty that my grandfather, Garld Bckvatr the Wise, signed, and now our armies meet.” He stared at the pair of them, seeing the staff and the greatsword upon the Great Elders’ backs. “I heard tales of the Iyrmen when I was but a boy. You were all savages, beasts, and that you could fight in a war until you were passed dying. Iyrmen were both vilified and deified. When I was born, I heard that there was a war which had started the same day. The War of Third Ice."

  Elder Wrath nodded. "I know of it,” he said.

  The King stared into the Iyrman's eyes for a long moment. "I heard the only reason my grandfather had mao survive the war because of an Iyrman. Within our Kingdom he goes by many names, but the most popur is White Wolf of Northblood."

  "Razfan," Elder Wrath replied.

  "He fought with two axes, each beautiful as they were deadly, seemingly made of ice.”

  "Frostaxe, Icemaiden," Elder Wrath said, nodding his head slowly.

  "They say he slew King Votr, the one known as the Mighty Giant King."

  "That is not the eale,” Elder Wrath said.

  "Is it not true?"

  “The Iyrman you executed, Akrat son of Ikrat, his grandfather died to Gantalia during the bout. It allowed Razfan to sy the King, and forever earhe service of the great silver wyrm.”

  The King swallowed. He had heard that an orcish Iyrmahe dragon at bay, but hadn’t realised the e would be so relevant this day. He looked all along the Iyrmen once more. Those of the white cloaks all buogether, but there were three who stood side by side, he hooded figures pying chess. He he ons ohree, the te afternoon sun barely revealing them. “They say Razfan was only thirty years old."

  "He was twenty five," Elder Peace corrected, uanding why the Kingdom would try to minimise the aplishment.

  "That would put him in his mid sevehis day, if he were alive."

  "Yes."

  The King gnced all around once more, not just to those he feared the most, but every other Iyrman around. ‘War with the Iyr? What a fool I was.’

  Elder Peace almost smiled, seeing the look of eternal regret. “We e, not for the blood of all your people, but for justice. You have already lost thousands of your people, and the Iyr has expanded, both in nd and popution.”

  “Popution?” the King asked.

  “The culling does end to the children, who have been adopted into the Iyr. They will be raised accly to our traditions, as Iyrmen.”

  King Solomon bowed his head, though he word he had used, which caused him to shudder. “I see. It is good to hear that the youth of my Kingdom are safe.”

  “They are no longer a part of your Kingdom,” Elder Peace said sternly.

  The King bowed his head, uanding that the only way he’d be able to retrieve them was to take them back during the Iyr’s surrender. He bli the thought of the Iyr surrendering. “What justice is it that you seek?”

  “Your unditional surrender.”

  The King swallowed carefully, staring at the older Iyrman with the staff upon his back. He wore thick clothing, and held within his hand beads, rubbing his finger and thumb along a red bead.

  “You should be careful with your words, Iyrman,” ander Rrowled. “We outnumber you four to one, and your army is but a bunch of decrepit old men! I could cut the pair of you where you stand!”

  “You’d be hard pressed to stop us from killing your King before he mao scurry back to your front line,” Elder Wrath replied, simply.

  “Peace is preferred,” Elder Peace stated, raising his voice the slightest amount. “You would not believe our words, not unless you saw it.” Elder Peace pced a hand on Elder Wrath’s shoulder, squeezing it gently. “Since peace is what we wish for, then perhaps we should speak to that regard.”

  “I ’t accept your terms,” the King replied. How could he? What would happen to his people? If it was a ditional surrender, perhaps they’d be able to iate something reasonable, but an unditional surrender. “I am open to discussing your surrender.”

  “You believe you defeat us,” Elder Peace said, crag the smallest of smiles. “Do not take it wrongly, oh son of Bckwater. Though we wish for peace, many of ours hunger for blood, and even if we talk of peace, it will only be proceeding a sughter of thousands more. You should first be informed of our strength, as takihall, which you had defended all those years with ease, had fallen so quickly. Perhaps you do not believe it, for you haven’t seen it, so we shall show you. What say you, King of Bckwater, to watch a series of duels?”

  “Duels?” The King asked. “This is a war, Iyrman. We are not here for sport.”

