"Well, it doesn't matter anyway. I’m not here to assist the Arrayist.” Blackdeer nodded to Wildroar.
"Have you come to cause trouble?" Wildroar asked with a grin. He was eager to have an excuse to come to blows with the First Elder.
"No. I am here to talk with the Arrayist for a moment."
The assassin threat was over, and Patriarch Newblade was trying to catch a good time to speak with Ken, but with the arrival of Blackdeer, he needed to remain on guard.
"What do you need?" Ken asked as he was helped out of the carriage by Chandi and Yue, and into his wheelchair.
"The Blackdeer statue. I’d like to ask you to return it." First Elder Blackdeer’s face was neutral, like stone which had yet to be worked.
"It was my reward for dragging my name through the mud. If I return it, your family will owe me." Ken narrowed his eyes. He didn’t feel like returning something which had been owed to him, not unless Blackdeer had come here to start a fight.
"I did not come to take it back for free." First Elder Blackdeer tossed a Blackdeer family token. "No one from the Blackdeer family will bother you with that town. I’d like to see anyone dare to. You can also use it to enter some places of high society. You can also redeem it at our estate for a favour which I will personally attend to."
"Not a bad price." Ken understood he didn't have much of a choice. Still, it was fairly useful, so he tossed the statue to the First Elder.
“Then my business is done. I’ll excuse myself first.” With that, First Elder Blackdeer was gone.
Ken looked down at the Blackdeer token, which was made of a dark gem, etched with their family’s symbol. This was worth quite a bit to him, and even if it wasn’t quite the same as the Blackdeer statue, at least there was some good will between them now.
Ken could have refused, and First Elder Blackdeer wouldn’t have been able to do anything at this time, not with the others around. Ken put it away into his spatial ring and then brought out some pills for his escorts.
“Here, take these and heal yourself. Chandi, are you alright?” He reached up and pet Chandi’s head as she leaned down.
“Yes, master.”
“Good. You all did well, so I’ll be sure to reward you once we’re in town.” He looked to First Elder Wildroar and Patriarch Newblade. “I didn’t expect to see such friendly faces tonight.” He greeted them with a bowed head.
“I heard some grumblings from a few of the others so I thought I could come by for a good fight.” Wildroar sighed.
“It’s a shame that the assassin escaped,” Newblade said, looking up to the First Elder. He understood why Wildroar remained behind since Blackdeer’s intentions were unknown, but had they known that everything would be sorted out amicably, then perhaps he would have hunted the assassin down.
“It’s too late to complain about it now.” Wildroar shrugged his shoulders. “It just means the Arrayist owes me a good fight.”
“If that’s how you want me to repay my debt.” Ken smiled. “I will have a great fight for you planned, though I’m not sure if you’d be willing if you know the enemy.”
“If it’s fun, then it’s fun.”
“Your title of First Elder would be awkward,” Ken said.
“Oh?” Wildroar stared down at Ken’s eyes, wondering if he was understanding the man’s words right. “Just what do you have planned?”
“I can’t talk to you about that now, not until I have secured a few things.”
“Is that why you were in a rush to leave?” Patriarch Newblade asked.
“Partly.” Ken looked up at him. “Thank you for coming to assist me,” he said to the pair of them.
“I came to thank you, Arrayist Ken,” Newblade said. “Your warning saved our people from the dungeon.”
“It was only my duty to inform you.” Ken nodded his head.
“Still, we couldn’t help but feel indebted. Our Third Elder managed to survive by only losing a single arm. Had we known that there would be an explosion, I would have warned him more clearly.”
“An explosion?” Ken asked. “There shouldn’t have been an explosion, unless they had misapplied the array.” Ken tilted his head. “I didn’t expect the Arrayists to make such a mistake.”
“So it was because of the Arrayists?” Newblade asked, frowning.
“There’s no way they would have made such a mistake. It would be so basic that even Hana wouldn’t have made such a mistake.”
“Arrayist Ken,” Hana bowed her head.
“It’s good to see you, Young Miss.” Ken smiled. He wondered if she came because of that.
