Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG

Tavi remained completely silent, the bronze scaled drakken, adorned in his scale, which was not quite as great as full plate, gave him the ability to fight upon the sea as well as the land. Shaya and Ashuk were considered equals upon the sea, for though Shaya wore full plate, she was an inasir, and not bound by the dangers of the sea. Upon this ship, Tavi was slightly weaker than either of them, but upon land? Upon full plate? He, Shaya, and Ashuk were considered equal, their bouts a flip of the coin.

Even without his rage, Ashuk wore such beautiful bracers, but they were not any bracers, but those which gave him greater defensive capabilities than even himself in full plate, and not just in full plate, but with a shield. Somehow he, thanks to the grace of the Iyrman, simply drew against this half elf, who seemed so annoyed at the draw?

Ashuk the Spear.

Ashuk, who was considered almost a Paragon, and could clash with King Merryweather?

That Ashuk?

“Sea’s tits!” Tovi gasped, the bronze scaled drakken, who lazed about beside Jok, was so surprised, he almost dropped the dried snack within his fingers, his eyes darting to Jok, who spat out seamen’s milk, an extremely weak alcohol that was milky and sweet.

“Was it a good idea?” Tanagek whispered to his cousin, the pair standing tall and proud with their arms crossed.

“It is fine.”

‘What are you planning, Jurot?’ Tanagek thought.

Jurot nodded to Kitool, who nodded back at the Iyrman. The pair understood just how Adam should be utilised against people like O’Shan.

John’s eyes fell upon the half elf, who seemed annoyed at stepping back, and then to the waterman, the inasir who wielded the spear, who seemed conflicted. In his heart, he understood he saw something that shouldn’t be possible, but unfortunately for John, he was a simple commoner from Gold Port, who had spent most of his life thinking anyone in full mail lived in a whole different world from him, with the understanding that beyond the peak ahead of him, there were larger and larger mountains beyond, with no chance of him ever seeing the sun.

‘How strong is Ashuk?’ To someone like John, Tagak could defeat him as easily as any of the rest of their companions. Yet, apparently Tagak was the weakest in the group, if they didn’t include Taygak. Laygak could apparently fight him well enough, but Jurot and Kitool could defeat him with ease.

“Executive,” John called. “If you were to face Ashuk, would you be able to defeat him?”

“No,” came the response, not a single moment of hesitation from the Iyrman who was, at his young age, one of the strongest. Masters were typically almost forty years old, and yet here was an Iyrman, almost half their age, who could clash with them with ease, and most likely defeat them. Yet, here he was. The young Iyrman held no pretences, admitting he would be unable to defeat Ashuk?

So… if Adam was the same age, how strong was he?

‘Last I checked, I’m here talking to you, and he’s not.’

The words replayed within John’s mind, the very same words Adam used to speak about Sir James Greatwood, Grand Commander of the Order of High Garden, previously the Grand Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts, and someone who was confirmed to be a Paragon.

Sir James Greatwood was to Ashuk, as Ashuk was to Jurot, so John thought. There was no way Adam could have defeated him.

It was almost a prayer, the young man trying to refuse, for he was not ready to step into such a world.

‘Damn, he took me down to half,’ Adam thought, flexing his body, and then he did it, the fool.

Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0

2D6 + 9 = 16 (7)

Health: 69 = 85

Adam inhaled deeply, flexing his muscles, and revealed to the world he was still more than eager to keep fighting. In comparison to Ashuk, who looked as though he could take another hit from Adam, perhaps two at most, and yet Ashuk would need to work much harder to bury the half elf under his spear.

‘Hmm?’ Adam thought, noting all the looks he received from the sailors and his own companions.

“Adam,” Ashuk called, unable to deal with the heaviness in his heart. “Speak to me truly. If we fought, with my rage, your armour, who do you think would win?”

“My armour, my niece’s sword, and I was allowed to use everything with my power?” Adam asked, reaching up to rub his chin, raising his brows lightly in thought. “Considering you’re almost a Paragon, you have quite a lot of abilities, but thankfully, I’m not that weak, and I also…”

Adam fell deep into thought about what he knew of Ashuk. He was Level 16, Adam was certain of that, since he had almost been forced to the ground with such a heavy blow. Meaning, his Health was around 160, though it was best to round that up to 180, perhaps even 200. Then, if he danced, Adam would need to consider him to have 300 Health, just to be safe, since he would need to double the Health, but then some of his magic could slip through it, it might even mean he would consider his Health to be slightly higher than that?