  “Perhaps for you it isn’t,” Elder Wrath replied, throwing a quice to Elder Peace. He certainly hadn’t expected Elder Peace to offer something so fun.

  “We will have a series of duels, at least ten, but we will stop once you wish to surrender. If you win the majority of them, we will surrender, unditionally. If we win the majority of them, we will tihis war, and we will march our way to your capital, and sy half the popution, leaving them to the whims of the various Lords.”

  “You sound fident in your victory,” the King said, w what the Iyrman nning. “I’d be a fool to dee a ce of peace through the lives of a handful of Iyrmen.” His voice was full of bravado, but his heart was unhe knot which had unfurled had returight within his gut.

  “We will allow you to seek sel, and we shall remain for a short while before we begin the sughter of your soldiers,” Elder Peace said.

  The King bowed his head, returning to speak with his General and Majors, the soldiers formed a protective wall around them.

  “If we are able to defeat the Iyrmen through these duels, we cause their unditional surrender,” King Solomon said, eager for the duel. This way, they would only lose a handful of Knights at worst, rather than hundreds of their own.

  “Do you believe they would surrender so easily?” King’s Sword said. “What if it is a ploy?”

  “Iyrmen have held true to their word thus far,” Solomon said. “Call forth the greatest Knights we have, at least ten, but we may need more.”

  “Allow me to fight for you, yrace,” called a voice from one of the Majors who had arrived from Eagle Wing. He was a handsome man in his forties, adorned i pte armour with the sigil of his town, his aral bde at his side.

  “Sir Harvey the Eagle,” King Solomon said. “I should have expected you would step up. Your family has always been full of great Knights, and i wars, has always been a bastion of hope for the Kingdom.”

  “Your words honour me, yrace.” Sir Harvey bowed his head.

  “I will fight too, yrace,” called another warrior, not a Knight, but a man with and a bde made of shimmering silver.

  “I do nnise you, great warrior,” the King said.

  “This is not the pce fabonds,” ander Roger said.

  “I am Marten Silver Sword,” the man said, dropping to a knee.

  “Silver Sword?” King Solomon said, throwing a look to King’s Sword. “I recall of your aid at Westhall, but I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting you.”

  “I am but a simple merary, yrace.”

  “Your bde is as good as any Knight,” King Solomon said, nodding his head. He was uaiher he could defeat the merary himself. “Should you fight in my name, I will reward you greatly.”

  “It is my honour, yrace,” Marten said, bowing his head.

  Several more Knights appeared, as well as various soldiers and meraries, each of whom had several feats.

  The King stared at them, filling with fidence as he stared at them. These were some of the best warriors in the nd, and though he would have liked Knight of Death at his side, he would have to make do with these great warriors.

  The Kiurned, with well over a doze warriors at his side, including King’s Sword and ander Roger.

  The soldiers behind began to blow their trumpets, to call the Iyrmen’s attention, though they were already noting the approag mbs.

  Elder Pead Elder Wrath stepped down, followed by a group of Iyrmen, each who had been picked by the pair of Great Elders. There were at least twenty of them, but the hirty had been chosen as well.

  “Sir Harvey the Eagle!” decred a soldier from nearby, with the Knight stepping forward.

  Tova stepped forward, but she looked back to the Great Elders and growled something iongue.

  “Are you surrendering already?” Harvey asked, smirking. “A good choice.”

  “No,” Elder Peave said. “She is ahat it would bring her family great dishonour to face against someone so weak. She requests a pair of warriors to face her at once, or she will forever be shamed.”

  Harvey narrowed his eyes, gritting his teeth. "You should be careful, Iyrman, for you may trip upon yo and skewer yourself on my bde.”

  dal yawned loudly, bringing his one hand to his mouth. "The's have it as a two against two." He wi Tova, grinning wide as he stepped forward.

  "What say you, King of Bckwater?” Elder Peace asked.

  “It will qui the surrender,” King Solomon said, before nodding his head. “Let us not waste our time.”

  “This duel is to the death, so do not shame your family,” Elder Peace said, pg his hands on her shoulders.

