“I was active in the federacy,” Shagek expined upon seeing the Aldishman’s face, before pointing his silver bde at the Aldishman, who held a name in these nds, but Shagek didn’t mind killing him first before learning it. “Are you strohan the Sparrow?”

  “…” The Aldishman realised far too te the mistake they had made, for if this Iyrman spoke so dismissively of Viander Harrow, also known as Harrow the Sparrow, there was no way he had any ce to defeat him.

  Dogek cut off Wraith Bde’s arm, the Aldishman grunting in pain as he swung his bde with his one good arm, but Dogek’s sword swung down with the grief in his heart. Perhaps, after actually killing Wrath Bde, he could be worthy of their affe?

  The Iyrman’s eyes theo the fight nearby. Her rapier carved through the air, her body moving as though she herself ier, but flexing far too much sidering her age. Her rapier narrowly slipped through the Shade Dagger’s ons, then pierced through within the woman’s throat.

  Dogek reached up to his neck, where the Iyrman had stabbed her the previous year, it pulsing. Even though he had beaten her so viciously for her words, she hadn’t been quite so easy as most might have expected.

  Shade Dagger dropped her daggers, before she followed after them. Keiwyj panted, feeling the burn within her chest, before she gnced aside to find Dogek staring at her. She stood up taller, still panting for air, uo form words.

  Dogek bowed his head slowly, and the womaurhe bow, and with Dogek’s aowledgement, most of the guilt and shame slipped away.

  “Bloodbde, eh?” someone famous from Aldnd said, her voice light and pyful. “You do not remember me, but I remember you.”

  “I remember you,” Shasen replied, his bde, which was as red as blood, holding the woman at bay. “You are the sister of Dire Destiny.”

  “Could I request you allow me to step back?” the woman asked, smiling, but the nerves in her eyes were evident.

  “You may request it, but…” Shasen’s tone implied all she o know, for things had escated too far, and Shasen had been asked to it up. The moment they had drawn bdes, it was over.

  “I see…” The pair paused their csh, Shasen allowed her to step bad pose herself. “My sister always warned me. She told me to be careful, since you are all so… awe inspiring.”

  “I apologise.” Shasen bowed his head, seeing the look upon her face through her visor. “Would you prefer it was another’s bde?”

  “No, no. If it was another’s bde, I would die with regrets. I have a favour, though...” She waited for Shasen to nod, and when he did, she gnced around, towards the lifeless bodies around her, all Aldish. “Will you return my body to her?”

  Shasen inhaled sharply at the request, but seeing the look in the woman’s eyes, the st light of hope, he bowed his head. “Okay.”

  “Thank you.”

  The pair engaged in battle once more, but the oute was obvious. However, even to Bloodbde, she refused to fall without at least scarring the Iyrman, leaving a mark he would never fet, but it was not the scar against his shoulder which hurt the most.

  Chosen panted, leaning over to rest his elbows over his khe Iyrman gng aside to his father. “You should not have fought! You fought the st year.”

  “Last year, it was a Viander of the Purple Bdes, this time it was…” Mosen decided against saying more, since his son would certainly piole all the fun. “Let us drink.”

  “Who was it?” Chosen pined, gritting his teeth, but what could he do to his father, who rose alongside the likes of Tonagek?

  Kamrot groaned in pain, the Iyrman dropping to a knee, having barely defeated his oppo. He was moments away from passing out, but he had do. ‘My eyes are still so keen, even after all these years! Did you see, my greatchildren? Your babo is strong!’

  “You fought well, uncle,” Gorot said, also taking to a khe Iyrmaing his greatsword over his shoulder, the shark teeth edge wet with crimson, with sprinkles of the pink of Aldish flesh.

  “You should have used an axe!”

  “I did not want to embarrass myself in front of my sons,” Gorot replied, before he reached over to his daughter, ruffling her hair.

  “You did not,” Nirot said, who had almost died, if it hadn’t been for her father. Her father almost lost his life in the process of helping her, if it hadn’t been thanks to someone who also used a bde with an edge like shark teeth.

  “Damn it!” Baztam snarled, having killed two figures who held a hin Aldnd, but before he could cim a third, the battle was mostly over. “Wake up! Wake up!”

  “Grandu is over,” Haytam said, gd her granduncle had e to help her. No doubt he would have thought he had only killed two, but sidering he had helped kill three oppos, while also simultaneously fighting two others, she couldn’t help but feel the pride of being a Tam.