“After hearing what you did for her cousins, my daughter had a change of heart. We were hoping you would take her along as your companion.”
“Unfortunately, I must refuse.” Ken bowed his head.
The Newblades were surprised, and even Wildroar hadn’t expected it.
“It’s too dangerous, now that I know there are assassins around. If something would have happened to the Young Miss, then how could I return to face you?” Ken looked up at Newblade, who sighed.
That wasn’t the real reason. Ken already knew it was going to be dangerous, but still asked Hana to come. It was because Hana had denied him twice that he wasn’t going to allow her to accompany him.
Well, that’s what Newblade thought.
Ken had another reason, which was that he had made the decision of leaving his name and reputation back at Little River Town. Though he had made quite a name for himself, it had also come with a number of enemies.
He wanted to make a new identity, and it would be awkward when Hana would be beside him, telling everyone who he truly was. Hana didn’t know that he was no longer crippled, and he wanted to keep it that way.
“Since it’s like that, then I’ll thank you for your good intentions. If you are ever in Little River again, please do visit.” Patriarch Newblade sighed.
Hana bit her lower lip and bowed her head. She felt so silly refusing the man’s help, but seeing that he needed so much help from her family at this point, she didn’t feel like she had lost much.
“I will definitely do that,” Ken said, nodding his head.
“I will have two of my men assist you to the next town,” Newblade said, motioning a hand to his guards.
“Thank you, Patriarch Newblade.” Ken smiled again. “I’ll be sure to think of you when I create another great work.”
“Are you forgetting about me?” Wildroar asked.
“How could I forget about you, First Elder Wildoroar? Though I’m not sure what I could give to you that you would like?”
“I heard you have a few mountain grade pills.”
Ken chuckled. “Did you have a pill you needed refining?”
Wildroar looked down at Ken. “The next time you’re in Little River, you should come pay me a visit.”
“I will.” Ken nodded.
“Then, I should be returning home since it’s boring here.” Wildroar dashed off without another word.
Ken looked to Newblade, who gave him a sympathetic look.
“We should excuse ourselves as well.”
“Why don’t I invite you for a quick dinner before you leave?” Ken asked.
“It’s a little awkward to remain here for too long, Arrayist Ken. I will need to return home to attend to some matters.”
“Please do visit,” Hana said, bowing slightly. Ken had earned her respect earlier for helping her family with the warning, but seeing how he was in so much trouble with the assassins, she didn’t seem to think much of him any longer.
The Newblades left, leaving behind two of their men, who took up the perimeter to make sure that Ken and the others were safe, before assisting in taking watch.
Some ways away, Wildroar was leaping from branch to branch, stopping after a moment. “You’re quite desperate to get rid of a crippled young man.”
“I should have expected that you would have noticed me,” called a familiar voice. “Should you really have assisted him so much?”
“It’s good to have a capable Arrayist on one’s side.” Wildroar grinned. “Isn’t that why you’re trying to get rid of him?”
“…”
“Even if you are a member of a great family, you should know your limits. Aren’t there greater powers than us?”
“…”
“Isn’t it about time you curse me for being a member of a lesser family and acting out?” Wildroar cracked his neck. “I’m happy to speak with you about such matters.” He cracked his knuckles too, ready for a fight.
Seventh Elder Bluewind retreated. Even though he was an Elder of a main family, even he wasn’t foolish enough to face against First Elder Wildroar. Though they were of similar strength, he wasn’t sure he could handle the wild man.
“Don’t regret the mistake you made.”
“And what mistake is that?” Wildroar asked, right beside the Seventh Elder.
The Seventh Elder dashed away quickly. He hadn’t even felt Wildroar appear. “You! What are you doing?”
“Didn’t you just say I made a mistake that I shouldn’t regret?” Wildroar’s eyes turned blank as he roared, clenching his fists.
[Oh shit.]
Seventh Elder Bluewind realised who had made the real mistake.
Announcement Yesterday was amazing! Thanks for getting me on Trending! Enjoy this early early chapter! Who knows, I might even post up three chapters today?