  She took off her neckce, which was made of , a dark gem a the bottom of it, before stepping forward.

  dal stepped forward, still wearing his neckce, standing a few steps behind Tova. He pced down his greataxe and leaned against it.

  Opposite them were the pair of warriors, The Eagle and Silver Sword, their bdes drawn as they readied for the duel of their lives.

  Tova shouted, r as she allowed the ao fill her, before she charged forward. She smmed her warhammers against the warriors, who barely mao tain her with her rage.

  “Go for the other,” Harvey said.

  Tova swung wildly at Marten, who coughed up as his chest was struck, aumbled babsp;

  “Perhaps we should deal with the one ahead of us together,” Silver Sword said.

  Harvey flushed, in anger and embarrassment, as they battled the short woman. Even this singur Iyrman was too much for them, as Tova beat the pair down. She focused her attention on the Eagle first, as his dueling ability, though great against civilised fighters, was nothing before the might of a vicious Iyrman.

  dal watched, yawning once again as he stared at the fight. He shouted a few words at Tova, who crushed the knee of the Eagle, crippling him as he fell to the side.

  She then turo Silver Sword, who mao deflect two of her blows, before she smmed her warhammer down against the man’s chest, breaking his ribs and puncturing his lungs. She gave him no time for pain as she struck him through the skull with the point of her warhammers.

  “You fight well,” the Eagle said, only to watch her approach, dragging her warhammers behind her. “What are yo-“

  She crushed his skull in with her warhammer, bludgeoning his helmet into his skull. Her bestial roar filled the air.

  "The first two points to the Iyr,” Elder Peace said, simply.

  The others stared as she picked up their ons and then dragged the bodies away from the field, towards the Iyr.

  "How savage!" shouted a Knight, stepping forward.

  "Savage?" Elder Wrath asked. "Did she execute a defenceless pregnant woman? This was a duel to the death."

  "Allow me to fight , yrace!" ander Roger shouted. “I will deal with these savages myself!” He was full of hot blood, ready to fight.

  The King sighed, nodding his head. “Go with my blessing, ander.”

  dal grinned wide, lifting up his axe before pointing it at the ander. “You shoul-“

  "No!" a voice cut through the air. "I will do it!" Appearing from the crowd of Iyrmen was an orcish Iyrman, his bde already drawn. He was near foaming at the mouth as he gred at the Royal Guard.

  “Calm yourself,” Elder Peace said. “The duties have been assigned.”

  “This coward cut my brother down from behind!” Shakrat stepped forward, his entire face torted in rage, his face red.

  “The duties have been assigned.”

  “You would dehis?” Shakrat roared, his muscles twitg, ready to plunge forward, even against the order of his Great Elder.

  “e, Shakrat,” dal said, resting his greataxe against his shoulder as he walked away from the battle. “I would dare not take this honour from you.” Though he had been eager for a fight, he could not bear the sight of the pained boy.

  Elder Peace pced his hands on the boy’s shoulders. “Do not let it e you, Shakrat. Return back to us with your brother’s honour.” He lifted the neckce off of the young Iyrman.

  Shakrat’s eyes were wet, but he snarled out in affirmation. “I will feast upon his blood!” he decred, raising his bde into the air. He stepped forward with straieps, trying to stop himself from immediately darting forward.

  “A boy still wet behind his ears es to face me?” ander Rrowled.

  “It was not I who ran from the silver wyrm,” Shakrat said, twisting his head about. “It was not I who o approa exhausted Iyrman from behind.”

  ander Roger leapt forward into a, stepping into the jaws of an enraged Iyrman. No, he was ned Iyrman, he was a beast.

  The pair fought brutally, with Shakrat’s rage ing him. He swung wildly, allowing the ander of the Royal Guard to cut into his body with ease. However, the wild swings also tore into the ander, cutting across his armour.

  The Iyrman’s blood covered the field, only able to stand on his feet due to his mindless rage. Yet, as his legs quivered, they did not beg for him to retreat. His mind and body had been overe by utter rage.

  As the ander cut into the Iyrman’s gut, he snarled. “You savage! I’ll put you down like the dog you are!”

  A chill spread through him.

  The aared down to see the hilt of the bck bde had been stopped by his armour, the bck as death bde had pierced through to the other side.

