“Good evening, everyone. I hope you’ve all been well.” Adam fshed a heavy smile towards the rest of the businessfolk around the fire. He could see all the familiar faces, those who had worked the fields around the business and upon the Iyr’s nd across the bridge to the west, as well as those who patrolled the nearby Aldish vilge across the bridge to the east.

  Adam let out a soft sigh, nodding his head to the familiar faces and Charley, the two figures who were built tall and wide, all the way to young Lucas, who worked the fields while the youommy and Isaac learnt basic onry from the the business.

  “I know it’s an important time, what with it being the beginning of dawnval and all, so I don’t want to take up much of your time. I’m sure w the fields so early in the year is rough on your bodies, so don’t push yourselves too much, especially since…” Adam’s smile faded slightly. “I have heard that the Reavers are ing, and soon at that. I’m not sure when, it seems that it’s likely to be this year or the , and as much as some of us fight, and others of us really fight, I hear the Reavers are strong.”

  The news hit the business with a wave of ay, and so soon after the st wave which had struck them, when the Executives and others left. Eyes shifted to meet, while other eyes shifted to avoid.

  “Obviously, I’d be rather sad if something happeo any of you, so I made sure to stress how important the matter was and the Enter, in their wisdom, prioritised the business's needs. Last year, we sent ahead a few of the ons the Enter had crafted, Basihanced longsword, Fmebdes, though not quite as good as the eponymous Fme’s Bde’s Fme Bde, I think they’ll serve you well for a few years. Mork, Tork, Jane, am I right?” Adam fshed a smile towards the Priest, his horc brother, and the adventurer who was strohaher of them, though the brothers were Experts themselves.

  “I may be no Priest of Noor, but I appreciate a fiery sword,” Mork admitted, throwing a look to Bael, before the Priest bowed his head towards the half elf.

  “I will not pin,” Tork stated, his voice almost a growl. Though he preferred a bigger on, he was not oo pin about a magical item lent to him, especially not a Basihanced on which dealt as much damage as his preferred ons.

  “I’m not stupid,” Jane said, letting out a soft sigh. Even with such a fine bde, she uood that it would do nothing to close the gap between herself and the half elf and his family, full of such monsters. Her eyes slowly trailed to the side, towards an older crippled Iyrman, who could tear her to pieces without breaking a sweat.

  “This time we’ve brought quite a few items for not just the heavy hitters within our business, but anyone who hold a shield, because, well, we brought a bunch of shields. Once more, we are only lending the shields out, and these shields are not just Basic either, they’re Greater, so if you dare to lose them, or lose them vely while your purse grows heavier, then yoing to be in trouble with not just me, but the likes of Executive Jurot, Executive Jaygak, and if you’re unlucky, Executive Kitool.”

  Adam’s ughter broke up the awkward air, before the businessfolk followed Adam’s arm, which arced dramatically towards the side, as though he had thrown off a cape. Jurot pulled a rge cart himself, for what need did they have of oxen when he was s, and once he stopped, he allowed his mother to take point.

  Sonarot was tall, almost as tall as her son, and heavily built, though had retly begun to slim down te her body bato the bringer of death she was in the past. She carried a her side, and a shield upon her back, the same as Jurot. Her skin was lightly tanned from hard work and spending her youth adventuring, her bck hair falling down to her shoulders, and her eyes dark, clear, imposing.

  “Be wary of the Reavers,” Sonarot stated firmly, not quite as light as Adam, not quite as verbose. “The Reavers are a threat even we of the Iyr take seriously. The Iyr will assist with the business's security, and o is firmed they have arrived, you may be moved into the Front Iyr for safety. Prepare yourselves for that eventuality swiftly, for you will not have the time to pick up all your effects. Until then, take these shields, each Greater, lent by the business, but they are your responsibility to keep safe.”

  The cloth hid away the shield, but soon covetous gazes reflected against the shields, eaed of steel over wood aher. They were each seemingly near identical, adorned with the symbol of the United Kindom, to show that these items were not those they had once sold, but had been fed to protect the business.