"Well, it doesn't matter anyway. I’m not here to assist the Arrayist.” Blackdeer nodded to Wildroar.
"Have you come to cause trouble?" Wildroar asked with a grin. He was eager to have an excuse to come to blows with the First Elder.
"No. I am here to talk with the Arrayist for a moment."
The assassin threat was over, and Patriarch Newblade was trying to catch a good time to speak with Ken, but with the arrival of Blackdeer, he needed to remain on guard.
"What do you need?" Ken asked as he was helped out of the carriage by Chandi and Yue, and into his wheelchair.
"The Blackdeer statue. I’d like to ask you to return it." First Elder Blackdeer’s face was neutral, like stone which had yet to be worked.
"It was my reward for dragging my name through the mud. If I return it, your family will owe me." Ken narrowed his eyes. He didn’t feel like returning something which had been owed to him, not unless Blackdeer had come here to start a fight.
"I did not come to take it back for free." First Elder Blackdeer tossed a Blackdeer family token. "No one from the Blackdeer family will bother you with that town. I’d like to see anyone dare to. You can also use it to enter some places of high society. You can also redeem it at our estate for a favour which I will personally attend to."
"Not a bad price." Ken understood he didn't have much of a choice. Still, it was fairly useful, so he tossed the statue to the First Elder.
“Then my business is done. I’ll excuse myself first.” With that, First Elder Blackdeer was gone.
Ken looked down at the Blackdeer token, which was made of a dark gem, etched with their family’s symbol. This was worth quite a bit to him, and even if it wasn’t quite the same as the Blackdeer statue, at least there was some good will between them now.
Ken could have refused, and First Elder Blackdeer wouldn’t have been able to do anything at this time, not with the others around. Ken put it away into his spatial ring and then brought out some pills for his escorts.
“Here, take these and heal yourself. Chandi, are you alright?” He reached up and pet Chandi’s head as she leaned down.
“Yes, master.”
“Good. You all did well, so I’ll be sure to reward you once we’re in town.” He looked to First Elder Wildroar and Patriarch Newblade. “I didn’t expect to see such friendly faces tonight.” He greeted them with a bowed head.
“I heard some grumblings from a few of the others so I thought I could come by for a good fight.” Wildroar sighed.
“It’s a shame that the assassin escaped,” Newblade said, looking up to the First Elder. He understood why Wildroar remained behind since Blackdeer’s intentions were unknown, but had they known that everything would be sorted out amicably, then perhaps he would have hunted the assassin down.
“It’s too late to complain about it now.” Wildroar shrugged his shoulders. “It just means the Arrayist owes me a good fight.”
“If that’s how you want me to repay my debt.” Ken smiled. “I will have a great fight for you planned, though I’m not sure if you’d be willing if you know the enemy.”
“If it’s fun, then it’s fun.”
“Your title of First Elder would be awkward,” Ken said.
“Oh?” Wildroar stared down at Ken’s eyes, wondering if he was understanding the man’s words right. “Just what do you have planned?”
“I can’t talk to you about that now, not until I have secured a few things.”
“Is that why you were in a rush to leave?” Patriarch Newblade asked.
“Partly.” Ken looked up at him. “Thank you for coming to assist me,” he said to the pair of them.
“I came to thank you, Arrayist Ken,” Newblade said. “Your warning saved our people from the dungeon.”
“It was only my duty to inform you.” Ken nodded his head.
“Still, we couldn’t help but feel indebted. Our Third Elder managed to survive by only losing a single arm. Had we known that there would be an explosion, I would have warned him more clearly.”
“An explosion?” Ken asked. “There shouldn’t have been an explosion, unless they had misapplied the array.” Ken tilted his head. “I didn’t expect the Arrayists to make such a mistake.”
“So it was because of the Arrayists?” Newblade asked, frowning.
“There’s no way they would have made such a mistake. It would be so basic that even Hana wouldn’t have made such a mistake.”
“Arrayist Ken,” Hana bowed her head.
“It’s good to see you, Young Miss.” Ken smiled. He wondered if she came because of that.