  The Iyrmen violently coughed up blood, expending his life through the bck sword, eling the blood magic of the sword.

  The magic tore through the ander, who howled in pain as the deadly chill filled him. “What are you…” The ander’s voice became raspy, before he dropped to one knee, his strength fading from his body. ‘What is that? What is happening to me?’ His sword slipped out of his grasp, dropping to the floor without his permissioried to reach down for it, but he dropped to his knees.

  The Iyrman gasped, feeling his life drain from him at such a rapid pace. He coughed up again, this time spitting up blood. More blood poured from his eyes and ears. He pushed the ander down, finding the straps of his armour with his fingers, before tearing them off using his bde.

  The ander couldn’t even struggle, his strength havi him long ago. His breath came to him raspy, and the King watched as the ander of his Royal Guard was being dismantled by a half dying Iyrman.

  “Isn’t that enough?” King’s Sword asked. “You’ve won the bout.”

  Shakrat couldn’t hear anything, for he had no use to expend any strength on hearing. He had the ander right where he wanted him, seeing the terror in his eyes. Shakrat could have slit the ander’s throat, but that would have been easy.

  With the ander’s breastpte off, the Iyrman now had free rein to do as he pleased. He thrust his bde into the ander’s chest, dragging his bde down as he dissected the ander.

  “You’ve won, Iyrman!” King Solomon excimed, uo bear the sight of watg his loyal ander being butchered er than a pig. “Enough!”

  King’s Sword stepped forward, only to find the Iyrmen stand a little straighter, and Elder Wrath reag for his greatsword.

  “Isn’t this a little barbaric?” King’s Sword asked.

  “Barbaric?” Elder Wrath asked, hearing the squelg sounds of Shakrat tearing apart the dying ander. “Had he not beeen unscious by his closest friend, he would have stormed in to try and stop his brother’s execution. To think he would be uo hear the tale of his brother from his own lips. To think you would try to silehe truth.”

  Elder Peace pced a hand on Elder Wrath’s shoulder, but even so, the Great Elder tio shake. Though his voice had been calm, his eyes had rolled bato his skull, seds away from charging in.

  “They only shame themselves with their lies,” Elder Peace said. “With each lie esg their lips, the debt will increase, and it will be repaid.”

  Elder Wrath grit his teeth, but sighed, relenting.

  King’s Sword stepped fain, but Elder Peace stepped forward towards the Iyrman. However, instead of stopping the boy, he remai the boy’s side, waiting.

  Shakrat looked back at Elder Peace, seeing the older Iyrman’s gentle smile. “Will you stop me?”

  “No,” Elder Peace said, calmly. “I will escort you bace you have had your fill. I will allow no oo stop you from your justice.”

  “Is this justice?” The King asked.

  Elder Peace smiled. “You certainly had the thought that we would not e to war over the life of an Iyrman, and so yht upon injustice. The Iyr has long known only the strong seek justice, and so we will show it to you, the true face of justice.”

  Shakrat pulled out the ander’s guts, r out. “Akrat! The shame brought to you has been paid by blood!” He tore apart the ander’s iines, before his arms dropped to his side, his head rocked back, falling unscious.

  Elder Peace calmly pulled Shakrat away from the ander, and Elder Wrath stepped forward. Elder Peace carried the unscious Iyrman back, whereas Elder Wrath grabbed the ander’s body.

  “What are you doing?” King’s Sword asked.

  “You still hold the body of our Akrat,” Elder Wrath said. “Unless you mean to say you keep the body of those you butchered, but we ’t keep the body of those we butcher?” Elder Wrath’s lips twisted into the most despicable smile.

  “These are duels for peace,” King Solomon said. “Isn’t this unbeing.”

  “No,” Elder Peace said. “This is the appetiser for the sughter.”

  “Have you already fotteerms?” Elder Wrath asked. “Once we have won the duels, we will tihe sughter.”

  “That is three points to the Iyr,” Elder Peace said. “Unless you are so civilised to believe that your dead ander had brought it to a draw using his tuts?”

  The King gred at Elder Peace, but did not say a word.