  “Over? How will they give me a new name if I do not sughter more? They should call me Baztam the Sughterer!”

  “No, it should be Baztam the Bloody Shoulder,” Haytam joked.

  “Why are you worried about my bloody shoulder when you are not married yet, brat?”

  Meanwhile, Okvar sat beside his oppo, annoyed he had shown such a poor showing to the twins. “Thank you again, Rasam.”

  “You are too old now, Okvar,” Rasam joked, though she gnced aside towards the fort, waving her hand at the twins as their father poiowards the pair.

  “Were they watg?”

  “Would you have fought if they hadn’t?”

  “I would have fought, but I should have fought better!” Okvar closed his eyes, feeling their tiny breaths against his chest. He thought of the twins, covered in mud when they were born, and then recalled the look in Adam’s eyes when Dunes had almost killed them out of mercy. ‘Why did I not show at least that much to them!’

  “Okay?” Marmak asked, ing his greatsword.

  “Okay,” Bavin replied, the young Iyrman frowning. He was only an Expert, but he should have had a better showing. What would they say?

  “Why are you upset?”

  “I have disappointed grandfather…”

  “No,” Marmak said, pg a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “If he is, I will…” Marmak thought about his ces against the likes of Bovin. “I will ask the Lion King to beat him again.”

  Bavin stared up at Butcher Marmak, who had surprised his oppo, and evehe sed oppo had tried to kill the Iyrman, she had been systematically sughtered by the Iyrman who had made his name in another nd. Bavin smiled slightly, since even Butcher Marmak, who was to Aswadasad as Jarot was to Aldnd, would o ask ao beat his grandfather.

  Shayfev pierced the Wandering Spear’s skull with her own spear, spinning her on, before pnting it firmly in the ground. ‘Did you see? My little Jarot, my little Jirot…’

  Her cousin smiled, though it was hidden behind his thick beard. His smile dropped. His eyes darted to the twins. ‘I fot to tell them to watch! I’m sorry, cousin.’ Malfev reached up to cover his fa shame.

  “Okay?” Lozys asked, his arms crossed.

  “Okay,” Yizys replied, as though she wasn’t a match for her cousin, who made up one of the Ten Paragons of the Iyr.

  The song of death began to quieten out, as Blessed Bde Koyah watched the st fight. The two warriors, both Oathsworn, both using a give, and both with amazihets, like his own.

  “Sorry,” Rajin said, approag beside Blessed Bde, having decapitated Hammer Hand. Out of respect, he had held back, resisting the urge to take the man’s arms.

  “Did I not ask to fight him?” Koyah asked. “I wao show off in front of Asorot.”

  “He may have defeated you…” Rajin replied, letting the matter of Asorot drop, sihough he was a member of the Rot family, Koyah was no doubt still saddened by the boy’s movement. At the very least, he accepted it, calling the boy by his proper name, so he didn’t o beat Koyah.

  “So? What if he defeated me? It would have been a good fight!”

  “You do not have permission to lose today.”

  Koyah let out a loud sigh, the older Iyrman gring at the world before him. “I should have fought to bee a Paragon…”

  “You fought well.”

  “Only the likes of…” Koyah gnced down at the Aldishman, who probably had a wonderful epithet too. She did, but unfortunately…

  “Why are you looking when you are so terrible with names?” Rajin asked.

  “I remember some names,” Koyah retorted. “I remembered King’s Sword, Sir… Harold Merryweather.”

  “Everyone knows of King Merryweather.”

  “He is a King now?” Koyah joked, standing over the dead body whose name he still didn’t know, but at least Rajin did.

  “Vibak, if you take this long, it is a shame to those who returned yive,” Rajin said, his quiet voice barely carrying over their csh.

  Vibak silenced Wind of the Tempest forever. “Sorry.”

  Vovol yawned, surprised none of the Aldishmen had made a run for it, the woman slipping her arrow bato her quiver. ‘Why did they bring so few?’

  “Haa…” Keiwyj half limped her way back to the fort, rubbing her back, feeling the twihat had pgued her for decades now.

  “Do you feel better now?” Vovol asked.

  “Yes,” Keiwyj admitted. “Did they see?”

  “I am sure they saw,” Vovol said. “Mad Dog would have dohat much.”

  The pair held one anaze.

  Wouldn’t he?

  Poor Shasen.

  Baztam o chill. He's 2/0/3 just in this battle.