“After hearing what you did for her cousins, my daughter had a change of heart. We were hoping you would take her along as your companion.”
“Unfortunately, I must refuse.” Ken bowed his head.
The Newblades were surprised, and even Wildroar hadn’t expected it.
“It’s too dangerous, now that I know there are assassins around. If something would have happened to the Young Miss, then how could I return to face you?” Ken looked up at Newblade, who sighed.
That wasn’t the real reason. Ken already knew it was going to be dangerous, but still asked Hana to come. It was because Hana had denied him twice that he wasn’t going to allow her to accompany him.
Well, that’s what Newblade thought.
Ken had another reason, which was that he had made the decision of leaving his name and reputation back at Little River Town. Though he had made quite a name for himself, it had also come with a number of enemies.
He wanted to make a new identity, and it would be awkward when Hana would be beside him, telling everyone who he truly was. Hana didn’t know that he was no longer crippled, and he wanted to keep it that way.
“Since it’s like that, then I’ll thank you for your good intentions. If you are ever in Little River again, please do visit.” Patriarch Newblade sighed.
Hana bit her lower lip and bowed her head. She felt so silly refusing the man’s help, but seeing that he needed so much help from her family at this point, she didn’t feel like she had lost much.
“I will definitely do that,” Ken said, nodding his head.
“I will have two of my men assist you to the next town,” Newblade said, motioning a hand to his guards.
“Thank you, Patriarch Newblade.” Ken smiled again. “I’ll be sure to think of you when I create another great work.”
“Are you forgetting about me?” Wildroar asked.
“How could I forget about you, First Elder Wildoroar? Though I’m not sure what I could give to you that you would like?”
“I heard you have a few mountain grade pills.”
Ken chuckled. “Did you have a pill you needed refining?”
Wildroar looked down at Ken. “The next time you’re in Little River, you should come pay me a visit.”
“I will.” Ken nodded.
“Then, I should be returning home since it’s boring here.” Wildroar dashed off without another word.
Ken looked to Newblade, who gave him a sympathetic look.
“We should excuse ourselves as well.”
“Why don’t I invite you for a quick dinner before you leave?” Ken asked.
“It’s a little awkward to remain here for too long, Arrayist Ken. I will need to return home to attend to some matters.”
“Please do visit,” Hana said, bowing slightly. Ken had earned her respect earlier for helping her family with the warning, but seeing how he was in so much trouble with the assassins, she didn’t seem to think much of him any longer.
The Newblades left, leaving behind two of their men, who took up the perimeter to make sure that Ken and the others were safe, before assisting in taking watch.
Some ways away, Wildroar was leaping from branch to branch, stopping after a moment. “You’re quite desperate to get rid of a crippled young man.”
“I should have expected that you would have noticed me,” called a familiar voice. “Should you really have assisted him so much?”
“It’s good to have a capable Arrayist on one’s side.” Wildroar grinned. “Isn’t that why you’re trying to get rid of him?”
“…”
“Even if you are a member of a great family, you should know your limits. Aren’t there greater powers than us?”
“…”
“Isn’t it about time you curse me for being a member of a lesser family and acting out?” Wildroar cracked his neck. “I’m happy to speak with you about such matters.” He cracked his knuckles too, ready for a fight.
Seventh Elder Bluewind retreated. Even though he was an Elder of a main family, even he wasn’t foolish enough to face against First Elder Wildroar. Though they were of similar strength, he wasn’t sure he could handle the wild man.
“Don’t regret the mistake you made.”
“And what mistake is that?” Wildroar asked, right beside the Seventh Elder.
The Seventh Elder dashed away quickly. He hadn’t even felt Wildroar appear. “You! What are you doing?”
“Didn’t you just say I made a mistake that I shouldn’t regret?” Wildroar’s eyes turned blank as he roared, clenching his fists.
[Oh shit.]
Seventh Elder Bluewind realised who had made the real mistake.
Announcement Yesterday was amazing! Thanks for getting me on Trending! Enjoy this early early chapter! Who knows, I might even post up three chapters today?