  The was an Iyrman against one of the Knights from the capital, a veteran of several wars. The Iyrman used a spear, though she had left her own behind. “You, hand me your spear,” she said, pointing to a soldier in the crowd.

  The soldier stared at her, shocked. He had almost stepped forward to hand over the spear, but was stopped by his King’s words.

  “What need of you of such a spear?”

  “I don’t wish to sully my spear,” the Iyrman replied, simply.

  The King’s brow pulsed. Their wrated on him, from one Iyrman to the .

  Elder Peace shook his head. “Mingal.”

  She gnced back towards Elder Peace, seeing the look within his eyes, and bowed her head. She grabbed her spear. “I will return soon.”

  She had done as she said. The fight had been quick, her spear raining down against the Knight. She had quickly cut the tendons of the Knight, and had done as Elder Peace had requested. She made sure the soldiers could see her toy with the Knight, who they had known to be one of the greatest within the capital. Yet, here he was, on his knees, begging for mercy, to end his suffering.

  The came an Iyrman, adorned in a breastpte, with two longswords in hand. One longsword engulfed the merary in fme, and the other decapitated his screeg head, allowing sileo fall through the pins.

  The Iyrman used no ons. The battle was over within a single blink of the eye, as the Iyrman grabbed onto the Knight’s throat, and the Knight fell still in an instant, his skin turned pletely bbsp;

  The duel was almost the same, with the Iyrman charging forward and smmiwo fists into the Knight’s chest, causing him to fly back. Then, she stood still, allowing the Knight to strike her, before his skin turned pletely bd he was gasping for breath. She battered the Knight with her fists, until he was a mess of broken bones.

  “May I tio the bout?” she asked, politely, as though she were asking for another slice of cake.

  Elder Peaodded his head. He would have de, but seeing the look of hopelessness on the King’s face had ged his mind.

  One by ohe greatest warriors in the King’s armies fell. Only the ander had mao beat an Iyrman within an inch of their life, but it had been a young Iyrman, and the soldiers soon uood why this armour was so fident whilst outnumbered four to one.

  “Ten points to the Iyr,” Elder Peace said. “Do you wish to tinue?”

  The Iyrmen’s blood lust had only increased, and their mood had risely. They watched silently as the Knights and meraries were dismantled, but the soldiers of the Kingdom could feel the way they revelled in it.

  Ten duels had passed, and each had resulted in the Kingdoms loss.

  Some of the Iyrmen had stepped forth to speak with Elder Wrath, hoping he’d be willing to allow them to expand the scope of the duels, but this was Elder Peace’s domain.

  ‘Impossible,’ the King thought, still uo believe his eyes.

  The Iyrmen were powerful, that was for certain, but for them to be able to deal with their stro warriors so systematically. He stared at Elder Peace for a long moment, seeing the knowing look within the older Iyrman’s eyes.

  This entire duel, it had been a warning to him.

  ‘This is the Iyr,’ the King thought. Those tales his grandfather had told him, he had thought they were greatly exaggerated. Yet, this eime, they were true. Every st one of them.

  “Yrace, the morale of the army has been shaken,” King’s Sword said. Even he had no words to help his fellow soldiers, as he had quickly uood the gravity of the situation.

  “How could it not be shaken?” King Solomon whispered, sighing. His hope had been battered with each duel, having lost te warriors. Eaight he had lost was a mighty force for his Kingdom, and not just his Kingdom, but specifically to the Bckwater family.

  “I will regain the morale,” King’s Sword said, stepping forward. “e, Iyrmen! Bring forth yreatest warrior if you dare!” Even if they lost ten duels and the Iyrmen had won, if he could sy ohen the morale of the army would return. They would meet in a battle immediately after, for the Iyrmen would have won.

  Several Iyrmen stepped forward, most from the lot of thirty Iyrmen who had been numbered. Since King’s Sword had asked for their stro, it was only respectful to answer in king. However, the Iyrman with the pair of axes made of ice, stepped forward.

  The Iyrmen who had stepped forward, stepped back, leaving three Iyrmen to cim the title of the greatest warrior.

  “Falgak, daughter of Fetgak,” an Iyrman said, adorned in full armour, with a sword and shield. Her armour urple, made of puthral. The bde at her side, though sheathed, seemed to be made of out some sort of dark gem.