  “Executive Adam,” Sonarot called, turning to face the half elf, her eyes pierg his. “e and collect your shield.”

  Adam blinked. ‘What?’

  The businessfolk’s eyes sed between Adam’s fused expression and the look within the President’s eyes, which held the gre of a scolding mother.

  ‘This wasn’t the pn,’ Adam thought, but he swallowed, feeling his throat restrider the woman’s gre. The half elf sloroached, before accepting the shield, feeling its heft, and the tingliion against his hands. He had slowly created these items using his magic over the course of the st season. He had then ented them himself with the unique abilities he held, just one of the many reasons he gave the Iyr to kill him, grao him by a particur being, which was another reason to kill him.

  “Thank you?” Adam replied, unsure of what to say, his eyes peeking to the side to see the businessfolk staring at him curiously. ‘Aunt! I didn’t want to get one because I didn’t want them thinking this was all ism!’

  “You are aive,” Sonarot stated firmly, pg a hand upon his shoulder, staring deep into his eyes. “You, too, must remain safe.”

  Adam’s cheeks flushed. “Of course, President.” The half elf sheepishly shuffled away from the woman, the shield suddenly growing so much heavier.

  “Manager Jurot,” Sonarot called, before the young man a shield.

  “Okay,” Jurot replied.

  “You are a Ma this moment,” Sonarot said in the Iyr’s tongue. “Speak appropriately.”

  “Thank you, President,” Jurot said, though there was a shift within his heart, a siess filling him at the thought of speaking to his mother as though she were some stranger. However, he stepped away to make room for the third.

  “Executive Jaygak,” Sonarot called.

  The young woman swiftly approached her aunt, adorned in her breastpte over , ready to fight, but not pletely equipped. However, with a Greater shield? Such would allow her to fight as though she was adorned in her full pte, though still not quite as brilliantly as her three panions.

  “Thank you, President Sonarot,” Jaygak stated clearly, the woman bowing her head to her aunt, before stepping away with a light step, smirking towards her cousin, revealing the shield to her.

  ‘Good shield,’ Taygak thought. ‘Greater.’

  “Manager Dunes,” Sonarot called, causing the Mao raise his brows.

  Dunes had been briefed by Adam’s audacity, but it seemed as though it was not Adam’s audacity which would stress him this time, but the audacity of the Iyrmen, the Iyrman who had fought her way into the Mad Dog’s family.

  “Thank you, President,” Duhanked, bowing his head lightly towards the woman, before stepping away.

  It was obvious those figures were going to gain the shields, the businessfolk thought, though they had no idea the madness Adam had inally pnned. Rick, a Lead, was o go, ted the Greater shield with a polite thanks, feeling the tingling of the shield within his hand. He had already received a magical bde the year before, though a Greater shield was far and away greater than a simple Basid perhaps even a Greater, on.

  was Nobby’s turn, the young man tall and wide, thick with muscle. Though he did not hold the official position as a Lead, the young man earned as much as one, and was trusted about as much by the half elf. If not for his simpler mind, and the position of being the future Chief Merl’s husband, then he would have surely have been at least a Manager.

  “Thank you, President,” Nobby said, accepting the shield, feeling the great magic at his fiips. It was a greater magic than his own shield, the one Adam had gifted to him years ago. This shield, however, was oo him, holding the symbol of the United Kindom, the two crosses, within the face of the shield, taking up only the tre. Now, the young man possessed both a Greater axe and a Greater shield, something which beloo the likes of the Vianders of the Orders, a Nobby was barely a man, having reached twenty only retly.

  It was obvious that these figures were going to receive the shields, and no doubt, Jane, Mork, and Tork would receive their shields , each Greater, worth their weight in gold.

  “Jeremy,” Sonarot called.

  Jeremy blinked. ‘Eh?’

  "Is the story predictable or uable?"

  "Yes."

  "Did you fet to put this chapter up?"

  "Yes."