Ashuk’s Defence seemed to be around 21 or 22.

Adam’s own, with his full plate, and if he wore a ring and cloak, without his spell, he’d be around 26. Then, with Shield, he would be 31.

Health 300 and Defence 22.

Health 126 and Defence 31.

No, Adam could at least use Tough Spirit, which came him, on average, 16 additional Health, meaning he was closer to 140 Health.

Health 300 and Defence 22.

Health 140 and Defence 31.

‘If I could go all out without worrying, Shield and Divine Smite. His bonus should be around, what, +13? He would need a 17 or higher to hit me, but he’d be attacking in a way to roll with Advantage, giving me Advantage against him too. So, really, the question is, can I do more damage to him in a minute than he can damage me?’ Adam realised that was pretty much how every fight went, but he meant something deeper than that.

Ashuk remained silent as Adam considered his abilities, showing him the respect of thinking deeply about his ridiculous question. However, just the fact Adam was taking it seriously, meant the half elf had his own situation, his own secrets, to consider.

‘Ah, right, he’s also one of those, right?’ Adam thought. ‘So he’ll still do some damage, just because of the storm around him, if I remember that ability right. He’ll be able to do about, what, 10 damage each round, guaranteed? Meaning even if he misses every single time, I have a time limit. I guess I could trap him in a Wall of Fire, that would help me, but then that might only last a little while.’

“Ashuk, are you able to resist fire?” Adam asked.

“No.”

“How many times can your spear almost take my head clean off like that?”

“Once,” Ashuk said, deciding against keeping such a secret, since he was curious, and the half elf was revealing more than enough through his actions, and his words. ‘Fire?’

“Then, if it’s average luck, I have the slight advantage. Six to four, at most, but if I was smarter, probably seven to three?”

If it had been another person, he would have laughed. If he hadn’t just felt the great might of Adam’s axe, he would have laughed. If he hadn’t almost lost to the half elf, he would have laughed. Ashuk could see within Adam’s eyes the same casualness he always held, but this time, Adam was not teasing him even slightly. Though he was a fool, the half elf responded with the thoughtfulness of someone who had crossed blades with him.

“I wish to face you again, upon land, without holding back,” Ashuk said, wanting to see it. If Adam was truly a monster, then he wanted to face that monster with his own two hands. The old man certain he was about to witness the birth of something insane.

“I really don’t want to,” Adam admitted, his voice full of apprehension. “It’s scary enough to face you without you dancing, but after?”

Ashuk couldn’t believe Adam’s words, especially since the half elf seemed to tense up at the thought of facing the Insair who wasn’t going to hold back, a genuine fear. Adam had defeated Ashuk so soundly, and yet the moment he was able to fight with all his greatest abilities, to the point he still thought he could win, he no longer wished to fight? Ashuk clenched his jaw tight, trying not to laugh from the absurdity of it all, since Adam, without a doubt, wasn’t kidding in the slightest.

“If you want, you can fight Bael, since you also counter him, and he likes fighting,” Adam offered.

“No,” Jurot said. “Bael is to defend Taygak.”

Bael nodded in response, this being one of the few times he had to step back, all for the sake of the little baby under his protection, as well as the piles of gold and silver he would receive.

“Ah, right, right,” Adam replied, glancing aside towards Ashmir. “What about…” ‘Oh, right, he didn’t want me to reveal that.’

“If you face me, I will offer another spear, Greater Enhanced too,” Ashuk said.

“Is it as good?”

“No, but if you lose, I will accept only silver in exchange.”

“How much silver?”

Ashuk didn’t actually want any silver, he had more than enough silver, but if he didn’t ask for something, the others would bully him. “A thousand.”

“What kind of spear is it?”

“It is Nona’s Tear,” Ashuk said, as though that explained what it was.

However, Adam glanced aside towards Jurot, who furrowed his brows in thought, but a voice broke through the air.

“It is a good spear,” Kitool stated firmly.

“Alright,” Adam said.

I hadn’t actually realised how strong Adam was until recently.