  “Bozkat, son of Eskat,” said another Iyrman, who wielded a rge gve made of shimmering silver, with a shaft of white wood. It was simple in design, but as the moon caught the edge, it seemed to vibrate.

  “Razfan, son of Uzfan,” the Iyrman with two axes said, crossing his arms together, staring down at King’s Sword.

  King’s Sword hadn’t heard of the first two, though he had no doubt they were powerful. However, he had certainly heard of the st Iyrman.

  Razfan, White Wolf of Northblood.

  Standing in front of him, the Iyrman wasn’t as imposing as he expected. The Iyrman’s eyes faint, staring down at him.

  No, not staring down at him, but through him.

  The Iyrman had e here because it was his duty to e here, but he had long lost the o spill blood.

  Razfan, White Wolf of Northblood, was bored.

  ‘Bored?’ King’s Sword thought, his mind going bnk for a moment. ‘He dares to look so dejected at the prospect of fag me?’

  He had almost stepped forward, when there came a shout from behind, and a horn was blown. He dared to gnce back, seeing where the other soldiers and the Iyrmen were looking.

  In the distahey could see it. It was a small speck, but as it drew near, the thousands of people standing, uood the danger.

  It was as dark as death, with a wing span which could put a town us shade. Long thought mystical, the arrival of a beast, which hadn’t flowhese nds iuries, filled the soldiers of the Kingdom with arm.

  “What is that?” King Solomon gasped, staring at the creature as it flew over them. It circled around, and they hat there was anure upon its babsp;

  As the giant bck bird fell, the soldiers formed together, readying their ons. King’s Sword had stepped towards his King, drawing his bde.

  Yet, no Iyrman moved.

  The beast flew low, before it stopped, nding on a nearby hill. As it stopped to nd, the wind thundered across the grass, tearing it with its force. Hopping off the giant bird was a man in his te eighties, a man who had spent the st fifty years away from the Kingdom. He wore a heavy cloak and thick scars all across his body, each from a different on, as well as marks from the elements. At his side was an axe roughly carved out of dark rock, and a shield made of dark scales.

  On his forehead, there was a tattoo. A single blue circle, followed by rows of blue diamonds.

  “Looks like I wasn’t te,” he said.

  “I thought you were dead,” Falgak said, the Iyrmen approag one another.

  “I’m sorry to disappoint.” The Iyrmen grabbed one another’s forearms, and the new Iyrman quickly sed the area, before approag the pair of Great Elders. He bowed his head, greeting them respectfully. “I apologise for taking so long. The others will arrive in thirty days.”

  “I’m sure you have many stories to tell,” Elder Peace said, greeting the stranger.

  All the while, Gantalia was gring at the huge bck bird. Such beasts had long been forced away from the Kingdom’s nds, and they had dared o returo the various dragons who had huhem for sport.

  “Last time I was on this nd, peace had been signed,” Jarot said. “I didn’t expect to return like this.” He threw a look to Gantalia and then to Razfan. ‘I’m sure his entrance must have been more spectacur.’

  “You’ve returned,” Tarot said, approag his brother.

  “How strong you’ve grown, little brother,” Jarot said, embrag him tight. “I never once doubted that you’d be able to take lead of the family.”

  Tarot looked to the Rukh, befng back up at his brother, raising his brows. Jarot looked to the silver dragon, and then back to his brother, before they both sighed.

  King’s Sword stared at the giant Rukh, which was currently ing atop the nearby hill, staring at all the prey it could feast on.

  The King watched the Iyrmen size one another up. His heart was heavy, his body filled with a cold sweat.

  “We will surrender,” the King said.

  His voice had cut through the silent air.

  “We will give you the nd from the hills of the Iyr, to a javelin throw beyond Five Bends. I will formally apologise to the Iyrmen, and make a formal decration that we have wronged you. I will also surrehe Drakkensyer of my aor, Kal Bkvatr.”

  Elder Peace stared at him for a long while. “Unditionally?” Elder Peace asked, for it was the only thing which mattered to him.

  The King swallowed. He could only pray that his good will had been portrayed. “Unditionally,” he said, his voice almost crag.

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